the poet at the breakfast table-第43节

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looking　child　of　the　worst　couple　he　could　find；　and　then　train　him
up　successively　at　the　School　for　Infant　Rogues；　the　Academy　for
Young　Scamps；　and　the　College　for　Complete　Criminal　Education；　would
it　be　reasonable　to　expect　a　Francois　Xavier　or　a　Henry　Martyn　to　be
the　result　of　such　a　training？　　The　traditionists；　in　whose
presumptuous　hands　the　science　of　anthropology　has　been　trusted　from
time　immemorial；　have　insisted　on　eliminating　cause　and　effect　from
the　domain　of　morals。　　When　they　have　come　across　a　moral　monster
they　have　seemed　to　think　that　he　put　himself　together；　having　a　free
choice　of　all　the　constituents　which　make　up　manhood；　and　that
consequently　no　punishment　could　be　too　bad　for　him。

I　say；　hang　him　and　welcome；　if　that　is　the　best　thing　for　society；
hate　him；　in　a　certain　sense；　as　you　hate　a　rattlesnake；　but；　if　you
pretend　to　be　a　philosopher；　recognize　the　fact　that　what　you　hate　in
him　is　chiefly　misfortune；　and　that　if　you　had　been　born　with　his
villanous　low　forehead　and　poisoned　instincts；　and　bred　among
creatures　of　the　Races　Maudites　whose　natural　history　has　to　be
studied　like　that　of　beasts　of　prey　and　vermin；　you　would　not　have
been　sitting　there　in　your　gold…bowed　spectacles　and　passing　judgment
on　the　peccadilloes　of　your　fellow…creatures。

I　have　seen　men　and　women　so　disinterested　and　noble；　and　devoted　to
the　best　works；　that　it　appeared　to　me　if　any　good　and　faithful
servant　was　entitled　to　enter　into　the　joys　of　his　Lord；　such　as
these　might　be。　　But　I　do　not　know　that　I　ever　met　with　a　human　being
who　seemed　to　me　to　have　a　stronger　claim　on　the　pitying
consideration　and　kindness　of　his　Maker　than　a　wretched；　puny；
crippled；　stunted　child　that　I　saw　in　Newgate；　who　was　pointed　out　as
one　of　the　most　notorious　and　inveterate　little　thieves　in　London。　　I
have　no　doubt　that　some　of　those　who　were　looking　at　this　pitiable
morbid　secretion　of　the　diseased　social　organism　thought　they　were
very　virtuous　for　hating　him　so　heartily。

It　is　natural；　and　in　one　sense　is　all　right　enough。　　I　want　to　catch
a　thief　and　put　the　extinguisher　on　an　incendiary　as　much　as　my
neighbors　do；　but　I　have　two　sides　to　my　consciousness　as　I　have　two
sides　to　my　heart；　one　carrying　dark；　impure　blood；　and　the　other　the
bright　stream　which　has　been　purified　and　vivified　by　the　great
source　of　life　and　death；the　oxygen　of　the　air　which　gives　all
things　their　vital　heat；　and　burns　all　things　at　last　to　ashes。

One　side　of　me　loves　and　hates；　the　other　side　of　me　judges；　say
rather　pleads　and　suspends　judgment。　　I　think；　if　I　were　left　to
myself；　I　should　hang　a　rogue　and　then　write　his　apology　and
subscribe　to　a　neat　monument；　commemorating；　not　his　virtues；　but　his
misfortunes。　　I　should；　perhaps；　adorn　the　marble　with　emblems；　as　is
the　custom　with　regard　to　the　more　regular　and　normally　constituted
members　of　society。　　It　would　not　be　proper　to　put　the　image　of　a
lamb　upon　the　stone　which　marked　the　resting…place　of　him　of　the
private　cemetery。　　But　I　would　not　hesitate　to　place　the　effigy　of　a
wolf　or　a　hyena　upon　the　monument。　　I　do　not　judge　these　animals；　I
only　kill　them　or　shut　them　up。　　I　presume　they　stand　just　as　well
with　their　Maker　as　lambs　and　kids；　and　the　existence　of　such　beings
is　a　perpetual　plea　for　God　Almighty's　poor；　yelling；　scalping
Indians；　his　weasand…stopping　Thugs；　his　despised　felons；　his
murdering　miscreants；　and　all　the　unfortunates　whom　we；　picked
individuals　of　a　picked　class　of　a　picked　race；　scrubbed；　combed；　and
catechized　from　our　cradles　upward；　undertake　to　find　accommodations
for　in　another　state　of　being　where　it　is　to　be　hoped　they　will　have
a　better　chance　than　they　had　in　this。

