the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第5章
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Uncle Cephasmy third love； Grimm's ‘‘Household Stories。'' With the
perusal of this monumental work was born that passion for fairy tales and
folklore which increased rather than diminished with my maturer years。
Even at the present time I delight in a good fairy story； and I am grateful to
Lang and to Jacobs for the benefit they have conferred upon me and the
rest of English…reading humanity through the medium of the fairy books
and the folk tales they have translated and compiled。 Baring…Gould and
Lady Wilde have done noble work in the same realm； the writings of the
former have interested me particularly； for together with profound learning
in directions which are specially pleasing to me； Baring…Gould has a
distinct literary touch which invests his work with a grace indefinable but
delicious and persuasive。
I am so great a lover of and believer in fairy tales that I once organized
a society for the dissemination of fairy literature； and at the first meeting
of this society we resolved to demand of the board of education to drop
mathematics from the curriculum in the public schools and to substitute
therefor a four years' course in fairy literature； to be followed； if the pupil
desired； by a post…graduate course in demonology and folk…lore。 We
hired and fitted up large rooms； and the cause seemed to be flourishing
until the second month's rent fell due。 It was then discovered that the
treasury was empty； and with this discovery the society ended its existence；
without having accomplished any tangible result other than the purchase
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THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
of a number of sofas and chairs； for which Judge Methuen and I had to
pay。
Still； I am of the opinion （and Judge Methuen indorses it） that we need
in this country of ours just that influence which the fairy tale exerts。
We are becoming too practical； the lust for material gain is throttling every
other consideration。 Our babes and sucklings are no longer regaled with
the soothing tales of giants； ogres； witches； and fairies； their hungry；
receptive minds are filled with stories about the pursuit and slaughter of
unoffending animals； of war and of murder； and of those questionable
practices whereby a hero is enriched and others are impoverished。
Before he is out of his swaddling… cloth the modern youngster is
convinced that the one noble purpose in life is to get； get； get； and keep on
getting of worldly material。 The fairy tale is tabooed because； as the
sordid parent alleges； it makes youth unpractical。
One consequence of this deplorable condition is； as I have noticed
（and as Judge Methuen has； too）； that the human eye is diminishing in size
and fulness； and is losing its lustre。 By as much as you take the God…
given grace of fancy from man； by so much do you impoverish his eyes。
The eye is so beautiful and serves so very many noble purposes； and is；
too； so ready in the expression of tenderness； of pity； of love； of
solicitude； of compassion； of dignity； of every gentle mood and noble
inspiration； that in that metaphor which contemplates the eternal vigilance
of the Almighty we recognize the best poetic expression of the highest
human wisdom。
My nephew Timothy has three children； two boys and a girl。 The
elder boy and the girl have small black eyes； they are as devoid of fancy as
a napkin is of red corpuscles； they put their pennies into a tin bank； and
they have won all the marbles and jack… stones in the neighborhood。
They do not believe in Santa Claus or in fairies or in witches； they know
that two nickels make a dime； and their golden rule is to do others as
others would do them。 The other boy （he has been christened Matthew；
after me） has a pair of large； round； deep…blue eyes； expressive of all those
emotions which a keen； active fancy begets。
Matthew can never get his fill of fairy tales； and how the dear little
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fellow loves Santa Claus！ He sees things at night； he will not go to bed
in the dark； he hears and understands what the birds and crickets say； and
what the night wind sings； and what the rustling leaves tell。 Wherever
Matthew goes he sees beautiful pictures and hears sweet music； to his
impressionable soul all nature speaks its wisdom and its poetry。 God！
how I love that boy！ And he shall never starve！ A goodly share of what
I have shall go to him！ But this clause in my will； which the Judge
recently drew for me； will； I warrant me； give the dear child the greatest
happiness：
‘‘Item。 To my beloved grandnephew and namesake； Matthew； I do
bequeath and give （in addition to the lands devised and the stocks； bonds
and moneys willed to him； as hereinabove specified） the two mahogany
bookcases numbered 11 and 13； and the contents thereof； being volumes
of fairy and folk tales of all nations； and dictionaries and other treatises
upon demonology； witchcraft； mythology； magic and kindred subjects； to
be his； his heirs； and his assigns； forever。''
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III
THE LUXURY OF READING IN BED
Last night； having written what you have just read about the benefits
of fairy literature； I bethought me to renew my acquaintance with some of
those tales which so often have delighted and solaced me。 So I piled at
least twenty chosen volumes on the table at the head of my bed； and I
daresay it was nigh daylight when I fell asleep。 I began my
entertainment with several pages from Keightley's ‘‘Fairy Mythology；''
and followed it up with random bits from Crofton Croker's ‘‘Traditions of
the South of Ireland；'' Mrs。 Carey's ‘‘Legends of the French Provinces；''
Andrew Lang's Green； Blue and Red fairy books； Laboulaye's ‘‘Last Fairy
Tales；'' Hauff's ‘‘The Inn in the Spessart；'' Julia Goddard's ‘‘Golden
Weathercock；'' Frere's ‘‘Eastern Fairy Legends；'' Asbjornsen's ‘‘Folk
Tales；'' Susan Pindar's ‘‘Midsummer Fays；'' Nisbit Bain's ‘‘Cossack Fairy
Tales；'' etc。； etc。
I fell asleep with a copy of Villamaria's fairy stories in my hands； and I
had a delightful dream wherein； under the protection and guidance of my
fairy godmother； I undertook the rescue of a beautiful princess who had
been enchanted by a cruel witch and was kept in prison by the witch's son；
a hideous ogre with seven heads； whose companions were four equally
hideous dragons。
This undertaking in which I was engaged involved a period of five
years； but time is of precious little consideration to one when he is
dreaming of exploits achieved in behalf of a beautiful princess。 My fairy
godmother （
