The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-06
THE WORLD OF BOOKS
BY HECTOR FULLER
BY HECTOR FULLER.

Among bookIovers the topic of discus
sion just now is the important sale Of the
library of Lord Amherst. and many Eng
Iishmen are perturbed for fear that some
American millionaire is likely TO pick out
some of the rarest Of the treasures. which
win thus be lost TO England II is ru-
mored that a rich Canadian has already
made an offer for the library complete.
This great collection of books should, as
a matter of fact. be sold in block, for, as
il is now, il comprises one of the best col
leCtiOns of books on the art and history
of printing known 10 exist. There are
seventeen Caxtons in the collection, whose
value is placed at eS0,000, and one of
these is the only known copy of the first
book ever printed in the English Ian
guage This is the "Troye." printed by
Caxton AZ Bruges about 1914 II originally
belonged 10 Bryan Fairfax, at whose sale
in 11J6 il brought over thousand pounds.
II was purchased by the Earl of Jersey,
and at the sale of his library in 1855 it
brought G1,S20. Il is valued now at over
$1,000, The library also includes some
fine and rare specimens of continental
printing. For the last fifty years Lord
Amherst has bought, needless of the
price, books which illustrate the history
of printing from early times Down to the
beginning of the eighteenth century.
There are books I'm his collection from the
libraries of Henry VII, Edward VI, Eliza
beth, and other monarchs, superb in their
royal binding. one binding Is signed by
Nary Ferrar. of Little Gliding, and one
of the Caxtons is in its original state
The disposal OF this library has been en-
trusted TO Bernard Quaritch. the well
known London bookseller. who. realizing
the value Of the collection as d whole Is
anxious TO secure a purchaser who will
keep it intact, rather than dispose Of its
treasures 20 number of individual col
lcctors.
Mary INLAY Taylor. whose novel OF
Washington society was reviewed in the
Herald recently. was born in Washington
and lives here now. She is Of Scotch de
scent, her ancestors having been among
the earlier settlers OF Long Island. She
was educated entirely at home under pri-
waite tutors, and began writing early,
both poetry and prose. Still a young
woman her output of work has already
been large. Her first novel ON the Red
Staircase" was published at Christmas
time in 1885. and following this success
came rapidly "a list of novels which in
clUde The Cardinals AIusketeer, 1.-THE
CobbIer of Mines" My Lady CIancarty,"
Anne Scarlet and others. and she also
has written one volume of poetry and
book of fairy stories
Not since the late NJ Brunetiere lee
tured in this country has France sent US
such distinguished author as NJ. Ana
tole De Braz. whose lecture tour Of the
larger cities, and before the leading uni
Versities and colleges, is attracting
great deal of attention. Recently he lee
turcd in Washington. at Hubbard Memo
rial Hail. under the auspices Of the ALI
ance Franchise. NJ le Braz is a poet.
critic, and a writer Of fiction. A charac-
teristic work Of his is "Au Pays des Pa
dons,' which was recently published in
an English translation by Francis NJ
Costing. under the title. "The Land Of
PaTdons." Mr.. le Braz is a Breton, and
his mission in America is as an interpre-
ter OF his country to the outside world.
a link with the literary past has been
severed in the death, recently, Of the
Rev. Arthur Nichols. whose claim TO
fame rests in the fact that he was the
husband Of Charlotte Bronte His death
recalls how doggedly the poor curate
wooed and won the popuar author right
at the height of her fame. As was the
case with Mr.. Barrett. when Robert
Browning won Elizabeth away from her
sick bed, the father Of Charlotte Bronte
was furious and forbade the curate to
enter his rectory. But the twin kept up
d secret correspondence. and finally she
slipped away from her fathers parish
and married her lover without the Rev.
Patrick BroHte's consent. They lived very
happily for many "a year. for Charlotte
Bronte was an ideal wife for a clergy
man. When she died, her husband re-
tired 70 A small farm ~ sowned I'm Ire
land, and there for fifty years since her
death he has lived quietly. mourning his
loss and refraining from publishing any
OF her literary secrets.
a
the house where he has lived so long.
"Undershaw" it was called. and e -oSe
amid the beautiful scenery of TIindland,
in Surrey. He bought the house chiefly
because Of its beautiful situation. and
because il vas thought that the Surrey
air would benefit his wifes health. She
is dead now and the place has unpleasant
memories for the author
Another recent death that has strong
literary association is that of Mrs John
La Touche. in Dublin. She was the
mother of Rose la Touche. the Rosie"
of John Ruskins "Praeterita." and the
lady he wished very much to marry.
though she was young enough to be his
granddaughter. The artist and Rosie"
were separated on religious grounds, she
being a Roman Catholic. She must have
been an attractive girl, and very accom-
plished, and there il no doubt Of the in
spIration she afforded to the author OF
Sesame and Lilies. a writer in the
Dublin Freeman's Journal. letting his
mind 60 back some twenty-five years.
thus recalls her:
She vas a very lovely sirl, with deep blue s,ss.
liAtu Aalfr cAtit>itet tu-tlel features.
aquiiine nose indicative Of fmness. she had chosen
al know hodge for her province and had not only
the usual Young lsdylitc accomplishments OF ipou-
edge Cf the modern languages and music hut was
accomplished Greek and Latin scholar and had
a considerable acquaintance with the Hebrew LAM
gJsEe. She very brilliant IN conversation. and
had an encyclopedia memory She was moreover
an accomplished horscwoman. a writer not only Of
admirable TroSe. but a souuets bofh in English
and German, q unquostiauable power
The Tooth anniversary Of the birth Of
Gen. Robert z. Lee viii be celebrated on
January ~, and it will be marked by the
issue by Doubleday. Page * Co. of a