(Ed. Note--The Crimson does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in printed communications. No attention will be paid to anonymous letters and only under special conditions, at the request of the writer, will names be withheld. Only letters under 400 words can be printed because of space limitations.)

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

A few people in Harvard know that the music department possesses a fine Dolmetsch Harpsichord. Of these people, a very few know that it now lies in a miserable state of disrepair, dried out by years of steam heat, so that the ivory inlay has half fallen out of its rosewood case. A very few know that quill tongues are broken and bolstered with felt, that its leather is rotten, that its legs are tied up with string, that its pedals are falling to pieces.

If more people knew the value of this instrument, the money-starved music department would not at this moment be hesitating whether they should repair, or allow age to run its certain course. It is a crime that a rare instrument essential to the performance of old music should not be used for demonstration in the courses that need it.

Perhaps the University might adequately finance its department so that repairs might be undertaken. Failing this a subscription should be taken from all Harvard music lovers, so that this instrument might not be allowed to disintegrate through ignorance and neglect. David H. Kimball '38.