Sixty Years a Bookman, With Other Recollections and Reflections

by Joseph Shaylor

Probably there is no other word in the English language that conveys a greater and a more varied meaning than that of Books. Besides reminding us of the books we have known and loved, it also throws the mind back to ancient history and the records handed down to us on Babylonian bricks or Egyptian papyrus. It was said by St. John, some 2,000 years ago, that if all the books had been written which might have been written upon a particular subject, the world itself could not contain them. If the world could not have contained them 2,000 years ago, what would have been the condition of affairs since the introduction of printing?

Records of different nationalities are being continually discovered and printed, and there are few things more fascinating than the knowledge they reveal of ancient history and the manners and customs of the ancient peoples. Recent explorations have greatly added to our knowledge of the past and probably, when some of the Eastern peoples have settled down to peaceable pursuits instead of national war and strife, we shall have given to us from the sands of Asia and Africa, records and information which will astonish the world, for if, as Dr. Keith states, this world has probably been inhabited for some fifteen millions of years it is to be hoped that records of its peoples' lives and habits exist, and that in some way they have been preserved.

Although all lovers of books and literature are interested in these ancient records, I do not intend attempting even a sketch of these fascinating periods of history and literature, but shall deal with a slight summary of a few names of authors, from the time of the first book printed by Caxton in 1474. This was entitled "Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye," which it is said laid a foundation upon which has been built the greatest of all the elements which will endow the world with civilization. It is generally understood that one hundred different volumes were issued from the Caxton press. It is, I suppose, a somewhat debatable question whether true literature really gained or lost by the introduction of printing; but it is quite certain that its influence for good has been very great. By the making of books, and thus being able to circulate in a cheaper form the old literature and help on the making of the new, it acted as a stimulus for good which developed greatly during the following centuries.

Take the Bible alone; it is to the wide circulation given to it through the introduction of printing that we owe the peace and goodwill that are by degrees permeating the civilized world. We do not know what literature had been destroyed during previous ages, but through the printing press many great authors of the fifteenth and sixteenth century have been preserved and have left for all time works of which the English-speaking race are justly proud. Among these authors are Francis Bacon, Francis Beaumont, William Camden, George Chapman, John Donne, M. Drayton, R. Hakluyt, G. Herbert, Richard Hooker, Ben Jonson, John Knox, John Lyly, Robert Herrick, Christopher Marlowe, Sir Walter Ralegh, William Shakespeare, Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spencer, and many others.

The authors of the seventeenth century also contributed largely to the literature of this country, among them being Joseph Addison, Richard Baxter, Sir T. Browne, John Bunyan, the Earl of Clarendon, John Dryden, John Locke, John Milton, Samuel Pepys, Sir W. Temple, Henry Vaughan, Edmund Waller, Isaac Walton, Daniel Defoe, A. Pope, S. Richardson and Jonathan Swift. This list could be largely increased by the addition of many well-known authors of later periods, but undoubtedly the introduction of printing greatly stimulated the love of literature and books which has grown up to the present day.

I have not attempted to give the names of authors who lived during the eighteenth or nineteenth century as many of them are as familiar as household words. During the last and the present century, there have been many authors whose works will be read by generations yet to come, but it is quite a question whether or no a great change has not taken place in the present-day lovers of books, both in the serious reader as well as the lover of lighter literature. Undoubtedly the war has not only made people think, but has made them reason upon the why and the wherefore of things. I cannot help feeling that the future of literature as well as that of daily life will have to be viewed from more solidly scientific foundations, and people will want books in which the facts of life are interwoven with the everyday possibilities of life and much of the supernatural imaginings will have gone for ever. Future authors have a great source in the present to draw upon in the moral and physical as well as the ideal life. Those who have the clearest ideas upon these points will be those whose works will be handed down to the generations yet to come. These views are not so much from the authors' point of view, as of one who has been associated with books and has watched events for over sixty years. During that period there have been many and important changes in the character of books as well as of public opinion with regard to them. I anticipate, however, that greater changes are possible in the near future.

From my own observation I cannot help feeling that the future of making and selling books, apart from authorship, will involve many changes. What a great influence must have been exercised by the sending out to the trenches and to all the various departments and agencies connected with the war, the millions of books and miscellaneous reading matter to those engaged in the war. Few people realize to what an enormous extent this was done. It was officially stated that in January, 1919, the Camps Library dispatched to France 129,000 novels, and 60,000 other publications were forwarded regularly every week. These are in addition to those sent out by the American Government and by the Y.M.C.A. and other agencies, and as there will be more money earned in the future by the people generally than there has ever been before, it is to be hoped that they will spend some of it upon books.

What I shall hope to see is that every place which is established for public recreation or instruction has a well-selected library and reading-room. We can only speculate upon the good this would do, although I am firmly convinced that the great work which the Free Libraries have done, and are still doing, will be largely extended. Our young people must have some place of interest to which they can always go. Then we shall be a happier and more contented people. Besides this, the author with high and noble ideals will have some object in producing works which help to nobler thoughts and aspirations, works which lead to a higher and better life. Books enable us to realize our lives and make us feel the wonder and mystery of the world, they widen our horizon and create a sympathy with humanity. The influence of literature marks the growth of liberty and joy.

The buying and selling of books is a delightful occupation. The bookseller in his work lives in a bygone world as well as in the present. Speaking for myself, I know what a comfort it is in old age to have an exhaustless treasury in books, to have the best in life of all the ages to fall back upon. The man who gives up his work to enjoy old age has nothing to fear if his mind is enriched by knowledge of the best in life and can enjoy the sympathy and friendship of books.