the lumley autograph-第1章

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The　Lumley　Autograph

by　Susan　Fenimore　Cooper





＇Not　long　since　an　American　author　received　an　application　from　a
German　correspondent　for　〃a　few　Autographs〃the　number　of　names
applied　for　amounting　to　more　than　a　hundred；　and　covering　several
sheets　of　foolscap。　A　few　years　since　an　Englishman　of　literary　note
sent　his　Album　to　a　distinguished　poet　in　Paris　for　his　contribution；
when　the　volume　was　actually　stolen　from　a　room　where　every　other
article　was　left　untouched；　showing　that　Autographs　were　more
valuable　in　the　eyes　of　the　thief　than　any　other　property。　Amused
with　the　recollection　of　these　facts；　and　others　of　the　same　kind；
some　idle　hours　were　given　by　the　writer　to　the　following　view　of　this
mania　of　the　day。＇

The　month　of　November　of　the　year　sixteen　hundred　and　　was
cheerless　and　dark；　as　November　has　never　failed　to　be　within　the
foggy；　smoky　bounds　of　the　great　city　of　London。　It　was　one　of　the
worst　days　of　the　season；　what　light　there　was　seemed　an
emanation　from　the　dull　earth；　the　heavens　would　scarce　have　owned
it；　veiled　as　they　were；　by　an　opaque　canopy　of　fog　which　weighed
heavily　upon　the　breathing　multitude　below。　Gloom　penetrated　every
where；　no　barriers　so　strong；　no　good　influences　so　potent；　as　wholly
to　ward　off　the　spell　thrown　over　that　mighty　town　by　the　spirits　of
chill　and　damp；　they　clung　to　the　silken　draperies　of　luxury；　they
were　felt　within　the　busy　circle　of　industry；　they　crept　about　the
family　hearth；　but　abroad　in　the　public　ways；　and　in　the　wretched
haunts　of　misery；　they　held　undisputed　sway。

Among　the　throng　which　choked　the　passage　of　Temple…Bar　toward
evening；　an　individual；　shabbily　clad；　was　dragging　his　steps　wearily
along；　his　pallid　countenance　bearing　an　expression　of　misery　beyond
the　more　common　cares　of　his　fellow…passengers。　Turning　from　the
great　thoroughfare　he　passed　into　a　narrow　lane；　and　reaching　the
door　of　a　mean　dwelling　he　entered；　ascended　a　dirty　stairway　four
stories　high；　and　stood　in　his　garret　lodging。　If　that　garret　was　bare；
cold；　and　dark；　it　was　only　like　others；　in　which　many　a　man　before
and　since　has　pined　away　years　of　neglect　and　penury；　at　the　very
moment　when　his　genius　was　cheering；　enriching；　enlightening　his
country　and　his　race。　That　the　individual　whose　steps　we　have
followed　was　indeed　a　man　of　genius；　could　not　be　doubted　by　one
who　had　met　the　glance　of　that　deep；　clear；　piercing　eye；　clouded
though　it　was　at　that　moment　by　misery　of　body　and　mind　that
amounted　to　the　extreme　of　anguish。　The　garret　of　the　stranger
contained　no　food；　no　fuel；　no　light；　its　occupant　was　suffering　from
cold；　hunger；　and　wretchedness。　Throwing　himself　on　a　broken　chair；
he　clenched　his　fingers　over　the　manuscript；　held　within　a　pale　and
emaciated　hand。

〃Shall　I　die　of　hungeror　shall　I　make　one　more　effort？〃　he
exclaimed；　in　a　voice　in　which　bitterness　gave　a　momentary　power　to
debility。

〃I　will　write　once　more　to　my　patronpossibly〃　without　waiting　to
finish　the　sentence；　he　groped　about　in　the　dull　twilight　for　ink　and
paper；　resting　the　sheet　on　a　book；　he　wrote　in　a　hand　barely
legible：

〃Nov。　20th　16；
〃MY　LORDI　have　no　light；　and　cannot　see　to　writeno　fire　and　my
fingers　are　stiff　with　coldI　have　not　tasted　food　for　eight　and　forty
hours；　and　I　am　faint。　Three　times；　my　lord；　I　have　been　at　your　door
to　day；　but　could　not　obtain　admittance。　This　note　may　yet　reach　you
in　time　to　save　a　fellow…creature　from　starvation。　I　have　not　a
farthing　left；　nor　credit　for　a　ha'pennysmall　debts　press　upon　me；
and　the　publishers　refused　my　last　poem。　Unless　relieved　within　a
few　hours　I　must　perish。
〃Your　lordship's　most　humble；
〃Most　obedient；　most　grateful　servant；
　　…〃

This　letter；　scarcely　legible　from　the　agitation　and　misery　which
enfeebled　the　hand　that　wrote　it；　was　folded；　and　directed；　and
again　the　writer　left　his　garret　lodging　on　the　errand　of　beggary；　he
descended　the　narrow　stairway；　slowly　dragged　his　steps　through　the
lane；　and　sought　the　dwelling　of　his　patron。

