Legal Bibliography is a book by John Gage Marvin, and was his best-known work. It is a bibliography of law. It was the first publication of its kind to originate from the United States of America.British and Irish Association of Law Librarians. The Law Librarian. 1981. Volume 9. Marvin was then a librarian at Harvard University and would later serve as the first California State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
This work was preceded by an 1843 edition of a work on international law by Sir James Mackintosh, with reading list, and an 1846 Catalogue of the Harvard Law Library including recent accessions. The Bibliography is in alphabetical by author, with a topical index, and includes evaluative comments on the works, drawing on numerous sources. Despite the impression given by its short title, the Bibliography was an attempt to integrate other legal works into the Anglo-American tradition.Michael H. Hoeflich, Annals of Legal Bibliography: J. G. Marvin, Law Library Journal (2004) vol. 96; PDF .
In 1857, the Upper Canada Law Journal and Lower Courts Gazette said "Mr. Marvin's, Legal Bibliography, is by far the completest work of its kind we have had".The Upper Canada Law Journal and Lower Courts Gazette. 1857. Volume 3. Page 5, col 2. Digitised copy from Google Books.
Harvard University Library Notes said that this book was, "for many years" after its first publication, "the best American work of its kind".Harvard University Library Notes. Harvard University Press. 1941. Issue 4. Page 106.
In the Proceedings of the First Annual Meeting of the Virginia State Bar Association, this book was described as "good in its day, but now more than 40 years old".The Virginia State Bar Association. Proceedings of the First Annual Meeting. Richmond Press. 1889. Page 57.
In 1914, Percy Winfield said that this book was a "valuable" guide "to the materials of English law",Winfield, Percy H. "Some Bibliographical Difficulties of English Law" (1914) 30 LQR 190. that it appeared to be little known in England, that the critical notes were appended to certain classics and reporters and were necessarily brief, especially in relation to the Year Books, that the book was an index of authors rather than topics, and that a new edition was needed.30 LQR 190 at 198
In 1988, Bookman's Yearbook said that the fact that this book was still in use indicated "the sorry state" that legal bibliography was in, the book being "like a third class Lowndes or Brunet".Bookman's Yearbook. Bookman's Weekly. 1988. Page 10.
Criticisms The Harvard Law Review said, in relation to Year-Book bibliography, that Marvin's Legal Bibliography discloses little that is valuable and its accuracy does not stand the test of verification.Harvard Law Review. 1900. Volume 14. Page 558.
In his preface, Marvin says that upon reviewing this volume, he discovered that some titles were omitted, and that some dates were erroneous.Marvin, J G. Legal Bibliography. 1847. p vii.
References Marvin, J G. Legal Bibliography, or a thesaurus of American, English, Irish and Scotch law books:together with some continental treatises. T & J W Johnson. 1847. Digitised copy from Google Books.
Further reading The Western Law Journal. Desilver and Burr. 1848. Volume 5. Pages 140 and 475 to 476. Digitised copy from Google Books.
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