essays on life, art and science-第7章

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…


〃My　Dear　girls　i　Receve　your　kind　letter　&　I　am　happy　to　hear　you　ar
both　Well　and　I　Was　in　hopes　of　seeing　of　you　Both　Down　at　My　House
this　spring　to　stay　a　Wile　I　am　Quite　well　my　self　in　Helth　But　vary
Low　Spireted　I　am　vary　sorry　to　hear　the　Misforting　of　Poor　charles
&　how　he　cum　to　flie　in　the　Fier　I　cannot　think。　　I　should　like　to
know　if　he　is　dead　or　a　Live；　and　I　shall　come　to　London　in　August　&
stay　three　or　four　daies　if　it　is　agreable　to　you。　　Mrs。　Newton　has
lost　her　mother　in　Law　4　day　March　&　I　hope　you　send　me　word　Wather
charles　is　Dead　or　a　Live　as　soon　as　possible；　and　will　you　send　me
word　what　Little　Betty　is　for　I　cannot　make　her　out。〃


The　next　letter　is　a　new　handwriting；　and　tells　the　nieces　of　their
aunt's　death　in　the　the　following　terms：　　…


〃DEAR　Miss　；　It　is　my　most　painful　duty　to　inform　you　that　your
dear　aunt　expired　this　morning　comparatively　easy　as　Hannah　informs
me　and　in　so　doing　restored　her　soul　to　the　custody　of　him　whom　she
considered　to　be　alone　worthy　of　its　care。

〃The　doctor　had　visited　her　about　five　minutes　previously　and　had
applied　a　blister。

〃You　and　your　sister　will　I　am　sure　excuse　further　details　at
present　and　believe　me　with　kindest　remembrances　to　remain

〃Yours　truly；　&c。〃


After　a　few　days　a　lawyer's　letter　informs　the　nieces　that　their
aunt　had　left　them　the　bulk　of　her　not　very　considerable　property；
but　had　charged　them　with　an　annuity　of　1　pound　a　week　to　be　paid　to
Harry　and　Mrs。　Newton　so　long　as　the　dog　lived。

The　only　other　letters　by　Mrs。　Newton　are　written　on　paper　of　a
different　and　more　modern　size；　they　leave　an　impression　of　having
been　written　a　good　many　years　later。　　I　take　them　as　they　come。
The　first　is　very　short：…


〃DEAR　Miss　；　i　write　to　say　i　cannot　possiblely　come　on　Wednesday
as　we　have　killed　a　pig。　　your's　truely；

〃ELIZABETH　NEWTON。〃


The　second　runs：…


〃DEAR　Miss　；　i　hope　you　are　both　quite　well　in　health　&　your　Leg
much　better　i　am　happy　to　say　i　am　getting　quite　well　again　i　hope
Amandy　has　reached　you　safe　by　this　time　i　sent　a　small　parcle　by
Amandy；　there　was　half　a　dozen　Pats　of　butter　&　the　Cakes　was　very
homely　and　not　so　light　as　i　could　wish　i　hope　by　this　time　Sarah
Ann　has　promised　she　will　stay　untill　next　monday　as　i　think　a　few
daies　longer　will　not　make　much　diferance　and　as　her　young　man　has
been　very　considerate　to　wait　so　long　as　he　has　i　think　he　would　for
a　few　days　Longer　dear　Miss　　I　wash　for　William　and　i　have　not　got
his　clothes　yet　as　it　has　been　delayed　by　the　carrier　&　i　cannot
possiblely　get　it　done　before　Sunday　and　i　do　not　Like　traviling　on
a　Sunday　but　to　oblige　you　i　would　come　but　to　come　sooner　i　cannot
possiblely　but　i　hope　Sarah　Ann　will　be　prevailed　on　once　more　as
She　has　so　many　times　i　feel　sure　if　she　tells　her　young　man　he　will
have　patient　for　he　is　a　very　kind　young　man

〃i　remain　your　sincerely

〃ELIZABETH　NEWTON。〃


The　last　letter　in　my　collection　seems　written　almost　within
measurable　distance　of　the　Christmas…card　era。　　The　sheet　is　headed
by　a　beautifully　embossed　device　of　some　holly　in　red　and　green；
wishing　the　recipient　of　the　letter　a　merry　Xmas　and　a　happy　new
year；　while　the　border　is　crimped　and　edged　with　blue。　　I　know　not
what　it　is；　but　there　is　something　in　the　writer's　highly　finished
style　that　reminds　me　of　Mendelssohn。　　It　would　almost　do　for　the
words　of　one　of　his　celebrated　〃Lieder　ohne　Worte〃：


