“Mr. Matthew Adams, who had a pretty collection of books, and who frequented our printing-house, took notice of me, invited me to his library, and very kindly lent me such books as I chose to read.”

The tradesman stood in the corner of my print shop, smelling of ink and paper. He led me past the presses into a quiet room lined with shelves where dust motes danced in the afternoon sun. There he placed open volumes before me, offering knowledge without charge while I sat on a wooden stool to learn.