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to devote a long period of time to travel; these were the
considerations that induced him finally to part with his
treasures. ``I have never regretted having sold them,'' he said.
``Two years after the sale the Chicago fire came along. Had I
retained those books, every one of them would have been lost.''
Mrs. Rice shared her husband's enthusiasm for books. Whenever a
new invoice arrived, the two would lock themselves in their room,
get down upon their knees on the floor, open the box, take out
the treasures and gloat over them, together! Noble lady! she was
such a wife as any good man might be proud of. They were very
happy in their companionship on earth, were my dear old friends.
He was the first to go; their separation was short; together once
more and forever they share the illimitable joys which await all
lovers of good books when virtue hath mournfully writ the
colophon to their human careers.
Although Mr. Rice survived the sale of his remarkable library a
period of twenty-six years, he did not get together again a
collection of books that he was willing to call a library. His
first collection was so remarkable that he preferred to have his
fame rest wholly upon it. Perhaps he was wise; yet how few
collectors there are who would have done as he did.
As for myself, I verily believe that, if by fire or by water my
library should be destroyed this night, I should start in again
to-morrow upon the collection of another library. Or if I did
not do this, I should lay myself down to die, for how could I
live without the companionships to which I have ever been
accustomed, and which have grown as dear to me as life itself?
Whenever Judge Methuen is in a jocular mood and wishes to tease
me, he asks me whether I have forgotten the time when I was
possessed of a spirit of reform and registered a solemn vow in
high heaven to buy no more books. Teasing, says Victor Hugo, is
the malice of good men; Judge Methuen means no evil when he
recalls that weakness--the one weakness in all my career.
No, I have not forgotten that time; I look back upon it with a
shudder of horror, for wretched indeed would have been my
existence had I carried into effect the project I devised at that
remote period!
Dr. O'Rell has an interesting theory which you will find recorded
in the published proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
(vol. xxxiv., p. 216). Or, if you cannot procure copies of that
work, it may serve your purpose to know that the doctor's theory
is to this effect--viz., that bibliomania does not deserve the
name of bibliomania until it is exhibited in the second stage.
For secondary bibliomania there is no known cure; the few cases
reported as having been cured were doubtless not bibliomania at
all, or, at least, were what we of the faculty call false or
chicken bibliomania.
``In false bibliomania, which,'' says Dr. O'Rell, ``is the
primary stage of the grand passion--the vestibule to the main
edifice --the usual symptoms are flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes,
a bounding pulse, and quick respiration. This period of
exaltation is not unfrequently followed by a condition of
collapse in which we find the victim pale, pulseless, and
dejected. He is pursued and tormented of imaginaryhorrors, he
reproaches himself for imaginary crimes, and he implores
piteously for relief from fancied dangers. The sufferer now
stands in a slippery place; unless his case is treated
intelligently he will issue from that period of gloom cured of
the sweetest of madnesses, and doomed to a life of singular
uselessness.
``But properly treated,'' continues Dr. O'Rell, ``and
particularly if his spiritual needs be ministered to, he can be
brought safely through this period of collapse into a condition
of reenforced exaltation, which is the true, or secondary stage
of, bibliomania, and for which there is no cure known to
humanity.''
I should trust Dr. O'Rell's judgment in this matter, even if I
did not know from experience that it was true. For Dr. O'Rell is
the most famous authority we have in bibliomania and kindred
maladies. It is he (I make the information known at the risk of
offending the ethics of the profession)--it is he who discovered
the bacillus librorum, and, what is still more important and
still more to his glory, it is he who invented that subtle lymph
considerations that induced him finally to part with his
treasures. ``I have never regretted having sold them,'' he said.
``Two years after the sale the Chicago fire came along. Had I
retained those books, every one of them would have been lost.''
Mrs. Rice shared her husband's enthusiasm for books. Whenever a
new invoice arrived, the two would lock themselves in their room,
get down upon their knees on the floor, open the box, take out
the treasures and gloat over them, together! Noble lady! she was
such a wife as any good man might be proud of. They were very
happy in their companionship on earth, were my dear old friends.
He was the first to go; their separation was short; together once
more and forever they share the illimitable joys which await all
lovers of good books when virtue hath mournfully writ the
colophon to their human careers.
Although Mr. Rice survived the sale of his remarkable library a
period of twenty-six years, he did not get together again a
collection of books that he was willing to call a library. His
first collection was so remarkable that he preferred to have his
fame rest wholly upon it. Perhaps he was wise; yet how few
collectors there are who would have done as he did.
