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exploited in his inimitable style those lyrics of the French and the Italian
people which are now ours as much as they are anybody else's。
Dear old Beranger！ what wonder that Prout loved him； and what
wonder that we all love him？ I have thirty odd editions of his works； and
I would walk farther to pick up a volume of his lyrics than I would walk
to secure any other book； excepting of course a Horace。 Beranger and I
are old cronies。 I have for the great master a particularly tender feeling；
and all on account of Fanchonette。
But thereyou know nothing of Fanchonette； because I have not told
you of her。 She； too； should have been a book instead of the dainty；
coquettish Gallic maiden that she was。
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THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
IX
BOOKSELLERS AND PRINTERS； OLD AND NEW
Judge Methuen tells me that he fears what I have said about my
bookseller will create the impression that I am unkindly disposed toward
the bookselling craft。 For the last fifty years I have had uninterrupted
dealings with booksellers； and none knows better than the booksellers
themselves that I particularly admire them as a class。 Visitors to my
home have noticed that upon my walls are hung noble portraits of Caxton；
Wynkin de Worde； Richard Pynson； John Wygthe； Rayne Wolfe； John
Daye； Jacob Tonson； Richard Johnes； John Dunton； and other famous old
printers and booksellers。
I have； too； a large collection of portraits of modern booksellers；
including a pen…and… ink sketch of Quaritch； a line engraving of Rimell；
and a very excellent etching of my dear friend； the late Henry Stevens。
One of the portraits is a unique； for I had it painted myself； and I have
never permitted any copy to be made of it； it is of my bookseller； and it
represents him in the garb of a fisherman； holding his rod and reel in one
hand and the copy of the ‘‘Compleat Angler'' in the other。
Mr。 Curwen speaks of booksellers as being ‘‘singularly thrifty； able；
industrious； and perseveringin some few cases singularly venturesome；
liberal； and kind…hearted。'' My own observation and experience have
taught me that as a class booksellers are exceptionally intelligent； ranking
with printers in respect to the variety and extent of their learning。
They have； however； this distinct advantage over the printersthey are
not brought in contact with the manifold temptations to intemperance and
profligacy which environ the votaries of the art preservative of arts。
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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THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
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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THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
‘‘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 Sco