The New York herald., 1877-01-14
A REMARKABLE LIBRARY.

A GLANCE AT THE TREASURES OF THE HASTE
CoLLEcTIoN-IHE LARGEST PRIVATE LIBRARY
EVER oFFERED FOR SALE IN AMERICA.
There will be arranged for exhibition Clinton
Hall tho largest library offered for disposal this
country. "Reading makes a full man." said Lord
Verulam; and the amount Of reading included In tho
late Mr. Haste's collection Is sufficient to nourish tho
most capacous readerreays OF readers, IN fact Tor
no single scholar could we'll assimate the formidable
mass, "althongh his brain-pan were an empty hull
and every tumbled science In" MIR. Peter
Hastc. we'll known as one Of the most capable
giuccrs OF his time, and especially OF tho prn-
cipal constructors oil the Croton Aqucduct was not
prevented by the confusing nature OF his engage
ments from giving keen attention to literary ac-
complishments. His library, the most CON-
pletc aud catholic private one IN this country,
grew under his fostering attentions to magnificent
completeness Toward the latter part OF his life the
celebrated cnginecr.in chief OF tho CrOon Aqucduct,
Mr.. Edward H. Tracy, interested himself actively IN
adding 10 It's literary treasures BY well understood
arrangement Mr. Tracy was to lay hands every
curious book that came under his knowledge and tho
books swt n the uation OF Mr.
Hastie. From this arrangement grew into form that
mighty mass Of literature known as the Hasto library,
in which every department OF literary interest Is fully
represented The theological student viii and 1913
versions and editions OF the Btblc, including vcllum
quarto Of 1880, with colorcd initials; tho Brecchcs
Bible Of 1858; numerous Geneva editions oi the
tceEth century, in various states King James vcr-
sion OF 6l1 with the beautiful genealoeies engraved
aud carly Philadelphia and Boston editions and guam
tity OF curious Bibles not mentioned IN Lowndcs'
''British Librarian" or included In tho Cotton coec
tion. Among the fno ART works wo observe Matthew'S
outlines from tho famous and vouptuous Titan
paintings at Blenhem-ovcr the buxom beauty
vi these Tians Tame raves appropriately In his Notes
ON England i've editions oil Vltruvius two editions Of
Wnckemann. including the Italian. one with 200
American Ornithology; stuart and Revetts Athens,
with the fine plates admirable Impressions; Pranesi;
prime old volumes oil the Keepsake and OF Miss Nit
ords IRIS sought by plate collectors Tor the beautiful
illustrations by Turner aud others; live EDITIONS Of Ho
garth, including Cooks engravings, thought by many
TO excel the originals; tho superb Dutch embems
graved for Horace and published ut Antwerp in 1907;
nineteen books, illustrated by George ana Robert
Crukshank and set OF splendid Impressions Bar.
cl's Roman Antiquities printed IN the Eternal City
in l693 TO these inc art be added
tho numsmat,c works OF Barbadico Evelyn and Walsh,
with their elaborate plates
But is IN bellies lcttres, poetry and tho drama that
tho Haste library peculiarly rich, proving tnat he
collected a reader and no, merely as an antiquarian.
Tho student will revel III mere examination OF this
department. where all interesting and most unatain-
able editions placed side by slde for his collation.
There arc about hDety aud Shakespeare
ana, including the fourth edition OF the plays OF 1855,
a considerable part OF tho illustrated Boy
dell Shakespeare, and about all the modern
working working editions The editions Of Milton ,nsa
1914, 1895, &c, ling opportunity Tor Tho highly
curious study oil Milion's spelling, and succeeding
these about eighty dincrent works of Milton and
Miiionana. Thomas Gray IL represented by thirteen
volumes and Robert Burns by an overwhelming mass
of editions, numbering between hy and sixty. Scots
poems present the original Balantync editioUs
aud Ia those illustrated with Hcahs plates, Turner's
gems and WcsaI's ngs, together with several
editions OF the great Wizard Of the North. both prose-
and poetry improved by insertion and inlaying, until
they have become picture galleries OF art and beauty
The collection OF Americana Is very large. that OF
Scotana, works Illustrating he land o. cakes, peculiar
aud rich. The lists Of facetiD and privately printed
books are full and curious, yielding many bonne
Jouche for tho lover OF literary rarities
Butsn Is impossible TO undertake full account OF
collection which numbers some 100 volumes. Tho
sale by Mcssrs Lcavitt the 22d, ct sequitur will he
interesting event in the world of letters. The cata
loguc ably written by single unassistcd expert, Mr.
j. o. Wright. Is huge and interesting volume In it,
sc lphened wit great tact by the introduction OF
extracts and comments Inserted where they do most
good.