the poet at the breakfast table-第23章

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will　note　all　the　landmarks；　keep　the　points　of　compass　in　his　head；
observe　how　the　streams　run；　in　short；　carry　a　map　in　his　brain　of
any　region　that　he　has　marched　or　galloped　through。　　Another　man
takes　no　note　of　any　of　these　things；　always　follows　somebody　else's
lead　when　he　can；　and　gets　lost　if　he　is　left　to　himself；　a　mere　owl
in　daylight。　　Just　so　some　men　have　an　eye　for　an　equation；　and　would
read　at　sight　the　one　that　you　puzzled　over。　　It　is　told　of　Sir　Isaac
Newton　that　he　required　no　demonstration　of　the　propositions　in
Euclid's　Geometry；　but　as　soon　as　he　had　read　the　enuciation　the
solution　or　answer　was　plain　at　once。　　The　power　may　be　cultivated；
but　I　think　it　is　to　a　great　degree　a　natural　gift；　as　is　the　eye　for
color；　as　is　the　ear　for　music。

I　think　I　could　read　equations　readily　enough；I　said；if　I　could
only　keep　my　attention　fixed　on　them；　and　I　think　I　could　keep　my
attention　on　them　if　I　were　imprisoned　in　a　thinking…cell；　such　as
the　Creative　Intelligence　shapes　for　its　studio　when　at　its　divinest
work。

The　young　man's　lustrous　eyes　opened　very　widely　as　he　asked　me　to
explain　what　I　meant。

What　is　the　Creator's　divinest　work？I　asked。

Is　there　anything　more　divine　than　the　sun；　than　a　sun　with　its
planets　revolving　about　it；　warming　them；　lighting　them；　and　giving
conscious　life　to　the　beings　that　move　on　them？

You　agree；　then；　that　conscious　life　is　the　grand　aim　and　end　of
all　this　vast　mechanism。　　Without　life　that　could　feel　and　enjoy；　the
splendors　and　creative　energy　would　all　be　thrown　away。　　You　know
Harvey's　saying；　omnia　animalia　ex　ovo；all　animals　come　from　an
egg。　　You　ought　to　know　it；　for　the　great　controversy　going　on　about
spontaneous　generation　has　brought　it　into　special　prominence　lately。
Well；　then；　the　ovum；　the　egg；　is；　to　speak　in　human　phrase；　the
Creator's　more　private　and　sacred　studio；　for　his　magnum　opus。　　Now；
look　at　a　hen's　egg；　which　is　a　convenient　one　to　study；　because　it
is　large　enough　and　built　solidly　enough　to　look　at　and　handle
easily。　　That　would　be　the　form　I　would　choose　for　my　thinking…cell。
Build　me　an　oval　with　smooth；　translucent　walls；　and　put　me　in　the
centre　of　it　with　Newton's　〃Principia〃　or　Kant's　〃Kritik；〃　and　I
think　I　shall　develop　〃an　eye　for　an　equation；〃　as　you　call　it；　and　a
capacity　for　an　abstraction。

But　do　tell　me；said　the　Astronomer；　a　little　incredulously；what
there　is　in　that　particular　form　which　is　going　to　help　you　to　be　a
mathematician　or　a　metaphysician？

It　is　n't　help　I　want；　it　is　removing　hindrances。　　I　don't　want　to
see　anything　to　draw　off　my　attention。　　I　don't　want　a　cornice；　or　an
angle；　or　anything　but　a　containing　curve。　　I　want　diffused　light　and
no　single　luminous　centre　to　fix　my　eye；　and　so　distract　my　mind　from
its　one　object　of　contemplation。　　The　metaphysics　of　attention　have
hardly　been　sounded　to　their　depths。　　The　mere　fixing　the　look　on　any
single　object　for　a　long　time　may　produce　very　strange　effects。
Gibbon's　well…known　story　of　the　monks　of　Mount　Athos　and　their
contemplative　practice　is　often　laughed　over；　but　it　has　a　meaning。
They　were　to　shut　the　door　of　the　cell；　recline　the　beard　and　chin　on
the　breast；　and　contemplate　the　abdominal　centre。

