AD LECTOREM. Hp HE introduction to so dignified a, volume as JL
this should be wholly dispassionate so the task to which 1 apply
myself is a difficult one for since last evening I have been
perturbed, unwont edly perturbed, in spirit, I was planning the
preface to this very volume, and had about determined to begin this
Ad Lectorem, in wise fashion, with that equally wise answer which
Plato made to Xlmenea the Cretan, when the latter aakccl the famous
phi losopher-collector why ho preferred a first edition to an
eighteen thousandth, I had nearly reachoci this determination, I ay
f when who should burst in upon me but my charming bibliophillc
friend, W Irving Way, I waring thy astounding information that he
had just picked up a tot edition of Andrew Langs U XX111 Hallack In
Blue China M for eighty cents, a treasure recently Itated by the
ScHbner at twenty dollars It seems that dttf teg a regular visit to
the Saints ami Sinners Corner that day, Mr. Way conceived vl AD
LECTOREM. the notion to investigate other parts of McClurgs
book-mart adjacent to that resort of bibliomaniacs, and some good
fairy tempted him to search out and cast curious and lingering and
loving eyes upon a certain case in which lay a number of dainty
parchment-covered books. In the lot Mr, Way detected a copy of the
Ballades in Blue China 1 and he asked the handmaiden in attend ance
thereabouts to show him that pretty volume, and let him hold it
tenderly and reverently in his hands. He marvelled when he looked
at the book and found no price therein and from m re cusi osity as
he alleges, and a I do fully believe, he demanded the price and the
guileless handmaiden God bless er, after consulting with a veiled,
mysteriousperson in the financial department of the establishment,
answered that although the reg ular price of that book wan one
dollar the wnwl reduction of 20 per cent to the trade would w
allowed in this Instance. Mr. Way furthermore alleges and this also
do I Implicitly beikvc that the time occupied hi getting th tt
Itwtk of Ballades Into his p HussUm t and lit Citing his eighty
cents into the hands of MrCItu Co, , was neither more uor k s tinu
thiitt in r uinrtt hy a ray of light to travel iHCi w ini es litn w
measurement. AD LECTOREM. vli Since it became known that for a few
paltry dimes our fellow-hunter acquired that genuine prize,
poignant anguish has been experienced by the rest of us, and none
has suffered more than I for though I covet not the
responsibilities of a scapegoat, God knows I would cheerfully bear,
instead of that man Way, the burden of shame resulting from having
done a bookseller. It is true that I have one of these first
Ballades but what of that Can an appreciative man have too much of
a good thing, when that good thing Is a rare first edition You
gather from this that I love first editions so 1 do, although 1
should tell you at once that the number of first editions I
actually possess Is very few furthermore, the few are not
particularly rare. But some time I shall have a larger and more
interesting collection I am quite sure 1 shall, for I have located
a number of treasures, and am conducting so aggressive and withal
so discreet a campaign for their comprehension, that they are
practically mine already. Three of these lovely mowx ux I happened
upon la a New Eng land town quite recently. No, I shall not name
that town 1 I had been permitted to prowl in the library ofthe
little house where for many years have lived two female relatives,
women of refined Viii A0 LECTGUEJVL tastes and much culture. At
last I said, Are these all the books you have The answer was, Yes,
these are all, except, perhaps, a few queer little old worthless
specimens in the back room upstairs...
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
