Rainy Days in a Library

by Herbert Eustace Maxwell (Creator), Oliver Wendell Holmes Collection (Library of Congress) (Creator)

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148 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Sir Herbert Eustace Maxwell, 7th Baronet, Bt, KT, PC, JP, DL, FRS, FRGS was a Scottish novelist, essayist, artist, antiquarian, horticulturalist and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1906.

Reviews

[jeand99 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herbert Maxwell of Monreith, 7th baronet (1845-1937) was 51 when he wrote his book, ‘Rainy Days in a Library’ (1896).

On normal days it seems that “every Englishman” is by an “incorrigible instinct” pricked to go outdoors. But on really rainy days he may give himself, according to Maxwell, to reading. Reading in a country-house library (RDL, ix). “The charm of a country-house library consists in the change it offers. Here there is seldom the forbidding formality of institutes or the classified order of clubs. There is no chilling severance between natural history and ‘belles lettres’".

In this book Maxwell advises to read the next thirteen books:
1. Adam Petrie, ‘Rules of Good Deportment, Or of Good Breeding for the Use of Youth’ (Edinburgh 1720). Petrie was of modest origin and became minister. He wrote a book of his new-found refinement, of the manners and customs of persons of quality.
2. Baldassare Castiglione, ‘The Book of the Courtier’ (Italian: ‘Il Cortegiano’) (Venice 1528). Reflects of the daily routine of a wealthy Italian’s house. Of that what constitutes an ideal courtier.
3. The first number of ‘Sporting Magazine’ came out in 1793. It was the first periodical devoted to field-sports.
4. William Edmonstoune Aytoun (1813-1865) wrote the verse 'Firmilian, a Spasmodic Tragedy, or The Student of Badajoz' (1854) under the nom-de-plume of T. Percy Jones in ‘Blackwood’s Magazine’. It was a mock-tragedy in which he parodied the poems of the Spasmodic poets and critics. A hoax.
5. John Bulwer (1606-1656) was the first person in England to propose educating deaf people. In his book 'Anthropometamorphosis' (English: humanity-changing) from 1653 Bulwer describes how people modify their bodies and clothes in different cultures.
6. Abraham Hayward, ‘The Art of Dining’ (London 1852). A book with recipes, cartes, anecdotes, aphorisms and philosophy.
7. Johannes Jonstonus, ‘An History of the Wonderful Things of Nature: Seth forth in Ten Severall Classes’ (London 1657). Maxwell considers this book, a book of too many errors and too much obvious compilation. No read advise.
8. Charles St. John, ‘Natural history & sport in Moray’ (Edinburgh 1863). Book with little essays on mixed sport and natural history.
9. Tallemant des Réaux, 'Historiettes' in ten volumes (1834). "Scurrilous" anecdotes in French of Parisian society in the 17th century. He gives portraits of De Balzac, Blaise Pascal and many others.
10. Sir John Skene, ‘Regiam Majestatem’ (1609). Earliest surviving work giving a comprehensive digest of the Law of Scotland in both Latin and Scots. Probably the shortest Act of Parliament is one of James I. of Scotland, which runs: “It is statute and ordainit that na man play at the football.”
11. Captain Topham, ‘Letters from Edinburgh, 1774 and 1775, containing some Observations on the Diversions, Customs, Manners, and Laws of the Scotch Nation’ (Edinburgh 1776). Maxwell: “[At that time] the difference between social customs in London and Edinburgh was far greater than it is at the present day between those of London and New York. Practically, Scotland was still a foreign country to [Topham].”
12. Robert Pitcairn, ‘Criminal Trials in Scotland from A.D. 1488 to 1624’ (Edinburgh 1833). A reader may rise by, “the stupidity and cruelty of obsolete judicial procedure and punishment as by the deeds of criminals themselves.”
13. Blaeu, ‘Geographia’ (Amsterdam latter half of 17th century). Atlas in twelve volumes. Maxwell: “The maps are embedded in a perfect encyclopaedia of learning, comprising not only geography and topography, but writings by the best authorities of the day on history, antropology, philogy, and natural science. All the known world was included in the scheme.”

Maxwell wrote a book for 'entre nous', for his class, for those who were able to read English, French and Latin. For those who had leisure time and access to a well filled country library. For the happy few in the Victorian and Edwardian Era.

In summary, it is primarily a book that should promote historical awareness for its readers.

My first edition copy is signed by Maxwell and dedicated to "dearest Elena/ Ellen" on Christmas 1897. Inscription in Latin reads: "Hunc librum, exiguum antiquae amicitiae pignus, Elenae dilectissimae dedit auctor. XMAS: Mdcccxcvij"

My blog with pictures and links to the mentioned books: here.