Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-02-24
CIRCLES GLOBE
IN BOOK HUNT
University Librarian Wanders
Wide in Search of Volumes
Needed b. Institution.
PICKS Up RARE BARGAINS
London Always Good Hunting Ground
for Book Buyer, and Readjust-
ment Is Bringing Valuable
Collections Upon Market.

PalO, Alto, Cal.-George L. clark,
librarian of the university Is back at
Stanford, after a year Of travel in
which he encircled the globe. He car
ried with him want list" compris-
ing 6,370 volumes for which the uni
versity had been seeking for some
years but which, by reason of their
rarity or inacceSsibility, it had not
been successful in acquiring. Aside
from purchase from the list. Mr. Clark
was in position to take advantage
Of favorable opportunities as they
might arise for the acquisition of 9th
er desirable material. Altogether
about IL 900 volumes will be added to
the library as the direct result VI
the tour.
Found In Japan and China.
japan, the first country visited did
not yield much ON his "want list" but
otherwise proved bibliogrnphically in
.reSting At the Imperial university
library Of Tokyo he was shown,
among other treasures there pre-
served, deed making conveyance OF
real property in the ninth century.
Buddhist manuscript about l,OOO
years old and the first set of movable
type (wOodcn) used in Japan.
OF particular interest, however,
was the George f. Morrison Asatic
library. probably the best collection
IN existence of books about China.
Doctor Morrison, who died in Eng
land n few mouths ago, was the rep
reSentative of the London Times ut
pcking from 1895 to 1912, and after
ward political adviser to the Chinese
government. Writing of his library
Doctor Morrison said: 1T Is the re
suit of an effort sustained during
more than twenty years to form
comprehensive collection Of books,
papers, pamphlets, prints and engrav-
ings dealing with the Chinese at home
and abroad, and with China and her
dependencies. past and present, In
every subject and in every European
language" The library, comprising
about 25,000 volumes. was purchased
by Baron Iwasaki in 1917 and re-
moved to Tokyo. where 1t is planned
to erect permanent home for II and
make 1t available to scholars. Mr..
Mkinosuke Ishida Is its librarian.
Discoveries in London.
London Is always good hunting
ground for the book buyer, and
furthermore, the REIMBURSEMENT now In
process as an aftermath of the war is
h,;n
upon the market. The foreign ex-
change rates also make this favor
able time for Americans to buy. Ii
brarian Clark particularly enjoyed his
experiences with the English book
sellers, and was highly impressed,
both by their photographic informa-
tion and the accurate knowledge Of
their own stocks, often running into
many thousands of volumes and con-
tinually changing. For example,
particular edition of Shakespeare
published in 1740 was being sought,
and a certain dealer offered one pub
lished In 1852. explaining that the
text was Identical with that Of the
1740 edition, statement easily veri-
fed. In another instance a dealer
gave the early history of certain
medical journal. begun in the middle
Of the last century, and which had
gone through various transformations
with changes of name. A dealer In
the south OF London showed n sur
prising knowledge of his stock which
ranged from 10000 to 10000 volumes.
When Mr.. Clark submitted to him
list Of various editions of Shakespeare
desired, the dealer looked over the
list. said he had only one Of them on
hand. and turning to an assistant.
told HIM to 90 upstairs and get that
copy Of the Johnson & Stevens Shake
speare in til" front room. third shelf
from the top on the right hand side.
In London Mr.. Clark was able to
which the English department Of the
university has been eager to obtain.
Among the most interesting Of these
is that Of Rowe. published In 1709-10.
the first illustrated Shakespeare pub
lishcd. and the beautiful Halliwell
edition, published in 16 volumes, be-
tween 1863 and 1865.
Much Philosophical Lore.
In England also he was able to
complete the Stanford set Of the
Royal society of London philosophical
transactions, obtaining volumes COW
ering the period from 1885 to 1900. 1t
has been said that If all other rec
Ords Of modern scientific achieve
ment were wiped out the records of
this society would preserve everything
Of value In that direction. Compare
lively few American libraries have
the complete file. Mr. Clark was able
TO obtain these early volumes through
the fact that he happened to be in
London just in time to reap the ad-
vantage Of British nobleman's con-
solidating three estates, a process
which threw on the market this val
liable set
At Cambridge, England, Mr.. Clark
met Il bOokman who had been con-
nected with one firm for 40 years In
premises which had been used On a