The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-25
I-rlanrrarnr,n n1lhAHM
ne oss.lorss Fusa,shea 'Aftsr Hsus Bs1ny py
me ussfon AthepDurs.

W0O1InRTOn OOOkH III y AltARAS
Atheneum has been finished. It was published
the nrst Of last week. Appleton r. 9.
Griffin, formerly Of Bates Hall. In the old Boz
ton Public Library, has been employed for the
last two years In completing and annotating
the work, assisted by the librarian OF the Atnc-
n@um. William Coolidge Lane.
Tho collection Of Washington books In the
library OF tho Athon@um 10 by far the most COM
plete in the United States. How 1t became the
property Of the Boston institution Is an interest
ing story. Tho inventory Of washington's books
made at tho time of his death by tho appraisers
Of his estate showed that his library then num-
bered about 300 volumes. These, under his
will, became the property OF his nophow, Judge
Bushrod Washington. who also inherited his
papers and the mansion house at Mount Vernon.
Hero Judge Washington lived. and added to
Gen. Washington's library q part, at least. OF
his own books. In his will In 1875 he
provided Us follows: IAN tho papers and letter
books devised to me by my uncle. Gen.
Washington, as we'll as tho books in my study.
other than law books. I give to my nephew
George c. Washington; the books In tho cases
In the dining room 1 give to my nephew John A.
Washington" In tho inventory Of his estate
are these items: I'm the dining room, 46S vol
umes miscellaneous works left to John A.
Washington. 65s volumes of miscellaneous
works left 10 George c. Washington 1.125 mis-
cellaneous pamphlets left George G. Washing
ton," besides "169 volumes Of state papers,"
''22 volumes OF Journals Of Congress" and "649
volumes of law books. and % pamphlets" The
last named were destined for Bushrod Washing
ton Herbert, the son Of q niece, in case he should
be trained for the law.
Mount Vernon was next occupied by John A.
Washington. Tho books left to George G.
Washington remained there for many years,
but In 1917 or 1913 a considerable portion of
them. perhaps all that remained. were sold to
Henry Stevens, the bookseller. Mr.. Stevens an
nounced his intention OF sending them over to
the British Museum. To prevent this, and to
secure them for Boston. n number OF Boston and
Cambridge men, notably Prof. Jared Sparks,
Prof. Andrews Norton. George Lvermore. and
Charles Eliot Norton, who acted as treasurer,
undertook to solicit subscriptions and raise
the $1,000 which Stevens demanded for
them, a sum which, by the way, he
afterward reduced to $500. This amount
and $3.50 besides was collected, the
Atheneum itself contributing $500. At
amecting OF the subscribers it was voted to place
the books permanently in the Boston Atheneum.
of which a majority of the subscribers were pro-
prietors. To the list Of these subscribers
seventy-nine names were attached. including
those OF every prominent Bostonian Of his day,
among them being Daniel Webster. EdTaId
Lawrence, Jonas Chiekering. John K. Thayer.
Quincy. Jr.p, William T.E ustis. Joseph iosisi,
Edmund Dwight. John A. Lowell. George and
The collection OF books bought from Stevens
comprises ass volumes and about $50 pamphlets.
up OF pamphlets bound together1. and several
hundred unbound pamphlets may be assigned
to ior Mss o1 1Se% wI RTbt9ale od ltsTni5y' the the r largs ma,
eighty bound volumes and the rest Of the pam.
phlets belonged to Judge Bushrod Washington
M 2 n 0fhnr m. IN hRrG nf tho lnlhi fsn md
Only one book from Washington's library has
been added SINCE the Stevens purchase.
been scattered. and no large number Of his
books nov exists in any one place except the
OF the books left TO George c. Washington can
only be conjectured. Those given to John A.
ington, second, and then to his son. Lawrence
Washington OF Alexandria, Va.
those employed by the Athenaum in cal aioEuinss
its collection a good deal OF has
@ SSss fnsHeie ACQUIRED { iFsit the 70 BOOKS sHs @ @hose w wan mh isrn
inss have finally BROUGHT them to Boston. Very
% psessll So9 aari 1T IS h snop pabli he d Esssiyeq bS By Eff FL w as,
also a constant buyer. mainly along practical
Lines: as : aRPesSrs BY his orders to his agents.
served in. the Department of State. The char.
acter Of his library: as q whole, may be summed
one standard work OF fiction appears in the list.
and that is The Adventures Of Peregrine
the year Of the capture OF Quebec. 1853.
1t does not appear that he overlooked the
q oPt the " iP%GssfiSn ct 81 a's t and 1 ISe ri aTM 1etsPfss%ls
Act" subjects which agitated Virginia prior to
issued in the prc-Revolutionary controversy ap-
pear in fair abundance, and there is a consider
f9is hnh1eF i Q, ToT nnd upon ISe f as,P ri nUiifics OF OF the tho
The inventory Of the books was drawn up by
the appraisers OF his property, Thompson Mason,
Tobias Lear, Thomas Peter and William IL.
Foote, and was deposited with his will, the
hH1 Df hNa PnhnF - n nd fbn ~ ,pN .
counts at Fairfax Court House. where the orig.
inai will is still 10 bc seen. This. with the other
ord volume, which. with the other original files
OF approximate dates, is missing. being supposed
10 have been scattered during the occupation OF
FairfaX. by the Union troops during the rebel
lion. Most OF the books in the collection boar
book plate. The great Virginian usually wrote
his name on the upper right-hand corner Of the
tille page, but occasionally on the first page of
Among tho better known of washington's
books which the catalogue reintroduces from
the dust OF long oblivion is John Adams's
fence OF the Constitutions OF Government of the
United States of America" written by the sec
Frenchmen. notably Mirabeau and Turgot. The
demand for the work induced the author 10
IN 1888. Adams's letters Ito DR.. Calkoen OF Am
sterdam, on American nffairsI are also in the col
iettered "common os ssns er'"p WHsh IN xS,1m re'
ceivcd the copy from Gen. Benjamin Lincoln,
Sp% &sN" WsTnons. N 'os '1 Il. i7 e : ii In w ffthd S Ss
highly praises the principles ipculcatod by the
little great man from Massachusetts.'
The Art OF Wal" by Major dc Lamont, first
published in French in 1871. judged by its con-
dition; must have been one Of washinston's
most highly priced possessions, for 1t is well
thum6ed and much the worse for wear. The
autograph is on the title page.
i The opinions OF the Father Of his Country re-
Eardine attempts 10 establish an aristocracy in
the new nation may be learned from the text OF
a letter written TO William Barton, author OF
"A Concise Account OF the Origin and Use of
Coat Armour" who had sent him - copy OF his
work., praying him to commend IL II he coin
cidcd with the views contained In II. Washing
ton writes: "Imperfectly acquainted with the
subject. al | profess myself 10 be, and
persuaded OF your skill as l am. 1t is
far from my design to intimate an opin.
ion that heraldry, co It armour. &C., might not
be rendered conducive to public and private
uses with us, or that they can have any ten,
dency unfricndly to the purest spirit OF rcpubli.
csnism.' Washington then goes on to consider
the opposition that an effort 10 establish a sys-
tenn OF %heraldry, In this, country might meet,
he thinks that the sensitive state OF the public
mind in regard TO class distinctions and an ex.
isting feeling among certain persons that
those whom they wish invidiously to designate
by The nMme OF .Mell horn are mcdiIaIinn Ia