FOOTNOTES:

BOOK RECESSES IN LIBRARY.

Dr. Monck Mason devoted much conscientious labour and intelligence to the work. He was assisted in the department of Irish MSS. by Edward O’Reilly; in that of Oriental MSS. by Edward Hincks, then sub-librarian; and in the Icelandic MSS. by George Cash. It is much to be lamented that the work was not published as designed. The MSS. in the Irish language have been catalogued by Dr. O’Donovan in one thick folio volume. There exists also a card catalogue, consisting of about 20,000 cards, prepared under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Dickson, assistant librarian. He employed, at his own expense, a person acquainted with the Irish vernacular, but otherwise not as well qualified as might be wished (the inevitable result of want of means to pay a qualified scholar).

It is in contemplation to print a summary catalogue much briefer than Dr. Monck Mason’s, but containing sufficient information about each volume to indicate to students at a distance what they may expect to look for in it. A catalogue of this kind need not occupy more than one volume, and might be sold at such a price as would make it generally accessible.

It may interest librarians to learn how the accommodation has been from time to time enlarged. Up to the end of the eighteenth century, the room in the east wing, now occupied by the Fagel Library, was set apart as the MSS. Room. In the stalls in the Long Room, where the short bookcases are at present, there were seats like settles, the ends of whichstill remain. From the high cases projected sloping desks, below which there were no books. The engraving in Malton’sViews of Dublinrepresents this state of things. These seats and desks were removed in 1817. The Reading Room was the upper room in the west wing, now the Clerks’ Room. The whole of the ground floor, except in the wings, was an open ambulatory, divided length-wise by a central wall, the south side being used by the Fellows. The rooms on the ground floor in both wings were Lecture Rooms—that at the west for Law, that at the east end for Divinity. The Law Lecture Room also contained the Lending Library. There were no bookcases in the gallery.

INNER STAIRCASE IN LIBRARY.In 1802 the Fagel Library was placed in the East Room, and the MSS. were removed to the room above it. The next step was the erection of the short bookcases in the stalls. In 1844 Dr. Todd introduced the ingenious device of low bookcases in the windows of the gallery, revolving on hinges, and with shelves on both sides. In the central part of the building, where the walls are thicker, there were two of these—one outside the other—so that, with the fixed shelves at the back, there were five shelves in depth and four in height. In the shallower windows these were but three in depth. In 1860 it had become necessary to reconstruct the roof, and then bookcases were placed on the gallery over those below, and reaching to the roof. Most of the revolving cases had then to be removed.Meantime, in 1848, the room on the ground floor in the east wing had been made a Reading Room, and heated by hot-water pipes. A spiral staircase connected it with the room above. When it became necessary to have a means of communicationwith the gallery at this end, it was proposed either to continue this staircase, or toconstruct a similar one at the other end of the room. The objection to this scheme was a remarkable one: it would give too great vent for the heated air, and so cause draughts; in other words, it would help to ventilate the Reading Room—the very thing that was wanted!When the new Lecture Rooms and Museum were built, the MSS. were removed to their present place on the ground floor near the entrance, and some twenty-five years after that, bookcases were constructed in the upper east room. A few years ago these were in their turn nearly filled, and it became necessary to enclose the ground floor of the Library. This work was completed this year (1892). The western third of this space constitutes the new Reading Room.

INNER STAIRCASE IN LIBRARY.

