Despite attempts by Harvard to convince him to stay, the chairman of the History and Literature Department said yesterday he will accept an offer from UCLA to take the helm of one of its libraries and research centers.

Professor of History and Literature and of History John Brewer, an expert in 18th century British political theory, will become the third Harvard professor to make the move to the California university this year.

Dean of the Faculty A. Michael Spence said he made a counter offer to Brewer, but Harvard could not match the West Coast school's offer.

Brewer, who is the youngest tenured member ofthe History Department, said he could not pass upthe chance to head UCLA's Clark Library and itsCenter for 17th and 18th Century Studies, aninterdisciplinary research unit.

"It's an opportunity to do something that isn'tavailable" at Harvard, Brewer said.

Harvard could not equal UCLA's tempting offerto direct a library and research center, Spencesaid.

"That, of course, is very difficult toproduce," Spence said. "I'm afraid we lost thatbattle. I'm very sorry to be losing him."

Spence and Brewer refused to elaborate on thedetails of Harvard's counter offer.

Brewer, who has been at Harvard since 1980,will follow Shattuck Professor of Government JamesQ. Wilson and Associate Professor of EnglishRobert N. Watson who did not receive tenure atHarvard, to UCLA.

"My impression is [that] in some areas UCLA isquite agressive," Spence said.

Brewer is also the second European specialistto leave the History Department in the past year.One year ago, Lea Professor of Medieval HistoryDavid J. Herlihy decided to leave Harvard forBrown University, where both he and his wife wereoffered tenured posts.

UCLA's location was an added attraction forBrewer, he said.

"I would rather live in Los Angeles thanBoston," he said. "I like a metropolitan ratherthan a provincial environment.