The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-18
THE BEST IN The WORLD
That IS What the New German
Library Is Said to Be.
4 TALK WITH PROF. WILLIAMS.
He Tells q Very Interesting Story OF HIS
work in Europe and How He Col
lected the Library-He Read the
.Providence News" In Rome.


s.Providence News" in Rome.
Recently Prof. Alonzo Williams ar
rived In this city from Europe where ne
has been spending the past year In study
and research into his special branch-Ger-
man. His journey was for two purposes
20 pursue his studies further and to pro-
cure tor Brown library of German
works which the University was badly In
need of. His success has been wonderful
and he has. through his own untiring
efforts and through the generosity OF mis-
friends. brought back library upon the
German Language which is unexcelled by
any In America, not even excepting the
fa,nous Harper Brothers collection,
about which so much has been said.
Announcements have been made at the
University to place this valuable ,e,, col,ec,
tion in two of the upper rooms OF Sayle's
Hall. and they with he books now there
will form the seminar.
This seminar is not designed merely
FOR the use of students but for all who are
Interested in the subject, whether they
are undergraduates, alumni or friends,
has given special attention TO securing
works Of art, bronzes aud every other
sJnrnment Suggestive of German life
which could make the rooms attractive.
The professor reached Leipsig on the
SOth OF June, 1891, and Immediately COM
meuced work under froIessor Aarhcke
the most noted German scholar In the
world.
Accompanying the professor was his
family and two Young men from PROVl-
DENCE. Messrs. Miner and Hartwell. A
streak of i'll fortune seemed to follow
them and cover the party with dark
clouds of sadness during their first half
The earliest trouble was the death OF
vouup Hartwell's father. then in October
Prof. Zarncke was taken sick and died.
The bird of i'll omen next futtered over
the family of the PROVIDENCE preceeptorI
and first his child Wa, ia, Sasereg en-
life and death at the hospital: no sooner
had the danger passed tnan the greatest
calamity OF all enveloped the party in
gloom. Mrs. Williams was taken sick
and died, to the great sorrow OF friends In
this city as well as abroad. she was
Napoleon made his great fight in 1918 and
her tomb is situated within stones
throw of the monument erected TO the
memory Of the great general.
After the death of Prof. Zarncke, the
choice of q successor fell upon Prof. See
VorO. VINO WdS IcCokulLtd 90 OhO Va eho
three foremost educators Of Germany.
Under him Prof. Williams pursued his
studies I'm Old Germanic, Gothic and
Medi@val. He met with his instructors
for private work much of the time and
the personal contact was OF great advant-
age. He also took up Old High, Eighth
Century and Modern German.
The teachers of that country are free
and easy sort of men, who discuss the
most learned subjects with their Frank
fort sausages and beer mugs beside them.
and their mouths, when not employed in
the masticating process, are kept busy
puffing their cigars; This custom, which
with our notions of q professor, is not
only common, but the only proper thing
In March the whole party made a trip
TO Rome for rest and recreation. passing
through Verona, Beulegne and Florence.
From Rome the party went to Naples
whore they made an ascent OF Mt. Vesu-
vius. After having gone as far as the car
carried them the psrty continued toward
the summit, but Prof. Williams and his
children were the only ones to reach 1t
and peer into the crater of the fire-belch-
ing mountain. the others having been
Overcome S. by the yspors 81 sulphur with
Piza, Genoa, Milan, Switzerland, Lu-
serne, Strasburg. Heidelberg all were Wis
tied and on this trip an invaluable book,
one of the first copies of Suther's Bible,
was secured. 1t was dated 1872.
From Paris they went TO Brighton,
England. and later to the Isle of Wight,
where ali the best boats of Europe were
congregated for the great regatta. Here
the party saw the Queen OF England, En-
peror Of Germany and Prince OF Wales.
The professor dwelt in his talk upon
the library which he has just secured, be-
cause he feels, aud justly, too, that it is
Q L. xynrE IA haQ dnua I'm tbia
work invaluable assistance was rendered
by Mr.. Liebisch, the professors agent in
Germany. whose thorough knowledge
and gentlemanly bearing is spoken OF In
the highest terms.
Upon the death OF Prof. Zarncke an
attempt was made to secure his library,
but, after much haggling on their part.
an offer was made but refused, and these
negotiations were broken off. A better
library was secured, however, by hard
and diligent work aud no pains or ex-
pense were spared The collection in
cludes copies oil all the published works
OF every German author of note, all the
periodicals and works Of art for the past
sixty years, besides duplicates of the
most important ones. Every dictionary
which has been published from 1850 to the
present time is represented, aud all the
grammars ever written. All the illus
trated works have been obtained, and, in
addition. bronzes of Goethe Qife size),
Schiller, Bismark, and Faust aud
Mephisto. Arminius and Sigfried have
also been sent for
instructions have also been given to
secure engravings OF every single steel or
copper plate illustrative Of the literature
in existence. All these things have not
as yet been paid for, though contribu-
tions have been generously made, aud all
who desire to give can feel that in so
doing they are bringing to PROVIDENCE
the best library of its kind in the world.
Perhaps the highest testimonial as to its
merit In what the director of the seminary
at the College Of Leipzig said when he
saw IL.
"Oh, IL we only had such a library" he
said:
An enormous amount OF labor has been
expended in cataloguiDg IL, anu six
months OF continual labor was required
20 finish the card catalogue only for Is, 900
cards which have been used Six months
more OF labor will be required to complete
the systematic cataloguing now being
done. and this work Will be the most
complete thing of it's kind in the world
The professor said that the papers over
In Germany were feariully slow, always