the lumley autograph-第4章

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the　lid　of　the　trunk；　and　presented　to　Sir　John　Blank；　the　father　of
the　lovely　Louisa；　who；　in　his　turn；　soon　placed　the　hand　of　his
daughter　in　that　of　Colonel　H…。

Sir　John；　a　noted　follower　in　the　steps　of　Horace　Walpole；　had　no
sooner　become　the　owner　of　this　interesting　letter；　than　he　set　to
work　to　find　out　its　origin；　and　to　fill　up　its　history。　Unfortunately；
the　sheet　had　received　some　wounds　in　the　wars；　as　well　as　the
gallant　colonel。　One　corner　had　been　carried　away　by　an　unlucky
thrust　from　a　razornot　a　sword；　while　the　date　and　signature　had
also　been　half　eaten　out　by　the　white　ants　of　Bengal。　But　such
difficulties　as　these　were　only　pleasing　obstacles　in　the　way　of
antiquarian　activity。　Sir　John　had　soon　formed　an　hypothesis
perfectly　satisfactory　to　himself。　His　mother's　name　was　Butler；　and
he　claimed　some　sort　of　affinity　with　the　author　of　Hudibras；　as　the
Christian　name　of　the　poor　poet　had　been　almost　entirely　devoured
by　the　ants；　while　the　surname　had　also　suffered　here　and　there；　Sir
John　ingeniously　pursuaded　｛sic｝　himself　that　what　remained　had
clearly　belonged　to　the　signature　of　the　great　satirist；　as　for　the
date；　the　abbreviation　of　〃Nov。　20th。〃　and　the　figures　16　marking
the　century；　were　really　tolerably　distinct。　Accordingly；　Sir　John　wrote
a　brief　notice　of　Butler's　Life；　dwelling　much　upon　his　well…known
poverty；　and　quoting　his　epitaph；　with　the　allusion　to　his　indigence
underscored；　〃lest　he　who　living　wanted　all　things；　should；　when
dead；　want　a　tomb；〃　and　placed　these　remarks　opposite　the　letter　of
our　starving　poet；　which　was　registered　in　the　volume　in　conspicuous
characters　as　an　〃Autograph　of　Samuel　Butler；　author　of　Hudibras；
showing　to　what　distress　he　was　at　one　time　reduced。〃

｛Samuel　Butler　（1612…1680）；　another　English　author　popularly
believed　to　have　died　in　great　poverty；　he　is　best　known　for　his　long
satiric　mock…epic　poem；　〃Hudibras〃　（1663…1678）｝

Here　the　sheet　remained　several　years；　until　at　length　it　chanced
that　Sir　John's　volume　of　autographs　was　placed　in　the　hands　of　a
gentleman　who　had　recently　read　Mr。　Lumley's　MS。　Life　of　Otway。　The
identity　of　this　letter；　with　that　copied　by　Mr。　Lumley；　immediately
suggested　itself；　and　now　the　first　sparks　of　controversy　between
the　Otwaysians　and　the　Butlerites　were　struck　in　Sir　John's　library。
》From　thence　they　soon　spread　to　the　four　winds　of　heaven；　falling　on
combustible　materials　wherever　they　lighted　on　a　literary　head；　or
collecting　hands。

By　the　bye；　the　rapidity　with　which　this　collecting　class　has　increased
of　late　years　is　really　alarming；　who　can　foresee　the　state　of　things
likely　to　exist　in　the　next　century；　should　matters　go　on　at　the　same
rate？　Reflect　for　a　moment　on　the　probable　condition　of
distinguished　authors；　lions　of　the　loudest　roar；　if　the　number　of
autograph…hunters　were　to　increase　beyond　what　it　is　at　present。　Is
it　not　to　be　feared　that　they　will　yet　exterminate　the　whole　race；
that　the　great　lion　literary；　like　the　mastodon；　will　become　extinct？
Or；　perhaps；　by　taming　him　down　to　a　mere　producer　of　autographs；
his　habits　will　change　so　entirely　that　he　will　no　longer　be　the　same
animal；　no　longer　bear　a　comparison　with　the　lion　of　the　past。　On　the
other　hand　should　the　great　race　become　extinct；　what　will　be　the
fate　of　the　family　of　autograph…feeders？　What　a　fearful　state　of
things　would　ensue；　even　in　our　day；　were　the　supply　to　be　reduced
but　a　quire！　The　heart　sickens　at　the　picture　which　would　then　be
presentedcollectors　turning　on　each　other；　waging　a　fierce　war　over
every　autographic　scrap；　making　a　battle…field　of　every　social　circle。
Happily；　nature　seems　always　to　keep　up　the　balance　in　such
matters；　and　it　is　a　consoling　reflection　that　if　the　million　are　now
consumers；　so　have　they　become　producers　of　autographs；　it　is
therefore　probable　that　the　evil　will　work　its　own　remedy；　and　we
may　hope　that　the　great　writers　of　the　next　century　will　be　shielded
in　some　measure　by　the　diversion　made　in　their　favor　through　the
lighter　troops　of　the　lion　corps。

