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！
and the pursuit is much the same in one case as in the other。 Ben Jonson's
couplet
〃Court a mistress； she denies you； Let her alone； she will court you〃
puts them both in a nutshell。 A woman never thoroughly cares for her
lover until he has ceased to care for her； and it is not until you have
snapped your fingers in Fortune's face and turned on your heel that she
begins to smile upon you。
But by that time you do not much care whether she smiles or frowns。
Why could she not have smiled when her smiles would have filled you
with ecstasy？ Everything comes too late in this world。
Good people say that it is quite right and proper that it should be so；
and that it proves ambition is wicked。
Bosh！ Good people are altogether wrong。 （They always are； in my
opinion。 We never agree on any single point。） What would the world do
without ambitious people； I should like to know？ Why； it would be as
flabby as a Norfolk dumpling。 Ambitious people are the leaven which
raises it into wholesome bread。 Without ambitious people the world would
never get up。 They are busybodies who are about early in the morning；
35
… Page 36…
THE IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW。
hammering； shouting； and rattling the fire…irons； and rendering it generally
impossible for the rest of the house to remain in bed。
Wrong to be ambitious； forsooth！ The men wrong who； with bent back
and sweating brow； cut the smooth road over which humanity marches
forward from generation to generation！ Men wrong for using the talents
that their Master has intrusted to themfor toiling while others play！
Of course they are seeking their reward。 Man is not given that godlike
unselfishness that thinks only of others' good。 But in working for
themselves they are working for us all。 We are so bound together that no
man can labor for himself alone。 Each blow he strikes in his own behalf
helps to mold the universe。 The stream in struggling onward turns the
mill…wheel； the coral insect； fashioning its tiny cell； joins continents to one
another； and the ambitious man； building a pedestal for himself； leaves a
monument to posterity。 Alexander and Caesar fought for their own ends；
but in doing so they put a belt of civilization half round the earth。
Stephenson； to win a fortune； invented the steam…engine； and Shakespeare
wrote his plays in order to keep a comfortable home for Mrs。 Shakespeare
and the little Shakespeares。
Contented； unambitious people are all very well in their way。 They
form a neat； useful background for great portraits to be painted against；
and they make a respectable； if not particularly intelligent； audience for
the active spirits of the age to play before。 I have not a word to say against
contented people so long as they keep quiet。 But do not； for goodness' sake；
let them go strutting about； as they are so fond of doing； crying out that
they are the true models for the whole species。 Why； they are the
deadheads； the drones in the great hive； the street crowds that lounge about；
gaping at those who are working。
And let them not imagine； eitheras they are also fond of doingthat
they are very wise and philosophical and that it is a very artful thing to be
contented。 It may be true that 〃a contented mind is happy anywhere；〃 but
so is a Jerusalem pony； and the consequence is that both are put anywhere
and are treated anyhow。 〃Oh； you need not bother about him；〃 is what is
said； 〃he is very contented as he is； and it would be a pity to disturb him。〃
And so your contented party is passed over and the discontented man gets
36
… Page 37…
THE IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW。
his place。
If you are foolish enough to be contented； don't show it； but grumble
with the rest； and if you can do with a little； ask for a great deal。 Because
if you don't you won't get any。 In this world it is necessary to adopt the
principle pursued by the plaintiff in an action for damages； and to demand
ten times more than you are ready to accept。 If you can feel satisfied with
a hundred； begin by insisting on a thousand； if you start by suggesting a
hundred you will only get ten。
It was by not following this simple plan that poor Jean Jacques
Rousseau came to such grief。 He fixed the summit of his earthly bliss at
living in an orchard with an amiable woman and a cow； and he never
attained even that。 He did get as far as the orchard； but the woman was not
amiable； and she brought her mother with her； and there was no cow。 Now；
if he had made up his mind for a large country estate； a houseful of angels；
and a cattle…show； he might have lived to possess his kitchen garden and
one head of live…stock； and even possibly have come across that _rara…
avis_a really amiable woman。
What a terribly dull affair； too； life must be for contented people！ How
heavy the time must hang upon their hands； and what on earth do they
occupy their thoughts with； supposing that they have any？ Reading the
paper and smoking seems to be the intellectual food of the majority of
them； to which the more energetic add playing the flute and talking about
the affairs of the next…door neighbor。
They never knew the excitement of expectation nor the stern delight of
accomplished effort； such as stir the pulse of the man who has objects； and
hopes； and plans。 To the ambitious man life is a brilliant gamea game
that calls forth all his tact and energy and nervea game to be won； in the
long run； by the quick eye and the steady hand； and yet having sufficient
chance about its working out to give it all the glorious zest of uncertainty。
He exults in it as the strong swimmer in the heaving billows； as the athlete
in the wrestle； the soldier in the battle。
And if he be defeated he wins the grim joy of fighting； if he lose the
race； he； at least； has had a run。 Better to work and fail than to sleep one's
life away。
37
… Page 38…
THE IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW。
So； walk up； walk up； walk up。 Walk up； ladies and gentlemen！ walk
up； boys and girls！ Show your skill and try your strength； brave your luck
and prove your pluck。 Walk up！ The show is never closed and the game is
always going。 The only genuine sport in all the fair； gentlemenhighly
respectable and strictly moralpatronized by the nobility； clergy； and
gentry。 Established in the year one； gentlemen； and been flourishing ever
sincewalk up！ Walk up； ladies and gentlemen； and take a hand。 There are
prizes for all and all can play。 There is gold for the man and fame for the
boy； rank for the maiden and pleasure for the fool。 So walk up； ladies and
gentlemen； walk up！all prizes and no blanks； for some few win； and as to
the rest； why
〃The rapture of pursuing Is the prize the vanquished gain。〃
38
… Page 39…
THE IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW。
ON THE WEATHER。
Things do go so contrary…like with me。 I wanted to hit upon an
especially novel； out…of…the…way subject for one of these articles。 〃I will
write one paper about something altogether new；〃 I said to myself；
〃something that nobody else has ever written or talked about before； and
then I can have it all my own way。〃 And I went about for days； trying to
think of something of this kind； and I couldn't。 And Mrs。 Cutting； our
charwoman； came yesterdayI don't mind mentioning her name； because I
know she will not see this book。 She would not look at such a frivolous
publication。 She never reads anything but the Bible and _Lloyd's Weekly
News_。 All other literature she considers unnecessary and sinful。
She said： 〃Lor'； sir； you do look worried。〃
I said： 〃Mrs。 Cutting； I am trying to think of a subject the discussion of
which will come upon the world in the nature of a startlersome subject
upon which no previous human being has ever said a wordsome subject
that will attract by its novelty