Few old libraries in England are now so thoroughly neglected
as they were thirty years ago. The state of many of our Collegiate
and Cathedral libraries was at that time simply appalling.
I could mention many instances, one especially, where a window having
been left broken for a long time, the ivy had pushed through and crept
over a row of books, each of which was worth hundreds of pounds.
In rainy weather the water was conducted, as by a pipe, along the tops
of the books and soaked through the whole.
In another and smaller collection, the rain came straight on to a
book-case through a sky-light, saturating continually the top shelf
containing Caxtons and other early English books, one of which,
although rotten, was sold soon after by permission of the Charity
Commissioners for L200.
Germany, too, the very birth-place of Printing, allows similar destruction
to go on unchecked, if the following letter, which appeared about a Year
ago (1879) in the _Academy_ has any truth in it:--
"For some time past the condition of the library at Wolfenbuttel has
been most disgraceful. The building is in so unsafe a condition that
portions of the walls and ceilings have fallen in, and the many
treasures in Books and MSS. contained in it are exposed to damp and
decay.
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