letters on literature(关于文学)-第15节
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cannot stroll into the great book…marts and give your orders freely for all
that is rich and rare。 You are obliged to wait and watch an opportunity； to
practise that maxim of the Stoic's； 〃Endure and abstain。〃 Then abstain
from rushing at every volume； however out of the line of your literary
interests； which seems to be a bargain。 Probably it is not even a bargain； it
can seldom be cheap to you； if you do not need it； and do not mean to read
it。
Not that any collector reads all his books。 I may have； and indeed do
possess； an Aldine Homer and Caliergus his Theocritus； but I prefer to
study the authors in a cheap German edition。 The old editions we buy
mainly for their beauty； and the sentiment of their antiquity and their
associations。
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But I don't take my own advice。 The shelves are crowded with books
quite out of my linea whole small library of tomes on the pastime of
curling； and I don't curl； and 〃God's Revenge against Murther；〃 though （so
far） I am not an assassin。 Probably it was for love of Sir Walter Scott；
and his mention of this truculent treatise； that I purchased it。 The full
title of it is 〃The Triumphs of God's Revenge against the Crying and
Execrable Sinne of （willful and premeditated） Murther。〃 Or rather there
is nearly a column more of title； which I spare you。 But the pictures are
so bad as to be nearly worth the price。 Do not waste your money； like
your foolish adviser； on books like that； or on 〃Les Sept Visions de Don
Francisco de Quevedo；〃 published at Cologne； in 1682。
Why in the world did I purchase this； with the title…page showing
Quevedo asleep； and all his seven visions floating round him in little
circles like soap…bubbles？ Probably because the book was published by
Clement Malassis； and perhaps he was a forefather of that whimsical
Frenchman； Poulet Malassis； who published for Banville； and Baudelaire；
and Charles Asselineau。 It was a bad reason。 More likely the mere
cheapness attracted me。
Curiosity； not cheapness； assuredly； betrayed me into another purchase。
If I want to read 〃The Pilgrim's Progress；〃 of course I read it in John
Bunyan's good English。 Then why must I ruin myself to acquire 〃Voyage
d'un Chrestien vers l'Eternite。 Ecrit en Anglois； par Monsieur Bunjan；
F。M。； en Bedtfort； et nouvellement traduit en Francois。 Avec Figures。 A
Amsterdam； chez Jean Boekholt Libraire pres de la Bourse； 1685〃？ I
suppose this is the oldest French version of the famed allegory。 Do you
know an older？ Bunyan was still living and； indeed； had just published
the second part of the book； about Christian's wife and children； and the
deplorable young woman whose name was Dull。
As the little volume； the Elzevir size； is bound in blue morocco； by
Cuzin； I hope it is not wholly a foolish bargain； but what do I want； after
all； with a French 〃Pilgrim's Progress〃？ These are the errors a man is
always making who does not collect books with system； with a conscience
and an aim。
Do have a specially。 Make a collection of works on few subjects；
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well chosen。 And what subjects shall they be？ That depends on taste。
Probably it is well to avoid the latest fashion。 For example； the
illustrated French books of the eighteenth century are； at this moment； en
hausse。 There is a 〃boom〃 in them。 Fifty years ago Brunet； the author
of the great 〃Manuel；〃 sneered at them。 But； in his； 〃Library
Companion；〃 Dr。 Dibdin； admitted their merit。 The illustrations by
Gravelot； Moreau； Marillier； and the rest； are certainly delicate； graceful；
full of character； stamped with style。 But only the proofs before letters are
very much valued； and for these wild prices are given by competitive
millionaires。 You cannot compete with them。
It is better wholly to turn the back on these books and on any others at
the height of the fashion； unless you meet them for fourpence on a stall。
Even then should a gentleman take advantage of a poor bookseller's
ignorance？ I don't know。 I never fell into the temptation； because I
never was tempted。 Bargains； real bargains； are so rare that you may
hunt for a lifetime and never meet one。
The best plan for a man who has to see that his collection is worth
what it cost him； is probably to confine one's self to a single line； say； in
your case； first editions of new English； French； and American books that
are likely to rise in value。 I would try； were I you； to collect first editions
of Longfellow； Bryant； Whittier； Poe； and Hawthorne。
As to Poe； you probably will never have a chance。 Outside of the
British Museum； where they have the 〃Tamerlane〃 of 1827； I have only
seen one early example of Poe's poems。 It is 〃Al Aaraaf； Tamerlane； and
Minor Poems； by Edgar A。 Poe。 Baltimore： Hatch and Dunning； 1829；
8vo； pp。 71。〃 The book 〃came to Mr。 Locker （Mr。 Frederick Locker…
Lampson）； through Mr。 R。 H。 Stoddard； the American poet。〃 So says Mr。
Locker…Lampson's Catalogue。 He also has the New York edition of 1831。
These books are extraordinarily rare； you are more likely to find them
in some collection of twopenny rubbish than to buy them in the regular
market。 Bryant's 〃Poems〃 （Cambridge； 1821） must also be very rare； and
Emerson's of 1847； and Dr。 Oliver Wendell Holmes's of 1836； and
Longfellow's 〃Voices of the Night；〃 1839； and Mr。 Lowell's 〃A Year's
Life；〃 none of these can be common； and all are desirable； as are Mr。
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Whittier's 〃Legends of New England （1831）； and 〃Poems〃 （1838）。
Perhaps you may never be lucky enough to come across them cheap；
no doubt they are greatly sought for by amateurs。 Indeed； all American
books of a certain age or of a special interest are exorbitantly dear。 Men
like Mr。 James Lenox used to keep the market up。 One cannot get the
Jesuit 〃Relations〃shabby little missionary reports from Canada； in dirty
vellum。
Cartier； Perrot； Champlain； and the other early explorers' books are
beyond the means of a working student who needs them。 May you come
across them in a garret of a farmhouse； or in some dusty lane of the city。
Why are they not reprinted； as Mr。 Arber has reprinted 〃Captain John
Smith's Voyages； and Reports on Virginia〃？ The very reprints； when they
have been made； are rare and hard to come by。
There are certain modern books； new books； that 〃go up〃 rapidly in
value and interest。 Mr。 Swinburne's 〃Atalanta〃 of 1865； the quarto in
white cloth； is valued at twenty dollars。 Twenty years ago one dollar
would have purchased it。 Mr。 Austin Dobson's 〃Proverbs in Porcelain〃 is
also in demand among the curious。 Nay； even I may say about the first
edition of 〃Ballades in Blue China〃 （1880）； as Gibbon said of his 〃Essay
on the Study of Literature：〃 〃The primitive value of half a crown has risen
to the fanciful price of a guinea or thirty shillings；〃 or even more。 I wish
I had a copy myself； for old sake's sake。
Certain modern books； 〃on large paper；〃 are safe investments。 The
〃Badminton Library；〃 an English series of books on sport； is at a huge
premium already； when on 〃large paper。〃 But one should never buy the
book unless； as in the case of
