Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-05-06
VALUABLE DONATION.

VALUABLE DONATION.
We are gratifed to learn, that the RED
WOOD LIBRARY AND ATHENEUM, in this town,
has recently been presented by the British
Government with copy of the magnifccn,
collection Of Public Records, published in
England, within few years past, under the
snperintendence Of the Record Commission.
These are comprised in seventy volumes,
large folio, and embrace not only many inval-
liable documents nearly out of print, but 9TH
ers, which having hitherto never been pub
lished, are now drawn by the authority of the
Government, from the immense repositories
in the Tower, the Rolls Chapel, the Chapter
House, the State Paper Office, &c. &c. The
collection contains the celebrated Survey of
England, compiled by order of William the
Conqueror, called Domes-day Book; Ry-
mer's collection of the Treaties, Conventions,
letters, and public acts of the Kings of Eng.
land and other Sovereigns; an edition of the
Statutes of the Realm, &c. and in short
whatever may be most essential to thorough
investigation of the History, Laws, Govern
ment, and Condition, of the great country
from which we derive our settlement in this
New World, and some of the best features in
our own liberal institutions.
We understand, that our State and Town
are indebted for this munificent gift to the
zeal and exertons of a gentleman, who has
for some time been domcled among us, (R.
JOHNSTON, ESQ. formerly of jamaica and who
on all occasions, is prompt TO manifest his de-
votiOn to the interests of letters, and to every
feasible means of advancing them in this ia
vored community. The British Government,
1t is known, with an enlightened iberalty, of
which there are few examples, presented
short time since upwards of twenty sets of
this collection to different Colleges and In
stitutions in the United States, and among
others ono to Brown University. Conceiving
that the Redwood Library in this town, one
OF the oldest and most valuable repositories
of literature, which had been founded in
America during our connexion with England,
would, if brought to the notice of it's Govern
mcnt, be similarly favored, the gentleman re-
ferred to made interest with friend in Lon
don, and by an appeal to the Lords Commits
sioners of the Record Office, through the in
fluence ofthe present Lord Chancellor LYND-
HURST, a native of Boston) the object has
been effected. The set, valued at $1,000,
may be expected, we understand, by the next
packet from England.
While adverting to this subject, and to the
enlightened zeal for the diffusion of know
ledge, which has marked, in this instance,
the conduct of Foreign Government; we
cannot but express the hope, that Congress,
or the State authorities where the collections
have been distributed 30 literally, will think
it due to their own dignity and standing to
make some prompt, ifnot an adequate return
for such valuable donations. We have moth
ing of course in this country, which can COM
pare with these papers, for rarity and antiqui-
ty-but the least we can do, would be to pre-
sent to the principal Literary Institutions of
Great Britain, copies of the valuable collec-
ton of American State Papers, now in course
of publication, by the printers to the Senate.
This, at least, would manifest the strong SEN
sibility with which these gifts are regarded.