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    ¦¦ -¦'¦'¦*•¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦« . -*¦• ' . • ¦'¦ ¦...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    British Museum Reading Room

    IGairdner Besant , , J ames . E . H Payn . Lecky , S . M R . ss Gardiner Cobbe , and , James Mrs . Lyn T , vnn n Linton Tintntv Indeed Tndfififi it it is is not not too too much much to to say sav

    . that almost every literary celebrity of the presejnt generation has , at one time or other , made use ,. of ¦ thisthe greatest and most ¦¦ important ¦ »¦¦ ¦¦ ¦ ¦» » collection ¦»¦ ¦ ¦

    of ^/ H _ fi , % books . ^^** ^ a # ^ ""' a & ^ a in _ ^ fcal a * »»*¦ the * - ' a " - . * 4 « Ai » ¦ ¦ v world » a , »» - a . »^ " - Besides ^ -fc — ¦»» " ¦— " < ¦¦ numerous " - ™ - ~ " - " ™— — — — continental - Orientaland transatlantic , scholars are aro as « . « familiar familiar , wit with h the the , Koom Room as as any anv old old Iwmttie Imhitue

    who works there fdr eight hours a day all the year ro und student . of huma ¦ tpm ^ ¦ % — nity the ¦¦¦•¦ spectacle of

    ^^ ^_^ ^ t J IVj * u v ^ . fcx ^ it ^^ jfcjfc w ^» » •* . n ~ . » «« m * -am . —/ »*•«•» — r ^ ^ ' ^ ^ " ^ ^^ ^^ the co ljction of readers aa must " . al ways be V interesting in the extreme . What a diversity of

    is race rn . « a ft . , popular features features , , author age aere . , and and , who social social has achieved condition condition re ! I nown There mere in

    the t . hft world world of of letters letters , , whose whose writings writings invariably invariably hit nit the public taste ,, and whose income may be ¦ reckoned rcn > Vrmorl at at sftvpral several thousands thousands per Tier annum annum , seated seated

    , next a poor destitute fellow who has been tramping about the streets all the , previous night , * and has ladly taken advantage iai ¦ wk - of »¦» — the ¦ ¦¦ - Room — ¦—¦ - —¦ — — for — —— the

    —a-p I urpose y ^ ^ j g Clm " W ¦ * " of ~ indulg . T-Tf r _ » v- » i ~^» ing " /"««» % •** — in - » a much -a- ap- needed snooze - . ' . Set a practised physiognomist to guess , from the of readerwhat is his ¦»•¦ particular ^»» -jp— *« . w * . ^^

    ten tftn a appearance Civ vocation U wur / - fGV he hft M Cilxvv will w or ill * mental - * he be ¦ any * - *' - * v mistaken mistaken 7 -- v- bent 'v * ' ^ " *^ "' * ' , JP . ; . and ** - *» & See - * -- »» , ee *• nine - ¦ " •** yonaer yonder . - » t im - es leonine leonine out m * wv of

    individual , , of massive physical proportions , who is is seated spatpfl with with a a pile rrile o of . t books books in in front tront of ot him mm ::

    one can scarcely notice his seedy clothes ; his rugged though intelle i ctual - ¦¦¦*»— — — face —— - ^ is — . v so — a- att — — ractive ww -a . ¦—¦ — a- .

    m \ % ¦» CL \ j »\ 4 yj ^ f \/ ™* S % *""• • ¦** " *¦ ** "ta »** a » . " a »» •*" . » r v-ap , - > is The dis dreamy ciple of LaYater metaphy would sician , say he 'Ah is learned ! that man in

    p Wrong hysics ; he . Physiognomist is a positivist of ; this the imposing severest school reader . ' ¦ is fc mereliling « a [¦ » i monosyllabic stories ¦ for

    ^^ JL ^ LJL ^^* JL m k-f y ' T comp 1 r 1 n ¦ v *^ jgfc ^ ™ ^ ^»^ ™ ^ " ^ ^^ ^ J ^^^ ^^ ^^ ¦ ^^ — ¦^ ^ ^ " ~ ^ ^~ children ' s books ; he is an adept in getting up this in the simp constant le but useful employment class of of literature a well , -known and is

    publishing firm . The puny , insignificant , sicklylooking man , seated at the end of the table , is a scholar , and a ripe and good one , bub no person would think so to look at : him .

