LOUVAIN LIBRARY.
CTo THE EDITOR or THE " SPECIATOS.”1 Bra,—The Bulletin of the Rs-lands Library, just published, contains an interesting account of the success of the movement started in 1914 by the Governors of the Library at Manchester and continued in co-operation with the National Committee of which Lord Muir Mackenzie is Chairman. The object was to provide a nucleus for a new Library at Louvain to replace that which had been destroyed by the Germans, and at a time when almost the whole of Belgium was held by the Germans, io assure Belgian scholars of sympathy and support, and to express our sure and certain hope and determination in the darkest days that the enemy would be driven out and the University restored. May I once more in your columns call attention to this movement to which the Spectator has already en more than one occasion given its support, and to the success of the efforts that have been made? Since January last "no fewer than 30,477 volumes," selected and catalogued, have been transferred to Louvain. More are to follow, and "fresh contri- butions and offers of assistance are still coming in." There is -seed for them, for the library which was destroyed had a quarter of a million volumes. Money is also needed to meet necessary expenses, although the heavy cost of transfers has been met most generously by the Cork Steamship Company through their Manchester agents, Messrs. Fletcher and Co. With what intense gratification this gift of books from univer- sities, learned societies, publishers, and private persons has been received in Belgium appears from the letters of distin- guished members of the University of Louvain. The Rector, in writing to Mr. Guppy at the Rylands Library to acknowledge one consignment, says:- " Les resultats que vows oyez obtenns sent merveilleux. Vous ayes atteint votre but. Grace Is vous nos professenrs et nos etudiants ont encore une bibliothaque, et une bibliotheque utilisable, longtemps avant que les Allemande aient repare lens crime. Par la richesse de son contenu, par lea soins qui out lite don's& anx livres, par la peine que vous ayes prise de dresser an catalogue soigne, votre premier envoi de livres &passe de loin tons ceux que none evens recus jusqu'ici. La joie de nos professeurs devant ces beaux livres faisait plaisir; j'aurais soulu que volts en fussiez temoin. Et voici qu'un nouvel envoi nous parvient encore plus precious que le premier." Professor Van der ERRED, seeing the collection, said :—
"j'ai vu les debuts de la collection pendant la guerre, ils etaient &jet magnifiques. Mais je n'aurais pas pit soupponner aloes lee developpements que cette collection allait prendre." Other equally warm expressions of thanks are quoted in the Bulletin. It is right that the public, and especially donors, both actual and prospective, should know how the project which they have aided has been carried out, and what beneficial results, both direct and also indirect, in drawing closer the ties between British and Belgian scholars, have been achieved.—I
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