Libraries

W. E. FOSTER

PRESENTED

TO

THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

BY

/

Libraries and Readers

WILLIAM E. FOSTER

Librarian of the Providence Public Library

Free libraries are engines for creating
the habit and power of enjoying first-class
literature, and thus carrying forward the work
of civilization which is commenced in the
primary school.

WILLIAM STANLEY JEVONS.

NEW YORK
F. LEYPOLDT, PUBLISHER

1883

Copyright , 1883.
Bv F. LEYPOLDT.

S. W. GREEN'S SON,

KX, EtlCTROTYPKR AND BlMDBR,

74 and 76 Beelcman Street,

NEW YORK.

PREFACE.

THE purpose and significance of this little book
should not be misunderstood. At various times dur-
ing the past few years the writer has been asked to
present some phase of library work for the considera-
tion of his fellow-citizens; sometimes in the form of
an address or lecture in his own city or elsewhere;
sometimes in the form of a paper read before a meet-
ing of the American Library Association, or before
bodies of teachers ; and sometimes in the form of an
article contributed to the Library Journal or other
publications. It has been interesting to notice, in the
treatment of these various phases of the subject, how
wide and suggestive is the field thus opened, and how
intimately this matter of reading, and the use of books
and of libraries, are connected with the daily life of
our generation. It is thus that the material of this
book has accumulated.

Yet suggestions and counsel on the use of books
have by no means been wanting before this; nor have
these books been wanting in value and effectiveness.
A writer might well hesitate, therefore, before adding
another book to their number. Yet the vigilant pub-
lisher of the Library Journal, whose untiring interest
in everything relating to the advancement of library
work is well known, has judged that the peculiar

4 PREFACE.

evolution of this volume from actual contact with the
problems and experiences of library administration,
entitled it to a place of its own; and there has been
a very general request for such a volume from those
who have listened to the delivery of the addresses re-
ferred to. It is therefore given to the public in this
form.

The book is not a treatise. Although various
phases of the question are considered, there is no at-
tempt to make this volume cover the ground exhaust-
ively. The important question of fiction reading,
though incidentally referred to, is not here treated at
length. The equally important question of relations
between libraries and schools is conspicuous by its
absence, for the reason that the papers in which the
writer has discussed this matter are elsewhere pub
lished* almost simultaneously with this volume.

Mr. Emerson has somewhere maintained that a
man should be, above and before all things else, a
man; — not a teacher or "a thinker", but a man teach-
ing and "a man thinking." The wiiter disavows all
claim of being an author or a lecturer, and will be
abundantly satisfied if the reader of these pages shall
attribute them to " a librarian writing" and "a libra-
rian speaking", and in this way using two very effect-
ual methods of enforcing the principles of his work.

PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY, Nov. i, 1882.

* " Libraries and schools," edited by S. S. Green.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING ..

CHAPTER IL
CORRECTION OF AIMLESS READING 49

CHAPTER III.

THE SPECIALIZING OF READING, FOR GENERAL READERS... 48

CHAPTER IV.
"CURRENT LITERATURE" AND "STANDARD LITERATURE".. 60

CHAPTER V.
SECURING THE INTEREST OF A COMMUNITY 83

CHAPTER VI.
WHAT MAY BE DONE AT HOMB 91

6 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII.

PACK

How TO USE A LIBRARY; A RUDIMENTARY CHAPTER 99

CHAPTER VIII
BOOKS AND ARTICLES ox READING 117

Uftratfe* antr

I. SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING*

At the outset, some one -may be asking him-
self;— "But what is meant here by ' right read-
ing ' ? Is it right methods of reading, or, reading
the right books ? It is both. We are not doing
ourselves full justice, even while reading the best
books, if our habits of reading be defective; nor
will it avail to have adopted the most approved
methods, should the material of our reading be
valueless. Let us then consider these two sides
of the question, in succession ; giving our atten-
tion first to the subject of " the right books to
read."

(A) Material. — But some one at once in-
quires : " Well, and how are you going to lay
down rules ? The ' right ' books for some one
else to read may not be the right ones for me,

* This chapter was originally delivered as a lecture in Provi-
dence, and afterwards in Philadelphia. This fact will account
for certain peculiarities in the form of presenting the subject.

8 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

and vice versd." Very good. That gives us
then, does it not, one principle to guide us
in the selection of our reading, namely ; personal
adaptation.

(i) Personal adaptation. — No one person is
constituted, and no one develops, in a precisely
identical way with any one else. He is an indi-
vidual, and it is his individuality which should
characterize his thought, and determine his se-
lection of reading as well. Is^. man then to fol-
low his own liking, solely ? By no means, yet
that will constitute one element in the choice to
be made. Is it to be merely a question of busi-
ness profit or loss, — this line of reading being of
direct, practical service, while another is not so
obviously related to his work ? Not this wholly,
although this also is an entirely legitimate ele-
ment. Is it to be simply a question of harmony
with his temperament, of stimulating his activity,
or of quickening his faculties? Again, as you
will readily admit, not from any one of these by
itself, but from all of them in conjunction, do
we derive a legitimate guiding principle of se-
lection ; and one which, by the way, we may pro-
fitably bear in mind in guiding the reading of
young people. The highest civilizations have
always been those in which the tendency has
been, not to produce a nation of duplicates, — as

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 9

a farmer would do with a field of vegetables, or'
the manufacturer with a paper of pins. On the
contrary, to preserve the same expressive imagery
as used by Mr. Charles Francis Adams, jr., in a re-
cent address,* the tendency should be to develop
a race of separately organized and independently
constituted individualities, as you would train
your trees, " watching them year after year, and
seeing them grow, and shoot out, and develop,"
each in its own way.

Now turning from the abstract principle to the
concrete illustration, the better to apprehend the
matter, let us suppose the case of a manufacturer.
It is for his interest, certainly, to learn, (by read-
ing), the most that he can about mills, the prin-
ciples of civil engineering and architecture de-
termining their construction ; the principles of
mechanics observed in the operation of the
machinery; the climate and soil suited to the
raising of the raw material ; the conditions affect-
ing its transportation to his mill ; the natural
and ruling markets for his manufactured goods ;
the relative importance of his industry among
the commercial interests of the country; the

* Library Journal, v. i. p. 438-39. Also printed in " The
public library and the public schools." C. F. Adams, jr.
Boston, 1879. p. 9-10.

JO LIBRARIES AND READERS.

effects of his products upon the health and well-
being of the community; and the tracing of
similar effects in the history of this and other
countries. Not to carry this farther, it is easy
to see how a field of inquiry and research has
been opened to him, merely from its bearing upon
his individual work, which is not limited to
any one department of knowledge, but which in-
cludes physical science, and the applied sciences,
as well ; which involves social and commercial
problems, and has its ethical and historical as-
pects. Dr. Channing most appropriately indi-
cates, in his lecture on " Self-culture," how we
may find in our " condition or occupation" a
means of culture;* and not less fitting is Mr.
Atkinson's suggestion, (in his little volume, "On
the right use of books," which you will allow me
to recommend most heartily for your reading),
"to make your calling and occupation ... an
instrument of education."!

(2) A symmetrical development. — Another prin-
ciple is that which Dr. Peabody embodied in his
Harvard Divinity School address, and which Mr.
Hale develops more fully in his excellent volume,
"What career?;" — namely, that every man

* Channing's " Works", (ed. of 1875,) p. 25.
t" On the right use of books." W. P. Atkinson. Boston,
1878. p. 46-

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. II

" should have a vocation and an avocation. " * He
should have some channel of thought, (and of
reading), outside the daily routine of his work.
How shall this be determined ? Is it not by calling
into action a class of faculties different from those
of our routine work ; — by developing our powers
in more than one direction ?

Very well then ; we have this as a second prin-
ciple, that a man's reading should tend to de-
velop him symmetrically; that our reading is
not to be a one-sided development, either as be-
ing exclusively general, or exclusively technical.
I know not how better to set forth the clear,
vivid distinction between these two fields of
reading, than by quoting a passage from De
Q'uincey, which is in danger, it is true, of becom-
ing threadbare. Nevertheless, it is directly to
the point, in this connection. " There is", he
says, "the literature of knowledge, and the lit-
erature of power. . . . The first speaks to the
mere discursive understanding; the second . . to
the higher understanding . . through affections
of pleasure or sympathy."! Going back to our
illustration, we see that the manufacturer is using
the " literature of knowledge" when he is reading

* " What career?" E. E. Hale. Boston, 1878. p. 98-102.
t De Quincey's " Eighteenth century," (ed. of 1876, Bos-
ton), p. 383.

12 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

the annual report of the treasury department, to
ascertain the quantity of manufactured goods ex-
ported or imported. But it is the " literature of
power" by which he is moved when he reads one
of Wordsworth's poems or one of Shakespeare's
plays; when he reads Webster's oration at Ply-
mouth or Scott's story of " Kenil worth." It is
the imagination which is most actively addressed
in the latter case; and it is this side of literature
which, taking the world through, has the larger
number of readers, and is read with the more ab-
sorbing interest.

Observe, however; this principle which we are
discussing does not claim for this imaginative
element in literature our exclusive attention.
It is no such one-sided principle as that. It
is true that where a man is impelled, by the
exigencies of his trade or profession, to give
his especial attention to that, and to the litera-
ture of technical knowledge, for him the injunc-
tion is appropriate, to cultivate more largely the
element of imagination. But where one errs in
this way and goes to this extreme, there are one
hundred who, by nature and temperament, are
likely to devote undue attention to the literature
of imagination ; and " it is a poor rule which does
not work both ways." If I find that fiction is not
only attractive to me, but absorbingly attractive,

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 13

if, while I experience a delight in all which de-:
velops the imaginative side of my intellect, I have
a distaste for anything which requires close
thought and accurate knowledge, then I may be
sure that I shall not become a "symmetrical
man," in the sense of Lord Bacon's Essay* in this
way. I must systematically cultivate some branch
of science which will draw out and strengthen
my reasoning faculties, and counterbalance this
one-sided growth, by a corresponding growth in
another direction. And, fascinating as is the field
of romance and poetry, yet to one who rightly
undertakes them, there can be no more captivat-
ing pursuits than certain lines of scientific, or
literary, or historical investigation.

(3) Attended with a controlling interest. —
" Doubtless all very true," do you say, " but
where to begin is the difficulty." Nothing is,
perhaps, more disheartening to one who has re-
mained unfamiliar with actual study and syste-
matic investigation, than to contemplate the ex-
tent and the magnitude of the field, which seems
to offer no "easiest point" at which to begin.
Well, but why not begin at some point where you
are interested ? And this gives us our third prin-

* Bacon's " Essays." (" Of studies.") (Whately's ed., Bos-
Ion, 1867), p. 472-73.

14 LIBRARIES AND READERS,

ciple, namely; that a genuine and living interest
in a subject is one of the most effectual promoters
of appropriate reading. Several familiar and even
homely illustrations will serve to enforce this
principle. For instance, To "strike while the
iron is hot" is not more absolutely the way to
seize upon the right moment for accomplishing
the object, than to enter on a line of reading or
study while the mind is in a state of lively inter-
est respecting it. Again, for a carpenter to use
a plane, pushing all the while against the grain,
may indeed remove some portions of the wood,
but to go with the grain is not more sure to effect
the desired object than to develop an effective
use of books by pursuing such lines of reading as
correspond with one's preeminent tastes and in-
terest. Again, to work in a dark room, with a
strong electric light turned directly on the object
to be examined, will not more surely bring into
observation every little detail than the living in-
terest which animates a reader will illuminate
every step of the ground which he is investigat-
ing.

Perhaps someone says : " This does not apply
to me, for I have not even that amount of fa-
miliarity which would furnish an interest on
which to begin." Should that be any one's state
of mind, (and there can be no doubt that it re,p-

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 15

resents the position of many), it indicates simply
this; — that his habits of observation have not
been sufficiently cultivated for him to perceive
whether the matter has any interest for him or not.
Now this sort of misapprehension is very gen-
eral, and sometimes takes shape in such a feeling
as this, respecting the books in a public library:
" This library is all very well for those who are
able to give much time and elaborate study to
some technical point, but as for throwing light
on common, every-day matters, that of course is
not to be expected." It is easy to see how this
view of the matter would suggest itself, but it is
clearly erroneous. In some libraries, as you know,
the plan * is pursued of systematic daily references
to what the library contains on some matter which
is of current interest on that day; which men
read about in the morning papers at the break-
fast-table, and talk about on their way to their
business; and is not this a " common, every-day
matter"? Does any man mean to say that he is
outside of this circle of thought and interest?
Assuredly not, when he stops to consider. Now,
let him apply this principle to himself. He says
that he has no interest, to serve as a basis for
reading, but, the next time he reads his news-

* See Library Journal, v. 5, p. 38-40.

1 6 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

paper and finds, for instance, a statement about
the proposed Panama ship-canal, let him give
his naturally inquiring mind an opportunity to
raise these questions: "Where is this isthmus?"
"Why is that the best place for the canal?"
"What are the present routes of commerce?"
" What similar work has been accomplished on
another continent?" "What commercial route
did that replace?" "What principles of engi-
neering are involved ?" " What effects will result
as to the physical geography of the country?"
To answer these queries, he consults certain
works of American and European geography,
commercial reports and statistics, travels and
voyages around Cape Horn, works on the Suez
canal, works on engineering, and on physical
geography and geology. Without being aware
of it, he has entered on "a course of reading";
and one which is sure of being effective and
beneficial, because in his case it has come about
so naturally; from an internal interest, rather
than by an external process.

But all this, you say, requires a suggestive habit
of mind. Well, so it does ; but a suggestive habit
of mind is something which can be acquired by
careful practice. Moreover the lines of thought
in any field of research are not perfectly paral-
lel to each other. They are rather like the

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 17

interconnecting passages in a mine, so that a
reader who has made some beginnings does not
advance far "before his researches begin to
intersect," to use the felicitous expression of the
author of "Friends in council."* To illustrate
once more by the ship-canal. The Suez canal
may lead some one, as we indicated, to study the
commercial routes to the East previous to its
completion, and our reader obtains works on the
voyages of Vasco da Gama, and the route around
the Cape of Good Hope. These lead him to
study the early Portuguese settlements in India
made in consequence of these voyages, and later
the British colonization, resulting in the present
Empire of India. This is as far as he goes in this
direction at that time, but at some later period,
and in connection with the late war in Egypt,
perhaps, this same Suez canal chances to give
another turn to his thoughts. " How is the canal
managed ?," he asks himself, and he studies Great
Britain's interested ownership.! This leads him
to inquire why this is, and he sees the importance
of it as a means of communication between Eng-
land and India. And studying the growth of the
British empire in India, he comes again to the

* Helps 's " Friends in council," series i, v. i, p. 194.
t "Statesman's year-book, 1882." p. 631-33, 638.

l8 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

circumstances of its settlement. "Ah," he ex-
claims, "I have been here before. This is fa-
miliar ground." And you all know, from your
own experience, how, from that point he goes on
with increased interest, with what an added de-
light and appreciation he recognizes point after
point with which he had before made acquaint-
ance.

Now this sort of intersection of lines of
thought is cumulative. The farther we go, the
surer we are of recognizing some familiar event
or topic; and, in consequence, our interest, once
awakened, will "grow by what it feeds on." One
of the principal charms of Macaulay's " Essays" *
consists in the extent to which there will be found
in them, gathered up in a single essay, lines of
thought which have centred in it from a hundred
different sources, and which, to asuggestive mind,
lead back to these original sources. And so, from
the nature of the relations which one topic holds
to hundreds of others, this dreaded unfamiliarity,
so formidable as an obstacle to reading, when un-
investigated, vanishes when the reader has taken

* Macaulay's latest biographer, while denominating him " one
of the least suggestive of writers" (Morison's " Macaulay," p.
44;, gives elsewhere in the volume, (p. 58, 68, 105, 743-44), such
a characterization of Macaulay's style as is obviously somewhat
at variance with that statement.

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 19

the first few steps, and plunged in, and it will
vanish in no other way.

(4) Discriminating selection. — " But is interest
always a safe guide?," some careful reader may
recollect to inquire. " Is it not a supposable
case that one's interest may be awakened in
something unworthy, or even injurious?"

To be sure it is, and this leads us to our fourth
principle, namely : the necessity for intelligent
judgment and conscious selection of the best; —
in short, discrimination in reading. There can
be no doubt that indiscriminate reading is one
of the principal dangers in the use of books. A
young man is in search of something to read, but
not with the definite, sharply-defined, intelligent
search of a well disciplined mind ; rather with
the loose, undefined, unformulated desire for
" something, no matter what." * And well would
it be for him if the world contained nothing but
what is suitable and beneficial, and what is ap-
propriate to his needs. But this ideal state does
not exist, and the man who wanders into the
field of literature, at random, blind-folded, so far
as any principle of conscious selection is con-
cerned, does so at his own risk ; for he is exposed

* This is more fully treated in chapter II., u Correction of
aimless reading."

20 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

to dangers of several kinds. First, there are
technically written works, requiring for their in-
vestigation a maturer mind than he possesses at
the beginning, and which he should leave until
he has mastered the rudimentary principles.
Should a reader guided by a definite principle
chance to stumble upon these treatises before
he was ready to appreciate them, he would prob-
ably only be led thereby to put himself on the
right track, but an aimless reader would be just
as likely to be discouraged in that field alto-
gether. Again, there is the great mass of indif-
ferent, unimportant reading, which constitutes so
really large a percentage of the total number of
books in existence. This would not be so seri-
ous a matter, were it not that the limited time
we have in which to read those which actually
demand our attention forbids our wasting any
time. Lastly, there are the positively vicious and
injurious books.

