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！
called Mendelssohn； but I knew him by his legs。 He is in the
costume of a dandy of some five…and…forty years ago； is smoking a
cigar； and appears to be making an offer of marriage to his cook。
Beethoven both my friend Mr。 H。 Festing Jones and I have had the
good fortune to meet； he is an engineer now； and does not know one
note from another； he has quite lost his deafness； is married； and
is； of course； a little squat man with the same refractory hair that
he always had。 It was very interesting to watch him； and Jones
remarked that before the end of dinner he had become positively
posthumous。 One morning I was told the Beethovens were going away；
and before long I met their two heavy boxes being carried down the
stairs。 The boxes were so squab and like their owners； that I half
thought for a moment that they were inside； and should hardly have
been surprised to see them spring up like a couple of Jacks…in…the…
box。 〃Sono indentro？〃 said I； with a frown of wonder； pointing to
the boxes。 The porters knew what I meant； and laughed。 But there
is no end to the list of people whom I have been able to recognise；
and before I had got through it myself； I found I had walked some
distance； and had involuntarily paused in front of a second…hand
bookstall。
I do not like books。 I believe I have the smallest library of any
literary man in London； and I have no wish to increase it。 I keep
my books at the British Museum and at Mudie's； and it makes me very
angry if any one gives me one for my private library。 I once heard
two ladies disputing in a railway carriage as to whether one of them
had or had not been wasting money。 〃I spent it in books；〃 said the
accused； 〃and it's not wasting money to buy books。〃 〃Indeed； my
dear； I think it is；〃 was the rejoinder； and in practice I agree
with it。 Webster's Dictionary； Whitaker's Almanack； and Bradshaw's
Railway Guide should be sufficient for any ordinary library； it will
be time enough to go beyond these when the mass of useful and
entertaining matter which they provide has been mastered。
Nevertheless； I admit that sometimes； if not particularly busy； I
stop at a second…hand bookstall and turn over a book or two from
mere force of habit。
I know not what made me pick up a copy of AEschylusof course in an
English versionor rather I know not what made AEschylus take up
with me； for he took me rather than I him； but no sooner had he got
me than he began puzzling me； as he has done any time this forty
years； to know wherein his transcendent merit can be supposed to
lie。 To me he is； like the greater number of classics in all ages
and countries； a literary Struldbrug； rather than a true ambrosia…
fed immortal。 There are true immortals； but they are few and far
between； most classics are as great impostors dead as they were when
living； and while posing as gods are； five…sevenths of them； only
Struldbrugs。 It comforts me to remember that Aristophanes liked
AEschylus no better than I do。 True； he praises him by comparison
with Sophocles and Euripides； but he only does so that he may run
down these last more effectively。 Aristophanes is a safe man to
follow； nor do I see why it should not be as correct to laugh with
him as to pull a long face with the Greek Professors； but this is
neither here nor there； for no one really cares about AEschylus； the
more interesting question is how he contrived to make so many people
for so many years pretend to care about him。
Perhaps he married somebody's daughter。 If a man would get hold of
the public ear； he must pay； marry； or fight。 I have never
understood that AEschylus was a man of means； and the fighters do
not write poetry； so I suppose he must have married a theatrical
manager's daughter； and got his plays brought out that way。 The ear
of any age or country is like its land； air； and water； it seems
limitless but is really limited； and is already in the keeping of
those who naturally enough will have no squatting on such valuable
property。 It is written and talked up to as closely as the means of
subsistence are bred up to by a teeming population。 There is not a
square inch of it but is in private hands； and he who would freehold
any part of it must do so by purchase； marriage； or fighting； in the
usual wayand fighting gives the longest； safest tenure。 The
public itself has hardly more voice in the question who shall have
its ear； than the land has in choosing its owners。 It is farmed as
those who own it think most profitable to themselves； and small
blame to them； nevertheless； it has a residuum of mulishness which
the land has not； and does sometimes dispossess its tenants。 It is
in this residuum that those who fight place their hope and trust。
Or perhaps AEschylus squared the leading critics of his time。 When
one comes to think of it； he must have done so； for how is it
conceivable that such plays should have had such runs if he had not？
I met a lady one year in Switzerland who had some parrots that
always travelled with her and were the idols of her life。 These
parrots would not let any one read aloud in their presence； unless
they heard their own names introduced from time to time。 If these
were freely interpolated into the text they would remain as still as
stones； for they thought the reading was about themselves。 If it
was not about them it could not be allowed。 The leaders of
literature are like these parrots； they do not look at what a man
writes； nor if they did would they understand it much better than
the parrots do； but they like the sound of their own names； and if
these are freely interpolated in a tone they take as friendly； they
may even give ear to an outsider。 Otherwise they will scream him
off if they can。
I should not advise any one with ordinary independence of mind to
attempt the public ear unless he is confident that he can out…lung
and out…last his own generation； for if he has any force； people
will and ought to be on their guard against him； inasmuch as there
is no knowing where he may not take them。 Besides； they have staked
their money on the wrong men so often without suspecting it； that
when there comes one whom they do suspect it would be madness not to
bet against him。 True； he may die before he has out…screamed his
opponents； but that has nothing to do with it。 If his scream was
well pitched it will sound clearer when he is dead。 We do not know
what death is。 If we know so little about life which we have
experienced； how shall we know about death which we have notand in
the nature of things never can？ Every one； as I said years ago in
〃Alps and Sanctuaries；〃 is an immortal to himself； for he cannot
know that he is dead until he is dead； and when dead how can he know
anything about anything？ All we know is； that even the humblest
dead may live long after all trace of the body has disappeared； we
see them doing it in the bodies and memories of those that come
after them； and not a few live so much longer and more effectually
than is desirable； that it has been necessary to get rid of them by
Act of Parliament。 It is love that alone gives life； and the truest
life is that which we live not in ourselves but vicariously in
others； and with which we have no concern。 Our concern is so to
order ourselves that we may be of the number of them that enter into
lifealthough we know it not。
AEschylus did so order himself； but his life is not of that
inspiriting kind that can be won through fighting the good fight
onlyor being believed to have fought it。 His voice is the echo of
a drone； drone…begotten and drone…sustained。 It is not a tone that
a man must utter or dienay； even though he die； and likely enough
half the allusions and hard passages in AEschylus of which we can
make neither head nor tail are in reality only puffs of some of the
literary leaders of his time。
The lady above referred to told me more about her parrots。 She was
like a Nasmyth's hammer going slowvery gentle； but irresistible。
She always read the newspaper to them。 What was the use of having a
newspaper if one did not read it to one's parrots？
〃And have you divined；〃 I asked； 〃to which side they incline in
politics？〃
〃They do not like Mr。 Gladstone；〃 was the somewhat freezing answer；
〃this is the only point on which we disagree； for I adore him。
Don't ask more about this； it is a great grief to me。 I tell them
everything；〃 she continued； 〃and hide no secret from them。〃
〃But can any parrot be trusted to keep a secret？〃
〃Mine can。〃
〃And on Sundays do you give them the same course of reading as on a
week…day； or do you make a difference？〃
〃On Sundays I always read them a genealogical chapter from the Old
or New Testament； for I can thus introduce their names without
profanity。 I always keep tea by me in case they should ask for it
in the night； and I have an Etna to warm it for them； they take milk
and sugar。 The old white…headed clergyman came to see them last
night； it was very painful； for Jocko reminded him so strongly of
his late 。 。 。 〃
I thought she was going to say 〃wife；〃 but it proved to have been
only of a parrot that he had once known and loved。
One evenin