New-York tribune., 1901-01-13

tion requires 10 be thoroughly gone into and
placed in a proper perspective. At present the
lines of discussion are neeIles,ly obScurej or
confused.
The Gull Of Handicraft. 4 London organiza-
ti"n. liy which the presses Of the late William
Morris have been acquired, is said Ia be- doing
some artistic printing. Talk is heard Of the
Guilds resolve To continue the tradition Of
good printing" started by the Kelmscott Press.
THIS Il very interesting. but il would mean
more to greater number of book lovers if
something We're said about the Guilds intcn-
ton 10 give us hot simply good printing, but
plenty Of ii. Why is it that on the whole,
The Kind OF book put forth 10y the followers
o; Norris is rendered Inaccessible 10 all but
few wealthy collectors: No expects the
popular novel of the moment. for example. TO
De printed as though it were masterpiece
though as we have lately had occasion To
Remark. the popular novel is often ISSUED In
really artistic form nowadays but it is surely
WRONG that there should he specimens of
the highest class of bookmakins published at
q reasonable price and in fairly large editions.
or on" reprint of a modern book got up in
magnificent FORM il iS announced that the
entire edition a very small "ne-waS sold be-
fore the date of publication. The original price
Is a large one. If any stray copies of the
edition get into the market they viii. Of course,
command an even higher figure II Is difficult
f. see why il would not be paSSible To treble
the edition and halye the price. This. aS "A
mathematical proposition. may shock tn" pro
motcrs of this particular enterprise, but it iS
nevertheless commended 10 the makers of
Luxurious books. Cheap literature is available
everywhere, /; is time for the edition dc
no less beautiful. but much cheaper. institution
Mr.. III. w. Fowler. writing in "Innsmans,"
Observes that in literature apt quotation re-
vcalS the omnvorous reader ~ surely as the
habit of dating lettcrS 10y saints days reveals
the rtualist." Perhaps but not necessarily.
DNe can imagine a reader anything but "Omnv
orous" who would show an aPtnrsS in quotation
quite equal to that of the man whose reading
IS immense In other words. what apt quota
tion more especially reveals is peculiar gift
very peculiar if are tO judge from the
present decadence of the art. Somewhere
Howell has spoken of the poets being known
by his command over metaphor In essays,
criticism and pure literature generally the mas
ter may be known by the aptness of his quota
tonS. Mr.. Fowler begins his little essay on
"ouotation" with the declaration that He were
if>N liih Hldh a biu''- 81 thi"-' Il i'iIiP III"
could set down that heading and hot straight
WAY put out his hand for the Anatomy" Yet
Burton. incOmparably great in his imperial bor
rowings though he may be- is wanting in the
charm of apt quotation which You find, say. in
Lamb The quotation that illuminates your
point is "A quotation well made. hut when
ahout the use of il there hangs the flavor of
that peculiar gift 10 which we have alluded,
tie indcfinable something that gives the reader
a plea Surlble Utilization quite aside from his
gratitude for the mere reinforcement of the
sense of the stuff in hand. then you are on the
way toward making literature How many. in
these lays. can justly claim TO do this thing?