LIBRARY RECEIVES BOOKS FROM JAMES COLLECTION

More than 1000 books from the private library of William James, Med. '69, the philosopher, a large number of which contain marginal annotations by him, have been presented to the University by his family.

An important part of the collection consists of about 400 volumes, almost all of which have to do with philosophy, psychology, and the moral sciences; these books have been selected, with the counsel and assistance of Professor R. B. Perry, G. '97, and Dr. Benjamin Rand '79 of the philosophical department at the University, because of the unusual interest atatching to the annotations by Professor James which appear in them. They contain numerous marginal comments and interlineations, mostly in pencil, which throw light on the development of James's philosophical ideas and on the influences which shaped his thought.

Many Books on Religious Subjects

There is another group of about 600 volumes, some of which have to do with psychical research, spiritism, and abnormal psychology, and some with the religious emotions, religious biography, and topics touched on in James's "Varieties of Religious Experience." This second group is interesting as a collection because many of the books are not easily obtainable or are not ordinarily classified in library catalogues under the subjects to which Professor James related them.

Still another group consists of about 50 philosophical and religious books used by Professor James and containing annotations by his father, the Rev. Henry James. These books would be of special interest to students of the sources and influences of James's work.

Finally there are about 20 books, somewhat annotated, which the philosopher placed together shortly before his death with the intention of working up the subject of military psychology.