Evening star., 1933-03-18

Occasionally to walk through the
aisleS Of large library, whether pri-
vate, public or commercial, u to ex-
perience q sense Of rest and relief from
the strain Of living.
One IS hemmed In by words in re-
pose, lying % quietly on shelves which
run to the ceiling.
For this contemplative walk the tiers
must be both long and high. Books
must be everywhere, with only enough
space for walking between their ranks.
There is about such place q certain
sort OF dtmneSs, usually, which fltS In
well with the mood Of the moment.
There is privacy here.
How often does one sigh for It, espe-
cially In the down town Of q great city,
where 50 many countless persons come
and 60 everywhere.
It is pleasant to drop into q library,
whatever its nature, especially II one
is acquainted there, and enjoys the
privilege Of walking freely among the
stacks.
The hurly-burly of the crowd Is gone.
1t affects one here only as q deep
murmur in the distance.
Here is quiet, and the calm musty
smell OF books. For surely an odor can
be called calm, when 1t arises from
after row. stretching away as far as the
eye can see.
There is something soothing about
the very smell of them fragrance
which can be duplicated no place else
in the world.
1t Is old leather, old boards, old pa
per. glue long become dry, and dust.
mingling in an aroma dear to the heart
OF every one who loves books.
One must love them as things, as
well as books. however. to get the full
benefit Of their retreat here.
There Is difference book Is q
thing Is Just an article. and not 50
much book. The writing within is
secondary, when one looks at q book
from the viewpoint Of en- interesting
piece Of handicraft. Then come to mind
all the glorious ones Of printing history.
those famous men of old who worked
the first crude presses and brought
forth from them magnificent work.
There are two books, therefore, for
every book. first the book that the con-
tents make it, and, second. the material
volume which the printers turned out.
There will always be a difference be-
tween the two, although to him who
finds books unlike anything else on
earth, the two sorts will be more or less
lnQlStlngulShaDle.
Roaming down the aisles one is struck
by the dissimilarity here Positively no
two books are alike, in physical appear
ance, although many of them are Of
similar dimensions, except as to width.
Perhaps few books exactly tally in
thickness from back to front cover. A
careful measurement would fnd a six
teenth OF an inch or so difference. un-
doubtedly. in all of them. This would
merely indicate the really vast differ
ence which exists between them In ap-
pearance, as a whole.
No matter how long one looks. at
how many volumes. no two Of them
give exactly the same impression to
the eye. One will strike 1t as heavy,
another as light. The very covers Of
this book will give an impression of
solidity which this other perhaps with
an even thicker cover, cannot give the
spectator.
And these impressions come merely
In the looking. they have nothing to
do with what is inside. II the stroller
stops to take down a book. he does
something else-he walks right into the
heart Of the volume, literally.
Even one unversed in library science
iS intrigued by the classification. As
he goes along he attempts to pi, ire
to himself the various real men and
women who have worked at placing
these books in these positions
Time and chance-and the printing
presses-had great deal to do with
it, evidently.