the poet at the breakfast table-第44章

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But　never　mind　him。　　I　did　not　say　there　was　not　one　rogue　on　the
average　among　a　dozen　men。　　I　don't　see　how　that　would　interfere　with
my　proposition。　　If　I　say　that　among　a　dozen　men　you　ought　to　find
one　that　weighs　over　a　hundred　and　fifty　pounds；　and　you　tell　me　that
there　were　twelve　men　in　your　club；　and　one　of　'em　had　red　hair；　I
don't　see　that　you　have　materially　damaged　my　statement。

I　thought　it　best　to　let　the　old　Master　have　his　easy　victory；
which　was　more　apparent　than　real；　very　evidently；　and　he　went　on。

When　the　Lord　sends　out　a　batch　of　human　beings；　say　a　hundredDid
you　ever　read　my　book；　the　new　edition　of　it；　I　mean？

It　is　rather　awkward　to　answer　such　a　question　in　the　negative；　but　I
said；　with　the　best　grace　I　could；　〃No；　not　the　last　edition。〃

Well；　I　must　give　you　a　copy　of　it。　　My　book　and　I　are　pretty　much
the　same　thing。　　Sometimes　I　steal　from　my　book　in　my　talk　without
mentioning　it；　and　then　I　say　to　myself；　〃Oh；　that　won't　do；
everybody　has　read　my　book　and　knows　it　by　heart。〃　　And　then　the
other　I　says；you　know　there　are　two　of　us；　right　and　left；　like　a
pair　of　shoes；the　other　I　says；　〃You're　asomething　or　other
fool。　　They　have　n't　read　your　confounded　old　book；　besides；　if　they
have；　they　have　forgotten　all　about　it。〃　　Another　time；　I　say；
thinking　I　will　be　very　honest；　〃I　have　said　something　about　that　in
my　book〃；　and　then　the　other　I　says；　〃What　a　Balaam's　quadruped　you
are　to　tell　'em　it's　in　your　book；　they　don't　care　whether　it　is　or
not；　if　it's　anything　worth　saying；　and　if　it　isn't　worth　saying；
what　are　you　braying　for？　　〃That　is　a　rather　sensible　fellow；　that
other　chap　we　talk　with；　but　an　impudent　whelp。　　I　never　got　such
abuse　from　any　blackguard　in　my　life　as　I　have　from　that　No。　2　of　me；
the　one　that　answers　the　other's　questions　and　makes　the　comments；
and　does　what　in　demotic　phrase　is　called　the　〃sarsing。〃

I　laughed　at　that。　　I　have　just　such　a　fellow　always　with　me；　as
wise　as　Solomon；　if　I　would　only　heed　him；　but　as　insolent　as　Shimei；
cursing；　and　throwing　stones　and　dirt；　and　behaving　as　if　he　had　the
traditions　of　the　〃ape…like　human　being〃　born　with　him　rather　than
civilized　instincts。　　One　does　not　have　to　be　a　king　to　know　what　it
is　to　keep　a　king's　jester。

I　mentioned　my　book；the　Master　said；　because　I　have　something　in
it　on　the　subject　we　were　talking　about。　　I　should　like　to　read　you　a
passage　here　and　there　out　of　it；　where　I　have　expressed　myself　a
little　more　freely　on　some　of　those　matters　we　handle　in
conversation。　　If　you　don't　quarrel　with　it；　I　must　give　you　a　copy
of　the　book。　　It's　a　rather　serious　thing　to　get　a　copy　of　a　book
from　the　writer　of　it。　　It　has　made　my　adjectives　sweat　pretty　hard；
I　know；　to　put　together　an　answer　returning　thanks　and　not　lying
beyond　the　twilight　of　veracity；　if　one　may　use　a　figure。　　Let　me　try
a　little　of　my　book　on　you；　in　divided　doses；　as　my　friends　the
doctors　say。

…Fiat　experimentum　in　corpore　vili；I　said；　laughing　at　my　own
expense。　　I　don't　doubt　the　medicament　is　quite　as　good　as　the
patient　deserves；　and　probably　a　great　deal　better；I　added；
reinforcing　my　feeble　compliment。


＇When　you　pay　a　compliment　to　an　author；　don't　qualify　it　in　the　next
sentence　so　as　to　take　all　the　goodness　out　of　it。　　Now　I　am　thinking
of　it；　I　will　give　you　one　or　two　pieces　of　advice。　　Be　careful　to
assure　yourself　that　the　person　you　are　talking　with　wrote　the
article　or　book　you　praise。　　It　is　not　very　pleasant　to　be　told；
〃Well；　there；　now！　　I　always　liked　your　writings；　but　you　never　did
anything　half　so　good　as　this　last　piece；〃　and　then　to　have　to　tell
the　blunderer　that　this　last　piece　is　n't　yours；　but　t'　other　man's。
Take　care　that　the　phrase　or　sentence　you　commend　is　not　one　that　is
in　quotation…marks。　　〃The　best　thing　in　your　piece；　I　think；　is　a　；
line　I　do　not　remember　meeting　before；　it　struck　me　as　very　true　and
well　expressed：

'〃An　honest　man's　the　noblest　work　of　God。〃'

