the professor at the breakfast table-第50部分
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XII
A young fellow； born of good stock； in one of the more thoroughly
civilized portions of these United States of America； bred in good
principles； inheriting a social position which makes him at his ease
everywhere； means sufficient to educate him thoroughly without
taking away the stimulus to vigorous exertion； and with a good
opening in some honorable path of labor； is the finest sight our
private satellite has had the opportunity of inspecting on the
planet to which she belongs。 In some respects it was better to be a
young Greek。 If we may trust the old marbles； my friend with his
arm stretched over my head； above there； （in plaster of Paris；） or
the discobolus； whom one may see at the principal sculpture gallery
of this metropolis；those Greek young men were of supreme beauty。
Their close curls； their elegantly set heads； column…like necks；
straight noses； short； curled lips； firm chins； deep chests； light
flanks； large muscles； small joints； were finer than anything we
ever see。 It may well be questioned whether the human shape will
ever present itself again in a race of such perfect symmetry。 But
the life of the youthful Greek was local； not planetary； like that
of the young American。 He had a string of legends； in place of our
Gospels。 He had no printed books； no newspaper； no steam caravans；
no forks； no soap； none of the thousand cheap conveniences which
have become matters of necessity to our modern civilization。 Above
all things； if he aspired to know as well as to enjoy； he found
knowledge not diffused everywhere about him； so that a day's labor
would buy him more wisdom than a year could master； but held in
private hands； hoarded in precious manuscripts； to be sought for
only as gold is sought in narrow fissures； and in the beds of
brawling streams。 Never； since man came into this atmosphere of
oxygen and azote； was there anything like the condition of the young
American of the nineteenth century。 Having in possession or in
prospect the best part of half a world； with all its climates and
soils to choose from； equipped with wings of fire and smoke than fly
with him day and night； so that he counts his journey not in miles；
but in degrees； and sees the seasons change as the wild fowl sees
them in his annual flights； with huge leviathans always ready to
take him on their broad backs and push behind them with their
pectoral or caudal fins the waters that seam the continent or
separate the hemispheres； heir of all old civilizations； founder of
that new one which； if all the prophecies of the human heart are not
lies； is to be the noblest； as it is the last； isolated in space
from the races that are governed by dynasties whose divine right
grows out of human wrong； yet knit into the most absolute solidarity
with mankind of all times and places by the one great thought he
inherits as his national birthright； free to form and express his
opinions on almost every subject； and assured that he will soon
acquire the last franchise which men withhold from man；that of
stating the laws of his spiritual being and the beliefs he accepts
without hindrance except from clearer views of truth；he seems to
want nothing for a large； wholesome； noble； beneficent life。 In
fact； the chief danger is that he will think the whole planet is
made for him； and forget that there are some possibilities left in
the debris of the old…world civilization which deserve a certain
respectful consideration at his hands。
The combing and clipping of this shaggy wild continent are in some
measure done for him by those who have gone before。 Society has
subdivided itself enough to have a place for every form of talent。
Thus； if a man show the least sign of ability as a sculptor or a
painter； for instance； he finds the means of education and a demand
for his services。 Even a man who knows nothing but science will be
provided for； if he does not think it necessary to hang about his
birthplace all his days；which is a most unAmerican weakness。 The
apron…strings of an American mother are made of India…rubber。 Her
boy belongs where he is wanted； and that young Marylander of ours
spoke for all our young men； when he said that his home was wherever
the stars and stripes blew over his head。
And that leads me to say a few words of this young gentleman； who
made that audacious movement lately which I chronicled in my last
record；jumping over the seats of I don't know how many boarders to
put himself in the place which the Little Gentleman's absence had
left vacant at the side of Iris。 When a young man is found
habitually at the side of any one given young lady；when he lingers
where she stays； and hastens when she leaves；when his eyes follow
her as she moves and rest upon her when she is still；when he
begins to grow a little timid； he who was so bold； and a little
pensive； he who was so gay； whenever accident finds them alone；
