letters to dead authors-第7部分

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　a　caucussing；　some　a　preaching；　some　a　faith…　healing；　some　a　miracle…working；　some　a　hypnotising；　some　a　writing　to　the　daily　press；　and　while　they　were　thus　busy；　like　folk　distraught；　〃reforming　the　island；〃　Pantagruel　burst　out　a　laughing；　whereat　they　were　greatly　dismayed；　for　laughter　killeth　the　whole　race　of　Coqcigrues；　and　they　may　not　endure　it。

Then　Pantagruel　and　his　company　stole　aboard　a　barque　that　Panurge　had　ready　in　the　harbour。　　And　having　provisioned　her　well　with　store　of　meat　and　good　drink；　they　set　sail　for　the　kingdom　of　Entelechy；　where；　having　landed；　they　were　kindly　entreated；　and　there　abide　to　this　day；　drinking　of　the　sweet　and　eating　of　the　fat；　under　the　protection　of　that　intellectual　sphere　which　hath　in　all　places　its　centre　and　nowhere　its　circumference。

Such　was　their　destiny；　there　was　their　end　appointed；　and　thither　the　Coqcigrues　can　never　come。　　For　all　the　air　of　that　land　is　full　of　laughter；　which　killeth　Coqcigrues；　and　there　aboundeth　the　herb　Pantagruelion。　　But　for　thee；　Master　Francoys；　thou　art　not　well　liked　in　this　island　of　ours；　where　the　Coqcigrues　are　abundant；　very　fierce；　cruel；　and　tyrannical。　　Yet　thou　hast　thy　friends；　that　meet　and　drink　to　thee；　and　wish　thee　well　wheresoever　thou　hast　found　thy　grand　peut…etre。



LETTERTo　Jane　Austen



Madam；If　to　the　enjoyments　of　your　present　state　be　lacking　a　view　of　the　minor　infirmities　or　foibles　of　men；　I　cannot　but　think　（were　the　thought　permitted）　that　your　pleasures　are　yet　incomplete。　Moreover；　it　is　certain　that　a　woman　of　parts　who　has　once　meddled　with　literature　will　never　wholly　lose　her　love　for　the　discussion　of　that　delicious　topic；　nor　cease　to　relish　what　（in　the　cant　of　our　new　age）　is　styled　〃literary　shop。〃　　For　these　reasons　I　attempt　to　convey　to　you　some　inkling　of　the　present　state　of　that　agreeable　art　which　you；　madam；　raised　to　its　highest　pitch　of　perfection。

As　to　your　own　works　（immortal；　as　I　believe）；　I　have　but　little　that　is　wholly　cheering　to　tell　one　who；　among　women　of　letters；　was　almost　alone　in　her　freedom　from　a　lettered　vanity。　　You　are　not　a　very　popular　author：　　your　volumes　are　not　found　in　gaudy　covers　on　every　bookstall；　or；　if　found；　are　not　perused　with　avidity　by　the　Emmas　and　Catherines　of　our　generation。　　'Tis　not　long　since　a　blow　was　dealt　（in　the　estimation　of　the　unreasoning）　at　your　character　as　an　author　by　the　publication　of　your　familiar　letters。　　The　editor　of　these　epistles；　unfortunately；　did　not　always　take　your　witticisms；　and　he　added　others　which　were　too　unmistakably　his　own。　While　the　injudicious　were　disappointed　by　the　absence　of　your　exquisite　style　and　humour；　the　wiser　sort　were　the　more　convinced　of　your　wisdom。　　In　your　letters　（knowing　your　correspondents）　you　gave　but　the　small　personal　talk　of　the　hour；　for　them　sufficient；　for　your　books　you　reserved　matter　and　expression　which　are　imperishable。　　Your　admirers；　if　not　very　numerous；　include　all　persons　of　taste；　who；　in　your　favour；　are　apt　somewhat　to　abate　the　rule；　or　shake　off　the　habit；　which　commonly　confines　them　to　but　temperate　laudation。

'Tis　the　fault　of　all　art　to　seem　antiquated　and　faded　in　the　eyes　of　the　succeeding　generation。　　The　manners　of　your　age　were　not　the　manners　of　to…day；　and　young　gentlemen　and　ladies　who　think　Scott　〃slow；〃　think　Miss　Austen　〃prim〃　and　〃dreary。〃　　Yet；　even　could　you　return　among　us；　I　scarcely　believe　that；　speaking　the　language　of　the　hour；　as　you　might；　and　versed　in　its　habits；　you　would　win　the　general　admiration。　　For　how　tame；　madam；　are　your　characters；　especially　your　favourite　heroines！　how　limited　the　life　which　you　knew　and　described！　how　narrow　the　range　of　your　incidents！　how　correct　your　grammar！

