essays on life, art and science-第7节

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died　January　16；　1826。　　This　is　not　because　they　could　not　find　so
many　as　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　events　of　considerable　interest
since　the　creation　of　the　world；　but　because　they　well　know　we　would
rather　hear　of　something　less　interesting。　　We　care　most　about　what
concerns　us　either　very　closely；　or　so　little　that　practically　we
have　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　it。

I　once　asked　a　young　Italian；　who　professed　to　have　a　considerable
knowledge　of　English　literature；　which　of　all　our　poems　pleased　him
best。　　He　replied　without　a　moment's　hesitation：…


〃Hey　diddle　diddle；　the　cat　and　the　fiddle；
　　　The　cow　jumped　over　the　moon；
The　little　dog　laughed　to　see　such　sport；
　　　And　the　dish　ran　away　with　the　spoon。〃


He　said　this　was　better　than　anything　in　Italian。　　They　had　Dante
and　Tasso；　and　ever　so　many　more　great　poets；　but　they　had　nothing
comparable　to　〃Hey　diddle　diddle；〃　nor　had　he　been　able　to　conceive
how　any　one　could　have　written　it。　　Did　I　know　the　author's　name；
and　had　we　given　him　a　statue？　　On　this　I　told　him　of　the　young　lady
of　Harrow　who　would　go　to　church　in　a　barrow；　and　plied　him　with
whatever　rhyming　nonsense　I　could　call　to　mind；　but　it　was　no　use；
all　of　these　things　had　an　element　of　reality　that　robbed　them　of
half　their　charm；　whereas　〃Hey　diddle　diddle〃　had　nothing　in　it　that
could　conceivably　concern　him。

So　again　it　is　with　the　things　that　gall　us　most。　　What　is　it　that
rises　up　against　us　at　odd　times　and　smites　us　in　the　face　again　and
again　for　years　after　it　has　happened？　　That　we　spent　all　the　best
years　of　our　life　in　learning　what　we　have　found　to　be　a　swindle；
and　to　have　been　known　to　be　a　swindle　by　those　who　took　money　for
misleading　us？　　That　those　on　whom　we　most　leaned　most　betrayed　us？
That　we　have　only　come　to　feel　our　strength　when　there　is　little
strength　left　of　any　kind　to　feel？　　These　things　will　hardly　much
disturb　a　man　of　ordinary　good　temper。　　But　that　he　should　have　said
this　or　that　little　unkind　and　wanton　saying；　that　he　should　have
gone　away　from　this　or　that　hotel　and　given　a　shilling　too　little　to
the　waiter；　that　his　clothes　were　shabby　at　such　or　such　a　garden…
partythese　things　gall　us　as　a　corn　will　sometimes　do；　though　the
loss　of　a　limb　way　not　be　seriously　felt。

I　have　been　reminded　lately　of　these　considerations　with　more　than
common　force　by　reading　the　very　voluminous　correspondence　left　by
my　grandfather；　Dr。　Butler；　of　Shrewsbury；　whose　memoirs　I　am
engaged　in　writing。　　I　have　found　a　large　number　of　interesting
letters　on　subjects　of　serious　import；　but　must　confess　that　it　is
to　the　hardly　less　numerous　lighter　letters　that　I　have　been　most
attracted；　nor　do　I　feel　sure　that　my　eminent　namesake　did　not　share
my　predilection。　　Among　other　letters　in　my　possession　I　have　one
bundle　that　has　been　kept　apart；　and　has　evidently　no　connection
with　Dr。　Butler's　own　life。　　I　cannot　use　these　letters；　therefore；
for　my　book；　but　over　and　above　the　charm　of　their　inspired
spelling；　I　find　them　of　such　an　extremely　trivial　nature　that　I
incline　to　hope　the　reader　may　derive　as　much　amusement　from　them　as
I　have　done　myself；　and　venture　to　give　them　the　publicity　here
which　I　must　refuse　them　in　my　book。　　The　dates　and　signatures　have；
with　the　exception　of　Mrs。　Newton's；　been　carefully　erased；　but　I
have　collected　that　they　were　written　by　the　two　servants　of　a
single　lady　who　resided　at　no　great　distance　from　London；　to　two
nieces　of　the　said　lady　who　lived　in　London　itself。　　The　aunt　never
writes；　but　always　gets　one　of　the　servants　to　do　so　for　her。　　She
appears　either　as　〃your　aunt〃　or　as　〃She〃；　her　name　is　not　given；
but　she　is　evidently　looked　upon　with　a　good　deal　of　awe　by　all　who
had　to　do　with　her。

