the love affairs of a bibliomaniac-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


t；　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　bank；　and　they　have　won　all　the　marbles　and　jack…　stones　in　the　neighborhood。　　They　do　not　believe　in　Santa　Claus　or　in　fairies　or　in　witches；　they　know　that　two　nickels　make　a　dime；　and　their　golden　rule　is　to　do　others　as　others　would　do　them。　　The　other　boy　（he　has　been　christened　Matthew；　after　me）　has　a　pair　of　large；　round；　deep…blue　eyes；　expressive　of　all　those　emotions　which　a　keen；　active　fancy　begets。

Matthew　can　never　get　his　fill　of　fairy　tales；　and　how　the　dear　little　fellow　loves　Santa　Claus！　　He　sees　things　at　night；　he　will　not　go　to　bed　in　the　dark；　he　hears　and　understands　what　the　birds　and　crickets　say；　and　what　the　night　wind　sings；　and　what　the　rustling　leaves　tell。　　Wherever　Matthew　goes　he　sees　beautiful　pictures　and　hears　sweet　music；　to　his　impressionable　soul　all　nature　speaks　its　wisdom　and　its　poetry。　　God！　how　I　love　that　boy！　　And　he　shall　never　starve！　　A　goodly　share　of　what　I　have　shall　go　to　him！　　But　this　clause　in　my　will；　which　the　Judge　recently　drew　for　me；　will；　I　warrant　me；　give　the　dear　child　the　greatest　happiness：

‘‘Item。　　To　my　beloved　grandnephew　and　namesake；　Matthew；　I　do　bequeath　and　give　（in　addition　to　the　lands　devised　and　the　stocks；　bonds　and　moneys　willed　to　him；　as　hereinabove　specified）　the　two　mahogany　bookcases　numbered　11　and　13；　and　the　contents　thereof；　being　volumes　of　fairy　and　folk　tales　of　all　nations；　and　dictionaries　and　other　treatises　upon　demonology；　witchcraft；　mythology；　magic　and　kindred　subjects；　to　be　his；　his　heirs；　and　his　assigns；　forever。''　





III

THE　LUXURY　OF　READING　IN　BED

Last　night；　having　written　what　you　have　just　read　about　the　benefits　of　fairy　literature；　I　bethought　me　to　renew　my　acquaintance　with　some　of　those　tales　which　so　often　have　delighted　and　solaced　me。　　So　I　piled　at　least　twenty　chosen　volumes　on　the　table　at　the　head　of　my　bed；　and　I　daresay　it　was　nigh　daylight　when　I　fell　asleep。　　I　began　my　entertainment　with　several　pages　from　Keightley's　‘‘Fairy　Mythology；''　and　followed　it　up　with　random　bits　from　Crofton　Croker's　‘‘Traditions　of　the　South　of　Ireland；''　Mrs。　Carey's　‘‘Legends　of　the　French　Provinces；''　Andrew　Lang's　Green；　Blue　and　Red　fairy　books；　Laboulaye's　‘‘Last　Fairy　Tales；''　Hauff's　‘‘The　Inn　in　the　Spessart；''　Julia　Goddard's　‘‘Golden　Weathercock；''　Frere's　‘‘Eastern　Fairy　Legends；''　　Asbjornsen's　‘‘Folk　Tales；''　Susan　Pindar's　‘‘Midsummer　Fays；''　Nisbit　Bain's　‘‘Cossack　Fairy　Tales；''　etc。；　etc。

I　fell　asleep　with　a　copy　of　Villamaria's　fairy　stories　in　my　hands；　and　I　had　a　delightful　dream　wherein；　under　the　protection　and　guidance　of　my　fairy　godmother；　I　undertook　the　rescue　of　a　beautiful　princess　who　had　been　enchanted　by　a　cruel　witch　and　was　kept　in　prison　by　the　witch's　son；　a　hideous　ogre　with　seven　heads；　whose　companions　were　four　equally　hideous　dragons。

This　undertaking　in　which　I　was　engaged　involved　a　period　of　five　years；　but　time　is　of　precious　little　consideration　to　one　when　he　is　dreaming　of　exploits　achieved　in　behalf　of　a　beautiful　princess。　　My　fairy　godmother　（she　wore　a　mob…cap　and　was　hunchbacked）　took　good　care　of　me；　and　conducted　me　safely　through　all　my　encounters　with　demons；　giants；　dragons；　witches；　serpents；　hippogriffins；　ogres；　etc。；　and　I　had　just　rescued　the　princess　and　broken　the　spell　which　bound　her；　and　we　were　about　to　‘‘live　in　peace　to　the　end　of　our　lives；''　when　I　awoke　to　find　it　was　all　a　dream；　and　that　the　gas…　light　over　my　bed　had　been　blazing　away　during　the　entire　period　of　my　five…year　war　for　the　delectable　maiden。

This　incident　gives　me　an　opportunity　to　say　that　observation　has　convinced　me　that　all　good　and　true　book…lovers　practise　the　pleasing　and　improving　avocation　of　reading　in　bed。　　Indeed；　I　fully　believe　with　Judge　Methuen　that　no　book　can　be　appreciated　until　it　has　been　slept　with　and　dreamed　over。　　You　recall；　perhaps；　that　eloquent　passage　in　his　noble　defence　of　the　poet　Archias；　wherein　Cicero　（not　Kikero）　refers　to　his　own　pursuit　of　literary　studies：　　‘‘Haec　studia　adolescentiam　alunt；　senectutem　oblectant；　secundas　res　ornant；　adversis　perfugium　ac　solatium　praebent；　delectant　domi；　non　impediunt　foris；　PERNOCTANT　nobiscum；　peregrinantur；　rusticantur！''