As　heroines；　for　example；　you　chose　ladies　like　Emma；　and　Elizabeth；　and　Catherine：　　women　remarkable　neither　for　the　brilliance　nor　for　the　degradation　of　their　birth；　women　wrapped　up　in　their　own　and　the　parish's　concerns；　ignorant　of　evil；　as　it　seems；　and　unacquainted　with　vain　yearnings　and　interesting　doubts。　　Who　can　engage　his　fancy　with　their　match…makings　and　the　conduct　of　their　affections；　when　so　many　daring　and　dazzling　heroines　approach　and　solicit　his　regard？

Here　are　princesses　dressed　in　white　velvet　stamped　with　golden　fleurs…de…lys　ladies　with　hearts　of　ice　and　lips　of　fire；　who　count　their　roubles　by　the　million；　their　lovers　by　the　score；　and　even　their　husbands；　very　often；　in　figures　of　some　arithmetical　importance。　　With　these　are　the　immaculate　daughters　of　itinerant　Italian　musiciansmaids　whose　souls　are　unsoiled　amidst　the　contaminations　of　our　streets；　and　whose　acquaintance　with　the　art　of　Phidias　and　Praxiteles；　of　Daedalus　and　Scopas；　is　the　more　admirable；　because　entirely　derived　from　loving　study　of　the　inexpensive　collections　vended　by　the　plaster…of…Paris　man　round　the　corner。　　When　such　heroines　are　wooed　by　the　nephews　of　Dukes；　where　are　your　Emmas　and　Elizabeths？　　Your　volumes　neither　excite　nor　satisfy　the　curiosities　provoked　by　that　modern　and　scientific　fiction；　which　is　greatly　admired；　I　learn；　in　the　United　States；　as　well　as　in　France　and　at　home。

You　erred；　it　cannot　be　denied；　with　your　eyes　open。　　Knowing　Lydia　and　Kitty　so　intimately　as　you　did；　why　did　you　make　of　them　almost　insignificant　characters？　　With　Lydia　for　a　heroine　you　might　have　gone　far；　and；　had　you　devoted　three　volumes；　and　the　chief　of　your　time；　to　the　passions　of　Kitty；　you　might　have　held　your　own；　even　now；　in　the　circulating　library。　　How　Lyddy；　perched　on　a　corner　of　the　roof；　first　beheld　her　Wickham；　how；　on　her　challenge；　he　climbed　up　by　a　ladder　to　her　side；　how　they　kissed；　caressed；　swung　on　gates　together；　met　at　odd　seasons；　in　strange　places；　and　finally　eloped：　　all　this　might　have　been　put　in　the　mouth　of　a　jealous　elder　sister；　say　Elizabeth；　and　you　would　not　have　been　less　popular　than　several　favourites　of　our　time。　　Had　you　cast　the　whole　narrative　into　the　present　tense；　and　lingered　lovingly　over　the　thickness　of　Mary's　legs　and　the　softness　of　Kitty's　cheeks；　and　the　blonde　fluffiness　of　Wickham's　whiskers；　you　would　have　left　a　romance　still　dear　to　young　ladies。

