History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 81

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992

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At the time of the publication of the Catalogue Raisonné, in 1857, the library comprised ten thousand five hundred volumes, as follows : folio, three hundred and fifty-eight; quarto, eleven hundred and seventy- eight; octavo, seven thousand seven hundred and sixty-four; and duodecimo, twelve hundred.

Since the last-named date there has been a very material increase in the number of volumes added to the library. In fact, the number has been doubled; so that, in 1884, the collection comprised some fifteen thousand bound volumes. With the exception of two or three others, the library of the Pennsylvania Hos- pital contains the finest collection of medical books in America. In point of age it has no rival.

Books may be borrowed by subscribers (who pay three dollars a year), or those who acquire a life right, either by purchase (twenty-eight dollars) or gift from the managers, these beneficiaries being chiefly those who were formerly resident physicians, to whom it is customary, on leaving, to give the use of the hospital's collection of medical works.

buildings comprised in the hospital's valuable prop- erty, bounded by Spruce, Pine, Eighth, and Ninth Streets.

The Library of the German Society of Pennsyl- vania .- The "German Society of Pennsylvania" was founded in 1764 for the purpose of protecting and relieving distressed German emigrants brought to Philadelphia; and this charitable object has ever since remained its principal feature. But in 1766 the suggestion of establishing a library was thrown out and favorably received, though at that time not acted upon. The society's charter, which was granted in 1781, extended the sphere of its use- fulness by including education and the establish- ment of a library within the scope of its powers. A by-law having reference to a library was shaped accordingly, and some feeble attempts were made toward collecting books, but it was not until 1817 that decided steps were taken to carry the long- entertained plan into effect. In the annual meeting of the society on the 26th of December, 1816, Mr. W. Lehman offered the following preamble and resolution :

" WHEREAS, Next to the relief of distress, one of the original objects of the society was the establishment of a library in order to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, which is so essential to the enjoyment of life, aud eo conducive to the preservation of virtue; and

" WREREAS, Notwithstanding the great population and wealth of Philadelphia, and the excellence and celebrity of the literature of Ger- many, there is not to be found within the city a judicious collection of German books, etc .; be it therefore

" Resolved, Thet a committee of five members be appointed to inquire into the expediency of purchasing and importing some of the works of the best Germen authors, relating to general literature, to serve as a foundation of a library to be established agreeably to the act of iocor- poratiou and the landable intention of the founders of our society, and to report a plan at the next meeting."

The committee to which this resolution was re- ferred, consisting of L. Krumbhaar, D. Bräutigam, S. Keehmle, W. Lehman, and H. T. Virchaux, re- ported favorably, and suggested, as the investments would be of a limited amount, that particular atten- tion should be paid, in the first place, to forming a collection of works in the German language. The first library committee consisted of Rev. Ph. F. Mayer, Rev. S. Helfenstein, L. Krumbhaar, W. Leh- man, and H. T. Virchaux. The same gentlemen were reappointed every year until 1825, except that in 1823 H. T. Virchaux was replaced by Rev. Christian Crouse, and the latter, in 1825, by Rev. C. R. Demme. The first librarian was Joseph Charles Sprenger, a dealer in fancy goods, whom Ritter (" History of the Moravian Church," page 274), describes as a hand- some Tyrolese. He was followed in the next year by . Frederick K. Nidda, who held the position of libra- rian until 1828.

While the first purchase of books, in accordance with the recommendation, was limited to those in the German language, the claims of the rising population soon made themselves felt, and when the first cata-

The library is housed in one of the substantial | logue was printed, in 1826, it showed a slight excess

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of English over German books. This preponderance continued to exist nearly forty years. In 1884 the library of the German Society consists of about twenty thousand volumes, of which nearly two-thirds are in the German, the rest in the English language. It is richly stocked with works of general information and research, such as history, biography, ethnology, travels, science, philosophy, and art. The standard authors in both languages, especially the German, are well represented ; and the library contains also the latest works of poetry and fiction.

Until 1807 the German Society continued to hold its meetings at the place where the society had been organized in 1764,-the Lutheran school-house in Cherry Street, below Fourth, which was built in 1761, and destroyed by fire March 25, 1878.

