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第7章

over the teacups-第7章

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century。  Many of us; perhaps most of us; felt in that way。  We had

seen our planet furnished by the art of man with a complete nervous

system: a spinal cord beneath the ocean; secondary centres;

ganglions;in all the chief places where men are gathered together;

and ramifications extending throughout civilization。  All at once; by

the side of this talking and light…giving apparatus; we see another

wire stretched over our heads; carrying force to a vast metallic

muscular system;a slender cord conveying the strength of a hundred

men; of a score of horses; of a team of elephants。  The lightning is

tamed and harnessed; the thunderbolt has become a common carrier。  No

more surprises in this century!  A voice whispers; What next?



It will not do for us to boast about our young days and what they had

to show。  It is a great deal better to boast of what they could not

show; and; strange as it may seem; there is a certain satisfaction in

it。  In these days of electric lighting; when you have only to touch

a button and your parlor or bedroom is instantly flooded with light;

it is a pleasure to revert to the era of the tinder…box; the flint

and steel; and the brimstone match。  It gives me an almost proud

satisfaction to tell how we used; when those implements were not at

hand or not employed; to light our whale…oil lamp by blowing a live

coal held against the wick; often swelling our cheeks and reddening

our faces until we were on the verge of apoplexy。  I love to tell of

our stage…coach experiences; of our sailing…packet voyages; of the

semi…barbarous destitution of all modern comforts and conveniences

through which we bravely lived and came out the estimable personages

you find us。



Think of it!  All my boyish shooting was done with a flint…lock gun;

the percussion lock came to me as one of those new…fangled notions

people had just got hold of。  We ancients can make a grand display of

minus quantities in our reminiscences; and the figures look almost as

well as if they had the plus sign before them。



I am afraid that old people found life rather a dull business in the

time of King David and his rich old subject and friend; Barzillai;

who; poor man; could not have read a wicked novel; nor enjoyed a

symphony concert; if they had had those luxuries in his day。  There

were no pleasant firesides; for there were no chimneys。  There were

no daily newspapers for the old man to read; and he could not read

them if there were; with his dimmed eyes; nor hear them read; very

probably; with his dulled ears。  There was no tobacco; a soothing

drug; which in its various forms is a great solace to many old men

and to some old women; Carlyle and his mother used to smoke their

pipes together; you remember。



Old age is infinitely more cheerful; for intelligent people at least;

than it was two or three thousand years ago。  It is our duty; so far

as we can; to keep it so。  There will always be enough about it that

is solemn; and more than enough; alas! that is saddening。  But how

much there is in our times to lighten its burdens!  If they that look

out at the windows be darkened; the optician is happy to supply them

with eye…glasses for use before the public; and spectacles for their

hours of privacy。  If the grinders cease because they are few; they

can be made many again by a third dentition; which brings no

toothache in its train。  By temperance and good Habits of life;

proper clothing; well…warmed; well…drained; and well…ventilated

dwellings; and sufficient; not too much exercise; the old man of our

time may keep his muscular strength in very good condition。  I doubt

if Mr。  Gladstone; who is fast nearing his eightieth birthday; would

boast; in the style of Caleb; that he was as good a man with his axe

as he was when he was forty; but I would back him;if the match were

possible; for a hundred shekels; against that over…confident old

Israelite; to cut down and chop up a cedar of Lebanon。  I know a most

excellent clergyman; not far from my own time of life; whom I would

pit against any old Hebrew rabbi or Greek philosopher of his years

and weight; if they could return to the flesh; to run a quarter of a

mile on a good; level track。



We must not make too much of such exceptional cases of prolonged

activity。  I often reproached my dear friend and classmate; Tames

Freeman Clarke; that his ceaseless labors made it impossible for his

coevals to enjoy the luxury of that repose which their years

demanded。  A wise old man; the late Dr。 James Walker; president of

Harvard University; said that the great privilege of old age was the

getting rid of responsibilities。  These hard…working veterans will

not let one get rid of them until he drops in his harness; and so

gets rid of them and his life together。  How often has many a tired

old man envied the superannuated family cat; stretched upon the rug

before the fire; letting the genial warmth tranquilly diffuse itself

through all her internal arrangements!  No more watching for mice in

dark; damp cellars; no more awaiting the savage gray rat at the mouth

of his den; no more scurrying up trees and lamp…posts to avoid the

neighbor's cur who wishes to make her acquaintance!  It is very grand

to 〃die in harness;〃 but it is very pleasant to have the tight straps

unbuckled and the heavy collar lifted from the neck and shoulders。



It is natural enough to cling to life。  We are used to atmospheric

existence; and can hardly conceive of ourselves except as breathing

creatures。  We have never tried any other mode of being; or; if we

have; we have forgotten all about it; whatever Wordsworth's grand ode

may tell us we remember。  Heaven itself must be an experiment to

every human soul which shall find itself there。  It may take time for

an earthborn saint to become acclimated to the celestial ether;that

is; if time can be said to exist for a disembodied spirit。  We are

all sentenced to capital punishment for the crime of living; and

though the condemned cell of our earthly existence is but a narrow

and bare dwelling…place; we have adjusted ourselves to it; and made

it tolerably comfortable for the little while we are to be confined

in it。  The prisoner of Chillon



     〃regained 'his' freedom with a sigh;〃



and a tender…hearted mortal might be pardoned for looking back; like

the poor lady who was driven from her dwelling…place by fire and

brimstone; at the home he was leaving for the 〃undiscovered country。〃



On the other hand; a good many persons; not suicidal in their

tendencies; get more of life than they want。  One of our wealthy

citizens said; on hearing that a friend had dropped off from

apoplexy; that it made his mouth water to hear of such a case。  It

was an odd expression; but I have no doubt that the fine old

gentleman to whom it was attributed made use of it。  He had had

enough of his gout and other infirmties。  Swift's account of the

Struldbrugs is not very amusing reading for old people; but some may

find it a consolation to reflect on the probable miseries they escape

in not being doomed to an undying earthly existence。



There are strange diversities in the way in which different old

persons look upon their prospects。  A millionaire whom I well

remember confessed that be should like to live long enough to learn

how much a certain fellow…citizen; a multimillionaire; was worth。

One of the; three nonagenarians before referred to expressed himself

as having a great curiosity about the new sphere of existence to

which he was looking forward。



The feeling must of necessity come to many aged persons that they

have outlived their usefulness; that they are no longer wanted; but

rather in the way; drags on the wheels rather than helping them

forward。  But let them remember the often…quoted line of Milton;



     〃They also serve who only stand and wait。〃



This is peculiarly true of them。  They are helping others without

always being aware of it

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