DETACHED THOUGHTS ON BOOKS AND READING
LordFoppingtonintheRelapse.
ANingeniousacquaintanceofmyownwassomuchstruckwiththisbrightsallyofhisLordship,thathehasleftoffreadingaltogether,tothegreatimprovementofhisoriginality.Atthehazardoflosingsomecreditonthishead,ImustconfessthatIdedicatenoinconsiderableportionofmytimetootherpeoplesthoughts.Idreamawaymylifeinothersspeculations.Ilovetolosemyselfinothermensminds.WhenIamnotwalking,Iamreading;Icannotsitandthink.Booksthinkforme.
Ihavenorepugnances.Shaftesburyisnottoogenteelforme,norJonathanWildtoolow.IcanreadanythingwhichIcallabook.TherearethingsinthatshapewhichIcannotallowforsuch.
Inthiscatalogueofbookswhicharenobooks——bibliaa-biblia——IreckonCourtCalendars,Directories,PocketBooks,DraughtBoardsboundandletteredattheback,ScientificTreatises,Almanacks,StatutesatLarge;theworksofHume,Gibbon,Robertson,Beattie,SoameJenyns,and,generally,allthosevolumeswhich"nogentlemanslibraryshouldbewithout:"theHistoriesofFlaviusJosephus(thatlearnedJew),andPaleysMoralPhilosophy.Withtheseexceptions,Icanreadalmostanything.Iblessmystarsforatastesocatholic,sounexcluding.
Iconfessthatitmovesmyspleentoseethesethingsinbooksclothingpercheduponshelves,likefalsesaints,usurpersoftrueshrines,intrudersintothesanctuary,thrustingoutthelegitimateoccupants.Toreachdownawell-boundsemblanceofavolume,andhopeitissomekind-heartedplay-book,then,openingwhat"seemitsleaves,"toeboltuponawitheringPopulationEssay.ToexpectaSteele,oraFarquhar,andfind——Adamsmith.Toviewawell-arrangedassortmentofblockheadedEncyclopaedias(AnglicanasorMetropolitanas)setoutinanarrayofRussia,orMorocco,whenatitheofthatgoodleatherwouldfortablyre-clothemyshiveringfolios;wouldrenovateParacelsushimself,andenableoldRaymundLullytolooklikehimselfagainintheworld.Ineverseetheseimpostors,butIlongtostripthem,towarmmyraggedveteransintheirspoils.
Tobestrong-backedandneat-boundisthedesideratumofavolume.Magnificenceesafter.This,whenitcanbeafforded,isnottobelavisheduponallkindsofbooksindiscriminately.IwouldnotdressasetofMagazines,forinstance,infullsuit.Thedishabille,orhalf-binding(withRussiabacksever)isourcostume.AShakespeare,oraMilton(unlessthefirsteditions),itweremerefopperytotrickoutingayapparel.Thepossessionofthemconfersnodistinction.Theexteriorofthem(thethingsthemselvesbeingsomon),strangetosay,raisesnosweetemotions,noticklingsenseofpropertyintheowner.ThomsonsSeasons,again,looksbest(Imaintainit)alittletorn,anddogs-eared.Howbeautifultoagenuineloverofreadingarethesulliedleaves,andwornoutappearance,nay,theveryodour(beyondRussia),ifwewouldnotforgetkindfeelingsinfastidiousness,ofanold"CirculatingLibrary"TomJones,orVicarofWakefield!Howtheyspeakofthethousandthumbs,thathaveturnedovertheirpageswithdelight!——ofthelonesempstress,whomtheymayhavecheered(milliner,orharder-workingmantuamaker)afterherlongdaysneedle-toil,runningfarintomidnight,whenshehassnatchedanhour,illsparedfromsleep,tosteephercares,asinsomeLetheancup,inspellingouttheirenchantingcontents!Whowouldhavethemawhitlesssoiled?Whatbetterconditioncouldwedesiretoseethemin?
Insomerespectsthebetterabookis,thelessitdemandsfrombinding.Fielding,Smollett,Sterne,andallthatclassofperpetuallyself-reproductivevolumes——GreatNaturesStereotypes——weseethemindividuallyperishwithlessregret,becauseweknowthecopiesofthemtobe"eterne."Butwhereabookisatoncebothgoodandrare——wheretheindividualisalmostthespecies,andwhenthatperishes,
WeknownotwhereisthatPrometheantorch
Thatcanitslightrelumine"——
suchabook,forinstance,astheLifeoftheDukeofNewcastle,byhisDuchess——nocasketisrichenough,nocasingsufficientlydurable,tohonourandkeepsafesuchajewel.
