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Show Spencer ane rree kioranes. Ruskln's dislike for public libraries was shared to tbe full by Herbert Spener. When tbe trustees of the British IJbrary of Political Science asked Spencer to present bis works to the library, be replied: "From time to time I have bad various applications applica-tions akin to tbe one you make, and have in all rases declined compliance. I disapprove of free libraries altogether, alto-gether, tbe British museum included, believing that In tbe long nan they are mischievous rather than beneficial; benefi-cial; aa we see clearly In tbe rase of local and municipal free libraries wblrb. Instead of being places for study, bave become places for reading trsshy novels, worthless papers, and learning the odds 1 no more approve of free libraries than I approve of free bakeries" |