Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-16
ART OF LRANGERIZING.
How the Extra illustrator EnIarges
His Library.

Between the mere lover of reading
and the true lover of books there is d
vast difference, a great gulf fixed"
The one regards books simply for what
they contain as pastime or as tools of
trade; the other regards them with q
tender devotion full of gratitude for
what they have been or may be in the
formative process of life and charac-
ter. The book is of higher degree
than the book reader, infinitely high
er. He, too, loves reading, but also
| loves books for what they are to the
whole worlds life; one loves them with
a large. full, abstract love, the other
with a concrete regard for utilities.
The book lover idealizes his book; it
| responds to his love and becomes
somewhat new and more to him. He
| desires to clothe it with loneliness. He
wishes to make it fair without and
| within. The book has for him a holy
mission; nothing is too pure, too beau
tiful for it's raiment or adornment. He
! finds himself in new passion, at first
somewhat alone, but discovers congen-
| ial spirits in a small circle about him.
He has entered upon new F'reemason-
| sonry; or, rather, passed into a more
dignified and more exalted degree of
an old fellowship.
In these days many of the publishers
| of books are sending out valumes that
| would be creditable to the old printers,
| who made Typography study and an
| art-men who put their lives, their con-
| sciences. their souls and minds into
their work, and built their characters
| into books. Now, again, we have edi-
tons de luZe of standard works on
large. carefully chosen paper, printed
with beautiful type. with clear ink,
| and bound 50 lexquisitely that many
volumes come daily from the publish
ers which a few years ago would have
been thought worthy of place in a
special cabinet.
Rarely there comes a book from the
press but that it may gain something
of beauty and value and interest by
| additions that can be made by the
hand of it's owner. The exceptions to
be made are technical and text books.
When a man has passed through the
state of being a book reader merely,
and has become a lover of books, he
should order everything for his library
| in sheets, or "quires," as they are
called in England; just folded as they
come from the pressroom. OF course,
| there are ephemeral publications that
never will go into ones library; they
are for the journey, the piazza, and the
train; these may be bought in the
cheapest editions, to be flung into the
waste basket or on to the "give-away'
shelf. to go to life-saving stations or
the soldiers. But the permanent books,
the books to live with and to live by,
these should be bought in the largest
and best paper obtainable, and for
awhile put aside unread. They should
be, of course, carefully wrapped to
keep them from spot and blemish. The
works should be read in copy from 2
library, taking care that the paging Is
the same as the choicer edition that is
put away. AS the reading goes on. a
memorandum should be kept of every
important parsonage mentioned, every
place named and every incident likely
to have been illustrated elsewhere, or
for which illustrations are obtainable.
Let us suppose that the beginner has
bought, as I did, for my first extra il
Illustrated. '"Thackerays Letters" pub
lished by Scribners'. Very charmingly
Thackeray describes his little German,
French. and American trips, naming
castles and towns that he visited and
people whom he met. The notebook,
always at hand. has list after reading
of some fifty more or less distinguished
people and more or less important
places. And now begins a delightful
search for illustrative material. Small
engraved portraits, etched portraits
done on copper. wood and steel. The
search affords greater delight when
one can find contemporary portraits
and views. I shall not forget the joy
with which obtained possession of a