the library(图书馆)-第5部分
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There are a dozen modern editions of Moliere more easily read than the
four little volumes of Wetstein （Amsterdam； 1698）； but these contain
reduced copies of the original illustrations； and here you see Arnolphe and
Agnes in their habits as they lived； Moliere and Mdlle。 de Brie as the
public of Paris beheld them more than two hundred years ago。 Suckling's
〃Fragmenta Aurea〃 contain a good deal of dross； and most of the gold has
been gathered into Miscellanies； but the original edition of 1646； 〃after his
own copies；〃 with the portrait of the jolly cavalier who died aetatis suae 28；
has its own allurement。 Theocritus is more easily read； perhaps； in
Wordsworth's edition； or Ziegler's； but that which Zacharias Calliergi
printed in Rome （1516）； with an excommunication from Leo X。 against
infringement of copyright； will always be a beautiful and desirable book；
especially when bound by Derome。 The gist of the pious Prince Conti's
strictures on the wickedness of comedy may be read in various literary
histories； but it is natural to like his 〃Traite de la Comedie selon la
tradition de l'Eglise； Tiree des Conciles et des saints Peres；〃 published by
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Lovys Billaine in 1660； especially when the tract is a clean copy； arrayed
in a decorous black morocco。
These are but a few common examples； chosen from a meagre little
library； a 〃twopenny treasure…house；〃 but they illustrate； on a minute scale；
the nature of the collector's passion；the character of his innocent
pleasures。 He occasionally lights on other literary relics of a more
personal character than mere first editions。 A lucky collector lately
bought Shelley's copy of Ossian； with the poet's signature on the title…page；
in Booksellers' Row。 Another possesses a copy of Foppens's rare edition
of Petrarch's 〃Le Sage Resolu contre l'une et l'autre Fortune；〃 which once
belonged to Sir Hudson Lowe； the gaoler of Napoleon； and may have
fortified； by its stoical maxims； the soul of one who knew the extremes of
either fortune； the captive of St。 Helena。 But the best example of a book；
which is also a relic； is the 〃Imitatio Christi；〃 which belonged to J。 J。
Rousseau。 Let M。 Tenant de Latour； lately the happy owner of this
possession； tell his own story of his treasure： It was in 1827 that M。 de
Latour was walking on the quai of the Louvre。 Among the volumes in a
shop； he noticed a shabby little copy of the 〃Imitatio Christi。〃 M。 de
Latour； like other bibliophiles； was not in the habit of examining stray
copies of this work； except when they were of the Elzevir size； for the
Elzevirs published a famous undated copy of the 〃Imitatio；〃 a book which
brings considerable prices。 However； by some lucky chance； some
Socratic daemon whispering； may be； in his ear； he picked up the little
dingy volume of the last century。 It was of a Paris edition； 1751； but
what was the name on the fly…leaf。 M。 de Latour read a J。 J。 Rousseau。
There was no mistake about it； the good bibliophile knew Rousseau's
handwriting perfectly well； to make still more sure he paid his seventy…
five centimes for the book； and walked across the Pont des Arts； to his
bookbinder's； where he had a copy of Rousseau's works； with a facsimile
of his handwriting。 As he walked； M。 de Latour read in his book； and
found notes of Rousseau's on the margin。 The facsimile proved that the
inscription was genuine。 The happy de Latour now made for the public
office in which he was a functionary； and rushed into the bureau of his
friend the Marquis de V。 The Marquis； a man of great strength of
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character； recognised the signature of Rousseau with but little display of
emotion。 M。 de Latour now noticed some withered flowers among the
sacred pages； but it was reserved for a friend to discover in the faded
petals Rousseau's favourite flower； the periwinkle。 Like a true
Frenchman； like Rousseau himself in his younger days； M。 de Latour had
