WIDENER COMMEMORATES DICKENS' BIRTH FEB. 7

In commemoration of Charles Dickens' birthday on February 7, a collection of rare first editions of Dickens' books and plays and posters advertising his productions will be placed on exhibition on Monday in the Treasure Room of the University Library for two weeks.

The exhibition will contain not only rare copies of his books and plays, but also pictures and posters of amateur theatricals in which Dickens often played. These bill posters will be hung on the walls of the room and the books will be in the cases. Beside the Library collection of Dickens' works, additional books and bills have been loaned for the coming exhibit by the Boston branch of the Dickens Fellowship.

Will Portray Story of Dickens' Writings

The exhibition will attempt to portray the story of Dickens' writing and acting from his first play "Strange Gentleman!", which was produced at the St. James Theatre in London in 1836, until he died while in the middle of his novel. "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." Many of the posters are wood-cuts while others are printed in much the same fashion as those of today. Several of the posters attempt to give the story of the play by means of a series of pictures giving scenes from the play. Inasmuch as nearly all of Dickens' novels were dramatized and the number of plays that he wrote was large, the exhibition is quite a large one.

The rarest of the play advertisements that will be shown is a poster announcing the second performance of "The Pickwick Club" which was the second version of the dramatized "Pickwick Papers". This production took place at the City of London Theatre in London on March 28, 1837, the same year in which the book was published.

"Oliver Twist" Poster Interesting

One of the most interesting of the posters to be placed on exhibition is one dated November 19, 1838, and advertising the production of "Oliver Twist" at the Surrey Theatre of London. Dickens' always disliked watching his own plays on the stage and seldom attended them. On this occasion, however, his friend Mr. Foster persuaded him to go to the play, but before the show was half over Dickens could stand it no longer; so he slid down onto the floor of his box and remained under the seats with only his head showing until the performance was over.