Soon after the reception of the gift, a Select Committee of the House of Commons reported (April 18, 1823) that a new fire-proof building ought to be erected to preserve it from all risks, and accordingly the present east wing of the Museum was built, at the cost of £140,000, by Sir Robert Smirke. The upper floor, though it has been used for the Natural History collection, was intended for a picture gallery and for the reception of MSS. The new building was completed in 1826, but the library was not opened for two years afterwards. The room is 300 feet in length, 55 feet in width in the centre, and 31 in height. The presses are all glazed to preserve the books from dust. In the centre of the room are four columns of Aberdeen granite, each of a single piece, surmounted by Corinthian capitals of Derbyshire alabaster. Over the door are inscriptions, one in Latin and the other in English, in these terms:—“This Library, collected by King George III., was given to the British Nation by his Most Gracious Majesty George IV., in the third year of his reign, A.D., MDCCCXXIII.” As to the reality of the gift to the nation there is some doubt; for it appears that George IV., having some pressing call for money, did not decline a proposition for selling the library in question to the Emperor of Russia. Mr. Heber, the bibliographer and book collector, having ascertained the facts, and that the books were in danger of leaving for the Baltic, sought an interview with Lord Sidmouth, the Home Secretary, and stated the case, observing—“What a shame it would be that such a collection should go out of the country!” to which Lord Sidmouth replied, “It shall not;” and, as it proved afterwards, the library was presented to the nation, but on condition that the value should be paid, which was done from the surplus of certain funds furnished by France for the compensation of “losses by the revolution.”
With this necessarily brief account of the rise and progress of the British Museum, we return now to the immediate subject of these memoirs.
In the previous chapter reference has been made to Panizzi’s dislike to the appellation of “foreigner” a dislike, which, indeed, he always entertained.
The act of naturalization took place scarcely one year after he became a servant of the Trustees of the British Museum. It bears the date of March 24th, 1832, and was, as might be expected, a source of great satisfaction to him.
It has already been noticed that the National Institution had previously enrolled amongst its increasing staff other foreigners, who all held important, if not responsible, appointments—viz., Dr. Maty, a Dutchman, and the very first Under-Librarian of the Department of Printed Books, afterwards Principal Librarian; Dr. Solander, a Swede, and Joseph Planta, a Swiss, besides Charles König, a German.[German.] Of these, strange to say, not one was naturalized. Panizzi was now an Englishman after his own heart, and his subsequent political career will amply testify to the pride he took in being so. His suitability for the appointment and the causes which led to his selection for so responsible an office, will be best understood from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s own statement before the Select Committee on the British Museum, which sat in 1836; but on this subject more will be said hereafter.
His answer (No. 5,511) to a question put to him was as follows:—
“Mr. Panizzi was entirely unknown to me, except by reputation; I understood that he was a civilian who had come from Italy, and that he was a man of great acquirements and talents, peculiarly well suited for the British Museum; that was represented to me by several persons who were not connected with the Museum, and it was strongly pressed by several Trustees of the Museum, who were of opinion that Mr. Panizzi’s appointment would prove very advantageous for the Institution; and considering the qualifications of that gentleman, his knowledge of foreign languages, his eminent ability and extensive attainments, I could not doubt the propriety of acceding to their wishes.”
The news of his appointment was first communicated to him on the 25th of April, 1831, by the Right Hon. Thomas Grenville.
“I am just come from a meeting of the Trustees of the Museum and have the satisfaction of telling you that your name, when proposed to succeed to the vacant Assistant Librarianship, was received with high testimony to you, universally approved, and the Archbishop said he would lose no time in signing the appointment, and in obtaining the Chancellor’s concurrence.
The appointment was £200 per annum for five days in the week, and £75 for extra attendance to Mr. Walter. I am very glad of your success, and think that your appointment will be of great value to the Museum.”