Atlength，inreturnforallthemiserywhichshehadundergone，andforthehealthwhichshehadsacrificed，anannuityofonehundredpoundswasgrantedtoher，dependentontheQueen’spleasure。
Thentheprisonwasopened，andFranceswasfreeoncemore。
Johnson，asBurkeobserved，mighthaveaddedastrikingpagetohispoemontheVanityofHumanWishes，ifhehadlivedtoseehislittleBurneyasshewentintothepalaceandasshecameoutofit。
Thepleasures，solonguntasted，ofliberty，offriendship，ofdomesticaffection，werealmosttooacuteforhershatteredframe。ButhappydaysandtranquilnightssoonrestoredthehealthwhichtheQueen’stoiletteandMadameSchwellenberg’scard—tablehadimpaired。Kindandanxiousfacessurroundedtheinvalid。Conversationthemostpolishedandbrilliantrevivedherspirits。Travellingwasrecommendedtoher;andsherambledbyeasyjourneysfromcathedraltocathedral，andfromwatering—
placetowatering—place。ShecrossedtheNewForest，andvisitedStonehengeandWilton，thecliffsofLyme，andthebeautifulvalleyofSidmouth。ThenceshejourneyedbyPowderhamCastle，andbytheruinsofGlastonburyAbbeytoBath，andfromBath，whenthewinterwasapproaching，returnedwellandcheerfultoLondon。
Thereshevisitedherolddungeon，andfoundhersuccessoralreadyfaronthewaytothegrave，andkepttostrictduty，frommorningtillmidnight，withasprainedankleandanervousfever。
AtthistimeEnglandswarmedwithFrenchexiles，drivenfromtheircountrybytheRevolution。AcolonyoftheserefugeessettledatJuniperHall，inSurrey，notfarfromNorburyPark，whereMr。Lock，anintimatefriendoftheBurneyfamily，resided。
FrancesvisitedNorbury，andwasintroducedtothestrangers。Shehadstrongprejudicesagainstthem;forherToryismwasfarbeyond，wedonotsaythatofMr。Pitt，butthatofMr。Reeves;
andtheinmatesofJuniperHallwereallattachedtotheconstitutionof1791，andwerethereforemoredetestedbytheroyalistsofthefirstemigrationthanPetionorMarat。ButsuchawomanasMissBurneycouldnotlongresistthefascinationofthatremarkablesociety。ShehadlivedwithJohnsonandWindham，withMrs。MontagueandMrs。Thrale。Yetshewasforcedtoownthatshehadneverheardconversationbefore。Themostanimatedeloquence，thekeenestobservation，themostsparklingwit，themostcourtlygrace，wereunitedtocharmher。ForMadamedeStaelwasthere，andM。deTalleyrand。TheretoowasM。deNarbonne，anoblerepresentativeofFrencharistocracy;andwithM。deNarbonnewashisfriendandfollowerGeneralD’Arblay，anhonourableandamiableman，withahandsomeperson，franksoldierlikemanners，andsometasteforletters。
TheprejudiceswhichFranceshadconceivedagainsttheconstitutionalroyalistsofFrancerapidlyvanished。ShelistenedwithrapturetoTalleyrandandMadamedeStael，joinedwithM。
D’ArblayinexecratingtheJacobinsandinweepingfortheunhappyBourbons，tookFrenchlessonsfromhim，fellinlovewithhim，andmarriedhimonnobetterprovisionthanaprecariousannuityofonehundredpounds。
HeretheDiarystopsforthepresent。Wewill，therefore，bringournarrativetoaspeedyclose，byrapidlyrecountingthemostimportanteventswhichweknowtohavebefallenMadameD’Arblayduringthelatterpartofherlife。
M。D’Arblay’sfortunehadperishedinthegeneralwreckoftheFrenchRevolution;andinaforeigncountryhistalents，whatevertheymayhavebeen，couldscarcelymakehimrich。Thetaskofprovidingforthefamilydevolvedonhiswife。Intheyear1796，shepublishedbysubscriptionherthirdnovel，Camilla。Itwasimpatientlyexpectedbythepublic;andthesumwhichsheobtainedforitwas，webelieve，greaterthanhadeveratthattimebeenreceivedforanovel。Wehaveheardthatsheclearedmorethanthreethousandguineas。Butwegivethismerelyasarumour。Camilla，however，neverattainedpopularitylikethatwhichEvelinaandCeciliahadenjoyed;anditmustbeallowedthattherewasaperceptiblefallingoff，notindeedinhumourorinpowerofportrayingcharacter，butingraceandinpurityofstyle。
