worldly ways and byways-第7章

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of　approbation　and　praise　are　as　necessary　to　them；　as　the　air　we　

breathe　is　to　us；　mortals　of　a　commoner　clay。



Even　in　the　theatrical　and　operatic　professions；　those　hotbeds　of　

conceit；　you　will　generally　find　among　the　〃stars〃　abysmal　depths　

of　discouragement　and　despair。　　One　great　tenor；　who　has　delighted　

New　York　audiences　during　several　winters　past；　invariably　

announces　to　his　intimates　on　arising　that　his　〃voice　has　gone；〃　

and　that；　in　consequence　he　will　〃never　sing　again；〃　and　has　to　be　

caressed　and　cajoled　back　into　some　semblance　of　confidence　before　

attempting　a　performance。　　This　same　artist；　with　an　almost　

limitless　repertoire　and　a　reputation　no　new　successes　could　

enhance；　recently　risked　all　to　sing　what　he　considered　a　higher　

class　of　music；　infinitely　more　fatiguing　to　his　voice；　because　he　

was　impelled　onward　by　the　ideal　that　forces　genius　to　constant　

improvement　and　development　of　its　powers。



What　the　people　who　meet　these　artists　occasionally　at　a　private　

concert　or　behind　the　scenes　during　the　intense　strain　of　a　

representation；　take　too　readily　for　monumental　egoism　and　conceit；　

is；　the　greater　part　of　the　time；　merely　the　desire　for　a　

sustaining　word；　a　longing　for　the　stimulant　of　praise。



All　actors　and　singers　are　but　big　children；　and　must　be　humored　

and　petted　like　children　when　you　wish　them　to　do　their　best。　　It　

is　necessary　for　them　to　feel　in　touch　with　their　audiences；　to　be　

assured　that　they　are　not　falling　below　the　high　ideals　formed　for　

their　work。



Some　winters　ago　a　performance　at　the　opera　nearly　came　to　a　

standstill　because　an　all…conquering　soprano　was　found　crying　in　

her　dressing…room。　　After　many　weary　moments　of　consolation　and　

questioning；　it　came　out　that　she　felt　quite　sure　she　no　longer　had　

any　talent。　　One　of　the　other　singers　had　laughed　at　her　voice；　and　

in　consequence　there　was　nothing　left　to　live　for。　　A　half…hour　

later；　owing　to　judicious　〃treatment；〃　she　was　singing　gloriously　

and　bowing　her　thanks　to　thunders　of　applause。



Rather　than　blame　this　divine　discontent　that　has　made　man　what　he　

is　to…day；　let　us　glorify　and　envy　it；　pitying　the　while　the　frail　

mortal　vessels　it　consumes　with　its　flame。　　No　adulation　can　turn　

such　natures　from　their　goal；　and　in　the　hour　of　triumph　the　slave　

is　always　at　their　side　to　whisper　the　word　of　warning。　　This　

discontent　is　the　leaven　that　has　raised　the　whole　loaf　of　dull　

humanity　to　better　things　and　higher　efforts；　those　privileged　to　

feel　it　are　the　suns　that　illuminate　our　system。　　If　on　these　

luminaries　observers　have　discovered　spots；　it　is　well　to　remember　

that　these　blemishes　are　but　the　defects　of　their　qualities；　and　

better　far　than　the　total　eclipse　that　shrouds　so　large　a　part　of　

humanity　in　colorless　complacency。



It　will　never　be　known　how　many　master…pieces　have　been　lost　to　the　

world　because　at　the　critical　moment　a　friend　has　not　been　at　hand　

with　the　stimulant　of　sympathy　and　encouragement　needed　by　an　

overworked；　straining　artist　who　was　beginning　to　lose　confidence　

in　himself；　to　soothe　his　irritated　nerves　with　the　balm　of　praise；　

and　take　his　poor　aching　head　on　a　friendly　shoulder　and　let　him　

sob　out　there　all　his　doubt　and　discouragement。



So　let　us　not　be　niggardly　or　ungenerous　in　meting　out　to　

struggling　fellow…beings　their　share；　and　perchance　a　little　more　

than　their　share　of　approbation　and　applause；　poor　enough　return；　

after　all；　for　the　pleasure　their　labors　have　procured　us。　　What　

