ATHE ITE u1 Library The Boston Letter from u1thenteum No. 92 JUNE 1990 WINBURNE'S "hounds of spring" seem to be in deep slumber as we go to press, allowing the dregs of winter to persist in cold and rainy fashion, at least here in mid-May Boston. Even the brave blossoms on the two young dogwood trees that flank the bronze entry doors seem to be struggling against hope­ less odds. But on the fifth floor terrace the snappy green and white awning is up, and the tables and chairs await occupants who will soon find this delightful area of the building a perfect spot for lunch or a quiet, sunny read. Mr. MacDonald has the roses already set out, and reports that we may also expect to see (and smell) a variety of intoxicating blooms including chocolate morning glories, candytuft cream flash, climbing nasturtiun1s, moonfiowers, larkspur, and scabiosa (which he assures us is not a disease). With this floral extravaganza a\vaiting us, it seems appropriate to let sleeping "hounds" lie, and move further along in "Atalanta in Calydon" to the point at which Swinburne confidently assures us that ... winter's rains and ruins are over, And all the season of sno\\ s and sins; The days dividing lover and lover, The light that loses, the night that '\Vins; And time remembered is grief forgotten, And frosts are slain and flowers begotten, And in green underwood and cover Blossom by blossom the spring begins. Exhibitions in the Gallery The current exhibition in the Gallery, "Gifts and Acquisitions, 1980-1990," will run throughout the summer and close on August 31. Displayed are selections from the Athenreum's collections of manuscripts, books, paintings and drawings, prints and photographs, acquired by gift or purchase during the past ten years. Considera­ tions of space forced curators l\1ichael Went\,·orth, 1ohn Lannon, and Sally Pierce 2 ~ to exclude sculpture and the decorative arts, but \Ve hope to give these a show of their own very soon. Kotable among the books on display are John James Audu­ bon's Birds of America (octavo edition, 1860), an anonymous gift; Sir Francis Bacon's The His tory of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh ( 1682), the gift of Andrew Oliver in memory of his brother Peter Oliver; and Benjamin Smith Rotch's Alligators (a cloth-bound sketching album, 1871-1873), the gift of Mrs. Nancy Magendantz. On the walls are some remarkable paintings and prints including F. Sha\v's "The Boston Fire of 1872" ( 1876), the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Pratt; and "The Violet Girl" (lithograph, 1858), the gift of Charles E. Mason, Jr. Mr. Wentworth remarks in his introduction to the checklist of the exhibition, "It is a pleasure to see so many remarkable objects that too often disappear into the rare book roorn with only a notice in the annual report to mark their appearance in the library .... Paintings and dra\vings generally find a place in the building, but even with them there is new pleasure in meeting old friends in the sympathetic conditions of the gallery. As the Athenreum ends its second century, its collections continue to evolve in ways that would gratify the founders as much as they do the present gen­ eration. This growth, as the exhibition makes clear, is the result of a long and happy partnership between the Athenreum and its benefactors in the arts." Upcoming Gallery Events The summer will be a quiet one at the Athenreum, with the "Gifts and Acquisi­ tions" exhibition running through the end of August. Two summer musical evenings will punctuate June and Jul): on Tuesday, June 5, at 6:00 P.M., baritone Robert Honcysucker will present a program of songs and spirituals by Afro-American com­ posers; and on Tuesday, July 10, at 6:00P.M., Donna Roll, dramatic soprano, will sing songs and arias by Wagner, R. Strauss, and Sibelius. These two recitals are given in memory of Ariel Hall and Katharine Lane Weems, respectively, who were gen­ erous and devoted friends of the Athenreum. Reservations are necessary for these programs, and should be made by calling the reservation line, ( 617) 227-8112. On September 12 our fall schedule of exhibitions begins with a charming display of children's literature from the Athenreum's collections and several private ones. Opening on rovember 13 will be a show featuring the photographs of Beatrice Pitney Lamb, which will run through December 8. Related events will be announced at a later date. News from the Reference Department Reference hief Jill Erickson writes: "Travelers should be aware that the Ref­ erence Department now carrie two new sets of guide book.s, The Real Guides and the Cadogan Guides. \Ve have also recently acquired The Shell Guide to the Gar­ dens of England and Wales and Michelin's