passages from an old volume of life-第12章

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nd…floor；　and　fared　sumptuously。　　We　were　not　so　peculiarly　fortunate　this　time；　the　house　being　really　very　full。　Farther　from　the　flowers　and　nearer　to　the　stars；to　reach　the　neighborhood　of　which　last　the　per　ardua　of　three　or　four　flights　of　stairs　was　formidable　for　any　mortal；　wounded　or　well。

The　〃vertical　railway〃　settled　that　for　us；　however。　　It　is　a　giant　corkscrew　forever　pulling　a　mammoth　cork；　which；　by　some　divine　judgment；　is　no　sooner　drawn　than　it　is　replaced　in　its　position。　This　ascending　and　descending　stopper　is　hollow；　carpeted；　with　cushioned　seats；　and　is　watched　over　by　two　condemned　souls；　called　conductors；　one　of　whom　is　said　to　be　named　Igion；　and　the　other　Sisyphus。

I　love　New　York；　because；　as　in　Paris；　everybody　that　lives　in　it　feels　that　it　is　his　property；at　least；　as　much　as　it　is　anybody's。　My　Broadway；　in　particular；　I　love　almost　as　I　used　to　love　my　Boulevards。　　I　went；　therefore；　with　peculiar　interest；　on　the　day　that　we　rested　at　our　grand　hotel；　to　visit　some　new　pleasure…grounds　the　citizens　had　been　arranging　for　us；　and　which　I　had　not　yet　seen。　The　Central　Park　is　an　expanse　of　wild　country；　well　crumpled　so　as　to　form　ridges　which　will　give　views　and　hollows　that　will　hold　water。　　The　hips　and　elbows　and　other　bones　of　Nature　stick　out　here　and　there　in　the　shape　of　rocks　which　give　character　to　the　scenery；　and　an　unchangeable；　unpurchasable　look　to　a　landscape　that　without　them　would　have　been　in　danger　of　being　fattened　by　art　and　money　out　of　all　its　native　features。　　The　roads　were　fine；　the　sheets　of　water　beautiful；　the　bridges　handsome；　the　swans　elegant　in　their　deportment；　the　grass　green　and　as　short　as　a　fast　horse's　winter　coat。　　I　could　not　learn　whether　it　was　kept　so　by　clipping　or　singeing。　　I　was　delighted　with　my　new　property；but　it　cost　me　four　dollars　to　get　there；　so　far　was　it　beyond　the　Pillars　of　Hercules　of　the　fashionable　quarter。　　What　it　will　be　by　and　by　depends　on　circumstances；　but　at　present　it　is　as　much　central　to　New　York　as　Brookline　is　central　to　Boston。

The　question　is　not　between　Mr。　Olmsted's　admirably　arranged；　but　remote　pleasure…ground　and　our　Common；　with　its　batrachian　pool；　but　between　his　Excentric　Park　and　our　finest　suburban　scenery；　between　its　artificial　reservoirs　and　the　broad　natural　sheet　of　Jamaica　Pond。　　I　say　this　not　invidiously；　but　in　justice　to　the　beauties　which　surround　our　own　metropolis。　　To　compare　the　situations　of　any　dwellings　in　either　of　the　great　cities　with　those　which　look　upon　the　Common；　the　Public　Garden；　the　waters　of　the　Back　Bay；　would　be　to　take　an　unfair　advantage　of　Fifth　Avenue　and　Walnut　Street。　St。　Botolph's　daughter　dresses　in　plainer　clothes　than　her　more　stately　sisters；　but　she　wears　an　emerald　on　her　right　hand　and　a　diamond　on　her　left　that　Cybele　herself　need　not　be　ashamed　of。

On　Monday　morning；　the　twenty…ninth　of　September；　we　took　the　cars　for　home。　　Vacant　lots；　with　Irish　and　pigs；　vegetable…gardens；　straggling　houses；　the　high　bridge；　villages；　not　enchanting；　then　Stamford　：　then　NORWALK。　　Here；　on　the　sixth　of　May；　1853；　I　passed　close　on　the　heels　of　the　great　disaster。　　But　that　my　lids　were　heavy　on　that　morning；　my　readers　would　probably　have　had　no　further　trouble　with　me。　　Two　of　my　friends　saw　the　car　in　which　they　rode　break　in　the　middle　and　leave　them　hanging　over　the　abyss。　　From　Norwalk　to　Boston；　that　day's　journey　of　two　hundred　miles　was　a　long　funeral　procession。

