ABCs of Special Collections: Z is for…

Can you believe that 52 weeks have passed, and we have come to the final installation of the ABCs of Special Collections? Yes, folks, we have come to the letter:

(Photograph by Liz Ott)

Z is for Zine (HN65 .R54 2013 no.12. Photograph by Liz Ott)

Z is for Morton Dauwen Zabel

Morton Dauwen Zabel was a critic who wore many hats, including those of author, associate editor and then editor of Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, following the death of his friend and editor of the publication, Harriet Monroe in 1936. Although Zabel’s papers are at the University of Chicago and Newberry Library, several items in Special Collections illustrate the wide extent of his career in letters.

Contributed by Sharon Defibaugh, Manuscripts and Archives Processor

Literary Opinion in America, Zabel’s most notable book, in two volumes (PS 3511 .A86 Z8525 1962 edition. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Literary Opinion in America, Zabel’s most notable book, in two volumes (PS 3511 .A86 Z8525 1962 edition. Gift of Linton R. Massey. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Poems for Every Mood, compiled by Harriet Monroe and Zabel (PS 3545 .I544L65 1933. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Photograph by Donna Stapley.)

Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, several issues showing the transition of Zabel from associate editor to editor (PS 3523 .I58Z99 .P66. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

His poem “The Traitors” appearing in The Times Literary Supplement on American writing (PS221 .T5 1954. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

His poem “The Traitors” as it appears in The Times Literary Supplement on American writing (PS221 .T5 1954. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Z is for Zephyrus

Zephyrus is the Greek god of the west wind, the gentlest of the winds and the messenger of spring. But Zephyrus is also the name of an early music, vocal ensemble founded in 1991 by Dr. Paul Walker.  The group, based in Charlottesville, is dedicated to the performance of music from the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras.

Contributed by Sharon Defibaugh, Manuscripts and Archives Processor

(Photograph by Donna Stapley)

CDs of Zephyrus performances, 2001 and 2002. (Disks 0045, 0046, and 0047. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

(Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Zephyrus concert flyer, 2009. (Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Z is for Zine Fest

Since 2007, Richmond, Virginia has hosted a community organized Zine Fest annually to promote the creation and distribution of zines. The Richmond Zine Fest Collection is an eclectic mix of zines, pamphlets, and fliers acquired at the Zine Fest in 2013. Zines celebrate a DIY aesthetic, are often self-published, and may engage in acts of artistic, social, or political protest. The Richmond Zine Fest Collection includes zines on topics such as prison reform, anarchism, and grass roots organizing, often with a brash and cheeky sense of humor. Titles include “Self defense for activists,” “Anarchism: what it is and what it ain’t,” “Holy shit, my job is dangerous,” and “Draft dodger.”

Contributed by Elizabeth Ott, Student Curatorial Assistant

(Photograph by Liz Ott)

Zines from the Richmond Zine Fest. (HN65 .R54 2013 no.31-57. Photograph by Liz Ott)

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Zines from the Richmond Zine Fest. (HN65 .R54 2013 no.1-30. Photograph by Liz Ott)

Z is for Louis Zukofsky

American poet Louis Zukofsky was a founding member of the Objectivist group that believed a poem should be viewed as an object and should aim for sincerity and a clear-eyed vision of the world. His mentors and sometime collaborators included Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, and Lorine Niedecker. While Zukofsky never attained a wide audience in his lifetime, his influence among poets was considerable, eventually informing and influencing the Black Mountain Poets and the Beats, among others.
A search of our online catalog shows over 50 entries related to Mr. Zukofsky.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

(PS614 .Z8 1932. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Shown here is a 1932 issue of An Objectivists Anthology. (PS614 .Z8 1932. Image by Petrina Jackson)

1946 copy of ANEW (PS3549 .U47A8 1946. Gift of Marvin Tatum. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

1946 copy of ANEW (PS3549 .U47A8 1946. Gift of Marvin Tatum. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Alas, we have come to the end of our alphabetical journey.  We thank you all for joining us and encourage you to watch for an invitation in the near future to take another, yet different, trip to explore the wonderful treasures of Special Collections!

ABCs of Special Collections: Y is for…

We have traveled a long way from “A” to “X” and have landed at the letter:

"Y" is for Columna Versalien, which is included in Treasury of Alphabets and Lettering by Jan Tschichold, 1992. (Z250 .T883 1992. Image by Petrina Jackson)

“Y” is for Columna Versalien, which appears in Treasury of Alphabets and Lettering by Jan Tschichold, 1992. (Z250 .T883 1992. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Y is for Yaddo

Yaddo is a retreat for artists in Saratoga Springs, New York, founded in 1900 by Spencer Trask and his wife, Katrina Nichols Trask (1853-1922), an author in her own right. The first residents came to Yaddo to work in 1926, and current artists continue to visit today. Although we do not have the Yaddo archives, which is housed at the New York Public Library, Special Collections has correspondence related to the retreat and its founder.  These letters appear in the papers of U.Va. President Edwin Alderman and U.Va. English Professor James Southall Wilson among others.

Contributed by Sharon Defibaugh, Manuscripts and Archives Processor

About 1912, Katrina Trask, wrote several letters of sympathy and encouragement to Edwin A. Alderman, the first University of Virginia President, during his enforced stay at Saranac Lake, New York, for treatment of tuberculosis (MSS 1001, Box 5).

About 1912, Katrina Trask, wrote several letters of sympathy and encouragement to Edwin A. Alderman, the first University of Virginia President, during his stay at Saranac Lake, New York, for treatment of tuberculosis. (MSS 1001. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

The Clifton Waller Barrett Library contains two of her books, Under King Constantine, published anonymously in 1892 and Lessons in Love.

The Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature contains her books, Under King Constantine, published anonymously, and Lessons in Love. (PS586.Z94.T738 U59 1893 and PS646.F54.T73 L4 1900, respectively. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Trask’s pacifism is represented by a broadside “The Conquering Army” (1915) distributed through the Clearing House for Limitation of Armament.

Trask’s pacifism is represented by her broadside “The Conquering Army,” distributed through the Clearing House for Limitation of Armament, 1915. (Broadside 414. Photograph by Donna Stapley.)

The arrangement of a literary conference by Professor James Southall Wilson with Elizabeth Ames, the director at Yaddo for many years, June 28, 1930, reveals another University of Virginia connection (MSS 12708-a, Box 1) to Yaddo.

The arrangement of a literary conference by Professor James Southall Wilson with Elizabeth Ames, the director at Yaddo for many years, reveals another University of Virginia connection to Yaddo, June 28, 1930. (MSS 12708-a. Photograph by Donna Stapley).

Y is for Richard Yates

Novelist and short story writer, Richard Yates, is widely considered one of the premier post WWII writers of American fiction. His 1960 novel, Revolutionary Road was lauded by critics and writers alike, but none of his work sold especially well during his lifetime. Yates found work as a writing instructor at many universities, including Columbia, the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and the New School for Social Research. A search of our online catalog shows four entries of Richard Yates.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

(PS3575 .83 R4 1961. Bradley H. Gunter Fund, 2011/2012. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Shown here is a first printing of Revolutionary Road. (PS3575 .83 R4 1961. Bradley H. Gunter Fund, 2011/2012. Image by Petrina Jackson)

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Dust jacket photo of Mr. Yates by Bob Isear. (PS3575 .83 R4 1961. Bradley H. Gunter Fund, 2011/2012. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Y is for Yearbook

From societies and clubs, to high schools and colleges, Special Collections has many yearbooks.  U.Va.’s student yearbook, Corks and Curls, came into the world in 1888 and sadly ceased to be after its 2008 issue.  Corks and Curls gives readers a glimpse into the antics, biases, rebellion, sacrifices, amusement, accomplishments, and achievements of U.Va.’s student body over 100 years of social and academic change.

Contributed by Donna Stapley, Assistant to the Director

Cover of Corks and Curls, 1920. (Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Cover of Corks and Curls, 1920. (LD 5687 .C7 1920. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

1888 Football Team (Champions '88  ):                     LD 5687 .C7 v.1 1888

1888 Football Team, “Champions ’88, ” from the 1888 Corks and Curls. (LD 5687 .C7 v.1 1888. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

U.Va. Basketball Team from the 1934 Corks and Curls ()

U.Va. Varsity Basketball Team from the 1934 Corks and Curls (LD 5687 .C7 1934. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

U.Va. Men's and Women's Track and Field, 2008.

U.Va. Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, 2008. (LD 5687 .C7 v. 120 2008. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

It is hard to believe, but there is only one more letter to go!  Please join us two weeks from today for our final letter and the conclusion of our alphabet series.

 

ABCs of Special Collections: X is for…

Welcome back to the ABCs of Special Collections!  We are excited to bring to you, the letter

X made from two small blades from the tools ()

“X” made from two small blades from the studio of the Warren Chappell Studio. (MSS 10204-bc. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

X is for X-Rated

X is for Henry Miller’s banned book Tropic of Cancer, published in 1934 by the Obelisk Press in Paris. The book was deemed illegal for sale in the United States, Great Britain, and Canada upon publication and remained so for almost thirty years. In 1961, Barney Rosset, publisher of The Grove Press, convinced Miller to let him publish Tropic of Cancer, promising to fight censorship laws all the way to the Supreme Court. In 1964 the U.S. Supreme Court overruled earlier state court findings that Tropic of Cancer was obscene. This case was a landmark case concerning censorship, and opened the doors for a much wider acceptance of previously censored art.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

(Image by Petrina Jackson)

First edition of Tropic of Cancer, 1934. (PS3525 .I5454 T7 1934. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

 X is for Xylographica

Very rare books indeed!  Dating from approximately 1450, xylographica are block books made by carving text and illustrations into wooden blocks.  Usually the books are not more than 50 leaves, and are considered incunabula, (as they date before 1501) and the content is almost exclusively religious in nature.

Donna Stapley, Assistant to the Director

(Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Facsimile of Das puch von dem Entkrist/Blockbucher. The original was made in 1450, and the facsimile was created in 1925. (Typ 1450 .A57 1925. Stone Typography Collection. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

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Facsimile of Ars moriendi. The original was made 1470, and the facsimile was created in 1910. (Typ 1470 .A77. Stone Typography Collection. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

(Photograph by Donna Stapley)

Of course, wood block printing has remained popular long after moveable type superceded the labor intensive process of producing xylographica.  For example, shown here are some wood carving tools from the 20th-century studio of Warren Chappell. Shown are a wood block and an engraving cushion, burnisher, and two small blades. (MSS 10204-bc. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

X is for the XYZ Affair

Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry were sent to France by President John Adams in July 1797 with instructions to renegotiate the 1788 treaty between the two nations, ensure French acceptance of the Jay Treaty, and resolve issues concerning the seizure of American merchant ships by the French navy. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, French foreign minister, approached the American commissioners through agents who demanded bribes before formal negotiations could begin. Although such demands were not uncommon in European diplomacy of the time, the Americans were outraged and left France without undertaking formal negotiations. The publication of the commission’s dispatches (the letters X, Y, and Z, substituting for the names of the French diplomats) created a political firestorm in the United States that resulted in several years of undeclared naval warfare against France.

