SIR GEORGE GREY'S LIBRARY.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1185, 20 October 1882, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY'S LIBRARY.

' Possibly many of our readers who have perused the telegrams from Auckland, recording ir George Grey's gift to that city, have, but a faint idea of the value of the collection so generously handed over to his colony. Iho following, from the Herald, an Auckland paper, will give some insight into the real nature of the present : — It in ay not be inappropriate at the juncture present to refer to some of the treasures in Sir George Grey's library, for nowhere out of Europe does such a collection exist. There are in it many original books and M S. of which no copies are to be found in the oldest libraries in the world. Among the latter are the original MSS. from which the first Vulgate Bible was printed by Faust and Shoeffer in 1462. There is also a copy of what is known as Cardinal Ximenes' Bible, Only 600 copies of this Bible were printed, on vellnm, I and L 483 was paid for a copy at the Pinellfi sale. I here are two codices of some of the Gospels in this library, which it is stated have never come under the notice of the Translation Company of the Revised New Testament,and fromwhich the new version will yet have to be collated. Among the curiosities of the library is a collection of books of Common Prayer, authorised by each King and Queen of England, from the reign of King Edward VI. down to the present form. One of the rarest books is the "Speculum llurnanum Salvationes," printed in block letters, before the invention of detached types by Lauronzes John Koster, of Haarlem, about 1438. The paintings in the book are in the ancients style of art. Of illuminated missals there are several specimens remarkable for antiquity, beauty and ornamentation. A picture of " The toning of Stephen " is a perfect gem. Of tate papers there is a valuable collection — portions of Milton's Latin correspondence during the Commonwealth, letters of Sir Philip Meadowes, and John Thurloe to Cromwell, and other documents relating to the Cromwellian epoch. A curious document is the secret treaty, or Protestant League, between England and the Low Countries, with the signatures and seal off the signatories. Carlyle, who wrote the " Life and Letters of Cromwell," was unaware of the existence of this document till Sir George Grey drew his attention to it by letter. Mr. Carlyle replied that "he felt too old to re-write his book, but he hoped the correction would be made in further editions." In addition, there is a valuable collection of autography of eminent men. There is an autograph of Louis XVI., attached to a passport granted to an English ambassador, and a cheque signed by Marie Antoinette, on 6th November, 1789, for 4001ivres. That cheque has never been paid yet, and Sir George Grey has humorously asked before now. What would be conseq- ' uence if he were to proceed to Paris some day and ask for payment ? Among other rare works is an edition Chaucer, 1493' edited by Pynson ; a first edition of Spencer's Faerie Quoene, in two volumes, 1590, and 1596, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth ; a Caxton Bible; a copy of Pericles of Tyre 1609, by William Shakespeare ; and Shakespeare's "Sonnets" of 1640. There is a New Testament in the aboriginal language of New South Wales, now extinct; a complete collection of manuscripts referring to all the Polynesian languages ; a book of Mormon in the secret hieroglyphic character; a dictionary in the Cree-Indian language 1 ancient Coptic MS., an Egyptian MS., enclosed in the skin of the alligator (doubtless one of the sacred works of the ancients) ; a manuscript which formerly had a place in the Berlin Museum, and to which a curious history is attached ; the original score of the Watch on the Rhine, presented to Sir George Grey by its celebrated com poser. These are fac-similes of many celebrated books in the British Museum. Among the letters are several in the handwriting of Milton and Sir Philip Meadowes in the olden time, and Dr. Livingstone and other eminent men in modern times. In the library are specially bound presentation copies of the " Queen's Book," and Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands." They contain the following inscription in the Queen's handwriting on the fly leaf :— "To Sir George Grey, X.C.8., in recollection of our beloved Prince, from his widow, Victoria R." Not the least interesting work in the collection is the printed catalogue of the library presented by Sir George Grey to the inhabitants of Cape Town, South Africa. It is incomplete, but is a work of goodly proportions, and has been beautifully printed at the Cape. In addition to collecting rare books and manuscripts, Sir George Grey, has also formed an art gallery, which contains many valuable paintings. Among them are somo of the works of Rubens, Guido and Sir Joshua Reynolds.