essays on paul bourget-第5部分

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Deaf　Person。　　Change？　　Yes；　I　think　it　will。　　Though　if　it　should　clear
off　I

Shouter。　　It's　his　NAME　I　wanthis　NAME。

Deaf　Person。　　Maybe　so；　maybe　so；　but　it　will　only　be　a　shower；　I　think。

Shouter。　　No；　no；　no！you　have　quite　misunderSTOOD　me。　　If

Deaf　Person。　　Ah！　　GOOD　morning；　I　am　sorry　you　must　go。　　But　call　again；
and　let　me　continue　to　be　of　assistance　to　you　in　every　way　I　can。


You　see　it　is　a　perfect　kodak　of　the　article　you　have　dictated。　　It　is
really　curious　and　interesting　when　you　come　to　compare　it　with　yours；
in　detail；　with　my　former　article　to　which　it　is　a　Reply　in　your　hand。
I　talk　twelve　pages　about　your　American　instruction　projects；　and　your
doubtful　scientific　system；　and　your　painstaking　classification　of
nonexistent　things；　and　your　diligence　and　zeal　and　sincerity；　and　your
disloyal　attitude　towards　anecdotes；　and　your　undue　reverence　for　unsafe
statistics　and　far　facts　that　lack　a　pedigree；　and　you　turn　around　and
come　back　at　me　with　eight　pages　of　weather。

I　do　not　see　how　a　person　can　act　so。　　It　is　good　of　you　to　repeat；　with
change　of　language；　in　the　bulk　of　your　rejoinder；　so　much　of　my　own
article；　and　adopt　my　sentiments；　and　make　them　over；　and　put　new　buttons
on；　and　I　like　the　compliment；　and　am　frank　to　say　so；　but　agreeing　with
a　person　cripples　controversy　and　ought　not　to　be　allowed。　　It　is
weather；　and　of　almost　the　worst　sort。　　It　pleases　me　greatly　to　hear　you
discourse　with　such　approval　and　expansiveness　upon　my　text：

〃A　foreigner　can　photograph　the　exteriors　of　a　nation；　but　I　think　that
is　as　far　as　he　can　get。　　I　think　that　no　foreigner　can　report　its
interior；〃＇And　you　say：　〃A　man　of　average　intelligence；　who　has　passed
six　months　among　a　people；　cannot　express　opinions　that　are　worth　jotting
down；　but　he　can　form　impressions　that　are　worth　repeating。　　For　my　part；
I　think　that　foreigners'　impressions　are　more　interesting　than　native
opinions。　　After　all；　such　impressions　merely　mean　'how　the　country
struck　the　foreigner。'〃＇　which　is　a　quite　clear　way　of　saying　that　a
foreigner's　report　is　only　valuable　when　it　restricts　itself　to
impressions。　　It　pleases　me　to　have　you　follow　my　lead　in　that　glowing
way；　but　it　leaves　me　nothing　to　combat。　　You　should　give　me　something　to
deny　and　refute；　I　would　do　as　much　for　you。

It　pleases　me　to　have　you　playfully　warn　the　public　against　taking　one　of
your　books　seriously。　＇When　I　published　Jonathan　and　his　Continent；　I
wrote　in　a　preface　addressed　to　Jonathan：　〃If　ever　you　should　insist　in
seeing　in　this　little　volume　a　serious　study　of　your　country　and　of　your
countrymen；　I　warn　you　that　your　world…wide　fame　for　humor　will　be
exploded。〃＇　Because　I　used　to　do　that　cunning　thing　myself　in　earlier
days。　　I　did　it　in　a　prefatory　note　to　a　book　of　mine　called　Tom　Sawyer。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NOTICE。

Persons　attempting　to　find　a　motive　in　this　narrative　will　be　prosecuted；
persons　attempting　to　find　a　moral　in　it　will　be　banished；　persons
attempting　to　find　a　plot　in　it　will　be　shot。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BY　ORDER　OF　THE　AUTHOR
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PER　G。　G。；　CHIEF　OF　ORDNANCE。


The　kernel　is　the　same　in　both　prefaces；　you　seethe　public　must　not
take　us　too　seriously。　　If　we　remove　that　kernel　we　remove　the　life…
principle；　and　the　preface　is　a　corpse。　　Yes；　it　pleases　me　to　have　you
use　that　idea；　for　it　is　a　high　compliment。　　But　is　leaves　me　nothing　to
combat；　and　that　is　damage　to　me。

