The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-11-18
RARE GEMS IN BOOKS.
LITERARY TREASURES IN THE AsToR
LIBRARY IN NEW YORK.

Ancient Illustrations In Priceless Manu-.
scripts.
Even many otherwise well informed
people are not aware that the public H.
braries of this city contain some of the
choicest literary gems extant-books for
which wealthy bibliophiles have offered
fabulous sums. If New York is not the
literary center of America, then books
immense in number, rare in antiquity
and almost priceless in value are not
Factors in the competition.
There are thirtyfour public libraries
IN New York, and the number and value
Of the volumes within their walls have
grown so rapidly that Paris. Munich and
even London will be surpassed in their
library collections if the present growth
continues.
The day when the citizen of New Am
sterdam was content to sit outside his
door, drink beer, smoke, grow fat and
die in the firm belief that he had enjoyed
life, has given way to an entirely differ
ent state Of affairs.
Twenty-Five years ago one public Ii
brary collection was considered sufficient
to meet the demands of every class, call
ing or profession. Today nine institu-
tions can be picked out, each one Of
which is patronized by single class.
The Astor is the richest of all our IL
braries. One million dollars worth of
books repose upon its shelves, but not
without frequent disturbance. From
fifty to 100 studious men and women are
delving into the enchanting mysteries of
some favorite theme every day that the
reading rooms are open to the public.
The library contains nearly 100000
worth Of rare books aud manuscripts,
which are seldom allowed TO go into the
hands of the public, Perhaps the largest
and finest single volume in New York
may be found there. If any one thinks
that the contemporaries of Shakespeare
and Milton would marvel at the superb
product of modern illustrators he is very
much mistaken. Nothing has been pro-
duced II the last century that can equal,
much less rival, the illustrations in a
Seventeenth century manuscript entitled
~Antiphonale." 1t contains 22S pages of
'vOhoh4s uNO- ASi w So SLltiI anu DO
large miniatures in the highest style of
the French art of that day Some of its
illustrations have been attributed to LIE
Brun, the great painter of the time of
Louis XIV. The larger paintings for
the most part are scenes from the Scrip
tnres appropriate to the various church
festivals, and many of the initial letters
which accompany the stanzas are
illumined in a style wholly unknown at
the present day. This volume, bound in
purple morocco, with gilt mountings and
ornanented with the fower-de-luce, was
designed for the coronation of Charles
v. AT a public sale it would easily COM
mand several thousand dollars.
Another valuable work is Sylvester's
Universal Photography" in two vol
umes, containing upward of 800 finely
executed facsimiles of medieval works
OF art. This sumptuous work is said to
have cost the sum Of 900 for its exe-
cution alone. Among other rarities is a
copy of the first letter written by Chris
topher Columbus after he discovered
America. There are only six copies of
these in existence. The letter consists of
only four leaves, but at London auction
sale in SS72 it brought 500.
Another rare volume to be found only
in this library is Lloyds History of
Columbia, Now Called Wales" pub
hshed in 1854. 1t contains the legendary
narrative of the expedition of Prince
Modoc and Welsh company that voy-
aged to America prior to Columbus, but
never returned. Many foreigners have
sent to this country for abstracts from
this rare volume.
The earliest known editions of Ptole-
my's geography repose on the shelves of
the Astor, The dates on their title pages
range from 141S TO 1921. There is a!soa
superb specimen of the "Biblia Sacra
Latina os 1859. the first edition of the
Bible bouudin old crimson morocco, with
gilt edges which is worth $4,000. In
side the covers are the names of those
Immortal printers" Johann Faust and
Petor Schaf'er, The Oldest polyglot
edition Of the Scriptures, executed ut
the o-a-s Of Cardinal Xi.neaes, which
cost oJ,CC0 duca.5 il gold and fifteen
years &or its preparation, is also at the
Astor. Tho oldest manuscript of al lis
She "Lectiones Evangeiiis," printed on
veliUl and containing whole pages Of
llu0io9-iops. This napuacrirs was
execu5ed uy the monks in y. d. 1870.
anG is almost priceless in value. No
other library in America possesses such
atreasUre. Next in point of antiquity
IS JoLu WycIif's English version Of the
Nc I,aEent, written in 1880, and
coptrHi0- tine autobiography Of Hum
phrsy dJGo Of Gloucester There are
also tWpTie Persian manuscripts Of the
Flt antA cc~tary, besides manuscripts
Of l.ule1.ee4c date
S. competent Egyptolcgists,
All. ,ae latc Mis- Amelia &.
*" inspected the collection
'.a- - visit TO this city, have pro-
nc . library especially rich in
.gie SIS. The groa- worl, of
!a-us5 Audubon on the "Eird5 Of Amcri-
~" cousug of four volumes, would
rohaply pnng 5000. EliolCs Indian
6lhe, d2ted lGGl, the first Bible printed