第13章

Whattookhimwasarichnessinthespeech；helovedtheexotic，theunexpectedword；themovingcadenceofaphrase；avaguesenseofemotion(aboutnothing)intheverylettersofthealphabet: theromanceoflanguage。Hishonestheadwasverynearlyempty，hisintellectlikeachild\'s；andwhenhereadhisfavouriteauthors，hecanalmostneverhaveunderstoodwhathewasreading。 Yetthetastewasnotonlygenuine，itwasexclusive；Itriedinvaintoofferhimnovels；hewouldnoneofthem，hecaredfornothingbutromanticlanguagethathecouldnotunderstand。Thecasemaybecommonerthanwesuppose。Iamremindedofaladwhowaslaidinthenextcottoafriendofmineinapublichospitalandwhowasnosoonerinstalledthanhesentout(perhapswithhislastpence)foracheapShakespeare。Myfriendprickeduphisears；fellatonceintalkwithhisnewneighbour，andwasready，whenthebookarrived，tomakeasingulardiscovery。Forthisloverofgreatliteratureunderstoodnotonesentenceoutoftwelve，andhisfavouritepartwasthatofwhichheunderstoodtheleast-theinimitable，mouth-fillingrodomontadeoftheghostinHAMLET。Itwasabrightdayinhospitalwhenmyfriendexpoundedthesenseofthisbelovedjargon:ataskforwhichIamwillingtobelievemyfriendwasveryfit，thoughIcanneverregarditasaneasyone。Iknowindeedapointortwo，onwhichIwouldgladlyquestionMr。Shakespeare，thatloverofbigwords，couldherevisittheglimpsesofthemoon，orcouldImyselfclimbbackwardtothespaciousdaysofElizabeth。Butinthesecondcase，Ishouldmostlikelypretermitthesequestionings，andtakemyplaceinsteadinthepitattheBlackfriars，toheartheactorinhisfavouritepart，playinguptoMr。Burbage，androllingout-asIseemtohearhim-withaponderousgusto- \"Unhousel\'d，disappointed，unanel\'d。\" Whatapleasantchance，ifwecouldgothereinapartyIandwhatasurpriseforMr。Burbage，whentheghostreceivedthehonoursoftheevening! Asformyoldsoldier，likeMr。BurbageandMr。Shakespeare，heislongsincedead；andnowliesburied，Isuppose，andnamelessandquiteforgotten，insomepoorcitygraveyard-Butnotforme，youbraveheart，haveyoubeenburied!Forme，youarestillafoot，tastingthesunandair，andstridingsouthward。BythegrovesofComistonandbesidetheHermitageofBraid，bytheHunters\'Tryst，andwherethecurlewsandploverscryaroundFairmilehead，Iseeandhearyou，stalwartlycarryingyourdeadlysickness，cheerfullydiscoursingofuncomprehendedpoets。 II Thethoughtoftheoldsoldierrecallsthatofanothertramp，hiscounterpart。Thiswasalittle，lean，andfieryman，withtheeyesofadogandthefaceofagipsy；whomIfoundonemorningencampedwithhiswifeandchildrenandhisgrinder\'swheel，besidetheburnofKinnaird。TothisbeloveddellIwent，atthattime，daily；anddailytheknife-grinderandI(foraslongashistentcontinuedpleasantlytointerruptmylittlewilderness)satontwostones，andsmoked，andpluckedgrass，andtalkedtothetuneofthebrownwater。Hischildrenweremerewhelps，theyfoughtandbitamongthefernlikevermin。Hiswifewasameresquaw；Isawhergatherbrushandtendthekettle，butsheneverventuredtoaddressherlordwhileIwaspresent。Thetentwasameregipsyhovel，likeastyforpigs。Butthegrinderhimselfhadthefineself- sufficiencyandgravepolitenessofthehunterandthesavage；hedidmethehonoursofthisdell，whichhadbeenminebutthedaybefore，tookmefarintothesecretsofhislife，andusedme(Iamproudtoremember)asafriend。 Likemyoldsoldier，hewasfargoneinthenationalcomplaint。 