ponkapog papers-第3部分

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The　latest　con…　trivances　in　this　fashionprobably　dropped　down　to　him　by　the　inventor　angling　for　a　nibble　of　commendationwere　always　making　one　another's　acquaintance　on　his　study　table。　　He　once　said　to　me：　〃I　'm　waiting　for　somebody　to　invent　a　mucilage…brush　that　you　can't　by　any　accident　put　into　your　inkstand。　　It　would　save　me　frequent　moments　of　humiliation。〃

THE　deceptive　Mr。　False　and　the　volatile　Mrs。　Giddy；　who　figure　in　the　pages　of　seventeenth　and　eighteenth　century　fiction；　are　not　tolerated　in　modern　novels　and　plays。　　Steal　the　burglar　and　Palette　the　artist　have　ceased　to　be。　　A　name　indicating　the　quality　or　occupation　of　the　bearer　strikes　us　as　a　too　transparent　device。　　Yet　there　are　such　names　in　contemporary　real　life。　　That　of　our　worthy　Adjutant…General　Drum　may　be　instanced。　　Neal　and　Pray　are　a　pair　of　deacons　who　linger　in　the　memory　of　my　boyhood。　　Sweet　the　confectioner　and　Lamb　the　butcher　are　indi…　viduals　with　whom　I　have　had　dealings。　　The　old…time　sign　of　Ketchum　&　Cheetam；　Brokers；　in　Wall　Street；　New　York；　seems　almost　too　good　to　be　true。　　But　it　was　once；　if　it　is　not　now；　an　actuality。

I　HAVE　observed　that　whenever　a　Boston　author　dies；　New　York　immediately　becomes　a　great　literary　centre。

THE　possession　of　unlimited　power　will　make　a　despot　of　almost　any　man。　　There　is　a　pos…　sible　Nero　in　the　gentlest　human　creature　that　walks。

EVERY　living　author　has　a　projection　of　him…　self；　a　sort　of　eidolon；　that　goes　about　in　near　and　remote　places　making　friends　or　enemies　for　him　among　persons　who　never　lay　eyes　upon　the　writer　in　the　flesh。　　When　he　dies；　this　phan…　tasmal　personality　fades　away；　and　the　author　lives　only　in　the　impression　created　by　his　own　literature。　　It　is　only　then　that　the　world　begins　to　perceive　what　manner　of　man　the　poet；　the　novelist；　or　the　historian　really　was。　　Not　until　he　is　dead；　and　perhaps　some　long　time　dead；　is　it　possible　for　the　public　to　take　his　exact　mea…　sure。　　Up　to　that　point　contemporary　criticism　has　either　overrated　him　or　underrated　him；　or　ignored　him　altogether；　having　been　misled　by　the　eidolon；　which　always　plays　fantastic　tricks　with　the　writer　temporarily　under　its　dominion。　It　invariably　represents　him　as　either　a　greater　or　a　smaller　personage　than　he　actually　is。　　Pre…　sently　the　simulacrum　works　no　more　spells；　good　or　evil；　and　the　deception　is　unveiled。　　The　hitherto　disregarded　author　is　recognized；　and　the　idol　of　yesterday；　which　seemed　so　impor…　tant；　is　taken　down　from　his　too　large　pedestal　and　carted　off　to　the　dumping…ground　of　inade…　quate　things。　　To　be　sure；　if　he　chances　to　have　been　not　entirely　unworthy；　and　on　cool　exam…　ination　is　found　to　possess　some　appreciable　degree　of　merit；　then　he　is　set　up　on　a　new　slab　of　appropriate　dimensions。　　The　late　colossal　statue　shrinks　to　a　modest　bas…relief。　　On　the　other　hand；　some　scarcely　noticed　bust　may　suddenly　become　a　revered　full…length　figure。　Between　the　reputation　of　the　author　living　and　the　reputation　of　the　same　author　dead　there　is　ever　a　wide　discrepancy。

