the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第4节
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as cheerily as thou didst smile those many years ago when to a little boy
thou broughtest the message of Romance！ And I do love thee still； and I
shall always love thee； not only for thy benefaction in those ancient days；
but also for the light and the cheer which thy genius brings to all ages and
conditions of humanity。
My Uncle Cephas's library was stored with a large variety of pleasing
literature。 I did not observe a glut of theological publications； and I
will admit that I felt somewhat aggrieved personally when； in answer to
my inquiry； I was told that there was no ‘‘New England Primer'' in the
collection。 But this feeling was soon dissipated by the absorbing interest
I took in De Foe's masterpiece； a work unparalleled in the realm of fiction。
I shall not say that ‘‘Robinson Crusoe'' supplanted the Primer in my
affections； this would not be true。 I prefer to say what is the truth； it was
my second love。 Here again we behold another advantage which the
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THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
lover of books has over the lover of women。 If he be a genuine lover he
can and should love any number of books； and this polybibliophily is not
to the disparagement of any one of that number。 But it is held by the
expounders of our civil and our moral laws that he who loveth one woman
to the exclusion of all other women speaketh by that action the best and
highest praise both of his own sex and of hers。
I thank God continually that it hath been my lot in life to found an
empire in my heart no cramped and wizened borough wherein one
jealous mistress hath exercised her petty tyranny； but an expansive and
ever…widening continent divided and subdivided into dominions；
jurisdictions； caliphates； chiefdoms； seneschalships； and prefectures；
wherein tetrarchs； burgraves； maharajahs； palatines； seigniors； caziques；
nabobs； emirs； nizams； and nawabs hold sway； each over his special and
particular realm； and all bound together in harmonious cooperation by the
conciliating spirit of polybibliophily！
Let me not be misunderstood； for I am not a woman…hater。 I do not
regret the acquaintancesnay； the friendshipsI have formed with
individuals of the other sex。 As a philosopher it has behooved me to
study womankind； else I should not have appreciated the worth of these
other better loves。 Moreover； I take pleasure in my age in associating
this precious volume or that with one woman or another whose friendship
came into my life at the time when I was reading and loved that book。
The other day I found my nephew William swinging in the hammock
on the porch with his girl friend Celia； I saw that the young people were
reading Ovid。 ‘‘My children；'' said I； ‘‘count this day a happy one。 In
the years of after life neither of you will speak or think of Ovid and his
tender verses without recalling at the same moment how of a gracious
afternoon in distant time you sat side by side contemplating the ineffably
precious promises of maturity and love。''
I am not sure that I do not approve that article in Judge Methuen's
creed which insists that in this life of ours woman serves a probationary
period for sins of omission or of commission in a previous existence； and
that woman's next step upward toward the final eternity of bliss is a period
of longer or of shorter duration； in which her soul enters into a book to be
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petted； fondled； beloved and cherished by some good manlike the Judge；
or like myself； for that matter。
This theory is not an unpleasant one； I regard it as much more
acceptable than those so…called scientific demonstrations which would
make us suppose that we are descended from tree…climbing and bug…eating
simians。 However； it is far from my purpose to enter upon any argument
of these questions at this time； for Judge Methuen himself is going to write
a book upon the subject； and the edition is to be limited to two numbered
and signed copies upon Japanese vellum； of which I am to have one and
the Judge the other。
The impression I made upon Uncle Cephas must have been favorable；
for when my next birthday rolled around there came with it a book from
Uncle Cephasmy third love； Grimm's ‘‘Household Stories。'' With the
perusal of this monumental work was born that passion for fairy tales and
folklore which increased rather than diminished with my maturer years。
Even at the present time I delight in a good fairy story； and I am grateful to
Lang and to Jacobs for the benefit they have conferred upon me and the
rest of English…reading humanity through the medium of the fairy books
and the folk tales they have translated and compiled。 Baring…Gould and
Lady Wilde have done noble work in the same realm； the writings of the
former have interested me particularly； for together with profound learning
in directions which are specially pleasing to me； Baring…Gould has a
distinct literary touch which invests his work with a grace indefinable but
delicious and persuasive。
I am so great a lover of and believer in fairy tales that I once organized
a society for the dissemination of fairy literature； and at the first meeting
of this society we resolved to demand of the board of education to drop
mathematics from the curriculum in the public schools and to substitute
therefor a four years' course in fairy literature； to be followed； if the pupil
desired； by a post…graduate course in demonology and folk…lore。 We
hired and fitted up large rooms； and the cause seemed to be flourishing
until the second month's rent fell due。 It was then discovered that the
treasury was empty； and with this discovery the society ended its existence；
without having accomplished any tangible result other than the purchase
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THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
of a number of sofas and chairs； for which Judge Methuen and I had to
pay。
Still； I am of the opinion （and Judge Methuen indorses it） that we need
in this country of ours just that influence which the fairy tale exerts。
We are becoming too practical； the lust for material gain is throttling every
other consideration。 Our babes and sucklings are no longer regaled with
the soothing tales of giants； ogres； witches； and fairies； their hungry；
receptive minds are filled with stories about the pursuit and slaughter of
unoffending animals； of war and of murder； and of those questionable
practices whereby a hero is enriched and others are impoverished。
Before he is out of his swaddling… cloth the modern youngster is
convinced that the one noble purpose in life is to get； get； get； and keep on
getting of worldly material。 The fairy tale is tabooed because； as the
sordid parent alleges； it makes youth unpractical。
One consequence of this deplorable condition is； as I have noticed
（and as Judge Methuen has； too）； that the human eye is diminishing in size
and fulness； and is losing its lustre。 By as much as you take the God…
given grace of fancy from man； by so much do you impoverish his eyes。
The eye is so beautiful and serves so very many noble purposes； and is；
too； so ready in the expression of tenderness； of pity； of love； of
solicitude； of compassion； of dignity； of every gentle mood and noble
inspiration； that in that metaphor which contemplates the eternal vigilance
of the Almighty we recognize the best poetic expression of the highest
human wisdom。
My nephew Timothy has three children； two boys and a girl。 The
elder boy and the girl have small black eyes； they are as devoid of fancy as
a napkin is of red corpuscles； they put their pennies into a tin ba