In 1802 the Fagel Library was placed in the East Room, and the MSS. were removed to the room above it. The next step was the erection of the short bookcases in the stalls. In 1844 Dr. Todd introduced the ingenious device of low bookcases in the windows of the gallery, revolving on hinges, and with shelves on both sides. In the central part of the building, where the walls are thicker, there were two of these—one outside the other—so that, with the fixed shelves at the back, there were five shelves in depth and four in height. In the shallower windows these were but three in depth. In 1860 it had become necessary to reconstruct the roof, and then bookcases were placed on the gallery over those below, and reaching to the roof. Most of the revolving cases had then to be removed.Meantime, in 1848, the room on the ground floor in the east wing had been made a Reading Room, and heated by hot-water pipes. A spiral staircase connected it with the room above. When it became necessary to have a means of communicationwith the gallery at this end, it was proposed either to continue this staircase, or toconstruct a similar one at the other end of the room. The objection to this scheme was a remarkable one: it would give too great vent for the heated air, and so cause draughts; in other words, it would help to ventilate the Reading Room—the very thing that was wanted!When the new Lecture Rooms and Museum were built, the MSS. were removed to their present place on the ground floor near the entrance, and some twenty-five years after that, bookcases were constructed in the upper east room. A few years ago these were in their turn nearly filled, and it became necessary to enclose the ground floor of the Library. This work was completed this year (1892). The western third of this space constitutes the new Reading Room.

Meantime, in 1848, the room on the ground floor in the east wing had been made a Reading Room, and heated by hot-water pipes. A spiral staircase connected it with the room above. When it became necessary to have a means of communicationwith the gallery at this end, it was proposed either to continue this staircase, or toconstruct a similar one at the other end of the room. The objection to this scheme was a remarkable one: it would give too great vent for the heated air, and so cause draughts; in other words, it would help to ventilate the Reading Room—the very thing that was wanted!

When the new Lecture Rooms and Museum were built, the MSS. were removed to their present place on the ground floor near the entrance, and some twenty-five years after that, bookcases were constructed in the upper east room. A few years ago these were in their turn nearly filled, and it became necessary to enclose the ground floor of the Library. This work was completed this year (1892). The western third of this space constitutes the new Reading Room.

INNER STAIRCASE IN LIBRARY.

INTERIOR OF LIBRARY, 1860.

Only graduates (of Dublin, Oxford, or Cambridge) have the right of admission to the Library; but the privilege has always been freely granted to persons properly introduced,whether graduates of a university or not, so that it is, in fact, a public library. In 1856 it was resolved by the Board and Visitors to grant admission to students who have entered on their third year, that being the usual period for commencing professional studies; but admission is always granted at an earlier period to a student whose studies are such as to make it desirable.

THE LIBRARY, 1891. (SEEPAGE 213.)

LIBRARY STAIRCASE AND ENTRANCE TO READING ROOM.

Previously to 1843, readers were allowed to take books from the shelves themselves, but in that year this privilege was limited to the Fellows and Professors, except in the Reading Room, where books of reference and other books in frequent demand are accessible to all readers. This change caused a considerable diminution in the number of readers. A similar resolution had been passed in 1817, but rescinded a few months after, it being thought to be contrary to the Statutes, which forbade readers to replace a book anywhere except in its place on the shelves. The Provost (Elrington) protested against the rescission, alleging,inter alia, that free access to the shelves led to the reading of indecent books, and he had even known books of magic to be read.

The hours during which the Library was open were formerly eight to ten, and eleven to one. We read once or twice of permission being given to readers to remain locked in between ten and eleven. The hour of closing was afterwards postponed to two o’clock. At present, the Reading Room is open from ten to six; the Library itself is closed at three in winter, and four in summer.

ROYAL ARMS NOW PLACED IN LIBRARY.

