Selected Essays by Samuel Butler, with a biographical sketch of the author by Henry Festing Jones (Hardcover – 1927)
I was in Castlemaine in country Victoria in April 2017 when I took the opportunity to browse the excellent second hand bookshop 'Book Heaven'. I came across this little gem, published as part of the Travellers Library in 1927. I had studied Butler's 'The Way of All Flesh' at school so was familiar with this 19th century English writer (1835-1902). Sometimes you take a punt and get rewarded - this was definitely the case with this book.
The essays were written over a period of years, mostly for publication in the newspapers of the time. Yet, they are long essays of 20 or more pages each, with some significantly longer.
The opening biographical sketch of the author by Henry Festing Jones is 47 pages and makes for wonderful reading in its own right. I read it initially and then reread it once I had read the essays. A lot more of it sank in once I had read it the second time. There is one particular gem on pages 43-44 which describes his daily routine when resident in London. What wonderful stuff.
In his essay 'Ramblings in Cheapside' on p123, he writes:
Webster's Dictionary, Whitaker's Almanac and Bradshaw's Railway guide should be sufficient for any ordinary library.
Now I love Michael Portello's Great Railway Journeys which is indeed based on Bradshaw!
Part social commentator and part philosopher, he is also known for examining Christian orthodoxy, substantive studies of evolutionary thought, studies of Italian art, and works of literary history and criticism. Butler made prose translations of the Iliad and Odyssey that remain in use to this day.
My favourite essays were
Quis Desiderio . . . ?
The Humour of Homer
Sanctuary of Montrigone
Thought and Language
Wonderful stuff!!!