Am　I　seeming　to　say　that　your　Reply　is　not　a　reply　at　all；　M。　Bourget？
If　so；　I　must　modify　that；　it　is　too　sweeping。　　For　you　have　furnished　a
general　answer　to　my　inquiry　as　to　what　France　through　youcan　teach　us。
＇〃What　could　France　teach　America！〃　exclaims　Mark　Twain。　　France　can
teach　America　all　the　higher　pursuits　of　life；　and　there　is　more　artistic
feeling　and　refinement　in　a　street　of　French　workingmen　than　in　many
avenues　inhabited　by　American　millionaires。　　She　can　teach　her；　not
perhaps　how　to　work；　but　how　to　rest；　how　to　live；　how　to　be　happy。
She　can　teach　her　that　the　aim　of　life　is　not　money…making；　but　that
money…making　is　only　a　means　to　obtain　an　end。　　She　can　teach　her　that
wives　are　not　expensive　toys；　but　useful　partners；　friends；　and
confidants；　who　should　always　keep　men　under　their　wholesome　influence　by
their　diplomacy；　their　tact；　their　common…sense；　without　bumptiousness。
These　qualities；　added　to　the　highest　standard　of　morality　（not　angular
and　morose；　but　cheerful　morality）；　are　conceded　to　Frenchwomen　by
whoever　knows　something　of　French　life　outside　of　the　Paris　boulevards；
and　Mark　Twain's　ill…natured　sneer　cannot　even　so　much　as　stain　them。

I　might　tell　Mark　Twain　that　in　France　a　man　who　was　seen　tipsy　in　his
club　would　immediately　see　his　name　canceled　from　membership。　　A　man　who
had　settled　his　fortune　on　his　wife　to　avoid　meeting　his　creditors　would
be　refused　admission　into　any　decent　society。　　Many　a　Frenchman　has　blown
his　brains　out　rather　than　declare　himself　a　bankrupt。　　Now　would　Mark
Twain　remark　to　this：　'An　American　is　not　such　a　fool：　when　a　creditor
stands　in　his　way　he　closes　his　doors；　and　reopens　them　the　following
day。　　When　he　has　been　a　bankrupt　three　times　he　can　retire　from
business？〃＇　It　is　a　good　answer。

It　relates　to　manners；　customs；　and　moralsthree　things　concerning　which
we　can　never　have　exhaustive　and　determinate　statistics；　and　so　the
verdicts　delivered　upon　them　must　always　lack　conclusiveness　and　be
subject　to　revision；　but　you　have　stated　the　truth；　possibly；　as　nearly
as　any　one　could　do　it；　in　the　circumstances。　　But　why　did　you　choose　a
detail　of　my　question　which　could　be　answered　only　with　vague　hearsay
evidence；　and　go　right　by　one　which　could　have　been　answered　with　deadly
facts？　facts　in　everybody's　reach；　facts　which　none　can　dispute。
I　asked　what　France　could　teach　us　about　government。　　I　laid　myself
pretty　wide　open；　there；　and　I　thought　I　was　handsomely　generous；　too；
when　I　did　it。　　France　can　teach　us　how　to　levy　village　and　city　taxes
which　distribute　the　burden　with　a　nearer　approach　to　perfect　fairness
than　is　the　case　in　any　other　land；　and　she　can　teach　us　the　wisest　and
surest　system　of　collecting　them　that　exists。　　She　can　teach　us　how　to
elect　a　President　in　a　sane　way；　and　also　how　to　do　it　without　throwing
the　country　into　earthquakes　and　convulsions　that　cripple　and　embarrass
business；　stir　up　party　hatred　in　the　hearts　of　men；　and　make　peaceful
people　wish　the　term　extended　to　thirty　years。　　France　can　teach　usbut
enough　of　that　part　of　the　question。　　And　what　else　can　France　teach　us？
She　can　teach　us　all　the　fine　artsand　does。　　She　throws　open　her
hospitable　art　academies；　and　says　to　us；　〃Come〃and　we　come；　troops　and
troops　of　our　young　and　gifted；　and　she　sets　over　us　the　ablest　masters
in　the　world　and　bearing　the　greatest　names；　and　she；　teaches　us　all　that
we　are　capable　of　learning；　and　persuades　us　and　encourages　us　with
prizes　and　honors；　much　as　if　we　were　somehow　children　of　her　own；　and
when　this　noble　education　is　finished　and　we　are　ready　to　carry　it　home
and　spread　its　gracious　ministries　abroad　over　our　nation；　and　we　come
with　homage　and　gratitude　and　ask　France　for　the　billthere　is　nothing
to　pay。　　And　in　return　for　this　imperial　generosity；　what　does　America
do？　　She　charges　a　duty　on　French　works　of　art！

