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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1907)
Columbus Oivn Story of ttoiv Me Discovered Bouth. America. Bought by thz Joftn Garter Brown Mrairy A 0u .ft" tAJZ-? - - ' A PAGE FROM WASHINGTON '3 CASH BOOK. A lost Methodical and Business-like Man Was the Father His Coiaitin-. as Is Proved McilCP UP to a short tl-.ie ao a thin little voiuma of leaves, known as "Tiie Ubrect-" and prlxed as one of the treasures r the San Marco Li brary, In Venice, 'as supposed to be unique. It was, ai i Is, very Important as a document, because it contains practically all o" knowledge of the third voya.(?o of hristopher Columbus In which the gic.it explorer first dis covered the Soutb American continent and followed Its coast lino for some hundreds ot mil a As the only surviv ing copy, as It 'v.ia btlleved, of a work printed at Ver ice In 1504 from ma terial contalne . in some letters by Peter Martyr, no of the courtiers In attendance on ha Spanish soverign. It was vsluctl as ow books are. IS'ot many uonths ' ago; however, a distinguished bibliographer and book seller of the Italian city of Florence happened upon an ancient volume bound in fragments of medieval manu script, with Its corners all nibbled away by mice. On examination he found that it consisted in the main of a sea man's gruldo. printed at Venice in 1490 such a one as Columbus himself may have beeji familiar with before he un dertook his memorable voyage In 1492. Bound with this 'portolano. as it is called, was, according to a fashion that was common In the days of the Renais sance, a perfect copy of tho lonir sougrht Libretto of 1504. From t lie copy in Venice the title page is miss ing; this has it in perfect state of preservation. Knowing that he had unearthed m treasure, the bookseller forthwith, com municated by cable with the John Car ter Brown Library. Providence, for He kew, as all students of American his tory know, that the library of Ameri cana, or early American books and au- torrapii letters, now connected with Brown University, is the most complete collection of Its kind in the world. and that the rare volum would un- tiuesttonably bo wanted in Providence if the means for its purchase were at hand. Keen I'lght for Possession. The bibliographer bad judged wisely. A meassra was Ti until v wired back to Florence to accept the proposition that the Libretto become at once the prop erty of the John Carter Brown Library, the authorities of which nave the am bitious design of securing? either a copy or a facsimile o everything printed in or about North or South America from Columbus' discovery through the year 1803. The' cable messag-e, it may be added arrived In tlio nick ot time, for a rumor of the discovery had got abroad and telegrams were pourlnn n from libraries and Individual collectors of Europe. The bibliographer was short ly after vlsltod by a famous book seller of Paris, who sought to secure the treasure, and a little later by a gentleman from Brazil, owner of one ot the best South American libraries, who made the trip to Florence for the express purpose of securing the book, if possible. Th incident illustrates the interna tional reputation which foresight ex tending over the past three-quarters of a century has brought to this col lection of books either printed In America or In Europe about the Amer ican colonies prior to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Begun as a private library -by John Carter Brown. of the class of 1816 at Brown Univer sity, enlarged by his widow and his sons, the late John Nicholas and Har old Brown, and recently bequeathed to BroWn Vniverslty, it has a value which cannot be estimated by terms of money, . . f I M I K: - 7 '2. f c- -a- by a 'Series of His .Note Books at Prov thouRh Mr. Francis TV. Halsey, author of "The Deluge of Books," has asserted that if it were put on sale It would bring at auction not less than a mil lion dollars, and probably more. Its real value, of course, appears in Its celebrity among the learned of all the earth. In the uses to which it can be put by students of American history. Open to All Students. For nobody can adequately write early American history that Is, with refer ence to original documents without visiting" Providence, which has several libraries of prime importance. To the John Carter Brown library in the days when, under private management, . It was still always courteously thrown open