Or；　again；　you　might　entrance　fair　students　still；　had　you　concentrated　your　attention　on　Mrs。　Rushworth；　who　eloped　with　Henry　Crawford。　　These　should　have　been　the　chief　figures　of　〃Mansfield　Park。〃　　But　you　timidly　decline　to　tackle　Passion。　　〃Let　other　pens；〃　you　write；　〃dwell　on　guilt　and　misery。　　I　quit　such　odious　subjects　as　soon　as　I　can。〃　　Ah；　THERE　is　the　secret　of　your　failure！　　Need　I　add　that　the　vulgarity　and　narrowness　of　the　social　circles　you　describe　impair　your　popularity？　　I　scarce　remember　more　than　one　lady　of　title；　and　but　very　few　lords　（and　these　unessential）　in　all　your　tales。　　Now；　when　we　all　wish　to　be　in　society；　we　demand　plenty　of　titles　in　our　novels；　at　any　rate；　and　we　get　lords　（and　very　queer　lords）　even　from　Republican　authors；　born　in　a　country　which　in　your　time　was　not　renowned　for　its　literature。　　I　have　heard　a　critic　remark；　with　a　decided　air　of　fashion；　on　the　brevity　of　the　notice　which　your　characters　give　each　other　when　they　offer　invitations　to　dinner。　　〃An　invitation　to　dinner　next　day　was　despatched；〃　and　this　demonstrates　that　your　acquaintance　〃went　out〃　very　little；　and　had　but　few　engagements。　How　vulgar；　too；　is　one　of　your　heroines；　who　bids　Mr。　Darcy　〃keep　his　breath　to　cool　his　porridge。〃　　I　blush　for　Elizabeth！　　It　were　superfluous　to　add　that　your　characters　are　debased　by　being　invariably　mere　members　of　the　Church　of　England　as　by　law　established。　　The　Dissenting　enthusiast；　the　open　soul　that　glides　from　Esoteric　Buddhism　to　the　Salvation　Army；　and　from　the　Higher　Pantheism　to　the　Higher　Paganism；　we　look　for　in　vain　among　your　studies　of　character。　　Nay；　the　very　words　I　employ　are　of　unknown　sound　to　you；　so　how　can　you　help　us　in　the　stress　of　the　soul's　travailings？

You　may　say　that　the　soul's　travailings　are　no　affair　of　yours；　proving　thereby　that　you　have　indeed　but　a　lowly　conception　of　the　duty　of　the　novelist。　　I　only　remember　one　reference；　in　all　your　works；　to　that　controversy　which　occupies　the　chief　of　our　attentionthe　great　controversy　on　Creation　or　Evolution。　　Your　Jane　Bennet　cries：　　〃I　have　no　idea　of　there　being　so　much　Design　in　the　world　as　some　persons　imagine。〃　　Nor　do　you　touch　on　our　mighty　social　question；　the　Land　Laws；　save　when　Mrs。　Bennet　appears　as　a　Land　Reformer；　and　rails　bitterly　against　the　cruelty　〃of　settling　an　estate　away　from　a　family　of　five　daughters；　in　favour　of　a　man　whom　nobody　cared　anything　about。〃　　There；　madam；　in　that　cruelly　unjust　performance；　what　a　text　you　had　for　a　tendenz…romanz。　　Nay；　you　can　allow　Kitty　to　report　that　a　Private　had　been　flogged；　without　introducing　a　chapter　on　Flogging　in　the　Army。　　But　you　formally　declined　to　stretch　your　matter　out；　here　and　there；　〃with　solemn　specious　nonsense　about　something　unconnected　with　the　story。〃　　No　〃padding〃　for　Miss　Austen！　in　fact；　madam；　as　you　were　born　before　Analysis　came　in；　or　Passion；　or　Realism；　or　Naturalism；　or　Irreverence；　or　Religious　Open…mindedness；　you　really　cannot　hope　to　rival　your　literary　sisters　in　the　minds　of　a　perplexed　generation。　　Your　heroines　are　not　passionate；　we　do　not　see　their　red　wet　cheeks；　and　tresses　dishevelled　in　the　manner　of　our　frank　young　Maenads。　　What　says　your　best　successor；　a　lady　who　adds　fresh　lustre　to　a　name　that　in　fiction　equals　yours？　　She　says　of　Miss　Austen：　　〃Her　heroines　have　a　stamp　of　their　own。　　THEY　HAVE　A　CERTAIN　GENTLE　SELF…RESPECT　AND　HUMOUR　AND　HARDNESS　OF　HEART　。　。　。　Love　with　them　does　not　mean　a　passion　as　much　as　an　interest；　deep　and　silent。〃　　I　think　one　prefers　them　so；　and　that　Englishwomen　should　be　more　like　Anne　Elliot　than　Maggie　Tulliver。　　〃All　the　privilege　I　claim　for　my　own　sex　is　that　of　loving　longest　when　existence　or　when　hope　is　gone；〃　said　Anne；　perhaps　she　insisted　on　a　monopoly　that　neither　sex　has　all　to　itself。　　Ah；　madam；　what　a　relief　it　is　to　come　back　to　your　witty　volumes；　and　forget　the　follies　of　to…day　in　those　of　Mr。　Collins　and　of　Mrs。　Bennet！　　How　fine；　nay；　how　noble　is　your　art　in　its　delicate　reserve；　never　insisting；　never　forc