Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-08-16
A LIBRARY OF AMERICANA.


/
the World to Go to Brown University.
The recent announcement that the
| John Carter Brown library in Prov-
dence is to be given to Brown Univer-
| Sity has brought it to the attention of
the general public for the first time.
Yet ii is without doubt the finest col
| lection of Americana in existence.
and has long been known to all stu
| dents of American history throughout
the world. The collection was begun
in n modest way by the Nicholas
Brown from whom the university
which is now to receive the library
took its name. 1t was his son. how
ever. who first began collecting on an
ambitious scale. gradually extending
| the scope Of the library from books re-
lating to Rhode Island to those relat-
ing To New England. and finally to the
whole of the two American continents
In the course Of years some other
books have not unnaturally been added
to the collection also. There is, for
example, Il set of the first four folia
editions Of Shakespeare. all in tall ana
| clean condition, the sale of which
would certainly produce enough 70 sup
puit 4 poor family for several years.
There are many fine specimens of early
prnting-caNton Golden Legend, :"
Tor example: Aldinc editions by the
hundred. and 4 collection of polyglot
Bibles. including that published at the
expense of Ferdinand and Isabella in
1Il4-'11. There are also many extra
illustrated books. among which are the
first quarto edition of BosWeli'S john
son. extended To six volumes, the plates
in which include one hundred and sew
enteeu different portraits OF the great
photographer" himself. and 4 volume
should interest at the present time
tunninshams Life of Nell Gwyn.
with three hundred and sixty portraits
ana other plates.
it IS not. however, to such books that
the library owes it's chief value. but.
as has already been said, to the Amer
icana. 50 rich is il in this depart
mcnt that it IL with peculiar pride that
the owners of other similar collections
add to the description of Il rare vol
umn. on the few occasions when they
can. the words: Not i'll the Carter
Brown Collcctiun.' In examining the
books one feels that nothing relating
even remotely to the Western Hems
phcrc can have been overlooked. at
| least up to the end Of the eighteenth
century. for beyond that period the
| library makes no attempt at fulncss.
There are curious maps of the world.
made before the time of Columbus.
| that may be compared with maps of all
periods since. There is copy of Pierre
rAilly's Image Mun,ti." 1883. the read
ir,. nf which is believed Ia have en-
1T - WIZ = "o'''NV 4" :" II
cOuraGed Columbus upon ms great I'M
dtrlukinr Five, Of the seven editions
nr Cnlumhus's letter tn Ferdinand and
VI 20 Hiii"uHN '''''i w. t'''''''''' IN
| isabella, descriptive ~ ms voyage.
printed in 1893. are represented in the
IiIr,,y nna If thnm hainp thr only
| copy known. There is n curious edition
of the Psaltcr publish by GiuStin-
;.,,; +, RE :, ,,.li.t, - h,;,r biot.ronl,1
Iiiii III l''"' ~ VIM = - 90 - 'i+i'
Of Columbus Is introduced I" Illustrate
| tha fourth verso of the NINth Psalm:
..rt.,i, Iir,. Il ,en,,. AM thro.,rh Iii ,be
1 ,tSi,. ,,.,...,1.. 70 w., ava If
| tb. world To most persons the title
ut >1nr..s ..I-tot,i,.. shelter known than
II H'i' r ......,i..,
| the contents. 1t Will therefore surprise
| many tn 1nAru that I'topia was repre-
.o,,+,.j nc , South American island.
"''' 80
ooor,- NJ Americana ana the library
'7"'' ,..,, III, .,.r.1.
accordingly contains ""'it ny ~ - -
| IN anu the llfSl filSiiSH 'ul'toi' H'it
,r. n,,,n.-nry. Interesting carly ac-
| 49, " .-.. -
counts q me N"NdSc9 ~ ,NP'''''' 'i'e
| or tNyo Of them believed to De unique.
| Among books Of different character are
| the PAY Psalm Book" the IirSt book
printed i'm the English colonies; a set of
| I'Iimt's InJiam Eiblcs and Roger Will
Iinm's dictionary Of Indian languages.
| There are more than a Thousand cuntro-
| ,,'.il t,,,its nrimt,d III TN time ~ The
| - IL ,i,.ina vorc 10 every shade Of
| ,i,'i,,, ,,,ar,jin.1 that struggle Then
| i ,''' ,ir,' 80. r31onrlph letters OF Roger
| Wii,in,,,. NE,ehinpton all the si-ners of
,h ~ ~ 1i,ratinn III Indcpendenca and
| n I'LL IN hnrG
| 'i .r ~, ,,uone the collecting Of book
AN. IL, L. t"a,ns one of the mildcst of
| ammstmenis. Yet it may ut times he
r rhi,s n-hnn III, nnIv known copy OF the
| III rIi's+ Iutrh edition Of NeSpucCiS let
| ,,. ,,,,s nff.rad fnr sale in Amsterdam,
| Nj I,rnvn ordered il At once by cable,
| nnd cntirinltin.r a New York order by
| ri,,i,t an hnur secured il The dealer
| whn sold if afterward declared that the
| rnxt mail had brought many orders. ~
| HIN, IL t;,nn i tpInnram from Mexico
| aholhti nm, MAI . library of great
brought N"iu ,n|oht there nrovided the
| Naiue 'ouii ~, LA M once m, libra
| MONEY '' ;,,',,iat.Iv disnatched to Mex-
ran NJ ~, ,',,'ay in his pocket ana the
! ico VIII ~ ',,,reJ added to those al
! bb'hS ''''I,,' = -, ,.u,, III. ,.rnar one