第25章

WereitnotwellforusinourignorancethatweconfidedallthingstoTheJupiter？Woulditnotbewiseinustoabandonuselesstalking，idlethinking，andprofitlesslabour？AwaywithmajoritiesintheHouseofCommons，withverdictsfromjudicialbenchgivenaftermuchdelay，withdoubtfullaws，andthefallibleattemptsofhumanity！DoesnotTheJupiter，comingforthdailywithfiftythousandimpressionsfullofunerringdecisiononeverymortalsubject，setallmatterssufficientlyatrest？IsnotTomTowershere，abletoguideusandwilling？ Yesindeed，ableandwillingtoguideallmeninallthings，solongasheisobeyedasautocratshouldbeobeyed——withundoubtingsubmission:onlyletnotungratefulministersseekothercolleaguesthanthosewhomTomTowersmayapprove； letchurchandstate，lawandphysic，commerceandagriculture，theartsofwar，andtheartsofpeace，alllistenandobey，andallwillbemadeperfect。HasnotTomTowersanall-seeingeye？FromthediggingsofAustraliatothoseofCalifornia，rightroundthehabitableglobe，doeshenotknow，watch，andchroniclethedoingsofeveryone？FromabishopricinNewZealandtoanunfortunatedirectorofaNorth-westpassage，ishenottheonlyfitjudgeofcapability？ FromthesewersofLondontotheCentralRailwayofIndia—— fromthepalacesofStPetersburgtothecabinsofConnaught，nothingcanescapehim。Britonshavebuttoread，toobey，andbeblessed。NonebutthefoolsdoubtthewisdomofTheJupiter；nonebutthemaddisputeitsfacts。 Noestablishedreligionhaseverbeenwithoutitsunbelievers，eveninthecountrywhereitisthemostfirmlyfixed；nocreedhasbeenwithoutscoffers；nochurchhassoprosperedastofreeitselfentirelyfromdissent。TherearethosewhodoubtTheJupiter！Theyliveandbreathetheupperair，walkinghereunscathed，thoughscorned——men，bornofBritishmothersandnursedonEnglishmilk，whoscruplenottosaythatMountOlympushasitsprice，thatTomTowerscanbeboughtforgold！ SuchisMountOlympus，themouthpieceofallthewisdomofthisgreatcountry。Itmayprobablybesaidthatnoplaceinthis19thcenturyismoreworthyofnotice。Notreasurymandatearmedwiththesignaturesofallthegovernmenthashalfthepowerofoneofthosebroadsheets，whichflyforthfromhencesoabundantly，armedwithnosignatureatall。 Somegreatman，somemightypeer——we’llsayanobleduke——retirestorestfearedandhonouredbyallhiscountrymen—— fearlesshimself；ifnotagoodman，atanyrateamightyman——toomightytocaremuchwhatmenmaysayabouthiswantofvirtue。Herisesinthemorningdegraded，mean，andmiserable；anobjectofmen’sscorn，anxiousonlytoretireasquicklyasmaybetosomeGermanobscurity，someunseenItalianprivacy，orindeed，anywhereoutofsight。Whathasmadethisawfulchange？whathassoafflictedhim？AnarticlehasappearedinTheJupiter；somefiftylinesofanarrowcolumnhavedestroyedallhisgrace’sequanimity，andbanishedhimforeverfromtheworld。Nomanknowswhowrotethebitterwords；theclubstalkconfusedlyofthematter，whisperingtoeachotherthisandthatname；whileTomTowerswalksquietlyalongPallMall，withhiscoatbuttonedcloseagainsttheeastwind，asthoughhewereamortalman，andnotagoddispensingthunderboltsfromMountOlympus。 ItwasnottoMountOlympusthatourfriendBoldbetookhimself。Hehadbeforenowwanderedroundthatlonelyspot，thinkinghowgrandathingitwastowritearticlesforTheJupiter；consideringwithinhimselfwhetherbyanystretchofthepowerswithinhimhecouldevercometosuchdistinction； wonderinghowTomTowerswouldtakeanylittlehumbleofferingofhistalents；calculatingthatTomTowershimselfmusthaveoncehadabeginning，haveoncedoubtedastohisownsuccess。