This afternoon I picked up a large stack of books from the library. While in Germany I had put in a few requests for what I wanted to read in the next few weeks and they were all ready to be picked up.

I needed to choose a book to read while having a snack at Target and picked The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton out of my library bag.

While reading the first couple of chapters I ran across some quotes that started my mind wandering.

I’m not really a collector, you see; I simply like to have good editions of the books I am fond of.

… very few of the historians can afford to buy them. They have to use those in the public libraries or in private collections. It seems to be the mere rarity that attracts the average collector.

These are some great statements about book collecting. To me you have two kinds of book collectors. Those who are collecting the content and those who are simply collecting rare items.

Another quote in the book is about tea. There is actually half a page that I could share, but I will just quote a few lines.

Lily, with the flavour of Selden’s caravan tea on her lips, had no great fancy to drown it in the railway brew which seemed such nectar to her companion; but, rightly judging that one of the charms of tea is that fact of drinking it together, she proceeded to give the last touch to Mr. Gryce’s enjoyment by smiling at him across her lifted cup.

Tea definitely has a charm. I know from my travels that there are certainly social aspects to tea, especially in Asia with the many different tea ceremonies. Of course, tea time to the British is also very important.

A couple of weeks ago I ran across another great tea quote while reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave.

Tea is the taste of my land: it is bitter and warm, strong, and sharp with memory. It tastes of longing. It tastes of the distance between where you are and where you come from. Also it vanishes — the taste of it vanishes from your tongue while your lips are still hot from the cup. It disappears, like plantations stretching up into the mist.

This is a wonderful quote about tea and one that is definitely true. Tea can bring back many memories of places you have been or people you have shared tea with.

I also ran across an interesting quote by C.S. Lewis that combines books and tea.

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.

The next quote is from Albert Einstein. I ran into him at the Frankfurt Airport yesterday, so he is also in my thoughts. See: A Long Day of Travel

The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.

This goes along with one of my education theories. You don’t always need to remember facts, but you do need to know where to find them.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is full of references to tea, but there is no really good quote about tea.

However, there are a few good passages about libraries that I really like.

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”

What may surprise you is that the statement above is from Caroline Bingley.

“What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!”

“It ought to be good,” he replied, “it has been the work of many generations.”

“And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books.”

“I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.”

The conversation here is between Miss Bingley and Darcy. I can imagine myself having the same conversation. My library has some books that have been in my family for up to seven generations.

I can let my mind wander about books for much longer, but must post this before midnight.

Which is your favorite quote from this post?

Steven