FOOTNOTES:[110]This is the amount stated in theBook of Benefactors(MS.). Dr. Bernard, in hisLife of Ussher, makes the sum £1,800.[111]Brereton’sTravels, published by the Chetham Society in 1844.[112]When the House of Commons was debating whether they should admit Ussher to the Assembly of Divines Selden said, “They had as good inquire whether they had best admit Inigo Jones, the King’s architect, to the company of mouse-trap makers.”—Elrington’sLife of Ussher, p. 231.[113]MS., of which a copy was given to the Library by Mr. Edward Evans, 1887.[114]The Library of Trinity College, Dublin. An address delivered at the Seventh Annual Meeting of the Library Association, by John K. Ingram, LL.D., F.T.C.D., President.[115]A separate room was provided for the Museum in 1777.[116]In the judgment of the learned Dr. Rudolph Siegfried, formerly Professor of Sanskrit in this University, the name of Edward Lhuyd as a comparative philologist deserved to stand “right after” that of Bopp.[117]The Bodleian was the first Library to acquire this privilege, James I. having induced the Company of Stationers to give it a copy of every work entered at their Hall. In the reign of Anne the Royal Library acquired the privilege, and when George II., in 1757, gave his library to the British Museum, he transferred this privilege with it. The Act of 1801 granted it to eleven libraries, but most of these have commuted it for an annual grant.[118]Lithography would have had the appearance of greater exactness, but to a great extent only the appearance, for some of the pages are so obscure that the lithographic artist would have been unable of himself to trace the letters, and would be as dependent on a scholar for guidance as the engraver was. The errors of even so practised a decipherer at Tregelles suffice to prove this.[119]Rendiconti del R. Istitecto Lombardo, ser. ii., vol. xix., fasc. 4.[120]See Hermathena, No. xviii., 1892. The colophon is as follows:—“Rogo beatitudinem | tuamscepræsbiter | patrici ut quicumque | hunc libellum manu te | nuerit meminerit colum | bae scriptoris qui hoc scripsi | himet evangelium per xii dierum spatium gtiadninris.s.” The only doubtful letters are “hi” before “met.” If I read them rightly, the colophon must be a copy, the syllable “mi” being omitted. Moreover, the book is copied from one in which the leaves containing the summaries or “breves causæ” were somewhat disordered, and the copyist had not sufficient knowledge to correct the disorder. There are blunders, too, which could hardly have been committed by Saint Columba.[121]“Oroit agus bendacht cholumb chille do Flaund mace mailsechnaill do Righereim la sa ndernada cumddach so.”[122]MacGeoghegan:Annals of Ireland(MS. T.C.D.), an. 590, p. 52.[123]Topographia Hiberniæ, ii., c. 38.[124]Graves:Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. iii., pp. 316, 356.[125]The note is as follows (the contractions expanded):—“Sanctus Patricius iens ad coelum | mandauit totum fructum | laboris sui tam babtismi tam causarum et elemoisina | rum deferendum esse apos | tolicae urbi quae scotice | nominatur arddmacha | sic reperi in beblioticis | scotorum ego scripsi | id est caluus perennis in con | spectu briani imperato | ris scotorum et quod scripsi | finivit pro omnibus regibus maceriae” (i.e., of Cashel). The scribe originally wrote “finit” for “finivit;” he then expunged the “t” by a point under. This is the origin of O’Curry’s ridiculous “figuivit.”[126]On theBook of Armagh, see Sir W. Betham:Irish Antiquarian Researches; Petrie:Essay on the Round Towers; Bishop Graves,ubi supra; and Bishop Reeves,Proc. R. I. Acad., ser. iii., vol. ii., p. 77.[127]See a drawing in Curzon’sMonasteries of the Levant.[128]Published by Bishop Forbes in hisLiber Ecclesiæ de Arbuthnott.[129]This is the story as told to and by Monck Mason, from whom Sir W. Betham bought the MS., and who had himself bought it from a Mr. Harrison of Nenagh. Sir W. Betham not unreasonably questions the truth of the story.[130]A remarkable instance is theCodex PurpureusN of the Gospels, of which four leaves are in the British Museum, two in Vienna, six in the Vatican, and thirty-three at Patmos.[131]The MS. is B.3.6. On fol. cxxx.awe read: “Expletis benedictionibus faciat Episcopus Crucem in manus singulorum de oleo et chrismate dicens orationem. Consecrare et sanctificare digneris quaesumus Domine manus istas per istam unctionem et nostram benedictionem ut quaecunque consecraverint consecrentur, et quaecunque benedixerint benedicantur et sanctificentur per Christum Dominum nostrum. Deinde patenam cum oblatis et calicem cum vino det singulis dicens ad eos lenta voce. Accipite potestatem offerre sacrificium Deo missamque celebrare tam pro vivis quam et pro defunctis in nomine Domini. Sequitur ultima benedictio: Benedictio Domini Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti descendat super vos ut sitis benedicti in ordinem sacerdotalem, offerentes placabiles hostias pro peccatis atque offensionibus populi omnipotenti Deo, cui est honor et gloria in saecula saecularum. Amen. Et osculetur singulos et omnes qui ordinati sunt, deferant oblationes ad manus episcopi.” Opposite this in the margin,secunda manu, is a series of different rubrics and prayers, of which the most notable is “Post benedictionem imponat manum super capita ordinatorum dicendo: Accipite Spiritum Sanctum, et quorum remiseritis peccata remissa sunt, et quorum retinueritis retenta sunt.” Then follows,secunda manu, the “Finalis Benedictio.”[132]On a Syriac MS. belonging to the collection of Archbishop Ussher, by the Very Rev. John Gwynn, D.D.,Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xxvii.[133]None of them mentioned by M. Le Roux de Lincy in hisRecherches sur Grolier, sa vie, et sa bibliothèque.[134]Bibl. Egerton, Brit. Mus., MS. No. 75, p. 371.[135]Conall MacGeoghegan, in hisAnnals of Ireland(1627, MS.), under 1063, makes the same statement as to the crown, but says that Pope Adrian gave it to Henry II.[136]On this and other Irish harps see O’Curry:Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, vol. iii., p. 266. Petrie’s remarks are in Bunting’sAncient Irish Music.[137]SeeClassical Review, May, 1888.[138]Gudius:Inscriptiones Antiquæ, ed. Hessel; Boeckh:Corpus, ii., p. 778, n. 3346. See a paper by Dr. Todd—Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. ii., p. 49.

