the ways of men(人们的手段)-第8节
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century and the women of that time； Mme。 de Boufflers； Mlle。 de
Lespinasse； la Marechale de Luxembourg。 The hours flew by unheeded by
all of his guests but one。 The DEBUTANTE was overheard confiding；
later in the evening； to a friend at the Gymnase； where she performed in
the last act； ‘Ouf！ I'm glad to get here。 I‘ve been dining with a stupid old
Senator。 They told me he would be amusing； but I've been bored to death。'
Which reminded me of my one visit to England； when I heard a young
nobleman declare that he had been to ‘such a dull dinner to meet a duffer
called 〃Renan！〃 '
〃Sainte…Beuve's LARMES DE RACINE was given at the Theatre
Francais during its author's last illness。 His disappointment at not seeing
the performance was so keen that M。 Thierry； then ADMINISTRATEUR
of La Comedie； took Mlle。 Favart to the rue Montparnasse； that she might
recite his verses to the dying writer。 When the actress； then in the zenith of
her fame and beauty； came to the lines…
Jean Racine； le grand poete； Le poete aimant et pieux； Apres que sa
lyre muette Se fut voilee a tous les yeux； Renoncant a la gloire humaine；
S'il sentait en son ame pleine Le flot contenu murmurer； Ne savait que
fondre en priere； Pencher l'urne dans la poussiere Aux pieds du Seigneur；
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THE WAYS OF MEN
et pleurer！
the tears of Sainte…Beuve accompanied those of Racine！〃
There were tears also in the eyes my companion turned toward me as
he concluded。 The sun had set while he had been speaking。 The marble of
the statues gleamed white against the shadows of the sombre old garden。
The guardians were closing the gates and warning the lingering visitors as
we strolled toward the entrance。 It seemed as if we had been for an hour in
the presence of the portly critic； and the circle of brilliant men and witty
women who surrounded him … Flaubert； Tourgueneff； Theophile Gautier；
Renan； George Sand … were realities at that moment； not abstractions with
great names。 It was like returning from another age； to step out again into
the glare and bustle of the Boulevard St。 Michel。
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THE WAYS OF MEN
CHAPTER 6 … Modern
Architecture
IF a foreign tourist； ignorant of his whereabouts； were to sail about
sunset up our spacious bay and view for the first time the eccentric sky…
line of lower New York； he would rub his eyes and wonder if they were
not playing him a trick； for distance and twilight lend the chaotic masses
around the Battery a certain wild grace suggestive of Titan strongholds or
prehistoric abodes of Wotan； rather than the business part of a practical
modern city。
〃But；〃 as John Drew used to say in THE MASKED BALL； 〃what a
difference in the morning！〃 when a visit to his banker takes the new arrival
down to Wall Street； and our uncompromising American daylight dispels
his illusions。
Years ago SPIRITUAL Arthur Gilman mourned over the decay of
architecture in New York and pointed out that Stewart's shop； at Tenth
Street； bore about the same relation to Ictinus' noble art as an iron cooking
stove！ It is well death removed the Boston critic before our city entered
into its present Brobdingnagian phase。 If he considered that Stewart's and
the Fifth Avenue Hotel failed in artistic beauty； what would have been his
opinion of the graceless piles that crowd our island to…day； beside which
those older buildings seem almost classical in their simplicity？
One hardly dares to think what impression a student familiar with the
symmetry of Old World structures must receive on arriving for the first
time； let us say； at the Bowling Green； for the truth would then dawn upon
him that what appeared from a distance to be the ground level of the island
was in reality the roof line of average four…story buildings； from among
which the keeps and campaniles that had so pleased him （when viewed
from the Narrows） rise like gigantic weeds gone to seed in a field of grass。
It is the heterogeneous character of the buildings down town that
renders our streets so hideous。 Far from seeking harmony； builders seem to
be trying to 〃go〃 each other 〃one story better〃； if they can belittle a
neighbor in the process it is clear gain； and so much advertisement。
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Certain blocks on lower Broadway are gems in this way！ Any one who has
glanced at an auctioneer's shelves when a 〃job lot〃 of books is being sold；
will doubtless have noticed their resemblance to the sidewalks of our
down town streets。 Dainty little duodecimo buildings are squeezed in
between towering in… folios； and richly bound and tooled octavos chum
with cheap editions。 Our careless City Fathers have not even given
themselves the trouble of pushing their stone and brick volumes into the
same line； but allow them to straggle along the shelf … I beg pardon； the
sidewalk … according to their own sweet will。
The resemblance of most new business buildings to flashy books
increases the more one studies them； they have the proportions of school
atlases； and； like them； are adorned only on their backs （read fronts）。 The
modern builder； like the frugal binder； leaves the sides of his creations
unadorned； and expends his ingenuity in decorating the narrow strip which
he naively imagines will be the only part seen； calmly ignoring the fact
that on glancing up or down a street the sides of houses are what we see
first。 It is almost impossible to get mathematically opposite a building； yet
that is the only point from which these new constructions are not
grotesque。
It seems as though the rudiments of common sense would suggest that
under existing circumstances the less decoration put on a facade the
greater would be the harmony of the whole。 But trifles like harmony and
fitness are splendidly ignored by the architects of to…day； who； be it
remarked in passing； have slipped into another curious habit for which I
should greatly like to see an explanation offered。 As long as the ground
floors and the tops of their creations are elaborate； the designer evidently
thinks the intervening twelve or fifteen stories can shift for themselves。
One clumsy mass on the Bowling Green is an excellent example of this
weakness。 Its ground floor is a playful reproduction of the tombs of Egypt。
About the second story the architect must have become discouraged … or
perhaps the owner's funds gave out … for the next dozen floors are treated
in the severest 〃tenement house〃 manner； then； as his building terminates
well up in the sky； a top floor or two are； for no apparent reason；
elaborately adorned。 Indeed； this desire for a brilliant finish pervades the
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neighborhood。 The Johnson Building on Broad Street （to choose one out
of the many） is sober and discreet in design for a dozen stories； but bursts
at its top into a Byzantine colonnade。 Why？ one asks in wonder。
Another new…comer； corner of Wall and Nassau Streets； is a
commonplace structure； with a fairly good cornice； on top of which … an
afterthought； probably … a miniature State Capitol has been added； with
dome and colonnade complete。 The result recalls dear； absent…minded
Miss Matty （in Mrs。 Gaskell's charming story）； when she put her best cap
on top of an old one and sat smiling at her visitors from under the double
headdress！
Nowhere in the world … not even in Moscow； that city of domes … can
one see such a collection of pagodas； cupolas； kiosks； and turrets as grace
the roofs of our office buildings！ Architects evidently look upon such
adornments as compensations！ The more hideous the structure； the finer
its dome！ Having perpetrated a blot upon the city that cries to heaven in its
enormity； the rep
