The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-03
GUTENBERG BIBLE
SELLS FOR $4,000
AT RECENT SALE EXCEPTIONAL
SUM WAS PAID FOR ANCIENT
COPY or HOLY WRIT-MANY
PRECIOUS DOCUMENTS DE.
sTRoYED.

At the Hoe library sale in New
York city the recent purchase Of the
Gutenberg Biblia Latina by Bernard
Quaritch Of London for $27,5O0 has
served to call attention to the large
number Of Bibles given to the world
before Luther published his version
Of Holy Writ.
Before the first Protestant version
was sent forth into the world there
appeared eighty-four printed editions
OF holy Writ in the ancient languages;
slxty-two in Hebrew of which twelve
were of the Old Testament entire and
nifty of selected portions; and twenty
two in Greek. OF which three were of
the Old Testament, twelve of the New
Testament and seven OF separate por-
tons Of the scriptures. In the Latin,
which occupied a special position as
being the universal language of the
educated men to the time there were
published 343 editions of which 14s
We're OF the entire Bibles sixty OF
the New Testament and 1873 OF sepa-
rate books of the inspired writings.
In the modern languages there were
issued 1913 editions, OF which 104 were
of the entire Bible, comprising twenty
in Italian; twenty-six in French;
nineteen in Flemish; two In Spanish;
six in Bohemian; one in Slavonic, and
thirty in German, and ninety-four OF
single portions of Holy Writ, consist
Ing chiefly of copies of the New Tes-
tament and the Psalms. In all in
Guiding the Polyglot printed at the
cost of Cardinal Ximenes, 62s editions
OF the Bible, OF which 1913 were in the
languages of the latty. and issued from
the press with the sanction and at the
instance of the church in countries
where she reigned supreme before
Luther's German version OF the Bible
appeared in 1884.
1t is thought by many that the
Gutenberg Bible and other literary
relics of the past purchased at the
Hoe sale by Bernard Quaritch, the
English dealer. may eventually become
porperty of the Duke of Devon
shire. The duke is one of England's
most enthusiastic ~bibliophiles and his
donations Of two copies of the
Benedictionale of st. Aethelwold to
the library Of the house of lords and
dean and chapter Of Winchester
recalls the terrible destruction of an
MSS. which ensued on the sup
of monasteries.
Where one precious document has
remained, a thousand have persisted,
If which the remaining ones give a
,lue to their value.
st. Aethelwold was born in Win
in the early days of the tenth
century, and spent his youth at the
court of Athhelstan. He was ordained
priest along with st. Dunstan by FL
ohege the Bald Of Winchester. Dean
Glastonbury under Dunstan, Abbot
II Abingdon (where some OF his relics
we're preserved until the Reformation
ne was ~consecrated Bishop OF Win
by his lifelong friend, st.
ounstan on Nov. 29, 96S.
The New Minister at Winchester
wed its origin to this jealous prelate, !
nd his sphere of influence extended !
s far as Ely Peterborough and !
7horney, where the BenedictionaIe {
written by the monk Godemann !
uring the episcopate OF Aethelwold. .
The use of a separate volume for
ecclesiastical blessings would seem to 2
ave come in during the tenth cen :
ury, the source Of them all being the G
Tregorian sacramentaIe. Several early 3
e~nedictionales have been published 9
y Menard and others, and the Sur =
ees society has published the Pom
of Egbert archbishop OF York /
732-736) Which contains many forms
{ blessings.
The history of the splendid manu-
cript at Chatsworth is not known till
appears in the diary Of Wanley on
IS. 1899. as being in the pos
sssion Of the then Duke OF Devon
lire. Were it not for the noble col-
of the years following the de-
of the monasteries-such !
en- as Cotton, Camden and Dugdale !
we should have none OF these treas
res left