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！
ed with public school freemasonry。 Scarcely in the acquired insight of all the intervening years could those who enjoyed it then more keenly appreciate it to…day。 Transcendent gift of genius！ to gladden equally with selfsame words the reluctant inexperience of boyhood and the fastidious judgment of maturity。 Delightful self… accountant reverence of author…craft！ which wields full knowledge of a shaddock…tainted world； yet presents no licence to the prurient lad； reveals no trail to the suspicious moralist。
CHAPTER III … LITERARY AND PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
KINGLAKE returned from Algiers in 1844 to find himself famous both in the literary and social world； for his book had gone through three editions and was the universal theme。 Lockhart opened to him the 〃Quarterly。〃 〃Who is Eothen？〃 wrote Macvey Napier； editor of the 〃Edinburgh；〃 to Hayward： 〃I know he is a lawyer and highly respectable； but I should like to know a little more of his personal history： he is very clever but very peculiar。〃 Thackeray； later on； expresses affectionate gratitude for his presence at the 〃Lectures on English Humourists〃：… 〃it goes to a man's heart to find amongst his friends such men as Kinglake and Venables； Higgins； Rawlinson； Carlyle； Ashburton and Hallam； Milman； Macaulay； Wilberforce； looking on kindly。〃 He dines out in all directions； himself giving dinners at Long's Hotel。 〃Did you ever meet Kinglake at my rooms？〃 writes Monckton Milnes to MacCarthy： 〃he has had immense success。 I now rather wish I had written his book； WHICH I COULD HAVE DONE … AT LEAST NEARLY。〃 We are reminded of Charles Lamb … 〃here's Wordsworth says he could have written Hamlet； IF HE HAD HAD A MIND。〃 〃A delightful Voltairean volume；〃 Milnes elsewhere calls it。
〃Eothen〃 was reviewed in the 〃Quarterly〃 by Eliot Warburton。 〃Other books；〃 he says； 〃contain facts and statistics about the East； this book gives the East itself in vital actual reality。 Its style is conversational； or the soliloquy rather of a man convincing and amusing himself as he proceeds； without reverence for others' faith； or lenity towards others' prejudices。 It is a real book； not a sham； it equals Anastasius； rivals 'Vathek；' its terseness； vigour； bold imagery； recall the grand style of Fuller and of South； to which the author adds a spirit； freshness； delicacy； all his own。〃 Kinglake； in turn； reviewed 〃The Crescent and the Cross〃 in an article called 〃The French Lake。〃 From a cordial notice of the book he passes to a history of French ambition in the Levant。 It was Bonaparte's fixed idea to become an Oriental conqueror … a second Alexander： Egypt in his grasp； he would pass on to India。 He sought alliance against the English with Tippoo Saib； and spent whole days stretched upon maps of Asia。 He was baffled； first at Aboukir； then at Acre； but the partition of Turkey at Tilsit showed that he had not abandoned his design。 To have refrained from seizing Egypt after his withdrawal was a political blunder on the part of England。
By far the most charming of Kinglake's articles was a paper on the 〃Rights of Women；〃 in the 〃Quarterly Review〃 of December； 1844。 Grouping together Monckton Milnes's 〃Palm Leaves；〃 Mrs。 Poole's 〃Sketch of Egyptian Harems；〃 Mrs。 Ellis's 〃Women and Wives of England；〃 he produced a playful； lightly touched； yet sincerely constructed sketch of woman's characteristics； seductions； attainments； the extent and secret of her fascination and her deeper influence； her defects； foibles； misconceptions。 He was greatly vexed to learn that his criticism of 〃Palm Leaves〃 was considered hostile； and begged Warburton to explain。 His praise； he said； had been looked upon as irony； his bantering taken to express bitterness。 Warburton added his own conviction that the notice was tributary to Milnes's fame； and Milnes accepted the explanation。 But the chief interest of this paper lies in the beautiful passage which ends it。 〃The world must go on its own way； for all that we can say against it。 Beauty； though it beams over the organization of a doll； will have its hour of empire； the most torpid heiress will easily get herself married； but the wife whose sweet nature can kindle worthy delights is she that brings to her hearth a joyous； hopeful； ardent spirit； and that subtle power whose sources we can hardly trace； but which yet so irradiates a home that all who come near are filled and inspired by a deep sense of womanly presence。 