Wehaveheardthat，aboutthistime，atragedybyMadameD’Arblaywasperformedwithoutsuccess。Wedonotknowwhetheritwaseverprinted;norindeedhavewehadtimetomakeanyresearchesintoitshistoryormerits。
DuringtheshorttrucewhichfollowedthetreatyofAmiens，M。
D’ArblayvisitedFrance。LauristonandLaFayetterepresentedhisclaimstotheFrenchGovernment，andobtainedapromisethatheshouldbereinstatedinhismilitaryrank。M。D’Arblay，however，insistedthatheshouldneverberequiredtoserveagainstthecountrymenofhiswife。TheFirstConsul，ofcourse，wouldnothearofsuchacondition，andorderedthegeneral’scommissiontobeinstantlyrevoked。
MadameD’ArblayjoinedherhusbandinParis，ashorttimebeforethewarof1803brokeout，andremainedinFrancetenyears，cutofffromalmostallintercoursewiththelandofherbirth。Atlength，whenNapoleonwasonhismarchtoMoscow，shewithgreatdifficultyobtainedfromhisMinisterspermissiontovisitherowncountry，incompanywithherson，whowasanativeofEngland。Shereturnedintimetoreceivethelastblessingofherfather，whodiedinhiseighty—seventhyear。In1814shepublishedherlastnovel，theWanderer，abookwhichnojudiciousfriendtohermemorywillattempttodrawfromtheoblivionintowhichithasjustlyfallen。InthesameyearhersonAlexanderwassenttoCambridge。Heobtainedanhonourableplaceamongthewranglersofhisyear，andwaselectedafellowofChrist’sCollege。ButhisreputationattheUniversitywashigherthanmightbeinferredfromhissuccessinacademicalcontests。HisFrencheducationhadnotfittedhimfortheexaminationsoftheSenateHouse;but，inpuremathematics，wehavebeenassuredbysomeofhiscompetitorsthathehadveryfewequals。HewentintotheChurch，anditwasthoughtlikelythathewouldattainhigheminenceasapreacher;buthediedbeforehismother。Allthatwehaveheardofhimleadsustobelievethathewasasonassuchamotherdeservedtohave。In1832，MadameD’ArblaypublishedtheMemoirsofherfather;andonthesixthofJanuary，1840，shediedinhereighty—eighthyear。
WenowturnfromthelifeofMadameD’Arblaytoherwritings。
Therecan，weapprehend，belittledifferenceofopinionastothenatureofhermerit，whateverdifferencesmayexistastoitsdegree。ShewasemphaticallywhatJohnsoncalledher，acharacter—monger。Itwasintheexhibitionofhumanpassionsandwhimsthatherstrengthlay;andinthisdepartmentofartshehad，wethink，verydistinguishedskill。
But，inorderthatwemay，accordingtoourdutyaskingsatarms，versedinthelawsofliteraryprecedence，marshalhertotheexactscattowhichsheisentitled，wemustcarryourexaminationsomewhatfurther。
Thereis，inonerespect，aremarkableanalogybetweenthefacesandthemindsofmen。Notwofacesarealike;andyetveryfewfacesdeviateverywidelyfromthecommonstandard。AmongtheeighteenhundredthousandhumanbeingswhoinhabitLondon，thereisnotonewhocouldbetakenbyhisacquaintanceforanother;
yetwemaywalkfromPaddingtontoMileEndwithoutseeingonepersoninwhomanyfeatureissooverchargedthatweturnroundtostareatit。Aninfinitenumberofvarietiesliesbetweenlimitswhicharenotveryfarasunder。Thespecimenswhichpassthoselimitsoneitherside，formaverysmallminority。
Itisthesamewiththecharactersofmen。Here，too，thevarietypassesallenumeration。Butthecasesinwhichthedeviationfromthecommonstandingisstrikingandgrotesque，areveryfew。Inonemindavaricepredominates;inanother，pride;inathird，loveofpleasure;justasinonecountenancethenoseisthemostmarkedfeature，whileinothersthechiefexpressionliesinthebrow，orinthelinesofthemouth。Butthereareveryfewcountenancesinwhichnose，brow，andmouthdonotcontribute，thoughinunequaldegrees，tothegeneraleffect;andsothereareveryfewcharactersinwhichoneovergrownpropensitymakesallothersutterlyinsignificant。
