Important gifts were received in January from: Sam. P. Avery, the "Deutsche Künstler-Stein-Zeichnungen," Leipzig, and an etching on textile fabric by Bracquemond; from John Bigelow, the "Works of the Right Reverend Jonathan Shipley, D.D., Lord Bishop of St. Asaph's" (London, 1792, 2 volumes, 8°), a copy of the broadside "The whole speech of the Right Reverend Doctor Jonathan Shipley, Lord Bishop of St. Asaph, in defence of the Boston Charter," without date or place of printing but probably English work of 1774, thought by Mr. Bigelow to have been written by Benjamin Franklin; from Mr. Bigelow were received also two photographs of a hitherto undescribed statuette of Franklin, supposed to be the work of Nini, and two other photographs of two somewhat similar statuettes of Voltaire; from the estate of Heber R. Bishop two sumptuous folios "Investigations and studies in jade," privately printed in New York, 1906, at the De Vinne Press, (no. 84 of the 100 copies, bound in brown crushed levant, doublé); from the King's Printer of Canada, 5 volumes of the Debates of the House of Commons, 1905; from R. C. Jackson, 5 volumes and 8 pamphlets, relating to debates on post-office appropriation bills, 1882 to 1895 (made up from the Congressional Record); from James P. Kimball 6 wall maps of sections of Pennsylvania and Virginia; from Thomas E. Murray, Specifications for the Williamsburg Power House of the Transit Development Co., New York, 1905; from Mrs. Margaret Tufts Yardley, 2 sets of "The New Jersey Scrap Book of women writers collected and arranged by Margaret Tufts Yardley," Newark, 1893 (2 volumes, 8°); from E. L. Philipp, "The truth about Wisconsin freight rates," 1904; from Lionel Samuel, a copy of Dr. B. A. Elzas' "The Jews of South Carolina from the earliest times to the present day," Philadelphia, 1905; from Philip Schuyler, 8 volumes and 21 pamphlets, including volume 3 of "The Military Gazette" (1860), "Regulations of the U. S. Military Academy at West Point," New York, 1832, etc.; from the Gemeente Museum, The Hague, “Catalogue des tableaux anciens et modernes du Musée," 1900, and Supplements, 1902 and 1904; from George W. Smith, Ralph D. Williams' "Hon. Peter White, a biographical sketch of the Lake Superior Iron Country," Cleveland; from F. A. Sorge, 8 volumes and 14 pamphlets, a continuation of his previous gifts relating to socialism, etc.; from the Spanish Cortes, 58 volumes of the Diario de las sesiones, Congreso de los Diputados; from the Wallis Memorial Association Committee, 4 volumes of the Writings of Severn Teackle Wallis, Baltimore, 1896; from Albert H. Atterbury, 2 manuscript ledgers of accounts kept by Elias Boudinot, covering the periods 1760 to 1814 and 1818 to 1821, including the period of his service as Commissary-General of prisoners during the American Revolution (the Library owning in the Emmet collection his Account Book of Household Expenses while President of the Continental Congress in 1782-3); from Frank B. Green, a manuscript genealogy of the "Descendants of Thomas Greene, Sr., of North Malden, Mass., compiled by the donor; from John Rothensteiner, 6 volumes, 10 pamphlets and 2 newspapers, and from Pedro Ilgen, 2 volumes, these two gifts being for the German American collection.

At the LENOX branch the works by Adolf von Menzel and the etchings by J. Alden Weir and the late John H. Twachtman were continued on exhibition until January 12th. On January 15th was begun a Franklin exhibition, consisting of

portraits, book and manuscripts, and including two medals loaned by Hon. John L. Cadwalader.

At the ASTOR branch the plates from Souslow's "Monuments de l'Ancienne Architecture russe" and the plates from the photographic facsimile by E. Thézard, fils, of the "Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam" remained on view.

