St. Paul's Cathedral Library, By W. Sparrow Simpson, D.D. (Elliot
Stock.)—If we had space sufficient, we would quote Dr. Simpson's most interesting preface. He tells us that he was ap- pointed Librarian in 1E432, and that he has since endeavoured to give a special character to the Library, this character being that the collection of books should illustrate the history of the Cathedral. His efforts have been most successful. He began, one may say, with nothing. "With the single exception of a copy of the second edition of Dugdale's 'History of St. Paul's Cathedral,' there was hardly a book in the library which bore upon the subject." What there is now, we see in this volume, which is, it must be understood, a catalogue not of the whole library, but of its specialities,—including bibles, liturgies, and liturgical works, books about St. Paul's in particular and London in general, about St. Paul's School, &c. Dr. Simpson directs attention to the collection of sermons preached at Paul's Cross. These begin in the year 1550. There is a collection of sermons preached in the Cathedral, tho last of which, curiously enough, is one preached in 1837 by Sydney Smith on " The New Reign."
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