    That dwarfish , ferret-eyed , restless-looking gentleman is one of the characters of the Room .

    No > Jn one on p » can r * a . n guess p-iif * ss what what his his business business is is within within the the establishment , unless it be to pick quarrels with his J IIJ ¦ * neighbours ¦¦—« . ^ fJ j | y . JLA P ^^ >»^ *«* * t ' ¦• . How ^^ ^ eagerly ^ * ^^^^^ ^^ tM he ^^ wishes ^~ r ~~ —— — - — ' to — -. » - be —•*¦ - «^

    ' down on' a couple of Hindoos in his vicinity , who are conversing in tones somewhat above the I orthodox effort whisper he calms alone himself permitted by , indul but , with ing in

    supreme a huge pinch , of snuff , and again peruses g the volume in front of him . To-day this erratic gentleman is on his best behaviour , having just ¦¦¦ been t re-admitted after three months ' suspension r VWb .

    ^ K ^ A ^^^^ M ^ m ^^^^ L ^ t ^ m ^ L ^^ U ^^^ 'Vfr ^^^^^ k ^ lw ¦& ^^ v ^^ V ^^^^ ^^ ' ^^ ^^ ff J ^ ^^^ ^^^ V ^^^ B ^^^ . ^ bflP ^ ^ H ^ ^^^^ ^*^ T ^^ m *^^^^^^ t ^^^ F 9 ^ tf ^ to ^^^ ^^ B *^ . ^^ ^ - ^>^ ^ k ^^ H M ^^ v ^^ p ^ H ^ r ^ V ^^ ' ^ B * ^ . ^ v ^ B ^ ¦ ^^ 4 Such a punishment is often meted out to a defaulting reader . Mr . Fortescue has to maintain order and disciline within ¦ ¦ ~~ ¦ i ¦ « ¦ i the <¦ m vast h

    establishment ^^ J ^^^^ U ^^ L ^^^^^ L ^ L ^ v ^^ L ^^^^^ L ^^^^ p ^^ he b ^^^^ V vv ^ pi has ^^^^ Bb ^^"^^^ ^* charge t r ^^ bv ( . p ¦ a ^ F * ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ of , and ™ ^^ ^ when ^— —^^ r w a ^^ ^ - report ^ r * - ^^^ v ^ v *^^ ^^^ ^^ of >^^^ . any irregularity is made to him , the matter is remitted for the consideration of the principal

    librarian . In bad cases the reader ' s ticket is withdrawn altogether .

    A word or two about the ladj' readers . Old , young , and of the age considerately termed ' uncertain / the sex is B commonl ¦ ¦ y W well ¦ represented B .

    ^ B ^^ f ^ Bbb 0 PBta ^ "' ** W BV % AA ^ ^ ' ¦ # V «^ B > ' ^ b *^^ ^ NBT BB > BB ^ flt ^« v ^ B » r ^ NV ^ V ^^ 4 SBi ^^^^ v ' «« ' V ^ *^ ^ VT ^^ V ^ ^™ ^^ w - ^ B ^ ^^ ^ v ^^^ H ^^ ^*^^ ^ ^« jtfr *» 1 . B | There , at the ladies' table , sits a novelist , a fiction fiction graphic , who who and seldom seldom sentimental introduces introduces writer a a character character of fashionable m in her her

    works , of lower ranlc than a baronet . Next is a stout elderly dame , diligently engaged in copying at so much folio . Beyond her is a studious

    Q ^^ P T ^/ ff ^** ^^^ * f * Bf *»* B % V ^ V ^ V ^ bT •»*¦« per W ^ ^*^ *^ ^* " * " * <¦* ^*^* " W " ••^ ^^ ~ W ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ¦ ¦ " ^ ^ r" ^ ^^ ¦ ¦ B | Ba — ^| F ¦¦ * ¦ damsel , wearing a ^ pince-nez . Is she of the Girton sisterhood ? one naturally asks . Her dress is a marvel of severe simplicity , and she is deep in

    the study , of work s of perfectl y appalling heaviness .

