The Portland daily press., 1898-08-20
BOOZE TREASURES IN THE NATION
AL LIBRARY.
Washington Starr.

washington starr.
Fer some months past MIR. A. Il. spof'
ford has been engaged in preparing an
exhibit in the northwest gallery OF the
new library building, which will be an
exceedingly interesting study to all lovers
of cid and valuable publications. This
exhibit has just been completed. and as
a collection of early and rare books has
no equal in this country. The exhibits
arc under cover of plate glass cases.
Very few of the residents of this CITY
are aware of the rich collections which h: d
for years been accommodating in the old
library quarters of the Capitol. where
they were buried from public view be-
osuse of the lack of space in which to dis
oaay them. Necessarily the exhibit in the
northwest gallery of the new library
building is but very small part OF tire
treasures of Typography and rare and cost
n books, including especially what are
known as incunabula (books produced in
she infancy of the art Of printing! and
Americana, contained: in the great libra
~ of the United States. Now that abund-
ant space is provided for these treasures,
q selection of them has been made and
partially classified into groups of inspec-
ton and information.
Beginning at the north end of the gal
lsry, there are exhibited rows of speci-
mens of early printed books representing
every year from 1857, the earliest imprint,
no to 1901. This exhibit illustrates by ac-
tual examples the early history of the art
that is preventative of all other arts.
They are by no means SO numerous as
suoh treasures in possession of the libra
ry would permit being made, as the ear
" black letter volumes representing some
of these years are very numerous in the
collection. But the exhibit presents to
the student of typography most inter-
esting and strictly continuous series of
specimens Of the work Of the early
printers.
Many, if not most of these curiosities
of ancient Typography came into the pos
session of the government with the libra
ry of that venerable and honored book
collector, Peter Force of Washington. He
was Both printer and scholar, and he
nmaEeed a library of photographed
treasures which are now for the first time
fully brought out to public view.
\ very timely exhibit is made on the
onposite side of the hall, where some OF
the early Spanish and other books and
maps of the West Indies are to be seen.
Here is Peter Martyrs work containing
CUBA ct les Isles Nouucllemet trouuees
{newly found), en- la grands mer Oceane, -
printed at Paris in 1889, with an outline
zap of Cuba, Spagnola (San Domingo),
Porto Rico, etc. Under it is Porcacchi
A'lsole piv famose del Monde, printed at
Venice in 1871 1t contains an early map
and description of Cuba. Also A. de
Herrera, Nievwe Werelt West Indien
(Nest Indies), printed at Amsterdam
1893, containing map Of the Philippine
Islands in the seventeenth century; also
Bordone Isolario, Vinegia, printed in
1854, containing an early map of the
West Indies. In the same case is copy
of Arnold Montanus's work, containing
fine large two-page engraving OF Ha-
vana as 1t appeared in the middle OF the
seventeenth century, with Spanish gal
Icons il the offing. There is also second
edition of Montanus, containing a tine
old engraving Of Porto Rico. There is q
very early map of the Philippines,
bearing date of 1744. In the next case
there are displayed three volumes Of the
very rare collection of Hulsius's Voyages,
nearly complete in the library of Con-
gress, printed at Nuremberg, 1899 to 1916.
and containing early maps OF Cuba, Por-
to Rioo, etc. Also two volumes OF DE
Bry's Voyages, 1890 to 1919, one contain
ing an early map of the Philippine Is
lands, the other a queer old copper-plate
engraving of the SPORTS and dances of the
Indian aborigines of Virginia, supposed
to have been taken from life. In the
same case Ia very early map OF Canada,
1909, in a copy Of Lescarbot, 'H1stoire de
IL NouYelle France"
Many of the rarest of the American
nuggets are found in both editions of
John Elliot's Indian Bible, printed at
Cambridge, Mass. 1661-63, and the second
edition, In 1885, There is also a finely
preserved copy of what is perhaps still
srareP book in good preservation, viz, the
first Bible in English printed in America,
by R. Aitken, Philadelphia, 1852 This
& the only book which had the honor to
receive from the American Congress spe-
DIAL public recommendation, an attested
oeRy of which is printed in the first vol
usae of the Bible.
In the first and second cases are to be
r found severa handsome specimens of
&tssalS and Illuminated manuscripts,
adorned with gold and colors. all hand
pas1ted, and inscribed on fine vellum or
parchment.
The famous George Washington Bible,
In three great folio volumes, specially
srsntioned in his will, is there. These
yoiumes were bequeathed to the "Rev.
4-o-a Fairfax, now Bryan" the Bible
tsprceented to Washington by Right Rev.
thomas Wilson, Bishop of Sodor and
A1Ha.' The work, though annotated by
bishep Wilson, was never printed until
thirty years after his deoease, and is one
Of the copies presented to high dignita-
sioo under provisions Of the will of the
ksov. r. Wilson, son of the Bishop.
Washington autograph Is on each vol
u1as, They were printed in 1885.