As　for　the　full　merits　of　the　controversy　so　hotly　waged　over　the
Lumley　autograph　between　the　Otwaysians　and　the　Butlerites；
dividing　the　collecting　world　into　two　rival　parties；　we　shall　not　here
enter　into　it。　In　all　such　matters　it　is　better　to　go　at　once　to　the
fountain　head；　if　the　reader　is　curious　on　the　subject；　as　doubtless
he　must　be；　he　is　referred　to　one　octavo　and　five　duodecimo
volumes；　with　fifty　pamphlets　which　have　left　little　to　say　on　the
point。　Let　it　not　be　supposed；　however；　for　an　instant；　that　the
writer　of　this　article　is　himself　undecided　in　his　opinion　on　this
question。　By　no　means；　and　he　hastens　to　repel　the　unjust
suspicion；　by　declaring　himself　one　of　the　warmest　Otwaysians。　It　is
true　that　he　has　some　private　grounds　for　believing　that　a
dispassionate　inquiry　might　lead　one　to　doubt　whether　Otway　or
Butler　ever　saw　the　Lumley　autograph；　but　what　of　that；　who　has
time　or　inclination　for　dispassionate　investigation　in　these　stirring
days！　In　the　present　age　of　universal　enlightenment；　we　don't
trouble　ourselves　to　make　up　our　opinionswe　take　and　give　them；
we　beg；　borrow；　and　steal　them。　True；　there　are　controversies
involving　matters　so　important　in　their　consequences；　so　serious　in
their　nature；　that　one　might　conceive　either　indifference　or
fanaticism　equally　inexcusable　with　regard　to　them；　but　there　are
also　a　thousand　other　subjects　of　discussion；　at　the　present　day；　of
that　peculiar　character　which　can　only　thrive　when　supported　by
passion　and　prejudice；　and　falling　in　with　a　dispute　of　this　nature；　it
is　absolutely　necessary　to　jump　at　once　into　fanaticism。　Accordingly；
I　had　no　sooner　obtained　a　glimpse　of　the　letter　of　the　starving　poet；
embalmed　within　the　precious　leaves　of　one　of　the　most　noted
albums　of　Europe；　than　I　immediately　enlisted　under　Lady
Holberton's　colors　as　a　faithful　Otwaysian。　With　that　excellent　lady　I
take　a　tragical　view　of　the　Lumley　Letter；　conceiving　that　a　man
must　be　blind　as　a　bat；　not　to　see　that　it　was　written　by　the　author
of　Venice　Preserved；　and　this　in　spite　of　other　celebrated　collectors；
who　find　in　the　same　sheet　so　much　that　is　comical　and　Hudibrastic。
Strange　that　any　man　in　his　senses　should　hold　such　an　opinionyet
the　Butlerites　number　strong；　some　of　them　are　respectable　people；
too；　more's　the　pity　that　such　should　be　the　case。

As　we　have　already　observed；　the　controversy　began　in　the　library　of
Sir　John　Blank；　and　it　continued　throughout　the　life…time　of　that
excellent　and　well…known　collector。　At　his　death；　a　few　years　since；　it
passed　into　the　hands　of　his　daughter；　the　widow　of　Colonel　H…；
and　it　will　be　readily　imagined　that　although　the　main　question　is
still　as　much　undecided　as　ever；　yet　the　value　of　the　document　itself
has　been　immeasurably　increased　by　a　controversy　of　twenty　years
standing；　on　its　merits。　I　wish　I　could　add　that　the　fortune　of　Colonel
H…　had　augmented　in　the　same　proportion；　but；　unhappily　for　his
widow；　the　reverse　was　the　case；　and　it　was　owing　to　this
combination　of　circumstances　that　Lady　Holberton　at　length　obtained
possession　of　the　Lumley　Autograph。　Mrs。　H…　became　very
desirous　of　procuring　for　her　eldest　son　a　cornetcy　in　the　regiment
once　commanded　by　his　father；　as　she　was　now　too　poor　to
purchase；　the　matter　required　management　and　negotiation。　How　it
was　brought　about　I　cannot　exactly　say。　Suffice　it　to　declare　that　the
young　man　received　his　commission；　through　the　influence　of　Lady
Holberton；　in　a　high　military　quarter；　while　the　Lumley　Autograph
was　placed　on　a　distinguished　leaf　of　that　lady's　velvet…bound；
jewel…clasped　album。

It　so　happened　that　I　dined　at　Holberton…House　on　the　eventful　day
upon　which　the　Lumley　letter　changed　owners。　I　saw　immediately；　on
entering　the　drawing…room；　that　Lady　Holberton　was　in　excellent
spirits；　she　received　me　very　graciously；　and　spoke　of　her　son；　with
whom　I　had　just　traveled　between　Paris　and　Algiers。

〃Wish　me　joy；　Mr。　Howard！〃　exclaimed　the　lady　after　a　short
conversation。

Of　course　I　was　very　happy　to　do　so；　and　replied　by　some　remarks　on