Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/212

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
200
The Library.

neither seen nor heard of the work. Before leaving New Zealand I cannot but acknowledge the kindness of Mr. Charles Smith, of Wanganui, who on arrival in England last year, placed the catalogue of his own library at my disposal, in order that I might select from it any works which were not already in the Institute Library. By his kindness, many works which were published in the Colony were added to the library, and so vastly increased the importance of the New Zealand section. The New Guinea division contains 130 volumes and pamphlets, covering a period of one hundred years, and extending from the voyage of Sonnerat in 1776, to the travels of Bevan, Chalmers, D'Albertis, and the present energetic governor, Sir William MacGregor. Fiji is represented by sixty-six works, covering a period of eighty-one years, containing a general review of the past and present history of that thriving Colony. There is in addition a large number of works relating to the South Pacific, many of those scattered islands owing allegiance to the British Crown, and, therefore, being entitled to a place in the library. Leaving Australasia, the next section to claim attention is that relating to British North America; embracing Newfoundland, and the various provinces of the vast Dominion of Canada, which includes, in addition to what are termed the older provinces, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, the North West Territories, and British Columbia. The history of Newfoundland is of considerable interest, inasmuch as it is our oldest Colony and owing to certain political events, still continues to occupy an amount of attention not vouchsafed to many of the larger Colonies. Its very early history will be found in the various collections already referred to, whilst for more recent information we have the works of Chabert, Reeves, Anspach, Chappell, Bonnycastle, Pedley, Hatton and Harvey, &c. The Dominion of Canada is represented by a vast collection; and although in no way complete, nevertheless contains all the chief works of interest regarding that portion of the empire including those of Rogers, Colden's History of the Five Indian Nations of North America; the complete works of the eminent historian, Francis Parkman a series of historical narratives, in which the romantic story of the rise, the marvellous expansion, and the ill-fated ending of the French power in North America is for the first time adequately told, and forms one of the finest themes that ever engaged the pen of the historian; the works of Heriot,