CHARLES COFFIN JEWETT. 337 



whole course of life. The vessel sailed without him, and he took charge for a 

 year of "Day's Acadewy," so-called, in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Here we 

 first made his acquaintance as a pupil, and we shall never forget his genial man- 

 ners towards all, and his cordial affection for those especially whom he instructed. 

 In 1841 he was appointed librarian of Brown University, and he entered upon 

 his duties in the month of October. He at once set himself to the task of rear 

 ranging the books, then numbering about ten thousand volumes, and of preparing 

 a catalogue of the same. For this kind of work he had an uncommon aptitude. 

 The catalogue was published in 1843, and attracted much attention, being favora- 

 bly noticed in the North American Iteview, and in other periodicals. Especial 

 care was now given to this department of the University, and a new era in its 

 history was inaugurated. 



Soon after the publication of the catalogue, Mr. Jewett was elected professor 

 of modem languages and literature in the university. He immediately embarked 

 for Europe, where he spent two years and a half, principally in France, Germany, 

 and Italy, devoting himself to the acquisition of the languages of these countries, 

 and making himself familiar with all the principal libraries. During his resi- 

 dence abroad, Professor Jewett made valuable purchases of English and classical 

 books, under the direction of the library committee. He was also intrusted with 

 large commissions by a gentleman of the corporation, for the purchase of stand- 

 ard books in the three principal modern languages of Europe. These purchases, 

 amounting to seven thousand volumes and upwards, were made with singular 

 «kill and fidelity • and the accessions thus secured now constitute the choicest 

 treasures of the library. 



Upon his return from Europe, Professor Jewett devoted himself to his college 

 duties as teacher and librarian, until March, 1S48, when he resigned his position 

 at Brown to accept the place of assistant secretary and librarian of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution at Washington. He entered upon his new r duties with enthu- 

 siastic ardor, and with all the fondness and capacity for hard and persevering 

 labor for which he had been pre-eminently distinguished. He was doomed, how- 

 ever, to disappointment in his efforts to build up a great national library, and thus 

 to carry out what he understood to be the expressed wishes of Congress in regard 

 to the expenditure of the Smithsonian funds.* The controversy between science 

 and literature, as represented by Professors Henry and Jewett, attracted great 

 attention at the time, and subjected the latter to trials which fully entitled him 

 to the sympathy that literary men so cordially gave him. But of the merits of 

 this controversy we do not intend here to speak. Although unable, as already 

 stated, to carry out his plans, Professor Jewett did much to promote bibliographi- 

 cal studies and the success of American libraries. His "Notices of Public 

 Libraries in the United States," which was printed in 1850, was widely circu- 

 lated and met with very general favor. He also perfected a system of cata- 

 loguing, by stereotyping separately the title of each work in a library, thus com- 

 bining economy with accuracy. This system, indorsed by Edward Everett, 

 Joseph G. Cogswell, Charles Folsom, Samuel F. Haven, Edward E. Hale, and 

 George Liverrnore, was published under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, together with rules and examples for the proper cataloguing of books. 



When it was decided to establish a great public library in Boston, Professor 

 Jewett, by common consent the ablest bibliographer and most accomplished 

 librarian in the country, was selected as the one of all others to superintend its 

 affairs. Although offered an honorable position in our oldest university, and the 

 presidency of a western college, he cheerfully accepted the place urged upon him 

 by the trustees of the public library. The library building was dedicated with 

 appropriate ceremonies on the 1st of January, 1858, and in October following the 



*" The wishes of Mr. Jewett in regard to a library at the seat of government worthy of the 

 nation, are now being realized by the action of Congress, through the influence of the Snulh- 

 eonian Institution, though not at the expense of its funds. — J. H. 



22 



