XMAS BIBLIOPHILIA IS FEATURED AT WIDENER

Four Christmas exhibits are to be shown in the Treasure, Room of Widener Library this week. They are a collection of various editions of Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carols," including one copy of the first edition, and also a letter written to Charles Sumner by Dickens. There is also a collection of books printed by Bruce Rogers, and some Christmas cards from the Merrymount Press. Completing the exhibit is a recent book containing the prologue which was read at the opening of the theatre of Professor G. P. Baker '87 at Yale.

Last spring a book was given to the Library inscribed "C. C. Felton From his affectionate Friend Charles Dickens. New Years Day 1844." The Library possesses in the Sumner collection a letter, which is now also on exhibit, written to Charles Summer in March, 1842, in which Dickens says, "I miss Felton sadly. Half the pleasure of my world, as Charles Lamb says, has gone with him. I would give, I hardly know what I would not give, to have him at No 1 Devonshire Terrace, York gate, Regents Park, London; for I have a sincere affection for him."

In the same letter Dickens writes that he has not seen any place that he likes as well as Boston. "I hope I may be able to return there, but I fear not. We are now in the regions of slavery, and spittoons, and senators. All three are evils in all countries, but the spittoon is the worst. I don't see the use of it, either. If it be in deference to the opinion of society, I for one, would rather not be obliged to imagine constantly what may be inside that circular orifice. I prefer the box of sand, which is a candid piece of furniture, and invites contemplation. But why one should be troubled with either, when everybody uses the carpet, is not satisfactorily proved to me, by any means."

A collection of books printed by Bruce Rogers was given to the Library by P. J. Sachs '00, as a tribute to Charles Eliot Norton. The Christmas books of this collection are also shown. They include Miss Amy Lowell's copy of the "Christmas Epithalamium," by Hervey Allen. Only 20 copies of this edited were printed, in garamond Italic type with decorations in red. Miss Lowell also collected Christmas cards from the Merrymount Press. These wood engravings by Ruzicika, who is considered the best carver of coloured wood prints in the United States, are a feature of the exhibit.

It was announced yesterday by W. G. Morse '99, Purchasing Agent of the University that the first orders for the Harvard Pictorial Staffordshire full-sized dinner plates had been closed. These sets of plates consist of 12 pieces, each portraying a separate view of old and new University buildings from familiar and unusual angles. The drawings were executed by Professor K. J. Conant '15 of the Architectural Department. The borders of these sets will be identical to those of dishes used nearly a century ago when University. Hall was a dining hall, and the design was unearthed when a trench for the heating system was dug near that building.

The first order consisted of 3300 dozen plates and was placed with a prominent Boston firm agents of the English manufacturer. The orders were made with the Purchasing Agent by graduates and their relatives all over the country. Although the first order has been closed Mr. Morse stated that his office is still accepting orders for more sets under the specified agreement that they will be filled only if enough requests are made to warrant a second order being placed with the manufacturer's agents. He declared that requests for from 250 to 300 dozen plates, selling as they are at $12 a dozen, would warrant placing such an order and said further that he had not the slightest doubt but that such requests would soon be forthcoming.

Commenting on the success of the project Mr. Morse made this statement. "At first Harvard had planned that if 300 dozen dishes could be sold, the preliminary expense of making copper plates and sketches could be covered, but sales have run so far in excess of this estimate that the profits will pay for Harvard's own equipment of plates and perhaps more."

He added that because the cngray of the 12 views and the border had cost $730 the plates would have cost $20 a dozen if less than 300 dozen had been sold.

The designs for all of the plates as well as plates themselves portraying four of the 12 views have been received by his office for approval were, he said, as beautifully executed as any he had ever seen. Slight alterations had been suggested which would add to the artistic finish.