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association； the inconspicuous individual whose trifling indebtedness
to me for value received remains in a quiescent state and is likely
long to continue so； I confess to having experienced a thrill of
pleasure。 I have smiled to think how grand his magnificent titular
appendages sounded in his own ears and what a feeble tintinnabulation
they made in mine。 The crimson sash； the broad diagonal belt of the
mounted marshal of a great procession； so cheap in themselves； yet so
entirely satisfactory to the wearer； tickle my heart's root。
Perhaps I should have enjoyed all these weaknesses of my infantile
fellow…creatures without an afterthought； except that on a certain
literary anniversary when I tie the narrow blue and pink ribbons in
my button…hole and show my decorated bosom to the admiring public； I
am conscious of a certain sense of distinction and superiority in
virtue of that trifling addition to my personal adornments which
reminds me that I too have some embryonic fibres in my tolerably
well…matured organism。
I hope I have not hurt your feelings； if you happen to be a High and
Mighty Grand Functionary in any illustrious Fraternity。 When I tell
you that a bit of ribbon in my button…hole sets my vanity prancing； I
think you cannot be grievously offended that I smile at the resonant
titles which make you something more than human in your own eyes。 I
would not for the world be mistaken for one of those literary roughs
whose brass knuckles leave their mark on the foreheads of so many
inoffensive people。
There is a human sub…species characterized by the coarseness of its
fibre and the acrid nature of its intellectual secretions。 It is to
a certain extent penetrative； as all creatures are which are provided
with stings。 It has an instinct which guides it to the vulnerable
parts of the victim on which it fastens。 These two qualities give it
a certain degree of power which is not to be despised。 It might
perhaps be less mischievous； but for the fact that the wound where it
leaves its poison opens the fountain from which it draws its
nourishment。
Beings of this kind can be useful if they will only find their
appropriate sphere； which is not literature； but that circle of
rough…and…tumble political life where the fine…fibred men are at a
discount； where epithets find their subjects poison…proof； and the
sting which would be fatal to a literary debutant only wakes the
eloquence of the pachydermatous ward…room politician to a fiercer
shriek of declamation。
The Master got talking the other day about the difference between
races and families。 I am reminded of what he said by what I have
just been saying myself about coarse…fibred and fine…fibred people。
We talk about a Yankee； a New…Englander；…he said；…as if all of
'em were just the same kind of animal。 〃There is knowledge and
knowledge；〃 said John Bunyan。 There are Yankees and Yankees。 Do you
know two native trees called pitch pine and white pine respectively？
Of course you know 'em。 Well； there are pitch…pine Yankees and
white…pine Yankees。 We don't talk about the inherited differences of
men quite as freely； perhaps； as they do in the Old World； but
republicanism doesn't alter the laws of physiology。 We have a native
aristocracy； a superior race； just as plainly marked by nature as of
a higher and finer grade than the common run of people as the white
pine is marked in its form； its stature； its bark； its delicate
foliage； as belonging to the nobility of the forest； and the pitch
pine； stubbed； rough； coarse…haired； as of the plebeian order。 Only
the strange thing is to see in what a capricious way our natural
nobility is distributed。 The last born nobleman I have seen； I saw
this morning； he was pulling a rope that was fastened to a Maine
schooner loaded with lumber。 I should say he was about twenty years
old； as fine a figure of a young man as you would ask to see； and
with a regular Greek outline of countenance； waving hair； that fell
as if a sculptor had massed it to copy； and a complexion as rich as a
red sunset。 I have a notion that the State of Maine breeds the
natural nobility in a larger proportion than some other States； but
they spring up in all sorts of out…of…the…way places。 The young
fellow I saw this morning had on an old flannel shirt； a pair of
trowsers that meant hard work； and a cheap cloth cap pushed back on
his head so as to let the large waves of hair straggle out over his
forehead； he was tugging at his rope with the other sailors； but upon
my word I don't think I have seen a young English nobleman of all