〃At　first　all　will　be　dark　and　comfortless；　but　if　you　persevere　day
and　night；　you　will　feel　an　ineffable　joy；　and　no　sooner　has　the　soul
discovered　the　place　of　the　heart；　than　it　is　involved　in　a　mystic
and　ethereal　light。〃　　And　Mr。　　Braid　produces　absolute　anaesthesia；
so　that　surgical　operations　can　be　performed　without　suffering　to　the
patient；　only　by　making　him　fix　his　eyes　and　his　mind　on　a　single
object；　and　Newton　is　said　to　have　said；　as　you　remember；　〃I　keep　the
subject　constantly　before　me；　and　wait　till　the　first　dawnings　open
slowly　by　little　and　little　into　a　full　and　clear　light。〃　　These　are
different；　but　certainly　very　wonderful；　instances　of　what　can　be
done　by　attention。　　But　now　suppose　that　your　mind　is　in　its　nature
discursive；　erratic；　subject　to　electric　attractions　and　repulsions；
volage；　it　may　be　impossible　for　you　to　compel　your　attention　except
by　taking　away　all　external　disturbances。　　I　think　the　poets　have　an
advantage　and　a　disadvantage　as　compared　with　the　steadier…going
people。　　Life　is　so　vivid　to　the　poet；　that　he　is　too　eager　to　seize
and　exhaust　its　multitudinous　impressions。　　Like　Sindbad　in　the
valley　of　precious　stones；　he　wants　to　fill　his　pockets　with
diamonds；　but；　lo！　there　is　a　great　ruby　like　a　setting　sun　in　its
glory；　and　a　sapphire　that；　like　Bryant's　blue　gentian；　seems　to　have
dropped　from　the　cerulean　walls　of　heaven；　and　a　nest　of　pearls　that
look　as　if　they　might　be　unhatched　angel's　eggs；　and　so　he　hardly
knows　what　to　seize；　and　tries　for　too　many；　and　comes　out　of　the
enchanted　valley　with　more　gems　than　he　can　carry；　and　those　that　he
lets　fall　by　the　wayside　we　call　his　poems。　　You　may　change　the　image
a　thousand　ways　to　show　you　how　hard　it　is　to　make　a　mathematician　or
a　logician　out　of　a　poet。　　He　carries　the　tropics　with　him　wherever
he　goes；　he　is　in　the　true　sense　felius　naturae；　and　Nature　tempts
him；　as　she　tempts　a　child　walking　through　a　garden　where　all　the
finest　fruits　are　hanging　over　him　and　dropping　round　him；　where

　　　　　The　luscious　clusters　of　the　vine
　　　　　Upon　（his）　mouth　do　crush　their　wine；
　　　　　The　nectarine　and　curious　peach；
　　　　　Into　（his）　hands　themselves　do　reach；

and　he　takes　a　bite　out　of　the　sunny　side　of　this　and　the　other；　and；
ever　stimulated　and　never　satisfied；　is　hurried　through　the　garden；
and；　before　he　knows　it；　finds　himself　at　an　iron　gate　which　opens
outward；　and　leaves　the　place　he　knows　and　loves

For　one　he　will　perhaps　soon　learn　to　love　and　know　better；said
the　Master。…But　I　can　help　you　out　with　another　comparison；　not
quite　so　poetical　as　yours。　　Why　did　not　you　think　of　a　railway…
station；　where　the　cars　stop　five　minutes　for　refreshments？　　Is　n't
that　a　picture　of　the　poet's　hungry　and　hurried　feast　at　the　banquet
of　life？　　The　traveller　flings　himself　on　the　bewildering　miscellany
of　delicacies　spread　before　him；　the　various　tempting　forms　of
ambrosia　and　seducing　draughts　of　nectar；　with　the　same　eager　hurry
and　restless　ardor　that　you　describe　in　the　poet。　　Dear　me！　　If　it
wasn't　for　All　aboard！　that　summons　of　the　deaf　conductor　which　tears
one　away　from　his　half…finished　sponge…cake　and　coffee；　how　I；　who　do
not　call　myself　a　poet；　but　only　a　questioner；　should　have　enjoyed　a
good　long　stopsay　a　couple　of　thousand　yearsat　this　way…station
on　the　great　railroad　leading　to　the　unknown　terminus！

You　say　you　are　not　a　poet；I　said；　after　a　little　pause；　in　which
I　suppose　both　of　us　were　thinking　where　the　great　railroad　would
land　us　after　carrying　us　into　the　dark　tunnel；　the　farther　end　of
which　no　man　has　seen　and　taken　a　return　train　to　bring　us　news　about
it；you　say　you　are　not　a　poet；　and　yet　it　seems　to　me　you　have　some
of　the　elements　which　go　to　make　one。

I　don't　think　you　mean　to　flatter　me；the　Master　answered；and；
what　is　more；　for　I　am　not　afraid　to　be　honest　with　you；　I　don't
think　you　do　flatter　me。　　I　have　taken　the　inventory　of　my　faculties
as　calmly　as　if　I　were　an　appraiser。　　I　have　some　of　the　qualities；
perhaps　I　may　say　many　of　the　qualities；　that　make　a　man　a　poet；　and
yet　I　am　not　one。　　And　in　the　course　of　a　pretty　wide　experience　of
menand　women（the　Master　sighed；　I　thought；　but　perhaps　I　was
mistaken）I　have　met　a　good　many　poets　who　were　not　rhymesters　and　a
good　many　rhymesters　who　were　not　poets。　　So　I　am　only　one　of　the
Voiceless；　that　I　remember　one　of　you　singers　had　some　verses　about。
I　think　there　is　a　little　music　in　me；　but　it　has　not　found　a　voice；
and　it　never　will。　　If　I　should　confess　the　truth；　there　is　no　mere
earthly　immortality　that　I　envy　so　much　as　the　poet's。　　If　your　name
is　to　live　at　all；　it　is　so　much　more　to　have　it　live　in　people's
hearts　than　only　in　their　brains！　　I　don't　know　that　one's　eyes　fill
with　tears　when　he　thinks　of　the　famous　inventor　of　logarithms；　but
song　of　Burns's　or　a　hymn　of　Charles　Wesley's　goes　straight　to　your
heart；　and　you　can't