Third chapter into The Haunted Bookshop and I came across this text on page 58 that I like very much. This is also the text that Roger Mifflin, the proprietor of The Haunted Bookshop was very much fond of and had hung over his own desk. It conveys the first element of book morality, as he articulated it. Here's what it says (and I believe is how every booklover feels whenever a book is borrowed by their friends; I certainly feel this way):
ON THE RETURN OF A BOOK
LENT TO A FRIEND
I GIVE humble and hearty thanks for the safe return of this book which having endured the perils of my friend's bookcase, and the bookcases of my friend's friends, now returns to me in reasonably good condition.
I GIVE humble and hearty thanks that my friend did not see fit to give this book to his infant as a plaything, nor use it as an ash-tray for his burning cigar, nor as a teething-ring for his mastiff.
WHEN I lent this book I deemed it as lost: I was resigned to the bitterness of the long parting: I never thought to look upon its pages again.
BUT NOW that my book is coming back to me, I rejoice and am exceedingly glad! Bring hither the fatted morocco and let us rebind the volume and set it on the shelf of honour: for this my book was lent, and is returned again.
PRESENTLY, therefore, I may return some of the books I myself have borrowed.
And something really cute for a relaxing Saturday afternoon. Such a drama cat!
"god why?! Why did you invent dogs?!"
More of this cute laughs at lolcats.
Hehe! I always make sure that when books are loaned to me that they get back to their proper owners (so I stopped loaning) but I never seem to have the same courtesy extended to me :( Guess they just like them too much!
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, same here. I always, always return the books I borrowed to their owners. But I don't seem to be lucky in getting mine returned... I almost always expect my books as 'given away' instead of loaned. I just wish people would return what is not theirs...
ReplyDeleteI think that a book loaning ettiquette is very important, I once loaned my copy of Wild Swans: three daughters of China and it came back to me about a year later in a very sad state indeed. I was really quite annoyed. And the fact that I can still remember this about 12 years later just goes to show how much I was annoyed about it!
ReplyDeleteThis post reminded me of the three books I lent to a fellow mom in school last school year.
ReplyDeleteIt's already half way through a new school year but she hasn't returned my books yet. I feel sad because I've had those books since college.
I love the cute graphic at the end of the post.
Hi Sam, I would feel very bad and definitely annoyed if the borrower does not know how to care for the books he/she borrowed. I had the same experience with the paperbacks I lent out. They almost always came back looking tattered and yellowed. I don't understand how that could happen...
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel, glad to know you like the graphic. I think I'll caption it as: "God why?! Why don't people return the stuff they borrowed and in good condition?!"
i always lend my books to my friends too.. but sometimes, i forgot who borrowed which book and didn't return it. =(
ReplyDeletei remember one of my favourite book went MIA and i had to get a new copy!
i have a habit of wrapping all my books so that it'll look neater and won't get seasoned so easily. i even wrap my friend's book when i borrow from them. they're all very happy when i return their books in better condition. LOL!
Hi Denise! Sorry to hear about your books. :(
ReplyDeleteWe have the same habit! I, too, wrap all my books and there were a few books I borrowed from my brother that I wrapped for him too. He thinks I'm too weird.
Just yesterday I asked hubby to buy another two rolls of plastic book wrappers and he went, "Again? So fast?..." LOL
i thought i'm the only one with this "weird" habit!! hehe.. now i know i'm not that weird after all..
ReplyDeleteeven there's one time i refuse to lend a book to my friend cos i haven't wrap it! LOL!
Yay us who are NOT weird! LOL!
ReplyDelete