theodore roosevelt-第4章
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conquer his enemy by a wisely planned and unceasing course of exercises。
Improvement came slowly。 Many were the nights in which he spent hours gasping for breath。 Sometimes on summer nights his father would wrap him up and take him on a long drive through the darkness in search of fresh air。 But no matter how hard the pinch； the boy never complained； and when ever there was a respite his vivacity burst forth as fresh as ever。 He could not attend school with other boys and； indeed； his realization that he could not meet them on equal physical terms made him timid when he was thrown with them。 So he pursued his own tastes with all the more zeal。 He read many books； some of which seemed beyond a boy's ken； but he got something from each of them。 His power of concentration already surprised his family。 If he was absorbed in a chapter； nothing which went on outside of him； either noise or interruption； could distract his attention。 His passion for natural his tory increased。 At the age of ten； he opened in one of the rooms of his home 〃The Roosevelt Museum of Natural History。〃 Later； he devoted himself more particularly to birds； and learned from a taxidermist how to skin and stuff his specimens。
In 1873； President Grant appointed Mr。 Roosevelt a Commissioner to the Vienna Exposition and the Roosevelt family made another foreign tour。 Hoping to benefit Theodore's asthma they went to Algiers； and up the Nile； where he was much more interested in the flocks of aquatic fowl than in the half…buried temples of Dendera or the obelisks and pylons of Karnak。 He even makes no mention of the Pyramids； but records with enthusiasm that he found at Cairo a book by an English clergyman； whose name he forgot； on the ornithology of the Nile； which greatly helped him。 Incidentally； he says that from the Latin names of the birds he made his first acquaintance with that language。 While Mr。 Roosevelt attended to his duties in Vienna the younger children were placed in the family of Herr Minckwitz； a Government official at Dresden。 There； Theodore； 〃in spite of himself；〃 learned a good deal of German； and he never forgot his pleasant life among the Saxons in the days be fore the virus of Prussian barbarism had poisoned all the non…Prussian Germans。 Minckwitz had been a Liberal in the Revolution of 1848； a fact which added to Theodore's interest in him。
On getting home； Theodore； who was fifteen years old； set to work seriously to fit himself to enter Harvard College。 Up to this time his education had been unmethodical； leaving him behind his fellows in some subjects and far ahead of them in others。 He had the good fortune now to secure as a tutor Mr。 Arthur H。 Cutler； for many years head of the Cutler Preparatory School in New York City； thanks to whose excellent training he was able to enter college in 1876。 During these years of preparation Theodore's health steadily improved。 He had a gun and was an ardent sportsman； the incentive of adding specimens to his collection of birds and animals outweighing the mere sport of slaughter。 At Oyster Bay； where his father first leased a house in 1874； he spent much of his time on the water； but he deemed sailing rather lazy and unexciting； compared with rowing。 He enjoyed taking his row…boat out into the Sound； and； if a high headwind was blowing； or the sea ran in whitecaps； so much the better。 He was now able to share in all of the athletic pastimes of his companions； although； so far as I know； he never indulged in baseball； the commonest game of all。
When he entered Harvard as a Freshman in 1876； that institution was passing through its transition from college to university； which had begun when Charles W。 Eliot became its President seven years before。 In spite of vehement assaults； the Great Educator pushed on his reform slowly but resistlessly。 He needed to train not only the public but many members； perhaps a majority； of his faculty。 Young Roosevelt found a body of eight hundred undergraduates； the largest number up to that time。 While the Elective System had been introduced in the upper classes； Freshmen and Sophomores were still required to take the courses prescribed for them。
To one who looks back； after forty years； on the Harvard of that time there was much about it； the loss of which must be regretted。 Limited in many directions it was； no doubt； but its very limitations made for friendship and for that sense of intimate mutual； relationship； out of which springs mutual affection。 You belonged to Harvard； and she to you。 That she was small； compared with her later magnitude； no more lessened your love for her； than your love for your own mother could be increased were she suddenly to become a giantess。 The undergraduate community was not exactly a large family； but it was； nevertheless； restricted enough not only for a fellow to know at least by sight all of his classmates； but also to have some knowledge of what was going on in other classes as well as in the College as a whole。 Academic fame； too； had a better chance then than it has now。 There were eight or ten professors； whom most of the fellows knew by sight； and all by reputation； now； however； I meet intelligent students who have never heard even the name of the head of some department who is famous throughout the world among his colleagues； but whose courses that student has never taken。
In spite of the simplicity and the homelikeness of the Harvard with eight hundred undergraduates； however； it was large enough to afford the opportunity of meeting men of many different tastes and men from all parts of the country。 So it gave free play to the development of individual talents； and its standard of scholarship was already sufficiently high to ensure the excellence of the best scholars it trained。 One quality which we probably took little note of； although it must have affected us all； sprang from the fact that Harvard was still a crescent institution； she was in the full vigor of growth； of expansion； of increase； and we shared insensibly from being connected with that growth。 In retrospect now； and giving due recognition to this crescent spirit； I recall that； in spite of it； Omar Khayyam was the favorite poet of many of us； that introspection； which sometimes deepened into pessimism； was in vogue； and that a spiritual or philosophic languorous disenchantment sicklied o'er the somewhat mottled cast of our thought。
Roosevelt took rooms at No。 16 Winthrop Street； a quiet little lane midway between the College Yard and Charles River； where he could pursue his hobbies without incessant interruption from casual droppers…in。 Here he kept the specimens which he went on collecting； some livea large turtle and two or three harmless snakes； for instanceand some dead and stuffed。 He was no 〃grind〃； the gods take care not to mix even a drop of pedantry in the make…up of the rare men whom they destine for great deeds or fine works。 Theodore was already so much stronger in his health that he went on to get still more strength。 He had regular lessons in boxing。 He took long walks and studied the flora and fauna of the country round Cambridge in his amateurish but intense way。 During his first Christmas vacation； he went down to the Maine Woods and camped out； and there he met Bill Sewall； a famous guide； who remained Theodore's friend through life； and Wilmot Dow； Sewall's nephew； another woodsman； and this trip； subsequently followed by others； did much good to his physique。 He still had occasional attacks of asthmahe 〃guffled〃 as Bill Sewall called itand they were sometimes acute； but his tendency to them slowly wore away。
All his days Roosevelt was proud of being a Harvard man。 Even in the period when academic Harvard was most critical of his public acts； he never wavered in his devotion to Alma Mater herself； that dear and lovely Being； who； like the ideal of our country； lives on to inspire us in spite of unsympathetic administrations and unloved leaders。
〃The One remains； the many change and pass。〃
Nevertheless； in his 〃Autobiography；〃 Theodore makes very scant record of his college life。 〃I thoroughly enjoyed Harvard；〃 he says； 〃and I am sure it did me good； but only in the general effect； for there was very little in my act