As for myself, I verily believe that, if by fire or by water my
library should be destroyed this night, I should start in again
to-morrow upon the collection of another library. Or if I did
not do this, I should lay myself down to die, for how could I
live without the companionships to which I have ever been
accustomed, and which have grown as dear to me as life itself?
Whenever Judge Methuen is in a jocular mood and wishes to tease
me, he asks me whether I have forgotten the time when I was
possessed of a spirit of reform and registered a solemn vow in
high heaven to buy no more books. Teasing, says Victor Hugo, is
the malice of good men; Judge Methuen means no evil when he
recalls that weakness--the one weakness in all my career.
No, I have not forgotten that time; I look back upon it with a
shudder of horror, for wretched indeed would have been my
existence had I carried into effect the project I devised at that
remote period!
Dr. O'Rell has an interesting theory which you will find recorded
in the published proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
(vol. xxxiv., p. 216). Or, if you cannot procure copies of that
work, it may serve your purpose to know that the doctor's theory
is to this effect--viz., that bibliomania does not deserve the
name of bibliomania until it is exhibited in the second stage.
For secondary bibliomania there is no known cure; the few cases
reported as having been cured were doubtless not bibliomania at
all, or, at least, were what we of the faculty call false or
chicken bibliomania.
``In false bibliomania, which,'' says Dr. O'Rell, ``is the
primary stage of the grand passion--the vestibule to the main
edifice --the usual symptoms are flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes,
a bounding pulse, and quick respiration. This period of
exaltation is not unfrequently followed by a condition of
collapse in which we find the victim pale, pulseless, and
dejected. He is pursued and tormented of imaginaryhorrors, he
reproaches himself for imaginary crimes, and he implores
piteously for relief from fancied dangers. The sufferer now
stands in a slippery place; unless his case is treated
intelligently he will issue from that period of gloom cured of
the sweetest of madnesses, and doomed to a life of singular
uselessness.
``But properly treated,'' continues Dr. O'Rell, ``and
particularly if his spiritual needs be ministered to, he can be
brought safely through this period of collapse into a condition
of reenforced exaltation, which is the true, or secondary stage
of, bibliomania, and for which there is no cure known to
humanity.''
I should trust Dr. O'Rell's judgment in this matter, even if I
did not know from experience that it was true. For Dr. O'Rell is
the most famous authority we have in bibliomania and kindred
maladies. It is he (I make the information known at the risk of
offending the ethics of the profession)--it is he who discovered
the bacillus librorum, and, what is still more important and
still more to his glory, it is he who invented that subtle lymph
- pardon [´pɑ:dən]
n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词) - beloved [bi´lʌvd] a.为….所爱的 n.爱人 (初中英语单词)
- wealthy [´welθi] a.富有的；丰富的 (初中英语单词)
- thither [´ðiðə] ad.到那里 a.那边的 (初中英语单词)
- magnificent [mæg´nifisənt] a.壮丽的；豪华的 (初中英语单词)
