Itisremarkablethattothelastheentertainedafixedcontemptforallthosemodesoflifeandthosestudieswhichtendtoemancipatethemindfromtheprejudicesofaparticularageoraparticularnation。Offoreigntravelandofhistoryhespokewiththefierceandboisterouscontemptofignorance。"Whatdoesamanlearnbytravelling？IsBeauclerkthebetterfortravelling？WhatdidLordCharlemontlearninhistravels，exceptthattherewasasnakeinoneofthepyramidsofEgypt？"Historywas，inhisopinion，tousethefineexpressionofLordPlunkett，anoldalmanack;historianscould，asheconceived，claimnohigherdignitythanthatofalmanack—makers;andhisfavouritehistorianswerethosewho，likeLordHailes，aspiredtonohigherdignity。HealwaysspokewithcontemptofRobertson。Humehewouldnotevenread。HeaffrontedoneofhisfriendsfortalkingtohimaboutCatiline’sconspiracy，anddeclaredthatheneverdesiredtohearofthePunicwaragainaslongashelived。
Assuredlyonefactwhichdoesnotdirectlyaffectourowninterests，consideredinitself，isnobetterworthknowingthananotherfact。Thefactthatthereisasnakeinapyramid，orthefactthatHannibalcrossedtheAlps，areinthemselvesasunprofitabletousasthefactthatthereisagreenblindinaparticularhouseinThreadneedleStreet，orthefactthataMr。
SmithcomesintothecityeverymorningonthetopofoneoftheBlackwallstages。Butitiscertainthatthosewhowillnotcracktheshellofhistorywillnevergetatthekernel。Johnson，withhastyarrogance，pronouncedthekernelworthless，becausehesawnovalueintheshell。Therealuseoftravellingtodistantcountriesandofstudyingtheannalsofpasttimesistopreservemenfromthecontractionofmindwhichthosecanhardlyescapewhosewholecommunioniswithonegenerationandoneneighbourhood，whoarriveatconclusionsbymeansofaninductionnotsufficientlycopious，andwhothereforeconstantlyconfoundexceptionswithrules，andaccidentswithessentialproperties。
Inshort，therealuseoftravellingandofstudyinghistoryistokeepmenfrombeingwhatTomDawsonwasinfiction，andSamuelJohnsoninreality。
Johnson，asMr。Burkemostjustlyobserved，appearsfargreaterinBoswell’sbooksthaninhisown。Hisconversationappearstohavebeenquiteequaltohiswritingsinmatter，andfarsuperiortotheminmanners。Whenhetalked，heclothedhiswitandhissenseinforcibleandnaturalexpressions。Assoonashetookhispeninhishandtowriteforthepublic，hisstylebecamesystematicallyvicious。Allhisbooksarewritteninalearnedlanguage，inalanguagewhichnobodyhearsfronthismotherorhisnurse，inalanguageinwhichnobodyeverquarrels，ordrivesbargains，ormakeslove，inalanguageinwhichnobodyeverthinks。ItisclearthatJohnsonhimselfdidnotthinkinthedialectinwhichhewrote。Theexpressionswhichcamefirsttohistongueweresimple，energetic，andpicturesque。Whenhewroteforpublication，hedidhissentencesoutofEnglishintoJohnsonese。HislettersfromtheHebridestoMrs。ThralearetheoriginalofthatworkofwhichtheJourneytotheHebridesisthetranslation;anditisamusingtocomparethetwoversions。"Whenweweretakenupstairs，"saysheinoneofhisletters，"adirtyfellowbouncedoutofthebedonwhichoneofuswastolie。"
Thisincidentisrecordedinthejourneyasfollows:"Outofoneofthebedsonwhichweweretoreposestartedup，atourentrance，amanblackasaCyclopsfromtheforge。"SometimesJohnsontranslatedaloud。"TheRehearsal，"hesaid，veryunjustly，"hasnotwitenoughtokeepitsweet"then，afterapause，"ithasnotvitalityenoughtopreserveitfromputrefaction。"
Mannerismispardonable，andissometimesevenagreeable，whenthemanner，thoughvicious，isnatural。Fewreaders，forexample，wouldbewillingtopartwiththemannerismofMiltonorofBurke。Butamannerismwhichdoesnotsiteasyonthemannerist，whichhasbeenadoptedonprinciple，andwhichcanbesustainedonlybyconstanteffort，isalwaysoffensive。AndsuchisthemannerismofJohnson。
