The great consulting room of a wise man is a library. When I am in
perplexity about life, I have but to come here, and, without fee or
reward, I commune with the wisest souls that God has blessed the world
with. If I want a discourse on immortality Plato comes to my help. If I
want to know the human heart Shakespeare opens all its chambers.
Whatever be my perplexity or doubt, I know exactly the great man to call
to me, and he comes in the kindest way, he listens to my doubts and
tells me his convictions. So that a library may be regarded as the
solemn chamber in which a man can take counsel with all that have been
wise and great and good and glorious amongst the men that have gone
before him. If we come down for a moment and look at the bare and
immediate utilities of a library we find that here a man gets himself
ready for his calling, arms himself for his profession, finds out the
facts that are to determine his trade, prepares himself for his
examination. The utilities of it are endless and priceless. It is too a
place of pastime; for man has no amusement more innocent, more sweet,
more gracious, more elevating, and more fortifying than he can find in a
library.--GEORGE DAWSON. _Address at the opening of the Birmingham Free
Reference Library_, 1866.