Natural history -- Outdoor books; Nature; Nature study; Paris (France) -- Description and travel
These are the principal subjects which the villager would select or
avoid had he the opportunity to make a choice. As it is, he has to take
what chance brings him, and often to be content with nothing, because
he does not know what to ask for. If any one ever takes up the task of
supplying the country with the sound and thoroughly first-class
literature for which it is now ready, he will at least have the certain
knowledge that he is engaged in a most worthy propaganda--with the
likelihood of a large pecuniary reward. Such profits must of necessity
be slow in the beginning, as they are in all new businesses, but they
would also be slow in working off. It is a peculiarity of the country
to be loyal. If country people believe in a bank, for instance--and
they always believe in the first bank that comes among them--they
continue to believe, and no effort whatever is necessary to keep the
connection. It will be generations in dying out. So with a newspaper,
so with an auctioneer--with everything. That which comes first is
looked on with suspicion and distrust for a time, people are chary of
having anything to do with it; but by-and-by they deal, and, having
once dealt, always deal. They remain loyal; competition is of no use,
the old name is the one believed in. Whoever acquires a name for the
supply of the literature the country wants will retain that name for
three-quarters of a century, and with a minimum of labour. At the same
time the extent of country is so large that there is certainly room for
several without clashing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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