A GREAT LIBRARY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 657, 6 November 1909, Page 9

A GREAT LIBRARY.

A library of a thousand volumes of tho best works in Hnghs,li' literature for £50. This is the ideal which Mr. J.iM. Dent has set himself to realise m "Evcrj man's Library." Tho first 400 volumes have now appeared, and tho publisher is justly proud of nis achievement. "Tho world is getting more English overy day," said Mr. Dent, inrthe course of an interview with a London "Daily Nevis" repiesentntive. "I may be too sanguine, but I have an impression that the English language will, in the coming generations, overrun the world. In every quarter of tho newly-born countries of the world—if I may express it in that form—in such countries, for instance, v j as Japan and Turkey, the English lauguago is being taught, and readers of English books are found all 'over the world. "You would be surprised if you saw our correspondence'relating to . the 'Everyman's Library.' From North-West C'.nada to Capo Horn, from North China to New Zealand, there is hardly a country whero we have not readers. Here," he said, ■pointing to a letter on his desk, " is a communication just to hand fiom' Labrador. "When I planned tho library my idea was to provide a series of cheap and well-printed lolumes that would satisfy the needs of every man. ' 1 had in view the servant and tho jnan in the forge, the student and the busy • jnan of business, the novel reader and tho scientist. Jl Tho result has been surprising. It is thrie and a half years since the first „batcb oijlifty was issued. Thi- week I have issued the, 400 th volume. Our books .show .that up to the'end of August o'vor 5,000,000 separate > volnmcs'hav? been sold." < '"poes that mean that the love of leading is on tho increase?" 1' 1 " " Undoubtedly. It means not only an' increase in . tho number of readers owing to tho advance of education, but an increaso in tho number of competent and intelligent readers. Never before were books so cheap, and never before have high-class and standard norks bton so accessible to the reading oublic. Tha treasures of English literature aro btought to door of tht poor man, who is , glad to spii'if' a shilling on a mastorpieco. We havo a doien of Kuskin's volumes in tho library And, in spite of the fact that hundreds of editions of Shakespeare have been issued by diffoi»jit prblishcrs, we have sold over 50,000 come", of the poet since tho commencement of th» library. Bohovo me, tho people aro reading-, and reading as they havo , new read before.'" / "What of the future volumes of the library f" > v < f " Will, up to the present wc havo haidly touched tbo fringo of the great sea of English literature. English readers have no conception of tho tnst literary treasures waiting to be . uneaithcd. To give the reading public somo idea of what remains to bo done, I am having a dictionary of JJnglish literature specially compiled for the 'library, which will be issued in, flic next 100 volumes. Tho sea is so vast that it is difficult to choose, bnt if it is to be an 'Everyman's Library' everv section of tho reading world mu6t be considered. Missionary, biography must bo included, so I havo made a start with Dr. Carey. Lmngstone, both as a missionary and traieller, must, , of course, go in." ." And what about tho NoTth Pole?"

controvorsv. ' replied Mr. Dent,/"has called ..mewed'-attention to. Arctic exploration. Tho voyages of Franklin are almost forgotten, so'he .must go in., I am.plamiing- a peries of books on India, ami tho first -will bo'jtho, lifo of - Outrara. ! National histories,'. .written in English; must have a place. Wo have no English history of .Germany or America, but ; we shall have them in good time. \Count Lutzw,' of Bohemia, is very, nn.tious that his country Bhould be better known iri England, arid he has just'.placed..at* my. disposal his history'of Bohemia, recently; written, for translation into English, and that will bo ■ "Then,; as-to classic's, I want to bring to the English reader all the great classics. We .have given Tacitus and Euripides; wo shall follow with Heroditus and -Livy."., An -interesting addition will bo a volume, of Trench troubadour songs and -legends of,-the 12th century, dono -into English, ar.d a volume of St.'Francis of Asissi. Next year I shall add 100 volumes, and . next'month-.1 am going to America to consult with the American professors' and heads of schools as, to future additions, and probably as to an enlargement of the-scope of the library." •Mr. Bent has made this library the passion of his life.