the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第20节
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that the human heart is swayed by the tenderer emotions。 Gratitude is
surely one of the noblest emotions of which humanity is capable； and he is
indeed unworthy of our respect who would forbid humanity's expressing
in every dignified and reverential manner its gratitude for the benefits
conferred by the companionship of books。
As for myself； I urge upon all lovers of books to provide themselves
with bookplates。 Whenever I see a book that bears its owner's plate I feel
myself obligated to treat that book with special consideration。 It carries
with it a certificate of its master's love； the bookplate gives the volume a
certain status it would not otherwise have。 Time and again I have fished
musty books out of bins in front of bookstalls； bought them and borne
them home with me simply because they had upon their covers the
bookplates of their former owners。 I have a case filled with these
aristocratic estrays； and I insist that they shall be as carefully dusted and
kept as my other books； and I have provided in my will for their perpetual
maintenance after my decease。
If I were a rich man I should found a hospital for homeless aristocratic
books； an institution similar in all essential particulars to the institution
which is now operated at our national capital under the bequest of the late
Mr。 Cochrane。 I should name it the Home for Genteel Volumes in
Decayed Circumstances。
I was a young man when I adopted the bookplate which I am still
using； and which will be found in all my books。 I drew the design myself
and had it executed by a son of Anderson； the first of American engravers。
It is by no means elaborate： a book rests upon a heart； and underneath
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appear the lines：
My Book and Heart Must never part。
Ah； little Puritan maid； with thy dear eyes of honest blue and thy fair
hair in proper plaits adown thy back； little thought we that springtime
long ago back among the New England hills that the tiny book we read
together should follow me through all my life！ What a part has that
Primer played！ And now all these other beloved companions bear
witness to the love I bear that Primer and its teachings； for each wears the
emblem I plucked from its homely pages。
That was in the springtime； Captivity Waite； anon came summer； with
all its exuberant glory； and presently the cheery autumn stole upon me。
And now it is the winter…time； and under the snows lies buried many a
sweet； fair thing I cherished once。 I am aweary and will rest a little while；
lie thou there； my pen； for a dreama pleasant dreamcalleth me away。 I
shall see those distant hills again； and the homestead under the elms； the
old associations and the old influences shall be round about me； and a
child shall lead me and we shall go together through green pastures and by
still waters。 And； O my pen； it will be the springtime again！
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XIII
ON THE ODORS WHICH MY BOOKS EXHALE
Have you ever come out of the thick； smoky atmosphere of the town
into the fragrant； gracious atmosphere of a library？ If you have； you
know how grateful the change is； and you will agree with me when I say
that nothing else is so quieting to the nerves； so conducive to physical
health； and so quick to restore a lively flow of the spirits。
Lafcadio Hearn once wrote a treatise upon perfumes； an ingenious and
scholarly performance； he limited the edition to fifty copies and published
it privatelyso the book is rarely met with。 Curiously enough； however；
this author had nothing to say in the book about the smells of books；
which I regard as a most unpardonable error； unless； properly estimating
the subject to be worthy of a separate treatise； he has postponed its
consideration and treatment to a time when he can devote the requisite
study and care to it。
We have it upon the authority of William Blades that books breathe；
however； the testimony of experts is not needed upon this point； for if
anybody be sceptical； all he has to do to convince himself is to open a door
of a bookcase at any time and his olfactories will be greeted by an outrush
of odors that will prove to him beyond all doubt that books do actually
consume air and exhale perfumes。
Visitors to the British Museum complain not unfrequently that they are
overcome by the closeness of the atmosphere in that place； and what is
known as the British Museum headache has come to be recognized by the
medical profession in London as a specific ailment due to the absence of
oxygen in the atmosphere； which condition is caused by the multitude of
books； each one of which； by that breathing process peculiar to books；
consumes several thousand cubic feet of air every twenty…four hours。
Professor Huxley wondered for a long time why the atmosphere of the
British Museum should be poisonous while other libraries were free from
the poison； a series of experiments convinced him that the presence of
poison in the atmosphere was due to the number of profane books in the
Museum。 He recommended that these poison…engendering volumes be
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treated once every six months with a bath of cedria； which； as I understand；
is a solution of the juices of the cedar tree； this； he said； would purge the
mischievous volumes temporarily of their evil propensities and abilities。
I do not know whether this remedy is effective； but I remember to have
read in Pliny that cedria was used by the ancients to render their
manuscripts imperishable。 When Cneius Terentius went digging in his
estate in the Janiculum he came upon a coffer which contained not only
the remains of Numa； the old Roman king； but also the manuscripts of the
famous laws which Numa compiled。 The king was in some such
condition as you might suppose him to be after having been buried several
centuries； but the manuscripts were as fresh as new； and their being so is
said to have been due to the fact that before their burial they were rubbed
with citrus leaves。
These so…called books of Numa would perhaps have been preserved
unto this day but for the fanaticism of the people who exhumed and read
them； they were promptly burned by Quintus Petilius； the praetor； because
（as Cassius Hemina explains） they treated of philosophical subjects； or
because； as Livy testifies； their doctrines were inimical to the religion then
existing。
As I have had little to do with profane literature； I know nothing of the
habits of such books as Professor Huxley has prescribed an antidote
against。 Of such books as I have gathered about me and made my
constant companions I can say truthfully that a more delectable…flavored
lot it were impossible to find。 As I walk amongst them； touching first
this one and then that； and regarding all with glances of affectionate
approval； I fancy that I am walking in a splendid garden； full of charming
vistas； wherein parterre after parterre of beautiful flowers is unfolded to
my enraptured vision； and surely there never were other odors so
delightful as the odors which my books exhale！
My garden aboundeth in pleasant nooks And fragrance is
over it all； For sweet is the smell of my old； old books In their
places against the wall。
Here is a folio that's grim with age And yellow and green
with mould； There's the breath of the sea on every page And