Unlikehim，hehadavulgartasteinletters；scarceflyinghigherthanthestorypapers；probablyfindingnodifference，certainlyseekingnone，betweenTannahillandBurns；hisnoblestthoughts，whetherofpoetryormusic，adequatelyembodiedinthatsomewhatobviousditty，\"Willyegang，lassie，gangTothebraeso\'Balquidder。\"- whichisindeedapttoechointheearsofScottishchildren，andtohim，inviewofhisexperience，musthavefoundaspecialdirectnessofaddress。Butifhehadnofinesenseofpoetryinletters，hefeltwithadeepjoythepoetryoflife。Youshouldhaveheardhimspeakofwhatheloved；ofthetentpitchedbesidethetalkingwater；ofthestarsoverheadatnight；oftheblestreturnofmorning，thepeepofdayoverthemoors，theawakingbirdsamongthebirches；howheabhorredthelongwintershutincities；andwithwhatdelight，atthereturnofthespring，heoncemorepitchedhiscampinthelivingout-of-doors。Butwewereapairoftramps；andtoyou，whoaredoubtlesssedentaryandaconsistentfirst-classpassengerinlife，hewouldscarcehavelaidhimselfsoopen；-toyou，hemighthavebeencontenttotellhisstoryofaghost-thatofabuccaneerwithhispistolsashelived-whomhehadonceencounteredinaseasidecavenearBuckie；andthatwouldhavebeenenough，forthatwouldhaveshownyouthemettleoftheman。Herewasapieceofexperiencesolidlyandlivinglybuiltupinwords，herewasastorycreated，TERESATQUE ROTUNDUS。 Andtothinkoftheoldsoldier，thatloveroftheliterarybards! Hehadvisitedstrangerspotsthananyseasidecave；encounteredmenmoreterriblethananyspirit；doneanddaredandsufferedinthatincredible，unsungepicoftheMutinyWar；playedhispartwiththefieldforceofDelhi，beleagueringandbeleaguered；sharedinthatenduring，savageangerandcontemptofdeathanddecencythat，forlongmonthstogether，bedevil\'dandinspiredthearmy； washurledtoandfrointhebattle-smokeoftheassault；wasthere，perhaps，whereNicholsonfell；wastherewhentheattackingcolumn，withhelluponeveryside，foundthesoldier\'senemy- strongdrink，andthelivesoftensofthousandstrembledinthescale，andthefateoftheflagofEnglandstaggered。Andofallthishehadnomoretosaythan\"hotwork，sir，\"or\"thearmysufferedagreatdeal，sir，\"or\"IbelieveGeneralWilson，sir，wasnotveryhighlythoughtofinthepapers。\"Hislifewasnaughttohim，thevividpagesofexperiencequiteblank:inwordshispleasurelay-melodious，agitatedwords-printedwords，aboutthatwhichhehadneverseenandwasconnatallyincapableofcomprehending。Wehaveheretwotemperamentsfacetoface；bothuntrained，unsophisticated，surprised(wemaysay)intheegg；bothboldlycharactered:-thatoftheartist，theloverandartificerofwords；thatofthemaker，theseeer，theloverandforgerofexperience。Iftheonehadadaughterandtheotherhadason，andthesemarried，mightnotsomeillustriouswritercountdescentfromthebeggar-soldierandtheneedyknife-grinder？ III Everyonelivesbysellingsomething，whateverbehisrighttoit。 Theburglarsellsatthesametimehisownskillandcourageandmysilverplate(thewholeatthemostmoderatefigure)toaJewreceiver。Thebanditsellsthetravelleranarticleofprimenecessity:thattraveller\'slife。Andasfortheoldsoldier，whostandsforcentralmarktomycapriciousfiguresofeight，hedealtinaspecially；forhewastheonlybeggarintheworldwhoevergavemepleasureformymoney。