Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1919-05-09

-HT HAS become customary to start
the history of the British Museum
library with a transaction which
took place between the British
government and Sir Hans Sloane in
1853, but, as a matter of fact, the
genesis of this library should be re-
corded 20 years earlier. The event
chronicled upon this date of October
22, 1871, is a fire at Ashburnham
house which partly destroyed the ia
nous Cottonian. library, and empha-
sized in the minds of influential pa
irons of learning the absolute neces-
sity of properly housing the great col
lectiOns which as yet had escaped the
same fate, says the Christian Science
Monitor.
That portion of. the CottOnian col
lection which was saved from the
flames still exists as an important and
valuable part Of the present British
museum. Sir Robert Cotton was a
real bOOklOver and natural collector.
When summoned by Queen Elizabeth
to Calais as royal commissioner in
arranging treaty between England
and Spain, it was with sincere regret
that he accepted the appointment, be-
cause it took him away from his IL
brary and from the research in which
he found the greatest delight of life.
Later Cotton's political activities
aroused the suspicious of Charles l,
and, as a result his beloved library
was sealed up and he himself arrested.
When later a royal messenger came
to him with the message that under
certain conditions he might be re-
stored to court favor, Cotton replied :
"You come too late, my heart is
broken"
The famous library was restored
years later to Sir Roberts son and
successor, Sir Thomas Cotton, who in
herited, also. his fathers love of books.
From Sir Thomas it came down to Sir
John Cotton, who presented the col
lection to the nation in 100. The
Cotton library, therefore, should be
considered the nucleus to which the
other collections were added.
money HdtScO ny EotSS'y.
This brings us to Sir Hans Sloane,
where the chronicle usually begins.
Sir Hans was physician, naturalist,
and antiuuary, and during his life
time accumulated an extraordinary
collection of books, manuscripts,
drawings, prints, together with col
lections of natural and artificial curl
osities. Toward the end of his life
he offered them to the British nation,
provided the government paid ms
executors some 100000. which he esti-
mated to be one-fOurth of the intrinsic
value of his collections. The real
value was probably somewhat less
than his estimate, but the, price at
which the British nation acquired his
treasures was surely less than half
their value, which made the contribu'
mon of Sir Hans a princely one under
any circumstances.
To persuade King George ii, so in
different to the Importance of letters
and so misery regarding the expendl-
ture of money save for his own pleas
ures, that so large sum should DE
paid was no easy task, and when the
memorial was first presented to him ne
remarked: II do not think there are
f2OOO0 in the treasury" Fortunately
however. there was influence enough
among those favoring the acquisition
of this important collection to push
the matter to conclusion. AS re-
suit an act was passed through parl1a-
mont authorizing the holding of lot
ferry TO raise 100000. out of which
f30OOO should be paid to the executors
of Sir Hans wand the countess or oN-
ford. and an additional f3o,ooV invest
cd at interest in the public tunus 10
nrovide for salaries and other eX-
penses, Beyond this. an adequate sum
was 70 be devoted to suitable ouiIo-
inc for the collections. This ACT
nossed parliament in 1853, ana MARKS
the definite foundation of the british
museum.
EarIv Restrictions on Users.
Tho records show that the hrSt bulid-
inc containing the collections winch
Int m make up the British museum
was thrown open to the puoic Oh
January 10. 1859: but the woras
..thrown open" require some eApiaha-
tion Today there IS no library IN the
world where the visitor or student Is
able TO inspect and make use OF It's
wonderful contents with greater ease
.r freedom than the British Museum