Now, much may be done by public instru-
mentalities, by the public schools and the pub-
lic libraries, in setting a reader right; and par-
ticularly by parents for their children ;* yet, after
all, nothing can take the place of the guiding
principle, in the mind of the reader, himself.

* See chapter VI.

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 21

He must establish a standard, in the best light
he has, and measure by it every book which
is offered to his notice. Now what are some
of the discriminations to be made? The book
must be good, not bad ; of permanent rather
than temporary value ; it must have some defin-
ite merit, rather than a negative character or in-
different qualities. Out of several equally good
books, he must select that one which, on the
whole, has some relation to his individual needs
and development. His sense of proportion must
enable him to determine how rudimentary a trea-
tise is needed in his case, and how much time he
can afford to give each subject and subordinate
topic. If it be said that all this requires experi-
ence and a trained use of the critical faculty, the
reply is, to be sure it does, and the experience
must come by repeated exercise. Moreover, the
critical faculty is an excellent one to develop,
particularly when it is exercised on one's self,
and it must be a poor reader who cannot, from
time to time, perceive an advance and improve-
ment, in his methods of thinking, of reading, and
of judging.

(B) Method. — We come now to the other half
of the subject, and are ready to consider " right
methods of reading." And here we find princi-
ples to guide our action, very similar to those

22 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

which we have just been considering under the
head of " the right books."

(i) Definiteness. — For instance, definiteness of
purpose is requisite in choosing the book ; yet
it is no less essential when we use it. To
read every book is impracticable; and to read
every part of the book we select, — if we have
simply the acquiring of information in view, — is
not always wise; for we must take up a given
book with a definite idea of what we wish to get
from it. Let twenty-five persons in a railway
car read the same morning paper and lay it down.
The probability is that the portions read by these
twenty-five persons are not identical, but repre-
sent at least twenty different selections. But, we
may say, a book is not a newspaper, and its con-
tents may be supposed to possess that permanent
value which does not belong to the newspaper.
This is entirely true, and yet the principle of
definite selection is hardly less applicable to the
book if used for reference, than to the newspaper.
Again, let a book of reference, such as a diction-
ary, stand in its place on a book-shelf, in a public
library, and be taken down twenty times in a
given day, by as many different persons. Is it to
be supposed that those twenty persons will turn
to precisely the same page? Certainly not.
They are much more likely to turn to twenty

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 23

different pages. Not every book is a work of
alphabetical reference; and yet there are few
books of information, few coming under the head
of "the literature of knowledge," which do not
serve this purpose of consultation and reference
for specific objects.

Again it does not follow that, because there
are ten thousand separate books in a given
room, there are ten thousand works whose ma-
terial and current of thought are entirely dis-
tinct. M. Huet, bishop of Avranches, a French
writer of the lyth century,* "thought that if
nothing had been said twice, everything that
had been written since the creation of the
world, (the details of history excepted), might be
put into nine or ten folio volumes." Whether
this be so or not, (and it must be remembered
that since the century in which this statement
was written, the number of books published has
been increasing at a rate resembling a geometri-
cal progression), nevertheless the fact that there
is so formidable a mass of "common material"
pervading literature should lead us to economize
our time, and to use the "literature of know-
ledge" in the most practical and definite manner.

* Quoted by Mathews;— " Hours with men and books," p.
US-

24 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

(2) Systematic methods. — And this gives us our
second principle respecting methods of reading;
namely, systematic reading; a scientific adjust-
ment of means to ends. And here \ve see at the
outset, that there is something to be done/0r
the reader, by the author and publisher. Every
book which is to be used in any sense as a work-
man uses a tool, needs a title-page, a contents-
table, a running head-line or catch-date, and,
above all, an alphabetical index. Supposing,
however, the book to lack no one of these, the
reader turns at once to the title-page, where he
finds the author's own statement of what the
book essentially is ; next to the table of contents,
where the skeleton of the book lies extended,
and he can judge for himself as to what the book
really is and aims to do. The preface and intro-
duction, also, (if they have any good reason for
existing.) will indicate the purpose and limita-
tions of the book. Now there remains the body
of the book, with its one hundred, or three hun-
dred, or five hundred pages. Here is where the
index is of service. Running his eye along that,
with the definite topics in his mind concerning
which he wishes to interrogate it, the reader can
soon see whether the book contains something
which he wants, and where in the book it is. It
may be that the whole book is an entirely new

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 25

field. Or it may be that it gives him just one
new fact. And this method enables him to deal
with the troublesome " common element " as you
would with the common factors in an algebraic
equation; eliminating them, one by one, until a
result is reached which can stand.

Some other useful principles to be borne in
mind in getting at the essential contents of
books, with the least waste of time and labor,
are found in a recent address of Dr. Oliver
Wendell Holmes, before the "Society for the
encouragement of studies at home";* and still
others in a practically written article on " Pro-
fessorships of books and reading," in the United
States government report on libraries.! It
should, however, be added, in this connection,
that this economizing of time and material must
have been preceded by an adequate basis of
mental discipline. The reader must have had a
careful, systematic training in reading slowly,
deliberately and understanding^, before he can
safely advance to rapid reading which is at the
same time thorough. " To make haste slowly"
is a precept of the highest significance here.J

* Boston Daily Advertiser, July 25, 1879.
t "Public libraries in the United States of America." 1876.
Part i. p. 240-51.
\ An address of Mr. A. M. Leonard of Boston, delivered

26 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

(3) Comparative methods. — Closely connected
with this is our third principle, namely; — the
comparison of sources and authorities; and
studying a subject in its various relations.

Besides contents-table and index, the careful
reader will sometimes discover another feature ;
namely a bibliography, or outline of the litera-
ture of the subject. Happily, the number of
books is increasing in which this feature is to be
found. Some of our readers may not at first
sight, perceive its practical utility ; but it needs
only a moment's reflection to see that its object
is to furnish the reader an opportunity of ex-
amining the subject in a comparative way; in
short, of considering it in its relations. And
this is the only safe way in which to treat any
subject. For, to use a mathematical image, a
truth does not present itself to us as a flat sur-
face, like so many square inches of wall, which
you may thoroughly examine without changing
your position. Truth is, on the contrary, a

since the preparation of this lecture, contains a suggestion of
great practical value, relating to systematic training in the
schools, not only in reading aloud, but in silent reading, and in
dicating methods by which the teacher may assure himself that
this silent reading is thorough, systematic, and effective.
[" Rhode Island Institute of Instruction. Papers and proceed-
ings, 1880," p. 54 ]

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 27

many-sided object, and you do not adequately
judge of it unless you have viewed it from its
various sides. Or, to change the figure, the truth
about a subject is not an absolute point in space;
wholly isolated and unconnected. It is rather, to
use one of our former illustrations, like a given
position in a mine, where several passages meet;
and each of these passages connects with half a
dozen others, and these with still others. It is
not safe, then, to judge of any question apart
from its relations; either in political science,
where legislation on abstract principles solely has
been the source of untold mischief; nor in scien-
tific or historical researches, where the investi-
gator in any given line, needs to take a careful
survey of the whole field, before beginning at any
one point.

Now to a certain extent the same principles
hold good with the lines of reading which you
and I may follow out ; and one of the most
practically useful books published within a few
years is a little volume by Mr. Winsor. librarian
of Harvard University, designed to facilitate just
such research. This " Reader's handbook of the
A nerican revolution", as it is entitled, is a vol-
ume of more than 300 pages, intended to serve,
as the preface states, as " a continuous foot-note
to all histories of the American revolution." It

28 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

is so constructed that each library may make it,
in effect, a catalogue of its own collection, on
that period, by writing its own numbers on the
margin. This is to be followed by other hand-
books, covering other fields of research. To use
the words of Mr. Winsor's preface; "The special
student will find here his starting-point. The
ordinary reader can survey the field, and follow
as many paths as he likes." " The line of one's
reading", he says again, is best pursued, "as
sciences are most satisfactorily pursued, in a
comparative way. The reciprocal influences, the
broadening effect, the quickened interest, arising
from a comparison of sources and authorities, I
hold to be rharked benefits from such a habit of
reading."*

Something perhaps needs to be added as to the
use which is to be made of such help. Are we
to read every book and every chapter thus re-
ferred to, and are we to read it all immediately,
before taking up anything else? Well, in order
to answer these points satisfactorily, suppose that
we put in practice some of the principles which
we have been settling for ourselves, all the way
through this lecture. There could not perhaps

* See also the discussion of reference lists and similar helps,
in the chapter on "The specializing of reading for general
readers", elsewhere in this book, chapter III.

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 29

be a better opportunity to illustrate their specific
application.

"Are we to read everyone of the selections?"
Certainly not, under ordinary circumstances.
We are to use our discrimination, and select that
which, on the whole, is best for our purpose.
" Shall our interest guide us in the selection ?"
Most certainly it may. A reference to Ruskin's
"Sesame and lilies",* for example, in another
part of this book, may attract and secure the in-
terested attention of some reader. If so, let him
read that, by all means. "Are we to consult
these lists with a definite purpose in view?"
Certainly. Some one, interested in educational
methods, may recognize in the reference to
" Professorships of books and reading", the
precise thing which he was in search of. Let
him then apply the reference to that purpose.
"Are we to study our own individual develop-
ment, and let that shape the selection ?" There
could not be a better use made of such references.
One person may feel that aimlessness is his par-
ticular shortcoming, and another that his failing

* Partly in order to put the reader in possession of the wider
field of material on this subject of reading, and partly in order
to illustrate practically this method of comparative reading and
research, a chapter has been added to this volume, giving refer-
ences to " Books and articles on reading." See chapter VIII.

30 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

consists in excessive reading. Let each make
his selection with special reference to these
points. "Under ordinary circumstances", it was
just observed, it is not recommended that one
person should go through the whole of a long
reference list on a given topic, at one time. In
any case it would be better to take up the reading
indicated by the various references, not in suc-
cession, but with at least one change of sub-
ject thrown in, to break the monotony. And
in reading what has proceeded from such en-
tirely different minds, and with such varying
purposes in view, we cannot too carefully aim
to preserve in our minds a just sense of propor-
tion.

(4) Reading a book as a whole. — But while we
have been discussing these systematic, analytic,
and comparative methods of dealing with books,
(where it would certainly seem that the chief end
of a book was to serve some purpose to a reader,
and not at all that readers were created for the
books,)— it has, very likely, occurred to some one
of you ; " Well, what a mechanical way of reading
that is! Just imagine going through Shake-
speare's ' Merchant of Venice,' or Milton's ' Para-
dise lost' in this ruthless manner." Yes, and
very absurd that would be, unless you were
treating them as exercises in language; but, if

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 31

you will look more closely, you will see that no
such thing has been recommended. It is only in
using sources of information, — that which is in-
tended for practical use, in short, "the literature
of knowledge", — that this method is to be fol-
lowed. It is our old distinction between "the
literature of knowledge" and "the literature of
power"; and, as you see at once, the literature of
power requires a different treatment. Let us
hear Lord Bacon on this point:* "Some books
are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and
some few to be chewed and digested ; that is,
some books are to be read only in parts ; others
to be read, but not curiously ; and some few to
be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."
We all know these latter books ; — works which
have an organic unity of their own, representing
a distinct thought ; which have a beginning,
orderly progression of thought and relation of
parts, and necessary conclusion. Such a book is
a study in itself, and does not receive full justice
at the hands of the reader, if taken up only in a
fragmentary way. Such a work represents the
growth of a human mind, and it is not adequately
approached, except by a sympathetic appreciation

* Bacon's "Essays."— ["Of studies."] (Whately's ed.) Bos-
ton, 1867, p. 472.

32 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

of the circumstances under which it was devel-
oped, and the tendencies represented in it.

(5) Reading to be digested. — With these dis-
tinctions in mind, we may the more intelligently
consider, as our fifth principle, the necessity for
digesting our reading, and making it a part of
ourselves. Certain questions naturally present
themselves here. For instance ;— " Shall we read
by authors or subjects ?" Dr. Holmes, in the ad-
dress already quoted, says: " I believe in reading,
in a large proportion, by subjects, rather than by
authors;"* and, as you will readily see, this is
based on sound reason. Again ; " Should the
same book be read through more than once?"
Edward Everett Hale, in that admirable book.
"How to do it," illustrates this by "the slight
difference between the two stereoscopic pictures,
which gives to them, when one overlies the other,
their relief and distinctness."! The " Sugges-
tions" for the pupils of the Providence public
schools also embody the same principle: " Life is
too short to read many books through but once,
but you will occasionally find a book which so
impresses you that you wish to go through it a
second time. You will be surprised to find, not

. * Boston Daily Advertiser, July 25, 1879.
t " How to do it." E. E. Hale. p. 137-38

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 33

only how your interest is almost doubled, on the
second reading, but how the two views you have
obtained of the book, supplementing each other,
have served to fix an image of its main ideas in
your mind."*

Lord Bacon, again, has an appropriate counsel
for us, when he says : " Read not to contradict
and confute; . . . but to weigh and consider."!
It is obviously on this principle that the study of
English composition, in some of our schools.^
provides for a course of reading parallel with the
course of subjects for essays, but separated from
it by several months. The pupil comes, in his
course, to a given book, which is perhaps illus-
trative of something which he is to write about,
later on ; but, not knowing this at the time, he
has not the temptation of " reading to contradict
and confute." Instead, therefore, of having an
impression left in the mind, of the book from one
point of view, simply, (a one-sided impression),
the reader gains rather a symmetrical view of the
book, as a whole ; and his own reflection on it in
the interval which elapses before using it, cor-

* These " Suggestions" have since been printed in the Li-
brary Journal ; v. 4, p. 447-48.

t Bacon's " Essays."— [" Of studies."] (Whately's ed.) p.
472.

$ Described in Library Journal^ v. 4, p. 333.

34 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

responds to a process of assimilation, and there is
frequently as much significance to him in the
thought he has himself bestowed upon it, as in
that of the original which he read.

Again; "Shall we make notes, in reading?"
" A good rule for memory", Mr. Hale says, " is
... to read with a pencil in hand," and to " write
down just a hint of the things you will be apt to
like to see again ; noting the page where they
are."* And, to quote once more from the "Sug-
gestions;" " The very act of writing will " tend " to
fix them in your memory, even though you
should never look at the memorandum again. "t
One more question : Is reading, to use the ex-
pressive language of Frederick Robertson, to be
"an excuse for the mind to lie dormant, whilst
thought is poured in, and runs through, a clear
stream, over unproductive gravel, on which not
even mosses grow?"J We know that it is not ;
the mind should be a live agent, grappling with,
and mastering for itself, the various elements in
the discussion. "You must think over your
book," says a recent writer; "Why should you

* " How to do it." E. E. Hale. p. 138.
t See Library Journal, v. 4. p. 447.

f'Life and letters of F. W. Robertson," (Am. ed.) v. 2, p.
ao8.

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 35

let the author do all the thinking for you?"*
Lord Bacon does indeed say that " some books
are to be swallowed," but his counsel in rela-
tion to that which deals with the formation of
opinions is: "Read not to believe and take for
granted. "t Once more; " Shall we read much or
little ?" However we may answer this question
(and it is one to which no single, absolute answer,
can be given), we shall agree that "excessive"
reading, in the true sense of the word, is always
to be avoided, and shall not cram our minds
with one subject, before properly digesting the
previous one.

(6) Reviewing. — A sixth principle is that we
shall find advantage in reviewing our ground.
Whether we are able to " review", (using the
word in its technical sense), a particular book, or
not, we shall certainly do well to review, in a
general way, our course of reading for a given
period. Books are an important means of cul-
ture, and it becomes us to look well to our prog-
ress, and to see that we are advancing in the right
direction. Reading is a means of developing the
faculties of the mind, and it is well occasionally
to look back and see what new powers we have

* " What shall I read ?" New York, 1878. p. 50.
t Bacon's " Essays," (Whately's ed.) p. 472.

36 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

gained and what steps we have taken. There is
no one of us who cannot look back a year, or two
years, as the case may be, and see plainly that
there are some of the capabilities and powers of
which we are now in possession, which we had
not then acquired ; there are few of us who can-
not trace a gradual growth and development in
our thought and belief. It is this continuous de-
velopment which is the active factor in supply-
ing the experience which comes with years, and
which is the only thing that saves many a reader
from a perpetual diet of worthless literature.

(7) Aids. — As a last point, we may profitably
consider the necessity which confronts us all,
in view of the limitations, the dangers, and
the perplexities of literature, of availing our-
selves of all the helps which we can find, and of
rendering each other all the assistance possible.
If I, by giving you or any one else these hints,
shall have succeeded in inspiring any young
reader with a genuine interest in literature, I am
but rendering a service which is due, and am
helping him as I have myself been helped. Now
there is one direction in which this help and
influence may be extended, which is of pre-
eminent importance ; — namely, the class of young
readers, the children in our schools, — preemi-
nent because the key to the settlement of the

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 37

whole future question of readers and reading
lies in training up the race of future readers
from early childhood. It is too late to effect any
sweeping changes in the reading habits of all
adults, but by beginning with the child, when he
is forming these habits, at least a strong prob-
ability exists of creating an educated reading
public in the future. Now, not merely from this
consideration, but from the active desire to bene-
fit individual readers and pupils, this matter of
the reading of young people has, especially
within the last few years, been claiming much
of the thought and attention of the managers of
our libraries and of our schools. Joint action
of these two agencies has in fact been developed,
and attended with gratifying success in more
than one city and state.* But there is an
agency which comes closer to the child, which
holds a more intimate relation to him than that
of the librarian or the teacher. The parent is
the person best able to influence the reading of
the children, and librarians will welcome few
visitors to the library more heartily than the
parents who come to gain assistance respecting
the reading of their children.!

