THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 15 



Mr. T. F. Hunt referred to a recent ^ift of valuable 

 books from the Maharaja of Jeypore, India, and it was 

 voted that the President and Secretary send a letter of 

 thanks to His Highness for this favor. 



The letter was as follows : — 



June 27, 1896. 



The Essex Institute has, by vote of June 22, 1896, directed us to 

 communicate 



To His Highness, 



The Maharaja Sawai Madhu Singh, G.C.S.I., 

 of Jeypore, Rajputana, India, 

 the very high sense of obligation and gratitude entertained by the 

 Institute for the princely gift of sis folio volumes of the " Jeypore 

 Portfolio of Architectural Details," lately received through the gen- 

 erosity of His Highness and placed upon our shelves. 



Such an addition to our art-collection comes most opportunely at 

 a time when the architectural wealth of India is more than ever be- 

 fore attracting the deserved attention and admiration of the modern 

 world, and when the matter of elegant decoration in wood, metal and 

 stone is being studied and pursued with an interest at once quite new 

 to America and not unworthy of the antique spirit for domestic adorn- 

 ment which has inspired the art work of India for ages before this 

 western world began. 



May we be permitted to add that it seems tit that Salem, before all 

 other cities of this continent, should be favored with the considera- 

 tion of His Highness, who may well have been influenced in the dis- 

 tribution of his bounty by a knowledge of the fact that Salem ships 

 were pioneers in the commercial intercourse between India and 

 America, and that Salem merchants and navigators who, in large 

 measure, sustained for years the amicable relations subsisting between 

 these countries, established here a social and charitable fraternity 

 known as the East India Marine Society and gathered here a collec- 

 tion of Oriental art-treasures and curiosities without a rival in 

 America. 



We beg His Highness to be assured that the magnificent portfolio 

 of Indian art could have been placed in no library where it would 

 challenge more general appreciation or more heartfelt thanks. And 

 we beg to submit herewith an impression of our city seal, upon which 

 His Highness will read, we trust not without interest, the motto : 



" Divitis Indice, usque ad ultimum smwrn." 



