The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-02-03
4 Rare and Curious Book.

'alu"oic NoliCStioi Va DoohS peloiS NY "
Judge TABOR. He probably has one of
the most extensive private libraries in the
State, and from its bulk it is kept in sever
al different rooms. 1t contains, beyond
doubt, some of the most curious and
rare books to be found in the United
States. a very large number of these
have been expressly imported from Great
Britain, France, Germany, Austria, and
Italy, by the Judge himself, for the pur-
pose Of contributing information on many
different points which he has, from time
to time, been engaged in investigating.
Tie has some two or three hundred vol
umes upon Tea, Coffee, and Tobacco
many of them very Notwithstanding,
probably, the largest and most complete
collection Of works upon the history, cul-
tivation, and properties of these plants,
that can be found in the world. We have
thought that notice of some of these
curious and ponderous old tones might
interest our readers, even though they
may not be anGquarians, and we have,
therefore, as nothing of special practical
interest presents itself the present week,
whereon to discourse, taken the liberty
to give an imperfect description of one
these old yolumes-the HIsTRIo MAsTIx
OF WILLIAM PRYNNE. We may, here
after, give more particular account of
the collection. 1t is needless to say that
the details given below were CLEANED
from the judges rich stores of informa-
iion
The Iistrio- Mastx" is huge quar-
10 volume of about eleuen Hundred 2ooqes,
written against StGge plays 1t is, per-
haps, the most gigantic Of all trealiscs
exrnt, and was the result of world Of
pains taking, immense labor, and vast
research but notwithstanding the ex-
traordinary erudition it displays, and the
profound and almost exhaustless learning
manifested in It's compilation and compo-
sition, it was long since consigned to OBJ
livion, and is now valuable only 10 the
literary enquirer, the antiquarian, and
the bibliomaniac. The copy in question,
bearing the date of 1852, is, at the age
of ttoo hAndred and teocntySir gears, well
bound and as clean looking as if newly
from lis publishers shop. It's pages are
outraged by neither dogs ears Or thumb
iag, and it is highly probable that its
present posscssor bestowed more time up
on ii than It has received for the last cen :
fury. The more modern historical wri
tiers, who mention the work, have evil
IDENTITY done 50 without any personal ex-
animation Of its pages. NEAL, in his
History Of tie Paritdns, speaks of it, and
so does LUcY AIKEN, in her Memoir of
Charles l. So also does HUME, (HtStory
Of England, vol iii. p. 4o5). and CAR
LYLE, Letters and Speeches Of Olioer
CrommcH, vol. i. p. ca, all of whom,
however, seem to have relied upon sec
ond hand sources for their information
D'IsRAELI (lGscellanics Of Literature,
vol. j. P. 26), seems himself to have ex-
amined and appreciated the book.
CARLYLE says PRIME was :" from
Painswick near Bath" and graduate of
Oxford, well read in English law, and
fall OF zeal for gospel doctrine and NOR
atty. The Histrio- AaStie he terms 4" a
book sill cxlant, but neper more. to be
read Jy mortal" The following is an
exact copy Of the title-page Of this " now
unreliable book" with its original spell
ing and punctuation;
aHlsrRlo- MAsrlx. The PLAYEE's SooyrGE, on
AcroGs TKAGEDIE, divided into Two Parts
Wherein it is largely evidenced, by divers
Arguments, blythe concuI1ing Authorities and
Resolutions of sundry Texts Of Scripture Of
the whole Primitive Ghuleh. both under the
Law and Gospel Of % Synods and Coun-
GELS OF Il Fathers and Christian Writers,
before the yearc of our Lord 1909; ct above
100 tcr4ignc and domestique Protestant and
Polis!l Authors, since; OF 10 Heather Phil
osophels, Historians, Poets; Of many Heath
On, many Christian Natious, RepuIiques, En-
peiors, Princes, Magistrates; OF sundry Apos-
ioleall Canonicall, imperial Constitutions;
and OF ourown English Statutes, Magistrates,
universities, Writers, Teachers, chat popular
Stage playes (the very Pompes of the dwell
which we renounce in Balitisme, if we be-
lecve the Fathers) are SINFUL, heathenish,
lewde, ungodly Spectaeles, and most pernie-
ious Corruption; condemned in all Ages, ~
intolorible Alischefes to Churches, Repub-
llckes, to the manners, mindes and souys of
men. And that the Profession OF plav-pocts,
OF Stage players, together with pennine, net
ing, aud ireqnenting OF Stage playes, are un-
lawful, Infamous and nlisbcscemIng Christ
ians. All Prctences to the contrary are here
likewise fully answered and the unlawful
ness OF acting, OF beho!ding Acadencal En-
terudcs, briefly discussed; besides sundry
other particulars concerning Dancing, Dieing,
Health drinking &c. Of which the table will
inform yen. BY William Piynnc an Ytttr-
BarreStcr Of Lilcolne's lime. Next comes
prufusion of Latin lpottos from Cypran,
Lictantius, Chrysostonl, and Au@nstin. -
London, 1888. Alto rp 1876"
The huge luarto 10 which tie forego