Evening star., 1937-03-14

4boAh tllS vi AoA AZ
r. ligious works collected by
GEORGETOWN University during
nearly $50 years, DR.. Wilfrid
Parsons, S. j., college archivist and
professor of history in the Graduate
School, has succeeded after patient re-
search in assembling one of the most
valuable collections Of first editions
of American Catholic Bibles in ex-
iStence.
The Georgetown collection, which
is about to be placed on public ex-
hibition for the first time in the Riggs
Library, contains 36 of 38 first edl-
tions printed in this country UP to
1860 diligent search in every nook
and corner of the library, however,
failed to turn up the two copies needed
to complete the collection.
DR.. Parsons returned last week from
a trip to New York City, where he
compared and checked the authen-
ticity of the Georgetown collection
with similar Catholic first editions to
the American Bible Society and with
the famous James Lenox collection
of the New York Public Library.
Two Missing Copies.
The two missing copies are Hewett's
pictorial New Testament, printed IN
1850 by Hewett g. Spencer Of New
York and Dunigan's 1852 first edi-
ton, containing the Haydock text
edited by Rev. James Mcmahon. The
Hewett edition is illustrated with $50
woodcuts by W. H. Hewett and con-
tains also an appreciation by Arch
bishop Hughes of New York and six
bishops. 1t was later reprinted by
John Murphy g. Co. of Baltimore.
DR.. Parsons found two reprints OF
the DUNCAN Bible in the Riggs Lii
brary at Georgetown. They bear the
dates of 1857 and 1858. While valua-
BILE, they do not supply the missing
link for which he is seeking. The
New York Public Library, he said,
has two of the first edition copies.
Since coming to Georgetown last
Summer, DR.. Parsons has made great
progress in recataloguing many rare
volumes and manuscripts in the COL
lege archives and library. A graduate
of the Gregorian University in Rome
and one-time editor of the Catholic
Review of America, he is widely
known authority on church history.
At Georgetown there is one of the
finest Catholic libraries in the coun-
try where he spends hours each day.
E;~~k EJ;<;n~u
In connection with the collection OF
American first edition Bibles, he has
assembled in the form Of an appendix
% foreign first editions of Catholic
texts. These include many notable
Irish and British editions and are
important, he said, in comparing the
texts used by the early American
printers.
The Georgetown collection fortu-
nately contains a copy OF the first
Catholic Bible printed in this coun-
try 1t dates back to 1890 and came
off the press of Carey, Stewart & Co. of
Philadelphia. 1t is in good condition,
as are most of the other volumes. The
first Protestant Bible printed in the
United States antedates this by only
eight years and was printed in Bos-
ton.
Included in the whole collection is
the first edition on Hebrew Bible
printed in this country by William
Fry of Philadelphia in 1914. This is
exceedingly rare. There is also a copy
of the first Greek Testament, print
ed in 1900 at Worcester, Mass.
Of special interest to Washington
ians is the fifth oldest Catholic Bible
in this country, printed by w. Duffy,
a bookseller and stationer Of George
town, District of Columbia This is
dated 1917 and is known as the George
town New Testament. 1t follows the
Rheims text and contains an appro-
baton by Bishop Leonard Neale Of
Baltimore. Bishop Neale was the
fourth president of Georgetown College.
Long List of Subscribers.
The Duffy edition, one of the most
priced in the collection for that rea-
son, carries long list of subscribers
from Georgetown, Washington. Bal
tlmore, Philadelphia, New York and
Boston, indicating the extent of its
circulation, These lists are important
to students and geneologists and are
contained in many Of the early Bibles.
From the list of ofsGeorgetown names
it is seen that Rev. Malen took so
copies and Rev. James Redmond sub
scribed to IL. Other names appear
ing are those Of c. H. w. Wharton,
John Mighen, L. Labille and Peter
Quin.
The Washingtonians whose names
are listed were John r. Dyer, Nicholas
Callan, Joseph Cassin, j. Carberry,
Philip Power, Thomas B. Dyer, Patrick
Dolin, James Nolin, Daniel Pagan,
Peter Morte. Isabella Ellsworth, George
A. Carroll, Hezeskiah Langley, Samuel
Stewart, Lewis A. Poole, John OBrien,
James Sallan, John G. Brown, Igna-
thus Spalding, Philemon Moss. j. Hugh,
William Wise, John McQuillan.
Thomas Lamer, John Queen, Edward
M. Smith, j. Thomas, William Dorsey,
Walyer Cochran, A. Fagane, Ignatius
Edelen, Tobias Sampson, Thomas Car
berry, c. McWilliams. John Quin, Ig-
natius Wheatley, John Gibbons, Au-
gustin Sierra, James Spratt, Patrick
Kiernan, Lawrence Farrele, Edward
Dyer, Horatio Hogan, Luke Allen, John
Hayre, James Rhady, William VIII
liams, John Nowland, George Bealle,
Nicholas Heaker. Mark Hicky, Bene-