Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-19
RARE GEMS IN BOOKS.
LITERARY TREASURES IN THE ASTOR
LIBRARY IN NEW YORK.

Volumes That Are Storehouses of Scholar
ship and Are Worth Small Fortunes
Ancient illustrations in Priceless Manu-
scripts.
Even many otherwise well informed
people are not aware that the public Ii
braries Of this city contain some Of the
choicest literary gems extant-books fol
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 thirty-four 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 IL
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 a single class.
The Astor is the richest of all our Ii
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 and 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 heis very
much mistaken. Nothing has been pro-
duced in the last century that can equal,
much less rival, the illustrations in q
Seventeenth century manuscript entitled
"Antiphonale." 1t contains 22S pages of
vellum, adorned by 272 small and SO
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
lures appropriate to the various church
festivals, and many of the initial letters
which accompany the stanzas are
illumined in style wholly unknown at
the present day. This volume, bound in
purple morocco, with gilt mountings and
ornamented 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 5000 for its exc
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 leav IS, but at London auction
sale in 1872 it brought $500.
Another rare volume to be found only
in this library is Lloyd's "History of
Columbia, Now Called Wales" pub
ished in 1864. 1t contains the legendary
narrative of the expedition of Prince
Modoc and a 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-
0y's geography repose on the shelves of
The Astor. The dates on their title pages
range from 1878 to 1921. There is also a
superb specimen of the ''Biblia Sacra
Latina" of 1852, the first edition of the
Bible bound in 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
Peter Schaffsr. Ths Oldest polyglot
edition Of the Scriptures, executed at
the order of Cardinal Ximenes, which
cost $4,000 ducats in gold and fifteen
years for its preparation, Is also at the
Astor. The Oldest manuscript of all is
the "Lectiones Evangeliis," printed on
vellum and containing whole pages of
Examinations. This manuscript was
executed by the monks in A. D. 1870,
and is almost priceless in value. No
ether library in America possesses such
= treasure. Next in point of antiquity
i John Wyclif's English version of the
New Testament, written in 1890, and
containing the autobiography of Hum
phrey, duke of Gloucester. There are
also two rich Persian manuscripts of the
Fifteenth century, besides manuscripts
Of more recent date.
Several competent Egyptologists,
among them the late Miss Amelia B.
Edwards, who inspected the collection
during her visit to this city, have pro-
nounced the library especially rich in
oriental works. The great work of
James Audubon on the Birds of Ameri-
ca" consisting Of four volumes, would
probably bring $4,000 Elliott's Indian
Bible, dated 1861, the first Bible printed
In America; the Geneva, or the Breeches
Bible Of 1860; copy of the papal bull
against Luther, 1920; rare Siamese
manuscripts, and the valuable and in
teresting collection Of autograph let
from emperors, poets, statesmen, p1