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my seat。 It is not the custom of modern writers to refer to the
works to which they are most deeply indebted； and I have never； that
I remember； mentioned it by name before； but it is to this book
alone that I have looked for support during many years of literary
labour； and it is round this to me invaluable volume that all my own
have page by page grown up。 There is none in the Museum to which I
have been under anything like such constant obligation； none which I
can so ill spare； and none which I would choose so readily if I were
allowed to select one single volume and keep it for my own。
On finding myself asked for a contribution to the Universal Review；
I went； as I have explained； to the Museum； and presently repaired
to bookcase No。 2008 to get my favourite volume。 Alas！ it was in
the room no longer。 It was not in use； for its place was filled up
already； besides； no one ever used it but myself。 Whether the ghost
of the late Mr。 Frost has been so eminently unchristian as to
interfere； or whether the authorities have removed the book in
ignorance of the steady demand which there has been for it on the
part of at least one reader； are points I cannot determine。 All I
know is that the book is gone； and I feel as Wordsworth is generally
supposed to have felt when he became aware that Lucy was in her
grave； and exclaimed so emphatically that this would make a
considerable difference to him； or words to that effect。
Now I think of it； Frost's 〃Lives of Eminent Christians〃 was very
like Lucy。 The one resided at Dovedale in Derbyshire； the other in
Great Russell Street； Bloomsbury。 I admit that I do not see the
resemblance here at this moment； but if I try to develop my
perception I shall doubtless ere long find a marvellously striking
one。 In other respects； however； than mere local habitat the
likeness is obvious。 Lucy was not particularly attractive either
inside or outno more was Frost's 〃Lives of Eminent Christians〃；
there were few to praise her； and of those few still fewer could
bring themselves to like her； indeed； Wordsworth himself seems to
have been the only person who thought much about her one way or the
other。 In like manner； I believe I was the only reader who thought
much one way or the other about Frost's 〃Lives of Eminent
Christians；〃 but this in itself was one of the attractions of the
book； and as for the grief we respectively felt and feel； I believe
my own to be as deep as Wordsworth's； if not more so。
I said above； 〃as Wordsworth is generally supposed to have felt〃；
for any one imbued with the spirit of modern science will read
Wordsworth's poem with different eyes from those of a mere literary
critic。 He will note that Wordsworth is most careful not to explain
the nature of the difference which the death of Lucy will occasion
to him。 He tells us that there will be a difference； but there the
matter ends。 The superficial reader takes it that he was very sorry
she was dead； it is； of course； possible that he may have actually
been so； but he has not said this。 On the contrary； he has hinted
plainly that she was ugly； and generally disliked； she was only like
a violet when she was half…hidden from the view； and only fair as a
star when there were so few stars out that it was practically
impossible to make an invidious comparison。 If there were as many
as even two stars the likeness was felt to be at an end。 If
Wordsworth had imprudently promised to marry this young person
during a time when he had been unusually long in keeping to good
resolutions； and had afterwards seen some one whom he liked better；
then Lucy's death would undoubtedly have made a considerable
difference to him； and this is all that he has ever said that it
would do。 What right have we to put glosses upon the masterly
reticence of a poet； and credit him with feelings possibly the very
reverse of those he actually entertained？
Sometimes； indeed； I have been inclined to think that a mystery is
being hinted at more dark than any critic has suspected。 I do not
happen to possess a copy of the poem； but the writer； if I am not
mistaken； says that 〃few could know when Lucy ceased to be。〃
〃Ceased to be〃 is a suspiciously euphemistic expression； and the
words 〃few could know〃 are not applicable to the ordinary peaceful
death of a domestic servant such as Lucy appears to have been。 No
matter how obscure the deceased； any number of people commonly can
know the day and hour of his or her demise； whereas in this case we
are expressly told it would be impossible for them to do so。