to any properly accredited stu dent, went, among many others. Pro fessor Moses Colt Tyler, Justin Winsor and John Flske. Foreign authorities on American subjects have frequently made studies among its treasures, as when not long ago a professor of the University of Ghent, in Belgium;' who was writing a book about some of the early Flemish geographers, found In the library of the Rhode Island city maps and other lnformatfon regardtng his subject, of the existence of which he had no suspicion. Again, In con nection with tho forthcoming James town Exposition, an Investigator into the subject of Virginian history has very lately spent a busy month at Providence in consultation among orig inal works relating to the founding of the earliest of lnarltsh colonies. Tno present usefulness of such a library, while It is already supreme In its jAeld, Is as yet by no means so Jtrt-at as it may become. The plan is to have it contain eventually either an original of everything printed before 1801 or a photographic facsimile or a body of detailed Information about It. Thin arcomplished, the nmterlala f 017 tho study of eaxly American history at Brown University will be absolutely complete. Multiplicity of XnblicatlonA. Such an undertaking is a large one, as every one knows who has ever dipped Into "Americana" and dlcov cred bow -very busy tha printing: press es of early times were. They had no books wWch circulated Into the hun dreds of thousands, but of the making of little editions of a few hundred copies each there was almost no end. for the inkpots were stirred upon very slight occasion In the days of our dis putatious ancestors. One bibliography of the works printed in the ISnslish colonies between 1639 and 1764 gives 9890 titles, and these are estimated by a good authority not to be more than one-quarter of all that actually were printed and bound In those years. In Pennsylvania alone, according to a bibliographer of that state, 3633 voN umes were printed between 16S4 and 1786. In the town of Worcester. Mass.. 401 volumes were printed before 1S01, and In Newark N. J., no great literary center in the colonial and revolutionary period, 44 volumes. . All this, of course, without any account of the Immense number of works printed in Spanish nd . Portuguese-speaking America, and without account of the works about America which were pub lished on the other side of the Atlantic, but which properly belong In any col lection of Americana. The Spanish col onies were by no means an Illiterate peo ple. In Ulna. Peru, it Is known that 1226 books were printed !befor 176S. In the City of Mexico more than 1300 were printed before 1700. Then agafh the presses of the mother country, Spain, are known to have produced more than 7000 works in Spanish and Latin related to the newly discovered continent. The list of publications regarding the Dutch eoU onles in America fills nine big volumes. So that, large as tho John Carter Brown collection is with its nearly 18,000 volumes, much remains to be done, with - -4 1 I iipiy mm 1 its w wtj-WMywhiSS THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JANUARY 20, - 1907. 1. '? : ' 'i j, ; i A 1 1 ft- v'rss. '.till hi 1 m Piilil TH3 X.OKO SOTJ03T UBBETTO. A Book Contatmng the Story of Columbus Discovery of Soutb Anjcnca. Lately Fomid in Italv-CoUectors Traveled Post Haste From Half Way Round the Globe to Get the Treasure, but John Carter Brown Library Se cured It. ' ' 1 if JOHN CAETEB 3ROWH I.TBRASTT .A Building Housing the Most Important Collection of "Americana" in Existence, One Valued by a literary Expert at More than a Million Dollars. the co-operation of scholars and collectors everywhere, to give it that trarrscendant Importance which was tho originator's idea. The habit of turning over valuable works to this library, on the principle that it can make best use of them, is an established one among collectors. In the latest report of the librarian a large number of reoent accessions by gift are reported along with the purchase of many treasures of prime valued The John Carter Brown collections are thoroughly accessible withal, as every one finds who wishes to consult the volumes. In a beautiful building at the southeastern corner of the middle campus . of Brown University. In the the explorer dictated In Santo Domin go, while he was on his third voyage, and in which' he set forth his various claims, rights and privileges, is also at Provideice. , , Along: With the Columbus