over the teacups-第47章

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occasionally　obstinate　sex？　　The　answer　was　that　a　woman　is

（sometimes）　more　mulish　than　a　mule。　　Please　observe　that　I　did　not

like　the　poor　pun　very　well；　and　thought　it　rather　rude　and

inelegant。　　So　I　left　it　on　the　blotter；　where　it　was　standing　when

one　of　the　next　numbers　of　〃Punch〃　came　out　and　contained　that　very

same　pun；　which　must　have　been　hit　upon　by　some　English　contributor

at　just　about　the　same　time　I　fell　upon　it　on　this　side　of　the

Atlantic。　　This　fact　may　be　added　to　the　chapter　of　coincidences

which　belongs　to　the　first　number　of　this　series　of　papers。



The　〃Autocrat〃　had　the　attraction　of　novelty；　which　of　course　was

wanting　in　the　succeeding　papers　of　similar　character。　　The

criticisms　upon　the　successive　numbers　as　they　came　out　were　various；

but　generally　encouraging。　　Some　were　more　than　encouraging；　very

high…colored　in　their　phrases　of　commendation。　　When　the　papers　were

brought　together　in　a　volume　their　success　was　beyond　my

expectations。　　Up　to　the　present　time　the　〃Autocrat〃　has　maintained

its　position。　　An　immortality　of　a　whole　generation　is　more　than　most

writers　are　entitled　to　expect。　　I　venture　to　think；　from　the　letters

I　receive　from　the　children　and　grandchildren　of　my　first　set　of

readers；　that　for　some　little　time　longer；　at　least；　it　will　continue

to　be　read；　and　even　to　be　a　favorite　with　some　of　its　readers。　　Non

omnis　moriar　is　a　pleasant　thought　to　one　who　has　loved　his　poor

little　planet；　and　will；　I　trust；　retain　kindly　recollections　of　it

through　whatever　wilderness　of　worlds　he　may　be　called　to　wander　in

his　future　pilgrimages。　　I　say　〃poor　little　planet。〃　　Ever　since　I

had　a　ten　cent　look　at　the　transit　of　Venus；　a　few　years　ago；　through

the　telescope　in　the　Mall；　the　earth　has　been　wholly　different　to　me

from　what　it　used　to　be。　　I　knew　from　books　what　a　speck　it　is　in　the

universe；　but　nothing　ever　brought　the　fact　home　like　the　sight　of

the　sister　planet　sailing　across　the　sun's　disk；　about　large　enough

for　a　buckshot；　not　large　enough　for　a　full…sized　bullet。　　Yes；　I

love　the　little　globule　where　I　have　spent　more　than　fourscore　years；

and　I　like　to　think　that　some　of　my　thoughts　and　some　of　my　emotions

may　live　themselves　over　again　when　I　am　sleeping。　　I　cannot　thank

all　the　kind　readers　of　the　〃Autocrat〃　who　are　constantly　sending　me

their　acknowledgments。　　If　they　see　this　printed　page；　let　them　be

assured　that　a　writer　is　always　rendered　happier　by　being　told　that

he　has　made　a　fellow…being　wiser　or　better；　or　even　contributed　to

his　harmless　entertainment。　　This　a　correspondent　may　take　for

granted；　even　if　his　letter　of　grateful　recognition　receives　no

reply。　　It　becomes　more　and　more　difficult　for　me　to　keep　up　with　my

correspondents；　and　I　must　soon　give　it　up　as　impossible。



〃The　Professor　at　the　Breakfast　Table〃　followed　immediately　on　the

heels　of　the　〃Autocrat。〃　　The　Professor　was　the　alter　ego　of　the

first　personage。　　In　the　earlier　series　he　had　played　a　secondary

part；　and　in　this　second　series　no　great　effort　was　made　to　create　a

character　wholly　unlike　the　first。　　The　Professor　was　more　outspoken；

however；　on　religious　subjects；　and　brought　down　a　good　deal　of　hard

language　on　himself　and　the　author　to　whom　he　owed　his　existence。　　I

suppose　he　may　have　used　some　irritating　expressions；　unconsciously；

but　not　unconscientiously；　I　am　sure。　　There　is　nothing　harder　to

forgive　than　the　sting　of　an　epigram。　　Some　of　the　old　doctors；　I

fear；　never　pardoned　me　for　saying　that　if　a　ship；　loaded　with　an

assorted　cargo　of　the　drugs　which　used　to　be　considered　the　natural

food　of　sick　people；　went　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　it　would　be　〃all

