sartor resartus-第35章

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desire；　hunger　or　thirst　now　dwells　not　in　it。　Thus　all　is　purged　from　the　grossness　of　sense；　from　the　carking　cares　and　foul　vices　of　the　World；　and　rides　there；　on　its　Clothes…horse；　as；　on　a　Pegasus；　might　some　skyey　Messenger；　or　purified　Apparition；　visiting　our　low　Earth。

〃Often；　while　I　sojourned　in　that　monstrous　tuberosity　of　Civilized　Life；　the　Capital　of　England；　and　meditated；　and　questioned　Destiny；　under　that　ink…sea　of　vapor；　black；　thick；　and　multifarious　as　Spartan　broth；　and　was　one　lone　soul　amid　those　grinding　millions；often　have　I　turned　into　their　Old…Clothes　Market　to　worship。　　With　awe…struck　heart　I　walk　through　that　Monmouth　Street；　with　its　empty　Suits；　as　through　a　Sanhedrim　of　stainless　Ghosts。　　Silent　are　they；　but　expressive　in　their　silence：　　the　past　witnesses　and　instruments　of　Woe　and　Joy；　of　Passions；　Virtues；　Crimes；　and　all　the　fathomless　tumult　of　Good　and　Evil　in　'the　Prison　men　call　Life。'　Friends！　trust　not　the　heart　of　that　man　for　whom　Old　Clothes　are　not　venerable。　　Watch；　too；　with　reverence；　that　bearded　Jewish　High…priest；　who　with　hoarse　voice；　like　some　Angel　of　Doom；　summons　them　from　the　four　winds！　　On　his　head；　like　the　Pope；　he　has　three　Hats；a　real　triple　tiara；　on　either　hand　are　the　similitude　of　wings；　whereon　the　summoned　Garments　come　to　alight；　and　ever；　as　he　slowly　cleaves　the　air；　sounds　forth　his　deep　fateful　note；　as　if　through　a　trumpet　he　were　proclaiming：　'Ghosts　of　Life；　come　to　Judgment！'　　Reck　not；　ye　fluttering　Ghosts：　　he　will　purify　you　in　his　Purgatory；　with　fire　and　with　water；　and；　one　day；　new…created　ye　shall　reappear。　　Oh；　let　him　in　whom　the　flame　of　Devotion　is　ready　to　go　out；　who　has　never　worshipped；　and　knows　not　what　to　worship；　pace　and　repace；　with　austerest　thought；　the　pavement　of　Monmouth　Street；　and　say　whether　his　heart　and　his　eyes　still　continue　dry。　　If　Field　Lane；　with　its　long　fluttering　rows　of　yellow　handkerchiefs；　be　a　Dionysius'　Ear；　where；　in　stifled　jarring　hubbub；　we　hear　the　Indictment　which　Poverty　and　Vice　bring　against　lazy　Wealth；　that　it　has　left　them　there　cast　out　and　trodden　under　foot　of　Want；　Darkness　and　the　Devil；then　is　Monmouth　Street　a　Mirza's　Hill；　where；　in　motley　vision；　the　whole　Pageant　of　Existence　passes　awfully　before　us；　with　its　wail　and　jubilee；　mad　loves　and　mad　hatreds；　church…bells　and　gallows…ropes；　farce…tragedy；　beast…godhood；the　Bedlam　of　Creation！〃


To　most　men；　as　it　does　to　ourselves；　all　this　will　seem　overcharged。　　We　too　have　walked　through　Monmouth　Street；　but　with　little　feeling　of　〃Devotion：〃　　probably　in　part　because　the　contemplative　process　is　so　fatally　broken　in　upon　by　the　brood　of　money…changers　who　nestle　in　that　Church；　and　importune　the　worshipper　with　merely　secular　proposals。　Whereas　Teufelsdrockh；　might　be　in　that　happy　middle　state；　which　leaves　to　the　Clothes…broker　no　hope　either　of　sale　or　of　purchase；　and　so　be　allowed　to　linger　there　without　molestation。Something　we　would　have　given　to　see　the　little　philosophical　figure；　with　its　steeple…hat　and　loose　flowing　skirts；　and　eyes　in　a　fine　frenzy；　〃pacing　and　repacing　in　austerest　thought〃　that　foolish　Street；　which　to　him　was　a　true　Delphic　avenue；　and　supernatural　Whispering…gallery；　where　the　〃Ghosts　of　Life〃　rounded　strange　secrets　in　his　ear。　　O　thou　philosophic　Teufelsdrockh；　that　listenest　while　others　only　gabble；　and　with　thy　quick　tympanum　hearest　the　grass　grow！

At　the　same　time；　is　it　not　strange　that；　in　Paper…bag　Documents　destined　for　an　English　work；　there　exists　nothing　like　an　authentic　diary　of　this　his　sojourn　in　London；　and　of　his　Meditations　among　the　Clothes…shops　only　the　obscurest　emblematic　shadows？　　Neither；　in　conversation　（for；　indeed；　he　was　not　a　man　to　pester　you　with　his　Travels）；　have　we　heard　him　more　than　allude　to　the　subject。

