The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-12
THOSE VALUABLE BOOKS.
Mr.. Dugger's Collection of Them Con-
tains Some Rare Antiquities.


Mr.. John A. Digger, who was men
toned in the MORNING News a day or
two ago as having some valuable works
which he had purchased at the auction
sale Of DR. r.. d. Arnold's famous library,
who formerly lived in Efingham county,
is now living in this city.
The books were shown TO a representa-
tive of the MORNING News yesterday by
Mr.. Digger, who is living in the southern
part of the city. The book supposed to
be OF the greatest value, is a Latin work
called Clio ssarium ErOticum, or the CLOS
sary of love. 1t discusses the words in
the latin language pertaining to this sub
jeet, and the customs and marriage laws
among the ancient Romans This book
was published in Paris in 1926, and is re-
markably we'll preserved. 1t contains
quotations and explanations of such
words, as well as illuStra-
tions of their meaning, from many
of the famous Latin authors,
and is one of the only works which
gives the precise shades of meaning which
many of the words have 1t is said that
there are only four of these books in ex-
istence. One of them is said to be in the
Vatican at Rome, one in the cathedral of
Milan and the third in the British
Museum. The fourth is in the possession
of Mr. Digger. In response to an inquiry
sent to Messrs. d. Appleton & Co., MIR.
Digger received a reply stating that the
value of this work was $23, 600.
The other extremely rare work is
rather more of a curiosity than the first.
1t is the Sacra Eleusinia Patefacta, or in
English, an explanation of the EIeusinian
mysteries. This book was printed at
Jene, Germany, in 1864, or just 230 years
ago. 1t is as we'll preserved as
the first, and shows very few
signs of wear considering the long period
of its existence. 1t is in Latin and con-
tains frequent quotations in Greek. 1t
was marked S1.25 at the auction sale of
these works, and Messrs. Appleton IL Co
have informed the owner that its value is
$4,000. 1t is an explanation and descrip-
ton Of the sacrifices, offerings and crimes
before the ancient idols.
Among other rare works in the posses
sion of Mr.. Digger are the medical works
of Cornelius CELSIUS, who lived some years
before Christ, copy of Euclid printed in
1917, from which Mr.. Digger has worked
out the demonstration of all the problems,
the Priapeia, work containing an ac-
count of the worship of the Roman idol
Priapus, and of the crimes before it, the
meditations of Renatides Carries, printed
in l647, discussing in Latin the existence
of God and the immortality of the soul,
and many other famous and rare books of
a similar kind.
One Of the most remarkable facts in
connection with these works is that Mr.
Digger has read every one of them
through, and has made copious notes
which would enable him to translate
any of them into English with COM
parative ease. He reads Latin and
Greek as well as he does English,
and takes a delight in studying
out Latin forms and phrases. He has
taught school at various times, but was
recently working in the Central railroad
shops, which he left at the time the shop
forces were reduced by about a hundred
men. He is now in correspondence with
different houses with regard to these
works, from some of which he will no
doubt realize a handsome sum.