Bridgeport；　waiting　for　Iranistan　to　rise　from　its　ashes　with　all　its　phoenix…egg　domes；bubbles　of　wealth　that　broke；　ready　to　be　blown　again；　iridescent　as　ever；　which　is　pleasant；　for　the　world　likes　cheerful　Mr。　Barnum's　success；　New　Haven；　girt　with　flat　marshes　that　look　like　monstrous　billiard…tables；　with　hay…cocks　lying　about　for　balls；romantic　with　West　Rock　and　its　legends；cursed　with　a　detestable　depot；　whose　niggardly　arrangements　crowd　the　track　so　murderously　close　to　the　wall　that　the　peine　forte　et　dare　must　be　the　frequent　penalty　of　an　innocent　walk　on　its　platform；with　its　neat　carriages；　metropolitan　hotels；　precious　old　college…　dormitories；　its　vistas　of　elms　and　its　dishevelled　weeping…willows；　Hartford；　substantial；　well…bridged；　manysteepled　city；every　conical　spire　an　extinguisher　of　some　nineteenth…century　heresy；　so　onward；　by　and　across　the　broad；　shallow　Connecticut；dull　red　road　and　dark　river　woven　in　like　warp　and　woof　by　the　shuttle　of　the　darting　engine；　then　Springfield；　the　wide…meadowed；　well…feeding；　horse…loving；　hot…summered；　giant…treed　town；city　among　villages；　village　among　cities；　Worcester；　with　its　Daedalian　labyrinth　of　crossing　railroad…bars；　where　the　snorting　Minotaurs；　breathing　fire　and　smoke　and　hot　vapors；　are　stabled　in　their　dens；　Framingham；　fair　cup…bearer；　leaf…cinctured　Hebe　of　the　deep…bosomed　Queen　sitting　by　the　seaside　on　the　throne　of　the　Six　Nations。　　And　now　I　begin　to　know　the　road；　not　by　towns；　but　by　single　dwellings；　not　by　miles；　but　by　rods。　　The　poles　of　the　great　magnet　that　draws　in　all　the　iron　tracks　through　the　grooves　of　all　the　mountains　must　be　near　at　hand；　for　here　are　crossings；　and　sudden　stops；　and　screams　of　alarmed　engines　heard　all　around。　　The　tall　granite　obelisk　comes　into　view　far　away　on　the　left；　its　bevelled　cap…stone　sharp　against　the　sky；　the　lofty　chimneys　of　Charlestown　and　East　Cambridge　flaunt　their　smoky　banners　up　in　the　thin　air；　and　now　one　fair　bosom　of　the　three…pilled　city；　with　its　dome…crowned　summit；　reveals　itself；　as　when　many…breasted　Ephesian　Artemis　appeared　with　half…open　chlamys　before　her　worshippers。

Fling　open　the　window…blinds　of　the　chamber　that　looks　out　on　the　waters　and　towards　the　western　sun！　　Let　the　joyous　light　shine　in　upon　the　pictures　that　hang　upon　its　walls　and　the　shelves　thick…set　with　the　names　of　poets　and　philosophers　and　sacred　teachers；　in　whose　pages　our　boys　learn　that　life　is　noble　only　when　it　is　held　cheap　by　the　side　of　honor　and　of　duty。　　Lay　him　in　his　own　bed；　and　let　him　sleep　off　his　aches　and　weariness。　　So　comes　down　another　night　over　this　household；　unbroken　by　any　messenger　of　evil　tidings；a　night　of　peaceful　rest　and　grateful　thoughts；　for　this　our　son　and　brother　was　dead　and　is　alive　again；　and　was　lost　and　is　found。






THE　INEVITABLE　TRIAL

＇An　Oration　delivered　before　the　City　Authorities　of　Boston；　on　the　4th　of　July；　1863。＇

It　is　our　first　impulse；　upon　this　returning　day　of　our　nation's　birth；　to　recall　whatever　is　happiest　and　noblest　in　our　past　history；　and　to　join　our　voices　in　celebrating　the　statesmen　and　the　heroes；　the　men　of　thought　and　the　men　of　action；　to　whom　that　history　owes　its　existence。　　In　other　years　this　pleasing　office　may　have　been　all　that　was　required　of　the　holiday　speaker。　　But　to…day；　when　the　very　life　of　the　nation　is　threatened；　when　clouds　are　thick　about　us；　and　men's　hearts　are　throbbing　with　passion；　or　failing　with　fear；　it　is　the　living　question　of　the　hour；　and　not　the　dead　story　of　the　past；　which　forces　itself　into　all　minds；　and　will　find　unrebuked　debate　in　all　assemblies。

