按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
therefore； Do not try to identify the individual Teacups。 You will
not get them right； or； if you do； you may too probably make trouble。
How is it possible that I can keep up my freedom of intercourse with
you all if you insist on bellowing my 〃asides〃 through a speaking…
trumpet？ Besides； you cannot have failed to see that there are
strong symptoms of the springing up of delicate relations between
some of our number。 I told you how it would be。 It did not require
a prophet to foresee that the saucy intruder who； as Mr。 Willis
wrote； and the dear dead girls used to sing； in our young days；
〃Taketh every form of air；
And every shape of earth；
And comes unbidden everywhere；
Like thought's mysterious birth；〃
would pop his little curly head up between one or more pairs of
Teacups。 If you will stop these questions； then； I will go on with
my reports of what was said and done at our meetings over the
teacups。
Of all things beautiful in this fair world； there is nothing so
enchanting to look upon； to dream about； as the first opening of the
flower of young love。 How closely the calyx has hidden the glowing
leaves in its quiet green mantle！ Side by side； two buds have been
tossing jauntily in the breeze； often brought very near to each
other； sometimes touching for a moment； with a secret thrill in their
close…folded heart…leaves； it may be； but still the cool green sepals
shutting tight over the burning secret within。 All at once a morning
ray touches one of the two buds； and the point of a blushing petal
betrays the imprisoned and swelling blossom。
Oh； no； I did not promise a love…story。 There may be a little
sentiment now and then； but these papers are devoted chiefly to the
opinions； prejudices； fancies； whims； of myself； The Dictator； and
others of The Teacups who have talked or written for the general
benefit of the company。
Here are some of the remarks I made the other evening on the subject
of Intellectual Over…Feeding and its consequence； Mental Dyspepsia。
There is something positively appalling in the amount of printed
matter yearly； monthly； weekly； daily； secreted by that great gland
of the civilized organism； the press。 I need not dilate upon this
point； for it is brought home to every one of you who ever looks into
a bookstore or a public library。 So large is the variety of literary
products continually coming forward； forced upon the attention of the
reader by stimulating and suggestive titles； commended to his notice
by famous names； recasting old subjects and developing and
illustrating new ones； that the mind is liable to be urged into a
kind of unnatural hunger； leading to a repletion which is often
followed by disgust and disturbed nervous conditions as its natural
consequence。
It has long been a favorite rule with me； a rule which I have never
lost sight of； however imperfectly I have carried it out： Try to know
enough of a wide range of subjects to profit by the conversation of
intelligent persons of different callings and various intellectual
gifts and acquisitions。 The cynic will paraphrase this into a
shorter formula： Get a smattering in every sort of knowledge。 I must
therefore add a second piece of advice： Learn to hold as of small
account the comments of the cynic。 He is often amusing； sometimes
really witty； occasionally； without meaning it； instructive； but his
talk is to profitable conversation what the stone is to the pulp of
the peach； what the cob is to the kernels on an ear of Indian corn。
Once more： Do not be bullied out of your common sense by the
specialist； two to one； he is a pedant； with all his knowledge and
valuable qualities； and will 〃cavil on the ninth part of a hair；〃 if
it will give him a chance to show off his idle erudition。
I saw attributed to me； the other day； the saying； 〃Know something
about everything； and everything about something。〃 I am afraid it
does not belong to me； but I will treat it as I used to treat a stray
boat which came through my meadow； floating down the Housatonic；get
hold of it and draw it ashore； and hold on to it until the owner
turns up。 If this precept is used discreetly； it is very
serviceable； but it is as well to recognize the fact that you cannot
know something about everything in days like these of intellectual
activity； of literary and scientific production。 We all feel this。
It makes us nervous to see the shelves of new books； many of which we
feel as if we ought to read； and some among them to study。 We must
adopt some principle of selection among the books outside of any
particular branch which we may have selected for study。 I have often
been asked what books I would recommend for a course of reading。 I
have always answered that I had a great deal rather take advice than
give it。 Fortunately； a number of scholars have furnished lists of
books to which the inquirer may be directed。 But the worst of it is
that each student is in need of a little library specially adapted to
his wants。 Here is a young man writing to me from a Western college；
and wants me to send him a list of the books which I think would be
most useful to him。 He does not send me his intellectual
measurements； and he might as well have sent to a Boston tailor for a
coat； without any hint of his dimensions in length； breadth； and
thickness。
But instead of laying down rules for reading； and furnishing lists of
the books which should be read in order； I will undertake the much
humbler task of giving a little quasi…medical advice to persons；
young or old； suffering from book…hunger； book…surfeit； book…
nervousness； book…indigestion； book…nausea； and all other maladies
which； directly or indirectly； may be traced to books； and to which I
could give Greek or Latin names if I thought it worth while。
I have a picture hanging in my library； a lithograph； of which many
of my readers may have seen copies。 It represents a gray…haired old
book…lover at the top of a long flight of steps。 He finds himself in
clover； so to speak； among rare old editions； books he has longed to
look upon and never seen before； rarities； precious old volumes；
incunabula； cradle…books； printed while the art was in its infancy；
its glorious infancy； for it was born a giant。 The old bookworm is
so intoxicated with the sight and handling of the priceless treasures
that he cannot bear to put one of the volumes back after he has taken
it from the shelf。 So there he stands；one book open in his hands；
a volume under each arm； and one or more between his legs；loaded
with as many as he can possibly hold at the same time。
Now； that is just the way in which the extreme form of book…hunger
shows itself in the reader whose appetite has become over…developed。
He wants to read so many books that he over…crams himself with the
crude materials of knowledge； which become knowledge only when the
mental dig