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！
The good old days were the days； seemingly； when the critics had their
way and ran things with a high hand； they made or unmade books and
authors。 They killed Chatterton； just as； some years later； they hastened
the death of Keats。 For a time they were all…powerful。 It was not until
the end of the eighteenth century that these professional tyrants began to
lose their grip； and when Byron took up the lance against them their doom
was practically sealed。
Who would care a picayune in these degenerate days what Dr。
Warburton said pro or con a book？ It was Warburton （then Bishop of
Gloucester） who remarked of Granger's ‘‘Biographical History of
England'' that it was ‘‘an odd one。'' This was as high a compliment as he
ever paid a book； those which he did not like he called sad books； and
those which he fancied he called odd ones。
The truth seems to be that through the diffusion of knowledge and
the multiplicity and cheapness of books people generally have reached the
point in intelligence where they feel warranted in asserting their ability to
judge for themselves。 So the occupation of the critic； as interpreted and
practised of old； is gone。
Reverting to the practice of lamenting the degeneracy of humanity； I
should say that the fashion is by no means a new one。 Search the records
of the ancients and you will find the same harping upon the one string of
present decay and former virtue。 Herodotus； Sallust； Caesar； Cicero； and
Pliny take up and repeat the lugubrious tale in turn。
Upon earth there are three distinct classes of men： Those who
contemplate the past； those who contemplate the present； those who
contemplate the future。 I am of those who believe that humanity
progresses； and it is my theory that the best works of the past have
81
… Page 82…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
survived and come down to us in these books which are our dearest
legacies； our proudest possessions； and our best…beloved companions。
82
… Page 83…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
XV
A BOOK THAT BRINGS SOLACE AND CHEER
One of my friends had a mania for Bunyan once upon a time； and；
although he has now abandoned that fad for the more fashionable passion
of Napoleonana； he still exhibits with evident pride the many editions of
the ‘‘Pilgrim's Progress'' he gathered together years ago。 I have
frequently besought him to give me one of his copies； which has a curious
frontispiece illustrating the dangers besetting the traveller from the City of
Destruction to the Celestial City。 This frontispiece； which is prettily
illuminated； occurs in Virtue's edition of the ‘‘Pilgrim's Progress''； the
book itself is not rare； but it is hardly procurable in perfect condition； for
the reason that the colored plate is so pleasing to the eye that few have
been able to resist the temptation to make away with it。
For similar reasons it is seldom that we meet with a perfect edition of
Quarles' ‘‘Emblems''； indeed； an ‘‘Emblems'' of early publication that does
not lack the title…page is a great rarity。 In the ‘‘good old days；'' when
juvenile books were few； the works of Bunyan and of Quarles were vastly
popular with the little folk； and little fingers wrought sad havoc with the
title…pages and the pictures that with their extravagant and vivid
suggestions appealed so directly and powerfully to the youthful fancy。
Coleridge says of the ‘‘Pilgrim's Progress'' that it is the best summary
of evangelical Christianity ever produced by a writer not miraculously
inspired。 Froude declares that it has for two centuries affected the
spiritual opinions of the English race in every part of the world more
powerfully than any other book； except the Bible。 ‘‘It is；'' says Macaulay；
‘‘perhaps the only book about which； after the lapse of a hundred years；
the educated minority has come over to the opinion of the common
people。''
Whether or not Bunyan is； as D'Israeli has called him； the Spenser of
the people； and whether or not his work is the poetry of Puritanism； the
best evidence of the merit of the ‘‘Pilgrim's Progress'' appears； as Dr。
Johnson has shrewdly pointed out； in the general and continued
approbation of mankind。 Southey has critically observed that to his
83
… Page 84…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
natural style Bunyan is in some degree beholden for his general popularity；
his language being everywhere level to the most ignorant reader and to the
meanest capacity； ‘‘there is a homely reality about ita nursery tale is not
more intelligible； in its manner of narration； to a child。''
Another cause of his popularity； says Southey； is that he taxes the
imagination as little as the understanding。 ‘‘The vividness of his own；
which； as history shows； sometimes could not distinguish ideal
impressions from actual ones； occasioned this。 He saw the things of
which he was writing as distinctly with his mind's eye as if they were；
indeed； passing before him in a dream。''
It is clear to me that in his youth Bunyan would have endeared himself
to me had I lived at that time； for his fancy was of that kind and of such
intensity as I delight to find in youth。 ‘‘My sins；'' he tells us； ‘‘did so
offend the Lord that even in my childhood He did scare and affright me
with fearful dreams and did terrify me with dreadful visions。 I have been
in my bed greatly afflicted； while asleep； with apprehensions of devils and
wicked spirits； who still； as I then thought； labored to draw me away with
them； of which I could never be rid。''
It is quite likely that Bunyan overestimated his viciousness。 One of
his ardent； intense temperament having once been touched of the saving
grace could hardly help recognizing in himself the most miserable of
sinners。 It is related that upon one occasion he was going somewhere
disguised as a wagoner； when he was overtaken by a constable who had a
warrant for his arrest。
‘‘Do you know that devil of a fellow Bunyan？'' asked the constable。
‘‘Know him？'' cried Bunyan。 ''You might call him a devil indeed； if
you knew him as well as I once did！''
This was not the only time his wit served him to good purpose。 On
another occasion a certain Cambridge student； who was filled with a
sense of his own importance； undertook to prove to him what a divine
thing reason was； and he capped his argument with the declaration that
reason was the chief glory of man which distinguished him from a beast。
To this Bunyan calmly made answer： ‘‘Sin distinguishes man from beast；
is sin divine？''
84
… Page 85…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
Frederick Saunders observes that； like Milton in his blindness； Bunyan
in his imprisonment had his spiritual perception made all the brighter by
his exclusion from the glare of the outside world。 And of the great debt
of gratitude we all owe to ‘‘the wicked tinker of Elstow'' Dean Stanley has
spoken so truly that I am fain to quote his words： ‘‘We all need to be
cheered by the help of Greatheart and Standfast and Valiant…for…the…Truth；
and good old Honesty！ Some of us have been in Doubting Castle； some
in the Slough of Despond。 Some have experienced the temptations of
Vanity Fair； all of us have to climb the Hill of Difficulty； all of us need to
be instructed by the Interpreter in the House Beautiful； all of us bear the
same bu