The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-03-14
THE FLEETTNG sHOU'.
Some If ITS Fac and Fancie~.


Written for the JOURNAL AND G uRfEnI
THE GALATEA COLLECTION
A curious collection of books is that
which was recently presented to the
Boston Public LIBRARY by Colonel
Thomas Wentworth Higginson. They
number one thousand volumes, and
represent fifty years Of careful and per-
sistent collecting They include many
that are rare, are in variety of Ian
guages, and are all upon one subject
Woman.
Colonel Higginson says This collec-
ton properly began with the purchase
august, 1S46) of Mrs. Hugo Reds
Plea for Woman" probably the first
that interested me In the subject. This
was followed by Parsons Mental and
Moral Dignity of Women" and the col
lection has been continued off and on
ever since, most of the rarer books
having been imported. / used to think
| might write a book, THE Intellectual
History of Woman" and still hope that
the collection may be kept together and
be used by some competent writer"
The donor requests that these books
| shall be placed in alcoves by themselves,
not that he desires TO see any gem
eral separation, i'll any library between
works relating to men and those re-
lating to women, but because the great
! changes that have taken place within
| recorded history. in the social, indus
| trial, and educational position of wo-
| men, render all this an important theme
for special study, and proper basis
| for a separate department i'll every
large library.
No such department has yet been es-
| tablished in any public library, though
one or two college libraries in the West
ern states have begun similar collec-
lions. Several large collections Of
books written by women have been
| made in Europe. and in the Woman'5
Building at the Chicago Fair was ex-
hibited a quite remarkable collection
of women's writings. A model library
| in actual working order, with all the
most approved modern appliances, the
| books being exclusively the production
of women writers, was also seen at the
| Atlanta Exposition.
Among the many curious books, some
of which could not be duplicated with
out difficulty, is ''Gallerie des Felnmes
Fortes," printed in Paris in 1865. 1t is
| one of number which relate to the
| history of remarkable women, like De
Foes Life and Adventures of Mrs.
| Christian Davis, Commonly called
| Mother Ross" who was foot soldier
| and dragon in the Duke of Marlbor-
ough's wars. Another has this elab-
| crate and, formal title; The Female
| Orators; or The Courage and Con-
| stancy of Divers Famous Queens and
| Illustrious Women, Set Forth in Theil
| Eloquent Orations and Noble Resoiu-
| tons; Worthy the Perusal and Inlita-
ton of the Fair Sex" London 1714
| There is also "A Short History of Phil
osophers and Celebrated Women dat
ed Paris, 1773; Lady Southwells "Des-
| scription of a Very Woman, and also
of the Male Sex London 1910, with
| others equally rare and extraordinary
| There was published in 1920, probably
/ in London, a book with the absurd
| title ''Hic Muller, or The Man Woman;
| or a Medicine TO Cure the Staggers in
the Masculine Feminines of Our Times -
| One would like to know whether Col
l onel Higginson's ''Galatea Collection OF