TowerscouldnothavebeenbornawriterinTheJupiter。Withsuchideas，halfambitiousandhalfawe-struck，hadBoldregardedthesilent-lookingworkshopofthegods； buthehadneveryetbywordorsignattemptedtoinfluencetheslightestwordofhisunerringfriend。Onsuchacoursewashenowintent；andnotwithoutmuchinwardpalpitationdidhebetakehimselftothequietabodeofwisdom，whereTomTowerswastobefoundo’morningsinhalingambrosiaandsippingnectarintheshapeoftoastandtea。 NotfarremovedfromMountOlympus，butsomewhatnearertotheblessedregionsoftheWest，isthemostfavouredabodeofThemis。WashedbytherichtidewhichnowpassesfromthetowersofCaesartoBarry’shallsofeloquence；andagainback，withnewofferingsofacity’stribute，fromthepalacesofpeerstothemartofmerchants，standthosequietwallswhichLawhasdelightedtohonourbyitspresence。 WhataworldwithinaworldistheTemple！howquietareits’entangledwalks，’assomeonelatelyhascalledthem，andyethowclosetothedensestconcourseofhumanity！howgravelyrespectableitssoberalleys，thoughremovedbutbyasinglestepfromtheprofanityoftheStrandandthelowiniquityofFleetStreet！OldStDunstan，withitsbell-smitingbludgeoners，hasbeenremoved；theancientshopswiththeirfacesfullofpleasanthistoryarepassingawayonebyone； thebaritselfistogo——itsdoomhasbeenpronouncedbyTheJupiter；rumourtellsusofsomehugebuildingthatistoappearintheselatitudesdedicatedtolaw，subversiveofthecourtsofWestminster，andantagonistictotheRollsandLincoln’sInn；butnothingyetthreatensthesilentbeautyoftheTemple:itisthemediaevalcourtofthemetropolis。 Here，onthechoicestspotofthischoiceground，standsaloftyrowofchambers，lookingobliquelyuponthesulliedThames；beforethewindows，thelawnoftheTempleGardensstretcheswiththatdimyetdeliciousverduresorefreshingtotheeyesofLondoners。IfdoomedtolivewithinthethickestofLondonsmokeyouwouldsurelysaythatthatwouldbeyourchosenspot。Yes，you，youwhomInowaddress，mydear，middle-agedbachelorfriend，cannowherebesowelldomiciledashere。Nooneherewillaskwhetheryouareoutorathome； aloneorwithfriends；herenoSabbatarianwillinvestigateyourSundays，nocensoriouslandladywillscrutiniseyouremptybottle，novaletudinarianneighbourwillcomplainoflatehours。Ifyoulovebooks，towhatplacearebookssosuitable？Thewholespotisredolentoftypography。WouldyouworshipthePaphiangoddess，thegrovesofCyprusarenotmoretaciturnthanthoseoftheTemple。Witandwinearealwayshere，andalwaystogether；therevelsoftheTempleareasthoseofpolishedGreece，wherethewildestworshipperofBacchusneverforgotthedignityofthegodwhomheadored。 Wherecanretirementbesocompleteashere？wherecanyoubesosureofallthepleasuresofsociety？ ItwasherethatTomTowerslived，andcultivatedwitheminentsuccessthetenthMusewhonowgovernstheperiodicalpress。Butletitnotbesupposedthathischambersweresuch，orsocomfortless，asarefrequentlythegauntabodesoflegalaspirants。Fourchairs，ahalf-filleddealbook-casewithhangingsofdingygreenbaize，anoldofficetablecoveredwithdustypapers，whicharenotmovedonceinsixmonths，andanolderPembrokebrotherwithricketylegs，foralldailyuses；adespatcherforthepreparationoflobstersandcoffee，andanapparatusforthecookingoftoastandmuttonchops；suchutensilsandluxuriesasthesedidnotsufficeforthewell-beingofTomTowers。Heindulgedinfourroomsonthefirstfloor，eachofwhichwasfurnished，ifnotwiththesplendour，withprobablymorethanthecomfortofStaffordHouse。Everyadditionthatscienceandarthavelatelymadetotheluxuriesofmodernlifewastobefoundthere。