San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-05
Late Army Colonel Be-
queathed Noted Books to
San Antonio-Ne arly
5000 Copies Now Cata-
logued -Show Wide
Catholicity of Taste and
Much Study-Many VOL
umes Now Out of Print.

"A gentleman's library" is the
phrase which instinctively is suggested
as the most fitting description of the
books which have recently come by be-
quest of the late Col. Francis L
Towne to the Carnegie Library. There
kare almost 5000 volumes in the collec-
ton, and with the exception of small
number of insignificant novels which
were popular generation ago, but
which are no longer remembered OF
considered, every book in the cata-
slogued list is either something which
one has already read and enjoyed or
something one has always planned to
read when the opportunity presented
itself.
The books show much care in Sc
lection. in arrangement and in usage
and. quite evidently, have been a
source of constant interest and COM
panionship 10 an old gentleman Of
highly cultivated tastes. who amused
himself with rather dilettante excur-
SONS into the less complicated realms
OF philosophy, history, travel, essays
of religions both ancient and modern
the standard English. classics, trans
1stions Of French novels and memoirs,
and many essays on music and paint
ing.
Many Volumes Now Out of Print.
There are complete sets of severaI
OF the classic English novelists which
are ont ot print, and could not be re-
Jllaced-notsbly the novels of Sir Ed
ward Bulwer-Lytton. which along
with Dickens. Thackery and Scott
We're considered among the foundation
stones az q gentleman's education q
generation ego. There are many other
books Of the same type which will
complete sets of novels already belong
Ing TO the library, from which the
most read volumes have been lost
sets which are now out of print. and
which would otherwise be unobtain.
able.
As in most collections Of books. the
non-fiction in the Towne library il
more interesting and valuable grour
than the fiction. Colonel Towne's per
Sbnal tastes and interests are strong.
~ shown in the number of volumes
he has devoted TO the two Napoleons
and it is notable that he has con.
oerned himself rather with their so.
cial. than with their military rela
tionships. There are at least % vol
umes dealing with Napoleon's corre-
spondence with Josephine. memoirs OF
Ship and of his court by Bourrienne
49,, 1mbert de Saint-Amand, Head
"a Napoleon and His Marshals,"
respondence of Louis Napoleon and
& Countess di Montiji-afterward
s. loleon III and the Empress Eu-
- .e-and many, many others. None
the military campaigns Of either
Napoleon is regarded except in rela
tive fashion.
Find Many Original Etehings.
Another strong personal taste finds
expression in the number of books of
etchings and steel engravings in his
collection. Two very handsome books
with large gold-embossed covers, con-
tain ten original etchings each, and
each book is also used to preserve a
number of old-fashioned steel engrav-
ings taken from old editions Of
Shakespere's plays and the Bible. The
two books which are uniform in size
and type, were published in 1886 and
are called "Notable> Etchings by Amer
lean Artists" and Choice Etchings
by Prominent Artists" In this collec-
ton. it is interesting to find early
etchings by Joseph Pennell and s. G.
McCutcheon, both at that time, young
and unknown to fame.
In this group. the large and impress
sive volumes of Cary's TRANSACTIONS OF
Dante's "Purgatory and Paradise" and
his Inferno" will take place because
of the famous illustrations of Gustava
Dore, which every one has heard Of
but comparatively few persons have
seen. A generation ago, Dore's imag-
NATIVE drawings were the last word
in decorative, illustrative art.
Delightful Book On Mexico.
Also, in this group Of books of en-
cravings, belongs what is probably
with two exceptions, the most inter
esting and valuable book in the whole
collection. It's title is Mexico sus
Alrededores. Collection de Vistas.
Trajes y Monumentos, por L. Castro.
J. Campillo. /. Auda, G. Rodriguez;
Ejecutado en- Ell ESTABLISHMENTS Ito
grafico de Deaaen. en- el Portal del
Coliseo Viejo. Mexico 1855 1851"
and it contains on its yellowed pages
the most delightful engravings imagn-
I able of Mexico City and its surround
ings. its people and their customs and
costumes. all as it was 70 years ago.
The workmanship of these engravings
is exquisite, and so nicely accurate
that they are almost Photographic.
The Aztec gods and the varieties Of
cactus that are used as marginal dec
orations for the front page. the people
in their typical Mexicon costumes and
pursuits are unchanged in the three
quarters of century that have
elapsed since they were made. and the
only differences that can be noted
from the present time, are n change in
the style Of the few European cos
tunes shown, and a marked growth
Tin the size of the small neighbOring
icities of San Angel and Tacubaya.
which are given in detail, in the trees
in lei Bosque del Chapultepec." A
delightful panoramic view taken from
+. a balloon is given Of Mexico City. in
which every tiny detail is fascinating
ly accurate, and easily recognizable. 1t
is very doubtful If another copy of thi.