The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-19

Of Oliver Cromwell, the bold signature
Of John Hancock, unpublished poems OF
Charlotte Bronte, sketches and letters from
Thackeray's hand-these are only few
Of the interesting things that Adrian II.
Joline has in his collection Of autographs.
II is in many ways q remarkable collection,
although Mr.. Joline regards it modestly.
@One may talk Of that OF DIR. Thomas
A. Emmett, the dean Of us all; that is some
thing worth while said he. Mine lie
merely odds and ends. curious human
documents that amuse an old fellow when
ne wearies OF the law and the press Of the
workadAy world
In Mr.. Jolines apartments at West
Seventy second street, what space Is not
taken up by his collection Of rare books
Is filed from floor 10 ceiling by morocco
bound books Of the letters. musings, poems
and papers Of men and women famous in
history
1t is a pleaGant thing to sit among them
on rainy days. said Mr.. Jolne. Il have
been arranging that collection for ten
years, and it is not arranged yet. II these
things increase in number. l shall have
TO resort 10 the methods Of that old opium
eater DeQuincey-lock the door, abandon
the Accommodations and seek new lodging
where may begin all over again. One
must collect something, even postage
stamps and almRnacs. Who said that man
is an animal which collects?
Doubtless a great many people con-
slider me and all other specimens OF my
autograph hunting species, as members OF
the common horde Of COMMUNITIES who
gather birds eggs, butterflies, hotel paper,
teacups and japanese sword guards. l
suppose they think carry about with me
a gilt bound volume and ask uckless mag
mates to write their names in it, or that
send letters to Statesmen and authors,
requesting the favor, &c, and enclosing
stamps for reply.
Now a mere signature, unless it he an
extraordinarily rare thing, is worth little
TO a collector Of autographs. What he
desires is a piece Of the great ones mind
set down on paper; something that will
give a broad idea Of character; fash OF
the sentiment Of the period; photograph
Of thumbnail size Of an event centuries old.
when l sit among my things and read
the very human expressions OF men who
gave only one side OF themselves to the
world, 1 drift back over years and live
with those great old fellows. dine With
them, 20 walking with them, laugh, maybe.
swear with them, touch glasses, live their
life for a few delightful hours. We COL
lectors sometimes get glimpse OF the
interior characters not vouchsafed to the
rest Of mankind.
Il wonder what Queen Victoria would
have thought IL had shown her letter
snuRly buried in one Of my choicest vol
umes, which she addressed TO her gallant
Premier, Melbourne, before she espoused
Prince Albert?"
Mr.. Joline shows the note. II is written
on a faded sheet Of fine linen paper. the
lions Of England engraved in black on the
corner. 1t runs:
II Lord Melbourne isn't very tired cd he
come here? lie needn't dress, but can come
lust a. he IT, The Queen would see him
up stairs i'm her own room. l have heard
much VIII. enrages me. 4 II w'd be such a thing
II YOU cd come here for a minute unless you
are rerp tired: IL w'd quiet me, Just say
yes or no. II you c'dnt get your carriage
quickly, l cd send mine. hear you spoke
so beautifully. The Duke must DO in his
dotage.
Naturally the authenticity Of that inn
pulsive, passi onate note Of the young Queen
has been disputed by some said Mr..
,Jolipe. There is absolutely no doubt,
however. that il is quite genuine. got it
as such things are got, by the nsediness OF
impoverished nobility. / regard II as the
most interesting thing in my collection.
sI do not know what is 10 become Of US
IL this typewriting mania continues. Our
great men do not write letters now; they
dictate their thoughts TO stenographers,
and one cannot even be sure that the ma
chine made affair is not signed by a secre-
tary with a rubber stamp.
1T is not easy TO imagine Washington or
Jefferson or John Adams thus degrading
the art Of correspondence. The typewHt-
ing machine is the discoura ger OF auto
graphic enterprise, the grave Of artistic
collection, the tomb Of ambition. There Is
in this very town an eminent Judge who
does his own typswriting, and has the
hardihood even to print his signature with
the addition Of X, his mark Could de-
pravity be carried further!"
There was a person Of the Second Empire
whom Paris knew az "Lzzy' during her
boulevard days. When Louis Napoleon
rocketed into power and married Eugene
he wrote this person an interesting note.
She was then, by the favor OF Napoleon H.,
Madame la Comtesse de Beauregard.
II ran:
DEARFsT LIzzI: l hope when the first
impression will be gone. you will find that the
necessity Of my marrying being accepted,
| could do nothing better. You will find that
person without any rrejuges and without
the yuoyouc Of a foreign princess. Tell always
10 Giles what you wish / may do for you,
and believe that my sincere affection Tor you
will never cease.
Another letter which Mr.. Joline has,
gives Napoleon's promise TO 'Lizzy' to
give her at the end Of each month 10000
francs.
For Lizzy's sake said MIR. Jolne, -let
US hope that he paid promptly
The peaceful meditations Of the gentle
and inonensive autograph collector he
continued. ARE frequently disturbed by the
painful reflection that some Of his most
valuable acquisitions may not be auto
graphs after all. He Is not particularly
alarmed by the danger Of forgery, for ex-
cept In the matter OF highly expensive
items the peril Of deliberate falsifcation is
little 10 be feared. There have been in
staHbes where rogues have preyed on the
credulousness Of careless but enthusiastic