sartor resartus-第54章
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； a visual object； or thing that will reflect rays of light。 Your silver or your gold （beyond what the niggardly Law has already secured him） he solicits not； simply the glance of your eyes。 Understand his mystic significance； or altogether miss and misinterpret it； do but look at him； and he is contented。 May we not well cry shame on an ungrateful world； which refuses even this poor boon； which will waste its optic faculty on dried Crocodiles； and Siamese Twins； and over the domestic wonderful wonder of wonders； a live Dandy； glance with hasty indifference； and a scarcely concealed contempt！ Him no Zoologist classes among the Mammalia； no Anatomist dissects with care： when did we see any injected Preparation of the Dandy in our Museums； any specimen of him preserved in spirits！ Lord Herringbone may dress himself in a snuff…brown suit； with snuff…brown shirt and shoes： it skills not； the undiscerning public； occupied with grosser wants； passes by regardless on the other side。
The age of Curiosity； like that of Chivalry； is indeed； properly speaking； gone。 Yet perhaps only gone to sleep： for here arises the Clothes…Philosophy to resuscitate； strangely enough； both the one and the other！ Should sound views of this Science come to prevail； the essential nature of the British Dandy； and the mystic significance that lies in him； cannot always remain hidden under laughable and lamentable hallucination。 The following long Extract from Professor Teufelsdrockh may set the matter； if not in its true light； yet in the way towards such。 It is to be regretted； however； that here； as so often elsewhere； the Professor's keen philosophic perspicacity is somewhat marred by a certain mixture of almost owlish purblindness； or else of some perverse； ineffectual； ironic tendency； our readers shall judge which：
〃In these distracted times；〃 writes he； 〃when the Religious Principle； driven out of most Churches； either lies unseen in the hearts of good men； looking and longing and silently working there towards some new Revelation； or else wanders homeless over the world； like a disembodied soul seeking its terrestrial organization；into how many strange shapes； of Superstition and Fanaticism； does it not tentatively and errantly cast itself！ The higher Enthusiasm of man's nature is for the while without Exponent； yet does it continue indestructible； unweariedly active； and work blindly in the great chaotic deep： thus Sect after Sect； and Church after Church； bodies itself forth； and melts again into new metamorphosis。
〃Chiefly is this observable in England； which； as the wealthiest and worst…instructed of European nations； offers precisely the elements （of Heat； namely； and of Darkness）； in which such moon…calves and monstrosities are best generated。 Among the newer Sects of that country； one of the most notable； and closely connected with our present subject； is that of the _Dandies_； concerning which； what little information I have been able to procure may fitly stand here。
〃It is true； certain of the English Journalists； men generally without sense for the Religious Principle； or judgment for its manifestations； speak； in their brief enigmatic notices； as if this were perhaps rather a Secular Sect； and not a Religious one； nevertheless； to the psychologic eye its devotional and even sacrificial character plainly enough reveals itself。 Whether it belongs to the class of Fetish…worships； or of Hero…worships or Polytheisms； or to what other class； may in the present state of our intelligence remain undecided （_schweben_）。 A certain touch of Manicheism； not indeed in the Gnostic shape； is discernible enough； also （for human Error walks in a cycle； and reappears at intervals） a not…inconsiderable resemblance to that Superstition of the Athos Monks； who by fasting from all nourishment； and looking intensely for a length of time into their own navels； came to discern therein the true Apocalypse of Nature； and Heaven Unveiled。 To my own surmise； it appears as if this Dandiacal Sect were but a new modification； adapted to the new time； of that primeval Superstition； _Self…worship_； which Zerdusht； Quangfoutchee； Mahomet； and others； strove rather to subordinate and restrain than to eradicate； and which only in the purer forms of Religion has been altogether rejected。 Wherefore； if any one chooses to name it revived Ahrimanism； or a new figure of Demon…Worship； I have； so far as is yet visible； no objection。
〃For the rest； these people； animated with the zeal of a new Sect； display courage and perseverance； and what force there is in man's nature； though never so enslaved。 They affect great purity and separatism； distinguish themselves by a particular costume （whereof some notices were given in the earlier part of this Volume）； likewise； so far as possible； by a particular speech （apparently some broken _Lingua…franca_； or English…French）； and； on the whole； strive to maintain a true Nazarene deportment； and keep themselves unspotted from the world。
〃They have their Temples； whereof the chief； as the Jewish Temple did； stands in their metropolis； and is named _Almack's_； a word of uncertain etymology。 They worship principally by night； and have their High…priests and High…priestesses； who； however； do not continue for life。 The rites； by some supposed to be of the Menadic sort； or perhaps with an Eleusinian or Cabiric character； are held strictly secret。 Nor are Sacred Books wanting to the Sect； these they call _Fashionable Novels_： however； the Canon is not completed； and some are canonical and others not。
〃Of such Sacred Books I； not without expense； procured myself some samples； and in hope of true insight； and with the zeal which beseems an Inquirer into Clothes； set to interpret and study them。 But wholly to no purpose： that tough faculty of reading； for which the world will not refuse me credit； was here for the first time foiled and set at naught。 In vain that I summoned my whole energies （_mich weidlich anstrengte_）； and did my very utmost； at the end of some short space； I was uniformly seized with not so much what I can call a drumming in my ears； as a kind of infinite； unsufferable； Jew's…harping and scrannel…piping there； to which the frightfullest species of Magnetic Sleep soon supervened。 And if I strove to shake this away； and absolutely would not yield； there came a hitherto unfelt sensation； as of _Delirium Tremens_； and a melting into total deliquium： till at last； by order of the Doctor； dreading ruin to my whole intellectual and bodily faculties； and a general breaking up of the constitution； I reluctantly but determinedly forbore。 Was there some miracle at work here； like those Fire…balls； and supernal and infernal prodigies； which； in the case of the Jewish Mysteries； have also more than once scared back the Alien？ Be this as it may； such failure on my part； after best efforts； must excuse the imperfection of this sketch； altogether incomplete； yet the completest I could give of a Sect too singular to be omitted。
〃Loving my own life and senses as I do； no power shall induce me； as a private individual； to open another _Fashionable Novel_。 But luckily； in this dilemma； comes a hand from the clouds； whereby if not victory； deliverance is held out to me。 Round one of those Book…packages； which the _Stillschweigen'sche Buchhandlung_ is in the habit of importing from England； come； as is usual； various waste printed…sheets （_Maculatur…blatter_）； by way of interior wrappage： into these the Clothes…Philosopher； with a certain Mahometan reverence even for waste…paper； where curious knowledge will sometimes hover； disdains not to cast his eye。 Readers may judge of his astonishment when on such a defaced stray…sheet； probably the outcast fraction of some English Periodical； such as they name _Magazine_； appears something like a Dissertation on this very subject of _Fashionable Novels_！ It sets out； indeed； chiefly from a Secular point of view； directing itself； not without asperity； against some to me unknown individual named _Pelham_； who seems to be a Mystagogue； and leading Teacher and Preacher of the Sect； so that； what indeed otherwise was not to be expected in such a fugitive fragmentary s
