HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS PRESENTED TO COLLEGE

Several original letters written by men famous in history together with a book which has been out. of print for over four centuries have been presented to the College. The gift is made anonymously and the historical manuscripts will be placed in the treasure room of the Baker Library. The letters consist of one by Voltaire in 1738 to his publisher, Prault. Another is addressed to Voltaire, written by one of his boyhood teachers, the Abbe d'Olivet, in 1763. A letter written to the King's secretary by d'Alembert, the famous mathematician and philosopher and co-editor of the "Encyclopedic," in 1779 is also included. None of these, epistles have ever been published. Another is a letter to Voltaire from the Due de Wurtemberg (1776) pleading for an extension of a note held against him by the famous French author. Diderot writes to Voltaire in 1758 concerning carrying through the great project of writing the "Encyclopedie" following the death of his co-editor, d'Alembert.

The historic and valuable book was published in Florence in 1544 and was written by Pier Francesco Giambullari. It is "Del Sito, Forma & Misure, dello Inferno di Dante" being an early work on the criticism of Dante's "Inferno."

The facilities provided in the Baker Library for storing and exhibiting valuable literary treasures enables the College to invite alumni to give their private collections for permanent possession. The treasure room in the new library assures that any historical documents given to the College will be safely preserved and it also provides space for exhibiting them to the faculty and undergraduates.