burlesques-第3章

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occupy；　there　were　men　of　wit　and　pleasure　and　fashion；　some　five…

and…twenty　lustres　ago。



We　are　at　Button'sthe　well…known　sign　of　the　〃Turk's　Head。〃　　The

crowd　of　periwigged　heads　at　the　windowsthe　swearing　chairmen

round　the　steps　（the　blazoned　and　coronalled　panels　of　whose

vehicles　denote　the　lofty　rank　of　their　owners）；the　throng　of

embroidered　beaux　entering　or　departing；　and　rendering　the　air

fragrant　with　the　odors　of　pulvillio　and　pomander；　proclaim　the

celebrated　resort　of　London's　Wit　and　Fashion。　　It　is　the　corner　of

Regent　Street。　　Carlton　House　has　not　yet　been　taken　down。



A　stately　gentleman　in　crimson　velvet　and　gold　is　sipping　chocolate

at　one　of　the　tables；　in　earnest　converse　with　a　friend　whose　suit

is　likewise　embroidered；　but　stained　by　time；　or　wine　mayhap；　or

wear。　　A　little　deformed　gentleman　in　iron…gray　is　reading　the

Morning　Chronicle　newspaper　by　the　fire；　while　a　divine；　with　a

broad　brogue　and　a　shovel　hat　and　cassock；　is　talking　freely　with　a

gentleman；　whose　star　and　ribbon；　as　well　as　the　unmistakable

beauty　of　his　Phidian　countenance；　proclaims　him　to　be　a　member　of

Britain's　aristocracy。



Two　ragged　youths；　the　one　tall；　gaunt；　clumsy　and　scrofulous；　the

other　with　a　wild；　careless；　beautiful　look；　evidently　indicating

Race；　are　gazing　in　at　the　window；　not　merely　at　the　crowd　in　the

celebrated　Club；　but　at　Timothy　the　waiter；　who　is　removing　a　plate

of　that　exquisite　dish；　the　muffin　（then　newly　invented）；　at　the

desire　of　some　of　the　revellers　within。



〃I　would；　Sam；〃　said　the　wild　youth　to　his　companion；　〃that　I　had

some　of　my　mother　Macclesfield's　gold；　to　enable　us　to　eat　of　those

cates　and　mingle　with　yon　springalds　and　beaux。〃



〃To　vaunt　a　knowledge　of　the　stoical　philosophy；〃　said　the　youth

addressed　as　Sam；　〃might　elicit　a　smile　of　incredulity　upon　the

cheek　of　the　parasite　of　pleasure；　but　there　are　moments　in　life

when　History　fortifies　endurance：　and　past　study　renders　present

deprivation　more　bearable。　　If　our　pecuniary　resources　be　exiguous；

let　our　resolution；　Dick；　supply　the　deficiencies　of　Fortune。　　The

muffin　we　desire　to…day　would　little　benefit　us　to…morrow。　　Poor

and　hungry　as　we　are；　are　we　less　happy；　Dick；　than　yon　listless

voluptuary　who　banquets　on　the　food　which　you　covet？〃



And　the　two　lads　turned　away　up　Waterloo　Place；　and　past　the

〃Parthenon〃　Club…house；　and　disappeared　to　take　a　meal　of　cow…heel

at　a　neighboring　cook's　shop。　　Their　names　were　Samuel　Johnson　and

Richard　Savage。



Meanwhile　the　conversation　at　Button's　was　fast　and　brilliant。　　〃By

Wood's　thirteens；　and　the　divvle　go　wid　'em；〃　cried　the　Church

dignitary　in　the　cassock；　〃is　it　in　blue　and　goold　ye　are　this

morning；　Sir　Richard；　when　you　ought　to　be　in　seebles？〃



〃Who's　dead；　Dean？〃　said　the　nobleman；　the　dean's　companion。



〃Faix；　mee　Lard　Bolingbroke；　as　sure　as　mee　name's　Jonathan　Swift

and　I'm　not　so　sure　of　that　neither；　for　who　knows　his　father's

name？there's　been　a　mighty　cruel　murther　committed　entirely。　　A

child　of　Dick　Steele's　has　been　barbarously　slain；　dthrawn；　and

quarthered；　and　it's　Joe　Addison　yondther　has　done　it。　　Ye　should

have　killed　one　of　your　own；　Joe；　ye　thief　of　the　world。〃



〃I！〃　said　the　amazed　and　Right　Honorable　Joseph　Addison；　〃I　kill

Dick's　child！　　I　was　godfather　to　the　last。〃



〃And　promised　a　cup　and　never　sent　it；〃　Dick　ejaculated。　　Joseph

looked　grave。



〃The　child　I　mean　is　Sir　Roger　de　Coverley；　Knight　and　Baronet。

What　made　ye　kill　him；　ye　savage　Mohock？　　The　whole　town　is　in

tears　about　the　good　knight；　all　the　ladies　at　Church　this

afternoon　were　in　mourning；　all　the　booksellers　are　wild；　and

Lintot　says　not　a　third　of　the　copies　of　the　Spectator　are　sold

since　the　death　of　the　brave　old　gentleman。〃　　And　the　Dean　of　St。

Patrick's　pulled　out　the　Spectator　newspaper；　containing　the　well…

known　passage　regarding　Sir　Roger's　death。　　〃I　bought　it　but　now　in

