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'a fair library of books (where I might pursue my studies) better than any College Library in Cambridge.'
'Just by the church is the colledge ... which is a pretty neate building with a large space for the boys to play in and a good garden walled in; there are 60 Blew Coate boys in it, I saw their appartments and was in the cellar and dranck of their beer which was very good ... There is a large library 2 long walls full of books ... and there I saw the skinn of a rattle snake 6 foote long ... (and) the jaw of a sherke ...'
'The College has a good library for public use ...'
'The town of Manchester boasts of four extraordinary foundations, viz.
a college, an hospital, a free school, and a library, all very well supported ...'
'A competent stock of choice and valuable books, daily increasing.'
A 'large Library of very choice and valuable Books, Public to All at stated hours, and This owing to ye bounty of ye same Founder ...'
'Here is an Hospital, a school, and a large library ...'
'In the Free School, which educates forty poor boys, is a beautiful public library ...'
' Adjoining is the College ... where, unask'd and uncontroll'd, I entered the old hall, walk'd into the cloisters, and then ascended into the library ... where the librarian was adjusting the books.'
'Then went and saw a large old school or college given and supported by one Cheatem, upstairs we saw many rooms full of books piled up ...to the ceilings and many serpents, lizards, monkeys etc with many stones and balls of hair that had been taken out of cattle when killed, with skeletons of several sizes and many curiosities of different sorts, we then went down in the cellar and tasted the beer that the boys drink which was very good ...this place is kept very clean and neat.'
'In the old college building, which has stood since 1422, there is a library which was founded by Humphrey Chetham; it contains good, and in some cases, rare books ...'
'A place more destitute of all interesting objects than Manchester is not easy to conceive ... The most remarkable thing which I have seen here is the skin of a snake, fourteen English feet in length, which was killed in the neighbourhood and is preserved in the library of the Collegiate Church.'
'This institution stands on a cliff near to the confluence of the rivers Irk and Irwell ... The college library consists of some 20,000 volumes and is open daily to the public.'
'The Blue Coat Hospital is a well-endowed old school, which educates eighty poor boys at once. In Manchester it is generally called 'the College'. The scholars in their long dark robes, their lofty old church, their great halls, their ancient and wealthy library, all have a certain monastic appearance and character ...'
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