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Contents: Uncollected Essays
Bed-Room Book-Shelves
by Sarah Orne Jewett
"You know the time-honored joke about my family?" my friend asked, looking up with a droll smile. "They say that we never go to bed and never get up."
"Yes," I answered, "but the world will never accept the fact that there are two classes of people – those who are at their best when they wake early in the morning and then run down like clocks, and those who are at their worst and weakest and dullest when sleep is just over, but are gradually winding themselves up all day, so that when evening comes they are equal to anything. The trouble is that the morning people are such a majority that they rule society and make all its laws. The evening people are obliged – poor things – to get up and have breakfast when they do and drag themselves out to keep early appointments, and when they come to their happy evening and are wide awake and blooming like primroses, all the morning people are stupid and sleepy and unsympathetic."
My friend sighed and nodded. "There is so little provision made for us," she said. "It seems really quite heartless. Last week I was paying a visit at the W.'s. You know how charming the house is?"
"And how charming they are," I added.
"Yes; and though they are morning people they can not help that, dear souls! Only I found them getting sleepy just before 10, and said good night out of sheer affection, for I was just ready to enjoy myself. I went upstairs and meant to delight myself in reading for an hour or two. Alas! I had left my own book at home; something, too, that I was uncommonly interested in. It was a great blow, but I looked confidently round that luxurious room, and found everything needed to make me comfortable except books; so I went to bed and laid awake, as I always do, until between 12 and 1."
"How odd," said I, "for they are famous readers. And even morning people themselves often like to read when they wake too early."
"And one likes to find a clever book to take up in the daytime. You know that guests often like to hide themselves in their rooms, and it is a great satisfaction to the hostess to have them do so. On a longish visit, I mean; when the affairs of the household have to go on as usual, I think there should be a comfortable couch and a table where one can write, in every guest-chamber. And a little shelf of books and a magazine or two."
"One might guess at the preferences of the coming guest and arrange the books specially, some new ones and some old ones. Miss Thackeray's "Village on the Cliff," Mrs. Rutherford's "Children," and Thoreau's "Cape Cod," or one of Burroughs' books[,] something of Mrs. Oliphant's, and Thackeray's "Roundabout Papers." Tennyson's poems, one of the Carlyle volumes, Longfellow's "Evangeline." Dear me, how easy to make a list!"
"But, after all, some people would never touch them," said I.
"Then the books should be there to stare them in the face all the more," said my friend, decidedly.["]
Notes
The earliest known publication of this essay is in the Household Department of the Inter-Ocean from Chicago, Sunday, November 21, 1886, p. 19. The essay also appeared in the Columbus Journal (9 March 1887, p. 4), from which this text is transcribed.
Miss Thackeray's "Village on the Cliff": Wikipedia says, "Anne Isabella, Lady Ritchie, née Thackeray (9 June 1837 - 26 February 1919), was an English writer. She was the eldest daughter of William Makepeace Thackeray." The Village on the Cliff appeared in 1871.
Mrs. Rutherford's "Children": Wikipedia says, "Susan Bogert Warner (July 11, 1819 - March 17, 1885), was an American evangelical writer of religious fiction, children's fiction, and theological works. Born in New York City, she wrote, under the name of "Elizabeth Wetherell", thirty novels, many of which went into multiple editions. However, her first novel, The Wide, Wide World (1850), was the most popular." Mrs. Rutherford's Children was published in 1853.
Thoreau's "Cape Cod": Henry David Thoreau's (1817-1862) Cape Cod appeared in 1865.
one of Burroughs' books: Wikipedia says, "John Burroughs (April 3, 1837 - March 29, 1921) was an American naturalist and nature essayist, active in the U.S. conservation movement. The first of his essay collections was Wake-Robin in 1871."
something of Mrs. Oliphant's: Wikipedia says, "Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant ... (4 April 1828 - 25 June 1897), was a Scottish novelist and historical writer, who usually wrote as Mrs. Oliphant. Her fictional works encompass 'domestic realism, the historical novel and tales of the supernatural.'"
Thackeray's "Roundabout Papers": Wikipedia says, William Makepeace Thackeray ...(18 July 1811 - 24 December 1863) was an English novelist of the 19th century. He is famous for his satirical works, particularly Vanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of English society." The Roudabout Papers (1863) appeared originally as columns in Cornhill Magazine.
Tennyson's poems: Wikipedia says, "Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS (6 August 1809 - 6 October 1892) was Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular British poets."
one of the Carlyle volumes: Wikipedia says: "Thomas Carlyle (4 December 1795 - 5 February 1881) was a Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher. Considered one of the most important social commentators of his time, he presented many lectures during his lifetime with certain acclaim in the Victorian era."
Longfellow's "Evangeline": Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie (1847) is an epic poem by the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882).
Edited by Terry Heller, Coe College
Contents: Uncollected Essays
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