Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01
BANCROFT.
Hubert Howe Bancroft, Collector
and Author.
Some Account Of the Literary Labors Of a
California Historian-The Ban
croft Library.
prepared especially for the RECORD UNION.

t.
States" the New York Tribune says
Probably there is nothing in the world
which exactly corresponds, in value, in in
terest, in abundance, and in completeness
with this priceless library. Both henri
spheres have been searched for treasures to
fill it, and with such results that there is
no couHtry on the globe for whose early
history such am pie material has now been
brought together, as fer that of California. "
Here was struck the keynote to Mr.. Ban
croft's efforts, which have not been exactly
paralleled either in conception, preparation,
or execution.
The gathering of the material for the
history was done at first almost without
premeditation. at its commencement Mr..
Bancroft's object was to collect ali available
books pertaining to the United States west
of the Rocky Mountains, and when from
the shops in California and ut.of-the-way
places of the East thousand volumes had
been obtained, he regarded his collection as
nearly complete. Ga visiting Europe in
1862 and rumaging the numberless second
hand book stalls, gradually the area of his
territory increased, and he found so much
pertaining to the subject that his collection
quickly reached s, 600 volumes, and then he
realized that it was but begun. 1t became
necessary now to determine yet more
definitely what ground and time should
be embraced within his purpose. Mexican
and Central American history and archa
ology proper were not originally intended
to be included in the collection; yet the
history Of California dated back three and
half centuries, to the expeditions of Nuno
de Guzman and the writings of the Jesu-
It's and others presented pertinent scenes
of early times along the entire Pa.
cifc seaboard. In order then to OBJ
tain complete history OF California,
large proportion of the early history Of
Mexico must be included, as the subjects
were closely interviewer. The field of re-
search soon embraced the western half Of
North America, for from California north
it was but an easy step to British Columbia
and Alaska, and south as naturally it
reached Mexico and Central America.
Again, il 1866 Mr.. Bancroft visited Eu.
rope for the purpose of making still more
thorough research. The active manage
ment of the extensive book, stationery and
publishing business which he had estab.
lished, and which had been eminently sue
cessful, he now turned over to his brother.
In London, the chief book mart of the
world for ancient foreign as well as Eng
lsh publications, Mr.. Bancroft remained
three months assiduously examining cata-
logues and such stocks of books as were
likely to contain anything pertaining to the
Pacific coast. He also engaged one familiar
with books. and good linguist, to prepare
from material lodged in the libraries of the
British Museum, the Royal Geographical
Society, the Bodleian and other like collec-
tions, what might form part of bibliog-
Iaphy of the Pacific States, which occupied
about two years.
THE PLAN.
The plan adopted was to have examined
all books, manuscripts, periodicals and
journals of societies likely to contain in
formation sought, and notes made of such
material. By this means he could know
where and what the material was, and turn
at once to the book and page. In Paris
Mr.. Bancroft as faithfully examined the
bookstalls, antiquarian warehouses and
catalogues, bat fOdBd much less material
than in London. Thence to Spain, where
ne HNtlCipAEtu Itlu uhlNtSh ; Dub W lis
disappointment he found everything of
worth had made its way TO London, for
there, more than in any other place, will
books, whether rare or worthless, bring
their real value. We have noticed in Mr..
Bancrofts library little old worthless vol.
umes for which he had paid in London two
or three hundred dollars. These same
books would bring little or nothing in San
Francisco. Through all the large cities of
Europe he travelled, appointing agents to
attend to his interests after his departure,
and everywhere finding something come
times spending three or four days in his
research, with the result of but few
pamphlets or books of perhaps a shilling's
value each again, however, lighting upon
a treasure which would cost him three, five
or eight hundred dollars.
Mr.. Bancroft returned to New York well
satisfied. lie bad rifed Europe and Amer.
lea of it's treasures, and had ten thousand
volumes as result. This satisfaction
quickly suffered downfall. Scarcely had
he reached New York before he received
from his agent in London a catalogue OF
Andrade's invaluable collection of seven
thousand volumes, direct from Mexico, OF
which probably half ought to be added to
the library, and announcing that it was
ready for immediate sale at Leipsic. Mr..
Bancroft accepted the situation, and at
once telegraphed S., 600, earnest money,
with instructions to his agent to attend
the sale and purchase at discretion.
ANDRADE's EFFORTS.
The history of Senior Andrade's efforts
is singular aud interesting. For forty years
this intelligent and jealous bibiophile had
h
enjoyed every facility, ample means
familiarity with the places in which books
and manuscripts could be found, and g
thorough knowledge of the literature Of
the country. As priests and collector;
placed so high an estimate on these embodi
ments of knowledge, the common people
would sometimes invest them with sort
OF supernatural Importance, place them
among their lsres and penates, and refuse
to part with them at any price, Thus
book. collecting in Mexico was exceedingly
difficult. Andrade chung to his library
with afectionate tenacity, and could only
be induced to part with it for the con,
summation of grand purpose when the
unfortunate Macmillan, DESTROYS to ele
vate the mental condition of the people
commenced the formation of an I'M
perial Library, Andrade co-operated with
him, and for certain consideration his
books were made the basis. Unfortunately
for Mexico, these treasures were forever
lost to her, for Macmillan met the fate Of
many other adventurers, and AndradC
failed to secure his money. While al
Mexico was engrossed with the enactment
of the bloody tragedy at Queretaro, An
drade hastily packed his books into cases.
and on the backs of mules hurried them tC
Vera Cruz and thence to Europe, hoping
to secure to himself the proceeds from theil
sale. Never since the burning of the Az
tee manuscripts by the bigot Zumarrags
had there fallen on the country such loss
THE COLLECTION.
NJ. Deschamps says of Senior Ardrade'
IN L.