Thecharacteristicfaultsofhisstylearesofamiliartoallourreaders，andhavebeensooftenburlesqued，thatitisalmostsuperfluoustopointthemout。Itiswellknownthathemadelessusethananyothereminentwriterofthosestrongplainwords，Anglo—SaxonorNorman—French，ofwhichtherootslieintheinmostdepthsofourlanguage;andthathefeltaviciouspartialityfortermswhich，longafterourownspeechhadbeenfixed，wereborrowedfromtheGreekandLatin，andwhich，therefore，evenwhenlawfullynaturalised，mustbeconsideredasbornaliens，notentitledtorankwiththeking’sEnglish。Hisconstantpracticeofpaddingoutasentencewithuselessepithets，tillitbecameasstiffasthebustofanexquisite，hisantitheticalformsofexpression，constantlyemployedevenwherethereisnooppositionintheideasexpressed，hisbigwordswastedonlittlethings，hisharshinversionssowidelydifferentfromthosegracefulandeasyinversionswhichgivevariety，spirit，andsweetnesstotheexpressionofourgreatoldwriters，allthesepeculiaritieshavebeenimitatedbyhisadmirersandparodiedbyhisassailants，tillthepublichavebecomesickofthesubject。
Goldsmithsaidtohim，verywittily，andveryjustly，"Ifyouweretowriteafableaboutlittlefishes，doctor，youwouldmakethelittlefishestalklikewhales。"NomansurelyeverhadsolittletalentforpersonationasJohnson。Whetherhewroteinthecharacterofadisappointedlegacy—hunteroranemptytownfop，ofacrazyvirtuosooraflippantcoquette，hewroteinthesamepompousandunbendingstyle。Hisspeech，likeSirPiercyShafton’sEuphuisticeloquence，betrayedhimundereverydisguise。EupheliaandRhodocleatalkasfinelyasImlacthepoet，orSeged，EmperorofEthiopia。ThegayCorneliadescribesherreceptionatthecountry—houseofherrelations，insuchtermsasthese:"Iwassurprised，afterthecivilitiesofmyfirstreception，tofind，insteadoftheleisureandtranquillitywhicharurallifealwayspromises，and，ifwellconducted，mightalwaysafford，aconfusedwildnessofcare，andatumultuoushurryofdiligence，bywhicheveryfacewasclouded，andeverymotionagitated。"ThegentleTranquillainformsus，thatshe"hadnotpassedtheearlierpartoflifewithouttheflatteryofcourtship，andthejoysoftriumph;buthaddancedtheroundofgaietyamidstthemurmursofenvyandthegratulationsofapplause，hadbeenattendedfrompleasuretopleasurebythegreat，thesprightly，andthevain，andhadseenherregardsolicitedbytheobsequiousnessofgallantry，thegaietyofwit，andthetimidityoflove。"SurelySirJohnFalstaffhimselfdidnotwearhispetticoatswithaworsegrace。ThereadermaywellcryoutwithhonestSirHughEvans，"Ilikenotwhena’omanhasagreatpeard:Ispyagreatpeardunderhermuffler。"[ItispropertoobservethatthispassagebearsaverycloseresemblancetoapassageintheRambler（No。20）。Theresemblancemaypossiblybetheeffectofunconsciousplagiarism。]
Wehadsomethingmoretosay。Butourarticleisalreadytoolong;andwemustcloseit。Wewouldfainpartingoodhumourfromthehero，fromthebiographer，andevenfromtheeditor，who，illashehasperformedhistask，hasatleastthisclaimtoourgratitude，thathehasinducedustoreadBoswell’sbookagain。Aswecloseit，theclub—roomisbeforeus，andthetableonwhichstandstheomeletforNugent，andthelemonsforJohnson。ThereareassembledthoseheadswhichliveforeveronthecanvasofReynolds。TherearethespectaclesofBurkeandthetallthinformofLangton，thecourtlysneerofBeauclerkandthebeamingsmileofGarrick，Gibbontappinghissnuff—boxandSirJoshuawithhistrumpetinhisear。Intheforegroundisthatstrangefigurewhichisasfamiliartousasthefiguresofthoseamongwhomwehavebeenbroughtup，thegiganticbody，thehughmassyface，seamedwiththescarsofdisease，thebrowncoat，theblackworstedstockings，thegreywigwiththescorchedforetop，thedirtyhands，thenailsbittenandparedtothequick。Weseetheeyesandmouthmovingwithconvulsivetwitches;weseetheheavyformrolling;wehearitpuffing;andthencomesthe"Why，sir！"and"Whatthen，sir？"andthe"No，sir！"andthe"Youdon’tseeyourwaythroughthequestion，sir！"
