Ralph Rokeby, Esq., a Commander in the royal navy. In these gentlemen is the representation of the old lords of Rokeby and Mortham; and numerous and prolific as the branches of this family once were, it is not even known whether there is now any other Rokeby remaining whose connexion with it is capable of proof. The political economist may show that population advances in a geometric ratio: the genealogist, however, knows that a very narrow circle will often circumscribe all the males of a family which can be traced for fifteen or twenty generations.

When the lands of Rokeby passed to the Robinsons, they were still in possession of a family distinguished by spirit, enterprise, and a love of literature. We find them connected with our literary history, our diplomacy, our colonial, and our military service. The name of Mr. Morritt, whose father purchased the domain, is connected with our literature by his own elegant contributions to one department of it, and by its perpetual union with the poem, the scene of which is laid in his beautiful demesne.

In the armorial insignia used by the Rokebys there was an allusion to the name: they bore a sable chevron between three rooks on a silver field. The motto, 66 IN BIVIO DEXTRA."

PUBLIC LIBRARIES, CAMBRIDGE.

IF any thing had been wanting to confirm us in a conviction of the justice of our strictures on the existing state of the Public Libraries in this country, it would have been amply supplied by the general and bitter outcry which has been raised by some of the persons who are interested in the continuance of the present disgraceful abuses in those establishments at the article on the subject in a former number.

Having then noticed the Oxford Libraries, we now intend, in prosecution of the design formerly announced, to enter into the consideration of those in the sister University; and hereafter we may take occasion to communicate some general information respecting the collections in the possession of various corporate bodies.

The Cambridge libraries, on the whole, give place in importance and number to those at Oxford. The public library, in particular, is much inferior to the Bodleian in the extent and value of its treasures. The income is, we are assured, very limited consisting of some minor rents, and a trifling quarterly dole from members of the university. With this supply, however judiciously distributed, very extensive or very rapid

additions are not to be expected; and it is to be hoped that ere long means will be suggested for a more efficacious subsidy. The power of profiting by its learned stores, and even of entering its precincts, is religiously confined to masters of arts; each of whom, during residence, may have in his possession ten common volumes, or five of those contained in the "locked up classes.' By this regulation, the junior students have little means of availing themselves of the books, as every individual M. A., although not devoted to any branch of literary investigation, may be conceived to have his list full; since, by way of recreation we suppose, after severer studies, the novels and romances which every season brings forth are said to constitute no small share of the reading of these reverend gentlemen. It either was or is in contemplation to submit a grace to the proper authorities to enable bachelors' of arts to consult books in the library, if not to remove them to their rooms. In deciding on the merits of such an application, it is impossible to suppose that the university will not act in entire accordance with the desire it has so frequently manifested of dismissing useless as well as mischievous enactments, and of keeping pace with the enlarged and growing feeling of the age. A more extended concession would probably lead to considerable inconvenience; but, under sufficient guarantee against maltreatment, not the most strenuous assertor that" whatever is, is right," can be so bigoted as to refuse the boon, which is about to be sought, for the extended franchise might, indeed, rather be subservient to the dignity and splendour of the institution. It could hardly be conceived unreasonable, in return, that the under-graduates, or the B. A.'s, or, still more comprehensively, all in statu pupillari, in which designation both previous ranks are embraced, should pay something beyond their miserable pittance nor can this suggestion be objected to, as tending to aggravate the expenses of the university to those of slender means, for sizars are exempted by statute from the present quarterage. We can perceive no insuperable difficulty in establishing just securities that the books shall not be exposed to danger in consequence of the proposed regulation. deed, the oath taken by all other graduates to this effect might be imposed upon the bachelors without any inconvenience; for we do not agree with the writer on public libraries in the Westminster Review, that these solemn precautions are either futile or uncalled for. Let it be remembered that the library is open to every individual of a numerous class; and that a person wishing to prosecute any inquiry is not, as in the British Mu

In

Graduates in the faculties of law and physic, and even graduates of music, are not debarred from enjoying all advantages of the library.

seum and Bodleian library, shown into a room to wait until the volumes demanded are brought to him; but that he is allowed to range freely and unreservedly over every book and press in the collection, locked and unlocked, printed and manuscript. We are the last to encourage a multiplication of oaths on idle pretexts, but we certainly think that something more than a sense of duty is requisite to prevent wilful spoliation or accidental damage; nor are we convinced that the much ridiculed minuteness of the Bodleian statutes on this head is by any means unnecessary. All who are acquainted with the volumes belonging to any circulating library, we do not solely speak of such as are private property, but of such also as have been accumulated by public subscription, and whose use is confined to subscribers alone, will admit that very little proper feeling on this point exists. While, however, the interests of the younger members of the university have been hitherto thus neglected, it is our duty to add that strangers experience great courtesy and attention. It is with much pleasure that we are enabled to state that a new and laborious catalogue has been prepared, but we are not aware whether it is to be printed, though on the utility of doing so there cannot be two opinions.

Of the Fitzwilliam collection it is needless to say much. The presence of a M. A. is requisite to sanction the removal of a volume from the cases, and nothing can be taken out of the Museum. The latter rule is alone sufficient to prevent the contents from being of much utility; for few persons would like to impose so tiresome a task upon a gentleman as to oblige him to stand by whilst he peruses or extracts from a work. After the unrivalled chapel at King's, the attention of the stranger is most strongly riveted by the Trinity library. The building is a production of Sir Christopher Wren; but its outward attractions are far surpassed by the beauty of the interior, nor are the con

1 The anathemas of the ancient owners in some of Archbishop Parker's MSS. at Bennet are only second to the terrors of Ernulphus.

