The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-29
fgor the Dispstch.l
uH>ru vy> Lend Our Isooks1-A Few M
nal Words.

As n friend calls 8tehu"" W ny
another scrap under the above heaa' p'o-
nose 10 return briefly TO the sueles'.
In my former piece ! placed 'ne so"".
lender In the position OF quie' eenv.', ~,
Of society az a disadvantage, ana lci' nn'
90 seek his rccompcnse IN the SAINT wa.
that we must hope for pay Tor o'her oeeus
OF good ncighborhood.
could never account for the total IN
difference which rome worthy people scehi
IN feel about the return OF borrowed oooAs
until I overheard conversation Detweeh
t. bookseller aud q bookbuyer, when al-
reared 10 throw some light on the SUBJECT.
was with the bookseller when person
came in and said: -,
az am looking for something 70 Ieiu;
and don't care much what II Is proNi"eu
ii Is something new" M hoot
..tIere - said the seller, "is a bo0k
which is new. and sells well.
al have read it," SAID the other;
<strash-nothing but trash.'
% JTere.r continued the bookseller, "is
book which is new, and which the critics
q Yerv good" responded the bookseller.
<.but i have read it,; then, with much
emphasis, he added, 81 never read doom
I-non reflection II occurred 10 me that
one who read books but once might halu-
rally suppose book had been read by the
lender. and, now that he was done WIN II,
II did not matter in what direction the ile-
rary pilgrim continued its Journey.
NV own little readings have started from
ouitc another direction, and do not care
10 read a book ut all but with nope that
should ike 10 return TO il again. Indeed,
40 saw nothing of the Bible-that only true
I;no az the book tribe-there are multi
fudes Of books which one who had read
them once would not willingly surrender
the right to return to again. :,
n Re not strange that the Athenians loved
IA seek after some new thing, for this was
their most available method OF sharpening
fbeir wits. Bythis method they did sharpen
their wits. and TO such q degree that the
word Athens will be one OF the last that
shall PASS from the memory OF man. But
n the Athens Of the days of Socrates had
possessed the yrinting-press l think that
,,rond old sage would have been seen much
less mon the street, and would have spoken
with his men rather than his tongue. Ii Is,
hoveyer. very strange to me that many
sensible people have so morbid thirst ior
novelty i'm reading that they will wade
through volume which illustrates moth
Ing but the shallowness OF the writer,
when i'm a single essay OF some OF our bet
Ter thinkers he might, at less cost OF time,
find both pleasure aud edification.
But promised to give sample or TWO
of my own experience as book-lender. L
almost regret the promise; ior When l stay
10 think of Il | would rather speak well
than I'M of nv fellow-men. ! shall, there
fore. modify my plan so as TO leave out the
stronger cases, and name two or three
which will represent the experience OF most
book-lenders.
NO. 1. | once saw very pretty copy OF
Mrs. Hemans. which thought would suit
20 give n lady friend TO whom was under
some obligation. But another lady friend
seeing IL, desired would let her nave IL
Tor day or two. Some two years later the
Isdy called my attention to my book, along
with several others, telling me how highly
she valued them. | was glad TO see that
she was totally oblivious OF the way in
which she got my IIemans.
No. .. A lady friend told me she heard
had copy OF Handles IN the Footsteps Of
Don luir0te. and II so she would be very
glad of the loan of it. In about week she
returned the book, then told me another
lady very much wished to read IT, but she
could by no means consent to let her have
II without my consent. told her she had
nv consent, and the book started on its
new pilgrimage. The book came back
again IN a very few days with hearty thanks
from both ladies. | need not say to those
who have experience in this direction that
10 lend books to such borrowers as these is
one OF the most exquisite OF our lesser
pleasures.
No. 2. While was in the habit OF daily
travel from Richmond to my residence in
the country / had one day book OF odd
amphlets-one OF q series OF volumes
which | had been collecting for many
wears. And here / will say incidentally
that every young person who is fond Of
reading would do well to save pamphlets Of
real worth whenever they come In his way,
for i'm lapse of time he will find these among
the valuable of his literary treasures. But
70 return to my book of scraps. As
1t was laying by me on the seat, Il
stranger took it up, became Interested IN
an article in it. and said he would very
much like TO finish the reading. told him
valued the book very highly, and should
be extremely sorry to lose il; and yet L
should be glad to crafty him. He gave
me his name and residence, and said he
Would take good care OF it and certainly
return III. Il utNti HttiN iiNih wv bNVh
again; and yet | suppose that when the
promise was made the intention was TO
make it good.
still books must be read; and IN order
TO do this they must be distributed. II Is
in the Bible, aided by the press as distri-
buting power, that we have the true
sources Of our civilization; and so long as
books, led on by the Bible, are distributed
freely, we need not be afraid that arbitrary
power, whether civil or ecclesiastical, will
become chronic The Bible is as much an
enemy TO despotism ms it is friend to the
progress OF social purity and gentleness
and books well chosen are great
support amid the uncomfortable con-
tlngencies OF life. Fox, whose heart
seems to have been really good,
had a sad weakness in respect TO gaming
aud il is said OF him that after he had lost
sums which he could not afford 10 lose he
could go to his library and become totally
obliyious Of Ais losses. What the illustriou'
Briton found in his books is what myriads Of
Others have found as well; and here in oul
own country, where the people are sovc
reign, there Is the greater need that w
should have free distribution OF books
the Bible being ever in the foreground.
j. X. X.
<.a,- A. xra.so-. naUo-.r a.. s..sx. /.