passages from an old volume of life-第22部分

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te　soda…　powder；　mingled　the　same　in　water；　and　encouraged　me　to　drink　the　result。　　It　might　be　a　specific　for　seasickness；　but　it　was　not　for　home…sickness。　　The　fiz　was　a　mockery；　and　the　saline　refrigerant　struck　a　colder　chill　to　my　despondent　heart。　　I　did　not　disgrace　myself；　however；　and　a　few　days　cured　me；　as　a　week　on　the　water　often　cures　seasickness。

There　was　a　sober…faced　boy　of　minute　dimensions　in　the　house；　who　began　to　make　some　advances　to　me；　and　who；　in　spite　of　all　the　conditions　surrounding　him；　turned　out；　on　better　acquaintance；　to　be　one　of　the　most　amusing；　free…spoken；　mocking　little　imps　I　ever　met　in　my　life。　　My　room…mate　came　later。　　He　was　the　son　of　a　clergyman　in　a　neighboring　town；in　fact　I　may　remark　that　I　knew　a　good　many　clergymen's　sons　at　Andover。　　He　and　I　went　in　harness　together　as　well　as　most　boys　do；　I　suspect；　and　I　have　no　grudge　against　him；　except　that　once；　when　I　was　slightly　indisposed；　he　administered　to　me；with　the　best　intentions；　no　doubt；a　dose　of　Indian　pills；　which　effectually　knocked　me　out　of　time；　as　Mr。　　Morrissey　would　say；not　quite　into　eternity；　but　so　near　it　that　I　perfectly　remember　one　of　the　good　ladies　told　me　（after　I　had　come　to　my　senses　a　little；　and　was　just　ready　for　a　sip　of　cordial　and　a　word　of　encouragement）；　with　that　delightful　plainness　of　speech　which　so　brings　realities　home　to　the　imagination；　that　〃I　never　should　look　any　whiter　when　I　was　laid　out　as　a　corpse。〃　　After　my　room…mate　and　I　had　been　separated　twenty…five　years；　fate　made　us　fellow…townsmen　and　acquaintances　once　more　in　Berkshire；　and　now　again　we　are　close　literary　neighbors；　for　I　have　just　read　a　very　pleasant　article；　signed　by　him；　in　the　last　number　of　the　〃Galaxy。〃　　Does　it　not　sometimes　seem　as　if　we　were　all　marching　round　and　round　in　a　circle；　like　the　supernumeraries　who　constitute　the　〃army〃　of　a　theatre；　and　that　each　of　us　meets　and　is　met　by　the　same　and　only　the　same　people；　or　their　doubles；　twice；　thrice；　or　a　little　oftener；　before　the　curtain　drops　and　the　〃army〃　puts　off　its　borrowed　clothes？

The　old　Academy　building　had　a　dreary　look；　with　its　flat　face；　bare　and　uninteresting　as　our　own　〃University　Building〃　at　Cambridge；　since　the　piazza　which　relieved　its　monotony　was　taken　away；　and；　to　balance　the　ugliness　thus　produced；　the　hideous　projection　was　added　to　〃Harvard　Hall。〃　　Two　masters　sat　at　the　end　of　the　great　room；　the　principal　and　his　assistant。　　Two　others　presided　in　separate　rooms；　one　of　them　the　late　Rev。　Samuel　Horatio　Stearns；　an　excellent　and　lovable　man；　who　looked　kindly　on　me；　and　for　whom　I　always　cherished　a　sincere　regard；　a　clergyman's　son；　too；　which　privilege　I　did　not　always　find　the　warrant　of　signal　virtues；　but　no　matter　about　that　here；　and　I　have　promised　myself　to　be　amiable。

On　the　side　of　the　long　room　was　a　large　clock…dial；　bearing　these　words：

　　　　　　　　　　YOUTH　IS　THE　SEED…TIME　OF　LIFE。

I　had　indulged　in　a　prejudice；　up　to　that　hour；　that　youth　was　the　budding　time　of　life；　and　this　clock…dial；　perpetually　twitting　me　with　its　seedy　moral；　always　had　a　forbidding　look　to　my　vernal　apprehension。

