The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-06-05
BOOKS READ BY
G. WASHINGTON

Visitors to Mount Vernon, if
they make the usual cursOry tour
of the house, come away with the
belief that they have seen in the
library the books of George Wash
ington precisely as he left them.
If they later learn that these
books are in many cases simply
other copies of volumes Washing
ton is known to have possessed.
they are deeply disappointed and
wonder why the Boston Athen-
aeum should own and keep such
a large number OF the original
books from Washington's library.
How many books did Washing
ton really own, and how did he
stand as a bookman among men
of his day? This was the question
askd of DR.. Herbert Putnam, IL
brarian of the Library of Congress
by a representative of the Divi-
sion of Information and Publica-
ton of the George Washington BIZ
centennial Commission,
IAN, o must not expect me to
give you an offhand answer to a
question of that Importance" said
DR.. Putnam.
"Of course Washington, man OF
action and affairs, was no such
reader as Thomas Jefferson. and
had no such collection of books as
~Jefferson's library. now safe in the
Library of Congress. 1t is forum
ate that we have had preserved
for us the considerable remnants
of Washington's collection saved
by a popular subscription raised
in Boston TO prevent their being
scattered"
In answer to the inquiry as to
how this act of generation came
about. DR.. Putnam referred the
interviewer to a learned assistant
who quickly placed him in touch
with authorities on this subject.
These authorities show how
many Volumes, went to Boston
but it is doubtful if posterity will
know exactly how many books
Washington did possess. 1t is
known that he lent books, and
doubtless he had the luck of the
lender. That is. many a book Dor
rowed was never returned. The
curious may find on file in the
Orphans Court OF Fairfax County,
Virginia, the appraisers exact
list of the Washington library as
it was after his death and proba-
ton of his will. But even these
thousand or so titles represent
but a part of the books Washing
ton is thought to have owned.
Volumes have been written on
this question of Washington's in
clination as a reader. Most of
these authorities give themselves
I'D to rhapsody and speculation.
The one fact that is indisputable
Is that on the death of Justice
Bushrod Washington, a number OF
books formerly belonging to the
First President were bequeathed
by him to his nephew, and from
that nephew were bought by a Mr..
Henry Stevens of London, who
meant to place them in the hands
of the British Museum. There the
Washington books might now be
but that a group OF Boston patriots
members of the private library
known as the Boston Athenaeum,
dubbed togther and bought for
s3,750 this collection from time
to time.
Incidentally II was this same
Boston institution which. in 1881.
bought the most famed Stuart por-
traits of George and Martha
Washington. These were acquired
from the family OF the artist. for
the sum Of $500 which stands
recorded In the official records Of
the Athenaeum as IAN absurdly
small sum IL now seems Tor these
Invaluable pictures" AS every
visitor to Boston knows. this pair
Of portraits. perhaps the best
known in the country, has been
lent by the Athenseum authorities
to the Boston Museum OF Fine