Part 8 (1/2)
There were also two others afterward, in the jubilate vein; but I spare ood-doing since accomplished
To the above nuht be indefinitely extended, it is only fair to add that ”Proverbial Philosophy” has run the gauntlet of both heiaristic inant condeood and censure from the bad: our comic papers have aies and Holy Writ have been similarly parodied,--and some of the modern writers who are unfriendly to Christian influences have done their sh adverse criticism But their efforts are vain They have availed only to advance--from first to last now for some forty-five years--the world-wide success of ”Proverbial Philosophy”
If it is expected, as a matter of impartiality, that I should here print adverse criticisms as well as those which are favourable, I simply decline to be so foolish: a caricature iotten: the _litera scripta_ in printer's ink remains and is quotable for ever, and I do not think it worth while deliberately to traducethe opinions of dyspeptic scribes ill find hoell I think of them in my Proverbial Essay ”Zoilism;” which, by the way, I read at St Andrews, before some chiefs of that university, with AKHB in the chair
Accordingly, I prefer now to appear one-sided, as a piece of coloriousness; all the good verdicts quoted are genuine, absolutely unpaid and unrewarded, and aresuch I prize the to wound and yet afraid to strike”--lected Here is a social anecdote to illustrate what I hest rank who--to spite his younger brother as he fancied--posted hiot;” and all he got for his pains in this exposure was that the name stuck to himself for life! so it is not necessary to borrow fame's trumpet to proclaiht it only just to the many unseen lovers of ”Proverbial Philosophy” to show thened and sanctioned all over the English-speaking world by critics of many schools and almost all denominations It is not then from personal vanity that so much laudation is exhibited [God wot, I have reason to denounce and renounce self-seeking]--but rather to gratify and corroborate innumerable book friends
If there had been International Copyright in the more halcyon days of my ”Proverbial” popularity, when, as reported (see the _New York World_ on p 124), a million and a half copies of my book were consumed in America, I should have beenlike a hundred thousand pounds: but the bare fact is that all I have ever received from my Transatlantic booksellers in the way of money has been some 80 (three thousand dollars) which Here--so far as I could grant it--of beingto complain of in the way of praise, however profitless, of kindliness, however well appreciated, and of boundless hospitality, however fairly rein celebrity
No doubt the public are benefited by the cheapness of books unprotected by copyright, and the author, if he wins no royalty, gains by fareat mistake,--as well as an injustice to the authorshi+p of both nations, by starving the literature of each other, American publishers will not sufficiently pay their own native bookwrights when they can appropriate their neighbours' works for nothing; and ours in England probably enriched themselves as vastly and cheaply by Mrs Beecher Stowe's ”Uncle To the thirty-three States by ”Proverbial Philosophy”
As enerations a cos, and has es, it is s-- been a sort of spiritual Cupid on such occasions Frequently at s and elsewhere ladies thitherto unknown have claily acknowledged that e (both written in -points of their lives and causes of their happiness These lines will e their truth, and possibly if they like it may write and tell rateful letters of a similar character
It may also be worthy of mention that on this side of the Atlantic as well as on the other (see especially the case of NP Willis) it has often been taken for granted that the author of ”Proverbial Philosophy”
has been dead for generations No doubt this is due both to the antique style of the book and to the retiring habits of its author: coht I could mention many proofs of this belief in hter of mine is asked lately by an eminent person if she is a descendant of the celebrated Elizabethan author? and when that individual in passing round the room came near to the Professor, and was introduced to hiht to believe that his long-departed book friend was positively alive before hihost
Throughout this volume I wish my courteous readers to bear in mind that the writer excludes from it as much as possible the strictly private and personal element; it is intended to be mainly authorial or on matters therewith connected Moreover, if they will considerately take into account that as a youth and until e I was, froaieties of society, as also that I religiously abstained from theatricals at a time before Macready, who has since purified the been engaged in e from seventeen to twenty-five,--I can have (for example) no love adventures to offer for aht supply
The autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini is full of entertaining and highly coloured incidents which could not be possible to one rather of the Huguenot stamp than that of the Cavalier, and so I cannot compete therewith as to any of the spicier records of hot youth: for which indeed let me be thankful
If then my reader finds me less lively than he had--shall I say uncharitably?--hoped for, let him take into account that, to quote the splendid but sensuous phrase of Swinburne, I have always been stupidly prone to prefer ”the lilies and languors of virtue” to ”the roses and raptures of vice”
I will now proceed with the self-i my authorial performances
CHAPTER XIII
A MODERN PYRAMID
In 1839, Rickerby was again”A Modern Pyraint of Worthies” In this volureeted both in verse and prose threescore and ten of the Excellent of the earth
Probably the best thing in it is the ”Vision Introductory;” and, as the book has been long out of print, I will produce it here as an interesting flight of fancy, albeit so one If an author can be accounted a fair judge of his oritings, this is inative line; and as it is no new brain-child (ays love the last baby best), but ritten little short of fifty years ago, the ie is probably a correct one The sun-dial is still in rew up to arden at noon: and I ca ; so the thin shadow pointed to twelve
”Of a sudden, I felt a war up, inbeauty close besideon the dial: it was only a face; and with earnest fear I leaned, steadfastly watching its strange loveliness Soon, it looked intoeyes, and said mournfully, 'Dost thou not know me?'--but I was speechless with astonishment: then it said, 'Consider:'--with that, my mind rushed into me like a flood, and I looked, and considered, and speedily vague outlines shaped about, ossa Creature was growing to e