First edition copies of some of the rarest books in the priceless Widener collection are on exhibition this week in the Memorial Room at the Library. These include the early English chronicles of the New World across the sea written by Holingshead, Hardyng, and Purchas, all printed before the first half of the seventeenth century; and also a copy of Chapman's first translation of Homer, inscribed by the author.

The Holingshead volumes, of which there are two in the cases, are dated 1571 and 1577. They are filled with quaint woodcuts depicting chiefly battle seenes in which the earliest cannon figure. Printed in old English black letter, they are replete with marginal sub-titles, and bear on the title-page a solicitous "God save the Queene".

John Hardyng's chronicle, bound in the original calf with the original brass clasps of 1590, is the first issue of the first edition. The elaborate bookplate on the fly-leaf bears the escutcheon of "Philip Lord Hardwicke, Baron of Hardwicke in ye County of Gloucester."

Perhaps the most interesting volume now on display is the only known presentation copy of "Purchas: His Pilgrimes", printed in London in 1624. The meticulous inscription on the flyleaf reads in part: "To...His Mties Sollicitor The Author Samuel Purchas; in thankfull acknowledgement of a Loving friend".

Chapman's early translation of Homer is entitled "The Crowne of all Homeres Worckes, Batrachomyomachia or the Battaile of Frogs and Mice". This is also a presentation copy inscribed to "ye Righte Virtuouse and worthie Gent: Mr. Henry Reynolds".