sartor resartus-第5章

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ing　and　dreaming；　and　mumbling　and　maundering　the　merest　commonplaces；　as　if　he　were　asleep　with　eyes　open；　which　indeed　he　is。

Of　his　boundless　Learning；　and　how　all　reading　and　literature　in　most　known　tongues；　from　_Sanchoniathon_　to　_Dr。　Lingard_；　from　your　Oriental　_Shasters_；　and　_Talmuds_；　and　_Korans_；　with　Cassini's　_Siamese　fables_；　and　Laplace's　_Mecanique　Celeste_；　down　to　_Robinson　Crusoe_　and　the　_Belfast　Town　and　Country　Almanack_；　are　familiar　to　him；we　shall　say　nothing：　　for　unexampled　as　it　is　with　us；　to　the　Germans　such　universality　of　study　passes　without　wonder；　as　a　thing　commendable；　indeed；　but　natural；　indispensable；　and　there　of　course。　　A　man　that　devotes　his　life　to　learning；　shall　he　not　be　learned？

In　respect　of　style　our　Author　manifests　the　same　genial　capability；　marred　too　often　by　the　same　rudeness；　inequality；　and　apparent　want　of　intercourse　with　the　higher　classes。　　Occasionally；　as　above　hinted；　we　find　consummate　vigor；　a　true　inspiration；　his　burning　thoughts　step　forth　in　fit　burning　words；　like　so　many　full…formed　Minervas；　issuing　amid　flame　and　splendor　from　Jove's　head；　a　rich；　idiomatic　diction；　picturesque　allusions；　fiery　poetic　emphasis；　or　quaint　tricksy　turns；　all　the　graces　and　terrors　of　a　wild　Imagination；　wedded　to　the　clearest　Intellect；　alternate　in　beautiful　vicissitude。　　Were　it　not　that　sheer　sleeping　and　soporific　passages；　circumlocutions；　repetitions；　touches　even　of　pure　doting　jargon；　so　often　intervene！　　On　the　whole；　Professor　Teufelsdrockh；　is　not　a　cultivated　writer。　　Of　his　sentences　perhaps　not　more　than　nine…tenths　stand　straight　on　their　legs；　the　remainder　are　in　quite　angular　attitudes；　buttressed　up　by　props　（of　parentheses　and　dashes）；　and　ever　with　this　or　the　other　tagrag　hanging　from　them；　a　few　even　sprawl　out　helplessly　on　all　sides；　quite　broken…backed　and　dismembered。　Nevertheless；　in　almost　his　very　worst　moods；　there　lies　in　him　a　singular　attraction。　　A　wild　tone　pervades　the　whole　utterance　of　the　man；　like　its　keynote　and　regulator；　now　screwing　itself　aloft　as　into　the　Song　of　Spirits；　or　else　the　shrill　mockery　of　Fiends；　now　sinking　in　cadences；　not　without　melodious　heartiness；　though　sometimes　abrupt　enough；　into　the　common　pitch；　when　we　hear　it　only　as　a　monotonous　hum；　of　which　hum　the　true　character　is　extremely　difficult　to　fix。　　Up　to　this　hour　we　have　never　fully　satisfied　ourselves　whether　it　is　a　tone　and　hum　of　real　Humor；　which　we　reckon　among　the　very　highest　qualities　of　genius；　or　some　echo　of　mere　Insanity　and　Inanity；　which　doubtless　ranks　below　the　very　lowest。

Under　a　like　difficulty；　in　spite　even　of　our　personal　intercourse；　do　we　still　lie　with　regard　to　the　Professor's　moral　feeling。　　Gleams　of　an　ethereal　love　burst　forth　from　him；　soft　wailings　of　infinite　pity；　he　could　clasp　the　whole　Universe　into　his　bosom；　and　keep　it　warm；　it　seems　as　if　under　that　rude　exterior　there　dwelt　a　very　seraph。　　Then　again　he　is　so　sly　and　still；　so　imperturbably　saturnine；　shows　such　indifference；　malign　coolness　towards　all　that　men　strive　after；　and　ever　with　some　half…visible　wrinkle　of　a　bitter　sardonic　humor；　if　indeed　it　be　not　mere　stolid　callousness；that　you　look　on　him　almost　with　a　shudder；　as　on　some　incarnate　Mephistopheles；　to　whom　this　great　terrestrial　and　celestial　Round；　after　all；　were　but　some　huge　foolish　Whirligig；　where　kings　and　beggars；　and　angels　and　demons；　and　stars　and　street…sweepings；　were　chaotically　whirled；　in　which　only　children　could　take　interest。　His　look；　as　we　mentioned；　is　probably　the　gravest　ever　seen：　　yet　it　is　not　of　that　cast…iron　gravity　frequent　enough　among　our　own　Chancery　suitors；　but　rather　the　gravity　as　of　some　silent；　high…encircled　mountain…pool；　perhaps　the　crater　of　an　extinct　volcano；　into　whose　black　deeps　you　fear　to　gaze：　those　eyes；　those　lights　that　sparkle　in　it；　may　indeed　be　reflexes　of　the　heavenly　Stars；　but　perhaps　also　glances　from　the　region　of　Nether　Fire。

