the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第16章
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Horace Smith has said that ‘‘were there no readers there certainly would
be no writers； clearly； therefore； the existence of writers depends upon the
existence of readers： and； of course； since the cause must be antecedent
to the effect； readers existed before writers。 Yet； on the other hand； if
there were no writers there could be no readers； so it would appear that
writers must be antecedent to readers。''
It amazes me that a reasoner so shrewd； so clear； and so exacting as
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Horace Smith did not pursue the proposition further； for without
booksellers there would have been no market for booksthe author would
not have been able to sell； and the reader would not have been able to buy。
The further we proceed with the investigation the more satisfied we
become that the original man was three of number； one of him being the
bookseller； who established friendly relations between the other two of
him； saying： ‘‘I will serve you both by inciting both a demand and a
supply。'' So then the author did his part； and the reader his； which I take
to be a much more dignified scheme than that suggested by Darwin and
his school of investigators。
By the very nature of their occupation booksellers are broad…minded；
their association with every class of humanity and their constant
companionship with books give them a liberality that enables them to
view with singular clearness and dispassionateness every phase of life and
every dispensation of Providence。 They are not always practical； for the
development of the spiritual and intellectual natures in man does not at the
same time promote dexterity in the use of the baser organs of the body； I
have known philosophers who could not harness a horse or even shoo
chickens。
Ralph Waldo Emerson once consumed several hours' time trying to
determine whether he should trundle a wheelbarrow by pushing it or by
pulling it。 A。 Bronson Alcott once tried to construct a chicken coop； and
he had boarded himself up inside the structure before he discovered that he
had not provided for a door or for windows。 We have all heard the story
of Isaac Newton how he cut two holes in his study…door； a large one for
his cat to enter by； and a small one for the kitten。
This unworldlinessthis impossibility； if you pleaseis characteristic
of intellectual progression。 Judge Methuen's second son is named
Grolier； and the fact that he doesn't know enough to come in out of the
rain has inspired both the Judge and myself with the conviction that in due
time Grolier will become a great philosopher。
The mention of this revered name reminds me that my bookseller told
me the other day that just before I entered his shop a wealthy patron of the
arts and muses called with a volume which he wished to have rebound。
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‘‘I can send it to Paris or to London；'' said my bookseller。 ‘‘If you
have no choice of binder； I will entrust it to Zaehnsdorf with instructions
to lavish his choicest art upon it。''
‘‘But indeed I HAVE a choice；'' cried the plutocrat； proudly。 ‘‘I
noticed a large number of Grolier bindings at the Art Institute last week；
and I want something of the same kind myself。 Send the book to Grolier；
and tell him to do his prettiest by it； for I can stand the expense； no matter
what it is。''
Somewhere in his admirable discourse old Walton has stated the
theory that an angler must be born and then made。 I have always held
the same to be true of the bookseller。 There are many； too many；
charlatans in the trade； the simon…pure bookseller enters upon and
conducts bookselling not merely as a trade and for the purpose of
amassing riches； but because he loves books and because he has pleasure
in diffusing their gracious influences。
Judge Methuen tells me that it is no longer the fashion to refer to
persons or things as being ‘‘simon…pure''； the fashion； as he says； passed
out some years ago when a writer in a German paper ‘‘was led into an
amusing blunder by an English review。 The reviewer； having occasion to
draw a distinction between George and Robert Cruikshank； spoke of the
former as the real Simon Pure。 The German； not understanding the
allusion； gravely told his readers that George Cruikshank was a
pseudonym； the author's real name being Simon Pure。''
This incident is given in Henry B。 Wheatley's ‘‘Literary Blunders；'' a
very charming book； but one that could have been made more interesting
to me had it recorded the curious blunder which Frederick Saunders
makes in his ‘‘Story of Some Famous Books。'' On page 169 we find this
information： ‘‘Among earlier American bards we instance Dana； whose
imaginative poem ‘The Culprit Fay；' so replete with poetic beauty； is a
fairy tale of the highlands of the Hudson。 The origin of the poem is
traced to a conversation with Cooper； the novelist； and Fitz…Greene
Halleck； the poet； who； speaking of the Scottish streams and their
legendary associations； insisted that the American rivers were not
susceptible of like poetic treatment。 Dana thought otherwise； and to
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make his position good produced three days after this poem。''
It may be that Saunders wrote the name Drake； for it was James
Rodman Drake who did ‘‘The Culprit Fay。'' Perhaps it was the printer's
fault that the poem is accredited to Dana。 Perhaps Mr。 Saunders writes
so legible a hand that the printers are careless with his manuscript。
‘‘There is；'' says Wheatley； ‘‘there is a popular notion among authors
that it is not wise to write a clear hand。 Menage was one of the first to
express it。 He wrote： ‘If you desire that no mistake shall appear in
the works which you publish； never send well…written copy to the printer；
for in that case the manuscript is given to young apprentices； who make a
thousand errors； while； on the other hand； that which is difficult to read is
dealt with by the master… printers。' ''
The most distressing blunder I ever read in print was made at the time
of the burial of the famous antiquary and litterateur； John Payne Collier。
In the London newspapers of Sept。 21； 1883； it was reported that ‘‘the
remains of the late Mr。 John Payne Collier were interred yesterday in Bray
churchyard； near Maidenhead； in the presence of a large number of
spectators。'' Thereupon the Eastern daily press published the following
remarkable perversion： ‘‘The Bray Colliery Disaster。 The remains of
the late John Payne； collier； were interred yesterday afternoon in the Bray
churchyard in the presence of a large