Since April 9, 1807, however, the society occupied the quarters in which its library was placed, in the upper hall of the building No. 24 South Seventh Street, the ground floor and rear of which were leased to the Philadelphia Gas Company. This build- ing was erected by the society in 1806, and enlarged in 1866. The persons entitled to the use of the library are the members of the German Society and such as pay an annual subscription.

A special department of the library consists of Americana that relate to the German element, such as German imprints, works and pamphlets on im- migration, county histories, proceedings of German societies, etc.

The Library of the College of Physicians .- In · an address delivered by Dr. Benjamin Rush, on Feb. 6, 1787, before the newly-organized College of Physi- cians, setting forth the purposes of the institution, the intention of establishing a library by the college is indicated. He said, " A medical library will help to diffuse knowledge among us on easy terms." At the stated meeting in April, 1788, a series of by-laws was presented, containing, among other sections, the following, "Section VII., Library," without anything further on the subject. At the meeting in June, two months later, Drs. John Jones, Samuel Powel Griffiths, and Caspar Wistar were appointed a committee to report a plan for the formation of a library for the use of the Fellows of the college, whose report was subse- quently considered and reconsidered, and a resolution adopted that " the several members of the college be requested to send to the secretary such books as they mean to present to the college."

The first donation of books seems to have been made, in 1789, by Dr. John Morgan, one of the founders of the college. In July of this year Drs. Jones, Parke, and Wistar were appointed a committee to prepare a list of books to be purchased at a cost of not more than fifty pounds, Pennsylvania currency. In 1790 the library received accessions of valuable books by the death of Dr. Morgan, its first patron, who bequeathed to the college the works of Hippo- crates, Galen, Morgagni, and Harvey, the whole

making twelve folin volumes and one quarto. Few additional volumes were purchased, and, besides do- nations from Drs. Morgan, Griffiths, Ruslı, Benjamin Barton Smith, Shippen, and Jones, contributions of books were very meagre during a long series of years. In volume i., part i., of the Transactions of the college, published in 1793, there is a foot-note which refers to the library in the following not very enthu- siastic words : " It has been established by the college, and now consists of a number of scarce and valuable books."

Nor was the progress of the library during the first half of the present century more marked. Very few books were donated, and cash expenditures in the purchase of new works were insignificant. In 1834 the first committee on the library was appointed, con- sisting of Drs. J. W. Moore, William S. Coxe, and Simon A. Wickes, who, in January, 1835, made a verbal report upon the state of the library, "showing that it is in a bad condition and going to decay." In the annual report of the library committee, presented in June, 1836, it was stated that "the collection of books belonging to the college includes thirty-one folio volumes, sixty-seven quartos, and one hundred and ninety-three octavos, making a total of two hun- dred and ninety-one, besides a number of unbound pamphlets," surely not a very flattering showing after nearly fifty years of effort.

The growth of the library, however, was necessarily slow. For many years after the date of the institu- tion of the College of Physicians, the diffusion of medical knowledge was not extended, and technical publications were not numerous, Such additions as were made were, as has been stated, largely in the nature of donations or bequests from private medical libraries. Indeed, for three-fourths of a century the books belonging to the college were stored in three or four library-cases,-at the University, on Ninth Street; in the Philosophical Society's building, Fifth Street, below Chestnut; at the old Mercantile Library building, at the southeast corner of Fifth and Library Streets ; and in the picture-room of the Pennsylvania Hospital, Spruce Street, above Eighth, at which re- spective places the college was housed at various times. It was not until the erection of the hall of the College of Physicians, at the northwest corner of Locust and Thirteenth Streets, and the removal of the college thereto in 1863, that separate rooms were set apart for library purposes.

At the time of the occupancy by the college of its new buildings in 1863, it is probable that the library did not number more than four thousand five hundred volumes. This state of affairs was, however, a gigantic stride over the library's condition in 1836, when, as previously stated, only two hundred and ninety-one books were comprised in the collection.

