Rare English Books Given to U. of Texas

A prized library of classical English books, including the first work printed in English and original quartos and folios of William Shakespeare, has been acquired by the University of Texas, the school announced Tuesday.

The transfer of the coveted Carl H. Pforzheimer Library of English Literature from private hands in New York to the university was made possible by H. Ross Perot, a Dallas billionaire.

At a lavish celebration here Tuesday, Perot officially presented the library’s 1,105 books and 250 manuscripts to Texas academics. “This is one more step toward building the finest university in the world,” said Perot, who bought the collection for $15 million.