Certainly　a　most　involved；　self…secluded；　altogether　enigmatic　nature；　this　of　Teufelsdrockh！　　Here；　however；　we　gladly　recall　to　mind　that　once　we　saw　him　_laugh_；　once　only；　perhaps　it　was　the　first　and　last　time　in　his　life；　but　then　such　a　peal　of　laughter；　enough　to　have　awakened　the　Seven　Sleepers！　　It　was　of　Jean　Paul's　doing：　　some　single　billow　in　that　vast　World…Mahlstrom　of　Humor；　with　its　heaven…kissing　coruscations；　which　is　now；　alas；　all　congealed　in　the　frost　of　death！　　The　large…bodied　Poet　and　the　small；　both　large　enough　in　soul；　sat　talking　miscellaneously　together；　the　present　Editor　being　privileged　to　listen；　and　now　Paul；　in　his　serious　way；　was　giving　one　of　those　inimitable　〃Extra…Harangues；〃　and；　as　it　chanced；　On　the　Proposal　for　a　_Cast…metal　King_：　　gradually　a　light　kindled　in　our　Professor's　eyes　and　face；　a　beaming；　mantling；　loveliest　light；　through　those　murky　features；　a　radiant　ever…young　Apollo　looked；　and　he　burst　forth　like　the　neighing　of　all　Tattersall's；tears　streaming　down　his　cheeks；　pipe　held　aloft；　foot　clutched　into　the　air；loud；　long…continuing；　uncontrollable；　a　laugh　not　of　the　face　and　diaphragm　only；　but　of　the　whole　man　from　head　to　heel。　　The　present　Editor；　who　laughed　indeed；　yet　with　measure；　began　to　fear　all　was　not　right：　however；　Teufelsdrockh；　composed　himself；　and　sank　into　his　old　stillness；　on　his　inscrutable　countenance　there　was；　if　anything；　a　slight　look　of　shame；　and　Richter　himself　could　not　rouse　him　again。　　Readers　who　have　any　tincture　of　Psychology　know　how　much　is　to　be　inferred　from　this；　and　that　no　man　who　has　once　heartily　and　wholly　laughed　can　be　altogether　irreclaimably　bad。　　How　much　lies　in　Laughter：　　the　cipher…key；　wherewith　we　decipher　the　whole　man！　　Some　men　wear　an　everlasting　barren　simper；　in　the　smile　of　others　lies　a　cold　glitter　as　of　ice：　　the　fewest　are　able　to　laugh；　what　can　be　called　laughing；　but　only　sniff　and　titter　and　snigger　from　the　throat　outwards；　or　at　best；　produce　some　whiffling　husky　cachinnation；　as　if　they　were　laughing　through　wool：　　of　none　such　comes　good。　　The　man　who　cannot　laugh　is　not　only　fit　for　treasons；　stratagems；　and　spoils；　but　his　whole　life　is　already　a　treason　and　a　stratagem。

Considered　as　an　Author；　Herr　Teufelsdrockh　has　one　scarcely　pardonable　fault；　doubtless　his　worst：　　an　almost　total　want　of　arrangement。　　In　this　remarkable　Volume；　it　is　true；　his　adherence　to　the　mere　course　of　Time　produces；　through　the　Narrative　portions；　a　certain　show　of　outward　method；　but　of　true　logical　method　and　sequence　there　is　too　little。　　Apart　from　its　multifarious　sections　and　subdivisions；　the　Work　naturally　falls　into　two　Parts；　a　Historical…Descriptive；　and　a　Philosophical…Speculative：　　but　falls；　unhappily；　by　no　firm　line　of　demarcation；　in　that　labyrinthic　combination；　each　Part　overlaps；　and　indents；　and　indeed　runs　quite　through　the　other。　　Many　sections　are　of　a　debatable　rubric；　or　even　quite　nondescript　and　unnamable；　whereby　the　Book　not　only　loses　in　accessibility；　but　too　often　distresses　us　like　some　mad　banquet；　wherein　all　courses　had　been　confounded；　and　fish　and　flesh；　soup　and　solid；　oyster…sauce；　lettuces；　Rhine…wine　and　French　mustard；　were　hurled　into　one　huge　tureen　or　trough；　and　the　hungry　Public　invited　to　help　itself。　　To　bring　what　order　we　can　out　of　this　Chaos　shall　be　part　of　our　endeavor。


