The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-02-11
THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY.
Tastes of Sesne Of tho Members of Com
gress of Fast and Present Days.

:" Charles summer says correspond
ant of the Baltimore Herald in IN interest
ing article ON some of the patrons of the
Congressional Library, was ona of tho
most industrious readers that ever patroniz-
ed the Congressional Library. For several
years rarely a week passed that he did not
go into the library, In his earlier days he
had been devoted student of Addison and
Swift, and always continued to be an en-.
thusiastic reader of essays. He was also
fond of biography, particularly of Ameri-
can lives, and NJ the time Of his death had
read every notable American biography
that had been published He had read
great many books of travel, those of Italy
and Spain interesting him most. OF course
Mr. Sumner was thoroughly versed in all
chat relates TO human freedom, and his ar
guments against slavery were enriched by
wisdom drawn from all the great advocates
OF emancipation, English and Continental
1t was noticed that after Mr.. Summers do
mestic troubles he was not such constant
reader, though his troubles iid not sadden
him in the least. He seemed to seek the
society of friends more and to find in con-
versation that relaxation which books had
previously furnished.
" 1t may surprise some people to know
that Thad Stevens, the fierce, Implying
partisan and implacable enemy, had soft
side to his nature which he manifested by
habitually reading love stories and SHIPPER
ing verses addressed to the eyebrows of
lovely women. Byron's Hours of idleness
and his Don Juan he knew line for line
and the Bard of Venus and Adonis was
more agreeable to him than Hamlet Oh
Macbeth. Stevens was great lawyer and.
the master of all the extant information.
al law. He was constant student of thai
branch of legal science and read everything
in the library on the subject Stevens was
once refused membership in Masonic
lodge on account of his lameness, and ever
after that he was the inyeterate foe of that
mystic order. He ransacked the library for
everything he could find to illustrate the
evil influences of secret societies -partiou-
larly Masonry.
"A great many members of the Senate
and House are industrious readers on va
riety of topics. During the recent years
there has been marked increase in novel,
reading, the productions of Dickens, Reade,
Thackeray, Scott, Anthony Trollope and
Bulwer being in marked favor. French
novels are also much read, and it may af.
ford one illustration to say that Emile Zola's
prurient pictures of low life in Paris are
constantly called for. All the copies of
EAssommor and its sequel, Mana, ore con
stantly out. American literature is manifest
Iy in poor favor, rs the calls for even our
best writers of fiction are infrequent. Mark
rwain's popularity has not waned, how
ever, his lnnocents Abroad being often
asked for, as are Bret Harte's books. AS to
funny books in general, such as Burdette's,
Bill Nye's, Max Adelers, Peck's and Josh
Billings, there has been o painful decline
during the last two or three years. Artemus
Ward has been more sought after of late, as
has been The Georgia Scene, TINT exqui-
site book written by Judge Longstreet fifty
years ago, aud which Sunset Cox once re-
ferred to in speech as the best product of
American humcr ever put in print.