the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第17章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
anybody be sceptical； all he has to do to convince himself is to open a door
of a bookcase at any time and his olfactories will be greeted by an outrush
of odors that will prove to him beyond all doubt that books do actually
consume air and exhale perfumes。
Visitors to the British Museum complain not unfrequently that they are
overcome by the closeness of the atmosphere in that place； and what is
known as the British Museum headache has come to be recognized by the
medical profession in London as a specific ailment due to the absence of
oxygen in the atmosphere； which condition is caused by the multitude of
books； each one of which； by that breathing process peculiar to books；
consumes several thousand cubic feet of air every twenty…four hours。
Professor Huxley wondered for a long time why the atmosphere of the
British Museum should be poisonous while other libraries were free from
the poison； a series of experiments convinced him that the presence of
poison in the atmosphere was due to the number of profane books in the
Museum。 He recommended that these poison…engendering volumes be
72
… Page 73…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
treated once every six months with a bath of cedria； which； as I understand；
is a solution of the juices of the cedar tree； this； he said； would purge the
mischievous volumes temporarily of their evil propensities and abilities。
I do not know whether this remedy is effective； but I remember to have
read in Pliny that cedria was used by the ancients to render their
manuscripts imperishable。 When Cneius Terentius went digging in his
estate in the Janiculum he came upon a coffer which contained not only
the remains of Numa； the old Roman king； but also the manuscripts of the
famous laws which Numa compiled。 The king was in some such
condition as you might suppose him to be after having been buried several
centuries； but the manuscripts were as fresh as new； and their being so is
said to have been due to the fact that before their burial they were rubbed
with citrus leaves。
These so…called books of Numa would perhaps have been preserved
unto this day but for the fanaticism of the people who exhumed and read
them； they were promptly burned by Quintus Petilius； the praetor； because
（as Cassius Hemina explains） they treated of philosophical subjects； or
because； as Livy testifies； their doctrines were inimical to the religion then
existing。
As I have had little to do with profane literature； I know nothing of the
habits of such books as Professor Huxley has prescribed an antidote
against。 Of such books as I have gathered about me and made my
constant companions I can say truthfully that a more delectable…flavored
lot it were impossible to find。 As I walk amongst them； touching first
this one and then that； and regarding all with glances of affectionate
approval； I fancy that I am walking in a splendid garden； full of charming
vistas； wherein parterre after parterre of beautiful flowers is unfolded to
my enraptured vision； and surely there never were other odors so
delightful as the odors which my books exhale！
My garden aboundeth in pleasant nooks And fragrance is
over it all； For sweet is the smell of my old； old books In their
places against the wall。
Here is a folio that's grim with age And yellow and green
with mould； There's the breath of the sea on every page And
73
… Page 74…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
the hint of a stanch ship's hold。
And here is a treasure from France la belle Exhaleth a faint
perfume Of wedded lily and asphodel In a garden of song
abloom。
And this wee little book of Puritan mien And rude；
conspicuous print Hath the Yankee flavor of wintergreen； Or；
may be； of peppermint。
In Walton the brooks a…babbling tell Where the cheery daisy
grows； And where in meadow or woodland dwell The
buttercup and the rose。
But best beloved of books； I ween； Are those which one
perceives Are hallowed by ashes dropped between The yellow；
well…thumbed leaves。
For it's here a laugh and it's there a tear； Till the treasured
book is read； And the ashes betwixt the pages here Tell us of
one long dead。
But the gracious presence reappears As we read the book
again； And the fragrance of precious； distant years Filleth the
hearts of men
Come； pluck with me in my garden nooks The posies that
bloom for all； Oh； sweet is the smell of my old； old books In
their places against the wall！
Better than flowers are they； these books of mine！ For what are the
seasons to them？ Neither can the drought of summer nor the asperity of
winter wither or change them。 At all times and under all circumstances
they are the sameradiant； fragrant； hopeful； helpful！ There is no charm
which they do not possess； no beauty that is not theirs。
What wonder is it that from time immemorial humanity has craved the
boon of carrying to the grave some book particularly beloved in life？
Even Numa Pompilius provided that his books should share his tomb with
him。 Twenty…four of these precious volumes were consigned with him to
the grave。 When Gabriel Rossetti's wife died； the poet cast into her open
grave the unfinished volume of his poems； that being the last and most
precious tribute he could pay to her cherished memory。
74
… Page 75…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
History records instance after instance of the consolation dying men
have received from the perusal of books； and many a one has made his end
holding in his hands a particularly beloved volume。 The reverence which
even unlearned men have for books appeals in these splendid libraries
which are erected now and again with funds provided by the wills of the
illiterate。 How dreadful must be the last moments of that person who has
steadfastly refused to share the companionship and acknowledge the
saving grace of books！
Such； indeed； is my regard for these friendships that it is with misery
that I contemplate the probability of separation from them by and by。 I
have given my friends to understand that when I am done with earth
certain of my books shall be buried with me。 The list of these books will
be found in the left…hand upper drawer of the old mahogany secretary in
the front spare room。
When I am done； I'd have no son
Pounce on these treasures like a vulture； Nay； give them half
My epitaph And let them share in my sepulture。
Then when the crack Of doom rolls back
The marble and the earth that hide me； I'll smuggle home
Each precious tome Without a fear a wife shall chide me。
The dread of being separated by death from the objects of one's love
has pursued humanity from the beginning。 The Hindoos used to have a
selfish fashion of requiring their widows to be entombed alive with their
corpses。 The North American Indian insists that his horse； his bow and
arrows； his spear； and his other cherished trinkets shall share his grave
with him。
My sister； Miss Susan； has provided that after her demise a number of
her most prized curios shall be buried with her。 The list； as I recall it；
includes a mahogany four…post bedstead； an Empire dresser； a brass
warming…pan； a pair of brass andirons； a Louis Quinze table； a Mayflower
teapot； a Tomb of Washington platter； a pewter tankard； a pair of her
grandmother's candlesticks； a Paul Revere lantern； a tall Dutch clock； a
complete suit of armor purchased in Rome； and a collection of Japanese
bric…a…brac presented to Miss Susan by a returned missionary。
75
… Page 76…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
I do not see what Miss Susan can possibly do with all this trumpery in
the hereafter； but； if I survive her； I shall certainly insist upon a
compliance with her wishes； even though it involve the erection of a
tumulus as prodigious as the pyramid of Cheops。
76
… Page 77…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
XIV
ELZEVIRS AND DIVERS OTHER MATTERS
Boswell's ‘‘Life of Johnson'' and Lockhart's ‘‘Life of Scott'' are
accepted as the models of biography。 The third remarkable performance
in this line is Mrs。 Gordon's memoir of her father； John Wilson； a volume
so charmingly and tenderly written as to be of interest to those even who
know and care little about that era in the history of English literature in
which ‘‘crusty Christopher'' and his associates in the making of
‘‘Blackwood's'' figured。
It is a significant fact； I think； that the three greatest biographers the
world has known should have been Scotch； it has long been the fashion to
laugh and to sneer at what is called Scotch dulness； yet what prodigies has
not Scotch genius performed in every department of literature； and
would not our literature be poor indeed to…day but