adequate　compensation　can　we　mete　out　to　an　author　for　the　hours　of　

delight　and　self…forgetfulness　his　talent　has　brought　to　us　in　

moments　of　loneliness；　illness；　or　grief？　　What　can　pay　our　debt　to　

a　painter　who　has　fixed　on　canvas　the　face　we　love？



The　little　return　that　it　is　in　our　power　to　make　for　all　the　joy　

these　gifted　fellow…beings　bring　into　our　lives　is　（closing　our　

eyes　to　minor　imperfections）　to　warmly　applaud　them　as　they　move　

upward；　along　their　stony　path。









CHAPTER　8　…　Slouch





I　SHOULD　like　to　see；　in　every　school…room　of　our　growing　country；　

in　every　business　office；　at　the　railway　stations；　and　on　street　

corners；　large　placards　placed　with　〃Do　not　slouch〃　printed　thereon　

in　distinct　and　imposing　characters。　　If　ever　there　was　a　tendency　

that　needed　nipping　in　the　bud　（I　fear　the　bud　is　fast　becoming　a　

full…blown　flower）；　it　is　this　discouraging　national　failing。



Each　year　when　I　return　from　my　spring　wanderings；　among　the　

benighted　and　effete　nations　of　the　Old　World；　on　whom　the　

untravelled　American　looks　down　from　the　height　of　his　superiority；　

I　am　struck　anew　by　the　contrast　between　the　trim；　well…groomed　

officials　left　behind　on　one　side　of　the　ocean　and　the　happy…go…

lucky；　slouching　individuals　I　find　on　the　other。



As　I　ride　up　town　this　unpleasant　impression　deepens。　　In　the　

〃little　Mother　Isle〃　I　have　just　left；　bus…drivers　have　quite　a　

coaching　air；　with　hat　and　coat　of　knowing　form。　　They　sport　

flowers　in　their　button…holes　and　salute　other　bus…drivers；　when　

they　meet；　with　a　twist　of　whip　and　elbow　refreshingly　correct；　

showing　that　they　take　pride　in　their　calling；　and　have　been　at　

some　pains　to　turn　themselves　out　as　smart　in　appearance　as　

finances　would　allow。



Here；　on　the　contrary；　the　stage　and　cab　drivers　I　meet　seem　to　be　

under　a　blight；　and　to　have　lost　all　interest　in　life。　　They　lounge　

on　the　box；　their　legs　straggling　aimlessly；　one　hand　holding　the　

reins；　the　other　hanging　dejectedly　by　the　side。　　Yet　there　is　

little　doubt　that　these　heartbroken　citizens　are　earning　double　

what　their　London　CONFRERES　gain。　　The　shadow　of　the　national　

peculiarity　is　over　them。



When　I　get　to　my　rooms；　the　elevator　boy　is　reclining　in　the　lift；　

and　hardly　raises　his　eye…lids　as　he　languidly　manoeuvres　the　rope。　　

I　have　seen　that　boy　now　for　months；　but　never　when　his　boots　and　

clothes　were　brushed　or　when　his　cravat　was　not　riding　proudly　

above　his　collar。　　On　occasions　I　have　offered　him　pins；　which　he　

took　wearily；　doubtless　because　it　was　less　trouble　than　to　refuse。　　

The　next　day；　however；　his　cravat　again　rode　triumphant；　mocking　my　

efforts　to　keep　it　in　its　place。　　His　hair；　too；　has　been　a　cause　

of　wonder　to　me。　　How　does　he　manage　to　have　it　always　so　long　and　

so　unkempt？　　More　than　once；　when　expecting　callers；　I　have　bribed　

him　to　have　it　cut；　but　it　seemed　to　grow　in　the　night；　back　to　its　

poetic　profusion。



In　what　does　this　noble　disregard　for　appearances　which　

characterizes　American　men　originate？　　Our　climate；　as　some　

suggest；　or　discouragement　at　not　all　being　millionaires？　　It　more　

likely　comes　from　an　absence　with　us　of　the　military　training　that　

abroad　goes　so　far　toward　licking　young　men　into　shape。



I　shall　never　forget　the　surprise　on　the　face　of　a　French　statesman　

to　whom　I　once　expressed　my　sympathy　for　his　country；　laboring　

under　the　burden　of　so　vast　a　standing　army。　　He　answered：



〃The　financial　burden　is　doubtless　great；　but　you　have　others。　　

Witness　your　pension　expenditures。　　With　us　the　money　drawn　from　

the　people　is　used　in　such　a　way　as　to　be　of　inestimable　value　to　

