THE Royal Library now at St. James's , designed and founded for publick use , was in the time of King James I. in a flourishing condition , well stored with all sorts of good Books of That and the preceding Age , from the beginning of Printing .

But in the succeeding Reigns it has gradually gone to Decay , to the great dishonour of the Crown and the whole Nation . The Room is miserably out of Repair ; and so little , that it will not contain the Books that belong to it . A Collection of ancient Medals , once the best in Europe , is embezzled and quite lost . There has been no supply of Books from abroad for the space of Sixty years last : nor any allowance for Binding ; so that many valuable Manuscripts are spoil'd for want of Covers : and above a Thousand Books printed in England , and brought in Quires to the Library , as due by the Act for Printing , are all unbound and useless .

It is therefore humbly proposed , as a thing that will highly conduce to the Publick Good , the Glory of His Majesty's Reign , and the Honour of the Parliament ;

I. That His Majesty be graciously pleased to assign a Corner of St. James's Park , on the South side , near the Garden of the late Sir John Cutler , for the building of a new Library , and in the Neighbourhood of it a competent Dwelling for the Library-Keeper .

II . This Situation will have all the advantages that can be wished . 't is an elevated Soil , and a dry sandy Ground ; the Air clear , and the Light free ; the Building , not contiguous to any Houses , will be safer from Fire ; a Coach-way will be made to it out of Tuttle-street , Westminster ; the Front of it will be parallel to the Park-Walk ; and the Park will receive no Injury , but a great Ornament by it .

III . That the said Library be built , and a perpetual yearly Revenue for the Purchase of Books setled on it by Act of Parliament : Which Revenue may be under the Direction and Disposal of Curators , who are from time to time to make report to His Majesty of the State and Condition of the Library . The Curators to be ............... ......................

IV . The choice of a proper Fund , whence the said Revenue may be raised , is left to the Wisdom of the Parliament . In the mean time , This following is humbly offer'd to Consideration .

V. That , as soon as the present Tax of 40 per Cent . upon Foreign Paper , and 20 per Cent . upon English , shall either expire or be taken off ; there be laid a very small Tax of .... per Cent . ( as it shall be judged sufficient for the uses of such a Library ) upon Imported Paper only , leaving our own Manufacture free . Which Tax may be collected by His Majesty's Officers of the Customs , and paid to such Person or Persons , as shall be appointed by the Curators .

VI . This being so easie a Tax , and a Burthen scarce to be felt , can create no Damp upon the Stationer's Trade . And whatsoever shall be paid by them upon this foot , being to be laid out in the purchase of Books , will return among them again . So that 't is but giving with one hand , what they will receive with the other .

VII . And whereas our Own White-Paper Manufacture , that was growing up so hopefully , and deserves the greatest Encouragement , being all clear gains to the Kingdom , is now almost quite sunk under the weight of the present Tax ; this new one upon Imported Paper , with an Exemption of our Own , will set Ours upon the higher Ground , and give it a new Life . For whatsoever is taken from the one , is as good as given to the other . So that even without regard to this design of a Library , the Tax will be a publick Benefit .

VIII . A Library erected upon this certain and perpetual Fund , may be so contriv'd for Capaciousness and Convenience , that every one that comes there , may have 200,000 Volumes , ready for his use and service . And Societies may be formed , that shall meet , and have Conferences there about matters of Learning . The Royal Society is a noble Instance in one Branch of Knowledge ; what Advantage and Glory may accrue to the Nation , by such Assemblies not confined to one Subject , but free to all parts of good Learning .

IX . The Wall that shall encompass the Library , may be cased on the inside with Marbles of ancient Inscriptions , Basso Relievo's , &c. either found in our own Kingdom , or easily and cheaply to be had from the African Coast , and Greece , and Asia the Less . Those few Antiquities procured from the Greek Islands by the Lord Arundel , and since published both at home and abroad , are an evidence what great advancement of Learning , and honour to the Nation may be acquired by this means .

X. Upon this Parliamentary Fund , the Curators , if occasion be , may take up Money at Interest , so as to lay out two or three years Revenues to buy whole Libraries at once : As at this very time , the incomparable Collections of Thuanus in France , and Marquardus Gudius in Germany , might be purchas'd at a very low Value .

XI . And since the Writings of the English Nation have at present that great Reputation abroad , that many Persons of all Countries learn our Language , and several travel hither for the advantage of Conversation : 't is easie to foresee , how much this Glory will be advanced , by erecting a free Library of all sorts of Books , where every Foreigner will have such convenience of studying .

XII . 't is our Publick Interest and Profit , to have the Gentry of Foreign Nations acquainted with England , and have part of their Education here . And more Money will be annually imported and spent here by such Students from abroad , than the whole Charge and Revenue of this Library will amount to .