not recognised the periwinkle when he saw it。 That night； so excited was
M。 de Latour； he never closed an eye！ What puzzled him was that he
could not remember； in all Rousseau's works； a single allusion to the
〃Imitatio Christi。〃 Time went on； the old book was not rebound； but kept
piously in a case of Russia leather。 M。 de Latour did not suppose that
〃dans ce bas monde it fut permis aux joies du bibliophile d'aller encore
plus loin。〃 He imagined that the delights of the amateur could only go
further； in heaven。 It chanced； however； one day that he was turning over
the 〃Oeuvres Inedites〃 of Rousseau； when he found a letter； in which Jean
Jacques； writing in 1763； asked Motiers…Travers to send him the 〃Imitatio
Christi。〃 Now the date 1764 is memorable； in Rousseau's 〃Confessions；〃
for a burst of sentiment over a periwinkle； the first he had noticed
particularly since his residence at Les Charmettes； where the flower had
been remarked by Madame de Warens。 Thus M。 Tenant de Latour had
recovered the very identical periwinkle； which caused the tear of
sensibility to moisten the fine eyes of Jean Jacques Rousseau。
We cannot all be adorers of Rousseau。 But M。 de Latour was an
enthusiast； and this little anecdote of his explains the sentimental side of
the bibliophile's pursuit。 Yes； it is SENTIMENT that makes us feel a
lively affection for the books that seem to connect us with great poets and
students long ago dead。 Their hands grasp ours across the ages。 I never
see the first edition of Homer； that monument of typography and of
enthusiasm for letters； printed at Florence （1488） at the expense of young
Bernardo and Nerio Nerli； and of their friend Giovanni Acciajuoli； but I
feel moved to cry with Heyne； 〃salvete juvenes； nobiles et generosi；
＇Greek text＇。〃
Such is our apology for book…collecting。 But the best defence of the
taste would be a list of the names of great collectors； a 〃vision of mighty
book…hunters。〃 Let us say nothing of Seth and Noah； for their reputation
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as amateurs is only based on the authority of the tract De Bibliothecis
Antediluvianis。 The library of Assurbanipal I pass over； for its volumes
were made； as Pliny says； of coctiles laterculi； of baked tiles； which have
been deciphered by the late Mr。 George Smith。 Philosophers as well as
immemorial kings； Pharaohs and Ptolemys； are on our side。 It was
objected to Plato； by persons answering to the cheap scribblers of to…day；
that he； though a sage； gave a hundred minae （360 pounds） for three
treatises of Philolaus； while Aristotle paid nearly thrice the sum for a few
books that had been in the library of Speusippus。 Did not a Latin
philosopher go great lengths in a laudable anxiety to purchase an Odyssey
〃as old as Homer；〃 and what would not Cicero； that great collector； have
given for the Ascraean editio princeps of Hesiod； scratched on mouldy old
plates of lead？ Perhaps Dr。 Schliemann may find an original edition of
the 〃Iliad〃 at Orchomenos； but of all early copies none seems so attractive
as that engraved on the leaden plates which Pausanias saw at Ascra。
Then； in modern times； what 〃great allies〃 has the collector； what brethren
in book…hunting？ The names are like the catalogue with which Villon
fills his 〃Ballade des Seigneurs du Temps Jadis。〃 A collector was 〃le
preux Charlemaigne〃 and our English Alfred。 The Kings of Hungary； as
Mathias Corvinus； the Kings of France； and their queens； and their
mistresses； and their lords； were all amateurs。 So was our Henry VIII。；
and James I。； who 〃wished he could be chained to a shelf in the Bodleian。〃
The middle age gives us Richard de Bury； among ecclesiastics； and the
Renaissance boasts Sir Thomas More； with that 〃pretty fardle of books； in
the small type of Aldus；〃 which he carried for a freight to the people of
Utopia。 Men of the world； like Bussy Rabutin； queens like our Elizabeth；
popes like Innocent X。； financiers like Colbert （who made the Grand Turk
send him Levant morocco for bindings）； men of letters like Scott and
Southey； Janin and Nodier； and Paul
