The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-29


In 1852 John Jacob Astor sdded . eods
OIL 70 DIS VIII, bequeathine 100000 for the a..
Enlistment OF public library in Mo- v.s,,,
| He died In 1913. Six years after hi. s..,, =.
the 9TH OF January, 1854, the Aston Idbrsrv N
Lafayette place was thrown open To the n,hu.
At that time, ADD for many years subseouentiv
the lato william Blckhouse Astor--old Joh,|
Jacobs eldest son-resided In Llfiyette pIac1
within few doors Of the library. lie took tn
deepest interest 10 his fathers creation, givinl
the affairs Of the library much Of his time anal
thought. FOreseeing its future growth, importlI
ance. and usefulness, he determined to enlarge
Its capacity to such an extent as to enable II to
keen pace with the literary wants OF the public
for many years to come. with this view. he.
shortly after his fathers desth, made donation
to the trustees Of the Aston Library OF an ada
cent piece OF land eighty feet wide by one hun
dred and twenty feet deep, on which was erected
building similar to the 1rst. II was opened 10
the public Sept. l, 1859.
II was Mr.. Will IN u. Astors intention 70
have given TO the library so50,0O0. OF this
amount .he devoted during HIS lifetime on
books aud in buildings some $500 Oo0-lesvina q
balance Of $4,000 unappropriated. BY oodioil
10 his will he added to bis previous gifts q
further sum Of 100000. In accordance with the
terms Of the will this amount was to be paid In
N'sNN "hhuai ODhntuOiuk Oua
year after bis death. He died Nov. 3. 1875. His
son and executor. j ohm Jacob Astor, long since
Anticipated the nrst Of these payments. Hs
has likewise personally don tted to the library
for the purchase OF books a sum Of $4,000.
which has been expended IN new accessions.
IL Is probable that Mr.. John jacob Astor will
he guided more by such wise policy as he
deems most conducive to the best In erests Of
the library than by strict Interpretation Of the
exact terms Of the will fixing the period for tho
payment OF the two instruments still due.
The bequest OF Mr.. Vim. ID. Aston win swell
the sum total of bis individual benefactions to
s550,0O0, and Increase the aggregate property OF
the library to a sum exceeding sl,0)O,O0o. not to
speak OF the large excess OF the present value OF
the books beyond T. cir actull cost. The two
ednces are capable Of containing 200 600 VOL
umes. BY the last annual report. dated JAM
uary, 1875, we lnd the total number Of volumes
at that time was 152,446. Since then, with the
accession OF funds at the disposal OF tho board
OF trustees some $4,000 have been expended IN
the acquisition OF new books.
Few lawyers and physicians are aware Of the
great strength Of tho library In the medical and
Jurisprudence departments. Its copious aud
carefully selected collection OF works on mu-
nicipal. State, national, and International law
Is known to comparatively few students 10 these
branches As n whole, the Actor Library forms
an inexhaustible mine OF literary wealth 10
the country. and IL much reaOrted to by authorA
journalists. and wiiters generally.
The sdmirable quiet which prevails through
out the library Is conRenial to the student and
favorable to literary pursuits. The whole estab-
llsbment breathos an air OF reoose. silence h
| talking IL uDheard Of Demands for books are
made In the lowest tone Of voice, ard the daily
routine OF library business IL conduct ed 10 like
| quiet manner. Among the frequenters Of the
| library may be found gO"dlv spr,nkng of stu.
| dents from the country and from n ighborng
| cities. Here they have access TO books OF refer
| ence not to be met with In local collections
| Quite number OF lazy readers are always to be
There Is a steady Increase in the public de-
| mand for books OF the char c er found In the
| library. or the 13).O05 volumes re d during
| 1875. only 5,Oes were novels. ID ring the last six
nonths-QmittinR ~ course the summer vaoa-
| uon-the nunosr OF readers has augmented In
| very marked degree. 1t IL not Y neraiiy known
| to the musical student that the musical DEPART
| ment contains manv scores Of the WORKS Of the
| great musical composers. Thew ere Of exceed
| in2 value to all thoie VINO seriously study the
art. This collection is r,re featurs in public
only collection OF the kind.
