The Washington times., 1901-08-04
JOHN FIsKE's LrBRiEY.
Notable Volumes ReL,oyod to the
New Quarters in Cambridge.

| CAMBRIDGE. Mass, Aug. 3-The
Cambridge Tribune in it's issue today,
| says:
| Twelve thousand books, or there
| abouts, constitute the library of the late
| John Fiske. which has been removed from
the former home of his family Berke-
| ley Street to the new house at the corner
| of Brattle and Ash Streets.
This splendid collection of books IS ex-
ceptional, not only in its numerical ex-
tent, but also in the character of the vol
| umes that compose it, All of them are
standard works in their field of litera-
ture, and many of them are old editions
| that are exceedingly rare. During the
| latter part of DR.. Fiske's residence on
| Berkeley Street. the accessions to his
| library had become great both by his
own extensive purchases and by additions
that came from friends and publishers
| that the adequate accommodation of the
books had become a problem with him.
| and when the house on Brattle Street was
being considered, he had Il spacious room
for a library included in the plans. And
when the new house was finished DR..
Fiske found a keen delight in the thought
of moving his treasured volumes into the
library, and ne had had this work begun
intending the removal of the books from
their old resting places to the new shelves.
DIR. Fiske, aside from loving to work
In his chosen departments of human
knowledge and discussion, loved the books
themselves which he used. and each one
of them was treated with the devotion
and regard shown to dear friend. He
had many very old bindings in his pos
session, and he made it his rule never to
destroy any of them for a new binding
In fact, his veneration for the old covers
and the old stamping never would allow
him to do Another indication of Dr.
Fiskes love of his books is to be found
in the attention he gave to securing just
those effects in binding that should suit
his artistic sense. He frequently went to
his binder, Mr.. McNamee, with gener-
al scheme, outlined on paper, for the
printing of the covers of the books he
was having newly bound: and in the Sc
lection and matching of papers, cloths.
and feathers he had a perception that
was uniquely accurate.
Sections of shelves are occupied by Sc
ries of books upon kindred subjects Here.
for instance. are sets of tall. thick
volumes, of the histories of different coun-
tries and of great historical movements
works upon the history of England,
Egypt Phoenicia. India. Sicily. the Nor
man Conquest, the French Revolution
and the Renaissance in Italy. Upon other
shelves are the thirty-one volumes of the
Histoire des Francais, strikingly bound
in half red morocco, with marbled edges
and gilt backs. Near by are the COM
manding German volumes, 'Hegers
Werke. bound in an odd German bind
ing of fun paper.
'One of the many unusual works which |
DR.. Fisle possessed, and in which his
mind was constantly delighting itself |
was a book entitled 'Translations from
Chinese and Armenian. and its binding is
as unique as its contents. 1t is done in |
red morocco with back beautifully |
fooled in gold from a special design. Upon |
quite another historical subject and still |
more lavishly bound is a volume weighty |
In every sense of the word. Cotton Ma |
thers 'Magnalia Christi Americana an |
ecclesiastical history of New England |
from 1920 TO 1893. This is a superb speci-
men of the skill of Pratt, London book
binder who did the book in full crushed |
levant and gilt edges. A set of Renan. in |
red morocco. is one of the strong points
of the collection. DR.. Fiske. who was
graduate of Harvard in 1868, always was
interested in collecting the best sources
of information to the history and prog
resS of his alma mater, and his
shelves he has no small number of SUBJ
bound volumes bearing upon
this subject Among them are the Har-
ward College reports. volumes of 'Har-
ward Graduates Magazine etc. His own
works which have commanded attention
on both sides of the Atlantic, are mod
estly placed on inconspieuous shelves"