the love affairs of a bibliomaniac-第5部分

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ntend　to　be　Madamed　by　anybody；　under　any　condition。　




IV

THE　MANIA　OF　COLLECTING　SEIZES　ME

Captivity　Waite　never　approved　of　my　fondness　for　fairy　literature。　　She　shared　the　enthusiasm　which　I　expressed　whenever　‘‘Robinson　Crusoe''　was　mentioned；　there　was　just　enough　seriousness　in　De　Foe's　romance；　just　enough　piety　to　appeal　for　sympathy　to　one　of　Captivity　Waite's　religious　turn　of　mind。　　When　it　came　to　fiction　involving　witches；　ogres；　and　flubdubs；　that　was　too　much　for　Captivity；　and　the　spirit　of　the　little　Puritan　revolted。

Yet　I　have　the　documentary　evidence　to　prove　that　Captivity's　ancestors　（both　paternal　and　maternal）　were；　in　the　palmy　colonial　times；　as　abject　slaves　to　superstition　as　could　well　be　imagined。　　The　Waites　of　Salem　were　famous　persecutors　of　witches；　and　　Sinai　Higginbotham　（Captivity's　great…great…　grandfather　on　her　mother's　side　of　the　family）　was　Cotton　Mather's　boon　companion；　and　rode　around　the　gallows　with　that　zealous　theologian　on　that　memorable　occasion　when　five　young　women　were　hanged　at　Danvers　upon　the　charge　of　having　tormented　little　children　with　their　damnable　arts　of　witchcraft。　　Human　thought　is　like　a　monstrous　pendulum：　it　keeps　swinging　from　one　extreme　to　the　other。　　Within　the　compass　of　five　generations　we　find　the　Puritan　first　an　uncompromising　believer　in　demonology　and　magic；　and　then　a　scoffer　at　everything　involving　the　play　of　fancy。

I　felt　harshly　toward　Captivity　Waite　for　a　time；　but　I　harbor　her　no　ill…will　now；　on　the　contrary；　I　recall　with　very　tender　feelings　the　distant　time　when　our　sympathies　were　the　same　and　when　we　journeyed　the　pathway　of　early　youth　in　a　companionship　sanctified　by　the　innocence　and　the　loyalty　and　the　truth　of　childhood。　　Indeed；　I　am　not　sure　that　that　early　friendship　did　not　make　a　lasting　impression　upon　my　life；　I　have　thought　of　Captivity　Waite　a　great　　many　times；　and　I　have　not　unfrequently　wondered　what　might　have　been　but　for　that　book　of　fairy　tales　which　my　Uncle　Cephas　sent　me。

She　was　a　very　pretty　child；　and　she　lost　none　of　her　comeliness　and　none　of　her　sweetness　of　character　as　she　approached　maturity。　　I　was　impressed　with　this　upon　my　return　from　college。　　She；　too；　had　pursued　those　studies　deemed　necessary　to　the　acquirement　of　a　good　education；　she　had　taken　a　four　years'　course　at　South　Holyoke　and　had　finished　at　Mrs。　Willard's　seminary　at　Troy。　　‘‘You　will　now；''　said　her　father；　and　he　voiced　the　New　England　sentiment　regarding　young　womanhood；　‘‘you　will　now　return　to　the　quiet　of　your　home　and　under　the　direction　of　your　mother　study　the　performance　of　those　weightier　duties　which　qualify　your　sex　for　a　realization　of　the　solemn　responsibilities　of　human　life。''

Three　or　four　years　ago　a　fine…looking　young　fellow　walked　in　upon　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　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　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　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　in