Rekindled, I am all generosity and good-will again; and would do
anything in the world, either for or with any one, if they will but
satisfy me there is no sin in it.
- But in saying this, - sure I am commanding the passion, - not
myself.
A FRAGMENT.
- The town of Abdera, notwithstanding Democritus lived there,
trying all the powers of irony and laughter to reclaim it, was the
vilest and most profligate town in all Thrace. What for poisons,
conspiracies, and assassinations, - libels, pasquinades, and
tumults, there was no going there by day - 'twas worse by night.
Now, when things were at the worst, it came to pass that the
Andromeda of Euripides being represented at Abdera, the whole
orchestra was delighted with it: but of all the passages which
delighted them, nothing operated more upon their imaginations than
the tender strokes of nature which the poet had wrought up in that
pathetic speech of Perseus, O Cupid, prince of gods and men! &c.
Every man almost spoke pure iambics the next day, and talked of
nothing but Perseus his pathetic address, - "O Cupid! prince of gods
and men!" - in every street of Abdera, in every house, "O Cupid!
Cupid!" - in every mouth, like the natural notes of some sweet
melody which drop from it, whether it will or no, - nothing but
"Cupid! Cupid! prince of gods and men!" - The fire caught - and the
whole city, like the heart of one man, open'd itself to Love.
No pharmacopolist could sell one grain of hellebore, - not a single
armourer had a heart to forge one instrument of death; - Friendship
and Virtue met together, and kiss'd each other in the street; the
golden age returned, and hung over the town of Abdera - every
Abderite took his eaten pipe, and every Abderitish woman left her
purple web, and chastely sat her down and listened to the song.
'Twas only in the power, says the Fragment, of the God whose empire
extendeth from heaven to earth, and even to the depths of the sea,
to have done this.
MONTREUIL.
When all is ready, and every article is disputed and paid for in
the inn, unless you are a little sour'd by the adventure, there is
always a matter to compound at the door, before you can get into
your chaise; and that is with the sons and daughters of poverty,
who surround you. Let no man say, "Let them go to the devil!" -
'tis a cruel journey to send a few miserables, and they have had
sufferings enow without it: I always think it better to take a few
sous out in my hand; and I would counsel every gentle traveller to
do so likewise: he need not be so exact in setting down his
motives for giving them; - They will be registered elsewhere.
For my own part, there is no man gives so little as I do; for few,
that I know, have so little to give; but as this was the first
public act of my charity in France, I took the more notice of it.
A well-a-way! said I, - I have but eight sous in the world, showing
them in my hand, and there are eight poor men and eight poor women
for 'em.
A poor tatter'd soul, without a shirt on, instantly withdrew his
claim, by retiring two steps out of the circle, and making a
disqualifying bow on his part. Had the whole parterre cried out,
Place aux dames, with one voice, it would not have conveyed the
sentiment of a deference for the sex with half the effect.
Just Heaven! for what wise reasons hast thou ordered it, that
beggary and urbanity, which are at such variance in other
countries, should find a way to be at unity in this?
- I insisted upon presenting him with a single sous, merely for his
politesse.
A poor little dwarfish brisk fellow, who stood over against me in
the circle, putting something first under his arm, which had once
been a hat, took his snuff-box out of his pocket, and generously
offer'd a pinch on both sides of him: it was a gift of
consequence, and modestly declined. - The poor little fellow
pressed it upon them with a nod of welcomeness. - Prenez en - prenez,
said he, looking another way; so they each took a pinch. - Pity thy
box should ever want one! said I to myself; so I put a couple of
sous into it - taking a small pinch out of his box, to enhance their
value, as I did it. He felt the weight of the second obligation
more than of the first, - 'twas doing him an honour, - the other was
only doing him a charity; - and he made me a bow down to the ground
for it.
- Here! said I to an old soldier with one hand, who had been
campaigned and worn out to death in the service - here's a couple of
sous for thee. - Vive le Roi! said the old soldier.
I had then but three sous left: so I gave one, simply, pour
l'amour de Dieu, which was the footing on which it was begg'd. - The
poor woman had a dislocated hip; so it could not be well upon any
other motive.
Mon cher et tres-charitable Monsieur. - There's no opposing this,
said I.
Milord Anglois - the very sound was worth the money; - so I gave MY
LAST SOUS FOR IT. But in the eagerness of giving, I had overlooked
a pauvre honteux, who had had no one to ask a sous for him, and
who, I believe, would have perished, ere he could have ask'd one
for himself: he stood by the chaise a little without the circle,
and wiped a tear from a face which I thought had seen better days.-
-Good God!
