the love affairs of a bibliomaniac-第19节
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d to my entire satisfaction that the reason why my copy of Justinian has faded from a royal purple to a pale blue is； first； because the binding was renewed at the wane of the moon and when Sirius was in the ascendant； and； secondly； because （as Dr。 O'Rell has discovered） my binder was born at a moment fifty…six years ago when Mercury was in the fourth house and Herschel and Saturn were aspected in conjunction； with Sol at his northern declination。
Dr。 O'Rell has frequently expressed surprise that I have never wearied of and drifted away from the book…friendships of my earlier years。 Other people； he says； find； as time elapses； that they no longer discover those charms in certain books which attracted them so powerfully in youth。 ‘‘We have in our earlier days；'' argues the doctor； ‘‘friendships so dear to us that we would repel with horror the suggestion that we could ever become heedless or forgetful of them； yet； alas； as we grow older we gradually become indifferent to these first friends； and we are weaned from them by other friendships； there even comes a time when we actually wonder how it were possible for us to be on terms of intimacy with such or such a person。 We grow away from people； and in like manner and for similar reasons we grow away from books。''
Is it indeed possible for one to become indifferent to an object he has once loved？ I can hardly believe so。 At least it is not so with me； and； even though the time may come when I shall no longer be able to enjoy the uses of these dear old friends with the old…time enthusiasm； I should still regard them with that tender reverence which in his age the poet Longfellow expressed when looking round upon his beloved books：
Sadly as some old mediaeval knight Gazed at the arms he could no longer wield The sword two…handed and the shining shield Suspended in the hall and full in sight； While secret longings for the lost delight Of tourney or adventure in the field Came over him； and tears but half concealed Trembled and fell upon his beard of white； So I behold these books upon their shelf My ornaments and arms of other days； Not wholly useless； though no longer used； For they remind me of my other self Younger and stronger； and the pleasant ways In which I walked； now clouded and confused。
If my friend O'Rell's theory be true； how barren would be Age！ Lord Bacon tells us in his ‘‘Apothegms'' that Alonzo of Aragon was wont to say； in commendation of Age； that Age appeared to be best in four things： Old wood best to burn； old wine to drink； old friends to trust； and old authors to read。 Sir John Davys recalls that ‘‘a French writer （whom I love well） speaks of three kinds of companions： Men； women and books；'' and my revered and beloved poet…friend； Richard Henry Stoddard； has wrought out this sentiment in a poem of exceeding beauty； of which the concluding stanza runs in this wise：
Better than men and women； friend； That are dust； though dear in our joy and pain； Are the books their cunning hands have penned； For they depart； but the books remain； Through these they speak to us what was best In the loving heart and the noble mind； All their royal souls possessed Belongs forever to all mankind！ When others fail him； the wise man looks To the sure companionship of books。
If ever； O honest friends of mine； I should forget you or weary of your companionship； whither would depart the memories and the associations with which each of you is hallowed！ Would ever the modest flowers of spring…time； budding in pathways where I no longer wander； recall to my failing sight the vernal beauty of the Puritan maid； Captivity？ In what reverie of summer…time should I feel again the graciousness of thy presence； Yseult？
And Fanchonettesweet； timid little Fanchonette！ would ever thy ghost come back from out those years away off yonder ？ Be hushed； my Beranger； for a moment； another song hath awakened softly responsive echoes in my heart！ It is a song of Fanchonette：
In vain； in vain； we meet no more； Nor dream what fates befall； And long upon the stranger's shore My voice on thee may call； When years have clothed the line in moss That tells thy name and days； And withered； on thy simple cross； The wreaths of Pere la Chaise！
XVI
THE MALADY CALLED CATALOGITIS
Judge Methuen tells me that one of the most pleasing delusions he has experienced in his long and active career as a bibliomaniac is that which is born of the catalogue habit。 Presuming that there are among my readers many laymen；for I preach salvation to the heathen；I will explain for their information that the catalogue habit； so called； is a practice to which the confirmed lover of books is likely to become addicted。 It is a custom of many publishers and dealers to publish and to disseminate at certain periods lists of their wares； in the hope of thereby enticing readers to buy those wares。
By what means these crafty tradesmen secure the names of their prospective victims I cannot say； but this I know full wellthat there seems not to be a book…lover on the face of the earth； I care not how remote or how secret his habitation may be； that these dealers do not presently find him out and overwhelm him with their delightful temptations。
I have been told that among booksellers there exists a secret league which provides for the interchange of confidences； so that when a new customer enters a shop in the Fulham road or in Oxford street or along the quays of Paris； or it matters not where （so long as the object of his inquiry be a book）； within the space of a month that man's name and place of residence are reported to and entered in the address list of every other bookseller in Christendom； and forthwith and forever after the catalogues and price…lists and bulletins of publishers and dealers in every part of the world are pelted at him through the unerring processes of the mails。
Judge Methuen has been a victim （a pleasant victim） to the catalogue habit for the last forty years； and he has declared that if all the catalogues sent to and read by him in that space of time were gathered together in a heap they would make a pile bigger than Pike's Peak； and a thousandfold more interesting。 I myself have been a famous reader of catalogues； and I can testify that the habit has possessed me of remarkable delusions； the most conspicuous of which is that which produces within me the conviction that a book is as good as mine as soon as I have met with its title in a catalogue； and set an X over against it in pencil。
I recall that on one occasion I was discussing with Judge Methuen and Dr。 O'Rell the attempted escapes of Charles I。 from Carisbrooke Castle； a point of difference having arisen； I said： ‘‘Gentlemen； I will refer to Hillier's ‘Narrative；' and I doubt not that my argument will be sustained by that authority。''
It was vastly easier； however； to cite Hillier than it was to find him。 For three days I searched in my library； and tumbled my books about in that confusion which results from undue eagerness； 't was all in vain； neither hide nor hair of the desired volume could I discover。 It finally occurred to me that I must have lent the book to somebody； and then again I felt sure that it had been stolen。
No tidings of the missing volume came to me； and I had almost forgotten the incident when one evening （it was fully two years after my discussion with my cronies） I came upon； in one of the drawers of my oak chest； a Sotheran catalogue of May； 1871。 By the merest chance I opened it； and as luck would have it； I opened it at the very page upon which appeared this item：
‘‘Hillier （G。） ‘Narrative of the Attempted Escapes of Charles the First from Carisbrooke Castle'； cr。 8vo； 1852； cloth； 3/6。''
Against this item appeared a cross in my chirography； and I saw at a glance that this was my long…lost Hillier！ I had meant to buy it； and had marked it for purchase； but with the determination and that pencilled cross the transaction had ended。 Yet； having resolved to buy it had served me almost as effectively as though I had actually bought it； I thoughtaye； I could have sworn I HAD bought it； simply because I MEANT to buy it。
‘‘The experience is not unique；'' said Judge Methuen； when I narrated it to him at our next meeting。 ‘‘Speaking for myself； I can say that it is a confirmed habit with me to mark certain items in catalogues which I read； and then to go my way in the pleasing conviction that they are actually mine。''
‘‘I meet with cases of this character continually；'' said Dr。 O'Rell。 ‘‘The hallucination is one that is recognized as a specific one by pathologists； its cure is quickest effected by means of hypnotism。 Within the last year a lady of beauty and refinement came to me in serious distress。 She confided to me amid a copious effusion of tears that her husband was upon the verge of insanity。 Her testimony was to the effect that the unfortunate man believed himself to be possessed of a large library； the fact being that the number of his books was limited to three hundred or thereabouts。
‘‘Upon inquiry I l
