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changes in them are the changes that Prior or La Bruyere themselves made
and approved。 You can study； in these old editions； the alterations in
their taste； the history of their minds。 The case is the same even with
contemporary authors。 One likes to have Mr。 Tennyson's 〃Poems； chiefly
Lyrical〃 （London： Effingham Wilson； Royal Exchange； Cornhill； 1830）。
It is fifty years old； this little book of one hundred and fifty…four pages；
this first fruit of a stately tree。 In half a century the poet has altered much；
and withdrawn much； but already； in 1830； he had found his distinctive
note； and his 〃Mariana〃 is a masterpiece。 〃Mariana〃 is in all the
collections； but pieces of which the execution is less certain must be
sought only in the old volume of 1830。 In the same way 〃The Strayed
Reveller； and other poems； by A。〃 （London： B。 Fellowes； Ludgate
Street； 1849） contains much that Mr。 Matthew Arnold has altered； and this
volume； like the suppressed 〃Empedocles on Etna； and other Poems； by
A。〃 （1852）； appeals more to the collector than do the new editions which
all the world may possess。 There are verses； curious in their way； in Mr。
Clough's 〃Ambarvalia〃 （1849）； which you will not find in his posthumous
edition； but which 〃repay perusal。〃 These minutiae of literary history
become infinitely more important in the early editions of the great
classical writers； and the book…collector may regard his taste as a kind of
handmaid of critical science。 The preservation of rare books； and the
collection of materials for criticism； are the useful functions； then； of
book…collecting。 But it is not to be denied that the sentimental side of the
pursuit gives it most of its charm。 Old books are often literary relics； and
as dear and sacred to the lover of literature as are relics of another sort to
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the religious devotee。 The amateur likes to see the book in its form as the
author knew it。 He takes a pious pleasure in the first edition of 〃Les
Precieuses Ridicules；〃 （M。DC。LX。） just as Moliere saw it； when he was
fresh in the business of authorship； and wrote 〃Mon Dieu； qu'un Autheur
est neuf； la premiere fois qu'on l'imprime。〃 All editions published during
a great man's life have this attraction； and seem to bring us closer to his
spirit。 Other volumes are relics； as we shall see later； of some famed
collector； and there is a certain piety in the care we give to books once
dear to Longepierre； or Harley； or d'Hoym； or Buckle； to Madame de
Maintenon； or Walpole； to Grolier； or Askew； or De Thou； or Heber。 Such
copies should be handed down from worthy owners to owners not
unworthy； such servants of literature should never have careless masters。
A man may prefer to read for pleasure in a good clear reprint。 M。
Charpentier's 〃Montaigne〃 serves the turn； but it is natural to treasure
more 〃Les Essais de Michel Seigneur de Montaigne；〃 that were printed by
Francoise le Febre； of Lyon； in 1595。 It is not a beautiful book； the type
is small； and rather blunt； but William Drummond of Hawthornden has
written on the title… page his name and his device； Cipresso e Palma。
There are a dozen modern editions of Moliere more easily read than the
four little volumes of Wetstein （Amsterdam； 1698）； but these contain
reduced copies of the original illustrations； and here you see Arnolphe and
Agnes in their habits as they lived； Moliere and Mdlle。 de Brie as the
public of Paris beheld them more than two hundred years ago。 Suckling's
〃Fragmenta Aurea〃 contain a good deal of dross； and most of the gold has
been gathered into Miscellanies； but the original edition of 1646； 〃after his
own copies；〃 with the portrait of the jolly cavalier who died aetatis suae 28；
has its own allurement。 Theocritus is more easily read； perhaps； in
Wordsworth's edition； or Ziegler's； but that which Zacharias Calliergi
printed in Rome （1516）； with an excommunication from Leo X。 against
infringement of copyright； will always be a beautiful and desirable book；
especially when bound by Derome。 The gist of the pious Prince Conti's
strictures on the wickedness of comedy may be read in various literary
histories； but it is natural to like his 〃Traite de la Comedie selon la
tradition de l'Eglise； Tiree des Conciles et des saints Peres；〃 published by
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Lovys Billaine in 1660； especially when the tract is a clean copy； arrayed
in a decorous black morocco。
These are but a few common examples； chosen from a meagre little
library； a 〃twopenny treasure…house；〃 but they illustrate； on a minute scale；
the nature of the collector's passion；the character of his innocent
pleasures。 He occasionally lights on other literary relics of a more
personal character than mere first editions。 A lucky collector lately
bought Shelley's copy of Ossian； with the poet's signature on the title…page；
in Booksellers' Row。 Another possesses a copy of Foppens's rare edition
of Petrarch's 〃Le Sage Resolu contre l'une et l'autre Fortune；〃 which once
belonged to Sir Hudson Lowe； the gaoler of Napoleon； and may have
fortified； by its stoical maxims； the soul of one who knew the extremes of
either fortune； the captive of St。 Helena。 But the best example of a book；
which is also a relic； is the 〃Imitatio Christi；〃 which belonged to J。 J。
Rousseau。 Let M。 Tenant de Latour； lately the happy owner of this
possession； tell his own story of his treasure： It was in 1827 that M。 de
Latour was walking on the quai of the Louvre。 Among the volumes in a
shop； he noticed a shabby little copy of the 〃Imitatio Christi。〃 M。 de
Latour； like other bibliophiles； was not in the habit of examining stray
copies of this work； except when they were of the Elzevir size； for the
Elzevirs published a famous undated copy of the 〃Imitatio；〃 a book which
brings considerable prices。 However； by some lucky chance； some
Socratic daemon whispering； may be； in his ear； he picked up the little
dingy volume of the last century。 It was of a Paris edition； 1751； but
what was the name on the fly…leaf。 M。 de Latour read a J。 J。 Rousseau。
There was no mistake about it； the good bibliophile knew Rousseau's
handwriting perfectly well； to make still more sure he paid his seventy…
five centimes for the book； and walked across the Pont des Arts； to his
bookbinder's； where he had a copy of Rousseau's works； with a facsimile
of his handwriting。 As he walked； M。 de Latour read in his book； and
found notes of Rousseau's on the margin。 The facsimile proved that the
inscription was genuine。 The happy de Latour now made for the public
office in which he was a functionary； and rushed into the bureau of his
friend the Marquis de V。 The Marquis； a man of great strength of
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character； recognised the signature of Rousseau with but little display of
emotion。 M。 de Latour now noticed some withered flowers among the
sacred pages； but it was reserved for a friend to discover in the faded
petals Rousseau's favourite flower； the periwinkle。 Like a true
Frenchman； like Rousseau himself in his younger days； M。 de Latour had
not recognised the periwink