PROFESSOR WEST'S LECTURE.

Professor Andrew F. West, of Princeton, lectured before the Classical Club last evening in Harvard 1. His subject was "The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury," and he spoke in substance as follows:

Richard de Bury was born at Bury St. Edmunds in 1287. He graduated at Oxford and became tutor to the Prince of Wales, aferwards Edward III. When Edward came to the throne, Richard de Bury was consecrated Bishop of Durham and afterwards was made Lord Treasurer and Lord High Chancellor. In 1343 he went into retirement and began a work on his "Philobiblon," which he finished in 1345, three months before his death.

The "Philobiblon," was Richard's literary testament and autobiography. It is in Latin and consists of a prologue, twenty chapters, and a final note. The prologue gives his reasons for writing the book. Richard de Bury had been accused by his contemporaries of snobbery. They said that he tried to make himself better than other men by accumulating his library. De Bury answered these charges by saying that his reason for collecting books was that he might leave them at his death to establish a library for the use of poor students at Oxford. He says that he wrote the "Philobiblon" to justify his great love of books.

Books, he said, were worth more to a person than wealth or friends, and less than the kingdom of Heaven alone. He deplored the damage done to books by ignorant handlers.

The Philobiblon has been edited thirteen times, the first edition being published in 1473.

Professor West closed his lecture by reading three chapters of the Philobiblon to illustrate the general character and aim of the work.