The Jersey City news., 1901-12-28
MGR. Sc ON'S ClF I
Notre Dame University, In
diana, Receives Three
Thousand Valuable
Books.
PRICELESS HISTORIC RELICS
The Distinguished Collector
Soon to Leave for Rome
Where He Will Live
Permanently.
PRICELESS HISTORIC RELICS


The authorities Of the Notre Dame Uni
versity. Illinois, have sent a warm letter
of thanks to the Right Rev. Monsignor
Robert Seton, d. D., rector of St Joseph
r. G Parish, this city, for valuable
gift of more than three thousand books
To the library Of that famous place OF
learning. Monsignor Seton will. on Janu-
AIRY s. next, sail ON the F'uerst bismarck
for Naples. lie will go TO Rome and in
the Eternal City take up a permanent
residence.
A confrmed boekworm, he has during
the past thirty years made an Interesting
and VALUABLE collection. having spent
from $1,000 to $4,000 over that literary
hobby His library was exceedingly
choice and contained many exceedingly
rare tonnes. He was in constant COM
munication with dealers in books in Eng
land and the European Continent, and1
to import books, as those having any eX-
perience in that line know, is an expen-
sive proceeding. These works are III
English, French, German, Spanish, ital-
ian and Latin, and they embrace histori-
cal. Theological ard scientific Subjects.
and books on travel and arr.
The Monsignor.s library was delight
FIJI place in the rectory on Pavonia ave-
nue. ard the entree WAS only for those
who cared for books. He loved them and
passed many hours among them, and YOU
couldn't take book from the shelves
but you would find marginal references
scattered throughout its leaves, showing
the careful reading of the owner OF the
work. Indeed. ii might easily be said OF
some OF bis books, as it was said Of am
other distinguished collectors volumes.
that the valuable part Of the book con-
sisted Of the notes on the margin
OF this splendid collection the Mon
signor has reserved about three hundred
volumes for himself, and these are packed
Up in two boxes for his use in the home
at Rome
"All will take with me en- route, said
Dr. Seton today to a News representa-
tive who called to see him and say bon
voyage, ''is my breviary, a copy of the
New Testament and BaedeclSer's latest
guide to Naples and Sicily. The books
/ have shipped to Rome bear on travel
and antiquity
In addition to the disposal Of books. the
Monsignor has given away TO the Nofre
Dame University and Seton Hall College
at South Orange a valuable collection fof
old prints. engfavings. etehings and
paintings on historical and pious subjects
Many of these he brought from abroad
and these will remain in America Some
few of the collection on American Sub
jeets he will take with him to Rome
For many years the Monsignor has been
custodian of almost priceless historical
relies connected with the famous Seton
family Among those was an original
portrait &c the Inflated Mary Queen Of
Scots. Prince Lobanoff. formerly lthe
Russian Ambassador to this country an
Isardent vertu collector, once saw it and
offered $4,000 for it. The offer was
promptly refused. History has 1t that
Of the four "Maries.' Mary Seton. Mary
Beaton, Mary Carmichael and Me- and
ii was to a relative of the first mentioned
maid of honor. Sir David Seton of Par
broak Scotland. that the heirloom was
given in 1861 Sir David was an ancestor
Of DR. Seton. Then there was the dagger
worn by Sir Alexander Seton in the wars
waged against England by Robert the
Bruce That, too, was Il part of DR..
Setons collection, together with a silver
mounted shell snuff box belonging to the
Earl of winton, member Of the ancient
Scottish noble family of Seton.
"These, saia the Monsigror together
with some other family heirlooms OF later
date. i have returned to my brother,
| William Seton, LID. of New York.
For the last time DR.. Seton will officiate
in church on Sunday. tomorrow, when he
will make the announcement that his suc-