Release date is 2004-03-01

Introductory -- Camden's "Britannia" -- A mirror for magistrates -- A poet in prison -- Death's duel -- Gerard's Herbal -- Pharamond -- A volume of old plays -- A censor of poets -- Lady Winchilsea's poems -- Amasia -- Love and business -- What Ann Lang read -- Cats -- Smart's poems -- Pompey the Little -- The life of John Buncle -- Beau Nash -- The natural history of Selborne -- The diary of a lover of literature -- Peter Bell and his tormentors -- The fancy -- Ultra-crepidarius -- The Duke of Rutland's poems -- Ionica -- The shaving of Shagpat.

E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

"Gossip in a Library" by Edmund Gosse is a collection of reflections and essays written in the early 20th century. In this work, the author explores the intimate relationship between bibliophiles and their collections of books, providing a nostalgic and personal account of his own library and the literary treasures within it. The writing delves into themes of literature, the history of libraries, and the joy and complications of book collecting as a hobby. The opening of "Gossip in a Library" presents a contemplative piece on the nature of libraries, both public and private. Gosse reflects on the evolution of libraries as institutions and the deep personal significance of books for collectors. He introduces the idea that even small, private libraries can be treasure troves of history and emotion, filled with the remnants of past lives and aspirations contained within each volume. The author expresses a longing for an idealized personal library, one that harmonizes beauty and knowledge, while acknowledging the quirks and eccentricities of his own collection. This opening serves as an invitation to readers to join him in a literary journey that evokes both affection and reverence for the written word. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified