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contributions to all the year round-第5部分
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or the illustrious Prince Consort。 But; some silken…clad smoothers;
some purple parasites; some fawners in frippery; some greedy and
begartered ones in gorgeous garments; he does impeachay; and
wrathfully! Is it asked on what grounds? They shall be stated。
The Bleater's London Correspondent; in the prosecution of his
important inquiries; goes down to Windsor; sends in his card; has a
confidential interview with her Majesty and the illustrious Prince
Consort。 For a time; the restraints of Royalty are thrown aside in
the cheerful conversation of the Bleater's London Correspondent; in
his fund of information; in his flow of anecdote; in the atmosphere
of his genius; her Majesty brightens; the illustrious Prince Consort
thaws; the cares of State and the conflicts of Party are forgotten;
lunch is proposed。 Over that unassuming and domestic table; her
Majesty communicates to the Bleater's London Correspondent that it
is her intention to send his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to
inspect the top of the Great Pyramidthinking it likely to improve
his acquaintance with the views of the people。 Her Majesty further
communicates that she has made up her royal mind (and that the
Prince Consort has made up his illustrious mind) to the bestowal of
the vacant Garter; let us say on Mr。 Roebuck。 The younger Royal
children having been introduced at the request of the Bleater's
London Correspondent; and having been by him closely observed to
present the usual external indications of good health; the happy
knot is severed; with a sigh the Royal bow is once more strung to
its full tension; the Bleater's London Correspondent returns to
London; writes his letter; and tells the Tattlesnivel Bleater what
he knows。 All Tattlesnivel reads it; and knows that he knows it。
But; DOES his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales ultimately go to
the top of the Great Pyramid? DOES Mr。 Roebuck ultimately get the
Garter? No。 Are the younger Royal children even ultimately found
to be well? On the contrary; they haveand on that very day had
the measles。 Why is this? BECAUSE THE CONSPIRATORS AGAINST THE
BLEATER'S LONDON CORRESPONDENT HAVE STEPPED IN WITH THEIR DARK
MACHINATIONS。 Because her Majesty and the Prince Consort are
artfully induced to change their minds; from north to south; from
east to west; immediately after it is known to the conspirators that
they have put themselves in communication with the Bleater's London
Correspondent。 It is now indignantly demanded; by whom are they so
tampered with? It is now indignantly demanded; who took the
responsibility of concealing the indisposition of those Royal
children from their Royal and illustrious parents; and of bringing
them down from their beds; disguised; expressly to confound the
London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater? Who are those
persons; it is again asked? Let not rank and favour protect them。
Let the traitors be exhibited in the face of day!
Lord John Russell is in this conspiracy。 Tell us not that his
Lordship is a man of too much spirit and honour。 Denunciation is
hurled against him。 The proof? The proof is here。
The Time is panting for an answer to the question; Will Lord John
Russell consent to take office under Lord Palmerston? Good。 The
London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater is in the act of
writing his weekly letter; finds himself rather at a loss to settle
this question finally; leaves off; puts his hat on; goes down to the
lobby of the House of Commons; sends in for Lord John Russell; and
has him out。 He draws his arm through his Lordship's; takes him
aside; and says; 〃John; will you ever accept office under
Palmerston?〃 His Lordship replies; 〃I will not。〃 The Bleater's
London Correspondent retorts; with the caution such a man is bound
to use; 〃John; think again; say nothing to me rashly; is there any
temper here?〃 His Lordship replies; calmly; 〃None whatever。〃 After
giving him time for reflection; the Bleater's London Correspondent
says; 〃Once more; John; let me put a question to you。 Will you ever
accept office under Palmerston?〃 His Lordship answers (note the
exact expressions); 〃Nothing shall induce me; ever to accept a seat
in a Cabinet of which Palmerston is the Chief。〃 They part; the
London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater finishes his
letter; andalways being withheld by motives of delicacy; from
plainly divulging his means of getting accurate information on every
subject; at first handputs in it; this passage: 〃Lord John
Russell is spoken of; by blunderers; for Foreign Affairs; but I have
the best reasons for assuring your readers; that〃 (giving prominence
to the exact expressions; it will be observed) 〃'NOTHING WILL EVER
INDUCE HIM; TO ACCEPT A SEAT IN A CABINET OF WHICH PALMERSTON IS THE
CHIEF。' On this you may implicitly rely。〃 What happens? On the
very day of the publication of that number of the Bleaterthe
malignity of the conspirators being even manifested in the selection
of the dayLord John Russell takes the Foreign Office! Comment
were superfluous。
The people of Tattlesnivel will be told; have been told; that Lord
John Russell is a man of his word。 He may be; on some occasions;
but; when overshadowed by this dark and enormous growth of
conspiracy; Tattlesnivel knows him to be otherwise。 〃I happen to be
certain; deriving my information from a source which cannot be
doubted to be authentic;〃 wrote the London Correspondent of the
Bleater; within the last year; 〃that Lord John Russell bitterly
regrets having made that explicit speech of last Monday。〃 These are
not roundabout phrases; these are plain words。 What does Lord John
Russell (apparently by accident); within eight…and…forty hours after
their diffusion over the civilised globe? Rises in his place in
Parliament; and unblushingly declares that if the occasion could
arise five hundred times; for his making that very speech; he would
make it five hundred times! Is there no conspiracy here? And is
this combination against one who would be always right if he were
not proved always wrong; to be endured in a country that boasts of
its freedom and its fairness?
