MEMOIR

GEORGE LIVER MOEE.

PREPARED AGREEABLY TO A RESOLUTION

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

By CHARLES DEANE.

CAMBRIDGE:

PRESS OF JOHN WILSON AND SON.

1869.

MEMOIR

GEOEGE LIYEEMOEE.

George Livermore, the son of Deacon Nathaniel and Eliza-
beth (Gleason) Livermore, was born in that part of Cambridge
called Cambridgeport, in Massachusetts, on the 10th of July,
1809. He was a descendant of John Livermore, who came
from Ipswich in England, in 1634, and settled in Watertown
in this State.

Mr. Livermore attended the public and private schools at
Cambridgeport until he was fourteen years of age, pursuing,
in addition to the common English course, some of the pre-
paratory studies for admission to college. In a brief auto-
biographical sketch written during his last sickness, he says :
" Among my school-mates at the private school was Oliver
Wendell Holmes, now so widely known as the charming poet
and prose-writer. The humorous scene described in ' The
Autocrat of the Breakfast Table,' concerning 'the Leghorn
Hat,' the ' Port Chuck,' and ' the Race,' is as vivid to my
memory as if it took place yesterday." *

* In some remarks by our associate, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, at a meeting
of the Society after Mr. Livermoi'e's death, he speaks of this private school, and
refers to some of those who attended it while he was there. Richard H. Dana, Jr., and
Margaret Fuller were of the number. "The boys," he says, " were rather a fighting
set; and our champion, a nephew of the most celebrated of American painters, had

BURTON HIST. COLLECTION
DETROIT

EXCHANOE DUPLICATE

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

His constitution being feeble, and his health not good, it
was thought best that he should abandon the idea of a college
education, and follow some more active calling. Accordingly,
at the age of fourteen he left school, and went into the store
of his older brothers, Isaac and Marshall Livermore, mer-
chants, at Cambridgeport. After this period the only school
advantages he enjoyed were a course of exercises in English
and Latin during two terms at the Deerfield Academy, in
1827-28.

From the time of entering the store, his leisure hours
were always spent in reading and study ; and all the money
he could earn was saved for the purchase of books. He thus
refers to this period of his life.

"A great mauy valuable and standard works were published in a
cheajD form, and thus came within the reach of persons of small means.
I was sometimes allowed an evening to go to Boston and attend the
book auctions ; and I felt proud and happy when I came home with
two or three volumes, costing from twenty-five to thirty cents each.
At these book auctions there was sold, almost every time I was present,
a thick octavo edition of Shakespeare, with rather coarse wood-cuts.
The price generally obtained was not far from three dollars. I had read
the ' Merchant of Venice,' from a borrowed volume of Shakespeare, and
I thought that an author who could write like that was w^orth owning
entire. I saved my money, therefore, till I had three dollars, and went
to Boston, hoping that a copy of my coveted author might be put up,
and sold within my means. I was not disappointed. After waiting an
hour, the auctioneer put up a copy of Shakespeare. The bidding began
at two dollars and fifty cents, and advanced five cents till it reached
two dollars and ninety cents, when it was knocked down, and the name
of the purchaser was called for. I had bid two dollars and ninety cents,
but another bidder gave his name. I claimed the book, as I had fairly

at least two regular pitched battles with outside fellows, who challenged the preten-
sions of the gentlemen of the ' Academy.' George Livermore came among this rather
rough crowd, the mildest and quietest of boys, — slight, almost feminine in aspect,
quite alien to all such doings. I do not remember him as conspicuous in any
active play, still less as ever quarrelling with anybody. He was a lamb-like creature,
who made us all feel kindly to him, — this I can remember, and his looks, so delicate
and gentle."

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

made the bid ; and I called out to the auctioneer that I had bid $2.90
too. 'Ah,' said he, ' if you bid $2.92, the book is yours, as you are the
highest bidder.' I had no disposition to quibble about his pun, but
gladly paid two dollars and ninety-two cents, and hurried home with
my big book under my arm, a prouder and happier boy than I had ever
been before. This was the Shakespeare which I first read. I marked
the favorite passages which most impressed me, and noted the pages
on which they occurred, on the fly-leaf at the end of the volume. I
kept the volume for many years, when, wishing to own an English
edition with notes, and not feeling able to keep both, I had tlie folly
to exchange it. Many a time have I regretted this. I would, it' I
could, have bought it back, and given for it its weight in gold."

When quite a young man, he became much interested in the
character and history of the merchant-scholar, William Roscoe,
the first account of whom he read in Irving's Sketch-Book."

" I was much pleased," he says, " to find that a man in active busi-
ness, without a college education, had accomplished so much in litera-
ture, science, and statesmanship. Roscoe seemed to me to be a model
which one might well strive to imitate, at however humble a distance.
My respect for the abilities, attainments, and character of this remark-
able man increased with my knowledge of the works he published.
His life, written by his son, has always been a favorite biography with
me ; and I have bouglit a large number of copies to present to young
friends. When I visited England in 1845, I sought out the principal
places connected with his name, and had the good fortune to become
personally acquainted with many of his friends and descendants."

In 1829 Mr. Livermore went to Waltham as a salesman in
a dry-goods store,"' where he remained a year, when, a
smarter young man offering his services," he returned to
Cambridge. A change having taken place in his brothers'
business, he entered the shop of his father, who was a soap-
manufacturer, and went to work making fancy soap and
wash-balls." All his earnings, except what he needed for
his clothes, he passed over to his father, who was in strait-
ened circumstances. His father had given him a silver
watch which cost ten dollars.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

"On the day I was twenty-one years old," he writes, "wishing in
some way to signalize my majority, I asked my father for a dollar, and
took a trip in tlie steamboat to Nahant. The fare was thirty-seven
and a half cents each way, leaving me but twenty-five cents for other
expenses. I could not, of course, get a dinner at any public house with
this sum ; but I managed to find a grocery store, where I got ninepence
worth of gingerbread and crackers, and a glass of lemonade for six
cents, which I regarded as a good dinner, and came home with six
cents in my pocket. This was my start in life."

Two months later, the person in whose shop at Waltbam he
had served as salesman, called upon him, and urged him to
return into his employ, saying that the young man who had
succeeded him did not please the customers as well as he
had done, and offering him increased pay. The invitation
was accepted, and Waltham once more became his place of
residence. The following spring, his employer, Mr. Smith,
proposed to him to take the business and conduct it on his
own account for two years, offering fair terms.

" I hesitated at first," says Mr. Livermore, " about assuming such a
responsibility ; but my friends advised me not to let so favorable an
opportunity slip, and on the first of April, 1831, I put up my sign, and
commenced business on my own account. My brother Isaac lent me
one thousand dollars as capital to pay Mr. Smith in part for his goods.
At the end of the two years I returned the one thousand dollars, with
interest, and had earned nearly twice as much more for my own cap-
ital with which to begin business elsewhere. I was sorry to give up
so good a business, but Mr Smith needed and had a right to the store ;
and I retired from the scene of my first business experience and success
as gracefully as I could.

"The agent of the Waltham factories, learning that I was to resign
to Mr. Smith the business I had received fi-om him, suggested that I
should take the 'factory store,' wiiich was better located than his, and
thus retain my own customers. This would have injured Mr. Smith
seriously. I did not think it would be honorable in me to encroach
upon his privileges, and I promptly declined the oiler."

Mr. Livermore's religious nature was warm and earnest,
and bad been early developed under the most favorable cir-
cumstances beneath the paternal roof. Although suffering

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

much from poor health, his religious views were cheerful.
During his residence in Waltham, he boarded with a lady
of eminent piety, who had a high regard for him.

" Her religion," he writes, " was after the pattern of the strictest Cal-
vinism. As she loved me, she wished to save my soul ; and no argu-
ments which she and her minister and friends could bring were kept
back. I had, however, thought and read a good deal on the subject of
religion, and had examined the evidences for and against the particular
form of faith vv^hich is called ' Orthodoxy.' The result of my investiga-
tions was to convince me that the grounds of true religion are very
simple ; viz., to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and our
neighbor as ourself My sister Eliza (now the wife of the Rev. Mr.
Stebbins) did more than any one else to encourage my religious inqui-
ries and to fix my religious principles. The year in which I attained
my majority, I, with her, made an open profession of my faith, and
united with the church where my parents worshipped, where my father
was deacon, and where I had been a Sunday-school scholar since I was
five years old. I have always regarded this act of consecration with
satisfaction; 'not as though I had already attained, either were already
perfect,' but as a means of fixing my mind and directing my thoughts
to the higher and spiritual wants of my nature. My dear mother had
taught me a large number of hymns, which I shall never forget, and
some of which I repeat every day and night."

In the interval between relinquishing his business at Wal-
tham and entering into new engagements, as he had rarely
been away from home, and never beyond the limits of this
State, he made a visit to Maine, which was followed by a jour-
ney to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington.
On his return, he went to West Point and Saratoga. Of his
visit to Maine he says, —

" In the spring of 1833, soon after I left Waltham, I went, by sail-
ing packet, to Bangor. I had never been out of the State before. The
voyage was rather rough and I was sea-sick ; but it was a new experience
to me, and I enjoyed the novelty. I went to Old Town, where there
was, on the island of Orono, an Indian settlement. These Indians are
Roman Catholics. They have a church and a Catholic priest on the
island. The church is a rude structure, and I desired to see the inte-

MEMOIR OP GEORGE LIVERMORE.

rior. The priest told me I could do tliis by calling on the deacon, who
had the keys, and giving him a small compensation for his trouble. He
pointed out the wigwam where the deacon lived, and I went there and
made known my wishes to a fat squaw, who stood at the entrance.
' You want to see church,' said she. ' How much you give ? ' Wish-
ing to be liberal, I said, ' Half-dollar,' being twice the sum the priest
had named as the customary fee. She grumbled out, ' Deacon not at
home.' Supposing that I should have to go again to accomplish my
purpose, I started to return, when the squaw called out, ' You give a
dollar, and the deacon is at home.' I readily produced my dollar, and
my tawny guide came out with the keys and showed me the church."

During his visit to Washington, he called upon President
Jackson, and was surprised to find that hard and tyrannical
ruler so gentle and affable in private conversation." He also
spent a day at Mount Vernon, with the greatest interest and
satisfaction.

Some attempts about this time to form a mercantile con-
nection failed, but in 1834 he established himself in Boston,
in the shoe and leather business. This led him at times to
visit other cities, and to be absent from home for weeks and
months together. But however pressing his engagements,
his thoughts always reverted fondl}^ to the paternal hearth,
and to his Sunday school, which through life claimed his
warmest interest and affection.

In a letter to a younger brother from New York, dated 22d
September, 1834, occurs this passage: —

" Young never uttered a truer sentiment than this : ' We take no
note of time but from its loss.' You are just at the age when time is of
immense value. Improve every moment ; but do not consider time
lost, if spent in profitable conversation, — or even sometimes in silence.
There are other ways of improving the mind than reading books ; read
men, read the volume of Nature ; read everything you see ; but when
you take a printed volume, bestow on it your whole attention, and read
it through before you commence anything else. You are just arriv-
ing at an age when you will feel the worth of information on almost
any subject. In a few weeks you will be called to act for yourself in
life. I believe you have long since determined to act in all things from

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

principle, not from caprice, oi- the impulse of the moment. Let purity
of purpose be your pole-star through life, and you will not live in vain.
The time will come when all will find their proper place in the world.
. . . We have, as a family, cause to be grateful that our escutcheon
is not marred by one dishonorable blot. Let us strive to increase its
lustre. . . .

Be a valuable member of society, no matter how humble may be
your occupation for a few years. Remember Roger Sherman was
called from the cobbler's bench to assist in drafting the Declaration of
Independence."

In the winter of 1834-5 he went to the South and West,
spending some weeks in New Orleans. In a little memorandum-
book kept by him at this time, we find that on the 15th of
February he " heard Rev. Mr. Clapp preach in the morning,''
and in the afternoon attended the meeting of the slaves at
the Methodist Church." A few evenings after he attended
a meeting of colored persons about to emigrate to Liberia.
Gloster Simpson, formerly a slave, and recently from Liberia,
spoke in favor of tlie colony. All who were about to emi-
grate formed themselves into a Temperance Society." For
further information respecting this colonization scheme, he
calls the next day on this Gloster Simpson from Liberia.

He returned home from New Orleans by way of the Missis-
sippi and the Ohio Rivers, and arriving at Louisville spent
the Sunday there, March 15th. He attended the Sunday
school of the Rev. Mr. Clarke's Society " (James Freeman
Clarke, D. D., now of Boston). " The wdiole number of schol-
ars," he says, " is at present about fifty. Mr. Clarke preached
in the morning on the education of children."

Mr. Livermore's love of books increased with the increase
of his means: indeed, it outran his means, which were 3^et
small. His tastes craved for, and were formed upon, the best
models : the authors with whom he communed were of the
highest order, not only as regards purity and elevation of
sentiment, but elegance of style. His pure mind rejected
everything coarse or irreverent. He had a great horror of

MEMOIR OP GEORGE LIVERMORE.

the very presence of books of a demoralizing tendency, — a
feeling which led him to discard from his collection a copy
of Byron, as he did not wish so impure a book in his library.