letters are original editions of the descriptions written by Aniericus Vespucius. You have often wondered perhaps just whence came the suggestion that the name of this Florentine navigator should be given to the new continents. In the John Carter Brown - Library is a modest little work, on geography, "The Cosmographiae Introductio," printed at St. Die In the Vosges In 1607. In which appears tor the first time the plea that henceforth the lands to the westward be known as "Amer ica." In other directions of special patri otic Interest the John Carter Brown Library Is strong;; In works by and relating to that Insignificantly named, large main g-allery are thoroughly ad equate means for displaying occasional exhibitions Just as on the 400th anni-' vereary of the death of Columbus. In 1506. a very remarkahle group of Co lumbiana was put on view. This ex hibition revealed to the general public what has Ions been understood by scholars, that- nowhere else In either America is such an opportunity of fered to inspect the documents on which the familiar story of the great discoveries is based. Here, for exam ple, are not less than five editions of " fit JS ( N t."'3t . "vZ 7 v i the letter in which Columbus told re awakened Enrtpe of his adventures in a now world. The manuscript which hut otherwise very conspicuous person, John Smith; Jn prayer-books printed for the most part In England, but used In early American churches, together with the first to be - printed on thin side of the water one which, curiously enough, was not published by an Epis copal Church, but by King's Chapel, Unitarian, In Boston. whose liturgy, designed, as was expressed, "to leave out all such expressions as would hurt the conscience of a Unitarian without introducing any which r.ii?rht displease a Trinitarian," gave occasion to a eel- etrated repartee ol Dr. Bellows, to whom a visiting Archbishop of Can terbury had remarked: "I understand, sir that you have in this church a sort of watered liturgy." "Not watered, but washed, your rever ence was the reply. George "Washington's tdboolc . . Here, as is proper to a collection situ ated in Rhode Island, is a large group of works -relating: to Roger "Williams, in cluding his "Key to the Languages of America' and many of controversial treatises. Clustering above all, around the great name of George Washington, is an immense mass of original literature of priceless worth. The visitor sees note books in which the methodical Father of JHLis Country kept carefully every Item of expense, whether It was $15 for a case of porter or 10 cents expended on a tip, A very interesting feature consists of 150 odd autographic letters of Washington to Joseph Reed, who served for a time as his secretary. In printed form there is the celebrated "Journal !of Major G. Wash ington sent by Honorable Robert Din widdle, Governor of Virginia, to the spot where the City of Pittsburg now stands. This work was published at Williamsburg in 1764. Spanish - American literature, an im mense field by itself, of course. Is almost equally well represented. One of the par ticular treasures Is a beautiful missal of lit "5;. 'fTi t ' V . Lv o.J" & 1 i 4 the date. 1561, delicately designed by an artist printer ot the CML- -of Mexico. It has no superior of its kind and no equal, unless It be the altar hook by D. Berkeley Updike, a modern printer, which was printed through the co-operation of Har old Brown, one Of the sons of John Carter Brown. v ' ' Beginnings of tho Library. The beginning's of the John Carter Brown library date bade Into our early liletory. Members or tha Brown family for whom -the university was named were collectors of ooolcs in pre-Revolutionary times. The gathering;, however, of tbo present collection was due to John Carter Brown, born in 1797, and generally con sidered as the greatest connoisseur of Americana, probably outranking even James Lonox, of New York. Mr. Brown, at the outset of his collecting career, in cluded various apectmena of the work: of famous 'Buroocan exponents of the printing- art, as of the Aldine family of Venice; but presently ha limited the scope of his acquisitions to works printed before 1800 and bearing on North America and South 'America. Pie waa Immensely assisted in his undertaking by an eccentric, but ca pable, bibliophile, an American resident for many years in London, who usually described himself as "Henry Stevens, of Vermont, Bibliographer and lover of books, Fellow of (various learned socle ties), blackballed Athenaeum Club ot Lon don, also Patriarch of Skull and Bones of Yalfj. and member of (various historic societies), B. A. and M. A. of Tale Col lege, as well as citizen of Novlomagus, etc." "With all hi peculiarities. Mr. Stevens had remarkable aenius for discovering- Important books and for discard ing .those of no value. John Carter Brown, on his -death, in IST-t, left his private library to his wife, who admlnbatered tt durinje; the minority of their two sons, John Nicholas "Brown and Harold Brown. John Nicholas Brown, reaching hl ma5orlty In 1882, dis closed the same remarkable abilities as collector that his father had shown and was ably assisted by hii younger brother. Ha determined to establish the library ,js; ,: - - mil u , m j rown University IVoxjO O tarts tht Mod Valuable Coll Original "ArrtGriccuicu" I. &AZETA : I JL. EMS LIMA II w t - - - . ' I r 1 2. , ' jf j EOW THEY FEINTED IK ?ZBU. Iinmenae Treasures of Spanish American Literature of the SbS teenth. Seventeenth andKiKhteentb Centuries Have Been Gath ered North American Librjjry-Luna was a Literary Cento in tlmJM Davs. ' - - permanently 88 a. memorial to his father, and after his death, in 1900. a will to that effect was probated, asisnJnc; to two trustees, oiie of whom was his brother. Harold, the duty of disposing of the col lection. The younger brother died short ly after, and- tho trustees who finally de cided to give the library in trust to Brown University, were G. W. K. Matteon and Robert H. I. tioddard, of Providence. Re cently the commodious building In which the library ia now housed was dedicated and thrown open to the public. It is commonly said that only rich men can afford to write American history, and the cages of Francis Parkman. John Cod- ONLY WOMAN MASON Katie Sweet, i 7 Years Old, Compels Lodge to Kcceive Her. In a little pamphlet published by J. P. BAblngton at Bowling Green. Va., there Is given the story of the circumstances by which one woman became "a Blue Lodge Mason." This woman, we are told, Is the only one of her sex who has gained the secrets of Masonry. In the town where she was brought up, the school which she attended occupied the flrst floor of a two-story frame building'. The top floor had been originally designed for a church, and a bulDlt and otho church furniture had been installed, but laier tins pian was aoanaonea ana ma Masonic Lodge secured the place for their meetings. Under the unused pulpit, the girl, Catherine Sweet, one day discovered an excellent hiding place when playing hide-and-seek. Later she utilized it dur ing sessions of the lodge and gained many secrets of Masonry. Of her discovery and further adventures we read : Por more than a year h had been an unobserved attendant at all the meetings of the tod Be. She had, on several occas ions, ran some narrow capes, but s. clay came when she Ta rl In her calculmttonii. A.n before mentioned, the members of the lodge always carried their rifles when they attended lh meetluKs. On this fatal day one of her uncles left his rifle In the ante room and had gone some clttrtance before he thought of it. He retraced his steps and as he approached the building tie saw Kate crawlinf out from hr place of concealment. She discovered him at about the same time and ah knew that a reckon Ins at hand. Wad, the reached the crouiid her uncle trtld her to return home and so to her room and jtay until he came for her. Upon her uncle a return he called bis brothers and thoy went Into their office. After relatinjr what he had seen they decided to call Kate In and find out. if possible, what she bad learned auout Masonry. She was summoned to Bp- pear for what the thought would be her death sentence, as she had been led to be- Ueve that no one was allowed, to live who stole the eacr e tm ot Iwi ao n ry. It was at this time that she showed Tier courage In a way that probably saved her a vast amount of trouble. She entered the presence of her uncles, all of whom she knew loved her better than they dtd their own lives, with a firm step and head erect. As soon as she was seated the eldest brother became spokesman and the following con versation took place: Uncle Kate, tell us whtre you have been this evening. Kate Under the pulpit In the loase. "What were you dolnjr there?" "Watching and listening." ."Was this your first visit?" 