Gossip in a Library

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gosse, Edmund, 1849-1928

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Gossip in a Library" by Edmund Gosse is a collection of reflections and essays written in the early 20th century. In this work, the author explores the intimate relationship between bibliophiles and their collections of books, providing a nostalgic and personal account of his own library and the literary treasures within it. The writing delves into themes of literature, the history of libraries, and the joy and complications of book collecting as a hobby. The opening of "Gossip in a Library" presents a contemplative piece on the nature of libraries, both public and private. Gosse reflects on the evolution of libraries as institutions and the deep personal significance of books for collectors. He introduces the idea that even small, private libraries can be treasure troves of history and emotion, filled with the remnants of past lives and aspirations contained within each volume. The author expresses a longing for an idealized personal library, one that harmonizes beauty and knowledge, while acknowledging the quirks and eccentricities of his own collection. This opening serves as an invitation to readers to join him in a literary journey that evokes both affection and reverence for the written word. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

Introductory

Camden's "Britannia"

A mirror for magistrates

A poet in prison

Death's duel

Gerard's Herbal

Pharamond

A volume of old plays

A censor of poets

Lady Winchilsea's poems

Amasia

Love and business

What Ann Lang read

Cats

Smart's poems

Pompey the Little

The life of John Buncle

Beau Nash

The natural history of Selborne

The diary of a lover of literature

Peter Bell and his tormentors

The fancy

Ultra-crepidarius

The Duke of Rutland's poems

Ionica

The shaving of Shagpat.

Credits:

E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Notes:

Reading ease score: 62.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2004-03-01