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‘‘In heaven's name； put me down at once； for there is an old gentleman in here that hath the Bodleian Library in his pocket！''
Porson himself was a veritable slave to the habit of reading in bed。 He would lie down with his books piled around him； then light his pipe and start in upon some favorite volume。 A jug of liquor was invariably at hand； for Porson was a famous drinker。 It is related that on one occasion he fell into a boosy slumber； his pipe dropped out of his mouth and set fire to the bed… clothes。 But for the arrival of succor the tipsy scholar would surely have been cremated。
Another very slovenly fellow was De Quincey； and he was devoted to reading in bed。 But De Quincey was a very vandal when it came to the care and use of books。 He never returned volumes he borrowed； and he never hesitated to mutilate a rare book in order to save himself the labor and trouble of writing out a quotation。
But perhaps the person who did most to bring reading in bed into evil repute was Mrs。 Charles Elstob； ward and sister of the Canon of Canterbury （circa 1700）。 In his ‘‘Dissertation on Letter…Founders；'' Rowe Mores describes this woman as the ‘‘indefessa comes'' of her brother's studies； a female student in Oxford。 She was； says Mores； a northern lady of an ancient family and a genteel fortune； ‘‘but she pursued too much the drug called learning； and in that pursuit failed of being careful of any one thing necessary。 In her latter years she was tutoress in the family of the Duke of Portland； where we visited her in her sleeping…room at Bulstrode； surrounded with books and dirtiness； the usual appendages of folk of learning！''
There is another word which Cicero uses for I have still somewhat more to say of that passage from the oration ‘‘pro Archia poeta''the word ‘‘rusticantur；'' which indicates that civilization twenty centuries ago made a practice of taking books out into the country for summer reading。 ‘‘These literary pursuits rusticate with us；'' says Cicero； and thus he presents to us a pen… picture of the Roman patrician stretched upon the cool grass under the trees； perusing the latest popular romance； while； forsooth； in yonder hammock his dignified spouse swings slowly to and fro； conning the pages and the colored plates of the current fashion journal。 Surely in the telltale word ‘‘rusticantur'' you and I and the rest of human nature find a worthy precedent and much encouragement for our practice of loading up with plenty of good reading before we start for the scene of our annual summering。
As for myself； I never go away from home that I do not take a trunkful of books with me； for experience has taught me that there is no companionship better than that of these friends； who； however much all things else may vary； always give the same response to my demand upon their solace and their cheer。 My sister； Miss Susan； has often inveighed against this practice of mine； and it was only yesterday that she informed me that I was the most exasperating man in the world。
However； as Miss Susan's experience with men during the sixty…seven hot summers and sixty…eight hard winters of her life has been somewhat limited； I think I should bear her criticism without a murmur。 Miss Susan is really one of the kindest creatures in all the world。 It is her misfortune that she has had all her life an insane passion for collecting crockery； old pewter； old brass； old glass； old furniture and other trumpery of that character； a passion with which I have little sympathy。 I do not know that Miss Susan is prouder of her collection of all this folderol than she is of the fact that she is a spinster。
This latter peculiarity asserts itself upon every occasion possible。 I recall an unpleasant scene in the omnibus last winter； when the obsequious conductor； taking advantage of my sister's white hair and furrowed cheeks； addressed that estimable lady as ‘‘Madam。'' I'd have you know that my sister gave the fellow to understand very shortly and in very vigorous English （emphasized with her blue silk umbrella） that she was Miss Susan； and that she did not intend to be Madamed by anybody； under any condition。
IV
THE MANIA OF COLLECTING SEIZES ME
Captivity Waite never approved of my fondness for fairy literature。 She shared the enthusiasm which I expressed whenever ‘‘Robinson Crusoe'' was mentioned； there was just enough seriousness in De Foe's romance； just enough piety to appeal for sympathy to one of Captivity Waite's religious turn of mind。 When it came to fiction involving witches； ogres； and flubdubs； that was too much for Captivity； and the spirit of the little Puritan revolted。
Yet I have the documentary evidence to prove that Captivity's ancestors （both paternal and maternal） were； in the palmy colonial times； as abject slaves to superstition as could well be imagined。 The Waites of Salem were famous persecutors of witches； and Sinai Higginbotham （Captivity's great…great… grandfather on her mother's side of the family） was Cotton Mather's boon companion； and rode around the gallows with that zealous theologian on that memorable occasion when five young women were hanged at Danvers upon the charge of having tormented little children with their damnable arts of witchcraft。 Human thought is like a monstrous pendulum： it keeps swinging from one extreme to the other。 Within the compass of five generations we find the Puritan first an uncompromising believer in demonology and magic； and then a scoffer at everything involving the play of fancy。
I felt harshly toward Captivity Waite for a time； but I harbor her no ill…will now； on the contrary； I recall with very tender feelings the distant time when our sympathies were the same and when we journeyed the pathway of early youth in a companionship sanctified by the innocence and the loyalty and the truth of childhood。 Indeed； I am not sure that that early friendship did not make a lasting impression upon my life； I have thought of Captivity Waite a great many times； and I have not unfrequently wondered what might have been but for that book of fairy tales which my Uncle Cephas sent me。
She was a very pretty child； and she lost none of her comeliness and none of her sweetness of character as she approached maturity。 I was impressed with this upon my return from college。 She； too； had pursued those studies deemed necessary to the acquirement of a good education； she had taken a four years' course at South Holyoke and had finished at Mrs。 Willard's seminary at Troy。 ‘‘You will now；'' said her father； and he voiced the New England sentiment regarding young womanhood； ‘‘you will now return to the quiet of your home and under the direction of your mother study the performance of those weightier duties which qualify your sex for a realization of the solemn responsibilities of human life。''
Three or four years ago a fine…looking young fellow walked in upon me with a letter of introduction from his mother。 He was Captivity Waite's son！ Captivity is a widow now； and she is still living in her native State； within twenty miles of the spot where she was born。 Colonel Parker； her husband； left her a good property when he died； and she is famous for her charities。 She has founded a village library； and she has written me on several occasions for advice upon proposed purchases of books。
I don't mind telling you that I had a good deal of malicious pleasure in sending her not long ago a reminder of old times in these words： ‘‘My valued friend；'' I wrote； ‘‘I see by the catalogue recently published that your village library contains； among other volumes representing the modern school of fiction； eleven copies of ‘Trilby' and six copies of ‘The Heavenly Twins。' I also note an absence of certain works whose influence upon my earlier life was such that I make bold to send copies of the same to your care in the hope that you will kindly present them to the library with my most cordial compliments。 These are a copy each of the ‘New England Primer' and Grimm's ‘Household Stories。' ''
At the age of twenty…three； having been graduated from college and having read the poems of Villon； the confessions of Rousseau； and Boswell's life of Johnson； I was convinced that I had comprehended the sum of human wisdom and knew all there was worth knowing。 If at the present time for I am seventy…twoI knew as much as I thought I knew at twenty…three I should undoubtedly be a prodigy of learning and wisdom。
I started out to be a philosopher。 My grandmother's death during my second year at college possessed me of a considerable sum of money and severed every tie and sentimental obligation which had previously held me to my grandmother's wish that I become a minister of the gospel。 When I became convinced that I knew everything I conceived a desire to see something； for I had traveled none and I had met but few people。
Upon the advice of my Uncle Cephas； I made a journey to Europe； and devoted two years to seeing sights and to acquainting myself with the people and the customs abroad。 Nine months of this time I spent in Paris； which was then an irregular and unkempt city； but withal quite as evil as at present。 I took apartments in the Latin Quarter； and； be