sartor resartus-第51节
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nly with Wool but with Dignity and a Mystic Dominion；is not the fair fabric of Society itself； with all its royal mantles and pontifical stoles； whereby； from nakedness and dismemberment； we are organized into Polities； into nations； and a whole co…operating Mankind； the creation； as has here been often irrefragably evinced； of the Tailor alone？What too are all Poets and moral Teachers； but a species of Metaphorical Tailors？ Touching which high Guild the greatest living Guild…brother has triumphantly asked us： 'Nay if thou wilt have it； who but the Poet first made Gods for men； brought them down to us； and raised us up to them？'
〃And this is he； whom sitting downcast； on the hard basis of his Shopboard； the world treats with contumely； as the ninth part of a man！ Look up； thou much…injured one； look up with the kindling eye of hope； and prophetic bodings of a noble better time。 Too long hast thou sat there； on crossed legs； wearing thy ankle…joints to horn； like some sacred Anchorite； or Catholic Fakir； doing penance； drawing down Heaven's richest blessings； for a world that scoffed at thee。 Be of hope！ Already streaks of blue peer through our clouds； the thick gloom of Ignorance is rolling asunder； and it will be Day。 Mankind will repay with interest their long…accumulated debt： the Anchorite that was scoffed at will be worshipped； the Fraction will become not an Integer only； but a Square and Cube。 With astonishment the world will recognize that the Tailor is its Hierophant and Hierarch； or even its God。
〃As I stood in the Mosque of St。 Sophia； and looked upon these Four…and…Twenty Tailors； sewing and embroidering that rich Cloth； which the Sultan sends yearly for the Caaba of Mecca； I thought within myself： How many other Unholies has your covering Art made holy； besides this Arabian Whinstone！
〃Still more touching was it when； turning the corner of a lane； in the Scottish Town of Edinburgh； I came upon a Signpost； whereon stood written that such and such a one was 'Breeches…Maker to his Majesty；' and stood painted the Effigies of a Pair of Leather Breeches； and between the knees these memorable words； SIC ITUR AD ASTRA。 Was not this the martyr prison…speech of a Tailor sighing indeed in bonds； yet sighing towards deliverance； and prophetically appealing to a better day？ A day of justice； when the worth of Breeches would be revealed to man； and the Scissors become forever venerable。
〃Neither； perhaps； may I now say； has his appeal been altogether in vain。 It was in this high moment； when the soul； rent； as it were； and shed asunder； is open to inspiring influence； that I first conceived this Work on Clothes： the greatest I can ever hope to do； which has already； after long retardations； occupied； and will yet occupy； so large a section of my Life； and of which the Primary and simpler Portion may here find its conclusion。〃
CHAPTER XII。 FAREWELL。
So have we endeavored； from the enormous； amorphous Plum…pudding； more like a Scottish Haggis； which Herr Teufelsdrockh had kneaded for his fellow…mortals； to pick out the choicest Plums； and present them separately on a cover of our own。 A laborious； perhaps a thankless enterprise； in which； however； something of hope has occasionally cheered us； and of which we can now wash our hands not altogether without satisfaction。 If hereby； though in barbaric wise； some morsel of spiritual nourishment have been added to the scanty ration of our beloved British world； what nobler recompense could the Editor desire？ If it prove otherwise； why should he murmur？ Was not this a Task which Destiny； in any case； had appointed him； which having now done with； he sees his general Day's…work so much the lighter； so much the shorter？
Of Professor Teufelsdrockh； it seems impossible to take leave without a mingled feeling of astonishment； gratitude； and disapproval。 Who will not regret that talents； which might have profited in the higher walks of Philosophy； or in Art itself； have been so much devoted to a rummaging among lumber…rooms； nay too often to a scraping in kennels； where lost rings and diamond…necklaces are nowise the sole conquests？ Regret is unavoidable； yet censure were loss of time。 To cure him of his mad humors British Criticism would essay in vain： enough for her if she can； by vigilance； prevent the spreading of such among ourselves。 What a result； should this piebald； entangled； hyper…metaphorical style of writing； not to say of thinking； become general among our Literary men！ As it might so easily do。 Thus has not the Editor himself； working over Teufelsdrockh's German； lost much of his own English purity？ Even as the smaller whirlpool is sucked into the larger； and made to whirl along with it； so has the lesser mind； in this instance； been forced to become portion of the greater； and； like it； see all things figuratively： which habit time and assiduous effort will be needed to eradicate。
