contributions to all the year round-第4部分

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inclined　to　wave；　his　head　high；　his　forehead　straight　and　white；

his　eyes　black　and　sparkling；　his　general　complexion　dark；　in　his

whole　carriage　and　manner　an　extraordinary　degree　of　life；〃

completes　the　picture。　　It　is　the　picture　of　the　flourishing　and

fading　away　of　man　that　is　born　of　a　woman　and　hath　but　a　short　time

to　live。



In　his　presentation　of　his　father's　moral　nature　and　intellectual

qualities；　Mr　Hunt　is　no　less　faithful　and　no　less　touching。　　Those

who　knew　Leigh　Hunt；　will　see　the　bright　face　and　hear　the　musical

voice　again；　when　he　is　recalled　to　them　in　this　passage：　　〃Even　at

seasons　of　the　greatest　depression　in　his　fortunes；　he　always

attracted　many　visitors；　but　still　not　so　much　for　any　repute　that

attended　him　as　for　his　personal　qualities。　　Few　men　were　more

attractive；　in　society；　whether　in　a　large　company　or　over　the

fireside。　　His　manners　were　peculiarly　animated；　his　conversation；

varied；　ranging　over　a　great　field　of　subjects；　was　moved　and　called

forth　by　the　response　of　his　companion；　be　that　companion

philosopher　or　student；　sage　or　boy；　man　or　woman；　and　he　was

equally　ready　for　the　most　lively　topics　or　for　the　gravest

reflectionshis　expression　easily　adapting　itself　to　the　tone　of

his　companion's　mind。　　With　much　freedom　of　manners；　he　combined　a

spontaneous　courtesy　that　never　failed；　and　a　considerateness

derived　from　a　ceaseless　kindness　of　heart　that　invariably

fascinated　even　strangers。〃　　Or　in　this：　　〃His　animation；　his

sympathy　with　what　was　gay　and　pleasurable；　his　avowed　doctrine　of

cultivating　cheerfulness；　were　manifest　on　the　surface；　and　could　be

appreciated　by　those　who　knew　him　in　society；　most　probably　even

exaggerated　as　salient　traits；　on　which　he　himself　insisted　WITH　A

SORT　OF　GAY　AND　OSTENTATIOUS　WILFULNESS。〃



The　last　words　describe　one　of　the　most　captivating　peculiarities　of

a　most　original　and　engaging　man；　better　than　any　other　words　could。

The　reader　is　besought　to　observe　them；　for　a　reason　that　shall

presently　be　given。　　Lastly：　　〃The　anxiety　to　recognise　the　right　of

others；　the　tendency　to　'refine'；　which　was　noted　by　an　early　school

companion；　and　the　propensity　to　elaborate　every　thought；　made　him；

along　with　the　direct　argument　by　which　he　sustained　his　own

conviction；　recognise　and　almost　admit　all　that　might　be　said　on　the

opposite　side〃。　　For　these　reasons；　and　for　others　suggested　with

equal　felicity；　and　with　equal　fidelity；　the　son　writes　of　the

father；　〃It　is　most　desirable　that　his　qualities　should　be　known　as

they　were；　for　such　deficiencies　as　he　had　are　the　honest

explanation　of　his　mistakes；　while；　as　the　reader　may　see　from　his

writings　and　his　conduct；　they　are　not；　as　the　faults　of　which　he

was　accused　would　be；　incompatible　with　the　noblest　faculties　both

of　head　and　heart。　　To　know　Leigh　Hunt　as　he　was；　was　to　hold　him　in

reverence　and　love。〃



These　quotations　are　made　here；　with　a　special　object。　　It　is　not；

that　the　personal　testimony　of　one　who　knew　Leigh　Hunt　well；　may　be

borne　to　their　truthfulness。　　It　is　not；　that　it　may　be　recorded　in

these　pages；　as　in　his　son's　introductory　chapter；　that　his　life　was

of　the　most　amiable　and　domestic　kind；　that　his　wants　were　few；　that

his　way　of　life　was　frugal；　that　he　was　a　man　of　small　expenses；　no

ostentations；　a　diligent　labourer；　and　a　secluded　man　of　letters。

It　is　not；　that　the　inconsiderate　and　forgetful　may　be　reminded　of

his　wrongs　and　sufferings　in　the　days　of　the　Regency；　and　of　the

national　disgrace　of　his　imprisonment。　　It　is　not；　that　their

forbearance　may　be　entreated　for　his　grave；　in　right　of　his　graceful

fancy　or　his　political　labours　and　endurances；　though　…





Not　only　we；　the　latest　seed　of　Time；

New　men；　that　in　the　flying　of　a　wheel

Cry　down　the　past；　not　only　we；　that　prate

Of　rights　and　wrongs；　have　loved　the　people　well。





It　is；　that　a　duty　may　be　done　in　the　most　direct　way　possible。　　An

act　of　plain；　clear　duty。



Four　or　five　years　ago；　the　writer　of　these　lines　was　much　pained　by

accidentally　encountering　a　printed　statement；　〃that　Mr。　Leigh　Hunt

was　the　original　of　Harold　Skimpole　in　Bleak　House〃。　　The　writer　of

these　lines；　is　the　author　of　that　book。　　The　statement　came　from

America。　　It　is　no　disrespect　to　that　country；　in　which　the　writer

has；　perhaps；　as　many　friends　and　as　true　an　interest　as　any　man

that　lives；　good…humouredly　to　state　the　fact；　that　he　has；　now　and

then；　been　the　subject　of　paragraphs　in　Transatlantic　newspapers；

more　surprisingly　destitute　of　all　foundation　in　truth　than　the

wildest　delusions　of　the　wildest　lunatics。　　For　reasons　born　of　this

experience；　he　let　the　thing　go　by。



But；　since　Mr。　Leigh　Hunt's　death；　the　statement　has　been　revived　in

England。　　The　delicacy　and　generosity　evinced　in　its　revival；　are

for　the　rather　late　consideration　of　its　revivers。　　The　fact　is

this：



Exactly　those　graces　and　charms　of　manner　which　are　remembered　in

the　words　we　have　quoted；　were　remembered　by　the　author　of　the　work

of　fiction　in　question；　when　he　drew　the　character　in　question。

Above　all　other　things；　that　〃sort　of　gay　and　ostentatious

wilfulness〃　in　the　humouring　of　a　subject；　which　had　many　a　time

delighted　him；　and　impressed　him　as　being　unspeakably　whimsical　and

attractive；　was　the　airy　quality　he　wanted　for　the　man　he　invented。

Partly　for　this　reason；　and　partly　（he　has　since　often　grieved　to

think）　for　the　pleasure　it　afforded　him　to　find　that　delightful

manner　reproducing　itself　under　his　hand；　he　yielded　to　the

temptation　of　too　often　making　the　character　SPEAK　like　his　old

friend。　　He　no　more　thought；　God　forgive　him！　that　the　admired

original　would　ever　be　charged　with　the　imaginary　vices　of　the

fictitious　creature；　than　he　has　himself　ever　thought　of　charging

the　blood　of　Desdemona　and　Othello；　on　the　innocent　Academy　model

who　sat　for　Iago's　leg　in　the　picture。　　Even　as　to　the　mere

occasional　manner；　he　meant　to　be　so　cautious　and　conscientious；

that　he　privately　referred　the　proof　sheets　of　the　first　number　of

that　book　to　two　intimate　literary　friends　of　Leigh　Hunt　（both　still

living）；　and　altered　the　whole　of　that　part　of　the　text　on　their

discovering　too　strong　a　resemblance　to　his　〃way〃。



He　cannot　see　the　son　lay　this　wreath　on　the　father's　tomb；　and

leave　him　to　the　possibility　of　ever　thinking　that　the　present　words

might　have　righted　the　father's　memory　and　were　left　unwritten。　　He

cannot　know　that　his　own　son　may　have　to　explain　his　father　when