I　was　put　into　a　seat　with　an　older　and　much　bigger　boy；　or　youth；　with　a　fuliginous　complexion；　a　dilating　and　whitening　nostril；　and　a　singularly　malignant　scowl。　　Many　years　afterwards　he　committed　an　act　of　murderous　violence；　and　ended　by　going　to　finish　his　days　in　a　madhouse。　　His　delight　was　to　kick　my　shins　with　all　his　might；　under　the　desk；　not　at　all　as　an　act　of　hostility；　but　as　a　gratifying　and　harmless　pastime。　　Finding　this；　so　far　as　I　was　concerned；　equally　devoid　of　pleasure　and　profit；　I　managed　to　get　a　seat　by　another　boy；　the　son　of　a　very　distinguished　divine。　　He　was　bright　enough；　and　more　select　in　his　choice　of　recreations；　at　least　during　school　hours；　than　my　late　homicidal　neighbor。　　But　the　principal　called　me　up　presently；　and　cautioned　me　against　him　as　a　dangerous　companion。　Could　it　be　so？　　If　the　son　of　that　boy's　father　could　not　be　trusted；　what　boy　in　Christendom　could？　　It　seemed　like　the　story　of　the　youth　doomed　to　be　slain　by　a　lion　before　reaching　a　certain　age；　and　whose　fate　found　him　out　in　the　heart　of　the　tower　where　his　father　had　shut　him　up　for　safety。　　Here　was　I；　in　the　very　dove's　nest　of　Puritan　faith；　and　out　of　one　of　its　eggs　a　serpent　had　been　hatched　and　was　trying　to　nestle　in　my　bosom！　　I　parted　from　him；　however；　none　the　worse　for　his　companionship　so　far　as　I　can　remember。

Of　the　boys　who　were　at　school　with　me　at　Andover　one　has　acquired　great　distinction　among　the　scholars　of　the　land。　　One　day　I　observed　a　new　boy　in　a　seat　not　very　far　from　my　own。　　He　was　a　little　fellow；　as　I　recollect　him；　with　black　hair　and　very　bright　black　eyes；　when　at　length　I　got　a　chance　to　look　at　them。　　Of　all　the　new…　comers　during　my　whole　year　he　was　the　only　one　whom　the　first　glance　fixed　in　my　memory；　but　there　he　is　now；　at　this　moment；　just　as　he　caught　my　eye　on　the　morning　of　his　entrance。　　His　head　was　between　his　hands　（I　wonder　if　he　does　not　sometimes　study　in　that　same　posture　nowadays！）　and　his　eyes　were　fastened　to　his　book　as　if　he　had　been　reading　a　will　that　made　him　heir　to　a　million。　　I　feel　sure　that　Professor　Horatio　Balch　Hackett　will　not　find　fault　with　me　for　writing　his　name　under　this　inoffensive　portrait。　　Thousands　of　faces　and　forms　that　I　have　known　more　or　less　familiarly　have　faded　from　my　remembrance；　but　this　presentment　of　the　youthful　student；　sitting　there　entranced　over　the　page　of　his　text…book；the　child…father　of　the　distinguished　scholar　that　was　to　be；is　not　a　picture　framed　and　hung　up　in　my　mind's　gallery；　but　a　fresco　on　its　walls；　there　to　remain　so　long　as　they　hold　together。

My　especial　intimate　was　a　fine；　rosy…faced　boy；　not　quite　so　free　of　speech　as　myself；　perhaps；　but　with　qualities　that　promised　a　noble　manhood；　and　ripened　into　it　in　due　season。　　His　name　was　Phinehas　Barnes；　and；　if　he　is　inquired　after　in　Portland　or　anywhere　in　the　State　of　Maine；　something　will　be　heard　to　his　advantage　from　any　honest　and　intelligent　citizen　of　that　Commonwealth　who　answers　the　question。　　This　was　one　of　two　or　three　friendships　that　lasted。　There　were　other　friends　and　classmates；　one　of　them　a　natural　humorist　of　the　liveliest　sort；　who　would　have　been　quarantined　in　any　Puritan　port；　his　laugh　was　so　potently　contagious。