Contributed by Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Specialist for Virginiana and University Archives

(Image by Edward Gaynor)

Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, May 6, 1798. Jefferson describes the “ferment excited here [Philadelphia] by publication of the dispatches” and discusses the possibility of war. (MSS 501. Gift of Mrs. F.B. Stoneman. Image by Edward Gaynor)

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Verso of letter from Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, May 6, 1798. (MSS 501. Gift of Mrs. F.B. Stoneman. Image by Edward Gaynor)

(Tracy W. McGregor Library of American History. Image by Edward Gaynor. )

Title page of Instructions to the Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary from the United States of America, to the French Republic. (A 1798 .U54. Tracy W. McGregor Library of American History. Image by Edward Gaynor. )

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Page of dispatch describing request for bribes. (A 1798 .U54. Tracy W. McGregor Library of American History. Image by Edward Gaynor. )

Guess what we have in store for you with the remaining two letters of the alphabet? You will have to wait until next month when we feature the letters “Y” and “Z.”

 

 

ABCs of Special Collections: W is for…

Well, Well, Well, what have we here? But the letter W, of course!

(Image by Anne Causey)

W from the cover of Louisa Venable Kyle’s The Witch of Pungo. Virginia Beach, Va: Four O’Clock Farms Publishing Co., 1988. (PZ7 .K983 Wi 1988. Gift of Edward Gaynor. Image by Anne Causey)

W is for Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward

One of the first American feminist writers, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward gained wide-spread popularity in her day. Her novel The Gates Ajar, published four years after the Civil War, was a best seller, depicting heaven as a place where loved ones reconnect after death. Through her writings, she challenged many of the mores of her day, especially those concerning Calvinist traditions. In her forties, she married a man nineteen years her junior, and famously urged women to burn their corsets.   

A search of our online records show over 100 entries for Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. (MSS 6997-e. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. (MSS 6997-e. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Title page of the first printing of The Gates Ajar by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. (PS3142 .G3 1869. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Title page of the first printing of The Gates Ajar by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. (PS3142 .G3 1869. Image by Petrina Jackson)

W is for George Washington

George Washington.  Legendary General.  First President of the United States.  Namesake of the nation’s Capital.  His iconic image is with us every day, from the quarters in our change purses to the dollars in our wallets.

Contributed by Donna Stapley, Assistant to the Director

On display in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library is the famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart and a bronze bust by Jean Antoine Houdon.

Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. (Gift of Mrs. F. Bayard Rives and George L. Rives. Photograph by Donna Stapley.)

Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. (Gift of Mrs. F. Bayard Rives and George L. Rives. Photograph by Donna Stapley.)

Bust of Washington by Jean Antoine Houdon. (Gift of the Class of 1909. Photograph by Donna Stapley.)

Bust of Washington by Jean Antoine Houdon. (Gift of the Class of 1909. Photograph by Donna Stapley.)

Viewing our manuscript and ephemera collection helps change the legend into a man, providing a glimpse into the daily life of George Washington.

Washington's bookplate

Bookplate belonging to George Washington. Copperplate engraving, 1771. (MSS 13483. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

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Page from a pocket account book containing an entry for purchase of a periwig for George Washington for a night of “entertainment,” April 1780. (MSS 8136-a. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

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Facsimile of letter from dated June 23, 1775, from George Washington to Martha Washington, regarding his departure from Philadelphia and his affection for her:  “I retain an unalterable affection for you which neither time or distance can change..” (MSS 38-532. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

W is for Witches!

While Virginia did not experience the witch uproar of Salem, Mass, there was one notable case. In 1706 Grace Sherwood of Princess Anne County (now Virginia Beach) was accused of practicing witchcraft. Among her “sins” was bewitching hogs and escaping through a keyhole as a black cat. She was summoned to court and on July 5, “it was Ordrd  . . . by her own Consent to be tried in the water by Ducking.” On July 10, she was tied and tossed in a river. She swam – thus guilty. “Five ancient women” searched her and declared she was “not like them nor noe other woman they knew of” because of two marks on her body.  The court kept her in custody for a future trial, but records thereafter are unclear.

Contributed by Anne Causey, Public Services Assistant

One story of Grace Sherwood, a highly embellished children’s story, is found in Louisa Venable Kyle’s The Witch of Pungo, (Virginia Beach, Va: Four O’Clock Farms Publishing Co.), 1988.  (PZ7 .K983 Wi 1988. Image by Anne Causey)

One story of Grace Sherwood, a highly embellished children’s story, is found in Louisa Venable Kyle’s The Witch of Pungo. Virginia Beach, Va: Four O’Clock Farms Publishing Co., 1988. (PZ7 .K983 Wi 1988. Gift of Edward Gaynor. Image by Anne Causey)

The earliest printed record of Grace Sherwood’s story is in the Collections of the Virginia Historical & Philosophical Society, Richmond, 1833, presented by Jonathan Cushing (F221 v.95 no. 1. Image by Anne Causey)

The earliest printed record of Grace Sherwood’s story is in the Collections of the Virginia Historical & Philosophical Society, Richmond, 1833, presented by Jonathan Cushing (F221 v.95 no. 1. Image by Anne Causey)

(F221 v.95 no. 1. Image by Anne Causey)

From the Collections of the Virginia Historical & Philosophical Society, Richmond, 1833, presented by Jonathan Cushing (F221 v.95 no. 1. Image by Anne Causey).

W is for W.P.A.

