PREFACE.

THE Free Public Library, Sydney, was opened by His Excellency the Earl of Belmore, on the 30th September, 1869. Six days previous to that date Sir John Robertson, K.C.M.G. (then Mr. Robertson), who was Colonial Secretary and Premier, purchased, on behalf of the Government of New South Wales, the entire collection of books belonging to the Australian Library and Literary Institution, which was established as far back as the year 1826. The shareholders of that Institution having decided upon disposing of their property in order that the Society might be dissolved, and not wishing that books which they considered of special value to the Colony should be distributed; they offered the collection (about 16,000 volumes) to the Government for the small sum of £1,500, with the privilege of renting their building for one year at £300. This offer was accepted, and the building was subsequently purchased by the Government before the expiration of the lease.

As there was no Catalogue of the books, and the Government had decided to open the Library as a Public Institution at once, a rough list of a portion of the collection, prepared under short titles previous to the purchase, was therefore placed in the hands of the Government Printer, and within forty-eight hours this list was printed in 137 pages royal 8vo, and placed upon the Library tables, without any revision of either the manuscript or the printed matter, there being no time to do more.

It was not until the month of March, 1871, that Trustees were appointed; and as soon as they had examined the books

which had been purchased, 2,000 volumes that they considered unsuitable to a Public Library were withdrawn, and given away to Charitable Institutions; but, as no fewer than 6,000 volumes had been added by purchase and donations during the year, it became necessary to provide a complete Catalogue of the whole of the books in the Library.

A compilation of a Catalogue, arranged under the names of the Authors, &c., was commenced soon after the Institution was opened; this was completed at the end of the year 1871, and was passed rapidly through the Press in the early part of the following year; but owing to the hasty manner in which the proofs were read, in order that the work might not be delayed, many errors escaped notice, and the Catalogue was was otherwise defective; it was therefore necessary in preparing a new Catalogue to revise the whole of this portion of the work, and to reprint it.

Since the date of completion of the last edition 10,000 volumes have been added to the Library, and the present edition contains nearly 30,000 volumes.

The plan upon which this Catalogue is arranged may be divided under four separate heads, viz. :

Ist. Under the name of the Authors, &c., with the names and distinctions given in full when they could be ascertained, and the title entered in detail; but when the author could not be found, the book has been entered under the leading word of the title, the subject matter, or name of place to which it may refer. The number of the Library press, with the letter of the shelf, is also added to show where and how any book can be found.

2nd. A complete Catalogue of all the pamphlets in bound volumes, entered both under the author and subject matter, with the reference number or letter of an Index, showing how each volume may be found on its shelf.