〃DEAR　MISS　MARIA；I　hasten　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　kind
note　with　the　inclosure　for　which　I　return　my　best　thanks。　　I　need
scarcely　say　how　glad　I　was　to　know　that　the　volumes　secured　your
approval；　and　that　the　announcement　of　the　improvement　in　the
condition　of　your　Sister's　legs　afforded　me　infinite　pleasure。　　The
gratifying　news　encouraged　me　in　the　hope　that　now　the　nature　of　the
disorder　is　comprehended　her　legs　willnotwithstanding　the　process
may　be　gradualultimately　get　quite　well。　　The　pretty　Robin
Redbreast　which　lay　ensconced　in　your　epistle；　conveyed　to　me；　in
terms　more　eloquent　than　words；　how　much　you　desired　me　those
Compliments　which　the　little　missive　he　bore　in　his　bill　expressed；
the　emblem　is　sweetly　pretty；　and　now　that　we　are　again　allowed　to
felicitate　each　other　on　another　recurrence　of　the　season　of　the
Christian's　rejoicing；　permit　me　to　tender　to　yourself；　and　by　you
to　your　Sister；　mine　and　my　Wife's　heartfelt　congratulations　and
warmest　wishes　with　respect　to　the　coming　year。　　It　is　a　common
belief　that　if　we　take　a　retrospective　view　of　each　departing　year；
as　it　behoves　us　annually　to　do；　we　shall　find　the　blessings　which
we　have　received　to　immeasurably　outnumber　our　causes　of　sorrow。
Speaking　for　myself　I　can　fully　subscribe　to　that　sentiment；　and
doubtless　neither　Miss　　nor　yourself　are　exceptions。　　Miss　's
illness　and　consequent　confinement　to　the　house　has　been　a　severe
trial；　but　in　that　trouble　an　opportunity　was　afforded　you　to　prove
a　Sister's　devotion　and　she　has　been　enabled　to　realise　a　larger　（if
possible）　display　of　sisterly　affection。

〃A　happy　Christmas　to　you　both；　and　may　the　new　year　prove　a
Cornucopia　from　which　still　greater　blessings　than　even　those　we
have　hitherto　received；　shall　issue；　to　benefit　us　all　by
contributing　to　our　temporal　happiness　and；　what　is　of　higher
importance；　conducing　to　our　felicity　hereafter。

〃I　was　sorry　to　hear　that　you　were　so　annoyed　with　mice　and　rats；
and　if　I　should　have　an　opportunity　to　obtain　a　nice　cat　I　will　do
so　and　send　my　boy　to　your　house　with　it。

〃I　remain；
〃Yours　truly。〃


How　little　what　is　commonly　called　education　can　do　after　all
towards　the　formation　of　a　good　style；　and　what　a　delightful　volume
might　not　be　entitled　〃Half　Hours　with　the　Worst　Authors。〃　　Why；　the
finest　word　I　know　of　in　the　English　language　was　coined；　not　by　my
poor　old　grandfather；　whose　education　had　left　little　to　desire；　nor
by　any　of　the　admirable　scholars　whom　he　in　his　turn　educated；　but
by　an　old　matron　who　presided　over　one　of　the　halls；　or　houses　of
his　school。

This　good　lady；　whose　name　by　the　way　was　Bromfield；　had　a　fine　high
temper　of　her　own；　or　thought　it　politic　to　affect　one。　　One　night
when　the　boys　were　particularly　noisy　she　burst　like　a　hurricane
into　the　hall；　collared　a　youngster；　and　told　him　he　was　〃the　ramp…
ingest…scampingest…rackety…tackety…tow…row…roaringest　boy　in　the
whole　school。〃　　Would　Mrs。　Newton　have　been　able　to　set　the　aunt　and
the　dog　before　us　so　vividly　if　she　had　been　more　highly　educated？
Would　Mrs。　Bromfield　have　been　able　to　forge　and　hurl　her
thunderbolt　of　a　word　if　she　had　been　taught　how　to　do　so；　or　indeed
been　at　much　pains　to　create　it　at　all？　　It　came。　　It　was　her　＇Greek
text＇。　　She　did　not　probably　know　that　she　had　done　what　the
greatest　scholar　would　have　had　to　rack　his　brains　over　for　many　an
hour　before　he　could　even　approach。　　Tradition　says　that　having
brought　down　her　boy　she　looked　round　the　hall　in　triumph；　and　then
after　a　moment's　lull　said；　〃Young　gentlemen；　prayers　are　excused；〃
and　left　them。

