the love affairs of a bibliomaniac-第14章

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Yet　how　could　it　be　otherwise？　　All　around　me　I　see　those　things　that　draw　me　from　the　pathway　I　set　out　to　pursue：　like　a　heedless　butterfly　I　flit　from　this　sweet　unto　that；　glorying　and　revelling　in　the　sunshine　and　the　posies。　　There　is　little　that　is　selfish　in　a　love　like　this；　and　herein　we　have　another　reason　why　the　passion　for　books　is　beneficial。　　He　who　loves　women　must　and　　should　love　some　one　woman　above　the　rest；　and　he　has　her　to　his　keeping；　which　I　esteem　to　be　one　kind　of　selfishness。

But　he　who　truly　loves　books　loves　all　books　alike；　and　not　only　this；　but　it　grieves　him　that　all　other　men　do　not　share　with　him　this　noble　passion。　　Verily；　this　is　the　most　unselfish　of　loves！

To　return　now　to　the　matter　of　booksellers；　I　would　fain　impress　you　with　the　excellences　of　the　craft；　for　I　know　their　virtues。　　My　association　with　them　has　covered　so　long　a　period　and　has　been　so　intimate　that　even　in　a　vast　multitude　of　people　I　have　no　difficulty　in　determining　who　are　the　booksellers　and　who　are　not。

For；　having　to　do　with　books；　these　men　in　due　time　come　to　resemble　their　wares　not　only　in　appearance　but　also　in　conversation。　　My　bookseller　has　dwelt　so　long　in　his　corner　with　folios　and　quartos　and　other　antique　tomes　that　he　talks　in　black…letter　and　has　the　modest；　engaging　look　of　a　brown　old　stout　binding；　and　to　the　delectation　of　discriminating　olfactories　he　exhaleth　an　odor　of　mildew　and　of　tobacco　commingled；　which　is　more　grateful　to　the　true　bibliophile　than　all　the　perfumes　of　Araby。

I　have　studied　the　craft　so　diligently　that　by　merely　clapping　my　eyes　upon　a　bookseller　I　can　tell　you　with　certainty　what　manner　of　books　he　sells；　but　you　must　know　that　the　ideal　bookseller　has　no　fads；　being　equally　proficient　in　and　a　lover　of　all　spheres；　departments；　branches；　and　lines　of　his　art。　　He　is；　moreover；　of　a　benignant　nature；　and　he　denies　credit　to　none；　yet；　withal；　he　is　righteously　so　discriminating　that　he　lets　the　poor　scholar　have　for　a　paltry　sum　that　which　the　rich　parvenu　must　pay　dearly　for。　　He　is　courteous　and　considerate　where　courtesy　and　consideration　are　most　seemly。

Samuel　Johnson　once　rolled　into　a　London　bookseller's　shop　to　ask　for　literary　employment。　　The　bookseller　scrutinized　his　burly　frame；　enormous　hands；　coarse　face；　and　humble　apparel。

‘‘You　would　make　a　better　porter；''　said　he。

This　was　too　much　for　the　young　lexicographer's　patience。　　He　picked　up　a　folio　and　incontinently　let　fly　at　the　bookseller's　head；　　and　then　stepping　over　the　prostrate　victim　he　made　his　exit；　saying：　　‘‘Lie　there；　thou　lump　of　lead！''

This　bookseller　was　Osborne；　who　had　a　shop　at　Gray's　Inn　Gate。　　To　Boswell　Johnson　subsequently　explained：　　‘‘Sir；　he　was　impertinent　to　me；　and　I　beat　him。''

Jacob　Tonson　was　Dryden's　bookseller；　in　the　earlier　times　a　seller　was　also　a　publisher　of　books。　　Dryden　was　not　always　on　amiable　terms　with　Tonson；　presumably　because　Dryden　invariably　was　in　debt　to　Tonson。　　On　one　occasion　Dryden　asked　for　an　advance　of　money；　but　Tonson　refused　upon　the　grounds　that　the　poet's　overdraft　already　exceeded　the　limits　of　reasonableness。　　Thereupon　Dryden　penned　the　following　lines　and　sent　them　to　Tonson　with　the　message　that　he　who　wrote　these　lines　could　write　more：

　　　　　　With　leering　looks；　bull…faced　and　freckled　fair　　　　　　　With　two　left　legs；　with　Judas…colored　hair；　　　　　　　And　frowzy　pores　that　taint　the　ambient　air。


These　lines　wrought　the　desired　effect：　Tonson　sent　the　money　which　Dryden　had　asked　　for。　　When　Dryden　died　Tonson　made　overtures　to　Pope；　but　the　latter　soon　went　over　to　Tonson's　most　formidable　rival；　Bernard　Lintot。　　On　one　occasion　Pope　happened　to　be　writing　to　both　publishers；　and　by　a　curious　blunder　he　inclosed　to　each　the　letter　intended　for　the　other。　　In　the　letter　meant　for　Tonson；　he　said　that　Lintot　was　a　scoundrel；　and　in　the　letter　meant　for　Lintot　he　declared　that　Tonson　was　an　old　rascal。　　We　can　fancy　how　little　satisfaction　Messrs。　Lintot　and　Tonson　derived　from　the　perusal　of　these　missent　epistles。