The Works Progress Administration (later named the Work Projects Administration) is perhaps the best known of the New Deal agencies created to pull the United States out of the Great Depression. The W.P.A. focused primarily on public works, such as roads, dams, and public buildings but also funded smaller programs for writers, artists, musicians, and actors. Among the W.P.A. materials in Special Collections are original drawings (several unpublished) for Virginia the Old Dominion in Pictures; interviews with former slaves; and an extensive collection of folklore and folk songs from Virginia.

Contributed by Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Specialist for Virginiana and University Archives

"Laundress" drawn by Ralph W. Lermond for (Photograph by Donna Stapley)

“Laundress” by Ralph W. Lermond for Drawings for Virginia: the Old Dominion in Pictures. (MSS 15372. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

"Forger"

“Forger,” an unpublished work by Ralph W. Lermond for Drawings for Virginia: the Old Dominion in Pictures. (MSS 15372. Photograph by Donna Stapley)

(Image by Edward Gaynor)

Virginia: the Old Dominion in Pictures. (F231 .W89 1941. Image by Edward Gaynor)

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Drawings by Ralph W. Lermond, featured in Virginia: the Old Dominion in Pictures. (F231 .W89 1941. Image by Edward Gaynor)

Now that “W” is complete, we have only three more letters to go.  Visit us in a couple of weeks as we explore “X.”

ABCs of Special Collections: V is for…

Hello again, and welcome to the ABCs of Special Collections!  This week’s selections represent the twenty-second letter of the alphabet,

(Photograph of Petrina Jackson)

“V” from a WWII postcard. (MSS 15270. Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

V is for Jones Very

Jones Very was a nineteenth-century American poet, essayist, and spiritualist associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Transcendentalist movement. Emerson found Very’s work to be admirable and did what he could to promote it, but Very, operating on an evolving belief that he was the Second Coming of Christ, put off many who found his work otherwise worthwhile. Very was briefly institutionalized, and when released, led a secluded life for the rest of his days.

A search of the Library’s holdings shows five records, including three manuscript poems in his hand, several entries in contemporary periodicals, and his personal copy of Essays and Poems, dated 1839.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

(Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

Shown here is Very’s own copy of his Essays and Poems, 1839. (PS3125 .A2 1839. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

(Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

Jones Very’s poem, “The Cold Spring in North Salem” in The Pioneer, a Literary and Critical Magazine, 1843. (AP2 .P59 V.1: no.1-2 1843. Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

V is for “Victory Mail,” also known as “V-Mail”

During World War II, the exchange of letters between soldiers and home was considered essential to morale. At the same time, massive quantities of war material and supplies had to be transported around the world by sea and sky. Special single-letter sheets were designed to be censored, microfilmed and then shipped back to the states. After transport overseas, the reels–each containing thousands of photographed letters–were then “blown up” at a processing center, printed, and delivered.

Contributed by Sharon Defibaugh, Manuscripts and Archives Processor

(Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

The originals of V-Mail and Postcards as written by  William S. Kibler as he served abroad. This original would be microfilmed and, in this case, the original returned to the sender.  (MSS 15270. Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

(Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

Here is what a V-Mail looked like on the other end, after the microfilm reel arrived in the states and was printed for distribution. This example was written by Edward F. Batchelor to his parents in 1942.  Batchelor was a member of the 29th Division Signal Company. (MSS 14797. Purchased by the Robert and Virginia Tunstall Trust Fund, 2009/2010. Photograph by Petrina Jackson)

See you in two WWWWWeeks! (Guess what letter’s next?)

ABCs of Special Collections: U is for…

Welcome to our newest installment of the ABCs of Special Collections!  Today, we feature the final vowel of the alphabet, the letter

U is for the first letter in the title of the book USA by John Dos Passos. (Image by Petrina Jackson.)

U is for the first letter in the title of the book USA by John Dos Passos. (PS3507.O743 U5 1938. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

U is for Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad was the name given to the network of safe houses, routes, and methods established by abolitionists, white and black, to aid slaves in escaping from the South. Conductors would guide their passengers from station to station with the goal of delivering them safely to free states in the North or to Canada. Although the number of slaves who escaped by these routes was never large, the more dramatic escapes—such as that of Henry “Box” Brown— were widely publicized and had a powerful psychological impact in both North and South.

Contributed by Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Specialist for Virginiana and University Archives

Frontispiece and title page of the Narrative and Life of Henry Box Brown, 1851. (A 1851 .B785. Tracy W. McGregor Library of American History. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Frontispiece and title page of the Narrative and Life of Henry Box Brown, Written by Himself, 1851. (A 1851 .B785. Tracy W. McGregor Library of American History. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Frontispiece and title page of The Underground Railroad, 1872. (E450 .S85 1872. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Frontispiece and title page of The Underground Railroad by William Still, 1872. (E450 .S85 1872. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Title page of the Northside of Slavery, 1856. (E450 .D77 1856. Robert and Virginia Tunstall Trust Fund, 2006/2007. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Title page of the Northside of Slavery, 1856. (E450 .D77 1856. Robert and Virginia Tunstall Trust Fund, 2006/2007. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

U is for Unintentional Gift

Special Collections has been very lucky over the years in the quality and quantity of the gifts it has received from many generous donors. But sometimes both unexpected and unintentional gifts have livened up the process of organizing manuscript collections. This mummified skink was discovered among the Mosby Perrow Papers and became the unofficial mascot of the processing section for a few years until given his own manuscript number in preparation for the Big Move into our new building in 2004.

