Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-09-26

AOI' DltiO-N NE !" NOhD'
The misguided cynic only meant
that the day of brilliant smatterers is
past, and that our statesmen, like our
vorkmeu, are now specialists; they
.ead at mark, instead of firing pigeon
Ihot into the air, which fact, on
whole, is a compliment to them. In
his age of encyclopedia knowledge
md of universal machinery no one
nan can either do much or know much,
md he is wisest who confines himself
% limited spaces. Ever since Moses,
nen of one idea have moved the
world.
There are far more books in Wash
ngtOn than in any other city of its size
N the world-the great congressional
library being lanked by twenty other
public libraries in the departments, ag-
!regating pretty nearly million books
10 all.
The largest private library, guess,
S George Bancroft's, numbering some
1000 volumes. He has copy Of
"Don Juan which Lord Byron gave
him with an autographs note pasted
IN it, and he has poems which Words
worth gave him. He is an old man
ana reads no more.
Mrs. Cleveland stirred up the book
stores here with her passion for good
books. She entertained her callers by
ieftly turning the conversation upon
books and ascertaining what there was
worth reading that she had missed.
once mentioned 'Lonra Doom to her,
and with her permission sent it to the
white house. The next time | saw her
was at a crowded diplomatic reception,
out she found time to say: Thanks;
it is one Of the great books of the
world" Later my wife called her at
Iention to Little Lord Fauntleroy,"
and sent the book TO her. Mrs. Cleve-
and returned it the next day with a
note in which she said: You know
from your own experience how much |
have enjoyed the reading Of it. fin
ished it five minutes ago with tears
very near in my eyes for the sweet,
manly little heir to the earldom Of
Dormcourt.'
Judge Hoar is probably the best
scholar at all points there is in the SEN
ate. He is great reader, good
Greek, Latin and French scholar, aud
an extensively informed man in every
direction. In thoroughness he is the
equal of that Omnivorous reader, his
predecessor, Charles Sumner. Sumner
was more universally accomplished
having made a study of French, Ital
ian and German literature, of engrav.
ing and the fine arts; but it must be-
added that HOar is far more accurate
than Sumner, who was careless in cita
tions and whose speeches abounded in
errors of fact. The senior senator
from Massachusetts has large anC
very select library. especially strong
IN history and biography.
The private library that stands next
10 Bancroft's numerically is, think
that OF Judge Bradley, of the supreme
court. His books run to law, history,
mechanics, high mathematics and rare
Did tones. He has the famous frs
folio of Shakespeare, number of edi
lions Of his works, and everything o
Importance ever written about The
great poet He is always grubbin!
around bookstores for ancient calen
lars; he knows all the occult system
Of notation; and he frequently indulge
in abstruse mathematics. Moreover
he has inventive genius and has pat
snted perpetual calendar" telling
the day for any year for any century
He is the right bower OF the court, s
TO speak, whenever any case is up in
volving machinery or trigonometry.