ponkapog papers-第6章
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miss。 I found him absorbed in a newly made card…cata… logue of his library。 〃It was absurd of me to have it done；〃 he remarked。 〃What I really require is a little bookcase holding only two volumes； then I could go from one to the other in alternation and always find each book as fresh as if I never had read it。〃 This arraignment of his memory was in pure jest； for the doctor's mind was to the end like an unclouded crystal。 It was interesting to note how he studied him… self； taking his own pulse； as it were； and diag… nosing his own case in a sort of scientific； impersonal way； as if it were somebody else's case and he were the consulting specialist。 I intended to spend a quarter of an hour with him； and he kept me three hours。 I went there rather depressed； but I returned home leavened with his good spirits； which； I think； will never desert him； here or hereafter。 To keep the heart unwrinkled； to be hopeful； kindly； cheerful； reverentthat is to triumph over old age。
THE thing one reads and likes； and then forgets； is of no account。 The thing that stays； and haunts one； and refuses to be forgotten； that is the sincere thing。 I am describing the impres… sion left upon me by Mr。 Howells's blank…verse sketch called 〃Father and Mother： A Mystery〃 a strangely touching and imaginative piece of work； not unlike in effect to some of Mae… terlinck's psychical dramas。 As I read on； I seemed to be standing in a shadow cast by some half…remembered experience of my own in a previous state of existence。 When I went to bed that night I had to lie awake and think it over as an event that had actually befallen me。 I should call the effect weird； if the word had not lately been worked to death。 The gloom of Poe and the spirituality of Hawthorne touch cold finger…tips in those three or four pages。
FOR a character…studya man made up en… tirely of limitations。 His conservatism and neg… ative qualities to be represented as causing him to attain success where men of conviction and real ability fail of it。
A DARK； saturnine man sat opposite me at table on board the steamer。 During the entire run from Sandy Hook to Fastnet Light he addressed no one at meal…times excepting his table steward。 Seated next to him； on the right； was a viva… cious gentleman； who； like Gratiano in the play； spoke 〃an infinite deal of nothing。〃 He made persistent and pathetic attempts to lure his silent neighbor （we had christened him 〃William the Silent〃） into conversation； but a monosyllable was always the poor resultuntil one day。 It was the last day of the voyage。 We had stopped at the entrance to Queenstown harbor to deliver the mails； and some fish had been brought aboard。 The vivacious gentleman was in a high state of excitement that morning at table。 〃Fresh fish！〃 he exclaimed； 〃actually fresh！ They seem quite different from ours。 Irish fish； of course。 Can you tell me； sir；〃 he inquired； turning to his gloomy shipmate； 〃what kind of fish these are？〃 〃Cork soles；〃 said the saturn… ine man； in a deep voice； and then went on with his breakfast。
LOWELL used to find food for great mirth in General George P。 Morris's line；
Her heart and morning broke together。
Lowell's well…beloved Dr。 Donne； however； had an attack of the same platitude； and pos… sibly inoculated poor Morris。 Even literature seems to have its mischief…making bacilli。 The late 〃incomparable and ingenious Dean of St。 Paul's〃 says；
The day breaks not； it is my heart。
I think Dr。 Donne's case rather worse than Morris's。 Chaucer had the malady in a milder form when he wrote：
Up roos the sonne； and up roos Emelye。
The charming naivete of it！
SITTING in Ellen Terry's dressing…room at the Lyceum Theatre one evening during that lady's temporary absence on the stage； Sarah Bern… hardt picked up a crayon and wrote this pretty word on the mirrorDearling； mistaking it for the word darling。 The French actress lighted by chance upon a Spenserianism now become obsolete without good reason。 It is a more charming adjective than the one that has re… placed it。
A DEAD author appears to be bereft of all earthly rights。 He is scarcely buried before old maga… zines and newspapers are ransacked in search of matters which； for reasons sufficient to him； he had carefully excluded from the definitive edition of his collected writings。
He gave the people of his best； His worst he kept； his best he gave。
One can imagine a poet tempted to address some such appeal as this to any possible future publisher of his poems：
Take what thou wilt； a lyric or a line； Take all； take nothingand God send thee cheer！ But my anathema on thee and thine If thou add'st aught to what is printed here。
THE claim of this country to call itself 〃The Land of the Free〃 must be held in abeyance until every man in it； whether he belongs or does not belong to a labor organization； shall have the right to work for his daily bread。
THERE is a strain of primitive poetry running through the entire Irish race； a fleeting lyrical emotion which expresses itself in a flash； usually in connection with love of country and kindred across the sea。 I had a touching illustration of it the other morning。 The despot who reigns over our kitchen was gathering a mess of dandelions on the rear lawn。 It was one of those blue and gold days which seem especially to belong New Eng… land。 〃It's in County Westmeath I 'd be this day；〃 she said； looking up at me。 〃I'd go cool my hands in the grass on my ould mother's grave in the bit of churchyard foreninst the priest's house at Mullingar。〃 I have seen poorer poetry than that in the magazines。
SPEAKING of the late Major Pond； the well… known director of a lecture bureau； an old client of his remarked： 〃He was a most capable manager； but it always made me a little sore to have him deduct twenty…five per cent。 commis… sion。〃 〃Pond's Extract；〃 murmured one of the gentlemen present。
EACH of our great towns has its 〃Little Italy；〃 with shops where nothing is spoken but Italian and streets in which the alien pedestrian had better not linger after nightfall。 The chief in… dustry of these exotic communities seems to be spaghetti and stilettos。 What with our Little Italys and Chinatowns； and the like； an Ameri… can need not cross the ocean in order to visit foreign lands and enjoy the benefits of older civilizations。
POETS are made as well as born； the proverb notwithstanding。 They are made possible by the general love of poetry and the consequent imperious demand for it。 When this is non… existent； poets become mute； the atmosphere stifles them。 There would have been no Shake… speare had there been no Elizabethan audience。 That was an age when； as Emerson finely puts it；
Men became Poets； for the air was fame。
THE stolid gentleman in livery who has his car… riage…stand at the corner opposite my house is constantly touching on the extremes of human experience； with probably not the remotest per… ception of the fact。 Now he takes a pair of lovers out for an airing； and now he drives the abscond… ing bank…teller to the railway…station。 Except… ing as question of distance； the man has positively no choice between a theatre and a graveyard。 I met him this morning dashing up to the portals of Trinity Church with a bridal party； and this afternoon； as I was crossing Cambridge Bridge； I saw him creeping along next to the hearse； on his way to Mount Auburn。 The wedding af… forded him no pleasure； and the funeral gave him no grief； yet he was a factor in both。 It is his odd destiny to be wholly detached from the vital part of his own acts。 If the carriage itself could speak！ The autobiography of a public hack written without reservation would be dra… matic reading。
IN this blotted memorandum…book are a score or two of suggestions for essays； sketches； and poems； which I have not written； and never shall write。 The instant I jot down an idea the desire to utilize it leaves me； and I turn away to do something unpremeditated。 The shabby vol… ume has become a sort of Potter's Field where I bury my literary intentions； good and bad； with… out any belief in the
