登陆注册
5190600000052

第52章

Oh, he is taking off his gold-bowed spectacles! Ah, he is divesting himself of his cravat! Why, he is stripping off his coat! Well, here he is, sure enough, in a tight silk shirt, and with two things that look like batter puddings in the place of his fists.Now see that other fellow with another pair of batter puddings, - the big one with the broad shoulders; he will certainly knock the little man's head off, if he strikes him.Feinting, dodging, stopping, hitting, countering, - little man's head not off yet.You might as well try to jump upon your own shadow as to hit the little man's intellectual features.He needn't have taken off the gold-bowed spectacles at all.Quick, cautious, shifty, nimble, cool, he catches all the fierce lunges or gets out of their reach, till his turn comes, and then, whack goes one of the batter puddings against the big one's ribs, and bang goes the other into the big one's face, and, staggering, shuffling, slipping, tripping, collapsing, sprawling, down goes the big one in a miscellaneous bundle.- If my young friend, whose excellent article I have referred to, could only introduce the manly art of self-defence among the clergy, I am satisfied that we should have better sermons and an infinitely less quarrelsome church-militant.A bout with the gloves would let off the ill-nature, and cure the indigestion, which, united, have embroiled their subject in a bitter controversy.We should then often hear that a point of difference between an infallible and a heretic, instead of being vehemently discussed in a series of newspaper articles, had been settled by a friendly contest in several rounds, at the close of which the parties shook hands and appeared cordially reconciled,But boxing you and I are too old for, I am afraid.I was for a moment tempted, by the contagion of muscular electricity last evening, to try the gloves with the Benicia Boy, who looked in as a friend to the noble art; but remembering that he had twice my weight and half my age, besides the advantage of his training, Isat still and said nothing.

There is one other delicate point I wish to speak of with reference to old age.I refer to the use of dioptric media which correct the diminished refracting power of the humors of the eye, - in other words, spectacles.I don't use them.All I ask is a large, fair type, a strong daylight or gas-light, and one yard of focal distance, and my eyes are as good as ever.But if YOUR eyes fail, I can tell you something encouraging.There is now living in New York State an old gentleman who, perceiving his sight to fail, immediately took to exercising it on the finest print, and in this way fairly bullied Nature out of her foolish habit of taking liberties at five-and-forty, or thereabout.And now this old gentleman performs the most extraordinary feats with his pen, showing that his eyes must be a pair of microscopes.I should be afraid to say to you how much he writes in the compass of a half-dime, - whether the Psalms or the Gospels, or the Psalms AND the Gospels, I won't be positive.

But now let rue tell you this.If the time comes when you must lay down the fiddle and the bow, because your fingers are too stiff, and drop the ten-foot sculls, because your arms are too weak, and, after dallying awhile with eye-glasses, come at last to the undisguised reality of spectacles, - if the time comes when that fire of life we spoke of has burned so low that where its flames reverberated there is only the sombre stain of regret, and where its coals glowed, only the white ashes that cover the embers of memory, - don't let your heart grow cold, and you may carry cheerfulness and love with you into the teens of your second century, if you can last so long.As our friend, the Poet, once said, in some of those old-fashioned heroics of his which he keeps for his private reading, -Call him not old, whose visionary brain Holds o'er the past its undivided reign.

For him in vain the envious seasons roll Who bears eternal summer in his soul.

If yet the minstrel's song, the poet's lay, Spring with her birds, or children with their play, Or maiden's smile, or heavenly dream of art Stir the few life-drops creeping round his heart, -Turn to the record where his years are told, -Count his gray hairs, - they cannot make him old!

END OF THE PROFESSOR'S PAPER.

[The above essay was not read at one time, but in several instalments, and accompanied by various comments from different persons at the table.The company were in the main attentive, with the exception of a little somnolence on the part of the old gentleman opposite at times, and a few sly, malicious questions about the "old boys" on the part of that forward young fellow who has figured occasionally, not always to his advantage, in these reports.

On Sunday mornings, in obedience to a feeling I am not ashamed of, I have always tried to give a more appropriate character to our conversation.I have never read them my sermon yet, and I don't know that I shall, as some of them might take my convictions as a personal indignity to themselves.But having read our company so much of the Professor's talk about age and other subjects connected with physical life, I took the next Sunday morning to repeat to them the following poem of his, which I have had by me some time.

He calls it - I suppose, for his professional friends - THEANATOMIST'S HYMN, but I shall name it - ]

THE LIVING TEMPLE.

Not in the world of light alone, Where God has built his blazing throne, Nor yet alone in earth below, With belted seas that come and go, And endless isles of sunlit green, Is all thy Maker's glory seen:

Look in upon thy wondrous frame, -

Eternal wisdom still the same!

The smooth, soft air with pulse-like waves Flows murmuring through its hidden caves Whose streams of brightening purple rush Fired with a new and livelier blush, While all their burden of decay The ebbing current steals away, And red with Nature's flame they start From the warm fountains of the heart.

No rest that throbbing slave may ask, Forever quivering o'er his task, While far and wide a crimson jet Leaps forth to fill the woven net Which in unnumbered crossing tides The flood of burning life divides, Then kindling each decaying part Creeps back to find the throbbing heart.

But warmed with that uchanging flame Behold the outward moving frame, Its living marbles jointed strong With glistening band and silvery thong, And linked to reason's guiding reins By myriad rings in trembling chains, Each graven with the threaded zone Which claims it as the master's own.

See how yon beam of seeming white Is braided out of seven-hued light, Yet in those lucid globes no ray By any chance shall break astray.

Hark how the rolling surge of sound, Arches and spirals circling round, Wakes the hushed spirit through thine ear With music it is heaven to hear.

Then mark the cloven sphere that holds All thought in its mysterious folds, That feels sensation's faintest thrill And flashes forth the sovereign will;Think on the stormy world that dwells Locked in its dim and clustering cells!

The lightning gleams of power it sheds Along its hollow glassy threads!

O Father! grant thy love divine To make these mystic temples thine!

When wasting age and wearying strife Have sapped the leaning walls of life, When darkness gathers over all, And the last tottering pillars fall, Take the poor dust thy mercy warms And mould it into heavenly forms!

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 大唐悬疑录3:长恨歌密码

    大唐悬疑录3:长恨歌密码

    杨贵妃究竟死于马嵬驿,还是逃生日本?大诗人白居易根据杨贵妃的秘闻写就名篇《长恨歌》,不想竟引来杀身之祸。各路僧、道、官、匪先后出动,齐齐盯上了《长恨歌》中的明文暗码……大唐元和元年(公元806年),诗人白居易与友人陈鸿、王质夫到马嵬驿游玩。在皇太后族兄王质夫所讲的宫中秘闻的激发下,白居易一气呵成写下千古名篇《长恨歌》。文人陈鸿也写了一篇传奇小说《长恨歌传》。十年后,被贬江州的白居易在浔阳江头听到一名中年歌女弹奏琵琶,惊为神曲,遂写下名篇《琵琶行》相赠。
  • 杜工部草堂诗话

    杜工部草堂诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 独步惊华:绝世倾城妃

    独步惊华:绝世倾城妃

    推荐新文:蜜汁萌宠:龙少撩妻无下限论潜力,她苏色色草根一个,废柴一根,小小仵作一枚。论痞气,她苏色色无师自通,天赋异禀,流氓始祖是也。论实力,任你有世间至宝,天下万兵,不敌她男人手指跟.她男人是谁?众人:龙族神尊!天下之主!问她,暖床小厮!某男:………斗人,斗鬼,斗奇葩,她苏色色见招拆招!九尾狐狸,算个毛?她苏色色身藏血蟒,手执银刀,狐狸尾巴哪里藏?九命猫妖,哪颗蒜?她苏色色银刀在手,神佛胆怯,区区小妖敢乱世?牡丹仙子,哪根葱?胭脂俗粉,佛口蛇心,哪比她苏色色风华绝代,举世无双!一名奇葩的法医,一次离奇的穿越,一对欢喜冤家,刀山火海,不离不弃,地狱深渊,生死相依,愿用尽三世烟火,换你一世迷离。
  • 中华美德4

    中华美德4

    在故事中吸取营养,让中华美德薪火相传,让孩子成为体现时代进步要求的新道德规范的实践者。给儿童最好的教育让他们知道我们中华民族几千年来的传统文化精髓。
  • 强婚密爱:宠妻上瘾

