passages from an old volume of life-第14节
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d it was with a pious reverence that I renewed my pilgrimage to that perennial fountain。 Its watery ventricles were throbbing with the same systole and diastole as when； the blood of twenty years bounding in my own heart； I looked upon their giant mechanism。 But in the place of 〃Pratt's Garden〃 was an open park； and the old house where Robert Morris held his court in a former generation was changing to a public restaurant。 A suspension bridge cobwebbed itself across the Schuylkill where that audacious arch used to leap the river at a single bound；an arch of greater span； as they loved to tell us； than was ever before constructed。 The Upper Ferry Bridge was to the Schuylkill what the Colossus was to the harbor of Rhodes。 It had an air of dash about it which went far towards redeeming the dead level of respectable average which flattens the physiognomy of the rectangular city。 Philadelphia will never be herself again until another Robert Mills and another Lewis Wernwag have shaped her a new palladium。 She must leap the Schuylkill again； or old men will sadly shake their heads； like the Jews at the sight of the second temple； remembering the glories of that which it replaced。
There are times when Ethiopian minstrelsy can amuse； if it does not charm； a weary soul； and such a vacant hour there was on this same Friday evening。 The 〃opera…house〃 was spacious and admirably ventilated。 As I was listening to the merriment of the sooty buffoons； I happened to cast my eyes up to the ceiling； and through an open semicircular window a bright solitary star looked me calmly in the eyes。 It was a strange intrusion of the vast eternities beckoning from the infinite spaces。 I called the attention of one of my neighbors to it； but 〃Bones〃 was irresistibly droll； and Arcturus； or Aldebaran； or whatever the blazing luminary may have been； with all his revolving worlds； sailed uncared…for down the firmament。
On Saturday morning we took up our line of march for New York。 Mr。 Felton； President of the Philadelphia； Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad； had already called upon me； with a benevolent and sagacious look on his face which implied that he knew how to do me a service and meant to do it。 Sure enough； when we got to the depot； we found a couch spread for the Captain； and both of us were passed on to New York with no visits； but those of civility； from the conductor。 The best thing I saw on the route was a rustic fence； near Elizabethtown； I think； but I am not quite sure。 There was more genius in it than in any structure of the kind I have ever seen；each length being of a special pattern； ramified； reticulated； contorted； as the limbs of the trees had grown。 I trust some friend will photograph or stereograph this fence for me； to go with the view of the spires of Frederick； already referred to； as mementos of my journey。
I had come to feeling that I knew most of the respectably dressed people whom I met in the cars； and had been in contact with them at some time or other。 Three or four ladies and gentlemen were near us； forming a group by themselves。 Presently one addressed me by name； and； on inquiry； I found him to be the gentleman who was with me in the pulpit as Orator on the occasion of another Phi Beta Kappa poem； one delivered at New Haven。 The party were very courteous and friendly； and contributed in various ways to our comfort。
It sometimes seems to me as if there were only about a thousand people in the world； who keep going round and round behind the scenes and then before them； like the 〃army〃 in a beggarly stage…show。 Suppose that I should really wish； some time or other； to get away from this everlasting circle of revolving supernumeraries； where should I buy a ticket the like of which was not in some of their pockets； or find a seat to which some one of them was not a neighbor。
A little less than a year before； after the Ball's Bluff accident； the Captain； then the Lieutenant； and myself had reposed for a night on our homeward journey at the Fifth Avenue Hotel； where we were lodged on the ground…floor； and fared sumptuously。 We were not so peculiarly fortunate this time； the house being really very full。 Farther from the flowers and nearer to the stars；to reach the neighborhood of which last the per ardua of three or four flights of stairs was formidable for any mortal； wounded or well。
The 〃vertical railway〃 settled that for us； however。 It is a giant corkscrew forever pulling a mammoth cork； which； by some divine judgment； is no sooner drawn than it is replaced in its position。 This ascending and descending stopper is hollow； carpeted； with cushioned seats； and is watched over by two condemned souls； called conductors； one of whom is said to be named Igion； and the other Sisyphus。
