The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-11-04
AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SocrErY.

in Boston on Friday, the Odd ultimo, at
which the following REPoRT was present.
ed.
The Librarian of the American Antigua
rian Society begs leave respectfully to
report, that,
The Library of the Society since the last
annual meeting has received unusually
large additions, compared with those of
preceding years. The estimated value of
donations, in books and tracts from various
sources, exceeds the sum of five hundred
dollars. The books presented are general
ly of a Miscellaneous character, though
some of them may be regarded as rare
and valuable, from their peculiar adoption
to the objects and purposes of the lnsti-
tuition.
The Acknowledgements of the Society
are due to the Society of Antiquaries of
Scotland for a complete set of its publica-
tons to the year 1928; to the Philosophi-
cal Society of Philadelphia for the last
number of its Transactions to Stephen
Salisbury, ESQ.,, for a very large collection
of newspapers, constituting almost perfect
files of several of the most respectable and
Influential journals of the times, among
which are the United States Gazette from
1902 to 1918, the New York Herald from
1903 to 1878, the Washingtonian from 1909
to 1914. Besides these, there are files of
the Boston Centinel, New England Palla-
dunn, and Independent Chronicle, for a num-
of years also the Boston Gazette, Boston
Daily Advertiser, Boston Commercial Ga
zette, Repertory, Federal Republican, The
Massachusetts Spy, &c. The Society is
largely indebted to its venerable President
for upwards of one hundred volumes of
miscellaneous works, besides many PAM
phlets, tracts and manuscripts to the Rev.
William B. Sprague, D. D., formerly of
West Springfield and now of Albany, for
very valuable donation of between two and
three hundred pamphlets, among which are
about sixty of the Connecticut Election
Sermons: there are also among them a
great number of funeral sermons, and high
" valuable for the biographical information
they contain to the Rev. William Buck
land for his Inaugural Lecture before the
University of Oxford, and copy of his Re-
lique Diluviane; to Jacob Porter for a do
nation in books, pamphlets, and curiosities
to the editors of the Boston Centinel for
file of that paper during the last year
also the editors of the New England Ga
lazy, Boston Weekly Messenger, New
England Palladium, Rhode Island Ameri-
can, Northern Sentinel, and Ohio Monitor,
for the same period to the Legislature of
Laws and Documents during the year 1923,
and to the Legislature of Massachusetts, for
the same period.
literary club which formerly existed in
al. r.
consisting of between two and three hun
bred volumes of valuable books these
have been kindly added and are now placed
upon the shelves of the library of the Soci-
ETY.. Many small donations in books, pam
phlets, and manuscripts, have been made
during the year by various individuals,
which have been received and properly
acknowledged, to enumerate which would
needlessly enlarge this Report, for that rea-
son are now omitted.
The Cabinet of the Society has been
enriched by many valuable donations since
the last annual meeting. Many instru-
ments used by the Indians, either in the
chase or war, and other curiosties connect
ed with the early history of the country.
Two casts have been presented by the
President of the Society and large number
of ancient silver and copper coins.
The Librarian cannot omit this opportuni-
ty to represent to the Society the great
necessity there is for perfect catalogue
of its books and manuscripts, and the per-
manent employment of some suitable person
to take charge of them. The number of
volumes now in the library exceeds eight
thousand, and these are rendered almost
useless from the fact that there are only
tive or three individuals who are acQuaint-
with their arrangement or contents, and
perhaps no one who can at all times find
the book called for.
1t is believed that the usefulness as we'll
as the prosperity of the institution depend
in great measure, upon the management
of its library. The country abounds in
pamphlets, tracts, manuscripts, periodical
publications, and the like, which are almost
daily disappearing for want of some one to
seize and preserve them. These are all
valuable as the materials of history, and it
is believed to be one of the chief objects of
the Society to place such articles in safe
keeping to do this should be part of the
duties of the Librarian. He should be re-
quired to traverse the country, from time to
time, to gather such historical materials as
the interest and purposes of the institution
demand. And to enable him to discharge
his duty with greatest acceptance to pos
terity, he should receive such compensation
for his services as should permit him to de-
vote his whole time and attention to the
objects Of the Society.
CHRIS. c. BALDWIN,
Librarian Of A. a. s.
Boston, October %, 1929.