- compass [´kʌmpəs] n.指南针；圆规 (初中英语单词)
- volume [´vɔlju:m, ´vɑljəm] n.卷；书籍；体积；容量 (初中英语单词)
- favorable [´feivərəbəl] a.赞成的；顺利的 (初中英语单词)
- evident [´evidənt] a.明显的，明白的 (初中英语单词)
- whenever [wen´evə] conj.&ad.无论何时 (初中英语单词)
- gesture [´dʒestʃə] n.手势 v.打手势 (初中英语单词)
- advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)
- advanced [əd´vɑ:nst] a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词)
- worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)
- hesitate [´heziteit] vi.犹豫，踌躇 (初中英语单词)
- responsible [ri´spɔnsəbəl] a.尽责的；责任重大的 (初中英语单词)
- amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)
- stanza [´stænzə] n.(诗的)节 (初中英语单词)
- modest [´mɔdist] a.谦虚的；朴素的 (初中英语单词)
- valuable [´væljuəbəl, -jubəl] a.有价值的，贵重的 (初中英语单词)
- extraordinary [ik´strɔ:dinəri] a.非常的；额外的 (初中英语单词)
- retire [ri´taiə] v.撤退；退职；退休 (初中英语单词)
- enthusiasm [in´θju:ziæzəm] n.热心；狂热；爱好 (初中英语单词)
- virtue [´və:tʃu:] n.美德；贞操；长处 (初中英语单词)
- remarkable [ri´mɑ:kəbl] a.值得注意的；显著的 (初中英语单词)
- willing [´wiliŋ] a.情愿的，乐意的 (初中英语单词)
- collection [kə´lekʃən] n.收集；征收；募捐 (初中英语单词)
- wholly [´həul-li] ad.完全，十足；统统 (初中英语单词)
- reform [ri´fɔ:m] v.&n.改革；改良；革除 (初中英语单词)
- solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)
- weakness [´wi:knis] n.虚弱；弱点，缺点 (初中英语单词)
- horror [´hɔrə] n.恐怖；战栗 (初中英语单词)
- wretched [´retʃid] a.可怜的；倒霉的 (初中英语单词)
- project [prə´dʒekt, ´prɔdʒekt] v.设计；投掷 n.计划 (初中英语单词)
- academy [ə´kædəmi] n.专科学校；学会；协会 (初中英语单词)
- procure [prə´kjuə] v.获得；完(达)成；实现 (初中英语单词)
- deserve [di´zə:v] v.应受；值得 (初中英语单词)
- secondary [´sekəndəri, -deri] a.第二的；次要的 (初中英语单词)
- doubtless [´dautlis] ad.无疑地；大概，多半 (初中英语单词)
- faculty [´fækəlti] n.才干；天赋；院，系 (初中英语单词)
- victim [´viktim] n.牺牲者；受害者 (初中英语单词)
- relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- properly [´prɔpəli] ad.适当地；严格地 (初中英语单词)
- spiritual [´spiritʃuəl] a.精神(上)的；神圣的 (初中英语单词)
- safely [´seifli] ad.安全地；平安地 (初中英语单词)
- granny [´græni] n.奶奶；外婆 (高中英语单词)
- so-called [´sou ´kɔ:ld] a.所谓的，号称的 (高中英语单词)
- resemblance [ri´zembləns] n.类似；肖像；外表 (高中英语单词)
- politely [pə´laitli] ad.温和地；文雅地 (高中英语单词)
- sweeping [´swi:piŋ] a.掠过的 n.扫除；清除 (高中英语单词)
- notable [´nəutəbəl] a.显著的 n.名人 (高中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- literally [´litərəli] ad.逐字地；实际上 (高中英语单词)
- reckless [´rekləs] a.不注意的；鲁莽的 (高中英语单词)
- shrewd [ʃru:d] a.精明的；狡猾的 (高中英语单词)
- consequently [´kɔnsikwəntli] ad.因此，所以 (高中英语单词)
- ponder [´pɔndə] v.沉思；考虑；估量 (高中英语单词)
- competitor [kəm´petitə] n.竞争者；比赛者 (高中英语单词)
- expenditure [ik´spenditʃə] n.消费；经费；费用 (高中英语单词)
- companionship [kəm´pæniənʃip] n.伴侣关系；友谊 (高中英语单词)
- separation [,sepə´reiʃən] n.分离；分开；分居 (高中英语单词)
- malice [´mælis] n.恶意；怨恨；预谋 (高中英语单词)
- imaginary [i´mædʒinəri] a.想象的；虚构的 (高中英语单词)
- slippery [´slipəri] a.滑的；不稳固的 (高中英语单词)
- collapse [kə´læps] vi.&n.崩溃；病倒；衰败 (高中英语单词)
- apprentice [ə´prentis] n.学徒 vt.使当学徒 (英语四级单词)
- auction [´ɔ:kʃən] n.&vt.拍卖 (英语四级单词)
- collector [kə´lektə] n.收款(税)员；收藏家 (英语四级单词)
- pamphlet [´pæmflit] n.小册子 (英语四级单词)
- imperative [im´perətiv] a.紧急的 n.命令式 (英语四级单词)
- chicago [ʃi´kɑ:gəu] n.芝加哥 (英语四级单词)
- verily [´verili] ad.真实的；肯定地 (英语四级单词)
- victor [´viktə] n.&a.胜利者(的) (英语四级单词)
- sufferer [´sʌfərə] n.受苦的人；患者 (英语四级单词)
- intimately [´intimitli] ad.密切地；熟悉地 (英语六级单词)
- spencer [´spensə] n.(羊毛)短上衣 (英语六级单词)
- respiration [,respə´reiʃən] n.呼吸(作用) (英语六级单词)
- ethics [´eθiks] n.伦理学；道德标准 (英语六级单词)
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