WORKS OF DUMAS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1935, Page 7

WORKS OF DUMAS

MR. F. W. REED’S HOBBY. HOW COLLECTION BEGAN, The circumstances in which his love developed for the works of Dumas, a writer upon whom he is now regarded as one of the foremost authorities, are described by Mr. F. W. Reed, Whangarei, in an article that appeared recently in a special issue of The Chemist and Draggist. Mr. Reed, in 1926, executed a deed of declaration of trust, vesting ip the Auckland City Council his Dumas collection, the finest of its kind outside Europe, with the intention that it should ultimately find a home in th© Auckland Public Library. A natural and never-satiated love for reading, especially of history and rom -5 ance, states Mr. Reed, was consolidated by the long hours of attendance he had to observe gs a pharmacist in a New Zealand township 4Q years ago, In those days medical practitioners had often to traverse ipng distances on horseback, In Mr. Reed’s district hi© whereabouts had constantly to b© known by the physician, who might requir© his services on th© latter’s return from a joyrney, “In my case this tended to confirm and intensify, if that were needed, an already strong inclination to spend most leisure hours with my books," states Mr. Reed, “This condition of affairs, though latterly not so necessary, extend” ed throughout my 38 years’ devotion, to pharmacy, perhaps because of the ingrained habit," As a boy in England he had read all the historical novels h© could lay his hands upon, including one by Dumas—- " The Queen’s Necklace," “So different was this from all I had made acquaintance with from th© pens of English authors, that I was entranced,” states Mr. Re©d, Shortly after that, at the age of 12, he came to New Zealand and began his collection of Dumas’ works.

BEGINNING OF CORRESPONDENCE.

In 1916 Mr, Reed communicated with the late Mr. R. 3, Garnett, the great’ est authority in his day upon Dumas, That marked the beginning of a 16 years’ correspondence, which ended with Mr, Garnett’s death, During that period Mr. Reed received 330 letters, all dealing with matters of Dumas interest, Hitherto Mr, Reed had been content with English works and translations, but to acquire a more complete knowledge of Dumas he began the task pf teaching himself French, Since then he had translated into English the whole of Dumas’ known signed plays, the work occupying over 8000 typed quarto pages. With °ne exception, these plays had not previously been translated into English. Other translations had also been made by Mr. Reed. In 1927 Mr, Reed was honoured by the French Government with the decoration of “officier d'Academie,” and last year with the greater distinction of '‘officier de i’instruction publique” for his services to French literature. Between 1928 and 1929 he arranged in’ formation he had gathered from many sources into two typed volumes, totalling 858 pages. One set was presented ♦o the British Museum and another to the Bibliotheque Nationale. In 1933 a chronologically-ordered array of Dumas’ works was published by Mr. Reed. Mr. Reed states that the combined collection he possesses is unique and amounts to well over 2000 volumes. The collection includes 1000 large sheets pf Dumas' own writings.in his holograph, volumes in the author’s own handwriting, early drafts of plays, and a number of first editions.