letters on literature(关于文学)-第13章
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seen one early example of Poe's poems。 It is 〃Al Aaraaf； Tamerlane； and
Minor Poems； by Edgar A。 Poe。 Baltimore： Hatch and Dunning； 1829；
8vo； pp。 71。〃 The book 〃came to Mr。 Locker （Mr。 Frederick Locker…
Lampson）； through Mr。 R。 H。 Stoddard； the American poet。〃 So says Mr。
Locker…Lampson's Catalogue。 He also has the New York edition of 1831。
These books are extraordinarily rare； you are more likely to find them
in some collection of twopenny rubbish than to buy them in the regular
market。 Bryant's 〃Poems〃 （Cambridge； 1821） must also be very rare； and
Emerson's of 1847； and Dr。 Oliver Wendell Holmes's of 1836； and
Longfellow's 〃Voices of the Night；〃 1839； and Mr。 Lowell's 〃A Year's
Life；〃 none of these can be common； and all are desirable； as are Mr。
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Whittier's 〃Legends of New England （1831）； and 〃Poems〃 （1838）。
Perhaps you may never be lucky enough to come across them cheap；
no doubt they are greatly sought for by amateurs。 Indeed； all American
books of a certain age or of a special interest are exorbitantly dear。 Men
like Mr。 James Lenox used to keep the market up。 One cannot get the
Jesuit 〃Relations〃shabby little missionary reports from Canada； in dirty
vellum。
Cartier； Perrot； Champlain； and the other early explorers' books are
beyond the means of a working student who needs them。 May you come
across them in a garret of a farmhouse； or in some dusty lane of the city。
Why are they not reprinted； as Mr。 Arber has reprinted 〃Captain John
Smith's Voyages； and Reports on Virginia〃？ The very reprints； when they
have been made； are rare and hard to come by。
There are certain modern books； new books； that 〃go up〃 rapidly in
value and interest。 Mr。 Swinburne's 〃Atalanta〃 of 1865； the quarto in
white cloth； is valued at twenty dollars。 Twenty years ago one dollar
would have purchased it。 Mr。 Austin Dobson's 〃Proverbs in Porcelain〃 is
also in demand among the curious。 Nay； even I may say about the first
edition of 〃Ballades in Blue China〃 （1880）； as Gibbon said of his 〃Essay
on the Study of Literature：〃 〃The primitive value of half a crown has risen
to the fanciful price of a guinea or thirty shillings；〃 or even more。 I wish
I had a copy myself； for old sake's sake。
Certain modern books； 〃on large paper；〃 are safe investments。 The
〃Badminton Library；〃 an English series of books on sport； is at a huge
premium already； when on 〃large paper。〃 But one should never buy the
book unless； as in the case of Dr。 John Hill Burton's 〃Book… Hunter〃 （first
edition）； it is not only on large paper； and not only rare （twenty…five
copies）； but also readable and interesting。 ｛7｝ A collector should have
the taste to see when a new book is in itself valuable and charming； and
when its author is likely to succeed； so that his early attempts （as in the
case of Mr。 Matthew Arnold； Lord Tennyson； and a few others of the
moderns） are certain to become things of curious interest。
You can hardly ever get a novel of Jane Austen's in the first edition。
She is rarer than Fielding or Smollett。 Some day it may be the same in
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Miss Broughton's case。 Cling to the fair and witty Jane； if you get a
chance。 Beware of illustrated modern books in which 〃processes〃 are
employed。 Amateurs will never really value mechanical reproductions；
which can be copied to any extent。 The old French copper…plate
engravings and the best English mezzo…tints are so valuable because good
impressions are necessarily so rare。
One more piece of advice。 Never （or 〃hardly ever〃） buy an imperfect
book。 It is a constant source of regret； an eyesore。 Here have I
Lovelace's 〃Lucasta；〃 1649； without the engraving。 It is deplorable； but I
never had a chance of another 〃Lucasta。〃 This is not a case of invenies
aliam。 However you fare； you will have the pleasure of Hope and the
consolation of books quietem inveniendam in abditis recessibus et
libellulis。
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ROCHEFOUCAULD
To the Lady Violet Lebas。
Dear Lady Violet；I am not sure that I agree with you in your
admiration of Rochefoucauldof the Reflexions； ou Sentences et Maximes
Morales； I mean。 At least； I hardly agree when I have read many of them
at a stretch。 It is not fair to read them in that way； of course； for there are
