VMs: Herbert Garland

["DANA SCOTT" <dscott520@xxxxxxx>]

The following are some interesting quotes from The Library World, April
1932, article "Notes On The Firm Of W. M. Voynich" by Herbert Garland
(pp.225-8).

Reference:
Annotated Voynich Manuscript Bibliography
www.dcc.unicamp.br/~stolfi/voynich/mirror/reeds/bib.html

Since Herbert Garland was employed by Voynich, I would consider the
information reported in his article being an accurate account of what had
been conveyed to him over the years. Whether or not the details were
exaggerated to begin with has not been substantiated.

"He was educated at Warsaw University, and as a young man came into
collision with the Russian authorities. He was exiled without trial to
Siberia, from where he contrived to escape. A year or more of wandering,
during which in Mongolia he joined his fortunes with those of a caravan
bound for Pekin, brought him to London." (p.225)

Hmm. I wonder how he got to London via Pekin? On a slow boat from China
maybe.

"Also it may be of interest to note that among the émigré Poles he employed
in his bookshops at one time or another were a future ambassador and a
future prominent Cabinet minister." (p.225)

It seems that Voynich had friends in High places.

"The eighth of his first series of catalogues, issued in 1902, was of "lost"
books, that is books of which no other copy was known. It aroused
considerable interest and the collection was purchased en bloc by
subscription, and now reposes in the British Museum as the "Voynich"
collection." (p.226)

This sale to the British Museum no doubt provided Voynich with a substantial
profit helping to launch him into his future successes as a reputable
antiquarian.

"In 1908 he purchased the Palazzo Borghese in the Via Ghibellina, Florence."
(p.226)

Wow, deep pockets, he bought the whole 'palace'!


Regards,
Dana Scott
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