autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第1章

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Autobiography　of　a　Pocket…Handkerchief

by　James　Fenimore　Coopoer





CHAPTER　I。


Certain　moral　philosophers；　with　a　due　disdain　of　the　flimsy　foundations
of　human　pride；　have　shown　that　every　man　is　equally　descended　from　a
million　of　ancestors；　within　a　given　number　of　generations；　thereby
demonstrating　that　no　prince　exists　who　does　not　participate　in　the
blood　of　some　beggar；　or　any　beggar　who　does　not　share　in　the　blood
of　princes。　Although　favored　by　a　strictly　vegetable　descent　myself；　the
laws　of　nature　have　not　permitted　me　to　escape　from　the　influence　of
this　common　rule。　The　earliest　accounts　I　possess　of　my　progenitors
represent　them　as　a　goodly　growth　of　the　Linum　Usitatissimum；　divided
into　a　thousand　cotemporaneous　plants；　singularly　well　conditioned；　and
remarkable　for　an　equality　that　renders　the　production　valuable。　In　this
particular；　then；　I　may　be　said　to　enjoy　a　precedency　over　the
Bourbons；　themselves；　who　now　govern　no　less　than　four　different
states　of　Europe；　and　who　have　sat　on　thrones　these　thousand　years。

｛Linum　Usitatissimum　=　Linum　usitatissimum　（Cooper's　capitalization
varies）　is　the　botanical　name　for　the　variety　of　flax　from　which　linen　is
made｝

While　our　family　has　followed　the　general　human　law　in　the　matter　just
mentioned；　it　forms　a　marked　exception　to　the　rule　that　so　absolutely
controls　all　of　white　blood；　on　this　continent；　in　what　relates　to
immigration　and　territorial　origin。　When　the　American　enters　on　the
history　of　his　ancestors；　he　is　driven；　after　some　ten　or　twelve
generations　at　most；　to　seek　refuge　in　a　country　in　Europe；　whereas
exactly　the　reverse　is　the　case　with　us；　our　most　remote　extraction　being
American；　while　our　more　recent　construction　and　education　have　taken
place　in　Europe。　When　I　speak　of　the　〃earliest　accounts　I　possess　of　my
progenitors；〃　authentic　information　is　meant　only；　for；　like　other　races；
we　have　certain　dark　legends　that　might　possibly　carry　us　back　again　to
the　old　world　in　quest　of　our　estates　and　privileges。　But；　in　writing　this
history；　it　has　been　my　determination　from　the　first；　to　record　nothing
but　settled　truths；　and　to　reject　everything　in　the　shape　of　vague　report
or　unauthenticated　anecdote。　Under　these　limitations；　I　have　ever
considered　my　family　as　American　by　origin；　European　by　emigration；
and　restored　to　its　paternal　soil　by　the　mutations　and　calculations　of
industry　and　trade。

The　glorious　family　of　cotemporaneous　plants　from　which　I　derive　my
being；　grew　in　a　lovely　vale　of　Connecticut；　and　quite　near　to　the　banks
of　the　celebrated　river　of　the　same　name。　This　renders　us　strictly
Yankee　in　our　origin；　an　extraction　of　which　I　find　all　who　enjoy　it　fond
of　boasting。　It　is　the　only　subject　of　self…felicitation　with　which　I　am
acquainted　that　men　can　indulge　in；　without　awakening　the　envy　of　their
fellow…creatures；　from　which　I　infer　it　is　at　least　innocent；　if　not
commendable。

We　have　traditions　among　us　of　the　enjoyments　of　our　predecessors；　as
they　rioted　in　the　fertility　of　their　cis…atlantic　field；　a　happy　company　of
thriving　and　luxuriant　plants。　Still；　I　shall　pass　them　over；　merely
remarking　that　a　bountiful　nature　has　made　such　provision　for　the
happiness　of　all　created　things　as　enables　each　to　rejoice　in　its　existence；
and　to　praise；　after　its　fashion　and　kind；　the　divine　Being　to　which　it
owes　its　creation。

｛cis…atlantic　=　this　side　of　the　Atlantic　（Latin）｝

In　due　time；　the　field　in　which　my　forefathers　grew　was　gathered；　the
seed　winnowed　from　the　chaff　and　collected　in　casks；　when　the　whole
company　was　shipped　for　Ireland。　Now　occurred　one　of　those　chances
which　decide　the　fortunes　of　plants；　as　well　as　those　of　men；　giving　me　a
claim　to　Norman；　instead　of　Milesian　descent。　The　embarkation；　or
shipment　of　my　progenitors；　whichever　may　be　the　proper　expression；
occurred　in　the　height　of　the　last　general　war；　and；　for　a　novelty；　it
occurred　in　an　English　ship。　A　French　privateer　captured　the　vessel　on
her　passage　home；　the　flaxseed　was　condemned　and　sold；　my　ancestors
being　transferred　in　a　body　to　the　ownership　of　a　certain　agriculturist　in
the　neighborhood　of　Evreux；　who　dealt　largely　in　such　articles。　There
have　been　evil　disposed　vegetables　that　have　seen　fit　to　reproach　us
with　this　sale　as　a　stigma　on　our　family　history；　but　I　have　ever
considered　it　myself　as　a　circumstance　of　which　one　has　no　more　reason
to　be　ashamed　than　a　D'Uzes　has　to　blush　for　the　robberies　of　a　baron
of　the　middle　ages。　Each　is　an　incident　in　the　progress　of　civilization；　the
man　and　the　vegetable　alike　taking　the　direction　pointed　out　by
Providence　for　the　fulfilment　of　his　or　its　destiny。

