contributions to-all the year round(一年到头)-第16节
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were most remarkable evidences of the heart he must have put into his old
theatrical work； and of the thorough purpose and sincerity with which it
must have been done。 The writer was very intimately associated with him
in some amateur plays； and day after day； and night after night； there were
the same unquenchable freshness； enthusiasm； and impressibility in him；
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though broken in health； even then。
No Artist can ever have stood by his art with a quieter dignity than he
always did。 Nothing would have induced him to lay it at the feet of any
human creature。 To fawn； or to toady； or to do undeserved homage to
any one； was an absolute impossibility with him。 And yet his character
was so nicely balanced that he was the last man in the world to be
suspected of self…assertion； and his modesty was one of his most special
qualities。
He was a charitable； religious； gentle； truly good man。 A genuine
man； incapable of pretence or of concealment。 He had been a sailor once；
and all the best characteristics that are popularly attributed to sailors； being
his； and being in him refined by the influences of his Art； formed a whole
not likely to be often seen。 There is no smile that the writer can recall；
like his； no manner so naturally confiding and so cheerfully engaging。
When the writer saw him for the last time on earth； the smile and the
manner shone out once through the weakness； still： the bright
unchanging Soul within the altered face and form。
No man was ever held in higher respect by his friends； and yet his
intimate friends invariably addressed him and spoke of him by a pet name。
It may need； perhaps； the writer's memory and associations to find in this a
touching expression of his winning character； his playful smile； and
pleasant ways。 〃You know Mrs。 Inchbald's story； Nature and Art？〃 wrote
Thomas Hood； once； in a letter： 〃What a fine Edition of Nature and Art
is Stanfield！〃
Gone！ And many and many a dear old day gone with him！ But
their memories remain。 And his memory will not soon fade out； for he
has set his mark upon the restless waters； and his fame will long be
sounded in the roar of the sea。
A SLIGHT QUESTION OF FACT
It is never well for the public interest that the originator of any social
reform should be soon forgotten。 Further； it is neither wholesome nor
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right （being neither generous nor just） that the merit of his work should be
gradually transferred elsewhere。
Some few weeks ago； our contemporary； the Pall Mall Gazette； in
certain strictures on our Theatres which we are very far indeed from
challenging； remarked on the first effectual discouragement of an outrage
upon decency which the lobbies and upper…boxes of even our best
Theatres habitually paraded within the last twenty or thirty years。 From
those remarks it might appear as though no such Manager of Covent
Garden or Drury Lane as Mr。 Macready had ever existed。
It is a fact beyond all possibility of question； that Mr。 Macready； on
assuming the management of Covent Garden Theatre in 1837； did
instantly set himself； regardless of precedent and custom down to that hour
obtaining； rigidly to suppress this shameful thing； and did rigidly suppress
and crush it during his whole management of that theatre； and during his
whole subsequent management of Drury Lane。 That he did so； as
certainly without favour as without fear； that he did so； against his own
immediate interests； that he did so； against vexations and oppositions
which might have cooled the ardour of a less earnest man； or a less
devoted artist； can be better known to no one than the writer of the present
words； whose name stands at the head of these pages。
LANDOR'S LIFE
Prefixed to the second volume of Mr。 Forster's admirable biography of
Walter Savage Landor； ｛1｝ is an engraving from a portrait of that
remarkable man when seventy…seven years of age； by Boxall。 The writer
of these lines can testify that the original picture is a singularly good
likeness； the result of close and subtle observation on the part of the
painter； but； for this very reason； the engraving gives a most inadequate
idea of the merit of the picture and the character of the man。
From the engraving； the arms and hands are omitted。 In the picture；
they are； as they were in nature； indispensable to a correct reading of the
vigorous face。 The arms were very peculiar。 They were rather short；
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and were curiously restrained and checked in their action at the elbows； in
the action of the hands； even when separately clenched； there was the
same kind of pause； and a noticeable tendency to relaxation on the part of
the thumb。 Let the face be never so intense or fierce； there was a
commentary of gentleness in the hands； essential to be taken along with it。
Like Hamlet； Landor would speak daggers； but use none。 In the
expression of his hands； though angrily closed； there was always
gentleness and tenderness； just as when they were open； and the handsome
old gentleman would wave them with a little courtly flourish that sat well
upon him； as he recalled some classic compliment that he had rendered to
some reigning Beauty； there was a chivalrous grace about them such as
pervades his softer verses。 Thus the fictitious Mr。 Boythorn （to whom we
may refer without impropriety in this connexion； as Mr。 Forster does）
declaims 〃with unimaginable energy〃 the while his bird is 〃perched upon
his thumb〃； and he 〃softly smooths its feathers with his forefinger〃。
From the spirit of Mr。 Forster's Biography these characteristic hands
are never omitted； and hence （apart from its literary merits） its great value。
As the same masterly writer's Life and Times of Oliver Goldsmith is a
generous and yet conscientious picture of a period； so this is a not less
generous and yet conscientious picture of one life； of a life； with all its
aspirations； achievements； and disappointments； all its capabilities；
opportunities； and irretrievable mistakes。 It is essentially a sad book； and
herein lies proof of its truth and worth。 The life of almost any man
possessing great gifts； would be a sad book to himself； and this book
enables us not only to see its subject； but to be its subject； if we will。
Mr。 Forster is of opinion that 〃Landor's fame very surely awaits him〃。
This point admitted or doubted； the value of the book remains the same。
It needs not to know his works （otherwise than through his biographer's
exposition）； it needs not to have known himself； to find a deep interest in
these pages。 More or less of their warning is in every conscience； and
some admiration of a fine genius； and of a great； wild； generous nature；
incapable of mean self…extenuation or dissimulationif unhappily
incapable of self…repression too should be in every breast。 〃There may
be still living many persons〃； Walter Landor's brother； Robert； writes to
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Mr。 Forster of this book； 〃who would contradict any narrative of yours in
which the best qualities were remembered； the worst forgotten。〃
