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！
that dwell below the skies。〃 The more he reads； the more he studies
his author； the richer are the treasures he finds。 And what Horace
is to him； Homer； or Virgil； or Dante is to many a quiet reader； sick
to death of the unending train of bookmakers。
I have some curious books in my library； a few of which I should like
to say something about to The Teacups； when they have no more
immediately pressing subjects before them。 A library of a few
thousand volumes ought always to have some books in it which the
owner almost never opens； yet with whose backs he is so well
acquainted that he feels as if he knew something of their contents。
They are like those persons whom we meet in our daily walks； with
whose faces and figures； whose summer and winter garments； whose
walking…sticks and umbrellas even； we feel acquainted； and yet whose
names； whose business； whose residences； we know nothing about。 Some
of these books are so formidable in their dimensions； so rusty and
crabbed in their aspect； that it takes a considerable amount of
courage to attack them。
I will ask Delilah to bring down from my library a very thick； stout
volume； bound in parchment； and standing on the lower shelf； next the
fireplace。 The pretty handmaid knows my books almost as if she were
my librarian； and I don't doubt she would have found it if I had
given only the name on the back。
Delilah returned presently； with the heavy quarto in her arms。 It
was a pleasing sight；the old book in the embrace of the fresh young
damsel。 I felt； on looking at them； as I did when I followed the
slip of a girl who conducted us in the Temple； that ancient building
in the heart of London。 The long…enduring monuments of the dead do
so mock the fleeting presence of the living！
Is n't this book enough to scare any of you？ I said； as Delilah
dumped it down upon the table。 The teacups jumped from their saucers
as it thumped on the board。 Danielis Georgii Morhofii Polyhistor；
Literarius； Philosophicus et Poeticus。 Lubecae MDCCXXXIII。 Perhaps
I should not have ventured to ask you to look at this old volume； if
it had not been for the fact that Dr。 Johnson mentions Morohof as the
author to whom he was specially indebted。 more； I think； than to
any other。 It is a grand old encyclopaedic summary of all the author
knew about pretty nearly everything； full of curious interest； but so
strangely mediaeval； so utterly antiquated in most departments of
knowledge； that it is hard to believe the volume came from the press
at a time when persons whom I well remember were living。 Is it
possible that the books which have been for me what Morhof was for
Dr。 Johnson can look like that to the student of the year 1990？
Morhof was a believer in magic and the transmutation of metals。
There was always something fascinating to me in the old books of
alchemy。 I have felt that the poetry of science lost its wings when
the last powder of projection had been cast into the crucible； and
the fire of the last transmutation furnace went out。 Perhaps I am
wrong in implying that alchemy is an extinct folly。 It existed in
New England's early days； as we learn from the Winthrop papers； and I
see no reason why gold…making should not have its votaries as well as
other popular delusions。
Among the essays of Morhof is one on the 〃Paradoxes of the Senses。〃
That title brought to mind the recollection of another work I have
been meaning to say something about； at some time when you were in
the listening mood。 The book I refer to is 〃A Budget of Paradoxes；〃
by Augustus De Morgan。 De Morgan is well remembered as a very
distinguished mathematician； whose works have kept his name in high
honor to the present time。 The book I am speaking of was published
by his widow； and is largely made up of letters received by him and
his comments upon them。 Few persons ever read it through。 Few
intelligent readers ever took it up and laid it down without taking a
long draught of its singular and interesting contents。 The letters
are mostly from that class of persons whom we call 〃cranks；〃 in our
familiar language。
At this point Number Seven interrupted me by calling out； 〃Give us
some of those cranks' letters。 A crank is a man who does his own
thinking。 I had a relation who was called a crank。 I believe I have
been spoken of as one myself。 That is what you have to expect if you
invent anything that puts an old machine out of fashion； or solve a
problem that has puzzled all the world up to your time。 There never
was a religion founded but its Messiah was called a crank。 There
never was an idea started that woke up men out of their stupid
indifference but its originator was spoken of as a crank。 Do you
want to know why that name is given to the men who do most for the
world's progress？ I will tell you。 It is because cranks make all
the wheels in all the machinery of the world go round。 What would a
steam…engine be without a crank？ I suppose the first fool that
looked on the first crank that was ever made asked what that crooked；
queer…looking thing was good for。 When the wheels got moving he
found out。 Tell us something about that book which has so much to
say concerning cranks。〃
Hereupon I requested Delilah to carry back Morhof； and replace him in
the wide gap he had left in the bookshelf。 She was then to find and
bring down the volume I had been speaking of。
Delilah took the wisdom of the seventeenth century in her arms； and
departed on her errand。 The book she brought down was given me some
years ago by a gentleman who had sagaciously foreseen that it was
just one of those works which I might hesitate about buying； but
should be well pleased to own。 He guessed well； the book has been a
great source of instruction and entertainment to me。 I wonder that
so much time and cost should have been expended upon a work which
might have borne a title like the Encomium Moriae of Erasmus； and yet
it is such a wonderful museum of the productions of the squinting
brains belonging to the class of persons commonly known as cranks
that we could hardly spare one of its five hundred octavo pages。
Those of us who are in the habit of receiving letters from all sorts
of would…be…literary peopleletters of inquiry； many of them with
reference to matters we are supposed to understandcan readily see
how it was that Mr。 De Morgan； never too busy to be good…natured with
the people who pesteredor amused…him with their queer fancies；
received such a number of letters from persons who thought they had
made great discoveries； from those who felt that they and their
inventions and contrivances had been overlooked； and who sought in
his large charity of disposition and great receptiveness a balm for
their wounded feelings and a ray of hope for their darkened
prospects。
The book before us is made up from papers published in 〃The
Athenaeum；〃 with additions by the author。 Soon after ope