folly　or　malice　can　wound　his　heart　no　more；　and　leave　this　task

undone。







THE　TATTLESNIVEL　BLEATER







The　pen　is　taken　in　hand　on　the　present　occasion；　by　a　private

individual　（not　wholly　unaccustomed　to　literary　composition）；　for

the　exposure　of　a　conspiracy　of　a　most　frightful　nature；　a

conspiracy　which；　like　the　deadly　Upas…tree　of　Java；　on　which　the

individual　produced　a　poem　in　his　earlier　youth　（not　wholly　devoid

of　length）；　which　was　so　flatteringly　received　（in　circles　not

wholly　unaccustomed　to　form　critical　opinions）；　that　he　was

recommended　to　publish　it；　and　would　certainly　have　carried　out　the

suggestion；　but　for　private　considerations　（not　wholly　unconnected

with　expense）。



The　individual　who　undertakes　the　exposure　of　the　gigantic

conspiracy　now　to　be　laid　bare　in　all　its　hideous　deformity；　is　an

inhabitant　of　the　town　of　Tattlesnivela　lowly　inhabitant；　it　may

be；　but　one　who；　as　an　Englishman　and　a　man；　will　ne'er　abase　his

eye　before　the　gaudy　and　the　mocking　throng。



Tattlesnivel　stoops　to　demand　no　championship　from　her　sons。　　On　an

occasion　in　History；　our　bluff　British　monarch；　our　Eighth　Royal

Harry；　almost　went　there。　　And　long　ere　the　periodical　in　which　this

exposure　will　appear；　had　sprung　into　being；　Tattlesnivel　had

unfurled　that　standard　which　yet　waves　upon　her　battlements。　　The

standard　alluded　to；　is　THE　TATTLESNIVEL　BLEATER；　containing　the

latest　intelligence；　and　state　of　markets；　down　to　the　hour　of　going

to　press；　and　presenting　a　favourable　local　medium　for　advertisers；

on　a　graduated　scale　of　charges；　considerably　diminishing　in

proportion　to　the　guaranteed　number　of　insertions。



It　were　bootless　to　expatiate　on　the　host　of　talent　engaged　in

formidable　phalanx　to　do　fealty　to　the　Bleater。　　Suffice　it　to

select；　for　present　purposes；　one　of　the　most　gifted　and　（but　for

the　wide　and　deep　ramifications　of　an　un…English　conspiracy）　most

rising；　of　the　men　who　are　bold　Albion's　pride。　　It　were　needless；

after　this　preamble；　to　point　the　finger　more　directly　at　the　LONDON

CORRESPONDENT　OF　THE　TATTLESNIVEL　BLEATER。



On　the　weekly　letters　of　that　Correspondent；　on　the　flexibility　of

their　English；　on　the　boldness　of　their　grammar；　on　the　originality

of　their　quotations　（never　to　be　found　as　they　are　printed；　in　any

book　existing）；　on　the　priority　of　their　information；　on　their

intimate　acquaintance　with　the　secret　thoughts　and　unexecuted

intentions　of　men；　it　would　ill　become　the　humble　Tattlesnivellian

who　traces　these　words；　to　dwell。　　They　are　graven　in　the　memory；

they　are　on　the　Bleater's　file。　　Let　them　be　referred　to。



But　from　the　infamous；　the　dark；　the　subtle　conspiracy　which　spreads

its　baleful　roots　throughout　the　land；　and　of　which　the　Bleater's

London　Correspondent　is　the　one　sole　subject；　it　is　the　purpose　of

the　lowly　Tattlesnivellian　who　undertakes　this　revelation；　to　tear

the　veil。　　Nor　will　he　shrink　from　his　self…imposed　labour；

Herculean　though　it　be。



The　conspiracy　begins　in　the　very　Palace　of　the　Sovereign　Lady　of

our　Ocean　Isle。　　Leal　and　loyal　as　it　is　the　proud　vaunt　of　the

Bleater's　readers；　one　and　all；　to　be；　the　inhabitant　who　pens　this

exposure　does　not　personally　impeach；　either　her　Majesty　the　queen；

or　the　illustrious　Prince　Consort。　　But；　some　silken…clad　smoothers；

some　purple　parasites；　some