The Washington herald., 1907-03-27

early SOS. In January. 1866, Ar. Qulmby
died from the effects Of a tumor. at his
home in Belfast, Ne. Subsequently Mrs.
Eddy discovered and founded Christian
Science. Some years later. when Chris
tian Science had begun to assume proper
tons prophetic of its present hold on pub
lie interest. a student OF Mrs Eddy's
undertook 10 plagiaTize her book and was
enJofned by court process. Then a form
or patient TO the late Mr.. Qulmby came
to his defense with the statement that
Mrs. Eddy had herself plagiarized from
the teachings and writings of 2. +. Quinn
by, and declared his statements could he
proved by writings in the said Quimby's
hand which were in existence. But this
he failed TO do,
Are They Tradition and a Myth:
The Quimby tradition or, more exactly.
the Quimby manuscript tradition, reminds
one of a certain Mrs. 'Arris. who figures
in helion She was q beautiful myth
while she lasted and very effective, but
she ceased 10 be when Sairy Camps bored
and irate listener declared at last her
absolute conviction that there was no
Mrs. 'Arris. The picture Of a lady brought
forward at this juncture might have still
bolstered up the myth, but the so-called
fac-simile of a part Of a manuscript BY
Phineas P. Quimby printed in a recent
magazine does NOT sustain the Quimby
manuscript tradition. because it is not
the photograph Of piece of writing by
Phineas P. Quimby. and the writer's OF
the magazine article never saw a Quimby.
manuscript This assertion the writer has
from the lips OF the man who claims 10
guard and own the much-discussed pa
pers.
George A. Quimby. the son Of Phineas
P. Quimby, is living to-day in Belfast.
Ne He is a Well-liked and much re-
spected citizen OF that town Of several
thousand inhabitants. He was a clothing
manufacturer, and is now an insurance
agent; he has a charming home, and
cultivated family. His wife Is a delight
ful hostess. his daughters are in college.
Agreed to Show Manuscripts.
Mr.. Quimby agreed, over the long dis
,ance telephone from Boston. 10 show
the writer the Quimby manuscripts.
II was a Saturday afternoon, and Mr..
Quimby was alone in his Office, no busi-
ness being transacted 1n this half-hoh
day. He gave the writer a chair at a desk
and sat down at his own desk. saying:
III all the people who have come TO
see me in the past twenty years about
these manuscripts of my fathers were
fishes. and were laid head and tail to-
gether. they would stretch from here to
Montana. If all the letters that have been
written 10 me on the subject were spread
out they would make a plaster that would
cover the country"
why don't you print them so that all
the world can see them2" I asked You
would settle the question then for all
time"
Because won't" said Mr.. Quimby,
dogmatically. Il have said I would never
print them while that woman lives, and I
never shall"
Meaning Mrs Eddy?"
That's just who I NEAR"
But you have the manuscripts"
Il have. And here is one that you may
look at"
Mr.. Quinby took from drawer In his
desk q eopybook such as school children
use 10 write essays in Il was in a good
state OF preservation, not yellowed by
age, and was written in from cover to
cover in a neat copyist's hand. There
were no erasures or interlineations, no
breaks for paragraphs, and very few
headings There were dates at the end
Of the articles. of which there appeared TO
be two or three different ones in the book.
The dates were 1851 and 1868.
rs this your fathers handwriting" I
asked Mr. Quimby.
1T is not That is my mothers. I be
leve; and here is one in the handwriting
of one of the Misses Ware 4"
All Copies of Copies.
Mr. Qulmby went TO great iron safe
built in the wall and brought out six or
eight more books OF a similar character.
The writer glanced through the pages
and saw that all were written in this
style, with some variation In handwriting,
and then asked:
Are none Of these in your fathers
handwriting?"
NO, they are all copies Of copies"
But, Mr.. Quimby. what I came TO Bel
fast for was TO see your fathers manu-
scripts You agreed to let me see them,
and I have a particular reason for wish
ing to do so
These are the only manuscripts I have
shown to any one, and the only ones I
will show, said Mr.. Quimby. pacing the
floor.
Bas there has recently been printed
'facsimiles of your fathers manuscripts,
over the date 1863, in which appears the
words Christian Science I particularly
wished to see that manuscript II you
allowed other magazine writer's to see il,
why viii you not let me?''
L am showing you exactly what I
showed of haf ma "a zine writer's There fc
the very page that was photogra phed."
And in whose writing is this?'
My mothers, I believe; or possibly one
Of the Misses Ware"
May 1 ask you If this is the copy Of
something your father wrote, or conver-
sation with him written down here. or
did he dictate ft?"
Mr. Quimby became strangely excited.
He walked up and down the room. flush
ing with anger. and speaking emphatical-
".
NO, they are not conversations nor
dietation but copies Of things my father
wrote. He used 10 write al odd moments
on scraps Of paper whatever came into his
mind.
'sHave YOu Those Papers NOyvt"
And YOU have those papers now?"
Yes. have.
''wnl you let me see a few PAGES of
them?'
mo. won't Nobody has seen them,
and no one shall"
Was your father an illlterate manT'
He was self-educated. but he had read
a great deal He read Aurelius Plato.
and Socrates" CMr Quimby was labor
ing under intense excitement and doubt
less forsot for 4ha f7,orran+ that cr..rafas
did not leave any writings for the world
10 peruse) MY fathers head was full
of speculative ideas and he was constant