the way of all flesh-第7节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


on　a　moor　in　Scotland。　　So　the　absence　of　a　genial　mental　atmosphere
is　not　commonly　recognised　by　children　who　have　never　known　it。
Young　people　have　a　marvellous　faculty　of　either　dying　or　adapting
themselves　to　circumstances。　　Even　if　they　are　unhappyvery
unhappyit　is　astonishing　how　easily　they　can　be　prevented　from
finding　it　out；　or　at　any　rate　from　attributing　it　to　any　other
cause　than　their　own　sinfulness。

To　parents　who　wish　to　lead　a　quiet　life　I　would　say：　　Tell　your
children　that　they　are　very　naughtymuch　naughtier　than　most
children。　　Point　to　the　young　people　of　some　acquaintances　as　models
of　perfection　and　impress　your　own　children　with　a　deep　sense　of
their　own　inferiority。　　You　carry　so　many　more　guns　than　they　do
that　they　cannot　fight　you。　　This　is　called　moral　influence；　and　it
will　enable　you　to　bounce　them　as　much　as　you　please。　　They　think
you　know　and　they　will　not　have　yet　caught　you　lying　often　enough　to
suspect　that　you　are　not　the　unworldly　and　scrupulously　truthful
person　which　you　represent　yourself　to　be；　nor　yet　will　they　know
how　great　a　coward　you　are；　nor　how　soon　you　will　run　away；　if　they
fight　you　with　persistency　and　judgement。　　You　keep　the　dice　and
throw　them　both　for　your　children　and　yourself。　　Load　them　then；　for
you　can　easily　manage　to　stop　your　children　from　examining　them。
Tell　them　how　singularly　indulgent　you　are；　insist　on　the
incalculable　benefit　you　conferred　upon　them；　firstly　in　bringing
them　into　the　world　at　all；　but　more　particularly　in　bringing　them
into　it　as　your　own　children　rather　than　anyone　else's。　　Say　that
you　have　their　highest　interests　at　stake　whenever　you　are　out　of
temper　and　wish　to　make　yourself　unpleasant　by　way　of　balm　to　your
soul。　　Harp　much　upon　these　highest　interests。　　Feed　them
spiritually　upon　such　brimstone　and　treacle　as　the　late　Bishop　of
Winchester's　Sunday　stories。　　You　hold　all　the　trump　cards；　or　if
you　do　not　you　can　filch　them；　if　you　play　them　with　anything　like
judgement　you　will　find　yourselves　heads　of　happy；　united；　God…
fearing　families；　even　as　did　my　old　friend　Mr　Pontifex。　　True；　your
children　will　probably　find　out　all　about　it　some　day；　but　not　until
too　late　to　be　of　much　service　to　them　or　inconvenience　to　yourself。

Some　satirists　have　complained　of　life　inasmuch　as　all　the　pleasures
belong　to　the　fore　part　of　it　and　we　must　see　them　dwindle　till　we
are　left；　it　may　be；　with　the　miseries　of　a　decrepit　old　age。

To　me　it　seems　that　youth　is　like　spring；　an　overpraised　season
delightful　if　it　happen　to　be　a　favoured　one；　but　in　practice　very
rarely　favoured　and　more　remarkable；　as　a　general　rule；　for　biting
east　winds　than　genial　breezes。　　Autumn　is　the　mellower　season；　and
what　we　lose　in　flowers　we　more　than　gain　in　fruits。　　Fontenelle　at
the　age　of　ninety；　being　asked　what　was　the　happiest　time　of　his
life；　said　he　did　not　know　that　he　had　ever　been　much　happier　than
he　then　was；　but　that　perhaps　his　best　years　had　been　those　when　he
was　between　fifty…five　and　seventy…five；　and　Dr　Johnson　placed　the
pleasures　of　old　age　far　higher　than　those　of　youth。　　True；　in　old
age　we　live　under　the　shadow　of　Death；　which；　like　a　sword　of
Damocles；　may　descend　at　any　moment；　but　we　have　so　long　found　life
to　be　an　affair　of　being　rather　frightened　than　hurt　that　we　have
become　like　the　people　who　live　under　Vesuvius；　and　chance　it
without　much　misgiving。



CHAPTER　VII



A　few　words　may　suffice　for　the　greater　number　of　the　young　people
to　whom　I　have　been　alluding　in　the　foregoing　chapter。　　Eliza　and
Maria；　the　two　elder　girls；　were　neither　exactly　pretty　nor　exactly
plain；　and　were　in　all　respects　model　young　ladies；　but　Alethea　was
exceedingly　pretty　and　of　a　lively；　affectionate　disposition；　which
was　in　sharp　contrast　with　those　of　her　brothers　and　sisters。　　There
was　a　trace　of　her　grandfather；　not　only　in　her　face；　but　in　her
love　of　fun；　of　which　her　father　had　none；　though　not　without　a
certain　boisterous　and　rather　coarse　quasi…humour　which　passed　for
wit　with　many。

John　grew　up　to　be　a　good…looking；　gentlemanly　fellow；　with　features
a　trifle　too　regular　and　finely　chiselled。　　He　dressed　himself　so
nicely；　had　such　good　address；　and　stuck　so　steadily　to　his　books
that　he　became　a　favourite　with　his　masters；　he　had；　however；　an
instinct　for　diplomacy；　and　was　less　popular　with　the　boys。　　His
father；　in　spite　of　the　lectures　he　would　at　times　read　him；　was　in
a　way　proud　of　him　as　he　grew　older；　he　saw　in　him；　moreover；　one
who　would　probably　develop　into　a　good　man　of　business；　and　in　whose
hands　the　prospects　of　his　house　would　not　be　likely　to　decline。
John　knew　how　to　humour　his　father；　and　was　at　a　comparatively　early
age　admitted　to　as　much　of　his　confidence　as　it　was　in　his　nature　to
bestow　on　anyone。