[110]This is the amount stated in theBook of Benefactors(MS.). Dr. Bernard, in hisLife of Ussher, makes the sum £1,800.

[111]Brereton’sTravels, published by the Chetham Society in 1844.

[112]When the House of Commons was debating whether they should admit Ussher to the Assembly of Divines Selden said, “They had as good inquire whether they had best admit Inigo Jones, the King’s architect, to the company of mouse-trap makers.”—Elrington’sLife of Ussher, p. 231.

[113]MS., of which a copy was given to the Library by Mr. Edward Evans, 1887.

[114]The Library of Trinity College, Dublin. An address delivered at the Seventh Annual Meeting of the Library Association, by John K. Ingram, LL.D., F.T.C.D., President.

[115]A separate room was provided for the Museum in 1777.

[116]In the judgment of the learned Dr. Rudolph Siegfried, formerly Professor of Sanskrit in this University, the name of Edward Lhuyd as a comparative philologist deserved to stand “right after” that of Bopp.

[117]The Bodleian was the first Library to acquire this privilege, James I. having induced the Company of Stationers to give it a copy of every work entered at their Hall. In the reign of Anne the Royal Library acquired the privilege, and when George II., in 1757, gave his library to the British Museum, he transferred this privilege with it. The Act of 1801 granted it to eleven libraries, but most of these have commuted it for an annual grant.

[118]Lithography would have had the appearance of greater exactness, but to a great extent only the appearance, for some of the pages are so obscure that the lithographic artist would have been unable of himself to trace the letters, and would be as dependent on a scholar for guidance as the engraver was. The errors of even so practised a decipherer at Tregelles suffice to prove this.

[119]Rendiconti del R. Istitecto Lombardo, ser. ii., vol. xix., fasc. 4.

[120]See Hermathena, No. xviii., 1892. The colophon is as follows:—“Rogo beatitudinem | tuamscepræsbiter | patrici ut quicumque | hunc libellum manu te | nuerit meminerit colum | bae scriptoris qui hoc scripsi | himet evangelium per xii dierum spatium gtiadninris.s.” The only doubtful letters are “hi” before “met.” If I read them rightly, the colophon must be a copy, the syllable “mi” being omitted. Moreover, the book is copied from one in which the leaves containing the summaries or “breves causæ” were somewhat disordered, and the copyist had not sufficient knowledge to correct the disorder. There are blunders, too, which could hardly have been committed by Saint Columba.

[121]“Oroit agus bendacht cholumb chille do Flaund mace mailsechnaill do Righereim la sa ndernada cumddach so.”

