The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-28
FROM STAGE TO COLLEGE
Harvard University Given Unique Theatrical Library by John
 Drew-Books That Throw Interesting Light Stage History
AMBR1DGE. MASS, December P

ANRRIDGE. MASS, December 21
 19O2.-Mr John Drew the we'll &#T known actor representative also, of a family of comedians who nave been connected with the English ana American stage for the better part or eentury-has presented the Harvard L- brary with collection of books on the- atrical literature, formed by the late Rob ert w. Lowe of London which in many ways may be described as unique, even in the strictcst sense of that much mis- used adjective.
 q regard it as great privilege" MT. Drew said in his letter of presentation ito be permitted to offer this collection to Harvard" The justification of this gem erous message lies as much in the re- membrance of MT. Lowe himself as in the interest of the books which he gath cred about him. No recent writer has done so much to clear up the confused history of the earlier English theater from the time of the Restoration or Charles II-when modern scenery was first used on the London stage and wo- men first publicly appeared as actresses as Mr. Lowe. His bibliography of Eng fish theatrical literature-mueh Of the most valuable material for which is rep resented in MT. Drews gift-is accepted by every student of the stage as the standard work of it's kind He edited the Apology" or autobiography, Of that insufferabe poet laureate but admirable comic actor, Colley Cibber, which still remains the chief authority on the Eng fish theater in the latter part of the seventeenth and the first part of the eight eenth centuries. For a later period he produced magnificent edition of the ''Rosciad" of Charles Churchill, in which the poet attacked about every contem- porary actor except Garrick Another well-known theatrial book which passed through his hands was the entertaining history of the English stage, by Dr. Dor an entitled Their Majesties Servants where his notes made an originally care less narrative as nearly trustworthy as was possible in the circumstances. Per haps his best-known work, however, was his life of the great Restoration actor, Betterton, who, with Shaxespeare's fel- low player, Burbage, the great Garrick himself, and Edmund Kean, is still num- bered among the four "classics' of the English theater. And all this, it may be added. was accomplished out of mere love for the subject itself, In she leisure hours of man whose main business in life was that of an official in the office of an insurance company.
 MT. Lowe might have thought it one of fate's ironies that his chief memorial his much-prized volumes on the stage should be transferred to this side of the Atlantic instead of being retained in some English library; but such, by MT. Drew's liberality. is now the case. The United States, moreover, is not rich in collec- tions of theatrical literature and MT. Lowe's books will be of far greater pro- portionate value in this country than in England to such of us as are interested in the fascinating history of the old-time stage-its great and little plays and players; the friendly or hostile criticism of dead and gone generations of theatrical reviewers; it's Bohemian friendships; and its interminable dissensions and jeal- ousies.
 In all. there are about 800 volumes In Mir Drews gift, dating. for the most 1 part, from the late seventeenth the eighteenth, and the early nineteenth cen | tury. when so many contemporary men of letters-Addison. Steele. Pope, John
 son, and. later, Bryon-not only wrote | about the stage but had more or jess suc- | cessful ambitions, aside from their better | known writings. of becoming dramatlsts | tnemeSelNeS. houSHiy speahlns, tne coi- | lection now on the way from London to | the Harvard library in Cambridge, con ssts of histories of the English stage al various periods; memoirs. biographies | and autobiographies of more or less ia
 nous players, particularly of the late | seventeenth and early eighteenth century | where MT. Lave was at his best a chronicler an@ historian; pamphlets and | books dealing with the management oi | the various theaters and with theatrica ] controversies in general: and finally