Andrew Gosling tells the story of the Luce Collection, a superb array of books, manuscripts and pictures; and of the man behind it, scholar Gordon Hannington Luce

ordon Hannington Luce At Cambridge he read Classics and (1889-1979) is widely English Literature. His wide circle of G regarded as the foremost friends included Rupert Brooke, European scholar on Burma. His Aldous Huxley, Maynard Keynes, outstanding library containing books, E.M. Forster, the China scholar manuscripts, maps and photographs Arthur Waley, and other notable was acquired by the National Library figures of the Bloomsbury set. Keynes of Australia in 1980 as part of its financed the publication of a volume effort to develop major research of Luces poems, with illustrations by collections on Asia. The Luce the artist Duncan Grant. Collection contains important source In 1912 Luce was appointed material not only about Burma but Lecturer in English Literature at Burma for school in England, she on neighbouring areas of Southeast Government College in Rangoon. His became involved in trying to reduce Asia, India and China. friend E.M. Forster sailed with him child crime and deprivation in Luce was born in the English for part of the voyage, a trip which Burma. In 1928 she opened the cathedral town of Gloucester, the Forster later used as the basis for his Home for Waifs and Strays in twelfth child of a clergyman whose novel A Passage to India. In Burma, Rangoon to shelter and aid destitute family came from Jersey in the Luce soon developed a friendship with boys, many of whom were opium Channel Islands. From an early age, a young Pali scholar, Pe Maung Tin, addicts. Her work was so appreciated Luce showed an intense interest in who inspired him with a deep interest that she was the first woman history, languages and literature. At in Burmese culture, particularly in the appointed as a magistrate in Burma. six he was reading Homer in Greek. art and architecture of its former Later, in 1959, she was given the He also became a fine gymnast. There capital, Pagan. Luce devoted the rest prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award is a story that at the age of nine, when of his life to research and teaching on for Public Service, open to the whole told at dinner that children should be Burmese studies. In 1915 he married of Asia. Luce took an active role in seen and not heard, he performed a Daw Tee Tee, Pe Maung Tins sister. her work, acting as joint secretary handstand on the arms of his chair in Daw Tee Tee was outstanding in and using his gymnastic skills to train silent protest. her own field. After her children left the boys. The first of Luce's many studies on ethnographic notes from colleagues after he had finally left the country, he Burmese culture was published in along the route. His original pencil- wrote to the National Library of 1916. He was a prolific author written diary of this period is held in Australia about its interest in his throughout his long life and wrote the Luce Collection. He returned to collection, explaining that 'for nearly a books and articles on a wide variety of Rangoon after the war and remained year after my departure from Burma, subjects relating particularly to Burma's until 1964 when, like other foreigners, the Burma Government detained it, history and languages. The titles of a he was forced to leave the country, a but the British Embassy in Rangoon selection of his works provide some shattering experience for both Luce and finally succeeded in securing its release, indication of the great range of his his wife. The final 15 years of his life and in returning it to me, in good scholarship. There are innumerable were spent at 'Uplands', a farm in condition, in Jersey ... I am still hard at journal articles, for example 'Chinese Jersey which belonged to Gordon's work, and so long as my health and Invasions of Burma in the 18th cousin. The high esteem in which he eyesight last, it will be in constant use'. Century', 'The Economic Life of the was held by Burmese and Western Pamela Gutman, an Australian Early Burman', 'A Century of Progress scholars is reflected in the publication specialist on Burma, made extensive in Burmese History and Archaeology' of the two-volume work Essays to use of Luce's library in Jersey for her and 'An Introduction to the G.H. Luce by his Colleagues and Friends doctoral work. She dedicated her thesis Comparative Study of Karen in Honour of his Seventy-fifth Birthday, to Luce as her teacher and friend. She Languages'. Inscriptions of Burma is a which appeared in 1966. recalls how the collection was housed

photographic record of Burma's rapid] The history of Luce's library and in what Luce referred to as his eroding ancient stone inscription: how it finally came to the National `booksty', a converted pigsty. During His three-volume masterpiece Library of Australia is an eventful one. the summer that she and other scholars Old Burma—Early Pagan, covers th His earlier collection was lost during spent with the Luces, each afternoon history, art and architecture of Burm the Second World War. As he there would be a seminar on an aspect and its capital Pagan in the elevent described in a letter to his sister, dated of Old Burma followed by afternoon and twelfth centuries. Phases of pre 25 March 1942, when the Japanese tea served by Daw Tee Tee. Luce Pagan Burma, on the earlier history of invaded Burma, 'all my library, card would often visit the medieval castles of Burma, appeared posthumously. H: indexes of 100 languages of Burma Jersey, dating from around the same writings remain authoritative today an (nearly half of them never recorded time as Pagan. He said that by half are widely cited. Indeed, in a search o before) and thousands