Excerpt from Proposals Made by Rev. James Kirkwood, (Minister of Minto) In 1699, to Found Public Libraries in Scotland: Reprinted Verbatim Et Literatim From the Rare Copy in the Free Public Library, Wigan

Treasury for assistance in bringing down the books from England, and fixing the places where the libraries were to be stationed. The minutes of that Assembly also show that they agreed to an elaborate set of rules 'about the ordering and preserving the libraries in the Highlands and Islands, ' that they directed a letter of thanks to be sent to the Society in England for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and that they recommended Mr. George Meldrum to draw a copie of a letter to Mr. James Kirkwood, at London, who has been very instrumental in advancing the design of the said libraries.' There can be little doubt that the Overture of 1699 proceeded from the same hand which subsequently drafted the project of 1702. Miller, in his History of Dunbar, ' states that Mr. Kirkwood, in 1708, bequeathed a number of letters and papers to a library belonging to the Presbytery of Dunbar, and, after an account of his exertions, for the printing of the Irish Bible, adds: 'a library was also established for the clergy in the Highlands by Mr. Kirkwood, in 1699, a catalogue of which is preserved in his ms. Papers.' The date is that of the Overture, and the 'catalogue, ' if it still exists, would throw some light on his design.

We get a few more particulars about Mr. Kirkwood from an interesting volume just published by the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge, which contains the Minutes of the Society for the first seven years of its existence, viz 1703 - 1708. We there find Mr. Kirkwood attending a meeting in March, 1703, when he was appointed corresponding member for the Kingdom of Scotland. In the succeeding November, the the Society received Letters and papers from Mr. Kirkwood, concerning the Erecting of Lending Libraries in the Highlands, which obtained the strong approval and recommendation of the Committee. Probably the papers included the very tract under notice.

A few particulars about the scope of this second project may be worth noting. The author says It is a work of no small difficulty to purchase a parcel of good books for the public advantage, nor is it less difficult to preserve and secure them for posterity when they are purchased. After reasons for promoting libraries, he proposes that every county in the High lands shall have a library, to be founded by public and private benefactions. Books and money for the purpose may be sent to Mr. Taylor, a bookseller at the Ship, or to Mr. Robinson, at the Golden Lion, in St. Paul's Churchyard.

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