over the teacups-第7章
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not long since； which I think deserves a paragraph to itself。
My friend； I said； I hope you will not write in verse。 When you
write in prose you say what you mean。 When you write in rhyme you
say what you must。
Should I send this poem to the publishers； or not？
〃Some said； 'John； print it；' others said； 'Not so。'〃
I did not ask 〃some〃 or 〃others。〃 Perhaps I should have thought it
best to keep my poem to myself and the few friends for whom it was
written。 All at once； my daimonthat other Me over whom I button my
waistcoat when I button it over my own personput it into my head to
look up the story of Madame Saqui。 She was a famous danseuse； who
danced Napoleon in and out； and several other dynasties besides。 Her
last appearance was at the age of seventy…six； which is rather late
in life for the tight rope； one of her specialties。 Jules Janin
mummified her when she died in 1866； at the age of eighty。 He spiced
her up in his eulogy as if she had been the queen of a modern
Pharaoh。 His foamy and flowery rhetoric put me into such a state of
good…nature that I said； I will print my poem； and let the critical
Gil Blas handle it as he did the archbishop's sermon； or would have
done； if he had been a writer for the 〃Salamanca Weekly。〃
It must be premised that a very beautiful loving cup was presented to
me on my recent birthday； by eleven ladies of my acquaintance。 This
was the most costly and notable of all the many tributes I received；
and for which in different forms I expressed my gratitude。
TO THE ELEVEN LADIES
WHO PRESENTED ME WITH A SILVER LOVING CUP ON THE
TWENTY…NINTH OF AUGUST； M DCCC LXXXIX。
〃Who gave this cup？〃 The secret thou wouldst steal
Its brimming flood forbids it to reveal：
No mortal's eye shall read it till he first
Cool the red throat of thirst。
If on the golden floor one draught remain；
Trust me； thy careful search will be in vain；
Not till the bowl is emptied shalt thou know
The names enrolled below。
Deeper than Truth lies buried in her well
Those modest names the graven letters spell
Hide from the sight； but； wait； and thou shalt see
Who the good angels be
Whose bounty glistens in the beauteous gift
That friendly hands to loving lips shall lift：
Turn the fair goblet when its floor is dry；
Their names shall meet thine eye。
Count thou their number on the beads of Heaven；
Alas！ the clustered Pleiads are but seven；
Nay； the nine sister Muses are too few；
The Graces must add two。
〃For whom this gift？〃 For one who all too long
Clings to his bough among the groves of song；
Autumn's last leaf； that spreads its faded wing
To greet a second spring。
Dear friends； kind friends； whate'er the cup may hold；
Bathing its burnished depths； will change to gold
Its last bright drop let thirsty Maenads drain；
Its fragrance will remain。
Better love's perfume in the empty bowl
Than wine's nepenthe for the aching soul
Sweeter than song that ever poet sung；
It makes an old heart young！
III
After the reading of the paper which was reported in the preceding
number of this record； the company fell into talk upon the subject
with which it dealt。
The Mistress。 〃I could have wished you had said more about the
religious attitude of old age as such。 Surely the thoughts of aged
persons must be very much taken up with the question of what is to
become of them。 I should like to have The Dictator explain himself a
little more fully on this point。〃
My dear madam； I said； it is a delicate matter to talk about。 You
remember Mr。 Calhoun's response to the advances of an over…zealous
young clergyman who wished to examine him as to his outfit for the
long journey。 I think the relations between man and his Maker grow
more intimate； more confidential； if I may say so； with advancing
years。 The old man is less disposed to argue about special matters
of belief； and more ready to sympathize with spiritually minded
persons without anxious questioning as to the fold to which they
belong。 That kindly judgment which he exercises with regard to
others he will； naturally enough； apply to himself。 The caressing
tone in which the Emperor Hadrian addresses his soul is very much
like that of an old person talking with a grandchild or some other
pet：
〃Animula； vagula； blandula；
Hospes comesque corporis。〃
〃Dear little； flitting； pleasing sprite；
The body's comrade and its guest。〃
How like the language of Catullus to Lesbia's sparrow！
More and more the old man finds his pleasures in memory； as the
present becomes unreal and dreamlike； and the vista of his earthly
future narrows and closes in upon him。 At last； if he live long
enough； life comes to be little more than a gentle and peaceful
delirium of pleasing recollections。 To say； as Dante says； that
there is no greater grief than to remember past happiness in the hour
of misery is not giving the whole truth。 In the midst of the misery；
as many would call it； of extreme old age； there is often a divine
consolation in recalling the happy moments and days and years of
times long past。 So beautiful are the visions of bygone delight that
one could hardly wish them to become real； lest they should lose
their ineffable charm。 I can almost conceive of a dozing and dreamy