Itisevidentthataportraitpainter，whowasableonlytorepresentfacesandfiguressuchasthosewhichwepaymoneytoseeatfairs，wouldnot，howeverspiritedhisexecutionmightbe，takerankamongthehighestartists。Hemustalwaysbeplacedbelowthosewhohaveskilltoseizepeculiaritieswhichdonotamounttodeformity。Theslighterthosepeculiarities，thegreateristhemeritofthelimnerwhocancatchthemandtransferthemtohiscanvas。TopaintDanielLambertorthelivingskeleton，thepig—facedladyortheSiamesetwins，sothatnobodycanmistakethem，isanexploitwithinthereachofasign—painter。Athird—rateartistmightgiveusthesquintofWilkes，andthedepressednoseandprotuberantcheeksofGibbon。
ItwouldrequireamuchhigherdegreeofskilltopainttwosuchmenasMr。CanningandSirThomasLawrence，sothatnobodywhohadeverseenthemcouldforamomenthesitatetoassigneachpicturetoitsoriginal。Herethemerecaricaturistwouldbequiteatfault。Hewouldfindinneitherfaceanythingonwhichhecouldlayholdforthepurposeofmakingadistinction。Twoamplebaldforeheads，tworegularprofiles，twofullfacesofthesameovalform，wouldbafflehisart;andhewouldbereducedtothemiserableshiftofwritingtheirnamesatthefootofhispicture。Yettherewasagreatdifference;andapersonwhohadseenthemoncewouldnomorehavemistakenoneofthemfortheotherthanhewouldhavemistakenMr。PittforMr。Fox。Butthedifferencelayindelicatelineamentsandshades，reservedforpencilsofarareorder。
Thisdistinctionrunsthroughalltheimitativearts。Foote’smimicrywasexquisitelyludicrous，butitwasallcaricature。Hecouldtakeoffonlysomestrangepeculiarity，astammeroralisp，aNorthumbrianburroranIrishbrogue，astooporashuffle。"Ifaman，"saidJohnson，"hopsononeleg，Footecanhopononeleg。"Garrick，ontheotherhand，couldseizethosedifferencesofmannerandpronunciation，which，thoughhighlycharacteristic，areyettooslighttobedescribed。Foote，wehavenodoubt，couldhavemadetheHaymarkettheatreshakewithlaughterbyimitatingaconversationbetweenaScotchmanandaSomersetshireman。ButGarrickcouldhaveimitatedaconversationbetweentwofashionablemen，bothmodelsofthebestbreeding，LordChesterfield，forexample，andLordAlbemarle，sothatnopersoncoulddoubtwhichwaswhich，althoughnopersoncouldsaythat，inanypoint，eitherLordChesterfieldorLordAlbemarlespokeormovedotherwisethaninconformitywiththeusagesofthebestsociety。
Thesamedistinctionisfoundinthedramaandinfictitiousnarrative。Highestamongthosewhohaveexhibitedhumannaturebymeansofdialogue，standsShakspeare。Hisvarietyislikethevarietyofnature，endlessdiversity，scarcelyanymonstrosity。
Thecharactersofwhichhehasgivenusanimpression，asvividasthatwhichwereceivefromthecharactersofourownassociates，aretobereckonedbyscores。Yetinallthesescoreshardlyonecharacteristobefoundwhichdeviateswidelyfromthecommonstandard，andwhichweshouldcallveryeccentricifwemetitinreallife。Thesillynotionthateverymanhasonerulingpassion，andthatthisclue，onceknown，unravelsallthemysteriesofhisconduct，findsnocountenanceintheplaysofShakspeare。Theremanappearsasheis，madeupofacrowdofpassions，whichcontendforthemasteryoverhim，andgovernhiminturn。WhatisHamlet’srulingpassion？OrOthello’s？OrHarrytheFifth’s？OrWolsey’s？OrLear’s？OrShylock’s？OrBenedick’s？
OrMacbeth’s？OrthatofCassius？OrthatofFalconbridge？Butwemightgoonforever。Takeasingleexample，Shylock。Ishesoeagerformoneyastobeindifferenttorevenge？Orsoeagerforrevengeastobeindifferenttomoney？OrsobentonbothtogetherastobeindifferenttothehonourofhisnationandthelawofMoses？Allhispropensitiesaremingledwitheachother，sothat，intryingtoapportiontoeachitsproperpart，wefindthesamedifficultywhichconstantlymeetsusinreallife。A
