the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第7章
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the best type of the bibliomaniac soul； for the quickness of its
apprehensions betokens that it is alert and keen and capable of
instantaneous impressions and enthusiasms。 What you have just told me
convinces me that you are by nature qualified for rare exploits in the
science and art of book…collecting。 You will presently become bald
perhaps as bald as Thomas Hobbes wasfor a vigilant and active soul
invariably compels baldness； so close are the relations between the soul
and the brain； and so destructive are the growth and operations of the soul
to those vestigial features which humanity has inherited from those grosser
animals； our prehistoric ancestors。''
You see by this that Judge Methuen recognized baldness as prima…
facie evidence of intellectuality and spirituality。 He has collected much
literature upon the subject； and has promised the Academy of Science to
prepare and read for the instruction of that learned body an essay
demonstrating that absence of hair from the cranium （particularly from the
superior regions of the frontal and parietal divisions） proves a departure
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from the instincts and practices of brute humanity； and indicates surely the
growth of the understanding。
It occurred to the Judge long ago to prepare a list of the names of the
famous bald men in the history of human society； and this list has grown
until it includes the names of thousands； representing every profession and
vocation。 Homer； Socrates； Confucius； Aristotle； Plato； Cicero； Pliny；
Maecenas； Julius Caesar； Horace； Shakespeare； Bacon； Napoleon
Bonaparte； Dante； Pope； Cowper； Goldsmith； Wordsworth； Israel Putnam；
John Quincy Adams； Patrick Henrythese geniuses all were bald。 But
the baldest of all was the philosopher Hobbes； of whom the revered John
Aubrey has recorded that ‘‘he was very bald； yet within dore he used to
study and sitt bare…headed； and said he never took cold in his head； but
that the greatest trouble was to keepe off the flies from pitching on the
baldness。''
In all the portraits and pictures of Bonaparte which I have seen； a
conspicuous feature is that curl or lock of hair which depends upon the
emperor's forehead； and gives to the face a pleasant degree of picturesque
distinction。 Yet this was a vanity； and really a laughable one； for early in
life Bonaparte began to get bald； and this so troubled him that he sought to
overcome the change it made in his appearance by growing a long strand
of hair upon his occiput and bringing it forward a goodly distance in such
artful wise that it right ingeniously served the purposes of that Hyperion
curl which had been the pride of his youth； but which had fallen early
before the ravages of time。
As for myself； I do not know that I ever shared that derisive opinion in
which the unthinking are wont to hold baldness。 Nay； on the contrary； I
have always had especial reverence for this mark of intellectuality； and I
agree with my friend Judge Methuen that the tragic episode recorded in
the second chapter of II。 Kings should serve the honorable purpose of
indicating to humanity that bald heads are favored with the approval and
the protection of Divinity。
In my own case I have imputed my early baldness to growth in
intellectuality and spirituality induced by my fondness for and devotion to
books。 Miss Susan； my sister； lays it to other causes； first among which
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she declares to be my unnatural practice of reading in bed； and the second
my habit of eating welsh…rarebits late of nights。 Over my bed I have a
gas…jet so properly shaded that the rays of light are concentrated and
reflected downward upon the volume which I am reading。
Miss Susan insists that much of this light and its attendant heat falls
upon my head； compelling there a dryness of the scalp whereby the
follicles have been deprived of their natural nourishment and have
consequently died。 She furthermore maintains that the welsh…rarebits of
which I partake invariably at the eleventh hour every night breed
poisonous vapors and subtle megrims within my stomach； which humors；
rising by their natural courses to my brain； do therein produce a fever
that from within burneth up the fluids necessary to a healthy condition of
the capillary growth upon the super… adjacent and exterior cranial
integument。
Now； this very declaration of Miss Susan's gives me a potent argument
in defence of my practices； for； being bald； would not a neglect of those
means whereby warmth is engendered where it is needed result in colds；
quinsies； asthmas； and a thousand other banes？ The same benignant
Providence which； according to Laurence Sterne； tempereth the wind to
the shorn lamb provideth defence and protection for the bald。 Had I not
loved books； the soul in my midriff had not done away with those
capillary vestiges of my simian ancestry which originally flourished upon
my scalp； had I not become bald； the delights and profits of reading in bed
might never have fallen to my lot。
And indeed baldness has its compensations； when I look about me and
see the time； the energy； and the money that are continually expended
upon the nurture and tending of the hair； I am thankful that my lot is
what it is。 For now my money is applied to the buying of books； and my
time and energy are devoted to the reading of them。
To thy vain employments； thou becurled and pomaded Absalom！
Sweeter than thy unguents and cosmetics and Sabean perfumes is the
smell of those old books of mine； which from the years and from the ship's
hold and from constant companionship with sages and philosophers have
acquired a fragrance that exalteth the soul and quickeneth the intellectuals！
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Let me paraphrase my dear Chaucer and tell thee； thou waster of
substances； that
For me was lever han at my beddes hed A twenty
bokes； clothed in black and red Of Aristotle and his philosophie；
Than robes rich； or fidel； or sautrie； But all be that I ben a
philosopher Yet have I but litel gold in cofre！
Books； books； booksgive me ever more books； for they are the
caskets wherein we find the immortal expressions of humanity words；
the only things that live forever！ I bow reverently to the bust in yonder
corner whenever I recall what Sir John Herschel （God rest his dear soul！）
said and wrote： ‘‘Were I to pay for a taste that should stand me in stead
under every variety of circumstances and be a source of happiness and
cheerfulness to me during life； and a shield against its ills； however things
might go amiss and the world frown upon me； it would be a taste for
reading。 Give a man this taste and a means of gratifying it； and you can
hardly fail of making him a happy man； unless； indeed； you put into his
hands a most perverse selection of books。 You place him in contact with
the best society in every period of historywith the wisest； the wittiest； the
tenderest； the bravest； and the purest characters who have adorned
humanity。 You make him a denizen of all nations； a contemporary of all
ages。 The world has been created for him。''
For one phrase particularly do all good men； methinks； bless burly；
bearish； phrase… making old Tom Carlyle。 ‘‘Of all things；'' quoth he；
‘‘which men do or make here below by far the most momentous；
wonderful； and worthy are the things we call books。'' And Judge
Methuen's favorite quotation is from Babington Macaulay to this effect：
‘‘I would rather be a poor man in a garret with plenty of books than a king
who did not love reading。''
Kings； indeed！ What a sorry lot are they！ Said George III。 to Nicol；
his bookseller： ‘‘I would give this right hand if the same attention had
been paid to my education which I pay to that of the prince。'' Louis XIV。
was as illiterate as the lowliest hedger and ditcher。 He could hardly write
his name； at first； as Samuel Pegge tells us； he formed it out of six straight
strokes and a line of beauty； thus： ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ Swhich he afterward perfected
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as best he could； and the result was LOUIS。
Still I find it hard to inveigh against kings when I recall the goodness
of Alexander to Aristotle； for without Alexander we should hardly have
known of Aristotle。 His royal patron provided the philosopher with every
advantage for the acquisition of learning； dispatching couriers to all parts
of the earth to gather books and manuscripts and every variety of curious
thing likely to swell the store of Aristotle's knowledge。
Yet set them up in a line and survey them these wearers of crowns
and these wielders of sceptersand how pitiable are they in the paucity
and vanity of their accomplishments！ What knew they of the true
happiness of human life？ They and their courtiers are dust and forgotten。
Judge Methuen and I shall in due time pass away； but our courtiers
they who have ever contributed to our delight and solace our Horace； our
Cervantes； our Shakespeare； and the