* On this point see the papers and discussions in the volume
on " Libraries and schools,'1 edited by S. S. Green,
t See the discussion, elsewhere in this volume, on " What

38 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

And the function of the library here indicated
is not the only point at which it is brought into
relation with the thought and life of the public.
A public library is coming to be less and less re-
garded as a vault in which to hoard the treasures
of literature, and more as a workshop in which
the material of literature may be put to practical
application. Between the people, seeking to
use this material, and the books which are to be
used, stands the librarian, not to discourage re-
search but to encourage it ; to cultivate at once
the two fields, — his books and his readers ; — to
see that the books have all the use possible, and
that the readers have all the resources possible.
And this will be done not merely by bringing
the books as a mass to the public as a whole ; —
it will be by studying the relations of individual
books to individual readers. Whenever a book
comes into his collection for the first time, a
librarian regards it as something which is to have
a definite, practical use, in some direction, — to
some individual person, — and he exerts himself
to ascertain what this relation is. And, as re-
gards individual readers, he is constantly bearing
in mind the peculiar tastes and lines of study of

may be done at home/1 for more extended treatment of this
subject, chapter VI.

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 39

different persons, so that, in a given emergency,
he can bring the subject to their attention at the
right time and in the right way.* It is for this
reason that, as a recent writer t has said, " Upon"
the library "all questions converge, and from" it
"radiate all the lines of research that are to lead
to the desired knowledge" ; and it is in this way
that a library, brought in relation to the life of
the whole public, becomes one of the helps of
greatest practical service to readers, and one of
which every reader should avail himself. Let
him consult the library, not merely to find a
book, but to obtain some specific book ; to in-
vestigate some definite principle ; to gain assist-
ance and suggestions in the matter of reading ;
to get all the good out of his use of books which
he possibly can. And all such interested, earnest,
determined readers will find librarians heartily
interested to put them on the right track, and to
help them to the best results.

Something over four years ago, Mr. Winsor,
librarian of Harvard University, wrote :f "One
of the plans I had in mind while I was in charge
of the Boston Library — ," was "that of lectures

* See the suggestions elsewhere in this volume, on " Securing
the interest of a community," chapter V.

+ Worcester High School Reporter. (SepL 1879.)
% Library Journal, v. 3, p. 120.

40 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

upon books and reading." " We had hoped to
interest the sober frequenters of the library by
an occasional ' Evening among the books.' " " I
thought to have, say, a monthly exposition of
the new books, fixing their character and their
places in the literature of their subjects." In the
same volume of the Library Journal* in which
this is printed, you will find a paper by Mr.
Axon, of Manchester, England, advocating the
desirableness of " library lectures" which " have
for their special object the indicating of the
books on some specific topic or class of litera-
ture." " The object would be, not to save the
hearers the trouble of reading, but to show them
how to read to the greatest advantage." I am
confident that, as the latter writer suggests, " it
would not be a difficult task" in some of our
cities, " to get men of ripe knowledge to step out
from the seclusion of their studies and give to
their fellow-citizens advice as to choice of books
and courses of reading," who are specially famil-
iar with their several fields.

To recapitulate; — for the plan of this lecture
is so essentially practical as to justify this en-
forcement of the principles ; — As to the material
of our reading, we should make our selection

* Library Journal^ v. 3, p. 48, 49.

SOME HINTS ON RIGHT READING. 41

with reference to personal adaptation ; to our
symmetrical development ; to its holding our in-
terest; arid with discrimination. And, on the
other hand, as to methods of reading, we should
read with a definite object in view; systematic-
ally ; with comparison of sources and relations ;
making a symmetrical study of certain books ;
digesting and assimilating the material ; review-
ing the ground at intervals; and availing our-
selves of all possible aids. And in the applica-
tion of these principles, the librarians of this
country, it is safe to say, will take great pleasure
in assisting any readers to the realization of
their plans of self-improvement.

II. CORRECTION OF AIMLESS READING.*

DOUBTLESS one of the chief perils of a begin
ner in the use of a library, lies in acquiring a habit
of aimless and purposeless reading. In the nar-
row sense, the individual reader himself is respon-
sible for this state of things. For, no matter
what benign influences surround him, he has it
in his power to thwart them all, and to lead a
life of intellectual inactivity. Yet the parent and
the teacher should not consider it a light matter
that from their hands the child goes out into the
world without quickened perceptions, habits of
close observation, and an intimate and active in-
terest in the concerns of life.

The librarian also is interested. He naturally
wishes to see the best results follow the use of
his books. The loss resulting from this aimless
reading is twofold. Not only does the reader
never make acquaintance with some of the best
books, which he would certainly be charmed with
on a fair trial, but he fails to appreciate the con-

* From Library Journal^ Mar. 31 , 1879 (v- 4i P- 78-80).

CORRECTION OF AIMLESS READING. 43

tents of some which he does read, so listlessly
does he make his way through their pages. Be-
tween libraries of an equal number of volumes
may sometimes be traced a striking difference in
value. So between two libraries of nearly equal
value can sometimes be traced a noticeable differ-
ence in the amount of benefit they produce. In
one, the books find appreciative readers and re-
ceptive minds ; in the other, the same or equally
excellent books appeal in vain to the perceptions
of their readers.

But these results are not finalities. We are not
obliged to conclude that, because personal con-
tact is impossible in every case, all efforts towards
amendment are hopeless. For example, let a
reader looking for a book of Arctic adventure
make his selection from a list prepared on the
plan of the admirable History, Biography, and
Travel catalogue of the Boston Public Library,
with its suggestive notes, illustrations, and refer-
ences. The annual reports of that library for
the years immediately succeeding its publication
show how the use of these books was more than
quadrupled, and how the use of fiction dropped
from 74 per cent of the whole to only 69. In
many libraries the inability to obtain a given
book, after repeated trials, operates to produce a
feeling of indifference, and the reader falls back

44 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

into an aimless desire for any book, no matter
what. Let the librarian counteract this tendency
by adopting some plan of notifying the reader of
the return of the book to the library.

If there be any department of reading in which
we shall be sure of finding the aimless readers, it
is fiction. Mr. Winsor, recognizing this fact, pre-
pared his extraordinarily useful catalogue of Fic-
tion,* which, with its illustrative notes, and con-
stant introduction of the reader to the parallel
historical reading, has done excellent work in so
many libraries. And if a library be obliged tem-
porarily to allow the public the use of its shelf-
lists, a subdivision of the fiction by epochs and
localities, and the linking of each story with the
historical event it illustrates, is a strong incentive
towards carrying one's reading in that direction.
This universal taste for fiction is not the only one
which may thus be utilized. Novelty is another
most attractive feature to the great body of read-
ers, and this fact may be turned to advantage in
the bulletin of new books. Mr. Cutter's plan at
the Boston Athenaeum, now adopted in many
other libraries, has great advantages in the sug-
gestiveness of the " brief notes, original or bor-

* The Boston Public Library " Class list for English prose
fiction."

CORRECTION OF AIMLESS READING. 45

rowed, giving an indication of the character of
some of the books ;" and it has been applied in
some libraries to the daily manuscript bulletins,
as well as to the printed ones. A principle some-
what akin to this was recognized by Mr. Winsor
when he introduced into his quarterly bulletins
valuable bibliographies at the end ; namely, the
principle of referring readers to what the library
contains on some subject of current interest,
whether the books thus referred to be new or
not.*

Readers too often believe that because the
great mass of books in a library were not pub-
lished in the immediate present, they therefore
have no present interest. Yet few of the subjects
which successively in the course of a year com-
mand public attention do not have important
light thrown on them somewhere among the con-
tents of a library.

Still another method is the plan of " notes and
queries," adopted with so much success in the
Boston Athenaeum library, and elsewhere. Ques-
tions of suggestive interest are here proposed by
some one" reader, and answered by any other one
who may be able to do so; and they frequently

* This matter is treated more at length in the next chapter,
The specializing of reading, for general readers."

46 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

open attractive and profitable fields of research.
Nor are these all; doubtless there are few libra-
rians who could not name some one means of
awakening and directing interest, which has been
employed with success. In short, it is plain that,
even for some of the most aimless readers, the
ordinary methods of the library may be so chosen
and employed as to compel an interest where
none existed, and to supply a motive where there
was absence of motive and aim. A library so
conducted, particularly if the librarian be him-
self fully interested, may have something in its
very atmosphere provoking to definite methods
of reading.

Allusion has already been made to the impos-
sibility of the librarian personally reaching and
influencing each individual reader. After all,
nothing is so effective as individual effort, yet,
if the librarian be wise, he may delegate his influ-
ence to those who can and will reach the mass of
his readers. He will find four very potent agents
in this work ; — the clergy, the press, and the par-
ents and teachers of the school children. All of
these are important, but the latter preeminently;
and the growing tendency to cooperation between
the public library and the public school is em-
phatically one to be encouraged. Some of the
most hearty and efficient help, which every libra-

CORRECTION OF AIMLESS READING. 47

rian gladly acknowledges, comes from the intel-
ligent interest which some of the teachers take
in the reading of their pupils.* This, however,
should not be the exception, but the rule. No-
where (except in the home) can correct habits be
more effectively impressed upon a reader, and at
no time better than in youth. Too large a part
of the adult readers in our public libraries give
evidence, by their reading, of a lack of vitality in
their mental habits ; too many, by their failure
to perceive objects and announcements which
conspicuously appeal to their notice, show a neg-
lect in the culture of their observing faculties.

Much valuable effort — and none too much —
has been directed towards setting books before
the people and asking them to read. It is only
right that some of this effort should now be di-
rected towards leading them so to read as to make
their use of books a source of permanent benefit,
and a vital force in their lives.

* For comprehensive discussion of this matter, see the volume,
" Libraries and schools," edited by S. S. Green.

III. THE SPECIALIZING OF READING FOR
GENERAL READERS.*

THE general reader." We shall use this com-
mon, though somewhat unsatisfactory term, in
place of a better one, to designate that large body
existing in any community, whose use of a library
is not the result of any clearly defined purpose,
and whose reading is mainly carried on without
any distinctly formulated aim. The public lib-
rary, indeed, is founded for the benefit of "the
general reader"; but it does not by any means
follow that the reading done in connection with
its books ought to be general, rather than special.
If it be true that this large percentage of readers
approach it with no higher conception of its use,
is not this one of the best of reasons why the
contrary result should be brought about, if pos-
sible? A part of the work of a public library
should be to take the raw material of an aimless
reading public, and, by appropriate processes,
convert it into an intelligent and discriminating

* From Library Journal, Feb. 1881, v. 6, p. 25-27.

THE SPECIALIZING OF READING. 49

reading public, which knows what it wants, and
how to obtain it.*

This, in fact, is the problem which presents
itself for consideration in connection with our
library work of to-day — a problem whose solu-
tion is not without its difficulties, but one which
is worthy of our best thought and closest atten-
tion. The contrast between these two methods
of reading is sharp and suggestive. The reader,
for instance, who frequents a special or technical
collection is likely to be one the very nature of
whose study and reading has developed a most
valuable mental discipline. Many a reader, how-
ever, in our public libraries does not come to us
in search of some particular book, for he is unin-
fluenced by aims or purposes of any kind. Well,
why not apply the reverse process, and let him
find— so to speak — that there is some book in
search of him ? That is, let him find something
which will claim his interest, hold his attention,
and furnish him with a clue for subsequent sys-
tematic reading.

Some methods of accomplishing it. — There is
more than one way of accomplishing this, and it
is a very interesting study to notice how, by a
sort of natural development, the various phases

* See chapter II., on " Correction of aimless reading."

50 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

of this work have presented themselves, and
helped to form what may almost be called a
complete system. The ordinary methods of li-
brary work, for instance, lend themselves readily
to any such purpose as this. The publication, by
the Boston Public Library, of the special cata-
logue of "history, biography, and travel," and
that of "fiction," with their copious notes, ar-
resting the attention and interest of the reader,
became at once effective agencies in leading the
public to higher and more instructive fields of
reading. The publication of the Quincy cata-
logue, soon after, was another step in the same
direction.

A principle which, if not absolutely new, was
somewhat novel- in its application, lies at the
basis of another series of successful attempts in
this direction. Stated briefly, it is this : There is
economy of time and labor in the practical work
of bringing books to the notice of readers, if your
minute cataloguing of a topic can be made con-
temporaneous with the reader's interest in, and
acquaintance with, that topic. And so, when the
Boston Public Library, in 1875, began the regular
publication of notes on special subjects, at the
end of its quarterly Bulletins, it was taking an
important step in this same direction, and its
success depended on this scientific adjustment

THE SPECIALIZING OF READING. 51

of means to ends. Another public library has,
from the very outset, applied this principle, not
to a quarterly, but to a daily, system of notes on
current events and topics, these notes being
posted in a conspicuous "place in the library,
where they are almost sure of catching the read-
er's eye. " This practice," to quote from an ac-
count of it, printed in the Library Journal, v. 3,
p. 26, "is recommended as serving to break into
the aimless habits of reading which characterize
many who use public libraries, and to give their
reading a definite direction and purpose. Being
precisely in the line of what is at the time upper-
most in the thoughts of the public, it commends
itself to their notice with more than ordinary
directness." Out of this practice have been
developed several others. For instance, the
desire of readers to copy these lists of references
led to the introduction of a copying process,
whereby a considerable circle of readers may be
supplied, and habits of study stimulated. The
growth of these habits, in turn, and the gradual
increase in the number of readers desiring such
copies, led to the printing of some of them. A
regular practice is now maintained, of printing
twice a week in the daily newspapers such of
those references, prepared as " daily notes," which
are of the greatest general interest. The next

52 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

step was the issue of the serial publication which,
under the title of the Monthly Reference Lists,
prepared by the Librarian of the Providence
Public Library, has now been published since
Jan., 1 88 1 , and has a subscription list of more than
270 names.*

But the librarian is by no means limited to the
work of originating and developing an entirely
separate line of policy. There are other agencies
at work in the same general direction. Now, if
each may, by a plan of cooperation, share the
benefits of the others' work, the results accom-
plished will be well-nigh doubled in value and
effectiveness. Such an agency as this is the
school. Like the library, its tendency and aim
are to develop study and research along definite
lines. Lying at the basis of all subsequent intel-
lectual development, in the case of most readers,
the nature and extent of its influence on the
young mind can never be regarded as unimport-
ant. To mention the college after the school is
only to pass from the lower to the higher order.
With certain necessary modifications, the same
conditions are met with, and similar methods
may be usefully employed. No one who has

* See 4th annua\ report of the librarian of the Providence
Public Library, p. 8, 9.

THE SPECIALIZING OF READING. 53

carefully studied the recent explanations of me-
thods found useful in college libraries can doubt
the serviceableness of such work.

It, perhaps, occurs to some one that, in reach-
ing this point, — the assistance rendered to college
students, — we are wandering from the original
question — that of reaching the " general reader."
What are our communities as a whole, however,
but bodies of readers composed almost wholly of
persons who have had a more or less extended
course of training and instruction, which has
been carried, in some cases, no farther than the
grammar school, in some cases as far as the col-
lege ? And how does it happen that, in so many
instances, young men and young women, in
graduating from high school or college, seem to
graduate at the same time from anything like
systematic application to study or instructive
reading, and only help to swell the already too
crowded ranks of the " general readers" ? It was
the recognition of this very serious evil — which
might well be compared to the unravelling of the
student's mental training — which led to the or-
ganization, some nine years ago, of the " Society
to Encourage Studies at Home." This society,
as is well known, has confined its invaluable as-
sistance and skilful direction to young women ;
but it doubtless had the effect of suggesting the

54 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

formation of a similar organization for young
men, — "The Young Men's Society for Home
Study," which has likewise been most serviceable
in the same line of work. Other organizations
also, such as the " Chautauqua" association, the
Woman's Education Association, etc., have a
similar purpose. Now, if libraries will obtain
from these, and similar societies, the circulars
and reading-lists, marking on their margin the
numbers by which to apply for the books in their
own collection, they will greatly facilitate the
work thus undertaken ; and doubtless, by com-
municating with the individual students who
follow these courses of study, and taking pains
to see that they are put in the way of obtaining
all the resources they need, the libraries may
still farther advance this work. There is time
only to mention the numerous other channels
through which this work of the library may ex-
tend itself. There are the debating societies and
reading clubs, whose existence in every com-
munity the librarian cannot help being aware of,
and which may readily be made tributary to the
same general principle. There is the continual
round of plays, concerts, and lectures, which oc-
cupy the mind and absorb the attention of the
public. These will, of course, repeatedly serve
the purpose of the "daily notes" and (particu-

THE SPECIALIZING OF READING. 55

larly the lectures) the more extended treatment
of a special reference list. The old idea of the
lecture, let us hope, is in a way to be permanently
superseded by the rational view of the matter, so
well advocated in The Nation a few years ago.*
The last few years have witnessed in several of
our cities a tendency to establish lecture courses
which propose for their aim some definite and
specific attempt at instruction and cultivation,
for people who are willing to take some pains.
In these movements the libraries have found ex-
cellent opportunities for cooperating. The truth
is. however, that a library is an institution of
direct interest and practical service to the whole
community. One of its ramifications penetrates
into the region of historical research, as carried
on by a state or local historical society. Another,
into the field occupied by an- art museum, or
school of design, or technical training school.
Through another line, it communicates with the
commercial and industrial interests of a commu-
nity. Nor can it fail to offer to professional
studies, whether those of the lawyer, the clergy-
man, or the physician, abundant means for ex-
tending and developing them. And in every
such relation, through methods varying, indeed,

* The Nation, Nov. 6, 1879.