His poetic faculty was large, and showed itself not only
in a love for the best poets, but in the composition of some
exquisite verses. Within a few years of the period of which
we are now speaking, he wrote two dedication-hymns, a num-
ber of hymns addressed to Sunday-school children, some
verses suggested by the Scripture passage, And Jesus
called a little child unto him," &c. Other pieces were en-
titled, ''The Negro Missionary," ''The Blind Harper and his
Boy in Rogers's Italy," and some verses " To my Sister on her
Wedding-Day." These subjects of his Muse are here enumer-
ated for the purpose of showing how largely religious ideas
and sentiments possessed his mind at this time. Many of
these verses are excellent as poetry, and probably have never
been published, unless upon the cards of his Sunday scholars.
To a valued friend in the Divinity School, who had already
dedicated himself to the cause of Sunday schools and phil-
anthropic labors among the poor, he presented a copy of the
" Sunday-School Guide," written by his pastor, the Rev. A.
B. Muzzey, on a blank leaf of which was inscribed this
sonnet : —

" TO R. C. W. *

" Self-consecrated to the cause of truth,
Wedded to charity by tenderest ties,
Thou art a Guide to many a wandering youth,
Directing upward their inquiring eyes.
Happy the chosen path thy feet pursue !
The work our Lord began, 'tis thine to do.
To bless the little ones, — preach to the poor,
Lead the lone pilgrim to the heavenly door.
And bid him enter freely, — heal the blind
By pouring light celestial on the mind, —
Comfort the mourning, — bind the broken heart,
And give the balm religious joys impart :
These are the duties that your path attend ;
God bless your efforts evermore, my friend ! g. l.

" December 10th, 1837."

* Waterston.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

In the year 1838, Mr. Livermore and an older brother, Isaac
Livermore, formed a copartnership in business as wool-mer-
chants, — an arrangement which was favorable to the culti-
vation of his literary tastes, as the larger share of the
responsibilities of the business would be assumed by the
senior partner, who would regard with an indulgent eye the
favorite pursuits of the junior.

About this time Mr. Livermore began to keep a diary,
which he continued to the year of his death. The volume
for 1838 opens with a dedication to his favorite sister; and
at the head of the first page is copied the following stanza : —

" Thus far the Lord hath led me on,
Thus far I make his mercy known ;
And while I walk this desert land,
New blessings shall new praise command."

This daily record shows the development of his tastes and
the subjects which took the strongest hold upon him, whether
of a moral, religious, or political nature. We see what books
he read, and what were his opinions of different authors. He
had one of the most active of minds, and the most sensitive
of natures. His interest in the parish, in the Sunday school,
in the Lyceum, in the political meetings of his ward, <fec., never
flagged. He was a constant attendant at church, and for
years always recorded the text from which the clergyman
preached, and often gave an account of the discourse. The
sessions of the Sunday school and the teachers' meetings
were also duly noticed in his diary. Through life he had a
great reverence for sacred things — for the Scriptures and the
ordinances of religion. He had a horror of metaphysics, and
all those philosophies which tended, as he thought, to scep-
ticism. His mind was more poetic and aesthetic than logical,
and he was much disturbed by the discussions on Tran-
scendentalism," when they first appeared here. He attended
a course of lectures by Mr. Emerson, whose doctrines, so fixr
as he understood them, much disquieted him. But, with the

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

utmost simplicity, he says, that on leaving the lecture-room
he is unable to recall any definite and well-connected ideas
in the lectures of the Concord philosopher.

He is found this year deeply engaged in reading his favor-
ite author, Roscoe. Gray, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Miss Edge-
worth, and Dickens also had charms for him; and the gentle
Charles Lamb he loved as an elder brother.

His love of Nature, and particularly of flowers, was a
striking trait in him. Under the date of Dec. 8, 1838, he
says he received a fine bunch of larch from his sister, in
Leominster, for which he felt very grateful. " There is noth-
ing which gives me more pleasure than these little tokens of
affection. I had rather see an old broken brown pitcher, filled
with natural flowers or foliage, than the most curiously wrought
alabaster vase, with only artificial flowers. My love for flowers
and plants has become almost a passion, — I believe an inno-
cent one." This love continued through life : in the season of
flowers, he was rarely seen on his way to the city without a
bunch of them in his hand ; and he frequently distributed
them among the poor city children that he met, to whom
they were luxuries indeed : he w^ould, if he could, have
strewn flowers in the pathway of every living creature.
These flowers were cultivated on his own grounds, and many
of them were of rare varieties, and of exquisite beauty.
Their fragrance fitly symbolized the aroma of his beautiful
life.

We find him now attending Channing's lecture on Self-
Culture, and paying the expenses of a young man in college.
He is interested in Mr. Gurley and the Colonization Society,
and feels that the Abolitionists are misrepresenting its pur-
poses. With Elliott Cresson, the advocate of Colonization, he
is holding a correspondence.

In a memorandum of expenses this year, one half the
amount is put down to necessary expenses, " board and cloth-
ing," about one quarter to the account of books," and the

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

remainder to charity and presents." The library he had col-
lected at this time was comparatively small. In an entry
made September 6th, he says he had to work hard that day,
and felt annoyed by it, as he had five or six new books he
was very desirous of reading. " I moved mv books into a new
secretary, or bookcase, and find they make quite a show.
It seems I have about two hundred volumes of good books ;
once this would have seemed quite a library ; now I only be-
gin to see how many books I want. On one thing I am deter-
mined, — that is, to buy no more trash ; what works I do
have shall be of good editions. I love literature too well
and prize books too highly to have a good author in a mean
dress."

One day an old gentleman reproved him for being always
found with a book in his hand ; telling him it was " a bad
sign for a merchant to read in his counting-room ; and he was
" abashed " by it.

Mr. Livermore's reading, up to this time, seems to have
been somewhat miscellaneous ; that is to say, he appears to
have made no subject a specialty. His range of authors had
been wide, and, as we have already observed, of the best
selection. He thus laid such a foundation in a general knowl-
edge of English literature, as well fitted him for those more
special studies which we shall soon see him entering upon,
and which he pursued with such ardor through life. He was
always interested in the study of the Scriptures, and in the
great themes which they suggest ; and his duties as a Sunday-
school teacher naturally offered a constant inducement to the
pursuit of these studies. But now we fijad him (21st Novem-
ber, 1838) buying a copy of Coverdale's Bible. It was proba-
bly a reprint by Bagster, issued this year.

On the 1st of October, 1839, Mr. Livermore was married to
Miss Elizabeth Cunningham Odiorne, of Cambridgeport, — a
connection which opened a new field for the exercise of his
warm and generous nature. In him the domestic virtues had

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

a rare growth, and no one could be more fortunate in the cir-
cumstances which througli life tended to hallow the marriage
relation.

He is developing a taste, at this time, for our local his-
tory, and appears to have kept a Record-Book of matters
connected with the annals of his native town. We find him,
in the early part of 1841, owning twenty-six volumes of the
Historical Society's Collections, almost an entire set, — and
Winthrop's History of New England, and all the Family and
Classical Libraries. ^' Every day I go to Burnham's and
Drake's and other bookstores, to see something new ; I must
form a resolution to keep away," as he has yet a number of
books unread, — but he fears he will be unable to abide by it
for any length of time.

The "Life of Josiah Quincy, Jr.," the ante-Revolutionary
patriot, he reads with great interest. " It is an account of
one who lived long, though he died young."

Mr. Livermore always felt a deep interest in whatever was
going on around him. On the 29th of January, 1842, he was
present in the saloon of the Tremont Theatre, on the occasion
of the presentation of a piece of plate to Captain Hewitt, by
the passengers of the steamship Britannia," as a testimonial
of his skill in the management of his ship during a violent
storm. He there saw Charles Dickens, one of the passengers
in that ship, who made the presentation speech, and whose
appearance disappointed him. " My idea," he says, " of the
author of Oliver Twist and dear little Nell was quite too
spiritual to be realized in any human form."

In his business experience, now and through life, there
were, at times, days and months of doubt and anxiety, when
it seemed difficult to see through the dark clouds which over-
spread the financial prospect. He had a high sense of mer-
cantile honor ; but he was never ambitious of being a rich
man. Amidst all his anxieties, his books, next to his family,
were his never-failing solace.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

He was gradually adding to his store of Biblical works, as
opportunities and means favored their acquisition. On the
3d of March, 1842, he saw on sale, at Little and Brown's, a
copy of Eliot's Indian Bible, the price of which was twenty-
five dollars. He could not think of buying it, but his brother
bought it and generously presented it to him. Copies of the
same book have since been sold for more than a thousand dol-
lars. On the 30th of June he visits the library of Harvard
College, and finds Mr. Sibley very attentive and obliging
showing him many old volumes which make his ^' eyes open
very wide." The next month he visits, probably for the first
time, the rooms of the American Antiquarian Society at
Worcester, and receives polite attention from Mr. Haven,
the librarian of that institution, — subsequently one of Mr.
Livermore's most intimate friends.

In the early part of 1843, the library of the Rev. Thaddeus
M. Harris, D.D., was sold at auction, in Boston, and Mr. Liv-
ermore was tempted to buy some of the " antiques " in that
collection. Among the books sold, he speaks of a copy of
Eliot's Indian Bible, which brought thirty-nine dollars.

In February of this year he evinces his growing interest
in those studies which through life were a specialty with
him by writing an article on this Indian Bible for the " Chris-
tian World," a religious newspaper, edited by George G.
Channing. He afterwards suggests to the editor the devo-
tion of a certain part of his paper to Sunday schools, and
agrees to furnish something to that department for a month.

He is reading with intense dehght the Reminiscences of
Thomas Frognall Dibdin. ^' I love him," he says. He is also
reading that author's ^'^des Althorpianae."

He now engages to assist a young man to pursue his
studies for the ministry : a case where the principal charge
would be borne by him.

Strange to say, for the first time, he this year (March 10)
visited the library of the Boston Athengeum. Probably he then

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE,

little thought that in a few years he would be chosen one of
the Trustees of that institution, the Chairman of its Library
Committee, and then its Vice-President, and regarded as one
of its most efficient and influential managers.

On the 29th of March we find him attending the meeting
of the Massachusetts Historical Society at the First Church
in Chauncy Place, where he hears the second Centennial Dis-
course of John Quincy Adams, on the Formation of the New-
England Confederacy^ of 1643.

About this time was started a curious Biblical question,
which Mr. Livermore and the late President of the Historical
Society, the Hon. James Savage, were much interested in
solving. In September of this year, the Rev. Rufus P.
Stebbins delivered a Centennial Discourse before the First
Congregational Society at Leominster, in the course of which
he had occasion to mention the Rogers family residing in that
town, who claimed to be descended from the first Marian
martyr. He referred, also, to an old copy of the Bible in the
possession of a member of the family in Lunenburg, which,
according to tradition, once belonged to the Martyr himself:
indeed, it was said to have been the identical copy which
he carried to the stake ; and it now bears upon its leaves the
marks of fire. The titlepage having disappeared from the
volume, its date could not readily be ascertained. But what
was supposed to be the monogram of the old printer, Cawood,
was found upon the book ; and it was stated on respectable
authority that Cawood printed but one edition of the Bible,
namely, in 1549, six years before the Martyr's death. All this
was therefore consistent with the tradition that the book had
belonged to Rogers, and was now in the possession of a de-
scendant.

Previously to publishing his discourse, Mr. Stebbins ap-
plied to Mr. Livermore for information on this subject. Mr.
Livermore showed from unquestionable authority, that Ca-
wood printed a number of editions of the Bible after 1555,

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

the year of the Martyr's death ; and therefore, in the absence
of more definite information, which he could not then furnish,
as to the precise edition of the Lunenburg Bible, it must
remain doubtful whether the Martyr could have owned that
copy. Yet as Cawood was said to have printed one edition
before Rogers's death, he felt that the probabilities favored the
family tradition.

The investigation of the subject, however, did not end here.
Mr. Savage's interest in the matter centred principally on
the genealogical question as to the descent of the Rogerses
in this country (those Avho came from Nathaniel, of Ipswich,
Mass.) from the Marian Martyr. He had no faith in the
tradition, and was curious to know whether the Lunenburg
Bible furnished any link in the chain of evidence. A frag-
ment of that Bible was therefore procured by Mr. Livermorc,
and sent to his correspondent, Mr. Henry Stevens, in London,
who, with Mr. George Offer, the editor of Bagster's reprint
of Tyndale's New Testament, diligently compared it with
copies of Cawood's editions of known date, when it was clearly
ascertained that the Lunenburg copy was of the edition of
1561, six years after the Martyr's death. A sheet of the
Bible of that date was subsequently sent by Mr. Offer to this
country, and a careful collation being instituted with the
Lunenburg copy, the conclusions arrived at in London were
abundantly confirmed. Later investigations into the genea-
logical question, both in this country and in England, have
shown the improbability of the tradition that John Rogers,
of Dedham, England, (the father of Nathaniel, of Ipswich,
Mass.), was a grandson of the Marian Martyr.

In November of this year, the Biblical library of the Rev.
Dr. Homer, of Newton, was placed on sale at Messrs. Little
and Brown's ; and Mr. Livermore bought from it a number of
copies of rare editions of the Bible. Among them was a copy
of the Genevan version, presented by Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin
to Dr. Homer, and supposed by its former owners to have

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LTVERMORE.

been the identical copy presented by the printer to Queen
Elizabeth, — also the Bible which formerly belonged to Adam
Winthrop, the father of the first Governor Winthrop. This gave
further impetus to his studies in this direction. The library
of the Duke of Sussex was sold the next year. This collec-
tion was rich in rare copies of the Bible, some of which were
purchased by Mr. Livermore. Further rarities were subse-
quently added to his collection from the library of the late
Dr. Hawtrey, Provost of Eton, — among which may be no-
ticed ail Evangelistarium, for the use of the Church, written
on parchment, and supposed to be of a date as early as the
eighth century. From these sources he laid the foundation
of that large collection of Biblical works which his library now
contains. But his time was not wholl}^ spent, as it often is
with book collectors, in amassing books : he was a careful
student of them.^

In December of this year, Mr. Livermore visited the Rev.
Thomas Robbins, D. D., then living at Mattapoiset, in Roch-
ester, Mass., to inspect his valuable collection of old Bibles.
Dr. Robbins afterwards removed to Connecticut, and became
Secretary of the Historical Society of that State, leaving to it
his library.