the　better　for　mankind　and　all　the　worse　for　the　fishes。〃　　If　I　had

not　put　that　snapper　on　the　end　of　my　whip…lash；　I　might　have　got　off

without　the　ill　temper　which　my　antithesis　provoked。　　Thirty　years

set　that　all　right；　and　the　same　thirty　years　have　so　changed　the

theological　atmosphere　that　such　abusive　words　as　〃heretic〃　and

〃infidel；〃　applied　to　persons　who　differ　from　the　old　standards　of

faith；　are　chiefly　interesting　as　a　test　of　breeding；　being　seldom

used　by　any　people　above　the　social　half…caste　line。　　I　am　speaking

of　Protestants；　how　it　may　be　among　Roman　Catholics　I　do　not　know；

but　I　suspect　that　with　them　also　it　is　a　good　deal　a　matter　of

breeding。　　There　were　not　wanting　some　who　liked　the　Professor　better

than　the　Autocrat。　　I　confess　that　I　prefer　my　champagne　in　its　first

burst　of　gaseous　enthusiasm；　but　if　my　guest　likes　it　better　after　it

has　stood　awhile；　I　am　pleased　to　accommodate　him。　　The　first　of　my

series　came　from　my　mind　almost　with　an　explosion；　like　the　champagne

cork；　it　startled　me　a　little　to　see　what　I　had　written；　and　to　hear

what　people　said　about　it。　　After　that　first　explosion　the　flow　was

more　sober；　and　I　looked　upon　the　product　of　my　wine…press　more

coolly。　　Continuations　almost　always　sag　a　little。　　I　will　not　say

that　of　my　own　second　effort；　but　if　others　said　it；　I　should　not　be

disposed　to　wonder　at　or　to　dispute　them。



〃The　Poet　at　the　Breakfast　Table〃　came　some　years　later。　　This　series

of　papers　was　not　so　much　a　continuation　as　a　resurrection。　　It　was　a

doubly　hazardous　attempt；　made　without　any　extravagant　expectations；

and　was　received　as　well　as　I　had　any　right　to　anticipate。　　It

differed　from　the　other　two　series　in　containing　a　poem　of

considerable　length；　published　in　successive　portions。　　This　poem

holds　a　good　deal　of　self…communing；　and　gave　me　the　opportunity　of

expressing　some　thoughts　and　feelings　not　to　be　found　elsewhere　in　my

writings。　　I　had　occasion　to　read　the　whole　volume；　not　long　since；

in　preparation　for　a　new　edition；　and　was　rather　more　pleased　with　it

than　I　had　expected　to　be。　　An　old　author　is　constantly　rediscoving

himself　in　the　more　or　less　fossilized　productions　of　his　earlier

years。　　It　is　a　long　time　since　I　have　read　the　〃Autocrat；〃　but　I

take　it　up　now　and　then　and　read　in　it　for　a　few　minutes；　not　always

without　some　degree　of　edification。



These　three　series　of　papers；　〃Autocrat；〃　〃Professor；〃　　〃Poet；〃　are

all　studies　of　life　from　somewhat　different　points　of　view。　　They　are

largely　made　up　of　sober　reflections；　and　appeared　to　me　to　require

some　lively　human　interest　to　save　them　from　wearisome　didactic

dulness。　　What　could　be　more　natural　than　that　love　should　find　its

way　among　the　young　people　who　helped　to　make　up　the　circle　gathered

around　the　table？　　Nothing　is　older　than　the　story　of　young　love。

Nothing　is　newer　than　that　same　old　story。　　A　bit　of　gilding　here　and

there　has　a　wonderful　effect　in　enlivening　a　landscape　or　an

apartment。　　Napoleon　consoled　the　Parisians　in　their　year　of　defeat

by　gilding　the　dome　of　the　Invalides。　　Boston　has　glorified　her　State

House　and　herself　at　the　expense　of　a　few　sheets　of　gold　leaf　laid　on

the　dome；　which　shines　like　a　sun　in　the　eyes　of　her　citizens；　and

like　a　star　in　those　of　the　approaching　traveller。　　I　think　the

gilding　of　a　love…story　helped　all　three　of　these　earlier　papers。

The　same　need　I　felt　in　the　series　of　papers　just　closed。　　The　slight

incident　of　Delilah's　appearance　and　disappearance　served　my　purpose

to　some　extent。　　But　what　should　I　do　with　Number　Five？　　The　reader

