New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-23
RARE AND COSTLY BOOKS.
A II. BELLS GIFT TO che BROOKLYN
LIBRARY
-vE VOLUMES HE GATHERED IN MANY YEARS
OF TRAVEL. AND REsEAtcH NOW OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC

TO THE PpSisHS
II A secluded part OF the Iuilding in Montague
., which IS owned by the brooklyn Library is
co,lection in which any one of scholarly instincts
III take the keenest deligk. 1t was given with
al rs furnishings well Is books 10 the Brook
,,n Library by James A. - Bell The collection OF
hooks is an almost invaluable one. II comprises
n42i volumes chosen with great care by one
chose time in the last fory years has been spent
On visiting the four quarters Of the globe. and draw
,,s on them for such literary treasures as in his
opinion would he OF VALUE
Mr. Bell Is in many ways remarkable man.
u,e house at No & Ssndsst.. setting back at
1--WE distance from the street. is almost the only
re,c OF the exclusveness OF which this neghoor-
rood could boast gercration ago. The fortune
,t 70 Mr Bell was Of such proportions that Il has
,sh,ed him 10 devote all his time to the pursuit OF
,hose things which have given him the most happi-
Mass Travel has always been his delight. the COL
lection and study OF books his hobby In the Old
Rel mansion in Sands-st. he has lived for many
wears the life of recluse. so much so that few OF
~. latest generation recognized the name when IL
wes mentioned in connection with the gift 10 the
BROOKLYN Library. His books were his friends'
ua savs that a book 10 him is person VINO mas
.ore,hng 10 say and all OF the books are Of such
. character that what they say is eminently worth
,be saying The library occupied one entire moor
4, W. RelVs house The was fitted up with
e,.eant furniture most OF which Is no" od-faSh-
,o,e5 In addition TO his library room. the other
,ort,ons OF the house were fitted mp IN Sufnp'uouS
.,vle each room representing an outlay OF thou-
,a,ds O. dollars There were many valuable pieces
o. statuary and paintings. The house has now
,oo, almost dsmanted. most OF Mr.. Bells treas
urAs with the exception az his books having peeh
gwen N the Brooklyn Institute Of Arts ana Sci
ences For fear that some contest might arise over
81. will Mr. Bell decided to become his own ex-
tcutOr. 80,
The entire library became the property OF the
y-oo,lvr Library las, June. and has Just been
onened 10 the public. home was htted up TOT II
IN ono OF the upper floors Of the at the south or
.he main building The entrances into the regular
hall were closed and a connection opened Win
the regular reading groom, from which the rooms
are reached by ascending q short night OF STAIRS
.,d through a small door. This retired position
makes the suite excellent place for careful re-
search and quiet study. The rooms nave beeh
fitted I'D entirely with the furniture from MT
Per's old library IN Sands-st The black walnut
cssos with glass doors ranged around the
walls and reach 10 the ceiling. II has taken some
crowd,ng even with the most careful arrangement
n give TO all the books suitable place Library
tables and several revolving bookcases occupy the
centre Of the room. The chairs are OF the Old
fashioned library style. upholstered in leather
sor,o ~ the other furnishings OF the room are an
old-fashioned hall cock by the help OF which Mr..
Peu learned. a boy, 10 count; marble oust OF
Mrs Bell who died twenty years ago; an OH paint
ing Of Mr. Bell himself. and an old sword when
q
mont
The books contained in the library are not in
tended for circulation, but are 10 be used ony on
the premises Such persons as the library oincials
know TO be trustworthy will be allowed 10 use the
room and the books. just they would their own
private Libraries
In all there are 425 volumes. divided partly as
follows: Travels. $50 volumes; biography. lloO
volumes: history. 1Ol2 volumes; theology ~ VOL
uunes: nction 627 volumes: bound volumes OF maya
zines los; literary history. 625 volumes ana genera
works IN sets 4Sf volumes
ono Of tie most striking parts OF the library II
the catalogue and analytical index. which was
compiled by MI Bell himself after years ana years
O, labor This catalogue is composed or slXty-hlhe
ROYAL octave volumes bound in brown canvas The
work was done on foolscap paper In Mr. Bells
own Handwriting
These sheets were afterward bound. This won
derfIl catalogue is almost an encyclopaedia ana IS
much more complete and valuable than many Il So
called literary compendium. No references are
made 70 any works which are not 70 be found In
the library itself. but the references which are
sven 10 subjects are remarkably extensive SUD
iects are often elaborated and illustrated In the
catalogue itself by articles taken from old maya
zines pictures. and. IN the case OF persons an
original autograph is in a great NUMBER OF cases
pasted IN its proper place in the catalogue ro' III
stance after the subject George Sand Is inserted
q long article clipped from a magazine on her life
and writings steel engraving OF the authoress
IS given and also OF her autographs linen
cor,es list ~ references TO her books The geo
graphical illusions and references are partcniarN
numerous. many being accompanied by articles
from some magazine and giving Information when
could only be obtained after much research
To show the scope and completeness OF the index;
"sardon!c laugh" IS one Of the subjects. and as
many references given 10 its use IN Iteratu.e as
Nj Bel could disc9ver ihrre s dr "1e hundred
and fifty pages are devoted TO the SUBJECT oa''e,
Otherwise preserved, has been kept by MI zen an
bIograuhicaI sketches from various daiIy paptISs'
This ndsx W ,25 n, is ~ N i}erf Tc monument
AE"nc The things that strike one in short ana
81 SUI, Some classes of books such travels
hsye received especial attention. but there secis
10 be , sCsIEc cdg airgtther esh'ed MIR Bardwe
the librarian % The Brooklyn Library, saSs t tr
he has ever scen. There Is hardly book which
IS not interesting or valuable ,r,oree, on ac-
coun, OF ;her age: one. An AnalysiI OF nomCt
S,a ATm23} by e oS Coates % IN London 1853 Another
curious hook il "A Course OF Chymistry contain,
g an earf mo used in Physck with curious
rcmarks upon each PIE paraton for the benenI oi
such as desire TO be instructed in the knoWIeuHe
Of this art by Dr. Nicholas Lenery. printed III
In fction the works range from the Adventures
Of Don syivo de Rosalva printed IN London PIN III
l773 from the German OF NJ ie 1nnap Dol.ln
The hound c6pies Of magazines are not numer-
Gus buf troN are W luahe because tieN. are idIe
magsz oes p!blished I'm the early part or me cen
fury and me latter part Of l7" among mem mem Is
a set ~ The London Magazine extending WIN d
few breaks. from 1874 10 1901. There are eighteen
volumes OF Scots Magazine beginning WIN Nol
ume ! printed I'm Edinburgh in 1879. and hlnoer
O. Others Of dates later In the seventeen hundreqs
An interesting set OF books lnciuoes r9uI ave
plant folios devoted 10 photography Ihey are
handsomely illustrated and the set cost not less
than 81 900 ~ ,.a,dr,.
beautifully bound and handsomely illustrated are
equally valuable
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