centenarian saying to one he loves； 〃Go； darling； go！ Spread your
wings and leave me。 So shall you enter that world of memory where
all is lovely。 I shall not hear the sound of your footsteps any
more； but you will float before me； an aerial presence。 I shall not
hear any word from your lips； but I shall have a deeper sense of your
nearness to me than speech can give。 I shall feel； in my still
solitude； as the Ancient Mariner felt when the seraph band gathered
before him：
〃'No voice did they impart
No voice； but oh！ the silence sank
Like music on my heart。'〃
I said that the lenient way in which the old look at the failings of
others naturally leads them to judge themselves more charitably。
They find an apology for their short…comings and wrong…doings in
another consideration。 They know very well that they are not the
same persons as the middle…aged individuals； the young men； the boys；
the children； that bore their names； and whose lives were continuous
with theirs。 Here is an old man who can remember the first time he
was allowed to go shooting。 What a remorseless young destroyer he
was； to be sure！ Wherever he saw a feather； wherever a poor little
squirrel showed his bushy tail； bang！ went the old 〃king's arm；〃 and
the feathers or the fur were set flying like so much chaff。 Now that
same old man；the mortal that was called by his name and has passed
for the same person for some scores of years；is considered absurdly
sentimental by kind…hearted women； because he opens the fly…trap and
sets all its captives free；out…of…doors； of course； but the dear
souls all insisting； meanwhile； that the flies will； every one of
them； be back again in the house before the day is over。 Do you
suppose that venerable sinner expects to be rigorously called to
account for the want of feeling he showed in those early years； when
the instinct of destruction； derived from his forest…roaming
ancestors； led him to acts which he now looks upon with pain and
aversion？
〃Senex〃 has seen three generations grow up； the son repeating the
virtues and the failings of the father； the grandson showing the same
characteristics as the father and grandfather。 He knows that if such
or such a young fellow had lived to the next stage of life he would
very probably have caught up with his mother's virtues； which； like a
graft of a late fruit on an early apple or pear tree； do not ripen in
her children until late in the season。 He has seen the successive
ripening of one quality after another on the boughs of his own life；
and he finds it hard to condemn himself for faults which only needed
time to fall off and be succeeded by better fruitage。 I cannot help
thinking that the recording angel not only drops a tear upon many a
human failing； which blots it out forever； but that he hands many an
old record…book to the imp that does his bidding； and orders him to
throw that into the fire instead of the sinner for whom the little
wretch had kindled it。
〃And pitched him in after it； I hope；〃 said Number Seven； who is in
some points as much of an optimist as any one among us； in spite of
the squint in his brain；or in virtue of it； if you choose to have
it so。
〃I like Wordsworth's 'Matthew；'〃 said Number Five； 〃as well as any
picture of old age I remember。〃
〃Can you repeat it to us？〃 asked one of The Teacups。
〃I can recall two verses of it；〃 said Number Five； and she recited
the two following ones。 Number Five has a very sweet voice。 The
moment she speaks all the faces turn toward her。 I don't know what
its secret is； but it is a voice that makes friends of everybody。
〃'The sighs which Matthew heaved were sighs
Of one tired out with fun and madness；
The tears which came to Matthew's eyes
Were tears of light； the dew of gladness。
〃'Yet； sometimes； when the secret cup
Of still and serious thought went round；
It seemed as if he drank it up；
He felt with spirit so profound：'
〃This was the way in which Wordsworth paid his tribute to a
〃'Soul of God's best earthly mould。'〃
The sweet voice left a trance…like silence after it； which may have
lasted twenty heart…beats。 Then I said； We all thank you for your
charming quotation。 How much more wholesome a picture of humanity
than such stuff as the author of the 〃Night Thoughts〃 has left us：
〃Heaven's Sovereign saves all beings but Himself
That hideous sight； a naked human heart。〃
Or the author of 〃Don Juan；〃 telling us to look into
〃Man's heart； and view the hell that's there！ 〃
I hope I am quoting correctly； but I am more of a scholar in
Wordsworth than in Byron。 Was Parson Young's own heart such a
hideous spectacle to himself？
If it was； he had better have stripped off his surplice。 No；it was
nothing but the cant of his calling。 In Byron it was a mood； and he
might have said just the opposite thing the next day； as he did in
his two descriptions of the Venus de' Medici。 That picture of old
Matthew abides in the memory； and makes one think better of his kind。
What nobler tasks has the poet than to exalt the idea of manhood； and
to make the world we live in more beautiful？
We have two or three young people with us who stand a fair chance of
furnishing us the element without which life and tea…tables alike are
wanting in interest。 We are all； of course； watching them； and
curious to know whether we are to have a romanc