Contributed by Sharon Defibaugh, Manuscripts and Archives Processor

Lizard found in collection. (MSS 13000. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Lizard found in Mosby Perrow Papers. (MSS 13000. Image by Petrina Jackson)

U is for Louis Untermeyer

A successful poet, essayist, editor, critic, and television contestant, (What’s My Line?), Louis Untermeyer was also a prolific anthologist who brought contemporary poetry to millions of students and lovers of poetry. Untermeyer was named the fourteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1961 and was friends with many contemporary poets, including and especially, Robert Frost.  A search of our online catalog shows just over 100 entries for Louis Untermeyer.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

Shown here is a 1933 chapbook printing of First Words Before Spring. (PS3541 .N72 F54 1933. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Shown here is a 1933 chapbook printing of First Words Before Spring. (PS3541 .N72 F54 1933. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Undated photograph of the Louis Untermeyer. (Barrett Print Files. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Photograph by Petrina Jackson.)

Undated photograph of the Louis Untermeyer. (Barrett Print Files. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Photograph by Petrina Jackson.)

U is for USA

The USA trilogy by John Dos Passos is comprised of the novels The 42nd Parallel (1930); 1919 (1932); and The Big Money (1936). Dos Passos used experimental modes of narration including free indirect discourse; stream of consciousness in the sections called “The Camera Eye”; newspaper headlines and article fragments combined with song lyrics in the “Newsreels” sections; and short biographies of historical figures to present a sweeping view of American society in the first decades of the 20th century.  The novels reflect Dos Passos’s growing pessimism about political, social, and economic conditions in the United States during the Great Depression.

Contributed by Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Specialist for Virginiana and University Archives

Advance copy of USA by John Dos Passos, 1938. (PS3507.O743 U5 1938. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Advance copy of USA by John Dos Passos, 1938. (PS3507.O743 U5 1938. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Early manuscript drafts of The Big Money, ca. 1932-1936. (MSS 5950. Permission . Image by Petrina Jackson)

Early manuscript drafts of The Big Money, ca. 1932-1936. (MSS 5950. Published with the permission of the John Dos Passos estate. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Manuscript draft of Nineteen Nineteen, ca. 1932. (MSS 5950. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

Manuscript draft of Nineteen Nineteen, ca. 1932. (MSS 5950. Published with the permission of the John Dos Passos Estate. Image by Petrina Jackson.)

That is all for now.  Join us again, when we cover the letter “V.”

 

 

ABCs of Special Collections: T is for…

Today’s alphabetical installation brings you the letter

The letter "T" written by Oldrich Menhart from Italic Handwriting by Tom Gourdie, 1955. (Z43 .G68 1955. Image by Petrina Jackson)

The letter “T” written by Oldrich Menhart from Italic Handwriting by Tom Gourdie, 1955. (Z43 .G68 1955. Gift of Willis W. Tompkins. Image by Petrina Jackson)

T is for William S. Tallman

William Staples Tallman (1906-1997) was one of two engineers who managed the construction of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Hired by sculptor Gutzon Borglum in 1929, he served as superintendent of construction from 1930 to 1935.  Tallman had also assisted Borglum on the North Carolina Monument at Gettysburg National Military Park; he also served as model for that monument’s lead figure. For the balance of his career, he worked as a potter and sculptor and in technical ceramics manufacturing. Our large collection of his papers includes extensive documentation of his work at Mount Rushmore.

Contributed by Molly Schwartzburg, Curator

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A photograph of William Tallman and Ivan Houser, an assistant sculptor for Gutzon Borglum,  studying a scale model of Abraham Lincoln produced in preparation for the monument’s construction (ca. 1927, photographer not identified). (MSS 12129. Image by Molly Schwartzburg.)

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This photograph shows, from left to right, assistant sculptor Hugo Villa, sculptor Gutzon Borglum, two unidentified workers, and engineer William Tallman.  A note on the back of the photograph describes the image as follows: “Inspection of work according to ‘points’ near the eye’” (ca. 1929-1930, photographer not identified). (MSS 12129. Image by Molly Schwartzburg.)

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A drawing of the George Washington sculpture from a notebook kept by William S. Tallman from 1929-1932. The notebook contains diary entries, correspondence, lists of supplies, measurements, and diagrams from the Mount Rushmore project. (MSS 12129. Image by Molly Schwartzburg.)

T is for Celia Thaxter

Celia Thaxter, the nineteenth century American poet and story writer, grew up on and around the coast of New Hampshire. In her middle age, she became hostess of her father’s hotel on Appledore Island, and hosted many of the important writers of her time, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Whittier, Sara Orne Jewett, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. They in turn welcomed her into Boston’s literary world as a favored poet. A search of our online catalog shows 28 records relating to Celia Thaxter.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

(PS3012 .D7 1879. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Cover of the first printing of Drift Weed, 1879. (PS3012 .D7 1879. Image by Petrina Jackson)

(Image by Petrina Jackson)

An autographed note and photograph of Celia Thaxter, 1890. (MSS 6994-d. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image of Petrina Jackson)

T is for the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo 

Nicholas Philip Trist, Chief State Department clerk (and former secretary to Andrew Jackson and husband of Jefferson’s granddaughter Virginia), was appointed by President James K. Polk to negotiate a treaty to end the war with Mexico. While in Mexico, Trist ignored a recall from Polk and continued negotiations with the Mexican peace commissioners. The treaty was concluded at the city of Guadalupe-Hidalgo on February 2, 1848. On his return to the United States, Trist was dismissed from the State Department for insubordination and the government refused to reimburse his expenses until 1871. The terms of the treaty ceded an immense amount of Mexican territory to the United States including present-day California, Arizona, and New Mexico and parts of Utah, Nevada, and Colorado.