He now makes the acquaintance of some who were after-
wards his associates in this Society, including Mr. Longfellow,
Mr. Hillard, and Mr. Norton. Mr. Hillard recalls his early
friendship for Mr. Livermore in some touching remarks made
before this Society at the meeting following his death, which
were printed in the volume of Proceedings." Mr. Water-
ston was an earlier friend ; Mr. Livermore showing much in-
terest in his library, and adding to it, from time to time, some
curious volume. With Mr. Ticknor he formed an early acquaint-
ance. In the third edition of his History of Spanish Litera-

* It should be stated tluit Mr. Livermore could read neither Hebrew nor Greek, though
his Biblical collection contained some books in these languages. In early life he
acquired some knowledge of Latin, which was of service to him in later years.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

ture/' Mr. Ticknor acknowledges his indebtedness for the cor-
rection of an error of Navarrete — in referring to the eigli-
teentk Psalm, as containing the prophecy appropriated by
Columbus to himself, instead of the nineteenth^ as stated in
the Giustiniani Polyglott Psalter of 1516 — to his friend^

George Livermore, of Cambridge, who has in his precious
library," says Mr. Ticknor, a copy of the Giustiniani Poly-
glott, which, when he pointed out tlie error to me, I did not
own." (vol. i. p. 188.)

Between our former associate, the late Rev. Alexander
Young, and Mr. Livermore, there existed the warmest friend-
ship. They had many literary affinities. Dr. Young was a
ripe scholar, and had the tastes and sympathies of an an-
tiquary. He had a true Dibdin eye for a good book, and the
rare art of handling a volume properly, which few persons
possess. He knew how to open a book without breaking its
back, and to turn over its leaves so that its owner would not
tremble while it was in his hand. There is a knack in all
this, known only to the true lover of books, — to him who
reverences not merely the author, or the author's thoughts,
but the concrete object before him. You never would see
him taking up a noble volume, clothed in Bedford's best
Levant, and in . his best style, and, balancing it on one hand,
allow one of the covers to swing at an angle of ninety de-
grees, endangering the joint on which it hung; nor find him
leaning on an open page, crumpling the virgin leaves, and
making " dog's ears " of the corners.

Dr. Young had a great love for such an author, for in-
stance, as Coryat, the great foot-traveller, the Odcombian
Leggestretcher," as he styled himself, and would read with de-
light his Crudities hastily gobled vp in Five Moneths Trauells
in France, Sauoy, Italy," &c., <fec. With what rare pleasure
have we heard him read the passage in this quaint writer,
where, in describing the wines of Venice, he says that the
" Lagryme di Christo ... is so toothsome and delectable to

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

the taste, that a certain stranger, being newly come to the
citie, and tasting of this pleasant wine, was so affected there-
with, that I heard he vttered this speech out of a passionate
humour : 0 Domine, Bomine, cur non lachrymasti in regionibus
nostris? "

Izaac Walton, too, was an author after his own heart ; and the
bit of philosophy contained in his quaint praise -of the straw-
berry Dr. Young always thought inimitable, and would cite
the passage with gout : " Indeed, my good scholar, we may
say of angling as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, ' Doubtless
God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never
did."' But Dr. Young's great book was BoswelPs Johnson,
which he used to say a person should read through once a year.
His " Library of Old English Prose Writers " reveals the
well of English undefiled " from wdiich lie drew ; and his
" Chronicles of the Pilgrims " and Chronicles of Massachu-
setts " show his thorough knowledge of the early history of
his native State."^*

Another friend, afterwards a member of this Society, was
Edward A. Crowninshield. He was a true gentleman, a man
of elegant manners and of a refined and cultivated taste. He
was an ardent lover of books, and had one of the rarest libra-
ries of old English literature in this part of the country. He
had the first edition of Chaucer, the first edition of Shake-
speare's and of Milton's Poems, ^' The Schoolmaster," by Roger
Ascham, Coryat's Crudities " of the edition of 1611, &c.
His library was also quite rich in early American history
and biography. Seated in his elegant room, with all its lux-
urious appointments, surrounded by his Strawberry Hills,"
his " Lee Priories," and his " Dibdins " (all of which told

* Dr. Young died on the lOtli of March, 1854. Hiiloss was deeply felt by his friends.
In a note dated lUh April, Mr. Livermore writes: "Thanks for your kind note
of yestcrda}'-, and for the perusal of that of Crowninshield. I do not wonder that he
feels so deeply the loss of Dr. Young. For many years, ' we three ' met daily at Little
and Brown's. I cannot realize that I shall see his face no more on earth. I think
every day he will call and see me."

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIYERMORE.

you that their owner regarded the art of bookbinding as one
of the fine arts), he would remind you of some of the pict-
ures of Horace Walpole.*

Mr. Livermore and these two friends, for years, met almost
daily, at noon, at the book-store of Messrs. Little and Brown,
and there held sweet converse among the noble volumes
which surrounded them. No one, it may here be observed,
had a greater love of humor, or had more of fun and frolic in
his nature, than Mr. Livermore himself; and when the proper
time came for its display, it had free course. These meetings
were choice occasions. Books, of course, were the chief theme ;
but the conversation took a wide range, and there were free
discussions upon whatever topics of interest came up. As has
been seen, few were more fond of anecdote, or could tell a
better story, than Dr. Young. His wit and humor had the
true flavor, like the bouquet of choice wine. At one time Cot-
ton Mather was the subject of remark. Some one said that
he was born out of time ; that, unhappily, he lived at a transi-
tion period in the colony, when clergymen were losing the
influence and authority which had so long been conceded to
them ; and this wounded his vanity. " An influence and au-
thority,^^ replied Dr. Young, in quiet irony, assuming an air of
gravity and importance, " which the clergy at the present day
are rapidl}^ recovering."

The eccentricities of Mr. Dowse, of whom the members of
the Society are constantly reminded by the speaking picture
of him in the Dowse Library, would now and then be the
subject of pleasant remark. How many volumes have

* Mr. Crowninshield died on the 21st of February, 1859. Mr. Livermore thus writes
on the same day: — Poor Crowninshield is gone ! He was as well as usual yesterday
afternoon ; but in the evening, whilst coughing, he was seized with a severe hemorrhage
of the lungs, fainted, and passed away! We little thought, whilst speaking of him on
Friday as one of the Standing Committee for next year, that before we met again he
would be numbered with the dead. I loved him deeply, and I cannot but mourn his
loss, though I feel that a merciful Providence has saved him from much suffering by
thus suddenly and gently relieving him from his pains."

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

you in your collection ? " was a question often put to him by
impertinent curiosity. ^' Never counted them/' was the quick
and decisive reply.

Not infrequently two or three other friends would make
their way into this charmed circle ; and the cheery presence
of Mr. James Brown, who loved good books not merely
because he dealt in them, was always a benediction.

Sometimes the late John Overton Choules, D. D., whose
rotund figure always recalled a well-remembered line of
Thomson's, would appear amongst this company of biblio-
philists. The Doctor was a great lover of books, and was
thoroughly orthodox in his tastes. He used to say, that " old
books and old wine " were fit companions. He edited some
of the writings of others, but his labors in this field were not
always regarded with favor by scholars. He never would
acknowledge a suspicion of the authorship of the scathing
criticism which appeared in the Christian Examiner," for
January, 1845, on his edition of NeaPs " History of the Puri-
tans," published by the Harpers the year before ; and used,
in apparent simplicity, to ask Mr. Livermore, " who he thought
could have written it."

In March, 1845, we find Mr. Livermore making corrections
for the new edition of Grahame's "History of the United
States," published this year, under the supervision of Presi-
dent Quincy. He calls upon Mr. Quincy, who thanks him
for the service rendered, and promises to acknowledge it in
the Preface. This was the beginning of their acquaintance,
and each continued to entertain the highest regard for the
character of the other. Mr. Livermore had an almost romantic
admiration for the heroic qualities of Mr. Quinc}^. Every
summer or autumn, for ten or twelve of the last years of the
life of the venerable patriot, Mr. Livermore, in company with
the writer of this notice, paid a visit to the family mansion in
Quincy, where a warm welcome always awaited him.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

This year Mr. Livermore visited Europe, with his friend,
Mr. James Brown, sailing on the 1st of April. He was
furnished with letters from Mr. Sparks, Mr. Ticknor, and
other well-known gentlemen. His journal, in the form of let-
ters to his family, would make a most interesting volume, and
is worthy of being printed entire. He did not follow the
beaten track of the tourist. He made the acquaintance of
many eminent men, and visited many famous libraries, inspect-
ing, as time permitted, the curious books and manuscripts
which they contained.

The first object he would seek, on his arrival at Liverpool,
would be some memorial of Roscoe. Under date of the 13th
of April he writes : —

" My first visit in the Old World was to the grave of Roscoe. From
my childhood, when I read in the ' Sketch-Book ' Irving's glowing
account of Roscoe, I have felt a deep interest in everything relating
to him. I have never read any works of biography or history with
more pleasure and profit than his ' Lorenzo de Medici ' and ' Leo
X.' The beautiful style of the composition, the fine taste, correct
views, and pure principles, which are so prominent in tliese volumes,
quite fascinated me with the author ; and since reading his Life by his
son, ten or twelve years ago, I have had for his character the most
profound respect and enthusiastic admiration. He was a ripe scholar,
a pure patriot, and a liberal, humble, consistent Christian. Though
engaged in the active duties and cares of business, he found time to
cultivate a taste for literature, science, and the fine arts ; and, in each
department, the world has been benefited by his published works. His
friends in Liverpool have shown in various ways their respect for his
memory. Roscoe's grave is in a remote corner of the burying-ground
connected with the Unitarian Chapel in Renshaw Street. I was dis-
appointed not to find a monument here. There is nothing but a plain
horizontal slab to mark the place of the family tomb. There is no
inscription, but the names and ages of those who are buried beneath,
with the date of their birth and death."

Of course he did not fail to see the full length statue of
Roscoe by Chantrey, in the Royal Institution.

Through letters from his friend, Mr. Charles Sumner, Mr.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

Livermore became acquainted with members and friends of
the Roscoe family in Liverpool, and afterwards in London,
from whom he received the most flattering attentions. A
dinner-party was made for him at Liverpool, at which he saw
many of the descendants of Roscoe, who had been invited
especially to meet him. Mr. Robert Roscoe, residing in Lon-
don, called on him, invited him to his house, and gave him
several memorials of his father, including a letter relating to
his edition of Pope, a volume of poetry translated from the
Italian, and a beautiful crystal miniature head of him in has-
relief.

While in London, Mr. Livermore visited the great bibli-
ographer, Thomas Frognall Dibdin, whose writings he had
so thoroughly studied, and from whom he received a most
hearty welcome. Dibdin was surprised to find that so many
persons in this country were interested in his writings.
Seizing Mr. Livermore's hands, he said, — My dear sir, I see
you are a genuine bibliomaniac. I thank you for coming to
see me. I will point out to you such treasures in books as
will delight your heart. You must go with me to Mr. Gren-
ville's library; and I will give you an introduction to Oxford,
Althorp, and other places, where you will see such books as
you have never beheld before." ^

His account of a visit to the poet Rogers, on the 25th of
April, in company with Mr. Brown, we give entire : —

" Mr. Rogers lives at 22, St. James's Place. The entrance is in a very
quiet and retired situation, but the windows in the parlors and drawing-
room command a fine view of St. James's Park. We sent in our
cards to Mr. Rogers, and were at once very cordially received. He
made many inquiries about affairs in our country, and then invited us
to his library and parlor, where we saw treasures in books and paint-

