the way of all flesh-第5章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
enjoyed myself for a couple of hours； for here at one glance I had
the 'Madonna del Cardellino；' Pope Julius II。； a female portrait by
Raphael； and above it a lovely Holy Family by Perugino； and so close
to me that I could have touched it with my hand the Venus de'
Medici； beyond； that of Titian 。 。 。 The space between is occupied
by other pictures of Raphael's； a portrait by Titian； a Domenichino；
etc。； etc。； all these within the circumference of a small semi…
circle no larger than one of your own rooms。 This is a spot where a
man feels his own insignificance and may well learn to be humble。〃
The Tribune is a slippery place for people like Mendelssohn to study
humility in。 They generally take two steps away from it for one
they take towards it。 I wonder how many chalks Mendelssohn gave
himself for having sat two hours on that chair。 I wonder how often
he looked at his watch to see if his two hours were up。 I wonder
how often he told himself that he was quite as big a gun； if the
truth were known； as any of the men whose works he saw before him；
how often he wondered whether any of the visitors were recognizing
him and admiring him for sitting such a long time in the same chair；
and how often he was vexed at seeing them pass him by and take no
notice of him。 But perhaps if the truth were known his two hours
was not quite two hours。
Returning to Mr Pontifex； whether he liked what he believed to be
the masterpieces of Greek and Italian art or no he brought back some
copies by Italian artists； which I have no doubt he satisfied
himself would bear the strictest examination with the originals。
Two of these copies fell to Theobald's share on the division of his
father's furniture； and I have often seen them at Battersby on my
visits to Theobald and his wife。 The one was a Madonna by
Sassoferrato with a blue hood over her head which threw it half into
shadow。 The other was a Magdalen by Carlo Dolci with a very fine
head of hair and a marble vase in her hands。 When I was a young man
I used to think these pictures were beautiful； but with each
successive visit to Battersby I got to dislike them more and more
and to see 〃George Pontifex〃 written all over both of them。 In the
end I ventured after a tentative fashion to blow on them a little；
but Theobald and his wife were up in arms at once。 They did not
like their father and father…in…law； but there could be no question
about his power and general ability； nor about his having been a man
of consummate taste both in literature and artindeed the diary he
kept during his foreign tour was enough to prove this。 With one
more short extract I will leave this diary and proceed with my
story。 During his stay in Florence Mr Pontifex wrote： 〃I have just
seen the Grand Duke and his family pass by in two carriages and six；
but little more notice is taken of them than if I； who am utterly
unknown here； were to pass by。〃 I don't think that he half believed
in his being utterly unknown in Florence or anywhere else！
CHAPTER V
Fortune； we are told； is a blind and fickle foster…mother； who
showers her gifts at random upon her nurslings。 But we do her a
grave injustice if we believe such an accusation。 Trace a man's
career from his cradle to his grave and mark how Fortune has treated
him。 You will find that when he is once dead she can for the most
part be vindicated from the charge of any but very superficial
fickleness。 Her blindness is the merest fable； she can espy her
favourites long before they are born。 We are as days and have had
our parents for our yesterdays； but through all the fair weather of
a clear parental sky the eye of Fortune can discern the coming
storm； and she laughs as she places her favourites it may be in a
London alley or those whom she is resolved to ruin in kings'
palaces。 Seldom does she relent towards those whom she has suckled
unkindly and seldom does she completely fail a favoured nursling。
Was George Pontifex one of Fortune's favoured nurslings or not？ On
the whole I should say that he was not； for he did not consider
himself so； he was too religious to consider Fortune a deity at all；
he took whatever she gave and never thanked her； being firmly
convinced that whatever he got to his own advantage was of his own
getting。 And so it was； after Fortune had made him able to get it。
〃Nos te； nos facimus； Fortuna； deam；〃 exclaimed the poet。 〃It is we
who make thee； Fortune； a goddess〃； and so it is； after Fortune has
made us able to make her。 The poet says nothing as to the making of
the 〃nos。〃 Perhaps some men are independent of antecedents and
surroundings and have an initial force within themselves which is in
no way due to causation； but this is supposed to be a difficult
question and it may be as well to avoid it。 Let it suffice that
George Pontifex did not consider himself fortunate； and he who does
not consider himself fortunate is unfortunate。
True； he was rich； universally respected and of an excellent natural
constitution。 If he had eaten and drunk less he would never have
known a day's indisposition。 Perhaps his main strength lay in the
fact that though his capacity was a little above the average； it was
not too much so。 It is on this rock that so many clever people
split。 The successful man will see just so much more than his
neighbours as they will be able to see too when it is shown them；
but not enough to puzzle them。 It is far safer to know too little
than too much。 People will condemn the one； though they will resent
being called upon to exert themselves to follow the other。
The best example of Mr Pontifex's good sense in matters connected
with his business which I can think of at this moment is the
revolution which he effected in the style of advertising works
published by the firm。 When he first became a partner one of the
firm's advertisements ran thus：…
〃Books proper to be given away at this Season。 …
〃The Pious Country Parishioner； being directions how a Christian may
manage every day in the course of his whole life with safety and
success； how to spend the Sabbath Day； what books of the Holy
Scripture ought to be read first； the whole method of education；
collects for the most important virtues that adorn the soul； a
discourse on the Lord's Supper； rules to set the soul right in
sickness； so that in this treatise are contained all the rules
requisite for salvation。 The 8th edition with additions。 Price
10d。
*** An allowance will be made to those who give them away。〃
Before he had been many years a partner the advertisement stood as
follows：…
〃The Pious Country Parishioner。 A complete manual of Christian
Devotion。 Price 10d。
A reduction will be made to purchasers for gratuitous distribution。〃
What a stride is made in the foregoing towards the modern standard；
and what intelligence is involved in the perception of the
unseemliness of the old style； when others did not perceive it！
Where then was the weak place in George Pontifex's armour？ I
suppose in the fact that he had risen too rapidly。 It would almost
seem as if a transmitted education of some generations is necessary
for the due enjoyment of great wealth。 Adversity； if a man is set
down to it by degrees； is more supportable with equanimity by most
people than any great prosperity arrived at in a single lifetime。
Nevertheless a certain kind of good fortune generally attends self…
made men to the last。 It is their children of the first； or first
and second； generation who are in greater danger； for the race can
no more repeat its most successful performances suddenly and without
its ebbings and flowings of success than the individual can do so；
and the more brilliant the success in any one generation； the
greater as a general rule the subsequent exhaustion until time has
been allowed for recovery。 Hence it oftens happens that the
grandson of a successful man will be more successful than the son
the spirit that actuated the grandfather having lain fallow in the
son and being refreshed by repose so as to be ready for fresh
exertion in the grandson。 A very successful man； moreover； has
something of the
