Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	good_a	read_v	time_n	3,315	5	3.6872	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29258	An essay towards promoting all necessary and useful knowledge, both divine and human in all parts of His Majesty's dominions, both at home and abroad / by Thomas Bray.	Bray, Thomas, 1658-1730.; Bray, Thomas, 1658-1730. Catalogue of books design'd to lay the foundation of lending-libraries.	1697 (1697)	Wing B4293; ESTC R25941	11,195	31

for good Works I am not indeed so sanguine as to hope or expect that notwithstanding the Charge in the foregoing Method is made so easie that a Clergy-man of Two hundred Pounds per Annum need not subscribe at a Visitation above Ten or Fifteen Shillings of One hundred Pound above Five or Ten Shillings and of Fifty Pounds above half a Crown or Five Shillings notwithstanding this I am not I say so unacquainted with the Temper of the World as to expect that an Affair of this Nature should not meet with Exceptions from some And I also know the Prince of Darkness the strength of whose Kingdom does lye in the Ignorance of Mankind has too much Interest at stake to let a Design which does so directly tend to the Ruine of his Dominion over the Souls of Men go on without Obstruction But however the Management of this Affair falling into the hands of such as do so well understand the Use and Benefit of Books and who are withal so sensible of the peculiar need of 'em at this time I hope there will be a sufficient number found in most Deanaries of well-disposed and publick-spirited Persons both amongst the Clergy and Gentry who will carry it on in their respective Districts And even those who may be backward at first may come in afterwards when they shall better consider the Tendency which these Libraries will have to the Glory of God and to increase the Usefulness and Esteem of the Clergy So that tho' some should happen at first to refuse subscribing it will not I hope discourage others from promoting the Design so far as to make up at next Visitation the first Ten Pounds amongst themselves towards laying the Foundation Thirdly And now I am to shew how the Lending Libraries particularly may be preserv'd How the Parochial may be secur'd from Loss or Imbezelment is I hope satisfactorily shewed in the Prefatory Epistle to the Bibliotheca Parochialis But it being design'd that these Lending Libraries should travel abroad it may seem that the Books will be in danger to be soon lost by passing through so many hands However in order to their being fully secur'd it may be provided by these following Methods 1. That they be marked upon the Covers to what Deanary they belong 2. That they be lock'd up in Book-Presses made on purpose to keep them in 3. That they be deposited with the Rural Dean or with the Minister or School-Master in some Market-Town if near the Centre of the Deanary that so they may with very little trouble be sent for any Market-day and as easily return'd within a limited time And it may be presum'd that any Minister or School-Master for the use of such a Library under his Key will be willing to undertake the trouble to lend out the Books and receive them in upon occasion 4. That the Limitation of Time for keeping a borrowed Book be determined by the Reverend Subscribers at the Visitation as a Month for a Folio a Fortnight for a 4 o. and a Week for an 8 o which will have this good Effect that a Book will be read over with speed and care which if one's own might lye in a Study without being quickly or very carefully perused upon presumption that being one's own it may at any time be read and therefore this by the way may be consider'd as one Advantage of Lending Libraries 5. That the Borrower having sent a Note desiring any Book his Note be filed up and his Name enter'd in a Book kept in the Library for that purpose what Year Month and Day he borrowed such a Book and upon the Return of the Book the Note be also return'd and the Name of the Borrower cross'd out 6. That a Register of the Books belonging to every Deanary be given to the respective Bishops and Arch-Deacons 7. That each Library may be visited once a Year by the Arch-Deacon in Person or by three of his Clergy deputed by him to see that the Books be not imbezeled or lost And by these means I believe they will be very well preserv'd for why Their being Letter'd to what Deanary they belong will prevent their being transferr'd into any Man's private keeping or if they are they 'll be as readily discover'd and own'd as any living Creature by its Ear-Mark and the Arch-Deacon's Visitation will call 'em all in once a-year And indeed so far am I from fearing that these Libraries will suffer any Diminution by loss of Books that I believe they will daily encrease for the thing being once put on foot the Clergy at every Visitation will be apt to continue some small Subscriptions to buy in the new pieces as they shall come forth especially such as shall tend considerably to the improvement of any part of Christian Knowledge And moreover the Foundation being once laid many Learned Persons amongst the Clergy and others who have a Zeal for the