A literary treasure, unveiled

A literary treasure, unveiled Harvard displays rare and valuable copy of 1640 'Bay Psalm Book' T he evening of Jan. 24, 1764, was blustery in Cambridge, with a light snow falling. Someone left a fire burning in the library fireplace at Harvard Hall, a two-story wooden structure then nearly 100 years old. Unattended, the flames soon spread and ate through the floor beams, set the building alight and burning it to the ground. Destroyed along with Harvard's scientific instruments were about 5,000 books. But 500 volumes out on loan or not yet shelved were saved. The loss of the library was a disaster.