, 1861-02-28

l. Old and Hare work24 i
Edtto1s Of Tribune: s'.<*.'''. : :" .:'''7 '''
AS there seems TO be- some interest among
yonr readers, u o'4 md rake books, I write an
account Of what may be found in q; single pn-
vate library in this city,,
- First on the Lis, as q rare book, and bea1-
tltul specimen Of early printing, is the i" Trip
artite History from socfntes, sozomenns, and
Theodricus, compiled and; translated from
Greek and Latin .hy. Casa!odorus and Epiphan-
ius !" printed by, John Scluszlcr, at Angs-
burgh, February'!A d. 1472. The initial let:
ters are with the pen and Illuminated. /;
It is believed that the Oldest printed books
in this country are tho following: Aperfect
copy of, the Mazdtine Bible about A. D. 1455,
owned BY Mr. Lennx Of New York; ftns-
ment of the same work, owned by George
Livermore, Cambridge; a Tract by Thomns
Aquinas, printed, BY Gutenberg in 1860, sold
| at sale Of E. B. CorwinA library the Catho]i-
con, printed BY Guttertberg in l46o, and Faust
and schnffer'a Testament of 14ea, that were
owned by George Lyermore. This is .proba-
blya correct statement .ot the Oldest printed
books now IN this country. I may ndd that
excepting the English Horks printed by Ca1-
ton, or by Wynkyn de Wordc, from 14s0 to
1900, it is not very ditasult to oprocure books
printed subsequent 10 ;14so, but 1t is hard to
/ get one. Of . previous date.
|! In the collection in this city, there are also
i the following" works sOccolampadius, and
Melanethon's Greek Graa1ulars, and F. sebas-
ltian's Hebrew Dictionary. oil Of 1875, printed
in one volume; by Froben; Melancthon's An
notations on Matthew and John, 1928, on Ro-
mans; 1910 mud 154l, on Daniel 1545; the Auge-
[burgh Confession, and Melancthon's discus
sion Of its articles, and the subscription Of
Pastors and Princes, 1861; Mchncthcn's Loci
Communes, 1854; Erasmus Paraph1ase Of
Luke, 1923, Of all the Epistles, 1928; the suc-
ceedlng by Calvin, Institutes, 1861, in which
Is in distinct characters, The name Of IN owner
n 1859; Commentary bn the Epiatles, first
! complete edition, .Robert Stephens printer,
1885,. Psalms, Robert stephens, 1857, original
Sus4s faR Hp5n9ny1 8 ta SSspef "a eretion rfao
dts, first edition, 1853, 1salah, 1858; Jeremiah,
The collection includes several rare editions
Of the Greek Testament, among them Eras.
mus third edition; printed by Froben IN .15222;
4aIlS EuLtAO44 EAltEA " 1etAlAAst Atxo9 lub
celebrated Edits princsps, typIs Regiis," al
60 called the 20, m!IIficanl ~ printed By Robert
Stephens in 1916; Beza's Of 1850; aud Of the
beautiful ElzeyiIs, q copy Of 164l. ...t.
lone Of the choicest treasures Of this library
ID asset Of Reformation Tracts, inthe most de-
nghtful preservation, there being no rent in
them, 40 ragged edges, and no sPota or stains
Discussed at Leipsic, 1909; Eek against Me-
1ancthon, 1919; Melancthon's Reply to Eek,
1873; -Ulfich Eutter's Letter to Luther, 1920 !;
/ a Dialogue by Hans Sacks, 1924 These are
genuine Tracts Of the Reformation, md It
wonld be next to impossible to obtain duph=
Gates. ,-...t .-~.- -
One Of tue most scarce works in the world
Is to be found In this library, VIZ, full eet, in
six volumes, of Elias Hutter's Po1yglot Bible,
1889, in, which the Hebrew. .af11xes and suffixes
are printed with ho1low type, while tho radicals
that a1e.t to be supplied to any word are printed
over it. = = " :
There are not few superior private collec-
tions in the city; would it not be well to have
q brief decrlption of them, by competent
person, and SO o. knowledge obtained OF our
literary walth. B1BIIQpMLE
Chicago, Feb. n, 1861.