The Reformed Library Keeper, Treatise
THE Reformed Librarie-Keeper: OR Two copies of Letters concerning the Place and Office of a Librarie-Keeper.
The firſt Letter.
THe Librarie-Keeper's place and Office, in moſt Countries (as moſt other Places and Offices both in Churches and Univerſities) are lookt upon, as Places of profit and gain, and ſo accordingly ſought after and valued in that regard; and not in regard of the ſervice, which is to bee don by them unto the Common-wealth of Iſraël, for the advancement of Pietie and Learning; for the moſt part, men look after the maintenance, and livelihood ſetled upon their Places, more then upon the end and uſefulneſs of their emploiments; they ſeek themſelvs and not the Publick therein, and ſo they ſubordinate all the advantages of their places, to purchaſe mainly two things thereby viz. an eaſie ſubſiſtence; and ſom credit incompariſon of others; nor is the laſt much regarded, if the firſt may bee had; except i… bee in caſes of ſtrife and debate, wherein men are over-heated: for then indeed ſom will ſtand upon the point of Honor, to the hazard of their temporal profits: but to ſpeak in particular of Librarie-Keepers, in moſt Univerſities that I know; nay indeed in all, their places are but Mercenarie, and their emploiment of little or no uſe further, then to look to the Books committed to their cuſtodie, that they may not bee loſt; or embezeled by thoſe that uſe them: and this is all.
I have been informed, that in Oxford (where the moſt famous Librarie now exſtant amongſt the Proteſtant-Chriſtians is kept,) the ſetled maintenance of the Librarie-keeper is not above fiftie or ſixtie pound per annum; but that it is accidentally, viis & modis ſomtimes worth an hundred pound: what the accidents are, and the waies by which they com, I have not been curious to ſearch after; but I have thought, that if the proper emploiments of Librarie-keepers were taken into conſideration as they are, or may bee made uſeful to the advancement of Learning; and were ordered and mainteined proportionally to the ends, which ought to bee intended thereby; they would bee of exceeding great uſe to all ſorts of Scholars, and have an univerſal influence upon all the parts of Learning, to produce and propagate the ſame unto perfection. For if Librarie-keepers did underſtand themſelvs in the nature of their work, and would make themſelvs, as they ought to bee, uſeful in their places in a publick waie; they ought to becom Agents for the advancement of univerſal Learning: and to this effect I could wiſh, that their places might not bee made, as everie where they are, Mercenarie, but rather Honorarie; and that with the competent allowance of two hundred pounds a year; ſom emploiments ſhould bee put upon them further then a bare keeping of the Books. It is true that a fair Librarie, is not onelyonly an ornament and credit to the place vvhere it is; but an uſeful commoditie by it ſelf to the publick; yet in effect it is no more then a dead Bodie as novv it is conſtituted, in compariſon of vvhat it might bee, if it vvere animated vvith a publick Spirit to keep and uſe it, and ordered as it might bee for publick ſervice. For if ſuch an allovvance vvere ſetled upon the emploiment as might maintain a man of parts and generous thoughts, then a condition might bee annexed to the beſtowing of the Place▪ that none ſhould bee called thereunto but ſuch as had approved themſelvs zealous and profitable in ſom publick waies of Learning to advance the ſame, or that ſhould bee bound to certain tasks to bee proſecuted towards that end, whereof a Liſt might bee made, and the waie to trie their Abilities in proſecuting the ſame ſhould bee deſcribed, leaſt in after times, unprofitable men creep into the place, to fruſtrate the publick of the benefit intended by the Doners towards poſteritie. The proper charge then of the Honorarie Librarie-Keeper in an Univerſitie ſhould bee thought upon, and the end of that Imploiment, in my conception, is to keep the publick ſtock of Learning, which is in Books and Manuſcripts to increaſ it, and to propoſe it to others in the waie which may bee moſt uſeful unto all; his work then is to bee a Factor and Trader for helps to Learning, and a Treaſurer to keep them, and a diſpenſer to applie them to uſe, or to ſee them well uſed, or at leaſt not abuſed; And to do all this, Firſt a Catalogue, of the Treaſurie committed unto his charge is to bee made, that is all the Books and Manuſcripts, according to the Titles whereunto they belong, are to bee ranked in an order moſt eaſie and obvious to bee found, which I think is that of Sciences and Languages; when firſt all the Books are divided into their ſubjectam materiam whereof they Treat, and then everie kinde of matter ſubdivided into their ſeveral Languages: And as the Catalogue ſhould bee ſo made, that it may