For　the　rest；　however；　it　cannot　be　uninteresting　that　we　here　find　how　early　the　significance　of　Clothes　had　dawned　on　the　now　so　distinguished　Clothes…Professor。　　Might　we　but　fancy　it　to　have　been　even　in　Monmouth　Street；　at　the　bottom　of　our　own　English　〃ink…sea；〃　that　this　remarkable　Volume　first　took　being；　and　shot　forth　its　salient　point　in　his　soul；as　in　Chaos　did　the　Egg　of　Eros；　one　day　to　be　hatched　into　a　Universe！


CHAPTER　VII。　ORGANIC　FILAMENTS。

For　us；　who　happen　to　live　while　the　World…Phoenix　is　burning　herself；　and　burning　so　slowly　that；　as　Teufelsdrockh　calculates；　it　were　a　handsome　bargain　would　she　engage　to　have　done　〃within　two　centuries；〃　there　seems　to　lie　but　an　ashy　prospect。　　Not　altogether　so；　however；　does　the　Professor　figure　it。　　〃In　the　living　subject；〃　says　he；　〃change　is　wont　to　be　gradual：　　thus；　while　the　serpent　sheds　its　old　skin；　the　new　is　already　formed　beneath。　　Little　knowest　thou　of　the　burning　of　a　World…Phoenix；　who　fanciest　that　she　must　first　burn　out；　and　lie　as　a　dead　cinereous　heap；　and　therefrom　the　young　one　start　up　by　miracle；　and　fly　heavenward。　　Far　otherwise！　　In　that　Fire…whirlwind；　Creation　and　Destruction　proceed　together；　ever　as　the　ashes　of　the　Old　are　blown　about；　do　organic　filaments　of　the　New　mysteriously　spin　themselves：　　and　amid　the　rushing　and　the　waving　of　the　Whirlwind　element　come　tones　of　a　melodious　Death…song；　which　end　not　but　in　tones　of　a　more　melodious　Birth…song。　Nay；　look　into　the　Fire…whirlwind　with　thy　own　eyes；　and　thou　wilt　see。〃　Let　us　actually　look；　then：　　to　poor　individuals；　who　cannot　expect　to　live　two　centuries；　those　same　organic　filaments；　mysteriously　spinning　themselves；　will　be　the　best　part　of　the　spectacle。　　First；　therefore；　this　of　Mankind　in　general：

〃In　vain　thou　deniest　it；〃　says　the　Professor；　〃thou　art　my　Brother。　　Thy　very　Hatred；　thy　very　Envy；　those　foolish　Lies　thou　tellest　of　me　in　thy　splenetic　humor：　　what　is　all　this　but　an　inverted　Sympathy？　　Were　I　a　Steam…engine；　wouldst　thou　take　the　trouble　to　tell　lies　of　me？　　Not　thou！　I　should　grind　all　unheeded；　whether　badly　or　well。

〃Wondrous　truly　are　the　bonds　that　unite　us　one　and　all；　whether　by　the　soft　binding　of　Love；　or　the　iron　chaining　of　Necessity；　as　we　like　to　choose　it。　　More　than　once　have　I　said　to　myself；　of　some　perhaps　whimsically　strutting　Figure；　such　as　provokes　whimsical　thoughts：　　'Wert　thou；　my　little　Brotherkin；　suddenly　covered　up　within　the　largest　imaginable　Glass　bell；what　a　thing　it　were；　not　for　thyself　only；　but　for　the　world！　　Post　Letters；　more　or　fewer；　from　all　the　four　winds；　impinge　against　thy　Glass　walls；　but　have　to　drop　unread：　　neither　from　within　comes　there　question　or　response　into　any　Post…bag；　thy　Thoughts　fall　into　no　friendly　ear　or　heart；　thy　Manufacture　into　no　purchasing　hand：　　thou　art　no　longer　a　circulating　venous…arterial　Heart；　that；　taking　and　giving；　circulatest　through　all　Space　and　all　Time：　　there　has　a　Hole　fallen　out　in　the　immeasurable；　universal　World…tissue；　which　must　be　darned　up　again！'

〃Such　venous…arterial　circulation；　of　Letters；　verbal　Messages；　paper　and　other　Packages；　going　out　from　him　and　coming　in；　are　a　blood…circulation；　visible　to　the　eye：　　but　the　finer　nervous　circulation；　by　which　all　things；　the　minutest　that　he　does；　minutely　influence　all　men；　and　the　very　look　of　his　face　blesses　or　curses　whomso　it　lights　on；　and　so　generates　ever　new　blessing　or　new　cursing：　　all　this　you　cannot　see；　but　only　imagine。　　I　say；　there　is　not　a　red　Indian；　hunting　by　Lake　Winnipeg；　can　quarrel　with　his　squaw；　but　the　whole　world　must　smart　for　it：　　will　not　the　price　of　beaver　rise？　　It　is　a　mathematical　fact　that　the　casting　of　this　pebble　from　my　hand　alters　the　centre　of　gravity　of　the　Universe。

