The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-03-16

Cruikshank, Seymour, Browne, Cattermole,
rainier, John Leech, Stanfield and Macise,
Thomas Hoods writings, original editions,
Charles Levers works illustrated by Cruck-
shank and Others, The Writings of William
and Mary Howitt the original and illustrated
editions of the writings of the amented
Ihackeray which are now much sought after,
The comic histories of Gilbert A. A. Beckett,
with Leech's mirth provoking illustrations,
Alfred Crowquill and Robert Cruckshank's
Facetie.
The best editions of the complete works of
Colesidge, Lamb, Southey, Leigh Hunt, Miss
Milford and William Hone, all find their ap
propriate places here.
Another speciality with Mr.. Brown is the
collecting of everything published or illustra-
ted by the eminent and popular artist the
"Prince of Caricaturists" as he is STYLED in
the Noctes Amb., George Cruikshank.-
Among the most popular productions of his
ever fresh and charming pencil are the Om-
nibus, The Comic Almanac, The Table book,
The Gentleman in Black, Phrenology, Tales
of Humour, Cruikshankiana etc-He has il
lustrated many curious and scarce little books
OF Facetia; these are seldom seen in this
country.
We quote the opinion of Ticker in the
Noctes Ambrosiana: George Cruikshank's
various and admirable works should be in the
possession of all lovers of the arts. He Is far
more than the Prince of Caricaturists; man
who regards the on-goings of life with the eve
OF genius: and he has clear insight through
the exterior of manners into the passions of
the heart. He has wit as well as humor-
feeling as well as fancy-and his original vein
appears to be inexhaustible. Here's his health
in a bumper"
A complete set of the publications of the
Shakespeare Society of England in At volumes
is one of the many attractions here, and also
Richard Bensley's magnifcently printed edi-
tlon oil the Bible in four heavy quartos. 1t
was published by subscription, and is as per-
feet specimen Of the "preservative art OF all
arts" as was ever executed.
The best edition of the best American auth
ors are all here, Including Historians and
novelists. Those authors whose works are
not readily found complete, are Brockden,
Brown, and John Neal, there are also the
scarce original edition of the American novels,
g. Mellen, Fessenden, Mcdonald, Clark, dc.
&c.
1t is difficult task to give in the space of
newspaper column complete idea of a lib
rary OF 1000 volumes, nealy, all one can do is
to give partial catalogue of the books con-
tanned in it, among which as the experienced
eye of the book hunter" will no doubt dis
cover, the titles of many books not particular
ly noteworthy, must necessarily creep in, and
they are only given to show the general COM
pleteness of the collection.
Mr. Browns library has been collected dur
ing the last fifteen years and contains great
many works of no particular interest, to any
one but the owner. The unusual collection
OF that peculiar class OF literature, known to
book buyers as "Facetien in the French, Eng
lish, Italian, German and Latin tongues and
complete examples of modern French
literature, its numerous sets of rare land com
nom Magazines and periodicals, and its rich
nesssllustrated works containing as it does,
numerous specimens of Hugarth, Gillroy
Turner lStanfleld, Cruikshank, Johannot G.
Dore, and others, are the more prominent
specialities of this library, if the term may
so be applied, and its most noticeable features
are its general completeness as a library of
Bellies Lettres, since it contains the works of
all or nearly all the great poets, philosophers,
romancers, dramatists and essayists Of the
English language.
In fine, to sum up in phrase, Mr.. Browns
library is not that of an antiquarian or biblio-
maniac, but an uncommonly complete collec-
tion of beautiful, useful and interesting books.
well fitted to amuse and interest the leisure
hours OF an educated and cultivated man of
business. B.