Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-03-13
Judge Tabor's Library.

ocean recently visited the library
of our townsman, Judge S. J. w.
Tabor at Washington, and thus de-
scribes it.
During my stay in this city l have
been favored with an opportunity
of visiting couple of private IL
braries, which to me were objects
of surprising interest, and it has
run in my mind that few brief
notes concerning them would not be
devoid of interest to the readers Of
the Inter- Ocean. The first one l
shall speak of is that Of the Hon.
Stephen J. w. Tabor, Fourth Audi
tor of the Treasury Department.
When at home he resides at Inde-
pendence, Buchanan County, Iowa;
but he has proven so successful and
efficient, SO popular with all who
know him, that he bids fair to re-
main at his present post for a long
time to come. AS an Iowan, I
would much like to see him and all
his choice literary treasures once
more domiciled in that beautiful
village of his choice, though l can.
not wish that he may ever be re-
moved from his position so long as
he prefers to keep it. There is one
comfort about this matter, and that
is, the longer he remains here the
more choice books will be gathered
into his library, which is growing
more or less every week; and one
of these days it will find a perma-
nent home, no doubt, in our below
ed Iowa, which you and l, Mr.. Edi-
tor, kn0qc to be the best State under
the sun!
The Judges specialties are most
~ in the way of ancient and mod
ern classics in many languages
Greek, Latin, German, Spanish, It.
allan and English. He has gather
ed up many rare and curious old
editions-not, he informed me,
from any bibliomaniacal alteration
Of books because they are old, but
because, in his opinion, some of the
very best editions are among the
earliest. For instance he has
thick, folio edition of Pliny's "Nat.
ural History" work which is yet
sought after and read with profit
and admiration, though it is about
1900 years old. The copy in ques-
ton was printed in 1885. 1t is some
what discolored with age, but it is
nevertheless clearly printed, and is
model of the Typography of its
time. His set OF the complete works
Of Erastmus, in nine volumes, is a
magnificent folio, large paper copy,
printed in 1903. 1t is bound in full
Russia, and one of the most elegant
old works / have ever seen. Its
value is $3.50, and as the years
glide on this will increase. 1t is in
Latin. Of the works of Ariosto-
his "Orlando Furiore," etc.,-he
has three or four different editions.
Among these is Harrington's trans
lation, which is one of the best that
has ever been made. 1t is illustra-
ted with a variety of quaint and Gu
rious old engravings, illustrative of
that singular medley of salacious
adventures. His copy of Luthcr's
"Table Talk" with Melancthon and
other learned men, is a large folio
printed in 1851. 1t is illustrated
with a fine engraving of that sturdy
old reformer who waged war, not
only upon pope and priest, but up.
on the very devil himself. This is
scarce and valuable edition of
book which has made considerable
noise in the world. His editions of
Plutarch-"Lives and Morals"-
printed in 1888, are rare and very
valuable. His copies of "Grotius"
and "Puthendorf,'' with Barley
rac's Notes, are thick, heavy folios,
printed over 100 years ago-scarcc
and very difficult to obtain. In the
"olden time, long ago." it was quite
the thing for lawyers of any preten-
sions, even in this country, to give
these respectable old volumes a
prominent place in their Libraries.
"Many and many a year ago." when
Peter Cagger was running one
wing Of the Democratic party in the
State of New York, l saw three old
volumes in his law library at Alba
ny, and l thought they were the
most precious literary treasures l
had ever seen. Looking over these
fine old folios at leisure in Judge
Tabor's library has not caused me
to lower my opinion Of them (but l
shall have another mention of "Gro-
thus" in another part Of this letter.)
Prominent among the treasures Of
this choice collection is q full and
complete set OF the writings of Vol
taire, in some seventy or eighty
volumes, superbly printed and
bound and in the original French.
His copy of "Du Bartas, his Divine
Weeks and Works,' etc., is. ga
quaint and curious volume Of for
gotten lore" It contains q poem
thus entitled: "Tobacco Battered