The new North-west., 1892-12-03
RARE GEMS IN BOOKS.
LITERARY TREASURES IN THE ASTOR
LIBRARY IN NEW YORK.

Volumes That Are StOreilouSeS oil 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 IL
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 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 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 it's 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 $500, 900
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. II 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 in the last century that can equal,
much less rival, the illustrations in a
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
illunined in style wholly unknown at
the present day This volume, bound il
purple morocco, with silt moan IS and
ornamented with the Aower-de-luce, was
designed for the coronation Of Charles
V. At public sale it would easily com
1nand several thousand dollars.
Another valuable work is Sylvester's
Universal Photography" in two vol
,umes, containing upward Of 300 finely
executed facsi1niles of medi@val works
of art This sumptuous work is said tx
have cost the sum Of 100000 for it's exc
cution alone. Among other rarities is {
copy of the first letter written by Chris
topher Columbus after he discovered
America. There are only six copies O
these in existence. The letter consists O
only four leaves, but at a London auction
sale in 1879 it brought $500.
Another rare volume to be found onl,
in this library is Lloyd's "History o
Columbia, Now Called Wales" pub
lished in 1854. 1t contains the legendar,
narrative of the expedition of Primo
Modoc and Welsh company that voy
aged to America prior to Columbus, bu
never returned. Many foreigners hav
this rare volume.
The earliest known editions of Ptole
Imy's geography repose on the shelves Q
the Astor. The dates on their title page
. range from 14.:8 to 1921. There is also
superb specimen of the "Biblia Sacr
Latina" of 1852, the first edition Of tn
. Bible bound in old crimson morocco, wit
!. gilt edges, which is worth $4,000 II
: side the covers are the names of thos
Immortal printers" Johann Faust an
Peter Schafer. The Oldest polyglc
edition of the Scriptures, executed {
, , the order of Cardinal Ximenes, whic
! cost $4,000 ducats in gold and fftee
4 years for its preparation, is also at th
Astor. The Oldest manuscript Of all
the "Lectiones Evangeliis, printed Q
: vellum and containing whole pages ;
8 illuminations. This manuscript WE
/ executed by the monks in A. D. 147
: and is almost priceless in value. N
: other library in America possesses sue
t a treasure. Next in point of antiquit
e lis John Wyclifs English version of tt
y New Testament, written in 1890, ar
S containing the autobiography of Hun
k phrey, duke of Gloucester. There a
z also two rich Persian manuscripts Of Il
Fifteenth century, besides manuscript