Gifts to the Library

Several important gifts to Baker Library have been made through the Friends of the Library during the summer and early fall. Prof. Herbert F. West '22, secretary, has announced that Mrs. Ben Ames Williams ('10) has presented the College with Mr. Williams' distinguished Civil War library which he used for many years in writing his novels, House Divided and The Unconquered. Mrs. Penelope Pollaczek, daughter of the late Dr. Raymond Pearl '99, an eminent biologist, gave Baker her father's library consisting of several hundred volumes. A third collection was provided by Professor West, who contributed his collection of William McFee, which it is hoped will gradually be added to and completed.

Prof. Donald L. Stone '35h continued his gifts with a fine edition of the works of Sir Thomas Browne in four volumes, London 1846, and a set of six volumes of The Works of Moliere, published in Paris in 1773; also an illustrated two-volume edition of Sir John Evelyn's Memoirs, London 1819.

Further additions included an almost complete collection of Mencken's books, all inscribed, from George T. Keating of Los Altos, Calif., a gift which includes the finest copy in existence of Ventures intoVerse, Mencken's rarest book. Mr. Keating was also the donor of a presentation copy of La Morte de Socrate by Bernardin de Saint Pierre.

A long-sought first edition, The Luck ofRoaring Camp, by Bret Harte was given by Joseph Bransten of San Francisco. In addition to the California Gold Rush Diary, given previously, William A. Breyfogle '28 has presented his great-grandfather's Civil War Diary and letters about the war.