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a transitory love； and that for him the
question is how best to keep his books。
I pass over those conditions which are the
most obvious； that the building should be
sound and dry； the apartment airy； and with
abundant light。 And I dispose with a passing
anathema of all such as would endeavour to
solve their problem； or at any rate
compromise their difficulties； by setting one row
of books in front of another。 I also freely
admit that what we have before us is not
a choice between difficulty and no difficulty；
but a choice among difficulties。
The objects further to be contemplated in
the bestowal of our books； so far as I
recollect； are three： economy； good arrangement；
and accessibility with the smallest possible
expenditure of time。
In a private library； where the service of
books is commonly to be performed by the
person desiring to use them； they ought to be
assorted and distributed according to subject。
The case may be altogether different where
they have to be sent for and brought by an
attendant。 It is an immense advantage to
bring the eye in aid of the mind； to see
within a limited compass all the works that
are accessible； in a given library； on a given
subject； and to have the power of dealing
with them collectively at a given spot； instead
of hunting them up through an entire
accumulation。 It must be admitted； however； that
distribution by subjects ought in some degree
to be controlled by sizes。 If everything on a
given subject； from folio down to 32mo； is to
be brought locally together； there will be an
immense waste of space in the attempt to
lodge objects of such different sizes in one
and the same bookcase。 And this waste of
space will cripple us in the most serious
manner； as will be seen with regard to the
conditions of economy and of accessibility。
The three conditions are in truth all
connected together； but especially the two last
named。
Even in a paper such as this the question
of classification cannot altogether be
overlooked； but it is one more easy to open than
to close one upon which I am not bold
enough to hope for uniformity of opinion and
of practice。 I set aside on the one hand the
case of great public libraries； which I leave
to the experts of those establishments。 And；
at the other end of the scale； in small private
libraries the matter becomes easy or even
insignificant。 In libraries of the medium scale；
not too vast for some amount of personal
survey； some would multiply subdivision； and
some restrain it。 An acute friend asks me
under what and how many general headings
subjects should be classified in a library
intended for practical use and reading； and
boldly answers by suggesting five classes
only： （1） science； （2） speculation； （3） art；
（4） history； and （5） miscellaneous and
periodical literature。 But this seemingly simple
division at once raises questions both of
practical and of theoretic difficulty。 As to the
last； periodical literature is fast attaining to
such magnitude； that it may require a
classification of its own； and that the enumeration
which indexes supply； useful as it is； will not
suffice。 And I fear it is the destiny of
periodicals as such to carry down with them a
large proportion of what； in the phraseology
of railways； would be called dead weight； as
compared with live weight。 The limits of
speculation would be most difficult to draw。
The diversities included under science would
be so vast as at once to make sub…
classification a necessity。 The olog…ies are by no means
well suited to rub shoulders together； and
sciences must include arts； which are but
country cousins to them； or a new
compartment must be established for their
accomodation。 Once more； how to cope with the
everlasting difficulty of 'Works'？ In what
category to place Dante； Petrarch；
Swedenborg； Burke； Coleridge； Carlyle； or a hundred
more？ Where； again； is Poetry to stand？
I apprehend that it must take its place； the
first place without doubt； in Art； for while it
is separated from Painting and her other
'sphere…born harmonious sisters' by their
greater dependence on material forms they are all
more inwardly and profoundly united in their
first and all…enfolding principle； which is to
organize the beautiful for presentation to the
perceptions of man。
But underneath all particular criticism of
this or that method of classification will be
found to lie a subtler question whether the
arrangement of a library ought not in some
degree to correspond with and represent the
mind of the man who forms it。 For my own
part； I plead guilty； within certain limits； of
favoritism in classification。 I am sensible
that sympathy and its reverse have something
to do with determining in what company a
book shall stand。 And further； does there
not enter into the matter a principle of
humanity to the authors themselves？ Ought
we not to place them； so far as may be； in
the neighborhood which they would like？
Their living manhoods are printed in their
works。 Every reality； every tendency； endures。
Eadem sequitur tellure sepultos。
I fear that arrangement； to be good； must
be troublesome。 Subjects are traversed by
promiscuous assemblages of 'works；' both by
sizes； and all by languages。 On the whole
I conclude as follows。 The mechanical
perfection of a library requires an alphabetical
catalogue of the whole。 But under the shadow
of this catalogue let there be as many living
integers as possible； for every well…chosen
subdivision is a living integer and makes the
library more and more an organism。 Among
others I plead for individual men as centres
of subdivision： not only for Homer； Dante；
Shakespeare； but for Johnson； Scott； and
Burns； and whatever represents a large and
manifold humanity。
The question of economy； for those who
from necessity or choice consider it at all； is
a very serious one。 It has been a fashion to
make bookcases highly ornamental。 Now
books want for and in themselves no
ornament at all。 They are themselves the
ornament。 Just as shops need no ornament；
and no one will think of or care for any
structural ornament； if the goods are
tastefully disposed in the shop…window。 The man
who looks for society in his books will
readily perceive that； in proportion as the face of
his bookcase is occupied by ornament； he
loses that society； and conversely； the more
that face approximates to a sheet of
bookbacks； the more of that society he will enjoy。
And so it is that three great advantages come
hand in hand； and； as will be seen； reach
their maximum together： the sociability of
books； minimum of cost in providing for
them； and ease of access to them。
In order to attain these advantages； two
conditions are fundamental。 First； the shelves
must； as a rule； be fixed； secondly； the cases；
or a large part of them； should have their
side against the wall； and thus； projecting
into the room for a convenient distance； they
should be of twice the depth needed for a
single line of books； and should hold two
lines； one facing each way。 Twelve inches
is a fair and liberal depth for two rows of
octavos。 The books are thus thrown into
stalls； b