New-York tribune., 1891-12-22
THREE UNIQUE OLD BOOKS.
7r-zyuREs IN InE HARRIS COLLECTION.
WORKS OF WHICH ONLY ONE cory or EACH is
IN RXIsrENCn

gstaNgue OF the Harris O0uccuon Of American Poetry
The statement that the two editions Of the work had
been lareoy taken up stimulated applications for the
volume. and qnite number of orders for the
have recently been filed IL may crafty the curiosity
o. hhlophes 90 learn what are of the more
rare and valuable books In this probably the largest
and most valuable collection OF American poetry
sxtant Professor Moses Colt Tyler, whose excellent
utrk American literature takes 50 high rank In
Tie special department Of which 10 treats, tells Us
,hai he passed several DAYS in Mr.. HarTtss library
consulting books which he could find in other public
or private library
when the announcement was made that the late
Hon Henry Il. Anthony. the distinguished senator 10
Dongrss from Rhode Island, had purchased the col
ectior and proposed 10 present II TO the library Of
lls alma mater the Hon. John y. Bartlett remarked
I'VE do not hesitate 10 say that there is no collection
IN the United states dn the department Of literature
% which these books appertan that can in complete
ness compare with that which is TO grace rho shelves
ef the library ~ Brown University, the gift of the
la.e Hon. Henry b. Anthony
The remark quoted from Professor Tyler is certainly
tue with regard three Of the books the collection,
Which are believed 10 be cntely unique /. e., so
,ar As known, there other copies In existence
save these three II l. hardly necessary TO say how
valuable are unisues7 in some departments of ltera
tnre-Rot OF necessity intrinsicslly 80, but
simply because they cannot be duplicated. one
IAN liar with the history OF such matters kews what
e1tnvuFant prices have been paid for n book land
iha by no means one bulky In size or rich In matter
With regard 20 which its professor can justly claim
thai i. the only known copy in existence. As the
writer has elsewhere said NOu may reproduce hun
trei fsr.simucs Of the hook, the resemblance 20 the
sgsnal far the printing Is concerned. being well
nigh perfect. and the paper and binding Of the most
finished and elegant style but In the estimation OF the
lover of old and books the unique, especially II it
h. an 'cdiuo prnceps first edition. shall outweigh
Il ltia % sfnt IN NH
1rc on what 10 an indifferent person seems to he
bordering on a craze this passion the part Of some
root collectors obtain the volumes which come TO
lave the solitary existence OF which we speak That
sufI y Kind of madness Is not uncommon may he seen
o. who is curious about such matters. by turn
iar over the pages Of that cusspy, most entertaining
l00t- Dhn's 'BlbtOmania.
r0c tirc of thc first of these three "uniques' to
va-l We shai refer is a, follows A Poem dedicated
:, tho memory o. the Reverend and Excellent Mr.
Vran Oabe 'ate Pastor 20 Chrst's Flock and President
o. Harvard College. in Cambridge who was gathered
~ hs people on 25h 5m0 ICsi IN the ffieth year OF
D. asa.-
~rirdsntur ve.to~ e,rmee franruntur et aurum.
CarrIna quOm trlhuunf fsue pcrrcnnis crit. Ovid
Magma diit. out magma potest mim psrNa potenu
rlivaq uosrcnti dodssc at est
EoSton. On New England
Printed for John RatcnH 1889
T'. Wa the first publication the p-oduct Of the pen
o. 'tNN Ntilcl. NilttfN NitN He was uut i@i avn"
twc tr year, - aye. on the last page may be found
tc autogr. ph OF Nathausel Mather. The copy was
pur a,ed et the Brincy sale is beautifully bound
a. very way perfect Some one wrote In pencil on
rs leaf al the end OF the Volume, $780, Possibly
W nG Gates the large that was paid for this small
b-ot The writer Is moi aware that this quaint odd
r', On % the Youthful Puritan divine has ever been
- .t~d Wee there space In article like this to
vr ,o-o extracts from this remarkable culogy on one
of he early Presidents Of Harvard College the reader
D. CIT Justly sav that nothing Hike II could be found In
Do, heavens above o. 10 the earth beneath, or in the
vatr. under the earthn A. II the post would press
tvar,thlng bto service which might suggest to us
t.oueht, Of excessive grief. he undertakes to make
al anacram out Of the word Boston. And
50 he rcversos the letters Of the two sylla~
bis and gives us Sobnot. II this singular
poem OF Cotton Mathers has not been reprinted. IL
ought to be- as Illustrating the amazing extent to
witch bonbast Of the most superlatlve character can
10 carried.
