Evening star., 1935-08-25
About Well-Known Folk
In Books, Art and Politics
Mrs. Roosevelt Makes Hit With Current
Story-Plenty of Official Junketing.
Priceless Book Collection.

y,
ton and prestige to government. 1t
Is true that he has taken risks, spent
recklesly, contradicted his own policy.
In the eyes of Oxford his justification
is that he did attempt something posi-
tive. We ask Of our own politicians
only that they should go and do like
wise"
The open sesame to the heart of Mr..
Valta Parma, curator of the rare book
collection in the Library of Congress,
is simply to express interest and some
small knowledge of some rare tome
and he is off on the scent like a
blooded hunting hound. A question
the other day about the Miles Cover
dale Bible-this being the 400th ami
versary of its printing, led to an invi-
tation to the guarded stacks where the
treasures are kept and permission to
turn over the pages of the Bible, which
was the first complete Bible printed in
English and issued In 1897. This must
not be confused win the Rychard Tav-
erner Bible printed in 1889 and which
was the first Bible actually printed in
England.
The priceless, unbuyable books now
located in the rare book collection of
the Library Of Congress, were for many
years scattered about in the various
stacks of the great Library building
until something like eight years ago
when Mr.. Parma came on from New
York, where he had been a publisher
and authority on the rare books of the
world, and began still hunt for the
priceless treasures many of which he
knew to be owned by the Library. He
found them In out of the way places
and until the beautiful reading room,
now part of the rare book collection
was opened last year the invaluable
books could be taken to the public
reading room for peruSal.
Now in this great reading room,
with its walls and woodwork OF
Georgian white, its artistic hangings
and wonderful lighting, one can still
see the cherished tones, but he must
first sign up and use the books there
This is the time of year when
writers and teachers come from all
parts of the country-and even Eu-
rope-to make research and notes for
future publications. There were 78
per cent more rare books used this
year than last. showing that the
utility Of the collection as adapted to
present-day needs, is very great.
Miles Coverdale, sometime lord
bishop of Exeter. worked directly un-
der the patronage of Thomas Crom-
well, and the Great Bible is some
times called the Cromwell Bible. It
was the one Cromwell ordered to be
set up in sum convenient place within
the church." etc, etc. This Bible Is
also known as the Cranmer version.
Miles Coverdale's, "On Matrimony,
being a translation of Heinrich Boul-
fingers THE Christian State of Matri-
mony, Wherein Housbandes SS wyves
Maye Lerne to Kepe House Together
Wyth Love-" is also proudly shown by
Mr.. Parma-he has a most pleasing
sense of humor. This little book, bound
in more recent years In calf, is beauti-
fully fooled in gold.
In the Book Of Common Prayer used
by the Episcopal Church the Psalter
still follows, with slight variations, the
Great Bible. but since 1862 the
epistles and gospels have been taken
from the King James version.
In the Rychard Taverner Bible at
the end Of the Proverbs of Solomon
is printed: The end of the Ballet of
Balletes of Solomon; called in Latin
The Song of Songs"
A copy Of the "Bugge Bible" was
looked at. It was fascinating. Bugges
were evil spirits, and in the psalm it
reads: so thou shalt not nede to
be afraid for any Bugges by night
boogies. This Bible further says of
a wife's duty to her husband: IF she
be not obedient and helpful unto her
husband he may beat the fear of God
into her head" Other rare copies
of the sacred book are owned by the
library.
Prof. r. W. Chambers, who is on
the staff of the University of London
and Tudor authority, has out re-
cent book on Sir Thomas More, who,
1t Will be recalled, succeeded Cardinal
Wolsey as lord chancellor under Henry
VIII. 1t was Thomas Cromwell, VOL
sey's faithful friend, who announced
this appointment to Wolsey and it was
during this conversation that Wolsey
says, 20 Cromwell, Cromwell! Had
I but served my God with half the
ZEAL" etc, and warned him to fling
away ambition.
Prof. Chambers book is most op-
perfume, coming as 1t does so closely
on the canonization of Sir Thomas
More by the Roman Catholic church.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh in her
book, North to the Orient" gives
picture from the air that has never
been rivaled-the spirit of the fight,
the absolute continuity of thought
and action that seems to exist be-
tween the Lindberghs and the follow
up minds which are so clearly por-
trayed in this story of their daring
trip. Mountain ranges, no longer
seen in profile, dwarf to ant hills:
seas lose their horizons: lakes have
no longer depth, but look like bright
pennies on the earth's surface; for
ests become thin, impermanent film,
moss on top of wet stone, easily
rubbed Off" She speaks of the
Yangtze River, which she saw at its
flood, as spirit in revolt; something
with an evil soul.
Just Brighton" and what a world