〃But；　my　dear　lady；　that　line　is　one　which　is　to　be　found　in　a　writer
of　the　last　century；　and　not　original　with　me。〃　　One　ought　not　to
have　undeceived　her；　perhaps；　but　one　is　naturally　honest；　and　cannot
bear　to　be　credited　with　what　is　not　his　own。　　The　lady　blushes；　of
course；　and　says　she　has　not　read　much　ancient　literature；　or　some
such　thing。　　The　pearl　upon　the　Ethiop's　arm　is　very　pretty　in　verse；
but　one　does　not　care　to　furnish　the　dark　background　for　other
persons'　jewelry。＇

I　adjourned　from　the　table　in　company　with　the　old　Master　to　his
apartments。　　He　was　evidently　in　easy　circumstances；　for　he　had　the
best　accommodations　the　house　afforded。　　We　passed　through　a
reception　room　to　his　library；　where　everything　showed　that　he　had
ample　means　for　indulging　the　modest　tastes　of　a　scholar。

The　first　thing；　naturally；　when　one　enters　a　scholar's　study　or
library；　is　to　look　at　his　books。　　One　gets　a　notion　very　speedily　of
his　tastes　and　the　range　of　his　pursuits　by　a　glance　round　his
bookshelves。

Of　course；　you　know　there　are　many　fine　houses　where　the　library　is　a
part　of　the　upholstery；　so　to　speak。　　Books　in　handsome　binding　kept
locked　under　plate…glass　in　showy　dwarf　bookcases　are　as　important　to
stylish　establishments　as　servants　in　livery；　who　sit　with　folded
arms；　are　to　stylish　equipages。　　I　suppose　those　wonderful　statues
with　the　folded　arms　do　sometimes　change　their　attitude；　and　I
suppose　those　books　with　the　gilded　backs　do　sometimes　get　opened；
but　it　is　nobody's　business　whether　they　do　or　not；　and　it　is　not
best　to　ask　too　many　questions。

This　sort　of　thing　is　common　enough；　but　there　is　another　case　that
may　prove　deceptive　if　you　undertake　to　judge　from　appearances。　　Once
in　a　while　you　will　come　on　a　house　where　you　will　find　a　family　of
readers　and　almost　no　library。　　Some　of　the　most　indefatigable
devourers　of　literature　have　very　few　books。　　They　belong　to　book
clubs；　they　haunt　the　public　libraries；　they　borrow　of　friends；　and
somehow　or　other　get　hold　of　everything　they　want；　scoop　out　all　it
holds　for　them；　and　have　done　with　it。　　When　I　want　a　book；　it　is　as
a　tiger　wants　a　sheep。　　I　must　have　it　with　one　spring；　and；　if　I
miss　it；　go　away　defeated　and　hungry。　　And　my　experience　with　public
libraries　is　that　the　first　volume　of　the　book　I　inquire　for　is　out；
unless　I　happen　to　want　the　second；　when　that　is　out。

I　was　pretty　well　prepared　to　understand　the　Master's　library　and
his　account　of　it。　　We　seated　ourselves　in　two　very　comfortable
chairs；　and　I　began　the　conversation。

…I　see　you　have　a　large　and　rather　miscellaneous　collection　of　books。
Did　you　get　them　together　by　accident　or　according　to　some
preconceived　plan？

Both；　sir；　both；the　Master　answered。　　When　Providence　throws　a
good　book　in　my　way；　I　bow　to　its　decree　and　purchase　it　as　an　act　of
piety；　if　it　is　reasonably　or　unreasonably　cheap。　　I　adopt　a　certain
number　of　books　every　year；　out　of　a　love　for　the　foundlings　and
stray　children　of　other　people's　brains　that　nobody　seems　to　care
for。　　Look　here。

He　took　down　a　Greek　Lexicon　finely　bound　in　calf；　and　spread　it
open。

Do　you　see　that　Hedericus　？　　I　had　Greek　dictionaries　enough　and　to
spare；　but　I　saw　that　noble　quarto　lying　in　the　midst　of　an　ignoble
crowd　of　cheap　books；　and　marked　with　a　price　which　I　felt　to　be　an
insult　to　scholarship；　to　the　memory　of　Homer；　sir；　and　the　awful
shade　of　AEschylus。　　I　paid　the　mean　price　asked　for　it；　and　I　wanted
to　double　it；　but　I　suppose　it　would　have　been　a　foolish　sacrifice　of
coin　to　sentiment：　I　love　that　book　for　its　looks　and　behavior。　　None
of　your　〃half…calf　〃　economies　in　that　volume；　sir！　　And　see　how　it
lies　open　anywhere！　　There　is　n't　a　book　in　my　library　that　has　such
a　generous　way　of　laying　its　treasures　before　you。　　From　Alpha　to
Omega；　calm；　assured　rest　at　any　page　that　your　choice　or　accident
may　light　on。　　No　lifting　of　a　rebellious　leaf　like　an　upstart
servant　that　does　not　know　his　place　and　can　never　be　taught　manners；
but　tranquil；　well…bred　repose。　　A　book　may　be　a　perfect　gentleman　in
its　aspect　and　demeanor；　and　this　book　would　be　good　company　for
personages　li