north america-2-第5章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
t and most ridiculous。 The horse is most absurd； but the man sitting on the horse is manifestly drunk。 I should think the time must come when this figure at any rate will be removed。 I did not go inside the President's house； not having had while at Washington an opportunity of paying my personal respects to Mr。 Lincoln。 I had been told that this was to be done without trouble； but when I inquired on the subject I found that this was not exactly the case。 I believe there are times when anybody may walk into the President's house without an introduction； but that； I take it； is not considered to be the proper way of doing the work。 I found that something like a favor would be incurred； or that some disagreeable trouble would be given； if I made a request to be presented； and therefore I left Washington without seeing the great man。 The President's house is nice to look at； but it is built on marshy ground； not much above the level of the Potomac； and is very unhealthy。 I was told that all who live there become subject to fever and ague； and that few who now live there have escaped it altogether。 This comes of choosing the site of a new city； and decreeing that it shall be built on this or on that spot。 Large cities； especially in these latter days； do not collect themselves in unhealthy places。 Men desert such localitiesor at least do not congregate at them when their character is once known。 But the poor President cannot desert the White House。 He must make the most of the residence which the nation has prepared for him。 Of the other considerable public building of Washington； called the Smithsonian Institution； I have said that its style was bastard Gothic； by this I mean that its main attributes are Gothic； but that liberties have been taken with it； which； whether they may injure its beauty or no； certainly are subversive of architectural purity。 It is built of red stone； and is not ugly in itself。 There is a very nice Norman porch to it； and little bits of Lombard Gothic have been well copied from Cologne。 But windows have been fitted in with stilted arches； of which the stilts seem to crack and bend； so narrow are they and so high。 And then the towers with high pinnacled roofs are a mistakeunless indeed they be needed to give to the whole structure that name of Romanesque which it has assumed。 The building is used for museums and lectures； and was given to the city by one James Smithsonian； an Englishman。 I cannot say that the City of Washington seems to be grateful； for all to whom I spoke on the subject hinted that the Institution was a failure。 It is to be remarked that nobody in Washington is proud of Washington； or of anything in it。 If the Smithsonian Institution were at New York or at Boston； one would have a different story to tell。 There has been an attempt made to raise at Washington a vast obelisk to the memory of Washingtonthe first in war and first in peace； as the country is proud to call him。 This obelisk is a fair type of the city。 It is unfinishednot a third of it having as yet been erectedand in all human probability ever will remain so。 If finished； it would be the highest monument of its kind standing on the face of the globe； and yet； after all； what would it be even then as compared with one of the great pyramids？ Modern attempts cannot bear comparison with those of the old world in simple vastness。 But in lieu of simple vastness； the modern world aims to achieve either beauty or utility。 By the Washington monument； if completed； neither would be achieved。 An obelisk with the proportions of a needle may be very graceful； but an obelisk which requires an expanse of flat…roofed； sprawling buildings for its base； and of which the shaft shall be as big as a cathedral tower； cannot be graceful。 At present some third portion of the shaft has been built； and there it stands。 No one has a word to say for it。 No one thinks that money will ever again be subscribed for its completion。 I saw somewhere a box of plate…glass kept for contributions for this purpose； and looking in perceived that two half…dollar pieces had been givenbut both of them were bad。 I was told also that the absolute foundation of the edifice is badthat the ground； which is near the river and swampy； would not bear the weight intended to be imposed on it。 A sad and saddening spot was that marsh； as I wandered down on it all alone one Sunday afternoon。 The ground was frozen and I could walk dry…shod； but there was not a blade of grass。 Around me on all sides were cattle in great numberssteers and big oxenlowing in their hunger for a meal。 They were beef for the army； and never again； I suppose； would it be allowed to them to fill their big maws and chew the patient cud。 There； on the brown； ugly； undrained field； within easy sight of the President's house； stood the useless； shapeless； graceless pile of stones。 It was as though I were looking on the genius of the city。 It was vast； pretentious； bold； boastful with a loud voice； already taller by many heads than other obelisks； but nevertheless still in its infancyugly； unpromising； and false。 The founder of the monument had said； Here shall be the obelisk of the world！ and the founder of the city had thought of his child somewhat in the same strain。 It is still possible that both city and monument shall be completed； but at the present moment nobody seems to believe in the one or in the other。 For myself； I have much faith in the American character； but I cannot believe either in Washington City or in the Washington Monument。 The boast made has been too loud； and the fulfillment yet accomplished has been too small！ Have I as yet said that Washington was dirty in that winter of 1861… 62？ Or； I should rather ask； have I made it understood that in walking about Washington one waded as deep in mud as one does in floundering through an ordinary plowed field in November？ There were parts of Pennsylvania Avenue which would have been considered heavy ground by most hunting…men； and through some of the remoter streets none but light weights could have lived long。 This was the state of the town when I left it in the middle of January。 On my arrival in the middle of December； everything was in a cloud of dust。 One walked through an atmosphere of floating mud； for the dirt was ponderous and thick； and very palpable in its atoms。 Then came a severe frost and a little snow； and if one did not fall while walking； it was very well。 After that we had the thaw； and Washington assumed its normal winter condition。 I must say that； during the whole of this time； the atmosphere was to me exhilarating； but I was hardly out of the doctor's hands while I was there； and he did not support my theory as to the goodness of the air。 〃It is poisoned by the soldiers；〃 he said； 〃and everybody is ill。〃 But then my doctor was； perhaps； a little tinged with Southern proclivities。 On the Virginian side of the Potomac stands a country…house called Arlington Heights； from which there is a fine view down upon the city。 Arlington Heights is a beautiful spothaving all the attractions of a fine park in our country。 It is covered with grand timber。 The ground is varied and broken； and the private roads about sweep here into a dell and then up a brae side； as roads should do in such a domain。 Below it was the Potomac； and immediately on the other side stands the City of Washington。 Any city seen thus is graceful； and the white stones of the big buildings； when the sun gleams on them； showing the distant rows of columns； seem to tell something of great endeavor and of achieved success。 It is the place from whence Washington should be seen by those who wish to think well of the present city and of its future prosperity。 But is it not the case that every city is beautiful from a distance？ The house at Arlington Heights is picturesque； but neither large nor good。 It has before it a high Greek colonnade； which seems to be almost bigger than the house itself。 Had such been built in a city and many such a portico does stand in cities through the Statesit would be neither picturesque nor graceful； but here it is surrounded by timber； and as the columns are seen through the trees； they gratify the