Nevertheless； wayward as our Professor shows himself； is there any reader that can part with him in declared enmity？ Let us confess； there is that in the wild； much…suffering； much…inflicting man； which almost attaches us。 His attitude； we will hope and believe； is that of a man who had said to Cant； Begone； and to Dilettantism； Here thou canst not be； and to Truth； Be thou in place of all to me： a man who had manfully defied the 〃Time…Prince；〃 or Devil； to his face； nay perhaps； Hannibal…like； was mysteriously consecrated from birth to that warfare； and now stood minded to wage the same； by all weapons； in all places； at all times。 In such a cause； any soldier； were he but a Polack Scythe…man； shall be welcome。
Still the question returns on us： How could a man occasionally of keen insight； not without keen sense of propriety； who had real Thoughts to communicate； resolve to emit them in a shape bordering so closely on the absurd？ Which question he were wiser than the present Editor who should satisfactorily answer。 Our conjecture has sometimes been； that perhaps Necessity as well as Choice was concerned in it。 Seems it not conceivable that； in a Life like our Professor's； where so much bountifully given by Nature had in Practice failed and misgone； Literature also would never rightly prosper： that striving with his characteristic vehemence to paint this and the other Picture； and ever without success； he at last desperately dashes his sponge； full of all colors； against the canvas； to try whether it will paint Foam？ With all his stillness； there were perhaps in Teufelsdrockh desperation enough for this。
A second conjecture we hazard with even less warranty。 It is； that Teufelsdrockh； is not without some touch of the universal feeling； a wish to proselytize。 How often already have we paused； uncertain whether the basis of this so enigmatic nature were really Stoicism and Despair； or Love and Hope only seared into the figure of these！ Remarkable； moreover； is this saying of his： 〃How were Friendship possible？ In mutual devotedness to the Good and True： otherwise impossible； except as Armed Neutrality； or hollow Commercial League。 A man； be the Heavens ever praised； is sufficient for himself； yet were ten men； united in Love； capable of being and of doing what ten thousand singly would fail in。 Infinite is the help man can yield to man。〃 And now in conjunction therewith consider this other： 〃It is the Night of the World； and still long till it be Day： we wander amid the glimmer of smoking ruins； and the Sun and the Stars of Heaven are as if blotted out for a season； and two immeasurable Phantoms； HYPOCRISY and ATHEISM； with the Ghoul； SENSUALITY； stalk abroad over the Earth； and call it theirs： well at ease are the Sleepers for whom Existence is a shallow Dream。〃
But what of the awe…struck Wakeful who find it a Reality？ Should not these unite； since even an authentic Spectre is not visible to Two？In which case were this Enormous Clothes…Volume properly an enormous Pitch…pan； which our Teufelsdrockh in his lone watch…tower had kindled； that it might flame far and wide through the Night； and many a disconsolately wandering spirit be guided thither to a Brother's bosom！We say as before； with all his malign Indifference； who knows what mad Hopes this man may harbor？
Meanwhile there is one fact to be stated here； which harmonizes ill with such conjecture； and； indeed； were Teufelsdrockh made like other men； might as good as altogether subvert it。 Namely； that while the Beacon…fire blazed its brightest； the Watchman had quitted it； that no pilgrim could now ask him： Watchman； what of the Night？ Professor Teufelsdrockh； be it known； is no longer visibly present at Weissnichtwo； but again to all appearance lost in space！ Some time ago； the Hofrath Heuschrecke was pleased to favor us with another copious Epistle； wherein much is said about the 〃Population…Institute；〃 much repeated in praise of the Paper…bag Documents； the hieroglyphic nature of which our Hofrath still seems not to have surmised； and； lastly； the strangest occurrence communicated； to us for the first time； in the following paragraph：
〃_Ew。 Wohlgeboren_ will have seen from the Public Prints； with what affectionate and hitherto fruitless solicitude Weissnichtwo regar