Theroominwhichheusuallysatwassurroundedbybook-shelvescarefullyfilled； norwasthereavolumetherewhichwasnotentitledtoitsplaceinsuchacollection，bothbyitsintrinsicworthandexteriorsplendour:aprettyportablesetofstepsinonecorneroftheroomshowedthatthoseevenonthehighershelveswereintendedforuse。Thechambercontainedbuttwoworksofart——theone，anadmirablebustofSirRobertPeel，byPower，declaredtheindividualpoliticsofourfriend；andtheother，asingularlylongfigureofafemaledevotee，byMillais，toldequallyplainlytheschoolofarttowhichhewasaddicted。 Thispicturewasnothung，aspicturesusuallyare，againstthewall；therewasnoinchofwallvacantforsuchapurpose: ithadastandordeskerectedforitsownaccommodation； andthereonherpedestal，framedandglazed，stoodthedevotionalladylookingintentlyatalilyasnoladyeverlookedbefore。 Ourmodernartists，whomwestylePre-Raphaelites，havedelightedtogoback，notonlytothefinishandpeculiarmanner，butalsotothesubjectsoftheearlypainters。Itisimpossibletogivethemtoomuchpraisefortheelaborateperseverancewithwhichtheyhaveequalledtheminuteperfectionsofthemastersfromwhomtheytaketheirinspiration:nothingprobablycanexceedthepaintingofsomeoftheselatter-daypictures。Itis，however，singularintowhatfaultstheyfallasregardstheirsubjects:theyarenotquitecontenttotaketheoldstockgroups——aSebastianwithhisarrows，aLuciawithhereyesinadish，aLorenzowithagridiron，ortheVirginwithtwochildren。Buttheyareanythingbuthappyintheirchange。Asarule，nofigureshouldbedrawninapositionwhichitisimpossibletosupposeanyfigureshouldmaintain。ThepatientenduranceofStSebastian，thewildecstasyofStJohnintheWilderness，thematernalloveoftheVirgin，arefeelingsnaturallyportrayedbyafixedposture； buttheladywiththestiffbackandbentneck，wholooksatherflower，andisstilllookingfromhourtohour，givesusanideaofpainwithoutgrace，andabstractionwithoutacause。 Itwaseasy，fromhisrooms，toseethatTomTowerswasaSybarite，thoughbynomeansanidleone。Hewaslingeringoverhislastcupoftea，surroundedbyanoceanofnewspapers，throughwhichhehadbeenswimming，whenJohnBold’scardwasbroughtinbyhistiger。Thistigerneverknewthathismasterwasathome，thoughheoftenknewthathewasnot，andthusTomTowerswasneverinvadedbutbyhisownconsent。Onthisoccasion，aftertwistingthecardtwiceinhisfingers，hesignifiedtohisattendantimpthathewasvisible； andtheinnerdoorwasunbolted，andourfriendannounced。 IhavebeforesaidthatheofTheJupiterandJohnBoldwereintimate。Therewasnoverygreatdifferenceintheirages，forTowerswasstillconsiderablyunderforty；andwhenBoldhadbeenattendingtheLondonhospitals，Towers，whowasnotthenthegreatmanthathehadsincebecome，hadbeenmuchwithhim。Thentheyhadoftendiscussedtogethertheobjectsoftheirambitionandfutureprospects；thenTomTowerswasstrugglinghardtomaintainhimself，asabrieflessbarrister，byshorthandreportingforanyofthepapersthatwouldengagehim；thenhehadnotdaredtodreamofwritingleadersforTheJupiter，orcanvassingtheconductofCabinetministers。Thingshadalteredsincethattime:thebrieflessbarristerwasstillbriefless，buthenowdespisedbriefs:couldhehavebeensureofajudge’sseat，hewouldhardlyhavelefthispresentcareer。Itistrueheworenoermine，borenooutwardmarksofaworld’srespect；butwithwhataloadofinwardimportancewashecharged！Itistruehisnameappearedinnolargecapitals；onnowallwaschalkedup’TomTowersforever’——’FreedomofthePressandTomTowers’；