the poet at the breakfast table-第6节
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brass andirons； waiting until time shall revenge them on their paltry
substitutes； and they shall have their own again； and bring with them
the fore…stick and the back…log of ancient days； and the empty churn；
with its idle dasher； which the Nancys and Phoebes； who have left
their comfortable places to the Bridgets and Norahs； used to handle
to good purpose； and the brown； shaky old spinning…wheel； which was
running； it may be； in the days when they were hinging the Salem
witches。
Under the dark and haunted garret were attic chambers which
themselves had histories。 On a pane in the northeastern chamber may
be read these names：
〃John Tracy；〃 〃Robert Roberts；〃 〃Thomas Prince 〃； 〃Stultus〃 another
hand had added。 When I found these names a few years ago （wrong side
up； for the window had been reversed）； I looked at once in the
Triennial to find them； for the epithet showed that they were
probably students。 I found them all under the years 1771 and 1773。
Does it please their thin ghosts thus to be dragged to the light of
day？ Has 〃Stultus 〃 forgiven the indignity of being thus
characterized？
The southeast chamber was the Library Hospital。 Every scholar should
have a book infirmary attached his library。 There should find a
peaceable refuge the many books； invalids from their birth； which are
sent 〃with the best regards of the Author〃； the respected； but
unpresentable cripples which have lost cover； the odd volumes of
honored sets which go mourning all their days for their lost brother；
the school…books which have been so often the subjects of assault and
battery； that they look as if the police must know them by heart；
these and still more the pictured story…books； beginning with Mother
Goose （which a dear old friend of mine has just been amusing his
philosophic leisure with turning most ingeniously and happily into
the tongues of Virgil and Homer）； will be precious mementos by and
by； when children and grandchildren come along。 What would I not
give for that dear little paper…bound quarto； in large and most
legible type； on certain pages of which the tender hand that was the
shield of my infancy had crossed out with deep black marks something
awful； probably about BEARS； such as once tare two…and…forty of us
little folks for making faces； and the very name of which made us
hide our heads under the bedclothes。
I made strange acquaintances in that book infirmary up in the
southeast attic。 The 〃Negro Plot〃 at New York helped to implant a
feeling in me which it took Mr。 Garrison a good many years to root
out。 〃Thinks I to Myself；〃 an old novel； which has been attributed
to a famous statesman； introduced me to a world of fiction which was
not represented on the shelves of the library proper； unless perhaps
by Coelebs in Search of a Wife； or allegories of the bitter tonic
class； as the young doctor that sits on the other side of the table
would probably call them。 I always； from an early age； had a keen
eye for a story with a moral sticking out of it； and gave it a wide
berth； though in my later years I have myself written a couple of
〃medicated novels；〃 as one of my dearest and pleasantest old friends
wickedly called them； when somebody asked her if she had read the
last of my printed performances。 I forgave the satire for the
charming esprit of the epithet。 Besides the works I have mentioned；
there was an old； old Latin alchemy book； with the manuscript
annotations of some ancient Rosicrucian； in the pages of which I had
a vague notion that I might find the mighty secret of the Lapis
Philosophorum； otherwise called Chaos； the Dragon； the Green Lion；
the Quinta Essentia； the Soap of Sages； the Vinegar of Philosophers；
the Dew of Heavenly Grace； the Egg； the Old Man； the Sun； the Moon；
and by all manner of odd aliases； as I am assured by the plethoric
little book before me； in parchment covers browned like a meerschaum
with the smoke of furnaces and the thumbing of dead gold seekers； and
the fingering of bony…handed book…misers； and the long intervals of
dusty slumber on the shelves of the bouquiniste； for next year it
will be three centuries old； and it had already seen nine generations
of men when I caught its eye （Alchemiae Doctrina） and recognized it
at pistol…shot distance as a prize； among the breviaries and Heures
and trumpery volumes of the old open…air dealer who exposed his
treasures under the shadow of St。 Sulpice。 I have never lost my
taste for alchemy since I first got hold of the Palladium Spagyricum
of Peter John Faber； and soughtin vain； it is truethrough its
pages for a clear； intelligible； and practical statement of how I
could turn my lead sinkers and the weights of tall kitchen clock into
good yellow gold； specific gravity 19。2； and exchangeable for
whatever I then wanted； and for many more things than I was then
aware of。 One of the greatest pleasures of childhood found in the
mysteries which it hides from the skepticism of the elders； and works
up into small mythologies of its own。 I have seen all this played
over again in adult life；the same delightful bewilderment semi…
emotional belief in listening to the gaseous praises of this or that
fantastic system； that I found in the pleasing mirages conjured up
for me by the ragged old volume I used to pore over in the southeast
attic…chamber。
The rooms of the second story； the chambers of birth and death； are
sacred to silent memories。
Let us go down to the ground…floor。 I should have begun with this；
but that the historical reminiscences of the old house have been
recently told in a most interesting memoir by a distinguished student
of our local history。 I retain my doubts about those 〃dents〃 on the
floor of the right…hand room； 〃the study〃 of successive occupants；
said to have been made by the butts of the Continental militia's
firelocks； but this was the cause to which the story told me in
childhood laid them。 That military consultations were held in that
room when the house was General Ward's headquarters； that the
Provincial generals and colonels and other men of war there planned
the movement which ended in the fortifying of Bunker's Hill； that
Warren slept in the house the night before the battle； that President
Langdon went forth from the western door and prayed for God's
blessing on the men just setting forth on their bloody expedition；
all these things have been told； and perhaps none of them need be
doubted。
But now for fifty years and more that room has been a meeting…ground
for the platoons and companies which range themselves at the
scholar's word of command。 Pleasant it is to think that the
retreating host of books is to give place to a still larger army of
volumes； which have seen service under the eye of a great commander。
For here the noble collection of him so freshly remembered as our
silver…tongued orator； our erudite scholar； our honored College
President； our accomplished statesman； our courtly ambassador； are to
be reverently gathered by the heir of his name； himself not unworthy
to be surrounded by that august assembly of the wise of all ages and
of various lands and languages。
Could such a many…chambered edifice have stood a century and a half
and not have had its passages of romance to bequeath their lingering
legends to the after…time？ There are other names on some of the
small window…panes； which must have had young flesh…and…blood owners；
and there is one of early date which elderly persons have whispered
was borne by a fair woman； whose graces made the house beautiful in
the eyes of the youth of that time。 One especiallyyou will find
the name of Fortescue Vernon； of the class of 1780； in the Triennial
Cataloguewas a favored visitor to the old mansion； but he went over
seas； I think they told me； and died still young； and the name of the
maiden which is scratched on the windowpane was never changed。 I am
telling the story honestly； as I remember it； but I may have colored
it unconsciously； and the legendary pane may be broken before this
for aught I know。 At least； I have named no names except the
beautiful one of the supposed hero of the romantic story。
It was a great happiness to have been born in an old house haunted by
such recollections； with harmless ghosts walking its corridors； with
fields of waving grass and trees and singing birds； and that vast
territory of four or five acres around it to give a child the sense
that he was born to a noble principality。 It has been a great
pleasure to retain a certain hold upon it for so many years； and
since in the natural course of things it must at length pass into
other hands； it is a gratification to see the old place making itself
tidy for a new tenant； like some venerable dame who is getting ready
to entertain a neighbor of condition。 Not long since a new cap of
shingles adorned this ancient mother among the villagenow city
mansions。 She has dressed herself in brighter colors than she has
hitherto worn； so they tell me； within the last few days。 She has
modernized her aspects in several ways； she has rubbed bright the
glasses through which she looks at the Common and the Colleges； and
as the sunsets shine upon her throu
