the library(图书馆)-第4部分
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There is a length to which enthusiasm cannot go； and many collectors
draw the line at rising early in the morning。 But； when we think of the
sport of book…hunting； it is to sales in auction…rooms that the mind
naturally turns。 Here the rival buyers feel the passion of emulation； and
it was in an auction…room that Guibert de Pixerecourt； being outbid； said；
in tones of mortal hatred； 〃I will have the book when your collection is
sold after your death。〃 And he kept his word。 The fever of gambling is
not absent from the auction…room； and people 〃bid jealous〃 as they
sometimes 〃ride jealous〃 in the hunting…field。 Yet； the neophyte； if he
strolls by chance into a sale…room； will be surprised at the spectacle。 The
chamber has the look of a rather seedy 〃hell。〃 The crowd round the
auctioneer's box contains many persons so dingy and Semitic； that at
Monte Carlo they would be refused admittance； while； in Germany； they
would be persecuted by Herr von Treitschke with Christian ardour。
Bidding is languid； and valuable books are knocked down for trifling sums。
Let the neophyte try his luck； however； and prices will rise wonderfully。
The fact is that the sale is a 〃knock out。〃 The bidders are professionals；
in a league to let the volumes go cheap； and to distribute them afterwards
among themselves。 Thus an amateur can have a good deal of sport by
bidding for a book till it reaches its proper value； and by then leaving in
the lurch the professionals who combine to 〃run him up。〃 The
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amusement has its obvious perils； but the presence of gentlemen in an
auction…room is a relief to the auctioneer and to the owner of the books。
A bidder must be able to command his temper； both that he may be able to
keep his head cool when tempted to bid recklessly； and that he may
disregard the not very carefully concealed sneers of the professionals。
In book…hunting the nature of the quarry varies with the taste of the
collector。 One man is for bibles； another for ballads。 Some pursue
plays； others look for play bills。 〃He was not；〃 says Mr。 Hill Burton；
speaking of Kirkpatrick Sharpe； 〃he was not a black… letter man； or a tall
copyist； or an uncut man； or a rough…edge man； or an early…English
dramatist； or an Elzevirian； or a broadsider； or a pasquinader； or an old
brown calf man； or a Grangerite； ｛1｝ or a tawny moroccoite； or a gilt
topper； or a marbled insider； or an editio princeps man。〃 These
nicknames briefly dispose into categories a good many species of
collectors。 But there are plenty of others。 You may be a historical…
bindings man； and hunt for books that were bound by the great artists of
the past and belonged to illustrious collectors。 Or you may be a Jametist；
and try to gather up the volumes on which Jamet； the friend of Louis
Racine； scribbled his cynical 〃Marginalia。〃 Or you may covet the earliest
editions of modern poetsShelley； Keats； or Tennyson； or even Ebenezer
Jones。 Or the object of your desires may be the books of the French
romanticists； who flourished so freely in 1830。 Or； being a person of
large fortune and landed estate； you may collect country histories。 Again；
your heart may be set on the books illustrated by Eisen； Cochin； and
Gravelot； or Stothard and Blake； in the last century。 Or you may be so
old…fashioned as to care for Aldine classics； and for the books of the
Giunta press。 In fact； as many as are the species of rare and beautiful
books； so many are the species of collectors。 There is one sort of men；
modest but not unwise in their generations； who buy up the pretty books
published in very limited editions by French booksellers； like MM。
Lemerre and Jouaust。 Already their reprints of Rochefoucauld's first
edition； of Beaumarchais； of La Fontaine； of the lyrics attributed to
Moliere； and other volumes； are exhausted； and fetch high prices in the
market。 By a singular caprice； the little volumes of Mr。 Thackeray's
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miscellaneous writings； in yellow paper wrappers （when they are first
editions）； have become objects of desire； and their old modest price is
increased twenty fold。 It is not always easy to account for these freaks of
fashion； but even in book…collecting there are certain definite laws。
〃Why do you pay a large price for a dingy； old book；〃 outsiders ask； 〃when
a clean modern reprint can be procured for two or three shillings？〃 To
this question the collector has several replies； which he； at least； finds
satisfactory。 In the first place； early editions； published during a great
author's lifetime； and under his supervision； have authentic texts。 The
changes in them are the changes that Prior or La Bruyere themselves made
and approved。 You can study； in these old editions； the alterations in
their taste； the history of their minds。 The case is the same even with
contemporary authors。 One likes to have Mr。 Tennyson's 〃Poems； chiefly
Lyrical〃 （London： Effingham Wilson； Royal Exchange； Cornhill； 1830）。
It is fifty years old； this little book of one hundred and fifty…four pages；
this first fruit of a stately tree。 In half a century the poet has altered much；
and withdrawn much； but already； in 1830； he had found his distinctive
note； and his 〃Mariana〃 is a masterpiece。 〃Mariana〃 is in all the
collections； but pieces of which the execution is less certain must be
sought only in the old volume of 1830。 In the same way 〃The Strayed
Reveller； and other poems； by A。〃 （London： B。 Fellowes； Ludgate
Street； 1849） contains much that Mr。 Matthew Arnold has altered； and this
volume； like the suppressed 〃Empedocles on Etna； and other Poems； by
A。〃 （1852）； appeals more to the collector than do the new editions which
all the world may possess。 There are verses； curious in their way； in Mr。
Clough's 〃Ambarvalia〃 （1849）； which you will not find in his posthumous
edition； but which 〃repay perusal。〃 These minutiae of literary history
become infinitely more important in the early editions of the great
classical writers； and the book…collector may regard his taste as a kind of
handmaid of critical science。 The preservation of rare books； and the
collection of materials for criticism； are the useful functions； then； of
book…collecting。 But it is not to be denied that the sentimental side of the
pursuit gives it most of its charm。 Old books are often literary relics； and
as dear and sacred to the lover of literature as are relics of another sort to
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the religious devotee。 The amateur likes to see the book in its form as the
author knew it。 He takes a pious pleasure in the first edition of 〃Les
Precieuses Ridicules；〃 （M。DC。LX。） just as Moliere saw it； when he was
fresh in the business of authorship； and wrote 〃Mon Dieu； qu'un Autheur
est neuf； la premiere fois qu'on l'imprime。〃 All editions published during
a great man's life have this attraction； and seem to bring us closer to his
spirit。 Other volumes are relics； as we shall see later； of some famed
collector； and there is a certain piety in the care we give to books once
dear to Longepierre； or Harley； or d'Hoym； or Buckle； to Madame de
Maintenon； or Walpole； to Grolier； or Askew； or De Thou； or Heber。 Such
copies should be handed down from worthy owners to owners not
unworthy； such servants of literature should never have careless masters。
A man may prefer to read for pleasure in a good clear reprint。 M。
Charpentier's 〃Montaigne〃 serves the turn； but it is natural to treasure
more 〃Les Essais de Michel Seigneur de Montaigne；〃 that were printed by
Francoise le Febre； of Lyon； in 1595。 It is not a beautiful book； the type
is small； and rather blunt； but William Drummond of Hawthornden has
written on the title… page his name and his device； Cipresso e Palma。
There are a dozen modern editions of Moliere more easily read than the
four little volume
