Such as, part of the quote I posted yesterday from Milton's Areopagitica is a popular quote for public libraries:
From Wikipedia on John Milton:
"A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life" – is seen in many public libraries, including the New York Public Library.
I also learned that Milton kept a commonplace book, which is now kept in the British Library.
A commonplace book was used by writers, readers and students to keep useful concepts or facts that they had learned. Here is a quote from 1799:
"The man who reads, and neglects to note down the essence of what he has read; the man who sees, and omits to record what he has seen; the man who thinks, and fails to treasure up his thoughts in some place…will often have occasion to regret an omission, which such a book, as is now offered to him, is well calculated to remedy."
quote from:RENAISSANCE COMMONPLACE BOOKS FROM THE BRITISH LIBRARY
I can see why commonplacing has been compared to blogging. Actually, I always have a notebook that I jot down anything that I want to remember. Only some of what I write in my notebook makes it to the blog.
2 comments:
Although I definitely don't write down all that I should or want to, I have been keeping a commonplace book (I call it a chapbook) for about six years now. I end up filling up about a blank bound book's worth a year, and when I read back what I've collected, it's very satisfying. It's as though you read this neat book with all the boring bits left out and only the gems left in.
It is nice to have a record of what you're reading and thinking about during the year. I haven't heard of a "chapbook" before.
Post a Comment