The Lothian Library
The Marquess of Lothian's library has gone the way of nearly all the historic private libraries in this country, under the relentless pressure of Death Duties. There is some satisfaction in noting that, when sold in New York last week, his choice books and MSS. realized 1103,000: despite the severe depression in America. The treasures collected by our prudent forefathers thus go to help the sterling exchange in this improvident age. The rare early books relating to America that formed a large part of the collection will find another home in the United States. But we may regret that the precious Anglo-Saxon MS., known as the Blickling Homilies from its long sojourn in the library at Bliekling, could not have been kept in England. There are few Anglo-Saxon MSS. of this quality and importance, and though the price paid. equal to £11,000 at par, was very high, a public appeal, such as was made with success for the " Bedford Hours," might have secured this peculiarly English treasure to
join the " Lindisfarne Gospels " in the British Museum.
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