But about September, 1888, his column began to reflect the effects of his mania for and about collecting.  For a short time he showed little preference between both “the newe and old” books; but ere 1889 was three months gone, “newe” books, however, “jollie goode” were almost banished from his vocabulary and column.  “The Bibliomaniac’s Prayer” (January, 1889) was one of the early symptoms of the transformation that was impending and the paraphrases from Horace which began to appear frequently in the same month indicated that he had entered upon another study that was to exert such a marked influence upon his later style and writings.

As has been indicated in an earlier chapter, Field began to frequent the southwest corner of McClurg’s book-store shortly after he came to Chicago.  That section of this “emporium of literature” was presided over by George M. Millard, and contained as fine and, truth to tell, as expensive an assortment of rare and choice books as was to be found outside of the great collections of the land.  Mr. Millard made annual or biennial pilgrimages to London in the interests of his house; and when he did not go, General McClurg, who was himself a book fancier of rare good taste and eke business judgment, devoted part of his European vacations to the bookshelves, book-shops, and binderies of Field’s “dear old London.”  On the occasion of the former’s return from one of his book-buying excursions, with the spoils of Europe for the spoliation of Chicago’s book-maniacs, Field announced the fact in the following somewhat equivocal but wholly clever lines: 

  GEORGE MILLARD IS HOME!

  Come, ye maniacs, as of yore
    From your musty, dusty hidings,
    And in answer to the tidings
  Crowd the corner full once more,
  Lo, from distant England’s shore,
  Laden down with spoil galore
  Such as bibliopoles adore—­
  Books and prints in endless store,
  Treasures singly or in set
  (Labelled “j.k.t.” and “net"),
  All who have the means to buy
  Things that glad the heart and eye.

    Ye who seek some rare old tome—­
  Maniacs shrewd or imbecilic,
  Urban, pastoral, or idyllic,
  Richly clad or dishabillic,
  Heed the summons bibliophilic—­
        “George Millard is home!"_

Field was not first attracted to Millard’s department by its treasures of rare books, sacred and profane, but by its comprehensive stock of early English balladry and a complete line of Bohn’s Library.  In these he revelled until he had pretty thoroughly comprehended, as he would say, their contents.  But during our almost daily visit to McClurg’s he formed the acquaintance of a number of such chronic book collectors as Ben.  T. Cable, George A. Armour, Charles J. Barnes, James W. Ellsworth, Rev. Frank W. Gunsaulus, the Rev. Frank M. Bristol, the Rev. M. Woolsey Stryker, and others, some with ample wealth to indulge their extravagant tastes, but the majority with lean purses