superficialcriticmaysay，thathatredisShylock’srulingpassion。Buthowmanypassionshaveamalgamatedtoformthathatred？Itispartlytheresultofwoundedpride:Antoniohascalledhimdog。Itispartlytheresultofcovetousness:Antoniohashinderedhimofhalfamillion;and，whenAntonioisgone，therewillbenolimittothegainsofusury。Itispartlytheresultofnationalandreligiousfeeling:AntoniohasspitontheJewishgaberdine;andtheoathofrevengehasbeenswornbytheJewishSabbath。Wemightgothroughallthecharacterswhichwehavementioned，andthroughfiftymoreinthesameway;foritistheconstantmannerofShakspearetorepresentthehumanmindaslying，notundertheabsolutedominionofonedespoticpropensity，butunderamixedgovernment，inwhichahundredpowersbalanceeachother。Admirableashewasinallpartsofhisart，wemostadmirehimforthis，thatwhilehehasleftusagreaternumberofstrikingportraitsthanallotherdramatistsputtogether，hehasscarcelyleftusasinglecaricature。
Shakspearehashadneitherequalnorsecond。Butamongthewriterswho，inthepointwhichwehavenoticed，haveapproachednearesttothemannerofthegreatmaster，wehavenohesitationinplacingJaneAusten，awomanofwhomEnglandisjustlyproud。
Shehasgivenusamultitudeofcharacters，all，inacertainsense，commonplace，allsuchaswemeeteveryday。Yettheyareallasperfectlydiscriminatedfromeachotherasiftheywerethemosteccentricofhumanbeings。Thereare，forexample，fourclergymen，noneofwhomweshouldbesurprisedtofindinanyparsonageinthekingdom，Mr。EdwardFerrers，Mr。HenryTilney，Mr。EdmundBertram，andMr。Elton。Theyareallspecimensoftheupperpartofthemiddleclass。Theyhaveallbeenliberallyeducated。Theyalllieundertherestraintsofthesamesacredprofession。Theyareallyoung。Theyareallinlove。Notoneofthemhasanyhobbyhorse，tousethephraseofSterne。Notonehasarulingpassion，suchaswereadofinPope。Whowouldnothaveexpectedthemtobeinsipidlikenessesofeachother？Nosuchthing。HarpagunisnotmoreunliketoJourdain，JosephSurfaceisnotmoreunliketoSirLuciusO’Trigger，thaneveryoneofMissAusten’syoungdivinestoallhisreverendbrethren。Andalmostallthisisdonebytouchessodelicate，thattheyeludeanalysis，thattheydefythepowersofdescription，andthatweknowthemtoexistonlybythegeneraleffecttowhichtheyhavecontributed。
Alinemustbedrawn，weconceive，betweenartistsofthisclass，andthosepoetsandnovelistswhoseskillliesintheexhibitingofwhatBenJonsoncalledhumours。ThewordsofBenaresomuchtothepurposethatwewillquotethem:
"WhensomeonepeculiarqualityDothsopossessaman，thatitdothdrawAllhisaffects，hisspirits，andhispowers，Intheirconfluxionsalltorunoneway，Thismaybetrulysaidtobeahumour。"
Thereareundoubtedlypersons，inwhomhumourssuchasBendescribeshaveattainedacompleteascendency。TheavariceofElwes，theinsanedesireofSirEgertonBrydgesforabaronytowhichhehadnomorerightthantothecrownofSpain，themalevolencewhichlongmeditationonimaginarywrongsgeneratedinthegloomymindofBellingham，areinstances。ThefeelingwhichanimatedClarksonandothervirtuousmenagainsttheslave—
tradeandslavery，isaninstanceofamorehonourablekind。
Seeingthatsuchhumoursexist，wecannotdenythattheyarepropersubjectsfortheimitationsofart。Butweconceivethattheimitationofsuchhumours，howeverskilfulandamusing，isnotanachievementofthehighestorder;and，assuchhumoursarerareinreallife，theyought，weconceive，tobesparinglyintroducedintoworkswhichprofesstobepicturesofreallife。
Nevertheless，thewritermayshowsomuchgeniusintheexhibitionofthesehumoursastobefairlyentitledtoadistinguishedandperman...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：