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it may be argued that books naturally belong to him who can appreciate them； and if good books are in a dull or indifferent man's keeping； this is the sort of slavery which we call 〃unnatural〃 in our POLITICS； and which is not to be endured。 Shall we say； then； that the Robustious Philistine is the worse citizen； while the Biblioklept is the worse man？ But this is perhaps matter for a separate disquisition。〃
This fragment of the lost Aristotelian treatise 〃Concerning Books；〃 shows what a difficulty the Stagirite had in determining the precise nature of the moral offence of the biblioklept。 Indeed； both as a collector and as an intuitive moralist； Aristotle must have found it rather difficult to condemn the bookthief。 He； doubtless； went on to draw distinctions between the man who steals books to sell them again for mere pecuniary profit （which he would call 〃chrematistic；〃 or 〃unnatural；〃 bookstealing）； and the man who steals them because he feels that he is their proper and natural possessor。 The same distinction is taken by Jules Janin； who was a more constant student of Horace than of Aristotle。 In his imaginary dialogue of bibliophiles； Janin introduces a character who announces the death of M。 Libri。 The tolerant person who brings the sad news proposes 〃to cast a few flowers on the melancholy tomb。 He was a bibliophile； after all。 What do you say to it？ Many a good fellow has stolen books； and died in grace at the last。〃 〃Yes；〃 replies the president of the club； 〃but the good fellows did not sell the books they stole 。 。 。 Cest une grande honte； une grande misere。〃 This Libri was an InspectorGeneral of French Libraries under Louis Philippe。 When he was tried； in 1848； it was calculated that the sum of his known thefts amounted to 20；000 pounds。 Many of his robberies escaped notice at the time。 It is not long since Lord Ashburnham； according to a French journal； 〃Le Livre；〃 found in his collection some fragments of a Pentateuch。 These relics had been in the possession of the Lyons Library； whence Libri stole them in 1847。 The late Lord Ashburnham bought them； without the faintest idea of Libri's dishonesty； and when； after eleven years； the present peer discovered the proper owners of his treasure； he immediately restored the Pentateuch to the Lyons Library。
Many eminent characters have been biblioklepts。 When Innocent X。 was still Monsignor Pamphilio； he stole a bookso says Tallemant des Reauxfrom Du Monstier； the painter。 The amusing thing is that Du Monstier himself was a bookthief。 He used to tell how he had lifted a book； of which he had long been in search； from a stall on the PontNeuf； 〃but；〃 says Tallemant （whom Janin does not seem to have consulted）； 〃there are many people who don't think it thieving to steal a book unless you sell it afterwards。〃 But Du Monstier took a less liberal view where his own books were concerned。 The Cardinal Barberini came to Paris as legate； and brought in his suite Monsignor Pamphilio； who afterwards became Innocent X。 The Cardinal paid a visit to Du Monstier in his studio； where Monsignor Pamphilio spied； on a table； 〃L'Histoire du Concile de Trent〃the good edition； the London one。 〃What a pity；〃 thought the young ecclesiastic； 〃that such a man should be； by some accident； the possessor of so valuable a book。〃 With these sentiments Monsignor Pamphilio slipped the work under his soutane。 But little Du Monstier observed him； and said furiously to the Cardinal； that a holy man should not bring thieves and robbers in his pany。 With these words； and with others of a violent and libellous character； he recovered the 〃History of the Council of Trent；〃 and kicked out the future Pope。 Amelot de la Houssaie traces to this incident the hatred borne by Innocent X。 to the Crown and the people of France。 Another Pope； while only a cardinal； stole a book from Menageso M。 Janin reportsbut we have not been able to discover Menage's own account of the larceny。 The anecdotist is not so truthful that cardinals need flush a deeper scarlet； like the roses in Bion's 〃Lament for Adonis；〃 on account of a scandal resting on the authority of Menage。 Among Royal persons； Catherine de Medici； according to Brantome； was a biblioklept。 〃The Marshal Strozzi had a very fine library； and after his death the QueenMother seized it； promising some day to pay the value to his son； who never got a farthing of the money。〃 The Ptolemies； too； were thieves on a large scale。 A department of the Alexandrian Library was called 〃The Books from the Ships；〃 and was filled with rare volumes stolen from passengers in vessels that touched at the port。 True； the owners were given copies of their ancient MSS。； but the exchange； as Aristotle says； was an 〃involuntary〃 one； and not distinct from robbery。
