Evening star., 1895-09-21

| 1t has been conced-
ed that no city pos
sesses in these re-
spects more memorials. original portraits
| and real souvenirs Of Washington than
| does Boston. a fact that proves all the
| more interesting to the fraternity, as he
| was a member of the order. Even those
who come from Virginia, where he be-
came a member of the first degree before
he r.ached his majority. and where he was
master of the lodge that subsequently bore
| his name, have been surprised to find that
! Boston surpasses the collections at Mount
Vernon in the most valuable memorial Of
all-being the possessor of the identical
| books which formed his library, and which,
| in large measure indicated the progress of
! his thought and pursuit from boyhood,
| through his military and political duties as
general and President.
When the writer of this article was
| shown through the home of Washington
| at Mount Vernon he found that preva-
| lent Misrepresentation existed as to the To-
| cation of the Washington library, so that
| Boston failed to receive it's due credit.
There is the library of Washington"
| said guide, pointing to a case containing
several hui dred books.
Il thought we had the library of Wash
| fngton in Boston," was the remark.
The guide. perceiving that he was speak
| ing to doubling Thomas" from Boston,
| paused in his rapid flow of exposition, and
| subsequently,. in side explanation, said to
| him:
"Yes. it is true that the books that actu-
| ally belonged to Washington are to be seen
| only in Boston, but as we have the book
| case here, 1T was necessary to fill it with
| books to make an appropriate showing.
| The library tfat we have here was put to-
| gether in various ways-scme being books
| about Washington, others copies, as near
| as could be found of the editions which he
| owned, and others old publications which
serve to indicate the library collections of
| his time"
The institution in which the books are
| deposited the solemn and dignifled Athe-
naeum library, which Is notable, even in
| a city that contains the most magnificent
| public library structure in the world Is in
itself an object of some mystery to the
mass of those who daily pass its somber
! paladio-fashioned front.
In the AIcove.
| After ascending two high stairways, and
| noting on the way Stuart's original paint
| ing of Washington. the visitor, somewhat
| breathless between his climbing and his
| sense of temerity, asks:
Can see the Washington Hbrary?"
| After the impression caused by the un-
| usual request has passed he is led by an
| attendant up more sets of narrow iron
staircases. under low alcoves and along
whole catacombs of literature ranging
| through all the degrees of antique death
and modern vitality. until side door is
unlocked for him and he passes immedi-
which is formed by the two wings and
| connecting head pieces of the case de-
signed to hold the books of Washington
| glance around the apartment shows
| that 1t is devoted to valuable books and
works of art which are here carefully
locked and vigilantly watched.
But the prime impression is made when
the visitors look up at the life size bust of
hn of tt,n
and then scan beneath it the very books
| that were possessed and were the intellec-
| tual stores for the father of his country.
| AS was remarked by the committee of
| presentation: There can be few relics of
| more interest than the books that have
been in his hands and which are marked
| ty his handwriting"
Before there is an opportunity to un-
| lock the case doors and to handle the
| rows of Washington's books that were
handled by him more than a hundred
stances under which they came into the
| possession of this library.
At the annual meeting Of the propri-
! etors in January, 1919. the librarian, re-
| ferring to the books that had been donat-
! ed to the library during the year preced-
| ing. said:
| First in importance is collection of
books which formerly belonged to Wash
! ington. Seventy gentlemen of Boston,
| Cambridge and Salem. by a subscription
| of $50 each. amounting to nearly $4,000
| have secured to the Athenaeum this treas
ure. The light in which they regard It,
and the motives which animated them,
| will best appear from their own words
The greater number of these books
they say; contain Washington's auto,
| next after them, those which were pre-
| sentation copies to him, and next to them.
| those which contain his bookplate, or can
| in any other way be proved to have been in
his possession, would be regarded, even in
Europe, as curiosities of great interest and
| value, and would command prices which
might seem incredible to one unacquainted
| with the sums given for objects associated
| with the memory Of distinguished men,
but by an American the collection
should be differently esteemed To no
| country has it's history left so valuable
| legacy as We have inherited in the char
| acter of Washington. OF such man all
| the relics should be venerated; and there
| can be few of more interest than the books
| which have been in his hands and which
are marked by his handwriting
How the Library Was Purchased.
In view of these words from the dlstin-
guished and public-spirited donors it seems
astonishing that the whole Washington
| library could have been secured for SO
| moderate a sum. Certainly If the effort
| were made at the present day, that sum
| would have been deemed little enough for
| some single volumes which it contains. if
| its possessors could be induced to part with
| them at all.
In 1886 little book was publish ID in
( Lordon, entitled "Recollections of James
| Lenox," the founder of the Lenox Library
| of New York. 1t was written by Henry
Stevens. the photographer and lover OF
books, so the little page reads, who for
| many years has lived in London collecting
| rare books particularly American, both for
| American and foreign buyers. 1t was he
| who got possession of the Washington
library, and who sold 1t to the seventy
| benefactors OF the Athenaeum.
| The account of the transactions differs
| somewhat from the official report.
I'm 1S48," he writes II bought Washing
tens library. about 5000 volumes, for
5000 to secure possession of about 500
volumes with the autograph of the father
Of his country on the title page, together
with some rarities. for Mr.. Lenox, and
| many acts and miscellaneous American
| books for the British Museum.
"Mr. Lenox declined the books with au-
tographs, and, there being great hue and
cry raised in Boston against my sending
| them out Of the country, sold the collec-
ton to a parcel of Bostonians for 5000,
but, after passing that old Boston hat
| around for two or three months for $50
subscriptions. only $500 could be raised.
and, therefore, as I had used few hun
dred dollars of the money advanced to me