Chapter 27 The fun of collecting pictures (2)

You just know he's alive, Jitu is still there. It is fair to say that neither Judge Methuen nor I agree very much with the emotion contained in the poem.We all regard "Jitu" as one of the unfortunate pathological periods of bookworm.While Dr. Orel has encountered a case in his practice where the condition persisted for a full decade with no signs of abatement in sight, typically this period seldom lasts more than five years . Human beings always stand on the standpoint of generosity and forgiveness, and forgive teenagers' nonsense: "Children are always children".Therefore, we bookworms always tend to turn a blind eye to such absurd activities as "collecting pictures".We know that it won't be long before he wakes up and regrets what he did.We know how powerful books are, so we also know that anyone who works with them quickly falls in love with them.At first, he may simply suffer them, then, without a thought, pity them, and soon (as the sun must rise tomorrow), he embraces and loves these precious things.

So we said, we're not restricting anyone.Since books are bound to be destroyed, wouldn't it be better if they ended up in the hands of a repentant saboteur who added a loyal soul to the bookworm's roster.A penitent photo-collector is more pleasant than ninety-nine decent people who need no repentance. 【This phrase is paraphrased from New Testament Luke 15:7: "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent."】 Judge Methuen and I sympathize with the fact that we are all like that, temporarily indulging in one or another of those little philosophies common to bookworms.All soldiers in an army cannot be infantry, cavalry, captain, major, general, gunner, standard bearer, drummer, and trumpeter at the same time.One radish and one pit, everyone plays their own roles, and the result is assembled into a harmonious whole.And the bookworm, as a whole, as a well-balanced mixture of many components, is wonderful.Moreover, he was far from loyal to his pursuits, envious, short-sighted, ignorant, babbling about fishing, Napoleonian anecdotes, ballads, Indian civilization, Burns, American culture, or any other pedantic subject. Branches and categories.It is indeed the highest good of human life that each of these things can serve a noble purpose, and each of these noble ends can contribute to the glory of the great common purpose of bookworms.

I have heard many people condemn those who indulge themselves in exlibris, as if a man who loves his books should not abuse his certificate of love in them.Should a man who loves his wife hesitate long in buying her ornaments?Anything that serves to demonstrate that the human heart has always been governed by softer emotions, I like it.Gratitude is, indeed, one of the noblest sentiments man can possess, and whoever prevents man from expressing it in a noble and reverent manner for the benefits of the friendship of books, does not deserve our respect. As for myself, I sincerely appeal to all bibliophiles to submit themselves to exlibris.Whenever I see a book with its owner's exlibris attached, I feel it is my duty to treat it with extra respect.It carries a certificate of love from its owner, and the exlibris gives the book a certain identity: others can't get their hands on it.Time and time again, I've rummaged through bookstand bins for moldy books, bought them, and brought them home simply because their title pages bore the exlibris of their previous owners.I have a closet full of such dignified, lost drifters.I insist that they should be carefully dusted and cherished like my other books, and I have provided in my will for them a permanent maintenance after my death.

If I were a rich man, I would start a hospital for the homeless noble books.It will be a public institution not dissimilar in character from those now run by our national capital under the bequest of the late Mr. Cochranes.I'm going to call it "The House of Sven Tome in a Decaying Environment". The exlibris I still use today was first adopted when I was a young man, and you can find it in all my books.It is a pattern drawn by myself, made by one of Anderson's sons, who is a leading engraver in the United States.It is not at all exquisite: a book rests on a heart, and below these two lines:

I write my heart inseparable Ah, my little Puritan girl, with your honest and lovely blue eyes, and your long golden hair tied in a pretty braid down your back, can you think a little of that spring, many years ago, in the secluded New England hills? Where, that little book we read together will follow me through a long life!What a part did that Primer play!Now all these other dear companions bear witness to the love I once had from that Primer and its teachings, and each wears a badge I pluck from its modest pages. It was spring, Captivity Waite.Soon it will be summer, in all its lush and full splendor.Soon, autumn came to me quietly.But now, it is already winter, and under the snow, there are many sweet, gentle, beautiful and pure things that I once cherished.I'm tired and want to rest for a while.Lie there, my pen, and let a dream (a pleasant one) call me away.I'll see those distant hills again, and the home in the elms.The old reveries and longings will come back to me, and a child will lead me, and we will walk together through green pastures and ford silent streams.And, oh my pen, it's going to be another spring.