The　Master　paused；　and　took　off　his　great　round　spectacles。　　I　could
not　help　thinking　that　he　looked　benevolent　enough　to　pardon　Judas
Iscariot　just　at　that　moment；　though　his　features　can　knot　themselves
up　pretty；　formidably　on　occasion。

You　are　somewhat　of　a　phrenologist；　I　judge；　by　the　way　you　talk　of
instinctive　and　inherited　tendenciesI　said。

They　tell　me　I　ought　to　be；he　answered；　parrying　my　question；　as
I　thought。…I　have　had　a　famous　chart　made　out　of　my　cerebral
organs；　according　to　which　I　ought　to　have　beensomething　more　than
a　poor　Magister　Artaum。

I　thought　a　shade　of　regret　deepened　the　lines　on　his　broad；
antique…looking　forehead；　and　I　began　talking　about　all　the　sights　I
had　seen　in　the　way　of　monstrosities；　of　which　I　had　a　considerable
list；　as　you　will　see　when　I　tell　you　my　weakness　in　that　direction。
This；　you　understand；　Beloved；　is　private　and　confidential。

I　pay　my　quarter　of　a　dollar　and　go　into　all　the　side…shows　that
follow　the　caravans　and　circuses　round　the　country。　　I　have　made
friends　of　all　the　giants　and　all　the　dwarfs。　　I　became　acquainted
with　Monsieur　Bihin；　le　plus　bel　homme　du　monde；　and　one　of　the
biggest；　a　great　many　years　ago；　and　have　kept　up　my　agreeable
relations　with　him　ever　since。　　He　is　a　most　interesting　giant；　with
a　softness　of　voice　and　tenderness　of　feeling　which　I　find　very
engaging。　　I　was　on　friendly　terms　with　Mr。　Charles　Freeman；　a　very
superior　giant　of　American　birth；　seven　feet　four；　I　think；　in
height；　〃double…jointed；〃　of　mylodon　muscularity；　the　same　who　in　a
British　prize…ring　tossed　the　Tipton　Slasher　from　one　side　of　the
rope　to　the　other；　and　now　lies　stretched；　poor　fellow！　in　a　mighty
grave　in　the　same　soil　which　holds　the　sacred　ashes　of　Cribb；　and　the
honored　dust　of　Burke；not　the　one　〃commonly　called　the　sublime；〃
but　that　other　Burke　to　whom　Nature　had　denied　the　sense　of　hearing
lest　he　should　be　spoiled　by　listening　to　the　praises　of　the　admiring
circles　which　looked　on　his　dear…bought　triumphs。　　Nor　have　I
despised　those　little　ones　whom　that　devout　worshipper　of　Nature　in
her　exceptional　forms；　the　distinguished　Barnum；　has　introduced　to
the　notice　of　mankind。　　The　General　touches　his　chapeau　to　me；　and
the　Commodore　gives　me　a　sailor's　greeting。　　I　have　had　confidential
interviews　with　the　double…headed　daughter　of　Africa；so　far；　at
least；　as　her　twofold　personality　admitted　of　private　confidences。　　I
have　listened　to　the　touching　experiences　of　the　Bearded　Lady；　whose
rough　cheeks　belie　her　susceptible　heart。　　Miss　Jane　Campbell　has
allowed　me　to　question　her　on　the　delicate　subject　of　avoirdupois
equivalents；　and　the　armless　fair　one；　whose　embrace　no　monarch　could
hope　to　win；　has　wrought　me　a　watch…paper　with　those　despised　digits
which　have　been　degraded　from　gloves　to　boots　in　our　evolution　from
the　condition　of　quadrumana。