By　the　gods！　you　spoke　tally；　friend　Cicero；　for　it　is　indeed　so；　that　these　pursuits　nourish　our　earlier　and　delight　our　later　years；　dignifying　the　minor　details　of　life　and　affording　a　perennial　refuge　and　solace；　at　home　they　please　us　and　in　no　vocation　elsewhere　do　they　embarrass　us；　they　are　with　　us　by　night；　they　go　with　us　upon　our　travels；　and　even　upon　our　retirement　into　the　country　do　they　accompany　us！

I　have　italicized　pernoctant　because　it　is　that　word　which　demonstrates　beyond　all　possibility　of　doubt　that　Cicero　made　a　practice　of　reading　in　bed。　　Why；　I　can　almost　see　him　now；　propped　up　in　his　couch；　unrolling　scroll　after　scroll　of　his　favorite　literature；　and　enjoying　it　mightily；　too；　which　enjoyment　is　interrupted　now　and　then　by　the　occasion　which　the　noble　reader　takes　to　mutter　maledictions　upon　the　slave　who　has　let　the　lamp　run　low　of　oil　or　has　neglected　to　trim　the　wick。

‘‘Peregrinantur？''　　Indeed；　they　do　share　our　peregrinations；　these　literary　pursuits　do。　　If　Thomas　Hearne　（of　blessed　memory！）　were　alive　to…day　he　would　tell　us　that　he　used　always　to　take　a　book　along　with　him　whenever　he　went　walking；　and　was　wont　to　read　it　as　he　strolled　along。　　On　several　occasions　（as　he　tells　us　in　his　diary）　he　became　so　absorbed　in　his　reading　that　he　missed　his　way　and　darkness　came　upon　him　before　he　knew　it。　

I　have　always　wondered　why　book…lovers　have　not　had　more　to　say　of　Hearne；　for　assuredly　he　was　as　glorious　a　collector　as　ever　felt　the　divine　fire　glow　within　him。　　His　character　is　exemplified　in　this　prayer；　which　is　preserved　among　other　papers　of　his　in　the　Bodleian　Library：

‘‘O　most　gracious　and　merciful　Lord　God；　wonderful　is　Thy　providence。　　I　return　all　possible　thanks　to　Thee　for　the　care　Thou　hast　always　taken　of　me。　　I　continually　meet　with　most　signal　instances　of　this　Thy　providence；　and　one　act　yesterday；　when　I　unexpectedly　met　with　three　old　MSS。；　for　which；　in　a　particular　manner；　I　return　my　thanks；　beseeching　Thee　to　continue　the　same　protection　to　me；　a　poor；　helpless　sinner；''　etc。

Another　prayer　of　Hearne's；　illustrative　of　his　faith　in　dependence　upon　Divine　counsel；　was　made　at　the　time　Hearne　was　importuned　by　Dr。　Bray；　commissary　to　my　Lord　Bishop　of　London；　‘‘to　go　to　Mary…　Land''　in　the　character　of　a　missionary。　　‘‘O　Lord　God；　Heavenly　Father；　look　down　upon　me　with　pity；''　cries　this　pious　soul；　　‘‘and　be　pleased　to　be　my　guide；　now　I　am　importuned　to　leave　the　place　where　I　have　been　educated　in　the　university。　　And　of　Thy　great　goodness　I　humbly　desire　Thee　to　signify　to　me　what　is　most　proper　for　me　to　do　in　this　affair。''

Another　famous　man　who　made　a　practice　of　reading　books　as　he　walked　the　highways　was　Dr。　Johnson；　and　it　is　recorded　that　he　presented　a　curious　spectacle　indeed；　for　his　shortsightedness　compelled　him　to　hold　the　volume　close　to　his　nose；　and　he　shuffled　along；　rather　than　walked；　stepping　high　over　shadows　and　stumbling　over　sticks　and　stones。

But；　perhaps；　the　most　interesting　story　illustrative　of　the　practice　of　carrying　one's　reading　around　with　one　is　that　which　is　told　of　Professor　Porson；　the　Greek　scholar。　　This　human　monument　of　learning　happened　to　be　travelling　in　the　same　coach　with　a　coxcomb　who　sought　to　air　his　pretended　learning　by　quotations　from　the　ancients。　　At　last　old　Porson　asked：

‘‘Pri'thee；　sir；　whence　comes　that　quotation？''　　

‘‘From　Sophocles；''quoth　the　vain　fellow。

‘‘Be　so　kind　as　to　find　it　for　me？''　asked　Porson；　producing　a　copy　of　Sophocles　from　his　pocket。

Then　the　coxcomb；　not　at　all　abashed；　said　that　he　meant　not　Sophocles；　but　Euripides。　　Whereupon　Porson　drew　from　another　pocket　a　copy　of　Euripides　and　challenged　the　upstart　to　find　the　quotation　in　question。　　Full　of　confusion；　the　fellow　thrust　his　head　out　of　the　window　of　the　coach　and　cried　to　the　driver：

‘‘In　heaven's　name；　put　me　down　at　once；　for　there　is　an　old　gentleman　in　here　that　hath　the　Bodleian　Library　in　his　pocket！''

Porson　himself　wa