When James Branch Cabell died on May 5, 1958, in his native city,
Richmond, Virginia, he left a personal library containing nearly thirty-five
hundred volumes. This accumulation, the product of fifty-eight years of
collecting, contains hundreds of autographed and inscribed first editions,
heretofore unknown Cabell manuscript material, and letters and
memorabilia
from friends in the literary world, among whom were numerous major
writers of the last eighty years.
Unlike many writers, Cabell was conscious of books as objects, and
he
cared for them carefully. He kept his working library, books used as
sources
and references as well as books read for pleasure, separate from his own
works and from complimentary copies sent him by friends. And he spent
hours rechecking his holdings, reinscribing and reannotating countless
items.
Fortunately, his widow, Mrs. Margaret Freeman Cabell, has kept his
library
as he left it; hence the imprint of his organizing hand is still visible. I will
describe the collection by using Cabell's categories: the working library; his
collection of his own works; and finally presentation copies sent him,
including the numerous letters inserted in them.
