New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-09
A BIBLICAL CATALOGUE.
upNpv srryrNs AND THE BIBLE.

C,rnen w TIE voRK-MoRE LIGHT On 1HE
CovERDALE BIBLE-RAPID PHLss-WoHA AND
BINDING.
irRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE IRlBCNh'l
LONDON. Feb 22.-Mr. Henry Stevens has re-
printed in a separate and very elegant volume that
portion of the Caxton Exhibition Catalogue when
was his own work, and dealt with Bibles. lie mas
made above 800 corrections alterations ana I'M
proyements. and added some forty pages OF new
matter. And he modestly trusts that these adHi-
tons Will give some flavor to this separate work
and apologize for It's separate appearance VI A.'i
there is never any want in any production oil MI
Henry Stevens He is an illustratiOn-not the only
one. but one of the best--of the truth that BIB
Hoerapher need not be n Dryasdust that the patient
industry which acoumuates store of minute facts
is sometimes enlivened by wit and humor. MI.
Henry stevens is IN his own departments one OF the
most accomplished of living photographers. NO
body knows more than he does about books relating
10 America. Ii is he who has brought together
that unrvalled collection in the British Museum-a
collection more complete than any collection that
has been made in or for America; or that ever can
be made, unhappily. Ii contains such number oil
books either unique or 50 rare thar they almost
never occur OF SO seldom occurring together III the
same library, vet of such yalue for the MS
tory of America. that the American STUDENT
who occupies himself with inquiries about his own
country must come here 10 pursue them to the end.
There never can be library in America 50 rich III
American books as this foreign collection is Not
pleasing reflection certainly to the patriotic Ameri-
can. | don't know that Mr.. Stevens can fairly be
reproached with his share in bringing about such
state of things. though but foT him the state OF
filings might never have existed His business was
and is that Of buyer and seller Of books, as agent
and otherwise and the British Museum early en-
ployed him such. and got the benefit OF his null
tfarious and accurate knowledge He was st work
for that institution when the rage for eaIly-prned
American books and books concerning America had
hardly begun. Books which now fetch pounds
could then be bad for as many pence Books
which then passed for worthless and were neglected
by all but one two SagaciOus enthusiasts are now
ranked among the rareSt and most precious OF bln-
ographicaI prizes. Had the Library Committee of
COngress-if such committee existed at that time
sought Mr.. Stevens's services, no doubt he would
have done for the great library at Washington what
he has done for the greater library of London. Re
hottest posterlty viii deplore the shOrsIghted enO-
rance which permitted these treasures to ssek
final resting-place anywhere out OF America.
On Bibles Mr. Stevens is, perhaps, as strong as on
Americana. I can think OF no Englishman who is
90 high an authority this NermOnter, i'll all bibl-
ographica knowledge relating to printed Bibles.
The committee OF last years CaxtOn Exhibition,
when they had finally resolved to group Bibles rs
distinct class, chose Mr. Stevens to take charge of
them. Under his fostering the class became
large one curiOusy 50, considering that this was
Caxton Exhibition and that CaXton printed no
Bible. Mr.. Steyens's theory was however, to show
in his own department, the history of printing
Us illustrated BY the printed Bible, from 1850 to
1877 The class contains over 500 titles, and the
list is of course representative only. How far it is
from being exhaustive may he seen from MIR. Ste
yenSs statement, that he has been endeayOrng
during the last quarter of a century or
more to compile a complete list of printed
Bibles from the earliest period to the present time,
and the very remarkable result is table OF some
10000, titles representing about 5000 volumes.
The collection of last Summer seems small indeed
compared with the 5000 titles in the library of
Wolfenbittel OF the 5000 i'll the Royal Library of
Stuttgart or the 10000 of the British Museum :
the latter the richest collection in The world, yet
itself containing hardly more than half the number
of separate editions which have actually been
printed Mr.. Stevens mentions the LenOx Library
of New-York as probably unsurpassed il rare and
valuable editions, especially in the English Ian
guage. by any library, public or private.
He ought to know, for he formed 1t, The
reader who may happen to be ignorant Of
photographed TudIments may wonder how it is
that catalogue of so small a collection as the 500
volumes in the CaxtOn Exhibition can have so great
value. The secret lies partly in the peculiar char
acter of the collection and the method by which it
was brought together. One man, Mr. Henry j. At
kinson. lent above 400 editions. Some of these,
says Mr.. Stevens are of very considerable rarity
and value, while Others, though not of the choicest
rarest kind. are. very many of them, of the mid
die class of Biblical photography. which diff
"A
Importance to the student in arriving at a clear
history of editions versions and ranslations. That
remark touches one of the weak points of bibog-
raphy, and, still more of book collectors. There Is
craze for rarity, and book which somebody else
does not want has little value for the bibNomaniac.
Scores of these editions, continues Mr. Stevens. are
not in the British Museum, and he knows not where
else to lay hands on them.
The other thing that makes this catalogue of so
much worth is the quality of the work done on it.
The Introduction is a masterpiece in its way The
titles are given with a fitness and accuracy
which he who has been most often tOrmented by
the opposite qualities in the generality of catalogues
will best appreciate. Aud the notes what notes
should be-brief sometimes, AlsO not brief accounts
of the book or edition in question, its history or
peculiarites its merits and defects, its place with
reference to other copies of the same book, and so
on The Introduction contains, moreover, learned
and ingenious treatise the great COverdalo Bible,
the first Bible printed i'll the English tongue. To
Mr.. Stevens belongs the merit of establishing
strong probability that the COyerdae Bible was
printed at Antwerp finished October i, 1850 by
Jacob Van MeteTen, and not as heretofore gem
orally believed. at Zurich, by FrOSchOyer
lie himself considers the point proved, and
not only this but that Van Meteren. and
not Coverdale, was the probable translator Cover
dale being only the reviser The conservative BrtOn,
ever slow to accept ideas or facts, sbraks from
adopting two such startling propositions at once,
ll,,t Ia lott Iult e