Historic Volume Once in Coleridge's Possession Acquired Yesterday by Widener--Book Plate Pays Tribute to Lowes

"To S. T. Coleridge, Esq. with the love, regard and esteem of his obliged and grateful friend." These words, signed "J. Watson", appear upon the fly leaf of one of the most interesting books in the Treasure Room of Widener Library, a book received yesterday from the library of the late Norton Perkins '98. For this volume, the library has had printed a book blate bearing the following inscription: "In memory of Norton Perkins '98, and in honor of John Livingston Lowes and his 'Road to Xanadu'."

The book itself is a copy of Milton's Poems edited by Thomas Warton and printed in 1791. Given to Coleridge in 1823, it bears upon almost every page notes in the poet's rather cramped, jagged handwriting, and on the fly leaf alone the dedicatory inscription the words "I bequeth this book to Win. Gillman--S. T. Coleridge, 2nd June 1827."

In 1921, the volume came into the possession of John Drinkwater, the English dramatist, and then became a part of the library of the late Norton Perkins.

Books were, in Perkins' own words the most lasting of all his hobbies. Perhaps his greatest interest was in the collection of books connected either through ownership or authorship with one man--Coleridge. During the winter of 1924-25 he had already given a rather large number of his books, annotated of written by the poet, to the library, writing at about the same time, "I much fear you will be disappointed in the quality of the Coleridge items, but shall be a very happy person indeed were any of this material to prove of the smallest help to Professor Lowes in his forthcoming book." This "forth-coming book" was the recently published Road to Xanadu. And indeed, in writing it, Professor Lowes made great use of the books received from Norton Perkins.

The present volume received at the library yesterday, was given by Mrs. Norton Perkins and Mrs. Margaret S. Pearce, and was found among the books still remaining in Perkins' library.