The most noteworthy addition to the library during its entire history was the donation by Dr. Samuel Lewis, in 1864, at one time, of two thousand five

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hundred carefully-selected volumes. Since the date named Dr. Lewis has presented to the library many additional books, until at the present time the Lewis Library comprises nearly one-third of the whole col- lection of works belonging to the College of Physi- cians. This branch of the library occupies an entire room in the society's hall, and is wholly sustained by the generosity of Dr. Lewis.

Another valuable contribution of books came to the library in 1866, through a bequest contained in the will of George Ord. This admirable collection, ap- praised at a valuation of four thousand dollars, was not comprised of medical works, but consisted of "the best editions of the most eminent classical writers in The " Associated Members of the Bar" was formed some years later. Its membership was confined to the members of the bar of the Supreme Court of the State. Its chief objects are said to have been "to the English and French languages, many volumes of interesting voyages and travels, and the best and largest collection of English and French dictionaries perhaps in this country, being the fruits of Mr. | bestow especial attention upon the practice of the Ord's industrious collecting during more than half a century."

Among other large contributors of books within the past forty years may be mentioned the following : Dr. Henry Bond, Dr. George B. Wood, Dr. Isaac Hays, Dr. Alfred Stille, Dr. Moreton Stille, Dr. Thomas F. Betton, Dr. Robert M. Huston, Mrs. M. A. Mütter (the widow of Dr. Thomas D. Mütter), Dr. Francis West, and Dr. Charles D. Meigs.

In addition to the contributors named, other friends of the institution have donated many valuable med- ical and scientific books. Besides this, the college has been enabled, during the past twenty or twenty-five years, to acquire by purchase a large number of works devoted to medicine and kindred topics. As a result the library has reached a point where it has become the best collection of medical books in the country, and in size is exceeded only by the library of the surgeon-general's office at Washington. It contains twenty-six thousand five hundred bound volumes, besides many pamphlets and unbound books. The last annual report of the Library Committee, pre- sented on Dec. 5, 1883, shows that there were added to the library during the preceding year two thousand one hundred and eighty six bound volumes, two thou- sand one hundred and seven pamphlets, and two thou- sand eight hundred and sixty-two numbers of current journals.

So far as the Fellows of the College of Physicians are concerned, the library is a circulating one, books being taken out subject to certain restrictions. As a library of reference, for visitors introduced by Fellows of the college, it is also considerably utilized.

It is worthy of note, that while Philadelphia pos- sesses two of the finest collections of medical works in America, that of the College of Physicians and that of the Pennsylvania Hospital, yet a comparison of the catalogues of the two libraries exhibits a sur- prising absence of duplication. In the two collec- tions Philadelphia contains the richest material in the way of medical literature of any city in America.

The Library of the Law Association .- The Law Association was formed on the 29th of March, 1827, by the union of "The Law Library Company of the City of Philadelphia" and "The Associated Members of the Bar of Philadelphia."

The former of these two was organized and incor- porated on the 13th of March, 1802, by seventy-two members of the Philadelphia bar, for the purpose of maintaining a law library for the use of its members. The first board of directors was composed of Joseph B. Mckean, William Lewis, Edward Tilghman, Wil- liam Rawle, Jasper Moylan, Joseph Hopkinson, and John B. Wallace.

bar and the improvement of the rules of practice adopted by the courts, to maintain the purity of pro- fessional practice, to prevent unfair intrusion upon the ranks of the profession, and to afford pecuni- ary aid and relief to its members when necessary." (See Martin's "Bench and Bar of Philadelphia," 1883.)

Upon the union of the two associations in 1827, the charter of the "Law Library Company" was amended so as to include the greater part of the ob- jects of the " Associated Members of the Bar." Wil- liam Rawle was elected the first chancellor ; Horace Binney, vice-chancellor; George M. Dallas, secre- tary ; Thomas I. Wharton, treasurer. Until about . 1840 the latter practically acted as librarian. The charter was again amended in 1880.

The objects of the charter as amended are, ---

1. The general supervision of the conduct of mem- bers of the bar, and of all persons connected officially with the administration of the law or in charge of the public records, and, in cases of any breach of duty on their part, the institution of such proceedings as may be lawful in respect thereto.