    But these charming , pxetty girls , who are ever fli - » Bl tt ' ^ ^ ing " BH BBH ab BP BJ ¦ ' ou ' ^ - K ^ " at ^ t " ^— the ' ^ ^— - ^ — r — oom ~^— ' ^ B- BB Bl , ^» seldom ¦ BB - ¦ 1 - ^ ~^ — ' ^^ ABh p I Bfe take ^ ^» ' BP I ^^» " ¦ Bl ' up ¦ quarters BBk V ^ B-BBt ^ VB aTa ^ a * " *^ ^ ^ L fcTf « * . «^ ^

    at the table reserved for ladies , beside their paren studious tly find austere the a c nd ontigui elderl ty of t sters he oppo They site se ap x

    a-trifle more pleasant and attractive . What work do these sirens indulge in when they have

    temporarily done with flirting at the catalogue tables ? That is . a matter for interesting

    speculation . Some of the older readers , who seem to have forgotten that they themselves once were young Bl HBl are B ^ B very 1 intolerant ^ of 1 * spooning aHBlBB ^ BK . ' For

    M ^^ B ^ . ^ , ^ BB 1 ^ ^ . ~~ " ^ B ^ BBV BPaBH BP ^ B ~ - ^^ BP ^^ B »^^ F ^» — - ~^ B" VB B ^ B * BV ^ BV * ^ B ^ ^ V ^ B >> V ^ aiB ^ » ^ ^ ^ 1 exampl e , yonder ^& fascinating ^^ ^ . d > b ^^ elle aat ai is having ai . aft a lively conversation 1 with ¦ a gallant JBBE r . A beari 1 Bh

    sh" ^ " — ~ I ^ ' ^ F ^ P ^^^ ^ " — " ^ " ~ " ^^^ ^ " ^ p ^^ ^~ " ^^ ' ^^ ^^ - ^^^ ^ ™ ^ P ^ ^» " —^ " , » ^^^^^» ^^^¦^^ W' ^^ ' ^^ - ^^^^ ' ^^ ^ BBi ^^ P ^^ F ^ a * " —B-BB'aiap - « B ^ fa ^ l ¦ looking KB * i * patriarch _' al «>¦ in their ^^ M vicinity AAA looks «¦ "A wrathf - « ak ull ^ y up " ¦ B ^^ fro ^^^^ ^ B ^ ^^ B * ^ m ^^^^^^^ Bl hi ^^^*^ B > ^^ v ^ s *^ B ^ manu ^^^^^^^^^~ ^¦ ' ^ ' ^^^^^ ^^ ' ^^ ' ^ sc ¦^^^ ^^^^ ^ ri B ^* ^^~ pt V ^^^^ ^^ . BP * ^ Hush *^^ B ^^^^ ^^^^^ w ^^^ ^^^^^^ 1 ^^ 1 hush ai *^^ ak ^ ^ ' ^ B' ^ Bap 1 ^ * h ^ B ^ bWA e ^ % ^^ ^^ ^^^^^_ Bi at bb _ ^ Bi . .

    growl s . The pair look ^^ hurt , bat say nothing ^ , and quietly retire to the glass screen near the entrance . There they take from the shelf- a topographical

    work , pretend to consult its pages , and continue their flirtation without interruption . Just fancy the — — - angry bbbh ¦ scowl w from beneat kp h the shaggy par bbbi bp fBaa aaah ¦ aj