I　have　sometimes　thought　that；　after　all；　the　main　use　of　a
classical　education　consists　in　the　check　it　gives　to　originality；
and　the　way　in　which　it　prevents　an　inconvenient　number　of　people
from　using　their　own　eyes。　　That　we　will　not　be　at　the　trouble　of
looking　at　things　for　ourselves　if　we　can　get　any　one　to　tell　us
what　we　ought　to　see　goes　without　saying；　and　it　is　the　business　of
schools　and　universities　to　assist　us　in　this　respect。　　The　theory
of　evolution　teaches　that　any　power　not　worked　at　pretty　high
pressure　will　deteriorate：　　originality　and　freedom　from　affectation
are　all　very　well　in　their　way；　but　we　can　easily　have　too　much　of
them；　and　it　is　better　that　none　should　be　either　original　or　free
from　cant　but　those　who　insist　on　being　so；　no　matter　what
hindrances　obstruct；　nor　what　incentives　are　offered　them　to　see
things　through　the　regulation　medium。

To　insist　on　seeing　things　for　oneself　is　to　be　in　＇Greek　text＇；　or
in　plain　English；　an　idiot；　nor　do　I　see　any　safer　check　against
general　vigour　and　clearness　of　thought；　with　consequent　terseness
of　expression；　than　that　provided　by　the　curricula　of　our
universities　and　schools　of　public　instruction。　　If　a　young　man；　in
spite　of　every　effort　to　fit　him　with　blinkers；　will　insist　on
getting　rid　of　them；　he　must　do　so　at　his　own　risk。　　He　will　not　be
long　in　finding　out　his　mistake。　　Our　public　schools　and
universities　play　the　beneficent　part　in　our　social　scheme　that
cattle　do　in　forests：　　they　browse　the　seedlings　down　and　prevent
the　growth　of　all　but　the　luckiest　and　sturdiest。　　Of　course；　if
there　are　too　many　either　cattle　or　schools；　they　browse　so
effectually　that　they　find　no　more　food；　and　starve　till　equilibrium
is　restored；　but　it　seems　to　be　a　provision　of　nature　that　there
should　always　be　these　alternate　periods；　during　which　either　the
cattle　or　the　trees　are　getting　the　best　of　it；　and；　indeed；　without
such　provision　we　should　have　neither　the　one　nor　the　other。　　At
this　moment　the　cattle；　doubtless；　are　in　the　ascendant；　and　if
university　extension　proceeds　much　farther；　we　shall　assuredly　have
no　more　Mrs。　Newtons　and　Mrs。　Bromfields；　but　whatever　is　is　best；
and；　on　the　whole；　I　should　propose　to　let　things　find　pretty　much
their　own　level。

However　this　may　be；　who　can　question　that　the　treasures　hidden　in
many　a　country　house　contain　sleeping　beauties　even　fairer　than
those　that　I　have　endeavoured　to　waken　from　long　sleep　in　the
foregoing　article？　　How　many　Mrs。　Quicklys　are　there　not　living　in
London　at　this　present　moment？　　For　that　Mrs。　Quickly　was　an
invention　of　Shakespeare's　I　will　not　believe。　　The　old　woman　from
whom　he　drew　said　every　word　that　he　put　into　Mrs。　Quickly's　mouth；
and　a　great　deal　more　which　he　did　not　and　perhaps　could　not　make
use　of。　　This　question；　however；　would　again　lead　me　far　from　my
subject；　which　I　should　mar　were　I　to　dwell　upon　it　longer；　and
therefore　leave　with　the　hope　that　it　may　give　my　readers　absolutely
no　food　whatever　for　reflection。



HOW　TO　MAKE　THE　BEST　OF　LIFE　｛4｝



I　have　been　asked　to　speak　on　the　question　how　to　make　the　best　of
life；　but　may　as　well　confess　at　once　that　I　know　nothing　about　it。
I　cannot　think　that　I　have　made　the　best　of　my　own　life；　nor　is　it
likely　that　I　shall　make　much　better　of　what　may　or　may　not　remain
to　me。　　I　do　not　even　know　how　to　make　the　best　of　the　twenty
minutes　that　your　committee　has　placed　at　my　disposal；　and　as　for
life　as　a　whole；　who　ever　yet　made　the　best　of　such　a　colossal
opportunity　by　conscious　effort　and　deliberation？　　In　little　things
no　doubt　deliberate　and　conscious　effort　will　help　us；　but　we　are
speaking　of　large　issues；　and　such　kingdoms　of　heaven　as　the　making
the　best　of　these　come　not　by　observation。

The　question；　therefore；　on　which　I　have　undertaken　to　address　you
is；　as　you　must　all　know；　fatuous；　if　it　be　faced　seriously。　　Life
is　like　playing　a　violin　solo　in　public　and　learning　the　instrument
as　one　goes　on。　　One　cannot　make　the　best　of　such　impossibilities；
and　the　question　is　doubly　fatuous　until　we　are　told　which