the rhythm of life and other essays(生命的旋律)-第10节
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posterity； and to assure them that we absolve them from any fault of theirs
in the bastardy。
Humour is the most conspicuous thing in the world； which must
explain why the little humour in Elsie Venner and the Breakfast Table
series is not only the first thing the critic touches but the thing whereby he
relates this author to his following and to the world。 The young man
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John； Colonel Sprowle with his 'social entertainment；' the Landlady and
her daughter； and the Poor Relation； almost make up the sum of the comic
personages； and fifty per cent。 of the things they sayno moreare good
enough to remain after the bloom of their vulgarity has worn off。 But
that half is excellent； keen； jolly； temperate； and because of that
temperance the most stimulating and fecundating of qualitiesthe
humour of it has set the literature of a hemisphere to the tune of mirth。
Like Mr。 Lowell's it was humour in dialectnot Irish dialect nor negro； but
American； and it made New England aware of her comedy。 Until then
she had felt within herself that there was nothing to laugh at。 'Nature is in
earnest when she makes a woman；' says Dr。 Oliver Wendell Holmes。
Rather； she takes herself seriously when she makes the average spiritual
woman： as seriously as that woman takes herself when she makes a
novel。 And in a like mood Nature made New England and endowed her
with purpose； with mortuary frivolities； with long views； with energetic
provincialism。
If we remember best The Wonderful One…Hoss Shay； we do so in spite
of the religious and pathetic motive of the greater part of Dr。 Holmes's
work； and of his fancy； which should be at least as conspicuous as his
humour。 It is fancy rather than imagination； but it is more perfect； more
definite； more fit； than the larger art of imagery； which is apt to be vague；
because it is intellectual and adult。 No grown man makes quite so
definite mental images as does a child； when the mind ages it thinks
stronger thoughts in vaguer pictures。 The young mind of Dr。 Holmes has
less intellectual imagination than intelligent fancy。 For example： 'If
you ever saw a crow with a king…bird after him； you will get an image of a
dull speaker and a lively listener。 The bird in sable plumage flaps heavily
along his straightforward course； while the other sails round him； over him；
under him； leaves him； comes back again； tweaks out a black feather；
shoots away once more； never losing sight of him； and finally reaches the
crow's perch at the same time the crow does；' but the comparison goes on
after this at needless length； with explanations。 Again： 'That blessed
clairvoyance which sees into things without opening them： that glorious
licence which； having shut the door and driven the reporter from the
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keyhole； calls upon Truth； majestic Virgin！ to get off from her pedestal and
drop her academic POSES。' And this； of the Landlady： 'She told me
her story once； it was as if a grain that had been ground and bolted had
tried to individualise itself by a special narrative。' 'The riotous tumult of
a laugh； which； I take it； is the mob…law of the features。' 'Think of the
Old Worldthat part of it which is the seat of ancient civilisation！ 。 。 。 A
man cannot help marching in step with his kind in the rear of such a
procession。' 'Young folk look on a face as a unit； children who go to
school with any given little John Smith see in his name a distinctive
appellation。' And that exquisitely sensitive passage on the nervous
outward movement and the inward tranquillity of the woods。 Such things
are the best this good author gives us； whether they go gay with metaphor；
or be bare thoughts shapely with their own truth。
Part of the charm of Dr。 Holmes's comment on life； and of the phrase
wherein he secures it； arises from his singular vigilance。 He has
unpreoccupied and alert eyes。 Strangely enough； by the way； this
watchfulness is for once as much at fault as would be the slovenly
observation of an ordinary man； in the description of a horse's gallop；
'skimming along within a yard of the ground。' Who shall trust a man's
nimble eyes after this； when habit and credulity have taught him？ Not an
inch nearer the ground goes the horse of fact at a gallop than at a walk。
But Dr。 Holmes's vigilance helps him to somewhat squalid purpose in his
studies of New England inland life。 Much careful literature besides has
been spent； after the example of Elsie Venner and the Autocrat； upon the
cottage worldliness； the routine of abundant and common comforts
achieved by a distressing household industry； the shrillness； the unrest； the
best…parlour emulation； the ungraceful vanity； of Americans of the
country…side and the country…town； upon their affections made vulgar by
undemonstrativeness； and their consciences made vulgar by
demonstrativenesstheir kindness by reticence； and their religion by
candour。
As for the question of heredity and of individual responsibility which
Dr。 Oliver Wendell Holmes proposes in Elsie Venner； it is strange that a
man whom it had sincerely disquieted should present itnot in its own
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insolubility butin caricature。 As though the secrets of the inherited
body and soul needed to be heightened by a bit of burlesque physiology！
It is in spite of our protest against the invention of Elsie's horrible plighta
conception and invention which Dr。 Oliver Wendell Holmes should feel to
be essentially frivolousthat the serpent…maiden moves us deeply by her
last 'Good night；' and by the gentle phrase that tells us 'Elsie wept。' But
now； if Dr。 Holmes shall succeed in proposing the question of separate
responsibility so as to convince every civilised mind of his doubts； there
will be curiously little change wrought thereby in the discipline of the
world。 For Dr。 Holmes incidentally lets us know that he cherishes and
values the instinct of intolerance and destructiveness in presence of the
cruel； the self…loving； and the false。 Negation of separate moral
responsibility； when that negation is tempered by a working instinct of
intolerance and destructiveness； will deal with the felon； after all； very
much in the manner achieved by the present prevalent judicialness；
unscientific though it may be。 And to say this is to confess that Dr。
Oliver Wendell Holmes has worked； through a number of books； to futile
purpose。 His books are justified by something quite apart from his
purpose。
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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL
The United States have produced authors not a few； among some
names not the most famous； perhaps； on the popular tongue； are two or
three names of their poets； but they have hardly given to the world more
than one man of lettersjudicious； judicial； disinterested； patient； happy；
temperate； delighted。 The colonial days； with the 'painful' divines who
brought the parish into the wilderness； the experimental period of ambition
and attempts at a literature that