    -, ^ p ^ — ™ ^^^^^ ^^ *» ^ a" » ^ w ^ - ^^ ^^ m ^^^ ' ^ p' ^^*^^^^^ ' ^^ ^^ ^^^^^ " ^ p ^ ar" - ™ - ^ Br a » ^ p" ^^^^^ ^ p ^^^^_ eye ^^ pv - b ^^ t brows of * Tammas ' Cariyle , if interrupted by one of these love-making passages 1 It would have bee ""¦ ¦ ¦ i "I . - a * I "' - m am * ' ' . . ' M '

    n a sght worth witnessing . The question ma arises trimonial , is the happy Reading hunting Room - , ground in a limited ? ~ It ce s rtainl ense , y a looks very m : ucn like it .

    One character more . Observe that young man of military appearance , who is yawning , and listlessly turning over the pages of Wtamhers ' s Journal - ¦ in i search ai # aiaBi of a ll sensational bib flVkamVa short # * story .

    Thi — ' —— — s i p - ^ - n di , aj ^— v — ¦ id -. ^ - ^ u ^^¦ bp al ap ^« is - a ^^ -a d a il aaar y ^ apr ^ bbbsj v is ^^ itor ^ ^^ , but . *^^ P-aV > ^^ as aT * «« # | yet ^^ ^ p * Y ^^ j ^ . is ar ^ unknown wv ^— bb in h the - ^ papf bp- world aa » of ~ letters aBBi av ar . He aBaa belongs Hh B ^ pV to

    ' —^ . I . ^ v ^>^ ^ - ^ p ^ ^^ ^ * * - ^ aa * ap ^^^ as ^ p ^ m ^ m ^ Bp- ^ aW 1 ^^ V * ^^ ar auT ^ , r aVa *^ pr aV *^ BV ^ Tar v ^ pv the ¦ "i Scotland / -W > *¦ *¦ Y taT" * ar d detective ~ m \ a A staff a f-MM , and -A ' is ak on special duty ai within ar bb aafcas aBBBi the establishment . We

    I ^ ' ^^ ^^ ^** ^^ ¦ " ^ ^ P' F — Bhpr apk WTi ^ fraBi ^ bp' ~ I r — , f * a ^ aajr fy ^ ^ p * fl ^ a * a ¥ ** PS ypuVa ™* P * aVL ^ B * ^ ar # . V T w ^ trust , for the credit of the Reading ^^ Room ^ , that his work " - - ^ ^— ¦¦ is b— - ^ the a > ^— -Bfc * - reverse bw - ^ BP- » ¦ -Bap" a . * % r . ^ BaaP of aaap onerous — r aBk ^ B > vmT a «* ^ aF' "iPBa » . ^» # Who ar aj ¦ - ^« knows ff ~ T T - but fVtYa ^^ ^ " ^^ * ^ M ^ f / ffj ^^^^^ ** "*

    that his present post may yet inspire the detective with ambition to enter the literary field ? He mignt mierht collate collate his nis proressional Drofessional experiences exneriencea . and and

    publish them in serial form . , Now , leaving the Reading Room , we pass out into t the entrance halland VW turning VtX lAAXA ^ along the

    — —— — - ^ , w - - _*¦ OAAv .. w «* v \^ Jb > sw ** y , »^ V ^« , V IAJLVUCk ¦ V ^ ^ - * stately gallery by the King ' s Library , enter the recently-established ^ Newspaper Room , which is under the superintendence r ap a . p . aj pBbiav M ¦ of MrDorset 7 Eccles P

