existing literary knowledge in the world that is considered _of value_
by those best qualified to judge, disposed in such a manner as to answer
these two purposes: 1st, to give a general connected and classified
_view_ of the literary treasures of the whole world, beginning from the
most ancient in each language and department (including only what is
valuable in each); and, 2dly, to afford the greatest possible _facility_
(by means of arrangement, references and _indexes_) to every inquirer
for finding _at once_ the information he is in search of, if it is to be
found _anywhere_ by looking for it.

There are two ways in which this work might be accomplished, both of
which were desirable, though even one only would be much better than
none.

The first and most complete is, to make a real COLLECTION of all those
works, arranged in the {294} most perfect systematic order; and, while
doing so, to make at the same time a corresponding classified
_Catalogue_.

The chief (and almost the only) _difficulty_ in the way of this would
be, to find a _room_ (or suite of rooms) to contain such a library and
repository; but such would probably be found if sought.

The other way in which this object might be attained is by the formation
of a simple CATALOGUE in the same order, such as does already exist and
lies open for public use (though only in manuscript, and not so
accurately classified as might be) in the noble library of the Dublin
University.

This plan would be _far easier_ than (besides forming the best possible