They had previously elected in a similar way the famous French poet Beranger, and also Guernsey’s national bard, the late Mr. George Metivier.  Mr. Guille accepted the honour, and the correspondence which ensued resulted in his offering his collection of books—­supplemented by a considerable sum of money—­towards forming the commencement of such libraries as he had been advocating.  Nothing, however, really definite was done until Mr. Guille’s next visit to Guernsey in 1855-6, when after consultation with that devoted friend of education, the late Mr. Peter Roussel, a meeting of a few friends—­including Mr. Roussel and his venerable mother, Mr. Guille, Judge Clucas, Mr. Le Beir, and Mr. Henry E. Marquand—­who were known to be favourable to the project was held, several handsome subscriptions were promised, Mr. Guille renewed his offer previously made to The Farmers’ Club, and a workable scheme was matured.

THE GUILLE LIBRARY,

for so the Committee decided to name the undertaking, consequently commenced its useful career in 1856.  The collection of books was divided into five sections, which were placed in separate cases, and located at convenient distances about the island—­where they were taken charge of by friends—­the largest being reserved for the town.  The intention was to exchange these cases in rotation, and so establish a circulating library in the most comprehensive sense of the term.  But this was, in reality, never carried out, for after the volumes had been read in their respective stations, they were returned to their places, and left to slumber unused, until Mr. Guille once more came to the island in 1867, with the intention of remaining permanently, and he then had them all brought to town and arranged in one central depot.

Mr. Guille also opened a branch Reading-room and Library at St. Martin’s, in the hope of being able thereby to draw the young men of the parish from the degrading attractions of the public house.  For three years he kept this comfortable room open, while in winter and summer neither rain nor storm prevented him from being present there every evening to personally superintend the undertaking.  Ultimately, however, he found the strain too much for his health, and he discontinued the branch so as to concentrate more attention upon the central establishment in town.

For five-and-twenty years, from 1856 to 1881, Mr. Guille worked steadily and unostentatiously at the benevolent enterprise which he had inaugurated.  Death removed several of his early coadjutors, and for many years he bore all the financial burdens and toiled on single-handed and alone.  What was still more discouraging was that he unfortunately had to encounter for a very long time an almost incredible amount of mental supineness on the part of those whom he was so disinterestedly seeking to benefit.  It was not as though any desire for knowledge existed among the mass of the Guernsey people, and he only