the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第6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！
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：
19
… Page 20…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
‘‘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 was a veritable slave to the habit of reading in bed。
He would lie down with his books piled around him； then light his pipe
and start in upon some favorite volume。 A jug of liquor was invariably at
hand； for Porson was a famous drinker。 It is related that on one occasion
he fell into a boosy slumber； his pipe dropped out of his mouth and set fire
to the bed… clothes。 But for the arrival of succor the tipsy scholar
would surely have been cremated。
Another very slovenly fellow was De Quincey； and he was devoted to
reading in bed。 But De Quincey was a very vandal when it came to the
care and use of books。 He never returned volumes he borrowed； and he
never hesitated to mutilate a rare book in order to save himself the labor
and trouble of writing out a quotation。
But perhaps the person who did most to bring reading in bed into evil
repute was Mrs。 Charles Elstob； ward and sister of the Canon of
Canterbury （circa 1700）。 In his ‘‘Dissertation on Letter…Founders；'' Rowe
Mores describes this woman as the ‘‘indefessa comes'' of her brother's
studies； a female student in Oxford。 She was； says Mores； a northern
lady of an ancient family and a genteel fortune； ‘‘but she pursued too
much the drug called learning； and in that pursuit failed of being careful of
any one thing necessary。 In her latter years she was tutoress in the family
of the Duke of Portland； where we visited her in her sleeping…room at
Bulstrode； surrounded with books and dirtiness； the usual appendages of
folk of learning！''
There is another word which Cicero uses for I have still somewhat
more to say of that passage from the oration ‘‘pro Archia poeta''the word
‘‘rusticantur；'' which indicates that civilization twenty centuries ago made
a practice of taking books out into the country for summer reading。
‘‘These literary pursuits rusticate with us；'' says Cicero； and thus he
presents to us a pen… picture of the Roman patrician stretched upon the
cool grass under the trees； perusing the latest popular romance； while；
forsooth； in yonder hammock his dignified spouse swings slowly to and
fro； conning the pages and the colored plates of the current fashion journal。
20
… Page 21…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
Surely in the telltale word ‘‘rusticantur'' you and I and the rest of human
nature find a worthy precedent and much encouragement for our practice
of loading up with plenty of good reading before we start for the scene of
our annual summering。
As for myself； I never go away from home that I do not take a trunkful
of books with me； for experience has taught me that there is no
companionship better than that of these friends； who； however much all
things else may vary； always give the same response to my demand upon
their solace and their cheer。 My sister； Miss Susan； has often inveighed
against this practice of mine； and it was only yesterday that she informed
me that I was the most exasperating man in the world。
However； as Miss Susan's experience with men during the sixty…seven
hot summers and sixty…eight hard winters of her life has been somewhat
limited； I think I should bear her criticism without a murmur。 Miss Susan
is really one of the kindest creatures in all the world。 It is her misfortune
that she has had all her life an insane passion for collecting crockery； old
pewter； old brass； old glass； old furniture and other trumpery of that
character； a passion with which I have little sympathy。 I do not know
that Miss Susan is prouder of her collection of all this folderol than she is
of the fact that she is a spinster。
This latter peculiarity asserts itself upon every occasion possible。 I
recall an unpleasant scene in the omnibus last winter； when the obsequious
conductor； taking advantage of my sister's white hair and furrowed cheeks；
addressed that estimable lady as ‘‘Madam。'' I'd have you know that my
sister gave the fellow to understand very shortly and in very vigorous
English （emphasized with her blue silk umbrella） that she was Miss Susan；
and that she did not intend to be Madamed by anybody； under any
condition。
21
… Page 22…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
22
… Page 23…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
IV
THE MANIA OF COLLECTING SEIZES ME
Captivity Waite never approved of my fondness for fairy literature。
She shared the enthusiasm which I expressed whenever ‘‘Robinson
Crusoe'' was mentioned； there was just enough seriousness in De Foe's
romance； just enough piety to appeal for sympathy to one of Captivity
Waite's religious turn of mind。 When it came to fiction involving witches；
ogres； and flubdubs； that was too much for Captivity； and the spirit of the
little Puritan revolted。
Yet I have the documentary evidence to prove that Captivity's
ancestors （both paternal and maternal） were； in the palmy colonial times；
as abject slaves to superstition as could well be imagined。 The Waites of
Salem were famous persecutors of witches； and Sinai Higginbotham
（Captivity's great…great… grandfather on her mother's side of the family）
was Cotton Mather's boon companion； and rode around the gallows with
that zealous theologian on that memorable occasion when five young
women were hanged at Danvers upon the charge of having tormented little
children with their damnable arts of witchcraft。 Human thought is like a
monstrous pendulum： it keeps swinging from one extreme to the other。
Within the compass of five generations we find the Puritan first an
uncompromising believer in demonology and magic； and then a scoffer at
everything involving the play of fancy。
I felt harshly toward Captivity Waite for a time； but I harbor her no ill…
will now； on the contrary； I recall with very tender feelings the distant time
when our sympathies were the same and when we journeyed the pathway
of early youth in a companionship sanctified by the innocence and the
loyalty and the truth of childhood。 Indeed； I am not sure that that early
friendship did not make a lasting impression upon my life； I have thought
of Captivity Waite a great many times； and I have not unfrequently
wondered what might have been but for that book of fairy tales which my
Uncle Cephas sent me。
She was a very pretty child； and she lost none of her comeliness and
none of her sweetness of character a
