In his varied reading, correspondence, and conversation on the subject, the author doubtless received suggestions and gained ideas which it is now impossible for him to acknowledge.  Perhaps the most fruitful source of ideas was the Nuovo Sistema di Catalogo Bibliografico Generale of Natale Battezzati, of Milan.  Certainly he is indebted to this system adopted by the Italian publishers in 1871, though he has copied nothing from it.  The plan of the St. Louis Public School Library, and that of the Apprentices’ Library of New York, which in some respects resemble his own, were not seen till all the essential features were decided upon, though not given to the public.  In filling the nine classes of the scheme the inverted Baconian arrangement of the St. Louis Library has been followed.  The author has no desire to claim original invention for any part of his system where another has been before him, and would most gladly make specific acknowledgment of every aid and suggestion were it in his power to do so.  With these general explanations and acknowledgments he submits the scheme, hoping it may prove as useful to others as it has to himself.

AMHERST COLLEGE LIBRARY,

June 10th, 1876.

* * * * *

Those interested will find fuller explanations and remarks in the Library volume now being printed by the Bureau of Education at Washington.

(GENERAL)
PHILOSOPHY,
THEOLOGY,
SOCIOLOGY,
PHILOLOGY,
NATURAL SCIENCE,
USEFUL ARTS,
FINE ARTS,
LITERATURE,
HISTORY.

DIVISIONS.

(GENERAL)

= 0= 10 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 20 BOOK RARITIES. 30 GENERAL CYCLOPEDIAS. 40 POLYGRAPHY. 50 GENERAL PERIODICALS. 60 GENERAL SOCIETIES. 70 80 90

=100 Philosophy.= 110 METAPHYSICS. 120 130 ANTHROPOLOGY. 140 SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY. 150 MENTAL FACULTIES. 160 LOGIC. 170 ETHICS. 180 ANCIENT PHILOSOPHIES. 190 MODERN PHILOSOPHIES.

=200 Theology.= 210 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 220 BIBLE. 230 DOCTRINAL THEOLOGY. 240 PRACTICAL AND DEVOTIONAL. 250 HOMILETICAL AND PASTORAL. 260 INSTITUTIONS AND MISSIONS. 270 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 280 CHRISTIAN SECTS. 290 NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS.

=300 Sociology.= 310 STATISTICS. 320 POLITICAL SCIENCE. 330 POLITICAL ECONOMY. 340 LAW. 350 ADMINISTRATION. 360 ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS. 370 EDUCATION. 380 COMMERCE AND COMMUNICATION. 390 CUSTOMS AND COSTUMES.

=400 Philology.= 410 COMPARATIVE. 420 ENGLISH. 430 GERMAN. 440 FRENCH. 450 ITALIAN. 460 SPANISH. 470 LATIN. 480 GREEK. 490 OTHER LANGUAGES.

=500 Natural Science.= 510 MATHEMATICS. 520 ASTRONOMY. 530 PHYSICS. 540 CHEMISTRY. 550 GEOLOGY. 560 PALEONTOLOGY. 570 BIOLOGY. 580 BOTANY. 590 ZOOLOGY.

=600 Useful Arts.= 610 MEDICINE. 620 ENGINEERING. 630 AGRICULTURE. 640 DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 650 COMMUNICATION AND COMMERCE. 660 CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY. 670 MANUFACTURES. 680 MECHANIC TRADES. 690 BUILDING.