The History of the Consolidation of the City of Philadelphia
Prepared in Accordance With a Request of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The History of the Consolidation of the City of Philadelphia: Prepared in Accordance With a Request of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania<br><br>This is so far from the case that it may be said the labor of the management, and the necessity for funds, only then begin. The arrangement of books is a matter of much labor, and their binding of considerable expense; and when bound they involve the necessity for about three dollars per volume for the construction of a proper building. After the structure, which of course should have every convenience, is erected and occupied, the conduct of a library, in order that the use of the books may be free and prompt, requires an annual expenditure of the interest of three dollars per volume. It will, therefore, be seen that each book entails the necessity for at least six dollars of capital, for an entirely satisfactory accommodation and use. Considering this, no one need be surprised that valuable collections, bequeathed to great libraries in England, have lain unpacked for more than a century.<br><br>Regarding the affairs and conduct of the Society, none can know so well as those who have directed them, how desirable it would have been to have accomplished much more than has been achieved, nor can any better appreciate the necessity that existed for the exercise of forethought, prudence, and economy, as well as for the unwavering adherence to a wise and successful system, which have been essential to reach the condition we now happily occupy. Aware that failure is far more usual than success, we have not, however, hesitated to attempt, by well-considered and carefully-matured appeals to the public, followed up by the hard work necessary to gather the fruit of such appeals, to improve the condition of our affairs. The result is the fine building that accommodates the library and gallery, and the various trust funds, an account of which is appended.<br><br>In the catalogue the effort has been to give, with as little amplification as possible, such an account of each object as would at once interest and instruct those who might, from youthfulness or other cause, be ignorant of the history of the particular subject.<br><br>About the Publisher<br><br>Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com<br><br>This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.