The second Of the unique volumes to which We
refer is said to he the third printed work Of Cotton
N.a!Ac.s. ana is also eulogy or rather an eiegy.
The following is it, dtle:
&C. An Elecy on the Much-tobc depored death Of that
never fo hc- forgotten Person the Reverend Mr. Ma
thanaci ColliHs who After ne had been many years
fitl!ul Pastor to the Church at MiddletOwn Of Con
nccru In New England about the Forty-third year OF
h, age Expired: on 26th 10 monoth 1854. lestor
Chrstianum hic de Chrlstiano vera profeTe Her.
Tp, Pauae Sic Oculos, SIC ile manus, sic ora fereoat
Dignum Iaude vlrum musa veat mori Horat' bos-
ton In New England. Printed by Richard Pierce for
Obadiah 9th Ammo Christi 1oeo.
Briney whose authority photographer is every
where acknowledged in speaking of this book says
No. in any pubic Hbary. Have never heard Of an
other copys sain aludes TO II "ts extremely rare
and cuil0us poem"
Tie forgotten" individual on whom this
olesy was pronounced has so completely passed ou'
OF the memory Of men that ii is diiheult TO oDihl
more than III. most neagre nfOrmatons concerning
him lie seems 10 have been a graduate OF Harvard
h, the class OF 1860 when he about twenty years
q; age and ordained pastor Of tho Mddletown' Conn.,
Church in 1915 and died December 2o, 1854 Inc
most memorable thing in connection win MN Is u''
his son John became the husband Of Mary Dixweil'
daughter Of John Dxwel, One OF the regcide Judges
Not isP from 200 years have passed since Cotton
Nainer Stolied In such exat terms the virtues OF
eegy On verify MIR Collins. lie poetic muse mas
not become tanned, but, If possible ne nc
hs genius The leading OF comic
almanac or a volume Of Punch ooulu not sur ohe
nsbtes more eectua 1an 6 eAe caD perf give nc no ex
tracts from it. The last OF the three uiiipu's "'''
D The Psalms. Hymns and Spiritual songs Of tn, the
od and New Testaments. Faithfully Translated int4 t
Engllsh Metre For the use eolhcauoh anu anu ~ ro, M
Of the saints in public and private. especially IN New
England lin III 16, II col H. l6' ,1edome Let f'6e
Word of God dwell in you richly III az "1su1rlo' n1
taeblpg and admonis shing another in PsaInis; ms
Hyrlns and Spiritual songs, singing 10 10 tn0 AJ pe
With grace I'm your hearts. Ephes. v, 10 ~. 10
filed etc James Y, 49, Printed Tor heseAiAH
sher. Of Boston, ,. r., pos,on
TIE last word is an ancient misprnt Tor Boss'i, s a.
Tbi. choice little hook was unquestionaDF pIihteu,
CaTbrjdce England whittier. 1t Is known hes1hiaIi az
Usher went. according 20 J. Hammond TTuI"Oui' III
The fall Of the year 1887. - 1t~,,rs is
II this collection Of Psalms an1 rortG Inelpiainy
70 very attractive little book 70 the very nuerpn t
omplers Of hymn books of these modern GSS Sso,ydon
writer remembers when he was student ID bo~uS;sii b;i
colece the 8bOys" were wont 70 qu0e "Ith sP.1Sr P,S
ncon the verslhcation of Psalm XIX, D. ~ Ga OI InIs S
~, dent whom they rreverenty called Olc 1iiol 1i
n abbeviation of the Latin Of MS surname "'0i
aus" . ..at,. hound
Like wild heifer at the sound
Lebanon aud HermOn TOO
Like Young tameless blhalo .,o eac,eS noct