letters on literature(关于文学)-第12章
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leave soon； and forever； and must be hopelessly lapped in an eternity of
blind silence。 〃I shall let men see the certain end of all；〃 he cries； 〃then
will they resist religion； and the threats of priests and prophets。〃 But this
〃certain end〃 is exactly what mortals do not desire to see。 To this sleep
they prefer even tenebras Orci； vastasque lacunas。
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They will not be deprived of gods； 〃the friends of man； merciful gods；
compassionate。〃 They will not turn from even a faint hope in those to the
Lucretian deities in their endless and indifferent repose and divine 〃delight
in immortal and peaceful life； far； far away from us and ourslife painless
and fearless； needing nothing we can give； replete with its own wealth；
unmoved by prayer and promise； untouched by anger。〃
Do you remember that hymn； as one may call it； of Lucretius to Death；
to Death which does not harm us。 〃For as we knew no hurt of old； in
ages when the Carthaginian thronged against us in war； and the world was
shaken with the shock of fight； and dubious hung the empire over all
things mortal by sea and land； even so careless； so unmoved； shall we
remain； in days when we shall no more exist； when the bond of body and
soul that makes our life is broken。 Then naught shall move us； nor wake
a single sense； not though earth with sea be mingled； and sea with sky。〃
There is no hell； he cries； or； like Omar； he says； 〃Hell is the vision of a
soul on fire。〃
Your true Tityus； gnawed by the vulture； is only the slave of passion
and of love； your true Sisyphus （like Lord Salisbury in Punch） is only the
politician； striving always； never attaining； the stone rolls down again
from the hill…crest； and thunders far along the plain。
Thus his philosophy； which gives him such a delightful sense of
freedom； is rejected after all these years of trial by men。 They feel that
since those remotest days
〃Quum Venus in silvis jungebat corpora amantum；〃
they have travelled the long； the weary way Lucretius describes to
little avail； if they may not keep their hopes and fears。 Robbed of these
we are robbed of all； it serves us nothing to have conquered the soil and
fought the winds and waves； to have built cities； and tamed fire； if the
world is to be 〃dispeopled of its dreams。〃 Better were the old life we
started from； and dreams therewith； better the free days …
〃Novitas tum florida mundi Pabula dia tulit； miseris mortablibus
ampla；〃
than wealth or power； and neither hope nor fear； but one certain end
of all before the eyes of all。
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Thus the heart of man has answered； and will answer Lucretius； the
noblest Roman poet； and the least beloved； who sought； at last； by his own
hand； they say； the doom that Virgil waited for in the season appointed。
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Letters on Literature
TO A YOUNG AMERICAN
BOOK…HUNTER
To Philip Dodsworth； Esq。； New York。
Dear Dodsworth；Let me congratulate you on having joined the army
of book…hunters。 〃Everywhere have I sought peace and found it
nowhere；〃 says the blessed Thomas e Kempis； 〃save in a corner with a
book。〃 Whether that good monk wrote the 〃De Imitatione Christi〃 or not；
one always likes him for his love of books。 Perhaps he was the only
book…hunter that ever wrought a miracle。 〃Other signs and miracles
which he was wont to tell as having happened at the prayer of an unnamed
person； are believed to have been granted to his own； such as the sudden
reappearance of a lost book in his cell。〃 Ah； if Faith； that moveth
mountains； could only bring back the books we have lost； the books that
have been borrowed from us！ But we are a faithless generation。
From a collector so much older and better experienced in misfortune
than yourself； you ask for some advice on the sport of book…hunting。 Well；
I will give it； but you will not take it。 No； you will hunt wild； like young
pointers before they are properly broken。
Let me suppose that you are 〃to middle fortune born；〃 and that you
cannot stroll into the great book…marts and give your orders freely for all
that is rich and rare。 You are obliged to wait and watch an opportunity； to
practise that maxim of the Stoic's； 〃Endure and abstain。〃 Then abstain
from rushing at every volume； however out of the line of your literary