His　brother　Theobald　was　no　match　for　him；　knew　it；　and　accepted　his
fate。　　He　was　not　so　good…looking　as　his　brother；　nor　was　his
address　so　good；　as　a　child　he　had　been　violently　passionate；　now；
however；　he　was　reserved　and　shy；　and；　I　should　say；　indolent　in
mind　and　body。　　He　was　less　tidy　than　John；　less　well　able　to　assert
himself；　and　less　skilful　in　humouring　the　caprices　of　his　father。
I　do　not　think　he　could　have　loved　anyone　heartily；　but　there　was　no
one　in　his　family　circle　who　did　not　repress；　rather　than　invite　his
affection；　with　the　exception　of　his　sister　Alethea；　and　she　was　too
quick　and　lively　for　his　somewhat　morose　temper。　　He　was　always　the
scapegoat；　and　I　have　sometimes　thought　he　had　two　fathers　to
contend　againsthis　father　and　his　brother　John；　a　third　and　fourth
also　might　almost　be　added　in　his　sisters　Eliza　and　Maria。　　Perhaps
if　he　had　felt　his　bondage　very　acutely　he　would　not　have　put　up
with　it；　but　he　was　constitutionally　timid；　and　the　strong　hand　of
his　father　knitted　him　into　the　closest　outward　harmony　with　his
brother　and　sisters。

The　boys　were　of　use　to　their　father　in　one　respect。　　I　mean　that　he
played　them　off　against　each　other。　　He　kept　them　but　poorly
supplied　with　pocket　money；　and　to　Theobald　would　urge　that　the
claims　of　his　elder　brother　were　naturally　paramount；　while　he
insisted　to　John　upon　the　fact　that　he　had　a　numerous　family；　and
would　affirm　solemnly　that　his　expenses　were　so　heavy　that　at　his
death　there　would　be　very　little　to　divide。　　He　did　not　care　whether
they　compared　notes　or　no；　provided　they　did　not　do　so　in　his
presence。　　Theobald　did　not　complain　even　behind　his　father's　back。
I　knew　him　as　intimately　as　anyone　was　likely　to　know　him　as　a
child；　at　school；　and　again　at　Cambridge；　but　he　very　rarely
mentioned　his　father's　name　even　while　his　father　was　alive；　and
never　once　in　my　hearing　afterwards。　　At　school　he　was　not　actively
disliked　as　his　brother　was；　but　he　was　too　dull　and　deficient　in
animal　spirits　to　be　popular。

Before　he　was　well　out　of　his　frocks　it　was　settled　that　he　was　to
be　a　clergyman。　　It　was　seemly　that　Mr　Pontifex；　the　well…known
publisher　of　religious　books；　should　devote　at　least　one　of　his　sons
to　the　Church；　this　might　tend　to　bring　business；　or　at　any　rate　to
keep　it　in　the　firm；　besides；　Mr　Pontifex　had　more　or　less　interest
with　bishops　and　Church　dignitaries　and　might　hope　that　some
preferment　would　be　offered　to　his　son　through　his　influence。　　The
boy's　future　destiny　was　kept　well　before　his　eyes　from　his　earliest
childhood　and　was　treated　as　a　matter　which　he　had　already　virtually
settled　by　his　acquiescence。　　Nevertheless　a　certain　show　of　freedom
was　allowed　him。　　Mr　Pontifex　would　say　it　was　only　right　to　give　a
boy　his　option；　and　was　much　too　equitable　to　grudge　his　son
whatever　benefit　he　could　derive　from　this。　　He　had　the　greatest
horror；　he　would　exclaim；　of　driving　any　young　man　into　a　profession
which　he　did　not　like。　　Far　be　it　from　him　to　put　pressure　upon　a
son　of　his　as　regards　any　profession　and　much　less　when　so　sacred　a
calling　as　the　ministry　was　concerned。　　He　would　talk　in　this　way
when　there　were　visitors　in　the　house　and　when　his　son　was　in　the
room。　　He　spoke　so　wisely　and　so　well　that　his　listening　guests
considered　him　a　paragon　of　right…mindedness。　　He　spoke；　too；　with
such　emphasis　and　his　rosy　gills　and　bald　head　looked　so　benevolent
that　it　was　difficult　not　to　be　carried　away　by　his　discourse。　　I
believe　two　or　three　heads　of　families　in　the　neighbourhood　gave
their　sons　absolute　liberty　of　choice　in　the　matter　of　their
professionsand　am　not　sure　that　they　had　not　afterwards
considerable　cause　to　regret　having　done　so。　　The　visitors；　seeing
Theobald　look　shy　and　wholly　unmoved　by　the　exhibition　of　so　much
consideration　for　his　wishes；　would　remark　to　themselves　that　the
boy　seemed　hardly　likely　to　be　equal　to　his　father　and　would　set　him
down　as　an　unenthusiastic　youth；　who　ought　to　have　more　life　in　him
and　be　more　sensible　of　his　advantages　than　he　appeared　to　be。

No　one　believed　in　the　righteousness　of　the　whole　transaction　more
firmly　than　the　boy　himself；　a　sense　of　being　ill　at　ease　kept　him
silent；　but　it　was　too　profound　and　too　much　without　break　for　him
to　become　fully　alive　to　it；　and　come　to　an　understanding　with
himself。　　H