At HUDSON PARK branch plates representing modern paintings were exhibited; at YORKVILLE plates from the "Wilkie Gallery"; at TOMPKINS SQUARE, Racinet's "Costume Plates" (17th to 19th centuries); at RIVINGTON STREET, Hollyer's views of New York City; at 67TH STREET, Audsley's "Ornamental Arts of Japan"; at 135TH STREET, Racinet's "Costume Plates" (to the 16th century), and at TREMONT, "Old masters in painting"; at CHATHAM SQUARE a collection of color-plates of birds.

Picture bulletins and temporary collection of books on special shelves at the circulation branches were as follows: CHATHAM SQUARE, Winter, Death of President Harper, Fairy Tales; RIVINGTON STREET, Brittany, Normandy and the Channel Islands, Alexander Hamilton, Julius Cæsar; BOND STREET, City of Washington, Composers of music, Italy and France; OTTENDORFER, Mozart, Washington, Automobile show, When Manhattan was young; TOMPKINS SQUARE, Birthdays of celebrated men and women, Illustrated London News, Election map, Snow; JACKSON SQUARE, Physiology, hygiene, etc., Africa; MUHLENBERG, Astronomy; BRUCE, Holland, Manhattan new and old; RIVERSIDE, Indians, Dutch boys and girls, Puritans and Pilgrims, Shakespeare; ST. AGNES, American Literature lectures, Natural science, Eastern geography; AMSTERDAM AVENUE, Robert Burns with quotations; 96TH STREET, Washington, Interesting books in literature for young people; BLOOMINGDALE, Two famous paintings, What poems you will like; 135TH STREET, Foreign children.

In addition there were bulletins on Franklin at seventeen branches, on Lincoln at five branches, on First Aid to the Injured at two branches, and on New Books at three branches. At the Tremont branch exhibits of primitive cord-making.

The new HUDSON PARK branch building at 66 Le Roy Street, Hudson Park, was opened to the public for registration only on Wednesday January 17th. The opening exercises were held in the Assembly room, in the basement, on Wednesday January 24th at 4 P.M. and the circulation of books began on Thursday the 25th at 9 A.M. At the opening exercises the library was turned over to the city on behalf of the Trustees by Hon. George L. Rives and accepted on behalf of the Mayor by Hon. Patrick F. McGowan, President of the Board of Aldermen. Music was furnished by pupils of Public School No. 8, and addresses were also made by Alderman Patrick P. Higgins, Alexander Hirbermann, Esq., member of the School Board, District No. 9, and Mrs. V. G. Simkhovitch of Greenwich House.

This branch forms the thirty-fifth branch in the circulation system; it is the fifteenth of those erected from the Carnegie fund and the ninth entirely new branch established by the Library, the other six Carnegie buildings providing new homes for already existing branches. It opened with 10,000 volumes on its shelves.

FRANCIS JEFFREY TO JAMES MONROE IN 1813.

The letter from Jeffrey to Monroe printed herewith was presented to the Library by Mr. Howard Townsend in 1905. At the time it was folded in a wrapper on which was written:

"A Letter from Mr. Jeffrey in 1813 to Jas. Monroe Presdt U. S. given to Mr. Bayard by Mrs. Saml Gouverneur in 1839 and by Mr. Bayard to Doctor Hd. Townsend 1854. Mr. J. then edited the Edinburgh Review." Monroe's MSS. left to Gouverneur have been in the New York Public Library since 1899, when they were presented by Hon. John L. Cadwalader.

Jeffrey made this journey to marry Charlotte Wilkes, whom he had met during a visit paid to him in London by M. Simond, a French refugée, whose wife was a sister of Charles Wilkes of New York, Charlotte being the daughter of the latter. Jeffrey sailed from Liverpool 29 August, 1813, landed at New York on 7 October following, married Miss Wilkes soon afterwards, and sailed from this city on 22 January, 1814, reaching Liverpool on 10 February.

