on books and the housing of them-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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；　but　stalls　after　the　manner　of　a　stable；
or　of　an　old…fashioned　coffee…room；　not　after
the　manner　of　a　bookstall；　which；　as　times
go；　is　no　stall　at　all；　but　simply　a　flat　space
made　by　putting　some　scraps　of　boarding
together；　and　covering　them　with　books。

This　method　of　dividing　the　longitudinal
space　by　projections　at　right　angles　to　it；　if
not　very　frequently　used；　has　long　been
known。　A　great　example　of　it　is　to　be　found
in　the　noble　library　of　Trinity　College；　
Cambridge；　and　is　the　work　of　Sir　Christopher
Wren。　He　has　kept　these　cases　down　to
very　moderate　height；　for　he　doubtless　took
into　account　that　great　heights　require　long
ladders；　and　that　the　fetching　and　use　of
these　greatly　add　to　the　time　consumed　in
getting　or　in　replacing　a　book。　On　the　other
hand；　the　upper　spaces　of　the　walls　are　
sacrificed；　whereas　in　Dublin；　All　Souls；　and
many　other　libraries　the　bookcases　ascend
very　high；　and　magnificent　apartments　walled
with　books　may　in　this　way　be　constructed。
Access　may　be　had　to　the　upper　portions　by
galleries；　but　we　cannot　have　stairs　all　round
the　room；　and　even　with　one　gallery　of　books
a　room　should　not　be　more　than　from　
sixteen　to　eighteen　feet　high　if　we　are　to　act　on
the　principle　of　bringing　the　largest　possible
number　of　volumes　into　the　smallest　possible
space。　I　am　afraid　it　must　be　admitted　that
we　cannot　have　a　noble　and　imposing　
spectacle；　in　a　vast　apartment；　without　sacrificing
economy　and　accessibility；　and　vice　versa。

The　projections　should　each　have　attached
to　them　what　I　rudely　term　an　endpiece　（for
want　of　a　better　name）；　that　is；　a　shallow
and　extremely　light　adhering　bookcase　（light
by　reason　of　the　shortness　of　the　shelves）；
which　both　increases　the　accommodation；　and
makes　one　short　side　as　well　as　the　two　long
ones　of　the　parallelopiped　to　present　simply
a　face　of　books　with　the　lines　of　shelf；　like
threads；　running　between　the　rows。

The　wall…spaces　between　the　projections
ought　also　to　be　turned　to　account　for　
shallow　bookcases；　so　far　as　they　are　not　
occupied　by　windows。　If　the　width　of　the　interval
be　two　feet　six；　about　sixteen　inches　of　this
may　be　given　to　shallow　cases　placed　against
the　wall。

Economy　of　space　is　in　my　view　best　
attained　by　fixed　shelves。　This　dictum　I　will
now　endeavor　to　make　good。　If　the　shelves
are　movable；　each　shelf　imposes　a　dead
weight　on　the　structure　of　the　bookcase；
without　doing　anything　to　support　it。　Hence
it　must　be　built　with　wood　of　considerable
mass；　and　the　more　considerable　the　mass
of　wood　the　greater　are　both　the　space　
occupied　and　the　ornament　needed。　When　the
shelf　is　fixed；　it　contributes　as　a　fastening　to
hold　the　parts　of　the　bookcase　together；　and
a　very　long　experience　enables　me　to　say
that　shelves　of　from　half…　to　three…quarters　of
an　inch　worked　fast　into　uprights　of　from
three…quarters　to　a　full　inch　will　amply　suffice
for　all　sizes　of　books　except　large　and　heavy
folios；　which　would　probably　require　a　small；
and　only　a　small；　addition　of　thickness。

I　have　recommended　that　as　a　rule　the
shelves　be　fixed；　and　have　given　reasons　for
the　adoption　of　such　a　rule。　I　do　not　know
whether　it　will　receive　the　sanction　of　
authorities。　And　I　make　two　admissions。　First；
it　requires　that　each　person　owning　and　
arranging　a　library　should　have　a　pretty　
accurate　general　knowledge　of　the　sizes　of　his
books。　Secondly；　it　may　be　expedient　to
introduce　here　and　there；　by　way　of　exception；
a　single　movable　shelf；　and　this；　I　believe；
will　be　found　to　afford　a　margin　sufficient　to
meet　occasional　imperfections　in　the　
computation　of　sizes。　Subject　to　these　remarks；　I
have　considerable　confidence　in　the　
recommendation　I　have　made。

I　will　now　exhibit　to　my　reader　the　
practical　effect　of　such　arrangement；　in　bringing
great　numbers　of　books　within　easy　reach。
Let　each　projection　be　three　feet　long；　twelve
inches　deep　（ample　for　two　faces　of　octavos）；
and　nine　feet　high；　so　that　the　upper　shelf
can　be　reached　by　the　aid　of　a　wooden　stool
of　two　steps　not　more　than　twenty　inches
high；　and　portable　without　the　least　effort　in
a　single　hand。　I　will　suppose　the　wall　space
available　to　be　eight　feet；　and　the　projections；
three　in　number；　with　end　pieces　need　only
jut　out　three　feet　five；　while　narrow　strips　of
bookcase　will　run　up　the　wall　between　the
projections。　Under　these　conditions；　the
bookcases　thus　described　will　carry　above
2；000　octavo　volumes。