I　hope　you　have　read　my　experiences　as　good…naturedly　as　the　old
Master　listened　to　them。　　He　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　my　whim；　and
promised　to　go　with　me　to　see　all　the　side…shows　of　the　next　caravan。
Before　I　left　him　he　wrote　my　name　in　a　copy　of　the　new　edition　of
his　book；　telling　me　that　it　would　not　all　be　new　to　me　by　a　great
deal；　for　he　often　talked　what　he　had　printed　to　make　up　for　having
printed　a　good　deal　of　what　he　had　talked。

Here　is　the　passage　of　his　Poem　the　Young　Astronomer　read　to　us。


　　　　　WIND…CLOUDS　AND　STAR…DRIFTS。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV

》From　my　lone　turret　as　I　look　around
O'er　the　green　meadows　to　the　ring　of　blue；
》From　slope；　from　summit；　and　from　half…hid　vale
The　sky　is　stabbed　with　dagger…pointed　spires；
Their　gilded　symbols　whirling　in　the　wind；
Their　brazen　tongues　proclaiming　to　the　world；
Here　truth　is　sold；　the　only　genuine　ware；
See　that　it　has　our　trade…mark！
You　will　buy　Poison　instead　of　food　across　the　way；
The　lies　of　〃this　or　that；　each　several　name
The　standard's　blazon　and　the　battle…cry
Of　some　true…gospel　faction；　and　again
The　token　of　the　Beast　to　all　beside。
And　grouped　round　each　I　see　a　huddling　crowd
Alike　in　all　things　save　the　words　they　use；
In　love；　in　longing；　hate　and　fear　the　same。

Whom　do　we　trust　and　serve？　　We　speak　of　one
And　bow　to　many；　Athens　still　would　find
The　shrines　of　all　she　worshipped　safe　within
Our　tall　barbarian　temples；　and　the　thrones
That　crowned　Olympus　mighty　as　of　old。
The　god　of　music　rules　the　Sabbath　choir；
The　lyric　muse　must　leave　the　sacred　nine
To　help　us　please　the　dilettante's　ear；
Plutus　limps　homeward　with　us；　as　we　leave
The　portals　of　the　temple　where　we　knelt
And　listened　while　the　god　of　eloquence
（Hermes　of　ancient　days；　but　now　disguised
In　sable　vestments）　with　that　other　god
Somnus；　the　son　of　Erebus　and　Nog；
Fights　in　unequal　contest　for　our　souls；
The　dreadful　sovereign　of　the　under　world
Still　shakes　his　sceptre　at　us；　and　we　hear
The　baying　of　the　triple…throated　hound；
Eros…is　young　as　ever；　and　as　fair
The　lovely　Goddess　born　of　ocean's　foam。

These　be　thy　gods；　O　Israel！　　Who　is　he；
The　one　ye　name　and　tell　us　that　ye　serve；
Whom　ye　would　call　me　from　my　lonely　tower
To　worship　with　the　many…headed　throng？
Is　it　the　God　that　walked　in　Eden's　grove
In　the　cool　hour　to　seek　our　guilty　sire？
The　God　who　dealt　with　Abraham　as　the　sons
Of　that　old　patriarch　deal　with　other　men？
The　jealous　God　of　Moses；　one　who　feels
An　image　as　an　insult；　and　is　wroth
With　him　who　made　it　and　his　child　unborn？
The　God　who