ponkapog papers-第5部分

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　miss。　　I　found　him　absorbed　in　a　newly　made　card…cata…　logue　of　his　library。　　〃It　was　absurd　of　me　to　have　it　done；〃　he　remarked。　　〃What　I　really　require　is　a　little　bookcase　holding　only　two　volumes；　then　I　could　go　from　one　to　the　other　in　alternation　and　always　find　each　book　as　fresh　as　if　I　never　had　read　it。〃　　This　arraignment　of　his　memory　was　in　pure　jest；　for　the　doctor's　mind　was　to　the　end　like　an　unclouded　crystal。　It　was　interesting　to　note　how　he　studied　him…　self；　taking　his　own　pulse；　as　it　were；　and　diag…　nosing　his　own　case　in　a　sort　of　scientific；　impersonal　way；　as　if　it　were　somebody　else's　case　and　he　were　the　consulting　specialist。　　I　intended　to　spend　a　quarter　of　an　hour　with　him；　and　he　kept　me　three　hours。　　I　went　there　rather　depressed；　but　I　returned　home　leavened　with　his　good　spirits；　which；　I　think；　will　never　desert　him；　here　or　hereafter。　　To　keep　the　heart　unwrinkled；　to　be　hopeful；　kindly；　cheerful；　reverentthat　is　to　triumph　over　old　age。

THE　thing　one　reads　and　likes；　and　then　forgets；　is　of　no　account。　　The　thing　that　stays；　and　haunts　one；　and　refuses　to　be　forgotten；　that　is　the　sincere　thing。　　I　am　describing　the　impres…　sion　left　upon　me　by　Mr。　Howells's　blank…verse　sketch　called　〃Father　and　Mother：　A　Mystery〃　a　strangely　touching　and　imaginative　piece　of　work；　not　unlike　in　effect　to　some　of　Mae…　terlinck's　psychical　dramas。　　As　I　read　on；　I　seemed　to　be　standing　in　a　shadow　cast　by　some　half…remembered　experience　of　my　own　in　a　previous　state　of　existence。　　When　I　went　to　bed　that　night　I　had　to　lie　awake　and　think　it　over　as　an　event　that　had　actually　befallen　me。　I　should　call　the　effect　weird；　if　the　word　had　not　lately　been　worked　to　death。　　The　gloom　of　Poe　and　the　spirituality　of　Hawthorne　touch　cold　finger…tips　in　those　three　or　four　pages。

FOR　a　character…studya　man　made　up　en…　tirely　of　limitations。　　His　conservatism　and　neg…　ative　qualities　to　be　represented　as　causing　him　to　attain　success　where　men　of　conviction　and　real　ability　fail　of　it。

A　DARK；　saturnine　man　sat　opposite　me　at　table　on　board　the　steamer。　　During　the　entire　run　from　Sandy　Hook　to　Fastnet　Light　he　addressed　no　one　at　meal…times　excepting　his　table　steward。　Seated　next　to　him；　on　the　right；　was　a　viva…　cious　gentleman；　who；　like　Gratiano　in　the　play；　spoke　〃an　infinite　deal　of　nothing。〃　　He　made　persistent　and　pathetic　attempts　to　lure　his　silent　neighbor　（we　had　christened　him　〃William　the　Silent〃）　into　conversation；　but　a　monosyllable　was　always　the　poor　resultuntil　one　day。　　It　was　the　last　day　of　the　voyage。　　We　had　stopped　at　the　entrance　to　Queenstown　harbor　to　deliver　the　mails；　and　some　fish　had　been　brought　aboard。　　The　vivacious　gentleman　was　in　a　high　state　of　excitement　that　morning　at　table。　〃Fresh　fish！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃actually　fresh！　They　seem　quite　different　from　ours。　　Irish　fish；　of　course。　　Can　you　tell　me；　sir；〃　he　inquired；　turning　to　his　gloomy　shipmate；　〃what　kind　of　fish　these　are？〃　　〃Cork　soles；〃　said　the　saturn…　ine　man；　in　a　deep　voice；　and　then　went　on　with　his　breakfast。

LOWELL　used　to　find　food　for　great　mirth　in　General　George　P。　Morris's　line；

　　　　　Her　heart　and　morning　broke　together。

Lowell's　well…beloved　Dr。　Donne；　however；　had　an　attack　of　the　same　platitude；　and　pos…　sibly　inoculated　poor　Morris。　　Even　literature　seems　to　have　its　mischief…making　bacilli。　　The　late　〃incomparable　and　ingenious　Dean　of　St。　Paul's〃　says；