Churches Good will be likely to leave at their Death their own Libraries as additions to these Lending Libraries proposed and perhaps Legacies to buy Books Not to say that the thing being once begun I could easily propose how the whole Course of History and Humanity may be added and that farther means may be found out in time to provide all the Smaller Livings throughout the Kingdom with such Lesser Parochial Libraries as are design'd for the Plantations But to proceed if now and then a Book should be lost this ought no more to discourage our Design than it should have hindered our Fore-Fathers from building of Parsonage-Houses for us because sometimes they fall to decay or from giving Tythes and Glebe for the Maintenance of the Clergy because these do suffer daily diminutions by Modus's growing upon us through the importunity of some and the more Violent Sacrilegious Invasions of the Churches Rights by others Not to say That there may be Provision made by Law to secure these Libraries and to repair their Loss as well as the other Dilapidations of the Church And indeed if it could be brought about by any means that we might have 400 Lending Libraries fixt throuhout the Kingdom and the Clergy by a small Subscription in every Deanary should continue to add the valuable new Books that shall come out hereafter Here would be a sufficient Incouragement provided for the Learned Men of our Universities to undertake the giving us some more such Editions of the Fathers and other Ancient Writers as that of St. Cyprian Thucydides c. A certain Sale of 400 Books being enough to discharge an Impression which one thing as it has in this Age so much contributed to the Learning and Honour of a Neighbouring Nation where upon the Encouragement of the Monasteries taking off each of 'em one of every New Editition of a Father or other Book of Value the Learned of that Kingdom have been thereby encouraged and enabled to give the World such Editions as they may justy glory in so it would make

exceedingly for the Honour of our Vniversities and not a little for the Int'rest of our Nation For as to the former it would raise a Noble Spirit of Emulation in those Learned Societies and would excite more of the Members thereof to Exert themselves in being serviceable to the World in this kind who now for want of Encouagement cannot spend their time so much to their own and the Publick Good in this way as otherwise they might And as to the latter whereas some Thousand Pounds worth of Valuable Books Printed in Foreign parts have been Imported Yearly we by reason of the better Editions of the Ancient Writers which our more Learned Men are able to give the World might be able to employ our own Paper-Makers Stationers Printers Book-Binders Book-Sellers here at home to the maintaining many Thousand Persons amongst us and might export so much of our own and Foreign Paper Manufactured by our selves as would turn the Balance of that part of Trade considerably on our own side And now I am to entreat the Candour of my Reverend Brethren that however I may be mistaken in the Practicableness of this Design they would believe I sincerely intend the Good of Souls and the Honour of my Function and of my Nation too in all that is here propos'd That I am so pressing for both Parochial Libraries in the Plantations and Lending Libraries in England is because in the former I know no good a Clergy who are not able to furnish themselves with Books in going over can do in a Country where none are to be bought when they are there nor to be had from the Merchants but at excessive Rates And in the latter I am certain that Good cannot be done which is expected from every Minister here in England when the Third Part of our Parochial Clergy are not enabled by their Preferments to buy the fourth part of those Books which are necessary to enable 'em fully to instruct the People in the meer Necessaries to Salvation And as for our younger Gentry I cannot think but it would tend extreamly to furnish their Minds also with that useful Knowledge in History Travels Humanity Agriculture and all such Noble Arts and Sciences as will render 'em serviceable to their Families and Countries and will make 'em considerable both at home and abroad And that it will very much keep 'em from idle Conversation and the Debaucheries attending it to have choice Collections of such Books dispers'd through all the Kingdom and waiting upon 'em in their own Parlors as will ennoble their Minds with Principles of Vertue and true Honour and will file off that Roughness Ferity and Barbarity which are the never failing Fruits of Ignorance and Illiterature Standing Libraries will signifie little in the Country where Persons must ride some miles to look into a Book such Journeys being too expensive of Time and Money But Lending Libraries which come home to 'em without Charge may tolerably well supply the Vacancies in their own Studies till such time as these Lending may be improv'd into Parochial Libraries And whereas it may be objected that the Books will be so often Borrow'd that it will be hard for any one to have the Book he wants I am so far from being much