But; the Tattlesnivellian who now raises his voice against
intolerable oppression; may be told that; after all; this is a
political conspiracy。 He may be told; forsooth; that Mr。 Disraeli's
being in it; that Lord Derby's being in it; that Mr。 Bright's being
in it; that every Home; Foreign; and Colonial Secretary's being in
it; that every ministry's and every opposition's being in it; are
but proofs that men will do in politics what they would do in
nothing else。 Is this the plea? If so; the rejoinder is; that the
mighty conspiracy includes the whole circle of Artists of all kinds;
and comprehends all degrees of men; down to the worst criminal and
the hangman who ends his career。 For; all these are intimately
known to the London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater; and
all these deceive him。
Sir; put it to the proof。 There is the Bleater on the file
documentary evidence。 Weeks; months; before the Exhibition of the
Royal Academy; the Bleater's London Correspondent knows the subjects
of all the leading pictures; knows what the painters first meant to
do; knows what they afterwards substituted for what they first meant
to do; knows what they ought to do and won't do; knows what they
ought not to do and will do; knows to a letter from whom they have
commissions; knows to a shilling how much they are to be paid。 Now;
no sooner is each studio clear of the remarkable man to whom each
studio…occupant has revealed himself as he does not reveal himself
to his nearest and dearest bosom friend; than conspiracy and fraud
begin。 Alfred the Great becomes the Fairy Queen; Moses viewing the
Promised Land; turns out to be Moses going to the Fair; Portrait of
His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury; is transformed; as if by
irreverent enchantment of the dissenting interest; into A Favourite
Terrier; or Cattle Grazing; and the most extraordinary work of art
in the list described by the Bleater; is coolly sponged out
altogether; and asserted never to have had existence at all; even in
the most shadow thoughts of its executant! This is vile enough; but
this is not all。 Picture…buyers then come forth from their secret
positions; and creep into their places in the assassin…multitude of
conspirators。 Mr。 Baring; after expressly telling the Bleater's
London Correspondent that he had bought No。 39 for one thousand
guineas; gives it up to somebody unknown for a couple of hundred
pounds; the Marquis of Lansdowne pretends to have no knowledge
whatever of the commissions to which the London Correspondent of the
Bleater swore him; but allows a Railway Contractor to cut him out
for half the money。 Similar examples might be multiplied。 Shame;
shame; on these men! Is this England?
Sir; look again at Literature。 The Bleater's London Correspondent
is not merely acquainted with all the eminent writers; but is in
possession of the secrets of their souls。 He is versed in their
hidden meanings and references; sees their manuscripts before
publication; and knows the subjects and titles of their books when
they are not begun。 How dare those writers turn upon the eminent
man and depart from every intention they have confided to him? How
do they justify themselves in entirely altering their manuscripts;
changing their titles; and abandoning their subjects? Will they
deny; in the face of Tattlesnivel; that they do so? If they have
such hardihood; let the file of the Bleater strike them dumb。 By
their fruits they shall be known。 Let their works be compared with
the anticipatory letters of the Bleater's London Correspondent; and
their falsehood and deceit will become manifest as the sun; it will
be seen that they do nothing which they stand pledged to the
Bleater's L
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