Hehadlearnedaschoolofmannersinthebarracksandhadthesensetoclingtoit，accostingstrangerswitharegimentalfreedom，thankingpatronswithamerelyregimentaldifference，sparingyouatoncethetragedyofhispositionandtheembarrassmentofyours。Therewasnotonehintabouthimofthebeggar\'semphasis，theoutburstofrevoltinggratitude，therantandcant，the\"Godblessyou，Kind，Kindgentleman，\"whichinsultsthesmallnessofyouralmsbydisproportionatevehemence，whichissonotablyfalse，whichwouldbesounbearableifitweretrue。Iamsometimestemptedtosupposethisreadingofthebeggar\'spart，asurvivaloftheolddayswhenShakespearewasintoneduponthestageandmournerskeenedbesidethedeath-bed；tothinkthatwecannotnowacceptthesestrongemotionsunlesstheybeutteredinthejustnoteoflife；nor(saveinthepulpit)endurethesegrossconventions。 Theywoundus，Iamtemptedtosay，likemockery；thehighvoiceofkeening(asityetlingerson)strikesinthefaceofsorrowlikeabuffet；andtherantandcantofthestaledbeggarstirsinusashudderofdisgust。Butthefactdisprovestheseamateuropinions。 Thebeggarlivesbyhisknowledgeoftheaverageman。Heknowswhatheisaboutwhenhebandageshishead，andhiresanddrugsababe，andpoisonslifewithPOORMARYANNorLONG，LONGAGO；heknowswhatheisaboutwhenheloadsthecriticalearandsickenstheniceconsciencewithintolerablethanks；theyknowwhattheyareabout，heandhiscrew，whentheypervadetheslumsofcities，ghastlyparodiesofsuffering，hatefulparodiesofgratitude。Thistradecanscarcebecalledanimposition；ithasbeensoblownuponwithexposures；itflauntsitsfraudulencesonakedly。Wepaythemaswepaythosewhoshowus，inhugeexaggeration，themonstersofourdrinking-water；orthosewhodailypredictthefallofBritain。 Wepaythemforthepaintheyinflict，paythem，andwince，andhurryon。Andtrulythereisnothingthatcanshaketheconsciencelikeabeggar\'sthanks；andthatpolityinwhichsuchprotestationscanbepurchasedforashilling，seemsnosceneforanhonestman。 Arethere，then，wemaybeasked，nogenuinebeggars？Andtheansweris，Notone。Myoldsoldierwasahumbugliketherest；hisraggedbootswere，inthestagephrase，properties；wholebootsweregivenhimagainandagain，andalwaysgladlyaccepted；andthenextday，therehewasontheroadasusual，withtoesexposed。 Hisbootswerehismethod；theyweretheman\'strade；withouthisbootshewouldhavestarved；hedidnotlivebycharity，butbyappealingtoagrosstasteinthepublic，whichlovesthelimelightontheactor\'sface，andthetoesoutofthebeggar\'sboots。Thereisatruepoverty，whichnoonesees:afalseandmerelymimeticpoverty，whichusurpsitsplaceanddress，andlivesandabovealldrinks，onthefruitsoftheusurpation。Thetruepovertydoesnotgointothestreets；thebankermayrestassured，hehasneverputapennyinitshand。Theself-respectingpoorbegfromeachother； neverfromtherich。Toliveinthefrock-coatedranksoflife，tohearcantingscenesofgratituderehearsedfortwopence，amanmightsupposethatgivingwasathinggoneoutoffashion；yetitgoesforwardonascalesogreatastofillmewithsurprise。Inthehousesoftheworkingclass，alldaylongtherewillbeafootuponthestair；alldaylongtherewillbeaknockingatthedoors； beggarscome，beggarsgo，withoutstint，hardlywithintermission，frommorningtillnight；andmeanwhile，inthesamecityandbutafewstreetsoff，thecastlesoftherichstandunsummoned。