The Library-第4部分

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ssion；　tell　his　own　story　of　his　treasure：　　It　was　in　1827　that　M。　de　Latour　was　walking　on　the　quai　of　the　Louvre。　　Among　the　volumes　in　a　shop；　he　noticed　a　shabby　little　copy　of　the　〃Imitatio　Christi。〃　　M。　de　Latour；　like　other　bibliophiles；　was　not　in　the　habit　of　examining　stray　copies　of　this　work；　except　when　they　were　of　the　Elzevir　size；　for　the　Elzevirs　published　a　famous　undated　copy　of　the　〃Imitatio；〃　a　book　which　brings　considerable　prices。　However；　by　some　lucky　chance；　some　Socratic　daemon　whispering；　may　be；　in　his　ear；　he　picked　up　the　little　dingy　volume　of　the　last　century。　　It　was　of　a　Paris　edition；　1751；　but　what　was　the　name　on　the　flyleaf。　　M。　de　Latour　read　a　J。　J。　Rousseau。　　There　was　no　mistake　about　it；　the　good　bibliophile　knew　Rousseau's　handwriting　perfectly　well；　to　make　still　more　sure　he　paid　his　seventyfive　centimes　for　the　book；　and　walked　across　the　Pont　des　Arts；　to　his　bookbinder's；　where　he　had　a　copy　of　Rousseau's　works；　with　a　facsimile　of　his　handwriting。　　As　he　walked；　M。　de　Latour　read　in　his　book；　and　found　notes　of　Rousseau's　on　the　margin。　　The　facsimile　proved　that　the　inscription　was　genuine。　　The　happy　de　Latour　now　made　for　the　public　office　in　which　he　was　a　functionary；　and　rushed　into　the　bureau　of　his　friend　the　Marquis　de　V。　　The　Marquis；　a　man　of　great　strength　of　character；　recognised　the　signature　of　Rousseau　with　but　little　display　of　emotion。　　M。　de　Latour　now　noticed　some　withered　flowers　among　the　sacred　pages；　but　it　was　reserved　for　a　friend　to　discover　in　the　faded　petals　Rousseau's　favourite　flower；　the　periwinkle。　　Like　a　true　Frenchman；　like　Rousseau　himself　in　his　younger　days；　M。　de　Latour　had　not　recognised　the　periwinkle　when　he　saw　it。　　That　night；　so　excited　was　M。　de　Latour；　he　never　closed　an　eye！　　What　puzzled　him　was　that　he　could　not　remember；　in　all　Rousseau's　works；　a　single　allusion　to　the　〃Imitatio　Christi。〃　　Time　went　on；　the　old　book　was　not　rebound；　but　kept　piously　in　a　case　of　Russia　leather。　　M。　de　Latour　did　not　suppose　that　〃dans　ce　bas　monde　it　fut　permis　aux　joies　du　bibliophile　d'aller　encore　plus　loin。〃　　He　imagined　that　the　delights　of　the　amateur　could　only　go　further；　in　heaven。　　It　chanced；　however；　one　day　that　he　was　turning　over　the　〃Oeuvres　Inedites〃　of　Rousseau；　when　he　found　a　letter；　in　which　Jean　Jacques；　writing　in　1763；　asked　MotiersTravers　to　send　him　the　〃Imitatio　Christi。〃　　Now　the　date　1764　is　memorable；　in　Rousseau's　〃Confessions；〃　for　a　burst　of　sentiment　over　a　periwinkle；　the　first　he　had　noticed　particularly　since　his　residence　at　Les　Charmettes；　where　the　flower　had　been　remarked　by　Madame　de　Warens。　　Thus　M。　Tenant　de　Latour　had　recovered　the　very　identical　periwinkle；　which　caused　the　tear　of　sensibility　to　moisten　the　fine　eyes　of　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau。

We　cannot　all　be　adorers　of　Rousseau。　　But　M。　de　Latour　was　an　enthusiast；　and　this　little　anecdote　of　his　explains　the　sentimental　side　of　the　bibliophile's　pursuit。　　Yes；　it　is　SENTIMENT　that　makes　us　feel　a　lively　affection　for　the　books　that　seem　to　connect　us　with　great　poets　and　students　long　ago　dead。　　Their　hands　grasp　ours　across　the　ages。　　I　never　see　the　first　edition　of　Homer；　that　monument　of　typography　and　of　enthusiasm　for　letters；　printed　at　Florence　（1488）　at　the　expense　of　young　Bernardo　and　Nerio　Nerli；　and　of　their　friend　Giovanni　Acciajuoli；　but　I　feel　moved　to　cry　with　Heyne；　〃salvete　juvenes；　nobiles　et　generosi；　＇Greek　text＇。〃

