[Gutenberg 50507] • Eighteenth Century Waifs

Excerpt from Eighteenth Century Waifs, Vol. 1 of 1

It was probably Solomon, who, in Ecclesiastes, cap. 12, v. 12, said, 'Of making many books there is no end.' But, if this book had to have been written by him, he might, probably, have modified his opinion.

I have read some books in my life-time, re the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, and therefore was not taken aback when I was advised by a learned friend, whom I consulted as to the subject of a new book, to try the 'Musgrave Tracts, ' in the British Museum. I thanked him, and wrote for them, when I was politely asked, 'Did I want them all?' 'Of course, was my reply; when I was told, with the courtesy that particularly distinguishes the establishment, that I had better come into an inner room, and have them down shelf by shelf.

The books came in a continuous stream, until I asked if there were any more.