The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-06-15
THE PRiNCEPS WILLOW.

lam Corridor A. Ward TX, Room 5.
Don t mention it. You have all seen me
the little old man who wears blue morocco
slippers and long nankeen dressing gown.
stoops in his shoulders, meagre, spectacles
above nose, snuff under it-you must have
seen me, for l an the Oldest Inhabtant,
Jacques Goujet-but don't mention it. l
have some odd ways, have always been a
little droll think, but am not insane. l
came here because it was expedient for me to
assume to be lunatic, to escape the punish
ment which my crimes-for misfortunes
are crimes-properly merited. But please
do not mention this, whatever you do. 1t is
dead secret. have been here hard upon
twenty five years; administrations have
charged, but have not; doctors have died
and their sons succeeded them; the build
ing been rebuilt, repaired, restored, while
have continued always the same, no signs of
decay even in my top story, which, of course
settles the question of lunacy adversely to
the doctoas-but you nee.ln't mention this.
They are gentry whom it is proper to let
down easy. They mean well, and, besides,
they have saved me from much inconven-
fence.
| have servived my own generation, but
people of Louis Philippe's time remember
me-even the Citizen King himself has done
me the honor to rest his umbrella against
my stall and take pinch from my tabatiere.
| Oh, assure you, Bibiiophile Jacques
was well known in those times, any my little
| book-stall on the DUAL Voltaire was place
ofhigh resort. Paroled honaeur, have
seen three members of the Academy touch
ing elbows at my shelves overy one with
| spectacles on nose, with rose at button hole,
entertained. absorbed, delighted. All, those
gentlemen have the faculty of appreciation.
They know rare book when they see it.
They have appraised the value of literary
treasures. was always uneasy when they
came to look at my rare books. They might
inadver tently put them into their pockets
or forget to lay them down-such habits of
profound mental abstraction long INDUCED
Don mention this.
You see, / was q sort of bibliomaniac, and
knew how to find rare books. The only
trouble had was in parting with my liter
airy treasures after got them. | am fond
of money; may say | am something Of a
miser. but there are-excuse The indefinite
phrase-there are more possibilities in a
rare book than in money When you have
got hold OF perfect copy of some e!itso
prinesps. when probably there are not more
than six other copies of the edition extant,
and of these four permanently locked up in
the libraries Of Vienna, tie British Museum,
the National and the Mazarin-.hen you
may be said to have corner in J our rare
book and you are safe to ask what prics
you please for it, and 10 get it, too. when
the right Customer comes on But you
must wait till the right one comes. and he
must have q book craze that is accordant Il
the chord your rarity strikes. This Is
trade secret-dcn't betray it
The Duke of Saint Emilion was one Of my
best patrons. He was rich, he had an in
. come of 500, 600 livres. he had his chateau
of Preignac. he had his vineyard that Pro-
duced hundred tuns Of white wines every
year, he had his friends. Ills family, hi.
.. library Twice year the Duke came L
! Paris for week. and had always to wall
the stalls with him. help him find the novel
/, ties and dine with him At Couture's old res
tauran, in the Latin Quarter. where y,
!, knew how to relieve the cellar Of three bot
ties Of the best wine in Paris Once mon
the Dake wrote me q formal letter, scales
with his crest. announcing the additions
made to the library Of Preignic, and givinl
me commissions Every week | sent to tn
Duke my Bulletin Bibliographique, printet
for private circulation only.
In the summer Of lS49. NJ. Saint Rmiaiol
sent me formal invitation to come spend ,
: week with him n Preignac, help him A.
q range his library. and view his treasures
i l went l len sAs railroaA q villefkanche
/. where the Oaks ~ = viah NJ ssasa am
!: =: -. :