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biblioklepts； rescued many of the books he stole from dirt and misuse； and
had them bound royally in purple and gold。 Also； it may be argued that
books naturally belong to him who can appreciate them； and if good books
are in a dull or indifferent man's keeping； this is the sort of slavery which
we call 〃unnatural〃 in our POLITICS； and which is not to be endured。
Shall we say； then； that the Robustious Philistine is the worse citizen；
while the Biblioklept is the worse man？ But this is perhaps matter for a
separate disquisition。〃
This fragment of the lost Aristotelian treatise 〃Concerning Books；〃
shows what a difficulty the Stagirite had in determining the precise nature
of the moral offence of the biblioklept。 Indeed； both as a collector and as
an intuitive moralist； Aristotle must have found it rather difficult to
condemn the book…thief。 He； doubtless； went on to draw distinctions
between the man who steals books to sell them again for mere pecuniary
profit （which he would call 〃chrematistic；〃 or 〃unnatural；〃 book…stealing）；
and the man who steals them because he feels that he is their proper and
natural possessor。 The same distinction is taken by Jules Janin； who was
a more constant student of Horace than of Aristotle。 In his imaginary
dialogue of bibliophiles； Janin introduces a character who announces the
death of M。 Libri。 The tolerant person who brings the sad news proposes
〃to cast a few flowers on the melancholy tomb。 He was a bibliophile；
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after all。 What do you say to it？ Many a good fellow has stolen books；
and died in grace at the last。〃 〃Yes；〃 replies the president of the club；
〃but the good fellows did not sell the books they stole 。 。 。 Cest une grande
honte； une grande misere。〃 This Libri was an Inspector…General of French
Libraries under Louis Philippe。 When he was tried； in 1848； it was
calculated that the sum of his known thefts amounted to 20；000 pounds。
Many of his robberies escaped notice at the time。 It is not long since
Lord Ashburnham； according to a French journal； 〃Le Livre；〃 found in his
collection some fragments of a Pentateuch。 These relics had been in the
possession of the Lyons Library； whence Libri stole them in 1847。 The
late Lord Ashburnham bought them； without the faintest idea of Libri's
dishonesty； and when； after eleven years； the present peer discovered the
proper owners of his treasure； he immediately restored the Pentateuch to
the Lyons Library。
Many eminent characters have been biblioklepts。 When Innocent X。
was still Monsignor Pamphilio； he stole a bookso says Tallemant des
Reauxfrom Du Monstier； the painter。 The amusing thing is that Du
Monstier himself was a book…thief。 He used to tell how he had lifted a
book； of which he had long been in search； from a stall on the Pont…Neuf；
〃but；〃 says Tallemant （whom Janin does not seem to have consulted）；
〃there are many people who don't think it thieving to steal a book unless
you sell it afterwards。〃 But Du Monstier took a less liberal view where
his own books were concerned。 The Cardinal Barberini came to Paris as
legate； and brought in his suite Monsignor Pamphilio； who afterwards
became Innocent X。 The Cardinal paid a visit to Du Monstier in his
studio； where Monsignor Pamphilio spied； on a table； 〃L'Histoire du
Concile de Trent〃the good edition； the London one。 〃What a pity；〃
thought the young ecclesiastic； 〃that such a man should be； by some
accident； the possessor of so valuable a book。〃 With these sentiments
Monsignor Pamphilio slipped the work under his soutane。 But little Du
Monstier observed him； and said furiously to the Cardinal； that a holy man
should not bring thieves and robbers in his company。 With these words；
and with others of a violent and libellous character； he recovered the
〃History of the Council of Trent；〃 and kicked out the future Pope。
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Amelot de la Houssaie traces to this incident the hatred borne by Innocent
X。 to the Crown and the people of France。 Another Pope； while only a
cardinal； stole a book from Menageso M。 Janin reportsbut we have not
been able to discover Menage's own account of the larceny。 The
anecdotist is not so truthful that cardinals need flush a deeper scarlet； like
the roses in Bion's 〃Lament for Adonis；〃 on account of a scandal resting
on the authority of Menage。 Among Royal persons； Catherine de Medici；
according to Brantome； was a biblioklept。 〃The Marshal Strozzi had a
very fine library； and after his death the Queen…Mother seized it；
promising some day to pay the value to his son； who never got a farthing
of the money。〃 The Ptolemies； too； were thieves on a large scale。 A
department of the Alexandrian Library was called 〃The Books from the
Ships；〃 and was filled with rare volumes stolen from passengers in vessels
that touched at the port。 True； the owners were given copies of their
ancient MSS。； but the exchange； as Aristotle says； was an 〃involuntary〃
one； and not distinct from robbery。
The great pattern of biblioklepts； a man who carried his passion to the
most regrettable excesses； was a Spanish priest； Don Vincente； of the
convent of Pobla； in Aragon。 When the Spanish revolution despoiled the
convent libraries； Don Vincente established himself at Barcelona； under
the pillars of Los Encantes； where are the stalls of the merchants of bric…a…
brac and the seats of them that sell books。 In a gloomy den the Don
stored up treasures which he hated to sell。 Once he was present at an
auction where he was out…bid in the competition for a rare； perhaps a
unique； volume。 Three nights after that； the people of Barcelona were
awakened by cries of 〃Fire！〃 The house and shop of the man who had
bought 〃Ordinacions per los gloriosos reys de Arago〃 were blazing。
When the fire was extinguished； the body of the owner of the house was
found； with a pipe in his blackened hand； and some money beside him。
Every one said； 〃He must have set the house on fire with a spark from his
pipe。〃 Time went on； and week by week the police found the bodies of
slain men； now in the street； now in a ditch； now in the river。 There were
young men and old； all had been harmless and inoffensive in their lives；
andall had been bibliophiles。 A dagger in an invisible hand had reached
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their hearts but the assassin had spared their purses； money； and rings。
An organised search was made in the city； and the shop of Don Vincente
was examined。 There； in a hidden recess； the police discovered the copy
of 〃Ordinacions per los gloriosis reys de Arago；〃 which ought by rights to
have been burned with the house of its purchaser。 Don Vincente was
asked how he got the book。 He replied in a quiet voice； demanded that
his collection should be made over to the Barcelona Library； and then
confessed a long array of crimes。 He had strangled his rival； stolen the
〃Ordinacions；〃 and burned the house。 The slain men were people who
had bought from him books which he really could not bear to part with。
At his trial his counsel tried to prove that his confession was false； and that
he might have got his books by honest means。 It was objected that there
was in the world only one book printed by Lambert Palmart in 1482； and
that the prisoner must have stolen this； the only cop