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Rare Books

Rare Book Division
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-258-3184
Curator of Rare Books
609-258-9942

Kenneth McKenzie Fable Collection.
Location designator: ExF

There are over 700 volumes in this separately arranged, classed, and catalogued collection. The books range from early 16th-century editions of the Aesopian fables (i.e. Babrius and Phaedrus) in Latin and Greek to the 18th century's revived interest in fables. Besides the Aesopian fables, the editions of the fables of La Fontaine in France are very well represented. The Germans, Gotthold Lessing and Christian Gellert, as well as the Englishman John Gay, are also to be found in the collection.

Mr. McKenzie's personal catalogue of his collection is stored on the shelf between the oversize and the regular size volumes. It consists of 3x5 cards in a black metal box. Also included in the catalogue is information about fable books which Mr. McKenzie was unable to obtain. A photocopied set of the cards is available in the General Rare Book Collection [(Ex) Oversize Z8018 .M35 1898f]. A two box collection of mss., clippings, etc. related to the collection is in the Manuscripts Division: Kenneth McKenzie fable collection, 1898-1949 [(at ReCAP for use in RBSC) C0494].

For particulars refer to: Kenneth McKenzie, "Some Remarks on a Fable Collection" in the Princeton University Library Chronicle V, 4 (June, 1944) pp. 137-149 [full text] . Mr. McKenzie's article relates a brief history of the fable, and in doing so reveals information about specific contents of the collection.