The　letters　almost　all　of　them　relate　to　visits　either　of　the　aunt
to　London；　or　of　the　nieces　to　the　aunt's　home；　which；　from
occasional　allusions　to　hopping；　I　gather　to　have　been　in　Kent；
Sussex；　or　Surrey。　　I　have　arranged　them　to　the　best　of　my　power；
and　take　the　following　to　be　the　earliest。　　It　has　no　signature；　but
is　not　in　the　handwriting　of　the　servant　who　styles　herself
Elizabeth；　or　Mrs。　Newton。　　It　runs：…


〃MADAM；Your　Aunt　Wishes　me　to　inform　you　she　will　be　glad　if　you
will　let　hir　know　if　you　think　of　coming　To　hir　House　thiss　month　or
Next　as　she　cannot　have　you　in　September　on　a　kount　of　the　Hoping　If
you　ar　coming　she　thinkes　she　had　batter　Go　to　London　on　the　Day　you
com　to　hir　House　the　says　you　shall　have　everry　Thing　raddy　for　you
at　hir　House　and　Mrs。　Newton　to　meet　you　and　stay　with　you　till　She
returnes　a　gann。

〃if　you　arnot　Coming　thiss　Summer　She　will　be　in　London　before　thiss
Month　is　out　and　will　Sleep　on　the　Sofy　As　She　willnot　be　in　London
more　thann　two　nits。　and　She　Says　she　willnot　truble　you　on　anny　a
kount　as　She　Will　returne　the　Same　Day　before　She　will　plage　you
anny　more。　but　She　thanks　you　for　asking　hir　to　London。　but　She　says
She　cannot　leve　the　house　at　prassant　She　sayhir　Survants　ar　to　do
for　you　as　she　cannot　lodge　yours　nor　she　willnot　have　thim　in　at
the　house　anny　more　to　brake　and　destroy　hir　thinks　and　beslive　hir
and　make　up　Lies　by　hir　and　Skandel　as　your　too　did　She　says　she
mens　to　pay　fore　2　Nits　and　one　day；　She　says　the　Pepelwill　let　hir
have　it　if　you　ask　thim　to　let　hir：　　you　Will　be　so　good　as　to　let
hir　know　sun：　　wish　She　is　to　do；　as　She　says　She　dos　not　care　anny
thing　a　bout　it。　which　way　tiss　she　is　batter　than　She　was　and
desirs　hir　Love　to　bouth　bouth。

〃Your　aunt　wises　to　know　how　the　silk　Clocks　ar　madup　＇how　the　silk
cloaks　are　made　up＇　with　a　Cape　or　a　wood　as　she　is　a　goin　to　have
one　madeup　to　rideout　in　in　hir　littel　shas　＇chaise＇。

〃Charles　is　a　butty　and　so　good。

〃Mr　&　Mrs　Newton　ar　quite　wall　&　desires　to　be　remembered　to　you。〃


I　can　throw　no　light　on　the　meaning　of　the　verb　to　〃beslive。〃　　Each
letter　in　the　MS。　is　so　admirably　formed　that　there　can　be　no
question　about　the　word　being　as　I　have　given　it。　　Nor　have　I　been
able　to　discover　what　is　referred　to　by　the　words　〃Charles　is　a
butty　and　so　good。〃　　We　shall　presently　meet　with　a　Charles　who
〃flies　in　the　Fier；〃　but　that　Charles　appears　to　have　been　in
London；　whereas　this　one　is　evidently　in　Kent；　or　wherever　the　aunt
lived。

