New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-03
LONDON NOTES
Literary CemeterieS-CariCature
Side Shows.
London. October

-. ~ dead books" Mr. Edmund Gosse.
oo,chinc inspiration from the Glasgow
ddress which has contained even more
visaon than wit. appeals in The Times?
Cor an enormous destruction of printed
hooks on the ground that librarians will
90 mad and that the public will give up
reading altogether unless these gigantic
,,asses OF rubbish are burned. Datribes
~ this sort are of little practical value,
since men Of profound learning after
lifetime devoted to systematic reading
will hesitate to condemn four ifths of
public library TO the flames as worth
loss rubbish. Caliph Omar. IL he could
held responsible for the burning OF
the library al Alexandria would not be
the tvpe of reformer whom Mr. Gosse
has in mind. although he seems to regret
that a classic fable without historical
basis cannot be converted into a preCe-
dent for fire and slaughter. The true
Iibrarr refcrmer is one who viii sub
stitutc for numbers and quantity selec-
zion and Quality as the necessary condi-
lions Of an ideal collection OF books.
Mr.. Gcsgo seems to know where tho
ideal private library is in London. THE
most EXQUISITE" he says "and probably
the most valuable private collection i'm
England is contained within the drawing
room OF a small house in London. This
Includes nothing which is not a master
, piece Of condition. Of rarity, of quintes
scntial literary value" This may be the
library which Mr. Morgan tried to buy
for $50 600 How Interesting and i'm
portant 1t would bo TO have a full de-
scription and a catalogue Of this ideal
library, Yet IL may he apprehended that
fierce controversies would arise among
experts. II the collection were named. and
that there would be prolonged warfare
over lists Of ievelled books and indis-
rensable editions If the process of Sc
lection b, highly controversial i'm the
case Of an ideal private collection. how
much more difficult would be the con-
certration # the most serviceable books
for an ideal public library, Librarians
are overburdened with routine work
already: and they are likely to find their
wav into Warehouses; if they arc required
10 reduce their collections and TO get rid
az tho rubbish when there are no bibh-
ographies of recognized authority. Did
not the Bodleiau librarian sell the first
folios Of Shakespeare for few shillings
srd compel his successor. generations
sfterward to buy them back for $4,000?
The big libraries like the British Mu
SCUM and the Bodleian may be Gene
tories Of dead books" i'm urgent need Of
cremation. but what sWarms Of British
and foreign students arc always to be
found I'm them ransacking the shelves for
knowledge that may still he timely and
useful, The most melancholy literary
cemeteries are the big Libraries. which
are seldom If ever. used. Among these
Is the Archbishops library. at Lambeth,
which was founded early i'm the seven
teonth century and enriched ny success
siye primates II contains illuminated
gospels. medieval missals CaXtOns and
q early printed books and important coll
lectious Of historical documents, and
there are admirable catalogues and sys-
tomatic photographed notes; and yet
the grand old rooms arc ordinarily empty
and students make little use Of the his
torica lore that is hidden away under
the high Gothic windows. The British
Museum and the Bodlcian may have
enormous rubbish heaps. but they are not
ont If touch with the life Of the times
in the misty light Of Lambeth there is
the silence of the grave.
The humorists are sharpening their
ar ri
ment. and one Of them. at least is very
funny. This is Sir Carruthers Gould,
who may he q poor craftsman but
knows how 10 be droll without hurting
any partisans feelings. lie makes ehec-
tive use Of a suggestion Of the Tariff
Reform League that societies shall be
formed for children at their most i'm
pressionable age" and illustrates what
might have happened if Mr.. Chaplin, the
veteran British PrOtectionist, had only
been able to get hold Of the Unionst
leader i'm infancy. The nurse in her cap
and with SNUG satisfaction shining from
her face holds the infant Balfour in her
arms and is energetically plying the tariff
reform feeding bottle. The helpless child
is cleverIy portrayed and the resemblance
is ingeniously suggested, although it cam
rot be as close a likeness as that Of
Nurse Chaplin.
The merit Of this ludcrous cartoon
lies i'm its inherent truthfulness. Mr. Bal
four has never been a convinced larlH
Rcformer lie has played with the ques-
ton and displayed vacillation and in
trinity Of purpose at every turn. II he
lad peen brought up on it from infancy
b. q determined. grandmOtherly nurse
Ike Mr. Chaplin there would never have
been any doubt respecting his sincerity
as I'll Tariff RefOrmer. The cartoon Ike
an politjcal caricature worthy OF
thoughtful laughter. is rot partisan
libel but can be enjoyed 5y men Of all
rarties. although it appears i'm the Radl-
cal Westminster Gazette Mr. Bernard
Partridge. Mr. T. r. Reed and other IL
uetrators for Punch are craftsmen
with leisure for refining their methods;
but being hampercd by the necessity for
nom craftsmanship they get little real fun
cut Of politics The literary quality OF
Punch" has steadily improved since
NJ. owen seaman became editor Inc
comic verses. charivari, book and the
strc notices. and miscellaneous features
we're never more variedsand Interesting.
and yet its pages are read without
smile. Around the mahogany tree there
are no rivals TO be pitted against tn
r.. b,,,,,,,.iet Il tho Westminster Ga