The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-08-07
WIDENER'S BOOKS
F.. co TO HARVARD
New Wing viii Be Added to
Library to House Them.
THE COLLECTION IS FAMOUS.

Contains Many Rare Volumes and the
Finest Specimens Of Shakespeare,
Dickens and Stevenson In the World.
Donor Was Lost on the Titanic.
Peter A. B. Widener, father of
George D. Widener and grandfather
Of Harry Elkins Widener, who were
lost on the Titanic, will build a wing
to the Harvard library building to
house the Harry Elkins Widener col.
lection of rare books which young
Widener willed to Harvard. This was
announced by DR.. Rosenbach of Phila-
delphia, who aided Widener in collect
ing the rare books.
Mr.. Widener told DR.. Rosenbach that
since the equipment at Harvard would
not permit the installation of the col
lection he would build the wing him
self.
The books are among the rarest in
the world, and Widener spent six years
gathering them. While in London on
his last trip he bought n Of the six
known copies of Bacon's essays print
ed in 1898. He priced the volume SO
highly that he carried it in his pocket
while coming to this country to attend
the Hoe sale in New York. The vol.
ume went to the bottom Of the Atlantic
with the younger Widener, according
to DR.. Rosenbach. who made diligent
inquiries concerning the fate of this
book. The volume was originally part
Of the Huth collection in London.
Stevenson Manuscript Safe.
DR.. Rosenbach found the original
manuscript of Robert Louis Steven.
sons autobiography in the library at
the Widener home. 1t was reported that
this manuscript had been lost with the
Titanic.
The Harry Elkins Widener collec'
ton contains one Of the most valua'
BILE Shakespeare collections in the
world. There is the first folio Of
Shakespeare, published in 1923, which
was purchased in 1907 at the Var
Antwerp sale in London at the sug
gestion Of DR.. Rosenbach for the rec
ord price Of $4,000. A copy of Shake
speare's poems in their original bind
ing, published in 1910, is also in th'
collection.
The set of original Robert Loui
Stevenson's works Is the finest Steven
son collection in the world. It wa
gathered together only after earnes
search and diligent work on the par
of Harry Elkins Widener. The orig
inal autobiography Of Robert Loui
Stevenson the collector had reprinte
in a limited edition Of forty-fve copies
which he distributed among hi
friends.
Some Great Books.
Among the great books are tb
"Royal Boke," published by Caxton l
1885; the first edition of Milton
paradise Lost" published in 1866
and Chapman's "Homer," published
1897.
There are almost complete sets
Keats, Robert Browning. Mrs. Brow
ing. Dickens, Thackeray. Tennyso1
Bronze anu OCueFS. Liz COlIeCtiOu :
Dickens is famous among book ca
lectors all over the world. 1t include
the original contract made by Dicke1
with his publisher for writing his fir
book. sketches by Boz" and origin
drawings made by Seymour for tt
"Pickwick Papers"
There is also in the collection a col
of the first edition of the Kilmarnot
Burns. published in 1856. in the orr
tnal covers, uncut. Only three copt
of this Sock are known to be in e
istence.
These books, together with the hu
dreds of other rare volumes that
to make up the Harry Elkins WI
ner collection, will soon be at Harva
university, which institution will tn
have the finest collection of Shall
speare, Dickens and Stevenson In G
istence.