The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-10

Come with me TO the room
See there they lie. thickstrewn upon the shelves;
My books my csunselors; nay friends vel tried
Fletcher.
To all bookish men it viii be Of inter
est to learn that there has just been is
sued the series, Literature Of Libra
ries in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth
Centuries" that quaint work, the auto
biography of Sir Thomas Bodley. togeth-
er with his statutes" Sir Thomas Bod
ley is best known, of course. as the
founder Of the Bodieian Library, at OK
ford Sir Thomas had his own ideas
about a library. which, to him, was much
more than a mere gathering place Tor
books. He determined by his Statutes
that his librarian should be noted and
known for a Dnigent Student. and In all
his Conversation to be Trusty, Active.
and Discreet; a Graduate also, and a
Jinguist. not encountered with Marriage,
nor with a benefce of Cure. For it can
not stand with Piety, that such Charge
should admit the continual Society of
other publlck Impioyments; and Mar
rage is too fun of Domestical Impeaeh-
ments TO afford him so much time from
his Private Affairs, as almost every Day S
necessity Of his private Presence viii re-
quire"
Nor was the selection of the right sort
of q librarian a light task under Sir
Thomas Bodley's directions. The electors
when they assembled 10 make their
choice were put upon solemn oath OF
their disinterestedness and: The Election
thus performed when the Party then
elected shall come TO be admitted. he
shall swear to this Effect: All and ev-
cry of the Statutes. Constitutions, and
DEGREES. either made already, or here
after 20 be made that may in any wise
concern the duty of the Keeper, and
good Estate Of the Library. I VIII observe
in my own Person. and to the uttermost
OF my Power, viii cause 10 be observed
by all other Persons. TO whom the same
may belong, as I hope TO be saved by
Gods infinite Mercy. thro' the Merits OF
Christ Jesus. revealed unto me by his
Holy EvGngelists."
continue the great Register Book, which
IS chained to the desk. at the upper
broad Window of the Library" contain
ing the names of donors and written
with a special fair and pleasing hand
The library was TO be open and the
keeper in his place every day Of the year
excepting the sabbath, the Nativity OF
our Saviour. the day Of Electing the
PrOctors. and when the Library shall De
visited and . we do OrdaiD thai
the Keeper shall himself in Person mot
letted with Sickness or other lawful i'm
pediment hereafter expressed to the
opening of the Library doors. and bOti
remain within himself and give access
10 Others. in the Morning from Eight Of
the Clock to Eleven, and then after Din
ner from Two to Five. Which is to bt
continued from Easter to the Feast OF
st. Michael; But for the rest of the Year
from one to four in the afternoon.
No freqUeuJer Of that Place. Gradual. ol
other, nor the Keeper himself. or ann
Deputy for him. upon any PrCteNt or Col
our. shall enter there by night with
Torch. Link. Lamp, Candle or othe
kind of freight upon Pain of Deprivation
Of his Office forever.
Nor did Sir Thomas Bodley care mucl
about lending books from his library. II,
declares that the frequent Loan o
Books hath bin the principal occasion o
the Ruin and Destruction Of many IA
nous Libraries" and he stipulates thai
no book shall leave the Library exCep
TO be sold exchanged for q better edi
ton. or rebound. Not was the library
10 open 10 the general public. for that e
Grant of SO much Scope. would not min
lister Occasion of daily Fostering all tn,
Room. with their gazing. and babbIing
and tram1ling up and down. which may
disturb out of Measure the EndeavoTs oil
those that are Students"
Well they seem rather antiQuated. no
10 say harsh Statutes" 10 Us, OF an ag,
that believes in the freest access TO ON
bOokshelves, and who hope that the bet
ter opportunity Is offered the greater
number Of readers, therefore the greales
good. But az any rate the Bodleian Ii
brary is a monument TO the good tast,
and sincerity OF its founder. who frs
collected the volumes. which the presen
generation finds invaluable, some tire,
hundred years asO.
Thomas Dixon. jr.. One-time preacher
IS completing his novel, The Traitor,
which is the last Of a tril0gy of Which
the first two We're The Leopard's Spots
and "The Clausman. o. It is % be hope,
that it win not result in as much seusa
tionalism and mawkish talk as the TIVE
first books brought forth. The Traitor,
il Is said, does not touch the negro prob
lem. except in a secondary way, but ye
It deals with the decline and fall of tn,
ku-llluN Khan. 1t viii be illustrated b!
c. u. Williams.
In reply to a letter from an American
admirer recently asking information
about herself Mrs Flora Annie Steel. TN
feminine KipIing." and whose 'Th,
Sovereign Remedy has just been pub
lished. wrote as follows: T have beer
married, I have borne children; 1 hav
TWO grandsOns, I have. therefore, live,
through the life allotted 10 woman, an,
the only novelty before me IS 6esth."
il would seem as if the Office OF chic
secretary to ireland was to absorb SOM
of the best Of the English literary talent
Mr.. Bryce, the distinguished author
moving away to represent his nation her
IN Washington, his place Is to be takei
by another literary genius, Mr. Angus
tine BilrelI. Before Bryce was John Nor
ley, whose biography Of Gladstone is on
of the very best, It is only with recen