And　a　library　forty　feet　long　and　twenty
feet　broad；　amply　lighted；　having　some　
portion　of　the　centre　fitted　with　very　low　
bookcases　suited　to　serve　for　some　of　the　uses　of
tables；　will　receive　on　the　floor　from　18；000
to　20；000　volumes　of　all　sizes；　without　losing
the　appearance　of　a　room　or　assuming　that
of　a　warehouse；　and　while　leaving　portions
of　space　available　near　the　windows　for　
purposes　of　study。　If　a　gallery　be　added；　there
will　be　accommodation　for　a　further　number
of　five　thousand；　and　the　room　need　be　no
more　than　sixteen　feet　high。　But　a　gallery
is　not　suitable　for　works　above　the　octavo
size；　on　account　of　inconvenience　in　carriage
to　and　fro。

It　has　been　admitted　that　in　order　to　
secure　the　vital　purpose　of　compression　with
fixed　shelving；　the　rule　of　arrangement　
according　to　subjects　must　be　traversed　
partially　by　division　into　sizes。　This　division；
however；　need　not；　as　to　the　bulk　of　the
library；　be　more　than　threefold。　The　main
part　would　be　for　octavos。　This　is　becoming
more　and　more　the　classical　or　normal　size；
so　that　nowadays　the　octavo　edition　is　
professionally　called　the　library　edition。　Then
there　should　be　deeper　cases　for　quarto　and
folio；　and　shallower　for　books　below　octavo；
each　appropriately　divided　into　shelves。

If　the　economy　of　time　by　compression　is
great；　so　is　the　economy　of　cost。　I　think　it
reasonable　to　take　the　charge　of　provision　for
books　in　a　gentleman's　house；　and　in　the
ordinary　manner；　at　a　shilling　a　volume。
This　may　vary　either　way；　but　it　moderately
represents；　I　think；　my　own　experience；　in
London　residences；　of　the　charge　of　fitting
up　with　bookcases；　which；　if　of　any　
considerable　size；　are　often　unsuitable　for　removal。
The　cost　of　the　method　which　I　have　adopted
later　in　life；　and　have　here　endeavored　to
explain；　need　not　exceed　one　penny　per　
volume。　Each　bookcase　when　filled　represents；
unless　in　exceptional　cases；　nearly　a　solid
mass。　The　intervals　are　so　small　that；　as　a
rule；　they　admit　a　very　small　portion　of　dust。
If　they　are　at　a　tolerable　distance　from　the
fireplace；　if　carpeting　be　avoided　except　as　to
small　movable　carpets　easily　removed　for
beating；　and　if　sweeping　be　discreetly　
conducted；　dust　may；　at　any　rate　in　the　country；
be　made　to　approach　to　a　quantite　negligeab1e。

It　is　a　great　matter；　in　addition　to　other
advantages；　to　avoid　the　endless　trouble　and
the　miscarriages　of　movable　shelves；　the
looseness；　and　the　tightness；　the　weary　arms；
the　aching　fingers；　and　the　broken　
fingernails。　But　it　will　be　fairly　asked　what　is　to
be　done；　when　the　shelves　are　fixed；　with
volumes　too　large　to　go　into　them？　I　admit
that　the　dilemma；　when　it　occurs；　is　
formidable。　I　admit　also　that　no　book　ought　to　be
squeezed　or　even　coaxed　into　its　place：　they
should　move　easily　both　in　and　out。　And　I
repeat　here　that　the　plan　I　have　
recommended　requires　a　pretty　exact　knowledge　by
measurement　of　the　sizes　of　books　and　the
proportions　in　which　the　several　sizes　will
demand　accommodation。　The　shelf…spacing
must　be　reckoned　beforehand；　with　a　good
deal　of　care　and　no　little　time。　But　I　can
say　from　experience　that　by　moderate　care
and　use　this　knowledge　can　be　attained；　and
that　the　resulting　difficulties；　when　measured
against　the　aggregate　of　convenience；　are
really　insignificant。　It　will　be　noticed　that
my　remarks　are　on　minute　details；　and　that
they　savor　more　of　serious　handiwork　in　the
placing　of　books　than　of　lordly　survey　and
direction。　But　what　man　who　really　loves
his　books　delegates　to　any　other　human　
being；　as　long　as　there　is　breath　in　his　body；
the　office　of　inducting　them　into　their　homes？

And　now　as　to　results。　It　is　something　to
say　that　in　this　way　10；000　volumes　can　be
placed　within　a　room　of　quite　ordinary　size；
all　visible；　all　within　easy　reach；　and　without
destroying　the　character　of　the　apartment　as
a　room。　But；　on　the　strength　of　a　case　with
which　I　am　acquainted；　I　will　even　be　a　little
more　particular。　I　take　as　before　a　room　of
forty　feet　in　length　and　twenty　in　breadth；
thoroughly　lighted　by　four　windows　on　each
side；　as　high　as　you　please；　but　with　only
about　nine　feet　of　height　taken　for　the　
bookcases：　inasmuch　as　all　heavy　ladders；　all
adminicula　requiring　more　than　one　hand　to
carry　with　care；　are　forsworn。　And　there　is
no　gallery。　In　the　manner　I　have　described；
there　may　be　placed　on　the　floor　of　such　a
room；　without　converting　it　from　a　room　into
a　warehouse；　bookcases　capable　of　receiving；
in　round　numbers；　20；000　volumes。

The　state　of　the　case；　however；　considered
as　a　whole；　and　especially　wi