the professor at the breakfast table-第6部分

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not　write　to　suit　himself；　except　from　the　autumnal　to　the　vernal

equinox。　　One　in　the　clothing…business；　who；　there　is　reason　to

suspect；　may　have　inherited；　by　descent；　the　great　poet's　impressible

temperament；　let　a　customer　slip　through　his　fingers　one　day　without

fitting　him　with　a　new　garment。　　〃Ah！〃　said　he　to　a　friend　of　mine；

who　was　standing　by；　〃if　it　hadn't　been　for　that　confounded　headache

of　mine　this　morning；　I'd　have　had　a　coat　on　that　man；　in　spite　of

himself；　before　he　left…the　store。〃　　A　passing　throb；　only；but　it

deranged　the　nice　mechanism　required　to　persuade　the　accidental　human

being；　X；　into　a　given　piece　of　broadcloth；　A。



We　must　take　care　not　to　confound　this　frequent　difficulty　of

transmission　of　our　ideas　with　want　of　ideas。　　I　suppose　that　a　man's

mind　does　in　time　form　a　neutral　salt　with　the　elements　in　the

universe　for　which　it　has　special　elective　affinities。　　In　fact；　I

look　upon　a　library　as　a　kind　of　mental　chemist's　shop　filled　with

the　crystals　of　all　forms　and　hues　which　have　come　from　the　union　of

individual　thought　with　local　circumstances　or　universal　principles。



When　a　man　has　worked　out　his　special　affinities　in　this　way；　there

is　an　end　of　his　genius　as　a　real　solvent。　　No　more　effervescence　and

hissing　tumultas　he　pours　his　sharp　thought　on　the　world's　biting

alkaline　unbeliefs！　　No　more　corrosion　of　the　old　monumental　tablets

covered　with　lies！　　No　more　taking　up　of　dull　earths；　and　turning

them；　first　into　clear　solutions；　and　then　into　lustrous　prisms！



I；　the　Professor；　am　very　much　like　other　men：　I　shall　not　find　out

when　I　have　used　up　my　affinities。　　What　a　blessed　thing　it　is；　that

Nature；　when　she　invented；　manufactured；　and　patented　her　authors；

contrived　to　make　critics　out　of　the　chips　that　were　left！　　Painful

as　the　task　is；　they　never　fail　to　warn　the　author；　in　the　most

impressive　manner；　of　the　probabilities　of　failure　in　what　he　has

undertaken。　　Sad　as　the　necessity　is　to　their　delicate　sensibilities；

they　never　hesitate　to　advertise　him　of　the　decline　of　his　powers；

and　to　press　upon　him　the　propriety　of　retiring　before　he　sinks　into

imbecility。　　Trusting　to　their　kind　offices；　I　shall　endeavor　to

fulfil…



Bridget　enters　and　begins　clearing　the　table。



The　following　poem　is　my　（The　Professor's）　only　contribution　to　the

great　department　of　Ocean…Cable　literature。　　As　all　the　poets　of　this

country　will　be　engaged　for　the　next　six　weeks　in　writing　for　the

premium　offered　by　the　Crystal…Palace　Company　for　the　Burns

Centenary；　（so　called；　according　to　our　Benjamin　Franklin；　because

there　will　be　nary　a　cent　for　any　of　us；）　poetry　will　be　very　scarce

and　dear。　　Consumers　may；　consequently；　be　glad　to　take　the　present

article；　which；　by　the　aid　of　a　Latin　tutorand　a　Professor　of

Chemistry；　will　be　found　intelligible　to　the　educated　classes。









　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DE　SAUTY



　　　　　　　　　AN　ELECTRO…CHEMICAL　ECLOGUE。



　　　　　　　　　Professor。　　　　　　　Blue…Nose。





PROFESSOR。



Tell　me；　O　Provincial！　　speak；　Ceruleo…Nasal！

Lives　there　one　De　Sauty　extant　now　among　yon；

Whispering　Boanerges；　son　of　silent　thunder；

Holding　talk　with　nations　？