Whatasingulardestinyhasbeenthatofthisremarkableman！Toberegardedinhisownageasaclassic，andinoursasacompanion。Toreceivefromhiscontemporariesthatfullhomagewhichmenofgeniushaveingeneralreceivedonlyfromposterity！
Tobemoreintimatelyknowntoposteritythanothermenareknowntotheircontemporaries！Thatkindoffamewhichiscommonlythemosttransientis，inhiscase，themostdurable。Thereputationofthosewritings，whichheprobablyexpectedtobeimmortal，iseverydayfading;whilethosepeculiaritiesofmannerandthatcarelesstable—talkthememoryofwhich，heprobablythought，woulddiewithhim，arelikelytoberememberedaslongastheEnglishlanguageisspokeninanyquarteroftheglobe。
MADAMED’ARBLAY
（January1843）
DiaryandLettersofMadameD’Arblay。Fivevols。8vo。
London:1842。
THOUGHtheworldsawandheardlittleofMadameD’Arblayduringthelastfortyyearsofherlife，andthoughthatlittledidnotaddtoherfame，therewerethousands，webelieve，whofeltasingularemotionwhentheylearnedthatshewasnolongeramongus。Thenewsofherdeathcarriedthemindsofmenbackatoneleapovertwogenerations，tothetimewhenherfirstliterarytriumphswerewon。Allthosewhomwehadbeenaccustomedtorevereasintellectualpatriarchsseemedchildrenwhencomparedwithher;forBurkehadsateupallnighttoreadherwritings，andJohnsonhadpronouncedhersuperiortoFielding，whenRogerswasstillaschoolboy，andSoutheystillinpetticoats。Yetmorestrangediditseemthatweshouldjusthavelostonewhosenamehadbeenwidelycelebratedbeforeanybodyhadheardofsomeillustriousmen，who，twenty，thirty，orfortyyearsago，were，afteralongandsplendidcareer，bornewithhonourtothegrave。
Yetsoitwas。FrancesBurneywasattheheightoffameandpopularitybeforeCowperhadpublishedhisfirstvolume，beforePorsonhadgoneuptocollege，beforePitthadtakenhisseatintheHouseofCommons，beforethevoiceofErskinehadbeenonceheardinWestminsterHall。Sincetheappearanceofherfirstwork，sixty—twoyearshadpassed;andthisintervalhadbeencrowded，notonlywithpolitical，butalsowithintellectualrevolutions。Thousandsofreputationshad，duringthatperiod，sprungup，bloomed，withered，anddisappeared。Newkindsofcompositionhadcomeintofashion，hadgoneoutoffashion，hadbeenderided，hadbeenforgotten。ThefooleriesofDellaCrusca，andthefooleriesofKotzebue，hadforatimebewitchedthemultitude，andhadleftnotracebehindthem;norhadmisdirectedgeniusbeenabletosavefromdecaytheonceflourishingschoolsofGodwin，ofDarwin，andofRadcliffe。Manybooks，writtenfortemporaryeffect，hadrunthroughsixorseveneditions，andhadthenbeengatheredtothenovelsofAfraBehn，andtheepicpoemsofSirRichardBlackmore。YettheearlyworksofMadameD’Arblay，inspiteofthelapseofyears，inspiteofthechangeofmanners，inspiteofthepopularitydeservedlyobtainedbysomeofherrivals，continuedtoholdahighplaceinthepublicesteem。Shelivedtobeaclassic。Timesetonherfame，beforeshewenthence，thatsealwhichisseldomsetexceptonthefameofthedeparted。LikeSirCondyRackrentinthetale，shesurvivedherownwake，andoverheardthejudgmentofposterity。
Havingalwaysfeltawarmandsincere，thoughnotablindadmirationforhertalents，werejoicedtolearnthatherDiarywasabouttobemadepublic。Ourhopes，itistrue，werenotunmixedwithfears。WecouldnotforgetthefateoftheMemoirsofDr。Burney，whichwerepublishedtenyearsago。Thatunfortunatebookcontainedmuchthatwascuriousandinteresting。
Yetitwasreceivedwithacryofdisgust，andwasspeedilyconsignedtooblivion。Thetruthis，thatitdeserveditsdoom。
