66 in other purchases; the latter bequeathed a collection of books, the precise number of which is not recorded; but many of them were both valuable and rare. Amongst these is a copy of Roger Williams' famous treatise on "the Bloody Tenent," on the fly-leaf of which is written, in the author's hand, "For his honored and beloved Mr. John Clarke, an eminent witnes of Christ Jesus, ag'st ye bloodie doctrine of persecution," &c. Amongst the English donors the most noticeable appear to have been the Rev. William Richards (the historian of Lynn), and Granville Sharp. Mr. Richards had long carried on a correspondence with American divines, and being a man of liberal principles, had made many inquiries as to the accessibility and unsectarian character of the College at Providence. It was stated to him that, "Although the Charter requires that the President shall for ever be a Baptist, it allows neither him, in his official character, nor any other officer of instruction, to inculcate any sectarian doctrine; it forbids all religious tests; and it requires that all denominations of Christians, behaving alike, shall be treated alike. This Charter is congenial with the whole of the civil government established here by the venerable Roger Williams, who allowed no preeminence of one denomination over another, and none has ever been allowed unto this day." Gratified by this letter, Mr. Richards bequeathed to this College a collection of about thirteen hundred volumes of considerable value, and especially rich, it is stated, in the History and Antiquities of England and Wales. The name of Granville Vol. II ... 12 BOOK IV. Chapter I. collegiate Libra ries of the United States. BOOK IV. Sharp appears frequently in the list of donors from the Collegiate Libra- year 1785 until the period of his death. Chapter I. 1 ries of the United States. tations of the Library of Brown Univer sity. Hitherto the Library had been very slenderly provided with the literature and the science of continental Europe. Between the years 1823 and 1845, however, many valuable presents of foreign books were acquired by Recent augmen- the liberality of Mr. John Carter Brown, of the Rev. Thomas Carlile, and of the wife of President Wayland. At the sole cost of the first-named gentleman, and by the able instrumentality of Mr. Jewett, then Librarian of Brown University, upwards of 3000 volumes, well selected and well bound, were purchased in France, Germany, and Italy. Amongst them were entire collections of the standard writers of each of those countries; complete sets of the Mémoires de l'Institut de France, of the Mémoires sur l'Histoire de France, of the Allgemeine Literatur-Zeitung, and the Allgemeine Deutsche Bibliothek; a long series of famous "Galleries," including those of the Vatican, the Museo Borbonico, the Musée Royal, and the Musée Français; the great French work on Egypt; Canina's masterly work on Architecture; with many others of great value. Nothing in the history of this institution is more worthy of praise and imitation than is the generous rivalry which has made the good deed of one benefactor a spur to the good intent of another. No sooner had Mr. Carter Brown interposed so effectively on behalf of the Foreign section of the Library, than other friends clubbed together to improve its English department, at the cost of a thousand pounds. In the following year a similar effort on behalf of the Theological department was originated by the Rev. Samuel Osgood, and by this BOOK IV. Chapter I. means a fine series of the Fathers of the Church, of the Councils, and of the best writers of the Reformation Collegiate Libraperiod were added to the Collection. Besides these special efforts directed, and wisely directed, to certain particular classes of literature, a permanent fund of £5,000 has been formed by subscription, the interest of which is annually expended in purchases; a new building has been erected with capacity to accommodate the growing Library for a long time to come; and an excellent catalogue has been prepared and printed. The number of volumes now exceeds 26,000, exclusively of about 7000 volumes which belong to two literary Societies formed by the students. The Library is extensively used, and is accessible for all literary and studious purposes nnder very liberal regulations. ries of the United States. Dartmouth Col Dartmouth College at Hanover (New Hampshire) was founded in 1769, and, by gradual accumulations, has become possessed of about 21,000 volumes, which be- [5.1 Library of long, in nearly equal portions, to the Library of the College properly so called, to that of the Society of Students, designated the "Social Friends," and to that of another Society, called the "United Fraternity." The other principal College Libraries of the United 'States-founded subsequently to the commencement of the present century-I can but briefly enumerate. Taking the chief of them only (in chronological order), they are as follows: lege. Of these Libraries, the collections at Burlington, Columbia, and Charlottesville, appear to be most noticeable for the care with which they have been selected. The first named is rich in the Greek and Roman classics, and in the literature of Spain and of Scandinavia; the greater portion of the fine Library collected by the Hon. George P. Marsh, formerly Minister from the United States to Turkey, being here deposited. The Columbia Library was founded by an act of the Legislature, and receives an annual appropriation for books of £400. Professor Lieber has rendered great assistance in the selection of books, and the collection is said to be more valuable "than many of twice its size." That at Charlottesville was originally formed and arranged by President Jefferson; enlarged by a legacy of President Madison, and by another-comprising 3380 volumes— of Mr. Christian Bohn. It occupies a fine circular build 1 Jewett, ut supra, p. 155, ing, erected in 1825, expressly for the Library, at a cost of £14,000. There are many other Collegiate Libraries, of which no notice can here be taken, the numerical contents of which, however, I have enumerated in Part III of this work ("STATISTICS OF LIBRARIES”). BOOK IV. Chapter I. Collegiate Libraries of the United States. |