of pages of closing his eyes on a warm day he the Internet for 'Pagan', the first wor transcriptions from Chinese-25 years could imagine himself back in Burma. listed is by Luce. In addition to his ow of research work in fact—had to be left Luce's daughter, Sandra Harding, studies he was renowned for hi in Rangoon University Library'. remembers that 'in the Library, he generous encouragement and suppoi During the Japanese occupation the continued to work on his later of local scholars, writers and artists. collection was looted, and bomb publications, and on his precious Word Luce was to remain in Burma fc damage to the roof allowed monsoon Lists, and, in my opinion, continued to half a century. During the Japanese rain to ruin what remained. be the inspired and inspiring invasion in 1942, he and his wil In the years following his return to teacher/lecturer right up to his death. escaped into India. Even during th Burma in 1946, he painstakingly How he would have loved to have perilous journey he gathere rebuilt his collection. In June 1965, done this in Burma.' The National Library's interest in the were the unpublished research notes, Luce's books and articles. The Luce Collection dates back many years. working papers, drafts, correspondence collection includes Luce's extensive As early as 1963, when National over half a century with leading correspondence with other eminent Librarian Sir Harold White visited him scholars, the annotated versions of Southeast Asia scholars including in Rangoon, Luce expressed the wish Luce's own publications, and D.G.E. Hall, A.B. Griswold and that the library should eventually come photographs of inscriptions, art and Eugenie Henderson. There are also to Canberra. After Luce's death in architecture of ancient Burma. Among several boxes of comparative language 1979, a number of libraries sought to the books were many rare and valuable word lists and folios of language sheets purchase all or part of the collection. editions, including an outstanding and charts covering the numerous Through its Liaison Librarian based in collection of dictionaries of local Asian languages on which he carried England, the National Library languages. out research. These include Pali, contacted the Luce family and was able As indicated by Gutman, the Luce Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan, Thai, Mon, to acquire the entire collection. manuscripts cover a wide variety of Burmese and other languages of Graeme Powell, now in charge of the materials. They are stored at the Burma. Library's Manuscript Collection, but at Library in 32 boxes and 22 folios. A There are over 2000 books in the that time on a posting in London, flew broad listing is available. Ten boxes Luce Collection. While the main focus to Jersey for the day to supervise the contain general correspondence, is Burma, the collection is rich in dispatch of the material. He remembers mainly to and from scholars, family materials on the history, languages and cultures of Burma's neighbours in Southeast, South and East Asia. There are a number of rare and valuable first editions, particularly from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The books are housed together as a formed collection in the Library's Asian Collections. All titles have been catalogued onto the National Bibliographic Database, and a printed list is also available. There is a separate listing of the 100 books in Burmese from the Luce Collection. The Luce Collection constitutes one of the National Library of Australia's major strengths in its priority collecting area of Asia and the Pacific. It complements other substantial Southeast Asian holdings, such as the Ccedes Collection on Indochina and friends. The 1500 or more letters (described in the January 1996 issue of show his wide interests ranging from National Library of Australia News), the history of music to translating the and the Otley Beyer Collection of Bible into Asian languages. His material on the Philippines. As one of personal letters reflect a poet's love of the world's most outstanding resources the packing as an exhausting and language, his enthusiasm for life and on Burma, the Luce Collection frustrating experience. A local transport sense of humour. Writing to his sister continues to attract scholars from firm had been engaged to ship the after the Japanese invasion in 1942, he Australia and overseas to carry out collection from the island. A few described how during their escape to research at the National Library of packers arrived at 'Uplands' with tea India his wife Tee Tee was 'carried in a Australia. chests, but no lids or packing paper. deckchair by stark naked Nagas'. In I would like to express my gratitude to Eventually more packers were sent with contrast, a letter written later the same Mrs Sandra Harding and Mr John Luce, supplies of lids and paper. Despite year to the South African Prime the daughter and son of Professor Gordon threatening to leave for a football Minister, Field Marshal Smuts, is a and Daw Tee Tee Luce, and to match they finished their task by early strong and eloquent protest against the Dr Pamela Gutman, for their assistance evening. discrimination which prevented him in the preparation of this article. Gutman had strongly supported the from landing at Durban with his Library's acquisition of the Luce Burmese wife at a time when the Allies Collection because of its value to were fighting against Nazi intolerance. present and future researchers in Many of the manuscript boxes ANDREW GOSLING is Chief Burmese and Southeast Asian studies. contain notes, catalogues, drafts Librarian, Asian Collections, at the She believed its most valuable sections and correspondence relating to National Library of Australia