interests； which seems to be a bargain。 Probably it is not even a bargain； it
can seldom be cheap to you； if you do not need it； and do not mean to read
it。
Not that any collector reads all his books。 I may have； and indeed do
possess； an Aldine Homer and Caliergus his Theocritus； but I prefer to
study the authors in a cheap German edition。 The old editions we buy
mainly for their beauty； and the sentiment of their antiquity and their
associations。
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But I don't take my own advice。 The shelves are crowded with books
quite out of my linea whole small library of tomes on the pastime of
curling； and I don't curl； and 〃God's Revenge against Murther；〃 though （so
far） I am not an assassin。 Probably it was for love of Sir Walter Scott；
and his mention of this truculent treatise； that I purchased it。 The full
title of it is 〃The Triumphs of God's Revenge against the Crying and
Execrable Sinne of （willful and premeditated） Murther。〃 Or rather there
is nearly a column more of title； which I spare you。 But the pictures are
so bad as to be nearly worth the price。 Do not waste your money； like
your foolish adviser； on books like that； or on 〃Les Sept Visions de Don
Francisco de Quevedo；〃 published at Cologne； in 1682。
Why in the world did I purchase this； with the title…page showing
Quevedo asleep； and all his seven visions floating round him in little
circles like soap…bubbles？ Probably because the book was published by
Clement Malassis； and perhaps he was a forefather of that whimsical
Frenchman； Poulet Malassis； who published for Banville； and Baudelaire；
and Charles Asselineau。 It was a bad reason。 More likely the mere
cheapness attracted me。
Curiosity； not cheapness； assuredly； betrayed me into another purchase。
If I want to read 〃The Pilgrim's Progress；〃 of course I read it in John
Bunyan's good English。 Then why must I ruin myself to acquire 〃Voyage
d'un Chrestien vers l'Eternite。 Ecrit en Anglois； par Monsieur Bunjan；
F。M。； en Bedtfort； et nouvellement traduit en Francois。 Avec Figures。 A
Amsterdam； chez Jean Boekholt Libraire pres de la Bourse； 1685〃？ I
suppose this is the oldest French version of the famed allegory。 Do you
know an older？ Bunyan was still living and； indeed； had just published
the second part of the book； about Christian's wife and children； and the
deplorable young woman whose name was Dull。
As the little volume； the Elzevir size； is bound in blue morocco； by
Cuzin； I hope it is not wholly a foolish bargain； but what do I want； after
all； with a French 〃Pilgrim's Progress〃？ These are the errors a man is
always making who does not collect books with system； with a conscience
and an aim。
Do have a specially。 Make a collection of works on few subjects；
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well chosen。 And what subjects shall they be？ That depends on taste。
Probably it is well to avoid the latest fashion。 For example； the
illustrated French books of the eighteenth century are； at this moment； en
hausse。 There is a 〃boom〃 in them。 Fifty years ago Brunet； the author
of the great 〃Manuel；〃 sneered at them。 But； in his； 〃Library
Companion；〃 Dr。 Dibdin； admitted their merit。 The illustrations by
Gravelot； Moreau； Marillier； and the rest； are certainly delicate； graceful；
full of character； stamped with style。 But only the proofs before letters are
very much valued； and for these wild prices are given by competitive
millionaires。 You cannot compete with them。
It is better wholly to turn the back on these books and on any others at
the height of the fashion； unless you meet them for fourpence on a stall。
Even then should a gentleman take advantage of a poor bookseller's
ignorance？ I don't know。 I never fell into the temptation； because I
never was tempted。 Bargains； real bargains； are so rare that you may
hunt for a lifetime and never meet one。
The best plan for a man who has to see that his collection is worth
what it cost him； is probably to confine one's self to a single line； say； in
your case； first editions of new English； French； and American books that
are likely to rise in value。 I would try； were I you； to collect first editions
of Longfellow； Bryant； Whittier； Poe； and Hawthorne。
As to Poe； you probably will never have a chance。 Outside of the
British Museum； where they have the 〃Tamerlane〃 of 1827； I have only
seen one early example of Poe's poems。 It is 〃Al Aaraaf； Tamerlane； and
M