Is　there　a　De　Sauty；　ambulant　on　Tellus；

Bifid…cleft　like　mortals；　dormient　in　night…cap；

Having　sight；　smell；　hearing；　food…receiving　feature

Three　times　daily　patent　？



Breathes　there　such　a　being；　O　Ceruleo…Nasal？

Or　is　he　a　mythus；ancient　word　for　〃humbug；〃

Such　as　Livy　told　about　the　wolf　that　wet…nursed

Romulus　and　Remus？



Was　he　born　of　woman；　this　alleged　De　Sauty？

Or　a　living　product　of　galvanic　action；

Like　the　status　bred　in　Crosses　flint…solution？

Speak；　thou　Cyano…Rhinal！







BLUE…NOSE。



Many　things　thou　askest；　jackknife…bearing　stranger；

Much…conjecturing　mortal；　pork…and…treacle…waster！

Pretermit　thy　whittling；　wheel　thine　ear…flap　toward　me；

Thou　shalt　hear　them　answered。



When　the　charge　galvanic　tingled　through　the　cable；

At　the　polar　focus　of　the　wire　electric

Suddenly　appeared　a　white…faced　man　among　us

Called　himself　〃DE　SAUTY。〃



As　the　small　opossum　held　in　pouch　maternal

Grasps　the　nutrient　organ　whence　the　term　mammalia；

So　the　unknown　stranger　held　the　wire　electric；

Sucking　in　the　current。



When　the　current　strengthened；　bloomed　the　pale…faced　stranger；

Took　no　drink　nor　victual；　yet　grew　fat　and　rosy；

And　from　time　to　time；　in　sharp　articulation；

Said；　〃All　right！　　DE　SAUTY。〃



》From　the　lonely　station　passed　the　utterance；　spreading

Through　the　pines　and　hemlocks　to　the　groves　of　steeples

Till　the　land　was　filled　with　loud　reverberations

Of　〃All　right！　DE　SAUTY。〃



When　the　current　slackened；　drooped　the　mystic　stranger；

Faded；　faded；　faded；　as　the　stream　grew　weaker；

Wasted　to　a　shadow；　with　a　hartshorn　odor

Of　disintegration。



Drops　of　deliquescence　glistened　on　his　forehead；

Whitened　round　his　feet　the　dust　of　efflorescence；

Till　one　Monday　morning；　when　the　flow　suspended；

There　was　no　De　Sauty。



Nothing　but　a　cloud　of　elements　organic；

C。　O。　H。　N。　Ferrum；　Chor。　　Flu。　　Sil。　　Potassa；

Calc。　　Sod。　　Phosph。　　Mag。　　Sulphur；　Mang。（？）　Alumin。（？）　Cuprum；（？）

Such　as　man　is　made　of。



Born　of　stream　galvanic；　with　it　be　had　perished！

There　is　no　De　Sauty　now　there　is　no　current！

Give　us　a　new　cable；　then　again　we'll　hear　him

Cry；　〃All　right！　　DE　SAUTY。〃









II



Back　again！　A　turtlewhich　means　a　tortoiseis　fond　of　his　shell；

but　if　you　put　a　live　coal　on　his　back；　he　crawls　out　of　it。　　So　the

boys　say。



It　is　a　libel　on　the　turtle。　　He　grows　to　his　shell；　and　his　shell　is

in　his　body　as　much　as　his　body　is　in　his　shell。　I　don't　think

there　is　one　of　our　boarders　quite　so　testudineous　as　I　am。　　Nothing

but　a　combination　of　motives；　more　peremptory　than　the　coal　on　the

turtle's　back；　could　have　got　me　to　leave　the　shelter　of　my　carapace；

and　after　memorable　interviews；　and　kindest　hospitalities；　and　grand

sights；　and　huge　influx　of　patriotic　pride；for　every　American　owns

all　America；



　　　　　　　　　　〃Creation's　heir；the　world；　the　world　is〃



his；　if　anybody's；I　come　back　with　the　feeling　which　a　boned　turkey

might　experience；　if；　retaining　his　consciousness；　he　were　allowed　to

resume　his　skeleton。



Welcome；　O　Fighting　Gladiator；　and　Recumbent　Cleopatra；　and　Dying

Warrior；　whose　classic　outlines　（reproduced　in　the　calcined　mineral

of　Lutetia）　crown　my　loaded　shelves！　　Welcome；　ye　triumphs　of

pictorial　art　（repeated　by　the　magic　graver）　that　look　down　upon　me

from　the　walls　of　my　sacred　cell！　　Vesalius；　as　Titian　drew　him；