more than five hundred pensees； and so much esprit becomes fatiguing。 I
doubt if people study them much。 Five or six of them have become
known even to writers in the newspapers； and we all copy them from each
other。
Rochefoucauld says that a man may be too dull to be duped by a very
clever person。 He himself was so clever that he was often duped； first by
the general honest dulness of mankind； and then by his own acuteness。
He thought he saw more than he did see； and he said even more than he
thought he saw。 If the true motive of all our actions is self…love； or vanity；
no man is a better proof of the truth than the great maxim…maker。 His
self…love took the shape of a brilliancy that is sometimes false。 He is
tricked out in paste for diamonds； now and then； like a vain； provincial
beauty at a ball。 〃A clever man would frequently be much at a loss；〃 he
says； 〃in stupid company。〃 One has seen this embarrassment of a wit in a
company of dullards。 It is Rochefoucauld's own position in this world of
men and women。 We are all； in the mass； dullards compared with his
cleverness； and so he fails to understand us； is much at a loss among us。
〃People only praise others in hopes of being praised in turn；〃 he says。
Mankind is not such a company of 〃log…rollers〃 as he avers。
There is more truth in a line of Tennyson's about
〃The praise of those we love； Dearer to true young hearts than their
own praise。〃
I venture to think we need not be young to prefer to hear the praise of
others rather than our own。 It is not embarrassing in the first place； as all
praise of ourselves must be。 I doubt if any man or woman can flatter so
discreetly as not to make us uncomfortable。 Besides； if our own
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performances be lauded； we are uneasy as to whether the honour is
deserved。 An artist has usually his own doubts about his own doings； or
rather he has his own certainties。 About our friends' work we need have no
such misgivings。 And our self…love is more delicately caressed by the
success of our friends than by our own。 It is still self…love； but it is
filtered； so to speak； through our affection for another。
What are human motives； according to Rochefoucauld？
Temperament； vanity； fear； indolence； self…love； and a grain of natural
perversity； which somehow delights in evil for itself。 He neglects that
other element； a grain of natural worth； which somehow delights in good
for itself。 This taste； I think； is quite as innate； and as active in us； as that
other taste for evil which causes there to be something not wholly
displeasing in the misfortunes of our friends。
There is a story which always appears to me a touching proof of this
grain of goodness； as involuntary； as fatal as its opposite。 I do not
remember in what book of travels I found this trait of native excellence。
The black fellows of Australia are very fond of sugar； and no wonder； if it
be true that it has on them an intoxicating effect。 Well； a certain black
fellow had a small parcel of brown sugar which was pilfered from his lair
in the camp。 He detected the thief； who was condemned to be punished
according to tribal law； that is to say； the injured man was allowed to have
a whack at his enemy's head with a waddy； a short club of heavy hard
wood。 The whack was duly given； and then the black who had suffered
the loss threw down his club； burst into tears； embraced the thief and
displayed every sign of a lively regret for his revenge。
That seems to me an example of the human touch that Rochefoucauld
never allows for； the natural goodness； pity； kindness； which can assert
itself in contempt of the love of self； and the love of revenge。 This is that
true clemency which is a real virtue； and not 〃the child of Vanity； Fear；
Indolence； or of all three together。〃 Nor is it so true that 〃we have all
fortitude enough to endure the misfortunes of others。〃 Everybody has
witnessed another's grief that came as near him as his own。
How much more true； and how greatly poetical is that famous maxim：
〃Death and the Sun are two things not to be looked on with a steady eye。〃
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This version is from the earliest English translation of 1698。 The
Maximes were first published in Paris in 1665。 ｛8｝ 〃Our tardy apish
nation〃 took thirty…three years in finding
