20                               Helen E. McAleer

is not 'emeiitus' as fat as the Plimpton Library is concerned, but

be is the Librarian for all time."

In this way iVIi. Plimpton paid tribute to bis friend and fellow-
book-collector, who was "Uncle David" to many \oung people,
and "U.D." to clo.se older friends. Soon after "U.D"'s arrival at
Columbia, he had been entertained by Mr. Plimpton and intro¬
duced to his growing library of rare textbooks. The collection of
mathematic books biought forth the remark; "My place is in New
York City, where I can be near these books!" Later Mr. Plimpton
gave "U.D." carte blanche to buy books whenever he found them
on any of his trips to the Old Woild bookshops. More than once
when a rare textbook was found he would say, "That would fit
into Plimpton's library or mine"; however, it was the Plimpton
Library that always received the book in question.

Aftei his letiiement, he was able to make book-collecting trips
abroad, visiting places that were new to him, as well as old haunts.
In 1929 he made one of these trips to Europe. In Paris the old book
stalls along the Left Bank seemed to beckon him along to the other
old book shops in the narrow winding streets of the Latin Quarter.
He knew them all and they all welcomed him. Dr. Smith of
Columbia. The heart-warming hospitality shown in their welcome
was wonderful. In these shops, where he seemed to have a sixth
sense, he would point with his cane to some old book, wdiich in¬
variably would be of interest for himself or for Plimpton, Lodge,
or for some other friend. Many times be would see large baskets
piled full of what were apparently only scraps of paper. "What
is in that junk pile? Send it to the hotel." In this manner he dis¬
covered many interesting items, including a letter from the English
chemist and mineralogist, James Smithson, in which the latter
wrote of his desire to found what is now the Smithsonian Insti¬
tution in Washington, D,C, Dr, Smith presented the lettei to the
Institution.

There weie many diplomas and documents, some from the old
universities, which fitted into what became the so-called laigest
collection of its kind in the woild.