The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-18
NEWS OF THE BOOK WORLD

Some Words About the Art Of Book
buyIng-The Joy of Possession Must Be
AntIcipated-A Case In Point, and Re-
newa of the Acquaintance of Mr.. COL
Inns In "Pride and PreJudce." H.
This business of bookbuying is an art,
if one is to get the most possible pleas
ure out OF it. To hear of some novel,
fresh from some fresh authors brain and
the printing press, and then go off to the
bookstore to buy it-that does not count;
that is like buying loaf Of bread or
pound of sugar. But in buying a. book
you have long wanted one you have want
ed in some form and makeup worthy Of
the book-that is when bookbuylng en-
ters the realm of art. |
| In the first place the want of the book
| is born in the mind. 1t is often hardly
recognized at first; just a flash and it is
gone. But it comes back some day, and
! 1t keeps coming back Then you begin
to picture to yourself in what form you
would like to have it.. If it Is some book
you have wished for very much, you think
| of getting some fine old print, regard
less Of binding, and Of sending it off to
some binder of reputation to be bound
according to your own ideas. But you
have a look first. thinking you may find
something suitable in binding, letterpress
and paper. You inquire here and there,
you look thru old bookshops and new
bookshops and new old bookshops. And,
then, say after several months Eureka!
the very thing Your hand goes into
your pocket and the money is forthcom-
ing, or if your credit is good you have
it charged, maybe, and you go home
elated The joy of a worthy quest has
reached climax in honorable attainment,
unless you forget to cancel the debit which
=, oct
This lesson in the art took form in The
Uneasy Chairs mind after an experience
Saturday evening. Saturday evenings
The Chair always feels drawn toward
bookshops, for then there's no need of
asking for credit.) It had wandered into
: a Nicollet avenue bookstore "just to look
, around More than year ago it had
formed a desire to own Jane Austen's
pride and Prejudice.' 1t knew of GER
: tain edition that it understood was Just
t the thing" it had inquired in almost ev-
, cry store in the twin cities, but in vain,
and had for a time given up the quest.
Saturday some guardian angel put. it into
2 The Chairs uneasy headpiece to inquire
again This time there was dragged down
from the shelves just "The Pride and
Prejudice" The Chair was looking for.
e The pleasure Of finding it was worth the
r price Of the two dainty volumes. which
The Chair cheerfully added to its usual
large Saturday evening burden of parcels,
e and that despite the hot weather.
= But that is not all that makes such
= a method of bookbuying a pleasure BILE
art. After the book is taken home to der
5. or library comes the delight Of a renewed
n friendship. That comes after dinner OF
+ the next day, perhaps not for days OF
. weeks; but it comes and never fails az
: a fountain of pleasure The Chair wa!
e not long, tho, in getting a look into it:
n new pride and Prejudice" and laughing
anew at that prince Of prigs, Mr.. Col
Inns. What rare fun there IS in his pro
posal of marriage to Elizabeth Bennett
le It's asninity is monumental. If you hav
1t read it, read it again. Elizabeth ha
sought to escape the proposal, but he
mother has prevented her doing so, am
ST MI. Collins starts in:
2 Believe. me, my dear Elizabeth, that you
- rather adds to your other perfections You woul
ot have been less amiable in my eyes had Their
l. to assure you that have Your respected moth
A. er's permission for this address. You can hardl
the Rurport Of s.d
o. attentions have been too marked to be mistake1
. Almost as soon as entered the house, single
" yc, out the companion of my future life
:, Bet before am run away with by my feeling
on this subject. perhaps it would be advisab
moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire wit
n. tie design of selecting wife, as | certain]
he And then follow three times as man
~ words, giving reasons and added assunI
= lions that Elizabeth will of course az
as cept-and this fool wasn't an "old fool
he either!
o. DR.. A. Conan Doyle, the author of II
- Adventures Of Gerard (McClure- Phillips
IS is a stalwart cricketer, and they say CO
ar. provide as exciting a time with his b
"a as with his pen. He has recently bee
covering himself with honor on the creas
playing on the Marylebone eleven in
OK international match, in England. again
u the Haverford college cricket team.
H. held top score and was mot out
ne Another volume has been added to "a
las pletons World Series" It bears the til
it's, Norttr America, and is from the pen
j., Israel c. Russell. professor of geology
~ the University of Michigan. The boz
ng contains condensed and readable "a
ers count of the leading facts concerning t
is- North American continent from t
viewpoint of the geographer It preser
in popular form a report Of progress co
ch corning the study of the geographical d
arr yelopment of North America at the
ginning of the twentieth century. T
- subjects covered are 1.-THE Margin of t
1t Continent "The Topography of I
of Land Climate y PLANT Life "Anil1
as Life Geology" "The Aborigines, y f
- litical Geography. Appended to. ca
ul- chapter is list of books which will e
len able the reader to continue the stud
on outlined. The book is illustrated w
- halftones, charts and maps.
cen Houghton, Mifflin & Co. have publish
ac- a complete and compact fone-volume e
ow, ZION paseu on rreie 4ss Shilu iilot
lie popular ballads. The volume contains
pom introduction by Professor George L.. Ki
ure redge Of Harvard. who with the i
). q Helen Child Sargent, has carefully p
pared the edition. adding full text
;ely notes, variant readings and a compl
one glossary. This Introduction, together W
ion the ballads, furnishes the student a n
fine opportunity for the study Of Engl
ern- and Scottish ballads. "the poetry Of
ern folk. !" 1t tells how ballads are brou