The New York herald., 1876-11-10
A RARE LIBRARY.


CHOICE EScRAvIsos AND ORIGINAL MANU-
SCRIPTS.
Taste. money and time have been lavished without
stint on library owned by Mr.. William Menzes.
wealthy merchant OF this city, and having achieved
great collector OF books. he pro
poses to afford others opportunity TO come INTO
possession OF choice literature without much exerion.
The collection OF Mr. Menzies is one OF the most
remarkabis that has ever been disposed OF by
public vendue, either in this country in Europe.
Tho sale will ,ako place under the auspices OF
Messra E. "a Lcavitl Co. A catalogue OF the
books. manuscripts and engravngs OF this
collection has been prepared by Mr. Sabln
Tor the guidance OF the purchasers, which
is sold for 81 Tho method Of selling the catalogues
hao TO be adopted for various reasons First the
platIon peing really great labor, nearly every book
being critically analyzcd, the volume becomes
valuable addondum to any library book OF reer.
ence Second the catalogue has been gotten up at
great expense, aud the auctionccrs afford TO
give IL way. AS the expert or amateur bib
ophst turns over the 500 pages OF this carefully COM
piled book he cannot fail to he struck with the rich
ness OF the collection offered for sale. Among the
251 lots comprising this collection the recurrence OF
tho words 've-y rarc s.unique, Excessively
rare," ''most scarce" clearly and appro-
priateiy indicate the extraordinary character
Of the catalogue. ihe medieval manuscripts
are specially noticeable A magnificent fourteenth
century ..Missal" dot 401) is described written
upon l40 pages OF vcllum and includes remarkable
series OF miniatures representing the dance Of DEATH
and exhibits the curious ourt costumes OF that period
There Is also a beautiful "Hours OF tho Blessed
virginn Three other lots exhibit the struggle be-
tween the printing press and the monastc scribes
There are nnc examples of .Horen or .Hours" /"
tain Snr NJ fho N
books Of devotion privately in and illuminated In
gold and coors Dated early in tho sixteenth century,
they are lns specimens OF early typography. The
presses of the fathers OF printing in England and Ger
many are exhibited in various lots, among which No.
2,l32 is an extremely rare and handsome edition Of
'.Cceros Ofces" the first English translation, and
printed IN part from tho frst Italian types
used IN r. England 10 ls4 ,.I;., ~ ", %yna,yn I,. as
Aurca, or Golden Legend" apd IMPRINTED at Lon
DON in Fete s,reeo. al tho sygne ofthe some, 1897
in tho ltst The predecessor and fahern.aw of the
last named William Csxton is examped IN splendid
copy OF ali gdsn's Polycronicon, - dalcd l4s2
The quaint old Cologne printer. Uirich Zsii, who
workman under sc6olner, has example Of his art
IN tho very anc 'St. Hicronymus," found on page
ls7. Lot a. volume OF Thomas Aqunas, and one OF
tho rarcst books IN EXISTENCE was printed by the
great Gutenberg about tho year l460 This is tho
earliest specimen Of typography now in America, with
James Lenox, and Is hardly overshadowed by q very
large copy OF tho same father printed by Schoier in
printed, and from the press OF Fust a Schoifer IN
1862, are ass to DO found here.
Next in importance TO these early specimens OF tho
printing the volumes OF extra illustrated
works This contingent OF the library Is very rich,
and in order make these the nncst in existence
three copies Of the volume had often TO taken
10 pieces and leaves selected therefrom to make up
perfect book in every respect One OF the hncst OF
this kind IS the mag acent copy OF .lrvng's io Of
George Washing ngton," illustrated and bound in
sumpiuous style by Mathews. The owner gave up the
leisure OF ten years of his lilo IN collecting tho en-.
fhn has
2,0O0 which make up this matchless work. OF these
illustrations most India proofs proofs before
Trent, as arc also the numerous autograph lcttors
added. The twelve volumes are In fine con-
on s,n ana ne aave cost ~ 49,, c'0so o,ea on
OF tho Ncstor OF photographers Thomas Frognal
Dibdin, likewise calls for mention This collection
contains upwards Of 1000 high class inserted usra
tions and is work Of art not only from the beauty
OF the copies from the binding, which The tools
cow Of warren's american Revoiu,ionS contains
l4O plates, and set ofihe "Abbotsord Waverly
Novels, and tho finest copy extan mas 800 additional
India proof illustrations Sargents 'Liie Of Andren
includes sepa drawings and many inserted proof
cngravngs nne illustrated and large paper copy Of
attention wapole's "Pa,nters,n knights shakes
pearc Franklins Works - containing many MSS by
tho SsUG s pIo co.'s
denis "Liie of Fulton" and many other works OF
similar character have been made highly attractive
valuable by tho faStdiOus caro- and additions made
by the owner.
The collection OF Americana IN the Menzes library
is about one the most remarkable ever gathered
No scarce work of any importance relating
to America is absent The series OF voyages
o Sa Sixteenth @ cep,ury ana Of Which mo-
such expensive efforts were ever after made 10 get
together reliable particulars relating TO the Americas
is represented by set OF nine volumes, which for
beauty OF condition Is almost uncxampled. A very
nne copy Of "Purchas His Pilgrimage" bought at the
copy or Smiths s'New York; ia one OF the only two
known copies oxtant on largo paper Mather's Mag
noa" is or the highest degree Of rarity, being the
''talcsp large paper copy IN existence. But the
great interest OF the buyers OF Americana will centre
around tho Holy Biblo translated into The Indian Ian
eight years OF patient labor The Old Testament took
three years TO print, and tho whole IS an enduring
monument to The iervor Of tho iath which actuated
A fine, large and perfect copy Of the Foxes
Northwest Passage which gives a description OF
tho earliest attempts discover the northwest pass
age, Is in the library, as also copy OF the volume,
"A New England Fro Brand Quenchcd," by George
Fox the founder of QuakcrIsn ln the catalogue Too,
may be found such rare works As Smiths Virginia,
"Roman's Fiorsda," "Mocrrs Rciaton; "Jcnerson's
s, ea.iSn GsHrSes AGssoa Painted to
ages;n ssDenton's New York, 1670;'' "Hamors vir-
gina. lsl5 "wolicy's New York, 17ol, and numer
others OF the samc tenor, not excluding the rare
rst edition Of the relation Of that forgotten
seventeenth century divine, Nathaniel Ward, VINO de.
scrbcs himself as "a sample cobbler, willing 10 nelp
the upper leather and sole, and willing
never to be paid for his work by old English wonted
pay"
Ofmanuscripts relating to this country the collection
has some noteworthy examples "wsshingon's Cor.
respondepce with General Joseph Reed, OF Pennsyl-
vanan magn dcent memorial OF I'dtcr IdfriG. IL
includes complete journal OF the siege OF Boston,
crng sixteen quarto pages and also over hfy other
original autograph letters written and signed by WASH
ngton The other manuscripts arc the series OF auto
graph Presidential letters General Wayne's Valley
Forge Orderly Book original autograph documents
relating Pcslcs portrait of Washington and written
By friends relatives of the first President together
with nummerous others.
After this cursory OF few OF the very many
notable ems perusai alone OF the catalogue and the
descriptions therein OF the other volumes Of great
rarity and unquencss can supply the deficiency, and
where ample ground for study and wonderment at the
perseverance taste OF Mr. Menzes Is bc dscov-
cred
The sale will commence on the 18th OF November,
under tho auspices OF Messrs. George A. Leavitt Co.
Clinton Hail. and continue for four days.
IN HIS FATHERS DEFENCE.