The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24
ted 1905. by Central News and
Press Exchange.

Copyrighted 1904, by Central News and
Press Exchange
n y the advice of a friend who
knows an interesting. book when
" he finds one, have been dipping
into The creevey Papers" edited
by Sir Herbert Maxwell. and published
lately by John Murray and have
gained, therefore. some useful knowl-
edge and much pleasant entertainment.
II is not on everybody's advice that
nowadays / buy expensive books.
know one dear old gentleman who used
10 cost me pounds. on parting from
him ] used TO make a beeline to the
nearest booksellers. my trouble being
lest the particular work about which
he had been talking TO me should be
sold out Later. grown more cautious,
j used TO suggest his lending me the
book. But this was still worse for me.
/ could avoid reading a book I had
bought and paid for. But a book he
had lent me. just had to
read that through from beginning to
end, or he would know the reason why.
1t was no good my priming myself with
one or two reviews, and attempting TO
confne discussion TO the passages
quoted. He knew that dodge. He
would insist on taking me into odd
corners OF the book where no one but
himself apparently had ever penetrat-
ed. II ] could not answer he would
send me back home with the book that
] fondly thought I had seen the last
Of thrust again into my hand He is
a firm old gentleman. But, in these
later times. 1 also nave learned firm
ness. ] positively decline TO read books
that do not interest me. There are, 1
know. existing in the world already
books enough 70 interest me for the
next one hundred years. To this num-
Der every year, experience teaches me,
some half a dozen are added that ] also
wish 70 read. For my requirements
this sufiices. As il is / sometimes feel
doubtful OF getting through them all.
I would 1 were a better skipper In
telligent skipping is an art to be culti-
waited by the lover OF books. A great
lover OF pictures / once ran against in
Dresden / could not persuade to visit
the gallery there, because he only had
one day TO spare. But you can see a
few OF them" 1 urged. mo, can't.
I'm bound 10 try and see them all In
the time. / shall get a headache and
remember nothing"
Some people have a genius for skip
ping. They will sit down for a couple
OF hours to Nansen's two volumes or TO
Mprley's life Of Gladstone, and rise up
with the best part Of the book inside
their head. I have a sort of relation
NEH Hr 1xr~.s
the title on the fly leaf TO the print
er's name at the foot of the
last sheet. She reads the intro
ouction, she reads the preface to
the first edition She prefers first
editions; II saves the reading Of pref
aces She had had a certain book for
three days when I asked her how she
was getting on with it. "Oh. pretty
well, she answered, but without en-
thusiasm, I've finished the introduc-
ton TO the present edition and the life
OF the author. and the prefaces. to the
first four former editions. and the list
OF authorities. I've only got the su-
thor's apology now between me and
the book" She reads the catalogue of
the authors previous works, the list Of
illustrations, the appendix Why she
she knows is that If she doesn't-if she
skip so much as the heading Of a chan
ter, her conscience gives her no rest
night or day. 1t is an odd sort Of a
conscience. On all other matters, as far
as l can Judge, it seems to be fairly
well behaved-listens TO reason. is ca
pable Of seeing the other side of the
question, has a sense Of give and take
But reading matter Of any kind ap-
pears to excite it. At operas we have
70 see 70 il that she has not concealed
about her libretto. Otherwise she never
looks at the stage, but Will sit the whole
evening with bowed head. poring over
the book. At one moment she is bent
double trying TO catch upon the page
some stray CLEAN Of light from a gas
jet in the gallery; the next minute,
with her back TO the orchestra. she is
holding the book over her head hoping
10 get the lime light upon it, Put it
down" we urge her, Enjoy yourself
while you are still young-to say moth