full the buildings of the Order at Malta.

On his return to this country he spent some time at the British Museum,
delving into these knightly records of the past, but was unable even then
to discover all that he wished to know. So for a time he took up his
abode in Paris, working daily at the Archives, the Arsenal Library, and
Bibliotheque Nationale. Then came the Library of the Vatican. To-day his
collection of ancient works on La Chevalerie, in most of the languages of
Europe, is a thing to be proud of, and his sub-collection on the
Hospitallers and their commanderies is especially rich. Probably there
are few works upon this subject with which he is unacquainted, and the
bibliography upon which he is at work bids fair to become the standard
volume.

What an immense part Chance plays in all our lives. Some of the most
momentous events in the world's history have turned upon the most trivial
happenings. Had not a wild boar run in a certain direction, probably
there would have been no Norman Conquest of England! Robert of Normandy,
out hunting with his friends, roused a boar which, running a certain
course, necessitated the duke's return through the village street where
he saw and fell in love with the burgess's daughter who became the mother
of William the Conqueror. Had the boar run north instead of south,
probably Robert would never have seen Arlette, and William would never
have been born. Olaf of Norway, the great sea-king whose name was feared
from Brittany to the Orkneys, was converted to Christianity by a chance
landing at the Scilly Isles, where haply he visited the cell of a holy
man that dwelt there.

Let us now draw up a list of those subjects which generally engage the
attention of specialists. The list is a lengthy one and offers an
infinite variety. Each heading will comprise various sub-headings, and of
these I shall speak more in detail.

1. Arctic, Antarctic, Whaling.
2. Africa.
3. Americana.
4. Architecture, Building Construction.
5. Australasia.
6. Bibles.
7. Bibliography, Bookbinding, Printing.
8. Biography, Memoirs, Diaries.
9. Celebrated Authors and Books.
10. Celebrated Presses.
11. Chapbooks, Ballads, Broadsides.
12. Civil War and Commonwealth.
13. Classics.
14. Cookery Books.
15. Costume.
16. Crime and Prisons.
17. Dictionaries, Etymology.
18. Drama, the Stage.
19. Early-printed books.
20. Early Rom