Notonlyrarevolumesofthisdescription,whichseemhopelessevertobereprinted;butoldeditionsofwriters,suchasSirPhilipSydney,BishopTaylor,Miltoninhisprose-works,Fuller——ofwhomwehavereprints,yetthebooksthemselves,thoughtheygoabout,andaretalkedofhereandthere,weknow,havenotendenizenedthemselves(norpossiblyeverwill)inthenationalheart,soastobeestockbooks——itisgoodtopossesstheseindurableandcostlycovers.IdonotcareforaFirstFolioofShakspeare.IratherpreferthemoneditionsofRoweandTonson,withoutnotes,andwithplates,which,beingsoexecrablybad,serveasmaps,ormodestremembrancers,tothetext;andwithoutpretendingtoanysupposableemulationwithit,aresomuchbetterthantheShakspearegalleryengravings,whichdid.IhaveamunityoffeelingwithmycountrymenabouthisPlays,andIlikethoseeditionsofhimbest,whichhavebeenoftenesttumbledaboutandhandled——Onthecontrary,IcannotreadBeaumontandFletcherbutinFolio.TheOctavoeditionsarepainfultolookat.Ihavenosympathywiththem.Iftheywereasmuchreadasthecurrenteditionsoftheotherpoet,Ishouldprefertheminthatshapetotheolderone.IdonotknowamoreheartlesssightthanthereprintoftheAnatomyofMelancholy.Whatneedwasthereofunearthingthebonesofthatfantasticoldgreatman,toexposetheminawinding-sheetofthenewestfashiontomoderncensure?whathaplessstationercoulddreamofBurtoneverbeingpopular?——ThewretchedMalonecouldnotdoworse,whenhebribedthesextonofStratfordchurchtolethimwhite-washthepaintedeffigyofoldShakspeare,whichstoodthere,inrudebutlivelyfashiondepicted,totheverycolourofthecheek,theeye,theeye-brow,hair,theverydressheusedtowear——theonlyauthentictestimonywehad,howeverimperfect,ofthesecuriouspartsandparcelsofhim.Theycoveredhimoverwithacoatofwhitepaint.By——,ifIhadbeenajusticeofpeaceforWarwickshire,Iwouldhaveclaptbothmentatorandsextonfastinthestocks,forapairofmeddlingsacrilegiousvarlets.
IthinkIseethemattheirwork——thesesapienttrouble-tombs.
ShallIbethoughtfantastical,ifIconfess,thatthenamesofsomeofourpoetssoundsweeter,andhaveafinerrelishtotheear——tomine,atleast——thanthatofMiltonorofShakspeare?Itmaybe,thatthelatteraremorestaledandrunguponinmondiscourse.Thesweetestnames,andwhichcarryaperfumeinthemention,are,KitMarlowe,Drayton,DrummondofHawthornden,andCowley.
Muchdependsuponwhenandwhereyoureadabook.Inthefiveorsiximpatientminutes,beforethedinnerisquiteready,whowouldthinkoftakinguptheFairyQueenforastopgap,oravolumeofBishopAndrewessermons?
Miltonalmostrequiresasolemnserviceofmusictobeplayedbeforeyouenteruponhim.Buthebringshismusic,towhich,wholistens,hadneedbringdocilethoughts,andpurgedears.
Winterevenings——theworldshutout——withlessofceremonythegentleShakspeareenters.Atsuchaseason,theTempest,orhisownWintersTale——
Thesetwopoetsyoucannotavoidreadingaloud——toyourself,or(asitchances)tosomesinglepersonlistening.Morethanone——anditdegeneratesintoanaudience.
Booksofquickinterest,thathurryonforincidents,arefortheeyetoglideoveronly.Itwillnotdotoreadthemout.Icouldneverlistentoeventhebetterkindofmodernnovelswithoutextremeirksomeness.
Anewspaper,readout,isintolerable.InsomeoftheBankofficesitisthecustom(tosavesomuchindividualtime)foroneoftheclerks——whoisthebestscholar——tomenceupontheTimes,ortheChronicle,andreciteitsentirecontentsaloudprobonopublico.Witheveryadvantageoflungsandelocution,theeffectissingularlyvapid.Inbarbersshopsandpublic-housesafellowwillgetup,andspelloutaparagraph,whichhemunicatesassomediscovery.Anotherfollowswithhisselection.Sotheentirejournaltranspiresatlengthbypiece-meal.Seldom-readersareslowreaders,and,withoutthisexpedientnooneinthepanywouldprobablyevertravelthroughthecontentsofawholepaper.
