over the teacups-第5章

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felt　through　all　its　channels　as　are　the　light　and　the　strength　that

radiate　through　the　wires　which　stretch　above　us？　　It　was　a　pride　and

a　happiness　to　have　such　classmates　as　he　was　to　remember。　　We　were

not　the　moping；　complaining　graybeards　that　many　might　suppose　we

must　have　been。　　We　had　been　favored　with　the　blessing　of　long　life。

We　had　seen　the　drama　well　into　its　fifth　act。　　The　sun　still　warmed

us；　the　air　was　still　grateful　and　life…giving。　　But　there　was

another　underlying　source　of　our　cheerful　equanimity；　which　we　could

not　conceal　from　ourselves　if　we　had　wished　to　do　it。　　Nature's

kindly　anodyne　is　telling　upon　us　more　and　more　with　every　year。　　Our

old　doctors　used　to　give　an　opiate　which　they　called　〃the　black

drop。〃　　It　was　stronger　than　laudanum；　and；　in　fact；　a　dangerously

powerful　narcotic。　　Something　like　this　is　that　potent　drug　in

Nature's　pharmacopoeia　which　she　reserves　for　the　time　of　need；the

later　stages　of　life。　　She　commonly　begins　administering　it　at　about

the　time　of　the　〃grand　climacteric；〃　the　ninth　septennial　period；　the

sixty…third　year。　　More　and　more　freely　she　gives　it；　as　the　years　go

on；　to　her　grey…haired　children；　until；　if　they　last　long　enough；

every　faculty　is　benumbed；　and　they　drop　off　quietly　into　sleep　under

its　benign　influence。



Do　you　say　that　old　age　is　unfeeling？　　It　has　not　vital　energy　enough

to　supply　the　waste　of　the　more　exhausting　emotions。　　Old　Men's

Tears；　which　furnished　the　mournful　title　to　Joshua　Scottow's

Lamentations；　do　not　suggest　the　deepest　grief　conceivable。　　A　little

breath　of　wind　brings　down　the　raindrops　which　have　gathered　on　the

leaves　of　the　tremulous　poplars。　　A　very　slight　suggestion　brings　the

tears　from　Marlborough's　eyes；　but　they　are　soon　over；　and　he　is

smiling　again　as　an　allusion　carries　him　back　to　the　days　of　Blenheim

and　Malplaquet。　　Envy　not　the　old　man　the　tranquillity　of　his

existence；　nor　yet　blame　him　if　it　sometimes　looks　like　apathy。

Time；　the　inexorable；　does　not　threaten　him　with　the　scythe　so　often

as　with　the　sand…bag。　　He　does　not　cut；　but　he　stuns　and　stupefies。

One's　fellow…mortals　can　afford　to　be　as　considerate　and　tender　with

him　as　Time　and　Nature。



There　was　not　much　boasting　among　us　of　our　present　or　our　past；　as

we　sat　together　in　the　little　room　at　the　great　hotel。　　A　certain

amount　of　self…deception　is　quite　possible　at　threescore　years　and

ten；　but　at　three　score　years　and　twenty　Nature　has　shown　most　of

those　who　live　to　that　age　that　she　is　earnest；　and　means　to

dismantle　and　have　done　with　them　in　a　very　little　while。　　As　for

boasting　of　our　past；　the　laudator　temporis　acti　makes　but　a　poor

figure　in　our　time。　　Old　people　used　to　talk　of　their　youth　as　if

there　were　giants　in　those　days。　　We　knew　some　tall　men　when　we　were

young；　but　we　can　see　a　man　taller　than　any　one　among　them　at　the

nearest　dime　museum。　　We　had　handsome　women　among　us；　of　high　local

reputation；　but　nowadays　we　have　professional　beauties　who　challenge

the　world　to　criticise　them　as　boldly　as　Phryne　ever　challenged　her

Athenian　admirers。　　We　had　fast　horses；did　not　〃Old　Blue〃　trot　a

mile　in　three　minutes？　　True；　but　there　is　a　three…year…old　colt　just

put　on　the　track　who　has　done　it　in　a　little　more　than　two　thirds　of

that　time。　　It　seems　as　if　the　material　world　had　been　made　over

again　since　we　were　boys。　　It　is　but　a　short　time　since　we　were

counting　up　the　miracles　we　had　lived　to　witness。　　The　list　is

familiar　enough：　the　railroad；　the　ocean　steamer；　photography；　the

spectroscope；　the　telegraph；　telephone；　phonograph；　anesthetics；

electric　illumination；with　such　lesser　wonders　as　the　friction

match；　the　sewing　machine；　and　the　bicycle。　　And　now；　we　said；　we

must　have　come　to　the　end　of　these　unparalleled　developments　of　the

forces　of　nature。　　We　must　rest　on　our　achievements。　　The　nineteenth

century　is　not　likely　to　add　to　them；　we　must　wait　for　the　twentieth

century。　　Many　of　us；　perhaps　most　of　us；　felt　in　that　way。　　We　had

seen　our　planet　furnished　by　the　art　of　man　with　a　complete　nervous

system：　a　spinal　cord　beneath　the　ocean；　secondary　centres；

ganglions；in　all　the　chief　places　where　men　are　gathered　together；

and　ramifications　extending　throughout　civilization。　　All　at　once；　by

the　side　of　this　talking　and　light…giving　apparatus；　we　see　another

wire　stretched　over　our　heads；　carrying　force　to　a　vast　metallic

muscular　system；a　slender　cord　conveying　the　strength　of　a　hundred

men；　of　a　score　of　horses；　of　a　team　of　elephants。　　The　lightning　is

tamed　and　harnessed；　the　thunderbolt　has　become　a　common　carrier。　　No

more　surprises　in　this　century！　　A　voice　whispers；　What　next？



It　will　not　do　for　us　to　boast　about　our　young　days　and　what　they　had

to　show。　　It　is　a　great　deal　better　to　boast　of　what　they　could　not

show；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　there　is　a　certain　satisfaction　in