* Dibdin subsequently proposed to give a dinner-party to Mr. Livermore, -sWiere he
could meet some distinguished bibliographers, and kindred spirits; but Mr. Livermore
was obliged, by reason of pressing engagements, to excuse himself, and decline the
honor.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

ings which were of themselves worth a long journey to see. Whilst
we were there, Mr. Wordsworth came in, and we were introduced to
him. To see the author of ' The Excursion ' and the author of ' The
Pleasures of Memory ' together, to take them both by the hand and
listen to their conversation, was surely ' glory enough ' for one day.
The personal appearance of the two poets is quite unlike. Rogers is
over eighty years old, yet not enfeebled by age. His manners are
gentle and graceful, his countenance mild and delicate, and his voice
sweet and remarkably pleasing. Wordsworth is eight or ten years
younger. He is nearly a head taller than Rogers, and looks quite as
old ; what little hair remains on his head is quite gray. His manners
are rough, his voice loud, his conversation very rapid and vehement ;
his whole soul seems to be thrown into the subject before him. When
he is silent, he looks just like the engraved portrait in his Poems. I
should have known him from the resemblance. But when he talks, the
quiet and gentle look that the engraving indicates is gone. Perhaps
he was unusually excited to-day ; for he has come to London to be pre-
sented for the first time to Her Majesty, the Queen, as Poet-Laureate.
He must appear in full court dress, and wear a sword, an unusual
thing for him. Well, we were introduced by Mr. Rogers, to the
Laureate, as from America. His first words were, ' Gentlemen, are
you from Pennsylvania ? ' We knew why he asked : he is deeply
interested in the credit of that State, being the holder of its bonds, on
which the interest had not been promptly paid ; and the odious and
shameful doctrine of repudiation was probably associated in his mind
with that State and its citizens. So I j^romptly answered, — ' No, from
Boston in New England, where repudiation finds no favor with the
people.' — ' Do you think Pennsylvania will pay her debts ? ' — ' Yes,' I
replied, ' undoubtedly, principal and interest.' — ' So do I,' said Words-
worth : ' I have always thought so. I hold a large amount of State
securities ; and some of my friends, too, are large holders. I have
always advised them not to sacrifice them ; and I am glad to hear that we
shall not be likely to lose.' T was glad enough to get through with this
unpleasant matter of repudiation so well. He asked several questions
about our country ; inquired if I knew Professor Ticknor ; when I left
home ; how long I proposed to stay ; and what route I intended to take.
But before I could answer half his questions, he said, ' I suppose you will
do as your countrymen generally do, when they come here, — hurry
through some of the most remarkable places in England by railway, and
then be off to Italy to see paintings, and to Germany to see the great

MEMOIR OP GEORGE LIVERMORE.

metaphysicians : for my part, I think we have paintings and works of
art in England, enough to interest one for years ; and if you want to
puzzle your brain with the metaphysics of the Germans, you can buy
their works cheaji enough.' When I told him that I was to be absent
only three or four months from home, and that all but a fortnight of it
would be passed in England, he said I had decided wisely. ' Come to
Rydal Mount,' said he, ' and I will show you some beautiful scenery,
well worth a little trouble to view.' Mr. Wordsworth left the house
before we did. Mr. Rogers gave us so cordial and pressing an invita-
tion to breakfast with him next Monday [the 28th of April], that
we unhesitatingly accepted. . . .

" Breakfasted with Samuel Rogers the poet. This delightful old
gentleman had invited Mr. Brown and me to come this morning, and
he received us very cordially. It was a great privilege to sit beside
him and listen to his anecdotes, and talk with him about the authors of
England, with whom he had been so long on terras of the closest friend-
ship and intimacy. Mr. Rogers has never been married. He does the
honors of the table with ease and grate. There were numerous
little choice dishes, which he gave an account of, as they were served
up, giving us the history of each. He is constantly receiving presents
from some of his numerous friends. This morning he had plovers' eggs
served up on sea-weed, a present from the South of France ; oranges
from Malta, whose fragrance and beauty surpassed any thing of the kind
I had ever seen; sweetmeats from Turkey, marmalade from Scotland,
and Dutch bread. Mr. Rogers spoke very freely of his contemporaries.
Coleridge was an intimate friend. He was a remarkable man in con-
versation, but had a bad temper. He did not live with his wife for
many years before he died. He spoke warmly of Roscoe, with whom
he was acquainted. Byron, Southey, and Campbell were frequent
visitors at Rogers's : I wish I could remember a tithe of what he said
about them. Rogers has always felt a deep interest in our country.
His father was a warm friend of the Colonies at the time of the Revolu-
tion. When the news came to London of the Battle of Lexington, he
sent for his tailor, and ordered a suit of black. On the tailor asking
if he had lost any friend, he answered, — ' Yes, many dear American
friends at the Battle of Lexington ; and I shall w^ear black for them as
long as I live.'

" Rogers said that in 1790 (I think it was, perhaps, 1791 or 2) he was
one of a dinner-party of twelve at Paris, — nine of whom, within a year
or two, died a violent death ! He spoke of our American authors.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

27.

Washington Irving was of course at the head of our prose-writers,
Bryant, at the head of the poets. Halleck was held high in his esteem.
He said nothing of Dana the poet, but spoke in the highest terms of
the work of K. H. Dana, Jr., ' Two Years before the Mast.' Mr.
Rogers's house is a perfect museum of curiosities, yet all arranged in
good taste. He has some exquisitely beautiful paintings, originals by
the Old Masters. Besides some of the choice works of Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds and Sir Thomas Lawrence, I saw the original bust of Pope, by
Roubilliac, which Flaxman told Rogers his father had seen more than a
century ago in the studio of the artist. Among the autographs were a
letter of Dr. Franklin to Washington, and one from Washington to
Alexander Hamilton. I saw the original drawings from which the
engravings were taken in the ' Poems ' and ' Italy.' In the library were
some hook rarities, — the first Aldus, the first edition of the ' Faerie
Queene,' and the first edition of ' Paradise Lost ' ; but the chief orna-
ment of the library was a little certificate neatly framed and hung
upon the wall, which is nothing less than the original contract of
Milton with his printer for the copyright of ' Paradise Lost.'

" Mr. Rogers inquired particularly what places we had visited in Lon-
don, and gave us a memorandum of those worth seeing on account of
their historical associations. We left him between eleven and twelve
o'clock, having had one of the most interesting and delightful visits
imaginable."

Mr. Livermore also visited Sir Thomas Grenville, and saw
his magnificeDt library, which has since been transferred to
the British Museum, and now forms one of the greatest at-
tractions of that institution. In the British Museum he saw
many Biblical rarities, which gave new inspiration to his in-
terest in the history of the early publication of the Scriptures,
and in general bibliography.

His visits to Oxford, to Cambridge, and to Althorp, where
he saw the unrivalled collection of Earl Spencer, made more
famous by the description in Dibdin's luxurious volumes, are
all eloquently set forth in his journal.

Mr. Everett was at this time our minister in London ; and
he was very attentive in affording Mr. Livermore, by means

.28

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

of letters and in other ways, every facility for accomplishing
the objects of his tour."^

The gay city of Paris had fewer attractions for Mr. Liver-
more. He could not speak the language, nor could he
become reconciled to the apparent desecration of the Sabb'ath,
in the open shops and places of amusement. The brilliant
spectacles which everywhere arrest the eye of the stranger
in that city were not unobserved by him, and were elo-
quently described in his letters to his family ; but every-
thing was foreign to his principles, and to his tastes.
England had the greater charm for him, and in after life
he derived the highest satisfaction from the recollection
of this visit to the mother country. He arrived home, on
the 3d of July, after an absence of about three months.
The last thing before embarking at Liverpool, he says, — "I
went to the grave of Roscoe, and brought away a sprig of
sweetbrier and some ivy leaves."

The previous year he had ordered from Liverpool two or
three copies of the bust of Roscoe, in plaster. They could
not then be obtained in this country. One of them was placed
in the vestibule of his house, where it has since stood. One
was presented to Harvard College, and it now stands in Gore
Hall. When the committee of the Historical Society were fit-
ting up a room to receive Mr. Dowse's library, and were plac-
ing busts of distinguished authors over the bookcases, Mr.
Livermore requested that a bust of Roscoe might be of the
number.

Mr. Livermore was deeply interested in the cause of learn-
ing; and the College in his neighborhood was as dear to him
as though he had passed the four years as an undergraduate

* While in London, Mr. Livermore had the opportunity, through his friend Mr.
Brown, of seeing the rare privnte collections of books and manuscripts, belonging to the
eminent booksellers, Mr. Pickering and Mr. Murray; and he describes them at length.

Among the Americans whom lie was constantly in the habit of meeting in London
were the late Rev. Henry Colman and Dr. Samuel Parkman; also our present associate,
Mr. Saltonstall.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

within her walls, and could call her Jlma Mater. He was
now chosen by the Board of Overseers a member of the Library
Committee, and continued to hold that position, by annual
election, till his death ; being most of the time the Secretary
of the Committee. When in England, he had formed the
acquaintance of Mr. Everett ; and he regarded it as most
fortunate for Harvard College when that eminent scholar was
called to its Presidency. He was present at the inauguration
services, which took place on the 30th of April, 1846, and
under this date thus writes in his diary : —

" It was a great day for Cambridge, for Harvard University, for the
cause of literature and learning in our country. The inauguration of
Edward Everett as President of Harvard University was an event to
fill every heart with joy ; i.e., every heart that beats with the love of ex-
cellence and talent. There was a large audience at the church, every
seat and stand was occupied, and four times as many would have been
present, if the building could have held them. I was very fortunate in
having a comfortable place during all the exercises at the church. As
a member of the Examining Committee on the Library, the place ap-
pointed me in the procession was just after the Overseers ; and I had a
seat on the platform at the church, and a good place at the table for
dinner. E. A. Crowninshield was my companion in the procession and
at dinner ; I found him by appointment at Owen's, before the procession
was formed. We went to the Library at a little past ten o'clock, and at
eleven the procession started. The services at the church were all of a
high order. They were as follows — Introductory prayer, by Rev. James
Walker, D. D. ; address and delivery of the College charter, seal, and
keys, by His Excellency, George N. Briggs ; reply to the Governor, by
the President elect ; a Latin oration, by George M. Lane, of Cambridge-
port ; hymn, by Rev. Dr. Flint ; and then an elegant, profound, and in-
imitable address by the President. I had often heard Mr. Everett
before, but I believe that of to-day surpassed all his previous productions.
Lane's performance was very creditable, and the Governor's marked
by his usual good sense and propriety. There were many distinguished
persons present ; when Daniel Webster came forward on the platform,
he was greeted by tremendous applause."* The services at church were

* The sudden appearance of Mr. Webster on the platform on tliis occasion (in the
First Parish Church), approaching from behind, at the entrance through tlie pulpit, and

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVr]RMORE.

over a little before two o'clock ; at half past two the procession re-
formed at Gore Hall, and proceeded to Harvard Hall for dinner.
About five hundred and fifty sat down to the table. My neighbors were
Crowninshield, Hillard, Bowen, Ellis, and Bowditch.

" Mr. Everett presided v^ith great dignity and grace at the table. A
blessing was asked by the Rev. Dr. Sharp, and thanks returned by the
Rev. Dr. Woods, President of Bowdoin College. Speeches were made by
President Everett, Ex-President Quincy, Daniel Webster, a humorous
poem by Dr. O. W. Holmes, speeches by R. C. Winthrop, J. Quincy,
Jr., President Hitchcock of Amherst, and Professor Silliman of Yale Col-
lege, and George S. Hillard of Boston. At half past five o'clock the
company left the hall. Mr. Everett invited all to visit him at his
house."

The " Cambridge Chronicle," a weekly newspaper, Avas
started in Cambridgeport in 1846 ; and Mr. Livermore, partly
to assist the proprietor, and partly to aid in securing a good
local paper, was a frequent contributor to its columns. He
was a graceful and forcible writer ; his opinions on whatever
subject were never doubtfully expressed, and his historical
investigations were thorough and exhaustive. Many of the

the reception given to him, are thus described by our associate, Mr. Dana, in his
" Address on the Life and Services of Edward Everett," delivered before tlie muni-
cipal authorities and citizens of Cambridge, Feb. 22, 1865.

" On this occasion, there was an occurrence which put suddenly to the severest test the
equanimity and ready resources of Mr. Everett. The day and place were his, and his only.
The crowded assembly, waited for his word. He rose, and advanced to the front of the
platform, and was received with gratifying applause. As he was about to begin, the
applause received a sudden and marked acceleration, and rose higher and higher into
a tumult of cheers. Mr. Everett felt that something more than his welcome had
caused this; and turning, he saw, just at that opening behind your seat, Mr. Mayor,
the majestic presence of Mr. Webster! The reception of Mr. Webster had additional
force given to it from the fact that he had just returned from his conflict in Congress
with Cliarles Jared Ingersoll, who had made an attack on his character, and that this his
first appearance among us since was altogether unexpected. I had heard Mr. Everett's
readiness of resource called in question. I looked — all must have looked — to see how
he would meet this embarrassment. He turned again to the audience, cast his eyes
slowly round the assembly, with a look of the utmost gratification seemed to gather
their applause in his arms, and, turning about, to lay it ministerially at the feet
of Mr. Webster, said to him, as I remember, ' I wish, Sir, that I could at once assert
the authority that has just been conferred upon me, and, aucloritate mild commissd
declare to tlie audience, exptctatur oratio in lingua vernnculd a Webster. But I suppose,
Sk', your convenience and the arrangements made by others, render it expedient that I
should speak myself, — at least, at first.' "

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

book-notices which appeared in this journal for a number of
years, were from his pen.

On Monday the 6th of December, 1847, the Hon. R. C. Win-
throp took the chair as Speaker of the House of Representatives
of the United States, to which office he had just been elected ;
and in the course of his speech on that occasion, he made
use of the following language : May I not reasonably
implore, with something more than common fervency, upon
your labors and upon my own, the blessing of that Almighty
Power, whose recorded attribute it is, that ' He maketh men
to be of one mind in a house Supposing the concluding

words to be Scriptural, many asked where they were to be
found. The newspapers of New York and Boston inquired
the Speaker's authority for the apt quotation, — some asserting
that it was not in the Bible at all, and not a few learned
divines being greatly puzzled. It was finally found to have
been taken from the Psalter. In an article contributed to
the " Cambridge Chronicle,'' of the 23d of December, Mr.
Livermore explained that the passage in the Received Version
(Psalm Ixviii. 6), which reads ^' God setteth the solitary in
families," is rendered in the Book of Common Prayer as
given by Mr. Winthrop, " Grod maketh men to be of one
mind in a house." It is from the Coverdale version of
1535, and appears there in Psalm Ixvii. It is substantially
according to the Cranmer Bible, to which the Psalter in
the Prayer-Book generally conforms. Mr. Winthrop took
the passage cited from the Prayer-Book, his eye happening
to rest upon it the day before at church. In the article re-
ferred to, Mr. Livermore gave ten several versions of this
passage.