Newspapersalwaysexcitecuriosity.Nooneeverlaysonedownwithoutafeelingofdisappointment.
Whataneternaltimethatgentlemaninblack,atNandus,keepsthepaper!Iamsickofhearingthewaiterbawlingoutincessantly,"theChronicleisinhand,Sir."
Comingintoaninnatnight——havingorderedyoursupper——whatcanbemoredelightfulthantofindlyinginthewindow-seat,lefttheretimeoutofmindbythecarelessnessofsomeformerguest——twoorthreenumbersoftheoldTownandCountryMagazine,withitsamusingtete-d-tetepictures"——TheRoyalLoverandLadyG——;""TheMeltingPlatonicandtheoldBeau,"——andsuchlikeantiquatedscandal?Wouldyouexchangeit——atthattime,andinthatplace——forabetterbook?
PoorTobin,wholatterlyfellblind,didnotregretitsomuchfortheweightierkindsofreading——theParadiseLost,orComus,hecouldhavereadtohim——buthemissedthepleasureofskimmingoverwithhisowneyeamagazine,oralightpamphlet.
Ishouldnotcaretobecaughtintheseriousavenuesofsomecathedralalone,andreadingCandide.
Idonotrememberamorewhimsicalsurprisethanhavingbeenoncedetected——byafamiliardamsel——reclinedatmyeaseuponthegrass,onPrimroseHill(herCythera),reading——Pamela.Therewasnothinginthebooktomakeamanseriouslyashamedattheexposure;butassheseatedherselfdownbyme,andseemeddeterminedtoreadinpany,Icouldhavewishedithadbeenanyotherbook.Wereadonverysociablyforafewpages;and,notfindingtheauthormuchtohertaste,shegotup,and——wentaway.Gentlecasuist,Ileaveittotheetoconjecture,whethertheblush(fortherewasonebetweenus)wasthepropertyofthenymphortheswaininthisdilemma.Frommeyoushallnevergetthesecret.
Iamnotmuchafriendtoout-of-doorsreading.Icannotsettlemyspiritstoit.IknewaUnitarianminister,whowasgenerallytobeseenuponSnow-hill(asyetSkinners-streetwasnot),betweenthehoursoftenandeleveninthemorning,studyingavolumeofLardner.Iownthistohavebeenastrainofabstractionbeyondmyreach.Iusedtoadmirehowhesidledalong,keepingclearofsecularcontacts.Anilliterateencounterwithaportersknot,orabreadbasket,wouldhavequicklyputtoflightallthetheologyIammasterof,andhaveleftmeworsethanindifferenttothefivepoints.
Thereisaclassofstreet-readers,whomIcannevercontemplatewithoutaffection——thepoorgentry,who,nothavingwherewithaltobuyorhireabook,filchalittlelearningattheopenstalls——theowner,withhishardeye,castingenviouslooksatthemallthewhile,andthinkingwhentheywillhavedone.Venturingtenderly,pageafterpage,expectingeverymomentwhenheshallinterposehisinterdict,andyetunabletodenythemselvesthegratification,they"snatchafearfuljoy."MartinB——,inthisway,bydailyfragments,gotthroughtwovolumesofClarissa,whenthestallkeeperdampedhislaudableambition,byaskinghim(itwasinhisyoungerdays)whetherhemeanttopurchasethework.M.declares,thatundernocircumstancesofhislifedidheeverperuseabookwithhalfthesatisfactionwhichhetookinthoseuneasysnatches.Aquaintpoetessofourdayhasmoraliseduponthissubjectintwoverytouchingbuthomelystanzas.
Isawaboywitheagereye
Openabookuponastall,
Andread,asheddevouritall;
Whichwhenthestall-mandidespy,
SoontotheboyIheardhimcall,
"You,Sir,youneverbuyabook,
Thereforeinoneyoushallnotlook."
Theboypassdslowlyon,andwithasigh
Hewishdheneverhadbeentaughttoread,
Thenoftheoldchurlsbooksheshouldhavehadnoneed.
Ofsufferingsthepoorhavemany,
Whichnevercantherichannoy:
Isoonperceivdanotherboy,
Wholookdasifhednothadany
Food,forthatdayatleast——enjoy
Thesightofcoldmeatinatavernlarder.
Thisboyscase,thenthoughtI,issurelyharder,
Thushungry,longing,thuswithoutapenny,
Beholdingchoiceofdainty-dressedmeat:
Nowonderifhewishheneerhadlearndtoeat.