第25章
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  WereitnotwellforusinourignorancethatweconfidedallthingstoTheJupiter?Woulditnotbewiseinustoabandonuselesstalking,idlethinking,andprofitlesslabour?AwaywithmajoritiesintheHouseofCommons,withverdictsfromjudicialbenchgivenaftermuchdelay,withdoubtfullaws,andthefallibleattemptsofhumanity!DoesnotTheJupiter,comingforthdailywithfiftythousandimpressionsfullofunerringdecisiononeverymortalsubject,setallmatterssufficientlyatrest?IsnotTomTowershere,abletoguideusandwilling?

  Yesindeed,ableandwillingtoguideallmeninallthings,solongasheisobeyedasautocratshouldbeobeyed——withundoubtingsubmission:onlyletnotungratefulministersseekothercolleaguesthanthosewhomTomTowersmayapprove;

  letchurchandstate,lawandphysic,commerceandagriculture,theartsofwar,andtheartsofpeace,alllistenandobey,andallwillbemadeperfect。HasnotTomTowersanall-seeingeye?FromthediggingsofAustraliatothoseofCalifornia,rightroundthehabitableglobe,doeshenotknow,watch,andchroniclethedoingsofeveryone?FromabishopricinNewZealandtoanunfortunatedirectorofaNorth-westpassage,ishenottheonlyfitjudgeofcapability?

  FromthesewersofLondontotheCentralRailwayofIndia——

  fromthepalacesofStPetersburgtothecabinsofConnaught,nothingcanescapehim。Britonshavebuttoread,toobey,andbeblessed。NonebutthefoolsdoubtthewisdomofTheJupiter;nonebutthemaddisputeitsfacts。

  Noestablishedreligionhaseverbeenwithoutitsunbelievers,eveninthecountrywhereitisthemostfirmlyfixed;nocreedhasbeenwithoutscoffers;nochurchhassoprosperedastofreeitselfentirelyfromdissent。TherearethosewhodoubtTheJupiter!Theyliveandbreathetheupperair,walkinghereunscathed,thoughscorned——men,bornofBritishmothersandnursedonEnglishmilk,whoscruplenottosaythatMountOlympushasitsprice,thatTomTowerscanbeboughtforgold!

  SuchisMountOlympus,themouthpieceofallthewisdomofthisgreatcountry。Itmayprobablybesaidthatnoplaceinthis19thcenturyismoreworthyofnotice。Notreasurymandatearmedwiththesignaturesofallthegovernmenthashalfthepowerofoneofthosebroadsheets,whichflyforthfromhencesoabundantly,armedwithnosignatureatall。

  Somegreatman,somemightypeer——we’llsayanobleduke——retirestorestfearedandhonouredbyallhiscountrymen——

  fearlesshimself;ifnotagoodman,atanyrateamightyman——toomightytocaremuchwhatmenmaysayabouthiswantofvirtue。Herisesinthemorningdegraded,mean,andmiserable;anobjectofmen’sscorn,anxiousonlytoretireasquicklyasmaybetosomeGermanobscurity,someunseenItalianprivacy,orindeed,anywhereoutofsight。Whathasmadethisawfulchange?whathassoafflictedhim?AnarticlehasappearedinTheJupiter;somefiftylinesofanarrowcolumnhavedestroyedallhisgrace’sequanimity,andbanishedhimforeverfromtheworld。Nomanknowswhowrotethebitterwords;theclubstalkconfusedlyofthematter,whisperingtoeachotherthisandthatname;whileTomTowerswalksquietlyalongPallMall,withhiscoatbuttonedcloseagainsttheeastwind,asthoughhewereamortalman,andnotagoddispensingthunderboltsfromMountOlympus。

  ItwasnottoMountOlympusthatourfriendBoldbetookhimself。Hehadbeforenowwanderedroundthatlonelyspot,thinkinghowgrandathingitwastowritearticlesforTheJupiter;consideringwithinhimselfwhetherbyanystretchofthepowerswithinhimhecouldevercometosuchdistinction;

  wonderinghowTomTowerswouldtakeanylittlehumbleofferingofhistalents;calculatingthatTomTowershimselfmusthaveoncehadabeginning,haveoncedoubtedastohisownsuccess。TowerscouldnothavebeenbornawriterinTheJupiter。Withsuchideas,halfambitiousandhalfawe-struck,hadBoldregardedthesilent-lookingworkshopofthegods;

  buthehadneveryetbywordorsignattemptedtoinfluencetheslightestwordofhisunerringfriend。Onsuchacoursewashenowintent;andnotwithoutmuchinwardpalpitationdidhebetakehimselftothequietabodeofwisdom,whereTomTowerswastobefoundo’morningsinhalingambrosiaandsippingnectarintheshapeoftoastandtea。

  NotfarremovedfromMountOlympus,butsomewhatnearertotheblessedregionsoftheWest,isthemostfavouredabodeofThemis。WashedbytherichtidewhichnowpassesfromthetowersofCaesartoBarry’shallsofeloquence;andagainback,withnewofferingsofacity’stribute,fromthepalacesofpeerstothemartofmerchants,standthosequietwallswhichLawhasdelightedtohonourbyitspresence。

  WhataworldwithinaworldistheTemple!howquietareits’entangledwalks,’assomeonelatelyhascalledthem,andyethowclosetothedensestconcourseofhumanity!howgravelyrespectableitssoberalleys,thoughremovedbutbyasinglestepfromtheprofanityoftheStrandandthelowiniquityofFleetStreet!OldStDunstan,withitsbell-smitingbludgeoners,hasbeenremoved;theancientshopswiththeirfacesfullofpleasanthistoryarepassingawayonebyone;

  thebaritselfistogo——itsdoomhasbeenpronouncedbyTheJupiter;rumourtellsusofsomehugebuildingthatistoappearintheselatitudesdedicatedtolaw,subversiveofthecourtsofWestminster,andantagonistictotheRollsandLincoln’sInn;butnothingyetthreatensthesilentbeautyoftheTemple:itisthemediaevalcourtofthemetropolis。

  Here,onthechoicestspotofthischoiceground,standsaloftyrowofchambers,lookingobliquelyuponthesulliedThames;beforethewindows,thelawnoftheTempleGardensstretcheswiththatdimyetdeliciousverduresorefreshingtotheeyesofLondoners。IfdoomedtolivewithinthethickestofLondonsmokeyouwouldsurelysaythatthatwouldbeyourchosenspot。Yes,you,youwhomInowaddress,mydear,middle-agedbachelorfriend,cannowherebesowelldomiciledashere。Nooneherewillaskwhetheryouareoutorathome;

  aloneorwithfriends;herenoSabbatarianwillinvestigateyourSundays,nocensoriouslandladywillscrutiniseyouremptybottle,novaletudinarianneighbourwillcomplainoflatehours。Ifyoulovebooks,towhatplacearebookssosuitable?Thewholespotisredolentoftypography。WouldyouworshipthePaphiangoddess,thegrovesofCyprusarenotmoretaciturnthanthoseoftheTemple。Witandwinearealwayshere,andalwaystogether;therevelsoftheTempleareasthoseofpolishedGreece,wherethewildestworshipperofBacchusneverforgotthedignityofthegodwhomheadored。

  Wherecanretirementbesocompleteashere?wherecanyoubesosureofallthepleasuresofsociety?

  ItwasherethatTomTowerslived,andcultivatedwitheminentsuccessthetenthMusewhonowgovernstheperiodicalpress。Butletitnotbesupposedthathischambersweresuch,orsocomfortless,asarefrequentlythegauntabodesoflegalaspirants。Fourchairs,ahalf-filleddealbook-casewithhangingsofdingygreenbaize,anoldofficetablecoveredwithdustypapers,whicharenotmovedonceinsixmonths,andanolderPembrokebrotherwithricketylegs,foralldailyuses;adespatcherforthepreparationoflobstersandcoffee,andanapparatusforthecookingoftoastandmuttonchops;suchutensilsandluxuriesasthesedidnotsufficeforthewell-beingofTomTowers。Heindulgedinfourroomsonthefirstfloor,eachofwhichwasfurnished,ifnotwiththesplendour,withprobablymorethanthecomfortofStaffordHouse。Everyadditionthatscienceandarthavelatelymadetotheluxuriesofmodernlifewastobefoundthere。Theroominwhichheusuallysatwassurroundedbybook-shelvescarefullyfilled;

