introductory-第6章

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or　Fort　Erie；　I　take　to　be　of　quite　as　genuine　a　stamp　as　what

actuates　any　or　all　the　polemical　philanthropists　of　the　age。　He　had

slain　men　with　his　own　hand；　for　aught　I　know…　certainly；　they　had

fallen；　like　blades　of　grass　at　the　sweep　of　the　scythe；　before　the

charge　to　which　his　spirit　imparted　its　triumphant　energy…　but；　be

that　as　it　might；　there　was　never　in　his　heart　so　much　cruelty　as

would　have　brushed　the　down　off　a　butterfly's　wing。　I　have　not　known

the　man；　to　whose　innate　kindliness　I　would　more　confidently　make　an

appeal。

　　Many　characteristics…　and　those；　too；　which　contribute　not　the　least

forcibly　to　impart　resemblance　in　a　sketch…　must　have　vanished；　or

been　obscured；　before　I　met　the　General。　All　merely　graceful

attributes　are　usually　the　most　evanescent；　nor　does　Nature　adorn

the　human　ruin　with　blossoms　of　new　beauty；　that　have　their　roots

and　proper　nutriment　only　in　the　chinks　and　crevices　of　decay；　as

she　sows　wall…flowers　over　the　ruined　fortress　of　Ticonderoga。

Still；　even　in　respect　of　grace　and　beauty；　there　were　points　well

worth　noting。　A　ray　of　humour；　now　and　then；　would　make　its　way

through　the　veil　of　dim　obstruction；　and　glimmer　pleasantly　upon　our

faces。　A　trait　of　native　elegance；　seldom　seen　in　the　masculine

character　after　childhood　or　early　youth；　was　shown　in　the　General's

fondness　for　the　sight　and　fragrance　of　flowers。　An　old　soldier

might　be　supposed　to　prize　only　the　bloody　laurel　on　his　brow；　but

here　was　one；　who　seemed　to　have　a　young　girl's　appreciation　of　the

floral　tribe。

　　There；　beside　the　fireplace；　the　brave　old　General　used　to　sit；

while　the　Surveyor…　though　seldom；　when　it　could　be　avoided；　taking

upon　himself　the　difficult　task　of　engaging　him　in　conversation…　was

fond　of　standing　at　a　distance；　and　watching　his　quiet　and　almost

slumberous　countenance。　He　seemed　away　from　us；　although　we　saw　him

but　a　few　yards　off；　remote；　though　we　passed　close　beside　his

chair；　unattainable；　though　we　might　have　stretched　forth　our　hands

and　touched　his　own。　It　might　be　that　he　lived　a　more　real　life　within

his　thoughts；　than　amid　the　unappropriate　environment　of　the

Collector's　office。　The　evolutions　of　the　parade；　the　tumult　of　the

battle；　the　flourish　of　old；　heroic　music；　heard　thirty　years　before；…

such　scenes　and　sounds；　perhaps；　were　all　alive　before　his

intellectual　sense。　Meanwhile；　the　merchants　and　shipmasters；　the

spruce　clerks　and　uncouth　sailors；　entered　and　departed；　the　bustle　of

this　commercial　and　Custom…House　life　kept　up　its　little　murmur

round　about　him；　and　neither　with　the　men　nor　their　affairs　did　the

General　appear　to　sustain　the　most　distant　relation。　He　was　as　much

out　of　place　as　an　old　sword…　now　rusty；　but　which　had　flashed　once　in

the　battle's　front；　and　showed　still　a　bright　gleam　along　its　blade…

would　have　been；　among　the　inkstands；　paper…folders；　and　mahogany

rulers；　on　the　Deputy　Collector's　desk。

　　There　was　one　thing　that　much　aided　me　in　renewing　and　recreating

the　stalwart　soldier　of　the　Niagara　frontier…　the　man　of　true　and

simple　energy。　It　was　the　recollection　of　those　memorable　words　of

his…　〃I'll　try；　sir！〃…　spoken　on　the　very　verge　of　a　desperate　and

heroic　enterprise；　and　breathing　the　soul　and　spirit　of　New　England

hardihood；　comprehending　all　perils；　and　encountering　all。　If；　in

our　country；　valour　were　rewarded　by　heraldic　honour；　this　phrase…

which　it　seems　so　easy　to　speak；　but　which　only　he；　with　such　a　task

of　danger　and　glory　before　him；　has　ever　spoken…　would　be　the　best　and

fittest　of　all　mottoes　for　the　General's　shield　of　arms。

　　It　contributes　greatly　towards　a　man's　moral　and　intellectual

health；　to　be　brought　into　habits　of　companionship　with　individuals

unlike　himself；　who　care　little　for　his　pursuits；　and　whose　sphere　and

abilities　he　must　go　out　of　himself　to　appreciate。　The　accidents　of　my

life　have　often　afforded　me　this　advantage；　but　never　with　more

