the spirit of place and other essays(地方的精神等)-第13章
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German whereof Germans； and German women in particular； ought with
all severity to be deprived。 For Germans often tell you of words in their
own tongue that are untranslatable； and accordingly they should not be
translated； but given over in their own conditions； unaltered； into safer
hands。 There would be a clearing of the outlines of German ideas； a
better order in the phrase； the possessors of an alien word； with the
thought it secures； would find also their advantage。
So with French humour。 It is expressly and signally for English ears。
It is so even in the commonest farce。 The unfortunate householder； for
example； who is persuaded to keep walking in the conservatory 〃pour
retablir la circulation；〃 and the other who describes himself 〃sous…chef de
bureau dans l'enregistrement；〃 and he who proposes to 〃faire hommage〃 of
a doubtful turbot to the neighbouring 〃employe de l'octroi〃these and all
their like speak commonplaces so usual as to lose in their own country the
perfection of their dulness。 We only； who have the alternative of plainer
and fresher words； understand it。 It is not the least of the advantages of
our own dual English that we become sensible of the mockery of certain
phrases that in France have lost half their ridicule； uncontrasted。
Take again the common rhetoric that has fixed itself in conversation in
all Latin languagesrhetoric that has ceased to have allusions； either
majestic or comic。 To the ear somewhat unused to French this proffers a
frequent comedy that the well…accustomed ear； even of an Englishman； no
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longer detects。 A guard on a French railway； who advised two travellers
to take a certain train for fear they should be obliged to 〃vegeter〃 for a
whole hour in the waiting…room of such or such a station seemed to the
less practised tourist to be a fresh kind of unexpected humourist。
One of the phrases always used in the business of charities and
subscriptions in France has more than the intentional comedy of the farce…
writer； one of the most absurd of his personages； wearying his visitors in
the country with a perpetual game of bowls； says to them： 〃Nous jouons
cinquante centimesles benefices seront verses integralement e la
souscription qui est ouverte e la commune pour la construction de notre
maison d'ecole。〃
〃Fletrir；〃 again。 Nothing could be more rhetorical than this perfectly
common word of controversy。 The comic dramatist is well aware of the
spent violence of this phrase； with which every serious Frenchman will
reply to opponents； especially in public matters。 But not even the comic
dramatist is aware of the last state of refuse commonplace that a word of
this kind represents。 Refuse rhetoric； by the way； rather than Emerson's
〃fossil poetry；〃 would seem to be the right name for human language as
some of the processes of the several recent centuries have left it。
The French comedy； then； is fairly stuffed with thin…S for an
Englishman。 They are not all； it is true； so finely comic as 〃Il s'est
trompe de defunte。〃 In the report of that dull； incomparable sentence
there is enough humour； and subtle enough； for both the maker and the
reader； for the author who perceives the comedy as well as custom will
permit； and for the reader who takes it with the freshness of a stranger。
But if not so keen as this； the current word of French comedy is of the
same quality of language。 When of the fourteen couples to be married by
the mayor； for instance； the deaf clerk has shuffled two； a looker…on
pronounces： 〃Il s'est empetre dans les futurs。〃 But for a reader who has
a full sense of the several languages that exist in English at the service of
the several ways of human life； there is； from the mere terminology of
official France； high or lowdaily Francea gratuitous and uncovenanted
smile to be had。 With this the wit of the report of French literature has
not little to do。 Nor is it in itself； perhaps； reasonably comic； but the
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slightest irony of circumstance makes it so。 A very little of the mockery
of conditions brings out all the latent absurdity of the 〃sixieme et septieme
arron… dissements；〃 in the twinkling of an eye。 So is it with the mere
〃domicile；〃 with the aid of but a little of the burlesque of life； the suit at
law to 〃reintegrer le domicile conjugal〃 becomes as grotesque as a phrase
can make it。 Even 〃e domicile〃 merelythe word of every shopmanis；
in the unconscious mouths of the speakers； always awaiting the lightest
touch of farce； if only an Englishman hears it； so is the advice of the police
that you shall 〃circuler〃 in the street； so is the request； posted up； that you
shall not； in the churches。
So are the serious and ordinary phrases； 〃maison nuptiale；〃 〃maison
mortuaire；〃 and the still more serious 〃repos dominical；〃 〃oraison
dominicale。〃 There is no majesty in such words。 The unsuspicious
gravity with which they are spoken broadcast is not to be wondered at； the
language offering no relief of contrast； and what is much to the credit of
the comic sensibility of literature is the fact that； through this general
unconsciousness； the ridicule of a thousand authors of comedy perceives
the fun； and singles out the familiar thing； and compels that most elaborate
dulness to amuse us。 US； above all； by virtue of the custom of counter…
change here set forth。
Who shall say whether； by operation of the same exchange； the
English poets that so persist in France may not reveal something within
the English languageone would be somewhat loth to think so… …reserved
to the French reader peculiarly？ Byron to the multitude； Edgar Poe to the
select？ Then would some of the mysteries of French reading of English
be explained otherwise than by the plainer explanation that has hitherto
satisfied our haughty curiosity。 The taste for rhetoric seemed to account
for Byron； and the desire of the rhetorician to claim a taste for poetry
seemed to account for Poe。 But； after all； PATATRAS！ Who can say？
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RAIN
Not excepting the falling starsfor they are far less suddenthere is
nothing in nature that so outstrips our unready eyes as the familiar rain。
The rods that thinly stripe our landscape； long shafts from the clouds； if
we had but agility to make the arrowy downward journey with them by the
glancing of our eyes； would be infinitely separate； units； an innumerable
flight of single things； and the simple movement of intricate points。
The l
