the spirit of place and other essays(地方的精神等)-第7章
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thing； it is significant of so much。
Obviously it is not easy to reply to begging except by the intelligible
act of giving。 We have not the ingenuous simplicity that marks the caste
answering more or less to that of Vere de Vere； in Italy； for example。 An
elderly Italian lady on her slow way from her own ancient ancestral
palazzo to the village； and accustomed to meet； empty…handed； a certain
number of beggars； answers them by a retort which would be； literally
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translated； 〃Excuse me； dear； I； too； am a poor devil；〃 and the last word
she naturally puts into the feminine。
Moreover； the sentence is spoken in all the familiarity of the local
dialecta dialect that puts any two people at once upon equal terms as
nothing else can do it。 Would it were possible to present the phrase to
English readers in all its own helpless good…humour。 The excellent
woman who uses it is practising no eccentricity thereby； and raises no
smile。 It is only in another climate； and amid other manners； that one
cannot recall it without a smile。 To a mind having a lively sense of
contrast it is not a little pleasant to imagine an elderly lady of
corresponding station in England replying so to importunities for alms；
albeit we have nothing answering to the good fellowship of a broad patois
used currently by rich and poor； and yet slightly grotesque in the case of
all speakersa dialect in which； for example； no sermon is ever preached；
and in which no book is ever printed； except for fun； a dialect 〃familiar；
but by no means vulgar。〃 Besides； even if our Englishwoman could by
any possibility bring herself to say to a mendicant； 〃Excuse me； dear； I；
too； am a poor devil；〃 she would still not have the opportunity of putting
the last word punctually into the feminine； which does so complete the
character of the sentence。
The phrase at the head of this paper is the far more graceful phrase of
excuse customary in the courteous manners of Portugal。 And everywhere
in the South； where an almost well…dressed old woman； who suddenly
begins to beg from you when you least expected it； calls you 〃my
daughter；〃 you can hardly reply without kindness。 Where the tourist is
thoroughly well known； doubtless the company of beggars are used to
savage manners in the rich； but about the byways and remoter places there
must still be some dismay at the anger； the silence； the indignation； and the
inexpensive haughtiness wherewith the opportunity of alms…giving is
received by travellers。
In nothing do we show how far the West is from the East so
emphatically as we show it by our lofty ways towards those who so
manifestly put themselves at our feet。 It is certainly not pleasant to see
them there； but silence or a storm of impersonal protesta protest that
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appeals vaguely less to the beggars than to some not impossible police
does not seem the most appropriate manner of rebuking them。 We have；
it may be； a scruple on the point of human dignity； compromised by the
entreaty and the thanks of the mendicant； but we have a strange way of
vindicating that dignity when we refuse to man； woman； or child the
recognition of a simply human word。 Nay； our offence is much the
greater of the two。 It is not merely a rough and contemptuous intercourse；
it is the refusal of intercoursethe last outrage。 How do we propose to
redress those conditions of life that annoy us when a brother whines； if we
deny the presence； the voice； and the being of this brother； and if； because
fortune has refused him money； we refuse him existence？
We take the matter too seriously； or not seriously enough； to hold it in
the indifference of the wise。 〃Have patience； little saint；〃 is a phrase that
might teach us the cheerful way to endure our own unintelligible fortunes
in the midst； say； of the population of a hill…village among the most barren
of the Maritime Alps； where huts of stone stand among the stones of an
unclothed earth； and there is no sign of daily bread。 The people； albeit
unused to travellers； yet know by instinct what to do； and beg without the
delay of a moment as soon as they see your unwonted figure。 Let it be
taken for granted that you give all you can； some form of refusal becomes
necessary at last； and the gentlestit is worth while to remember is the
most effectual。 An indignant tourist； one who to the portent of a
puggaree which； perhaps； he wears on a grey day； adds that of
ungovernable rage； is so wild a visitor that no attempt at all is made to
understand him； and the beggars beg dismayed but unalarmed；
uninterruptedly； without a pause or a conjecture。 They beg by rote；
thinking of something else； as occasion arises； and all indifferent to the
violence of the rich。
It is the merry beggar who has so lamentably disappeared。 If a
beggar is still merry anywhere； he hides away what it would so cheer and
comfort us to see； he practises not merely the conventional seeming；
which is hardly intended to convince； but a more subtle and dramatic kind
of semblance； of no good influence upon the morals of the road。 He no
longer trusts the world with a sight of his gaiety。 He is not a wholehearted
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mendicant； and no longer keeps that liberty of unstable balance whereby
an unattached creature can go in a new direction with a new wind。 The
merry beggar was the only adventurer free to yield to the lighter touches
of chance； the touches that a habit of resistance has made imperceptible to
the seated and stable social world。
The visible flitting figure of the unfettered madman sprinkled our
literature with mad songs； and even one or two poets of to…day have； by
tradition； written them； but that wild source of inspiration has been
stopped； it has been built over； lapped and locked； imprisoned； led
underground。 The light melancholy and the wind…blown joys of the song
of the distraught； which the poets were once ingenious to capture； have
ceased to sound one note of liberty in the world's ears。 But it seems that
the grosser and saner freedom of the happy beggar is still the subject of a
Spanish song。
That song is gay； not defiant it is not an outlaw's or a robber's； it is not
a song of violence or fear。 It is the random trolling note of a man who
owes his liberty to no disorder； failure； or ill… fortune； but takes it by
choice from the voluntary world； enjoys it at the hand of unreluctant
charity； who twits the world with its own choice of bonds； but has not
broken his own by force。 It seems； therefore； the song of an indomitable
liberty of movement； light enough for the puffs of a zephyr chance。
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THE LADIES OF THE IDYLL
Little Primrose dames of the English classic； the wife and daughters of
the Vicar of Wakefield have no claim whatever to this name of lady。 It is
given to them in this page because Goldsmith himself gave it to them in
the yet undepreciated state of the word； and for the better reason that he
obviously intended them to be the equals of the men to whom he marries
them； those men being； with all their faults； gentlemen。 Goldsmith； in a
word； meant them to be ladies； of country breeding； but certainly fit for
membership of that large class of various fortune within which the name
makes a sufficient equality。
He； their author； thought them sufficient。 Having amused himself
ingeniously throughout the story with their nameless vulgarities； he finally
hurries them into so much sentiment as may excuse the convention of
heroes in love。 He plays with their coarseness like a perfectly pleased
and clever showman； and then piously and happily shuts up his couples
the gentle Dr。 Primrose with his abominable Deborah； the excellent Mr。
Burchell with the paltry Sophia； Olivia but no； Olivia is not so certainly
happy ever after； she has a captured husband ready for her in a state of
ignominy； but she has also a forgotten farmer somewhere in the
backgroundthe unhappy man whom； with her father's permission； this
sorry heroine had promised to marry in order that his wooing might pluck
forward the lagging suit of the squire。
Olivia； then； plays her common trick upon the harmless Williams； her
father conniving； with a provision that he urges with some demonstration
of virtue： she shall consent to make the farmer happy if the proposal of
the squire be not after all forthcoming。 But it is so evident her author
knew no better； that this matter may pass。 It involves a point of honour； of
which no oneneither the maker of the book nor anyone he madeis
aware。 What is better worth considering is the fact that Goldsmith was
completely aware of the unredeemed vulgarity of the ladies of the Idyll；
and cheerfully took it for granted as the thing to be expected from the
mother…in…law of a country gentleman and the daughters of a scholar。