alwaies bee augmented as the ſtock doth increaſ; ſo the place in the Librarie muſt bee left open for the increaſ of the number of Books in their proper Seats, and in the Printed Catalogue, a Reference is to bee made to the place where the Books are to bee found in their Shelvs or repoſitories. When the ſtock is thus known and fitted to bee expoſed to the view of the Learned World, Then the waie of Trading with it, both at home and abroad, is to bee laid to heart both for the increaſ of the ſtock, and for the improvement of it to uſe. For the increaſ of the ſtock both at home and abroad, correſpondencie ſhould bee held with thoſe that are eminent in everie Science, to Trade with them for their profit, that what they want and wee have, they may receiv upon condition, that what they have and wee want, they ſhould impart in that facultie wherein their eminencie doth lie; As for ſuch as are at home eminent in anie kinde, becauſ they may com by Native right to have uſe of the Librarie-Treaſure, they are to bee Traded vvithal in another vvaie, viz. that the things vvhichwhich are gained from abroad, vvhichwhich as yet are not made common, and put to publick uſe ſhould bee promiſed and imparted to them for the increaſ of their private ſtock of knowledg, to the end that what they have peculiar, may alſo bee given in for a requital, ſo that the particularities of gifts at home and abroad, are to meet as in a Center in the hand of the Librarie-keeper, and hee is to Trade with the one by the other, to cauſ them to multiplie the publick ſtock, whereof hee is a Treaſurer and Factor.
Thus hee ſhould Trade with thoſe that are at home and abroad out of the Univerſitie, and with thoſe that are within the Univerſitie, hee ſhould have acquaintance to know all that are of anie parts, and how their vein of Learning doth lie, to ſupplie helps unto them in their faculties from without and from within the Nation, to put them upon the keeping of correſpondencie vvith men of their ovvn ſtrain, for the beating out of matters not yet elaborated in Sciences; ſo that they may bee as his Aſſiſtants and ſubordinate Factors in his Trade and in their own for gaining of knowledg: Now becauſ in all publick Agencies, it is fit that ſom inſpection ſhould bee had over thoſe that are intruſted therewith, therefore in this Factorie and Trade for the increaſ of Learning, ſom tie ſhould bee upon thoſe Librarie-keepers to oblige them to carefulneſs.
I would then upon this account, have an Order made that once in the year, the Librarie-keeper ſhould bee bound to give an account of his Trading, and of his Profit in his Trade (as in all humane Trades Factors ought, and uſe to do to their principals at leaſt once a year) and to this effect I would have it ordered, that the chief Doctors of each facultie of the Univerſitie, ſhould meet at a Convenient time in a week of the year, to receiv the Accounts of his Trading, that hee may ſhew them wherein the ſtock of Learning hath been increaſed, for that year's ſpace; and then hee is to produce the particulars which hee hath gained from abroad, and laie them before them all, that everie one in his own facultie m… declare in the preſence of others, that which hee thinketh fit to bee added to the publick ſtock, and made common by the Catalogue of Additionals, which everie year within the Univerſities is to bee publiſhed in writing within the Librarie it ſelf, and everie three years (or ſooner as the number of Additionals may bee great, or later, if it bee ſmal) to bee put in Print and made common to thoſe that are abroad. And at this giving up of the accounts, as the Doctors are to declare what they think worthie to bee added to the common ſtock of Learning, each in their Facultie; ſo I would have them ſee what the Charges and Pains are whereat the Librarie-Keeper hath been, that for his encouragement, the extraordinarie expences in correſpondencies and tranſcriptions for the publick good, may bee allowed him out of ſom Revenues, which ſhould bee ſet a part to that effect, and diſpoſed of according to their joint-conſent and judgment in that matter. Here then hee ſhould bee bound to ſhew them the Liſts of his correſpondents, the Letters from them in Anſwer to his, and the reckoning of his extraordinarie expence ſhould bee allowed him in that which hee is indebted, or hath freely laid out to procure Rarities into the ſtock of Learning. And becauſ I underſtand that all the Book-Printers or Stationars of the Common-wealth are bound of everie Book which is Printed, to ſend a Copie into the Univerſitie Librarie; and it is impoſſible for one man to read all the Books in all Faculties, to judg of them what worth there is in them; nor hath everie one Abilitie to judge of all kinde of Sciences what everie Autor doth handle, and how ſufficiently; therefore I would have at this time of