I　wish　I　had　your　end　of　this　dispute；　I　should　have　something　worth
talking　about。　　If　you　would　only　furnish　me　something　to　argue；
something　to　refutebut　you　persistently　won't。　　You　leave　good　chances
unutilized　and　spend　your　strength　in　proving　and　establishing
unimportant　things。　　For　instance；　you　have　proven　and　established　these
eight　facts　here　followinga　good　score　as　to　number；　but　not　worth
while：

Mark　Twain　is

1。　　〃Insulting。〃

2。　　（Sarcastically　speaking）　〃This　refined　humor；　1st。〃

3。　　Prefers　the　manure…pile　to　the　violets。

4。　　Has　uttered　〃an　ill…natured　sneer。〃

5。　　Is　〃nasty。〃

6。　　Needs　a　〃lesson　in　politeness　and　good　manners。〃

7。　　Has　published　a　〃nasty　article。〃

8。　　Has　made　remarks　〃unworthy　of　a　gentleman。〃　＇〃It　is　more　funny　than
his〃　（Mark　Twain's）　〃anecdote；　and　would　have　been　less　insulting。〃

A　quoted　remark　of　mine　〃is　a　gross　insult　to　a　nation　friendly　to
America。〃

〃He　has　read　La　Terre；　this　refined　humorist。〃

〃When　Mark　Twain　visits　a　garden　。　　。　　。　　he　goes　in　the　far…away　comer
where　the　soil　is　prepared。〃

〃Mark　Twain's　ill…natured　sneer　cannot　so　much　as　stain　them〃　（the
Frenchwomen）。

〃When　he〃　（Mark　Twain）　〃takes　his　revenge　he　is　unkind；　unfair；　bitter；
nasty。〃

〃But　not　even　your　nasty　article　on　my　country；　Mark；〃　etc。

〃Mark　might　certainly　have　derived　from　it　〃（M。　Bourget's　book）〃　a　lesson
in　politeness　and　good　manners。〃

A　quoted　remark　of　mine　is　〃unworthy　of　a　gentleman。〃＇

These　are　all　true；　but　really　they　are　not　valuable；　no　one　cares　much
for　such　finds。　　In　our　American　magazines　we　recognize　this　and　suppress
them。　　We　avoid　naming　them。　　American　writers　never　allow　themselves　to
name　them。　　It　would　look　as　if　they　were　in　a　temper；　and　we　hold　that
exhibitions　of　temper　in　public　are　not　good　form　except　in　the　very
young　and　inexperienced。　　And　even　if　we　had　the　disposition　to　name
them；　in　order　to　fill　up　a　gap　when　we　were　short　of　ideas　and
arguments；　our　magazines　would　not　allow　us　to　do　it；　because　they　think
that　such　words　sully　their　pages。　　This　present　magazine　is　particularly
strenuous　about　it。　　Its　note　to　me　announcing　the　forwarding　of　your
proof…sheets　to　France　closed　thusfor　your　protection：

〃It　is　needless　to　ask　you　to　avoid　anything　that　he　might　consider　as
personal。〃

It　was　well　enough；　as　a　measure　of　precaution；　but　really　it　was　not
needed。　　You　can　trust　me　implicitly；　M。　Bourget；　I　shall　never　call　you
any　names　in　print　which　I　should　be　ashamed　to　call　you　with　your
unoffending　and　dearest　ones　present。

Indeed；　we　are　reserved；　and　particular　in　America　to　a　degree　which　you
would　consider　exaggerated。　　For　instance；　we　should　not　write　notes　like
that　one　of　yours　to　a　lady　for　a　small　faultor　a　large　one。