Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

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of presentation, the matter is not so serious: but even in such a case as this, it is hard to say whether the formula was written by the donor or by some one at the college g and positive knowledge upon this point is, because of the conclusions depending thereon, in one or two instances very important. It would be tedious, however, to give here all the difficulties that arise in getting the story g and, in fact, unnecessary, because they will be at least hinted at later on. But it may be remarked in passing that the writing contained in at least three of the books examined must have been done by the donor. These three books are text-books, and the inscription fthe same in each and written in the same handj is as follows: Presented to Hampden-Sidney College for the benefit of pious, indigent young men, May 2, 1829. To this there is no name signed. In each of the vol- umes, however, at another place, is the name George YV. Lane, New Orleans. But the handwriting of the signature and that of the inscriptions are not sufficiently sim- ilar to convict Mr. Lane of writing the latter. It seems highly probable that he did not do so. It seems more highly probable still, and for reasons that are apparent, that the writing was not put into the volumes by any one at Hampden-Sidney. Fur- ther, from the general appearance of the books we may conclude that the authorities here did not lend them out as text-books to the afore-mentioned pious, indigent young men 5 for the volumes are not much worn-and the inscriptions themselves live to tell the tale. Proceeding now to the more serious consideration of other books, we find that beyond any doubt there are in the library volumes presented by the following members of the first Board of Trustees of the college: Everard Meade, Patrick Henry, Robert Lawson and John Nash. The books presented by Colonel Meade are two quarto volumes of Chambers' Cyclopredia QLondon, 17515, and the inscrip- tion on the Hy-leaf is as follows: Hampden-Sidney College. Presented to the College by Colonel Everard Meade of Amelia. Sep'r. 12th, 17 833' The handwriting is evidently not that of Col. Meade, but is the fancy work of' the librarian of that day, or of some student particularly accomplished in the mechanical use of' the pen. Unfortunately, none of the volumes presented by any one of the gentlemen men- tioned above contains the signature of the donor. The inscriptions were all placed in them by others. The books presented by General Robert Lawson were several volumes of' Newton's Principia QGeneva, 17403, but only one of these now remains. The inscription is about the same as that found in the volumes presented by Col. Meade. The date, however, is April 6, 1782. The inscription placed in the first of the volumes given by Colonel Nash is also about the same, the date being June 3, 1784. These volumes, four in number, are John NVitherspoon's Essays on Im- portant Subjects. Patrick Henry presented six volumes-if' the set was complete at the time that I 1

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the gift was made-of the Histoire de Geneve, which work was published in 1773. Of the six volumes, however, one is now missing. Those that remain tell in no uncertain language a curious and sad story of the depravity of human nature. In these volumes, each fly-leaf coming into immediate contact with a back was made of very stili' paper and was colored on the side next the back, the other side being plain white. Now, from each of the five volumes left us this fly-leaf in the front of the book has been cut out, the stubs that are left being evidence. On the first com- pletely white Hy-leaf of each volume is the inscription of presentation, which runs thus: This book was presented to the College of Hampden-Sidney by Patrick Henry Esqr. July 26, 1787. The volumes are not large, and the inscription, written on several lines with ample space between, covers nearly the whole page. Though a portion of the inscription is written in rather a fancy hand, some of it is not, and especially is the name Patrick Henry written in plain style. No one, however, if he should think for a little time, would conclude that Patrick Henry himself wrote the inscription. The fancy writing of a portion of it and the use of the word esquire would negative such an idea Positive proof, however, that the writing was not done by Mr. Henry is furnished when one of his genuine signatures for the fac-simile of onej is compared with it. The two hands are entirely different. But some one has failed to do this, and, thinking that he has come across a genuine signature of Patrick Henry, has cut out the name from the inscription placed in the Erst volumeg but he has kindly left the other volumes in peace. And now, to go back a little, the explanation of the missing fly-leaves in all the volumes seems to be simple. Each of these leaves-probably on the white side-undoubtedly contained, when the books were presented to the college, the genuine signature of Patrick Henry or his book- plateg which objects of interest early excited the cupidity of some thief, who forth- with made away with them, probably long before thief number two fthe individual who further mutilated our first volumej ever heard of Patrick Henry. This second individual was a fool as well as a thief. On the absence of ore of the volumes of this set it is useless to speculate. The volume may never have been pre- sented to the library at allg it may have been lost by accident g it may have been stolen. The books described immediately above are the only ones certainly presented by members of the Hrst Board. It is possible that others deserve a place in the list, for there are several with the names of members of the original Board in them, and proba- bly the signatures, but the history of these books is not altogether clear. The one that most probably belongs with the above is Elements of Navigation QEdinburg, 1773j. This has in it in one place, From the Library of S Smith, and in another place, Presented to the Library by Thomas Read, H. S. C. The latter inscription is written in a plain hand in pencil, and does not seem to be of sufficient age to have I 2