Of　the　noted　men　of　Andover　the　one　whom　I　remember　best　was　Professor　Moses　Stuart。　　His　house　was　nearly　opposite　the　one　in　which　I　resided　and　I　often　met　him　and　listened　to　him　in　the　chapel　of　the　Seminary。　　I　have　seen　few　more　striking　figures　in　my　life　than　his；　as　I　remember　it。　　Tall；　lean；　with　strong；　bold　features；　a　keen；　scholarly；　accipitrine　nose；　thin；　expressive　lips；　great　solemnity　and　impressiveness　of　voice　and　manner；　he　was　my　early　model　of　a　classic　orator。　　His　air　was　Roman；　his　neck　long　and　bare　like　Cicero's；　and　his　toga；that　is　his　broadcloth　cloak；was　carried　on　his　arm；　whatever　might　have　been　the　weather；　with　such　a　statue…like　rigid　grace　that　he　might　have　been　turned　into　marble　as　he　stood；　and　looked　noble　by　the　side　of　the　antiques　of　the　Vatican。

Dr。　Porter　was　an　invalid；　with　the　prophetic　handkerchief　bundling　his　throat；　and　his　face　〃festooned〃as　I　heard　Hillard　say　once；　speaking　of　one　of　our　College　professorsin　folds　and　wrinkles。　Ill　health　gives　a　certain　common　character　to　all　faces；　as　Nature　has　a　fixed　course　which　she　follows　in　dismantling　a　human　countenance：　the　noblest　and　the　fairest　is　but　a　death's…head　decently　covered　over　for　the　transient　ceremony　of　life；　and　the　drapery　often　falls　half　off　before　the　procession　has　passed。

Dr。　Woods　looked　his　creed　more　decidedly；　perhaps；　than　any　of　the　Professors。　　He　had　the　firm　fibre　of　a　theological　athlete；　and　lived　to　be　old　without　ever　mellowing；　I　think；　into　a　kind　of　half…　heterodoxy；　as　old　ministers　of　stern　creed　are　said　to　do　now　and　then；just　as　old　doctors　grow　to　be　sparing　of　the　more　exasperating　drugs　in　their　later　days。　　He　had　manipulated　the　mysteries　of　the　Infinite　so　long　and　so　exhaustively；　that　he　would　have　seemed　more　at　home　among　the　mediaeval　schoolmen　than　amidst　the　working　clergy　of　our　own　time。

All　schools　have　their　great　men；　for　whose　advent　into　life　the　world　is　waiting　in　dumb　expectancy。　　In　due　time　the　world　seizes　upon　these　wondrous　youth；　opens　the　shell　of　their　possibilities　like　the　valves　of　an　oyster；　swallows　them　at　a　gulp；　and　they　are　for　the　most　part　heard　of　no　more。　　We　had　two　great　men；　grown　up　both　of　them。　　Which　was　the　more　awful　intellectual　power　to　be　launched　upon　society；　we　debated。　　Time　cut　the　knot　in　his　rude　fashion　by　taking　one　away　early；　and　padding　the　other　with　prosperity　so　that　his　course　was　comparatively　noiseless　and　ineffective。　　We　had　our　societies；　too；　one　in　particular；　〃The　Social　Fraternity；〃　the　dread　secrets　of　which　I　am　under　a　lifelong　obligation　never　to　reveal。　　The　fate　of　William　Morgan；　which　the　community　learned　not　long　after　this　time；　reminds　me　of　the　danger　of　the　ground　upon　which　I　am　treading。

There　were　various　distractions　to　make　the　time　not　passed　in　study　a　season　of　relief。　　One　good　lady；　I　was　told；　was　in　the　habit　of　asking　students　to　her　house　on　Saturday　afternoons　and　praying　with　and　for　them。　　Bodily　exercise　was　not；　however；　entirely　superseded　by　spiritual　exercises；　and　a　rudimentary　form　of　base…ball　and　the　heroic　sport　of　football　were　followed　with　some　spirit。

A　slight　immature　boy　finds　his　materials　of　though　and　enjoyment　in　very　shallow　and　simple　sources。　　Yet　a　kind　of　romance　gilds　for　me　the　sober　tableland　of　that　cold　New　England　hill　where　I　came　in　contact　with　a　world　so　strange　to　me；　and　destined　to　leave　such　mingled　and　lasting　impressions。　　I　looked　across　the　valley　to　the　hillside　where　Methuen　hung　suspended；　and　dreamed　of　its　wooded　seclusion　as　a　village　paradise。　　I　tripped　lightly　down　the　long　northern　slope　with　facilis　descensus　on　my　lips；　and　toiled　up　again；　repeating　sed　revocare　gradum。　　I　wandered'　in　the　autumnal　woods　that　crown　the　〃Indian　Ridge；〃　much　wondering　at　that　vast　emba