New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-17
THE PARSONS LTBR4RI.

The literary sympathies Of the late George Fred.
crick Parsons VINO was for some years connected
with The Tribune embraced "A wide field but they
were especially active in two directions. lie reau
deeply In the mystic literature OF the East ana Tie
was an indefatigable student OF OLD ana mouer"
French writer's. His library Is TO be sold AT 'he
auction rooms of Bangs & Co. No. 1Ss Broadway,
on the afternoons of october %, ~ % % anu
o. and to the specialists in the departments o,
literature noted as well TO collectors OF geherdi
tastes II offers opportunities for the augmeh'a-
ton their libraries. Mr. Parsons seems To nave
aimed at forming a working library rather IMAM
one which would reflect the preferences OF a
dilettantc but he was discriminating IN MS cho'oe
of editions and bindings. and his books are au-
rnirabv nrinted and clothed. The works of 5alZac'
which for various reasons are conspicuous III '"e
collection are conspicuous there IN EDITIONS WHO"
should arouse the liyeliest competition among
lovers OF the great French novelist AMONG inc
authors of this century. Balzac was perhaps the
greatest enthusiasm of Mr. Parsons. ana reade'S
Of The Tribune will recall not alone his exhaustive
Introduction 10 the series Of TRANSACTIONS recently
issued in America. but the exceptionally susseS'Nr
reviews written for this journal In the STUDY oil
his author he used "A fine copy OF the Nichei i'V''
edition in twenty -four volumes, a copy pouhu III
half morocco and now in first-rate cohui'loh'
.Eucenie Grandet" Of the novels that nave
boen published separately in editions de luxe
figures in the present collection in the superb
edition fer which NJ. Dasnan-Bouveret hiau-
number of designs 1t is a richly bound octave
from the workshop OF Marius Michel ana Is iihsheu
nIxuriouslv in all it's details. inside and out. IL
cost originally sl65 Nearly forty numbers IN the
catalogue are devoted to Balzac and some or them
represent over dozen volumes eacn. All HIS
works are included. the masterpieces anu "e
curious "Ocuvres de Jeunesse, when canaan
Levy published in ten volumes hitern years OF 70
ago and Their. are also many of the volumes
ohaut
There is an cxcelentiy bound copy of the KEEPER
tolre de la Coincide Humane" which was COM
riled not long since BY couple OF ieiNld ha"io-
lens and there is similarly good copy oil LouNe"-
ioul's "Histoire' of the works. Balzac collectors
will note especially the volumes of Leon Gozan'
Gautier Champeury and Desnoresterres
The modern author Mr.. Parsons collected with
most assiduity was Balzac. lie paid close attention
to other writer's, however. and the library coh."iS
an abundance of works by Beaudelaire. Flauoef''
lola Daudet. Bourget, Hugo. the Brothers oe
Goncourt Champneury. Lott and Catulle Mendes'
1t is rich in writings of the fn-de-siecie morDioy
psychological character. denoted by most oil '"eSe
names 1t is also we'll supplied with the books
necessary 10 "a fundamental knowledge OF fre'oh
literature The invaluable collection OF Memories
Relatifs a rHistore de France published by MM'
Michaud and Poujouat. is here in thirty-four VOL
umes: there is "A beautiful edition Of Resti de !"
Bretonne" in fourteen volumes. printed on Holland
paper; there is a good copy OF VI Mems edition III
four volumes of the "Roman de la Rose anu
there are valuable editions of Brantome. Monies
oueu Rabelas Perraut. Malherbe. Pascal Bona
venture des Periers. Boileau La Bruyere La ron
taIne Lee Sage and other great names IN '"e
literary history Of France. OF Maret the library
contains the edition printed at the hague III I'V-'
and of Villon not only the editions OF Paul lacrox
Iouis Noland and Auguste Longnon, but Inc trans
lation made by John Payne. Payne by The way
e nrominent elsewhere in the library. His transa-
fha AT.h
.'Thousand and One Nights" and the pechmeroI
sixteen volumes in ALL are present In tne nhhusei'
form students of the rare ana cuilouS
Mr. Parsons such a STUDENT anu ~ ,,''i 80
degree In the French section Of his library mr..
arc tho five volumes in which NJ. jules Suichrrat
VIGOROUSLY gathered together so nuch precious "at
relating TO the Process de Condalnilatloh ~ u'
decentralization de Jeanne dare, ana IN olner e.
tons under the headings or tlaethati1pn Ia ia
ture'' and slang there are BOOKS OF aulhoi'y anu
interest in connection with these subjects
OF a. still more rare significance are ,e Sis a.,
works on occult topics. These boohS, WHICH III
some seventeen pages OF the catalogue. FORM "a
themselves a miniature library OF the tca. I,h
value They deal with Indian philosophy. WIN
demonology and sorcery magnetism ana occuit
science and they comprehend inc dlssyI
old and new writers in Latin. German. rreich anu
English In this mass of documents peailnk "po"
strange and 0,oteric lore there Is niue that IN
for The special student To both the special student
and the reader of miscellaneous ne, azure vi,
Isrs library is heartily commenced ~ ~ an
avcelent collection of works on HISTORICAL, IhllV'
sophical and literary subjects compress SOM ,ts
Illustrated books is rich In limited editons
an eneciaI paper and numbers among IT'S artisuc
bindings examples of the craft OF thampoiIe-poiu'
David and Lortic Freres