The great pattern of biblioklepts； a man who carried his passion to the most regrettable excesses； was a Spanish priest； Don Vincente； of the convent of Pobla； in Aragon。 When the Spanish revolution despoiled the convent libraries； Don Vincente established himself at Barcelona； under the pillars of Los Encantes； where are the stalls of the merchants of bricabrac and the seats of them that sell books。 In a gloomy den the Don stored up treasures which he hated to sell。 Once he was present at an auction where he was outbid in the petition for a rare； perhaps a unique； volume。 Three nights after that； the people of Barcelona were awakened by cries of 〃Fire！〃 The house and shop of the man who had bought 〃Ordinacions per los gloriosos reys de Arago〃 were blazing。 When the fire was extinguished； the body of the owner of the house was found； with a pipe in his blackened hand； and some money beside him。 Every one said； 〃He must have set the house on fire with a spark from his pipe。〃 Time went on； and week by week the police found the bodies of slain men； now in the street； now in a ditch； now in the river。 There were young men and old； all had been harmless and inoffensive in their lives； andall had been bibliophiles。 A dagger in an invisible hand had reached their hearts but the assassin had spared their purses； money； and rings。 An anised search was made in the city； and the shop of Don Vincente was examined。 There； in a hidden recess； the police discovered the copy of 〃Ordinacions per los gloriosis reys de Arago；〃 which ought by rights to have been burned with the house of its purchaser。 Don Vincente was asked how he got the book。 He replied in a quiet voice； demanded that his collection should be made over to the Barcelona Library； and then confessed a long array of crimes。 He had strangled his rival； stolen the 〃Ordinacions；〃 and burned the house。 The slain men were people who had bought from him books which he really could not bear to part with。 At his trial his counsel tried to prove that his confession was false； and that he might have got his books by honest means。 It was objected that there was in the world only one book printed by Lambert Palmart in 1482； and that the prisoner must have stolen this； the only copy； from the library where it was treasured。 The defendant's counsel proved that there was another copy in the Louvre； that； therefore； there might be more； and that the defendant's might have been honestly procured。 Here Don Vincente； previously callous； uttered an hysterical cry。 Said the Alcalde： 〃At last； Vincente； you begin to understand the enormity of your offence？〃 〃Ah； Senor Alcalde； my error was clumsy indeed。 If you only knew how miserable I am！〃 〃If human justice prove inflexible； there is another justice whose pity is inexhaustible。 Repentance is never too late。〃 〃Ah； Senor Alcalde； but my copy was not unique！〃 With the story of this impenitent thief we may close the roll of biblioklepts； though Dibdin pretends that Garrick was of the pany； and stole Alleyne's books at Dulwich。
There is a thievish nature more hateful than even the biblioklept。 The BookGhoul is he who bines the larceny of the biblioklept with the abominable wickedness of breaking up and mutilating the volumes from which he steals。 He is a collector of titlepages； frontispieces； illustrations； and bookplates。 He prowls furtively among public and private libraries； inserting wetted threads； which slowly eat away the illustrations he covets； and he broods； like the obscene demon of Arabian superstitions； over the fragments of the mighty dead。 His disgusting tastes vary。 He prepares books for the American market。 Christmas books are sold in the States stuffed with pictures cut out of honest volumes。 Here is a quotation from an American paper：
〃Another style of Christmas book which deserves to be mentioned； though it is out of the reach of any but the very rich； is the historical or literary work enriched with inserted plates。 There has never； to our knowledge； been anything offered in America so supremely excellent as the 5000 book on Washington； we think exhibited by Boston last year； but not a few fine specimens of books of this class are at present offered to purchasers。 Scribner has a beautiful copy of Forster's 'Life of Dickens；' enlarged from three volumes octavo to nine volumes quarto； by taking to pieces； remounting； and inlaying。 It contains some eight hundred engravings； por