the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第6章
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！
dreaming of exploits achieved in behalf of a beautiful princess。 My fairy
godmother （she wore a mob…cap and was hunchbacked） took good care of
me； and conducted me safely through all my encounters with demons；
giants； dragons； witches； serpents； hippogriffins； ogres； etc。； and I had just
rescued the princess and broken the spell which bound her； and we were
about to ‘‘live in peace to the end of our lives；'' when I awoke to find it
was all a dream； and that the gas… light over my bed had been blazing
away during the entire period of my five…year war for the delectable
maiden。
This incident gives me an opportunity to say that observation has
17
… Page 18…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
convinced me that all good and true book…lovers practise the pleasing and
improving avocation of reading in bed。 Indeed； I fully believe with
Judge Methuen that no book can be appreciated until it has been slept with
and dreamed over。 You recall； perhaps； that eloquent passage in his noble
defence of the poet Archias； wherein Cicero （not Kikero） refers to his own
pursuit of literary studies： ‘‘Haec studia adolescentiam alunt； senectutem
oblectant； secundas res ornant； adversis perfugium ac solatium praebent；
delectant domi； non impediunt foris； PERNOCTANT nobiscum；
peregrinantur； rusticantur！''
By the gods！ you spoke tally； friend Cicero； for it is indeed so； that
these pursuits nourish our earlier and delight our later years； dignifying the
minor details of life and affording a perennial refuge and solace； at home
they please us and in no vocation elsewhere do they embarrass us； they are
with us by night； they go with us upon our travels； and even upon our
retirement into the country do they accompany us！
I have italicized pernoctant because it is that word which demonstrates
beyond all possibility of doubt that Cicero made a practice of reading in
bed。 Why； I can almost see him now； propped up in his couch； unrolling
scroll after scroll of his favorite literature； and enjoying it mightily； too；
which enjoyment is interrupted now and then by the occasion which the
noble reader takes to mutter maledictions upon the slave who has let the
lamp run low of oil or has neglected to trim the wick。
‘‘Peregrinantur？'' Indeed； they do share our peregrinations； these
literary pursuits do。 If Thomas Hearne （of blessed memory！） were alive
to…day he would tell us that he used always to take a book along with him
whenever he went walking； and was wont to read it as he strolled along。
On several occasions （as he tells us in his diary） he became so absorbed in
his reading that he missed his way and darkness came upon him before he
knew it。
I have always wondered why book…lovers have not had more to say of
Hearne； for assuredly he was as glorious a collector as ever felt the divine
fire glow within him。 His character is exemplified in this prayer； which
is preserved among other papers of his in the Bodleian Library：
‘‘O most gracious and merciful Lord God； wonderful is Thy
18
… Page 19…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
providence。 I return all possible thanks to Thee for the care Thou hast
always taken of me。 I continually meet with most signal instances of this
Thy providence； and one act yesterday； when I unexpectedly met with
three old MSS。； for which； in a particular manner； I return my thanks；
beseeching Thee to continue the same protection to me； a poor； helpless
sinner；'' etc。
Another prayer of Hearne's； illustrative of his faith in dependence upon
Divine counsel； was made at the time Hearne was importuned by Dr。 Bray；
commissary to my Lord Bishop of London； ‘‘to go to Mary… Land'' in the
character of a missionary。 ‘‘O Lord God； Heavenly Father； look down
upon me with pity；'' cries this pious soul； ‘‘and be pleased to be my
guide； now I am importuned to leave the place where I have been educated
in the university。 And of Thy great goodness I humbly desire Thee to
signify to me what is most proper for me to do in this affair。''
Another famous man who made a practice of reading books as he
walked the highways was Dr。 Johnson； and it is recorded that he presented
a curious spectacle indeed； for his shortsightedness compelled him to hold
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 visite
