The New York herald., 1875-08-24
"THE HARVARD BOOK" f."

SUPERB ALBUM OF THE OLDEST AMERICAN
UNIVERSITY.
A sumptuous work is "The Harvard Book. y 1t is in
two Volumes folio and consists OF series of historical
biographical and descriptive sketches of the university,
the schools the college halls and the professors 1t
illustrated with those views and portraits with which
every Harvard student seeks TO enrich his album and
simply what it pretends 70 be-a class book of the
university. The papers written by many of the
most distinguished graduates Of Harvard and wero
collected and published by f. Valle and H. A. Clark
OF the class of 1874 1t was originally intended a
souvenir Of the class of that year. but much interest
was evnced in the general purpose and scope OF the
work that it determined make it a keepsake for
all the alumni. The volumes privately printed and
the number of copies is limited
The work opens with history of Harvard College
from the pen of Samuel Eliot The "schoole or col
ledge" founded In 1885, and was originally State
institution f4oo being voted by the General Court in
that year toward its foundation In 1639 named
in honor of John Harvard who came TO this country
1857 and died in 1885 leaving his library and one-haf
of his estate to the college From that day this it
has held the first place among the institutions of learn
ing in America, and the college halls which have
come into existence the historic ground aa
Cambridge, well the long list Of distinguished
graduates of the university, all attest to its growth
and usefulness. Tho papers describing the buildings
and giving their history all by capable hands Tho
sketch of Massachusetts, Hall written by Charles
Eliot Norton, Holden chapel is described by Andrew p
Peabody, Hollis Hall is sketched by John Holmes an
elder brother of the "Autocrat Of the Breakfas. Ia
BILE who before sought literary honors; James
Freeman Clarke contributes the paper on Harvard
Hail. Samuel I.ongfelow on Stoughton Hall, Henry
Warren rorrey on Holworthy Hall Henry Lee on Uni
versty Hail. John Langdon sibey the librarian of the
university, Gore Hall and the college library,
and Jonah p Cooke Jr., Boylston Hall
The Presidents House, the old Presidents
House and the Dana House are described respectively
by Thomas Hill, Charles Dean and Joseph Lowering.
These sketches and the less important ones not here
enumerated compose nearly onehaf of the first volume
and the most valuable part OF the work Biographies
of the presidents and professors follow and then
the sketches of the schools which comprise the univer
sity The paper the Divinity School is by Professor
Stearns that on the Law School by the Hon. Emory
Washburn and that tho Medical School by DR. Oliver
Wendell Holmes. The Dental School, the Lawrence Sci
entic School, the Astronomical Observatory the Botanic
Garden the Bussey Institution and the Museum of Com
parative Zoology also the subjects of interesting
papers
The second volume is much general in its char
acer than the 6rst and the reader If lis possible that
tneSe nuge lonos should nave reader VIII ma II more
entertaining. Every possible subject, however re-
motely connected with the university treated this
volume from the old-tme commandments to the boat
races and ball matches The most noticeable paper
perhaps, is the one on Harvard Square," by John
Holmes, in which there many quaint fances and
much quiet humor. The first paper Is 'The College
Yard and is written by George E Ellis The interest
| ing question of Commons" Is treated by Benjamin
| II. Hall, and the subject of lvelest interest
| and most dreaded import TO every Undergraduate
| "Colege Prayers" by Edward James Young. Edmund
! Quincy contributes the paper on "Commencemen
| Day." and the "Class Day" paper is from the pen o
James Russell Lowell Thomas Perry writes of 'STht
College Journals" though must bo confessed he does
not make very brilliant showing for college journal
| ism AS eminently proper the paper on the
| Gymnasium" is by Colonel Hggnson. Papers OF
boating and base ball follow and following these are
sketches of the college societies and other interesting
| matters The whole makes q valuable resum6 OF all
| matters connected with the university and
! on every account the work will be priced
| by the alumni of Harvard. The volumes are
superb specimens of the printers and BINDERS art The
letter press is worthy OF the typography and the illus
trations and Is credtabe to the university both the
historical and the literary In its present shape
cannot be than il designed To be-a work for
private circulation among the graduates of Harvard
and in this respect it meets want generally felt by
Harvard men, who desire to preserve album of col
ege and mementoes but In less sunptuous shape
it would supply general need and give us what
| sity.