New-York tribune., 1886-04-02
NOTES FROM LONDON,
HENRY sTEVENS-PRINCIpAL TULLoCH- DIR.
DONALDSON-MR. RUSKIN.

HENRY STEW ENS-PRINCIpAL TULLoCH- DIR.
DONALDSON-MR. RUSKIN.
frRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE OF TIP 1nmrye..
LoNDoN, March TO-
"What' ia Your business, Gr. Stevens y"
"Iam q seller of books"
"Ah bookseller
'No; seller Of books"
This dialogue which took place in court between
the late Henry Stevens, OF Vermont. and cross
examining counsel is characteristic enough OF
the man. He was seller OF books. but he did not
choose To he confounded with the generality OF
booksellers. to whom hooks merchandise and
nothing more He was, in his own department, one
OF the most learned and accurate photographers
who ever lived He had no superior, and no equal
In London. People who knew him not may easily
have been mislcd rs to his real ability by the whm-
sicaitics in which he dehghted to indulge. On the
title page Of the most serious. and certainly the
biggest, volume he eve publishcd-the" " Catalogue
of the American Books in the Library of the British
Museum "he describes himself as Henry Ste
vcns, e. NJ b. ". A., F. 5. A., etc" The student of
the British Museum or elsewhere might puzzle long
over these initials before he discovered that G. NJ B.
stands Cor Green Mountain Boy. lie cung 20 his
birthplace and old home with afectioaate tenacity.
and habitually signed himself, In print rs we'll
as IN private, Henry Stevens. Of Vermont. That
is the name he puts to the delightful liz
tie voluIre. "Wh) Spoils Oar New English
Books i"-the last think. of his publications
and ne adds to il photographer and Lover OF
Books" Then folows a list of antiquarian aad
historical societies IN both worlds of which he was
member: then, without visible transition or SO
much IA a comma, " Black Bailed Athen9um Club
of London also Patriarch OF Skull and Bones OF
YaleB A and NJ. A. of Yale College well as
Ctizon of NOviomagus ct cctera" NovlomlguS,
after some reflection, l take TO be Croydon or some
II VRn in Enc md or pprhaDs SurD-
ton and not Que OF the many other better known
places TO which that name was given in earlier
dnyS. There is, however, n club of antlqnaries
called the Noviomagans to which Stevens be-
1ouged.
Henry Stevens came to London in 1S45 and soon.
as he has often said "drifted into the bIltlsh
Museum lie retained his connection there as
agent for the buying Of hooks till the last; none OF
his financial misfortuucs terminated It, Panlzza.
who then ruled the Museum in sense far other
than that in which Mr.. Bond now does was his
etanch friend. He understood Stevens's value
and be made use OF ms services in way for which
an American can never quite forgive either OF the
PAIR Mr. Bond writes the notice OF Stevens in me
ItleRonm and says with touch of parGonaDle
cxultatop that as the 'cSu, Of Stevonss efforts the
British Museum now contains more eXtensiN'
library Of lerIcan books than Lry single library
in tine United states. No doubt it does, and the
4
in general and to the Congress of the United States
in pa. tlcuar
Henry Stevens an American 70 the backbone,
wou have rejoiced to do Cor his own country what
he eiid for England. But England employed him to
do il and America did not and it is too late to re-
par the blundeI. No collection of American books
equal to that - the British Museum can ever again
be got E. yerher. The time is past. Sieyenss Cat
alcrne of this completed N 1857, is a volume OF
,I ,p.l Ind yCiumpc
Wien he BEGAN 60 iecting for the Museum. in 1919
a., whole number did not exceed 1000. lhe
other ! g. 900 are due to him. One OF his reasons
for prntiug the cara ral0gue was TO show, side ny
side as lie says both the richness and the poverty
of he collection. lie elected his object, and DC
tween 1857 and 1862 the number doubled
That is TO saw In 1862 the American Department
in the British Museum po scssed 10000 volumes
counting only books printed IN America, and not
counting books, maps, etc. IN all languages reat-
ing to America, In which the Museum IS very rich
nor counting American books -eprinted in this
country.
Aud suppose for much OF what actually have
in America concerning our own country we nave
10 thank Henry stevens. Iie was the agent OF
many American collectors, often with authority 10
buv on own judgment. His best known general
client was perhaps Mr. James Lenox. whose
library, now one Of tho chief treasures and
ornaments of Ncwyork. formed by
Henry Stevens No man knew so inuch
about early editions of the Bible; no
one ,erhaps so mnch about early voyages ana
tra,es These, with the Americana, were the sub
i,,.s 10 which stevens devoted himself. and on
winch ho will remain Al Authority. CaNton
was another topic which Interested HIM, ana ne old
much for the Caxtou xmbitiol at South Kensing-
tonlu 1877. catalogulng he Bibles then shown
He had a wide and always an exact knowledge not
merely OF boots but of subjects. Some OF tins he
ha, mt into print or read before literary societies,
but he mass of 1t uies with bin lie Is real loss
TO letters as well as to bIbh lgrapAy The Entls
papers abound in eulogies HIM | hope the
Am rican papers do as mach. for he was man VINO
he,a high abroad the American name " Esteemed
saws he Times. FOR his knowledge ability and
em ewd common sense, he even more beloved
for ms frank maulness, biz kindly nature, and rich,
uen,al hrmorn The tribute is not too strong.
The Queen has been graciDusly pleased, say the
court and other chronclors. TO allow to the widow
@, the late Principal Tuloch. on the recommends
lion Of Mr. { ads,one, pension OF tl50 a year on
the Civil Lst fhls means that Tulioch left little
or nothing behind hIIn. He was known to be
poor man. aud his stipend as Principal OF ~ Mary
v.. small even for Scotland-I think less than $500
avcar. lie wrote mach but seems to have earned
little He was one of the Queens chaplalns ana
favorite with Her Majesty; and used to be oiteh
summoned to preach at Balmorai when the Queen
was staying in her Highland castle The ottcs OF
Queens chaplain is honorary one; the honor Il
thought sufficient without salary, and nothing is
allowed for expenses. Tulloch had to journey at
his own cost from st. Andrews 10 3a,moTal, trav-
cling some hours by rail and hen hirng fly TO
DIVE from Ba later to the castle. The luxury OF
exnouuliug the Gospel 10 royalty YVES one that he
could i'll afford but neither could he afford t. re-
fuse compliance with the royd mandate.
The Queen liked his company as well as his
preaching He talked weil and, whether he had
hulnor or not enjoyed 1t i'll Others, and his chuckle