the rhythm of life and other essays(生命的旋律)-第6章
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harmonya harmony enriched by discords； but always on one certain scale
of noteswhich the body makes with the details of the earth。 It is not in
the landscape； where Mr。 Oscar Wilde has too rashly looked for contempt
and contumely； but in the art he holds precious as the minister to man's
egotism； that man's Ego is defied。 St。 Peter's is not necessarily too large
（though on other grounds its size might be liable to correction）； it is
simply out of relation to the most vital thing on the earththe thing which
has supplied some secret rod to measure the waves withal； and the whales；
the sea…wall cliffs； the ears of wheat； the cedar…branches； pines and
diamonds and apples。 Now； Emerson would certainly not have felt the
soft shock and stimulus of delight to which he confesses himself to be
liable at the first touch of certain phrases； had not the words in every case
enclosed a promise of further truth and of a second pleasure。 One of
these swift and fruitful experiences visited him with the sayinggrown
popular through himthat an architect should have a knowledge of
anatomy。 There is assuredly a germ and a promise in the phrase。 It
delights us； first； because it seems to recognise the organic； as distinct
from the merely constructive； character of finely civilised architecture； and
next； it persuades us that Vitruvius had in truth discovered the key to size
the unit that is sometimes so obscurely； yet always so absolutely； the
measure of what is great and small among things animate and inanimate。
And in spite of themselves the architects of St。 Peter's were constrained to
take something from man； they refused his height for their scale； but they
tried to use his shape for their ornament。 And so in the blankest dearth of
fancy that ever befel architect or builder they imagined human beings
bigger than the human beings of experience； and by means of these；
carved in stone and inlaid in mosaic； they set up a relation of their own。
The basilica was related to the colossal figure （as a church more wisely
measured would have been to living man）； and so ceased to be large； and
nothing more important was finally achieved than transposal of the whole
work into another scale of proportions… …a scale in which the body of man
was not the unit。 The pile of stones that make St。 Peter's is a very little
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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
thing in comparison with Soracte； but man； and man's wife； and the
unequal statures of his children； are in touch with the structure of the
mountain rather than with that of the church which has been conceived
without reference to the vital and fundamental rule of his inches。
Is there no egotism； ministering to his dignity； that man； having the
law of the organism of the world written in his members； can take with
him； out of the room that has been built to accord with him； into the
landscape that stands only a little further away？ He has deliberately
made the smoking chair and the table； there is nothing to surprise him in
their ministrations。 But what profounder homage is rendered by the
multitudinous Nature going about the interests and the business of which
he knows so little； and yet throughout confessing him！ His eyes have
seen her and his ears have heard； but it would never have entered into his
heart to conceive her。 His is not the fancy that could have achieved these
woods； this little flush of summer from the innumerable flowering of
grasses； the cyclic recreation of seasons。 And yet he knows that he is
imposed upon all he sees。 His stature gives laws。 His labour only is
needfulnot a greater strength。 And the sun and the showers are made
sufficient for him。 His furniture must surely be adjudged to pay him but
a coarse flattery in comparison with the subjection； yet the aloofness； of all
this wild world。 This is no flattery。 The grass is lumpy； as Mr。 Oscar
Wilde remarks with truth： Nature is not man's lacquey； and has no
preoccupation about his more commonplace comforts。 These he gives
himself indoors； and who prizes； with any self…respect； the things carefully
provided by self…love？ But when that farouche Nature； who has never
spoken to him； and to whom he has never had the opportunity of hinting
his wishes or his tasteswhen she reveals the suggestions of his form and
the desire of his eyes； and amongst her numberless purposes lets him
surprise in her the purpose to accord with him； and lets him suspect further
harmonies which he has not yet learnt to understand… …then man becomes
conscious of having received a token from her lowliness； and a favour
from her loveliness； compared with which the care wherewith his tailor
himself has fitted him might leave his gratitude cool。
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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
BY THE RAILWAY SIDE
My train drew near to the Via Reggio platform on a day between two
of the harvests of a hot September； the sea was burning blue； and there
were a sombreness and a gravity in the very excesses of the sun as his fires
brooded deeply over the serried； hardy； shabby； seaside ilex…woods。 I had
come out of Tuscany and was on my way to the Genovesato： the steep
country with its profiles； bay by bay； of successive mountains grey with
olive…trees； between the flashes of the Mediterranean and the sky； the
country through the which there sounds the twanging Genoese language； a
thin Italian mingled with a little Arabic； more Portuguese； and much
French。 I was regretful at leaving the elastic Tuscan speech； canorous in
its vowels set in emphatic L'S and M'S and the vigorous soft spring of the
double consonants。 But as the train arrived its noises were drowned by a
voice declaiming in the tongue I was not to hear again for months good
Italian。 The voice was so loud that one looked for the audience： Whose
ears was it seeking to reach by the violence done to every syllable； and
whose feelings would it touch by its insincerity？ The tones were
insincere； but there was passion behind them； and most often passion acts
its own true character poorly； and consciously enough to make good
judges think it a mere counterfeit。 Hamlet； being a little mad； feigned
madness。 It is when I am angry that I pretend to be angry； so as to
present the truth in an obvious and intelligible form。 Thus even before
the words were distinguishable it was manifest that they were spoken by a
man in serious trouble who had false ideas as to what is convincing in
elocution。
When the voice became audibly articulate； it proved t
