Bartleby was one of those beings of whom nothing is ascertainable, except from the original sources, and, in his case, those are very small. I believe that no materials exist, for a full and satisfactory biography of this man. While, of other law-copyists, I might write the complete life, of Bartleby nothing of that sort can be done. But I waive the biographies of all other scriveners, for a few passages in the life of Bartleby, who was a scrivener, the strangest I ever saw, or heard of. I have known very many of them, professionally and privately, and, if I pleased, could relate divers histories, at which good-natured gentlemen might smile, and sentimental souls might weep. The nature of my avocations, for the last thirty years, has brought me into more than ordinary contact with what would seem an interesting and somewhat singular set of men, of whom, as yet, nothing, that I know of, has ever been written-I mean, the law-copyists, or scriveners. Bartleby, The Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |