 | Randolph |  |
ANSWER.
Est-ce possible!—French and Italian in the same letter!
at such a moment too, and from such a man!—Frank, I
know not who is most to blame for it, you or I. I began,
I believe; and you, I hope, have ended it; for, I confess, that
you have made me heartily ashamed of it. How naturally
we fall into such ridiculous pedantry. Now, that
French sentence of yours, for example—why was it introduced?
It certainly is not what you think, unless, indeed,
you have amazingly changed since last June; for,
on the third of that month, you say, “I am happier, even
now, with the conviction of having been beloved by that
woman, than I should be, in the possession of any other.”
That sentiment came from your heart. But this, it came
only from your pen.
The lines from Tasso, are not worth repeating. I see
no particular merit in them. They are often quoted; and
I am quite sure by Rousseau himself; and, if I recollect
right, he accompanies them with a most liberal translation,
indeed. No, no, cousin; let us be superior to this kind
of childish pedantry. If we cannot talk in English, let
us, at least, quote aptly; and on befitting occasions. I
have seen writers, and you can recall some at this moment,
over whose pages we have laughed—spitefully
enough, too, at times—who, evidently, kept a common
place book, for scraps of stuff, in French, and Italian, and
Spanish; and, when they wanted a quotation, turned to
that, culled one, no matter what, so it was in a foreign
language, and then fitted the incident or sentiment to
the quotation. Nothing is easier. The difficulty lies,
when one is talking or writing, naturally, to remember an
apt illustration, to fit the subject—not in fitting the subject
to the illustration. An ill-timed story is not worse
shoulders, as it often is.
Another thing: you are quite too fine, here and there,
in your last. There is too much tinsel; too little heart,
at times. Be more careful, for the future—or, rather,
be less careful. Don't write for effect; don't study to
captivate; and you will be much more likely to succeed.
I hate antithesis—point—epigram—and dirty ostrich
feathers—and they are the only four things, I believe,
that I do hate.
Oh—of the “unnatural things, produced by Nature.
Set your heart at rest, cousin, I am right—and will convince
you, in the morning; at present, I cannot. It is—
or it wants only five minutes of twelve o'clock—of a Saturday
night, too, and I cannot, will not encroach upon
the Sabbath; (as we Christians call the first day.)
Good night—
Good morrow!—
My proposition was, or, at least, may be resolved into
this: that in nature, some things are found, that are not
natural. Is this denied? Are monsters natural?—are the
lame, and halt, and blind, natural? No!—they are exceptions
to what is natural. Deformity and redundancy,
are only so, by comparison with the general operation
of nature. There is a general nature, and a particular
nature. To be natural, we must resemble the former;
not the latter; as a painter, or sculptor, studies the species,
not the individual. Have I said enough?
Yes, Frank, it is possible that I have not sought
to cherish a truly christian spirit, toward Edward Molton;
it is possible that I have judged him too harshly;
but, nevertheless, I have every reason to believe, that
he is a hypocrite, a dastard, and a villain. When I see
good cause to change my opinion, depend upon it, that
I shall rejoice to avow the change, as publickly as I have
the opinion. 'Till then, I hope not to mention his name
again. I have some things to repent of, bitterly and
seriously, in which he was concerned; and, while I think
no better of him, I think much worse of myself. And, as
again, that, by any accident, you may chance to hear him
say of me. I despise, I detest him, so heartily, that I
cannot express to you, how humbled I feel, when I learn
that he speaks of me.
I am going into the country, for a week, where I hope
to get permission.... But no, I will not excite your curiosity.
Tell John to write me; and, if you please, you
can direct your letters, for the next week, to —
Post Office, care of —.
| Randolph | |