the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第24章
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attached to animal pets。 Jeffrey particularly affected an aged and
garrulous parrot and an equally disreputable little dog。 Scott was so
stanch a friend of dogs that wherever he went he was accompanied by one
or twosometimes by a whole kennelof these faithful brutes。
In Mrs。 Gordon's noble ‘‘Memoirs'' we have a vivid picture of
Professor Wilson's workroom。 All was confusion there： ‘‘his room was a
strange mixture of what may be called order and untidiness； for there was
not a scrap of paper or a book that his hand could not light upon in a
moment； while to the casual eye； in search of discovery； it would appear
chaos。'' Wilson had no love for fine furniture； and he seems to have
crowded his books together without regard to any system of classification。
He had a habit of mixing his books around with fishing…tackle； and his
charming biographer tells us it was no uncommon thing to find the
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‘‘Wealth of Nations；'' ‘‘Boxiana；'' the ‘‘Faerie Queen；'' Jeremy Taylor；
and Ben Jonson occupying close quarters with fishing…rods； boxing…gloves；
and tins of barley…sugar。
Charles Lamb's favorite workshop was in an attic； upon the walls of
this room he and his sister pasted old prints and gay pictures； and this
resulted in giving the place a cheery aspect。 Lamb loved old books； old
friends； old times； ‘‘he evades the present； he works at the future； and his
affections revert to and settle on the past；''so says Hazlitt。 His favorite
books seem to have been Bunyan's ‘‘Holy War；'' Browne's ‘‘Urn…Burial；''
Burton's ‘‘Anatomy of Melancholy；'' Fuller's ‘‘Worthies；'' and Taylor's
‘‘Holy Living and Dying。'' Thomas Westwood tells us that there were
few modern volumes in his library； it being his custom to give away and
throw away （as the same writer asserts） presentation copies of
contemporaneous literature。 Says Barry Cornwall： ‘‘Lamb's pleasures
lay amongst the books of the old English writers；'' and Lamb himself
uttered these memorable words： ‘‘I cannot sit and thinkbooks think for
me。''
Wordsworth； on the other hand； cared little for books； his library was a
small one； embracing hardly more than five hundred volumes。 He drew
his inspiration not from books； but from Nature。 From all that I have
heard of him I judge him to have been a very dull man。 Allibone relates
of him that he once remarked that he did not consider himself a witty poet。
‘‘Indeed；'' quoth he； ‘‘I don't think I ever was witty but once in my life。''
His friends urged him to tell them about it。 After some hesitation； he
said： ‘‘Well； I will tell you。 I was standing some time ago at the
entrance of Rydal Mount。 A man accosted me with the question： ‘Pray；
sir； have you seen my wife pass by？' Whereupon I retorted； ‘Why； my
good friend； I didn't know till this moment that you had a wife。' ''
Illustrative of Wordsworth's vanity； it is told that when it was reported
that the next Waverley novel was to be ‘‘Rob Roy；'' the poet took down his
‘‘Ballads'' and read to the company ‘‘Rob Roy's Grave。'' Then he said
gravely： ‘‘I do not know what more Mr。 Scott can have to say on the
subject。''
Wordsworth and Dickens disliked each other cordially。 Having been
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asked his opinion of the young novelist； Wordsworth answered： ‘‘Why；
I'm not much given to turn critic on people I meet； but； as you ask me； I
will cordially avow that I thought him a very talkative young personbut I
dare say he may be very clever。 Mind； I don't want to say a word against
him； for I have never read a line he has written。''
The same inquirer subsequently asked Dickens how he liked
Wordsworth。 ‘‘Like him！'' roared Dickens； ‘‘not at all； he is a dreadful
Old Ass！''
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XIX
OUR DEBT TO MONKISH MEN
Where one has the time and the money to devote to the collection of
missals and illuminated books； the avocation must be a very delightful one。
I never look upon a missal or upon a bit of antique illumination that I do
not invest that object with a certain poetic romance； and I picture to myself
long lines of monkish men bending over their tasks； and applying
themselves with pious enthusiasm thereto。 We should not flatter
ourselves that the enjoyment of the delights of bibliomania was reserved
to one time and generation； a greater than any of us lived many centuries