high…fronted；　still…eyed；　thick…bearded；　with　signet…ring；　as　beseems

a　gentleman；　with　book　and　carelessly…held　eyeglass；　marking　him　a

scholar；　thou；　too；　Jan　Kuyper；　commonly　called　Jan　Praktiseer；　old

man　of　a　century　and　seven　years　besides；　father　of　twenty　sons　and

two　daughters；　cut　in　copper　by　Houbraken；　bought　from　a　portfolio　on

one　of　the　Paris　quais；　and　ye　Three　Trees　of　Rembrandt；　black　in

shadow　against　the　blaze　of　light；　and　thou　Rosy　Cottager　of　Sir

Joshua；　roses　hinted　by　the　peppery　burin　of　Bartolozzi；　ye；　too；　of

lower　grades　in　nature；　yet　not　unlovely　for　unrenowned；　Young　Bull

of　Paulus　Potter；　and　sleeping　Cat　of　Cornelius　Visscher；　welcome

once　more　to　my　eyes！　　The　old　books　look　out　from　the　shelves；　and　I

seem　to　read　on　their　backs　something　asides　their　titles；a　kind　of

solemn　greeting。　　The　crimson　carpet　flushes　warm　under　my　feet。　　The

arm…chair　hugs　me；　the　swivel…chair　spins　round　with　me；　as　if　it

were　giddy　with　pleasure；　the　vast　recumbent　fauteuil　stretches

itself　out　under　my　weight；　as　one　joyous　with　food　and　wine

stretches　in　after…dinner　laughter。



The　boarders　were　pleased　to　say　that　they　were　glad　to　get　me　back。

One　of　them　ventured　a　compliment；　namely；that　I　talked　as　if　I

believed　what　I　said。　This　was　apparently　considered　something

unusual；　by　its　being　mentioned。



One　who　means　to　talk　with　entire　sincerity；I　said；always　feels

himself　in　danger　of　two　things；　namely；an　affectation　of

bluntness；　like　that　of　which　Cornwall　accuses　Kent　in　〃Lear；〃　and

actual　rudeness。　　What　a　man　wants　to　do；　in　talking　with　a　stranger；

is　to　get　and　to　give　as　much　of　the　best　and　most　real　life　that

belongs　to　the　two　talkers　as　the　time　will　let　him。　　Life　is　short；

and　conversation　apt　to　run　to　mere　words。　　Mr。　Hue　I　think　it　is；

who　tells　us　some　very　good　stories　about　the　way　in　which　two

Chinese　gentlemen　contrive　to　keep　up　a　long　talk　without　saying　a

word　which　has　any　meaning　in　it。　　Something　like　this　is

occasionally　heard　on　this　side　of　the　Great　Wall。　　The　best　Chinese

talkers　I　know　are　some　pretty　women　whom　I　meet　from　time　to　time。

Pleasant；　airy；　complimentary；　the　little　flakes　of　flattery

glimmering　in　their　talk　like　the　bits　of　gold…leaf　in　eau…de…vie　de

Dantzic；　their　accents　flowing　on　in　a　soft　ripple；never　a　wave；

and　never　a　calm　；　words　nicely　fitted；　but　never　a　colored　phrase　or

a　highly…flavored　epithet；　they　turn　air　into　syllables　so

gracefully；　that　we　find　meaning　for　the　music　they　make　as　we　find

faces　in　the　coals　and　fairy　palaces　in　the　clouds。　　There　is

something　very　odd；　though；　about　this　mechanical　talk。



You　have　sometimes　been　in　a　train　on　the　railroad　when　the　engine

was　detached　a　long　way　from　the　station　you　were　approaching？　　Well；

you　have　noticed　how　quietly　and　rapidly　the　cars　kept　on；　just　as　if

the　locomotive　were　drawing　them？　　Indeed；　you　would　not　have

suspected　that　you　were　travelling　on　the　strength　of　a　dead　fact；　if

you　had　not　seen　the　engine　running　away　from　you　on　a　side…track。

Upon　my　conscience；　I　believe　some　of　these　pretty　women　detach　their

minds　entirely；　sometimes；　from　their　talk；and；　what　is　more；　that

we　never　know　the　difference。　　Their　lips　let　off　the　fluty　syllables

just　as　their