I love New York； because； as in Paris； everybody that lives in it feels that it is his property；at least； as much as it is anybody's。 My Broadway； in particular； I love almost as I used to love my Boulevards。 I went； therefore； with peculiar interest； on the day that we rested at our grand hotel； to visit some new pleasure…grounds the citizens had been arranging for us； and which I had not yet seen。 The Central Park is an expanse of wild country； well crumpled so as to form ridges which will give views and hollows that will hold water。 The hips and elbows and other bones of Nature stick out here and there in the shape of rocks which give character to the scenery； and an unchangeable； unpurchasable look to a landscape that without them would have been in danger of being fattened by art and money out of all its native features。 The roads were fine； the sheets of water beautiful； the bridges handsome； the swans elegant in their deportment； the grass green and as short as a fast horse's winter coat。 I could not learn whether it was kept so by clipping or singeing。 I was delighted with my new property；but it cost me four dollars to get there； so far was it beyond the Pillars of Hercules of the fashionable quarter。 What it will be by and by depends on circumstances； but at present it is as much central to New York as Brookline is central to Boston。
The question is not between Mr。 Olmsted's admirably arranged； but remote pleasure…ground and our Common； with its batrachian pool； but between his Excentric Park and our finest suburban scenery； between its artificial reservoirs and the broad natural sheet of Jamaica Pond。 I say this not invidiously； but in justice to the beauties which surround our own metropolis。 To compare the situations of any dwellings in either of the great cities with those which look upon the Common； the Public Garden； the waters of the Back Bay； would be to take an unfair advantage of Fifth Avenue and Walnut Street。 St。 Botolph's daughter dresses in plainer clothes than her more stately sisters； but she wears an emerald on her right hand and a diamond on her left that Cybele herself need not be ashamed of。
On Monday morning； the twenty…ninth of September； we took the cars for home。 Vacant lots； with Irish and pigs； vegetable…gardens； straggling houses； the high bridge； villages； not enchanting； then Stamford ： then NORWALK。 Here； on the sixth of May； 1853； I passed close on the heels of the great disaster。 But that my lids were heavy on that morning； my readers would probably have had no further trouble with me。 Two of my friends saw the car in which they rode break in the middle and leave them hanging over the abyss。 From Norwalk to Boston； that day's journey of two hundred miles was a long funeral procession。
Bridgeport； waiting for Iranistan to rise from its ashes with all its phoenix…egg domes；bubbles of wealth that broke； ready to be blown again； iridescent as ever； which is pleasant； for the world likes cheerful Mr。 Barnum's success； New Haven； girt with flat marshes that look like monstrous billiard…tables； with hay…cocks lying about for balls；romantic with West Rock and its legends；cursed with a detestable depot； whose niggardly arrangements crowd the track so murderously close to the wall that the peine forte et dare must be the frequent penalty of an innocent walk on its platform；with its neat carriages； metropolitan hotels； precious old college… dormitories； its vistas of elms and its dishevelled weeping…willows； Hartford； substantial； well…bridged； manysteepled city；every conical spire an extinguisher of some nineteenth…century heresy； so onward； by and across the broad； shallow Connecticut；dull red road and dark river woven in like warp and woof by the shuttle of the darting engine； then Springfield； the wide…meadowed； well…feeding； horse…loving； hot…summered； giant…treed town；city among villages； village among cities； Worcester； with its Daedalian labyrinth of crossing railroad…bars； where the snorting Minotaurs； breathing fire and smoke and hot vapors； are stabled in their dens； Framingham； fair cup…bearer； leaf…cinctured Hebe of the deep…bosomed Queen sitting by the seaside on the throne of the Six Nations。 And now I begin to know the road； not by towns； but by single dwellings； not by miles； but by rods。 The poles of the great magnet that draws in all the iron tracks through the grooves of all the mountains must be near at hand； for here are crossings； and sudden stops；