'No. ir." "How long have you been doing this? "For a year and a half, or ever since John Williams was Initiated." "Have you been able to learn any of the secVeta of the lodge?' "Tes. sir; all of them. 'Well, tell us all you know." "I will answer all questions you may ask me. for I am a Mason and am willing to answer questions when properly put to me. but I esnnot give you my knowledge of Masonry in any other way." "Where shall I commence and what kind of questions shall I ask you?" "Begin at the beginning and ask such questions as you would ask a at, an per If you wanted him to prove to you that he was a Mason." 8eelng that she would not impart her Masonic information in any other way or manner, the brothers decided that It would be best to put her through the regular cate chism, which they proceeded to do. Th Masonic reader can understand the looks and feelings of the five brothers as the exam 43 ectton man Ropes. James gdioulcr, George Ban croft and William H. Prcscott are riuoted In illustration. Cor-siiltation of original document Involves a areat deal of trav eling and many other expenses, -lt.h the concentration, however, of Americana in Providence today, many departments of American history enn he studied without any considerable outlay for Journeys to sources of original information, and the gpneral public, which is intensely inter ested in the original documents of our own past, can always find things to grat ify interest in the John Carter Brown Li bra ry. Providence,' R. I., January 12. ination proceeded and they dlHrovRrwi that tholr 17-year-old niece was better versed in the pecrots of Free Masonry thnn flther of them. The trial came to an end when they reached the point when she revealPd to them that she had even caught the words that are spoken by the master of tho lodge when the candidate if finally raised to the a" -2 ree of a master Mason. After all was over and Kate told the brothers that no one, except themselves, knew what she had done, she was con - fined In her room and closely watched pending- the decision of the lodge as to the proper steps to be taken In her caae. The master of the lodge was at once told of what had taken place. Each member wan notified of a call communication to be held the next day. When the IoiIk assembled it went Into a committee of the whole and after hours of deliberation adjourned to meet again the next day. Messengers m r sent out and the oldest and wlnest memoe- of othar lodes were called in to consult and advise. Long and earnestly did they dlncusa the matter. Many different mrig -rtMtlon were made, but none seemed prac tical. The laws of Masonry, which had hecn In force ever since the days of King Solomon, said plainly that no woman could be mada a Mason. Yet here was a young gtrl who had all the secreta of Masonry that could bo obtained In the Blue Lodge. The qu?n tion aros "What was to be done?" Almost a month was consumed by the lodge In dt--enssing the matter and consulting the moat learned Masons of the State. At last It was decided that. Inasmuch as Kate Sweet had obtained nil the secrets of Free Masonry, the only thing that could be done was to obligate her. in the regular way. and risk the consequences. Accordingly a nultablt uniform was made of red flannel and. eh was taken to the lodge, where she was obli gated as a regular Waeon, but not admit ted to membership. The day she took the obligations was the flrnt and Inst time that she was ever Inside a Masonic lodge (where she could be seen vhlle It was tt work, fche knew Masonry nd kept herself potd up until a thort time boCor. !ir death, but n.ver attempted to visit u. lodse. Many Instances are related. In tho pamphlet In which she found her knowl edge of Masonry of help when she needed assistance. The Literary Oldest. Conflict. (Dinner parties are a struggle atlng and talking. Exchange.) London Globe. Matilda when I took you In To dinner t'other week. I know that you were wondering I simply wouldn't inMk rig why "Is he annoyed?" you seemed to ask. "Can this be due to pique?" Not so. Matilda. Dearly still X love you, as of old-. JBut coiild I let the entree slide? Thi soup and flsh grow cold? And cease to eat ere I was filled As full as I couid hold? My brain was full of many a quip. Of many a lightsome jest. Of many a trope, of many a fact . of general interest; Of paradoxes that would beat Our G. B. &Vs beat. , But that was not the time or place To air the keenest wit; My appetite was keener still; I let It go a bit. I'll talk to you some other tlma If I should think of it