56 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

with the varying conditions, the librarian will
find that course preeminently useful which as-
sists and intensifies the tendency toward a defi-
nite and specific line of study.

What are the objections? — But are there no
difficulties in the way? Are there no objections
to be urged ? Let us see. It may be objected,
for instance, that those who need help, such as is
here proposed, will not avail themselves of it, and
will fail to appreciate its value ; while those who
do appreciate it are just the ones who do not
need it. As regards the " appreciation" of such
work, that is a matter to which the librarian
cannot be wholly indifferent; yet his work is,"of
course, not performed to gain this, but to render
the public a service. And, as regards the failure
of the public to avail itself of such aids, that is a
matter of greater or less magnitude, according as
the librarian has set his expectations too high or
the reverse. It is possible to be disappointed in
any branch of library work, if we look for results
which the actual condition of affairs does not
warrant. But if not improved as it should be,
shall it be withdrawn ? On the contrary, it seems
altogether more reasonable to stimulate and de-
velop its use.

Another objection suggested is that this is a
perversion of the true aim of a library, which is

THE SPECIALIZING OF READING. 57

simply to furnish facilities for consulting the
books in its collection. It is true that nothing
could be farther from the true aim of a library
than the attempt to propagate or inculcate any
particular set of doctrines, in theology or in poli-
tics. But this is entirely different from a method
of conducting the library which will cause the
reader to turn his mind in some definite direc-
tion, and concentrate his attention on some
specific subject. As in a school, the pupil is not
to have his ideas on subjects of the day poured
into him by the teacher, but to be taught to
think for himself; so, in the work of the library,
the reader is not to be trained into adopting
some one specific opinion, but is to be led to in-
vestigate some particular topic for himself. But,
above all, let it be some one thing, and not " any-
thing, no matter what."

Still farther, it may be claimed that such as-
sistance as this tends to place the student him-
self in a false relation to his work; leading him
to feel that it has all been done for him, and thus
encouraging him in indolent mental habits. It
is certain that there are readers and students
who would take this view of it. But what sort
of a conception of right methods of study must
such a student have? He regards that as the
end and completion of his work which is in-

58 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

tended only as a preparation for it. And, besides,
it is proper to inquire whether this class of stu-
dents will pursue a more beneficial course if such
assistance be not furnished. But the testimony
of professors and teachers is to the effect that
" the lazy student will be lazy still," whether fur-
nished with intelligently devised assistance or
not. As regards the students who appreciate
the value and true purpose of such aid, however,
the testimony is no less decided, and extremely
gratifying. For convenience, I quote from some
of the Harvard professors cited by Mr. Winsor in
his third report, but similar statements reach us
from all quarters where such methods are in use.
One of these professors says: " It is impossible
to overestimate the worth of the bibliographi-
cal indications and helps." "There is not one
forensic in ten that does not show painstaking
study."* Another says: "So far from unfitting
the writers for original work, it seems to me that
the aid thus given induces the student to exam-
ine different authorities, and to weigh them care-
fully, instead of blindly following some possibly
untrustworthy writer, discovered by chance." He
adds : " It cannot fail to teach them — what is

* Dr. Peabody, cited in 3d report of the Librarian of Harvard
University, p. 9.

THE SPECIALIZING OF READING. 59

generally the last thing learned — the proper use
of books."*

The manifest advantages of these methods
consist in the opportunities which they furnish
of bringing the work of the library into close
association with the work, the study, and the
thought of the individual reader. To bring par-
ticular books to the intelligent attention of par-
ticular readers is the principle underlying these
experiments in " practical bibliography"; and it
is almost certain that in this way the library may
effectually identify itself with those " wide, deep
currents of popular taste" so impressively pointed
out in an address t at the Boston Conference of
Librarians in 1879, by Mr. Adams.

* Professor T. S. Perry, cited in 36. report of the Librarian of
Harvard University, p. 10.
t Library Journal, v. 4, p. 337.

IV. "CURRENT LITERATURE" AND
"STANDARD LITERATURE."*

What is current literature? — Let us start with
a clear idea of what we mean by current litera-
ture. That which is "current" is of course that
which is now " running," or now coming out. It
includes therefore the magazines which we read
as they appear from month to month. It in-
cludes also the books which are constantly mak-
ing their appearance, as fresh publications. It
includes also the newspapers, daily and weekly.
Now, as you know very well, this element of
freshness, of novelty, of current publication, is an
important one as connected with the question of
what people are reading; because it is found that
wherever books are sold, or lent, or published,
the demand for new ones is always a heavy one.
And on the other hand, if you have ever ex-
amined the matter, you must have found a great
body of counsel and argument and proof, going
to show that it is not well to spend too much

* Portions of this chapter were originally delivered as familiar
lectures to pupils in several Rhode Island schools.

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 6l

time on this class of reading; and that the litera-
ture which the general consent of mankind has
approved, and which has stood the test of time,
is chiefly worthy of our attention. For instance,
the two often quoted rules of Mr. Emerson thus
admonish you: (i) " Never read any book that is
not a year old ;" (2) " Never read any but famed
books."

There is certainly great force in these con-
siderations, yet I suppose we shall all be obliged
to do more or less of this current reading so long
as we live.

Not all current reading is important. — But
considerable discrimination is necessary. Every
newspaper, for instance, contains a vast amount
of material which is of no special service to you,
and on this you do not need to bestow much
thought. In fact, you need to cultivate a habit
of mental classification, so that, (to quote from a
recent writer), you will involuntarily dispose of
your material as " that which is to be forgotten,
that which is to be located for reference, and that
which is to be committed to memory." And in
selecting the material which you actually "com-
mit to memory", you need to exercise most care.
You will at first wish to remember everything,
perhaps. But every mind's capacity has its max-
imum, and anything added over and above that

62 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

is not retained. In thus discriminating and
selecting, you must be guided not merely by the
intrinsic value of the knowledge, but by its rela-
tive value to you. A carefully trained sense of
proportion will be of great service to you ; and in
view of the large amount of material, and the
limited amount of time, your mind should run
through the newspaper with as little waste as
possible; — instinctively gathering to itself the
items which it needs. A recent writer has very
forcibly expressed what I mean by the following
illustration : " You have perhaps seen a magnet
dragged through some sand in which iron filings
had been scattered, and have noticed how invol-
untarily they ranged themselves along the mag-
net. This is the way in which your mind should
take up what it needs." But, going back for a
moment to the habit of "mental classification" of
which we were speaking, let us consider for a
moment that which is "to be located for refer-
ence." I was glad to see how well this lesson
had been learned by the pupils of a Massachu-
setts school, [the Worcester High School], a
short time ago, who had adopted as one of their
principles in the use of the library : " Qui scit
ubi sit scientia habenti est proximus."* A free

* This motto will be recognized as that which most appropri-

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 63

translation would be: "Knowing where to find
the information is the next thing to having it
yourself." To recur to illustrations, how well
Mr. Winsor has characterized this method as that
of " pigeon-holing your knowledge." Have you
ever seen the writing-desk of a lawyer who is re-
quired to be familiar with many different cases
at the same time ? Now he may not be able to
tell you, off-hand, every detail of every case, but
he can do the next best thing; — he can put his
finger on the very pigeon-hole where the infor-
mation is filed, and produce it for you. Much of
your material also you will do well to " pigeon-
hole," to use when needed.

How to make it suggestive. — Now, what I am
going to do at this time is not to try to persuade
you to abandon "current" reading altogether,
but to make it, if possible, a means of leading up
to and suggesting lines of reading in the field of
generally acknowledged and approved literature.
And not only that, but to make this a fixed habit.
For example, I took up the morning Journal
some months ago and noticed that Mr. James
Russell Lowell had been delivering an address at
the dedication of a public library at Worcester,

ately stands on the title-page of Poole's Index — that indispen-
sable tool hereafter for every reader and student.

64 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

in England. What was more natural than to ask
myself, "What are the historical associations of
Worcester?" "What are its local industries?"
" Has it attained pre-eminence in any branch of
art or design ?" On consulting works of reference
1 found that the city was besieged by the parlia-
mentary forces in a memorable campaign of the
civil wars; that it has a cathedral dating from
the year 983 ; that it is one of the three places
where the well-known cathedral festivals are
held, which have so notably advanced the devel-
opment of music in England ; that its justly cele-
brated manufactures of pottery and porcelain
date from 1751 ; and that there have been fre-
quent and very interesting interchanges of offi-
cial courtesies between this Worcester in old
England, and our neighboring city of Worcester,
in New England.

This is a habit which is susceptible of cultiva-
tion, and may be brought to such a point as to
enable a man to find matter for reflection, for
thought, for interested attention, in so unpromis-
ing a field as a directory, or an advertising man-
ual, or a dictionary. Mr. George Eggleston, as
you may have read, was once shut up for a week
in a Tennessee farm-house, by stormy weather.
In the house were only three books, and of these
the one which he found " by all odds the most

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 65

promising" was an old copy of Johnson's " Dic-
tionary ;" and this he read with interest for five
consecutive days. The Latin poet Terence de-
clared : " Homo sum. Nihil humani a me alie-
num puto ;" and if you consider a moment you will
see that this principle most fitly applies to our
use of the newspaper, for nowhere is there a
more comprehensive reflection of all subjects of
human concern. Make the trial some day with
your morning paper, and see from what unex-
pected corners of the paper, you find suggestive
lines of thought stretching out.

And now, leaving this point for the present,
let us examine in detail three of the ways in which
this suggestive habit of mind may be made useful.
Namely, in connection with GENERAL LITERA-
TURE, with HISTORY, and with POLITICAL SCI-
ENCE. Not by any means that these three are
the only ones. But they will best serve our pur-
pose at this time.

GENERAL LITERATURE.— Let us suppose that
in your morning paper you find the adjective,
"Quixotic." The writer says that "This man
has no great following in his Quixotic attempt to
involve the American government in his personal
difficulties." Quixotic. It is an adjective, but it
is spelt with a capital. It must be from some
proper name, then, must it not? What is that

66 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

proper name ? Quixote ; Don Quixote. Who
was Don Quixote ? Supposing you had not
known, where would you have looked, to find
out ? Why would you not have looked in a bio-
graphical dictionary ? Who wrote the story in
which this character is found ? In what lan-
guage ? Is this name Spanish ? What is the
Spanish pronunciation of the name? What
word do you use, to express that modification of
pronunciation by which a well-known foreign
name is pronounced like an English name? In
what book do you find the pronunciation of
proper names ? Can you find anywhere in this
book any general or universal principles, under-
lying the pronunciation in different languages?
In what period of Spanish literature does this
story belong? What traits underlie the repre-
sentation of this character of Don Quixote?
What is the exact application of this figure of
speech in this case? What is the name of this
figure of speech ? Is the use of figurative lan-
guage an effective feature in ordinary compo-
sition ? Well, we will stop here ; but you see
that that simple adjective has been wonderfully
suggestive of interconnected ideas in rhetoric;
orthoepy; linguistic principles; European lit-
erature; the use of reference books; and even
other fields.

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 6?

Let us take another instance. A book pub*
lished several weeks ago has the title, " The peak
in Darien." Some book of travel or adventure,
you may perhaps think, as you see the advertise-
ment in the morning paper. You obtain the
book, and open it. You find that it consists of
some seven or eight essays, of which the last one
bears the title which the book has also taken,
and which seems to be a discussion of ethical
questions. This of course disposes of the im-
pression you may have had, that the book was a
work of travel. Reading through the essay to
see why it is entitled " The peak in Darien," you
find that it appears to be based on the idea which
underlies one of Keats 's sonnets ; — that sonnet
which closes with the line, " Silent upon a peak
in Darien." This then is the significance of the
book's title ; — a line of poetry. Turning now to
the sonnet, to see what its essential idea is, you
find that here also the language is highly figura-
tive. The sonnet is entitled "On first looking
into Chapman's Homer." Put into homely Eng-
lish prose, the poet declares by this language,
that the book here referred to, with its beauties
of style, was as complete a revelation, as stupen-
dous a discovery, as when an astronomer discov-
ers a planet, or as when Cortez, "silent", (" with a
wild surmise"), " upon apeak in Darien," discov-

68 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

ered the Pacific Ocean lying at his feet. But how
many different lines of thought this little excur-
sion into Miss Cobbe's book has started for us.
We find ourselves reflecting about Cortez and
Balboa, and about the early voyages in search of
India, and about the later efforts at securing an
interoceanic canal. About Homer, and the fasci-
nations of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and about
English translators of Homer ; and about George
Chapman who in 1596 translated the Iliad, and
gave English readers their first taste of its mar-
vellous quality. About the English literature
of the i6th century, and the strange attractive-
ness that Chapman's language even now has to
our ears. About John Keats and his steadily ad-
vancing position in the English literature of this
century; about the ethical quality of his poetry,
and that subtle element in it, — not to be analyzed
or described — which suggests now Milton and
now Wordsworth. About the wonderful expres-
siveness of poetry in general, to represent the
higher emotions, which Principal Shairp has re-
cently discussed in his " Aspects of poetry."
About Miss Cobbe's essay in this volume, with
its notable outlook into spiritual fields of thought,
and the place which her writings fill in contem-
porary English discussion. Surely this instance

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 69

has proved an exceedingly suggestive one, in the
lines of thought indicated by it.

But we must not spend any more time on this
first point, LITERATURE. Let us see what we
can find under the second head :

HISTORY. — History is something that we read
of, is it not? Yes, but history is perhaps just as
truly something that you are living in. One of
the most difficult things in the world is to realize
the significance of the age we are living in ; and
of the events which are actually occurring around
us; the current events, in short. The late Dean
Stanley, in an address in this country in 1878,
(and referring to the early history of this coun-
try), reminded us, in his felicitous manner that
"The youth of a nation is its antiquity." And
how true this is, yet it requires an effort of mind
to see that it is so. How instinctively the child
associates venerable appearance and gray hair
and advanced age, with those who lived a long
time ago, — with the Bible characters, for instance;
or the men of the Elizabethan age ; or our own
revolutionary ancestors, even. But let us stop,
for a moment, and ask ourselves how old was
Washington at the breaking out of hostilities in
1775? Only 43. How old was Patrick Henry?
39 years. Nathanael Greene was 33. Thomas

70 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

Jefferson only 32 ; John Jay barely 30. James
Madison only 24; and Alexander Hamilton only
1 8. Certainly not a very venerable company.
Moreover, if we had lived during those stirring
times there would have been no suggestion to us
of antiquity ; — although this historic period, re-
ceding as it does every year farther and farther
into the shadowy past, gives us that impression.
Our late civil war, though much nearer to us in
point of time, is to most of you only a tradition.
Yet some events not by any means unimportant
have occurred within the time that the oldest
of you have been in this school. Within three
years no less than three presidents have occupied
the executive chair in our own country. One of
these left the place by the expiration of his term
of office. Another was wantonly murdered while
discharging the duties of his office. A third suc-
ceeded to this position in the manner appointed
by the constitution. Is there nothing of historic
interest in this, and in the memorable thrill of
sympathy which vibrated round the world when
our late president was struck down, when he
rallied and sank alternately, for so many days,
and finally succumbed ? And to all this, you and
I were witnesses, in a certain sense. Within these
years also the Beaconsfield administration under
which Great Britain had been ruled for more

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 71

than half a decade has gone out of office, and
Lord Beaconsfield himself has died. In Russia
the czar has been struck down by an assassin's
hand, and, to this day, it is not known to a cer-
tainty whether his successor has been crowned,
so deeply seated is the revolutionary spirit and
movement. Still farther from home more than one
war in which the commercial and political interests
of Europe as well as the east are involved, has had
its origin, run its course, and reached its termin-
ation. Nor is this all. You are doubtless aware
that the measuring of literary epochs is only
roughly represented by a division into centuries.
The " eighteenth century" practically closed, so
far as its essential spirit is concerned, with the
outbreak of the French revolution in 1789. And
it is not impossible that you may sometime be
able to look back and see that these three years,
in which the earthly careers of Carlyle, George
Eliot, and Beaconsfield, of Longfellow and Em-
erson have closed, may almost be said to termi-
nate an epoch in English literature.

Now have we, living in the midst of these
things, with our newspapers constantly informing
us of them, been able accurately to place them
all, and to give each its true historical proportion ?
That, I fear, is something which even the most
assiduous student of history will still fall short

72 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

of doing to his complete satisfaction ; but cer-
tainly we might come a great deal nearer to it
than we do. For one thing, let us remember
what the late Professor Diman was accustomed
to impress upon his classes ; — that no event in
history is to be conceived of as standing by it-
self. For instance, there is no such thing as a
study of American history, wholly apart from and
unconnected with European history. There can
be no adequate view formed of the history of even
so small a State as our own State of Rhode Isl-
and, without taking into account the growth of
institutions which had a Germanic origin, which
passed through successive processes of develop-
ment in England, and which on our own conti-
nent have had a growth of their own.