2. The improvement of the law and of its admin- istratiou; the protection of the bar and of judicial tribunals, their officers and members, from invasion of their rights; and the maintenance of their proper influence.

3. The keeping of a law library.

As early as 1836 the library was kept in the old Congress Hall, on the southeast corner of Sixth and Chestnut Streets, in a room directly over the door of entrance on Sixth Street. An entry on the north side of this room was afterward taken in as a part of the library-room, and later another room, directly oppo- site the library, on the east side of the building, was added. At an earlier date the library was kept in a room immediately on the east of Independence Hall, in the State-House, in what was probably the office of the clerk of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In 1876 the books were removed to commodious

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quarters in the Atheneum Building, No. 219 South Sixth Street.

The library, which is the oldest of its kind in the United States, is very complete in reports, and con- tains a fair set of the original laws of the various States. It also has a very complete and valuable set of records of cases argued in the Supreme Court of the United States since 1832, presented to it by Henry Baldwin, Jr., Esq. The library contains over sixteen thousand volumes. Much of its early growth was due to the labors of Mr. John William Wallace, who was the first regular librarian. He served for twenty years, or until 1860. Samuel Dickson was librarian from 1860 to 1865; James T. Mitchell from 1865 to 1871; George Tucker Bispham from 1871 to 1876; and Francis Rawle has been librarian from 1876 to the present time (1884).

The valuable collection of portraits of judges and members of the bar, numbering thirty-six, comprises among others the well-known portrait of Chief Jus- tice Marshall, by Inman ; also portraits of Horace Binney, by Sully ; of Edward Tilghman, by R. Peale ; of Chief Justice Gibson, by Street; of Chief Justice Tilghman, by Neagle, after R. Peale ; and of William Rawle, by Inman.

It also possesses marble busts of Chief Justices Marshall and Gibson. The membership in Decem- ber, 1883, was three hundred and forty-seven.

The chancellors of the association have been as follows :

William Rawle, from 1827 until 1836; Peter S. Du Ponceau, from 1836 to 1844; John Sergeant, from 1845 uotil 1852; Horace Bioney, from 1852 until 1854; Joseph R. Ingersoll, from 1854 to 1857; William M. Meredith, from 1857 until 1873; Peter McCall, from 1873 until 1880; and George W. Biddle, from 1880 notil 1884.

The present officers are as follows :

Chancellor, George W. Biddle; Vice-Chancellor, William Henry Rawle; Secretary, Robert Davison Coxe; Treasurer, William Brooke Rawle; Librarian, Francis Rawle.

The general affairs of the corporation are man- aged by a library committee, consisting of twelve members. The censorship over the bar is in the hands of a committee of censors, composed of nine members.

The Academy of Natural Sciences .- The estab- lishment of the Academy of Natural Sciences was the result of the united efforts of several young men who had a taste for science, but who had small op- portunities of increasing their stock of knowledge. John Speakman, an apothecary,-whose shop, in 1811, was at the corner of Second and Market Streets,-whose education was no greater than what he had acquired in a country school and what he had picked up by study and observation afterward, may be said to have been the founder of this institution. One of his friends, Jacob Gilliams, a dentist, had some uncultivated taste for natural history. Conver- sations between Speakman and Gilliams led the former to suggest that if they and their other ac-

quaintances with the same tastes could be induced to meet together at stated times they might, by conver- sation and communications to each other of the ob- servations they had made upon subjects of natural history, improve themselves and be encouraged to further study. It was accordingly agreed between them that they should meet for the purpose of form- ing a society on the succeeding Saturday evening, and bring with them such of their friends as were inclined to join them in their object. Accordingly, on the 25th of January, 1812, a small party of six persons met at Speakman's store. Besides Speakman and Gilliams, there were present Dr. Gerard Troost, Dr. Camillus MacMahon Mann, John Shinn, Jr., and Nicholas S. Parmentier. Speakman was chairman and Mann was secretary. Plans of the new society were talked over. The objects to he attained were discussed, and the conclusions were that " the opera- tions of nature demand unprejudiced, attentive, and severe scrutiny ; and in order that men may aid each other by comparison of observations their discus- sions must be free. . . . Sectarians are prone to oppose the promulgation and development of any newly-discovered fact which to them seems likely in the least to militate against their cause or dogmas ; and it was from such motives that men of science in the dark ages experienced so much persecution ; and they have experienced persecution even to our own time, until truth became too powerful for their opposition."

