Catalogue of Books of the Mercantile Library of Boston, together with the Acts of Incorporation, and the By-Laws and Regulations Adopted January, 1848

Boston: Printed for the Association, 1848.

8vo.  235 x 140 mm., [9 ¼ x 5 ½ inches].  135 pp.  Original  salmon-colored printed wrappers; some darkening of the wrappers and foxing to the text block, endpapers discolored;  shelf mark in ink on lower part of spine and endpapers; a sound and not unattractive copy.

The Mercantile Library of Boston was established in 1820 to facilitate the moral and intellectual development of all classes of the community, especially young men.  The first pages of this catalogue describe the rise and near fall of the Association and its final stabilization in the 1840's. In 1842, Daniel Webster contributed $500 to the library fund which was matched by $1,000 from ten of the Association's prominent members for the purchase of books.  With this move more money were raised and the Association Library became "one of the best of its kind in the Country."

After the history of the association, constitution and by-laws are printed, along with an eight-page list of members.  The catalogue of the library is comprised of 112 pages, listing in short-title format, the books, daily newspapers and periodicals in the collection.  It represents an impressive group of books, with focus on American history and literature, local history, business, English books, and travel.  By 1877 the collection grew to 18,000 books and was merged with the collections of the Boston Public Library.