Concentrating attention on some specific topic.
— But let me here remind you of a consideration
which is of great importance. If you glance
back over the ground over which we have thus
far gone, you notice that everything has been in
the direction of what may be called an analytic
process ; — of taking apart, of separating the top-
ics into their elements; of following out the lines
of thought in different, frequently in opposite,
directions. Now this is all very well, so far as it
goes ; yet it needs to be supplemented and fol-
lowed up by an opposite tendency (which we

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 73

may call the synthetic process), if we are ever
going to bring our researches to a head ; if we
are going to accomplish anything of substantial
benefit in our mental development. There must,
to be sure, be analysis before there is synthesis ;
but having found what a choice of material we
have in these diverging lines of thought, let us
see that some of them converge, and that they
concentrate somewhere. Sir Arthur Helps has
said that a most effective method of historical
study is that of "presenting small portions of
kistory, of great interest, thoroughly exam-
ined."*

Let us now take one topic which may serve to
illustrate the method of using these historical
suggestions.

We will suppose that the subject in which
your newspaper has interested you is Egypt.
You say to yourself : " What has England to do
with Egypt anyway?" " How comes an English
army to be righting in Egypt ?" By a few such
questions as these your interest passes beyond
the stage where you simply care to turn over the
leaves of the illustrated papers and look at the
pictures of the English ships, the troops, and the
camps.

* " Friends in council," series i, vol. i, p. 194,

74 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

You are looking now for the reason of things.
You find that Great Britain's colonial policy has
been a most vital feature in her development for
the last few centuries ; that her interests in Brit-
ish India particularly have claimed much of her
closest attention and governed much of her for-
eign policy ; that the completion of the Suez
canal in 1865 opened a commercial highway to
India which it was of the highest importance for
her to control, or at least not to have controlled
in opposition to her interest ; that owing to the
fact that France had anticipated her in the con-
trol of the canal, negotiations with France be-
came necessary in order to bring about a joint
control of Egyptian affairs; that in 1875 Great
Britain became the owner of a controlling share
in the canal; that in 1878 the European "con-
trol " was established, with a separate officer rep-
resenting the two countries, Great Britain and
France; — determined to see that nothing preju-
dicial to the interests of the two countries was
set on foot in Egypt ; that a feeling of hostility
to the control on the part of the native Egyp-
tians has been developing itself for the past few
years, and by a peculiar condition of affairs came
to ally itself with the movement headed by Arabi
Bey which was primarily a revolt against the
Khedive; that the same peculiar condition of

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 75

affairs drew Great Britain into taking an active
part in actual hostilities ; (i) from the desire to
protect the lives and persons of her own citizens
in Egypt ; (2) from the determination to keep
the canal open ; (3) from her intention to pre-
serve the " European control ;" (4) from the ex-
tent to which Great Britain had already been
committed to this line of foreign policy by the
administration of Mr. Gladstone's predecessor,
Lord Beaconsfield ; (5) from the fact that an-
archy existed in the presence of British troops,
and the Khedive looked to them to put it down.
Now if you make yourselves thoroughly masters
of this one thing, tracing out in the historical
works everywhere accessible these lines of study,
yOu can look back on the year 1882 with some
satisfaction, and feel that you have " located "
and "fixed" one of its historic facts in your
mind.

The interconnection of studies and topics. — Let
me remind you of another thing. In any series
of studies which you are pursuing there is sure
to be more or less interlacing and intercon-
nection. It is not easy to draw what may be
called " hard and fast lines" in a division of
studies. And it is certainly better as it is; for
the true way is to interpret the new by the old
and the old by the new. The suggestiveness of

76 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

contemporary events should serve to call up to
your mind those events of past history which
throw needed light on them. Conversely, in
studying past history, how like a flood of light
on the subject comes some practical illustration
in the shape of contemporary occurrences. This
is well understood by intelligent teachers. Doubt-
less also you are aware that in the system of
" Daily notes" which forms an essential feature
of the work of some public libraries, the same
principle is recognized.* And I would like to
suggest to you that this is a principle which you
may very appropriately incorporate into your own
mental habits. Suppose that each morning you
find your newpaper suggesting to you some sub-
ject for study and research. This you endeavor
to follow out by consulting reference books and
using all possible helps. If you come to the
library, very likely you may find that this is the
very subject to which references have been made
that morning. If not, ask the librarian specially
about it, and you will find him interested to run
through the train of thought with you. Now
you will find that this is a sort of mental disci-
pline which contributes directly to develop that

* See the discussion of " The specializing of reading for gen-
eral readers," elsewhere in this volume. Chapter III.

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 77

suggestive habit of mind of which we have been
speaking. Besides that, it tends to develop habits
of comparative study and research, and to give
you facility in the use of material.

POLITICAL SCIENCE.— Now let us pass to con-
sider the third point, and the first thing which
strikes us is its intimate, almost vital connection,
with the field of history, which we have just left
Why is this ?

Well, let us see whether we can understand it by
a reference to natural science. We notice that a
tree standing in front of a church is not quite
symmetrical ; that the branches which grow on
the side nearest the building have by no means
the full and vigorous development of those which
grow on the outer side, This we will call the
observation of a fact in natural science. The
reason for it is that the difference in exposure to
the sun, the air and the winds, will make this
difference in growth. This we will call a law of
natural science. To take another illustration.
We notice that a covered carriage cannot be
driven so rapidly against the wind as before the
wind. This is because a partially hollowed open-
ing like this will offer the greatest resistance pos-
sible to the current of wind, instead of allowing
it to glance off. Here again we have the obser-
vation and the law or principle,

rj& LIBRARIES AND READERS.

Let us look now at historical and political sci-
ence. We notice that where great stringency
exists as to forbidding the publication of sedi-
tious articles, as in Russia at the present time,
the spirit of sedition is apparently stimulated all
the more. This is an historical observation.
The reason is that exceptional cases of opposition
to the existing order of government are found
everywhere, from the very nature of things, and
that the safest course is to allow them freedom
of expression which acts as a safety-valve. This
is a political principle. Again, we notice that in
the south, before the war, the instances were
more rare than at the north where the popula-
tion supported very heartily any such institutions
as a public school, or public provision for light-
ing the streets, or for public distribution of mails.
The reason is that the extremely isolated nature
of settlements such as there prevailed has not
a tendency to encourage public spirit or com.
m unity of action, but the reverse. Here again
we have the observation and the principle ; and
you will notice that the political or economic
principle just as truly explains the historical fact
as the natural principle or natural law explains
the physical fact.

It is no wonder then that, as a very intelligent
writer has said : " History has always been set

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. 79

down as the especial study for statesmen." And
on the other hand, it is easy to see how a know-
ledge of political laws and principles is of great
importance in reading, interpreting, understand-
ing and appreciating the events of history.
Hence it is that the study of a particular coun-
try's history (as for example, United States his-
tory in schools) furnishes one of the most appro-
priate opportunities for referring to, investigating,
and comprehending the political principles which
underlie the development of the nation.* And
nowhere will your newspaper give you more
numerous or more fruitful themes for study and
investigation than in this department of political
science. A recent writer f has drawn from the
figures showing the number of pupils who reach
respectively the highest classes in our grammar
schools, the high schools, and the colleges, con-
clusive arguments showing that if we wish to lay
the foundations for a generation of carefully in-
structed and intelligently reflecting citizens in
the future, our instruction in political science

* Mr. Edward A. Freeman's dictum that " History is past
politics ; that politics are present history," (u Lectures to Amer-
ican audiences," p. 207), will at once occur to the reader.
Compare also Fortnightly Review, March, 1881, v. 35, p. 320, 328.

t " Instruction in political science in schools below the col-
lege"; by Augustine Jones. Providence, 1882.

8o LIBRARIES AND READERS.

must begin as low as the grammar schools, for it
is only a small percentage that ever goes any
higher. It is of the highest importance then to
gain an intelligent acquaintance with political
principles and their application from day to day
by the aid of the suggestive clues furnished by
the newspaper.

Different tendencies correcting each other. — And
let me remind you of another important consid-
eration in connection with current reading. If
it has not already occurred to you, it doubtless
will in your college course, which lies just ahead
of you, that the different forces and tendencies
by which a student is acted on somewhat resem-
ble a complex system of checks and balances, one
of which corrects the other. The "course of
study" pulls now in this direction, now in that.
Opposing forces neutralize each other, and it is
the resultant which we call education. Let us
take an illustration of this. A tendency of the
study of history is to suggest the importance of
broad generalizations; — of not confining ourselves
to one isolated instance, but of recognizing the
abstract principle which underlies the whole.
Yet this important truth, (for it is a truth), the
untrained mind maybe in danger of pressing too
closely. Now let the study of natural science
come in, with its invaluable discipline; indicat-

CURRENT AND STANDARD LITERATURE. Si

ing the danger of too hasty generalizations ; and
showing the necessity for careful verification of
inferences; and warning the student against pro-
ceeding with insufficient data. How admirably
it serves to correct the tendency just indicated.
Take another illustration. The study of rhetoric
can hardly fail to impress the young student with
the effectiveness in argument of the sharp, em-
phatic, unhesitating statement of a principle.
Yet who can fail to see the importance of follow-
ing it up by the study of logic, which with its se-
vere analysis shows how exceedingly rare are the
instances in which we are justified in using either
an "universal affirmative" or an "universal nega-
tive"? By this means, the mind is taught to look
for the less obvious conditions which attend and
limit nearly every assertion, the disregard of
which is responsible for most of the unwarranted
and unwarrantable dogmatic statements which
are current. And so a tendency set at work in
the process of our education harmless enough
(and indeed positively valuable) within proper
limits, but admitting of being unduly emphasized,
finds its "corrective" in another tendency, sub-
ject also like the first to abuse if pressed too far.
Now it is for a similar reason that our reading of
newspapers may be made serviceable. If, as is
sometimes claimed, the studies of classical liter-

82 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

ature and of abstract science, involve a tendency
to withdraw the mind from every-day matters*
certainly nothing is better adapted to counteract
the tendency than an intelligent familiarity with
the current news of the day. Let no one forget,
however, that if we limit ourselves to the latter
influence, we are even more poorly furnished, as
regards mental cultivation, than if the former
were our sole means of culture.

And if this rapid survey of the different direc-
tions in which the suggestiveness of current
events may be made serviceable to you, has caused
you to see that in these years of school life and
school studies you have opportunities for mental
culture scarcely inferior to any others in their
possibilities for usefulness ; and that the " current
reading" which constantly falls under your no-
tice is connected by numberless lines of associa-
tion with the "standard literature" which may
furnish you the highest culture, I shall be sincere-
ly glad to have led you to consider these subjects.

V. SECURING THE INTEREST OF A COM-
MUNITY.*

THIS chapter mainly resolves itself into a con-
sideration of direct and indirect methods. The
one attempts only to supply the public with what
it wants ; the other, striving after the truest im-
provement of the readers, in time secures, with
the growth of intelligent appreciation, an interest
even more active, and vastly more permanent,
than the other. No library may safely disregard
either class of methods, and their proper adjust-
ment is a point which may very profitably engage
much of the librarian's attention.

The question of what is wanted. — It is true
that the first of these is not likely to escape his
attention. " What the public wants" is a con-
sideration which will meet him frequently, from
one end of the year to the other. No one needs
to be told, for instance, that the public wants to
be amused. Doubtless the class of books de-
scribed as "humorous" would constitute, to a

* From Library Journal, Sept.-Oct., 1880, v. 5, p. 245-47.

84 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

large body of readers in any one of our cities, the
true ideal of a collection of books. The taste for
imaginative literature begins early and lasts long,
with a large number of readers. " Something
new" is a phrase whose attractiveness is not far
from universal. Still farther, if it be a question
between a "true account," which deals with stir-
ring adventures, and another " true account,"
whose pages are devoted to an impassive state-
ment of scientific facts, there is not much ques-
tion which will find the most readers among the
general public. "What the public wants," then,
as regards the choice of books, while it certainly
does not indicate a high degree of enlightenment,
has perhaps the merit of being true to nature.

Thereare certain points of administration, also,
in which the interest of the public is concerned.
It is in favor of having the library as near its place
of residence as possible; and here, unfortunately,
"the public" is a plural personage which cannot
all be suited at once. It is in favor of that method
of obtaining the privileges of the library which
requires the least trouble and inconvenience on
its part, and sometimes fails to see the need of a
careful verification of the applicant's identity.
It is in favor of the fewest restrictions on access
to the books, and on the time for keeping them.
It is in favor, decidedly, of that "charging sys-

THE INTEREST OF A COMMUNITY. 85

tern" which will deliver the book soonest. It is
in favor of finding the library open on all days
and at all hours, sometimes even not regarding the
specified hours announced, it must be confessed.
In short, while it is by no means difficult to per-
suade the public of the reasonableness of a par-
ticular restriction, yet its first thought is some-
times largely influenced by selfish considerations.

Nor is the larger part of the public any more
fond of bestowing deep and painstaking thought
upon the books which it reads, and of carrying
the mind systematically through a complicated
mental process. It is not improbable even that
some readers would be glad of a method of using
books which should save them the trouble of any
mental process. And, from these readers who
are so much averse to any troublesome efforts
towards improvement on their own part, it would
be scarcely reasonable to look for any very intel-
ligent supervision of the reading of their children,
or of the pupils in the schools. Here, again, what
the public wants is " the royal road " — some
" short and easy method."

That library, then, which would awaken and
develop a lively interest among its readers in the
miscellaneous public, cannot certainly complain
of a lack of methods by which to secure such in-
terest. It may include in its selection of books

86 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

a suitable percentage of fiction, and humorous
works. It may infuse " new blood " into the li-
brary by frequent and regular purchases of the
latest publications. It may add largely to the
department of voyages and travels, of books
copiously illustrated, — of popular literature, in
short. It may place its main building in the
centre of population, and establish branches for
the accommodation of outlying localities. It may
recognize the desirableness of " the least red tape"
in registering readers, of open book-shelves, of
expeditious serving of readers, and long periods
of time for the use of the library and the reten-
tion of books. It may furnish its readers with
explanations and directions for obtaining and
using the books, which shall require the least
difficulty in understanding and applying them.
It may, and it should, recognize the value of all
these principles, and the library which fails to act
on them does so at its peril. Yet these points do
not comprise all that demand attention ; and the
effectiveness of even these is due to the limits
which are set to them. A certain amount of fic-
tion is well enough, but to enlarge this depart-
ment at the expense of all others would clearly
defeat the library's purpose. Diminution of re-
strictions in the use of books is certainly agree-
able to the public, but the removal of all restric-

THE INTEREST OF A COMMUNITY. 87

tions would result in such a loss of books as would
soon work its own cure.

The question of serviceableness. — The question,
" What does the public want ?" is not the only,
nor, in fact, the chief question to be borne in mind
in conducting a library. One has only to keep
his eyes open to see how suggestive as to methods
is this other question : "Of what service may the
library be ?" And it is safe to say that one who
has not given the subject attention will be sur-
prised to find at how many points a collection of
books, and the thought there contained, touch
human life. Here is a machine-shop with its
hundred or more workmen, many of whom are
anxious to study some mechanical work. The
library has such works, and is glad to supply
them. Here again is a society of natural history,
whose members are systematically studying some
department of natural science. To them, also,
the library willingly offers its resources in that
department. With no less willingness it offers
its cooperation to those who are following a
course of public lectures on some topic of polit-
ical science or of art, to a college class studying
topically some epoch of history or period of lit-
erature; or to a public-school teacher, with a
class in geography; or a parent desiring some
Suitable reading for a child. Or, with no speci.

88 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

fied class of persons in view, it seeks to make its
collection generally available, by regular refer-
ences to its resources on matters of current and
universal interest.*

Much more effective, however, than the best of
such attempts at reaching classes of readers will
be the aid rendered to individual readers. Not
general and indefinite, but specific and direct
assistance, is here given, and, although at first
this kind of work might seem to be impracti-
cable in a large library, yet one who tries it will
be interested to see how far such individual
methods may be introduced. The librarian
almost mechanically learns "to pigeon-hole" in
his mind the peculiar tastes and lines of reading
of single readers, and, when the occasion presents
itself, can bring to their notice books and articles
which they are glad to obtain. More than one
librarian makes it a regular practice, in adding
new books to the library, or in collecting mate-
rial bearing upon some one topic, to drop a
postal card to this and that reader who, he
knows, will be glad of just this information.
The more the conducting of a library can be
made an individual matter, bringing particular

*See the discussion of "The specializing of reading for gen-
eral readers," elsewhere in this volume. Chapter III.

THE INTEREST OF A COMMUNITY. 89

Docks to the notice of particular readers, the
more effective it becomes.

It remains to consider what may be called the
" general effect" of such individual efforts, con-
tinued from one year to another. They will cer-
tainly result in giving the public a large amount
of assistance. Being exerted in connection with
the whole community, they cannot fail to leave
an influence, like the school, the church, or the
newspaper, — an influence, moreover, which, if
wisely directed, and intelligently shaped, will
make the public-library idea appreciably felt in
the civilization of the country.

Nor can it fail to have a reflex influence in
securing the interest of the public in the library.
If methods of the former class were able, by their
direct agency, to accomplish practical results,
even more significant and more permanent are
those reached indirectly by this method. No
class of people will be so truly attached to the
institution, by active interest, as those who feel
that they have been personally aided and im-
proved through its agency. The former methods
are directly adapted to secure popularity, the lat-
ter to win gratitude ; and if it should ever be-
come necessary to choose one of these, at the
expense of the other, there can be little room for
hesitation. The growth of public sentiment in

QO LIBRARIES AND READERS.

communities like Boston and Worcester, where
public libraries have been administered on these
principles, and with these ends in view, for a
series of years, is very instructive. Public sen-
timent, like confidence, is "a plant of slow
growth" ; but experience shows that when the
conviction has once thoroughly penetrated a
community that an institution like this is sin-
cerely aiming to serve the public, a hold on its
sympathy and interest has been acquired not
easily to be shaken. It should be the aim of
each librarian to make the usefulness of his in-
stitution so manifest that the public will as soon
think of dispensing with the post-office as with
the library.

