It
Is Scarcely Necessary To Point Out The Objection To The First Plan, Arising
From The Impracticability Of Making Any Catalogue Absolutely Complete; But
It May Be Said, Though Not Absolutely Complete, It May, By Sufficient
Information And Diligence, Be Rendered Nearly So.
Let us suppose, then,
that by unwearied assiduity and research, aided and guided by the requisite
knowledge, a catalogue
Is rendered as perfect as it practically can be
made, - is the utility of such a catalogue enhanced in a proportion any
thing approaching to the labour, research, and time expended upon it; or,
rather, would not such a catalogue be much less useful than one within
smaller compass, drawn up on the plan of selection?
On all subjects there are more bad or indifferent works published than good
ones. This remark applies with peculiar justice and force to modern works
of voyages and travels. A very extensive catalogue, therefore, must contain
a large portion of bad or indifferent books, which are not worth the
purchasing, the consulting, nor the perusing; consequently, if such works
appear in a catalogue drawn up for the purpose of guiding those who purpose
to travel in particular countries, to write on the subject of them, or
merely to read respecting them for the sake of information, it is plain
that such a catalogue cannot be trusted as a safe and judicious guide; as
if the persons consulting it select for themselves, there is an equal
chance of selecting useless books as good ones; and if they attempt to
peruse all, they must waste a great deal of time.
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