New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-21
gIo-American Memories
Copyright. 1911. George W. srnaliey3
London, April 90.

London. April 90.
.onIv two pages in facsimile"
Such * the account Of the Gutenberg
-,,,o a, vellum in the Hoe sale which
ives 70 us by cable. The ''only" may
:. plea OF extenuating circumstances
-. ,,,e auctioneers. or a piece OF en-
,,oidsrv bv the author Of the dispatch.
;, sither case. it might serve as text
,,r long sermon on the ways of book
,a,lers and book buyers. But mine shall
81 short one. and not sermon either.
know the Hoe copy. I knew II as
are Perkins copy. l went 70 the Perkins
,.le in 1878. held somewhere in the coun-
80 on a pleasant afternoon Of English
.,,shine. which still lights UP the scene
., roen1o-v There I met the late Mr..
usr-v stevens. Of Vermont agent 10 the
pr,tish Museum and TO Mr.. Lenox. who
understood certain classes Of books.
-o,ahly Americana and Caxtons. better,
.rnnose. than any man Of his time. Not
r.T,ons only. but other incundbuld We're
r,bles chief among these
IN the Perkins sale were two Mazarin
p,bles: a name then more commonly
rsea than Gutenberg: one on paper and
-. On vellum. I went through both
,,,ssr Mr.. Stevens's guidance. almost
ia, nv leaf. II was some eight and
,,,r,v wears ago. but I can still see those
,,orious pages Of the printers art. Their
,.sson for Us is one we have great need
~ learning, alike in England and in
America.
This Bible was the first printed book;
.hA date Of il uncertain. but between
,A50 and 1855. and it is to-day the finest
,-,nted book in existence; unless the
latin Psalter Of 1856 be a rival We pride
ourselves on our mechanical improve
,snts. The art Of printing with movable
,vnes is largely a mechanical art; and
that IS the degree Of improvement to
u,,ch We have attained in something
aver four centuries and a half. In de-
tails and processes, there have been
nanv improvements. from certain points
>. view Yet If you look at printing as
g means OF producing a perfect printed
,avA there have been none. The art
snrang into being from the brain Of Jove
who must be reckoned the God OF
Printing since the Goddess of Wisdom
was mis- daughter-in full armour and in
its highest splendor.
would fam hope that an American
book-lover or two has compared the brill
liant blackness OF Gutenberg's ink with
the pale cheap fluid too often used by
the American book printer. Let him
compare also the types, and wonder why
GutenherEs black letter. modelled after
manuscripts. should be so sharply cut
and 50 much clearer and more medallc
,han the modern. He may wonder not
less why the old paper in its purity
should be d 10y TO the eye while some or
the new, with It's dirty natural tone
and It's commonness. is only an offence
What ve have gained in speed and
cheapuess and variety we have lost In
TIE beauty OF the printed page ITSELF
We can DO fairly well when we choose
and We sometimes choose.
That is one reason why the Mazarin
Bible has attained and kept its immense
fame: that. as wei as its being the first
book printed throughout with movable
types: and perhaps also because II was
a Bible: or a version Of the Bible; though
rot what we now mean when we say
The Bible. There is a story which prob
ably attaches itself 10 this very copy
which had passed into Lord Ashourn-
hams possession: had been sold in the
dispersion Of his fine library, had been
bought by the late Mr.. Quaritch. and by
him been sold 10 a more or less wealthy
Scottish clergyman for $4,000. one OF
the Scottish clergyman's Scottish parish
toner's demonstrated with his spiritual
pastor upon the price. he answered:
can any price be too high for the
Word Of Cod"
An answer worthy Of a Scottish the
ologian or OF a Jesuit But we have
always the right TO doubt whether the
story is true.
Whether by way OF Glasgow or Paisley
or some other devious route the DOCK
passed in-o Mr. Hoes possession. and
the Americana there be one-Who
Judges values by bigness. IS now able
10 shout that the greatest price ever
paid BY anybody anywhere for any print
ed book has been paid in America by
a. American. for a book printed forty
years before America was discovered
But the seller was an American, the
buyer vas an American. the aucticneer
was an American (uniess he happened
% be a Briton). and it is an American
dispatch 10 an English newspaper which
sets forth these facts IN dithyramDlc
psan. lyrical IN intent II not In form.
Long since the money test seems 70
have been accepted as the decisive test
IN respect Of art. MI Widener is the
uuest OF American patriots because he
paid hall million dollars for the Rem
brandt Mill" which Lord Lansdowne
sold; and perhaps Lord Lansdowne is
British patriot because he has the half
million in his British pocket. If money
lie the test ought not the money itself
TO be more than the thing which money
bought? And now Mr.. Huntington takes
his stand proudly oy Mr.. Widener's side.
He, too. has paid a higher price than
ever was paid before; not for a picture,
but for a printed book. which perhaps
appeals 10 the American public more
nearly than any painted canvas. To
nave painted a landscape rivalling Rem
orandts. 10 have produced a printed
book equal in beauty 10 that which a