biographical study of a. w. kinglake-第5部分

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Beauty；　though　it　beams　　over　the　organization　of　a　doll；　will　have　its　hour　of　empire；　the　　most　torpid　heiress　will　easily　get　herself　married；　but　the　wife　　whose　sweet　nature　can　kindle　worthy　delights　is　she　that　brings　to　　her　hearth　a　joyous；　hopeful；　ardent　spirit；　and　that　subtle　power　　whose　sources　we　can　hardly　trace；　but　which　yet　so　irradiates　a　　home　that　all　who　come　near　are　filled　and　inspired　by　a　deep　sense　　of　womanly　presence。　　We　best　learn　the　unsuspected　might　of　a　　being　like　this　when　we　try　the　weight　of　that　sadness　which　hangs　　like　lead　upon　the　room；　the　gallery；　the　stairs；　where　once　her　　footstep　sounded；　and　now　is　heard　no　more。　　It　is　not　less　the　　energy　than　the　grace　and　gentleness　of　this　character　that　works　　the　enchantment。　　Books　can　instruct；　and　books　can　exalt　and　　purify；　beauty　of　face　and　beauty　of　form　will　come　with　bright　　pictures　and　statues；　and　for　the　government　of　a　household　hired　　menials　will　suffice；　but　fondness　and　hate；　daring　hopes；　lively　　fears；　the　lust　of　glory　and　the　scorn　of　base　deeds；　sweet　　charity；　faithfulness；　pride；　and；　chief　over　all；　the　impetuous　　will；　lending　might　and　power　to　feeling：…　these　are　the　rib　of　the　　man；　and　from　these；　deep　veiled　in　the　mystery　of　her　very　　loveliness；　his　true　companion　sprang。　　A　being　thus　ardent　will　　often　go　wrong　in　her　strenuous　course；　will　often　alarm；　sometimes　　provoke；　will　now　and　then　work　mischief　and　even　perhaps　grievous　　harm；　but　she　will　be　our　own　Eve　after　all；　the　sweet…speaking　　tempter　whom　heaven　created　to　be　the　joy　and　the　trouble　of　this　　pleasing　anxious　existence；　to　shame　us　away　from　the　hiding…places　　of　a　slothful　neutrality；　and　lead　us　abroad　in　the　world；　men　　militant　here　on　earth；　enduring　quiet；　content　with　strife；　and　　looking　for　peace　hereafter。〃　　（11）　Beautiful　words　indeed！　how　　came　the　author　of　a　tribute　so　caressingly　appreciative；　so　　eloquently　sincere；　to　remain　himself　outside　the　gates　of　　Paradise？　how　could　the　pen　which　in　the　Crimean　chapter　on　the　　Holy　Shrines　traced　so　exquisitely　the　delicate　fancifulness　of　　purest　sexual　love；　perpetrate　that　elaborate　sneer　over　the　　bachelor　obsequies　of　Carrigaholt　…　〃the　lowly　grave；　that　is　the　　end　of　man's　romantic　hopes；　has　closed　over　all　his　rich　fancies　　and　all　his　high　aspirations：　he　is　utterly　married。〃　（12）

〃Gai；　gai；　mariez　vous；　Mettez　vous　dans　la　misere！　Gai；　gai；　mariez　vous；　Mettez　vous　la　corde　au　cou！〃　（13）


There　is　generally　a　good　reason　for　prolonged　celibacy；　a　reason　　which　the　bachelor　as　generally　does　not　betray：　Kinglake　remained　　single；　by　his　own　account；　because　he　had　observed　that　women　　always　prefer　other　men　to　their　own　husbands。　　Yet；　although　　unmarried；　perhaps　because　unmarried；　he　heartily　admired　many　　clever　women；　formed　with　them　sedate　but　genuine　friendships；　the　　L'AMOUR　SANS　AILES；　sometimes　called　〃Platonic〃　by　persons　who　have　　not　read　Plato；　found　in　their　illogical　clear…sightedness；　in　　their　＇Greek　word　which　cannot　be　reproduced＇；　to　use　the　master's　　own　untranslatable　phrase；　a　titillating　stimulus　which　he　missed　　in　men。　　He　thought　that　the　Church　should　ordain　priestesses　as　　well　as　priests；　the　former　to　be　the　Egerias　of　men；　as　the　latter　　are　the　Pontiffs　of　women。　　And　Lady　Gregory　tells　us；　that　when　　attacked　by　gout；　he　wished　for　the　solace　of　a　lady　doctor；　and　　wrote　to　one　asking　if　gout　were　beyond　her　scope。　　She　answered：　　〃Dear　Sir；　…　Gout　is　not　beyond　my　scope；　but　men　are。〃

