north america-1-第55章
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be maintained。 The hours of study also were long； being nearly continuous throughout the day。 〃English lads of that age could not do it；〃 I said； thus confessing that English lads must have in them less power of sustained work than those of America。 〃They must do it here；〃 said my informant； 〃or else leave us。〃 And then he took us off to one of the young gentlemen's quarters； in order that we might see the nature of their rooms。 We found the young gentleman fast asleep on his bed； and felt uncommonly grieved that we should have thus intruded on him。 As the hour was one of those allocated by my informant in the distribution of the day to private study； I could not but take the present occupation of the embryo warrior as an indication that the amount of labor required might be occasionally too much even for an American youth。 〃The heat makes one so uncommonly drowsy；〃 said the young man。 I was not the least surprised at the exclamation。 The air of the apartment had been warmed up to such a pitch by the hot…pipe apparatus of the building that prolonged life to me would； I should have thought； be out of the question in such an atmosphere。 〃Do you always have it as hot as this？〃 I asked。 The young man swore that it was so； and with considerable energy expressed his opinion that all his health； and spirits； and vitality were being baked out of him。 He seemed to have a strong opinion on the matter； for which I respected him； but it had never occurred to him； and did not then occur to him； that anything could be done to moderate that deathly flow of hot air which came up to him from the neighboring infernal regions。 He was pale in the face； and all the lads there were pale。 American lads and lasses are all pale。 Men at thirty and women at twenty…five have had all semblance of youth baked out of them。 Infants even are not rosy； and the only shades known on the cheeks of children are those composed of brown； yellow； and white。 All this comes of those damnable hot…air pipes with which every tenement in America is infested。 〃We cannot do without them；〃 they say。 〃Our cold is so intense that we must heat our houses throughout。 Open fire…places in a few rooms would not keep our toes and fingers from the frost。〃 There is much in this。 The assertion is no doubt true； and thereby a great difficulty is created。 It is no doubt quite within the power of American ingenuity to moderate the heat of these stoves； and to produce such an atmosphere as may be most conducive to health。 In hospitals no doubt this will be done； perhaps is done at presentthough even in hospitals I have thought the air hotter than it should be。 But hot…air drinking is like dram…drinking。 There is the machine within the house capable of supplying any quantity； and those who consume it unconsciously increase their draughts； and take their drains stronger and stronger； till a breath of fresh air is felt to be a blast direct from Boreas。 West Point is at all points a military colony； and； as such； belongs exclusively to the Federal government as separate from the government of any individual State。 It is the purchased property of the United States as a whole； and is devoted to the necessities of a military college。 No man could take a house there； or succeed in getting even permanent lodgings； unless he belonged to or were employed by the establishment。 There is no intercourse by road between West Point and other towns or villages on the river side； and any such intercourse even by water is looked upon with jealousy by the authorities。 The wish is that West Point should be isolated and kept apart for military instruction to the exclusion of all other purposes whateverespecially love…making purposes。 The coming over from the other side of the water of young ladies by the ferry is regarded as a great hinderance。 They will come； and then the military students will talk to them。 We all know to what such talking leads！ A lad when I was there had been tempted to get out of barracks in plain clothes； in order that he might call on a young lady at the hotel； and was in consequence obliged to abandon his commission and retire from the Academy。 Will that young lady ever again sleep quietly in her bed？ I should hope not。 An opinion was expressed to me that there should be no hotel in such a placethat there should be no ferry； no roads； no means by which the attention of the students should be distractedthat these military Rasselases should live in a happy military valley from which might be excluded both strong drinks and female charmsthose two poisons from which youthful military ardor is supposed to suffer so much。 It always seems to me that such training begins at the wrong end。 I will not say that nothing should be done to keep lads of eighteen from strong drinks。 I will not even say that there should not be some line of moderation with reference to feminine allurements。 But； as a rule； the restraint should come from the sense； good feeling； and education of him who is restrained。 There is no embargo on the beer…shops either at Harrow or at Oxfordand certainly none upon the young ladies。 Occasional damage may accrue from habits early depraved； or a heart too early and too easily susceptible； but the injury so done is not； I think； equal to that inflicted by a Draconian code of morals； which will probably be evaded； and will certainly create a desire for its evasion。 Nevertheless； I feel assured that West Point； taken as a whole； is an excellent military academy； and that young men have gone forth from it； and will go forth from it； fit for officers as far as training can make men fit。 The fault； if fault there be； is that which is to be found in so many of the institutions of the United States； and is one so allied to a virtue； that no foreigner has a right to wonder that it is regarded in the light of a virtue by all Americans。 There has been an attempt to make the place too perfect。 In the desire to have the establishment self…sufficient at all points； more has been attempted than human nature can achieve。 The lad is taken to West Point； and it is presumed that from the moment of his reception he shall expend every energy of his mind and body in making himself a soldier。 At fifteen he is not to be a boy； at twenty he is not to be a young man。 He is to be a gentleman； a soldier； and an officer。 I believe that those who leave the college for the army are gentlemen； soldiers； and officers； and； therefore； the result is good。 But they are also young men； and it seems that they have become so； not in accordance with their training； but in spite of it。 But I have another complaint to make against the authorities of West Point； which they will not be able to answer so easily as that already preferred。 What right can they have to take the very prettiest spot on the Hudsonthe prettiest spot on the continent one of the prettiest spots which Nature； with all her vagaries； ever formedand shut it up from all the world for purposes of war？ Would not any plain； however ugly； do for military exercises？ Cannot broadsword； goose…step； and double…quick time be instilled into young hands and legs in any field of thirty； forty； or fifty acres？ I wonder whether these lads appreciate the fact that they are studying fourteen hours a day amid the sweetest river； rock； and mountain scenery that the imagination can conceive。 Of course it will be said； that the world at large is not excluded from West Point； that the ferry to the place is open； and that there is even a hotel there； closed against no man or woman who will consent to become a teetotaller for the period of his visit。 I must admit that this is so； but still one feels that one is only admitted as a guest。 I want to go and live at West Point； and why should I be prevented？ The government had a right to buy it of course； but government should not buy up the prettiest spots on a country's surface。 If I were an American； I should make a grievance of this； but Americans will suffer things from their government which no Englishmen would endure。 It is one of the peculiarities of West Point that everything there is in good taste。 The point itself consists of a bluff of land so formed that the River Hudson is f