A　NOT　too　enchanting　glimpse　of　Tennyson　is　incidentally　given　by　Charles　Brookfield；　the　English　actor；　in　his　〃Random　Recollections。〃　Mr。　Brookfield's　father　was；　on　one　occasion；　dining　at　the　Oxford　and　Cambridge　Club　with　George　Venables；　Frank　Lushington；　Alfred　Tennyson；　and　others。　　〃After　dinner；〃　relates　the　random　recollector；　〃the　poet　insisted　upon　putting　his　feet　on　the　table；　tilting　back　his　chair　more　Americano。　　There　were　strangers　in　the　room；　and　he　was　expostulated　with　for　his　uncouthness；　but　in　vain。　　'Do　put　down　your　feet！'　pleaded　his　host。　　'Why　should　I？'　retorted　Tennyson。　　'I　'm　very　comfortable　as　I　am。'　　'Every　one's　staring　at　you；'　said　an…　other。　　'Let　'em　stare；'　replied　the　poet；　pla…　cidly。　　'Alfred；'　said　my　father；　'people　will
think　you're　Longfellow。'　　Down　went　the　feet。〃　　That　more　Americano　of　Brookfield　the　younger　is　delicious　with　its　fine　insular　flavor；　but　the　holding　up　of　Longfellowthe　soul　of　gentleness；　the　prince　of　courtesyas　a　buga…　boo　of　bad　manners　is　simply　inimitable。　　It　will　take　England　years　and　years　to　detect　the　full　unconscious　humor　of　it。

GREAT　orators　who　are　not　also　great　writers　become　very　indistinct　historical　shadows　to　the　generations　immediately　following　them。　　The　spell　vanishes　with　the　voice。　　A　man's　voice　is　almost　the　only　part　of　him　entirely　obliterated　by　death。　　The　violet　of　his　native　land　may　be　made　of　his　ashes；　but　nature　in　her　economy　seems　to　have　taken　no　care　of　his　intonations；　unless　she　perpetuates　them　in　restless　waves　of　air　surging　about　the　poles。　　The　well…graced　actor　who　leaves　no　perceptible　record　of　his　genius　has　a　decided　advantage　over　the　mere　orator。　　The　tradition　of　the　player's　method　and　presence　is　associated　with　works　of　endur…　ing　beauty。　　Turning　to　the　pages　of　the　drama…　tist；　we　can　picture　to　ourselves　the　greatness　of　Garrick　or　Siddons　in　this　or　that　scene；　in　this　or　that　character。　　It　is　not　so　easy　to　conjure　up　the　impassioned　orator　from　the　pages　of　a　dry　and　possibly　illogical　argument　in　favor　of　or　against　some　long…ago…exploded　measure　of　gov…　ernment。　　The　laurels　of　an　orator　who　is　not　a　master　of　literary　art　wither　quickly。

ALL　the　best　sands　of　my　life　are　somehow　get…　ting　into　the　wrong　end　of　the　hour…glass。　　If　I　could　only　reverse　it！　　Were　it　in　my　power　to　do　so；　would　I？

SHAKESPEARE　is　forever　coming　into　our　affairs　putting　in　his　oar；　so　to　speakwith　some　pat　word　or　sentence。　　The　conversation；　the　other　evening；　had　turned　on　the　subject　of　watches；　when　one　of　the　gentlemen　present；　the　manager　of　a　large　watch…making　establish…　ment；　told　us　a　rather　interesting　fact。　　The　component　parts　of　a　watch　are　produced　by　different　workmen；　who　have　no　concern　with　the　complex　piece　of　mechanism　as　a　whole；　and　possibly；　as　a　rule；　understand　it　imper…　fectly。　　Each　worker　needs　to　be　expert　in　only　his　own　special　branch。　　When　the　watch　has　reached　a　certain　advanced　state；　the　work　requires　a　touch　as　delicate　and　firm　as　that　of　an　oculist　performing　an　operation。　　Here　the　most　skilled　and　trustworthy　artisans　are　em…　ployed；　they　receive　high　wages；　and　have　the　benefit　of　a　singular　indulgence。　　In　case　the　workman；　through　too　continuous　application；　finds　himself　lacking　the　steadiness　of　nerve　demanded　by　his　task；　he　is　allowed　without　forfeiture　of　pay　to　remain　idle　temporarily；　in　order　that　his　hand　may　recover　the　requisite　precision　of　touch。　　As　I　listened；　Hamlet's　courtly　criticism　of　the　grave…digger's　want　of　sensibility　came　drifting　into　my　memory。　〃The　hand　of　little　employment　hath　the　dain…　tier　sense；〃　says　Shakespeare；　who　has　left　no…　thing　unsaid。

