Library Gifts Made Through The Friends
THE midwinter report of The Friends of the Dartmouth Library is described as "the most remarkable issued since our founding in 1938." In the words of Prof. Herbert F. West '22, director and secretary, "an almost unbelievable amount of riches in the form of rare books, holograph letters, manuscripts, paintings and other works of art has poured into the Dartmouth Library through our organization since September." A conservative estimate of its value is $75,000.
Professor West also disclosed that for the first time The Friends have over 400 active members this year. The membership consists mainly of alumni, but some forty non-Dartmouth members are also contributing to the success of the organization.
Outstanding among the gifts received since September are the 100 rare items from Perc S. Brown of Orinda, Calif., whose past gifts through The Friends have already made him a remarkably generous benefactor of the Library. An exceptionally fine first edition (1605) of Francis Bacon's Advancement of Learning in the original binding is one of the prize items in the Brown gift. There are also first editions of Brissot, Charlotte Bronte, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Cullen Bryant, General Burgoyne, Lewis Carroll, Congreve, Joseph Conrad, James Fenimore Cooper, Charles Darwin, Dickens, Emerson, Fielding, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, Bret Harte, Hawthorne, Lafcadio Hearn, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Washington Irving, Samuel Johnson, Kipling, John Locke, Longfellow, James Russell Lowell, Bulwer Lytton, Herman Melville, James Whitcomb Riley, Major Robert Rogers, Laurence Sterne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Swinburne, Tennyson, Thackeray, Izaak Walton, Whittier, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Wolfe, and Wordsworth. The entire magnificent collection is characterized by the unusually fine condition of the books.
Eugene J. Schwartz '33 of New York City presented in December probably the best John Galsworthy collection in America. It consists of nearly 400 items, including much holograph material. Professor West describes the gift, valued at $11,000, as "one of the most significant in the hist ory of The Friends."
The Friends also reported additional gifts to the Robert Frost Collection by the late Prof. Harold G. Rugg '06, who more than anyone else has made Dartmouth's collection one of the finest in ex- istence and unique in some materials, such as early letters. Mr. Rugg's latest gift includes about 100 items, almost all inscribed or signed, among which are many letters and poems.written in by Mr. Frost. Edward C. Lathem '51 is the donor of 31 first appearances of Frost in magazines, all inscribed and annotated by the poet.
Willis S. Fitch '17, whose military service record covers both World Wars, has given the College his unique collection of World War posters, many signed by the artists. The collection is believed to be the largest and finest of its kind anywhere.
Thomas M. Beers '34 has presented a half-dozen first editions of the works of Hudson, Conrad, Kipling and Cunning hame Graham.
George T. Keating, noted collector who gave his famous Conrad collection to Yale, has also given Dartmouth books through The Friends. His latest gift consists of 27 inscribed copies of the first editions of Joseph Hergesheimer and also several signed volumes to be added to Dart-mouth's outstanding Mencken Collection.