Contributed by Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Virginiana and University Archives Specialist

Letter draft from Nicholas Trist to James Buchanan, 1847 (Image by Petrina Jackson)

Letter draft from Nicholas Trist to James Buchanan, 1847 (MSS 5096-a. Deposit of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Extract from the note of the Mexican Commissioners, September 6, 1847. ()

Extract from the note of the Mexican Commissioners, September 6, 1847. (MSS 5096-a. Deposit of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Letter from Nicholas Trist to Commodore M. C. Perry, January 18, 1848.

Letter from Nicholas Trist to Commodore M. C. Perry, January 18, 1848. (MSS 5096-a. Deposit of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Newspaper clipping on the Mexican War peace settlement ()

Newspaper clipping on the Mexican War peace settlement (MSS 5096-a. Deposit of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Image by Petrina Jackson)

That concludes the the letter “T.”  We can’t wait to show you the fantastic collection highlights when we feature “U”.

ABCs of Special Collections: S is for

Happy New Year!  We are glad to return with the newest installment of our alphabetical series.  As promised, we are starting 2014 with the letter

Flowered Letters--8 lines Pica from The Roman Italic & Black Letter Bequeathed the University of Oxford by Dr. John Fell, 1951. (Z116 .T95 V.26 1951. Image by Petrina Jackson).

“S” from Flowered Letters–8 lines Pica face from The Roman Italic & Black Letter Bequeathed the University of Oxford by Dr. John Fell, 1951. (Z116 .T95 V.26 1951. Image by Petrina Jackson).

S for Senape, Antonio

Very little is known of Antonio Senape, a prolific pen and ink artist, except that he was likely born in Rome in 1788.  A rare bound sketchbook, housed in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections, was owned by Senape and contains sixty of his original drawings. The drawings take the viewer on a tour of Italian markets, ancient ruins, and sailing ships, many with the active volcano, Mt. Vesuvius, looming in the background.

Donna Stapley, Assistant to the Director

Antonio Senape's pen and Ink drawing from  from (MSS 15135. Gift of Mrs. Joseph Wood. Image by Donna Stapley).

Pen and Ink drawing from Antonio Senape’s sketchbook, n.d. (MSS 15135. Gift of Mrs. Joseph Wood. Photograph by Donna Stapley).

(Photograph by Donna Stapley).

Pen and Ink drawing from Antonio Senape’s sketchbook, n.d. (MSS 15135. Gift of Mrs. Joseph Wood. Photograph by Donna Stapley).

(Photograph by Donna Stapley).

Pen and Ink drawing from Antonio Senape’s sketchbook, n.d. (MSS 15135. Gift of Mrs. Joseph Wood. Photograph by Donna Stapley).

(Photograph by Donna Stapley).

Pen and Ink drawing from Antonio Senape’s sketchbook, n.d. (MSS 15135. Gift of Mrs. Joseph Wood. Photograph by Donna Stapley).

S is for Snead & Company

Snead & Company was established in Louisville, Ky. in 1849 as a supplier of decorative and architectural cast iron. By the turn of the 20th century, the company’s focus turned to providing large research libraries—including the Library of Congress, Widener Library, and the British Museum—with structural elements to construct and equip book stacks. Angus Snead MacDonald, the long time president, was responsible for moving the company to the forefront of library design and was himself one of the major contributors to the open, modular plans that dominated research library architecture in the post World War II years.

Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Specialist for Virginiana and University Archives

(Image by Petrina Jackson).

Cover of a Snead & Company Pamphlet, n.d. (MSS 9325. Image by Petrina Jackson).

(Image by Petrina Jackson).

“Sending books from delivery desk station” University of Cincinnati Library, Cincinnati, Ohio, n.d. (MSS 9325. Image by Petrina Jackson).

(Image by Petrina Jackson).

“Snead book conveyor–delivery room station with unloading carrier.” University of Virginia, n.d. (Image by Petrina Jackson).

(Image by Petrina Jackson).

“Snead standard stacks. Reference room of the Vatican Library.” Vatican City, Italy, n.d. (MSS 9325. Image by Petrina Jackson).

S is for Gary Snyder

American poet Gary Snyder met Allen Ginsberg when they both read at the Six Gallery event in San Francisco in October 7, 1955, thus cementing his identity with the Beat poets and writers. He was an influential member of the San Francisco Renaissance before moving to Japan to study Zen Buddhism in 1955. He won a Pulitzer Prize for Turtle Island in 1974, and is also well known as an essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist.
A search of our online catalog shows 61 entries for Mr. Snyder dating from 1946.
Shown here is a first printing of Riprap and a broadside titled “Siberian Outpost” that he made on the occasion of a visit to Brown College at the University of Virginia in 2010. The broadside was printed by Josef Beery.

George Riser, Collection and Instruction Assistant

(PS3569 .N88T8 1974. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson).

Back cover of Gary Snyder’s Turtle Island. Photograph by Frederic Brunke. (PS3569 .N88T8 1974. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson).

Cover of Gary Snyder's Riprap, 1959. (PS3569 .N88R49 1959. Image by Petrina Jackson).

Cover of Gary Snyder’s Riprap, 1959. (PS3569 .N88R49 1959. Marvin Tatum Collection of Contemporary Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson).

Snyder_Siberian Outpost

“Siberian Outpost,” written by Gary Snyder. Woodcut by Josef Beery, 2010. (Broadside 2010.S58. Courtesy of Gary Snyder. Image by Petrina Jackson).