Such　is　our　apology　for　bookcollecting。　　But　the　best　defence　of　the　taste　would　be　a　list　of　the　names　of　great　collectors；　a　〃vision　of　mighty　bookhunters。〃　　Let　us　say　nothing　of　Seth　and　Noah；　for　their　reputation　as　amateurs　is　only　based　on　the　authority　of　the　tract　De　Bibliothecis　Antediluvianis。　　The　library　of　Assurbanipal　I　pass　over；　for　its　volumes　were　made；　as　Pliny　says；　of　coctiles　laterculi；　of　baked　tiles；　which　have　been　deciphered　by　the　late　Mr。　Gee　Smith。　　Philosophers　as　well　as　immemorial　kings；　Pharaohs　and　Ptolemys；　are　on　our　side。　　It　was　objected　to　Plato；　by　persons　answering　to　the　cheap　scribblers　of　today；　that　he；　though　a　sage；　gave　a　hundred　minae　（360　pounds）　for　three　treatises　of　Philolaus；　while　Aristotle　paid　nearly　thrice　the　sum　for　a　few　books　that　had　been　in　the　library　of　Speusippus。　Did　not　a　Latin　philosopher　go　great　lengths　in　a　laudable　anxiety　to　purchase　an　Odyssey　〃as　old　as　Homer；〃　and　what　would　not　Cicero；　that　great　collector；　have　given　for　the　Ascraean　editio　princeps　of　Hesiod；　scratched　on　mouldy　old　plates　of　lead？　　Perhaps　Dr。　Schliemann　may　find　an　original　edition　of　the　〃Iliad〃　at　Orchomenos；　but　of　all　early　copies　none　seems　so　attractive　as　that　engraved　on　the　leaden　plates　which　Pausanias　saw　at　Ascra。　　Then；　in　modern　times；　what　〃great　allies〃　has　the　collector；　what　brethren　in　bookhunting？　　The　names　are　like　the　catalogue　with　which　Villon　fills　his　〃Ballade　des　Seigneurs　du　Temps　Jadis。〃　　A　collector　was　〃le　preux　Charlemaigne〃　and　our　English　Alfred。　　The　Kings　of　Hungary；　as　Mathias　Corvinus；　the　Kings　of　France；　and　their　queens；　and　their　mistresses；　and　their　lords；　were　all　amateurs。　　So　was　our　Henry　VIII。；　and　James　I。；　who　〃wished　he　could　be　chained　to　a　shelf　in　the　Bodleian。〃　　The　middle　age　gives　us　Richard　de　Bury；　among　ecclesiastics；　and　the　Renaissance　boasts　Sir　Thomas　More；　with　that　〃pretty　fardle　of　books；　in　the　small　type　of　Aldus；〃　which　he　carried　for　a　freight　to　the　people　of　Utopia。　　Men　of　the　world；　like　Bussy　Rabutin；　queens　like　our　Elizabeth；　popes　like　Innocent　X。；　financiers　like　Colbert　（who　made　the　Grand　Turk　send　him　Levant　morocco　for　bindings）；　men　of　letters　like　Scott　and　Southey；　Janin　and　Nodier；　and　Paul　Lacroix；　warriors　like　Junot　and　Prince　Eugene；　these　are　only　leaders　of　panies　in　the　great　army　of　lovers　of　books；　in　which　it　is　honourable　enough　to　be　a　private　soldier。

THE　LIBRARY

The　Library　which　is　to　be　spoken　of　in　these　pages；　is　all　unlike　the　halls　which　a　Spencer　or　a　Huth　fills　with　treasure　beyond　price。　　The　age　of　great　libraries　has　gone　by；　and　where　a　collector　of　the　old　school　survives；　he　is　usually　a　man　of　enormous　wealth；　who　might；　if　he　pleased；　be　distinguished　in　parliament；　in　society；　on　the　turf　itself；　or　in　any　of　the　pursuits　where　unlimited　supplies　of　money　are　strictly　necessary。　The　old　amateurs；　whom　La　Bruyere　was　wont　to　sneer　at；　were　not　satisfied　unless　they　possessed　many　thousands　of　books。　　For　a　collector　like　Cardinal　Mazarin；　Naude　bought　up　the　whole　stock　of　many　a　bookseller；　and　left　great　towns　as　bare　of　printed　paper　as　if　a　tornado　had　passed；　and　blown　the　leaves　away。　　In　our　modern　times；　as　the　industrious　Bibliophile　Jacob；　says；　the　fashion　of　bookcollecting　has　changed；　〃from　the　vast　hall　that　it　was；　the　library　of　the　amateur　has　shrunk　to　a　closet；　to　a　mere　bookcase。　Nothing　but　a　neat　article　of　furniture　is　needed　now；　where　a　great　gallery　or　a　long　suite　of　rooms　was　once　required。　　The　book　has　bee；　as　it　were；　a　jewel；　and　is　kept　in　a　kind　of　jewelcase。〃　It　is　not　quantity　of　pages；　nor　lofty　piles　of　ordinary　binding；　nor　theological　folios　and　classic　quartos；　that　the　modern　amateur　desires。　　He　is　content　with　but　a　few　books　of　distinction　and　elegance；　masterpieces　of　printing　and　binding；　or　relics　of　famous　old　collectors；　of　statesmen；　philosophers；　beautiful　dead　ladies；　or；　again；　he　buys　illustrated　books；　or　first　editions　of　the　modern　classics。　　No　one；　not　the　Duc　d'Aumale；　or　M。　James　Rothschild　himself；　with　his　100　books　worth　40；000　pounds；　can　possess　very　many　copies　of　books　which　are　inevitably　rare。　　Thus　the　adviser　who　would　offer　suggestions　to　the　amateur；　need　scarcely　write；　like　Naude　and　the　old　authorities；　about　the　size　and　due　position　of　the　library。　　He　need　hardly　warn　the　builder　to　make　the　salle　face　the　east；　〃because　the　eastern　winds；　being　warm　and　dry　of　their　nature；　greatly　temper　the　air；　fortify　the　senses；　make　subtle　the　humours；　purify　the　spirits；　preserve　a　healthy　disposition　of　the　whole　body；　and；　to　say　all　in　one　word；　are　most　wholesome　and　salubrious。〃　　The　east　wind；　like　the　fashion　of　book　collecting；　has　altered　in　character　a　good　deal　since　the　days　when　Naude　was　librarian　to　Cardinal　Mazarin。　　One　might　as　well　repeat　the　learned　Isidorus　his　counsels　about　the　panels　of　green　marble　（that　refreshes　the　eye）；　and　Boethius　his　censures　on　library　walls　of　ivory　and　glass；　as　fall　back　on　the　ancient　ideas　of　librarians　dead　and　gone。

