AMONGthedeathsinourobituary——orthismonth,Iobservewithconcern"AthiscottageontheBathroad,CaptainJackson."Thenameandattributionaremonenough;butafeelinglikereproachpersuadesme,thatthiscouldhavebeennootherinfactthanmydearoldfriend,whosomefive-and-twentyyearsagorentedatenement,whichhewaspleasedtodignifywiththeappellationhereused,aboutamilefromWestbournGreen.Alack,howgoodmen,andthegoodturnstheydous,slideoutofmemory,andarerecalledbutbythesurpriseofsomesuchsadmementoasthatwhichnowliesbeforeus!
HewhomImeanwasaretiredhalf-payofficer,withawifeandtwogrown-updaughters,whomhemaintainedwiththeportandnotionsofgentlewomenuponthatslenderprofessionalallowance.Comelygirlstheyweretoo.
AndwasIindangerofforgettingthisman?——hischeerfulsuppers——thenobletoneofhospitality,whenfirstyousetyourfootinthecottage——theanxiousministeringsaboutyou,wherelittleornothing(Godknows)wastobeministered——Altheashorninapoorplatter——thepowerofself-enchantment,bywhich,inhismagnificentwishestoentertainyou,hemultipliedhismeanstobounties.
Yousawwithyourbodilyeyesindeedwhatseemedabarescrag——coldsavingsfromtheforegonemeal——remnanthardlysufficienttosendamendicantfromthedoorcontented.Butinthecopiouswill——therevellingimaginationofyourhost——the"mind,themind,MasterShallow,"wholebeeveswerespreadbeforeyou——hecatombs——noendappearedtotheprofusion.
Itwasthewidowscruse——theloavesandfishes;carvingcouldnotlessennorhelpingdiminishit——thestaminawereleft——theelementalbonestillflourished,divestedofitsaccidents.
"Letuslivewhilewecan,"methinksIheartheopen-handedcreatureexclaim;"whilewehave,letusnotwant,""hereisplentyleft;""wantfornothing"——withmanymoresuchhospitablesayings,thespursofappetite,andoldconitantsofsmoakingboards,andfeast-oppressedchargers.ThenslidingaslenderratioofSingleGloucesteruponhiswifesplate,orthedaughters,hewouldconveytheremanentrindintohisown,withamerryquirkof"thenearerthebone,"&c.,anddeclaringthatheuniversallypreferredtheoutside.Forwehadourtabledistinctions,youaretoknow,andsomeofusinamannersateabovethesalt.Nonebuthisguestorguestsdreamedoftastingfleshluxuriesatnight,thefragmentswereverehospitibussacra.Butofonethingoranothertherewasalwaysenough,andleavings:onlyhewouldsometimesfinishtheremaindercrust,toshowthathewishednosavings.
Winehehadnone;nor,exceptonveryrareoccasions,spirits;butthesensationofwinewasthere.SomethinkindofaleIremember——"Britishbeverage,"hewouldsay!"Pushabout,myboys;""Drinktoyoursweethearts,girls."Ateverymeagredraughtatoastmustensue,orasong.Alltheformsofgoodliquorwerethere,withnoneoftheeffectswanting.Shutyoureyes,andyouwouldswearacapaciousbowlofpunchwasfoaminginthecentre,withbeamsofgenerousPortorMadeiraradiatingtoitfromeachofthetablecorners.Yougotflustered,withoutknowingwhence;tipsyuponwords;andreeledundertheofhisunperformingBacchanalianencouragements.
Wehadoursongs——"Why,Soldiers,Why"——andthe"BritishGrenadiers"——inwhichlastwewereallobligedtobearchorus.Boththedaughterssang.Theirproficiencywasanightlytheme——themastershehadgiventhem——the"no-expence"whichhesparedtoacplishtheminascience"sonecessarytoyoungwomen."Butthen——theycouldnotsing"withouttheinstrument."
Sacred,andbyme,never-to-beviolated,SecretsofPovertyShouldIdiscloseyourhonestaimsatgrandeur,yourmakeshifteffortsofmagnificence?Sleep,sleep,withallthybrokenkeys,ifoneofthebunchbeextant;thrummedbyathousandancestralthumbs;dear,crackedspinnetofdearerLouisa!Withoutmentionofmine,bedumb,thouthinacpanierofherthinnerwarble!Aveilbespreadoverthedeardelightedfaceofthewell-deludedfather,whonowhaplylisteningtocherubicnotes,scarcefeelssincererpleasurethanwhensheawakenedthytime-shakenchordsresponsivetothetwitteringsofthatslenderimageofavoice.
