A Proposal for building A Royal LIBRARY, And establishing it by Act of Parliament.  
THE Royal Library now at St. James's, designed and founded for public use, was in the time of King James I. in a flourishing condition, well stored with all sorts of good Books of That and the preceding Age, from the beginning of Printing.  
But in the succeeding Reigns it has gradually gone to Decay, to the great dishonour of the Crown and the whole Nation. The Room is miserable out of Repair; and so little, that it will not contain the Books that belong to it. A Collection of ancient Medals, once the best in Europe, is embezzled and quiter lost. There has been no supply of Books from abroad for the space of Sixty years last: nor any allowance for Binding; so that many valuable Manuscripts are spoiled for want of Covers: and above a Thousand Books printed in England, and brought in Quires to the Library, as due by the Act for Printing, are all unbound and useless.  
It is therefore humbly proposed, as a thing that will highly conduce to the public Good, the Glory of His Majesty's Reign, and the Honour of the Parliament;  
I. That His Majesty be graciously pleased to assign a Corner of St. James's Park, on the South side, near the Garden of the late Sir John Cutler, for the building of a new Library, and in the Neighbourhood of it a competent Dwelling for the Library-Keeper.  
II. This Situation will have all the advantages that can be wished. 'tis an elevated Soil, and a dry sandy Ground; the Air clear, and the Light free; the Building, not contiguous to any Houses, will be safer from Fire; a Coach-way will be made to it out of Tuttle-street, Westminster; the Front of it will be parallel to the Park-Walk; and the Park will receive no Injury, but a great Ornament by it.  
III. That the said Library be built, and a perpetual yearly Revenue for the Purchase of Books settled on it by Act of Parliament: Which Revenue may be under the Direction and Disposal of Curators, who are from time to time to make report to His Majesty of the State and Condition of the Library. The Curators to be.....................................  
IV. The choice of a proper Fund, whence the said Revenue may be raised, is left to the Wisdom of the Parliament. In the mean time, This following is humbly offered to Consideration.  
V. That, as soon as the present Tax of 40 per Cent. upon Foreign Paper, and 20 per Cent. upon English, shall either expire or be taken off; there be laid a very small Tax of.... per Cent.( as it shall be judged sufficient for the uses of such a Library) upon Imported Paper only, leaving our own Manufacture free. Which Tax may be collected by His Majesty's Officers of the Customs, and paid to such Person or Persons, as shall be appointed by the Curators.  
VI. This being so easy a Tax, and a burden scarce to be felt, can create no Damp upon the Stationer's Trade. And whatsoever shall be paid by them upon this foot, being to be laid out in the purchase of Books, will return among them again. So that 'tis but giving with one hand, what they will receive with the other.  
VII. And whereas our Own White-Paper Manufacture, that was growing up so hopefully, and deserves the greatest Encouragement, being all clear gains to the Kingdom, is now almost quiter sunk under the weight of the present Tax; this new one upon Imported Paper, with an Exemption of our Own, will set Ours upon the higher Ground, and give it a new Life. For whatsoever is taken from the one, is as good as given to the other. So that even without regard to this design of a Library, the Tax will be a public Benefit.  
VIII. A Library erected upon this certain and perpetual Fund, may be so contrived for Capaciousness and Convenience, that every one that comes there, may have 200,000 Volumes, ready for his use and service. And Societies may be formed, that shall meet, and have Conferences there about matters of Learning. The Royal Society is a noble Instance in one Branch of Knowledge; what Advantage and Glory may accrue to the Nation, by such Assemblies not confined to one Subject, but free to all parts of good Learning.  
IX. The Wall that shall encompass the Library, may be cased on the inside with Marbles of ancient Inscriptions, Basso Relievo's, &c. either found in our own Kingdom, or easily and cheaply to be had from the African cost, and Greece, and Asia the Less. Those few Antiquities procured from the Greek Islands by the Lord Arundel, and since published both at home and abroad, are an evidence what great advancement of Learning, and honour to the Nation may be acquired by this means.  
X. Upon this Parliamentary Fund, the Curators, if occasion be, may take up Money at Interest, so as to lay out two or three years Revenues to buy whole Libraries at once: As at this very time, the incomparable Collections of Thuanus in France, and Marquardus Gudius in Germany, might be purchased at a very low Value.  
XI. And since the Writings of the English Nation have at present that great Reputation abroad, that many Persons of all Countries learn our Language, and several travail hither for the advantage of Conversation: 'tis easy to foresee, how much this Glory will be advanced, by erecting a free Library of all sorts of Books, where every Foreigner will have such convenience of studying.  
XII. 'tis our public Interest and Profit, to have the Gentry of Foreign Nations acquainted with England, and have part of their Education here. And more Money will be annually imported and spent here by such Students from abroad, than the whole Charge and Revenue of this Library will amount to.