｛Milesian　=　slang　for　Irish；　from　Milesius；　mythical　Spanish　conqueror
of　Ireland；　Evreux　=　town　in　Normandy；　France；　a　D'Uzes　=　a　member
of　an　ancient　noble　family　in　southern　France｝

Plants　have　sensation　as　well　as　animals。　The　latter；　however；　have　no
consciousness　anterior　to　their　physical　births；　and　very　little；　indeed；　for
some　time　afterwards；　whereas　a　different　law　prevails　as　respects　us；
our　mental　conformation　being　such　as　to　enable　us　to　refer　our　moral
existence　to　a　period　that　embraces　the　experience；　reasoning　and
sentiments　of　several　generations。　As　respects　logical　inductions；　for
instance；　the　linum　usitatissimum　draws　as　largely　on　the　intellectual
acquisitions　of　the　various　epochas　that　belonged　to　the　three　or　four
parent　stems　which　preceded　it；　as　on　its　own。　In　a　word；　that
accumulated　knowledge　which　man　inherits　by　means　of　books；
imparted　and　transmitted　information；　schools；　colleges；　and　universities；
we　obtain　through　more　subtle　agencies　that　are　incorporated　with　our
organic　construction；　and　which　form　a　species　of　hereditary
mesmerism；　a　vegetable　clairvoyance　that　enables　us　to　see　with　the
eyes；　hear　with　the　ears；　and　digest　with　the　understandings　of　our
predecessors。

｛epochas　=　archaic　Latinized　spelling　of　epochs｝

Some　of　the　happiest　moments　of　my　moral　existence　were　thus
obtained；　while　our　family　was　growing　in　the　fields　of　Normandy。　It
happened　that　a　distinguished　astronomer　selected　a　beautiful　seat；　that
was　placed　on　the　very　margin　of　our　position；　as　a　favorite　spot　for　his
observations　and　discourses；　from　a　recollection　of　the　latter　of　which；
in　particular；　I　still　derive　indescribable　satisfaction。　It　seems　as　only
yesterdayit　is　in　fact　fourteen　long；　long　yearsthat　I　heard　him　thus
holding　forth　to　his　pupils；　explaining　the　marvels　of　the　illimitable　void；
and　rendering　clear　to　my　understanding　the　vast　distance　that　exists
between　the　Being　that　created　all　things　and　the　works　of　his　hands。　To
those　who　live　in　the　narrow　circle　of　human　interests　and　human
feelings；　there　ever　exists；　unheeded；　almost　unnoticed；　before　their　very
eyes；　the　most　humbling　proofs　of　their　own　comparative　insignificance
in　the　scale　of　creation；　which；　in　the　midst　of　their　admitted　mastery
over　the　earth　and　all　it　contains；　it　would　be　well　for　them　to　consider；
if　they　would　obtain　just　views　of　what　they　are　and　what　they　were
intended　to　be。

I　think　I　can　still　hear　this　learned　and　devout　manfor　his　soul　was
filled　with　devotion　to　the　dread　Being　that　could　hold　a　universe　in
subjection　to　His　willdwelling　with　delight　on　all　the　discoveries　among
the　heavenly　bodies；　that　the　recent　improvements　in　science　and
mechanics　have　enabled　the　astronomers　to　make。　Fortunately；　he　gave
his　discourses　somewhat　of　the　progressive　character　of　lectures；
leading　his　listeners　on；　as　it　might　be　step　by　step；　in　a　way　to　render　all
easy　to　the　commonest　understanding。　Thus　it　was；　I　first　got　accurate
notions　of　the　almost　inconceivable　magnitude　of　space；　to　which；
indeed；　it　is　probable　there　are　no　more　positive　limits　than　there　are　a
beginning　and　an　end　to　eternity！　Can　these　wonders　be；　I　thoughtand
how　pitiful　in　those　who　affect　to　reduce　all　things　to　the　level　of　their
own　powers　of　comprehension；　and　their　own　experience　in　practice！
Let　them　exercise　their　sublime　and　boasted　reason；　I　said　to　myself；　in
endeavoring　to　comprehend　infinity　in　any　th