concern'd to answer it that I heartily wish the great Use and frequent Borrowing of Books out of these Libraries may make it a real Objection But to reply as far as necessary the Limitations mention'd above will fetch home any Book a Person shall want within a Month at farthest and indeed there being several Authors specify'd in such a Library as I design upon most of the Subjects if one be not to be had Satisfaction may be fought in the mean time from another And in the whole I am the more forward to hope for great Advantages from these Lending Libraries especially having had some Experience of the Benefit thereof in a Country where one such Library left by a Pious and Learned Divine at his Death has done much to improve many of the Parochial Clergy within some Miles who constantly borrow out of it to that degree as to make 'em as useful Men in their Station as any I have had the Happiness to be acquainted with In short as meer Zeal for Publick Service hath excited me to leave no Stone unturn'd to procure Parochial Libraries for the Plantations in which I thank God I have had hitherto no mean Success so if with the same Labour I can be serviceable in the like Design to my dearest Mother the Church and my Reverend Brethren at home I shall think my self sufficiently happy in such an Employment And indeed as I know not that thing in the World wherein I could take that Satisfaction as in this piece of Service to our Church at home so provided this Design of Lending Libraries in England should universally take whereby without any Man's Charge properly speaking so great an Advance will be made towards Parochial Libraries in the Plantations Instead of Libraries for Maryland the bounds of my first Design I shall not only extend my Endeavours for the Supply of all the English Colonies in America therewith but can most willing be a Missionary into every one of those Provinces to fix and settle them therein when they are obtain'd being so fully perswaded of the great Benefit of these kind of Libraries that I should not think 'em too dear a Purchase even at the hazard of my Life being to both Church and Clergy A most Devoted and Humble Servant THO. BRAY. Note 1. In those Large and Populous Cities where there will be Subscribers enough to raise a Library there the Library may be appropriated solely to the Vse of the Clergy and Gentry of that Place only it may be expected from the Clergyespecially that their Quota of Subscriptions be made also towards the Deanary-Libraries for the Vse of the Rural Clergy it being the First and Principal Design to supply them especially those in smaller Vicarages and Curacies 2. If in the same Deanary there are several Market-Towns it would be happy if the Foundation of a Library could be laid in each of 'em Libraries being more peculiarly useful in Market-Towns where though it be requisite the Abilities of the Clergy should he the greatest yet the Provision and Maintenance for that Purpose is commonly the least 3. If the Foundation of a Library can be laid in every Market-Town then the adjacent Clergy and Gentry may entitle themselver by their Subscriptions to the Library of such Neighbouring Towns from whence they shall be able with most ease and conveniency to send for a Book at any time 4. If these Deanary-Subscribtions shall so multiply that any one of the Books proposed in the following Sett shall become so scarce as not to be had at all or at an unreasonable rate then another Book equivalent in its intrinsick Worth and Price shall be sent in its stead THE CATALOGUE of BOOKS Design'd to

and the most easie and likely Method I can propose will be by Subscriptions rais'd amongst both Clergy and Gentry each Clergy-man subscribing at the Visitation some small matter proportionuble to the Value of his Living or Circumstances in the World the Gentry what in their Generosity they shall think fit And the Subscriptions of both to be taken and return'd to London and the Libraries transmitted into the Country in the Method following 1. That one Third of the Subscription-Mony viz. 10 l. be subscrib'd and paid at the next Easter-Visitation to the Rural Dean or whom the Clergy of the Deanary shall agree upon and return'd up to the Treasurers of the Subscriptions Mr. Francis Evans Secretary to the Lord Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield or Mr. Thomas Taylor at the Lord Almoner's Lodgings in White-Hall 2. That within a Month after the following Books to the value of Thirty Pound be sent down into the subscribing Deanaries to such Places as from the Visitation shall be directed And that they be made up in such Boxes or Book-Presses with Shelves in them and Locks and Doors to 'em as will serve both to preserve 'em in the Carriage down and in the Place where they shall be deposited for the Publick Benefit And being kept in such moveable Repositories they can at any time be remov'd to any other part of the Deanary as by the Vote of the Clergy at a Visitation shall be judged most convenient to have 'em lodg'd in and that without the Charge of building any Room wherein to lay 'em up 3. That to make up the remaining two Thirds for the Purchase