those whom I have looked upon that answered to the notion of 〃blood 〃
so well as this young fellow did。 I suppose if I made such a
levelling confession as this in public； people would think I was
looking towards being the labor…reform candidate for President。 But
I should go on and spoil my prospects by saying that I don't think
the white…pine Yankee is the more generally prevailing growth； but
rather the pitch…pine Yankee。
The Member of the Haouse seemed to have been getting a dim idea
that all this was not exactly flattering to the huckleberry
districts。 His features betrayed the growth of this suspicion so
clearly that the Master replied to his look as if it had been a
remark。 ＇I need hardly say that this particular member of the
General Court was a pitch…pine Yankee of the most thoroughly
characterized aspect and flavor。＇
Yes； Sir；the Master continued；Sir being anybody that listened；
there is neither flattery nor offence in the views which a
physiological observer takes of the forms of life around him。 It
won't do to draw individual portraits； but the differences of natural
groups of human beings are as proper subjects of remark as those of
different breeds of horses； and if horses were Houyhnhnms I don't
think they would quarrel with us because we made a distinction
between a 〃Morgan〃 and a 〃Messenger。〃 The truth is； Sir； the lean
sandy soil and the droughts and the long winters and the east…winds
and the cold storms； and all sorts of unknown local influences that
we can't make out quite so plainly as these； have a tendency to
roughen the human organization and make it coarse； something as it is
with the tree I mentioned。 Some spots and some strains of blood
fight against these influences； but if I should say right out what I
think； it would be that the finest human fruit； on the whole； and
especially the finest women that we get in New England are raised
under glass。
Good gracious！exclaimed the Landlady； under glass！
Give me cowcumbers raised in the open air； said the Capitalist； who
was a little hard of hearing。
Perhaps；I remarked；it might be as well if you would explain
this last expression of yours。 Raising human beings under glass I
take to be a metaphorical rather than a literal statement of your
meaning。
No； Sir！replied the Master； with energy；I mean just what I say；
Sir。 Under glass； and with a south exposure。 During the hard
season； of course；for in the heats of summer the tenderest hot…
house plants are not afraid of the open air。 Protection is what the
transplanted Aryan requires in this New England climate。 Keep him；
and especially keep her； in a wide street of a well…built city eight
months of the year； good solid brick walls behind her； good sheets of
plate…glass； with the sun shining warm through them； in front of her；
and you have put her in the condition of the pine…apple； from the
land of which； and not from that of the other kind of pine； her race
started on its travels。 People don't know what a gain there is to
health by living in cities； the best parts of them of course； for we
know too well what the worst parts are。 In the first place you get
rid of the noxious emanations which poison so many country localities
with typhoid fever and dysentery； not wholly rid of them； of course；
but to a surprising degree。 Let me tell you a doctor's story。 I was
visiting a Western city a good many years ago； it was in the autumn；
the time when all sorts of malarious diseases are about。 The doctor
I was speaking of took me to see the cemetery just outside the town；
I don't know how much he had done to fill it； for he didn't tell me；
but I'll tell you what he did say。
〃Look round；〃 said the doctor。 〃There isn't a house in all the ten…
mile circuit of country you can see over； where there isn't one
person； at least； shaking with fever and ague。 And yet you need n't
be afraid of carrying it away with you； for as long as your home is
on a paved street you are safe。〃
I think it likelythe Master went on to saythat my friend the
doctor put it pretty strongly； but there is no doubt at all that
while all the country round was suffering from intermittent fever；
the paved part of the city was comparatively exempted。 What do you
do when you build a house on a damp soil； and there are damp soils
pretty much everywhere？ Why you floor the cellar with cement； don't
you？ Well； the soil of a city is cemented all over； one may say；
with certain qualifications of course。 A first…rate city house is a
regular sanatorium。 The only trouble is； that the little good…for…
nothing