In　1854　he　accompanied　Lord　Raglan　to　the　Crimea。　　〃I　had　heard；〃　　writes　John　Kenyon；　〃of　Kinglake's　chivalrous　goings　on。　　We　were　　saying　yesterday　that　though　he　might　write　a　book；　he　was　among　　the　last　men　to　go　that　he　might　write　a　book。　　He　is　wild　about　　matters　military；　if　so　calm　a　man　is　ever　wild。〃　　He　had　hoped　to　　go　in　an　official　position　as　non…combatant；　but　this　was　refused　　by　the　authorities。　　His　friend；　Lord　Raglan；　whose　acquaintance　he　　had　made　while　hunting　with　the　Duke　of　Beaufort's　hounds；　took　him　　as　his　private　guest。　　Arrested　for　a　time　at　Malta　by　an　attack　of　　fever；　he　joined　our　army　before　hostilities　began；　rode　with　Lord　　Raglan's　staff　at　the　Alma　fight；　likening　the　novel　sensation　to　　the　excitement　of　fox…hunting；　and　accompanied　the　chief　in　his　　visit　of　tenderness　to　the　wounded　when　the　fight　was　over。　　　Throughout　the　campaign　the　two　were　much　together；　as　we　shall　　notice　more　fully　later　on。　　There　are　often　slight　but　　unmistakable　signs　of　Kinglake's　presence　as　spectator　and　auditor　　of　Lord　Raglan's　deeds　and　words；　（14）　his　affection　and　reverence　　for　the　great　general　animate　the　whole；　in　outward　composure　and　　latent　strength　the　two　men　resembled　each　other　closely。　　The　book　　is；　in　fact；　a　history　of　Lord　Raglan's　share　in　the　campaign；　　begun　in　1856　at　the　request　of　Lady　Raglan；　the　narrative　ends　　when　the　〃Caradoc〃　with　the　general's　body　on　board　steams　out　of　　the　bay；　〃Farewell〃　flying　at　her　masthead；　the　Russian　batteries；　　with　generous　recognition；　ceasing　to　fire　till　the　ship　was　out　of　　sight。　　〃Lord　Raglan　is　dead；〃　said　Kinglake　as　vol。　viii。　was　sent　　to　press；　〃and　my　work　is　finished。〃

Ten　years　were　to　elapse　before　the　opening　volumes　should　appear；　　and　meanwhile　he　entered　parliament　for　the　borough　of　Bridgewater；　　which　had　rejected　him　in　1852。　　His　colleague　was　Colonel　Charles　　J。　Kemyss　Tynte；　member　of　a　family　which　local　influence　and　　lavish　expenditure　had　secured　in　the　representation　of　the　town　　for　nearly　forty　years。　　Catechized　as　to　his　political　creed；　he　　answered：　〃I　call　myself　an　advanced　Liberal；　but　I　decline　to　go　　into　parliament　as　the　pledged　adherent　of　Lord　Palmerston　or　any　　other　Liberal。〃　　He　adds；　in　response　to　a　further　question：　〃I　am　　believed　to　be　the　author　of　'Eothen。'〃　　He　broke　down　in　his　　maiden　speech；　but　recovered　himself　in　a　later　effort；　and　spoke；　　not　unfrequently；　on　subjects　then　important；　now　forgotten；　on　the　　outrage　of　the　〃Charles　et　George〃；　the　capture　of　the　Sardinian　　〃Cagliari〃　by　the　Neapolitans　on　the　high　seas；　our　attitude　　towards　the　Paris　Congress　of　1857；　while　in　1858　he　led　the　revolt　　against　Lord　Palmerston's　proposal　to　amend　the　Conspiracy　Laws　in　　deference　to　Louis　Napoleon；　in　1860　vigorously　denounced　the　　annexation　of　Savoy　and　Nice；　and　in　1864　moved　the　amendment　to　　Mr。　Disraeli's　motion　in　the　debate　on　the　Address；　which　was　　carried　by　313　to　295。　　His　feeble　voice　and　unimpressive　manner　　prevented　him　from　becoming　a　power　in　the　House；　but　his　speeches　　when　read　are　full；　fluent；　and　graceful；　the　late　Sir　Robert　　Peel's　remarkable　harangue　against　the　French　Emperor　in　the　course　　of　an　earlier　debate　was　taken；　as　he　is　said　to　have　owned；　mainly　　from　a　speech　by　Kinglake；　delivered　so　indistinctly　that　the　　reporters　failed　to　catch　it；　but　audible　to　Sir　Robert　who　sate　　close　beside　him。

