The County paper., 1883-06-01
THE viwGIN MARY.
Revelations of . wonas, full BibIiegraphi
col Treasure.

THE vlwGIN NARY.
Revelations of . wonos, full BibIiegraphi-
cal Treasure.
Tho Central university at Richmond,
KY, Is congratulating itself on the
acquisition Of very valuable biblio-
graphical treasure--a copy Of the 1890
edition of Anselm's works, and con-
tanning copious extracts from the for
mer letters Of Paracelsus, giving the
personal description of the Virgin Mary
and her Son, Jesus Christ" as the
Louisville Courier-J0rnal puts 1t. The
book was tho property Of the late DR..
Il. w. Lands, of Danville, KY, and
the manner In which 1t came into his
possession is another Of tho romanoes
Of bibliomania. In October, 1889, he
was r.mmaging over the old stock of
q second hand dealer in Second street,
near Market, Philadelphia, and in turn.
ing over q particularly yellow and
musty lot he came to this. II could
almost hear my heart beat" he wrote
$50 excited l was by the discovery, and
it was with difficulty that could con-
troll myself to ask the bookseller TO let
NC carry it home with me and bring
the money hack for it. l never rested
until tho precious volume was safely
locked in my room and tho small sum
was paid"
DR.. Lands subsequently made his
"find known, and there was for time
considerable controversy about its
genuinoness. The copy bore no date,
but it was evidently published before
1494, for in that year Auselm was can
onized, and on the title page he is not
spoken of as saint. The British
museum made standing offer of $5,-
600 for it, but the owner neld 1t to be
worth more, and in his will he left II
TO the university, which is q Presbyte-
rian Institution, organized within the
past ten years. 1t IL small folio Of
about 800 pages bound in vellum, vel.
low with ago, but with the Asm ooyant
traoery still perfectly defined. It's
medieval Latin abounds In abrevia.
uons, and 1t Is evidently almost .
literal transcript OF an original manu-
script. 1t appears to have belonged to
some German monastery, but 1t gives
no clew itself as to the adventures 1t
must have had before 1t turned up in
the Philadelphia second hand store.
A C0tsrier-JournGI reporter who was
sent to interview it appears to have
had enough knowledke 20 OF Latin and
block letter and all that to make a
summary Of what Paracelsus' letter
has TO say about the history and ap-
pearance Of the Virgin Mary. This
information Is thus impaired to the
readers of tho paper as the result OF
the reporters two hours labor's at do.
ciphering the unfamiliar type: MARY,
the mother of God, learned Hebrew
while her father, Joachim, was still
living. She was docile, fond of learn.
ing and persevering about Holy Scrip
ture. The work OF her hands was wool
linen and silk. There was q distinct
place in the house Of the Lord, in His
temple, next the affairs. There only
virgins used to stand, aud when the
divine offic r, were discharged they al
would 60 home. Mary alone would
persevere, and guard the affairs and
toe temple, ministt ring to the priests
Her m amor was moderate in speech
OF prompt bedience, without audacity
without furry, without anger. Sht
saluted kindly. Mon wondered ut hel
eloquence. She had dark eyes, aright
aspect, black eyebrows, q moderate
nose. Her face, hands and fingers
were long, her stature middling. Sht
was constant in prayer. She gave her
self to reading, TO Tasting, 10 msnua
labors, and to every good and virtuoul
occupation. When she was taken uE
10 heaven she was 72 years old, by thu
4 fnIlnvpfnn tinno. 0nuon
she was educated with her parents, anC
seven years and half she ministe teret
in the temple Of the Lord; she was il
the house Of Joseph six months. Ir
her 10Th year the Joy of all ages wal
announced to her; in her 18th year sh'
brought forth Christ, and lived will
Him thirty.rhree years as q parent
After the Lords ascension she WAS Il
the homo of John the Evangslis
twenty.four years"
: Her son is described ss OF medium
size and oomely in personal appear
anoe. He had q venerable coun
tenance, which the beholders couls
both love and fear. He had hair of tn
color Of an unripe filbort, and ever
lying almost to his ears, but from hi
ears, waving, curly, little darker ant
moro glossy dsatiDg on his shoulders
His hair was parted in tho middle, &C
o0rding to the customs Of tho Nazsrenoa
his forehead smooth and most serene
with face without q wrinkle ora spo,
OF moderate and beautiful ruddiness
I His nose and his mouth were faultless
He had q oopious and youthful beard
parted In tho middle. Hs had an a.
! pect simple and mature. His eyes wer
. bluish-grsy, lively and bright. In re
buke, he was terrible; In admOnitior
9 gentle and lovely; cheerful. thoug
4 maintaining his gravity. He was ne
ver seen to laugh, but often to weep.