Whether　he　obtained　admittance；　or　was　again　turned　from　the　door；
whether　his　necessities　were　relieved；　or　the　letter　was　idly　thrown
aside　unopened；　we　cannot　say。　Once　more　mingled　with　the　crowd；
we　lose　sight　of　him。　It　is　not　the　man；　but　the　letter　which　engages
our　attention　to…day。　There　is　still　much　doubt　and　uncertainty
connected　with　the　subsequent　fate　of　the　poor　poet；　but　the　note
written　at　that　painful　moment　has　had　a　brilliant　career；　a　history
eventful　throughout。　If　the　reader　is　partial　to　details　of　misery；　and
poverty；　any　volume　of　general　literary　biography　will　furnish　him
with　an　abundant　supply；　for　such　has　too　often　proved　the　lot　of
those　who　have　built　up　the　noble　edifice　of　British　Literature：　like
the　band　of　laborers　on　the　Egyptian　pyramid；　theirs　was　too　often　a
mess　of　leeks；　while　milk；　and　honey；　and　oil；　were　the　portion　of
those　for　whom　they　toiled；　those　in　whose　honor；　and　for　whose
advantage　the　monument　was　raised。　Patrons；　whether　single
individuals　or　nations；　have　too　often　proved　but　indifferent　friends；
careless　and　forgetful　of　those　whom　they　proudly　pretend　to　foster。
But　leaving　the　poor　poet；　with　his　sorrows；　to　the　regular
biographer；　we　choose　rather　the　lighter　task　of　relating　the　history
of　the　letter　itself；　a　man's　works　are　often　preferred　before　himself；
and　it　is　believed　that　in　this；　the　day　of　autographs；　no　further
apology　will　be　needed　for　the　course　taken　on　the　present　occasion。
We　hold　ourselves；　indeed；　entitled　to　the　especial　gratitude　of
collectors　for　the　following　sketch　of　a　document　maintaining　so　high
a　rank　in　their　estimation。

And　justly　might　the　Lumley　Letter　claim　a　full　share　of　literary
homage。　Boasting　a　distinguished　signature；　it　possessed　the　first
essential　of　a　superior　autograph；　for；　although　a　rose　under　any
other　name　may　smell　as　sweet；　yet　it　is　clear　that　with　regard　to
every　thing　coming　from　the　pen；　whether　folio　or　billet　doux；
imaginative　poem；　or　matter…of…fact　note　of　hand；　there　is　a　vast
deal　in　this　important　item；　which　is　often　the　very　life　and　stamina
of　the　whole　production。　Then　again；　the　subject　of　extreme　want　is
one　of　general　interest；　while　the　allusion　to　the　unpublished　poem
must　always　prove　an　especial　attraction　to　the　curious。　Such　were
the　intrinsic　merits　of　the　document；　in　addition　to　which；　sober　Time
lent　his　aid　to　enhance　its　value；　and　capricious　Fortune　added　a
peculiar　charm　of　mystery；　which　few　papers　of　the　kind　could　claim
to　the　same　extent。　The　appearance　also　of　this　interesting　paper
was　always　admitted　to　be　entirely　worthy　of　its　fame。　The　hand…
writing　fully　carried　out　the　idea　of　extreme　debility　and　agitation
corresponding　with　its　nature；　while　a　larger　and　a　lesser　blot　bore
painful　testimony　to　that　recklessness　of　propriety　which　a　starving
man　might　be　supposed　to　feel；　one　corner　had　been　ruthlessly
abstracted　at　the　time　it　was　seen　by　the　writer　of　this　notice；　and
with　it　the　last　figures　of　the　date；　a　considerable　rent　crossed　the
sheet　from　right　to　left；　but　happily　without　injuring　its　contents；
several　punctures　were　also　observed；　one　of　these　encroaching　very
critically　upon　the　signature。　But　I　need　not　add　that　these　marks　of
age　and　harsh　treatment；　like　the　scars　on　the　face　of　a　veteran；　far
from　being　blemishes；　were　acknowledged　to　be　so　many　additional
embellishments。　The　coloring　of　the　piece　was　of　that　precious　hue；
verging　here　and　there　on　the　dingy；　the　very　tint　most　charming　in
the　eyes　of　an　antiquary；　and　which　Time　alone　can　bestow。　In　fact；
one　rarely　sees　a　relic　of　the　kind；　more　perfect　in　color；　more
expressive　in　its　general　aspect；　or　more　becoming　to　an　album；　from
the　fine　contrast　between　its　poverty…stricken　air；　torn；　worn；　and
soiled；　and　the　rich；　embossed；　unsullied　leaf　on　which　it　reposed；
like　some　dark　Rembrandt　within　its　gilded　frame。　In　short；　it　was
the　very　Torso　of　autographs。　Happily　the　position　which　it　finally
attained　was　one　worthy　of　its　merits；　and　we　could　not　have　wished
it　a　more　elegant　shrine　than　the　precio