eatest benefactor
and esteemed fellow-countryman, Mr. Bates, whose letters announcing his
first munificent donation of fifty thousand dollars, alluding to his own
early want of access to books, assign that as the moving cause which
prompted his liberality. It will be the pleasing duty of those who may
then be intrusted with the administration of the library, to pay a
fitting tribute to so much public and private bounty.

In the mean time, sir, we must throw ourselves on the patience and
considerateness of the city council and the community. Not much short of
sixty thousand volumes are to be brought together from four different
places of temporary deposit, and assigned to their final resting-places
in this hall and the circulating library below. Here they are to be
arranged on the shelves, the cards and slips which pertain to them, far
more numerous than the volumes themselves, reduced to alphabetical
order; a separate catalogue of each alcove prepared; and a comprehensive
catalogue of the whole collection, without which it will be little
better than an unmanageable mass, prepared and printed. Every thing
which could be done beforehand, has been anticipated; but much of the
work was of necessity reserved till the books should be placed on the
shelves. In the interval, and while this labor is going on, the library
in Mason street will be left in possession of the books most in request
for daily circulation, and will be closed at last only when it becomes
absolutely necessary that they also should be removed to the new
building.

But it is time for me to conclude. The shades of evening are falling
around us; those cressets which lend us their mild and tasteful
illumination will soon be extinguished; and the first day of the
New-Year, rich in the happy prospects we now inaugurate, will come to a
close. May the blessing of Heaven give effect to its brightest
anticipations. A few more days,--a few more years,--will follow their
appointed round, and we, who now exchange our congratulations on this
magnificent New-Year's gift of our city fathers, shall have passed from
the scene; but firm in the faith that the growth of knowledge is the
growth of sound principles and pure morals, let us not doubt, that, by
the liberality of the city government and of our generous benefactors at
home and abroad, a light will be kindled and go forth from these walls,
now dedicated to the use of the FREE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, which will
guide o