Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-10-16
BUY YOUR OWN BOOKS.
GOOD AOYICE FROM BIBLIo-
GRAPH

MI 0iauSJone has Deen recently talk.
| Ing about public libraries. He seems to
| question the utility of the modern gi-
gantic storehouse of books.
1t is time some one called attention to
this form of bibliomania among English
speaking people. Here in Boston, for
instance, palace is slowly climbing
heavenward, the most magnificent and
costly building in tie city, which is to be
the home of the book. This devotion to
books could be praised and the legislat.
ure and city commended for thus spend
ing the peoples money if we were not
certain that it inevitably means less
home libraries, less personal possession Of
the valuable and helpful volumes. But
1T certainly does mean just that.
Let me say to you, young man or
woman, begin at once the foundation Of
your own library. You often ask pro-
fessional men like myself, How do you
use the public library?" !, for one, must
reply that never have yet learned how,
though l have haunted them all my life.
I never go into public library that I
do not get confused; my original quest
IS blunted or turned aside by the page
on page of catalogue matter; my ardor
is cooled by the mechanical fussiness of
getting what l thought / wanted. NY
ideality is broken down by the heat Of
the room, the lug of an overcoat on one
arm, my hat and umbrella under the
other, the search for blank and pencil,
the crowding of the man next me, the
payment of a fine ON the last book over
held, the pert and airy delay of the
pretty girl who stands at the gate OF
knowledge to stamp my-card, or, worst
of all, the third or fourth rebuff of "out!"
as designate the volume want. must
go back to my den and kindle my fires
anew. As to sitting down in the library
itself, making notes and keeping to my
'dea in that publicity, with me it is
wholly out of the question. Perhaps it
is my want of concentration. Perhaps,
moreover, if were statistician only
seeking names and dates, or, on the
other hand, an idle man, bent only on
passing an hour over novel indoors
rather than on the park benches could
read in a public library. But if my
author is to kindle me and inspire me
with suggestion for any original added
work or word, my dull head must be
more solitary, my ears less assailed
If you buy your own book it is at least
clean; it brings no infection to your
dwelling. Is there anything more de-
'ightful than the fragrance of the new
book as you crack it open as flowers open
to the gaze of daybreak9 And the sense
of proprietorship prevents all hurry.
You have it. There it rests on your
table, patient for your convenience. You
may lay it down to think for an hour
with no impertiuent voice whispering:
Hurry upl My turn next 1t is this
thinking over book which is the very
most valuable thing about reading. That
is the way we take the little book and
eat it, /" as st. John says. A book of real
worth seems to say: Lay me down now
and take me up again after you have
dreamed over what / said oz@ISsh a
page" Your own book, marked and
leaf TUNED down, WILL sometimes stand
a year on the shelf t4aIlisused. But you
know where to finasd whaUeu want. As
time goes on one ,;riay you Eing out Of
your chair exclailil ming: II ave read
something on this Sepoint Oh, Iheit. It
is in sucbf md such volume. ST Here
,e;.oS -. Ia are conversing WI your
:, ~, ..uout Roe:c- What d Dick.
e. aaS = bouthe Coloss- en? Dear,
dea.S i got it out of the publS library.
/ have no Dickens of my own. But
have Byron. You pull it out. You
sit anread and charm yourself with
pleasure famore exquisite than when
you first peruse> it.s
There is no grear error than to sup.
pose that mere reaiDg of all the pages
of a book once exhaust- it 1t Il tho
fortieth reading that affords the finest
flavor of pleasure. Slowly 5etsurely,
even with painful economy iou collect
q few good things The tors will al-
ways be worth the investment to you.
| You will learn how to select You will
sell some books as years pass, pt some
will always be dear as life to yh. You
will acquire the habit of ~hanghg round
bookstores, which cultiyates alman as
the face of friend sharpeneth ne face.
You will read reviews and learnio be on
the watch for the newest and Laest in
taouCht No one reads reviews who
| does not buy book; yet reviews are
ten nowadays the ripest thought in a
newspaper Your homie will be perfuned
by your library. Flowers on tableRre
not so aesthetic. The lack of the hbrlry
is the severest reproach on manya sorild
home among the mere money gettsrs.
In fact one would, but for the overgrovtn
| of which the illustrious Englishman com
plains. as soon think of borrowing cradles
and eating dishes as the few mastertul
hooks that underlie present human
knowledge and culture.
4Iam young man, living in board
;ro house. A library would be an IN
cumhrance. To which / replied;
Young man with library viii Prov
Irresistible. He viii outgrow his board
inc house. The world has place 10
him and his books.-E Randolph Hll' u
Boston Globe