[122]MacGeoghegan:Annals of Ireland(MS. T.C.D.), an. 590, p. 52.

[123]Topographia Hiberniæ, ii., c. 38.

[124]Graves:Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. iii., pp. 316, 356.

[125]The note is as follows (the contractions expanded):—“Sanctus Patricius iens ad coelum | mandauit totum fructum | laboris sui tam babtismi tam causarum et elemoisina | rum deferendum esse apos | tolicae urbi quae scotice | nominatur arddmacha | sic reperi in beblioticis | scotorum ego scripsi | id est caluus perennis in con | spectu briani imperato | ris scotorum et quod scripsi | finivit pro omnibus regibus maceriae” (i.e., of Cashel). The scribe originally wrote “finit” for “finivit;” he then expunged the “t” by a point under. This is the origin of O’Curry’s ridiculous “figuivit.”

[126]On theBook of Armagh, see Sir W. Betham:Irish Antiquarian Researches; Petrie:Essay on the Round Towers; Bishop Graves,ubi supra; and Bishop Reeves,Proc. R. I. Acad., ser. iii., vol. ii., p. 77.

[127]See a drawing in Curzon’sMonasteries of the Levant.

[128]Published by Bishop Forbes in hisLiber Ecclesiæ de Arbuthnott.

[129]This is the story as told to and by Monck Mason, from whom Sir W. Betham bought the MS., and who had himself bought it from a Mr. Harrison of Nenagh. Sir W. Betham not unreasonably questions the truth of the story.

[130]A remarkable instance is theCodex PurpureusN of the Gospels, of which four leaves are in the British Museum, two in Vienna, six in the Vatican, and thirty-three at Patmos.

[131]The MS. is B.3.6. On fol. cxxx.awe read: “Expletis benedictionibus faciat Episcopus Crucem in manus singulorum de oleo et chrismate dicens orationem. Consecrare et sanctificare digneris quaesumus Domine manus istas per istam unctionem et nostram benedictionem ut quaecunque consecraverint consecrentur, et quaecunque benedixerint benedicantur et sanctificentur per Christum Dominum nostrum. Deinde patenam cum oblatis et calicem cum vino det singulis dicens ad eos lenta voce. Accipite potestatem offerre sacrificium Deo missamque celebrare tam pro vivis quam et pro defunctis in nomine Domini. Sequitur ultima benedictio: Benedictio Domini Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti descendat super vos ut sitis benedicti in ordinem sacerdotalem, offerentes placabiles hostias pro peccatis atque offensionibus populi omnipotenti Deo, cui est honor et gloria in saecula saecularum. Amen. Et osculetur singulos et omnes qui ordinati sunt, deferant oblationes ad manus episcopi.” Opposite this in the margin,secunda manu, is a series of different rubrics and prayers, of which the most notable is “Post benedictionem imponat manum super capita ordinatorum dicendo: Accipite Spiritum Sanctum, et quorum remiseritis peccata remissa sunt, et quorum retinueritis retenta sunt.” Then follows,secunda manu, the “Finalis Benedictio.”

[132]On a Syriac MS. belonging to the collection of Archbishop Ussher, by the Very Rev. John Gwynn, D.D.,Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xxvii.

[133]None of them mentioned by M. Le Roux de Lincy in hisRecherches sur Grolier, sa vie, et sa bibliothèque.

[134]Bibl. Egerton, Brit. Mus., MS. No. 75, p. 371.

[135]Conall MacGeoghegan, in hisAnnals of Ireland(1627, MS.), under 1063, makes the same statement as to the crown, but says that Pope Adrian gave it to Henry II.

[136]On this and other Irish harps see O’Curry:Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, vol. iii., p. 266. Petrie’s remarks are in Bunting’sAncient Irish Music.

[137]SeeClassical Review, May, 1888.

[138]Gudius:Inscriptiones Antiquæ, ed. Hessel; Boeckh:Corpus, ii., p. 778, n. 3346. See a paper by Dr. Todd—Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. ii., p. 49.

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