Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-09-03
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ARipS ipoedxSa don, but the degree Of
ptgNug to'which person can pretend
q demonstrated quite as often by his
Treatment of books In their material
aspect. There are fairly well-informed
persons whom none of these barbara
ties practiced by publishers can dis
tress. Muddy type and poor paper,
scanty margins, edges cut sur lie VII,
hideous bindings-these things are to
them mere unessential details. Nor,
If they own volumes of an outward
merit, worthy of the inward, do they
treat them with the courtesy which Is
their due. They cannot even take up
book casually without injuring 1t in
some way. Any bookseller can tell
woeful tales of some of his customers
In this respect. They are, despite all
the learning they may have, the enc.
mics Of books. He who lends to them
unwittingly regrets the rash impulse
of generosity. And the worst OF 1t
Is, that they are beyond su. ,ation. For
unless one is instructed early in life
In the care of books he remains hope.
less Philistine to the end of his days.
The old savage instinct is sure to break
out. In moments of primeval impulse
he mny break binding or dog-ear 4
leaf.
A manual which has recently been
published on the care of the private
| library contains so much useful In.
formation that it is distressing to think
of 1t as thrown away. The real book.
lover, the man who has reached point
of culture which distinguishes between
taste and vulgarity in the manufacture
of books, will not need to be told that
leaves must be cut with a proper knife,
preferably Of ivory, and cut through
but the blank fy-leaf, is the place tor
the owners name; that books must
not be left lying open face downwards;
that they are not card-racks, crumb-
baskets or receptacles for flowers and
dead leaves; that they should not be
busted by slapplng them together; that
they should be kept on shelves, not left
lying about ON tables. But one who
does not know all this by instinct is
well-nigh impossible convert. Per-
haps lifetime of labor with such q
one may result in better minds and
true repentance in his children. Grow
ing up in n boollsh atmosphere is al
most essential to right appreciation
of books. Who ever saw library fur.
nished wholesale with new editions In
new buildings that had the distinctive
charm such library ought to have?
A collection so made carries an air of
ill-breeding on It's face. 1t is difficult
to feel the respect due to books in its
presence.
IF you are In the habit of lending
books" says the author of this PAM
phlet, do not mark them. These two
habits together constitute an act OF
discretion" Here the true book-lover
is in hard position. He likes to lend
books; the more he thinks of the book
the better he likes to lend 1t; for he
is unselfsh and he wishes others tC
share his Joy in 1t. At the same time
he canno. contemplate its passage
through strange hands without shud
der. He has friends, he knows, will
whom his treasure will be safe. Blu
what of those whose carelessness h,
cannot foresee? We have not patience
with those who say that book SHOULD
not be lent. If such rule were fol
lowed out, half the pleasure of pos
session would vanish. At the same
time it is pleasure that is mixed will
many perilous chances. Yet the lcas
obliging owners of books are Offer
those who have no real love for then
the kind of people who write on mar
gins and disfgure title-pages with
rubber stamp. 1t is Of little conse
quence, really, whether such person
own any books at all. - Providenc
Journal