Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-06-27
Q You like BOOKS?

ALMOST eFcTyDDOy NOcE.
- Once in a while one hears OF
someone who considers them a
nuisance, and once in a while one
hears OF someone who considers
them all very well to read but
rather poor things TO Own--things
to borrow from a library, but not
to buy and cherish.
Most of US desire boOks-we
wish to possess them, to keep them
stacked on the floor and tables,
mantelpieces and window sills, II
we have not shelves enough 10 ac-
cOmmOdate them.
OF course many OF US have n
very good start In the way OF
library which we have inherited
from somebody else. The first
thing TO do when you wish 70 in
crease the number OF your books
is to classify those you already
have.
II you have sets ~ standard
classic authors. 90 much the better.
The same. il you have the stan
dard British and American poets.
And for any standard classics in
seryiceable. though perhaps old
fashioned bindings, you may well
be thankful.
Th"n YOu can do one oy the two
things after you have made this
classification Of the books you have
on hand. Either fiji up the gaps in
The older classics or else 20 in FOR
filling out your library with new
books. Follow your own taste.
Don't try merely 10 buy the books
that you think a good library
ought 10 have. 30 matter how
many You buy. unless you have
thousands to spend, you cannot
buy all the books a good library
ought TO have. And II you dew
elop some special taste OF your
own and get good group Of books
on one or two subjects. you will
be achieving something worth
while.
a good plan IL to set aside . Ger
tain sum each week for new books
whether it is twenty-five cents
or twenty-five dollars. 4 dollar a
week will really make a good
wort h-while additions TO your book
shelves in the course OF year.
Then haunt the book shops anC
the libraries to keep track OF the
new books, and read the newspa
pers and magazine reviews. IN this
way you will be on the track o
the new books you wish 20 buy.
If you have no very distinc
taste Of your own. and want Il
build one up. doubtless the hes
- thing 70 do is 10 buy some speci
fed collection Of classics, such a
the five-fOot shelf. that will Civ
you a good foundation. But If yO'
prefer 10 do your own choOsin:
,cf the books you shall own, 81
v much the better. Many person
! with a limited spending allowance
o for books wish TO own only thOs
they like best. and content them
selves 10 read many others from
the library.
/ This suggests the question OF tn
If new and popular fiction. II IS eu
n tirely a matter Of personal tast
Is how much of your money shall 2
ID for books Of this kind. Certainl
Re a. copy OF a popular novel even
it has no real lasting value. give
a great deal OF pleasure TO one
. friends, for such a book is Dol
rowed through a neighborhooC
When one sees how many person
read one copy OF some Of the Yer
popular novels one wonders no
Z the author and the publisher q
anything on il. One would thin
ar they would agit&te Tor a law 70
IN bidding the borrowing Of popul,
4 books.
IL You can buy many OF the class,
sc nowadays in some standard and il
iy expensive editiOn-in several SUD
10 editions. Of course. for the sake
lr variety on your shelves. Or 70
IS can buy fewer books and buy fin
IN ones when You 90 buy. That aga
IS a matter OF taste--two volum
&c at dollar and d half each or OF
On ri three dollars.
Us The whole point is to set abo
a book collecting systematicall
lie spending a definite amount for T
n plenishing and adding 10 yo
4. book shelves every year, and choC
* ing the books with intelligence al
or enjoyment.