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On Books and the Housing of Them
by William Ewart Gladstone
In the old age of his intellect （which at
this point seemed to taste a little of
decrepitude）； Strauss declared ＇1＇ that the doctrine of
immortality has recently lost the assistance
of a passable argument； inasmuch as it has
been discovered that the stars are inhabited；
for where； he asks； could room now be found
for such a multitude of souls？ Again； in view
of the current estimates of prospective
population for this earth； some people have begun to
entertain alarm for the probable condition of
England （if not Great Britain） when she gets
（say） seventy millions that are allotted to her
against six or eight hundred millions for the
United States。 We have heard in some
systems of the pressure of population upon food；
but the idea of any pressure from any
quarter upon space is hardly yet familiar。 Still； I
suppose that many a reader must have been
struck with the naive simplicity of the hyperbole
of St。 John； ＇2＇ perhaps a solitary unit of its
kind in the New Testament： 〃the which if
they should be written every one； I suppose
that even the world itself could not contain
the books that should be written。〃
A book； even Audubon （I believe the biggest
known）； is smaller than a man； but； in relation
to space； I entertain more proximate
apprehension of pressure upon available space from
the book population than from the numbers of
mankind。 We ought to recollect； with more
of a realized conception than we commonly
attain to； that a book consists； like a man；
from whom it draws its lineage； of a body and
a soul。 They are not always proportionate to
each other。 Nay； even the different members
of the book…body do not sing； but clash； when
bindings of a profuse costliness are imposed；
as too often happens in the case of Bibles and
books of devotion； upon letter…press which is
respectable journeyman's work and nothing
more。 The men of the Renascence had a
truer sense of adaptation； the age of jewelled
bindings was also the age of illumination and
of the beautiful miniatura； which at an earlier
stage meant side or margin art；＇3＇ and then； on
account of the small portraitures included in
it； gradually slid into the modern sense of
miniature。 There is a caution which we ought
to carry with us more and more as we get in
view of the coming period of open book trade；
and of demand practically boundless。 Noble
works ought not to be printed in mean and
worthless forms； and cheapness ought to be
limited by an instinctive sense and law of
fitness。 The binding of a book is the dress
with which it walks out into the world。 The
paper； type and ink are the body； in which its
soul is domiciled。 And these three； soul； body；
and habilament； are a triad which ought to be
adjusted to one another by the laws of harmony
and good sense。
Already the increase of books is passing into
geometrical progression。 And this is not a
little remarkable when we bear in mind that
in Great Britain； of which I speak； while there
is a vast supply of cheap works； what are
termed 〃new publications〃 issue from the
press； for the most part； at prices fabulously
high； so that the class of real purchasers
has been extirpated； leaving behind as buyers
only a few individuals who might almost be
counted on the fingers； while the effective
circulation depends upon middle…men through the
engine of circulating libraries。 These are not
so much owners as distributers of books； and
they mitigate the difficulty of dearness by
subdividing the cost； and then selling such copies
as are still in decent condition at a large
reduction。 It is this state of things； due； in my
opinion； principally to the present form of the
law of copyright； which perhaps may have
helped to make way for the satirical （and
sometimes untrue） remark that in times of distress
or pressure men make their first economies on
their charities； and their second on their books。
The annual arrivals at the Bodleian Library
are； I believe； some twenty thousand； at the
British Museum； forty thousand； sheets of all
kinds included。 Supposing three…fourths of
these to be volumes； of one size or another；
and to require on the average an inch of
shelf space； the result will be that in every
two years nearly a mile of new shelving will
be required to meet the wants of a single
library。 But； whatever may be the present
rate of growth； it is small in comparison with
what it is likely to become。 The key of the
question lies in the hands of the United
Kingdom and the United States jointly。 In
this matter there rests upon these two Powers
no small responsibility。 They； with their vast
range of inhabited territory； and their unity
of tongue； are masters of the world； which
will have to do as they do。 When the
Britains and America are fused into one book
market； when it is recognized that letters；
which as to their material and their aim are
a high…soaring profession； as to their mere
remuneration are a trade； when artificial
fetters are relaxed； and printers； publishers； and
authors obtain the reward which well…regulated
commerce would afford them； then let
floors beware lest they crack； and walls lest
they bulge and burst； from the weight of
books they will have to carry and to confine。
It is plain； for one thing； that under the
new state of things specialism； in the future；
must more and more abound。 But specialism
means subdivision of labor； and with
subdivision labor ought to be more completely；
more exactly； performed。 Let us bow our
heads to the inevitable； the day of
encyclopaedic learning has gone by。 It may perhaps
be said that that sun set with Leibnitz。
But as little learning is only dangerous when
it forgets that it is little； so specialism is
only dangerous when it forgets that it is
special。 When it encroaches on its betters；
when it claims exceptional certainty or
honor； it is impertinent； and should be rebuked；
but it has its own honor in its own
province； and is； in any case； to be preferred to
pretentious and flaunting sciolism。
A vast； even a bewildering prospect is
before us； for evil or for good； but for good；
unless it be our own fault； far more than for
evil。 Books require no eulogy from me； none
could be permitted me； when they already
draw their testimonials from Cicero＇4＇ and
Macaulay。＇5＇ But books are the voices of the
dead。 They are a main instrument of
communion with the vast human procession of
the other world。 They are the allies of the
thought of man。 They are in a certain sense
at enmity with the world。 Their work is； at
least； in the two higher compartments of our
threefold life。 In a room well filled with
them； no one has felt or can feel solitary。
Second to none； as friends to the individual；
they are first and foremost among the compages；
the bonds and rivets of the race；
onward from that time when they were first
written on the tablets of Babylonia and
Assyria； the rocks of Asia minor； and the
monuments of Egypt； down to the diamond
editions of Mr。 Pickering and Mr。 Frowde。＇6＇
It is in truth difficult to assign dimensions
for the libraries of the future。 And it is also
a little touching to look back upon those of
the past。 As the history of bodies cannot；
in the long run； be separated from the history
of souls； I make no apology for saying a few
words on the libraries which once were； but
which have passed away。
The time may be approaching when we
shall be able to estimate the quantity of book
knowledge stored in the repositories of those
empires which we call prehistoric。 For the
present； no clear estimate even of the great
Alexandrian Libraries has been brought
within the circle of popular knowledge； but it
seems pretty clear that the books they
contained were reckoned； at least in the
aggregate； by hundreds of thousands。＇7＇ The form
of the book； however； has gone through many
variations； and we moderns have a great
advantage in the shape which the exterior
has now taken。 It speaks to us symbolically
by the title on its back； as the roll of
parchment could hardly do。 It is established that
in Roman times the