Saturday, February 08, 2014

Antiquarian book news

Jane Austen's Handwriting

A small sample of Jane Austen’s handwriting has been found tucked into another book at the Jane Austen’s House Museum. The scrap reads, “Men may get into a habit of repeating the words of our Prayers by rote, perhaps without thoroughly understanding – certainly without thoroughly feeling their full force & meaning.” It is thought to be a passage from one of her brother’s sermons, rather than her own composition.

The museum’s curator was intrigued by the date, 1814, as it would appear that there is reference to Austen’s literary reflections on prayer in Chapter 34 of Mansfield Park which was published in the same year. Writing on the back of the scrap of paper is less legible, but scholars plan to use humidity to try to clean the paper and decipher it.
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Buxton Book Fair
The Buxton book fair season is here and the first fair is on Sunday 9th February in the Octagon Hall at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton Derbyshire. The fair is from 10 am to 4 pm. There is lots to do for all the family so if you like books this is place to be. For details contact 01782-542258
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Mouldy Books
The University of Missouri Libraries have discovered that about 600,000 books stored at an off-campus storage facility are covered in mould. The volumes are stored at Subtera, an underground storage facility off Stadium Boulevard in North Columbia.

It is thought that it will cost in the region of $1.8 million to restore the books. The University hope to be able to restore those books published before 1870 but they are currently unsure how many books that will be. It is likely to be fewer than half.
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