We hope you enjoyed the “S” selections. See you in two weeks when we feature the letter “T.”

ABCs of Special Collections: R is for

Are you ready for our last letter of the year?  We present you with the letter

"R" Day, Lewis F. Alphabets Old and New. 3rd Ed. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1920.

“R” from Otto Hupp’s “Alphabete und Ornamente” face in the third edition of Alphabets Old and New by Lewis F. Day, 1920. (Typ 1920 .D39. Stone Typography Collection. Image by Petrina Jackson)

R is for the Richmond Theatre Fire

William Dunlap in his A History Of The American Theatre (1832), described the Richmond theatre fire of December 26, 1811:

The house was fuller than on any night of the season. The play was over, and the first act of the pantomime had passed. The second and last had begun. All was yet gayety, all so far had been pleasure, curiosity was yet alive, and further gratification anticipated… when the audience perceived some confusion on the stage, and presently a shower of sparks falling from above… Some one cried out from the stage that there was no danger. Immediately after, Hopkins Robinson ran forward and cried out ‘the house is on fire!’ pointing to the ceiling, where the flames were progressing like wild-fire. In a moment, all was appalling horror and distress.

Noted as the worst American urban disaster at the time, the fire was caused by the hoisting of a lit chandelier over the stage which, in turn, set the scenery ablaze.  A full house of an estimated 600 spectators scrambled to escape, but 72 playgoers perished including the Governor of Virginia, George William Smith.  The Monumental Church was erected on the site of the fire in 1812 as a memorial to those who died.

Contributed by Margaret Hrabe, Reference Coordinator, who is retiring this month. We will miss her!

(Image by Petrina Jackson)

Lithograph of the Richmond Theatre Fire, undated. (MSS 9408. Merritt T. Cooke Memorial Virginia Print Collection. Image by Petrina Jackson)

(Image by Petrina Jackson)

Calamity at Richmond, being a Narrative of the affecting circumstances attending the Awful Conflagration of the Theatre in the City of Richmond, on the Night of Thursday, the 26th of December, 1811.  Philadelphia, published and sold by John F. Watson, 1812. (F234 .R5C2 1812. Image by Petrina Jackson)

(Image by Petrina Jackson)

Narrative & Report of the Causes and Circumstances of the Deplorable Conflagration at Richmond. [Virginia.] From Letters and Authentic Documents. Printed for the Public, January 12, 1812. (F234 .R5 N2. Library of Edward L. Stone. Image by Petrina Jackson)

(Image by Petrina Jackson)

Gilbert Hunt, the City Blacksmith by Philip Barrett. Richmond: James Woodhouse & Co., 1859.
Gilbert Hunt was a freedman who had a blacksmith shop in Richmond and assisted in the rescue and saving of many of the survivors of the fire. (E444 .H9 1859. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Chapter V, “The Burning of the Richmond Theatre” of Gilbert Hunt, The City Blacksmith. (E444 .H9 1859. Image by Petrina Jackson)

R is for Jerome Rothenberg

Jerome Rothenberg began his writing career translating German poets, notably Gunter Grass and Paul Celan. He published his first book of poetry, White Sun Black Sun, under his own imprint, The Hawk’s Well Press, in 1959. The press published a number of works by beat and avant-garde poets, including Diane Wakoski and Robert Kelly. Rothenberg also co-founded two poetry magazines, Poems from the Floating World and Some/thing. A search of our online catalog shows 27 hits for Jerome Rothenberg, 12 for Hawk’s Well Press, four volumes of Poems from the Floating World, and several issues of Some/thing.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

(image by Petrina Jackson)

White Sun Black Sun by Jerome Rothenberg. (PS3568 .O86W5 1960. Marvin Tatum Collection of Contemporary Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Poems from the Floating World. (PS580 .P63 v.3. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Poems from the Floating World, a magazine co-founded by Jerome Rothenberg. (PS580 .P63 v.3. Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature. Image by Petrina Jackson)

R is for Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

One of the most famous translations in the English language is Edward Fitzgerald’s 1859 Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, a loose interpretation of the Persian astronomer’s eleventh-century verses. It became wildly popular in the United States in the early part of the twentieth century. Eminently collectible, the Rubáiyát was published in hundreds of editions in the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries—many lavishly illustrated—and was quoted and paraphrased throughout popular culture. Today, it has lost its broad appeal, but libraries like ours contain marvelous materials that document the history of this publishing phenomenon. Special Collections holds more than 400 Rubáiyát editions, of which the two most important are shown here.

Contributed by Molly Schwartzburg, Curator

()

The first edition of Edward Fitzgerald’s translation (London: Bernard Quaritch, 1859). A great rarity that is virtually unattainable today, the translation went almost unnoticed until two years after its publication, when it was “remaindered” and a copy purchased as a gift for Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who shared it with his friends Charles Algernon Swinburne and William Morris. It swiftly became a popular text among Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic intellectuals. (E 1859 .O53. Tracy W. McGregor Library of English Literature. Image by Molly Schwartzburg)

()

The first American edition of the Rubáiyát (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1884). This edition has arguably never been surpassed in beauty. Elihu Vedder’s majestic illustrations captured the attention of audiences, and were reprinted in smaller, affordable editions. This copy, of the limited first edition, was printed on Japanese paper and is number 100 of an edition of 100. (PK 6513 .A1 1884. Gift of Mrs. Thos. V. Dudley. Image by Molly Schwartzburg)

 R is for Runaway

In the antebellum South advertisements seeking to retrieve fugitive slaves were a common part of life. These advertisements were printed in newspapers and as broadsides that were posted in public locations such as courthouses and post offices. The advertisements provide some of the very few instances of personal descriptions of enslaved individuals. In addition to physical description, the advertisements often include description of clothing, tools, and equipment taken by the fugitive, special skills, and, possible destinations. Virginia was well-positioned geographically for escape attempts and some fugitives were able to reach free states.