A good illustration of the accuracy and minuteness of his
knowledge of the various editions of the Scriptures is shown
in some papers which he communicated to the " Boston
Daily Advertiser," of July 12th, and Oct. 19th, 1849, in reply

* Addresses and Speeches, Boston, 1852, p. 610.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

to Bishop Chase, of Illinois, who had brought the charge
against Cromwell and the Puritans of having corrupted the
sacred text. The allegation was, that Cromwell, having su-
preme power, had authorized the change of the word we " — in
Acts vi. 3, relating to the appointment of the seven deacons —
to " ye," in order to favor the views of the Independents. The
Bishop indulged in many other loose statements, by no means
creditable either to his knowledge or to his taste. Among
other things, he said that the ^' Cambridge Platform of 1648
was based upon this noted error." Mr. Livermore, in reply to
the Bishop, in the papers referred to, show^ed, by respectable
Episcopalian authority, that the edition of the Bible in which
this error first appeared was printed in 1638, while Laud and
Charles were ascendant in Church and State, — and that the
next edition known to contain it was printed after the Restora-
tion. It was simply a typographical error.

In the " Cambridge Chronicle " of the 5th of April, 1849, he
commenced a series of eight articles on the New-England
Primer, which were published over the signature of The
Antiquary." Those papers were afterwards gathered into a
thin volume (of which twelve copies only were issued as gifts
to friends), with this title: The Origin, History, and Char-
acter of the New-England Primer." They showed much
research and curious learning, and attracted considerable at-
tention. This Society has one of these twelve copies in its
Library.

Among the minor questions discussed in these papers on
the New-England Primer was one concerning the number of
John Rogers's children. The equivocal statement of the
Primer, that there were nine small children and one at the
breast," was disputed by Mr. Livermore, who contended that
the number of the Martyr's children at the time of his death
was eleven — citing Fox, the martyrologist, for his authority.
His positions were assailed by some humorous communica-
tions in the '^Boston Transcript," of July 16th and 24th,- to
which he replied.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

While a member of the School Committee, Mr. Livermore
contributed to the Chronicle " an interesting article on the
Public Schools in Cambridge," going back to Master Ea-
ton's Flogging School/' and citing the early colonial laws on
the subject of schools in Massachusetts. This article was
copied into the ^' Common-School Journal" for Aug. 1, 1848.
The next year he prepared and printed " A Brief Account
of the Dana-Hill Public Schools, Cambridge, 1849."

A collection of books which formerly belonged to Washing-
ton was offered for sale this year, and was bought by a num-
ber of gentlemen, and presented to the Boston Atheuceum.
Mr. Livermore was not only one of the subscribers to the fund
for the purchase of these books, but he was one of a few
persons who labored persistently for the securing of this
treasure.* Subsequently, as a trustee of Mr. Dowse's estate,
he communicated to the " Athenseum " the sum of one thou-
sand dollars to defray the expense of a catalogue for this
collection, and for increasing it. Everything relating to the
history and character of Washington had an interest for Mr.
Livermore. His noble library contains many memorials of the
Father of his Country: and among the latest accessions to
it, not many weeks before his decease, were several sermons
preached on the death of Washington, of whicli he already
possessed over one hundred.

In November, 1849, Mr. Livermore was elected a member
of this Society ; and a most valuable member did he prove,
laboring for its welfare, in season and out of season, to the
last. Tlie first volume of Proceedings " was issued under
his superintending care, assisted by his friend and associate
on the Committee of Publication, the Rev. Chandler Bobbins,
D. D. He continued a member of that Committee till his
death ; and was also for a number of years a most influential
member of the Standing Committee. Other important ser-

* See Quincy's Historj- of the Boston Atlieiifeiim, p. 187, for a description of these
books.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE,

vices which he rendered the Society will be noticed farther
on. The American Antiquarian Society had, the month be-
fore, enrolled him among its members.

The " Christian Examiner " for November, this year, con-
tained an article by Mr. Livermore, written at the request of
Dr. Ellis, one of the editors of that journal, on the " Publication
and Circulation of the Scriptures"; being a review of the Rev.
W. P. Strickland's " History of the American Bible Society."
This paper gave abundant evidence of his large information on
the subject of the translation and circulation of the Bible ;
and contains a strong protest against " the absurd attempt "
to adapt a version of the Scriptures to the capacities of the
ignorant and almost barbarous races, which was made by
the British and Foreign Bible Society when they printed a
translation of the New Testament for the English negroes in
Surinam : —

" These negroes," he says, " have no distinct language ; but speak
what is called ' talkee-talkee,' a strange lingo, compounded of original
African words, of clipped and softened English words, and of vio-
lently treated Portuguese words. Their missionaries, the Moravians,
instead of attempting to teach the negroes pure English or Dutch,
recommended and urged the Bible Society to print an edition of the
New Testament from a manuscript version which had long been in
use at Surinam, in the abommahle patois spoken by the slaves. Great
benefit, ii was predicted, would result to the missionaries and their con-
verts from the undertaking, though the Society brought upon itself smart
censures and much ridicule for the seemingly irreverent and ludicrous
character of the volume which they published. It was very elegantly
printed in octavo form, large type, in London, in 1829. Nearly all
the copies were transmitted to the people for whose use they were
prepared, and their arrival and distribution among the negroes caused
great excitement. A very few copies were retained in England, as
bibliographical and philological curiosities, and they have now become
very scarce. One of them was recently offered to the public, in
London, at the sale of the library of the late Duke of Sussex, and was
sold for three pounds ten shillings. Its original cost could not liave
exceeded two or three shillings.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

" We have a copy of this extraordinary volume of gibberish before
us, and have looked it over for the purpose of finding a specimen which
shall have in it nothing more offensive than what characterizes the
whole of the work. The reader may form some just idea of what
specimens might be selected, when he is told that the word virgin is
rendered, in this version, " wan njoe wendje."

" We will take a few verses from the benedictions, Matt. v. : —

" * 1. Ma teh Jesus si da piple, a go na wan bergi tappo, a go sidom, en dem

discipel va hem kom klossibei na hem.
" * 2. En a hoppo hem moefFe, a leri dem, a takki :

" * 3. Boenne heddi va dem, dissi de poti na hatti : bikasi Gadokondre do
vo dem.

"*4. Boenne heddi va dem, dissi de sari na hatti: bikasi hatti va dem sa
kom-e.*

" Which we may venture to translate half-way back again into
English, as follows : —

" ' 1. But when Jesus see the people, he go after one mountain-top, he go sit

down, and them disciple for him come close by after him.
" ' 2. And he open him moutli, and learn them, and talk :
" ' 3. Good is it for them, these the pretty in heart, because God's country is
for them.

" ' 4. Good is it for them, these the sorry in heart, because heart for them so
cheery.' "

In a letter to John Allan, of New York, the disting-uished
antiquary, in December of this year, Mr. Livermore expressed
his intention of printing, for private distribution, some Remi-
niscences of a too short, but very pleasant acquaintance with
Thomas Frognall Dibdin." This purpose, however, was never
fulfilled.

In the " North-American Review," for July, 1850, Mr. Liv-
ermore contributed an article on Public Libraries, contain-
ing a large amount of curious and valuable information
qn the subject, both as regards this country and Europe.
The scheme of international exchanges of books, inaugurated
by M. Vattemare, was also discussed. Mr. Livermore had
no confidence in M. Vattemare, and regarded his scheme as
visionary. The great subject of a catalogue, which had just

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

before agitated the minds of the trustees of the British
Museum, is dwelt upon ; and the conflicting views drawn out
by the examining committees of Parliament laid before
the reader. Two of the books reviewed in this article were
the " Report from the Select Committee on Public Libra-
ries," and the Report of the Commissioners appointed to
inquire into the Constitution and Government of the British
Museum."

A few months afterwards, a volume of Chambers's " Papers
for the People " was issued in Edinburgh, containing a paper
on Public Libraries," which was made up from Mr. Liver-
more's article, a former article from the North American,"
written by our Corresponding Member, Professor George
Washington Greene, and a third paper from another source, —
no acknowledgment whatever being made by the Edinburgh
publishers.

This year Mr. Livermore was elected a trustee of the
State Library ; and while a member of this board, he had an
opportunity of testing M. Vattemare's system of exchanges.
His views as to the benefit accruing to the State therefrom
were briefly expressed a few years later in the " History of
the State Library," drawn up by the Librarian, and prefixed
to the Catalogue published in 1858.

In 1850, Harvard College conferred upon him the honorary
degree of Master of Arts ; and, the same year, he was elected
a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Mr. Livermore's library at this time had become a most
valuable one ; and his thorough habits of investigation had
made him an authority on those subjects that specially
engaged his thoughts. A paper on ^' Libraries in Boston
and its Vicinity," in the " Bibliotheca Sacra," for January,
1850, contains a notice of Mr. Livermore's collection, and
mentions many of its rare works. His library was then
estimated to comprise " about three thousand volumes." It
was largely increased during the fifteen years following.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE. 37

In the early part of the year 1851, there appeared in the
" New- York Evening Post/' under the signature of Friar
Lupin/' a series of articles commenting on the manner in
which Mr. Sparks had edited the Writings of Washington. He
was charged with not being faithful to the original text
of Washington's letters. The charge was based on a com-
parison of some of the letters as printed by Mr. Sparks with
the same letters as published by Mr. William B. Reed,
of Philadelphia, from the originals in his possession. In
the ^' Cambridge Chronicle," of the 20th of February of that
year, Mr. Livermore came out with an article in defence of
Mr. Sparks, quoting largely from his Preface to Washington's
Writings, to show the plan on which he had prepared
that work. The matter assumed graver proportions when
the charges of the writer in the " New- York Evening Post "
were adopted by Lord Mahon, who accused Mr. Sparks of
" tampering with the truth of History." ^

In the Christian Examiner," for July, 1851, appeared an
article from Mr. Livermore's pen, entitled " John Wycliffe
and the first English Bible " ; which no one can read without
seeing how thoroughly Mr. Livermore's mind was possessed
of all the curious learning appertaining to a full understand-
ing of the subject.

Mr. Livermore was now becoming well known to our schol-
ars, as a man of large acquirements in certain departments of
learning ; and his simple, frank, and winning manners caused
his acquaintance to be sought by those who sympathized with
his tastes, or who desired to profit by his intimate knowledge
of books, or by his words of counsel. He numbered among
his correspondents many eminent scholars and bibliographers,
both in this country and in England. Among these may be
mentioned Francis Fry, F. S. A., of Cotham, Bristol, the edi-

* An excellent treatment of this whole question, in defence of the editor of Wash-
ington's Writings, may be seen in the Memoir of Mr. Sparks by our associate, Dr. Ellis,
in this volume, at pages 261-267.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

tor of the elegant new edition, printed in 1862 in facsimile,
of Tyndale's New Testament of 1526, in the library of the
Baptist College in Bristol. Mr. Fry was the editor of other
book rarities, and usually had a few copies struck off on parch-
ment or vellum for private distribution.

The late Rev. Christopher Anderson, D. D., of Edinburgh,
author of the Annals /of the English Bible," London, 1845,
was also a valued correspondent. Mr. Livermore formed his
acquaintance while in London.

With the lamented Professor Jewett, formerly Librarian
of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, and more recently
of the Boston Public Library, Mr. Livermore held the most
agreeable relations. At the time of the controversy respect-
ing the distribution of the income of the Smithsonian fund,
Mr. Livermore entered warmly into the question, sympathiz-
ing entirely with Professor Jewett and his friends, and using
all his influence to prevent what he considered a perversion
of the trust.

Of the late George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted
son of General Washington, who lived at Arlington House,"
near Alexandria, Ya., Mr. Livermore was a frequent corre-
spondent, as he had been his guest."^ Mr. Custis was a gran-
diloquent old man, but warm-hearted and hospitable to all
who visited the shades of Arlington," where were treasured
with care many interesting memorials of his illustrious rela-
tive. His Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washing-
ton " was a posthumous publication.

About this time he is found applying his accurate learning
to the correction of what he regarded as some singular errors
of Mr. Bancroft, relative to the publication of the Scriptures
in this country before the American Revolution. His crit-

* Others, eminent book-collectors, who were also intellij;ent bibhographers, might
be named, by whom the memory of iMr. Livermore will always be held dear. Mr. James
Lenox, of New York; Mr. John Carter Brown and Mr. John Russell Bartlett, of
Providence; Mr. George Brinley and Mr. J. Hammond Trumbull, of Hartford, — were
among his valued friends and correspondents.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

icism appeared in the " Boston Daily Advertiser/' of the
18th of January, 1853, and relates to some statements in
Chapter XII. Volume Y. of the first edition of Bancroft's
History of the United States." In subsequent issues of
that volume, large alterations in the foot note will be found at
this place.

Mr. Livermore's health was almost always poor. He
suffered greatly from headache all his life. ^' I wonder," he
would say, " if blockheads ever ache." He remarks that
he has seen somewhere that disease is a crime ; and, if it is
so, he must be the greatest of sinners. In 1850, he was so ill
that he contemplated a long voyage. But he had an elastic
spirit, and he commonly soon recovered from his attacks of
illness, — at least, he was enabled to resume his usual avo-
cations.

