contributions to-all the year round(一年到头)-第17节
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which the best qualities were remembered； the worst forgotten。〃 Mr。
Forster's comment is： 〃I had not waited for this appeal to resolve； that； if
this memoir were written at all； it should contain； as far as might lie within
my power； a fair statement of the truth〃。 And this eloquent passage of
truth immediately follows： 〃Few of his infirmities are without something
kindly or generous about them； and we are not long in discovering there is
nothing so wildly incredible that he will not himself in perfect good faith
believe。 When he published his first book of poems on quitting Oxford；
the profits were to be reserved for a distressed clergyman。 When he
published his Latin poems； the poor of Leipzig were to have the sum they
realised。 When his comedy was ready to be acted； a Spaniard who had
sheltered him at Castro was to be made richer by it。 When he competed
for the prize of the Academy of Stockholm； it was to go to the poor of
Sweden。 If nobody got anything from any one of these enterprises； the
fault at all events was not his。 With his extraordinary power of forgetting
disappointments； he was prepared at each successive failure to start afresh；
as if each had been a triumph。 I shall have to delineate this peculiarity as
strongly in the last half as in the first half of his life； and it was certainly
an amiable one。 He was ready at all times to set aside； out of his own
possessions； something for somebody who might please him for the time；
and when frailties of temper and tongue are noted； this other eccentricity
should not be omitted。 He desired eagerly the love as well as the good
opinion of those whom for the time he esteemed； and no one was more
affectionate while under such influences。 It is not a small virtue to feel
such genuine pleasure； as he always did in giving and receiving pleasure。
His generosity； too； was bestowed chiefly on those who could make small
acknowledgment in thanks and no return in kind。〃
Some of his earlier contemporaries may have thought him a vain man。
Most assuredly he was not； in the common acceptation of the term。 A
vain man has little or no admiration to bestow upon competitors。 Landor
had an inexhaustible fund。 He thought well of his writings； or he would
not have preserved them。 He said and wrote that he thought well of them；
because that was his mind about them； and he said and wrote his mind。
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He was one of the few men of whom you might always know the whole：
of whom you might always know the worst； as well as the best。 He had
no reservations or duplicities。 〃No； by Heaven！〃 he would say （〃with
unimaginable energy〃）； if any good adjective were coupled with him
which he did not deserve： 〃I am nothing of the kind。 I wish I were； but
I don't deserve the attribute； and I never did； and I never shall！〃 His
intense consciousness of himself never led to his poorly excusing himself；
and seldom to his violently asserting himself。 When he told some little
story of his bygone social experiences； in Florence； or where not； as he
was fond of doing； it took the innocent form of making all the
interlocutors； Landors。 It was observable； too； that they always called
him 〃Mr。 Landor〃rather ceremoniously and submissively。 There was a
certain 〃Caro Pedre Abete Marina〃 invariably so addressed in these
anecdoteswho figured through a great many of them； and who always
expressed himself in this deferential tone。
Mr。 Forster writes of Landor's character thus：
〃A man must be judged； at first； by what he says and does。 But with
him such extravagance as I have referred to was little more than the
habitual indulgence （on such themes） of passionate feelings and language；
indecent indeed but utterly purposeless； the mere explosion of wrath
provoked by tyranny or cruelty； the irregularities of an overheated steam…
engine too weak for its own vapour。 It is very certain that no one could
detest oppression more truly than Landor did in all seasons and times； and
if no one expressed that scorn； that abhorrence of tyranny and fraud； more
hastily or more intemperately； all his fire and fury signified really little
else than ill…temper too easily provoked。 Not to justify or excuse such
language； but to explain it； this consideration is urged。 If not uniformly
placable； Landor was always compassionate。 He was tender…hearted
rather than bloody… minded at all times； and upon only the most partial
acquaintance with his writings could other opinion be formed。 A
completer knowledge of them would satisfy any one that he had as little
real disposition to kill a king as to kill a mouse。 In fact there is not a
more marked peculiarity in his genius than the union with its strength of a
most uncommon gentleness； and in the personal ways of the man this was
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equally manifest。〃Vol。 i。 p。 496。
Of his works； thus：
〃Though his mind was cast in the antique mould； it had opened itself
to every kind of impression through a long and varied life； he has written
with equal excellence in both poetry and prose； which can hardly be said
of any of his contemporaries； and perhaps the single epithet by which his
books would be best described is that reserved exclusively for books not
characterised only by genius； but also by special individuality。 They are
unique。 Having possessed them； we should miss them。 Their place
would be supplied by no others。 They have that about them； moreover；
which renders it almost certain that they will frequently be resorted to in
future time。 There are none in the language more quotable。 Even where
impulsiveness and want of patience have left them most fragmentary； this
rich compensation is offered to the reader。 There is hardly a conceivable
subject； in life or literature； which they do not illustrate by striking
aphorisms； by concise and profound observations； by wisdom ever
applicable to the deeds of men； and by wit as available for their enjoyment。
Nor； above all； will there anywhere be found a more pervading passion for
liberty； a fiercer hatred of the base； a wider sympathy with the wronged
and the oppressed； or help more ready at all times for those who fight at
odds and disadvantage against the powerful and the fortunate； than in the
writings of Walter Savage Landor。〃Last page of second volume。
The impression was strong upon the present writer's mind； as on Mr。
Forster's； during years of close friendship with the subject of this
biography； that his animosities were chiefly referable to the singular
inability in him to dissociate other people's ways of thinking from his own。
He had； to the last； a ludicrous grievance （both Mr。 Forster and the writer
have often amused themselves with it） against a good…natured nobleman；
doubtless perfectly unconscious of having ever given him offence。 The
offence was； that on the occasion of some dinner party in another
nobleman's house； many years before； this innocent lord （then a
commoner） had passed in to dinner； through some door； before him； as he
himself was about to pass in through that same door with a lady on his arm。
Now； Landor was a gentleman of most scrupulous politeness； and in his
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carriage of himself towards ladies there was a certain mixture of
stateliness and deference； belonging to quite another time； and； as Mr。
Pepys would observe； 〃mighty pretty to see〃。 If he could by any effort
imagine himself