In　periods　of　disturbance　like　the　present；　many　persons　who　sincerely　love　their　country　and　mean　to　do　their　duty　to　her　disappoint　the　hopes　and　expectations　of　those　who　are　actively　working　in　her　cause。　　They　seem　to　have　lost　whatever　moral　force　they　may　have　once　possessed；　and　to　go　drifting　about　from　one　profitless　discontent　to　another；　at　a　time　when　every　citizen　is　called　upon　for　cheerful；　ready　service。　　It　is　because　their　minds　are　bewildered；　and　they　are　no　longer　truly　themselves。　　Show　them　the　path　of　duty；　inspire　them　with　hope　for　the　future；　lead　them　upwards　from　the　turbid　stream　of　events　to　the　bright；　translucent　springs　of　eternal　principles；　strengthen　their　trust　in　humanity　and　their　faith　in　God；　and　you　may　yet　restore　them　to　their　manhood　and　their　country。

At　all　times；　and　especially　on　this　anniversary　of　glorious　recollections　and　kindly　enthusiasms；　we　should　try　to　judge　the　weak　and　wavering　souls　of　our　brothers　fairly　and　generously。　　The　conditions　in　which　our　vast　community　of　peace…loving　citizens　find　themselves　are　new　and　unprovided　for。　　Our　quiet　burghers　and　farmers　are　in　the　position　of　river…boats　blown　from　their　moorings　out　upon　a　vast　ocean；　where　such　a　typhoon　is　raging　as　no　mariner　who　sails　its　waters　ever　before　looked　upon。　　If　their　beliefs　change　with　the　veering　of　the　blast；　if　their　trust　in　their　fellow…　men；　and　in　the　course　of　Divine　Providence；　seems　well…nigh　shipwrecked；　we　must　remember　that　they　were　taken　unawares；　and　without　the　preparation　which　could　fit　them　to　struggle　with　these　tempestuous　elements。　　In　times　like　these　the　faith　is　the　man；　and　they　to　whom　it　is　given　in　larger　measure　owe　a　special　duty　to　those　who　for　want　of　it　are　faint　at　heart；　uncertain　in　speech；　feeble　in　effort；　and　purposeless　in　aim。

Assuming　without　argument　a　few　simple　propositions；that　self…　government　is　the　natural　condition　of　an　adult　society；　as　distinguished　from　the　immature　state；　in　which　the　temporary　arrangements　of　monarchy　and　oligarchy　are　tolerated　as　conveniences；　that　the　end　of　all　social　compacts　is；　or　ought　to　be；　to　give　every　child　born　into　the　world　the　fairest　chance　to　make　the　most　and　the　best　of　itself　that　laws　can　give　it；　that　Liberty；　the　one　of　the　two　claimants　who　swears　that　her　babe　shall　not　be　split　in　halves　and　divided　between　them；　is　the　true　mother　of　this　blessed　Union；　that　the　contest　in　which　we　are　engaged　is　one　of　principles　overlaid　by　circumstances；　that　the　longer　we　fight；　and　the　more　we　study　the　movements　of　events　and　ideas；　the　more　clearly　we　find　the　moral　nature　of　the　cause　at　issue　emerging　in　the　field　and　in　the　study；　that　all　honest　persons　with　average　natural　sensibility；　with　respectable　understanding；　educated　in　the　school　of　northern　teaching；　will　have　eventually　to　range　themselves　in　the　armed　or　unarmed　host　which　fights　or　pleads　for　freedom；　as　against　every　form　of　tyranny；　if　not　in　the　front　rank　now；　then　in　the　rear　rank　by　and　by；assuming　these　propositions；　as　many；　perhaps　most　of　us；　are　ready　to　do；　and　believing　that　the　more　they　are　debated　before　the　public　the　more　they　will　gain　converts；　we　owe　it　to　the　timid　and　the　doubting　to　keep　the　great　questions　of　the　time　in　unceasing　and　untiring　agitation。　　They　must　be　discussed；　in　all　ways　consistent　with　the　public　welfare；　by　different　classes　of　thinkers；　by　priests　and　laymen；　by　statesmen　and　simple　voters；　by　moralists　and　lawyers；　by　men　of　science　and　uneducated　hand…laborers；　by　men　of　facts　and　figures；　and　by　men　of　theories　and　aspirations；　in　the　abstract　and　in　the　concrete；　discussed　and　rediscussed　every　month；　every　week；　every　day；　and　almost　every　hour；　as　the　telegraph　tells　us　of　some　new　upheaval　or　subsidence　of　the　rocky　base　of　our　political　order。

Such　discussions　may　not　be　necessary　to　strengthen　the　convictions　of　the　great　body　of　loyal　citizens。　　They　may　do　nothing　toward　changing　the　views　of　those；　if　such　there　be；　as　some　profess　to　believe；　who　follow　politics　as　a　trade。　　They　may　have　no　hold　upon　that　class　of　persons　who　are　defec