father and son-第4章
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It is not to be wondered at； then； that my uncles looked up to their sister with feelings of especial devotion。 They were not inclined； they were hardly in a position； to criticize her modes of thought。 They were easy…going； cultured and kindly gentlemen； rather limited in their views； without a trace of their sister's force of intellect or her strenuous temper。 E。 resembled her in person； he was tall； fair； with auburn curls； he cultivated a certain tendency to the Byronic type； fatal and melancholy。 A。 was short； brown and jocose； with a pretension to common sense； bluff and chatty。 As a little child； I adored my Uncle E。； who sat silent by the fireside holding me against his knee； saying nothing； but looking unutterably sad； and occasionally shaking his warm…coloured tresses。 With great injustice； on the other hand； I detested my Uncle A。； because he used to joke in a manner very displeasing to me； and because he would so far forget himself as to chase； and even； if it will be credited； to tickle me。 My uncles； who remained bachelors to the end of their lives； earned a comfortable living； E。 by teaching； A。 as 'something in the City'； and they rented an old rambling house in Clapton； that same in which I saw the greyhound。 Their house had a strange； delicious smell； so unlike anything I smelt anywhere else； that it used to fill my eyes with tears of mysterious pleasure。 I know now that this was the odour of cigars； tobacco being a species of incense tabooed at home on the highest religious grounds。
It has been recorded that I was slow in learning to speak。 I used to be told that having met all invitations to repeat such words as 'Papa' and 'Mamma' with gravity and indifference； I one day drew towards me a volume； and said 'book' with startling distinctness。 I was not at all precocious； but at a rather early age； I think towards the beginning of my fourth year； I learned to read。 I cannot recollect a time when a printed page of English was closed to me。 But perhaps earlier still my Mother used to repeat to me a poem which I have always taken for granted that she had herself composed； a poem which had a romantic place in my early mental history。 It ran thus； I think：
O pretty Moon； you shine so bright！ I'll go to bid Mamma good…night； And then I'll lie upon my bed And watch you move above my head。
Ah！ there； a cloud has hidden you！ But I can see your light shine thro'； It tries to hide youquite in vain； Forthere you quickly come again！
It's God； I know； that makes you shine Upon this little bed of mine； But I shall all about you know When I can read and older grow。
Long； long after the last line had become an anachronism； I used to shout this poem from my bed before I went to sleep； whether the night happened to be moonlit or no。
It must have been my Father who taught me my letters。 To my Mother； as I have said； it was distasteful to teach； though she was so prompt and skillful to learn。 My Father； on the contrary； taught cheerfully； by fits and starts。 In particular； he had a scheme for rationalizing geography； which I think was admirable。 I was to climb upon a chair； while； standing at my side； with a pencil and a sheet of paper； he was to draw a chart of the markings on the carpet。 Then； when I understood the system； another chart on a smaller scale of the furniture in the room； then of a floor of the house； then of the back…garden； then of a section of the street。 The result of this was that geography came to me of itself； as a perfectly natural miniature arrangement of objects； and to this day has always been the science which gives me least difficulty。 My father also taught me the simple rules of arithmetic； a little natural history； and the elements of drawing； and he laboured long and unsuccessfully to make me learn by heart hymns； psalms and chapters of Scripture； in which I always failed ignominiously and with tears。 This puzzled and vexed him； for he himself had an extremely retentive textual memory。 He could not help thinking that I was naughty； and would not learn the chapters； until at last he gave up the effort。 All this sketch of an education began； I believe； in my fourth year； and was not advanced or modified during the rest of my Mother's life。
Meanwhile； capable as I was of reading； I found my greatest pleasure in the pages of books。 The range of these was limited； for story…books of every description were sternly excluded。 No fiction of any kind； religious or secular； was admitted into the house。 In this it was to my Mother； not to my Father； that the prohibition was due。 She had a remarkable； I confess to me still somewhat unaccountable impression that to 'tell a story'； that is； to compose fictitious narrative of any kind； was a sin。 She carried this conviction to extreme lengths。 My Father； in later years； gave me some interesting examples of her firmness。 As a young man in America； he had been deeply impressed by 'Salathiel'； a pious prose romance by that then popular writer； the Rev。 George Croly。 When he first met my Mother； he recommended it to her； but she would not consent to open it。 Nor would she read the chivalrous tales in verse of Sir Walter Scott； obstinately alleging that they were not 'true'。 She would read none but lyrical and subjective poetry。 Her secret diary reveals the history of this singular aversion to the fictitious； although it cannot be said to explain the cause of it。 As a child； however； she had possessed a passion for making up stories； and so considerable a skill in it that she was constantly being begged to indulge others with its exercise。 But I will； on so curious a point； leave her to speak for herself：
'When I was a very little child； I used to amuse myself and my brothers with inventing stories； such as I read。 Having； as I suppose； naturally a restless mind and busy imagination； this soon became the chief pleasure of my life。 Unfortunately； my brothers were always fond of encouraging this propensity； and I found in Taylor； my maid； a still greater tempter。 I had not known there was any harm in it； until Miss Shore ＇a Calvinist governess＇； finding it out； lectured me severely； and told me it was wicked。 From that time forth I considered that to invent a story of any kind was a sin。 But the desire to do so was too deeply rooted in my affections to be resisted in my own strength ＇she was at that time nine years of age＇； and unfortunately I knew neither my corruption nor my weakness； nor did I know where to gain strength。 The longing to invent stories grew with violence； everything I heard or read became food for my distemper。 The simplicity of truth was not sufficient for me； I must needs embroider imagination upon it； and the folly； vanity and wickedness which disgraced my heart are snore than I am able to express。 Even now ＇at the age of twenty…nine＇； tho' watched； prayed and striven against； this is still the sin that most easily besets me。 It has hindered my prayers and prevented my improvement； and therefore； has humbled me very much。
This is； surely； a very painful instance of the repression of an instinct。 There seems to have been； in this case； a vocation such as is rarely heard； and still less often wilfully disregarded and silenced。 Was my Mother intended by nature to be a novelist？ I have often thought so； and her talents and vigour of purpose； directed along the line which was ready to form 'the chief pleasure of her life'； could hardly have failed to conduct her to great success。 She was a little younger than Bulwer Lytton； a little older than Mrs Gaskellbut these are vain and trivial speculations！
My own state； however； was； I should think； almost unique among the children of cultivated parents。 In consequence of the stern ordinance which I have described； not a single fiction was read or told to me during my infancy。 The rapture of the child who delays the process of going to bed by cajoling 'a story' out of his mother or his nurse； as he sits upon her knee； well tucked up； at the corner of the nursery fire this was unknown to me。 Never in all my early childhood did anyone address to me the affecting preamble； 'Once upon a time！' I was told about missionaries； but never about pirates； I was familiar with hummingbirds； but I had ne