giving accounts, the Librarie-keeper alſo bound to produce the Catalogue of all the Books ſent unto the Univerſitie's Librarie by the Stationars that Printed them; to the end that everie one of the Doctors in their own Faculties ſhould declare, whether or no they ſhould bee added, and where they ſhould bee placed in the Catalogue of Additionals; For I do not think that all Books and Treaties which in this age are Printed in all kindes, ſhould bee inſerted into the Catalogue, and added to the ſtock of the Librarie, diſcretion muſt bee uſed and confuſion avoided, and a courſ taken to diſtinguiſh that which is profitable, from that which is uſeleſs; and according to the verdict of that Societie, the uſefulneſs of Books for the publick is to bee determined; yet becauſ there is ſeldom anie Books wherein there is not ſomthing uſeful, and Books freely given are not to bee caſt away, but may bee kept, therefore I would have a peculiar place appointed for ſuch Books as ſhall bee laid aſide to keep them in, and a Catalogue of their Titles made Alphabetically in reference to the Autor's name, with a note of diſtinction to ſhew the Science to which they are to bee referred. Theſe thoughts com thus ſuddenly into my head, which in due time may bee more fully deſcribed, if need bee, chiefly if, upon the ground of this account, ſom competencie ſhould bee found out and allowed to maintein ſuch charges as will bee requiſite, towards the advancement of the Publick good of Learning after this manner.
The ſecond Letter.
Sir!
IN my laſt I gave you ſom incident thoughts, concerning the improvement of an Honorarie Librarie-keeper's-place, to ſhew the true end and uſe thereof, and how the keepers thereof ſhould bee regulated in the Trade, which hee is to drive for the Advancement of Learning, and encouraged by a cōmpetent maintenance, and ſupported in extraordinarie expences for the ſame. Now I wiſh that ſom men of publick Spirits and lovers of Learning, might bee made acquainted with the Action, upon ſuch grounds as were then briefly ſuggeſted; who know's but that in time ſomthing might bee offered to the Truſtees of the Nation, with better conceptions then theſe I have ſuggeſted.
For, if it bee conſidered that amongſt manie Eminencies of this Nation, the Librarie of Oxford is one of the moſt conſiderable for the advancement of Learning, if rightly improved and Traded withal for the good of Scholars at home and abroad; If this (I ſaie) bee rightly conſidered and repreſented to the publick Reformers of this age, that by this means this Nation as in other things, ſo eſpecially for Pietie and Learning, and by the advancement of both, may now bee made more glorious then anie other in the world; No doubt ſuch as in the Parlament know the worth of Learning will not bee averſ from further overtures, which may bee made towards this purpoſe. What a great ſtir hath been heretofore, about the Eminencie of the Librarie of Heidelberg, but what uſe was made of it? It was ingroſſed into the hands of a few, till it became a Prey unto the Enemies of the Truth. If the Librarie-keeper had been a man, that would have traded with it for the increaſ of true Learning, it might have been preſerved unto this daie in all the rarities thereof, not ſo much by the ſhuttings up of the multitude of Books, and the rareneſs thereof for antiquitie, as by the underſtandings of men and their proficiencie to improv and dilate knowledg upon the grounds which hee might have ſuggeſted unto others of parts, and ſo the Librarie-rarities would not onelyonly have been preſerved in the ſpirits of men, but have fructified abundantly therein unto this daie, whereas they are now loſt, becauſ they were but a Talent digged in the ground; And as they that had the keeping of that Librarie made it an Idol, to bee reſpected and worſhipped for a raritie by an implicite faith, without anie benefit to thoſe who did eſteem of it a far off: ſo it was juſt with God that it ſhould fall into the hands of thoſe that in all things follow an Idolatrous waie, to blinde men with ſhewes without all realitie of ſubſtantial virtue, which is onelyonly eminent in this, that it becometh profitable unto all, by dilating the light of knowledg, and the love of grace and goodneſs in the hearts of all men, that are fit to receiv the one and the other; And where this Aim is not in thoſe that are intruſted with publick places; there they in the end will bee found unprofitable ſervants; for the truſt which God hath put into their hands to profit withal, they diſcharge not for the account which everie one is to give unto him of his Stewardſhip, is not how careful hee hath kept things of uſe unto himſelf, to pride himſelf in the poſſeſſion of that which others have not, (as the cuſtom of men is, that know not what true glorie is) but how faithfully and diligently hee hath diſtributed