The New York Historical Society, at 170 Central Park West, New York City, was founded in 1804, and for one hundred and thirty years has been gathering and preserving historical materials, through generous gifts and considered purchases. Its founders were scholarly gentlemen of varied interests, and for many decades the Society was not considered so specialized as libraries tend to be now. In consequence, there are many things here, besides New York material, which a stranger would not expect to find in the library of a society designated the New York Historical.