New-York tribune., 1880-04-11
J. r. MELDSS LITERARY TREASUR
Ernm The BOSTON HfrnId.

The Boston Herutn.
On one shelf, side by side. in tasteful bindings,
are the original manuscripts of works by Dickens,
Thackcray, Whittier and other great authors.
ThackeraI's beautiful handwriting is strikiDgly in
dividual regular and as easy 10 read as print.
Probably most precious Of all is the manuscript of
that marvellous work. HawthOrnes Scarlet Let
ter" just as it was gwen to the world by the great
est genius of English fiction.
There is an old tattered copy of Boccaccio printed
in 1851 and given by Leigh Hunt to his wife, with
an affectiOnate inscription to her OH the first fly
leaf. A copy of WOrdsworths poems, printed IN
1915, has all the alterations copied III the hand of
the poet from the edition published IN 1927 A
careiulybound copy OF the first edition Of ScOtts
" MarmiOn" printed in 1903, is accompanied by on
interesting letter from Scott TO personal friend
A CODY of POpe's " Rape OF the Lock-" printed in
1714, was the property of Charles Lamb. who found
it in demOralized condition at bOOk-stall and
paid slXpence for IT, Half dozen pages were gOne
and he wrote in the missing lines on blank leaves
Mr. Fields has Abraham Lncolns copy OF Popes
poems, with the great Presidents autograph on the
ilyleat coarse, nomely edition, but evidently read
much and affecionately. There are two books
which once belonged to the author Of " The Elegy
in n Country Churchyard," with Grays autograph
in the middle Of the title-page. One is copy OF
MIlton's Poems Upon Several Occasions, Both
English and Latin, Printed at the Blue Anchor.
next Mtre-court. over against Felter-lane i'll Fleet
ST." The volume was owned by GRAY when he was
n schOOlbOy and Thomas Gray" is scTailed all over
the title page in schoobOy fashion. splendid
copy Of Ben JOnsOn was once owned by Robert
Souttey, Southey lent 1t to Colerldge and the
margins are covered with fine pencillngs by the
latter. which would make most interesting reading
If published.
Steee's handwriting " Elizabeth steele. Her Book,
GIv'n by her Father. Richard Steele" In it poem
in praise of "ApplePye" Marked as II 70 call the
attention of the young lady. copy of the Bibli-
otheque Orientale" once belonged to Leigh Hunt,
and an account of Abou Ben Adhem, Mussulman
saint, is given therein Ibis il what evidently in.
spIred tho famous poem, and the loaf Is turned
down and otherwise noted.
A copy Of the first edition Of The Piekwick Pa
pers bears an interesting record. IL was very
rare and when Mr.. Fields was I'm London lie tried
to find COPY but even Dickens did not possess it,
although lie wished to. on account OF the early lm-
pressions of the engravings. One day, while pass
ing through the Haymarket, Mr.. Fields saw book
seller placing q book i'll the WINDOW he went IN.
and behold. 1t was what he bad been seeking. He
bore il TO his hotel and went out TO dinner. When
he returned he found that Dickens had called. for
the volume was open, enriched with an inscription
to the effect that Charles Dickens wished he had
given this first edition of Plckwck' TO his
friends but in witness that he did not he herennto
set his hand.
A copy of Diogcnes' Laertius" in Greek and
Latin, belonged to Shelley and Leigh Hunt. and
hand, Percy Shelley and Leigh Hunt" IL is filled
with notes in the handwTitngs Of both. 1t con-
tans the Greek motto from Plato which Shelley
placed at the beginning Of AdOnais" his eleGy on
Keats: You shone, whilst liyl"g morning star;
but dead. you now shine HcspcIns among tho
shades,n the translation reads. Mr.. Fields was the
first TO collect, in twenty-five volumes, the
works of Thomas dc Qnincey. task 30 dill
cult that De Quincy himself niaryelled at ITS sue
cessful accomplishment for he had pronounced the
thing impossible, the papers were so realtered Mr.
Fields was so familiar with DE Qunceys style that
he was confident OF success and lie completed the
work in q few years. lie was then q young man,
and it was one of his first literary undertakings
He possesses some valuable mementOes OF the great
opium eater, and an interesting personal note from
him is pasted into tho Confessions"