'Wellington　Street；'〃　he　said；　〃the　newsboys　were　howling　all　down

the　Strand。〃



〃What　a　miracle　is　GeniusGenius；　the　Divine　and　Beautiful；〃　said

a　gentleman　leaning　against　the　same　fireplace　with　the　deformed

cavalier　in　iron…gray；　and　addressing　that　individual；　who　was　in

fact　Mr。　Alexander　Pope。　　〃What　a　marvellous　gift　is　this；　and

royal　privilege　of　Art！　　To　make　the　Ideal　more　credible　than　the

Actual：　to　enchain　our　hearts；　to　command　our　hopes；　our　regrets；

our　tears；　for　a　mere　brain…born　Emanation：　to　invest　with　life　the

Incorporeal；　and　to　glamour　the　cloudy　into　substance；these　are

the　lofty　privileges　of　the　Poet；　if　I　have　read　poesy　aright；　and

I　am　as　familiar　with　the　sounds　that　rang　from　Homer's　lyre；　as

with　the　strains　which　celebrate　the　loss　of　Belinda's　lovely

locks〃（Mr。　Pope　blushed　and　bowed；　highly　delighted）〃these；　I

say；　sir；　are　the　privileges　of　the　Poetthe　Poietesthe　Maker

he　moves　the　world；　and　asks　no　lever；　if　he　cannot　charm　death

into　life；　as　Orpheus　feigned　to　do；　he　can　create　Beauty　out　of

Nought；　and　defy　Death　by　rendering　Thought　Eternal。　　Ho！　Jemmy；

another　flask　of　Nantz。〃



And　the　boyfor　he　who　addressed　the　most　brilliant　company　of

wits　in　Europe　was　little　moreemptied　the　contents　of　the　brandy…

flask　into　a　silver　flagon；　and　quaffed　it　gayly　to　the　health　of

the　company　assembled。　　'Twas　the　third　he　had　taken　during　the

sitting。　　Presently；　and　with　a　graceful　salute　to　the　Society；　he

quitted　the　coffee…house；　and　was　seen　cantering　on　a　magnificent

Arab　past　the　National　Gallery。



〃Who　is　yon　spark　in　blue　and　silver？　　He　beats　Joe　Addison

himself；　in　drinking；；　and　pious　Joe　is　the　greatest　toper　in　the

three　kingdoms；〃　Dick　Steele　said；　good…naturedly。



〃His　paper　in　the　Spectator　beats　thy　best；　Dick；　thou　sluggard；〃

the　Right　Honorable　Mr。　Addison　exclaimed。　　〃He　is　the　author　of

that　famous　No。　996；　for　which　you　have　all　been　giving　me　the

credit。〃



〃The　rascal　foiled　me　at　capping　verses；〃　Dean　Swift　said；　〃and　won

a　tenpenny　piece　of　me；　plague　take　him！〃



〃He　has　suggested　an　emendation　in　my　'Homer；'　which　proves　him　a

delicate　scholar；〃　Mr。　Pope　exclaimed。



〃He　knows　more　of　the　French　king　than　any　man　I　have　met　with；　and

we　must　have　an　eye　upon　him；〃　said　Lord　Bolingbroke；　then

Secretary　of　State　for　Foreign　Affairs；　and　beckoning　a　suspicious…

looking　person　who　was　drinking　at　a　side…table；　whispered　to　him

something。



Meantime　who　was　he？　where　was　he；　this　youth　who　had　struck　all

the　wits　of　London　with　admiration？　　His　galloping　charger　had

returned　to　the　City；　his　splendid　court…suit　was　doffed　for　the

citizen's　gabardine　and　grocer's　humble　apron。



George　de　Barnwell　was　in　Chepein　Chepe；　at　the　feet　of　Martha

Millwood。





VOL　III。



THE　CONDEMNED　CELL。





〃Quid　me　mollibus　implicas　lacertis；　my　Elinor？　　Nay；〃　George

added；　a　faint　smile　illumining　his　wan　but　noble　features；　〃why

speak　to　thee　in　the　accents　of　the　Roman　poet；　which　thou

comprehendest　not？　　Bright　One；　there　be　other　things　in　Life；　in

Nature；　in　this　Inscrutable　Labyrinth；　this　Heart　on　which　thou

leanest；　which　are　equally　unintelligible　to　thee！　　Yes；　my　pretty

one；　what　is　the　Unintelligible　but　the　Ideal？　what　is　the　Ideal

but　the　Beautiful？　what　the　Beautiful　but　the　Eternal？　　And　the

Spirit　of　Man　that　would　commune　with　these　is　like　Him　who　wanders

by　the　thina　poluphloisboio　thalasses；　and　shrinks　awe…struck

before　that　Azure　Mystery。〃



Emily's　eyes　filled　with　fresh…gushing　dew。　　〃Speak　on；　speak　ever

thus；　my　George；〃　she　exclaimed。　　Barnwell's　chains　rattled　as　the

confiding　girl　clung　to　him。　　Even　Snoggin；　the　turnkey　appointed

to　sit　with　the　Prisoner；　was　affected　by　his　noble　and　appropriate

language；　and　also　burst　into　tears。



〃You　weep；　my　Snoggin；〃　the　Boy　said；　〃and　why？　　Hath　Life　been　so

charming　to　me　that　I　should　wish　to　retain　it？　hath　Pleasure　no

after…Weariness？　　Ambit