the ſame to ſuch as were worthie thereof for their good, that they might bee ſtirred up both to glorifie God for his goodneſs; and to imitate him in the Communication of all good things unto others for his ſake freely. This was Chriſt's Work on Earth to receiv us, unto the Glorie of God; this was that vvhichwhich hee taught by this practice, that it is more bleſſed to give, then to receiv. This is that which this envious World cannot relliſh, and vvhat ſtop's the current of true love in the hearts of men? Nothing ſo much as the ſelf-ſeeking of men in the vvaies of Learning, by vvhichwhich they covetouſly obſtruct the fountains of life and comfort, vvhichwhich might overflow and vvater abundantly the barren and thirſtie Souls of thoſe that periſh for vvant of addreſs nnto vviſdom; vvhichwhich in all the vvaies of humane and divine Learning might bee mainly advanced, by the induſtrie of one man in ſuch a place, vvhoſe Trade ſhould bee ſuch as I formerly deſcribed, to deal vvith the ſpirits of all men of parts, to ſet them a vvorking one by and towards another, upon the ſubjects vvhichwhich hee ſhould bee intruſted vvithal to keep in the ſtock of Learning. It is the Glorie and Riches of Nations and of great Cities, to make themſelvs the Center of Trade for all their Neighbors; and if they can finde vvaies of politie, to oblige their Neighbors to receiv from their Magazines the Commodities whereof they ſtand in need, it is everie vvaie a great benefit unto the State, ſo it may bee in matters of Learning, and by the Trade of Sciences this Church may oblige all the Neighbor Churches, and that Univerſitie all Forreiners that Trade in knowledge to receiv pretious Commodities, whereof they ſtand in need, from our Magazines and Storehouſes; if a painful Steward and diſpenſer thereof, bee imploied and mainteined to uſe induſtrie for ſo bleſſed a work, from whence much Glorie to God in the Goſpel, and honor will redound to the Nation. For although the waies of humane Learning are almoſt infinite and wonderfully various, and have their peculiar uſes in the outward life of man, for which moſt men affect them, yet in one that is to minde the univerſal good of all, the whole varietie and diverſitie of matters uſeful unto this preſent life, as they com within the ſphere of Learning muſt bee reduced, and may bee ſubordinate unto the advancement of the Goſpel of Chriſt, wherein the Glorie of the Nation, at this and all times ſhould bee thought to ſtand: And truly that is the thing which take's moſt with mee, for which I would have that Librarie thus improved by a faithful keeper, that when his Trade is ſet on foot, with all thoſe that are of eminent parts in their ſeveral faculties, wee knowing who they are and wherein their eminencies do lie, may have opportunities to provoke them to the right uſe thereof, by giving them Objects from our ſtore; and furniſhing them with tasks and matters to bee elaborated, which cannot bee diverted from the ſcope of God's glorie to bee made known unto all men in Jeſus Chriſt, for there is nothing of knowledg in the minde of man, which may not bee conveniently referred to the virtues of God in Chriſt, whereby the humane nature is to bee exalted to that dignitie whereunto hee hath received it, that it ſhould by him rule over the whole Creätion. And the want of this Aim to look upon things in order to him, and to ſet them a working without relation to him, is that which blaſt's all our endevors, and make's them determin in confuſion and diſorder; For whatſoëver is not directed in it's own place with ſom reference unto him muſt bee overthrown; nor is there anie waie left for anie to proſper in that which hee undertaketh, but to learn to know him and reſpect him in it, for the advancement of the Kingdom over the Souls of men, which by the Sanctified uſe of all knowledg is chiefly effected. If then the Trade of Learning is to bee ſet a foot in a publick waie, and regulated to deſerv the countenance of a Religious State, this Aim, and the waie of proſecuting of it muſt bee intended and beaten out; For except Sciences bee reformed in order to this Scope, the increaſ of knowledg will increaſ nothing but ſtrife, pride and confuſion, from whence our ſorrows will bee multiplied and propagated unto poſteritie; but if hee, who is to bee intruſted with the managing of this Trade, bee addreſſed in the waie which leadeth unto this Aim without partialitie, his negotiation will bee a bleſſing unto this age and to poſteritie.
I have no time to inlarge upon this Subject, or to conceiv a formal and regular diſcourſ, but the thoughts which thus fall into my minde I impart unto you, that you may give them as hints unto others, who of themſelvs will bee able to inlarge them either to the Houſ, or to ſuch as can in due time ſwaie the Counſels of leading men in this Common-wealth.