Andrew　Millar　was　the　publisher　who　had　practical　charge　of　the　production　of　Johnson's　dictionary。　　It　seems　that　Johnson　drew　out　his　stipulated　honorarium　of　eight　thousand　dollars　（to　be　more　exact；　L1575）　before　the　dictionary　went　to　press；　this　is　not　surprising；　for　the　work　of　preparation　consumed　eight　years；　instead　of　three；　as　Johnson　had　calculated。　　Johnson　inquired　of　the　messenger　what　Millar　said　when　he　received　the　last　batch　of　copy。　　The　messenger　answered：　　‘‘He　said　‘Thank　God　I　have　done　with　him。'　''　　This　made　Johnson　smile。　　‘‘I　am　glad；''　said　he；　quietly；　‘‘that　he　thanks　God　for　anything。''

I　was　not　done　with　my　discourse　when　a　book　was　brought　in　from　Judge　Methuen；　the　interruption　was　a　pleasant　one。　　‘‘I　was　too　busy　last　evening；''　writes　the　judge；　‘‘to　bring　you　this　volume　which　I　picked　up　in　a　La　Salle　street　stall　yesterday。　　I　know　your　love　for　the　scallawag　Villon；　so　I　am　sure　you　will　fancy　the　lines　which；　evidently；　the　former　owner　of　this　book　has　scribbled　upon　the　fly…leaf。''　　Fancy　them？　　Indeed　I　do；　and　if　you　dote　on　the　‘‘scallawag''　as　I　dote　on　him　you　also　will　declare　that　our　anonymous　poet　has　not　wrought　ill。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FRANCOIS　VILLON

If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I；　What　would　it　matter　to　me　how　the　time　might　drag　or　fly？　HE　would　in　sweaty　anguish　toil　the　days　and　nights　away；　And　still　not　keep　the　prowling；　growling；　howling　wolf　at　bay！　But；　with　my　valiant　bottle　and　my　frouzy　brevet…bride；　And　my　score　of　loyal　cut…throats　standing　guard　for　me　outside；　What　worry　of　the　morrow　would　provoke　a　casual　sigh　If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I？

If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I；　To　yonder　gloomy　boulevard　at　midnight　I　would　hie；　‘‘Stop；　stranger！　and　deliver　your　possessions；　ere　you　feel　The　mettle　of　my　bludgeon　or　the　temper　of　my　steel！''　He　should　give　me　gold　and　diamonds；　his　snuff…box　and　his　cane　‘‘Now　back；　my　boon　companions；　to　our　bordel　with　our　gain！''　　And；　back　within　that　brothel；　how　the　bottles　they　would　fly；　　If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I！

If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I；　We　both　would　mock　the　gibbet　which　the　law　has　lifted　high；　　　HE　in　his　meagre；　shabby　home；　_I_　in　my　roaring　den　　　HE　with　his　babes　around　him；　_I_　with　my　hunted　men！　　　His　virtue　be　his　bulwarkmy　genius　should　be　mine！　　　‘‘Go；　fetch　my　pen；　sweet　Margot；　and　a　jorum　of　your　wine！

　　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。

So　would　one　vainly　plod；　and　one　win　immortality　　If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I！



My　acquaintance　with　Master　Villon　was　made　in　Paris　during　my　second　visit　to　that　　fascinating　capital；　and　for　a　while　I　was　under　his　spell　to　that　extent　that　I　would　read　no　book　but　his；　and　I　made　journeys　to　Rouen；　Tours；　Bordeaux；　and　Poitiers　for　the　purpose　of　familiarizing　myself　with　the　spots　where　he　had　lived；　and　always　under　the　surveillance　of　the　police。　　In　fact；　I　became　so　infatuated　of　Villonism　that　at　one　time　I　seriously　thought　of　abandoning　myself　to　a　life　of　crime　in　order　to　emulate　in　certain　particulars　at　least　the　example　of　my　hero。

There　were；　however；　hindrances　to　this　scheme；　first　of　which　was　my　inability　to　find　associates　whom　I　wished　to　attach　to　my　cause　in　the　capacity　in　which　Colin　de　Cayeulx　and　the　Baron　de　Grigny　served　Master　Francois。　　I　sought　the　companionship　of　several　low…browed；　ill…favored　fellows　whom　I　believed　suited　to　my　purposes；　but　almost　immediately　I　wearied　of　them；　for　they　had　never　looked　into　a　book　and　were　so　profoundly　ignorant　as　to　be　unable　to　distinguish　between　a　folio　and　a　thirty…twomo。

Then　again　it　befell　that；　while　the　Villon　　fever　was　raging　within　and　I　was　contemplating　a　career　of　vice；　I　had　a　letter　from　my　uncle　Cephas；　apprising　me　that　Captivity　Waite　（she　was　now　Mrs。　Eliphalet　Parker）　had　named　her　first…born　after　me！　　This　intelligence　had　the　effect　of　cooling　and　sobering　me；　I　began　to　realize　that；　with　the　responsibility　the　coming　and　the　christening　of　Captivity's　first…　born　had　impose