of the Books each of the Clergy do in their respective Parishes ' and amongst the Gentry of their Acquaintance sollicit some small Subscription towards this Publick Design by which such Subscribers whether Gentlemen or Ladies will be entitled to the Priviledge of borrowing at any time a Book for their own Reading and that there may be proper and acceptable Books for them there are some of the most valuable pieces of History Geography and Travels provided in the following Sett 4. That what is Subscribed by the Gentry be brought in to to the next Michaelmas Visitation and enter'd down in a Book together with the Subscriptions of the Clergy to be kept in every Library And if there be something wanting to make up the remaining Twenty Pounds it be made up by the Clergy if there be any over it be apply'd towards paying for the Book-Presses and Carriage down and the Surplusage be laid up in Bank against next Eoster Visitation after this towards purchasing another like quantity of Books in order to compleat a useful and sufficient Library in the respective Deanary 5. That the Books shall be afforded to the Subscribers something below the Prices at which the Clergy or Gentry usually buy 'em by Retail in the Booksellers Shops 6. That what Gratis-Books will be obtain'd of the Bookseller in consideration of so many bought of 'em towards these Lending Libraries that these be set apart towards making up Parochial Libraries for for the Foreign Plantations And it is found that one Library in ten at least will be obtain'd by this means towards the Publick Design to which all Christians methinks should readily contribute such as are most able by immediate Benefactions and every one that is not unable in such a way as this in which they have a valuable consideration to themselves for what they do towards carrying on that necessary Work for so I shall be bold to call it if it were but to ward off the Reproach under which we justly lye even to this day that whilst our Adversaries the Papists are at vast Charges every Year in promoting their false Superstition in the remotest parts of the World there are but too few amongst us pudet haec Opprobria dici dici potuisse who have yet shew'd that Value for their Religion and the Honour of God as to contribute in any considerable way to advance the Glory of their Saviour by propagating the best Religion in the whole World either here at home or amongst their Country-men abroad There is but one Objection I can foresee against this Method of procuring these Lending Libraries and that is the excessive scarcity of Money especially amongst the Clergy at this time when they are exhausted more than others by Publick Payments But indeed the very Objection it self seems to me to be the most forcible Reason for putting a Design of this Nature on foot and that especially at this time For is it so that one third of the English Clergy are not now in a Condition to buy a sufficient quantity of Books Well but on the other side I hope it will be granted that Books must be had or else Religion must e'en fall to the ground And if so putting both together I think it will follow that since very few are capable to furnish their Studies at their own proper Cost it is therefore necessary that all should join their Forces and what is impossible for 'em singly would be easie for 'em jointly for Multorum manibus grande Levatur Onus so that indeed this is really the most proper Season to set such a Design on foot But then if we consider to what a high Perfection most if not all parts of useful Learning have advanc'd in this last Age so that we may rather fear a declension thereof as is usual with every thing when it comes to its full growth than hope for much farther Improvements therein But above all if we consider the impious Principles which have begun to advance against us and have gain'd so much ground upon us by the Industry of some who at great Charge and Expence do labour to poison both Town and Country with their Atheistical and Socinian Notions These things I say if duly consider'd will convince us that this seems to be the very time pointed out by the Divine Providence for us to provide ourselves of Magazines out of which we may be sufficiently furnish'd with that Panoply of excellent Learning and Knowledge whereby we shall secure our selves and others against the fiery Darts of the Devil and may be enabled at leastwise to stand our ground whilst Atheists Deists and Socinians do so earnestly contend against the Faith So much upon many great Accounts it seems to me to be a most proper Season now to begin the Foundation of Lending Libraries throughout the Kingdom And whereas many of our Reverend Clergy have Noble Libraries of their own so as not to need themselves a Supply of this Nature I am not to doubt their Subscribing notwithstanding since the Design of these Libraries is not to serve a Man's private but the publick Interest of Religion and Learning which such Reverend and Learned Persons do well know none better that every one is bound to provide for more than his own especially those whose Condition and Circumstances in the World shall best enable 'em