must　follow　out　her　career　for　himself。　　For　myself；　I　think　that　she

and　the　Tutor　have　both　utterly　forgotten　the　difference　of　their

years　in　the　fascination　of　intimate　intercourse。　　I　do　not　believe

that　a　nature　so　large；　so　rich　in　affection；　as　Number　Five's　is

going　to　fall　defeated　of　its　best　inheritance　of　life；　like　a　vine

which　finds　no　support　for　its　tendrils　to　twine　around；　and　so

creeps　along　the　ground　from　which　nature　meant　that　love　should　lift

it。　　I　feel　as　if　I　ought　to　follow　these　two　personages　of　my

sermonizing　story　until　they　come　together　or　separate；　to　fade；　to

wither；perhaps　to　die；　at　last；　of　something　like　what　the　doctors

call　heart…failure；　but　which　might　more　truly　be　called　heart…

starvation。　　When　I　say　die；　I　do　not　mean　necessarily　the　death　that

goes　into　the　obituary　column。　　It　may　come　to　that；　in　one　or　both；

but　I　think　that；　if　they　are　never　united；　Number　Five　will　outlive

the　Tutor；　who　will　fall　into　melancholy　ways；　and　pine　and　waste；

while　she　lives　along；　feeling　all　the　time　that　she　has　cheated

herself　of　happiness。　　I　hope　that　is　not　going　to　be　their　fortune；

or　misfortune。　　Vieille　fille　fait　jeune　mariee。　　What　a　youthful

bride　Number　Five　would　be；　if　she　could　only　make　up　her　mind　to

matrimony！　　In　the　mean　time　she　must　be　left　with　her　lambs　all

around　her。　　May　heaven　temper　the　winds　to　them；　for　they　have　been

shorn　very　close；　every　one　of　them；　of　their　golden　fleece　of

aspirations　and　anticipations。



I　must　avail　myself　of　this　opportunity　to　say　a　few　words　to　my

distant　friends　who　take　interest　enough　in　my　writings；　early　or

recent；　to　wish　to　enter　into　communication　with　me　by　letter；　or　to

keep　up　a　communication　already　begun。　　I　have　given　notice　in　print

that　the　letters；　books；　and　manuscripts　which　I　receive　by　mail　are

so　numerous　that　if　I　undertook　to　read　and　answer　them　all　I　should

have　little　time　for　anything　else。　　I　have　for　some　years　depended

on　the　assistance　of　a　secretary；　but　our　joint　efforts　have　proved

unable；　of　late；　to　keep　down　the　accumulations　which　come　in　with

every　mail。　　So　many　of　the　letters　I　receive　are　of　a　pleasant

character　that　it　is　hard　to　let　them　go　unacknowledged。　　The　extreme

friendliness　which　pervades　many　of　them　gives　them　a　value　which　I

rate　very　highly。　　When　large　numbers　of　strangers　insist　on　claiming

one　as　a　friend；　on　the　strength　of　what　he　has　written；　it　tends　to

make　him　think　of　himself　somewhat　indulgently。　　It　is　the　most

natural　thing　in　the　world　to　want　to　give　expression　to　the　feeling

the　loving　messages　from　far…off　unknown　friends　must　excite。　　Many　a

day　has　had　its　best　working　hours　broken　into；　spoiled　for　all

literary　work；　by　the　labor　of　answering　correspondents　whose　good

opinion　it　is　gratifying　to　have　called　forth；　but　who　were

unconsciously　laying　a　new　burden　on　shoulders　already　aching。　　I

know　too　well　that　what　I　say　will　not　reach　the　eyes　of　many　who

might　possibly　take　a　hint　from　it。　　Still　I　must　keep　repeating　it

before　breaking　off　suddenly　and　leaving　whole　piles　of　letters

unanswered。　　I　have　been　very　heavily　handicapped　for　many　years。　　It

is　partly　my　own　fault。　　From　what　my　correspondents　tell　me；　I　must

infer　that　I　have　established　a　dangerous　reputation　for　willingness

to　answer　all　sorts　of　letters。　　They　come　with　such　insinuating

humility；　they　cannot　bear　to　intrude　upon　my　time；　they　know　that

I　have　a　great　many　calls　upon　it；and　incontinently　proceed　to　lay

their　additional　weight　on　the　load　which　is　breaking　my　back。



The　hypocr