The Duties and Qualifications of a Librarian (1780)/Preface

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Bibliographical Note

The Duties and Qualifications of a Librarian (1780)
by Jean Baptiste Cotton des Houssayes

Preface

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2934148The Duties and Qualifications of a Librarian (1780) — PrefaceJean Baptiste Cotton des Houssayes

PREFACE

"NOTICE BY THE EDITOR"

The Discourse on the Qualities and Duties of a Librarian has already been edited by our colleague, J. Techener, in 1839.

The rarity of this treatise is not the only motive which induces us to publish it again, the charm we felt in reading it makes us believe that we ought to share with others the reading of a masterpiece, almost unknown, or at the best forgotten.

The author of the translation, M^r. Gratet-Duplessis,^[1] has given a very happy rendering of the Discourse of Cotton des Houssayes. It is impossible to give to his version a more graceful or original turn, or to render with more delicacy the grand and ingenious thoughts of the librarian of the Sorbonne.

La Bruyère has said: "Scarcely ever till now has a masterpiece of the intellect been seen which has been the work of several people; collaborated work and translations have never revoked this condemnation. Indeed, genius demands unity, great minds understand alone their own thoughts, alone they possess the admirable secret of expressing them in an unparalleled manner. Corneille would probably have translated Shakespeare very badly, and Schiller could never have shown the beauties of Corneille. However, these are three tragic writers of the highest order.

To this singular incapacity, which is caused by the diversity of our sentiments, one can only add what Fontenelle said in speaking of our features: "What secret can nature have had to enable her to vary in so many ways so simple a thing as a face."

This apparently insurmountable difficulty has not even been perceived by M^r. Gratet-Duplessis, because in him the Abbé Cotton des Houssayes lives again. He possesses the same modesty, the same urbanity, the same literary erudition. That which the learned librarian expressed with so much grace and affability has been thought and practised by M^r. Duplessis without other models than his own instincts. This is the secret of this charming treatise, of this translation, which has not even the appearance of one.

We will say nothing of des Houssayes' Discourse; the reader will appreciate it. We can only wish that all the principles which he here includes should become the rule of conduct of all librarians. They would lose nothing by it, and the public would gain much.

↑ Gratet-Duplessis (Pierre- Alexandre) was born at Janville (Eure-et-Loir) on December 16, 1792.
Although very young, he showed so much intelligence in teaching that he attracted the notice of the government. He was appointed successively principal of Angers' college, inspector of Caen university and rector of the Lyon and Douai academies. Everywhere he proved himself an experienced administrator, everywhere he knew how to make himself loved and obeyed by his loyalty, his independence and his justice.
He early abandoned his university career, in order to give himself up entirely to study. It would be impossible in so short a notice to enumerate the forty-nine productions of M^r. G.-Duplessis; we will only mention his "Bibliographie parémiologique" (1 vol. 8vo, Paris, 1847), his edition of the "Maximes de La Rochefoucault" (1 vol. 18mo, Paris, 1853), and the "Livre des Miracles de N.-D. de Chartres" (1 vol. 8vo, Chartres, 1855).

M^r. G.-Duplessis died of an apoplectic stroke in 1853. He was unanimously regretted. "He was," says M^r. Sainte-Beuve, "the most indefatigable and most disinterested professor of this time, and also the most obliging to every one. Amateur of books in the true sense of the word, he did not only know them thoroughly, but also knew the peculiarties which distinguished them. He was different to most amateurs in this, that he desired rather to know than to possess them."
We will add nothing to this praise. M^r. G.-Duplessis still continues to live with us; we all remember his affability, and no one in the republic of letters can fail to know that he was as much a man of intellect as a man of courage.

[p23-1] Gratet-Duplessis (Pierre- Alexandre) was born at Janville (Eure-et-Loir) on December 16, 1792.
Although very young, he showed so much intelligence in teaching that he attracted the notice of the government. He was appointed successively principal of Angers' college, inspector of Caen university and rector of the Lyon and Douai academies. Everywhere he proved himself an experienced administrator, everywhere he knew how to make himself loved and obeyed by his loyalty, his independence and his justice.
He early abandoned his university career, in order to give himself up entirely to study. It would be impossible in so short a notice to enumerate the forty-nine productions of M^r. G.-Duplessis; we will only mention his "Bibliographie parémiologique" (1 vol. 8vo, Paris, 1847), his edition of the "Maximes de La Rochefoucault" (1 vol. 18mo, Paris, 1853), and the "Livre des Miracles de N.-D. de Chartres" (1 vol. 8vo, Chartres, 1855).

M^r. G.-Duplessis died of an apoplectic stroke in 1853. He was unanimously regretted. "He was," says M^r. Sainte-Beuve, "the most indefatigable and most disinterested professor of this time, and also the most obliging to every one. Amateur of books in the true sense of the word, he did not only know them thoroughly, but also knew the peculiarties which distinguished them. He was different to most amateurs in this, that he desired rather to know than to possess them."
We will add nothing to this praise. M^r. G.-Duplessis still continues to live with us; we all remember his affability, and no one in the republic of letters can fail to know that he was as much a man of intellect as a man of courage.

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