In the pohtical affairs of his State and of the Nation he
was always deeply interested. But he never sought, nor
would he have accepted, office. He was decided in his
views ; his opinions were convictions ; and he was sometimes
a little impatient, and not always tolerant, of the opinions of
those who differed from him. He did not reflect at the mo-
ment that the dissent of others from him was the exact
measure of his dissent from others. But he was simple, con-
scientious, and constantly striving for the truth.

He was ever opposed to the system of slavery in this
country, and particularly to its extension ; but, up to this time,
he was equally opposed to the spirit and policy of the Abolition-
ists. He felt that the vehement denunciations in which they
indulged did more harm than good to the cause, and that a
way would be opened by Providence for the peaceable set-
tlement of this agitating question ; and when Mr. Webster
delivered his Seventh of March Speech " in the Senate
of the United States, which fell " like a wet sheet " upon
New England, it met Mr. Livermore's approval. Subse-
quently, his views on the subject underwent a change. He

MEMOIR OP GEORGE LIVERMORE.

began to feel that the South, banded together as one man,
were determined to force tlieir peciiHar institution upon the
National domain ; that, by stifling freedom of debate in the
National Legislature,"^' by the repeal of ordinances enacted for
the protection of freedom, by securing decisions in the Su-
preme Court hostile to liberty, and by other acts of a similar
character, they were, with the aid of their Northern allies,
rapidly extending their power in the government, and would
soon bring the whole North under their corrupting influence.
He then felt that the only hope for freedom was in the union
of all manly hearts in an equally firm stand against slavery.
As he felt, so he acted.

During a business tour which he made, in 1852, to the
West, Mr. Livermore visited Blennerhassett's Island, in the
Ohio River, concerning which, with other matters, he writes
as follows : —

" Parkersburg, Va., May 21,1852.

" My dear D , — I wish you had been with me here in " Old

Virginny " this pleasant day, and we would have rambled together over
the beautiful island made forever memorable as the scene of Burr's
and Blennerhassett's conspiracy, and by the eloquence of Wirt made
classic as well as historic ground. It lies in the Ohio just below the
river Kanawha, and between Parkersburg, Va., and Belpre, Ohio. I
hired a boatman to take me in his skiff to the island, and can say from
actual observation, that neither eloquence nor poetry can magnify the
beauties of the situation beyond the reality. But few of the relics of
improvements by its former owner now remain. The house was
destroyed by fire between forty and fifty years ago. The garden is
literally all grown over with thorns. I cut a stick for a cane on the

* The attack upon the Massachusetts Senator, in the Capitol at Washington, on the
22d of May, 1856, caused a deep feeling at tlie North among all political parties. Up
to this time Mr. Livermore had called himself a "Webster Whig," and had uniformly
voted against his relative, Mr. Burlingame, whenever he had been a candidate for any
political office. But novf he caused to be printed, at his own expense, the speech of
Mr. Burlingame, made in the House of Representatives in Washington on the 21st of
June, in " Defence of Massachusetts"; and, in some extra copies, inserted a " Prefa-
tory Note," not signed, wlierein he expresses his conviction that the time had arrived
when " consistency to long cherished principles requir. s that the Conservative utter
and defend the old doctrine of our illustrious statesman, — 'Liberty and Union, now
and forever, one and inseparable.' " Later events only intensified his convictions.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

spot, and gathered a few shells and pebbles from the beach, to bring
home as mementoes of the visit ; and I left the place with sad reflections
on the misfortune and folly of those who leave the luxury of a quiet
home for the ambitious purpose of political power.

" It is now the third week of my absence from home, and another
week will elapse before I can return. This lias been the first day that
has not been devoted almost exclusively to business. I was detained
here, waiting for a steamboat to take me up the river, and improved the
leisure by a visit to Blennerhassett's Island.

" I procured a copy of ' Uncle Tom's Cabin ' on my way, and have
read it with jireat interest. I agree with you entirely that it is a work
of great power, as well as of perfect fairness. It must do much good.
The subject of slavery needs only to be presented in a spirit of candor
and intelligence like this, to bring all who are truly desirous of promot-
ing freedom to common ground. I wish I could circulate ten thou-
sand copies of ' Uncle Tom,' in the Old Dominion, where chivalry and
slavery have wrought such a potent spell, and almost reduced to beg-
gary a people possessed of some of the greatest natural advantages of
any in our fair country.

" Remember everything that occurs during my absence, and come
and tell me all when I get home. You can, better than almost any
one else, make up the loss which I always feel when deprived of the
genial influences of Boston and Cambridge society.

" Yours faithfully,

" George Livermore."

Mr. Livermore was continually adding to his store of
Biblical works, and often found occasion to make use of his
cui'ious and accurate learning in this department of bibli-
ography. At the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Bible
Society, in May, 1854, his Excellency, Governor Washburn,
made an address, in the course of which he referred to
the influence of the Bible upon CromwelPs soldiers. In
the army," he said, " every man had a Bible in his knapsack,
and daily read it, and sang the praises of God ; and the
result was the like of what has been seen in the history of
Puritanism." In an article in the Cambridge Chronicle," of
the 20th of June, Mr. Livermore quoted this passage from the
Governor's speech, saying it was substantially correct, but

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

not literally so ; that, if Cromwell's soldiers carried the Bible
in their knapsacks, it was not the whole Bible ; that The
Soldiers' Pocket Bible " consisted of appropriate selections
from the Scriptures, printed in pamphlet form, and was gen-
erally buttoned between the coat and waistcoat, next to the
heart, — proving, perhaps, sometimes, a defence from the
weapons of the enemies of their bodies, as well as from the
Wicked One who sought to subdue their souls." He remarked,
that but few copies of this curious Bible had been preserved,
and that probably the copy he possessed was the only one in
the country. He then gives a brief description of it. He had
had it some years, having received it from his friend Mr.
Crowninshield, to whom it had been sent from London. The
book was afterwards reprinted by Mr. Livermore.

To afford some idea of the character of Mr. Livermore's
library at this time, the following description of it is given.
It was written by Mr. Livermore himself, by request."^

" Nearly a quarter part of the entire collection consists of Bibles
and Biblical works, in various languages, versions and forms, from the
ancient Hebrew manuscript roll, to the most modern translation of our
own times.

" Among the manuscripts of interest is The Pentateuch, carefully writ-
ten on thirty-six skins of parchment, and measuring fifty-eight feet in
length, and one foot in breadth. This fine apograph is rolled upon a
pair of handles, and enclosed in an embroidered silk cover. It was
formerly used in a Jewish synagogue, and is a good specimen of an
ancient volume, or rolled book.

" Two copies of the Bible entire, in the Latin Vulgate version, written
by monks in the Middle Ages upon the most delicate vellum, are elabo-
rately illuminated with beautiful initial letters, figures, and miniatures.
They are of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Each was, perhaps, the
work of a whole life.

" To these may be added an Evangelistarium, or selections from the
Gospels, for the use of the church, written on parchment in the eighth

* It should be stated here, that Mr. Livermore was largely indebted to our country-
man and Corresponding Member, Mr. Henry Stevens, of London, for assistance in pro-
curing many of the valuable books contained in his library. His correspondence with
tliis eminent bibliographer must have covered a period of nearly twenty years.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

century, seven hundred years before the invention of printing, one of
the oldest books, if not the oldest, in this country. It was obtained at
the sale of the library of the Rev. Dr. Hawtrey, Provost of Eton.

" The Book of Job, a metrical version, by George Sandys, is supposed
to be the original autograph copy of the author. It was formerly in
the library of the late Duke of Sussex, and is particularly described by
Dr. Pettigrew, in the ' Bibliotheca Sussexiana.'

" Next in order to the manuscripts is the BIBLIA PAU-
PERUM, a block book, or series of wood-cuts, representing Scripture
subjects, with a few lines of text coarsely engraved upon the same page.
The precise date is not known, but bibliographers are generally agreed
in the opinion that it was printed as early as the year 1440.

" There is in this library a fragment of the celebrated M A Z A R I N
BIBLE, the first hook ever 'printed. Although the date does not ap-
pear, this work is well known to have been the first that issued from
the press of Gutenberg, and to have been completed in the year 1455.
Mr. L. has also the New Testament printed by Faust in 1462, being
the first in which the date is given, and quite a number of Bibles pub-
lished within the first half-century from the invention of printing.
Servetus's Bible, published in Lyons, 1542, is a very rare work. The
entire edition was ordered to be burnt, by the Roman Catholic authori-
ties, on account of the supposed heretical sentiments contained in tlie
preface and in some of the notes. The author, in 1553, shared the
same fate with his Bible. He was burned alive for heresy ; and as
many of the Bibles as could then" be found were used to kindle the
wood at the time of his martyrdom. But very few copies escaped the
flames, and there is probably no other in this country.

" Cromwell's Soldiers' Pocket Bible, of which only one other copy is
known to be extant, is a great curiosity. It consists of selections from
the Sci iptures, published in 1643, for the use of the army during tlie
civil wars. Here are copies of both editions of Eliot's Indian Bible, —
the first containing the rare dclication to King Charles IL, of wliich
only twenty copies were printed ; and a perfect copy of the Commentary
of Nicholas de Lyra, beautifully printed in black letter, in 1483, being
the first work of the kind ever published.

" Of English versions, Mr. L. has all the editions of Wyclif, several
of Coverdale, Tyndale, Cranmer, the Genevan, the Bishops, the Douay,
and the most remarkable editions of our present authorized version,
from the first black-letter folio of 1611 to the recent revision of the
American Bible Society.

MEMOIR OP GEORGE LTVERMORE.

" A splendid unique large-paper copy of Reeves's Bible, with several
hundred original v^^ater-color illustrations, by Harris, of London, and a
New Testament printed entirely in letters of gold, were added to the
collection on account of their beauty as works of art.

" A special interest attaches to some copies of the Scriptures in Mr.
Livermore's library, on account of their former ownership. The Venice
edition of the Latin Vulgate, 1478, was once the property of the un-
fortunate Pope Pius VL, and has his arms stamped upon the covers.
On the same shelf stands Melancthon's own copy of the Bible, with
numerous notes on the margins in the handwriting of the Reformer. A
copy of the Geneva version, presented by Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin to
the late Rev. Dr. Homer, of Newton (from whose library it was pur-
chased), was supposed by its former owners to have been the identical
copy presented by the printer to Queen Elizabeth. The royal arms
can still be traced on the covers. It was printed in 1576. But the
Bible of Adam Winthrop, of Groton, England, the father of the first
Governor of Massachusetts, is more highly prized by the present pro-
prietor.

" A manuscript Koran, brought many years ago from Turkey, by
Edward Wortley Montagu, and the Book of Mormon, with the auto-
graph of Joseph Smith, possess an interest of a different kind.

" Mr. L. has, in a large portfolio, THE LORD'S PRAYER
in more than eight hundred languages and dialects. This remarkable
work was printed at the Imperial Office, in Vienna, and exhibited, as
the contribution of the Emperor of Austria, at the World's Fair in
London. Only a few copies were allowed to be sold.

"It maybe mentioned that the only two New-England subscribers to
Halliwell's magnificent edition of Shakespeare, now publishing in Eng-
land, in twenty folio volumes, and limited to one hundred and fifty
copies, are near neighbors to eacli other, — Mr. Hosmer and Mr.
Livermore.

" Mr. Livermore has from his boyhood been much interested in the
subject of general bibliography ; and he has collected a considerable
number of the best works on this subject, including typographical an-
tiquities, and accounts of the most celebrated public and private libra-
ries. In this department may be found nearly all the publications of
Dibdin, several of them presentation copies from the author; works
from the presses of Gutenberg, Faust, Caxton, Wynken de Worde,
Pynson, Baskerville, Stephen Daye, the first American printer. Dr.
Franklin, and nearly all the most famous printers in Europe and

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

America; also privately printed books from Strawberry Hill, Lee
Priory, the Roxburghe and other clubs. We might mention many
other curious and rare volumes. The larger part of this library consists
of standard works of English literature, history, biography, poetry, &c.,
&c., — the best editions of the best authors." *

It may here be observed, that, after this brief and neces-
sarily inadequate description of his library was written in
1855, Mr. Livermore made large additions to it, not only of
Biblical works, but of works of history and of general biblio-
graphy. Everything which would illustrate the history of
printing, from the earliest period, interested him. He refers,
we have seen, to a fragment of the celebrated Mazarin Bible
which his library contained, — " the first book ever printed " on
movable types. Three years before his death, he purchased
a beautiful copy of the original edition of Coverdale's Bible,
printed in 1535, the first edition of the entire Bible in English.
It cost him one hundred and forty pounds.

A worthy Tribute to the Memory of James Johnson," " a
merchant of the old school," was contributed by Mr. Liver-
more to the " Boston Daily Advertiser," of May 4th, 1855.
A few copies of the " Tribute " were subsequently reprinted
by the friends of the deceased, for private distribution.

This year Mr. Livermore was elected a member of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences," and he was
treasurer of that institution at the time of his death.

Many of Mr. Livermore's associates will recall with pleas-
ure the meeting of the Historical Society at his house on the
evening of the 26th of June, 1856. It was in the season of
strawberries ; and the prolific gardens of his neighbor, Mr.
Hovey, the well-known horticulturist, furnished for the oc-
casion a most abundant supply of his choicest varieties of
that delicate fruit. The luscious ^' seedling " which bears his
name, and other rival descriptions of Cambridge growth,
looked as if they had each been prepared for the eye of the

* See "A Glance at Private Libraries," by Luther Farnliam, Boston, 1855.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

expert, as candidates for a prize. It was, indeed, a " Straw-
berry Festival.''^

Mr. Livermore's love of flowers did not desert him at this
time ] and the charming floral adornments which here met
the eye were an eloquent commentary on his exquisite taste,
which was not confined to books alone.