2 The care and anxiety shown by the very lowest grades of our continental neighbours in the preservation of works of art furnish an example to be imitated, we fear, in some cases, even by those who from birth and education might be supposed to have emerged from barbarism. Evelyn, who was mainly instrumental in procuring the donation of the Arundel Marbles to the university of Oxford, in little more than a twelvemonth had the mortification of observing "that people approaching them too neere, some idle persons began to scratch and injure them, I advis'd that an hedge of holly should be planted at ye foot of ye wall, to be kept breast-high onely, to protect them, which the ViceChancellor promis'd to do the next season." Diary, 13th July, 1669. Nor has much improvement yet taken place in the minds of the lower orders with respect to such of the public monuments as are exposed to their barbarous outrages: of this the noseless or headless statues in Westminster Abbey afford a disgraceful example.

3 It is incumbent upon us to except from panegyric a window at the south end, which cannot fail to offend the eye. It portrays Science or Britannia, we forget which, and either will do, presenting Sir ISAAC NEWTON to King GEORGE III. while Lord

tents unworthy of the glorious shrine in which they are deposited. A great proportion of its riches has been supplied at different periods by the attachment of private persons in various ways connected with the college, and we believe that no foundation in either university can exhibit so long a roll of valuable benefactions. In casually turning over the pages of the catalogue, we were grieved to see an entry of lost, i. e. stolen, affixed to a curious volume of Nash's pamphlets; and we inspected the Latin account of Kett's rebellion, from which a sacrilegious hand had torn a MS. appendix, copied from a manuscript in the neighbouring library of St. John's, this being evidently a more compendious way of mastering its contents than by transcription. These facts will serve to corroborate our opinions in the preceding page. It is, we understand, in contemplation to collect all the black-letter books into compartments by themselves, which will tend we hope to their better conservation; their value is as yet scarcely known. The MSS. are many and important, and among them some lucubrations of Roger Ascham are said to have been recently discovered. Here, too, is the Capel closet of works relative to Shakspeare, bequeathed with the preposterous and illiberal injunction that no person shall be permitted to make a complete transcript of any part of its contents. The manner in which the books are circulated among the students is worthy of all praise; for in addition to those to which he is entitled for his own use, every fellow can give a note for six volumes to any other member of the college; besides which, graduates and scholars are permitted to study in the room itself.

The library of St. John's, though less extensive, is by no means devoid of value: we believe all the fellows have access to it, but the books are not circulated among the members. The library at King's is shortly to be removed from the range of chapelries on the south side of the large building to a handsome apartment near the lodge: it contains the rich collection of Jacob Bryant, and possesses some MSS. Laudable vigilance is used in adding most standard works on history, and the books are easily obtainable.

BACON Complacently prepares to record the ceremony !!! If the Society be unable to remove this precious composition, it is lawful to breathe the hope that a stray tile or branch will be driven through by some charitable storm.

We know not which of these provisions enabled the writer in the Westminster Review, to whom we have so often alluded, to affirm, that "there is little appearance of the books being put upon severe duty, if, indeed, any be required of them." viii. p. 112. Our own experience is directly the reverse.-Although we anticipated that some of our remarks would meet with hostility, since they offend many darling prejudices, we were not prepared for the stupid pertinacity which insists upon attributing the articles in this publication and in the Westminster to the same individual.

Among the small colleges, Corpus Christi, or Bennet, is distinguished by the possession of the inestimable manuscripts bequeathed by Archbishop Parker. The hours of access are in the summer from six to eleven A. M., and from one to five P. M.; in the winter from eight to eleven, but a fellow and a scholar must be present. Three books may be taken to the lodge or to a fellow's rooms should six volumes in folio, eight in quarto, and twelve of smaller size, be missing, and not recovered within six months, the whole, together with the archbishop's plate, are to be transferred with similar charge to Caius, and if there forfeited by similar neglect, to Trinity Hall; to revert again, in case of the same neglect, to Bennet. Vexatious as these regulations undoubtedly are, they are not to be denied the merit of accomplishing the safe-keeping of the treasures which they are devised to secure; but how much better would it be if a regular librarian were appointed there and elsewhere, instead of requiring the presence of any other person as a protection. In the centuries which have elapsed since the death of the venerable donor, the only discoverable injury that has taken place to the collection was recently, when it was found that the margins had been nibbled by some mice, who got at them when laid in garrets while the college was rebuilding. The depredations luckily were slight, and affected only the extreme edges.

If, however, pre-eminence in the rarities and curiosities of literature be assigned to Corpus, to Queen's must be awarded the palm of usefulness and merit. The munificent spirit by which this society has been actuated deserves to be honourably mentioned. They have recently provided a beautiful impression of their statutes, with fac-similes; and have secured the assistance of Mr. Horne, whose bibliographical and biblical talents are familiar to every reader, to superintend the compilation of a catalogue, which has just appeared in two large volumes. The work is compiled upon a principle of prospective utility, as it comprises very many books which as yet will in vain be sought upon the shelves, but which it is intended to procure as the funds of the society may permit. Here also the books are now furnished to the students with the same liberality as at Trinity. Our readers will appreciate the pleasure which we feel in rendering this tribute of respect to the good works of one of the bodies whose case, from the tenour of some censures which have gone forth, they must have regarded as almost desperate; and where so much has been performed, in comparison with what has been effected at other colleges, it would be perhaps invidious to inquire whether all has been done in the best manner possible.

The library of Caius College is rich in manuscripts, heralds' visitations, and pedigrees, and more particularly so, we believe,