It was determined that neither politics nor reli- gion should be allowed, nor even be permitted to be alluded to, at the meetings of the society. Several meetings for the purpose of organization were held at Speakman's store during the months of February and March, and one meeting at the confectionery-shop of Charles Mercier, at No. 104 High Street, which was between Third and Fourth Streets. The consti- tution was discussed and agreed upon on the 17th of March, and at the meeting on the 21st of the same month the title of Academy of Natural Sciences- which was suggested by Dr. Samuel Jackson, who was not then a member-was used for the first time. It was resolved that there should be "a museum of natural history, a library of works of science, a chem- ical experimental laboratory, an experimental philo- sophical apparatus, and every other desirable ap- pendage for convenience of illustration and for the advancement of natural knowledge, and for the com- mon benefit of all the individuals who may be admitted members of our institution." Thomas Say was ap- proved of as a member at this time, and it was re- solved that the anniversaries of the society in future should be dated from the 21st of March, 1812. There was a "committee and board of regulation, manage- ment, and direction," which met on Thursday even- ing of each week, and the general sessions were held on Saturday evening.

The six persons who founded the society met with

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but little countenance for three months, although their objects were well known and were talked about among persons of reputed scientific knowledge and tastes. The founders foresaw that there was no hope of success unless they took upon themselves very con- siderable burdens at the beginning,-" a responsibil- ity as to character and expenses," said they, "that may and must be considerable, and unless we make very extraordinary, zealons, determined, and perse- vering exertions, the institution must die in the nut- shell before it can germinate and take root." In April, 1812, a small room was rented over a milliner's shop, situate at No. 121 North Second Street, near Race. Here the library was begun with a few books, presented by Messrs. Speakman and Mann. The museum was enriched by a herbarium collected in the neighborhood of Paris by Parmentier, a few mounted birds by Say, a few shells and insects by Dr. Barnes, and some artificial crystals prepared by Dr. Troost. This commencement, it has been said, " was calculated to excite merriment rather than pro- cure respect ;" but, slender as the foundations were, they were deep and strong enough upon which to erect, in the course of years, a magnificent collection of natural objects in the museum, and a rich and valuable collection of books.

The first election of officers was held on the 7th of May, 1812, and the following gentlemen were chosen : President, Dr. Gerard Troost; Vice-Presidents, N. S. Parmentier and John Shinn, Jr .; Treasurer, John Speakman ; Controller, Jacob Gilliams ; Conservator, Thomas Say ; Secretary, Dr. C. M. Mann. This array of officers exhausted the whole membership of the society except one. There were at this time seven officers, and only one member-Dr. John Barnes- who did not hold office. The cabinet of minerals that had previously belonged to Dr. Seybert was pur- chased in August, by Mr. Speakman, for seven hun- dred and fifty dollars. He loaned the money, and the society converted the debt into shares of stock at twenty dollars each, which were divided among the members, who were promised repayment, with inter- , est, from the treasury, and were given a potential voice in the affairs of the academy by virtue of their property therein. "The creation of this stock," says Dr. W. S. W. Ruschenberger, in " A Notice of the Origin, Progress, and Present Condition of the Acad- emy of Natural Sciences," published in 1860, "formed a chain which bound the members together, without which they might have ceased to meet before the close of the year 1812." The acquisition of the Sey- bert cabinet gave the society something to work upon ; and Dr. Troost took advantage of the opportunity to deliver a course of lectures on mineralogy, which was the first scientific instruction imparted to the members.

The collections having increased beyond the narrow capacity of their room, rendered more extensive ac- commodations necessary. The upper part of a honse

on the west side of Second Street, then No. 78, north of Arch Street, was rented, and to these apartments, which were called the hall of the academy, the col- lections were removed in September.

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 81

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 992

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992