Getthetaleofanyhonesttramp，youwillfinditwasalwaysthepoorwhohelpedhim；getthetruthfromanyworkmanwhohasmetmisfortunes，itwasalwaysnextdoorthathewouldgoforhelp，oronlywithsuchexceptionsasaresaidtoprovearule；lookatthecourseofthemimeticbeggar，itisthroughthepoorquartersthathetrailshispassage，showinghisbandagestoeverywindow，piercingeventotheatticswithhisnasalsong。HereisaremarkablestateofthingsinourChristiancommonwealths，thatthepooronlyshouldbeaskedtogive。 IV Thereisapleasanttaleofsomeworthless，phrasingFrenchman，whowastaxedwithingratitude:\"ILFAUTSAVOIRGARDERL\'INDEPENDANCE DUCOEUR，\"criedhe。IownIfeelwithhim。Gratitudewithoutfamilarity，gratitudeotherwisethanasanamelesselementinafriendship，isathingsoneartohatredthatIdonotcaretosplitthedifference。UntilIfindamanwhoispleasedtoreceiveobligations，Ishallcontinuetoquestionthetactofthosewhoareeagertoconferthem。Whatanartitis，togive，eventoournearestfriends!andwhatatestofmanners，toreceive!How，uponeitherside，wesmuggleawaytheobligation，blushingforeachother；howbluffanddullwemakethegiver；howhasty，howfalselycheerful，thereceiver!Andyetanactofsuchdifficultyanddistressbetweennearfriends，itissupposedwecanperformtoatotalstrangerandleavethemantransfixedwithgratefulemotions。 Thelastthingyoucandotoamanistoburthenhimwithanobligation，anditiswhatweproposetobeginwith!Butletusnotbedeceived:unlessheistotallydegradedtohistrade，angerjarsinhisinside，andhegrateshisteethatourgratuity。 Weshouldwipetwowordsfromourvocabulary:gratitudeandcharity。Inreallife，helpisgivenoutoffriendship，oritisnotvalued；itisreceivedfromthehandoffriendship，oritisresented。Wearealltooproudtotakeanakedgift:wemustseemtopayit，ifinnothingelse，thenwiththedelightsofoursociety。Here，then，isthepitifulfixoftherichman；hereisthatneedle\'seyeinwhichhestuckalreadyinthedaysofChrist，andstillsticksto-day，firmer，ifpossible，thanever:thathehasthemoneyandlacksthelovewhichshouldmakehismoneyacceptable。Hereandnow，justasofoldinPalestine，hehastherichtodinner，itiswiththerichthathetakeshispleasure: andwhenhisturncomestobecharitable，helooksinvainforarecipient。Hisfriendsarenotpoor，theydonotwant；thepoorarenothisfriends，theywillnottake。Towhomishetogive？ Wheretofind-notethisphase-theDeservingPoor？Charityis(whattheycall)centralised；officesarehired；societiesfounded，withsecretariespaidorunpaid:thehuntoftheDeservingPoorgoesmerrilyforward。Ithinkitwilltakemorethanamerelyhumansecretarytodisinterthatcharacter。What!aclassthatistobeinwantfromnofaultofitsown，andyetgreedilyeagertoreceivefromstrangers；andtobequiterespectable，andatthesametimequitedevoidofself-respect；andplaythemostdelicatepartoffriendship，andyetneverbeseen；andweartheformofman，andyetflyinthefaceofallthelawsofhumannature:- andallthis，inthehopeofgettingabelly-godBurgessthroughaneedle\'seye!O，lethimstick，byallmeans:andlethispolitytumbleinthedust；andlethisepitaphandallhisliterature(ofwhichmyownworksbegintoformnoinconsiderablepart)beabolishedevenfromthehistoryofman!Forafoolofthismonstrosityofdulness，therecanbenosalvation:andthefoolwholookedfortheelixiroflifewasanangelofreasontothefoolwholooksfortheDeservingPoor! V Andyetthereisonecoursewhichtheunfortunategentlemanmaytake。Hemaysubscribetopaythetaxes。Therewerethetruecharity，impartialandimpersonal，cumberingnonewithobligation，helpingall。