Mr. Savage, then late President of the Society, and now its
senior member, was not able to be present; but, as a delicate
compliment to his venerated friend, Mr. Livermore caused the
portrait of him, then recently painted by Wight for the So-
ciety's cabinet, to be brought to his house and hung on the
wall of the room in which the business meeting Avas held.
This served as a pleasant reminder of one whose membership
dates back to the year 1813, and who had for fourteen years
so faithfully served the Society as its chief officer.

As a part of the business of this meeting, " Mr. Livermore
produced a trunk containing a large collection of manuscripts
formerly belonging to the Hon. Judge Davis, and more re-
cently to Isaac P. Davis, Esq., late associates of the Society ;
which, in compliance with the expressed wish of the latter,
had been committed to Mr. Livermore's charge by Mrs. Davis
and the Hon. William Sturgis, executor, to be examined and
assorted, previously to their being deposited in the library of
the Society. Mr. Livermore stated that he had partially ex-
amined the papers, and found some of them to be of great
value." t They were referred to a committee, of which he was
chairman, to be arranged for the library according to the
views of the donor. The volume of Davis Papers " now
in the cabinet, comprises this collection.

-* For the purpose of illustrating Mr. Livermore's thoughtful care in little things,
which, indeed, make up the staple of every man's life, we will here recall the circum-
stance, that there was enclosed in the notice of this meeting, to each member, a beauti-
fully printed card, which served not only as a " free pass " over the railway, from " Bow-
doin Square" to his house on "Dana Hill," but conveyed the information that the
' Business Meeting " would be held " at half-past seven o'clock. Strawberries at
nine o'clock. Cars return at ten o'clock."

t See Proceedings Massachusetts Historical Society for June, 1856, pp. 96, 97.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

This meeting at Mr. Livermore's, the first of a few rural
gatherings of the members as a society, is one of the pleas-
ant things to recall. The recollection of it revives the pic-
ture of one in whom the graces of purity, sweetness, re-
finement, gentleness, and disinterestedness,'^ to use the
felicitous language of Mr. Hillard respecting him, were .mar-
vellously combined, — in the midst of his books and of his
flowers, extending his warm and unstinted hospitality to his
associates around him. The silver cord by which he was
bound to us is loosed, but the sweet memories of the occa-
sion will ever remain ;

" The scent of the roses will hang round it still."

Thomas Dowse, the leather-dresser of Cambridgeport, the
collector of the magnificent Library, estimated to have cost
over forty thousand dollars, was a near neighbor and friend
of Mr. Livermore. He was a bachelor, of a quiet, retiring
disposition, somewhat odd withal, and he admitted few to
his intimacy. Mr. Livermore's warm-hearted disinterested-
ness won his confidence, and his love and knowledge of
books made him a most desirable companion. As old age
grew upon Mr. Dowse, and his infirmities increased, Mr.
Livermore made it a point to visit him almost daily. The
morning after the meeting of the Historical Society at his
house, Mr. Livermore called on Mr Dowse, taking with him
a dish of strawberries. The conversation naturally turned
on the subject of the meeting the evening before, and Mr.
Dowse was much interested in the account he received of it.
This led him to make further inquiries respecting the Society,
with many of whose members he was already well acquainted.
Soon afterwards Mr. Dowse asked Mr. Livermore if he thought
the Society would accept of his library. He received en-
couragement that they would. He then desired to see a plan
of their building, and the rooms which they occupied ; and
when he had fully decided to offer his library to the accept-

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIYERMORE.

ance of the Society, Mr. Livermore conferred with the Presi-
dent, and the matter was soon consummated. The account of
the Special Meeting at which the announcement of the gift
was made, and of that which was held on the transfer of the
books to the rooms of the Society, after the decease of Mr.
Dowse, the following year, are related in the " Proceedings
for August, 1856, and April, 1857.^-

Mr. Livermore and Mr. Eben. Dale were appointed execu-
tors and trustees under Mr. Dowse's will. By this instru-
ment a considerable sum was left to the trustees, to dispose
of according to their judgment, under certain general instruc-
tions. The charge for fitting up the room now known as
^' The Dowse Library of the Massachusetts Historical Society,"
amounting to about three thousand dollars, was defrayed by
the trustees, who in addition gave the Society ten thousand
dollars as a fund, the income of which was to be devoted to
the care and administration of the library.

The trustees contributed also a fund of ten thousand dollars
for the establishment, in Cambridge, of a Dowse Listitute,"

* Mr. Dowse had had many plans for the disposition of his library, but he could
decide on nothing. When Mr. Quincy was President of the College, a proposal Avas
made by him to Mr. Dowse, that, if he would present his library to that institution, a
fire-proof building should be constructed to receive it, and other provisions made for
its safe-keeping for ever; but ;nothing came of it. In September, 1853, early in
the Presidency of Dr. Walker, Mr. Dowse's health seemed to be failing, and he felt
anxious about his library, being at a loss what disposition to make of it, when Mr.
Livermore, on his behalf, informally conferred with Dr. Walker as to the probability
of the College consenting to receive it, if it should be offered, on the terms intimated:
namely, that a sepai-ate fire-proof building should be erected for it, that none of the
volumes should be taken from it, &c. Dr. Walker, of course, had no authority, of him-
self, to accept or to decline such an offer, had it been made; and he had no wish to
divert such a gift from the College: but he saw that the terms suggested would involve
a serious expense to the Corporation, without an equivalent. He, however, assured Mr.
Livermore, that, without doubt, if the library should be presented to the College,
arrangements would be made to give it a place by itself in Gore Hall.

There seemed at one time to be danger that this collection of books would come to
the hammer. Mr. Dowse once offered to give it to Mr. Livermore, who, of course,
declined it. Mr. Dowse finally proposed, as stated in the text, to place his libi-ary in
the custody of the Society of which his friend, Mr. Livermore, was a prominent mem-
ber. This suggestion was warmly seconded by Mr. Livermore, and to him is the Histori-
cal Society largely indebted for the final disposition made of this noble library.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

for public lectures, &c. This sum was paid over to the city
of Cambridge, which, in return, agreed to pay annually, for-
ever, to the trustees of the Institute, six hundred dollars.

Mr. Dowse's fine collection of paintings in water-colors was
given to the Boston Athenasum, of which institution Mr. Liv-
ermore was a trustee.

It will not require a reference to the records of the Soci-
ety, to recall a similar meeting of the members to that just de-
scribed, which, two years after, was held, by invitation of Mr.
Longfellow, at his house in Cambridge, — the house which was
for nine months the residence and headquarters of Washing-
ton. The meeting was summoned in the afternoon of the
17th of June, the anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill.
Mr. Livermore was chairman of the Standing Committee this
year, and he used every means, in co-operation with the other
officers of the Society, to make this meeting worthy of the
occasion. On the notices issued to the members he caused to
be printed a wood-cut impression of the ancient mansion
where the meeting was to be held. The following character-
istic note was received from him a few days before the meet-
ing:—

" Wednesday Morning, June 9tli.

" Dear D , — Thinking that you might like to preserve a tmt-

ed copy of the notice of our grand meeting to be held on the 17th, I
send you one of each shade. The regular Society's notice is printed ou
white paper, but half a dozen or more of a ' fancy ' character were
struck off to be sent to the ' Saints.' . . . The meeting is likely to be
the most interesting one ever held by the Society.

" Yours ever affectionately."

Mr. Livermore's fondest expectations concerning the meet-
ing at Mr. Longfellow's were fully realized. There were
present, among others, Mr. Everett, Judge Shaw, Mr. Adams,
Mr. Willard, Mr. Richard Frothingham, Mr. Paige, and Dr.
Ellis, who severally addressed the meeting. The President,
Mr. Winthrop, called the meeting to order at half-past five

MEMOIR -OF GEORGE LIVERMORE;

o'clock, and in bis opening remarks alluded to the occasion
and the place, and also to the circumstances under which
General Washington assumed the command of the American
army in 1775. " None could have entered this venerable
mansion," he said, " without recaUing the words which the ac-
complished host once addressed to a child, but which are no less
adapted to stir the feelings of full-grown men: —

" ' Once, all ! once, within these walls,
One whom memory oft recalls,
The Father of his Country, dwelt ;
And yonder meadows, broad and damp,
The fires of the besieging camp
Encircled with a burning belt.
Up and down these echoing stairs.
Heavy with the weight of cares.
Sounded his majestic tread :
Yes, within this very room
Sat he in those hours of gloom.
Weary both in heart and head.' "

All his remarks were excellent, as were those of the mem-
bers who followed him. During the evening Mr. Livermore
exhibited several most interesting relics associated with
Washington and his times ; and Mr. Everett, who at Mr. Liv-
ermore's request had drawn up a statement relative to the
preparation and delivery of his celebrated discourse " On the
Character of Washington," submitted that statement to the
meeting. After the business was over, the invitation of the
host to partake of strawberries and cream was not declined ;
and every one present felt that he had good reason to remem-
ber " the 17th of June," 1858.

In 1859 Mr. Livermore was elected a member of the
Executive Committee of the " American Unitarian Associa-
tion," and he almost invariably attended its monthly meetings.
In 1864 he was elected Yice-President of the Association,
a position which he held at his death. Besides giving his
active personal services, he was a liberal contributor to its
funds.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

On the 30th of April, 1860, we find him collecting the snb-
scriptions, which he had before solicited, for the " Quincy
statue," as the treasurer wishes to remit the first instalment,
of two thousand dollars, by the next Wednesday's steamer.
This refers to the statue of President Quincy by Story, yet
in the studio of the artist in Rome.

The copy of the " Soldiers' Pocket Bible " belonging to Mr.
Livermore, has been already referred to. It was very rare ; only
one other copy was known to exist, and that was in the British
Museum. He had for some time thought of reprinting it for
distribution among his friends, — " for the saints," as he used
playfully to style those for whom he designed the few copies
of any work privately got up by him. In 1861, Mr. Hough-
ton, of the Riverside Press, printed for him one hundred
copies, in fac-siinile. He at the same time had ten copies
printed on parchment, three on vellum, and two on India
paper."^ It came from the press about the 1st of June.
The American Tract Society, in both its branches, thinking
it would serve a useful purpose as a religious manual for
the soldiers in our army, reprinted it in large numbers as a
tract. How extensively it was circulated among the soldiers,
and how much good it accomplished, we have no means
of knowing. The book, in the original, is a 12mo, or 16mo,
of 16 pages. It is made up of passages from the Bible, or
rather from the Old Testament, — there being but two cita-
tions from the New Testament. Those passages in which
God's chosen people are referred to as fighting God's enemies
are introduced. Cromwell's soldiers no doubt felt, as did the
Jews, that they were the Lord's elect" ; and this little volume
may have served to nerve them to the conflict. It may well
be doubted if such a tract would better the condition of our
soldiers at this day, either morally or mentally ; or improve
them as fighting men. Its chief value now must be historical.

* Through Mr. Livermore the attention of Mr. Francis Fry had been called to the
Soldiers' Pocket Bible," and he had an edition in facsimile printed in England, in

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

In 18G2 a reprint of the " Bay Psalm Book/' consisting of
fifty copies, on laid paper, was executed by Mr. Houghton,
for Charles B. Richardson, a bookseller in New York. Mr.
Livermore's name appears on the list of subscribers for one
of the fifty copies. But he secured, also, one copy to be
struck off on parchment, — the only one printed. There were
at the same time five copies printed on India paper, of which
Mr. Livermore's library contains one.

The proof-sheets of this reprint of the Bay Psalm Book "
were revised and corrected by our associate, Mayor Shurt-
leff, Avho, in his introduction to the volume, says, — " In the
reproduction of this quaint volume, every word, every letter,
and indeed every point, has been sedulously collated with a
perfect impression of the original work struck at Cambridge
in the year 1640."

At the annual meeting of the American Antiquarian Society,
at Worcester, in October, 1864, Mr. Livermore read the report
of the Council. The principal theme dwelt upon in this
paper was suggested by the recent decease of Mr. Quincy.
He gave an analysis of Mr. Quincy's writings, and endeavored
to show that each of his works had been the product of his
personal experience in the active duties in which he had been
engaged through life. It was an admirably conceived and
an admirably written paper. A few copies of the remarks
commemorative of Mr. Quincy were struck off separately from
the pamphlet of " Proceedings," for private distribution.

And here we are reminded that, from the time Mr. Liver-
more was elected a member of our sister society at Worcester,
he rarely failed to attend its meetings, whether held in that
city or in Boston. Nothing but the most imperative engage-
ments ever kept him away from the annual meetings, which
are always held in Worcester. The ride through that beau-

1862, from the only other original copy known, that in the British Museum. He also,
the same year, reproduced in facsimile an edition of *' The Christian Soldier's Penny
Bible," from a copy of the original edition in his possession, dated London, 1693, —
a little manual of sixteen pages.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

tiful part of the State, with his associates, the Boston mem-
bers, in that season of the year when the foliage puts on its
brilliant and varied hue, could not fail to have an attraction
for him in itself. Then the warm greeting he was sure to
receive at " Antiquarian Hall," from the grave and reverend
seigniors there assembled, including always Governor Lin-
coln and Judge Barton, — ^' not dead, but gone before " ; then
the mental repast served up to the meeting in the Report of
the Council, of which the Librarian's Report — invariably so
rich in curious learning, and keen and wholesome criticism —
always forms a part ; and, finally, the elegant hospitality of
the President of the Society : to share all this, was a rare
treat to our friend ; and the 21st of October was a red-letter
day in Mr. Livermore's calendar.

