the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第6章
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me with a letter of introduction from his mother。 He was Captivity
Waite's son！ Captivity is a widow now； and she is still living in her
native State； within twenty miles of the spot where she was born。
Colonel Parker； her husband； left her a good property when he died； and
she is famous for her charities。 She has founded a village library； and she
has written me on several occasions for advice upon proposed purchases
of books。
I don't mind telling you that I had a good deal of malicious pleasure in
sending her not long ago a reminder of old times in these words： ‘‘My
valued friend；'' I wrote； ‘‘I see by the catalogue recently published that
your village library contains； among other volumes representing the
modern school of fiction； eleven copies of ‘Trilby' and six copies of ‘The
Heavenly Twins。' I also note an absence of certain works whose
influence upon my earlier life was such that I make bold to send copies of
the same to your care in the hope that you will kindly present them to the
library with my most cordial compliments。 These are a copy each of the
‘New England Primer' and Grimm's ‘Household Stories。' ''
At the age of twenty…three； having been graduated from college and
having read the poems of Villon； the confessions of Rousseau； and
Boswell's life of Johnson； I was convinced that I had comprehended the
sum of human wisdom and knew all there was worth knowing。 If at the
present time for I am seventy…twoI knew as much as I thought I knew
at twenty…three I should undoubtedly be a prodigy of learning and wisdom。
I started out to be a philosopher。 My grandmother's death during my
second year at college possessed me of a considerable sum of money and
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severed every tie and sentimental obligation which had previously held me
to my grandmother's wish that I become a minister of the gospel。 When I
became convinced that I knew everything I conceived a desire to see
something； for I had traveled none and I had met but few people。
Upon the advice of my Uncle Cephas； I made a journey to Europe； and
devoted two years to seeing sights and to acquainting myself with the
people and the customs abroad。 Nine months of this time I spent in Paris；
which was then an irregular and unkempt city； but withal quite as evil as at
present。 I took apartments in the Latin Quarter； and； being of a
generous nature； I devoted a large share of my income to the support of
certain artists and students whose talents and time were expended almost
exclusively in the pursuit of pleasure。
While thus serving as a visible means of support to this horde of
parasites； I fell in with the man who has since then been my intimate
friend。 Judge Methuen was a visitor in Paris； and we became boon
companions。 It was he who rescued me from the parasites and revived
the flames of honorable ambition； which had well…nigh been extinguished
by the wretched influence of Villon and Rousseau。 The Judge was a year
my senior； and a wealthy father provided him with the means for
gratifying his wholesome and refined tastes。 We two went together to
London； and it was during our sojourn in that capital that I began my
career as a collector of books。 It is simply justice to my benefactor to say
that to my dear friend Methuen I am indebted for the inspiration which
started me upon a course so full of sweet surprises and precious rewards。
There are very many kinds of book collectors； but I think all may be
grouped in three classes； viz。： Those who collect from vanity； those
who collect for the benefits of learning； those who collect through a
veneration and love for books。 It is not unfrequent that men who begin
to collect books merely to gratify their personal vanity find themselves
presently so much in love with the pursuit that they become collectors in
the better sense。
Just as a man who takes pleasure in the conquest of feminine hearts
invariably finds himself at last ensnared by the very passion which he has
been using simply for the gratification of his vanity； I am inclined to think
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that the element of vanity enters； to a degree； into every phase of book
collecting； vanity is； I take it； one of the essentials to a well…balanced
characternot a prodigious vanity； but a prudent； well…governed one。 But
for vanity there would be no competition in the world； without
competition there would be no progress。
In these later days I often hear this man or that sneered at because；
forsooth； he collects books without knowing what the books are about。
But for my part； I say that that man bids fair to be all right； he has made
a proper start in the right direction； and the likelihood is that； other things
being equal； he will eventually become a lover； as well as a buyer； of
books。 Indeed； I care not what the beginning is； so long as it be a
beginning。 There are different ways of reaching the goal。 Some folk go
horseback via the royal road； but very many others are compelled to adopt
the more tedious processes； involving rocky pathways and torn shoon and
sore feet。
So subtile and so infectious is this grand passion that one is hardly
aware of its presence before it has complete possession of him； and I have
known instances of men who； after having associated one evening with
Judge Methuen and me； have waked up the next morning filled with the
incurable enthusiasm of bibliomania。 But the development of the passion
is not always marked by exhibitions of violence； sometimes； like the
measles； it is slow and obstinate about ‘‘coming out；'' and in such cases
applications should be resorted to for the purpose of diverting the malady
from the vitals； otherwise serious results may ensue。
Indeed； my learned friend Dr。 O'Rell has met with several cases （as he
informs me） in which suppressed bibliomania has resulted fatally。 Many
of these cases have been reported in that excellent publication； the
‘‘Journal of the American Medical Association；'' which periodical； by the
way； is edited by ex…Surgeon…General Hamilton； a famous collector of the
literature of ornament and dress。
To make short of a long story； the medical faculty is nearly a unit upon
the proposition that wherever suppressed bibliomania is suspected
immediate steps should be taken to bring out the disease。 It is true that
an Ohio physician； named Woodbury； has written much in defence of the
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theory that bibliomania can be aborted； but a very large majority of his
profession are of the opinion that the actual malady must needs run a
regular course； and they insist that the cases quoted as cured by Woodbury
were not genuine； but were bastard or false phases； of the same class as the
chickenpox and the German measles。
My mania exhibited itself first in an affectation for old books； it
mattered not what the book itself wasso long as it bore an ancient date
upon its title…page or in its colophon I pined to possess it。 This was not
only a vanity； but a very silly one。 In a month's time I had got together a
large number of these old tomes； many of them folios； and nearly all badly
worm…eaten； and sadly shaken。
One day I entered a shop kept by a man named Stibbs； and asked if I
could procure any volumes of sixteenth…century print。
‘‘Yes；'' said Mr。 Stibbs； ‘‘we have a cellarful of them； and we sell them
by the ton or by the cord。''
That very day I dispersed my hoard of antiques； retaining only my
Prynne's ‘‘Histrio… Mastix'' and my Opera Quinti Horatii Flacci （8vo；
Aldus； Venetiis； 1501）。 And then I became interested in British balladry…
…a noble subject； for which I have always had a veneration and love； as the
well…kept and profusely annotated volumes in cases 3； 6； and 9 in the front
room are ready to prove to you at any time you choose to visit my quiet；
pleasant home。
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V
BALDNESS AND INTELLECTUALITY
One of Judge Methuen's pet theories is that the soul in the human body
lies near the center of gravity； this is； I believe； one of the tenets of the
Buddhist faith； and for a long time I eschewed it as one might shun a vile
thing； for I feared lest I should become identified even remotely with any
faith or sect other than Congregationalism。
Yet I noticed that in moments of fear or of joy or of the sense of any
other emotion I invariably experienced a feeling of goneness in the pit of
my stomach； as if； forsooth； the center of my physical system were also
the center of my nervous and intellectual system； the point at which were
focused all those devious lines of communication by means of which
sensation is instantaneously transmitted from one part of the body to
another。
I mentioned this circumstance to Judge Methuen； and it seemed to
please him。 ‘‘My friend；'' said he； ‘‘you have a particularly sensitive soul；
I beg of you to exercise the greatest prudence in your treatment of it。 It is
the best type of the bibliomaniac
