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holds for them； and have done with it。 When I want a book； it is as
a tiger wants a sheep。 I must have it with one spring； and； if I
miss it； go away defeated and hungry。 And my experience with public
libraries is that the first volume of the book I inquire for is out；
unless I happen to want the second； when that is out。
I was pretty well prepared to understand the Master's library and
his account of it。 We seated ourselves in two very comfortable
chairs； and I began the conversation。
…I see you have a large and rather miscellaneous collection of books。
Did you get them together by accident or according to some
preconceived plan？
Both； sir； both；the Master answered。 When Providence throws a
good book in my way； I bow to its decree and purchase it as an act of
piety； if it is reasonably or unreasonably cheap。 I adopt a certain
number of books every year； out of a love for the foundlings and
stray children of other people's brains that nobody seems to care
for。 Look here。
He took down a Greek Lexicon finely bound in calf； and spread it
open。
Do you see that Hedericus ？ I had Greek dictionaries enough and to
spare； but I saw that noble quarto lying in the midst of an ignoble
crowd of cheap books； and marked with a price which I felt to be an
insult to scholarship； to the memory of Homer； sir； and the awful
shade of AEschylus。 I paid the mean price asked for it； and I wanted
to double it； but I suppose it would have been a foolish sacrifice of
coin to sentiment： I love that book for its looks and behavior。 None
of your 〃half…calf 〃 economies in that volume； sir！ And see how it
lies open anywhere！ There is n't a book in my library that has such
a generous way of laying its treasures before you。 From Alpha to
Omega； calm； assured rest at any page that your choice or accident
may light on。 No lifting of a rebellious leaf like an upstart
servant that does not know his place and can never be taught manners；
but tranquil； well…bred repose。 A book may be a perfect gentleman in
its aspect and demeanor； and this book would be good company for
personages like Roger Ascham and his pupils the Lady Elizabeth and
the Lady Jane Grey。
The Master was evidently riding a hobby； and what I wanted to know
was the plan on which he had formed his library。 So I brought him
back to the point by asking him the question in so many words。
Yes；he said；I have a kind of notion of the way in which a library
ought to be put togetherno； I don't mean that； I mean ought to
grow。 I don't pretend to say that mine is a model； but it serves my
turn well enough； and it represents me pretty accurately。 A scholar
must shape his own shell； secrete it one might almost say； for
secretion is only separation； you know； of certain elements derived
from the materials of the world about us。 And a scholar's study；
with the books lining its walls； is his shell。 It is n't a mollusk's
shell； either； it 's a caddice…worm's shell。 You know about the
caddice…worm？
More or less； less rather than more；was my humble reply。
Well； sir； the caddice…worm is the larva of a fly； and he makes a
case for himself out of all sorts of bits of everything that happen
to suit his particular fancy； dead or alive； sticks and stones and
small shells with their owners in 'em； living as comfortable as ever。
Every one of these caddice…worms has his special fancy as to what he
will pick up and glue together； with a kind of natural cement he
provides himself； to make his case out of。 In it he lives； sticking
his head and shoulders out once in a while； that is all。 Don't you
see that a student in his library is a caddice…worm in his case？
I've told you that I take an interest in pretty much everything； and
don't mean to fence out any human interests from the private grounds
of my intelligence。 Then； again； there is a subject； perhaps I may
say there is more than one； that I want to exhaust； to know to the
very bottom。 And besides； of course I must have my literary harem；
my pare aux cerfs； where my favorites await my moments of leisure and
pleasure；my scarce and precious editions； my luxurious
typographical masterpieces； my Delilahs； that take my head in their
lap： the pleasant story…tellers and the like； the books I love
because they are fair to look upon； prized by collectors； endeared by
old associations； secret treasures that nobody else knows anything
about； books； in short； that I like for insufficient reasons it may
be； but peremptorily； and mean to like and to love and to cherish
till death us do part。
Don't you see I have given you a key to the way my library is made
up； so that you can apriorize the plan according to which I have
filled my bookcases？ I will tell you how it is carried out。
In the first place； you see； I have four extensive cyclopaedias。 Out
of these I can get information enough to serve my immediate purpose
on almost any subject。 These； of course； are supplemented by
geographical； biographical； bibliographical； and other dictionaries；
including of course lexicons to all the languages I ever meddle with。
Next to these come the works relating to my one or two specialties；
and these collections I make as perfect as I can。 Every library
should try to be complete on something； if it were only on the
history of pin…heads。 I don't mean that I buy all the trashy
compilations on my special subjects； but I try to have all the works
of any real importance relating to them； old as well as new。 In the
following compartment you will find the great authors in all the
languages I have mastered； from Homer and Hesiod downward to the last
great English name。
This division； you see； you can make almost as extensive or as
limited as you choose。 You can crowd the great representative
writers into a small compass； or you can make a library consisting
only of the different editions of Horace； if you have space and money
enough。 Then comes the Harem； the shelf or the bookcase of Delilahs；
that you have paid wicked prices for； that you love without
pretending to be reasonable about it； and would bag in case of fire
before all the rest； just as Mr。 Townley took the Clytie to his
carriage when the anti…Catholic mob threatened his house in 1780。 As
for the foundlings like my Hedericus； they go among their peers； it
is a pleasure to take them； from the dusty stall where they were
elbowed by plebeian school…books and battered odd volumes； and give
them Alduses and Elzevirs for companions。
Nothing remains but the Infirmary。 The most painful subjects are the
unfortunates that have lost a cover。 Bound a hundred years ago；
perhaps； and one of the rich old browned covers gonewhat a pity！
Do you know what to do about it？ I 'll tell you；no； I 'll show
you。 Look at this volume。 M。 T。 Ciceronis Opera；a dozen of 'em；
one of 'em minus half his cover； a poor one…legged cripple； six
months ago；now see him。
He looked very respectably indeed； both covers dark； ancient； very
decently matched； one would hardly notice the fact that they were not
twins。
…I 'll tell you what I did。 You poor devil； said I； you are a
disgrace to your family。 We must send you