[3]Abookisessentiallynotatalkingthing, butawrittenthing; andwritten, notwithaviewofmerecommunication, ; ifhecould, hewould—; ifyoucould, youwould; youwriteinstead: , nottomultiplythevoicemerely, nottocarryitmerely, , , noonehasyetsaidit; sofarasheknows, , clearlyandmelodiouslyifhemay; , orgroupofthings, manifesttohim;—this, thepieceoftrueknowledge, orsight, ; engraveitonrock, ifhecould; saying, “Thisisthebestofme; fortherest, Iate, anddrank, andslept, loved, andhated, likeanother; mylifewasasthevapor, andisnot; butthisIsawandknew: this, ifanythingofmine, isworthyourmemory.”Thatishis “writing;” itis, inhissmallhumanway, andwithwhateverdegreeoftrueinspirationisinhim, hisinscription, “Book”.
[4]Perhapsyouthinknobookswereeversowritten?
[5]But, again, Iaskyou, doyouatallbelieveinhonesty, oratallinkindness, ordoyouthinkthereisneveranyhonestyorbenevolenceinwisepeople? Noneofus, Ihope, , whateverbitofawiseman’sworkishonestlyandbenevolentlydone, —ill-done, redundant, , youwilleasilydiscoverthetruebits, andthosearethebook.