IT　was　a　festival　in　honor　of　Dai　Butsu　or　some　one　of　the　auxiliary　deities　that　preside　over　the　destinies　of　Japland。　　For　three　days　and　nights　the　streets　of　Tokiowhere　the　squat　little　brown　houses　look　for　all　the　world　as　if　they　were　mimicking　the　favorite　sitting　posture　of　the　Japanesewere　crowded　with　smiling　hol…　iday　makers；　and　made　gay　with　devices　of　tinted　tissue　paper；　dolphins；　devils；　dragons；　and　mythical　winged　creatures　which　at　night　amia…　bly　turned　themselves　into　lanterns。　　Garlands　of　these；　arranged　close　together；　were　stretched　across　the　streets　from　ridgepoles　to　ridgepole；　and　your　jinrikisha　whisked　you　through　inter…　minable　arbors　of　soft　illumination。　　The　spec…　tacle　gave　one　an　idea　of　fairyland；　but　then　all　Japan　does　that。

A　land　not　like　ours；　that　land　of　strange　flowers；　Of　daemons　and　spooks　with　mysterious　powers　　　　　　Of　gods　who　breathe　ice；　who　cause　peach…blooms　and　rice　　And　manage　the　moonshine　and　turn　on　the　showers。

Each　day　has　its　fair　or　its　festival　there；　And　life　seems　immune　to　all　trouble　and　care　　　　　　Perhaps　only　seems；　in　that　island　of　dreams；　Sea…girdled　and　basking　in　magical　air。

They've　streets　of　bazaars　filled　with　lacquers　and　jars；　And　silk　stuffs；　and　sword…blades　that　tell　of　old　wars；　　　　　　They've　Fuji's　white　cone　looming　up；　bleak　and　lone；　As　if　it　were　trying　to　reach　to　the　stars。

They've　temples　and　gongs；　and　grim　Buddhas　in　throngs；　And　pearl…powdered　geisha　with　dances　and　songs：　　　　　　Each　girl　at　her　back　has　an　imp；　brown　or　black；　And　dresses　her　hair　in　remarkable　prongs。

On　roadside　and　street　toddling　images　meet；　And　smirk　and　kotow　in　a　way　that　is　sweet；　　　　　　Their　obis　are　tied　with　particular　pride；　Their　silken　kimonos　hang　scant　to　the　feet。

With　purrs　like　a　cat　they　all　giggle　and　chat；　Now　spreading　their　fans；　and　now　holding　them　flat；　　　　　　A　fan　by　its　play　whispers；　〃Go　now！〃　or　〃Stay！〃　〃I　hate　you！　　〃I　love　you！〃a　fan　can　say　that！　Beneath　a　dwarf　tree；　here　and　there；　two　or　three　Squat　coolies　are　sipping　small　cups　of　green　tea；　　　　　　They　sputter；　and　leer；　and　cry　out；　and　appear　Like　bad　little　chessmen　gone　off　on　a　spree。

At　nightah；　at　night　the　long　streets　are　a　sight；　With　garlands　of　soft…colored　lanterns　alight　　　　　　Blue；　yellow；　and　red　twinkling　high　overhead；　Like　thousands　of　butterflies　taking　their　flight。

Somewhere　in　the　gloom　that　no　lanterns　illume　Stand　groups　of　slim　lilies　and　jonquils　in　bloom；　　　　　　On　tiptoe；　unseen　'mid　a　tangle　of　green；　They　offer　the　midnight　their　cups　of　perfume。

At　times；　sweet　and　clear　from　some　tea…garden　near；　A　ripple　of　laughter　steals　out　to　your　ear；　　　　　　Anon　the　wind　brings　from　a　samisen's　strings　The　pathos　that's　born　of　a　smile　and　a　tear。

THE　difference　between　an　English　audience　and　a　French　audience　at　the　theatre　is　marked。　The　Frenchman　brings　down　a　witticism　on　the　wing。　　The　Briton　pauses　for　it　to　alight　and　give　him　reasonable　time　for　deliberate　aim。　　In　English　playhouses　an　appreciable　number　of　seconds　usually　precede　the　smile　or　the　ripple　of　laughter　that　follows　a　facetious　turn　of　the　least　fineness。　　I　disclaim　all　responsibility　for　this　statement　of　my　personal　observation；　since　it　has　recently　been　indorsed　by　one　of　London's　most　eminent　actors。

AT　the　next　table；　taking　his　opal　drops　of　　absinthe；　was　a　French　gentleman　with　the　blase　aspect　of　an　empty　champagne…bottle；　which　always　has　the　air　of　saying：　〃I　have　li