　　　　　The　day　breaks　not；　it　is　my　heart。

I　think　Dr。　Donne's　case　rather　worse　than　Morris's。　　Chaucer　had　the　malady　in　a　milder　form　when　he　wrote：

　　　　　Up　roos　the　sonne；　and　up　roos　Emelye。　

The　charming　naivete　of　it！

SITTING　in　Ellen　Terry's　dressing…room　at　the　Lyceum　Theatre　one　evening　during　that　lady's　temporary　absence　on　the　stage；　Sarah　Bern…　hardt　picked　up　a　crayon　and　wrote　this　pretty　word　on　the　mirrorDearling；　mistaking　it　for　the　word　darling。　　The　French　actress　lighted　by　chance　upon　a　Spenserianism　now　become　obsolete　without　good　reason。　　It　is　a　more　charming　adjective　than　the　one　that　has　re…　placed　it。

A　DEAD　author　appears　to　be　bereft　of　all　earthly　rights。　　He　is　scarcely　buried　before　old　maga…　zines　and　newspapers　are　ransacked　in　search　of　matters　which；　for　reasons　sufficient　to　him；　he　had　carefully　excluded　from　the　definitive　edition　of　his　collected　writings。

　　　　　He　gave　the　people　of　his　best；　　　　　　His　worst　he　kept；　his　best　he　gave。

One　can　imagine　a　poet　tempted　to　address　some　such　appeal　as　this　to　any　possible　future　publisher　of　his　poems：

　　　　　Take　what　thou　wilt；　a　lyric　or　a　line；　　　　　　Take　all；　take　nothingand　God　send　thee　cheer！　　　　　　But　my　anathema　on　thee　and　thine　　　　　　If　thou　add'st　aught　to　what　is　printed　here。


THE　claim　of　this　country　to　call　itself　〃The　Land　of　the　Free〃　must　be　held　in　abeyance　until　every　man　in　it；　whether　he　belongs　or　does　not　belong　to　a　labor　organization；　shall　have　the　right　to　work　for　his　daily　bread。

THERE　is　a　strain　of　primitive　poetry　running　through　the　entire　Irish　race；　a　fleeting　lyrical　emotion　which　expresses　itself　in　a　flash；　usually　in　connection　with　love　of　country　and　kindred　across　the　sea。　　I　had　a　touching　illustration　of　it　the　other　morning。　　The　despot　who　reigns　over　our　kitchen　was　gathering　a　mess　of　dandelions　on　the　rear　lawn。　　It　was　one　of　those　blue　and　gold　days　which　seem　especially　to　belong　New　Eng…　land。　　〃It's　in　County　Westmeath　I　'd　be　this　day；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　me。　　〃I'd　go　cool　my　hands　in　the　grass　on　my　ould　mother's　grave　in　the　bit　of　churchyard　foreninst　the　priest's　house　at　Mullingar。〃　I　have　seen　poorer　poetry　than　that　in　the　magazines。


SPEAKING　of　the　late　Major　Pond；　the　well…　known　director　of　a　lecture　bureau；　an　old　client　of　his　remarked：　〃He　was　a　most　capable　manager；　but　it　always　made　me　a　little　sore　to　have　him　deduct　twenty…five　per　cent。　commis…　sion。〃　　〃Pond's　Extract；〃　murmured　one　of　the　gentlemen　present。

EACH　of　our　great　towns　has　its　〃Little　Italy；〃　with　shops　where　nothing　is　spoken　but　Italian　and　streets　in　which　the　alien　pedestrian　had　better　not　linger　after　nightfall。　　The　chief　in…　dustry　of　these　exotic　communities　seems　to　be　spaghetti　and　stilettos。　　What　with　our　Little　Italys　and　Chinatowns；　and　the　like；　an　Ameri…　can　need　not　cross　the　ocean　in　order　to　visit　foreign　lands　and　enjoy　the　benefits　of　older　civilizations。

POETS　are　made　as　well　as　born；　the　proverb　notwithstanding。　　They　are　made　possible　by　the　general　love　of　poetry　and　the　consequent　imperious　demand　for　it。　　When　this　is　non…　existent；　poets　become　mute；　the　atmosphere　stifles　them。　　There　would　have　been　no　Shake…　speare　had　there　been　no　Elizabethan　audience。　That　was　an　age　when；　as　Emerson　finely　puts　it；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Men　became　　　　　　Poets；　for　the　air　was　fame。