CHAPTER　V。　THE　WORLD　IN　CLOTHES。

〃As　Montesquieu　wrote　a　_Spirit　of　Laws_；〃　observes　our　Professor；　〃so　could　I　write　a　_Spirit　of　Clothes_；　thus；　with　an　_Esprit　des　Lois_；　properly　an　_Esprit　de　Coutumes_；　we　should　have　an　_Esprit　de　Costumes_。　For　neither　in　tailoring　nor　in　legislating　does　man　proceed　by　mere　Accident；　but　the　hand　is　ever　guided　on　by　mysterious　operations　of　the　mind。　　In　all　his　Modes；　and　habilatory　endeavors；　an　Architectural　Idea　will　be　found　lurking；　his　Body　and　the　Cloth　are　the　site　and　materials　whereon　and　whereby　his　beautified　edifice；　of　a　Person；　is　to　be　built。　Whether　he　flow　gracefully　out　in　folded　mantles；　based　on　light　sandals；　tower　up　in　high　headgear；　from　amid　peaks；　spangles　and　bell…girdles；　swell　out　in　starched　ruffs；　buckram　stuffings；　and　monstrous　tuberosities；　or　girth　himself　into　separate　sections；　and　front　the　world　an　Agglomeration　of　four　limbs；will　depend　on　the　nature　of　such　Architectural　Idea：　　whether　Grecian；　Gothic；　Later　Gothic；　or　altogether　Modern；　and　Parisian　or　Anglo…Dandiacal。　　Again；　what　meaning　lies　in　Color！　　From　the　soberest　drab　to　the　high…flaming　scarlet；　spiritual　idiosyncrasies　unfold　themselves　in　choice　of　Color：　　if　the　Cut　betoken　Intellect　and　Talent；　so　does　the　Color　betoken　Temper　and　Heart。　　In　all　which；　among　nations　as　among　individuals；　there　is　an　incessant；　indubitable；　though　infinitely　complex　working　of　Cause　and　Effect：　　every　snip　of　the　Scissors　has　been　regulated　and　prescribed　by　ever…active　Influences；　which　doubtless　to　Intelligences　of　a　superior　order　are　neither　invisible　nor　illegible。

〃For　such　superior　Intelligences　a　Cause…and…Effect　Philosophy　of　Clothes；　as　of　Laws；　were　probably　a　comfortable　winter…evening　entertainment：　nevertheless；　for　inferior　Intelligences；　like　men；　such　Philosophies　have　always　seemed　to　me　uninstructive　enough。　　Nay；　what　is　your　Montesquieu　himself　but　a　clever　infant　spelling　Letters　from　a　hieroglyphical　prophetic　Book；　the　lexicon　of　which　lies　in　Eternity；　in　Heaven？Let　any　Cause…and…Effect　Philosopher　explain；　not　why　I　wear　such　and　such　a　Garment；　obey　such　and　such　a　Law；　but　even　why　I　am　_here_；　to　wear　and　obey　anything！　Much；　therefore；　if　not　the　whole；　of　that　same　_Spirit　of　Clothes_　I　shall　suppress；　as　hypothetical；　ineffectual；　and　even　impertinent：　　naked　Facts；　and　Deductions　drawn　therefrom　in　quite　another　than　that　omniscient　style；　are　my　humbler　and　proper　province。〃

Acting　on　which　prudent　restriction；　Teufelsdrockh；　has　nevertheless　contrived　to　take　in　a　well…nigh　boundless　extent　of　field；　at　least；　the　boundaries　too　often　lie　quite　beyond　our　horizon。　　Selection　being　indispensable；　we　shall　here　glance　over　his　First　Part　only　in　the　most　cursory　manner。　　This　First　Part　is；　no　doubt；　distinguished　by　omnivorous　learning；　and　utmost　patience　and　fairness：　　at　the　same　time；　in　its　results　and　delineations；　it　is　much　more　likely　to　interest　the　Compilers　of　some　_Library_　of　General；　Entertaining；　Useful；　or　even　Useless　Knowledge　than　the　miscellaneous　readers　of　these　pages。　　Was　it　this　Part　of　the　Book　which　Heuschrecke　had　in　view；　when　he　recommended　us　to　that　joint…stock　vehicle　of　publication；　〃at　present　the　glory　of　British　Literature〃？　　If　so；　the　Library　Editors　are　welcome　to　dig　in　it　for　their　own　behoof。

To　the　First　Chapter；　which　turns　on　Paradise　and　Fig…leaves；　and　leads　us　into　interminable　disquisitions　of　a　mythological；　metaphorical；　cabalistico…sartorial　and　quite　antediluvian　cast；　we　shall　content　ourselves　with　giving　an　unconcerned　approval。　　Still　less　have　we　to　do　with　〃Lilis；　Adam's　first　wife；　whom；　according　to　the　Talmudists；　he　had　before　Eve；　and　who　bore　him；　in　that　wedlock；　the　whole　progeny　of　aerial；　aquatic；　and　terrestrial　Devils；〃very　needlessly；　we　think。　　On　this　portion　of　the　Work；　with　its　profound　glances　into　the　_Ad