Details
COLLINS, WILKIE. Autograph manuscript signed (at end) of "A Little Fable," a short prose piece about the meeting of lawyer and a mathematician at a bookshop. [N.p., n.d.]. One page, large 4to, ink stain at lower right corner partially covering Collins' signature, the same corner slightly chipped with loss of the "s" in Collins, neat repairs to folds on verso, with three holograph revisions by Collins. Apparently previously unpublished. The text of the fable:
The other day, two good friends -- a lawyer and a mathematician
--- happened to meet in a remote part of London, in front of a
cheap book-shop. The stall outside the shop presented a row of
novels, offered at half price...Perceiving in his friend signs of
mental pre-occupation, the lawyer asked what he was thinking of.
The mathematician answered, "I was looking back along the procession of small circumstances, which has led me from the starting-point of my own door to this unexpected meeting in the street."
Hearing this, it occurred to the lawyer to look back, on his
side. He also discovered that a procession of small circumstances
had carried him, by devious ways, to the morsel of pavement on which he then stood. "Well," he said, "and what do you make of it?"
"I have led a serious life," the mathematician answered, " for
forty years."
"So have I," the lawyer said.
"And I have just discovered," the other continued, "that a man in the midst of reality is also, in this strange life of ours, a man in the midst of romance."
The lawyer pondered a little on that reply. "And what does your
discovery amount to?" he asked.
"Only to this. I have been to school; I have been to college; I
am sixty years old -- and my education is not complete. Good
morning."
They parted. As soon as the lawyer's back was turned, the
mathematician retraced his steps to the book-shop -- and bought a
novel.
The lawyer looked round at the moment. A strong impression was
produced on him. He walked back to his friend. "When you have done with that book," he said, "lend it to me."
Provenance: Arthur A. Houghton, Jnr. (sale, Christie's London, Part 1, 13 June 1979, lot 134).
The other day, two good friends -- a lawyer and a mathematician
--- happened to meet in a remote part of London, in front of a
cheap book-shop. The stall outside the shop presented a row of
novels, offered at half price...Perceiving in his friend signs of
mental pre-occupation, the lawyer asked what he was thinking of.
The mathematician answered, "I was looking back along the procession of small circumstances, which has led me from the starting-point of my own door to this unexpected meeting in the street."
Hearing this, it occurred to the lawyer to look back, on his
side. He also discovered that a procession of small circumstances
had carried him, by devious ways, to the morsel of pavement on which he then stood. "Well," he said, "and what do you make of it?"
"I have led a serious life," the mathematician answered, " for
forty years."
"So have I," the lawyer said.
"And I have just discovered," the other continued, "that a man in the midst of reality is also, in this strange life of ours, a man in the midst of romance."
The lawyer pondered a little on that reply. "And what does your
discovery amount to?" he asked.
"Only to this. I have been to school; I have been to college; I
am sixty years old -- and my education is not complete. Good
morning."
They parted. As soon as the lawyer's back was turned, the
mathematician retraced his steps to the book-shop -- and bought a
novel.
The lawyer looked round at the moment. A strong impression was
produced on him. He walked back to his friend. "When you have done with that book," he said, "lend it to me."
Provenance: Arthur A. Houghton, Jnr. (sale, Christie's London, Part 1, 13 June 1979, lot 134).