lture and education so freely
indulged in at the present time. Some time ago there was a discussion on
'the sacrifice of education to examination.' There is another question
quite as serious--the sacrifice of justice to so-called education.

Let us next consider the educational value of this institution.

It is hardly necessary for us to say that we have no objection, either
for ourselves or for our neighbours, to novel-reading. On the contrary,
we regard it as a legitimate form of recreation. All we argue is that it
is not a luxury which should be paid for out of the rates. Now, to
listen to the advocates of Free Libraries one would imagine that these
institutions were only frequented by students, and that the books
borrowed were for the most part of a profound and scholarly character.
But the very reverse of this is the case. The committee of the Blackpool
Free Library, in their Report for the year 1887-8, say:--'Works of
fiction and light literature enjoy the greatest degree of popularity,
each book circulating eleven times in the year, while _the more
instructive books in the other classes circulate only once during the
same period_.' According to this Report, out of a total average daily
issue of 150 volumes, 137 are works of fiction and light literature. The
average issue of history, which is the next largest item, is only 9 per
diem.

No wonder is it, after such results as this, that the Committee should
express the opinion 'that the rich stores of biography, history,
travels, and works of science and art which have been added in recent
years are deserving of greater attention than has hitherto been given to
them.'

Although the nominal and frequently exceeded limit is now one penny in
the pound, there is no knowing how soon it may be raised. Already one of
the members of the Library Association of the United Kingdom, a body
composed to a considerable extent of librarians whose bureaucratic
instincts naturally impel them to push their business by all possible
means, has awarded a prize of ten guineas for a draft Library Bill,
which, among other things, permits a twopenny instead of a penny rate.
'But,' says the _Daily News_ of Oct. 4th, 1889, 'the feeling appeared to
be unanimous that it would be _unwise_ to put this forward as a part of
the Association's programme, as it would enormously increase the
opposition to the adoption of the Act in new localities.' No regard for
the ratepayers' pockets holds them ba