memories and portraits-第39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!
human thing that Mr。 Howells is too often tempted to neglect: I
mean himself? A poet; a finished artist; a man in love with the
appearances of life; a cunning reader of the mind; he has other
passions and aspirations than those he loves to draw。 And why
should he suppress himself and do such reverence to the Lemuel
Barkers? The obvious is not of necessity the normal; fashion rules
and deforms; the majority fall tamely into the contemporary shape;
and thus attain; in the eyes of the true observer; only a higher
power of insignificance; and the danger is lest; in seeking to draw
the normal; a man should draw the null; and write the novel of
society instead of the romance of man。
Footnotes:
(1) 1881。
(2) Written for the 〃Book〃 of the Edinburgh University Union Fancy
Fair。
(3) Professor Tait's laboratory assistant。
(4) In Dr。 Murray's admirable new dictionary; I have remarked a
flaw SUB VOCE Beacon。 In its express; technical sense; a beacon
may be defined as 〃a founded; artificial sea…mark; not lighted。〃
(5) The late Fleeming Jenkin。
(6) This sequel was called forth by an excellent article in THE
SPECTATOR。
(7) Waiter; Watty; Woggy; Woggs; Wogg; and lastly Bogue; under
which last name he fell in battle some twelve months ago。 Glory
was his aim and he attained it; for his icon; by the hand of
Caldecott; now lies among the treasures of the nation。
(8) Since traced by many obliging correspondents to the gallery of
Charles Kingsley。
(9) Since the above was written I have tried to launch the boat
with my own hands in KIDNAPPED。 Some day; perhaps; I may try a
rattle at the shutters。
(10) 1882。
(11) This paper; which does not otherwise fit the present volume;
is reprinted here as the proper continuation of the last。
(12) 1884
(13) Now no longer so; thank Heaven!
End