The　amateur；　then；　is　the　person　we　have　in　our　eye；　and　especially　the　bibliophile　who　has　but　lately　been　bitten　with　this　pleasant　mania　of　collecting。　　We　would　teach　him　how　to　arrange　and　keep　his　books　orderly　and　in　good　case；　and　would　tell　him　what　to　buy　and　what　to　avoid。　　By　the　LIBRARY　we　do　not　understand　a　study　where　no　one　goes；　and　where　the　master　of　the　house　keeps　his　boots；　an　assortment　of　walkingsticks；　the　〃Waverley　Novels；〃　〃Pearson　on　the　Creed；〃　〃Hume's　Essays；〃　and　a　collection　of　sermons。　　In；　alas！　too　many　English　homes；　the　Library　is　no　more　than　this；　and　each　generation　passes　without　adding　a　book；　except　now　and　then　a　Bradshaw　or　a　railway　novel；　to　the　collection　on　the　shelves。　　The　success；　perhaps；　of　circulating　libraries；　or；　it　may　be；　the　Aryan　tendencies　of　our　race；　〃which　does　not　read；　and　lives　in　the　open　air；〃　have　made　books　the　rarest　of　possessions　in　many　houses。　There　are　relics　of　the　age　before　circulating　libraries；　there　are　fragments　of　the　lettered　store　of　some　scholarly　greatgrandfather；　and　these；　with　a　few　odd　numbers　of　magazines；　a　few　primers　and　manuals；　some　sermons　and　novels；　make　up　the　ordinary　library　of　an　English　household。　　But　the　amateur；　whom　we　have　in　our　thoughts；　can　never　be　satisfied　with　these　monplace　supplies。　　He　has　a　taste　for　books　more　or　less　rare；　and　for　books　neatly　bound；　in　short；　for　books；　in　the　fabrication　of　which　ART　has　not　been　absent。　　He　loves　to　have　his　study；　like　Montaigne's；　remote　from　the　interruption　of　servants；　wife；　and　children；　a　kind　of　shrine；　where　he　may　be　at　home　with　himself；　with　the　illustrious　dead；　and　with　the　genius　of　literature。　　The　room　may　look　east；　west；　or　south；　provided　that　it　be　dry；　warm；　light；　and　airy。　　Among　the　many　enemies　of　books　the　first　great　foe　is　DAMP；　and　we　must　describe　the　necessary　precautions　to　be　taken　against　this　peril。　We　will　suppose　that　the　amateur　keeps　his　ordinary　working　books；　modern　tomes；　and　all　that　serve　him　as　literary　tools；　on　open　shelves。　　These　may　reach　the　roof；　if　he　has　books　to　fill　them；　and　it　is　only　necessary　to　see　that　the　back　of　the　bookcases　are　slightly　removed　from　contact　with　the　walls。　　The　more　precious　and　beautifully　bound　treasures　will　naturally　be　stored　in　a　case　with　closelyfitting　glassdoors。　｛2｝　　The　shelves　should　be　lined　with　velvet　or　chamois　leather；　that　the　delicate　edges　of　the　books　may　not　suffer　from　contact　with　the　wood。　　A　leather　lining；　fitted　to　the　back　of　the　case；　will　also　help　to　keep　out　humidity。　　Most　writers　remend　that　the　bookcases　should　be　made　of　wood　close　in　the　grain；　such　as　wellseasoned　oak；　or；　for　smaller　tabernacles　of　literature；　of　mahogany；　sat