The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-05-07
The Astor Lsbsary.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CHART OF THE AMEaIoAN
CONTINENT.
The Astor library might naturally be expected Ia
recently formed Ia remarkable for books OF
which the wtoe value consists tbeu rarity In late
visit to 1t found but fe only this class On the
other hand 1t appeared to be ws furnished with ths
most important and most valusbs works in every de-
parment, especially with tboe which deveope the pro-
sress of human knowledge In the last half century
Whatever OF antiquity recent researches have disea
tombed and urroled, there be and studied in
tho costly works which describe them The wonders of
ancient Egypt be examined in the exact seaestoas
Of its monuments, either OF Champslion RoseLai
Lepsius and those of Nip-vsh In Iaysrd Botta aud
Flandn; Of India In Ferg uson; OF Greece In Stuart
Inwood and wilkins; OF Pompei All Hero cum In
Cell, Zahn Breton; OF Rome IN Pirsnesi vscond
Canno; Of Mexico and Central a1neriss in Lord Kings
borough, Hrmb,ldt, Dupaix sud idsck
Ancient and modern art + sell represented by rich
collection Of and galleries engravings of the
works Of the great masters In psiutiug and sculpture
Among these the following deserye pscal mott 70. The
sMus6e Francais proof py before the letter with
very br rhf Mt plates; the Gssrie du Paai, Pltti'
also proof copy; the Logse di aasels mel vassno
including the vote, Piasri and Arscsschi bsout
fully and dehcatey coored by hand exacty like the
originals tie copy OF Msutemester eugrsvngs of the
"Loges du Vatican" incu6,nx sll the prints o; Ra-
Yhaeps bible splendid china pa per- and there
are many others scarcely less worthy Of note
Directly that portion Of the library saloon appro
prated to the last named class Of books, we found
large collection in q department still Important
that of the useful arts. OF these may specify
wyatt's Industrial Arts Of the Nineteenth Century,
Armengaud's "Publicadon Indu 'triels, "Eabisse-
mems Industriees de la Bslgqre" Revue Generate de
lArchitecturs," Rennie's work hsrbors, smeatou
and the two stevenson the great English lighthouses
From the beginning which has b-en made in this de.
psrtment, infer that 1t is aendei make ii very
complete and the inventive and rapidy advancing
industry Of the country requires aud ging that
for which Mr. w. B. Astor bas made especial prov
sion there be doubt that this object will be ef
fected.
We pleased 20 observe that natural history had
not been neglected in forming tAis library In every
branch Of II found the leading works its shelves
but only specify few. Audubon's "Birds and
,Quadrupeds" both large and emall editions Gculds
Birds OF Europe and Au trala;' Bloch's " Fishes"
spthorp's g Flora GrasAo Lamoert's "Pnes;' CD
vier's mAnisaa Kingdom" both 10 French and English
Martins Palms OF Brazil" Abbots Insects OF Geor
gia;" Kepsr'f "Coquilss Usantes," and Chenu's
illustrations Csncbologique,," sil suna,e to show
what scale this depart establshed OF the books
in this library which abe cr their early date
rarity cost, vel have only space 70 notice few.
The earest printed book In the cos ,ou is copy of
Cicero as Ociis from the press Of Faust schoesr
in Mayencc February 1906 is in the original binding
the book belonged to Charles OF Lorraine Bishop OF
MetE, and grandson OF Henry of France who died in
that year. His coat Of arms Is stamped both the
covers
The most costly single volume is tie arst folio of
Shakespeare printed In London 1923. which bought
ut the sale of the Duke OF ms library in 1s49
for eighty pounds sterling.
Among the reprints there particularly deserving
notice iii sile of the Dsux Ietees Envoces d.
Nouvele grancs in 1885, to the heads Of the M,sscn in
Paris From 1882 to 1872 annual reports msie OF
the principal events OF the two American missions in
Canada and among the Hurons which published In
Paris but for the 1856 regular Relation has ever
discovered and the aoo supposed to have beea
the substitute for 1t; ofthis but single sopy known
to exist and that in the library Of the provincial
parliament in Canada This lost in the ccnaagra-
ton Of the Parliament House in 1854 and bad not Mr.
Ienox been In possession of foe sme OF 1t, copy
would be in existence OF this hs has caused ew
copies be struck off Of which he presented to each
of the large public libraries of the country.
noticed here the superb Frensh edition OF the
tsBhagavats Purana, Hstoire poetqre de Krchna,"
{Sacred Book OF the HindoosD which was printed in
1s4o at the Imprimsrie Royal.
Amongst the large Of ether Oriental works to
be found in this library that which will perhaps most
excite the vsneration OF juvenile visters, is ane
copy Of the CALI Iaa Book Of the Thousand and One
Nights, printed from Egyptian Ms brought to India
by the late Major Turner Macan, editor Of the Shah
Nameh.
The most curious book in the whole collection is how
ever the "Imsgo Mundp' of Pesrus de Myaco Peter
d'Ainy, as be is frequently called. This writer
born In the year 1880 He successfully Bishop
of Puy, Cambray and CARDINAL and Lssste to Aviguon
where he died in 1420. This frst trsatse appears
by the record at the end Of it. written in 141o, bat
the volume has date to show In what year it was
printed The two treatises "De Concordia Ahsonomoe
u~-k MT
14eo, and IL is probable that the 'Tnago Muudi'
printed in the year This latter treatise has Pc
suiar value and nterestn connection with the discove
ryof America. In Irving's life and Voyages of Co
lumbus (New York edition, 184s vol q p IL, 12) he
thus speaks OF 1t: ssBeng OF Seville aud making
searches the Bibllotheca Columbins the library 81
BY Fern ando Columbus to the Cathedral Of the city,
came accidentally upon the above mentioned copy Of
the work OF Peter Aaco II is ole volume In folio,
bound In parchment published after tia invention
Of prnting containing collection IN Latin of astrono-
mcal and cosmographsal tracts Of Pedro dc Alac, and
OF his disciple John Gerson. Aliaco the authsr
of many works, and one of the most learned
and ingenious Of his day. Las Ca,as
Is Of opinion that his writings had esct in stmu
laDg Columbus the enterprise than thots OF any other
author. His work so familiar to Columbus that
he had Aed its whole margin with Latin notes. in his
handwriting, citing many things which he had read and
gathered elsewhere. This book, which very DID,
continues Las Casss, had many times my hands,
and drew things from 1t, written Latin by the
said Admiral Christopher Columbus TO verify certain
points appertainng to his history Of whi,h before
in doubt (Hist. Ind. hb cap. H. It was great
satsfaston to the author therefore, discover the
IDENTICAL volume, the Vade Mecuns OF Columbus in
state Ct good preservation (t is in the Cathedral Lii
brary, H. Tab l7s, No. 2l) Tas notes and citations
mentioned BY Las Casas Latin, With many abbre
vations written in very snan but neat and distinct
hand and run throughout the volume caax attention
TO the most STRIKING passages those which bear
most upon the theories OF Coumbus occasionally CON
tanning bri i,f comments in citinr the onnions ~ h.