President Accepts Ten Donations At Library Opening

Ten priceless donations were added to the University's treasure collection Saturday evening at the dedication ceremonies of the Houghton Library.

Unannounced beforehand, the extensive gifts were revealed by President Conant in his brief address to the 300 invited guests in the Library's Reading Room. The books and manuscripts include works of John Keats, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and William Blake.

Arthur A. Houghton '29, donator of the Library, officially presented the building to the University Saturday night. In addition to President Conant's acceptance speech, Charles K. Webster, former Harvard professor, who is now Director of the British Library of Information and acting as personal representative of Lord Halifax, British Ambassador, addressed the assembled bibliophiles and librarians.

British Send Rare Book

Webster also presented the University with a gift from the British people, a copy of the first edition of one of the earliest printed books. "The Polycraticus," published about 1482 by John of Salisbury.

Foremost among the collections received was Houghton's own Keats library which, combined with the Amy Lowell collection, gives Harvard the most complete Keats material available. William K. Richardson '80 contributed a room modelled on his own Beacon Street library.

Printing Works Given

Philip Hofer '21, Curator of Printing and Graphic Arts, in addition to 3,000 volumes from his collection, furnished a room and established an endowment for the study of printing and the graphic arts. Elizabethan literature from the Williams A. White Collection was received from Harold T. White '97 and Mrs. Hugh Marshall.

Six thousand manuscripts from the James family were given by Henry James '99 and Mrs. Andrew Hepburn left on deposit with the library the manuscripts of her grandmother, Caroline Tappan. Pamphlets concerning the history of American missionaries were also received and seven important books of William Blake belonging to the late Edward W. Hooper '59, from his four daughters.