The morning times., 1896-12-27


larger, as is also that of men OF letters
Among the rare and curious biograph-
icai works are Philip de Connnines' 'edi-
ton 1874; Annee's .Livre Noir;;'
Memoirs de Tatt;'' Lodges Portraits"
which are very rare: many biographies of
Napoleon. of the men of his time, and
much valuable matter relating to Mary
Stuart.
In the collection of profane history are
nearly 900 volumes Among the ancient
history are the twenty four enormous folios
of -Bayle and Moreri, editions of 1894
The collection OF French history is very
valuable. consisting not only of all the
standard editions relating to France, but
also of the first editions OF publication con-
cerning the French revolution, issued in
Paris during the first republic
The entire seventeen volumes of .'Prud-
homme's Revolution dc Paris" including
the first issues OF 1883. Les Crimes de
Sept-Mcmbres,' published by order of the
national convention i'll the third year of
the republic The original publication of
the trial OF Louis XVI The original and
complete edition of the debates in the
national convention. Also the translation
of Maimbore' War of the League by
Dryden, in the first edition.
Many rare editions of Italian, Spanish,
English and Egyptian histories are found
in the collection, as well as several i'll
the Turkish tongue.
There is large collection of travels,
many ancient and quite curious, and par
ticulariy amusing compared with similar
modern books Here is the first edition
OF Cooks voyages. published by order of
the admiralty lords; Voyages of the Jesuit
Lobo To AbysSinia, translated by DR.. John
son. with his original preface II is eX-
Ceedngty rare, and none of the editions
OF his works contain the translation, al
though found in Pinkerton's voyages.
These are found here In complete form
This translation of Lobo's voyage is the
first Of lonnson's prose works. for which
he received the small sum of five guineas
OF Father Loho's accuracy johnson says
in his preface
He appears by his modest and unaffected
narration to have described things as he
saw them; to have copied nature from the
life, and 20 have consulted his senses
not his Imagination. He meets with no
basilisks that destroy with their eyes:
his crOCOdiles devour their prey without
tears, and his cataracts fail from the
rocks without dearening the ncighboFing
inhabitants"
Here, too, are Father Palou'S "'Noticias
de la Nueva California;" LcvaiII ants
Voyages 10 the Interior II Africa" the
Amsterdam edition; Rafthelmy's Voyage
OF AnaCharSiS in Greece first Paris
edition, ana the first London edition or
the translation: a fiI:e edition OF Macedo'S
Brazil" first French edition of Dap
per's description OF the AIcbipclagues
1903: and Nieuhoff'S Embassy from the
East India Company to the Grand Tartar
Cham" first London edition, 1863, splen-
didly Illustrated by John Ogilby. master Of
the Kings Rcvels This last volume is
enriched by various original manuscript
dcGications.
Belonging To this collect ion are two
complete editions Of the invaluable Jesuit
'.Lettres Edifiantes ct Curieuses." CON
tanning what are universally held TO be
the most authentic accounts in existence
of the indies, China. Levaut, and America
Of the last three centuries
Rare Books of Travel.
One should observe also David's fine
edition of the ''Recuiel D'Obscrvations
CurienseS,' the manners, Gust, ms, ges
and different languages of the people of
4 sia, A frica and America: and that little
Do OK OF tremendous variety, entitled, AN
Account of the Isle of Jersey, the greatest
OF Il oSe islands that are now the only re-
uander o. the English Gominions in France.
by rhil{p Falle, NJ. A, rector of st. Saviour
jim the said island and chaplain in ordinary
ITO his majesty, London. Printed for John
Newton at the Three Pigt ouS, over against
the Inner Templc-Gate, in Fleet street,
1891" This book is held in much esteem
by book collectors. The unique title alone,
should recommend it SIS a treasure.
The collection OF folk lore and mythology
is especially large and interesting, compris-
ing a great number of very rare works.
The wealth of the objection of antiquities
may be termed extraordinary. First edi-
tions of Cambden, the Roman edition Of
1856, ,illustratedby Tcstano ofthc'' Basilica
Lateran;' the Sluyter illustrated edition
of the "'rhesawruS Antiquitatcm Italiae,"
1904, Froelch's Antiquities of Syria,''
Vienna, 1854; Malliots Costumes of
Ancient + copies" first Paris edition;
kirCher's Museum of the Roman Col
lege," Darts Antiquities of Westminster"
the Cathedral of Fourges." magnificcntly
illustrated by the Jesuits Martin and Cabier
the first attempt ever made to reproduce
stained windows.
All the above mentioned are illustrated
Hopes Costumes of the Ancicnts,- in
colors, is an intensely interesting publica-
tion with which one could spend somn
time with profitable perusal
In the collection of scientific works
iS haa
its donor 1t is Catesby's Natural History
ofthe Carolinas and Florida, y London. l 731
and was formerly the property of John
Custis, the husband of Mrs. Custis, who
afterward married Washington. The little
story of the book is that on Fourth of
July many years ago George Washington
Park Custis rode over from Arlington to
dine at the college, and to present this
volume to the embryo library
Aside from the sentiment it bears the
book is an extremely rare edition.
number of valuable and gorgeonsly il
Illuminated manuscripts of the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries are cont aimed in
a glass case on the first floor, The manu-
scripts are in Irish, Chinese, Javanese
Dyak, Siamese, Tamil and dotherIanglIages
An Arabic manuscript containing extracts
from the Koran was presented by Mrs
Commodore Decatur; the original Of a
bull OF Pope Benedict XIV; manuscript
diary of Bishop England.
The Shea Collection.
The Shea collection w hich has been added
to the library contains, among other
publications and manuscripts, an unusual
~ fine lot of works relating to the Indians
There are 800 volumes In the various Indian
languages, as many Indian grammers and
vocabularies in manuscript, and an equal
number of works on Indian customs, uSages,
and drass Here are creat dictinna,.ia OF