The acquisition of the Grenville Library, in 1847, made that year notable for the British Museum. Before describing the collection, or the circumstances under which it was bequeathed to the Nation, it will be well to recall the liberality and discriminating judgment of the high-minded donor, who brought it together at so great a cost; and, therefore, we append a short notice of the Rt. Hon. Thomas Grenville, the nation’s benefactor, who was born on the 31st of December, 1755, and entered as a gentleman commoner at Christ Church before he was sixteen years old. On the 10th of May, 1778, he joined the army as an ensign in the Coldstream Guards, but resigned in the following year. His reasons for having taken such a step were narrated by himself in Parliament on the 11th of April, 1780. On the 26th of October, 1779, he was returned to Parliament as a member for Buckinghamshire, and enrolled himself in the party of Fox, who in 1782 trusted him to arrange the terms of the treaty drawn up for the separation of Great Britain from her American colonies. From this mission Mr. Grenville was suddenly recalled, at the death of Lord Rockingham; but in 1794 Earl Spencer sent him as Minister Extraordinary to the Court of Vienna. Four years afterwards he was made a Privy Councillor, and subsequently was despatched on an embassy to the court of Berlin, in order to induce the King of Prussia to co-operate with England against the continual attacks of the French Republic. This mission, however, proved unsuccessful. In 1800, he was appointed to a sinecure office, that of Chief Justice in Eyre, South of Trent, which was worth about £2,000 per annum. Other appointments followed; when, in 1818, he retired simultaneously from Parliament and from public life. To describe his personal appearance, his features were fine and regular, with blue eyes shadowed by large eyebrows. In addition to quick perception, he possessed a marvellous memory, ever ready with quotations from his favourite authors. In his old age he derived great pleasure from entertaining a few intimate friends at dinner, and spending the after hours at whist. Amongst those who frequented his house on such occasions were, Lord Ellesmere, Samuel Rogers, Hallam, Lord Macaulay, Mr. Gladstone, Panizzi, and Sydney Smith, who with reverent appreciation remarked to Panizzi, _à propos_ of the host’s dignity and cheerfulness, _There, that is the man from whom we all ought to learn how to grow old_. The collection of this superb Library cost Mr. Grenville much labour, and nothing could be more admirable in its way than the persistence with which he followed out the intentions he had formed. It was a pursuit, indeed, which he began early in life.