第 4 节
作者:
白寒 更新:2021-04-30 15:47 字数:9321
〃But what a queer old box this is; H…;〃 said Major D…; eyeing the
trunk through his glass。
〃It's one I've had these hundred years;〃 replied the colonel。 〃So you
think this trumpery will do; D…?〃
〃Do? To be sure it will; my dear fellowit gives your Milesian skin the
true Nawaub dye。 But I was just trying to make out an old letter pasted in
the lid of your trunk; under my nose here。 Is this the way you preserve
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your family archives?〃
{Milesian = slang term for Irish; from Milesius; mythical Spanish
conqueror of Ireland; Nawaub = from Nabob; Anglo…Indian slang for one
who has returned home from India with a large fortune}
〃That letter is really a curiosity in its way;〃 said the colonel; turning
from the glass and relating its history; so far at least as it was known to
himself。
His friend spelt it through。
〃My dear fellow; why don't you give this letter to the father of your
fair Louisa; he's quite rabid on such points; you'll make him a friend for
life by it!〃
The advice was followed。 The letter was cut from its old position in
the lid of the trunk; and presented to Sir John Blank; the father of the
lovely Louisa; who; in his turn; soon placed the hand of his daughter in
that of Colonel H…。
Sir John; a noted follower in the steps of Horace Walpole; had no
sooner become the owner of this interesting letter; than he set to work to
find out its origin; and to fill up its history。 Unfortunately; the sheet had
received some wounds in the wars; as well as the gallant colonel。 One
corner had been carried away by an unlucky thrust from a razornot a
sword; while the date and signature had also been half eaten out by the
white ants of Bengal。 But such difficulties as these were only pleasing
obstacles in the way of antiquarian activity。 Sir John had soon formed an
hypothesis perfectly satisfactory to himself。 His mother's name was Butler;
and he claimed some sort of affinity with the author of Hudibras; as the
Christian name of the poor poet had been almost entirely devoured by the
ants; while the surname had also suffered here and there; Sir John
ingeniously pursuaded {sic} himself that what remained had clearly
belonged to the signature of the great satirist; as for the date; the
abbreviation of 〃Nov。 20th。〃 and the figures 16 marking the century;
were really tolerably distinct。 Accordingly; Sir John wrote a brief notice of
Butler's Life; dwelling much upon his well…known poverty; and quoting
his epitaph; with the allusion to his indigence underscored; 〃lest he who
living wanted all things; should; when dead; want a tomb;〃 and placed
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these remarks opposite the letter of our starving poet; which was registered
in the volume in conspicuous characters as an 〃Autograph of Samuel
Butler; author of Hudibras; showing to what distress he was at one time
reduced。〃
{Samuel Butler (1612…1680); another English author popularly
believed to have died in great poverty; he is best known for his long satiric
mock…epic poem; 〃Hudibras〃 (1663…1678)}
Here the sheet remained several years; until at length it chanced that
Sir John's volume of autographs was placed in the hands of a gentleman
who had recently read Mr。 Lumley's MS。 Life of Otway。 The identity of
this letter; with that copied by Mr。 Lumley; immediately suggested itself;
and now the first sparks of controversy between the Otwaysians and the
Butlerites were struck in Sir John's library。 》From thence they soon spread
to the four winds of heaven; falling on combustible materials wherever
they lighted on a literary head; or collecting hands。
By the bye; the rapidity with which this collecting class has increased
of late years is really alarming; who can foresee the state of things likely
to exist in the next century; should matters go on at the same rate? Reflect
for a moment on the probable condition of distinguished authors; lions of
the loudest roar; if the number of autograph…hunters were to increase
beyond what it is at present。 Is it not to be feared that they will yet
exterminate the whole race; that the great lion literary; like the mastodon;
will become extinct? Or; perhaps; by taming him down to a mere producer
of autographs; his habits will change so entirely that he will no longer be
the same animal; no longer bear a comparison with the lion of the past。 On
the other hand should the great race become extinct; what will be the fate
of the family of autograph…feeders? What a fearful state of things would
ensue; even in our day; were the supply to be reduced but a quire! The
heart sickens at the picture which would then be presentedcollectors
turning on each other; waging a fierce war over every autographic scrap;
making a battle…field of every social circle。 Happily; nature seems always
to keep up the balance in such matters; and it is a consoling reflection that
if the million are now consumers; so have they become producers of
autographs; it is therefore probable that the evil will work its own remedy;
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and we may hope that the great writers of the next century will be shielded
in some measure by the diversion made in their favor through the lighter
troops of the lion corps。
As for the full merits of the controversy so hotly waged over the
Lumley autograph between the Otwaysians and the Butlerites; dividing the
collecting world into two rival parties; we shall not here enter into it。 In all
such matters it is better to go at once to the fountain head; if the reader is
curious on the subject; as doubtless he must be; he is referred to one
octavo and five duodecimo volumes; with fifty pamphlets which have left
little to say on the point。 Let it not be supposed; however; for an instant;
that the writer of this article is himself undecided in his opinion on this
question。 By no means; and he hastens to repel the unjust suspicion; by
declaring himself one of the warmest Otwaysians。 It is true that he has
some private grounds for believing that a dispassionate inquiry might lead
one to doubt whether Otway or Butler ever saw the Lumley autograph; but
what of that; who has time or inclination for dispassionate investigation in
these stirring days! In the present age of universal enlightenment; we don't
trouble ourselves to make up our opinionswe take and give them; we beg;
borrow; and steal them。 True; there are controversies involving matters so
important in their consequences; so serious in their nature; that one might
conceive either indifference or fanaticism equally inexcusable with regard
to them; but there are also a thousand other subjects of discussion; at the
present day; of that peculiar character which can only thrive when
supported by passion and prejudice; and falling in with a dispute of this
nature; it is absolutely necessary to jump at once into fanaticism。
Accordingly; I had no sooner obtained a glimpse of the letter of the
starving poet; embalmed within the precious leaves of one of the most
noted albums of Europe; than I immediately enlisted under Lady
Holberton's colors as a faithful Otwaysian。 With that excellent lady I take
a tragical view of the Lumley Letter; conceiving that a man must be blind
as a bat; not to see that it was written by the author of Venice Preserved;
and this in spite of other celebrated collectors; who find in the same sheet
so much that is comical and Hudibrastic。 Strange that any man in his
senses should hold such an opinionyet the Butlerites number strong;
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some of them are respectable people; too; more's the pity that