dreams(梦)-第2节
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mess with it as can a grown…up person； and so all the children of the
family are represented in the picture as hard at work； enameling whatever
few articles of furniture and household use the grasping selfishness of
their elders has spared to them。 One is painting the toasting fork in a
〃skim…milk blue；〃 while another is giving aesthetical value to the Dutch
oven by means of a new shade of art green。 The bootjack is being
renovated in 〃old gold；〃 and the baby is sitting on the floor； smothering its
own cradle with 〃flush…upon…a…maiden's cheek peach color。〃
One feels that the thing is being overdone。 That family； before
another month is gone； will be among the strongest opponents of enamel
paint that the century has produced。 Enamel paint will be the ruin of that
once happy home。 Enamel paint has a cold； glassy； cynical appearance。
Its presence everywhere about the place will begin to irritate the old man
in the course of a week or so。 He will call it； 〃This damn'd sticky stuff！〃
and will tell the wife that he wonders she didn't paint herself and the
children with it while she was about it。 She will reply； in an exasperatingly
quiet tone of voice； that she does like that。 Perhaps he will say next； that
she did not warn him against it； and tell him what an idiot he was making
of himself； spoiling the whole house with his foolish fads。 Each one will
persist that it was the other one who first suggested the absurdity； and they
will sit up in bed and quarrel about it every night for a month。
The children having acquired a taste for smudging the concoction
about； and there being nothing else left untouched in the house； will try to
enamel the cat； and then there will be bloodshed； and broken windows；
and spoiled infants； and sorrows and yells。 The smell of the paint will
make everybody ill； and the servants will give notice。 Tradesmen's boys
will lean up against places that are not dry and get their clothes enameled
and claim compensation。 And the baby will suck the paint off its cradle
and have fits。
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But the person that will suffer most will； of course； be the eldest
daughter's young man。 The eldest daughter's young man is always
unfortunate。 He means well； and he tries hard。 His great ambition is to
make the family love him。 But fate is ever against him； and he only
succeeds in gaining their undisguised contempt。 The fact of his being
〃gone〃 on their Emily is； of itself； naturally sufficient to stamp him as an
imbecile in the eyes of Emily's brothers and sisters。 The father finds him
slow； and thinks the girl might have done better； while the best that his
future mother…in…law （his sole supporter） can say for him is； that he seems
steady。
There is only one thing that prompts the family to tolerate him； and
that is the reflection that he is going to take Emily away from them。
On that understanding they put up with him。
The eldest daughter's young man； in this particular case； will； you may
depend upon it； choose that exact moment when the baby's life is hovering
in the balance； and the cook is waiting for her wages with her box in the
hall； and a coal…heaver is at the front door with a policeman； making a row
about the damage to his trousers； to come in； smiling； with a specimen pot
of some new high art； squashed…tomato…shade enamel paint； and suggest
that they should try it on the old man's pipe。 Then Emily will go off into
hysterics； and Emily's male progenitor will firmly but quietly lead that ill…
starred yet true…hearted young man to the public side of the garden…gate；
and the engagement will be 〃off。〃
Too much of anything is a mistake； as the man said when his wife
presented him with four new healthy children in one day。 We should
practice moderation in all matters。 A little enamel paint would have been
good。 They might have enameled the house inside and out； and have left
the furniture alone。 Or they might have colored the furniture； and let the
house be。 But an entirely and completely enameled homea home； such
as enamel…paint manufacturers love to picture on their advertisements；
over which the yearning eye wanders in vain； seeking one single square
inch of un…enameled matteris； I am convinced； a mistake。 It may be a
home that； as the testimonials assure us； will easily wash。 It may be an
〃artistic〃 home； but the average man is not yet educated up to the
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appreciation of it。 The average man does not care for high art。 At a
certain point； the average man gets sick of high art。
So； in these coming Utopias； in which out unhappy grandchildren will
have to drag out their colorless existence； there will be too much
electricity。 They will grow to loathe electricity。
Electricity is going to light them； warm them； carry them； doctor them；
cook for them； execute them； if necessary。 They are going to be weaned
on electricity； rocked in their cradles by electricity； slapped by electricity；
ruled and regulated and guided by electricity； buried by electricity。 I may
be wrong； but I rather think they are going to be hatched by electricity。
In the new world of our progressionist teachers； it is electricity that is
the real motive…power。 The men and women are only marionettes
worked by electricity。
But it was not to speak of the electricity in them； but of the originality
in them； that I referred to these works of fiction。 There is no originality
in them whatever。 Human thought is incapable of originality。 No man
ever yet imagined a new thingonly some variation or extension of an old
thing。
The sailor； when he was asked what he would do with a fortune；
promptly replied：
〃Buy all the rum and 'baccy there is in the world。〃
〃And what after that？〃 they asked him。
〃Eh？〃
〃What would you buy after thatafter you had bought up all the rum
and tobacco there was in the worldwhat would you buy then？〃
〃After that？ Oh！ 'um！〃 （a long pause）。 〃Oh！〃 （with inspiration） 〃why；
more 'baccy！〃
Rum and tobacco he knew something of； and could therefore imagine
about。 He did not know any other luxuries； therefore he could not
conceive of any others。
So if you ask one of these Utopian…dreaming gentry what； after they
had secured for their world all the electricity there was in the Universe；
and after every mortal thing in their ideal Paradise； was done and said and
thought by electricity； they could imagine as further necessary to human
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happiness； they would probably muse for awhile； and then reply； 〃More
electricity。〃
They know electricity。 They have seen the electric light； and heard of
electric boats and omnibuses。 They have possibly had an electric shock
at a railway station for a penny。
Therefore； knowing that electricity does three things； they can go on
and 〃imagine〃 electricity doing three hundred things； and the very great
ones among them can imagine it doing three thousand things； but for them；
or anybody else； to imagine a new force； totally unconnected with and
different from anything yet known in nature； would be utterly impossible。
Human thought is not a firework； ever shooting off fresh forms and
shapes as it burns； it is a tree； growing very slowlyyou can watch it long
and see no movementvery silently； unnoticed。 It was planted in the
world many thousand years ago； a tiny； sickly plant。 And men guarded it
and tended it； and gave up life and fame to aid its growth。 In the hot days
of their youth； they came to the gate of the garden and knocked； begging
