the ways of men(人们的手段)-第24章
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Countries。 It does not seem as if this could be a large society； although
those old Dutch pashas had an unconscionable number of children。
The promoters of this enterprise seem nevertheless to have been fairly
successful； for they gave a fete recently and crowned a queen。 To be
acclaimed their sovereign by a group of people all of royal birth is indeed
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an honor。 Rumors of this ceremony have come to us outsiders。 It is said
that they employed only lineal descendants of Vatel to prepare their
banquet； and I am assured that an offspring of Gambrinus acted as butler。
But it is wrong to joke on this subject。 The state of affairs is becoming
too serious。 When sane human beings form a 〃Baronial Order of
Runnymede；〃 and announce in their prospectus that only descendants
through the male line from one （or more） of the forty noblemen who
forced King John to sign the Magna Charta are what our Washington Mrs。
Malaprop would call 〃legible；〃 the action attests a diseased condition of
the community。 Any one taking the trouble to remember that eight of the
original barons died childless； and that the Wars of the Roses swept away
nine tenths of what families the others may have had； that only one man in
England （Lord de Ros） can at the present day PROVE male descent
further back than the eleventh century； must appreciate the absurdity of
our compatriots' pretensions。 Burke's Peerage is acknowledged to be the
most 〃faked〃 volume in the English language； but the descents it attributes
are like mathematical demonstrations compared to the 〃trees〃 that
members of these new American orders climb。
When my class was graduated from Mr。 McMullen's school； we little
boys had the brilliant idea of uniting in a society； but were greatly put
about for an effective name； hitting finally upon that of Ancient Seniors'
Society。 For a group of infants； this must be acknowledged to have been a
luminous inspiration。 We had no valid reason for forming that society； not
being particularly fond of each other。 Living in several cities； we rarely
met after leaving school and had little to say to each other when we did。
But it sounded so fine to be an 〃Ancient Senior；〃 and we hoped in our next
school to impress new companions with that title and make them feel
proper respect for us in consequence。 Pride； however； sustained a fall
when it was pointed out that the initials formed the ominous word 〃Ass。〃
I have a shrewd suspicion that the motives which prompted our
youthful actions are not very different from those now inciting children of
a larger growth to band together； blackball their friends； crown queens；
and perform other senseless mummeries； such as having the weathercock
of a departed meeting…house brought in during a banquet； and dressing
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restaurant waiters in knickerbockers for 〃one night only。〃
This malarial condition of our social atmosphere accounts for the
quantity of genealogical quacks that have taken to sending typewritten
letters； stating that the interest they take in your private affairs compels
them to offer proof of your descent from any crowned head to whom you
may have taken a fancy。 One correspondent assured me only this month
that he had papers in his possession showing beyond a doubt that I might
claim a certain King McDougal of Scotland for an ancestor。 I have
misgivings； however； as to the quality of the royal blood in my veins； for
the same correspondent was equally confident six months ago that my
people came in direct line from Charlemagne。 As I have no desire to
〃corner〃 the market in kings； these letters have remained unanswered。
Considering the mania to trace descent from illustrious men； it
astonishes me that a Mystic Band； consisting of lineal descendants from
the Seven Sages of Greece； has not before now burst upon an astonished
world。 It has been suggested that if some one wanted to organize a truly
restricted circle； 〃The Grandchildren of our Tripoli War〃 would be an
excellent title。 So few Americans took part in that conflict … and still fewer
know anything about it … that the satisfaction of joining the society would
be immense to exclusively…minded people。
There is only one explanation that seems in any way to account for this
vast tomfoolery。 A little sentence； printed at the bottom of a prospectus
recently sent to me； lets the ambitious cat out of the genealogical bag。 It
states that 〃social position is assured to people joining our order。〃 Thanks
to the idiotic habit some newspapers have inaugurated of advertising；
gratis； a number of self…elected society 〃leaders；〃 many feeble…minded
people； with more ambition than cash； and a larger supply of family papers
than brains； have been bitten with a social madness； and enter these traps；
thinking they are the road to position and honors。 The number of fools is
larger than one would have believed possible； if the success of so many
〃orders；〃 〃circles；〃 〃commanderies；〃 and 〃regencies〃 were not there to
testify to the unending folly of the would…be 〃smart。〃
This last decade of the century has brought to light many strange fads
and senseless manias。 This 〃descent〃 craze； however； surpasses them all in
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inanity。 The keepers of insane asylums will tell you that one of the
hopeless forms of madness is LA FOLIE DES GRANDEURS。 A breath of
this delirium seems to be blowing over our country。 Crowns and sceptres
haunt the dreams of simple republican men and women； troubling their
slumbers and leading them a will…o'…the…wisp dance back across the
centuries。
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CHAPTER 20 … As the Twig is Bent
I KNEW； in my youth； a French village far up among the Cevennes
Mountains； where the one cultivated man of the place； saddened by the
unlovely lives of the peasants around him and by the bare walls of the
village school； organized evening classes for the boys。 During these
informal hours； he talked to them of literature and art and showed them his
prints and paintings。 When the youths' interest was aroused he lent them
books； that they might read about the statues and buildings that had
attracted their attention。 At first it appeared a hopeless task to arouse any
interest among these peasants in subjects not bearing on their abject lives。
To talk with boys of the ideal； when their poor bodies were in need of food
and raiment； seemed superfluous； but in time the charm worked； as it
always will。 The beautiful appealed to their simple natures； elevating and
refining them； and opening before their eager eyes perspectives of
undreamed…of interest。 The self… imposed task became a delight as his
pupils' minds responded to his efforts。 Although death soon ended his
useful life； the seed planted grew and bore fruit in many humble homes。
At this moment I know men in several walks of life who revere with
touching devotion the memory of the one human being who had brought
to them； at the moment when they were most impressionable； the gracious
message that existence was not merely a struggle for bread。 The boys he
had gathered around him realize now that the encouragement and
incentive received from those evening glimpses of noble works existing in
the world was the mainspring of their subsequent development and a
source of infinite pleasure through all succeeding years。
This reference to an individual effort toward cultivating the poor has
been made because other delicate spirits are attempting some such task in
our city； where quite as much as in the French village schoolchildren stand
in need of some message of beauty in addition to the instruction they
receive； … some window opened for them； as it were； upon the fields of art；
that their eyes when raised from study or play may rest on objects more
inspiring than blank walls and the graceless surroundings of street or
schoolroom。
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We are far too quick in assuming that love of the beautiful is confined
to the highly educated； that the poor have no desire to surround themselves
with graceful forms and harmonious colors。 We wonder at and deplore
their crude standards； bewailing the general lack of taste and the gradual
reducing of everything to a commonplace money basis。 We smile at the
efforts toward adornment attempted by the poor； taking it too readily for
granted that on this point they are beyond redemption。 This error is the
less excusable as so little has been done by way of experiment before
forming an opinion； … whole classes being put down as inferior beings；
incapable of appreciation； before they have been allowed even a glimpse
of the works of art that form the daily mental food of their judges。
The portly charlady who rules despotically in my chambers is an
example。 It has been a curious study to watch her growing interest in the
objects that have here for the first time come under her notice； the delight
she has come to take in dusting and arranging my belongings； and her
enthusiasm at any new acquisition。 Knowing how bare her own home was；
I felt at first only astonishment at her vivid int
