Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-17
BOOKS AND AUTHORS

series of Poems and Ballads The
growing conviction that a noet had
appeared IN Britain occasioned a con-
siderable fiuttering in the dovecotes of
l'hilistia, and the strident bray of the
JackasS was heard in the land.
Fortunately Mr.. Swinburne proved
absolutely contemptuous of this chorus
OF disapproval, and was content TO
concentrate his energies on the pro-
duction of poems which, it is not too
much to say, poSterity wifi acclaim as
among its nOblest heritages. Today
Mr. Swinburne occupies BY universal
consent the sovereignty of English
song. The fact that he is not poet
laureate is but another Illustration Of
that official stupidity which is,
perhaps, the most characteristic note
OF successive English governments.
The lover OF poetry, however, will not
feel seriously perturbed because the
singer of Dolores" and THE Hymn
to Man. was deemed unworthy of
place in that apoStolical succession of
Immortal bardS which connects Mr.
Alfred Austin with Nahum Tate.
Edith Macvane's latest novel. THE
Duchess of Dreams was published
complete in a recent issue of L;ppin-
colts. 1t is wonderfully fine story.
and marks a distinct advance over
anything she has hitherto done.
Mrs. Humphrey Ward Is expected to
arrive in New York in March for a
long postponed visit She will b.. t,'r
guest OF Mrs. Frederick w. Whi.r:ti<r
the daughter of Matthew Ari!.,ld and a
/ cousin of Mrs Ward. This visit will
be the first Mrs. Ward has ever made
| in America.
Caroline Corners forthcoming book,
"Ceylon, the Paradise of ADAM" will
give realistic picture of the native
| life of Ceylon. The author has spent
seven years in the country and has
made Il thorough study of local con-
| dititions. Such characteristic cere-
| monies and customs as the devil
dance the stromstrom or Portuguese
Ceylon dance the Thanksgiving cere-
| mony, the annual festival of the Sing
| haleSe, the Jeewama, a very exclusive
rite, and the local form Of celebrating
nuptials, are all described
IN volume entitled Historic Bibles
| in America" edited by DR.. j. II.
| Wright, is the following information:
George Washington's family Bible
G;sSi<trville's edition, printed in
Birmingham III 11iO is now owned by
Christ church parish, Alexandria, Va.
| to whom ii was presented by George
Washington Parke Curtis in 1904
WASHINGTON also owned q copy of the
fnIio edition of Browns "Self-Inter-
preting Bible printed by Hodge &
CnfnpbrlI in New York in 1872 This
| was me first Bible printed in New
York. 1t was issued III forty numbers.
| Washington was an original subscriber
| a"G mis- name heads the list Of sub
scrihers printed IN the book. Martha
Washlngtom's E;Dic, which contains
har autograph signature in three
pifrt =, is now owned by G. r. Gunther.
| Of Chicago, who Is the largest single
own,r il the United States of his
tpric" Bibles. The. Bible described as
the 'BdSsctt- Washington Bible. on
account Of its hlying belonged to Ella
Baasctt, widow Of Lewis D. Washing
| ton, should have been called Mary
Washing IONS bible. There is no rea-
sen to doubt that it originally belonged
to Mary Ball Washington. the mother
Of George Washington, from whom it
descended to her daughter Betty. who
married Fielding Lewis. The family
record, which is on Il blank sheet
Wafervd into the book with sealing
wax. is probably in the autograph Of
George Washington. The first entry
is the record of the marriage of Au-
sCstne Washington and Mary Ball. on
March G, l130-31 The second entry is
of the birth of George Washington:
Born We 18th day of February, 113l-32,
about 10 N the morning, and was bap-
tised the 9Th of April following" The
eleven days which were stricken out
of September, 1112 made the 18th day
of February. old style, the ed, the
day We celebrate. This valuable and
interesting volume is no longer at Mt |
Vernon. hut has since been offered for
sale by Il firm of booksellers in New
York city. Harvard University owns
one of the most valuable and interest
ing Bibles described by DR. Wright |
1t was printed at Cambridge, England, |
in 1922, and in itself the book would |
have almost no market value. On the |
New Testament title-page, however, is |
the autograph of John Bunyan. An
other interesting Bible is John Alden's. |
now owned by a descendant. This has
this inscription on a fly leaf:
John Alden owns this booke
God give him grace to one it locke
l he rose is reed the leaves is
Green and soc God gave our noble
klnSe.
Written by me John Alden the 18th
of April 1861.
Mr.. William Watson has confessed
that his road to recognition as a poet
was not any easy one. Not twenty i
copies of his first volume of poems had