(such specialties there are) at the British Museum, nor are they disappointed.
Again, the librarian has to consider the purchase of scientific publications, especially periodicals, in little-known languages, Unfortunately for him — and we will also venture to say, for the cause of human progress — there is an increasing tendency for small nationalities to push their own linguistic wares, and to refuse (as in Hungary) or to be forbidden (as in Russia) to write in French, German, or English. The value of these contributions to science, thus hidden under linguistic bushels, is perfectly familiar to men of science. We may mention, for instance, that the researches of Professor Dewar on the liquefaction of air were said to be anticipated in a Polish periodical. Obviously, a National library must buy these things, so that the man of science may, if he wish, have such articles as this translated. The example of the Brussels Royal Library, where in 1885 the Polish and Russian reviews, being hardly ever read, were all discontinued,[1] is only recommendable under stress of impecuniosity.
The purchase of books out of print is a far more difficult matter. The librarian will occasionally find it worth while to purchase a collection en bloc from the owner, discarding or selling the duplicates, but for a library of old standing the bulk of the latter will nearly always be too large to make this operation worth while. He must therefore rely on the energy and enterprise of dealers to bring to his
- ↑ Rapport, 1885.