Therewereadestinationforlovelessgifts；therewerethewaytoreachthepocketofthedeservingpoor，andyetsavethetimeofsecretaries!But，alas!thereisnocolourofromanceinsuchacourse；andpeoplenowheredemandthepicturesquesomuchasintheirvirtues。 CHAPTERX-LETTERTOAYOUNGGENTLEMANWHOPROPOSESTOEMBRACETHE CAREEROFART WITHtheagreeablefranknessofyouth，youaddressmeonapointofsomepracticalimportancetoyourselfand(itisevenconceivable) ofsomegravitytotheworld:Shouldyouorshouldyounotbecomeanartist？Itisonewhichyoumustdecideentirelyforyourself； allthatIcandoistobringunderyournoticesomeofthematerialsofthatdecision；andIwillbegin，asIshallprobablyconcludealso，byassuringyouthatalldependsonthevocation。 Toknowwhatyoulikeisthebeginningofwisdomandofoldage。 Youthiswhollyexperimental。Theessenceandcharmofthatunquietanddelightfulepochisignoranceofselfaswellasignoranceoflife。Thesetwounknownstheyoungmanbringstogetheragainandagain，nowintheairiesttouch，nowwithabitterhug；nowwithexquisitepleasure，nowwithcuttingpain；butneverwithindifference，towhichheisatotalstranger，andneverwiththatnearkinsmanofindifference，contentment。Ifhebeayouthofdaintysensesorabraineasilyheated，theinterestofthisseriesofexperimentsgrowsuponhimoutofallproportiontothepleasurehereceives。Itisnotbeautythatheloves，norpleasurethatheseeks，thoughhemaythinkso；hisdesignandhissufficientrewardistoverifyhisownexistenceandtastethevarietyofhumanfate。Tohim，beforetherazor-edgeofcuriosityisdulled，allthatisnotactuallivingandthehotchaseofexperiencewearsafaceofadisgustingdrynessdifficulttorecallinlaterdays；oriftherebeanyexception-andheredestinystepsin-itisinthosemomentswhen，weariedorsurfeitedoftheprimaryactivityofthesenses，hecallsupbeforememorytheimageoftransactedpainsandpleasures。Thusitisthatsuchanoneshiesfromallcut-and-dryprofessions，andinclinesinsensiblytowardthatcareerofartwhichconsistsonlyinthetastingandrecordingofexperience。 This，whichisnotsomuchavocationforartasanimpatienceofallotherhonesttrades，frequentlyexistsalone；andsoexisting，itwillpassgentlyawayinthecourseofyears。Emphatically，itisnottoberegarded；itisnotavocation，butatemptation；andwhenyourfathertheotherdaysofiercelyand(inmyview)soproperlydiscouragedyourambition，hewasrecallingnotimprobablysomesimilarpassageinhisownexperience。Forthetemptationisperhapsnearlyascommonasthevocationisrare。Butagainwehavevocationswhichareimperfect；wehavemenwhosemindsareboundup，notsomuchinanyart，asinthegeneralARSARTIUMandcommonbaseofallcreativework；whowillnowdipintopainting，andnowstudycounterpoint，andanonwillbeinditingasonnet: allthesewithequalinterest，alloftenwithgenuineknowledge。 Andofthistemper，whenitstandsalone，Ifinditdifficulttospeak；butIshouldcounselsuchanonetotaketoletters，forinliterature(whichdragswithsowideanet)allhisinformationmaybefoundsomedayuseful，andifheshouldgoonashehasbegun，andturnatlastintothecritic，hewillhavelearnedtousethenecessarytools。Lastlywecometothosevocationswhichareatoncedecisiveandprecise；tothemenwhoarebornwiththeloveofpigments，thepassionofdrawing，thegiftofmusic，ortheimpulsetocreatewithwords，justasotherandperhapsthesamemenarebornwiththeloveofhunting，orthesea，orhorses，ortheturning-lathe。