〃If　now　an　existing　generation　of　men　stand　so　woven　together；　not　less　indissolubly　does　generation　with　generation。　　Hast　thou　ever　meditated　on　that　word；　Tradition：　　how　we　inherit　not　Life　only；　but　all　the　garniture　and　form　of　Life；　and　work；　and　speak；　and　even　think　and　feel；　as　our　Fathers；　and　primeval　grandfathers；　from　the　beginning；　have　given　it　us？Who　printed　thee；　for　example；　this　unpretending　Volume　on　the　Philosophy　of　Clothes？　　Not　the　Herren　Stillschweigen　and　Company；　but　Cadmus　of　Thebes；　Faust　of　Mentz；　and　innumerable　others　whom　thou　knowest　not。　　Had　there　been　no　Moesogothic　Ulfila；　there　had　been　no　English　Shakspeare；　or　a　different　one。　　Simpleton！　　It　was　Tubal…cain　that　made　thy　very　Tailor's　needle；　and　sewed　that　court…suit　of　thine。

〃Yes；　truly；　if　Nature　is　one；　and　a　living　indivisible　whole；　much　more　is　Mankind；　the　Image　that　reflects　and　creates　Nature；　without　which　Nature　were　not。　　As　palpable　lifestreams　in　that　wondrous　Individual　Mankind；　among　so　many　life…streams　that　are　not　palpable；　flow　on　those　main　currents　of　what　we　call　Opinion；　as　preserved　in　Institutions；　Polities；　Churches；　above　all　in　Books。　　Beautiful　it　is　to　understand　and　know　that　a　Thought　did　never　yet　die；　that　as　thou；　the　originator　thereof；　hast　gathered　it　and　created　it　from　the　whole　Past；　so　thou　wilt　transmit　it　to　the　whole　Future。　　It　is　thus　that　the　heroic　heart；　the　seeing　eye　of　the　first　times；　still　feels　and　sees　in　us　of　the　latest；　that　the　Wise　Man　stands　ever　encompassed；　and　spiritually　embraced；　by　a　cloud　of　witnesses　and　brothers；　and　there　is　a　living；　literal　_Communion　of　Saints_；　wide　as　the　World　itself；　and　as　the　History　of　the　World。

〃Noteworthy　also；　and　serviceable　for　the　progress　of　this　same　Individual；　wilt　thou　find　his　subdivision　into　Generations。　　Generations　are　as　the　Days　of　toilsome　Mankind：　　Death　and　Birth　are　the　vesper　and　the　matin　bells；　that　summon　Mankind　to　sleep；　and　to　rise　refreshed　for　new　advancement。　　What　the　Father　has　made；　the　Son　can　make　and　enjoy；　but　has　also　work　of　his　own　appointed　him。　　Thus　all　things　wax；　and　roll　onwards；　Arts；　Establishments；　Opinions；　nothing　is　completed；　but　ever　completing。　Newton　has　learned　to　see　what　Kepler　saw；　but　there　is　also　a　fresh　heaven…derived　force　in　Newton；　he　must　mount　to　still　higher　points　of　vision。　　So　too　the　Hebrew　Lawgiver　is；　in　due　time；　followed　by　an　Apostle　of　the　Gentiles。　　In　the　business　of　Destruction；　as　this　also　is　from　time　to　time　a　necessary　work；　thou　findest　a　like　sequence　and　perseverance：　for　Luther　it　was　as　yet　hot　enough　to　stand　by　that　burning　of　the　Pope's　Bull；　Voltaire　could　not　warm　himself　at　the　glimmering　ashes；　but　required　quite　other　fuel。　　Thus　likewise；　I　note；　the　English　Whig　has；　in　the　second　generation；　become　an　English　Radical；　who；　in　the　third　again；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　will　become　an　English　Rebuilder。　　Find　Mankind　where　thou　wilt；　thou　findest　it　in　living　movement；　in　progress　faster　or　slower：　the　Phoenix　soars　aloft；　hovers　with　outstretched　wings；　filling　Earth　with　her　music；　or；　as　now；　she　sinks；　and　with　spheral　swan…song　immolates　herself　in　flame；　that　she　may　soar　the　higher　and　sing　the　clearer。〃

Let　the　friends　of　social　order；　in　such　a　disastrous　period；　lay　this　to　heart；　and　derive　from　it　any　little　comfort　they　can。　　We　subjoin　another　passage；　concerning　Titles：

〃Remark；　not　without　surprise；〃　says　Teufelsdrockh；　〃how　all　high　Titles　of　Honor　come　hitherto　from　Fighting。　　Your　_Herzog_　（Duke；　_Dux_）　is　Leader　of　Armies；　your　Earl　（_Jarl_）　is　Strong　Man；　your　Marshal　cavalry　Horse…shoer。　　A