Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-06
GREAT MEMS TASTES
Records Show Some Were Not
AverSe to Novels.
What Some ofMaine's Ex-Governors
and Statesmen Used to Read.
Few Followed a Legislative Session Without
InduIging in Light Fiction.

Ky Bubllt IttoId. bul ltlt DUCKS Itdu
while they have been State legislators
or employed in other capacity at the
Capitol can be known by looking over
old records at the State library. These
lists of books taken out by law max
ers show that they often rested their
brains by works of fiction and perhaps
by following some side hobby.
The old library of the State House.
as the Journal has mentioned before
contains some books and records that
arc interesting to look into. A few
minutes glance through these records
the other day gave the Journal report
or the idea that perhaps the readers
might like to know something Of what
the Maine statesmen had read in years
past. He secured a small list Of them
from what of the records of the libra
rian We're at hand and though a much
larger and fuller list could be obtained
! This, however, will give one an idea of
the reading done in the 10's by Names
! Legislators and public men.
/ In connection with the hobby idea, The
| late Daniel +. Davis must, by the rec
| ords of the librarians. have been in
| terested in the study Of human nature
| and Of faces. for in several books is
| found the record where he has taken
out books on chronology and physiog-
omy. In connection with these charges
are those that showed that he took out
other books for reference purposes, but
| his recreation books were on the
sciences.
| In some cases the charges Of books
| by the librarian as everyone knows.
| had to be made to the man entitled to
| the use of the State books but at the
| same time in a column opposite under
| the words, ITO whom delivered" would
| be given the persons name so none OF
! those are used in securing the list Of
! books that the men in question took
| themselves.
Hon. James G. Blaine in several
years. had more books charged to him
! than any other man in the State. with
| the possible exception of William Cald-
well of Augusta. who was a great
reader and who let others of his family
take the books in his name. Mr.. Blaine
had a large number of relatives who
took books in his name, and there is
| every class that the State library
| possess in the lot. the greater number
| in the way of high class fiction of
which it is found that in those years
Mr.. Blaine's nephew. our present post
master. w. ID. StinsOn. read much. Mr..
| Blaine. however. is charged in one
place with several of the works of
Dickens that he took himself. Besides
| this he used to consult the great refer
ence books very much.
The late Luther Severance was a
| lover of Cooper and Dickens as his
charges show. Hon. Ambrose Abbott
of the Senate Of '13, was also a reader
| Of Cooper.
by the way, that Legislature of 1873
anyone will find by consulting the
| register. contained as many, if not
more men. who have since been promi-
nently associated with public life.than
any Legislature before or since.
Hon. Hannibal Hamlin's charges
We're for the works of Dickens and in
| fact there are a great many OF the
statesmen who have shown the same
| tendency for Dickens and that same
high class of fiction.
Hon. John Appleton of Bangor. was
addicted to Douglass Jerrard's works
and to reading reports. Hon. Joseph
| Baker is found without a charge of fic-
ton to his name though he was con
suffer of the acts and resolves Of his
own and other states while he was III
the Legislature.
II is barely possible that the men
from the distant parts of the state
read more fiction than the ones neal
home. as in the case of the above
named gentleman, the Hon Joseph
Baker who was the representative
from HalIowell. 1t certainly is the
case in the past years that the men
who live far away and cannot 90 home
often. have more charges of fiction To
pass away the hours that they would
like to be with their families
The late Hon. P. p. Burleigh in the
, large list of books that were taken on
in his name. has in the record eX
amined. but one book Of fiction charged
"a him. and that is ''Ivanhoe." He was
| in the habit of taking out many vain
able books on surveying and reference
works.
Hon. Josiah II. DrummOnd OF Port
land mas a list that is headed D!
"Davenport Dunn" and Journey t
Asbargo Land" In another book MI
Drummond is charged Win lHe On
tier Missionary" and still farthe
along at sone time when he wa
studying the history of Rockland AM
D Thomaston. the histories OF the town
thercabOut.
William Caldwell Of Augusta, Wh
was for so many years the chief clerI
in the treasury's department, was
areat reader of works of science
Governor Joseph l.. chamberlain ia
. very odd array of charges IN one 9
the records First comes lhackerS
poems. then follows THE World belor
tba Deluce.'' The Life and work
: Jesus" ana Life of Napoleon ;,
4 Clarence Hale. in the days wheh
yvae clerk in the state House wa
] e,udving men for his life work as
lawyer as the charge of "Charactei
and CHARACTERISTICS Of Men. as We'll
3 \ hook Of poems, well show.
= General W. S. Choate OF august
showed great tendency 'oMal'
noet,v of all the leading poets frt'
nrick Danforth of Gardiner was stuo.
~ HI me Examples Of the ohN erse
and self Formation.
Tho late A. +. Farwel Oh AusaS.
~. a raader Of Macaulay anu vi Nio'