The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-11 00:00:00

COMPOSITORS' LIBRARY.

This institution was opened yesterday, at No. 3,
Raquet-court, Fleet-street, and from the catalogue
before us we are glad to perceive that its shelves are
I=ll by nearlythousand
_ two volumes of sterling
merit. The strenuous efforts that have been
made v the London compositors for the establish-
ment of their library and reading-room are at length
mimed with complete success. Let us hope it will
rove a stimulus to other bodies of workmen to " go
sad do likewise." This gratilying fact will be read
with pleasure by those who are earnestly watching
the varied social features of our eventful times, and
hailed by the philanthropist and the friend of educa-
tional pewees as a pleasing proof that there is •
spring of improvement welling irresistibly upwards.
From the catalogue we perceive that many of the
most valuable works have been presented by
compositors themselves--a fact which says much for
the literary taste and judgment of that numerous and
important body.
One of the most gratifying features of this institution
is the alacrity and liberality with which literary men
and publishers have come forward to aid the onward
progress of this good work, thus lending the high
sanction of their names and social position to a move-
ment which, if followed by other protections, may yet
be destined to *Sect a great bat peaceful change in
the social condition and educational acquirements of
the industrial classes of the community. The opening
of each an institution as the Compositors' Library and
Reading-room is a significant fact, and, let us hope,
as example which will be speedily followed by other
bodies of working men, not only in this densely pop:-
laced metropolis, but throughout the length and
breadth of the land. A great social problem is in
mimeo( solutioc, and the compositors of Loudon may
well feel proud of the distinguished literary and
other aid which has been so generously and spon-
taneously afforded to them in their praiseworthy
efforts at self-improvement. Amongst the donors to
this institution we perceive the names of the Earl of
Harrowby, the Earl of Shaftesbury, the Right Hon.
Mr. Gladstone Major-Gemmel T. Perronet Thomp-
eon, Messrs. Chambers, the Society for Promoting
Christian Knowledge, and a number of gentlemen
whose sautes and influents, are never wanting in the
cause of educational progress. The catalogue before
oak necessarily inoomplete, bat we doubt not an im-
proved edition will speedily be published, as works
conflates to opine in daily.
Yesterday, after the publication of the catalogue, a
princely donation at 165 volumes, of starling merit,
and handsomely belted, were received from his
Royal Highness Prises Albert, off odiog another
prootot the deep interest which that popular Prince
takes in everything affecting the welfare, intellec-
tually or materially, of the working classes.
Its a pecaliar feature of our time, that, by a
combined= of rank and taleat, a body at men like
the compositors of London have been enabled, by
their own untiring efforts, to establish a library
which would reflect credit on a body of mach higher
All honour to those podium who
trasvtatirped forward to aid this movement, and by
their disinterested assistance have justified the com-
porkers is adopting as their motto,
Keats et sena.

Mr. John Mime, akar et health el the eity of I
Limase, bus bon sprinted swifeal *Sot of UN theasi
Spud of Ilealtb, la pessasae• of dm set sir last snios,

lauds:la tbst Mad; sad astberidag Ibimpoiatmat by it
*BMW am