    — — — — -w-- ^ — —^ - ^ ^ p ^ ap- — - - w — H ^^^* - , ^ ««* - ^ a ^^^ > ^ tap » ^ fcp ^ ^ hp ^ a ^ aU * p"te ^ bb . V ^ aLaPmapr »" ai V ^ r ™^ p' Va # aBaaV V ^^ *^ p # Jk ^> M « ¦ ^ . Our arrival is announced by the commissionaire at the door touching an electric bell , and we traverse — — - - — " — - — ^™ w—m- ap- a bp ai long Pa -a * - ~~^ am passag jbp- « pv * % p- H # aFwam e « jf , am to ^ rf ^ p ^ the «• a . 1 ah ^ a ^ right aVk AWk aVA ¦ " a ^ » and , nf al ~| . I a _ left JL ™\_ f a ^ Tip * of ' ' ^ pP—a

    which are arranged on shelves files of most of the newspapers published in the United Kingdom . On entering ¦ —¦ VK the i aP apartment ap aai a » the B ) same

    varied — — types — — of charact -a -a- — - ers -- w peculiar JVIj ^ m — a I , pr a . to * , aa the ^ <> aa ^ f larger f . fl Tf H ^^ establishment may be perceived , but tjiis room

    possesses possesses habitues liabxtucs peculiar peculiar to to itself itself . . The The * smart smart ., well * dressed young man , who is busy consulting the obituary ¦ - columns bb of the Times of a quarter of

    — — - " ¦— — —— . v ¦ a I pa _ J -mr -a- — . —a aa m aa . -ap- w an Wn -a » - B ^ , \ r f W « 'V Wf " fc ^ ¦ •¦ VW ^ WJ " ap ^ i | Ma \ " 4 / * ajp * « a \/ « bi a century ago , is a solicitor ' s clerk , who is s ^ arching iner tor for an an intimation intimation of of a a death dftath . in in connection r . rmnpp . f .-inn

    with a disputed will case his emp , loyers have on hand . The doyen of British journals , the Times , seems to be in pretty general demandThe

    . attendants are busy ministering to the requirements of three oi ^ four readers , by . conveying on a — truck ~^ " " * ^ " ~—^ huge —— - —* M | ^^ vowirnes - ^— - *~ J vbhpj ^ p ^ p . « ^ P - ^^ of ^ r ~ i-a that ^ ^^ pbi mi m ^ P newspaper ai Bh * wp a ; v Ph # B > . pr ¦ ft ^ . ' M . ^ " ^ # . Vai for Ma , M # ^ Ja their ^/ JK pti ^ , * ft pWa

    perusal . These gentlemen are in the employment of » next of kin ' agencies , and are on the outlook for persons wjjo have from time to time been

    advertised for ' to hear of something to their advantage — — — - ~ - — --w ~~ p- ^ — — - « PP 1 . -r —~ ' The P" - — — aar- labours a ™ «> p ^ P ^ a' ^ a— ' ' ¦* "fca" » —I of Vjr am * the 9 ^ «^ B % ^^ official »«^ A 0 a > al " ^^ f j |^^§^ f s ^^ ^ are p > V A " a # ^

    largely increased in catering to the wants of the representatives of such peculiar associations , to the occasional inconvenience of bond fide literary men .

    ¦¦ -¦'¦'¦*•¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦« . -*¦• ' . • ¦'¦ ¦...

    ¦¦ - ¦ ' ¦'¦*•¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦« . - *¦• ' . ¦ ' ¦ ¦¦ ' , " . '¦ ' % . * ' ¦ \ ThevBublishseSsiVG & cidar octicis

    i I * ** t 2 -L . LItJ ^ 3- "UL 3 JlMJBW 5 M . } B \ [ KJXA . Ks VLUXL . U C % . l } . 1887 * , alaMa ^ laaMa-laiWBW ^ a - ' aaW ^ BW ^ MP ^ P ^ WW ^ ' ^ ' ^^ pWa ^^ at ^ a -a ^ a-Ma-aa ^ aaaaaaa a- ^ aaaM ^ aaa ^ . m ^^ a aa-jMa-a-a-a-a ^—a » a ^^ - ^

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), Oct. 15, 1887, page 1232, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_15101887/page/14/