The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-07
And S21 of the Books All Re-
late to Shakespeare.
Are Owned by I'll. G.. Larimer,
Topeka Lawyer.
MADE THE COLLECTION TWICE
About 500 Volumes Were
Burned i'm 1898.
Now Has One of Largest West
ern Collections.

What is regarded as the largest
Shakespearean library In Kansas, If not
west of the Mississippi. is that of H.
G. Larimer, of 312 West Eighth street,
a lawyer, and brother of ]. B. Larimer,
president of the Prudential State bank.
The Shakespearean library numbers 921
volumes. The collecting these books.
Mr.. Larimer says, is just a fad with
him. He began more than twenty years
ago. In 1898 he had 500 books relating
to his favorite author. Then fire de-
stroyed the library when the former
residence of Mr. Larimer at ZIG Clay
street was burned.
After the fire Mr.. Larimer again be-
gan collecting the works of the poet of
the Avon. Now those volumes occupy
book case Of several sections, besides
many of fiction and history. Alto
gether there are $500 books.
Here are found, besides 400 Shakes
pearean texts in different editions, 200
volumes of criticisms, elucidation and
concordance; twenty books of phrases
about the home, country and home life
of the poet; all available standard
comment on references to the Bible.
law, natural history and music found
in Shakespeare's plays.
All Standard Editions.
Among the editions are the Cam
bridge, Hudson, Globe, White, Rolfe,
Delius. First Folio, Dowden. GaIlantz,
Bankside; Restoration, Knight, Malone,
Furness Variorum and others. None
are old or rare, but all are scholarly.
Then also Mr.. Larimer has a large
amount of literature of the Shakes
pearean-Baconian controversy, all that
he can find in fact, of discussions pro
and con as to whether the poet of Avon
or Lord Bacon wrote Shakespeare.
This is not to mention numerous
books of illustration of Shakespeare's
plays and characters; also many pho
tographs and paintings of the country
around Stratford and the river Avon,
the scene of the great bard's boyhood.
Several busts of the poet, and a model
of the cottage of Ann Hathaway, who
became his wife, are also found in the
Larimer home.
Besides this Mr. Larimer is a sub
scriber to the Shakespeareana, a maya
zine devoted to the great playwright.
1t is published in New York monthly.
The first issue was in 1880. 1t was
suspended in 1893. but revived In 1902
and is still being published.
In addition to devoting a great deal
of spare time to the study of Shakes
peare, Mr.. Larfmer also gives lectures
to Shakespeare clubs, just, for the love
recognized as an authority on his fav-
orite subject.
"Just a Fad With Me-"
collecting everything relating to
Shakespeare, his plays, life and GUS
toms this time is just fad with me-"
was all that Mr.. Larimer would say
regarding how his interest was turned
to gathering his library. while have
no rare or old editions of Shakespeare,
I have tried to get all of the best, the
most scholarly and well edited.
"Of these think that the Globe edi-
ton is best for comparative purposes,
and that the Furness Variorum is the
best for scholarship and perfection in
details.
"Of course think William Shakes
peare wrote the immortal plays. I do
not take any stock in the Baconian
theory"