it。　　In　these　days　of　electric　lighting；　when　you　have　only　to　touch

a　button　and　your　parlor　or　bedroom　is　instantly　flooded　with　light；

it　is　a　pleasure　to　revert　to　the　era　of　the　tinder…box；　the　flint

and　steel；　and　the　brimstone　match。　　It　gives　me　an　almost　proud

satisfaction　to　tell　how　we　used；　when　those　implements　were　not　at

hand　or　not　employed；　to　light　our　whale…oil　lamp　by　blowing　a　live

coal　held　against　the　wick；　often　swelling　our　cheeks　and　reddening

our　faces　until　we　were　on　the　verge　of　apoplexy。　　I　love　to　tell　of

our　stage…coach　experiences；　of　our　sailing…packet　voyages；　of　the

semi…barbarous　destitution　of　all　modern　comforts　and　conveniences

through　which　we　bravely　lived　and　came　out　the　estimable　personages

you　find　us。



Think　of　it！　　All　my　boyish　shooting　was　done　with　a　flint…lock　gun；

the　percussion　lock　came　to　me　as　one　of　those　new…fangled　notions

people　had　just　got　hold　of。　　We　ancients　can　make　a　grand　display　of

minus　quantities　in　our　reminiscences；　and　the　figures　look　almost　as

well　as　if　they　had　the　plus　sign　before　them。



I　am　afraid　that　old　people　found　life　rather　a　dull　business　in　the

time　of　King　David　and　his　rich　old　subject　and　friend；　Barzillai；

who；　poor　man；　could　not　have　read　a　wicked　novel；　nor　enjoyed　a

symphony　concert；　if　they　had　had　those　luxuries　in　his　day。　　There

were　no　pleasant　firesides；　for　there　were　no　chimneys。　　There　were

no　daily　newspapers　for　the　old　man　to　read；　and　he　could　not　read

them　if　there　were；　with　his　dimmed　eyes；　nor　hear　them　read；　very

probably；　with　his　dulled　ears。　　There　was　no　tobacco；　a　soothing

drug；　which　in　its　various　forms　is　a　great　solace　to　many　old　men

and　to　some　old　women；　Carlyle　and　his　mother　used　to　smoke　their

pipes　together；　you　remember。



Old　age　is　infinitely　more　cheerful；　for　intelligent　people　at　least；

than　it　was　two　or　three　thousand　years　ago。　　It　is　our　duty；　so　far

as　we　can；　to　keep　it　so。　　There　will　always　be　enough　about　it　that

is　solemn；　and　more　than　enough；　alas！　that　is　saddening。　　But　how

much　there　is　in　our　times　to　lighten　its　burdens！　　If　they　that　look

out　at　the　windows　be　darkened；　the　optician　is　happy　to　supply　them

with　eye…glasses　for　use　before　the　public；　and　spectacles　for　their

hours　of　privacy。　　If　the　grinders　cease　because　they　are　few；　they

can　be　made　many　again　by　a　third　dentition；　which　brings　no

toothache　in　its　train。　　By　temperance　and　good　Habits　of　life；

proper　clothing；　well…warmed；　well…drained；　and　well…ventilated

dwellings；　and　sufficient；　not　too　much　exercise；　the　old　man　of　our

time　may　keep　his　muscular　strength　in　very　good　condition。　　I　doubt

if　Mr。　　Gladstone；　who　is　fast　nearing　his　eightieth　birthday；　would

boast；　in　the　style　of　Caleb；　that　he　was　as　good　a　man　with　his　axe

as　he　was　when　he　was　forty；　but　I　would　back　him；if　the　match　were

possible；　for　a　hundred　shekels；　against　that　over…confident　old

Israelite；　to　cut　down　and　chop　up　a　cedar　of　Lebanon。　　I　know　a　most