With　his　constituents　he　was　more　at　ease　and　more　effective。　　His　　seat　for　Bridgewater　was　challenged　at　a　general　election　by　Henry　　Padwick；　a　hanger…on　to　Disraeli　and　a　well…known　bookmaker　on　the　　turf；　who；　with　an　Irish　Colonel　Westbrook；　tried　to　cajole　the　　electors　and　their　wives　by　extravagant　compliments　to　the　town；　　its　neighbourhood；　its　denizens；　a　place　celebrated；　as　Captain　　Costigan　said　of　Chatteris；　〃for　its　antiquitee；　its　hospitalitee；　　the　beautee　of　its　women；　the　manly　fidelitee；　generositee；　and　　jovialitee　of　its　men。〃　　Kinglake　met　them　on　their　own　ground。　　In　　his　flowery　speeches　the　romance　of　Sinai　and　Palestine　faded　　before　the　glories　of　the　little　Somersetshire　town。　　What　was　the　　Jordan　by　comparison　with　the　Parrett？　　Could　Libanus　or　Anti…　Libanus　vie　with　the　Mendip　and　the　Quantock　Hills？　　The　view　　surveyed　by　Monmouth　from　St。　Mary's　Tower　on　the　Eve　of　Sedgemoor　　transcended　all　the　panoramas　which　the　Holy　Land　or　Asia　Minor　　could　present！　　But　his　more　serious　orations　were　worthy　of　his　　higher　fame。　　In　the　panic　of　1858；　when　the　address　of　the　French　　colonels　to　the　Emperor；　beseeching　to　be　led　against　England；　had　　created　serious　alarm　on　this　side　the　Channel；　he　went　down　to　　Bridgewater　to　enlighten　the　West　of　England。　　〃Why；〃　he　asked；　〃do　　we　fear　invasion？　　The　population　of　France　is　peaceful；　the　　'turnip…soup　Jacques　Bonhomme'　is　peaceful；　the　soldiers　of　the　　line　are　peaceful。　　Why　are　we　anxious？　　Because　there　sits　in　his　　chamber　at　the　Tuileries　a　solitary　moody　man。　　He　is　deeply　　interested　in　the　science　and　the　art　of　war；　he　told　me　once　that　　he　was　contemplating　a　history　of　all　the　great　battles　ever　　fought。　　He　holds　absolute　control　over　vast　resources　both　in　men　　and　money；　he　has　shown　that　he　can　attack　successfully　at　a　few　　weeks'　notice　the　greatest　European　military　power：　gout　or　　indigestion　may　at　any　moment　convert　him　into　an　enemy　of　　ourselves。　　Until　France　returns　to　parliamentary　government　this　　danger　is　imminent　and　continual。　　Our　safety　lies　in　our　fleet；　　and　in　that　alone。　　If　for　twenty…four　hours　only　the　Channel　were　　denuded　of　our　ships　in　time　of　war　with　France；　they　would　hurl　　upon　our　shores　a　force　we　could　not　meet。　　Such　denudation　must　be　　made　impossible；　our　fleet　so　augmented　and　strengthened　as　to　　provide　impregnably　at　all　times　for　home　defence　no　less　than　for　　foreign　necessities。　　Our　danger；　I　repeat；　lies　in　no　hostility　on　　the　part　of　the　French　army；　in　no　ferocity　on　the　part　of　the　　French　people；　in　no　PRESENT　unfriendliness　on　the　part　of　the　　French　Emperor：　it　arises　from　the　fact　that　a　revolutionary　　government　exists　in　France；　which　has　armed　one　man；　under　the　　name　of　Emperor　…　Dictator　rather；　I　should　say　…　with　a　power　so　　colossal；　that　until　such　power　is　moderated；　as　all　power　ought　to　　be；　no　neighbour　can　be　entirely　safe。〃　　This　speech　was　reproduced　　in　〃The　Times。〃　　Montalembert　read　it　with　admiration。　　〃Who；〃　he　　asked　Sir　M。　E。　Grant　Duff；　〃who　is　Mr。　Kinglake？〃　　〃He　is　the　　author　of　'Eothen。'〃　　〃And　what　is　'Eothen？'　　I　never　heard　of　it。〃

He　found　great　enjoyment　in　parliamentary　life；　but　was　in　1868　　unseated　on　petition　for　bribery　on　the　part　of　his　agents。　　Blue…　books　are　not　ordinarily　lig