VI. WHAT MAY BE DONE AT HOME.

A FEW WORDS TO PARENTS.

IT is well that the public is opening its eyes to
the fact that the question of children's reading
is one of prime importance. The efforts which
have been made to direct and improve it have
met with very general approval and commenda-
tion. For the school teacher sees in them a
means of very effectively supplementing the work
of the school. And the librarian regards them
as a vital feature of his library work, if that work
is to accomplish its best results. And even the
general public, — your average "good citizen," —
must be interested in a plan which aims at cre-
ating for future years a generation of good read-
ers who as adults will make the best and most
intelligent use of libraries, in place of the adult
readers of to-day, so large a percentage of whom
do not thus use their opportunities.

But what, meanwhile, does the parent of the
child think and feel in this matter? Is it noth-
ing to him that society is seeking to improve his
child, and thus protect itself? It is something
to him. It is much more to him than the aver-

Q2 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

age parent has yet comprehended. For, let it be
remembered, efficient and earnest as may be the
work of the teacher, and interested and helpful
as may be the cooperation of the librarian, there
are obvious limitations to their opportunities for
usefulness. The librarian, with his multiform
and manifold duties and claims upon his time,
counts himself fortunate if " once in a while" he
can command the time for individual contact
with interested young readers, and for advice and
suggestions as to their use of books. He feels
that in order to make his influence count, he
must secure the interest of the -three hundred or
rive hundred teachers, as the case may be, who
will, each in their respective positions of influ-
ence, extend the same interested supervision.
Yes, but when that has been secured, the time of
the teacher himself is not unlimited. There is
the prescribed curriculum of studies which must
be faithfully followed. Again, the school is only
one of many influences by which the pupil is
acted on at his age. And again, the instances
are rare in which one pupil remains under the
instruction and direction of the same teacher for
a long period of years, and thus enjoys the direct
and individual influence which thus only is as-
sured.

It is, therefore, to the parent himself that we

WHAT MAY BE DONE AT HOME. 93

must look for preeminence in this one detail of
superior opportunity. It is from the father and
the mother that the child receives effective influ-
ence and direction ; not for a few months mere-
ly ; not intermittently ; not at arm's length ; but
face to face, hand to hand, continuously, and
during that formative period which can almost
be said to shape the child's whole future life.
We are right then in considering the school and
the library as important factors in the direction
to be given to the child's reading, and, in fact, to
his future thinking and living. But alongside of
these, and overshadowing these in opportunities
for effective influence, must be placed the home,
and what may be there accomplished.

This phase of the library question has hitherto
received too little attention ; perhaps because
the more obvious matters of the school and li-
brary first pressed themselves upon public no-
tice ; perhaps because of some inherent difficul-
ties in the problem. For it is a double-edged
question. There are homes in which the influ-
ence which could thus be furnished would be of
the most helpful and satisfactory nature. There
are also, most unfortunately, homes in which
every influence would be only pernicious ; home
influences which would require the strongest
outside influences to counteract them. So far

94 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

as regards these latter, there is nothing to do at
present but to see that such counteracting influ-
ences,— of school, of the library, of society, —
are furnished to their utmost extent. Our ob-
ject now, however, is to protest against the la-
mentable waste of influence in the former case.
In instance after instance, where none but the
most cultivated and refined influence exists
where the child almost lives in an atmosphere
of intelligence, where the home itself might be
made a means of culture, where the judicious
influence of the father or mother would count
or so much, if rightly exerted ; this matter of
the children's reading is one of the things over-
looked and unattended to. It is simply through
thoughtlessness that the matter is allowed to go
by default.

Some instances that do exist. — Let it not be sup-
posed that no instances exist of the exercise of
this influence on the part of parents. Librarians
gratefully recognize the fact that, here and
there, there are fathers and mothers who make
a regular practice of looking out for the reading
of their boys and girls, of talking over with
them the books which they read, of suggesting
others, of coming to the library with them, and
looking through the books which interest them,
and of asking the librarian for lists of books suit-

WHAT MAY BE DONE AT HOME. 95

able for young readers. Drafts of this kind on a
librarian's time he is always glad to meet and he
is happy to extend this assistance. This will take
time. And unless the parent shall have come to
consider his children as his most priceless posses-
sions whose training for the future is of greater
importance to him than -any other interest, he is
perhaps not likely to take this time. We know
of households, however, in which there is a
" children's hour", looked forward to with eager
interest by the children, and with no less interest
by the father or mother. The studies and the
reading of the day are talked over. The signifi-
cant features of the topic read and studied are
emphasized. Suggestions are given of lines of
reading which supplement and illustrate these
topics. The parent has the entire confidence of
the delighted children, and is in a position to
exert an influence which shall be effective, per-
manent, and in the direction of sound reading.
We know of households in which the mother is
as much interested in knowing what are the
most satisfactory publications for young readers
as she could possibly be in anything desired for
her own reading. As a consequence, she is the
constant and the influential guide of her own
children in their fields of reading, and the chil-
dren want no other.

96 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

The children's use of the public library. — It is
easy to see that such interest and guidance on
the part of parents is a desirable thing, under
any circumstances, — even when the books and
papers read are from the library of the children's
own home. But this is true with redoubled em-
phasis when the books are from a public library,
It is a mistake to suppose that children may be
profitably turned loose in the bewildering variety
of a public library. The selection of books there
gathered does not represent a selection suited to
their capabilities, their taste, or their require-
ments, simply. It is a selection made with a
view to the requirements of the whole commu-
nity. It contains, to be sure, books which they
may profitably use, but it also contains books
which would frighten them by their severe tech-
nicalities, books which would repel them by their
dry and abstract discussions; and books which
would only confuse them by their peculiar quali-
ties, which nevertheless may make these same
books of inestimable value. Interested super-
vision ; intelligent guidance ; these should be
the conditions attendant on the admission of the
young reader to the public library. Let the pa-
rent see to it.

We have glanced briefly at the case of those
children whose home influences are simply and

WHAT MAY BE DONE AT HOME. 97

positively demoralizing. We have examined
with some fulness the case of those whose home
influences might be positively beneficial, but
where through thoughtlessness the parents neg-
lect to bring these influences to bear in the mat-
ter of their children's reading. There remains a
third case ; namely, that of those children whose
parents do not exert a positively demoralizing
influence, but who themselves are sadly in need
of some positively ennobling impulse in their
own reading. Mr. Charles Dudley Warner, in a
recent suggestive paper, has thus expressed his
view of this matter : " I am seeking one of the
reasons why the young who read at all read
nothing but trash." " It is because their parents
or older persons about them either have not the
habit of reading, or they also read trash." * This
is not an encouraging view of the matter, but
there is evidently some truth in it. Could there
be a stronger argument framed to induce these
parents to " mend their own ways" ? Ob-
viously, they cannot become intelligent guides
for their own children until this step is
taken.

When the few instances of intelligent and in-
terested help, above cited, shall have become the

* " Hints on home reading," p. 21, 22.

98 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

rule, rather than the exception, an impulse will
be given to the development of right habits of
reading, and to their permanent establishment
in the community which will be simply incal-
culable.

VII. HOW TO USE A LIBRARY.

A RUDIMENTARY CHAPTER.

MR. FREEMAN, in his lectures last winter be-
fore the Lowell Institute felt that he must ask
to be indulged now in " a dogmatic evening" and
a little later in "a controversial evening." And
here if we may be permitted, we shall venture to
introduce " a rudimentary evening." Few things,
at first sight, would seem to be so strikingly ele-
mentary as instructions "How to use the li-
brary." Yet for all this, it remains true that if
the points here considered were universally
recognized and acted on, the serviceableness of
our libraries would be many times increased.

Why public libraries exist. — Let us come at once
to details. Passing by for our present purposes
the extended consideration of private libraries, let
us ask ourselves why the practice has grown up
of collecting volumes together in libraries for the
use of the public in general. Why should not
each man buy his own books and depend upon
these? Each man ought, indeed, to do this, — so
far as he finds it practicable; and those who are
so fortunate as to be able to do it find inestimable

100 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

advantages resulting from their wealth of posses-
sion. But consider the actual facts in the case.
In any community the number of persons whose
means admit of collecting a private library of
even a few thousand volumes is painfully small.
About fifty per cent of the population are able
to own small libraries, averaging perhaps 100
volumes. Almost another fifty per cent rarely
make purchases of reading matter beyond a
daily newspaper. And the public as a whole has
become dependent to a larger extent than we
readily realize, on the facilities of the public li-
brary; so that it really requires an effort of mind
to conceive in what condition we should be left,
were these facilities no longer available. Even
in the case of those libraries which make an an-
nual charge for the privilege of using the books,
the investment is very heavily to the advantage
of the reader. Take the case of single volumes
in a library like that of the Boston Athenaeum.
Figure up the amount of intellectual labor, the
time spent in the prosecution of researches, and
the amount of money expended in publishing the
results of the researches ; and multiply these by
the number of works in those libraries of which
these may stand as specimens ; and the yearly
subscription which entitles one to the use of
these treasures becomes insignificant indeed in

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. IOI

comparison. Occasionally, moreover, a library
is found, — the Boston Public Library is an in-
stance,— where to all this richness of material is
joined absolute freedom as to use. Not even a
small fee is charged, but under the proper con-
ditions all is as free as the air.

But leaving these distinguished and preemi-
nent examples, several striking features may be
observed in the case of a public library of average
size and resources, situated in a community of
average taste and means.

(i) The public library contains many works
which the ordinary reader would not buy even if
his means would permit; namely, books of re-
search in specific departments, not representing
his own lines of work or study, but sure to be
wanted by him for occasional consultation. (2)
The alphabetically arranged " works of refer-
ence", (dictionaries, cyclopaedias, etc.), which are
generally consulted in order to verify some
specific statement, and whose accessibility in
any community is indispensable. (3) Works of
" light literature", (stories and tales), of which
the money value is so slight for single copies that
few readers think it worth their while to pur-
chase them, but which are read in such numbers
by the public that the aggregate cost would foot
up to a very large figure. (5) Periodical litera-

102 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

ture, embracing many hundreds of issues in the
course of a year, with which many readers like to
keep themselves very familiar, but for which. few
care to pay subscriptions, beyond one or two
separate publications. (6) Finally add to these
the great mass of books which for various con-
siderations of expense and otherwise, are out of
the reach of most readers. There are then
urgent reasons to justify the existence of public
libraries. Without them, some men would have
access to no books at all, and others to but few.
This deprivation would be a serious injury to the
individuals concerned, and indirectly to the com-
munity. The principle of community of interests
on which the public library is founded brings
single readers into the possession of advantages
out of all proportion to any pecuniary conditions
involved. The public library contains works
which the ordinary reader would not purchase
but needs to consult. It contains works, on the
other hand, of amusement and recreation, for
which he is not likely to spend his money.

Libraries not to be used without discrimination
and selection. — These considerations are import-
ant as affecting the question, what the reader may
expect to find in a public library, and this certainly
lies at the very threshold of any instructions as
to " How to use the library." But this is not

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. 103

all. Every reader, in availing himself of the
resources of a library, needs to remember that
while the collection of books there contained is
sure to comprise something of interest and value
to him, it has by no means been collected solely
with reference to his wants. It covers the entire
'range of wants and preferences in the whole com-
munity; and in order that he may derive effectual
benefit from it he needs to find what that part
of it is which will be useful to him. He needs,
in fact, to discriminate. Thus, a library has in
its collection works on psychology or on anthro-
pology. It has moreover readers who are in
every way fitted to understand and appreciate
these books. They would, however, have no
meaning to a young child, and such a reader
needs to be guided in some way to those books
in the library which are specially suited to his
comprehension. There is moreover room for
choice and discrimination among works written
on the same subject. Thus out of the dozen or
more histories of the United States, the young
child should not be left to stumble upon Dr. von
Hoist's " Constitutional history", but should
have Higginson's excellent little book placed in
his hands. But, on the other hand, a reader
who has outgrown the more elementary works
should not spend his time longer upon them.

IC4 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

He should avail himself of those which are
suited to his stage of advancement. Decidedly,
also, an adult reader may be supposed to have
passed the age when " light literature" ought to
claim much of his time and attention. He will
find it in the library, it is true, but he will also
find those works of literature, science and art
which will prove most serviceable to him in the
way of discipline and culture. Some books also,
especially in a library which receives much in
the way of gifts, are likely to be antiquated. It
makes all the difference in the world whether a
work on chemistry was issued in 1810 or in 1880.
Not all new books, moreover, are equally worthy
of attention. A very large number of works on
the " Life of President Garfield " either have ap-
peared or will appear within a short time ; but
they are not all valuable. In brief, then, the
reader must exercise discrimination, in order not
to get a book which is (i) beyond his compre-
hension, or (2) below his capabilities, or (3) out
of date, or (4) of inferior quality.

How to obtain what is wanted. — Obviously the
next question is, how to obtain the books which
he wants. This is a simple matter in a private
library or a small public library; for there the
reader can handle the books themselves or re-
ceive verbal counsel directly from the librarian.

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. 105

As the library increases in size both of these be-
come increasingly difficult or even impracticable;
and, as a substitute for them, carefully devised
systems, (which we might almost designate "li-
brary machinery"), have been put in operation in
most libraries. These aim to accomplish on a
general scale, and for the readers collectively,
what the more direct communication would
accomplish for the individual reader. Just in
proportion, therefore, as the reader comprehends
and avails himself of this " machinery" will he
secure the best results in the use of the library.
Perhaps we may cite the following as the essen-
tial features of such a plan : (i) the card-system ;
(2) the catalogue-system ; (3) the system of li-
brary service.

(i) The card-system. — If the reader may not
have direct access to the library shelves, there
must be some means of having the book brought
to him by the librarian or his assistants. He is
therefore supplied with a card ruled not only for
dates of issue but for the book-numbers which
he selects. If, moreover, as is the case in some
libraries, it also contains spaces for the titles of
the books, the reader can very readily keep his
record of the books read and checked off, and
can if he chooses make it a means of reviewing
his reading to some purpose.

106 LIBRARIES AM) READERS.

(2) The catalogue-system. — The reader cannot
apply for the volumes unless he knows what
books there are in the library and what their
book-numbers are. A catalogue is needed ; and
this in most libraries takes the form of (i) a
general printed catalogue of the main collection ;
and (2) supplementary catalogues or lists bring-
ing the information as nearly as possible down
to date. But the reader needs, as we have seen,
to know more than the mere title and number of
the book. In order 10 exercise the necessary dis-
crimination, he must know whether the book be-
longs to this class or that; whether it is history
or geography or fiction ; whether it is recent or
out of date ; and whether it is the best book for
his purpose. In the various forms of catalogues,
lists, and other means of supplying information
to the readers, these points need to be provided
for.

And at the same time they must aim to guide
the reader who is in search (i) of a book by a cer-
tain author; (2) of a certain title ; (3) added at a
certain recent date ; and (4) relating to a certain
subject. For the book of recent date the reader
will of course consult the bulletin of recent addi-
tions; but for the three entries of author, title,
and subject, the card-catalogue and in many cases
also the printed catalogue, will furnish these in

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. 107

one and the same alphabetical order. It is un-
necessary here to go into the technical details of
catalogue-making. It is enough to say that while
some catalogues are on the " dictionary" plan, as
above indicated, others aim at special advantages
by more elaborate classification of entries. To
use a "dictionary catalogue", no special training
is necessary on the part of the reader. Its beauty
consists in its simplicity ; for any man who can
find the name of "John Smith" in the directory,
or the word, " horse-railroad " in Webster's Dic-
tionary, can find in a dictionary-catalogue the
three entries for such a book as Ford's " Amer-
ican citizen's manual." Namely, " Ford, W. C",
(author-entry); "American citizen's manual",
(title-entry) ; and " Government", (subject-entry.)
The important thing to remember is that all
three are in the same alphabetical arrangement,
and not in three different ones.

Consulting by subject. — Let it not be inferred
however, from what has just been said of the
superior simplicity of the dictionary-catalogue
that ability to make intelligent use of the more
comprehensively classified forms of catalogues is
not desirable. Just the reverse of this is true.
Undoubtedly the original impulse of most read-
ers in using a library for the first time is to apply
for some particular book of which something is

108 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

known. That is, the principle on which they
consult the library is by title, rather than by sub-
ject. A step naturally following this is to apply
for another book by the same writer. Here the
principle is by aitthor, rather than by subject.
Sometimes, however, repeated unsuccessful ap-
plications for a particular book, or a book by a
particular author, result in aimless methods of
reading. The readers come to the library for
"some book — no matter what"; and here the
principle of discrimination is wholly wanting.
Other distinctions are readily suggested in this
connection ; for instance, between (i) reading for
amusement, and (2) reading for profit or study ;
and between (i) " light reading" on the one hand,
and (2) historical or scientific reading on the
other. It is obvious that applying for a particu-
lar book which is a work of fiction or which is
wanted simply as a means of recreation, is essen-
tially a very different thing from applying for a
particular book which is an authority in science
or history, or which is sought as a necessary
link in a succession of systematic studies or re-
searches. In the former case the impulse result-
ing from the use of the book is liable to be sim-
ply towards some farther recreation of a similar
kind. In the latter case the impulse is rather to-
wards developing and following out the lines of

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. 109

study and research suggested by the book just
read; and as a result the reader will be likely to
apply for other works on the same subject or re-
lated subjects. Here the principle of consulta-
tion is by subject, rather than by author or by
title ; and this is a tendency which it is of the
highest importance to encourage and develop,
not merely in general, but in the respective cases
of individual readers. In many libraries there-
fore special efforts are made to -furnish assistance
in this direction. The various works on any one
subject are brought together under one head,
thus rendering it possible for the reader to
study the subject comparatively. But this is
not enough. The title-page of a book is fre-
quently very non-committal as to the wealth of
material inside ; and it is necessary therefore to
go behind the title-page, and by the aid of " ana-
lytic cataloguing" render available what there is
on the various topics to be studied, in pamphlets
and reports, and in periodicals and volumes of
essays. The reader should make himself famil-
iar with what has thus been prepared for his
guidance and he will find himself penetrating
into depths of information of which he had not
dreamed.