Road Atlas of Europe. For those of you headed off to Ea tern Europ\_;, \VC arc trying to keep up with the new guides to those rapidly changing countrie . Closer to home, there arc circulating copies of The Snzithsonian Guide to llisroric An1erica, one of the most comprehensive illustrated C49 3 guides to America's histolic places ever published. Consisting of t\velve volun1e . covering the length and breadth of the United States frorn Maine to Ha\vaii, the series describes every significant historic site in the country. "Another major new acquisition is the second edition of The Oxford EngliJh Dic­ tionary, described as 'the most authoritative and con1prchcnsive dictionary of Eng­ lish in the world.' It is certainly worth a trip to the fourth floor to 5cc these splendid new volumes. The Reader's Catalog: An Annotated Selection of !v!ore than 40,000 of the Best Books in Print in 208 Categories can be found on the Reference Dep,ut­ ment shelves. This volume include5 lists such as bestsellers from 1930 to 1989, Gore Vidal's favorite Latin writers, and Susan Sontag's list of ten neglected novels. One of my favorite new reference books is the Reader's Digest RevcrJe Dictionary, which is a great browsing book, filled with charts and illustrations to help you uncover the word for which you search. As it is published in London, one finds such items as a complete list of cricket terms \vith a diagram of fielding positions, but it also includes illustrations of such things as bookbinding, leaf shapes, and annour. "A new addition to the Reference Departrnent in non-book form is EPIC, an online searching systen1. At the moment it allows us to search OCLC (our computer network) by subject, although eventually it \vill provide po\\ erful access to a variety of databases. Our new personal computer will let us create bibliographies with great ease." The Athenceum's First Benefit Director of Development Joan Bragen writes: "William Balcom (piano) and Joan Morris (mezzo soprano), nationally known musicians and performers, delighted subscribers to the Athenreum's first benefit concert on Valentine's Day last, with a program of early 19th to 20th century music. Beginning with the 'hit song of the Colonies,' Bolcom and Morris sang their way through time and history, often refer­ ring to songs represented by sheet music included in the Athenreum's exhibition of prints from the Charles E. Mason, Jr., collection, 'Nineteenth Century Faces and Fancies.' Parlour songs, cause songs, stories and ragtime were liberally represented in the evening's repertoire and engaged the audience in the spirit of the evening. "Proprietors and Life Members and their guests, many of whom had begun the evening's festivities at dinner with friends, enjoyed an elegant champagne reception following the concert. Many asked that the Athenreum offer such a delightful event again in the future; the answer, a resounding 'YES!'" Sale of World War I Posters The Athenreum has consigned 340 duplicate impressions of \Vorld War I posters from the Bartlett Hayes, Jr., Collection in the Print Room for sale at Grogan & Con1- pany, Fine Arts Auctioneers, 890 Common\vealth Avenue, Boston (Tel. 6 I 7 I 566-4100), on Wednesday, June 27, at 2 :00 P.1f. The proceeds from the sale will be used for the Hayes Poster Fund and members are \Varmly invited to enrich both their O\Vn collections and the Athenreum at the sale. 4 ~ Death of Trustee Nathan Huggins We record \vith great sadness the death of our newest Trustee, Nathan Irvin Hug­ gins, who died on the 5th of December, 1989. W. E. B. DuBois Professor of History and Afro-American Studies at Harvard, and Director of the DuBois Institute for Afro-American Studies, Dr. Huggins was a valued addition to our Board of Trustees. It was a distinct shock to learn of his unexpected death in December; his time with us was far too short, and we feel his absence keenly. Athenceum Tour to Sicily} Spring 1991 It's not too early to jot down in your calendar the dates of April 2-11, 1991, when Athenreum travelers will again venture forth to explore an exotic part of the world. Sicily is the destination in 1991, with an optional Rome extension, perfect places to be in the spring! Towns and sites to be visited include Palermo, Monreale, Agri­ gento, Siracusa, Taormina, and Mt. Etna (for those who wish to ascend and peer into the crater). Athenreum friend and scholar Peter Lauritzen will again accompany the group, introducing landmarks and legends of this island of ancient and artistic beauty. Brochures will be available in late summer. Publication Honors Conger Metcalf Conger Metcalf: A Retrospective has been published by the Athenreum in con­ junction with the important exhibition here in April, 1990.