“Londres, le 9 Juin, 1857. “Monsieur le Comte, L’admiration universelle qu’a excité la construction et l’organisation de la nouvelle salle de lecture du Musée Britannique à Londres a fait naître au Ministère de l’Instruction Publique en Autriche le désir de connaître plus à fond tout ce qui se rapporte à l’établissement de cette salle dans le bût d’en tirer avantage pour la bibliothèque de l’Université de Vienne qui va être nouvellement construite. J’ai été en conséquence chargé, M. le Comte, d’avoir recours à l’obligeante intervention de V. E., à l’effet d’obtenir, de la manière la plus détaillée qu’il sera possible, les plans, et descriptions relativement à la construction et aux arrangements intérieurs de la dite salle, dont la perfection est digne de servir de modèle à tous les établissements de ce genre. J’espère qu’en vue du but que se propose le Gouvernement Impérial, celui de S.M.B. ne se refusera pas à la demande que, par l’entremise de V. E., je me permets de lui adresser. Veuillez, &c., &c., APPONYI.” (A Lord Clarendon.) To this Panizzi, much amused and doubtless flattered, as he should have been by the whole affair, which he had communicated as a good joke to a few of his very intimate friends, sent a courteous reply with the required information. The effect of the new Reading-Room in encouraging study was speedily perceptible. During 1856 the number of visitors had been 53,422. From its opening to the public on May 18th, 1857, to the end of the year they were 75,128. “The general success of the New Room,” said the _Edinburgh Review_, “is, in fact, alarming.” The remark proved just. The concourse of readers went on increasing until, in 1862, it was necessary to raise the limit of age from 18 to 21, a measure recommendable on other grounds. The result proved how large a proportion of the visitors were youths under age, who merely resorted to the Reading-Room to get up their tasks. The average daily attendance fell from between nearly 400 and 500 to about 360, and so continued until within the last few years, when, from causes which do not fall within the scope of a history of Panizzi’s administration, the daily average again rose and is now about 450, or nearly treble that of the old Reading-Room. Thus has been presented to our readers a short history of the steps by which the present Reading-Room became a realized fact, and the important part which Panizzi played in its design, erection, ornamentation, and gradual development—a Room, which world-known will ever associate his name with itself and its wonderful treasures, and will remain a noble monument of his zeal for the welfare and grandeur of an Institution so dearly loved. END OF VOL. I. [Illustration] S. STRAKER AND SONS, PRINTERS, LONDON AND REDHILL.