(3) The system of library service. — Some of the
characteristerics of the catalogue-system which

110 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

have just been dwelt upon, are true to a certain
extent of the library service. That is to say, the
various members of the corps of assistants are
instruments for the accomplishment of certain
ends, just as the various forms of catalogues,
indexes and lists are instruments. In some in-
stances, it is true, one may go farther and say
that just as these carefully devised systems of
cataloguing accomplish their work as a part of
the machinery, neither knowing nor caring about
the result, so the librarian's assistants go through
their work mechanically, with no vital interest in
it. If this be so, so much the worse for them,
for the librarian, and for the readers. But just
in proportion as they succeed in exchanging a
perfunctory view of their work for one of living
interest in it, just in that proportion will the
possibilities of the library become realities. All
of this is true, only with redoubled force, as ap-
plied to the librarian himself; and certainly the
incongruity of associating the terms, " machin-
ery", or "mechanical", with the librarian, the
very head and source of inspiration in this whole
matter, ought to be made obvious by the facts in
the case.

The reader needs then to remember that be-
hind all the various forms of assistance and guid-
ance which have been indicated, is the librarian

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. Ill

himself, ready to give his personal assistance and
guidance when needed. And it is sure to be
needed. Where readers are conducting exhaus-
tive investigations of specific subjects in so many
different directions, it is manifestly impossible
that the most carefully prepared schemes of
assistance and reference should cover all the in-
stances where help is needed ; and by communi-
cating the subject of the research to the librarian,
an opportunity is given of supplying references,
with no lack of directness, to this specific sub-
ject. A librarian of long experience has re-
marked that he employs with great reluctance
any form of " library machinery, as tending to
come between the reader and his personal com-
munication with the librarian." And in any case
the systems which we have noticed, though they
are in many instances necessary substitutes, are,
at the best, substitutes only. In brief then, the
fundamental principle may be thus stated : (i)
General guidance and assistance to readers col-
lectively, on as comprehensive a scale as possi-
ble ; but (2) Special assistance and suggestions
personally furnished by the librarian to readers
individually whenever the opportunity offers.

The sum of the matter. — Let us recapitulate,
(i) The reader should have a correct apprecia-
tion of what he may expect to find in the library.

112 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

(2) He should exercise due discrimination in ap-
plying for the volumes which it contains. (3) He
should avail himself to the fullest extent of the
systems of guidance and assistance devised for
the public in general and of the personal guid-
ance of the librarian wherever practicable. It
only remains that he should make the very best
use of his opportunities ; and the matter of right
reading, discussed with some detail elsewhere in
this volume, need not be again unfolded in this
chapter.*

A series of rules prepared a few years ago for
the pupils in the Providence public schools, is
given below, and will doubtless be found of ser-
vice by others than pupils.

How TO USE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
A series of suggestions for the use of pupils.

Text-books as a basis of reading. — In much of your use
of the library you will do well to make your text-books
the basis. That is, you will feel an interest in some
subject which is touched upon in your lesson, and will
wish for more information about it than is found there.
Such information you can find in some larger and
more complete work in the library, which, perhaps,
may be quoted, or in some way referred to in your

* See Chapter I.

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. 113

text-book. Do not undertake to read all of the works
thus referred to, but make yourselves masters of what
you do read and consult.

Use of reference books. — Become familiar also with
thi use of works of reference, particularly such as are
arranged in dictionary or alphabetical form. These
are not designed to be read through, but to be
consulted for information which one part of the
volume may contain, independently of all other parts.
In the same way, you should form the habit of using
maps and atlases, when reading any work which is
concerned with the location of places.

Reading for an essay. — In making use of the library
for the preparation of an essay, seek for that which
will be suggestive. That is, when you come to write,
let it be something which you have thought out for
yourselves from the statements you consulted, rather
than something transferred bodily to your pages, with
no mental effort. You will find yourselves just so
much stronger mentally, for every effort you make to
think for yourselves.

Habits of reading. — Strive to acquire wholesome
habits of reading, and to maintain them. Come to
the library with a definite book or subject in mind,
rather than with an aimless desire for " some book, —
no matter what." Concentrate your attention on the
subject you are reading about, for it is worse than
useless to dawdle through it. Read carefully and
thoroughly, so as to be able to digest one subject in
your mind before passing to another. Do not form

114 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

the habit of returning your books every two or three
days. Such a practice, if persisted in, will make your
reading a morbid habit, rather than a benefit.

Imaginative literature. — It is not intended that you
should be limited, in your reading, to books which
simply contain information. It will be well for you
to become familiar with the best works of poetry, fic-
tion, and other departments of literature in which the
imagination is the chief element. Ask your teacher
for suggestions about books of this class. He will be
glad to direct you to some work which you will find
it a positive benefit to read. Do not forget, however,
that, of all the powers of the mind, the imagination is
one that is most easily abused, and do not allow this
class of reading to claim too much of your time.

Excessive reading. — A proper ambition is com-
mendable, in reading, as in other things, but there is
nothing meritorious in the mere act of reading, apart
from any good results. Remember that one book,
thoroughly digested, is better than twenty, quickly
hurried through, and then as quickly forgotten. Nor
should your reading interfere with your ordinary
school duties, but be made supplementary to them.
So, also, it should not interfere with your regular out-
door exercise. Some pupils, certainly, will not need
this caution, but it is of great importance that it should
be heeded by those who do need it.

Assistance. — While you will gain much in making
yourselves independent of assistance, in the simpler
matters of study and research, do not hesitate to ask

HOW TO USE A LIBRARY. 115

for help when you really need it. The librarian and
his assistants will be very glad to give you help or
suggestions on any matter about which you are seeking
for information, and you will find them interested to
help you.

Reviewing. — It will be well for you occasionally to
review your reading for a series of weeks or months,
noting down what new ideas you have gained from
the books you have read, and noticing whether your
advance has been, on the whole, in the right direc-
tion. If it has not been, begin at once to correct the
error. It will be a useful practice for you to enter in
a note-book, from time to time, such facts or memo-
randa as you consider of special value to you. The
very act of writing will tend to fix them in your
memory, even though you should never look at the
memorandum again. Life is too short to read
many books through but once, but you will occa-
sionally find a book which so impresses you that you
wish to go through it a second time. You will be
surprised to find, not only how your interest is almost
doubled, on the second reading, but how the two
views you have obtained of the book, supplementing
each other, have served to fix an image of its main
ideas in your mind.

IN BRIEF, THEN, —

i. — Begin by basing your reading on your school
text-books.

2. — Learn the proper use of reference-books.

Il6 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

3. — Use books that you may obtain and express
ideas of your own.

4. — Acquire wholesome habits of reading.

5. — Use imaginative literature, but not immoder-
ately.

6. — Do not try to cover too much ground.

7. — Do not hesitate to ask for assistance and sug-
gestions, at the library.

8. — See that you make your reading a definite gain
to you, in some direction.

VIII. BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON READING.

IN this article we shall aim to point out the
various treatises, manuals, articles and essays
which bear upon the subject of this book. In
other words the reader will find here a series of
references to the subject of reading by which he
can study it with as much fulness as he desires.
And it should be remembered, as has been pointed
out elsewhere,* that, because many different per-
sons have written on this subject, it does not
necessarily follow that one should read them
all; though it does follow that a reader will
do well to examine, and see what has been
written.

Some of the books on reading. — Among the
books which deserve to be read through may be
mentioned President Porter's " Books and read-
ing", a new edition of which has appeared within
a year. This work is prepared on a very com-
prehensive plan, giving counsel and suggestions
in connection with almost every phase of the sub-

* Sec pages 28 and 30.

Il8 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

ject, and also mentioning a large number of books
by title.

Two other books published within a few
years which deserve mention are "The choice
of books", by Professor C. F. Richardson ; and
" Hints for home reading", by Lyman Abbott,
Charles Dudley Warner, and others.

The second is what is sometimes called a sym-
posium in which the various sides of the ques-
tion are presented by different writers. For in-
stance, Mr. Sweetser discusses "What the people
read"; Dr. Hamlin discusses "Plans of read-
ing" ; Mr. Hale gives suggestions on " The choice
of books", etc. It should be added that this book
has thirty pages devoted to lists of books, with
prices added.

This feature of book lists is prominent in " The
best reading," edited by F. B. Perkins and others.
This book has gone through many editions, of
which the latest was issued in 1877, but it has
been continued by a " Second series" published
in 1882, edited by L. E. Jones. At the end of this
book (the edition of 1877), there are about forty
pages of suggestions and counsel on reading.
The "Readings on readings", at p. 305-18 are
quotations from a great variety of authorities.

Several other publications prepared on a simi-
lar plan have been published within the last fifty

BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON READING. Up

years,* but no one of them so well meets the case
as "The best reading."

Some lectures and addresses. — But aside from
these systematically constructed "handbooks"
and " lists", some of the most valuable counsel
and suggestions on reading have been given in
the shape of lectures or addresses. We will men-
tion some of the best. In 1864 John Ruskin
delivered two lectures at Manchester, England,
which have since been published under the title,
"Sesame and lilies." In 1866 Thomas Carlyle,
on delivering his inaugural address as rector of
the University of Edinburgh, furnished some
very suggestive counsel " On the choice of books."
In 1877 Dean Stanley delivered an address at
Bristol, England, on " The education of after-
life", touching quite fully on "reading as an in-
fluence in such education." In 1878 Mr. G. J.
Goschen delivered an address on " The culture of
the imagination", dealing largely with the ques-
tion of reading. This was published separately
as a pamphlet, but was also reprinted in Ltttell's,
v. 141, p. 620-29. 1° l8?8 the late Professor
Diman delivered a noteworthy address on read-
ing, at the dedication of the Rogers Free Library,
Bristol, R. I., which has been printed. In 1879,

* Some of these are mentioned in the Library Journal, v. 5,
p. 41.

120 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes delivered an admir-
able address on reading, before the Society to
Encourage Studies at Home. [Printed, in part,
in the Boston Daily Advertiser, July 25, 1879.}* In
1878 Professor William P.Atkinson delivered be-
fore the Boston Young Men's Christian Union a
remarkably suggestive lecture " On the right use
of books." [This is published separately, as is
also an earlier lecture by Mr. Atkinson, on
" Books and reading", 1860.] A lecture on "The
friendship of books", by the late Rev. Frederick
Denison Maurice is found in the volume of that
title, published in 1880. This admirable volume
also contains other noteworthy lectures delivered
between 1850 and 1864, on " Books", " Words",
"Ancient history", " English history", and "The
use and abuse of newspapers." The lecture on
"Culture by reading and books", in James Free-
man Clarke's excellent volume, " Self-culture,"
is particularly worthy of attention.

Some things in periodicals. — There are two
recent magazine articles of considerable value ;
" Books and critics", by Mark Pattison, Fort-
nightly Review, Nov., 1877, (reprinted in Littetts,
v- !35. P- 77I-83)'» "On the choice of books", by
Frederic Harrison, Fortnightly Review, Apr.,

* Sec quotations from this address at pages 35 and 32 of this
volume.

BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON READING. 121

1879, (reprinted in Litteirs, v. 141, p. 259-71, and
also in Applet on s Journal, v. 21, p. 432-43). See
also the articles by E. O. Vaile, on " Reading as
an intellectual process", Popular Science Monthly,
Dec., 1875 ; by Josiah P. Quincy, on "The abuse
of reading", Old and New, April, 1873, v. 7,
p. 445-50 ; and by " Arthur Penn", (W. M. Gris-
\vold) " Notes on reading", The Century, May,
1882. For other periodical references, see the
new edition of Poole's Index, p. 1085.

Parts of books. — We must not omit to mention
also the important material which is to be found
published not as separate books, nor as separate
articles, but as parts of books.

For instance, the essay on " Books" in Ralph
Waldo Emerson's volume, "Society and soli-
tude", is something which no one would wish to
overlook. And the older essay of Lord Bacon,
which has the title " Of studies", has excellent
counsel on the use of books which perhaps has
not since been surpassed for soundness. Charles
Lamb's " Essays of Elia", contain some " De-
tached thoughts on books and reading", which
are noteworthy. It is here that he makes the
remark that " Milton almost requires a solemn
service of music to be played before you enter
upon him." ("Works", Am. ed., v. 2, p. 191-92.)
William God win, in "The enquirer", (1797) has an

122 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

essay on "Reading." No one who knows the
quality of Sir Arthur Helps's writings will wish
to lose the essays and discussions on " Reading"
and " History" in his " Friends in council ", se-
ries i, volume i. In Hamerton's "Intellectual
life" there are two admirable letters on " Read-
ing." Dr. \V. E. Channing, in a lecture on " Self-
culture", delivered in 1838, has some very appro-
priate words on reading, (" Works", (1843), v. 2,
P- 377-8o; ed. of 1875, p. 23-24.) In Smiles's
" Character" is a chapter on " The companion-
ship of books"; and in his volume on " Self-help"
also are some helpful suggestions, (Am. ed., p.
363-66.) Another excellent book is that by John
Stuart Blackie, " On self-culture", which has sug-
gestions as to reading, (p. 9-10, 37-51.) Another
helpful book is Munger's"On the threshold",
which has a chapter on " Reading." See also
the chapters on " Books", in Bishop Clark's
volume, " Early discipline and culture", and in
many other similar books. In the two little
books, " How to do it", and " What career?",
Rev. Ed ward Everett Hale has most happily suc-
ceeded in presenting the principles of right read-
ing for young readers. See also " How to read ",
by " Olive Thorne", (reprinted from S/. Nicholas?)
See also " Self- formation", by Capel Lofft. Also
the suggestive remarks of Mr. Ruskin, appended

BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON READING. 123

to his " Elements of drawing", (Am. ed., p. 231-
34.) Also the chapter on " Habits of reading",
in Professor E. T. Channing's " Lectures on rhet-
oric and oratory." Professor Henry Reed's " Lec-
tures on English literature" and " Lectures on
English history" contain such chapters as "The
study of history", "Sunday reading", etc.

The following will also be found interesting:
" The art of reading", in " Essays in mosaic",
edited by Thomas Ballantyne • and the chapter
on " Re-reading a book", in Jacox's" Recreations
of a recluse", v. I, p. 22-46. " Men and books",
by Professor Austin Phelps, published within a
year, has a title which is misleading without the
addition of the sub-title, " Studies in homiletics."
. The introductory chapter " On the study of
history", prefixed to C. K. Adams's " Manual of
historical literature", (p. 1-30), deserves and will
command very careful attention.

Under the head of fiction reading, there is a
somewhat voluminous literature. The indexes
to the successive volumes of the Library Jour-
nal will refer you to much of it ; and you will
also find many articles and papers referred to in
Mr. S. S. Green's paper on "Library aids", read
at the Baltimore meeting of the American Li-
brary Association, (p. 9-10 of the report as pub-
lished by the U. S. Bureau of Education, and also

124 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

in the Library Journal, v. 6, p. 110-11.) An ar-
ticle not there included is the very suggestive one
by Professor Justin Winsor, in the Boston Daily
Advertiser, June 9, 1877, on " Fiction as a start-
ing-point in reading."

Reading of school children. — An almost equally
voluminous literature is that on the reading of
school children. See under this head also Mr.
Green's " Library aids", p. 9, (also in Library
Journal, v. 6, p. 1 10) ; also the volume, " Libraries
and schools", edited by Mr. Green, (just published
by F. Leypoldt), which includes some of those
cited in the " Library aids." Also, nos. I and 2 erf
the " Free public library circular", issued by the
state board of education of Rhode Island, (no. i,
" How and what to read.", by Rev. Washington
Gladden; and no. 2, " Reading in the right direc-
tion", by A. F. Blaisdell, M.D.) There are also
two recent annual reports of state boards of edu-
cation containing discussions of this topic, which
have been separately reprinted ; (" Books and read-
ing for the young", from the annual report of
the Indiana superintendent of public instruction,
1880; and "The reading of our boys and girls",
from the annual report of the secretary of the
Connecticut Board of Education, 1882.) In the
Library Journal, Sept.-Oct., 1879, it will be re-
membered, are printed the papers on this topic,

BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON READING. 12$

read before the American Library Association in
1879. The little volume prepared by Miss C. M.
Hewins; under the title of " Books for the young",
and lately published by F. Leypoldt, meets most
admirably the demand for carefully selected lists,
and contains also valuable and interesting coun-
sel. Other serviceable lists of books for young
readers are those published by the Buffalo Young
Men's Library and the Brookline Public Library.
Other phases of the subject. — On the relation of
public libraries to readers, see Mr. Winsor's pa-
per at the Library Conference in 1876, on "Free
libraries and readers", (Library Journal, v. I, p.
63-67.) Also Mr. S. S. Green's paper at the
same conference, on " Personal relations between
librarians and readers", (Library Journal, v. I,
p. 74-81 ; also published separately.) Also the
paper on " Professorships of books and reading",
by William Mathews, (United States government
report on " Public libraries in the United States",
1876, p. 240-51; also reprinted in Mr. Mathews's
"Hours with men and books", p. 136-58.) And
that by Mr. F. B. Perkins, on the same subject,
(U. S. government report, p. 230-39.) On " li-
brary lectures", see the address of Rufus Choate,
in 1854, ("Works", v. i, p. 468-74.) Also an
article by W. E. A. Axon, of Manchester, Eng-
land, in the Library Journal, v. 3, p. 47-49, an<3

126 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

a letter by Professor Winsor, in the Library
Journal, v. 3, p. 120-21.

