Image by Charleston Library Society

In 1771 the College of Charleston received its first collection of donated books, more than 800 from John Mackenzie, a Goose Creek planter and Charleston Towne diplomat.

However, only 77 books would survive a 1778 fire — that is, until 2012 when the 78th book would be found in the vaults of the Charleston Library Society.

That missing book was a "Dissertation Upon Parties" by Henry St. John Bolingbroke.

You can read a different copy of that book at Google Books or in the embeded frame below.

The book is due to be returned to the college at an 8 a.m. ceremony on Thursday.