Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-01
NEMIE or nnnI,s.
They cannot Pick tn n volume With
out InInrinp IL.

""' thIurtuB u
Acquaintance with the contents of hooks
is no doubt the most important thing in cdu-
cation, but the degree Of culture to which
a person can pretend is demonstrated quiet
as often by his treatment Of books in their
material aspect. There are fairly well-in-
formed persons. says the Providence Journal.
whom none Of the barharlties practiced by
publishers can distress. Muddy type aud poor
paper. scanty margins, edges cut sur Levitt.
htdeous bindings-these things are to them
mere unessential details. Nor, IL they own
volumes OF an outward merit, worthy Of the
inward, do they treat them with the cour-
tesy which Is their due. They cannot even
take up a book casually without ~injuring it
in some way. Any bookseller can tell woe
full tales of some of his customers In this
respect. They are, despite all the learning
they may have, the enemies Of books. He
who lends to them unwittingly regrets the
rash impulse of generosity. And the worst
or 1t Is, that they are beyond salvation. For
unless one is instructed early in life in the
care of books he remains a hopeless phil
isttne to the end Of his days. The old saw.
ago instinct is sure to break out. In mo-
ments OF primeval impulse he may break
a binding or dog-ear a leaf.
a manual which has recently been pub
lished on the care OF the private library
contains SO much useful Information that IL
is distressing to think of it as thrown away.
The real book lover, the man who has
NSN.N '" iNaiA vi lAult III
cuisines 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
TO the corners; that not the title page, but
the blank fy-lcaf, Is the place for the own
ers name; that books must not be left
lying open face downwards: that they are
not card racks. crumb baskets or recepta-
Giles for flowers and dead leaves; that they
should not be busted by %slapping them to-
Rpthprs that thnu Shp,ll ~, boat, -. II.
not left lying about on tables. But one
VINO does not know all this by instinct Is a
well-nigh impossible convert. Perhaps A
lifetime of labor with such a one may re-
suit in better minds and true repentance
in his children. Growing up in a bookish
atmosphere is almost essential to a right
appreciation Of books. who ever saw a IL
brary furnished wholesale with new edi-
tions in new buildings that had the dis
tinctive charm such a library ought to have?
A collection so made carries an air of i'll
breeding ON its face. II is difficult to feel
the respect due to books IN It's presence.
IF you are in the habit of lending books"
says the author of this pamphlet, do not
marx them. These two habits together con-
stitute an act OF discretion" Here the true
book lover is in a hard position. He likes
TO lend books; the more he thinks of the
book the better he likes to lend it; for he
Is unselhsh and he wishes others to share
his JOY In 1t. At tho same time he cannot
contemplate its passage through etrange
hands without a shudder. He has friends,
he knows, with whom his treasure will be
safe. But what of those whose carelessness
he cannot foresee? We have not patience
with those who cay that a book should not
De lent. III such a rule were followed out
half the pleasure of possession would van
ish. At the same time it is a pleasure that
is mixed with many perilous chances. Yet
the least obliging owners of books are often
those who have no real love for them or
knOWleuEe now IN llGp thnm-thn bind ns
people VINO write ON margins and dishgure
title pages with a rubber stamp. 1t is Of
little consequence, really, whether such per-
sons own any books at all.