Literary periodicals. — Not only for suggesting
lines of reading, but for indicating suitable books
for purchase, the best literary periodicals are of
great value. For instance, the regular reading
and consulting of such papers as The Nation, The
Critic and The Literary World, whose book-
reviews are of recognized authority, cannot fail
to be serviceable; — provided they are properly
used. It is frequently well to see what is said of
a book by some critic, after reading it ourselves,
but it is also well to have formed our own opin-
ion of the book first, subject to the modification
which we find to be necessary from the points
made by the critic. But these reviews are nearly
always valuable as pointing out those character-
istics of a book which will enable us to judge
whether we need to read it, or own it. Of similar
service, to a certain extent, are some of the
cheaper literary papers, such as Good Literature
and The Literary News. The former of these
chiefly aims to give suggestive and valuable ex-
tracts from the best of the current publications.
The latter aims rather at showing readers the
quality and value of these current publications
by quoting what is said about them as well as
extracts from them. Nor will a reader find it

BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON READING. 127

amiss to consult what maybe called the "techni-
cally literary" publications, such as the Library

'Journal, Publishers' Weekly, etc. Although these
are primarily intended for librarians and publish-
ers and booksellers, the information they contain
is of importance to any one who is selecting
books for purchase or use. What we have thus
far mentioned are all American publications. If
the reader has time for it, he will certainly do
well to extend his reading to the English critical
papers of similar scope; The Athenceum, The
Academy, The Spectator, the English Literary

World, which as well as its American namesake,
is a helpful publication, and others.

The bibliography of reading. — Lastly, the reader
cannot afford to overlook the bibliography of his
subject. Here, however, we cannot do better
than to refer the reader to Sabin's " Bibliogra-
phy of bibliography" ; Power's " Handy book
about books ;" the list of " Books of reference
for libraries", by A. R. Spofford, (in the U. S.
government report p. 686-710); the notes under
"Bibliography" in Mr. Green's paper on "Aids
and guides for readers", {Library Journal, July-
Aug., 1882, p. 146-47) ; and particularly to the
very comprehensive article, " Bibliographical
aids", by F. Leypoldt, in the " American cata-
logue", pt. 2, (Subjects), p. v-xx. Under the head

128 LIBRARIES AND READERS.

of "Indexes" in Mr. Green's "Aids and guides
for readers" just referred to, reference is made
not only to Poole's Index, but to the numerous
indexes to single periodicals recently published,
(Library Journal, v. 7, p. 139-41.) In the same
article is an allusion to the Monthly Reference
Lists (published by the Providence Public
Library), in which the idea of "practical bibli-
ography" has received a very noteworthy de-
velopment. It is of considerable importance
that there should be no misconception as to the
proper function of these references and of those
in such books as Winsor's " Reader's handbook
of the American revolution", Gardiner and Mul-
linger's " Introduction to the study of English his-
tory", and Adams's " Manual of historical litera-
ture"; and the necessary limitations and scope
of these works are pointed out in an article on
" Helps for readers and librarians", (by the
writer), in the Library Journal, May, 1882, p.
85-86. But since the publication of that article
three others have appeared which are sure to be
of great service. These are " Historical refer-
ences", by Professor John T. Short; "The read-
er's guide to English history", by Professor Wil-
liam F. Allen; and a "Catalogue of historical
novels and tales", by H. Courthope Bowen. The
characteristics of these three works are well

BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON READING. 129

indicated in the Literary News, Oct., 1882, p.
306-7.

In conclusion we will remind the reader that
the little volumes, " Books of all time", " A read-
ing diary of modern fiction", and one or two
other similar volumes in preparation, contain
serviceable hints and suggestions for readers.*

* Among- other discussions worthy of notice are the following :
"The growth of young people's literature", in the New Eng-
land Journal of Education, v. 17, no. 4 (1883) ; " The public
library and the common schools", by Charles Francis Adams,
jr., [1879], reprinted in the volume "Libraries and schools",
already referred to ; the excellent suggestions on " The use of
reference books'", by Miss Mary W. Hinman, at pages 45-56 of
the Indiana school report, cited on page 124 of this volume ;
Langford's "Praise of books", a most delightful volume pub-
lished in English a few years ago ; and a volume just issued
which is based on a similar plan, "The book-lover's enchiri-
dion", by "Philobiblos." The latter, however, is pronounced
by the Monthly Notes (of the Library Association of the
United Kingdom) "a not uninteresting compilation"; adding:
" It is impossible to say much for his sources or his accuracy."
There is also a compilation published at Toronto in 1880, en-
titled " Pleas for books ; selections for lovers of books.'' There
is also a very striking and noteworthy address by Col. Homer
B. Sprague, delivered at the dedication of the West Brookfield
(Mass.) Public Library. See also the forcibly written article by
the late Professor William Stanley Jevons, in the Contemporary
Re-view, March, 1881, v. 39, p. 385-402, on "The rationale of
free public libraries." We should not omit to add that one of
the most thoughtful and suggestive considerations of the subject,
under such heads as " the newspaper", "the novel", etc., is to
be found in President John Bascom's nth Lowell Institute
lecture on " The philosophy of English literature."

I NDEX.*

Abbott, Lyman, 118.

Academy, The, 127.

Adams, C. F., jr., 9, 59, 129.

Adams, C. K., 123, 128.

Adaptation, Personal, 8.

Aids to readers, 36, 40.

Aimlessness, 19-20, 42-47, 113.

Allen, W. F., 128.

American history, 72.

Antiquated books, 104.

Assistance, 88-89, 114-15.

Athenaeum, The, 127.

Atkinson, W. P., 10, 120.

Authorities, Comparison of, 26.

Axon, \V. E. A., 40, 125.

Bacon, 13, 31, 33.

Ballantyne, Thomas, 123.

Bascom, J., 129.

Beaconsfield's administration,
7°, 71. 75-

Best (The) reading, (F. B. Per-
kins, L. E. Jones, etc.), 118.

Bibliography, appended to a
book, 26.

— , References to, 45.

— of reading, 127-29.

— , Practical, 50-52, 59, 128.
Blackie, J. S., 122.
Blaisdell, A. F., 124.

Books, and articles on reading,
117-29.

— , read for amusement, 83-84.

— , Discrimination in selection

of, 19, 29, 61-62, 102-4.

— , Judging of, 21.

— , New, 60-6 1, 84, 106.

— , Particular, 59, 89, 108.

— , Re-reading of, 32, 115, 123.

— , Special collections of, 49.
Books of all time, (Leypoldt,)

129.

Boston Athenaeum, 44, 45, 100.
Boston Public Library, 43, 44,

50, 90, 101.

* The names of authors cited in this volume as authorities on
reading or some cognate subject, are entered in the following
index with nothing following the name. In the case of names
cited in other connections, some indication is given of the con-
nection; thus, " Beaconsfield's administration," "Keats, Poetry
of," etc.

132

INDEX.

Bowen, H. Courthope, 128.
Brookline Public Library, 125.
Buffalo Young Men's Libraiy,

(Special catalogue,) 125.
Card-system, in using a library,

105.

Carlyle, 71, 119.
Cataloguing, Analytic, 109.

— , Classed, 107.

— , Dictionary, 107.

— , System of, 106-9.
Channing, E. T., 123.
Channing, W. E., 10, 122.
Chapman's translation of Ho-
mer, 67, 68.

Charging-system, 8.4, 85.
Chautauqua study courses, 54.
Children's reading, at home.
91-98.

— , at the public library, 96.

— , Suggestions for, 112-16.

— , Training of, 20, 26, 36-37.
Choate, Rufus, 125.

Clark, Bishop T. M., 122.

Clarke, James Freeman, 120.

Cobbe, Frances Power, 67-69.

Community, (The), Interest of,
83-90.

Comparative methods, 26-30.

Concentration, 72, 113.

Connecticut board of educa-
tion, (Special report,) 124.

Correction of aimless reading,
42-47.

Critic, The, 126.

Critical (The) faculty, Train-
ing Of, 21.

j Current literature and standard

literature, 60-82.
Current topics,(References,)si.
Cutter, C. A., (Notes on books,)

44-
Daily notes on current topics,

15- 45, Si, 76, 88.
Debating societies, 54.
De Quincey, n.
Dictionaries, Use of, 22, 113, 129
Ditnan, J. L., 72, 119.
Eggleston, G. C., 64.
Egypt, 17, 73-75.
Eliot,George, (Literary career,)

7««

Emerson, 6, 61, 71, 121.
English composition, 33.
Essays, (Bacon,) 13, 31, 33.
Essays, (Macaulay,) 18.
Fiction, Articles on, 123-24.

— , as a department of the lit-

erature of potver, 12.

— , not purchased largely by

readers, 101.

— , regarded as a popular de-

partment of a library,
84, 86.

— , Use of, 104, 108.

— , Use reduced, 43, 44.
Freeman, E. A., 79, 99.
Friends in council, (Helps,) 17,

73-

Gardiner, S. R., 128.
Garfield, Life of, 70, 104.
General (The) reader, 48.
Gladden, W., 124.
Gladstone's administration, 75.

INDEX.

133

Godwin, W., 121.
Good Literature, 126.
Goschen, G. J., 119.
Government report on libraries,

25, 125, 127.
Green, S. S., 6, 37, 47, 123, 124,

127, 128, 129.
Griswold, W. M., 121.
Hale, E. E., 10-11,32,34,118,

122.

Hamerton, P. G., 122.
Hamlin, C. 118.
Harrison, F., 120.
Helps, Sir A., 17, 73, 122.
Hewins, Miss C. M., 125.
Higginson, T. W., 103.
Hintnan, Miss Mary W., 129.
Hints on home reading, (L.

Abbott and others,) 97, 118.
History and current literature,

'69-77-

Holmes, O. W., 25, 32, 120.
Hoist, H. von, (Constitutional

history,) 103.
Home, Society to encourage

studies at, 53.
— study, Young men's society

for, 54.
— , Training in reading at,

91-98.

Homer, (Chapman's transla-
tion,) 67, 68.
Hours with men and books,

(Mathews.) 23, 125.
How to do it, (Hale,) 32, 34.
How to use a library, 99-116.
Huet, Bishop Pierre, 23.

Imagination, The, 12, 114.

Indexes, 24.

Indiana school board, (Special

report,) 124, 129.
Individuality, 9, 21, 29, 38, 88-

89.
Individuals, Assistance to, 88-

89.
I merest (The) of readers, 13-19,

29, 83-90.

Jevons, W. S., 129.
Johnson's Dictionary, 65.
Jones, A., 79.
Jones, L. E., 118.
Keats, Poetry of, 67, 68.
Lamb, 121.
Langford, J. A., 129.
Leonard, A. M., 25-26.
Leypoldt, F., 127.
Librarian's (The) purpose, 38,

no.

Libraries, Administration of,
84-85.

— , Assistants in, no.

— , Buildings of, 86.

— , Colleges and, 52-53, 58.

— , Lectures and, 40, 54-55,

119-20.

— , Machinery of, 105, no, in.

— , Private, 100.

— , Public, 15, 38, 39, 43, 44, 46,

47, 48, 49, 50-52, 55, 57, 76.
83-00, 96, 99-116.

— , Service of, 109-11.

— , Subscription, 100.

— , United States government

report on, 25, 125, 127.

134

INDEX.

Libraries, Universality of their
influence, 87, 89, 100, 102.

— , Use of, 99-116.
Libraries and schools, (Green,)

6. 37i 47* I29-

Library Journal, 5, 9, 15, 33, 34,
39, 40, 42, 48, 51, 59, 83, 119,
123, 124, 125, 127, 128, 129.

Literary News, 126, 129.

Literary periodicals, 126-27.

Literary World, 126, 127.

Literature, Common element
in, 23, 25.

— , Current, 60-82.

— , English, 71.

— , General, 65-69.

— , Imaginative, 12, 114.

— of knowledge, 11-12, 22-23,

31-

- of power, 22-23.

— , Periodical, 60, 101, 120-21,

126-27.

— , Standard, 60-82.
Lofft, C., 122.

Longfellow's literary career,7i.
Lowell, James Russell, 63.
Macaulay's suggestiveness, 18.
Magazines,6o, 101,120-21, 126-27.
Jfratliews, W., 23, 125.
Maurice, Frederick Denison,

I2O.

Mental classification, 61-63.
Milton, Lamb on the reading

of, 121.
Monthly Reference Lists, 52,

128.
Morison, J. C., 18.

Mullinger, J. B., 128.
Munger, T. T., 122.
Nation, The, 55, 126.
New England Journal of Edu-
cation, 129.
Newspapers, 51, 60, 73, 76, 79-

80,' 81, 82.

Notes, Making, 34, 115.
Notes and queries, 45.
Notice of books returned to the

library, 44.

Novelty, 44, 60, 61, 84, 106.
Panama canal, 16.
Parents, Influence of, 20, 37,42,

91-98.

Pattison, M., 120.
Peabody, A. P., 10, 58.
Peak (The) in Darien (Cobbe),

67.

Periodicals, 60, 101, 126-27.
Perkins, F. B., 118, 125.
Perry, T. S., 59.
Phelps, A., 123.
Philobiblos, 129.
Political science and current

literature, 77-80.
Poole's Index, 63, 121, 128.
Porter, N., 117.
Power, J., 127.
Prefaces, 24.

Professorships of books, 25, 29.
Proportion, Sense of, 2t, 30,62.
Providence Public Library, 52,

128.
Public library and common

schools (Adams), 9, 129.
Public sentiment, 89-90.

INDEX.

Publishers' Weekly, 127.

Quarterly bulletins, 45, 50.

Quincy, J. P., 121.

Quincy Public Library, 50.

Quixotic, 65-66.

Reader's (The) handbook of the

American revolution, (Win-

sor,) 27-28, 128.
Readers, General, 48-59.

— , Wants of, 83.

Reading, Addresses on, 119-20.

— , Aimless, 19-20, 42-47, 113.

— , Analytic method of, 72.

— , Articles on, 117-29.

— , Assistance in, 88-89, II4~I5-

— , Bibliography of, 127-29.

— by authors, 32.

— by subjects, 32, 106, 107, 108,

109.

— , Clubs for, 54.

— ' , Definiteness in, 19, 22, 23.

— , Digesting of, 32-35, 113-14.

— , Discrimination in, 19, 29,

61, 102-4.

— , Excessive, 35, 114.

— for amusement, 83-84, 108.
- for an essay, 113-14.

— , Habits of, 113.

— , Hints on, 7-41.

— , Historical, 28, 69-77.

— , Injurious, 20.'

— , Interconnection of, 75.

— , Interest in, 13-19, 29, 83-90.

— , Material of, 7-21.

— , Memory in, 34, 61.

— , Method of, 21-40.

— of books as a whole, 30-32.

Reading of parts of books, 22.

— , Personal element in, 8-9.

— , Pigeon-holing of, 63, 88.

— , Rapid, 25.

— , Right, 7-41.

— , References on, 117-29.

— , Serviceable, 87.

— , Silent, 26.

— , Specializing of, 39, 48-59,
72.

— , Synthetic method of, 73.

— , Systematic plan of, 24-25.

— , Technical, 12, 20.

— , Tools of, 24.

— , Training in, 47.
Reading diary of modern fic-
tion, (Leypoldt,) 129.

Reed, H., 123.

Reference books, 22, 101, 113,
129.

Reference lists, 15, 28, 30, 51, 52,
76, 117-29.

Reviewing, 35-36-115.

Rhode Island board of educa-
tion, (Circulars on reading,)
124.

Richardson, C. F., 118.

Robertson, F. W., 34.

Ruskin, John, 29, 119, 122-23.

Schools and libraries, Connec-
tion of, 6, 20, 46-47, 91-92.

— , Possibilities of, 26, 36-37,

52.

— , References relating to, 124-

25, 129.

— , Suggestions to pupils, 112-

16.

INDEX.

Securing the interest of a com-
munity, 83-90.

Serviceableness, 87.

Sesame and lilies, (Ruskin,) 29,
119.

Short, J.T., 128.

Smiles, S., 122.

Society to encourage studies at
home, 53.

Some hints on right reading,
7-41.

Specializing (The) of reading
for general readers, 48-59.

Spectator, The, 127.

Spofford, A. R., 127.

Sprague, H. B., 129.

Stanley, Dean, 69, 119.

Suez canal, 16, 17, 74-75.

Suggestiveness, 16, 18.

Sweetser, M. FM 118.

Symmetrical development, 10.

Terence, 65.

Text-books, 112-13.

Thorne, Olive, 122.

Vaile, E. O., 121.

Warner, C. D., 97, 118.

Webster's Dictionary, 107.

What career? (Hale.) 10-11.

What may be done at home,
91-98.

What shall I read ? 35.

Winsor, Justin, 27-28, 39, 44,45,
58, 124, 126, 128.

Woman's education associa-
tion, 54.

Worcester, (England,) 63-64.

Worcester, (Mass.,) 62, 64, 90.

Young men's society for home
study, 54.

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