Governor Visconde de S. Januário ordained in Decree No. 92 of the 27th of December, 1873 that: "Having before me the statutes intended to govern the society which has been named the Bibliotheca Macaense: and bearing in mind that the purpose of this library is to provide instruction and recreation for its members through the reading of both national and foreign books: and considering the views of the delegate of the crown and finance procurator:
I have thus approved the statutes of the society of the Bibliotheca Macaense which consist of five chapters and sixteen articles undersigned by the secretary general of the government".
Article 1 of the statutes states that:
"An Association has been created to establish and maintain a private library of national and foreign books, called the Bibliotheca Macaense, for the instruction and enjoyment of its members and subscribers".
The statutes are dated the 5th of December and carry the signatures of Pedro Nolasco da Silva Jr., president, Domingos Clemente Pacheco, treasurer, Nicásio Simões, secretary, and António Bastos and Câncio Jorge, members (1).
The attempts to set up the Bibliotheca Macaense went no further than that. On the 14th of July, 1838, D. Maria II had ordered a museum to be established in the Seminary of Saint Joseph. She also ordered the Governor of Macau, Adrião Acácio da Silveira Pinto, to set up "a library consisting principally of books and maps in Chinese, Japanese and other oriental tongues".
The Seminary, however, did not found a museum and nor did the governor establish a library.
On his death on the 1st of November, 1905, Dr. José Gomes da Silva, former principal of the secondary school, donated his library to that same institution. The doctor's inheritance of fifty six volumes was handed over by court order in March, 1907. This collection was unofficially called the National Library of Macau.
The creation of a genuine National Library would still have to wait for many years.
The following was printed in an interview given by Dr. Telo de Azvedo Gomes to the editor of "O Combate" published on the 21st of July, 1927,: "recently Governor Lacerda introduced the idea of establishing a museum of history and art with the annexe for commercial exhibitions which was used in the last trade fair (2). He granted the Palacete da Flora for this purpose. Our idea, however, was to found the library and museum conjointly". As there was not room for both a museum and a library in the Palacete da Flora, the Leal Senado was urged to make some space available as can be read in the daily paper "A Patria" from the 19th of August, 1927:
"The wise and patriotic decision of the Chamber to gather and preserve the scattered literary and historic heritage of Macau deserves the highest praise. This is an improvement which has long been recommended which will allow the studious to satisfy their curiosity and expand their knowledge.
Long live the Leal Senado!
We note that the administration of the Luís de Camões Museum is going to proceed with the restoration of some commemorative slabs for the entrance hall of the Leal Senado and the ordering of the bookshelves".
This was all the work of Azevedo Gomes to whom we owe the founding of the Museum, the Public Library and the Historical Archives of Macau. The publication of the "Historical Archives of Macau" was ordained in Decree no. 268 of the 27th of April, 1929 and the first issue came out in June of the same year edited also by Azevedo Gomes.
Donations to the Museum and the Library had already begun in 1927 as can be read in no. 10 of the weekly paper "A Verdade" published in September of that year: "A collection of commemorative slabs, weapons, coats of arms etc., kindly donated by the Chamber of Macau, is being installed in the entrance to the Leal Senado under the supervision of one of the Museum's Technical Directors, Dr. Telo de Azevedo Gomes.
Work will commence shortly on the installation of the Library in some of the rooms on the first floor of the Leal Senado from where the Government Postal Department will be transferred to offices in the Palácio do Governo.
Mr. Constantino Maria de Sousa presented the Museum with a copy of the "Gazeta de Macau", published in 1826, and the lance used by his father on the day that Passaleão was taken in 1849".
On the 24th of June, 1929, the commercial exhibition on the ground floor of the Misericórdia building and the collection of religious art on the first floor of the Leal Senado were opened to the public.
The official confirmation came two years later: Decree no. 631 of 1931 ordained that responsibility for the Public Library and the "Luís de Camões" Museum of Commerce and Ethnography would fall to the Inspector of Public Education thus annulling the Decree no. 221 of 1926 (which established the commercial exhibition) and the Decree no. 261 of 1927 (on the Regulations of the Commercial Museum).
Decree no. 14 of 1945 approved the Regulations of the Public Library of Macau.
Finally, the ministerial legislative charter no. 8 of 1952 confirmed the designation of this institution as the National Library of Macau.
Translated by Nelly Visser
NOTES
(1) Bol. da Província de Macau e Timor, no. 52 Ano XIX, de 27-12-1873, p.207-208.
(2) Re. the First Industrial Exhibition and Fair which took place in Macau from the 7th of November to the 12th of December, 1926.
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