SIR:

NEW YORK, 9TH OCTOBER, 1813.

I have the honor of enclosing to you the letters with which my excellent friend Lord Holland was kind enough to furnish me before leaving England, and which I am at all events prevented from delivering in person by the circumstances which compel me to trouble you with this application The object of that application is that I may not be sent up the country or confined very strictly to any one place of residence, and that I may be permitted to return to my own country by any opportunity that may offer, after the very simple and innocent business which has induced me to throw myself upon the liberality of this Government is concluded. When the nature of that business is stated I flatter myself that it will not only remove any suspicion of hostile or improper purposes, but produce in all good minds a disposition at least, to treat me with all possible indulgence.

In any other circumstances I should feel an insuperable objection to obtrude upon the ears of a statesman any story of private perplexity, but situated as I now am I really have no alternative, and from all that I have heard of the honorable person upon whose patience I am now trespassing, I am satisfied that there is no other quarter in which an appeal to the feelings of a gentleman could be made with more effect or interpreted with more liberality. Instead therefore of assuring you in vague or general terms, such as I have hitherto employed in all my public applications to my own Government, that my business here is entirely of a personal and domestic nature, and quite unconnected with any interest either political or commercial, I shall state to you in distinct and direct terms that I have come to your country to claim the hand of a lady to whom I have been for some

time engaged, and with whom, while hostilities continued, it was otherwise impossible for me to have met. I considered myself as bound therefore, by every principle of honor and right feeling to venture upon this pilgrimage, and to allow no difficulties or embarrassments to deter me, while there was a physical possibility of acting up to my engagements. In these circumstances I addressed myself to my own Government, and, tho' by no means a political favorite of those who now administer its affairs, my case (and perhaps I might presume to add my character) was thought to entitle me to so much indulgence, that, in exception to all general rule, I obtained a passport and authorizing me in direct terms to proceed to this hostile country, and also a special permission to embark on board of any cartel or flag of truce, however limited in other respects in its destination. The same considerations operated upon the good nature of Mr. Beasley, your agent for prisoners in our country, who was pleased not only to signify his acquiescence in the permission granted to me by the Transport office, but also to interest himself, as I believe you will see from the enclosed letter, in a very kind manner for my accommodation. After a very tedious delay and a great sacrifice of my own interest and convenience, I embarked on the Robert Burns flag of truce, and arrived here yesterday. The Marshall I understood considers me as liable to be sent to a limited place of residence up the country but on the application of many persons of great respectability in this city, has been kind enough to permit me to remain here, till I can have the honor of an answer from you Sir, to the letter I am now writing.

And now Sir, on the word of a gentleman, you have the whole and undisguised history of what might otherwise appear a very rash or suspicious proceeding on my part. I shall probably be married before I can have the honor of your answer to this application, and when that is done my business in America will be concluded, and I shall have no other concern but to find the means of returning as speedily as possible to my own home. The family of my intended wife is resident in this place, and to send me forty miles from the coast would subject them to very great inconvenience. I hope to see America again in a more auspicious character than that of an alien enemy, however recommended and however indulged, but if I am detained for any length of time in the territory I am I should like to be permitted to gratify my curiosity and perhaps a better feeling, by visiting some of the most remarkable places around me. Nor would it be the least of my gratifications, in such an event, to have an opportunity of presenting myself in person to you Sir, and some other distinguished individuals, when no circumstances of national hostility can ever make the objects of any personal feelings but those of respect and esteem. Who and what I am the enclosed letters will probably sufficiently testify: but I shall be proud to furnish you with any farther explanations that may be requested, and can have no difficulty in obtaining any number of references that may be thought necessary from her sons of the first eminence and of your own citizens.

Upon these grounds, Sir, I humbly request that I may be allowed to remain here, so long as my little affairs may require, and that I may also be permitted to visit such places in the United States as I may have occasion to go to, under such conditions and limitations as you may be pleased to specify.