The life and correspondence of Sir Anthony Panizzi, K.C.B., Vol. 1 (of 2): Late principal librarian of the British museum, senator of Italy, etc.Fagan, Louis
History
The life and correspondence of Sir Anthony Panizzi, K.C.B., Vol. 1 (of 2): Late principal librarian of the British museum, senator of Italy, etc.
Fagan, Louis
Panizzi, Anthony, Sir, 1797-1879
In the question of classed and alphabetical Catalogues, Panizzi
supported his chief, and took care to acquaint the Committee, how much
the latter, and the Library, had been damaged by the compulsory
withdrawal of Mr. Baber’s first plan for a Catalogue in favour of an
alternative and inferior scheme. It was not difficult to discover that
Panizzi was by no means satisfied with the administration of the Museum
as it stood; at the same time he came to the assistance of the Trustees
on a subject which had led to much criticism, by pointing out the
importance of having men of rank and influence upon the Board, as well
as men merely distinguished by literary and scientific eminence. Not his
least important contribution to the proceedings of the Committee was the
mass of information with respect to foreign Libraries and Educational
Institutions, published in the appendices to its report, and mainly
collected, directly or indirectly, by himself, either personally or from
trustworthy witnesses, during his travels on the continent. These papers
embody a vast amount of curious and interesting information from Vienna
and Gottingen down to San-Luis Potosi, where “_se trata de poner una
biblioteca, y un museo, pero aun no se verifica_.”
The report of the Committee was issued on July 14th, 1836.
It was not an elaborate document, and contained no reasons for its
recommendations, most of which were of a sensible and obvious kind. The
deficiencies and disarrangements of the Collections were attributed with
perfect justice to the inadequacy of the funds and insufficiency of
space. It was suggested that those Trustees whose attendance was
infrequent and uncertain should receive a hint to retire, and that “for
the future” literary and scientific distinction should constitute a
ground of election for the Trust.
Many were the reforms adopted, to the great advantage of the
Institution. The principal benefit of the Commission, nevertheless,
consisted in the distinct recognition for the first time of the national
and educational character of the Museum.
These observations must, however, be relinquished, interesting as they
are, or we might be wandering on far beyond reasonable limits.
More might be said, and perhaps advantageously, on these seemingly
unimportant subjects—yet, oh! how important to prove the steady progress
of the Museum, and that in no small degree owing to Panizzi’s
energy—but, as already said, we must restrain ourselves; and having
subjects of intrinsic interest for the earnest peruser of this book to
discuss, our inclination must be foregone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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