按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
tried to use his shape for their ornament。 And so in the blankest dearth of
fancy that ever befel architect or builder they imagined human beings
bigger than the human beings of experience； and by means of these；
carved in stone and inlaid in mosaic； they set up a relation of their own。
The basilica was related to the colossal figure （as a church more wisely
measured would have been to living man）； and so ceased to be large； and
nothing more important was finally achieved than transposal of the whole
work into another scale of proportions… …a scale in which the body of man
was not the unit。 The pile of stones that make St。 Peter's is a very little
19
… Page 20…
The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
thing in comparison with Soracte； but man； and man's wife； and the
unequal statures of his children； are in touch with the structure of the
mountain rather than with that of the church which has been conceived
without reference to the vital and fundamental rule of his inches。
Is there no egotism； ministering to his dignity； that man； having the
law of the organism of the world written in his members； can take with
him； out of the room that has been built to accord with him； into the
landscape that stands only a little further away？ He has deliberately
made the smoking chair and the table； there is nothing to surprise him in
their ministrations。 But what profounder homage is rendered by the
multitudinous Nature going about the interests and the business of which
he knows so little； and yet throughout confessing him！ His eyes have
seen her and his ears have heard； but it would never have entered into his
heart to conceive her。 His is not the fancy that could have achieved these
woods； this little flush of summer from the innumerable flowering of
grasses； the cyclic recreation of seasons。 And yet he knows that he is
imposed upon all he sees。 His stature gives laws。 His labour only is
needfulnot a greater strength。 And the sun and the showers are made
sufficient for him。 His furniture must surely be adjudged to pay him but
a coarse flattery in comparison with the subjection； yet the aloofness； of all
this wild world。 This is no flattery。 The grass is lumpy； as Mr。 Oscar
Wilde remarks with truth： Nature is not man's lacquey； and has no
preoccupation about his more commonplace comforts。 These he gives
himself indoors； and who prizes； with any self…respect； the things carefully
provided by self…love？ But when that farouche Nature； who has never
spoken to him； and to whom he has never had the opportunity of hinting
his wishes or his tasteswhen she reveals the suggestions of his form and
the desire of his eyes； and amongst her numberless purposes lets him
surprise in her the purpose to accord with him； and lets him suspect further
harmonies which he has not yet learnt to understand… …then man becomes
conscious of having received a token from her lowliness； and a favour
from her loveliness； compared with which the care wherewith his tailor
himself has fitted him might leave his gratitude cool。
20
… Page 21…
The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
BY THE RAILWAY SIDE
My train drew near to the Via Reggio platform on a day between two
of the harvests of a hot September； the sea was burning blue； and there
were a sombreness and a gravity in the very excesses of the sun as his fires
brooded deeply over the serried； hardy； shabby； seaside ilex…woods。 I had
come out of Tuscany and was on my way to the Genovesato： the steep
country with its profiles； bay by bay； of successive mountains grey with
olive…trees； between the flashes of the Mediterranean and the sky； the
country through the which there sounds the twanging Genoese language； a
thin Italian mingled with a little Arabic； more Portuguese； and much
French。 I was regretful at leaving the elastic Tuscan speech； canorous in
its vowels set in emphatic L'S and M'S and the vigorous soft spring of the
double consonants。 But as the train arrived its noises were drowned by a
voice declaiming in the tongue I was not to hear again for months good
Italian。 The voice was so loud that one looked for the audience： Whose
ears was it seeking to reach by the violence done to every syllable； and
whose feelings would it touch by its insincerity？ The tones were
insincere； but there was passion behind them； and most often passion acts
its own true character poorly； and consciously enough to make good
judges think it a mere counterfeit。 Hamlet； being a little mad； feigned
madness。 It is when I am angry that I pretend to be angry； so as to
present the truth in an obvious and intelligible form。 Thus even before
the words were distinguishable it was manifest that they were spoken by a
man in serious trouble who had false ideas as to what is convincing in
elocution。
When the voice became audibly articulate； it proved to be shouting
blasphemies from the broad chest of a middle…aged manan Italian of the
type that grows stout and wears whiskers。 The man was in
BOURGEOIS dress； and he stood with his hat off in front of the small
station building； shaking his thick fist at the sky。 No one was on the
platform with him except the railway officials； who seemed in doubt as to
their duties in the matter； and two women。 Of one of these there was
21
… Page 22…
The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
nothing to remark except her distress。 She wept as she stood at the door
of the waiting…room。 Like the second woman； she wore the dress of the
shopkeeping class throughout Europe； with the local black lace veil in
place of a bonnet over her hair。 It is of