1593 COPIES OF "IMITATION OF CHRIST" ON EXHIBITION

There are now on exhibition in the Treasure Room at the Widener Library 1593 different copies of Saint Thomas a Kempis' "Imitation of Christ". This remarkable collection which surpasses in size and quality anything of its kind in the world today, is the gift of Mr. James Byrne '77 of New York, a member of the Corporation. It originally belonged to Copinger, the English bibliographer.

The books range in size from volumes only two inches in height to large, elaborately illuminated follos. Thirty-four of the editions are dated before 1500. They are written in 55 different languages, including Eskimo, Chinese, Georgian, Latin and Greek.

In addition to the printed books, there are ten manuscripts, six of which date from the fifteenth century. There is one written in 1471, the year of Saint Thomas a Kempis death.

This remarkable and valuable collection is now the permanent property of the University.