theodore roosevelt-第14章
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In his larger history Roosevelt had a swift； energetic； and direct style。 He never lacked for ideas。 Descriptions came to him with exuberant details of which he selected enough to leave his reader with the feeling that he had looked on a vivid and accurate picture。 Here； for instance； is a portrait of Daniel Boon which seems remarkably lifelike； because I remember how difficult other writers find it to individualize most of the figures of the pioneers。
The backwoodsmen； he says； 〃all tilled their own clearings； guiding the plow among the charred stumps left when the trees were chopped down and the land burned over； and they were all； as a matter of course； hunters。 With Boon； hunting and exploration were passions； and the lonely life of the wilderness； with its bold； wild freedom； the only existence for which he really cared。 He was a tall； spare； sinewy man； with eyes like an eagle's； and muscles that never tired； the toil and hardship of his life made no impress on his iron frame； unhurt by intemperance of any kind； and he lived for eighty…six years； a backwoods hunter to the end of his days。 His thoughtful； quiet； pleasant face； so often portrayed； is familiar to every one； it was the face of a man who never blustered or bullied； who would neither inflict nor suffer any wrong； and who had a limitless fund of fortitude； endurance； and indomitable resolution upon which to draw when fortune proved adverse。 His self…command and patience； his daring； restless love of adventure； and； in time of danger； his absolute trust in his own powers and resources； all combined to render him peculiarly fitted to follow the career of which he was so fond。〃*
* Winning of the West； 1； 137； 138 （ed。 1889）。
Roosevelt contributed two volumes to the American Statesmen Series； one on Thomas Hart Benton in 1886； and the other on Gouverneur Morris in 1887。 The environment and careers of these two menthe Missouri Senator of the first half of the nineteenth century； and the New York financier of the last half of the eighteenthafforded him scope for treating two very diverse subjects。 He was himself rooted in the old New York soil and he had come； through his life in the West； to divine the conditions of Benton's days。 Once again； many years later （1900） he tried his hand at biography； taking Oliver Cromwell for his hero； and making a summary； impressionistic sketch of him。 Besides the interest this biography has for students of Cromwell； it has also interest for students of Roosevelt； for it is a specimen of the sort of by…products he threw off in moments of relaxation。
More characteristic than such excursions into history and biography； however； are his many books describing ranch…life and hunting。 In the former； he gives you truthful descriptions of the men of the West as he saw them； and in the latter he recounts his adventures with elk and buffalo； wolves and bears。 The mere trailing and killing of these creatures do not satisfy him。 He studies with equal zest their haunts and their habits。 The naturalist in him； which we recognized in his youth； found this vent in his maturity。 And long years afterward； on his expeditions to Africa and to Brazil he dealt even more exuberantly with the natural history of the countries which he visited。
Two other classes of writings make up Roosevelt's astonishing output。 He gathered his essays and addresses into half a dozen volumes； remarkable alike for the wide variety of their subjects； and for the vigor with which he seized on each subject as if it was the one above all others which most absorbed him。 Finally； skim the collection of his official messages； as Commissioner； as Governor； or as President； and you will discover that he had the gift of infusing life and color into the usually drab and cheerless wastes of official documents。
I am not concerned to make a literary appraisal of Theodore Roosevelt's manifold works； but I am struck by the fact that our professional critics ignore him entirely in their summaries or histories of recent American literature。 As I re…read； after twenty years； and in some cases after thirty years； books of his which made a stir on their appearance； I am impressed； not only by the excellence of their writing； but by their lasting quality。 If he had not done so many other things of greater importance； and done them supremely； he would have secured lasting fame by his books on hunting； ranching； and exploration。 No other American compares with him； and I know of no other； in English at least； who has made a contribution in these fields equal to his。
Throughout these eight or ten volumes he proves himself to be one of those rare writers who see what they write。 As in the case of Tennyson； than whom no English poet； in spite of nearsightedness； has observed so minutely the tiniest details of form or the faintest nuance of color； so the lack of normal vision did not prevent Roosevelt from being the closest of observers。 He was also； by the way； a good shot with rifle or pistol。 If you read one of his chapters in 〃Hunting the Grizzly〃 and ask yourself wherein its animation and attraction lie； you will find that it is because every sentence and every line report things seen。 He does not； like the Realist； try to get a specious lifelikeness by heaping up banal and commonplace facts； he selects。 His imagination reminds one of the traveling spark which used to run along the great chandelier in the theatre； and light each jet； so that its passage seemed a flight from point to point of brilliance。 Wherever he focuses his survey a spot glows vividly。
The eye； the master sense of the mind； thus dominates him； and I think that we shall trace to its mastery much of the immediate power which he exerted by his writings and speeches on public； social； and moral topics。 He struck off； in the heat of composition or of speaking； phrases and similes which millions caught up eagerly and made as familiar as household words。 He even remembered from his extensive reading some item which； when applied by him to the affair of the moment； acquired new pertinence and a second life。 Thus； Bunyan's 〃 muckraker〃 lives again； thus； 〃the curse of Meroz；〃 and many another Bible reference； springs up with a fresh meaning。
No doubt the purist will find occasional lapses in taste or expression； and the quibbling peddler of rhetoric will gloat over some doubtful construction； but neither purist nor peddler of rhetoric has ever been able in his writing to display the ease； the rush； the naturalness； the sparkle which were as genuine in Roosevelt as were the features of his face。 On reading these pages； which have escaped the attention of the professional critics； I wonder whether they may not have a fate similar to Defoe's； for Defoe also was read voraciously by his contemporaries； his pamphlets made a great rustle in their time； and then the critics turned to other and spicier writers。 But in due season； other critics； as well as the world； made the discovery that only a genius could have produced Defoe's 〃every…day；〃 〃commonplace〃 style。
His innate vigor； often swelling into vehemence； marks also Roosevelt's political essays； and yet he had time for reflection； and if you examine closely even some of his combative passages； you will see that they do not spring from sudden anger or scorn； but from a conviction which has matured slowly in him。 He had not the philosophic calm which formed the background of Burke's political masterpieces； but he had the clearness； the simplicity； by which he could drive home his thoughts into the minds of the multitude。 Burke spoke and wrote for thousands and for posterity； Roosevelt addressed millions for the moment； and let posterity do what it would with his burning appeals and invectives。 He was not so absolutely self…effacing as Lincoln； but I think that he realized to the full the meaning of Lincoln's phrase； 〃the world will little note； nor long remember what we may say here；〃 and that he would have made it his motto。 For he； like all truly great statesmen； was so immensely concerned in winning today's battle； that he wasted no time in speculating what tomorrow； or next year； or next century would say about it。 Mysticism； the recurrent fad which indicates th
