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Frenchman； like Rousseau himself in his younger days； M。 de Latour had
not recognised the periwinkle when he saw it。 That night； so excited was
M。 de Latour； he never closed an eye！ What puzzled him was that he
could not remember； in all Rousseau's works； a single allusion to the
〃Imitatio Christi。〃 Time went on； the old book was not rebound； but kept
piously in a case of Russia leather。 M。 de Latour did not suppose that
〃dans ce bas monde it fut permis aux joies du bibliophile d'aller encore
plus loin。〃 He imagined that the delights of the amateur could only go
further； in heaven。 It chanced； however； one day that he was turning over
the 〃Oeuvres Inedites〃 of Rousseau； when he found a letter； in which Jean
Jacques； writing in 1763； asked Motiers…Travers to send him the 〃Imitatio
Christi。〃 Now the date 1764 is memorable； in Rousseau's 〃Confessions；〃
for a burst of sentiment over a periwinkle； the first he had noticed
particularly since his residence at Les Charmettes； where the flower had
been remarked by Madame de Warens。 Thus M。 Tenant de Latour had
recovered the very identical periwinkle； which caused the tear of
sensibility to moisten the fine eyes of Jean Jacques Rousseau。
We cannot all be adorers of Rousseau。 But M。 de Latour was an
enthusiast； and this little anecdote of his explains the sentimental side of
the bibliophile's pursuit。 Yes； it is SENTIMENT that makes us feel a
lively affection for the books that seem to connect us with great poets and
students long ago dead。 Their hands grasp ours across the ages。 I never
see the first edition of Homer； that monument of typography and of
enthusiasm for letters； printed at Florence （1488） at the expense of young
Bernardo and Nerio Nerli； and of their friend Giovanni Acciajuoli； but I
feel moved to cry with Heyne； 〃salvete juvenes； nobiles et generosi；
＇Greek text＇。〃
Such is our apology for book…collecting。 But the best defence of the
taste would be a list of the names of great collectors； a 〃vision of mighty
book…hunters。〃 Let us say nothing of Seth and Noah； for their reputation
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THE LIBRARY18
as amateurs is only based on the authority of the tract De Bibliothecis
Antediluvianis。 The library of Assurbanipal I pass over； for its volumes
were made； as Pliny says； of coctiles laterculi； of baked tiles； which have
been deciphered by the late Mr。 George Smith。 Philosophers as well as
immemorial kings； Pharaohs and Ptolemys； are on our side。 It was
objected to Plato； by persons answering to the cheap scribblers of to…day；
that he； though a sage； gave a hundred minae （360 pounds） for three
treatises of Philolaus； while Aristotle paid nearly thrice the sum for a few
books that had been in the library of Speusippus。 Did not a Latin
philosopher go great lengths in a laudable anxiety to purchase an Odyssey
〃as old as Homer；〃 and what would not Cicero； that great collector； have
given for the Ascraean editio princeps of Hesiod； scratched on mouldy old
plates of lead？ Perhaps Dr。 Schliemann may find an original edition of
the 〃Iliad〃 at Orchomenos； but of all early copies none seems so attractive
as that engraved on the leaden plates which Pausanias saw at Ascra。
Then； in modern times； what 〃great allies〃 has the collector； what brethren
in book…hunting？ The names are like the catalogue with which Villon
fills his 〃Ballade des Seigneurs du Temps Jadis。〃 A collector was 〃le
preux Charlemaigne〃 and our English Alfred。 The Kings of Hungary； as
Mathias Corvinus； the Kings of France； and their queens； and their
mistresses； and their lords； were all amateurs。 So was our Henry VIII。；
and James I。； who 〃wished he could be chained to a shelf in the Bodleian。〃
The middle age gives us Richard de Bury； among ecclesiastics； and the
Renaissance boasts Sir Thomas More； with that 〃pretty fardle of books； in
the small type of Aldus；〃 which he carried for a freight to the people of
Utopia。 Men of the world； like Bussy Rabutin； queens like our Elizabeth；
popes like Innocent X。； financiers like Colbert （who made the Grand Turk
send him Levant morocco for bindings）； men of letters like Scott and
Southey； Janin and Nodier； and Paul Lacroix； warriors like Junot and
Prince Eugene； these are only leaders of companies in the great army of
lovers of books； in which it is honourable enough to be a private soldier。
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THE LIBRARY
The Library which is to be spoken of in these pages； is all unlike the
halls which a Spencer or a Huth fills with treasure beyond price。 The age
of great libraries has gone by； and where a collector of the old school
survives； he is usually a man of enormous wealth； who might； if he
pleased； be distinguished in parliament； in society； on the turf itself； or in
any of the pursuits where unlimited supplies of money are strictly
necessary。 The old amateurs； whom La Bruyere was wont to sneer at； were
not satisfied unless they possessed many thousands of books。 For a
collector like Cardinal Mazarin； Naude bought up the whole stock of many
a bookseller； and left great towns as bare of printed paper as if a tornado
had passed； and blown the leaves away。 In our modern times； as the
industrious Bibliophile Jacob； says； the fashion of book…collecting has
changed； 〃from the vast hall that it was； the library of the amateur has
shrunk to a closet； to a mere book…case。 Nothing but a neat article of
furniture is needed now； where a great gallery or a long suite of rooms was
once required。 The book has become； as it were； a jewel； and is kept in a
kind of jewel…case。〃 It is not quantity of pages； nor lofty piles of ordinary
binding； nor theological folios and classic quartos； that the modern
amateur desires。 He is content with but a few books of distinction and
elegance； masterpieces of printing and binding； or relics of famous old
collectors； of statesmen； philosophers； beautiful dead ladies； or； again； he
buys illustrated books； or first editions of the modern classics。 No one；
not the Duc d'Aumale； or M。 James Rothschild himself； with his 100
books worth 40；000 pounds； can possess very many copies of books which
are inevitably rare。 Thus the adviser who would offer suggestions to the
amateur； need scarcely write； like Naude and the old authorities； about the
size and due position of the library。 He need hardly warn the builder to
make the salle face the east； 〃because the eastern winds； being warm and
dry of their nature； greatly temper the air； fortify the senses； make subtle
the humours； purify the spirits； preserve a healthy disposition of the whole
body； and； to say all in one word； are most wholesome and salubrious。〃
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The east wind； like the fashion of book… collecting； has altered in character
a good deal since the days when Naude was librarian to Cardinal Mazarin。
One might as well repeat the learned Isidorus his counsels about the panels
of green marble （that refreshes the eye）； and Boethius his censures on
library walls of ivory and glass； as fall back on the ancient ideas of
librarians dead and gone。
The amateur； then； is the person we have in our eye； and especially the
bibliophile who has but lately been bitten with this pleasant mania of
collecting。 We would teach him how to arrange and keep his books
orderly and in good case； and would tell him what to buy and what to
avoid。 By the LIBRARY we do not understand a