Mr. CHARLES K. BOLTON read the following paper on

CIRCULATING LIBRARIES IN BOSTON, 1765-1865.

As early as 1674 Francis Kirkman, a London bookseller, had conceived the plan of circulating a part of his collection of books. It was this scheme which suggested itself to Boston booksellers toward the end of the eighteenth century, when a quickening of the intellectual life in Boston became evident.

John Mein, an Edinburgh bookseller, arrived in October, 1764. Having brought with him a quantity of books, linens, etc., he opened a store with Robert Sandeman, nephew of the famous preacher, and advertised many wares, including "English and Scotch Prayer-Books" as well as "Edinburgh Beer and Porter by the Cask or Doz."2 Mein soon dissolved his partnership with Sandeman and in 1765 opened a bookstore and circulating library in King (now State) Street, "at the London Book-store Second Door above the British Coffee-House." 3

1 See Publications of this Society, vi. 110–114.

2 Massachusetts Gazette, October 10, 1765.

For a note on the British Coffee House, see p. 5 note 3, above.

I am indebted to Mr. Albert Matthews for the following information. Mein and Sandeman came in the same ship with the latter's uncle, the Rev. Robert Sandeman. The following notice appeared in the Boston Gazette of October 22, 1764 (p. 3/2):

...

Thursday last [October 18] arrived here... Capt. Montgomery in seven [weeks] from Scotland; . . . In Capt. Montgomery came Passenger the Rev.

...

Mr. Sandiman who performed Service Yesterday at Mason's Hall in this Town.

In the Boston Gazette of November 19, 1764, was printed an advertisement of which the following is a part.

Mein & Sandeman

Have imported from Great-Britain,

the following Articles, which are to be
Sold very cheap for CASH, at their
Shop nearly opposite to Bromfield's
Lane, Marlboro'-Street, Boston.

The name of Mein & Sandeman is last found in the Boston Gazette of February 18, 1765 (p. 2/3). On June 17, 1765, Mein alone was occupying the same shop, where he remained until late in September or early in October (Boston Gazette, June 17, 1765, p. 3/2; September 23, p. 4/1). In the Boston Gazette of October 7, 1765, Mein's goods were advertised "to be Sold at the LONDON BOOK-STORE (lately improved by Messi'rs. Rivington and Miller)

In 1765 Mein advertised a Catalogue of his twelve hundred books "in most branches of polite literature, arts & sciences." 1 Plays, novels, and poetry were mentioned among more serious volumes to be lent at £1 8s lawful money per year, 18s per half year or 10s 8d per quarter. The price of the catalogue was one shilling. Subscribers were cautioned to send in six or eight numbers from the catalogue to avoid being disappointed. Those living in the country might pay a double subscription and take "two books at a time." An attendant was present from 10 to 1 and from 3 to 6 daily. In an address to the public Mr. Mein stated that a number

the second Door above the BRITISH Coffee-House, North Side of King-street (p. 3/1). In October, 1764, Rivington and Miller occupied the London Bookstore, then on the "North Side of the Town House" (Boston Gazette, October 8, 1764, p. 1/2). In December, 1764, they moved to the shop later occupied by Mein (ibid., December 10, 1764, p. 2/2). See also p. 6 note 4, above.

1 A copy is in the Library of the Massachusetts Historical Society. It has the following title:

A / CATALOGUE / OF / MEIN'S / CIRCULATING LIBRARY; — / CONSISTING Of above Twelve Hundred VOLUMES, in most / Branches of polite Literature, Arts and Sciences;/.../.Which are LENT to Read, / At One Pound Eight Shillings, lawful Money, per Year; Eighteen / Shillings per Half Year; or, Ten and Eight Pence per Quarter; /. By JOHN MEIN, Bookseller, / At the LONDON BOOK-STORE, / Second Door above the BRITISH COFFEE-HOUSE, / Northside of KING-STREET, BOSTON. /.../ BOSTON: Printed in the Year MDCCLXV. / [PRICE, One Shilling lawful Money.] Pp. 57, 2, 1.

Mr. Matthews informs me that the Catalogue was advertised as "This Day Published" in the Boston Gazette of November 4, 1765 (p. 3/3), where also will be found a notice " To the PUBLIC." It would be interesting to know in how many other American towns circulating libraries had at that time been established. That Mein's was not the first in this country is proved by an advertisement of Garrat Noel, to which Mr. Matthews calls my attention, inserted in John Holt's New-York Gazette of September 5, 1765 (p. 3/2), notifying "The Subscribers to NOE L's circulating Library . . . that there is an Addition made of several new Books.' To Dr. Austin B. Keep of the New York Society Library I am indebted for the information that Noel's Circulating Library was first advertised in William Weyman's New-York Gazette on August 29, 1763, as follows:

To those who delight in Reading, And would spend their Leisure Hours, and Winter Evenings, with Profit and Entertainment, This is to give Notice, that this Day is opened by GARRAT NOEL, Bookseller, next Door to the Merchants Coffee-House, A CIRCULATING LIBRARY; Consisting of several Thousand Volumes of choice Books, in History, Divinity, Travels, Voyages, Novels, &c. A Catalogue of the Books, with the Conditions of subscribing, may be seen at said Noel's Store (p. 3,2).

of gentlemen had encouraged the venture, which, "tho' fraught with amusement, has been hitherto unattempted in New England.” It would "amuse the man of leisure" and "insinuate knowledge and instruction under the veil of entertainment to the Fair Sex."

