ponkapog papers-第5章
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ives are as unknown as 〃what song the Sirens sang； or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women。〃 He is a man who apparently has no appointment with his breakfast and whose din… ner is a chance acquaintance。 His probable banker is the next person。 A great city like this is the only geography for such a character。 He would be impossible in a small country town； where everybody knows everybody and what everybody has for lunch。
I HAVE been seeking； thus far in vain； for the proprietor of the saying that 〃Economy is sec… ond or third cousin to Avarice。〃 I went rather confidently to Rochefoucauld； but it is not among that gentleman's light luggage of cynical maxims。
THERE is a popular vague impression that butch… ers are not allowed to serve as jurors on mur… der trials。 This is not really the case； but it logically might be。 To a man daily familiar with the lurid incidents of the abattoir； the summary extinction of a fellow creature （whe… ther the victim or the criminal） can scarcely seem a circumstance of so serious moment as to another man engaged in less strenuous pursuits。 WE do not； and cannot； read many of the novels that most delighted our ancestors。 Some of our popular fiction is doubtless as poor； but poor with a difference。 There is always a heavy de… mand for fresh mediocrity。 In every generation the least cultivated taste has the largest appetite。 There is ragtime literature as well as ragtime music for the many。
G… is a man who had rather fail in a great purpose than not accomplish it in precisely his own way。 He has the courage of his conviction and the intolerance of his courage。 He is op… posed to the death penalty for murder； but he would willingly have any one electrocuted who disagreed with him on the subject。
I HAVE thought of an essay to be called 〃On the Art of Short…Story Writing；〃 but have given it up as smacking too much of the shop。 It would be too intime； since I should have to deal chiefly with my own ways； and so give myself the false air of seeming to consider them of im… portance。 It would interest nobody to know that I always write the last paragraph first； and then work directly up to that； avoiding all di… gressions and side issues。 Then who on earth would care to be told about the trouble my characters cause me by talking too much？ They will talk； and I have to let them； but when the story is finished； I go over the dia… logue and strike out four fifths of the long speeches。 I fancy that makes my characters pretty mad。
THIS is the golden age of the inventor。 He is no longer looked upon as a madman or a wiz… ard； incontinently to be made away with。 Two or three centuries ago Marconi would not have escaped a ropeless end with his wireless telegra… phy。 Even so late as 1800； the friends of one Robert Fulton seriously entertained the lumi… nous idea of hustling the poor man into an asy… lum for the unsound before he had a chance to fire up the boiler of his tiny steamboat on the Hudson river。 In olden times the pillory and the whipping…post were among the gentler forms of encouragement awaiting the inventor。 If a man devised an especially practical apple…peeler he was in imminent danger of being peeled with it by an incensed populace。 To…day we hail with enthusiasm a scientific or a mechanical discovery； and stand ready to make a stock company of it。
A MAN is known by the company his mind keeps。 To live continually with noble books； with 〃high…erected thoughts seated in the heart of courtesy；〃 teaches the soul good manners。
THE unconventional has ever a morbid attrac… tion for a certain class of mind。 There is always a small coterie of highly intellectual men and women eager to give welcome to whatever is eccentric； obscure； or chaotic。 Worshipers at the shrine of the Unpopular； they tingle with a sense of tolerant superiority when they say： 〃Of course this is not the kind of thing you would like。〃 Sometimes these impressionable souls almost seem to make a sort of reputation for their fetish。
I HEAR that B… directed to have himself buried on the edge of the pond where his duck… stand was located； in order that flocks of migrat… ing birds might fly over his grave every autumn。 He did not have to die； to become a dead shot。 A comrade once said of him： 〃Yes； B… is a great sportsman。 He has peppered every… thing from grouse in North Dakota to his best friend in the Maine woods。〃
WHEN the novelist introduces a bore into his novel he must not let him bore the reader。 The fellow must be made amusing； which he would not be in real life。 In nine cases out of ten an exact reproduction of real life would prove tedious。 Facts are not necessarily valuable； and frequently they add nothing to fiction。 The art of the realistic novelist sometimes seems akin to that of the Chinese tailor who perpetuated the old patch on the new trousers。 True art selects and paraphrases； but seldom gives a verbatim translation。
THE last meeting I had with Lowell was in the north room of his house at Elmwood； the sleep… ing…room I had occupied during a two years' tenancy of the place in his absence abroad。 He was lying half propped up in bed； convales… cing from one of the severe attacks that were ultimately to prove fatal。 Near the bed was a chair on which stood a marine picture in aqua… rellea stretch of calm sea； a bit of rocky shore in the foreground； if I remember； and a vessel at anchor。 The afternoon sunlight； falling through the window； cast a bloom over the pic… ture； which was turned toward Lowell。 From time to time； as he spoke； his eyes rested thoughtfully on the water…color。 A friend； he said； had just sent it to him。 It seemed to me then； and the fancy has often haunted me since； that that ship； in the golden haze； with top… sails loosened； was waiting to bear his spirit away。
CIVILIZATION is the lamb's skin in which bar… barism masquerades。 If somebody has already said that； I forgive him the mortification he causes me。 At the beginning of the twentieth century barbarism can throw off its gentle dis… guise； and burn a man at the stake as compla… cently as in the Middle Ages。
WHAT is slang in one age sometimes goes into the vocabulary of the purist in the next。 On the other hand； expressions that once were not considered inelegant are looked at askance in the period following。 The word 〃brass〃 was formerly an accepted synonym for money； but at present； when it takes on that significance； it is not admitted into genteel circles of language。 It may be said to have seen better days； like another word I have in minda word that has become slang； employed in the sense which once did not exclude it from very good society。 A friend lately informed me that he had 〃fired〃 his housekeeperthat is； dismissed her。 He little dreamed that he was speaking excellent Elizabethan。
THE 〃Journal des Goncourt〃 is crowded with beautiful and hideous things； like a Japanese Museum。
〃AND she shuddered as she sat； still silent； on her seat； and he saw that she shuddered。〃 This is from Anthony Trollope's novel； 〃Can You Forgive Her？〃 Can you forgive him？ is the next question。
A LITTLE thing may be perfect； but perfection is not a little thing。 Possessing this quality； a trifle 〃no bigger than an agate…stone on the forefinger of an alderman〃 shall outlast the Pyramids。 The world will have forgotten all the great masterpieces of literature when it for… gets Lovelace's three verses to Lucasta on his going to the wars。 More durable than marble or bronze are the words； 〃I could not love thee； deare； so much； loved I not honor more。〃
I CALLED on the dear old doctor this afternoon to say good…by。 I shall probably not find him here when I come back from the long voyage which I have in front of me。 He is very fragile； and looks as though a puff of wind would blow him away。 He said himself； with his old…time cheerfulness； that he was attached to this earth by only a little piece of twine。 He has percep… tibly failed since I saw him a month ago； but he was full of the wise and radiant talk to which all the world has listened； and will miss。 I found him absorbed in a newly made card…cata… logue of his library。 〃It was absurd of me
