Evening journal., 1892-12-06
RARE GEMS IN BOOKS.
LITERARY TREASURES IN THE AsTOR
LIBRARY IN NEW YORK.

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 a 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 5000, 600
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 Shake penre
and Milton would marvel at the superb
product of modern illustrators he is verv
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
fAntiphonale." 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 a style wholly unknown at
the present day. This volume, bound in
purple morocco, with gilt ltmountings and
ornamented with the fiower-de-luce, was
designed for the coronation Of Charles
V. At public sale it would easily com
mand several thousand dollars.
Another valuable work is Sylvester
"Universal Photography" in two vol
umes, containing upward of 800 finely
executed facsimiles of medieval works
Of art. This sumptuous work is said tc
have cost the sum Of goo 000 fe~ So exc.
cution alone. Among other r..-..... 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 1872 it brought $100.
Another rare volume to be found only
in this library is Lloyds History Of
Columbia, Now Called Wales" pub.
lished in 1864. 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 oi
the Astor. The dates on their title page.
range from 147s to 1921. There is also q
superb specimen of the "Biblia Sacrs
Latina" of 1869, 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 Schaffer The Oldest polyglot
edition Of the Scriptures, executed a
the order of Cardinal Ximenes, which
cost go 900 ducats in gold and ffteer
years for its preparation, is also at tn,
Astor. The Oldest manuscript Of all il
the "Lectiones Evangeliis," printed Oh
vellum and containing whole pages o.
illuminations. This manuscript wal
executed by the monks in A. D. 147O
and is almost priceless in value. NJ
other library in America possesses sucl
a treasure. Next in point of antiquity
is John Wyclifs English version of tn,
New Testament, written in 1890, ant
containing the autobiography of Hum
phrey, duke of Gloucester. There ar,
also two rich Persian manuscripts of tn,
Fifteenth century, besides manuscript
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 il
oriental works. The great work o.
James Audubon on the "Birds of Ameri
ca" consisting Of four volumes, would
probably bring $1,000. Elliotts Indial
Bible, dated 1861, the first Bible printed
| n, Arnarica. fha (4pDava m. tba Draool,o