ago； and went his bibliomaniacal way； gathering together treasures from
every quarter； and diffusing every where a veneration and love for books。
Richard de Bury was the king； if not the father； of bibliomaniacs； his
immortal work reveals to us that long before the invention of printing men
were tormented and enraptured by those very same desires； envies；
jealousies； greeds； enthusiasms； and passions which possess and control
bibliomaniacs at the present time。 That vanity was sometimes the
controlling passion with the early collectors is evidenced in a passage in
Barclay's satire； ‘‘The Ship of Fools''； there are the stanzas which apply so
neatly to certain people I know that sometimes I actually suspect that
Barclay's prophetic eye must have had these nineteenth…century charlatans
in view。
But yet I have them in great reverence And honor； saving
them from filth and ordure By often brushing and much diligence。
Full goodly bound in pleasant coverture Of damask； satin； or else
of velvet pure； I keep them sure； fearing lest they should be lost； For
in them is the cunning wherein I me boast。
But if it fortune that any learned man Within my house fall
to disputation； I draw the curtains to show my books them；
That they of my cunning should make probation； I love not to fall
into altercation； And while they come； my books I turn and wind；
For all is in them； and nothing in my mind。
Richard de Bury had exceptional opportunities for gratifying his
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bibliomaniac passions。 He was chancellor and treasurer of Edward III。；
and his official position gained him access to public and private libraries
and to the society of literary men。 Moreover； when it became known that
he was fond of such things； people from every quarter sent him and
brought him old books； it may be that they hoped in this wise to court his
official favor； or perhaps they were prompted by the less selfish motive of
gladdening the bibliomaniac soul。
‘‘The flying fame of our love；'' says de Bury； ‘‘had already spread in
all directions； and it was reported not only that we had a longing desire for
books； and especially for old ones； but that any one could more easily
obtain our favors by quartos than by money。 Wherefore； when supported
by the bounty of the aforesaid prince of worthy memory； we were enabled
to oppose or advance； to appoint or to discharge； crazy quartos and
tottering folios； precious however in our sight as in our affections； flowed
in most rapidly from the great and the small； instead of new year's gifts
and remunerations； and instead of presents and jewels。 Then the cabinets
of the most noble monasteries were opened； cases were unlocked； caskets
were unclasped； and sleeping volumes which had slumbered for long ages
in their sepulchres were roused up； and those that lay hid in dark places
were overwhelmed with the rays of a new light。 Among these； as time
served； we sat down more voluptuously than the delicate physician could
do amidst his stores of aromatics； and where we found an object of love
we found also an assuagement。''
‘‘If；'' says de Bury； ‘‘we would have amassed cups of gold and silver；
excellent horses； or no mean sums of money； we could in those days have
laid up abundance of wealth for ourselves。 But we regarded books； not
pounds； and valued codices more than florins； and preferred paltry
pamphlets to pampered palfreys。 On tedious embassies and in perilous
times； we carried about with us that fondness for books which many
waters could not extinguish。''
And what books they were in those old days！ What tall folios！
What stout quartos！ How magnificent were the bindings； wrought often
in silver devices； sometimes in gold； and not infrequently in silver and
gold； with splendid jewels and precious stones to add their value to that of
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the precious volume which they adorned。 The works of Justin； Seneca；
Martial； Terence； and Claudian were highly popular with the bibliophiles
of early times； and the writings of Ovid； Tully； Horace； Cato； Aristotle；
Sallust； Hippocrates； Macrobius； Augustine； Bede； Gregory； Origen； etc。
But for the veneration and love for books which the monks of the
mediaeval ages had； what would have been preserved to us of the classics
of the Greeks and the Romans？
The same auspicious fate that prompted those bibliomaniacal monks to
hide away manuscript treasures in the cellar