excellent　clergyman；　not　far　from　my　own　time　of　life；　whom　I　would

pit　against　any　old　Hebrew　rabbi　or　Greek　philosopher　of　his　years

and　weight；　if　they　could　return　to　the　flesh；　to　run　a　quarter　of　a

mile　on　a　good；　level　track。



We　must　not　make　too　much　of　such　exceptional　cases　of　prolonged

activity。　　I　often　reproached　my　dear　friend　and　classmate；　Tames

Freeman　Clarke；　that　his　ceaseless　labors　made　it　impossible　for　his

coevals　to　enjoy　the　luxury　of　that　repose　which　their　years

demanded。　　A　wise　old　man；　the　late　Dr。　James　Walker；　president　of

Harvard　University；　said　that　the　great　privilege　of　old　age　was　the

getting　rid　of　responsibilities。　　These　hard…working　veterans　will

not　let　one　get　rid　of　them　until　he　drops　in　his　harness；　and　so

gets　rid　of　them　and　his　life　together。　　How　often　has　many　a　tired

old　man　envied　the　superannuated　family　cat；　stretched　upon　the　rug

before　the　fire；　letting　the　genial　warmth　tranquilly　diffuse　itself

through　all　her　internal　arrangements！　　No　more　watching　for　mice　in

dark；　damp　cellars；　no　more　awaiting　the　savage　gray　rat　at　the　mouth

of　his　den；　no　more　scurrying　up　trees　and　lamp…posts　to　avoid　the

neighbor's　cur　who　wishes　to　make　her　acquaintance！　　It　is　very　grand

to　〃die　in　harness；〃　but　it　is　very　pleasant　to　have　the　tight　straps

unbuckled　and　the　heavy　collar　lifted　from　the　neck　and　shoulders。



It　is　natural　enough　to　cling　to　life。　　We　are　used　to　atmospheric

existence；　and　can　hardly　conceive　of　ourselves　except　as　breathing

creatures。　　We　have　never　tried　any　other　mode　of　being；　or；　if　we

have；　we　have　forgotten　all　about　it；　whatever　Wordsworth's　grand　ode

may　tell　us　we　remember。　　Heaven　itself　must　be　an　experiment　to

every　human　soul　which　shall　find　itself　there。　　It　may　take　time　for

an　earthborn　saint　to　become　acclimated　to　the　celestial　ether；that

is；　if　time　can　be　said　to　exist　for　a　disembodied　spirit。　　We　are

all　sentenced　to　capital　punishment　for　the　crime　of　living；　and

though　the　condemned　cell　of　our　earthly　existence　is　but　a　narrow

and　bare　dwelling…place；　we　have　adjusted　ourselves　to　it；　and　made

it　tolerably　comfortable　for　the　little　while　we　are　to　be　confined

in　it。　　The　prisoner　of　Chillon



　　　　　〃regained　＇his＇　freedom　with　a　sigh；〃



and　a　tender…hearted　mortal　might　be　pardoned　for　looking　back；　like

the　poor　lady　who　was　driven　from　her　dwelling…place　by　fire　and

brimstone；　at　the　home　he　was　leaving　for　the　〃undiscovered　country。〃



On　the　other　hand；　a　good　many　persons；　not　suicidal　in　their

tendencies；　get　more　of　life　than　they　want。　　One　of　our　wealthy

citizens　said；　on　hearing　that　a　friend　had　dropped　off　from

apoplexy；　that　it　made　his　mouth　water　to　hear　of　such　a　case。　　It

was　an　odd　expression；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　the　fine　old

gentleman　to　whom　it　was　attributed　made　use　of　it。　　He　had　had

enough　of　his　gout　and　other　infirmties。　　Swift's　account　of　the

Struldbrugs　is　not　very　amusing　read