THE　stolid　gentleman　in　livery　who　has　his　car…　riage…stand　at　the　corner　opposite　my　house　is　constantly　touching　on　the　extremes　of　human　experience；　with　probably　not　the　remotest　per…　ception　of　the　fact。　　Now　he　takes　a　pair　of　lovers　out　for　an　airing；　and　now　he　drives　the　abscond…　ing　bank…teller　to　the　railway…station。　　Except…　ing　as　question　of　distance；　the　man　has　positively　no　choice　between　a　theatre　and　a　graveyard。　　I　met　him　this　morning　dashing　up　to　the　portals　of　Trinity　Church　with　a　bridal　party；　and　this　afternoon；　as　I　was　crossing　Cambridge　Bridge；　I　saw　him　creeping　along　next　to　the　hearse；　on　his　way　to　Mount　Auburn。　　The　wedding　af…　forded　him　no　pleasure；　and　the　funeral　gave　him　no　grief；　yet　he　was　a　factor　in　both。　　It　is　his　odd　destiny　to　be　wholly　detached　from　the　vital　part　of　his　own　acts。　　If　the　carriage　itself　could　speak！　　The　autobiography　of　a　public　hack　written　without　reservation　would　be　dra…　matic　reading。

IN　this　blotted　memorandum…book　are　a　score　or　two　of　suggestions　for　essays；　sketches；　and　poems；　which　I　have　not　written；　and　never　shall　write。　　The　instant　I　jot　down　an　idea　the　desire　to　utilize　it　leaves　me；　and　I　turn　away　to　do　something　unpremeditated。　　The　shabby　vol…　ume　has　become　a　sort　of　Potter's　Field　where　I　bury　my　literary　intentions；　good　and　bad；　with…　out　any　belief　in　their　final　resurrection。

A　STAGE　DIRECTION：　exit　time；　enter　Eternitywith　a　soliloquy。




ASIDES




TOM　FOLIO

IN　my　early　Boston　days　a　gentle　soul　was　often　to　be　met　with　about　town；　furtively　haunting　old　book…shops　and　dusty　editorial　rooms；　a　man　of　ingratiating　simplicity　of　man…　ner；　who　always　spoke　in　a　low；　hesitating　voice；　with　a　note　of　refinement　in　it。　　He　was　a　de…　vout　worshiper　of　Elia；　and　wrote　pleasant　dis…　cursive　essays　smacking　somewhat　of　his　master's　flavorsuggesting　rather　than　imitating　it　which　he　signed　〃Tom　Folio。〃　　I　forget　how　he　glided　into　my　acquaintanceship；　doubtless　in　some　way　too　shy　and　elusive　for　remembrance。　I　never　knew　him　intimately；　perhaps　no　one　did；　but　the　intercourse　between　us　was　most　cordial；　and　our　chance　meetings　and　bookish　chats　extended　over　a　space　of　a　dozen　years。　　　　　　Tom　FolioI　cling　to　the　winning　pseu…　donymwas　sparely　built　and　under　medium　height；　or　maybe　a　slight　droop　of　the　shoulders　made　it　seem　so；　with　a　fragile　look　about　him　and　an　aspect　of　youth　that　was　not　his。　　En…　countering　him　casually　on　a　street　corner；　you　would；　at　the　first　glance；　have　taken　him　for　a　youngish　man；　but　the　second　glance　left　you　doubtful。　　It　was　a　figure　that　struck　a　note　of　singularity　and　would　have　attracted　your　atten…　tion　even　in　a　crowd。　　　　　　During　the　first　four　or　five　years　of　our　ac…　quaintance；　meeting　him　only　out　of　doors　or　in　shops；　I　had　never　happened　to　see　him　with　his　hat　off。　　One　day　he　recklessly　removed　it；　and　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　he　became　an　elderly　bald…headed　man。　　The　Tom　Folio　I　once　knew　had　virtually　vanished。　　An　instant　earlier　he　was　a　familiar　shape；　an　instant　later；　an　almost　unrecognizable　individual。　　A　narrow　fringe　of　light…colored　hair；　extending　from　ear　to　ear　under　the　rear　brim　of　his　hat；　had　perpetrated　an　unintentional　deception　by　leading　one　to　sup…　pose　a　head　profusely　covered　with　curly　locks。　〃Tom　Folio；〃　I　said；　〃put　on　your　hat　and　come　back！　　But　after　that　day