In November, 1864, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes delivered
a lecture before the " Dowse Institute " in Cambridge, entitled
New England's Master-Key " ; in the course of which he
endeavored to show what had been accomplished by those
who had devoted their literary labors to one special object ;
and he instanced among others, as illustrating the truth of his
remark, George Livermore.

Reference was made to Mr. Livermore's copartnership with
his brother Isaac, in 1838. The older brother retired from
the business in 1846 ; and Mr. Livermore, for the five fol-
lowing years, continued on in company with a nephew. After
remaining alone about a year, he was, in 1852, invited to a
partnership in the Boston branch of the extensive wool busi-
ness of Aaron Erickson, of Rochester, N. Y., which subsisted
until 1857, when the firm of " Livermore & Morse " was
formed, which was dissolved only by his death.

Mr. Livermore took pride in his calling as a merchant, and
for many years devoted his best energies during the hours
of business to its demands. He was conservative and cautious
in his business views, and was uneasy under large pecuniary
responsibilities ; preferring small gains with corresponding

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

safety to the pursuit of larger acquisitions with the usual at-
tendant risks. He had the satisfaction through life of always
meeting his engagements.

The financial storm which swept over the country in the
autumn of 1857, prostrating almost everything before it, was
of fearful portent to our friend. He felt that all he had
was gone, and that the only thing left was to maintain his
mercantile honor and credit, which was done. The speedy
recurrence, three years later, of a similar crisis, occasioned
by the breaking out of the Rebellion, was another trial, which
taxed the highest energies of every merchant who had accept-
ances to meet, or notes to pay. But when the government
began to call out the troops, which had to be clothed and fed
and provided with all the equipments of war, such a demand
was made upon the raw material and industry of the country,
that, with the added influence of the suspension of specie
payments, and consequent appreciation of merchandise, all
embarrassments were removed, and, in the next few years,
large fortunes were realized by many. Mr. Livermore
shared in this success ; and, during the war, acquired an
amount of property such as previously he had been a
stranger to.

On the actual breaking out of the Rebellion, Mr. Livermore
threw himself into the cause of the Union with all his charac-
teristic energy and zeal. With him there was no temporizing,
no " good Lord " and " good Devil." His trumpet gave no
uncertain sound. He attended recruiting-meetings, joined a
"Home Guard," and drilled and marched for miles, at times,
with a musket on his shoulder, which, with his frail and
delicate frame, was almost like bearing his cross. As his
means enabled him, he gave freely ; and, throughout the
war, he poured out his money like water for the cause.

* In the second year of the war, when it was proposed to raise a fund for the relief
of the families of the soldiers of Cambridge, the following letter from Mr. Livermore

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

As he could not go to the field, he considered himself bound
to do in other ways all that lay in his power to maintain the
integrity of the Union. One of his sons was in the army, but
that did not absolve him from duty. During the twelve
months which preceded his death he spent for public objects
and for private charities nearly twenty-five thousand dollars.

Not content with all this, when the discussion arose whether
the government should accept colored troops, and there were
strong doubts even among the most loyal as to its expediency,
he prepared with great labor, and published at great expense, a
work of over two hundred pages, which he entitled " An His-
torical Research respecting the Opinions of the Founders of
the Republic, on Negroes as Slaves, as Citizens, and as Sol-
diers." The substance of this work was read before this Soci-
ety at a stated meeting, 14th August, 1862 ; and the President
of the Society, Mr. Wiuthrop, has since said of it, that it would
alone have been " enough to secure for him a reputation
which any of us might envy." His purpose was to show

was read to a meeting of citizens held for the consideration of this subject at the City-
Hall:—

" Dana Hill, Aug. 9, 1862.

" Hon. J. M. S. Williams.

"My DEAR Sir, — I cannot be present with you, in person, this evening, as 1 had in-
tended, but you need not be told that my heart is with you. The more I reflect on the
subject of the proposed fund of twenty-five thousand dollars for the relief of the families
of the soldiers, by the way of insurance on their lives, and in the other manner suggested in
the circular of the Committee, the more I am convinced of the merit and excellence of the
plan ; and I ask you to alter my subscription from five hundred dollars to one thousand
dollars. To save the Committee the trouble of collecting this amount, I now enclose a
United-States Treasury-note for the sum, with interest at seven and three-tenths per
cent. I have been much gratified at the readiness of our citizens to respond to this
call. The whole sum of twenty -five thousand dollars will be made up, I am sure, in a
few days, if it is not secured at the meeting this evening. When this subscription is
full, we must all be ready for something else. Until the war is over, we must dedicate
our time, our money, our lives, — and, what may be dearer to us than any of these, our
brothers and sons, — to the service of our country. When we are thoroughly aroused
to the value of the liberty we are defending, we shall feel that no sacrifice is too great
for us to make in its behalf. And when we rise to this point of patriotism, God will
surely crown our cause with complete success.

" I am, very truly, yours,

" George Livermore."

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

that the patriots of the Revolution regarded the negro as a
man, capable of bearing arms, and of being a citizen ; and
he saw no reason why he should not be allowed to do his part,
side by side with his white brother, in upholding the flag of
his country.

" Among the agencies which swayed the public mind at
that time," says a distinguished civilian, this publication
cannot be forgotten." Attorney-General Bates acknowledged
his obligation to it in making up his opinions on the status of
the negro ; and " it is within my own knowledge," says Sen-
ator Sumner, that it interested President Lincoln much. The
President expressed a desire to consult it while he was pre-
paring the final Proclamation of Emancipation ; * and, as his
own copy was mislaid, he requested me to send him mine,
which I did." f

This work was issued in five different editions, in a most
luxurious style ; fifty copies of two of the editions having
been printed on " large paper." The most of the copies were
distributed gratuitously. The whole cost of this work, some
three or four thousand dollars, was borne by Mr. Livermore '
himself. A pamphlet of eight pages of extracts from it was
published soon after, in Philadelphia, by Henry C. Baird, en-
titled " George Washington and General Jackson on Negro
Soldiers," of which over one hundred thousand copies were
printed. J

While declining all oflScial positions, Mr. Livermore was in
frequent correspondence with leading politicians and states-
men, and with some of them maintained the most intimate
and confidential relations.

* The pen with which Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation was
presented to Mr. Livermore by the President, and was treasured among his cherished
memorials.

t See notice of " The Death of George Livermore," in the " Boston Daily Adver-
tiser," Sept. 2, 1865.

J In 1864, there was issued from the "Riverside Press" of Mr. Houghton the first
volume of a new edition of "The Federalist," edited by Mr. Henry B. Dawson, of
Morrisania, N. Y., and dedicated to Mr. Livermore in warm and flattering terms.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

The following extract of a letter from Mr. Livermore, dated
March 30th, 1863, written in reply to one addressed to him,
containing a memorial of a young gentleman of rare culture
and social position, who enlisted in the army as a common
soldier, and lost his life in the service, shows the same devo-
tion to the cause of his country, — a devotion which con-
tinued to the last.

" I never had the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with Mr.

H but I knew of his talents, his genius, his patriotism, and his

general worth. I honor his memory more than any poor words at my
command can express. I should value more the honorable record of
such a life, brief though it might be, than the showier demonstrations
which begin and end with po]3ular applause. This wicked war, con-
ceived in sin and slavery, and waged for the destruction of national
liberty, — how costly are the sacrifices which it demands ! You and I,
my dear friend, will yet have to make still greater offerings for our
country, before the strife is ended. But nothing we have or are can be
too much to bestow, be it all our means, our friends, our children, and
our own lives, if we can redeem our nation, and establish it on the sure
foundation of Justice and Liberty. The nation will be saved, and will
rise from its degradation and sorrow. But we must suffer more before
the glorious day shall dawn."

Mr. Livermore's constitution, as has been already stated,
was feeble, and his health was poor through life. But he
had a strong will, which carried him through difficulties from
which many of more robust constitutions would have shrunk.
During the winter of 1864-65, his health seemed feebler
than usual. The issues of the war, now rapidly culminating,
affected him intensely ;• and as the spring opened, bringing
with it the joyful events of the downfall of Richmond and
the capture of Lee, so soon followed by the terrible tragedy
of the death of President Lincoln, his delicate organization
received a shock almost beyond what it could bear.

* This was Francis Custis Hopkinson, of the Class of 1859 of Harvard College.
He was a member of the Fortj^-fourth Massachusetts Infantr3\ See " Harvard Memorial
Biographies," ii. 21.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

A few days after the assassination at Washington, he attend-
ed a meeting of the Historical Society, and in some remarks
relative to that event enjoined upon the members the duty of
self-consecration, anew, to the service of their country. He
was deeply affected, and spoke with intense feeling.

At the following meeting, in May, he was likewise present.
In the latter part of that month he went to West Point on
a brief visit to his son. On Wednesday, the 24th, having
returned, he writes from his residence on Dana Hill, — "I
came home from West Point on Monday with a lame leg,
which is likely to keep me a prisoner in my house for some
time ; otherwise, I should call and see you." *

He seemed to be getting better during the few weeks fol-
lowing, and received the visits of some of his friends. He
was much interested in the Eulogy on President Lincoln,
pronounced by his friend, Mr. Sumner, on the 1st of June,
at the Music Hall, a copy of which in print was furnished
him on the day of its delivery, — the Eulogy having been
delivered by Mr. Sumner from the printed sheets. But
towards the last of June, he had a relapse from which he
never recovered. On the 28th of July he writes, — "I feel
more comfortable this morning than I have done since my
last relapse, four weeks ago ; and although confined to
my bed, and only allowed to read a little each day, and
forbidden to see company, I manage to maintain my faith
and patience thus far. The doctor does not dream that I
write. I would not ask his permission, for fear of being
denied. I have a curious and convenient table, which
projects over my bed; and I can, whilst reclining, use
my pen a few moments each day very comfortably. I thank
you for your kind note of the 15th. It is nearly ten weeks,
now, since I have been shut out from the active duties of
life, and a word from a friend is cheering. Although the

* His infirmity proved to be phlebitis, or inflammation of the veins.

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

doctors say I must not see company, there is hardly a day
when I should not see you for a few moments if you called,
and I should be blest by the sight." During a brief inter-
view with him, three days after this, though pale and much
emaciated, he seemed in most excellent spirits. He was full
of hope and of gratitude. He probably then had not given up
all thoughts of recovery, and of being restored to his friends
and the active duties of life. But it was otherwise ordered.
Three days before his death he was attacked with paralysis,
and he died on the 30th of August.

In this notice of Mr. Livermore, the purpose has not been
to pronounce a eulogy upon him, but to state some of the
principal facts of his life, agreeably to the custom followed
by the Historical Society in the Memoirs of its deceased
members. The estimation in which Mr. Livermore was held
in the community, — and, indeed, by all who knew him, —
and the great loss sustained in his death, were attempted
to be expressed, at the first meeting of the Society follow-
ing that event, in remarks by the President and some of the
associate members, which were published in the " Proceed-
ings." Other societies and associations with which he was
connected bore a united and willing testimony to his great
worth. Reference may also be made to an admirable dis-
course, entitled " The Consecrated Life," preached to the
Cambridgeport Parish, on the 3d of September, 1865, by
the pastor, the Rev. Henry C. Badger ; likewise to the elo-
quent and appreciative sermon, entitled " The Public Duty
of a Private Citizen," preached in the South Congregational
Church, Boston, on the same Sunday, by our associate, the
Rev. Edward E.Hale. An interesting article in the ''At-
lantic Monthly" for November, 1865, entitled '' The Visible

* A beautiful tribute to the moral and religious traits of Mr. Livermore's character
Avas at this time paid by his friend, our associate, Mr. Folsom, — now himself prostrated
on a bed of sickness, — in the form of a letter to Admiral Farragut, which was read at
the meeting, and printed in the " Proceedings."

MEMOIR OF GEORGE LIVERMORE.

and Invisible in Libraries," written by Mrs. Waterston, con-
tains the following passage in reference to our friend and
to his exquisite library : —

"The sileut library of George Livermore speaks eloquently of
him. That collection, gathered with a love which increased as years
advanced, includes ancient copies of the Bible of rarest value. His
hfe was a book, written over with good deeds and pure thoughts, illu-
minated by holy aspirations. That volume is closed, but the spirit
which rendered it precious is not withdrawn : living in many hearts,
it will continue to be a cherished presence in the world, the home,
and the library." *

Nothing could be added, were it desired, to these tributes
to our loved and lamented associate.

Mr. Livermore left three sons, his only children : the eld-
est, Frank, now a physician, settled in Paris in the practice
of his profession ; the second, William Roscoe, a graduate of
West Point, in high standing, connected with the engineer
department of the United-States Army; the third, Charles
Cunningham, residing with his mother in Cambridge.

* Mr. Livermore's residence was on the corner of Dana and Main Streets, on " Dana
Hill," just within the limits of " Old Cannbridoe," where he lived for nearly twenty-five
years. A few years before his death he built an addition to his house, of a library-
room, for the better accommodation of his books. It is a charming apartment, and
everything remains just as he left it. By his will, his library was bequeathed to his
wife.