Wewerenotwithoutourliterarytalkeither.Itdidnotextendfar,butasfarasitwent,itwasgood.Itwasbottomedwell;hadgoodgroundstogoupon.Inthecottagewasaroom,whichtraditionauthenticatedtohavebeenthesameinwhichGlover,inhisoccasionalretirements,hadpennedthegreaterpartofhisLeonidas.Thiscircumstancewasnightlyquoted,thoughnoneofthepresentinmates,thatIcoulddiscover,appearedevertohavemetwiththepoeminquestion.Butthatwasnomatter.Gloverhadwrittenthere,andtheanecdotewaspressedintotheaccountofthefamilyimportance.Itdiffusedalearnedairthroughtheapartment,thelittlesidecasementofwhich(thepoetsstudywindow),openinguponasuperbviewasfarastotheprettyspireofHarrow,overdomainsandpatrimonialacres,notaroodnorsquareyardwhereofourhostcouldcallhisown,yetgaveoccasiontoanimmoderateexpansionofvanityshallIcallit?——inhisbosom,asheshowedtheminaglowingsummerevening.Itwasallhis,hetookitallin,andmunicatedrichportionsofittohisguests.Itwasapartofhislargess,hishospitality;itwasgoingoverhisgrounds;hewaslordforthetimeofshowingthem,andyoutheimplicitlookers-uptohismagnificence.
Hewasajuggler,whothrewmistsbeforeyoureyes——youhadnotimetodetecthisfallacies.Hewouldsay"handmethesilversugartongs;"and,beforeyoucoulddiscoveritwasasinglespoon,andthatplated,hewoulddisturbandcaptivateyourimaginationbyamisnomerof"theurn"forateakettle;orbycallingahomelybenchasofa.Richmendirectyoutotheirfurniture,pooronesdivertyoufromit;heneitherdidonenortheother,butbysimplyassumingthateverythingwashandsomeabouthim,youwerepositivelyatademurwhatyoudid,ordidnotsee,atthecottage.Withnothingtoliveon,heseemedtoliveoneverything.Hehadastockofwealthinhismind;notthatwhichisproperlytermedContent,forintruthhewasnottobecontainedatall,butoverflowedallboundsbytheforceofamagnificentself-delusion.
Enthusiasmiscatching;andevenhiswife,asobernativeofNorthBritain,whogenerallysawthingsmoreastheywere,wasnotproofagainstthecontinualcollisionofhiscredulity.Herdaughterswererationalanddiscreetyoungwomen;inthemain,perhaps,notinsensibletotheirtruecircumstances.Ihaveseenthemassumeathoughtfulairattimes.Butsuchwasthepreponderatingopulenceofhisfancy,thatIampersuadednotforanyhalfhourtogether,didtheyeverlooktheirownprospectsfairlyintheface.Therewasnoresistingthevortexofhistemperament.Hisriotousimaginationconjureduphandsomesettlementsbeforetheireyes,whichkeptthemupintheeyeoftheworldtoo,andseematlasttohaverealisedthemselves;fortheybothhavemarriedsince,Iamtold,morethanrespectably.
Itislongsince,andmymemorywaxesdimonsomesubjects,orIshouldwishtoconveysomenotionofthemannerinwhichthepleasantcreaturedescribedthecircumstancesofhisownwedding-dayIfaintlyremembersomethingofachaiseandfour,inwhichhemadehisentryintoGlasgowonthatmorningtofetchthebridehome,orcarryherthither,Iforgetwhich.Itsopletelymadeoutthestanzaoftheoldballad——
WhenwecamedownthroughGlasgowtown,
Wewereaelysighttosee;
Mylovewascladinblackvelvet,
AndImyselfincramasie.
Isupposeitwastheonlyoccasion,uponwhichhisownactualsplendouratallcorrespondedwiththeworldsnotionsonthatsubject.Inhomelycart,ortravellingcaravan,bywhateverhumblevehicletheychancedtobetransportedinlessprosperousdays,theridethroughGlasgowcamebackuponhisfancy,notasahumiliatingcontrast,butasafairoccasionforrevertingtothatonedaysstate.Itseemedan"equipageetern"fromwhichnopoweroffateorfortune,oncemounted,hadpowerthereaftertodislodgehim.
Thereissomemeritinputtingahandsomefaceuponindigentcircumstances.Tobullandswaggerawaythesenseofthembeforestrangersmaybenotalwaysdismendable.Tibbs,andBobadil,evenwhendetected,havemoreofouradmirationthancontempt.Butforamantoputthecheatuponhimself;toplaytheBobadilathome;and,steepedinpovertyuptothelips,tofancyhimselfallthewhilechin-deepinriches,isastrainofconstitutionalphilosophy,andamasteryoverfortune,whichwasreservedformyoldfriendCaptainJackson.
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