The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-02 00:00:00

THE LITERARY FUND.

A long account appeared in the last number of
the Atheneum of certain negotiations which have
been going on for some time between the Committee
of the Literary Fund and the Rev. Mr. El win and
Mr. Dickens, and which came to an untimely end
last Wednesday. The actual facts of the case may
be briefly stated. A gentleman wh© was anxious
do place his library after his death under the care
of a public institution, offered it, through Mr. Elwin
and Mr. Dickens, to the Literary Fund, together
with a sum of £lO,OOO, none of which, however,
was to go to the benefit of the Fund, but to be tied
up strictly for the increase and maintenance of the
library. The reversion was not to take place till
after the termination of the lives of two persons,
now about 45 years old each, a contingency which,
according to the calculation of probabilities, could
not be expected to arise in less than thirty years'
and, in the interval, the owner of the books was t°
exercise a complete control over them in the waY
of buying, selling, and exchanging, so that the
reversion was to consist of the library not in its
present condition, but in whatever condition it might
happen to be in at the deatk of the donor. The
simple and obvious course to pursue under such
circumstances was to convey the library to the in-
stitution by way of bequest, accompanied by some
tangible consideration to the institution for
undertaking the charge of it. But the donor
had other views ; he clogged the offer by con-
ditions affecting the constitution of the society,
and stipulated not only that a new charter
should be procured to carry them into effect,
but that it should be procured immediately ; that is
to say, that, although the society was not to come
into possession of the library for probably 30 years'
it was to alter its constitution at once. Such a
proposition was, perhaps, never submitted to an
executive body. Its unreasonableness is perfectly
irrespective of the nature of the gift or conditions►
which, whether beneficial or otherwise, should at
least be coincident. To require a public instity9-
tion to adopt alterations in its constitution ill 181
on the pros iect of some suppositious advantage L„a
is not likely to accrue to it till in or about 18, "'
when its affairs will be in the hands of a new gene-
ration, is very much like demanding interest and '
i
loan 30 years before the obligation is ncurre
Indeed, the latter proposition, which would be
f
regarded by men of business as an overt act (1,
lunacy, is by far the more rational proposition 01.
the two, because the loan would, at all events,'
whenever it came, be a positive and decided benefit'
whereas the benefit, if any, to be derived from thft
library is problematical and vague. Not °nil isji."
doubtful whether the charitymight not be serious 3',
damaged by adopting a feature so inconsistent
with its objects as that of a public reading-r°°''
but there is no guarantee for the quality
be ef the
library with which the reading-room is to fur-
Rished.
The Committee of the Literary Fund saw clearjr
all the objections to this proposal, but they ae;
lined the responsibility of rejecting it, and agree:
unanimously to a formal resolution, by which th.,
decision was to be referred to a general meeting a
the whole society. Mr. Elwin and Mr. Dickers
finding that objections existed, intimated their
willingness to modify their original stipulations,
what sd in the secretary's
and the committee appointed a day to receive them,for
letter, th eo
fPhueraPrrng- asexpressed
emodifications they were in-
structed to make. The interview took place last
Wednesday, when Mr. Dickens and Mr. Elwin,
instead of stating their modifications, required the
committee, in the first instance, to determine
whether under any modifications they were willing
com
meeting,
3 to accept the library, because if they did not it was
useless to discuss the conditions. This demand
have been justifiable if the acceptance or re-'
ietttieneg, but
the
onlythe deci-
sioneife.ctst
of forcing the committee t
eetiolnaxrewstietd with the
with
thegeneral o
an expression 0f
opinion was to provoke an obstructive discussioer
and complicate a question which up to this time
e itimate s
was proceeding qaietly to its 1 • olution•
no
Mr. Dickens,
A long debate en
sued on the subjegct in the abse
of Mr. Elwin and M and finally W.,
resolution following resolu • was carried by a majority
13 to 7
" Thatthe
committee sufficient evidence has been laid before to
conpnittee of any pecuniary or other benefit resulting te
society from the proposed accession to it of a library', e,°„
t
ojustify the committee in recommending the same"'"
general meeting."
The Atheneum says that this resolution is ,ile;
contradiction to the views of the founder, but %Ye,
only authority by which the committee ca der,
governed, or by which the views of the four nre,
reduced to an authentic and practical shaP,e'„,if,
made known, is the charter obtained by hira'-'OO.
with the spirit and intentions of which this re
lution is in entire accordance.
commit
The Athceneum further says that the coninn +0
while inviting Mr. Elwin and Mr. Dickens to state
their modifications, had already resolved to reto
the offer. Here are two errors. The corannt.,t
did not " invite" Mr. Elwin and Mr. Dickens, !Jon" ;
gave them an interview at Mr. Elwin's sugges,,t,ited
nor have the committee up to this moment re. the
the
the offer. Pressed to a resolution one waY or,
other, they have simply determined that 7014
cannot recommend the general meeting to au is
the offer on such evidence as is before thew. the
for the annual meeting to accept or reject
offer. ears,
According to the statement in the Athol re
the seven members who voted in the minorityia a
" official reformers," and are to be considerea
favour of the library. The Atheneum counts.l_ci
host too hastily. Most of these gentlemen !To_
previously recorded their opinion on the other o,w;
and the only explanation that can be given of to
of
last vote is that they -would not, in that stair_til
the proceedings, pronounce against the library wind
they had heard the modifications Mr. EiNvm 1110
Mr. Dickens had to propose. But the rest of a.
e,
committee, compelled to vote one way or the ow,,,na
voted according to the evidence before there,
consistently with the opinions which they had are
and expressed throughout. In their opinions theLst_
sustained by the concurrence of the Dean of_Nv_,etno
rninster, the Dean of St. Paul's, Mr. -o°);,na
Corney, and the whole of the vice-presidents,
members of council who attended the meetly,
110.
with the exception of two members of the cou•
who have always upon every question Deen in c' r
position.—Times.