The present Superiui endent, Mr.. James Car.
son Brevoort, assumed tho duties OF his ONCE Ia
| March last. Under hts direction the usefulness
| OF the library has been greatly increased. Him
| self sort OF rdmbulating encyclopedia. he
brings to the discharge Of his duties the ripe
experience Of a life devoted to letters and lit
| erary pursuits. IL ~ soWewhat singular that
| Mr. j. c. Brev0ort, whose father received his
| mercantile education IN the counting house OF
direct and MANAGE an estaelisbment founded By
Mr.. Astors munihcence. Mr.. j. c. Brevoort was
speaks several foreign LANGUAGES with great nus
ency. In early life he was an attacne to the Amer
lean Embassy ut Madrid under Washington
Irving, While In Spain he devoted much time
to the study OF original manuscripts connected
with the early discoveries in America. He has
Of late years made some valuable contributions
to current literature on the subject of verraz-
ramos early VOYAGES. aud other Kindred topics.
Mr. Brevoorts labors in the man lgement OF thu
Astor Library must be, indeed, labors OF love.
lie IL nowhere so much AZ home as among books.
As long as the Aston Library stands, Mr..
Astot's name will he gratefully remembered by
the people OF New YORK, Over twenty yeara
have elapsed since the opening Of the AssOf
Library. As far as tne growth this citv u con.
cerned twenty years are a lifetime. The Astof
readers who patronize IL fully 1ve-sixths reside
above Fourteenth street. nd probably one-hslf
above Thirty fourt street. The enormous and
rapid growth OF tho city promises to be even
gre tier durine the next two decades than II has
been during the last wenty years. Third avenue
ia more or less densolv Quilt, Up as ftr AZ York;
VILE, while the whole region between Fifth
avenue aud the East river. Sxtietn anu ERnty-
covered with hri'ks and mortar during the next
five wears N not before
for many years at. James Lsnox has given
large sums to charitable and religious institu-
lions. II had lons been his intention to estab.
lish a public library IN this CITY on similar
Of carrying out this intention he, on the nth Of
March. 1870. for consideration OF ten dollars,
conveyed TO the trustees OF tue I.enox Library
ten lots, comprising tie whole front on Fifth
avenue, between Seventeen aud Seventy first
streets, with one lot in the rear on each street,
making plot 200 feet and 10 inches front. by La
feet deep. On TINS Land he caused to be erected,
altet the plans ana under the superintendence
OF sir. Richard Hunt. architect. the building we
now see; II Is constructor of light gray granite
stands on the crest " Lenox Hin, aud overlooki
the most picturesque portions Of Central Park.
the edlnce IL a model II classic ana severe
taste Tor temple devoted to literature and art
IL seems built moi Tor day out or all time, and
Will be au ornament 70 tho town and a IN onu.
ment to Mr.. LenuN rs long as this CITY endurea.
Mr. LenOX Ia. secured the services Of Mr. a. III,
| Moore. OF the New York Historic Library al
Sipefi ntendent Mr. Moore has a suite of apart
mcnts In the lonox Library, and makes II bis
home. lie has HOW for very nearly two years
been actively engaged IN mounting ami equip
ing the library. Extensive purch sea Of books
have been made, Doth In this country and
abroad. Ii Is understood that MIR. Lenox's yalu-
ahle collection Of literary and art treas ares will
nnd permanent home In the massive structure
with which no has connected his name, and
which VIII be the GROWING glory OF life scent
In charity aud good works. We are unable to
say when this Institution will be thrown open
to the public. The Aston II rary WAS built,
equipped aud In the enjoyment OF the public
within SIX years after the death OF Mr.. Aston.
More than thnt period h ~ alre dy elApsed since
Mr. Lenox conveyed the nd IN Central Park TO
the trustees OF Lonox Library. Next March
VIII complete tho seventh wear.
During those years MIR. Lenox has devoted