Contributed by Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Specialist for Virginiana and University Archives

Runaway advertisement, 1816. (Broadside 1816. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Runaway advertisement, 1816. (Broadside 1816. T75. Purchased from the Byrd Fund, 2001/2002. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Runaway advertisement, 1854. (Broadside 1854. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Runaway advertisement, 1854. (Broadside 1854 .T95.  Purchased from the Robert and Virginia Tunstall Trust Fund, 2011/2012. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Runaway advertisement from the the Virginia Gazette, November 29, 1776. (Virginia Gazette. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Runaway advertisement from the the Virginia Gazette, November 29, 1776. (Virginia Gazette. Image by Petrina Jackson)

R is for Running

Our online catalog findings are few when it comes to running as a hobby or sport, but they include wonderful images of running, such as at U.Va. track meets and a 1915 Sussex County Virginia School Fair with boys in billowing clothes. When performing a keyword search using the word “running,” approximately 2,000 hits appear. The top hit, appropriately, is “Running Shorts,” a newsletter by the local track club.

Contributed by Anne Causey, Public Services Assistant

Frontispiece and title page of British Manly Exercises by Donald Walker. (GV703.W3 1837. Image by Anne Causey )

Frontispiece and title page of British Manly Exercises by Donald Walker. (GV703.W3 1837. Image by Anne Causey )

Running illustration and description from British Manly Exercises ()

Running illustration and description from British Manly Exercises (GV703.W3 1837. Image by Anne Causey)

(MSS 3072, 3072-a. The Jackson Davis Collection of African American Photographs. Image by Digital Curation Services)

Track Meet, 1915. (MSS 3072, 3072-a. The Jackson Davis Collection of African American Photographs. Image by Digital Curation Services)

U.Va. Track Meet, 1917 (MSS 9862. Holsinger Studio Collection. Image by Digital Curation Services)

U.Va. Track Meet, 1917 (MSS 9862. Holsinger Studio Collection. Image by Digital Curation Services)

This concludes “R,” the last alphabetical installation of 2013.  See you again in the new year when we continue with the letter “S.”

ABCs of Special Collections: Q is for…

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!  We welcome you back to our alphabetical series with selections from the letter

"Q" from the "Cut Roman" font.  From Design of the Roman Letters by L'Harl Copeland, 1966. (Z114 .C75 1966. Gift of Mrs. Oscar Ogg. Image by Petrina Jackson)

“Q” from the “Cut Roman” face in Design of the Roman Letters by L’Harl Copeland, 1966. (Z114 .C75 1966. Gift of Mrs. Oscar Ogg. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Q is for Quadroon

Special Collections has a fascinating array of the many works published on the plight of the quadroon. The term “quadroon” was used historically throughout the Americas to refer to the large number of woman who were one-quarter black. Linked to taboo sex across color lines, the term and subject matter flourished not only in literature, but in American society, long after slavery in America ended.

Contributed by Petrina Jackson, Head of Instruction and Outreach

(Image by Caroline Newcomb)

Frontispiece and title page of Zoe, or The Quadroon’s Triumph by Mrs. Elizabeth D. Livermore, 1855. (PS2248 .L45 Z6 1855. Purchased from the Robert & Virginia Tunstall Trust Fund, 2002/2003. Image by Caroline Newcomb)

(Image by Caroline Newcomb)

First page of the poem, “The Quadroon Girl” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow from the Leeds Anti-slavery Series, No. 50, ca. 1852. (PS2271. Q82 1852. Image by Caroline Newcomb)

Q is for George Quasha

The American poet and artist, George Quasha is perhaps best known for his “axial stone” sculptures and his  Asian-influenced books of poetry, often published in collaboration with other artists and poets. His performance pieces have been known to incorporate sound, drawing, music, video, poetry and sculpture. A look at our online catalog lists three records related to George Quasha: collaborations with Dan Gerber (1969), Allen Ginsberg (1974), and Jerome Rothenberg (1996).

A link to view some of George Quasha’s axial stone sculptures can be found at: http://www.quasha.com/axial-art/axial-stones.

Contributed by George Riser, Collections and Instruction Assistant

(PS615 .E523 1974. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Shown is a portion of Quasha’s poem, “Shifting Side or Sands of Thought” from Allen Ginsberg’s 8 from Naropa. (PS615 .E523 1974. Purchased from the William & Elizabeth Morris Fund, 2003/2004. Image by Petrina Jackson)

Q is for Queen Charlotte

Her Serene Highness, Princess Sophia Charlotte was born May 19, 1744, the youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a north German duchy in the Holy Roman Empire. She became Queen Consort of the United Kingdom on marrying King George III in 1761. Though she never visited the New World, more than a dozen cities, counties, and geographical features were named in Charlotte’s honor including both the city of Charlottesville and Mecklenburg County in Virginia.

Contributed by Edward Gaynor, Head of Description and Specialist for Virginiana and University Archives

(Image by Digital Curation Services)

Engraving of Queen Charlotte by Sir William Beechey, 1809. (MSS 10213. Image by Digital Curation Services)

 

(Image by Digital Curation Services)

A Plan of the Town of Charlottesville, 1818. (G3884.C4 1818 .P5. Image by Digital Curation Services)

See you in a couple of weeks when we have our last letter of 2013, the letter “R.”