Star Papers
Experiences of Art and Nature
1855 (Date published)
Book
Star papers; or, Experiences of art and nature written by Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887). This cloth-bound 359 page book was published in 1855 by J.C. Derby in New York.
The inside front cover has a rectangle bookplate pasted in the upper left corner. The bookplate identifies the book as belonging to the "J. LANGDON'S \ FAMILY \ LIBRARY \ No. 137."
On the first flyleaf there below the acquisition information, just above center on the page is the signature of "Jervis Langdon, \ Elmira." This signature is handwritten in black ink and is undated.
On the second flyleaf is an annotation, handwritten in black ink is "A very favorite book \ of father's \ Ida Langdon". This annotation is undated.
On the endpaper in the upper left corner is a blue ink stamp in which the text "WILLIAM KELLY \ NEWS AGENT \ E.R.R." is enclosed in an oval.
Digitized transcription of book is available on the Library of Congress website: https://www.loc.gov/item/20013755/
PREFACE.
The author has been saved the trouble of searching for a title to his book from the simple circum- stance that the articles of which the work is made up appeared in the columns of the New York Independent with the signature of a star, and, having been familiarly called the Star Articles, by way of designation, they now become, in a book form, Star Papers.
Only such papers as related to Art and to rural affairs, have been published in this volume. It was thought best to put all controversial articles in an- other, and subsequent, volume.
The Letters from Europe were written to home- friends, during a visit of only four weeks; a period too short to allow the subsidence of that enthusiasm which every person must needs experience who, for the first time, stands in the historic places of the Old World. An attempt to exclude from these letters any excess of personal feeling, to reduce them to a more moderate tone, to correct their judgments, or to extract from them the fiery particles of enthusiasm, would have taken away their very life.
The other papers in this volume, for the most part, were written from the solitudes of the country, during the vacations of three summers. I can express no kinder wish for those who may read them, than that they may be one half as happy in the reading as I have been in the scenes which gave them birth.
CONTENTS
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
I. Ruins of Kentlworth. — "Warwick Castle 9
II. A Sabbath at Stratford-on-Avon 27
III. Oxford 41
IV. The Louvre — Luxembourg Gallery 56
V. The Louvre 10
VI. London National Gallery 77
EXPERIENCES OF NATURE.
I. A Discourse of Flowers 93
II. Death in the Country 106
III. Inland vs. Seashore 110
IV. New England Graveyards 121
V. Towns and Trees 129
VI The First Breath in the Country 137
VII. Trouting 144
VIII. A Ride 152
IX. The Mountain Stream 101
X. A Country Ride .a 112
XI. Farewell to the Country 182
XII. School Reminiscence 189
XIII. The Value of Birds -. 194
XIV. A Hough Picture from Life 197
XV. A Ride to Fort Hamilton 201
XVI. Sights from my "Window 211
XVII. The Death of our Almanac 218
XVIII. Fog in the Harbor 226
XIX. The Morals of Fishing 231
XX. The Wanderings of a Star 240
XXI. Book-Stores, Books 250
XXII. Gone to the Country 256
XXIII. Dream-Culture .- . 263
XXIV. A Walk among Trees 271
XXV. Building a House 285
XXVI. Christian Liberty in the Use of the Beautiful 293
XXVII. Nature a Minister of Happiness 303
XXVIII. Springs and Solitudes 314
XXIX. Mid-October Days 324
XXX. A Moist Letter 336
XXXI. Frost in the Window 344
XXXH. Snow-Storm Traveling 348
The inside front cover has a rectangle bookplate pasted in the upper left corner. The bookplate identifies the book as belonging to the "J. LANGDON'S \ FAMILY \ LIBRARY \ No. 137."
On the first flyleaf there below the acquisition information, just above center on the page is the signature of "Jervis Langdon, \ Elmira." This signature is handwritten in black ink and is undated.
On the second flyleaf is an annotation, handwritten in black ink is "A very favorite book \ of father's \ Ida Langdon". This annotation is undated.
On the endpaper in the upper left corner is a blue ink stamp in which the text "WILLIAM KELLY \ NEWS AGENT \ E.R.R." is enclosed in an oval.
Digitized transcription of book is available on the Library of Congress website: https://www.loc.gov/item/20013755/
PREFACE.
The author has been saved the trouble of searching for a title to his book from the simple circum- stance that the articles of which the work is made up appeared in the columns of the New York Independent with the signature of a star, and, having been familiarly called the Star Articles, by way of designation, they now become, in a book form, Star Papers.
Only such papers as related to Art and to rural affairs, have been published in this volume. It was thought best to put all controversial articles in an- other, and subsequent, volume.
The Letters from Europe were written to home- friends, during a visit of only four weeks; a period too short to allow the subsidence of that enthusiasm which every person must needs experience who, for the first time, stands in the historic places of the Old World. An attempt to exclude from these letters any excess of personal feeling, to reduce them to a more moderate tone, to correct their judgments, or to extract from them the fiery particles of enthusiasm, would have taken away their very life.
The other papers in this volume, for the most part, were written from the solitudes of the country, during the vacations of three summers. I can express no kinder wish for those who may read them, than that they may be one half as happy in the reading as I have been in the scenes which gave them birth.
CONTENTS
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
I. Ruins of Kentlworth. — "Warwick Castle 9
II. A Sabbath at Stratford-on-Avon 27
III. Oxford 41
IV. The Louvre — Luxembourg Gallery 56
V. The Louvre 10
VI. London National Gallery 77
EXPERIENCES OF NATURE.
I. A Discourse of Flowers 93
II. Death in the Country 106
III. Inland vs. Seashore 110
IV. New England Graveyards 121
V. Towns and Trees 129
VI The First Breath in the Country 137
VII. Trouting 144
VIII. A Ride 152
IX. The Mountain Stream 101
X. A Country Ride .a 112
XI. Farewell to the Country 182
XII. School Reminiscence 189
XIII. The Value of Birds -. 194
XIV. A Hough Picture from Life 197
XV. A Ride to Fort Hamilton 201
XVI. Sights from my "Window 211
XVII. The Death of our Almanac 218
XVIII. Fog in the Harbor 226
XIX. The Morals of Fishing 231
XX. The Wanderings of a Star 240
XXI. Book-Stores, Books 250
XXII. Gone to the Country 256
XXIII. Dream-Culture .- . 263
XXIV. A Walk among Trees 271
XXV. Building a House 285
XXVI. Christian Liberty in the Use of the Beautiful 293
XXVII. Nature a Minister of Happiness 303
XXVIII. Springs and Solitudes 314
XXIX. Mid-October Days 324
XXX. A Moist Letter 336
XXXI. Frost in the Window 344
XXXH. Snow-Storm Traveling 348
The Mark Twain House & Museum, Courtesy of the Ida Langdon Estate, 1965
177.65