ItwaswritteninMadameD’Arblay’slaterstyle，theworststylethathaseverbeenknownamongmen。Nogenius，noinformation，couldsavefromproscriptionabooksowritten。We，therefore，openedtheDiarywithnosmallanxiety，tremblinglestweshouldlightuponsomeofthatpeculiarrhetoricwhichdeformsalmosteverypageoftheMemoirs，andwhichitisimpossibletoreadwithoutasensationmadeupofmirth，shame，andloathing。Wesoon，however，discoveredtoourgreatdelightthatthisDiarywaskeptbeforeMadameD’Arblaybecameeloquent。Itis，forthemostpart，writteninherearliestandbestmanner，intruewoman’sEnglish，clear，natural，andlively。Thetwoworksarelyingsidebysidebeforeus;andweneverturnfromtheMemoirstotheDiarywithoutasenseofrelief。Thedifferenceisasgreatasthedifferencebetweentheatmosphereofaperfumer’sshop，fetidwithlavenderwaterandjasminesoap，andtheairofaheathonafinemorninginMay。Bothworksoughttobeconsultedbyeverypersonwhowishestobewellacquaintedwiththehistoryofourliteratureandourmanners。ButtoreadtheDiaryisapleasure;toreadtheMemoirswillalwaysbeatask。
Wemay，perhaps，affordsomeharmlessamusementtoourreaders，ifweattempt，withthehelpofthesetwobooks，togivethemanaccountofthemostimportantyearsofMadameD’Arblay’slife。
ShewasdescendedfromafamilywhichborethenameofMacburney，andwhich，thoughprobablyofIrishorigin，hadbeenlongsettledinShropshire，andwaspossessedofconsiderableestatesinthatcounty。Unhappily，manyyearsbeforeherbirth，theMacburneysbegan，asifofsetpurposeandinaspiritofdeterminedrivalry，toexposeandruinthemselves。Theheirapparent，Mr。
JamesMacburney，offendedhisfatherbymakingarunawaymatchwithanactressfromGoodman’sFields。Theoldgentlemancoulddevisenomorejudiciousmodeofwreakingvengeanceonhisundutifulboythanbymarryingthecook。ThecookgavebirthtoasonnamedJoseph，whosucceededtoallthelandsofthefamily，whileJameswascutoffwithashilling。Thefavouriteson，however，wassoextravagant，thathesoonbecameaspoorashisdisinheritedbrother。Bothwereforcedtoearntheirbreadbytheirlabour。Josephturneddancing—master，andsettledinNorfolk。JamesstruckofftheMacfromthebeginningofhisname，andsetupasaportraitpainteratChester。HerehehadasonnamedCharles，wellknownastheauthoroftheHistoryofMusic，andasthefatheroftworemarkablechildren，ofasondistinguishedbylearning，andofadaughterstillmorehonourablydistinguishedbygenius。
Charlesearlyshowedatasteforthatart，ofwhich，atalaterperiod，hebecamethehistorian。HewasapprenticedtoacelebratedmusicianinLondon，andappliedhimselftostudywithvigourandsuccess。HesoonfoundakindandmunificentpatroninFulkGreville，ahighbornandhighbredman，whoseemstohavehadinlargemeasurealltheaccomplishmentsandallthefollies，allthevirtuesandallthevices，which，ahundredyearsago，wereconsideredasmakingupthecharacterofafinegentleman。Undersuchprotection，theyoungartisthadeveryprospectofabrilliantcareerinthecapital。Buthishealthfailed。ItbecamenecessaryforhimtoretreatfromthesmokeandriverfogofLondon，tothepureairofthecoast。Heacceptedtheplaceoforganist，atLynn，andsettledatthattownwithayoungladywhohadrecentlybecomehiswife。
AtLynn，inJune1752，FrancesBurneywasborn。Nothinginherchildhoodindicatedthatshewould，whilestillayoungwoman，havesecuredforherselfanhonourableandpermanentplaceamongEnglishwriters。Shewasshyandsilent。Herbrothersandsisterscalledheradunce，andnotwithoutsomeshowofreason;forateightyearsoldshedidnotknowherletters。
In1760，Mr。BurneyquittedLynnforLondon，andtookahouseinPolandStreet;asituationwhichhadbeenfashionableInthereignofQueenAnne，butwhich，sincethattime，hadbeendesertedbymostofitswealthyandnobleinhabitants。
HeafterwardsresidedinSaintMartin’sStreet，onthesouthsideofLeicesterSquare。Hishousethereisstillwellknown，andwillcontinuetobewellknowna...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：