them。　　We　take　the　young　hobbledehoy　farm…hand　or　mechanic；　

ignorant；　mannerless；　uncleanly　as　he　may　be；　and　turn　him　out　at　

the　end　of　three　years　with　his　regiment；　self…respecting　and　well…

mannered；　with　habits　of　cleanliness　and　obedience；　having　acquired　

a　bearing；　and　a　love　of　order　that　will　cling　to　and　serve　him　all　

his　life。　　We　do　not　go　so　far；〃　he　added；　〃as　our　English　

neighbors　in　drilling　men　into　superb　manikins　of　'form'　and　

carriage。　　Our　authorities　do　not　consider　it　necessary。　　But　we　

reclaim　youths　from　the　slovenliness　of　their　native　village　or　

workshop　and　make　them　tidy　and　mannerly　citizens。〃



These　remarks　came　to　mind　the　other　day　as　I　watched　a　group　of　

New　England　youths　lounging　on　the　steps　of　the　village　store；　or　

sitting　in　rows　on　a　neighboring　fence；　until　I　longed　to　try　if　

even　a　judicial　arrangement　of　tacks；　'business…end　up；'　on　these　

favorite　seats　would　infuse　any　energy　into　their　movements。　　I　

came　to　the　conclusion　that　my　French　acquaintance　was　right；　for　

the　only　trim…looking　men　to　be　seen；　were　either　veterans　of　our　

war　or　youths　belonging　to　the　local　militia。　　And　nowhere　does　one　

see　finer　specimens　of　humanity　than　West　Point　and　Annapolis　turn　

out。



If　any　one　doubts　what　kind　of　men　slouching　youths　develop　into；　

let　him　look　when　he　travels；　at　the　dejected　appearance　of　the　

farmhouses　throughout　our　land。　　Surely　our　rural　populations　are　

not　so　much　poorer　than　those　of　other　countries。　　Yet　when　one　

compares　the　dreary　homes　of　even　our　well…to…do　farmers　with　the　

smiling；　well…kept　hamlets　seen　in　England　or　on　the　Continent；　

such　would　seem　to　be　the　case。



If　ours　were　an　old　and　bankrupt　nation；　this　air　of　discouragement　

and　decay　could　not　be　greater。　　Outside　of　the　big　cities　one　

looks　in　vain　for　some　sign　of　American　dash　and　enterprise　in　the　

appearance　of　our　men　and　their　homes。



During　a　journey　of　over　four　thousand　miles；　made　last　spring　as　

the　guest　of　a　gentleman　who　knows　our　country　thoroughly；　I　was　

impressed　most　painfully　with　this　abject　air。　　Never　in　all　those　

days　did　we　see　a　fruit…tree　trained　on　some　sunny　southern　wall；　a　

smiling　flower…garden　or　carefully　clipped　hedge。　　My　host　told　me　

that　hardly　the　necessary　vegetables　are　grown；　the　inhabitants　of　

the　West　and　South　preferring　canned　food。　　It　is　less　trouble！



If　you　wish　to　form　an　idea　of　the　extent　to　which　slouch　prevails　

in　our　country；　try　to　start　a　〃village　improvement　society；〃　and　

experience；　as　others　have　done；　the　apathy　and　ill…will　of　the　

inhabitants　when　you　go　about　among　them　and　strive　to　summon　some　

of　their　local　pride　to　your　aid。



In　the　town　near　which　I　pass　my　summers；　a　large　stone；　fallen　

from　a　passing　dray；　lay　for　days　in　the　middle　of　the　principal　

street；　until　I　paid　some　boys　to　remove　it。　　No　one　cared；　and　the　

dull…eyed　inhabitants　would　doubtless　be　looking　at　it　still　but　

for　my　impatience。



One　would　imagine　the　villagers　were　all　on　the　point　of　moving　

away　（and　they　generally　are；　if　they　can　sell　their　land）；　so　

little　interest　do　they　show　in　your　plans。　　Like　all　people　who　

have　fallen　into　bad　habits；　they　have　grown　to　love　their　

slatternly　ways　and　cling　to　them；　resenting　furiously　any　attempt　

to　shake　them　up　to　energy　and　reform。



The　farmer　has　not；　however；　a　monopoly。　　Slouch　seems　ubiquitous。　　

Our　railway　and　steam…boat　systems　have　tried　in　vain　to　combat　it；　

and　supplied　their　employees　with　a　livery　（I　beg　the　free　and　

independent　voter's　pardon；　a　uniform！）；　with　b