  norwasthereavolumetherewhichwasnotentitledtoitsplaceinsuchacollection,bothbyitsintrinsicworthandexteriorsplendour:aprettyportablesetofstepsinonecorneroftheroomshowedthatthoseevenonthehighershelveswereintendedforuse。Thechambercontainedbuttwoworksofart——theone,anadmirablebustofSirRobertPeel,byPower,declaredtheindividualpoliticsofourfriend;andtheother,asingularlylongfigureofafemaledevotee,byMillais,toldequallyplainlytheschoolofarttowhichhewasaddicted。

  Thispicturewasnothung,aspicturesusuallyare,againstthewall;therewasnoinchofwallvacantforsuchapurpose:

  ithadastandordeskerectedforitsownaccommodation;

  andthereonherpedestal,framedandglazed,stoodthedevotionalladylookingintentlyatalilyasnoladyeverlookedbefore。

  Ourmodernartists,whomwestylePre-Raphaelites,havedelightedtogoback,notonlytothefinishandpeculiarmanner,butalsotothesubjectsoftheearlypainters。Itisimpossibletogivethemtoomuchpraisefortheelaborateperseverancewithwhichtheyhaveequalledtheminuteperfectionsofthemastersfromwhomtheytaketheirinspiration:nothingprobablycanexceedthepaintingofsomeoftheselatter-daypictures。Itis,however,singularintowhatfaultstheyfallasregardstheirsubjects:theyarenotquitecontenttotaketheoldstockgroups——aSebastianwithhisarrows,aLuciawithhereyesinadish,aLorenzowithagridiron,ortheVirginwithtwochildren。Buttheyareanythingbuthappyintheirchange。Asarule,nofigureshouldbedrawninapositionwhichitisimpossibletosupposeanyfigureshouldmaintain。ThepatientenduranceofStSebastian,thewildecstasyofStJohnintheWilderness,thematernalloveoftheVirgin,arefeelingsnaturallyportrayedbyafixedposture;

  buttheladywiththestiffbackandbentneck,wholooksatherflower,andisstilllookingfromhourtohour,givesusanideaofpainwithoutgrace,andabstractionwithoutacause。

  Itwaseasy,fromhisrooms,toseethatTomTowerswasaSybarite,thoughbynomeansanidleone。Hewaslingeringoverhislastcupoftea,surroundedbyanoceanofnewspapers,throughwhichhehadbeenswimming,whenJohnBold’scardwasbroughtinbyhistiger。Thistigerneverknewthathismasterwasathome,thoughheoftenknewthathewasnot,andthusTomTowerswasneverinvadedbutbyhisownconsent。Onthisoccasion,aftertwistingthecardtwiceinhisfingers,hesignifiedtohisattendantimpthathewasvisible;

  andtheinnerdoorwasunbolted,andourfriendannounced。

  IhavebeforesaidthatheofTheJupiterandJohnBoldwereintimate。Therewasnoverygreatdifferenceintheirages,forTowerswasstillconsiderablyunderforty;andwhenBoldhadbeenattendingtheLondonhospitals,Towers,whowasnotthenthegreatmanthathehadsincebecome,hadbeenmuchwithhim。Thentheyhadoftendiscussedtogethertheobjectsoftheirambitionandfutureprospects;thenTomTowerswasstrugglinghardtomaintainhimself,asabrieflessbarrister,byshorthandreportingforanyofthepapersthatwouldengagehim;thenhehadnotdaredtodreamofwritingleadersforTheJupiter,orcanvassingtheconductofCabinetministers。Thingshadalteredsincethattime:thebrieflessbarristerwasstillbriefless,buthenowdespisedbriefs:couldhehavebeensureofajudge’sseat,hewouldhardlyhavelefthispresentcareer。Itistrueheworenoermine,borenooutwardmarksofaworld’srespect;butwithwhataloadofinwardimportancewashecharged!Itistruehisnameappearedinnolargecapitals;onnowallwaschalkedup’TomTowersforever’——’FreedomofthePressandTomTowers’;

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