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a can be aborted； but a very large majority of his profession are of the opinion that the actual malady must needs run a regular course； and they insist that the cases quoted as cured by Woodbury were not genuine； but were bastard or false phases； of the same class as the chickenpox and the German measles。
My mania exhibited itself first in an affectation for old books； it mattered not what the book itself wasso long as it bore an ancient date upon its title…page or in its colophon I pined to possess it。 This was not only a vanity； but a very silly one。 In a month's time I had got together a large number of these old tomes； many of them folios； and nearly all badly worm…eaten； and sadly shaken。
One day I entered a shop kept by a man named Stibbs； and asked if I could procure any volumes of sixteenth…century print。
‘‘Yes；'' said Mr。 Stibbs； ‘‘we have a cellarful of them； and we sell them by the ton or by the cord。''
That very day I dispersed my hoard of antiques； retaining only my Prynne's ‘‘Histrio… Mastix'' and my Opera Quinti Horatii Flacci （8vo； Aldus； Venetiis； 1501）。 And then I became interested in British balladrya noble subject； for which I have always had a veneration and love； as the well…kept and profusely annotated volumes in cases 3； 6； and 9 in the front room are ready to prove to you at any time you choose to visit my quiet； pleasant home。
V
BALDNESS AND INTELLECTUALITY
One of Judge Methuen's pet theories is that the soul in the human body lies near the center of gravity； this is； I believe； one of the tenets of the Buddhist faith； and for a long time I eschewed it as one might shun a vile thing； for I feared lest I should become identified even remotely with any faith or sect other than Congregationalism。
Yet I noticed that in moments of fear or of joy or of the sense of any other emotion I invariably experienced a feeling of goneness in the pit of my stomach； as if； forsooth； the center of my physical system were also the center of my nervous and intellectual system； the point at which were focused all those devious lines of communication by means of which sensation is instantaneously transmitted from one part of the body to another。
I mentioned this circumstance to Judge Methuen； and it seemed to please him。 ‘‘My friend；'' said he； ‘‘you have a particularly sensitive soul； I beg of you to exercise the greatest prudence in your treatment of it。 It is the best type of the bibliomaniac soul； for the quickness of its apprehensions betokens that it is alert and keen and capable of instantaneous impressions and enthusiasms。 What you have just told me convinces me that you are by nature qualified for rare exploits in the science and art of book…collecting。 You will presently become baldperhaps as bald as Thomas Hobbes wasfor a vigilant and active soul invariably compels baldness； so close are the relations between the soul and the brain； and so destructive are the growth and operations of the soul to those vestigial features which humanity has inherited from those grosser animals； our prehistoric ancestors。''
You see by this that Judge Methuen recognized baldness as prima…facie evidence of intellectuality and spirituality。 He has collected much literature upon the subject； and has promised the Academy of Science to prepare and read for the instruction of that learned body an essay demonstrating that absence of hair from the cranium （particularly from the superior regions of the frontal and parietal divisions） proves a departure from the instincts and practices of brute humanity； and indicates surely the growth of the understanding。
It occurred to the Judge long ago to prepare a list of the names of the famous bald men in the history of human society； and this list has grown until it includes the names of thousands； representing every profession and vocation。 Homer； Socrates； Confucius； Aristotle； Plato； Cicero； Pliny； Maecenas； Julius Caesar； Horace； Shakespeare； Bacon； Napoleon Bonaparte； Dante； Pope； Cowper； Goldsmith； Wordsworth； Israel Putnam； John Quincy Adams； Patrick Henrythese geniuses all were bald。 But the baldest of all was the philosopher Hobbes； of whom the revered John Aubrey has recorded that ‘‘he was very bald； yet within dore he used to study and sitt bare…headed； and said he never took cold in his head； but that the greatest trouble was to keepe off the flies from pitching on the baldness。''
In all the portraits and pictures of Bonaparte which I have seen； a conspicuous feature is that curl or lock of hair which depends upon the emperor's forehead； and gives to the face a pleasant degree of picturesque distinction。 Yet this was a vanity； and really a laughable one； for early in life Bonaparte began to get bald； and this so troubled him that he sought to overcome the change it made in his appearance by growing a long strand of hair upon his occiput and bringing it forward a goodly distance in such artful wise that it right ingeniously served the purposes of that Hyperion curl which had been the pride of his youth； but which had fallen early before the ravages of time。
As for myself； I do not know that I ever shared that derisive opinion in which the unthinking are wont to hold baldness。 Nay； on the contrary； I have always had especial reverence for this mark of intellectuality； and I agree with my friend Judge Methuen that the tragic episode recorded in the second chapter of II。 Kings should serve the honorable purpose of indicating to humanity that bald heads are favored with the approval and the protection of Divinity。
In my own case I have imputed my early baldness to growth in intellectuality and spirituality induced by my fondness for and devotion to books。 Miss Susan； my sister； lays it to other causes； first among which she declares to be my unnatural practice of reading in bed； and the second my habit of eating welsh…rarebits late of nights。 Over my bed I have a gas…jet so properly shaded that the rays of light are concentrated and reflected downward upon the volume which I am reading。
Miss Susan insists that much of this light and its attendant heat falls upon my head； compelling there a dryness of the scalp whereby the follicles have been deprived of their natural nourishment and have consequently died。 She furthermore maintains that the welsh…rarebits of which I partake invariably at the eleventh hour every night breed poisonous vapors and subtle megrims within my stomach； which humors； rising by their natural courses to my brain； do therein produce a fever that from within burneth up the fluids necessary to a healthy condition of the capillary growth upon the super… adjacent and exterior cranial integument。
Now； this very declaration of Miss Susan's gives me a potent argument in defence of my practices； for； being bald； would not a neglect of those means whereby warmth is engendered where it is needed result in colds； quinsies； asthmas； and a thousand other banes？ The same benignant Providence which； according to Laurence Sterne； tempereth the wind to the shorn lamb provideth defence and protection for the bald。 Had I not loved books； the soul in my midriff had not done away with those cap