Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-07-23
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ANECDOTAL LITERATURE.
Contributed to the independent
BY W. G.

ANCIENT BOOKS AND THEIR VALUE.
1t seems marvellous in this age of
cheap book-making and their count
less multiplicity, how few and dear
they were in times past. As long as
they were in manuscript they nat
urally were scarce and brought
enormous prices, so that the ability
to possess them was confined to
very narrow limits. Before the art
of printing was invented, a single
copy was generally the whole edi.
ton of the work, and sometimes re-
quired the united labors of several
persons for a number OF years, to
complete it.
In A. d. 800, Alfred, king of
Northumberland, gave an estate OF
500 acres, for work or treatise on
the General System of the Uni
verse;"
In A. D. 1899, the Bishop of
Winchester borrowed Bible from
convent in that city, and was oblig-
ed to give bond for its restoration,
drawn up, signed and sealed, with
all legal formality.
In A. D. 1471, Louis XI deposit.
ed large quantity of plate, besides
inducing some OF his mobiles to join
with him in bond, under a heavy
penalty to restore it, in order to
procure the loan of book from the
Faculty OF Medicine in Paris.
Also in the Sixteenth Century
Countess of Apjou paid for one
book 300 sheep, s quartes OF wheat,
and the same quantity of rye aud
millet.
In some OF the ancient churches of
England, the ring or loop is still to
be seen in one of the columns of the
building to which the Bible used to
be attached by an iron chain to pre-
vent its being stolen.
In the days of King John (of
France) the Royal Library consist
ed OF s or 10 volumes, and by
Charles v, their number was in
creased to ITO.
Schmidt, in his "Histories DIES AL
lemande," expresses the belief, that
If divine services had not been con.
tinued to be performed in Latin, the
language would have been irrovoc-
ably lost to posterity. This, how
ever, may be doubted. At that time
kings and other great men could
only make their mark. Charlie.
magne was unable to sign his own
name, and made all his progress in
literature after he was As years of
age.
The scarcity OF books at this era
appears at first surprising, especially
when it is remembered that among
the ancients there existed very large
libraries. The library at Alexandria
for instance, numbering at the time
of its destruction 100000 volumes,
and it is said that 1000 baths of
that city were heated for six months
with this precious fuel
-
JENNY LIND, THE SWEDISH NIGHTEN.
GALE.
A Chapter in Her Experience.
Many may suppose that Jenny
Lind's tour in America was one of
uninterrupted pleasure and profit,
but such was not the case. There
was no end to applications for char.
ity and various other objects. Here
is her experience of one day in New
York
1t was half past nine in the morn
ing, and three servants OF the hotel,
and two of her own had been ORDER
ed to guard her room till she could
eat her breakfast; but well-dressed Ia
dies cannot be stopped by servants.
in this country, and her drawing
room was soon full of visitors, "on
particular business Most of them
were applicants for charity, some for
photographs, some TO offer acquaint-
ance, others for some special bene-
violent enterprise, etc., but none
with least claim to her pocket or
time, all which onslaught the IA
hgued singer bore with humble and
submissive endurance.
First came person who had sent
. musical box for her 10 look at,
and then wanted the money imme.
diately. Then advanced the lady
beggars. To such applications,
Miss Lind usually offered twenty or
thirty dollars to be let alone. In
many instances she had this sum re.
turned to her with some reproachful
remark, such as, 1--WE did not ex.
pect this pittance from YOU I'VE
have been mistaken in your charac-
ter, madam, we thought you we're
generous sThis from Miss Lind
is too little to accept, and not
worthy OF you" Excuse us, we
came for q donation, not for aims
These and similar speeches are
specimens OF daily occurrence.
Among these visitors we're mingled
applications for musical employment
passionate female admirers, to ex-
press their raptures to her ladies'
with albums. Letters and notes
ea mo in az fho rate ~ ovo $780,