    强婚密爱:宠妻上瘾

    家里一朝被人阴谋陷害以致破产,却让她遇上那个如冰块的男人一夜的抵死缠绵,她送了他三个字,男人却给她一纸合约,“我的一切我会夺回来的!”为了报复敌人,她甘愿签下,只为给敌人致命的一击。明里,他是跨国集团的总裁,冰冷容颜不喜言语;暗里,他却拥有多重骇人身份,杀戮决绝使人惧怕。“我不会爱你。”男人眼底的坚决,却在对上她的眼睛时瞬间崩塌。遇到男人上前搭讪,他会不悦道,“这是我的女人,谁让你碰了?”遇到花痴女挑衅,他会直接说,“我就只要她一个,你们谁也别肖想她的位置。”遇到蛮横人刁难,他也会说,“这是我宠的,她喜欢就好,你管不着。”是谁说不可能爱了,可是为什么一次次做出爱人之间的举动,让她一再沦陷。看着他身后那个女人,她才知道,原来她只是个替身,一夜之间,她最后选择了逃离,多年后,再回来,却再次被他缠上……【闷骚男口头禅】某女:谢谢你。某男:嗯。某女:对不起啊!某男:嗯。某女:那个,我不是故意的,我也没想到会惹来这些事情,我……某男:嗯。某女:你的话不会只有一个嗯吧?别人问你什么你都只会嗯的回答?某男:嗯?某女无奈,某男茫然。【女孩VS男人】一个小人从她身后钻了出来,看着面前的高人。“妈咪,这个人是谁啊?”粉嫩的小女孩嗲声问道,“他是不是也来征婚的?诶,你要来征婚是吗?”男人没有说话。“我告诉你,想要征婚,有三个条件,有车有房,父母双亡,不然婆媳关系很难搞的。”男人额上黑线布满。【用尽偷蒙拐骗】“宝贝,能不能帮爹地办一件事情。”某男狡黠道。女孩双手撑下巴,道,“说吧。”“爹地忘记你妈咪的名字怎么写了,可不可以去外公那里把妈咪的户口本拿出来给爹地看一下。”“我会写妈咪的名字,很简单,我教你吧!”说着就要去拿纸笔,却被某男制止了。“你们写的不一定对,只有户口本的才是最对的,万一你们写错了怎么办?”“哦,那好吧,我去问问外公。”在一旁的男孩鄙视的看着两人。注:一对一,不是回头草,男主身心健康,宠文无边。简介无能,请点进去看几章再决定咔嚓吧!本人古文:《吾家有妃初拽成》【已完结】《凰腾——绝杀鬼妃》【推荐姐妹文】姒锦《军婚撩人》鎏年《限制级霸宠》沐云清《狂霸老公极品妻》艺瑾天使《霸道老公,轻点爱》花卷儿《名门小妻——宠你上瘾》妆璧《少将,放过我》多浅《亿万老公誘宠妻》
  • 九天揽月

    九天揽月

    欧阳自远,一个普通家庭出生的普通孩子,靠着自己的坚韧不拔和刻苦努力,一步步走上中国科学的尖端,成为了中国探月工程的首席科学家,被誉为“嫦娥之父”。欧阳先生在书中用朴实的语言追忆几十年的点点滴滴,讲述探月的梦想是如何走进自己的人生,而自己又肩负着祖国怎样的飞天梦。欧阳先生在探索宇宙奥秘的同时,也在探索人生的意义,他期待中国探月的成功,但更期待国人真正了解“月亮文化”,感受到月亮后面的人文情怀。通过欧阳先生的自述,我们不但能够了解中国探月历程的发展与变迁,更能感受到一位老科学家为梦想执着一生的高尚情怀。
  • 丹武神皇

    丹武神皇

    少年丹药师叶强,一次机缘得到了上古神物混元珠,解开了丹神和剑魔两大神武者的封印,丹武双修成就一代至尊神皇威震天下,强者之路充满各种奇遇,生死历练中获得强大突破,强者需要强者的尸体堆砌而成!
  • 著名科学家成才故事(中国名人成才故事)

    著名科学家成才故事(中国名人成才故事)

    本套书精选荟萃了中国历史上最具有代表性的也最具有影响力的名人,编辑成了这套《中国名人成才故事》(共10册),即《著名政治家成才故事》、《著名军事家成才故事》、《著名谋略家成才故事》、《著名思想家成才故事》、《著名文学家成才故事》、《著名艺术家成才故事》、《著名科学家成才故事》、《著名发明家成才故事》、《著名财富家成才故事》、《著名教育家成才故事》等,这些故事既有趣味性,又蕴含深刻的道理,能够带给我们深刻的启迪,是青少年课外不可缺少的精神食粮。
  • 金手指点子库

    金手指点子库

    当我们研究成功人士的事业时,常常发现:他们的成功一直可以追溯到他们拿起书籍的那一天。在我们接触过的事业成功人士之中,大多数都酷爱读书——自小学开始,经由中学、大学,以至于成年之后。
  • 两片叶子不孤单

    两片叶子不孤单

    《少儿奇幻童话故事精品集:两片叶子不孤单》文采斐然的童话盛宴,简洁流畅的文字辅以形象可爱、栩栩如生的精美插图,为孩子们打造出一个鲜活灵动的童话世界,这一个个妙趣横生的童话故事下,流淌的是真爱纯美的情愫情感,蕴含的是积极探索的童真童趣,能有效帮助孩子培养好品质、好习惯。