The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-24
OED LIBnARIEs.
RecOIIectioiss of the Sales of the
Collections of Washington and
Jefferson.

Jefferson.
Philadelphia Times.l
The sale of the Brinley library, in
New York, naturally recalls the sale of
celebrated libraries in Philadelphia.
One of the first was that of "Wm. Byrd,
of Westhever, in Virginia, Esquire" as
on his book-plate, filled with quarterings,
he is styled. He was Virginia planter
of opulence and high style. lie married
daughter of Mr.. Charles Willing, the
first merchant of his day in Philadelphia,
who died in the Mayoralty of this city,
A. ID. 1754 His library was very large
for his time of day, and would be large
even now; comprising elegant editions of
the classics, books of history, of bellies
lettres and of science. After his death
it was sold in this city, just before Phila-
delphia ceased to be the seat of govern
ment. Many of the books still remain in
the libraries here, public and private.
The next important library salc that
can be recalled was that Of the Rev.
Richard Peters, DID,, of Belmont, long
Secretary of the Provincial Land Office,
afterward rector of Christ Church. He
died July 10, l776, six days after the
Declaration of Independence. He was a
native of England, scholar and man
of fortune. His library was sold some
where about 1929. 1t was rich in classics
and especially in the Elzivir editions Of
them. His name, IN a marked handwrit-
ing, was on the title page of most of the
volumes, and they arc often thus identi-
fed. The prices at, the Peters sale were
fair, but not extraordinarily high. The
day for the prices that prevailed at the
Brinley sale had not arrived; at least not
in America.
Alta later date came portion of the
library of Thomas Jefferson, the third
President of the United States. 1t, too,
was rich in the authors of Greece and
Rome, particularly in Rome. Many an
notations on the margins showed that
Mr.. Jefferson read those which he col
lected. Mr.. John William Wallace, the
distinguished President of the Pennsyl-
vania Historical Society, and the long
time reporter Of the United States Su-
preme Court, has in his own valuable
private collection Mr.. Jefferson's copy of
the Cicero de Republics, which has the
special value of being printed from the
palimpsest discovered by Cardinal An
gelo Mai in an old Monkish missal. How
the text of the missal had been written
over the nearly-erased words of the De
Republica, has now become a mat er of
we'll known history under the title of
"The Vatican Palimpsest." This copy in
Mr.. Wallaces library is filled with anno-
tations by Mr.. Jetierson's own hand,
sometimes in lead pencil and often in ink.
To the most causual observer the more
strongly marked passages are noticed to
be those expressing the principles of the
Democratic creed SO closely associated
with Mr.. Jetferson's name. Such pas
sages as this, for instance, are strongly
marked: "Itaque, ETC.: So that in no
city where the power of the people
is not supreme does liberty have any
domicile."
The library of the late Edward d. In
graham, of this bar, of quite recent times,
was one of the largest private Libraries
ever sold in Philadelphia. 1t comprised
every sort of book, many curious ones,
anu stiSO many diIlcIL AulcIICdH lill-
prints. Mr. Ingraham had devoted much
time, too, to illustrating" his books.
Nearly every volume was enriched with
portraits, autographs, views and other Gu
rious things, bearing more or less direct
ly on the subject. Many brought high
prices.
Quite lately, in this city too, was sold
a considerable part of the library of Gen
eral Washington, nearly every volume
having on it either his book-plate or his
autograph and most of the volumes hav-
ing both. They sold WELL but not at such
figures, on the whole, as might have been
expected. The purchasers of these pre-
cious memorials rate their acquisitions
most highly. Too many Of them, it is re-
gretted, left Philadelphia. 1t has always
been regretted that citizens here did not
unite and buy them as whole, to be pre-
served forever in this city, in which
longer portion of Washington's life was
passed than in any other place, his own
dear Virginia excepted. One of the most
curious collections ever exposed for sale
in Philadelphia was sold within year,
that of the late Mr.. J. j. Mickey. Mr..
Mickey, by profession, was manufac-
turer of pianos and successful in his bust
ness. He had had no great advantages
of education, yet he came to be one of
the learn d men of the country; learned
not only in bibliology and nulnismatics,
but in modern as well as in ancient Ian
guages. In advanced life he travelled
over half the world. His library was
composite in high degree. Everything
curious in the way of book caug ght his
eye, and he bought it. The library was
especially rich in books of Swedish his
tory, but it had no elegance whatever,
and, except as respected the Swedish set
Elements on the Delaware, no complete
ness. There was hardly single hand
some binding in it. In this respect it
was most unlike Mr.. Brinley's, where
the bindings are, in many cases,
exquisite, Mr.. Brinley having spared no
cost nor any pains on this point. Most
of his books he sent to England to be
bound by Bedford, paying sometimes 420
sterling volume, aud rarely less than
two guineas. Mr. Mickley's books, how
ever, brought in general, very high
prices, several public libraries-that of
Congress, the Astor, Lenox, Harvard,
etc.-with Mr.. Sabin to represent opulent
collectors all over the country, having
been competitors at the sale.
The Brinley sale will, however, stand
forth national event, forever to be fa-
nous in the annals of American bibliol-
ogy The next catalogue of this famous
library of the Hartford collector will be