e thought, that if the proper
emploiments of Librarie-keepers were taken into consideration as they
are, or may bee made useful to the advancement of Learning; and were
ordered and mainteined proportionally to the ends, which ought to bee
intended thereby; they would bee of exceeding great use to all sorts of
Scholars, and have an universal influence upon all the parts of
Learning, to produce and propagate the same unto perfection. For if
Librarie-keepers did understand themselvs in the nature of their work,
and would make themselvs, as they ought to bee, useful in their places
in a publick waie; they ought to becom Agents for the advancement of
universal Learning: and to this effect I could wish, that their places
might not bee made, as everie where they are, Mercenarie, but rather
Honorarie; and that with the competent allowance of two hundred pounds a
year; som emploiments should bee put upon them further then a bare
keeping of the Books. It is true that a fair Librarie, is not onely an
ornament and credit to the place where it is; but an useful commoditie
by it self to the publick; yet in effect it is no more then a dead Bodie
as now it is constituted, in comparison of what it might bee, if it were
animated with a publick Spirit to keep and use it, and ordered as it
might bee for publick service. For if such an allowance were setled upon
the emploiment as might maintain a man of parts and generous thoughts,
then a condition might bee annexed to the bestowing of the Place; that
none should bee called thereunto but such as had approved themselvs
zealous and profitable in som publick waies of Learning to advance the
same, or that should bee bound to certain tasks to bee prosecuted
towards that end, whereof a List might bee made, and the waie to trie
their Abilities in prosecuting the same should bee described, least in
after times, unprofitable men creep into the place, to frustrate the
publick of the benefit intended by the Doners towards posteritie. The
proper charge then of the Honorarie Librarie-Keeper in a Universitie
should bee thought upon, and the end of that Imploiment, in my
conception, is to keep the publick stock of Learning, which is in Books
and Manuscripts to increas it, and to propose it to others in the waie
which may bee most useful unto all; his work then is to bee a Factor and
Trader for helps to Learning, and a Treasurer to keep them, and a
dispenser to applie them to use, or to see them well used, o