The　next　letter　is　from　Mrs。　Newton


〃DER　Miss　；　I　Receve　your　Letter　your　Aunt　is　vary　Ill　and
Lowspireted　I　Donte　think　your　Aunt　wood　Git　up　all　Day　if　My　Sister
Wasnot　to　Persage　her　We　all　Think　hir　lif　is　two　monopolous。　you
Wish　to　know　Who　Was　Liveing　With　your　Aunt。　that　is　My　Sister　and
Willianand　Carilineas　Cock　and　Old　Poll　Pepper　is　Come　to　Stay
With　her　a　Littel　Wile　and　I　hoped　＇hopped＇　for　Your　Aunt；　and　Harry
has　Worked　for　your　Aunt　all　the　Summer。　　Your　Aunt　and　Harry　Whent
to　the　Wells　Races　and　Spent　a　very　Pleasant　Day　your　Aunt　has　Lost
Old　Fanney　Sow　She　Died　about　a　Week　a　Go　Harry　he　Wanted　your　Aunt
to　have　her　killed　and　send　her　to　London　and　Shee　Wold　Fech　her　11
pounds　the　Farmers　have　Lost　a　Greet　Deal　of　Cattel　such　as　Hogs　and
Cows　What　theay　call　the　Plage　I　Whent　to　your　Aunt　as　you　Wish　Mee
to　Do　But　She　Told　Mee　She　Did　not　wont　aney　Boddy　She　Told　Mee　She
Should　Like　to　Come　up　to　see　you　But　She　Cant　Come　know　for　she　is
Boddyley　ill　and　Harry　Donte　Work　there　know　But　he　Go　up　there　Once
in　Two　or　Three　Day　Harry　Offered　is　self　to　Go　up　to　Live　With　your
Aunt　But　She　Made　him　know　Ancer。　　I　hay　Been　up　to　your　Aunt　at
Work　for　5　Weeks　Hopping　and　Ragluting　Your　Aunt　Donte　Eat　nor　Drink
But　vary　Littel　indeed。

〃I　am　Happy　to　Say　We　are　Both　Quite　Well　and　I　am　Glad　no　hear　you
are　Both　Quite　Well

〃MRS　NEWTON。〃


This　seems　to　have　made　the　nieces　propose　to　pay　a　visit　to　their
aunt；　perhaps　to　try　and　relieve　the　monopoly　of　her　existence　and
cheer　her　up　a　little。　　In　their　letter；　doubtless；　the　dog　motive
is　introduced　that　is　so　finely　developed　presently　by　Mrs。　Newton。
I　should　like　to　have　been　able　to　give　the　theme　as　enounced　by　the
nieces　themselves；　but　their　letters　are　not　before　me。　　Mrs。　Newton
writes：…


〃MY　DEAR　GIRLS；Your　Aunt　receiv　your　Letter　your　Aunt　will　Be　vary
glad　to　see　you　as　it　quite　a　greeable　if　it　tis　to　you　and　Shee　is
Quite　Willing　to　Eair　the　beds　and　the　Rooms　if　you　Like　to　Trust　to
hir　and　the　Servantes；　if　not　I　may　Go　up　there　as　you　Wish。　　My
Sister　Sleeps　in　the　Best　Room　as　she　allways　Did　and　the　Coock　in
the　garret　and　you　Can　have　the　Rooms　the　same　as　you　allways　Did　as
your　Aunt　Donte　set　in　the　Parlour　She　Continlery　Sets　in　the
Ciching。　your　Aunt　says　she　Cannot　Part　from　the　dog　know　hows　and
She　Says　he　will　not　hurt　you　for　he　is　Like　a　Child　and　I　can
safeley　say　My　Self　he　wonte　hurt　you　as　She　Cannot　Sleep　in　the
Room　With　out　him　as　he　allWay　Sleep　in　the　Same　Room　as　She　Dose。
your　Aunt　is　agreeable　to　Git　in　What　Coles　and　Wood　you　Wish　for　I
am　know　happy　to　say　your　Aunt　is　in　as　Good　health　as　ever　She　Was
and　She　is　happy　to　hear　you　are　Both　Well　your　Aunt　Wishes　for
Ancer　By　Return　of　Post。〃


The　nieces　replied　that　their　aunt　must　choose　between　the　dog　and
them；　and　Mrs。　Newton　sends　a　second　letter　which　brings　her