burlesques-第3部分

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with　a　secret　passion　for　him。



Some　trifling　inaccuracies　may　be　remarked　in　the　ensuing　brilliant

little　chapter；　but　it　must　be　remembered　that　the　author　wished　to

present　an　age　at　a　glance：　and　the　dialogue　is　quite　as　fine　and

correct　as　that　in　the　〃Last　of　the　Barons；〃　or　in　〃Eugene　Aram；〃

or　other　works　of　our　author；　in　which　Sentiment　and　History；　or

the　True　and　Beautiful；　are　united。





CHAPTER　XXIV。



BUTTON'S　IN　PALL　MALL。





Those　who　frequent　the　dismal　and　enormous　Mansions　of　Silence

which　society　has　raised　to　Ennui　in　that　Omphalos　of　town；　Pall

Mall；　and　which；　because　they　knock　you　down　with　their　dulness；

are　called　Clubs　no　doubt；　those　who　yawn　from　a　bay…window　in　St。

James's　Street；　at　a　half…score　of　other　dandies　gaping　from

another　bay…window　over　the　way；　those　who　consult　a　dreary　evening

paper　for　news；　or　satisfy　themselves　with　the　jokes　of　the

miserable　Punch　by　way　of　wit；　the　men　about　town　of　the　present

day；　in　a　word；　can　have　but　little　idea　of　London　some　six　or

eight　score　years　back。　　Thou　pudding…sided　old　dandy　of　St。

James's　Street；　with　thy　lacquered　boots；　thy　dyed　whiskers；　and

thy　suffocating　waistband；　what　art　thou　to　thy　brilliant

predecessor　in　the　same　quarter？　　The　Brougham　from　which　thou

descendest　at　the　portal　of　the　〃Carlton〃　or　the　〃Travellers'；〃　is

like　everybody　else's；　thy　black　coat　has　no　more　plaits；　nor

buttons；　nor　fancy　in　it　than　thy　neighbor's；　thy　hat　was　made　on

the　very　block　on　which　Lord　Addlepate's　was　cast；　who　has　just

entered　the　Club　before　thee。　　You　and　he　yawn　together　out　of　the

same　omnibus…box　every　night；　you　fancy　yourselves　men　of　pleasure；

you　fancy　yourselves　men　of　fashion；　you　fancy　yourselves　men　of

taste；　in　fancy；　in　taste；　in　opinion；　in　philosophy；　the　newspaper

legislates　for　you；　it　is　there　you　get　your　jokes　and　your

thoughts；　and　your　facts　and　your　wisdompoor　Pall　Mall　dullards。

Stupid　slaves　of　the　press；　on　that　ground　which　you　at　present

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