We best learn the unsuspected might of a being like this when we try the weight of that sadness which hangs like lead upon the room； the gallery； the stairs； where once her footstep sounded； and now is heard no more。 It is not less the energy than the grace and gentleness of this character that works the enchantment。 Books can instruct； and books can exalt and purify； beauty of face and beauty of form will come with bright pictures and statues； and for the government of a household hired menials will suffice； but fondness and hate； daring hopes； lively fears； the lust of glory and the scorn of base deeds； sweet charity； faithfulness； pride； and； chief over all； the impetuous will； lending might and power to feeling：… these are the rib of the man； and from these； deep veiled in the mystery of her very loveliness； his true companion sprang。 A being thus ardent will often go wrong in her strenuous course； will often alarm； sometimes provoke； will now and then work mischief and even perhaps grievous harm； but she will be our own Eve after all； the sweet…speaking tempter whom heaven created to be the joy and the trouble of this pleasing anxious existence； to shame us away from the hiding…places of a slothful neutrality； and lead us abroad in the world； men militant here on earth； enduring quiet； content with strife； and looking for peace hereafter。〃 （11） Beautiful words indeed！ how came the author of a tribute so caressingly appreciative； so eloquently sincere； to remain himself outside the gates of Paradise？ how could the pen which in the Crimean chapter on the Holy Shrines traced so exquisitely the delicate fancifulness of purest sexual love； perpetrate that elaborate sneer over the bachelor obsequies of Carrigaholt … 〃the lowly grave； that is the end of man's romantic hopes； has closed over all his rich fancies and all his high aspirations： he is utterly married。〃 （12）
〃Gai； gai； mariez vous； Mettez vous dans la misere！ Gai； gai； mariez vous； Mettez vous la corde au cou！〃 （13）
There is generally a good reason for prolonged celibacy； a reason which the bachelor as generally does not betray： Kinglake remained single； by his own account； because he had observed that women always prefer other men to their own husbands。 Yet； although unmarried； perhaps because unmarried； he heartily admired many clever women； formed with them sedate but genuine friendships； the L'AMOUR SANS AILES； sometimes called 〃Platonic〃 by persons who have not read Plato； found in their illogical clear…sightedness； in their ＇Greek word which cannot be reproduced＇； to use the master's own untranslatable phrase； a titillating stimulus which he missed in men。 He thought that the Church should ordain priestesses as well as priests； the former to be the Egerias of men； as the latter are the Pontiffs of women。 And Lady Gregory tells us； that when attacked by gout； he wished for the solace of a lady doctor； and wrote to one asking if gout were beyond her scope。 She answered： 〃Dear Sir； … Gout is not beyond my scope； but men are。〃
In 1854 he accompanied Lord Raglan to the Crimea。 〃I had heard；〃 writes John Kenyon； 〃of Kinglake's chivalrous goings on。 We were saying yesterday that though he might write a book； he was among the last men to go that he might write a book。 He is wild about matters military； if so calm a man is ever wild。〃 He had hoped to go in an official position as non…combatant； but this was refused by the authorities。 His friend； Lord Raglan； whose acquaintance he had made while hunting with the Duke of Beaufort's hounds； took him as his private guest。 Arrested for a time at Malta by an attack of fever； he joined our army before hostilities began； rode with Lord Raglan's staff at the Alma fight； likening the novel sensation to the excitement of fox…hunting； and accompanied the chief in his visit of tenderness to the wounded when the fight was over。 Throughout the campaign the two were much together； as we shall notice more fully later on。 There are often slight but unmistakable signs of Kinglake's presence as spectator and auditor of Lord Raglan's deeds and words； （14） his affection and reverence for the great general animate the whole； in outward composure and latent strength the two men resembled each other closely。 The book is； in fact； a history of Lord Raglan's share in the campaign； begun in 1856 at the request of Lady Raglan； the narrative ends when the 〃Caradoc〃 with the general's body on board steams out of the bay； 〃Farewell〃 flying at her masthead； the Russian batteries； with generous recognition； ceasing to fire till the ship was out of sight。 〃Lord Raglan is dead；〃 said Kinglake as vol。 viii。 was