How long the Library flourished I cannot record. The proprietor increased his business by starting the Boston Chronicle in 1767 and by printing several books. He opposed the plan to boycott goods subject to stamp duties and upheld in his paper the colonial policy of the British government. This so irritated the public that in October, 1769, he was mobbed.1 In defending himself he shot a grenadier and thought it best to seek safety on a ship in the harbor. A few days later he sailed for Great Britain, where he soon made himself known to Lord Dartmouth and communicated his views of affairs in America.2

Another nemesis, more relentless than the mob, was upon his track the result of increasing financial obligations in London. By letter, September 28, 1768, Mein promised Thomas Longman, the bookseller in London, "proper remittances" to cancel the large

1 Thomas Longman to John Hancock, January 3, 1770:

Since which date [i. e. December 4], He is arrived in London, which from the Public Papers I find was owing to a fray He had got into at Boston, which made his Sudden departure absolutely necessary. (Manuscript owned by Mr. Charles Pelham Greenough.)

As November 5 fell on a Sunday in 1769, Pope Day was celebrated on the 6th. The following is taken from Mein's paper, the Boston Chronicle, of November 9, 1769 (ii. 361/2):

Description of the POPE, 1769.

Toasts on the Front of the large Lanthorn.
Love and Unity. The American Whig.
Confusion to the Torries, and a total Ba-
nishment to Bribery and Corruption.

On the right side of the same. — An Acrostick.

Jnsulting Wretch, we'll him expose,
O'er the whole world his deeds disclose,
Hell now gaups wide to take him in,
Now he is ripe, Oh lump of Sin.
Mean is the man, M-N is his Name,
Enough he's spread his hellish Fame,
I nfernal Furies hurl his Soul,

Nine Million Times from Pole to Pole.

2 Fourteenth Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Appendix, part x. See also Publications of this Society, ix. 480-481 notes.

debt incurred during three years of business. Wright & Gill also began to press him, and finally, in the autumn of 1769, they joined with Longman in giving John Hancock power of attorney to attach Mein's books. 1 While in London Mein visited Longman, but could not satisfy him as to the honesty of his conduct and intentions. 2 He explained that he had left a power of attorney with John Fleeming of Boston to settle with his creditors. Longman, however, urged Hancock to proceed, and a writ of attachment, issued March 1, 1770, brought the matter to the Courts.

James Murray of Milton, an eminent Scotchman and friend of Mein, drew up proposals to have the attachment withdrawn, 3 allow the suit for £1600 to go on in the King's Bench and abide by the judgment of the Court, the property meanwhile to be appraised upon oath and to be delivered up to Hancock as attorney when executions came to be issued. 4

Hancock declined the offer; Mein's friends then placed their side of the story in such a light in England that Longman was disposed to think that Hancock had refused desirable terms, and he wrote rather sharply to Hancock.

Mein returned to Boston, and his case came up on the first Tuesday in January, 1770, before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for Suffolk County. He was ordered to pay £226 9s 3d with damage and costs of suit, an advantageous settlement of a debt of £1600. The London booksellers, of course, appealed. 5

Mein must have continued in business, for the town of Boston voted March 19, 1770, that the Merchants having engaged to suspend importation from Great Britain, John Mein's name be entered on the records as one of twelve persons "so thoroughly and in

1 The seal of the city and necessary papers required an outlay of twenty guineas, and barred litigation except in important cases. For the writ, dated March 1, 1770, see Suffolk Court Files, no. 89428.

2 Longman's letter to Hancock, January 3, 1770. I am indebted to Mr. Charles Pelham Greenough, for allowing me to examine a series of letters relating to this affair.

* Dated "

Friday, 2d March (1770) at Mrs. Gordon's in Quaker lane" (Congress Street).

4 For an account of these financial troubles and the relations between Mein and Murray, see Letters of James Murray, pp. 168-174.

Longman's account showed purchases amounting to £2099 2s d [1 & 1], of which Mein had paid £419 2s 10d, leaving a debt of £1679 19s 34d (Suffolk Court Files, no. 89428).

famously selfish as to obstruct this very measure, by continuing their importation." 1

The Superior Court of Judicature, sitting at Boston August 27, 1771, found that Mein had failed to keep his promise to pay Longman and assessed damages at £2191 19s d. The execution was issued December 23, 1771.2

Mein's debt to Wright & Gill of £315 3s 6d was on appeal raised to £420 4s 8d money and costs. Besides these burdens Mein had spent some time in prison. He finally returned to England and was employed for a time by the government. With his departure from American soil the episode of the first circulating library in Boston closes. 4

Bookstores, of course, continued to hold an important place in Boston affairs. William Martin advertised in the Independent Chronicle, May 27, 1784, that a "Library of Bibles and other Books" could be found at his shop near Seven-Star Lane, 5 Main Street. This Library was probably hardly more than a book department of his store. A year later, however, April 28, 1785, he announced "a part of said collection appropriated to let out by week or quarter." He had moved to a new shop at 45 Main Street. Martin continued to enlarge the Library until it became the "Boston Circulating Library," and under this title he announced a catalogue, December 29, 1785, in the Independent Chronicle. He was evidently a man of orderly habits, and the following notice shows his first irritation:

Mr. Martin,

EGS leave to remind those Ladies

BEGS lavet men who

and Gentlemen who have kept BOOKS of his beyond the limited time, and still do so, that such delay is a great injury to his business,

both as to the accommodation of his good cus

1 Boston Record Commissioners' Reports, xviii. 16.

2 Records of the Superior Court of Judicature, 1771, [xxx.] 210.

8 He was in prison November 22, 1770.

4 See also Thomas's History of Printing (1874), i. 152, ii. 230; John Rowe's Diary, October 28, 1769; Sabine, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists in the American Revolution, i. 427, ii. 78; Publications of this Society, ix. 480.

The name by which Summer Street was known before the Revolution. 6 Newbury, later Washington, Street.