Universities) are looked upon as Places of profit and gain, and so accordingly sought after and valued in that regard: and not in regard of the Service which is to bee done by them unto the Common-wealth of Israel, for the advancement of Pietie and Learning: … and so they subordinate all the advantages of their places to purchase mainly two things thereby, viz. an easie subsistence, and som credit in comparison with others; nor is the last much regarded, if the first may bee had."
"… If Librarie-keepers did understand themselvs in the nature of their work, and would make themselvs, as they ought to bee, useful in their places in a publick waie, they ought to becom Agents for the advancement of universal Learning, and to this effect I could wish that their places might not bee made, as everie where they are, Mercenarie, but rather Honorarie; and that with the competent allowance of two hundred pounds a year; som emploiments should bee put upon them further than a bare keeping of the Books."
"The proper charge then of the Honorarie Librarie-keeper in an Universitie should bee thought upon, and the end of that Imploiment, in my conception, is to keep the public stock of Learning, which is in Books and Manuscripts, to increas it, and to propose to others in the waie which may bee most useful unto all."
To this end Durie proceeds, the librarian shall "trade" with foreign men of learning for exchange of books and of discoveries in science, making himself a sort of confidential international agent. To carry this system out he must know the "parts" of all scholars of eminence. As a check on his administration he shall give an annual account of his "trading," accompanied by a "Catalogue of
