In 1671 the Countess of Bath, whose husband, Henry Bourchier, had been a Fellow, presented a collection of books purchased for the express purpose, some of them handsomely bound, and with her arms on the sides. Dr. Ingram has quoted from the _Life and Errors_ of John Dunton an interesting notice of the Library in 1704. From this we learn that there was nothing to distinguish the building externally; “it is,” says he, “over the scholars’ lodgings, the length of one of the quadrangles, and contains a great many choice books of great value, particularly one, the largest I ever saw for breadth; it was an Herbal, containing the lively portraitures of all sorts of Trees, Plants, Herbs, and Flowers.” The Library at that time served as a Museum as well, for he says that he was shown in the same place “the skin of a notorious Tory which had been tanned and stuffed with straw.” This interesting relic does not now exist, which is not surprising, considering the state of dilapidation in which it was at the time of Dunton’s visit.[115] Not very long after Dunton’s visit the foundation stone of the present Library was laid (1712), the House of Commons having granted considerable sums for the purpose. It was completed in 1732. The print on next page, dated 1753, gives an illustration of this building as it then appeared. In the interim we obtain an unsatisfactory glimpse of the state of things in a letter from Berkeley, then a Fellow, which mentions that the Library “is at present so old and ruinous and the books so out of order that there is little attendance given.” The new building speedily received large accessions of books. In 1726 Dr. William Palliser, Archbishop of Cashel, bequeathed to the College all such books and editions in his library as the College did not already possess. This gift amounted to about four thousand volumes. He made it a condition that these books should always be kept next to those of Archbishop Ussher. A still greater benefactor to the Library was Dr. Claudius Gilbert, who had been Vice-Provost and Professor of Divinity. In forming his library he had in view the purpose of presenting it to the College, and applied great knowledge and judgment to the selection of books. His collection, the fruit of many years of such care, contained nearly thirteen thousand volumes, many of them early and rare texts. His bust was placed near the books in 1758. [Illustration: OLD PRINT OF LIBRARY, 1753.]