THE NATIONAL LIBRARIES
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—In order that the annual income may be more adequate to the demands made upon it, the Friends of the National Libraries are anxious to increase the Socie:y's membership from hundreds to thousands.
The Society, it will be recalled, was formed eight years ago to render to the great collections of books services similar to those performed by thf: National Art-Collections Fund in the case of pictures. During the last seven years it has collected over £9,400 towards the purchase of many important works of all kinds which would otherwise certainly never have remained in this country. The Society gave, for example, £1,000 for the eleven Bible leaves written for Ceolfrid at Wearmouth in the eighth century, £2,170 towards the acquisition of the Codex Sinaiticus, £1,600 towards the Paston Letters, E500 towards a rare miscellany of Elizabethan verse and 1,470 towards the Huxley Archives.
Other purchases include a first edition of Erasmus' Praise Ly. Folly, the Bangor Missal, the York Missal, the MSS. of Wilfrid Owen, the MSS. of Trollope's Autobiography, and Sir Christo- pher Wren's drawings of St. Paul's Cathedral.
These are but a fraction of the possible treasures which the nation could have secured if the Society had been more widely known and generally supported. Becmse their funds are so limited, each year in the sale-rooms many rare books and manuscripts desired by the British Museum and the National Libraries of Scotland and Wales are irretrievably lost. 111ot of them go abroad, never to return.
There is no limit to the benefactions that the Friends could make if money were available. May we appeal to your readers. to become members ? The minimum annual subscription is one guinea, though donations of any amount are welcomed. Further information and details of special privileges granted to members can be obtained from me.-1 have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, co British Museum, London, W.C. r.
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