Wordsworth was nothing if not accurate； and would not have said that
few could know； but that few actually did know； unless he was aware
of circumstances that precluded all but those implicated in the
crime of her death from knowing the precise moment of its
occurrence。 If Lucy was the kind of person not obscurely pourtrayed
in the poem； if Wordsworth had murdered her； either by cutting her
throat or smothering her； in concert； perhaps； with his friends
Southey and Coleridge； and if he had thus found himself released
from an engagement which had become irksome to him； or possibly from
the threat of an action for breach of promise； then there is not a
syllable in the poem with which he crowns his crime that is not
alive with meaning。 On any other supposition to the general reader
it is unintelligible。
We cannot be too guarded in the interpretations we put upon the
words of great poets。 Take the young lady who never loved the dear
gazelleand I don't believe she did； we are apt to think that Moore
intended us to see in this creation of his fancy a sweet； amiable；
but most unfortunate young woman； whereas all he has told us about
her points to an exactly opposite conclusion。 In reality； he wished
us to see a young lady who had been an habitual complainer from her
earliest childhood； whose plants had always died as soon as she
bought them； while those belonging to her neighbours had flourished。
The inference is obvious； nor can we reasonably doubt that Moore
intended us to draw it； if her plants were the very first to fade
away； she was evidently the very first to neglect or otherwise
maltreat them。 She did not give them enough water； or left the door
of her fern…ease open when she was cooking her dinner at the gas
stove； or kept them too near the paraffin oil； or other like folly；
and as for her temper； see what the gazelles did； as long as they
did not know her 〃well；〃 they could just manage to exist； but when
they got to understand her real character； one after another felt
that death was the only course open to it； and accordingly died
rather than live with such a mistress。 True； the young lady herself
said the gazelles loved her； but disagreeable people are apt to
think themselves amiable； and in view of the course invariably taken
by the gazelles themselves any one accustomed to weigh evidence will
hold that she was probably mistaken。
I must； however； return to Frost's 〃Lives of Eminent Christians。〃 I
will leave none of the ambiguity about my words in which Moore and
Wordsworth seem to have delighted。 I am very sorry the book is
gone； and know not where to turn for its successor。 Till I have
found a substitute I can write no more； and I do not know how to
find even a tolerable one。 I should try a volume of Migne's
〃Complete Course of Patrology；〃 but I do not like books in more than
one volume； for the volumes vary in thickness； and one never can
remember which one took； the four volumes； however； of Bede in
Giles's 〃Anglican Fathers〃 are not open to this objection； and I
have reserved them for favourable consideration。 Mather's
〃Magnalia〃 might do； but the binding does not please me； Cureton's
〃Corpus Ignatianum〃 might also do if it were not too thin。 I do not
like taking Norton's 〃Genuineness of the Gospels；〃 as it is just
possible some one may be wanting to know whether the Gospels are
genuine or not； and be unable to find out because I have got Mr。
Norton's book。 Baxter's 〃Church History of England；〃 Lingard's
〃Anglo…Saxon Church；〃 and Cardwell's 〃Documentary Annals；〃 though
none of them as good as Frost； are works of considerable merit； but
on the whole I think Arvine's 〃Cyclopedia of Moral and Religious
Anecdote〃 is perhaps the one book in the room which comes within
measurable distance of Frost。 I should probably try this book
first； but it has a fatal objection in its too seductive title。 〃I
am not curious；〃 as Miss Lottie Venne says in one of her parts； 〃but
I like to know；〃 and I might be tempted to pervert the book from its
natural uses and open it； so as to find out what kind of a thing a
moral and religious anecdote is。 I know； of course； that there are
a great many anecdotes in the Bible； but no one thinks of calling
them either moral or religious； though some of them certainly seem
as if they might fairly find a place in Mr。 Arvine's work。 There
are some things； however； which it is better not to know； and take
it all round I do not think I should be wise in putting myself in
the way of temptation； and adopting Arvine as the successor to my
beloved and lamented Frost。
Some successor I