Thesearepredestined；ifamanlovethelabourofanytrade，apartfromanyquestionofsuccessorfame，thegodshavecalledhim。Hemayhavethegeneralvocationtoo:hemayhaveatasteforallthearts，andIthinkheoftenhas；butthemarkofhiscallingisthislaboriouspartialityforone，thisinextinguishablezestinitstechnicalsuccesses，and(perhapsaboveall)acertaincandourofmindtotakehisverytriflingenterprisewithagravitythatwouldbefitthecaresofempire，andtothinkthesmallestimprovementworthaccomplishingatanyexpenseoftimeandindustry。Thebook，thestatue，thesonata，mustbegoneuponwiththeunreasoninggoodfaithandtheunflaggingspiritofchildrenattheirplay。ISITWORTHDOING？- whenitshallhaveoccurredtoanyartisttoaskhimselfthatquestion，itisimplicitlyansweredinthenegative。Itdoesnotoccurtothechildasheplaysatbeingapirateonthedining-roomsofa，nortothehunterashepursueshisquarry；andthecandouroftheoneandtheardouroftheothershouldbeunitedinthebosomoftheartist。 Ifyourecogniseinyourselfsomesuchdecisivetaste，thereisnoroomforhesitation:followyourbent。Andobserve(lestIshouldtoomuchdiscourageyou)thatthedispositiondoesnotusuallyburnsobrightlyatthefirst，orrathernotsoconstantly。Habitandpracticesharpengifts；thenecessityoftoilgrowslessdisgusting，growsevenwelcome，inthecourseofyears；asmalltaste(ifitbeonlygenuine)waxeswithindulgenceintoanexclusivepassion。Enough，justnow，ifyoucanlookbackoverafairinterval，andseethatyourchosenarthasalittlemorethanhelditsownamongthethronginginterestsofyouth。Timewilldotherest，ifdevotionhelpit；andsoonyoureverythoughtwillbeengrossedinthatbelovedoccupation。 Butevenwithdevotion，youmayremindme，evenwithunfalteringanddelightedindustry，manythousandartistsspendtheirlives，iftheresultberegarded，utterlyinvain:athousandartists，andneveroneworkofart。Butthevastmassofmankindareincapableofdoinganythingreasonablywell，artamongtherest。Theworthlessartistwouldnotimprobablyhavebeenaquiteincompetentbaker。Andtheartist，evenifhedoesnotamusethepublic，amuseshimself；sothattherewillalwaysbeonemanthehappierforhisvigils。Thisisthepracticalsideofart:itsinexpugnablefortressforthetruepractitioner。Thedirectreturns-thewagesofthetradearesmall，buttheindirect-thewagesofthelife-areincalculablygreat。Nootherbusinessoffersamanhisdailybreaduponsuchjoyfulterms。Thesoldierandtheexplorerhavemomentsofaworthierexcitement，buttheyarepurchasedbycruelhardshipsandperiodsoftediumthatbeggarlanguage。Inthelifeoftheartistthereneedbenohourwithoutitspleasure。Itaketheauthor，withwhosecareerIambestacquainted；anditistrueheworksinarebelliousmaterial，andthattheactofwritingiscrampedandtryingbothtotheeyesandthetemper；butremarkhiminhisstudy，whenmattercrowdsuponhimandwordsarenotwanting-inwhatacontinualseriesofsmallsuccessestimeflowsby；withwhatasenseofpowerasofonemovingmountains，hemarshalshispettycharacters；withwhatpleasures，bothoftheearandeye，heseeshisairystructuregrowingonthepage；andhowhelaboursinacrafttowhichthewholematerialofhislifeistributary，andwhichopensadoortoallhistastes，hisloves，hishatreds，andhisconvictions，sothatwhathewritesisonlywhathelongedtoutter。Hemayhaveenjoyedmanythingsinthisbig，tragicplaygroundoftheworld；