when he thinks very often of the given young lady； and names her
very seldom；
What do you say about it； my charming young expert in that sweet
science in which； perhaps； a long experience is not the first of
qualifications？
But we don't know anything about this young man； except that he is
good…looking； and somewhat high…spirited； and strong…limbed； and has
a generous style of nature；all very promising； but by no means
proving that he is a proper lover for Iris； whose heart we turned
inside out when we opened that sealed book of hers。
Ah； my dear young friend！ When your mamma then； if you will believe
it； a very slight young lady； with very pretty hair and figurecame
and told her mamma that your papa hadhadasked No； no； no！ she
could n't say it； but her motheroh the depth of maternal sagacity！
guessed it all without another word！ When your mother； I say；
came and told her mother she was engaged； and your grandmother told
your grandfather； how much did they know of the intimate nature of
the young gentleman to whom she had pledged her existence？ I will
not be so hard as to ask how much your respected mamma knew at that
time of the intimate nature of your respected papa； though； if we
should compare a young girl's man…as…she…thinks…him with a forty…
summered matron's man…as…she…finds…him； I have my doubts as to
whether the second would be a facsimile of the first in most cases。
The idea that in this world each young person is to wait until he or
she finds that precise counterpart who alone of all creation was
meant for him or her； and then fall instantly in love with it； is
pretty enough； only it is not Nature's way。 It is not at all
essential that all pairs of human beings should be； as we sometimes
say of particular couples； 〃born for each other。〃 Sometimes a man
or a woman is made a great deal better and happier in the end for
having had to conquer the faults of the one beloved； and make the
fitness not found at first； by gradual assimilation。 There is a
class of good women who have no right to marry perfectly good men；
because they have the power of saving those who would go to ruin but
for the guiding providence of a good wife。 I have known many such
cases。 It is the most momentous question a woman is ever called
upon to decide； whether the faults of the man she loves are beyond
remedy and will drag her down； or whether she is competent to be his
earthly redeemer and lift him to her own level。
A person of genius should marry a person of character。 Genius does
not herd with genius。 The musk…deer and the civet…cat are never
found in company。 They don't care for strange scents；they like
plain animals better than perfumed ones。 Nay； if you will have the
kindness to notice； Nature has not gifted my lady musk…deer with the
personal peculiarity by which her lord is so widely known。
Now when genius allies itself with character； the world is very apt
to think character has the best of the bargain。 A brilliant woman
marries a plain； manly fellow； with a simple intellectual
mechanism；we have all seen such cases。 The world often stares a
good deal and wonders。 She should have taken that other； with a far
more complex mental machinery。 She might have had a watch with the
philosophical compensation…balance； with the metaphysical index
which can split a second into tenths； with the musical chime which
can turn every quarter of an hour into melody。 She has chosen a
plain one； that keeps good time； and that is all。
Let her alone！ She knows what she is about。 Genius has an
infinitely deeper reverence for character than character can have
for genius。 To be sure； genius gets the world's praise； because its
work is a tangible product； to be bought； or had for nothing。 It
bribes the common voice to praise it by presents of speeches； poems；
statues； pictures； or whatever it can please with。 Character
evolves its best products for home consumption； but； mind you； it
takes a deal more to feed a family for thirty years than to make a
holiday feast for our neighbors once or twice in our lives。 You
talk of the fire of genius。 Many a blessed woman； who dies unsung
and unremembered； has given out more of the real vital heat that
keeps the life in human souls； without a spark flitting through her
humble chimney to tell the world about it； than would set a dozen
theories smoking； or a hundred odes simmering； in the brains of so
many men of genius。 It is in latent caloric； if I may borrow a
philosophical expression； that many of the noblest hearts give out
the life that warms them。 Cornelia's lips grow white； and her pulse
hardly warms her thin fingers；but she has melted all the ice out
of the hearts of those young Gracchi； and her lost heat is in the
blood of her youthful heroes。 We are always valuing the soul's
temperature by the thermometer of public deed or word。 Yet the
great sun himself； when he pours his noonday beams upon some vast
hyali