fulness　and　variety　than　during　my　continuance　in　office。　There　was

one　man；　especially；　the　observation　of　whose　character　gave　me　a

new　idea　of　talent。　His　gifts　were　emphatically　those　of　a　man　of

business；　prompt；　acute；　clear…minded；　with　an　eye　that　saw　through

all　perplexities；　and　a　faculty　of　arrangement　that　made　them

vanish；　as　by　the　waving　of　an　enchanter's　wand。　Bred　up　from

boyhood　in　the　Custom…House；　it　was　his　proper　field　of　activity；

and　the　many　intricacies　of　business；　so　harassing　to　the

interloper；　presented　themselves　before　him　with　the　regularity　of　a

perfectly　comprehended　system。　In　my　contemplation；　be　stood　as　the

ideal　of　his　class。　He　was；　indeed；　the　Custom…House　in　himself；　or；

at　all　events；　the　mainspring　that　kept　its　variously　revolving　wheels

in　motion；　for；　in　an　institution　like　this；　where　its　officers　are

appointed　to　subserve　their　own　profit　and　convenience；　and　seldom

with　a　leading　reference　to　their　fitness　for　the　duty　to　be

performed；　they　must　perforce　seek　elsewhere　the　dexterity　which　is

not　in　them。　Thus；　by　an　inevitable　necessity；　as　a　magnet　attracts

steel…filings；　so　did　our　man　of　business　draw　to　himself　the

difficulties　which　everybody　met　with。　With　an　easy　condescension；　and

kind　forbearance　towards　our　stupidity…　which；　to　his　order　of　mind；

must　have　seemed　little　short　of　crime…　would　he　forthwith；　by　the

merest　touch　of　his　finger；　make　the　incomprehensible　as　clear　as

daylight。　The　merchants　valued　him　not　less　than　we；　his　esoteric

friends。　His　integrity　was　perfect；　it　was　a　law　of　nature　with　him；

rather　than　a　choice　or　a　principle；　nor　can　it　be　otherwise　than

the　main　condition　of　an　intellect　so　remarkably　clear　and　accurate　as

his；　to　be　honest　and　regular　in　the　administration　of　affairs。　A

stain　on　his　conscience；　as　to　anything　that　came　within　the　range

of　his　vocation；　would　trouble　such　a　man　very　much　in　the　same　way；

though　to　a　far　greater　degree；　than　an　error　in　the　balance　of　an

account；　or　an　ink…blot　on　the　fair　page　of　a　book　of　record。　Here；　in

a　word…　and　it　is　a　rare　instance　in　my　life…　I　had　met　with　a

person　thoroughly　adapted　to　the　situation　which　he　held。

　　Such　were　some　of　the　people　with　whom　I　now　found　myself　connected。

I　took　it　in　good　part；　at　the　hands　of　Providence；　that　I　was

thrown　into　a　position　so　little　akin　to　my　past　habits；　and　set

myself　seriously　to　gather　from　it　whatever　profit　was　to　be　had。

After　my　fellowship　of　toil　and　impracticable　schemes　with　the

dreamy　brethren　of　Brook　Farm；　after　living　for　three　years　within　the

subtile　influence　of　an　intellect　like　Emerson's；　after　those　wild；

free　days　on　the　Assabeth；　indulging　fantastic　speculations；　beside

our　fire　of　fallen　boughs；　with　Ellery　Channing；　after　talking　with

Thoreau　about　pine…trees　and　Indian　relics；　in　his　hermitage　at

Walden；　after　growing　fastidious　by　sympathy　with　the　classic

refinement　of　Hillard's　culture；　after　becoming　imbued　with　poetic

sentiment　at　Longfellow's　hearth…stone…　it　was　time；　at　length；　that　I

should　exercise　other　faculties　of　my　nature；　and　nourish　myself

with　food　for　which　I　had　hitherto　had　little　appetite。　Even　the　old

Inspector　was　desirable；　as　a　change　of　diet；　to　a　man　who　had　known

Alcott。　I　looked　upon　it　as　an　evidence；　in　some　measure；　or　a

system　naturally　well　balanced；　and　lacking　no　essential　part　of　a

thorough　organisation；　that；　with　such　associates　to　remember；　I　could

mingle　at　once　with　men　of　altogether　different　qualities；　and　never

murmur　at　the　change。

　　Literature；　its　exertions　and　objects；　were　now　of　little　moment

in　my　regard。　I　cared　not；　at　this　period；　for　books；　they　were

apart　from　me。　Nature…　except　it　were　human　nature…　the　nature　that　is

developed　in　earth　and　sky；　was；　in　one　sense；　hidden　from　me；　and　all

the　imaginative　delight；　wherewith　it　had　been　spiritualised；　passed

away　out　of　my　mind。　A　gift；　a　faculty；　if　it　had　not　departed；　was

suspended　and　inanimate　w