AMICUS REDIVIVUS

  Wherewereye,Nymphs,whentheremorselessdeep

  ClosdoertheheadofyourlovedLycidas?

  InotknowwhenIhaveexperierangersensation,thanonseeingmyoldfriendG.D.,whohadbeenpayingmeamvisitafewSundaysback,atmycottageatIslington,upontakingleave,insteaddowntherighthandpathbywhichhehadentered--withstaffinhand,andatnoonday,deliberatelymarchrightforwardsintothemidstofthestreamthatrunsbyus,andtotallydisappear.

  Aspectaclelikethisatduskwouldhavebeenappallingenough;but,inthebroadopendaylight,towitnesssuunreservedmotiontowardsself-destruinavaluedfriend,tookfrommeallpowerofspeculation.

  HowIfoundmyfeet,Iknownot.sciousnesswasquitegone.Somespirit,notmyown,whirledmetothespot.Iremembernothingbutthesilveryapparitionofagoodwhiteheademerging;nighwhichastaff(thehanduhatwieldedit)pointedupwards,asfeelingfortheskies.Inamoment(iftimewasinthattime)hewasonmyshoulders,andI--freightedwithaloadmorepreciousthanhiswhoboreAnchises.

  AndhereIotbutdojusticetotheofficiouszealofsundrypassersby,who,albeitarrivingalittletoolatetoparticipateinthehonoursoftherescue,inphilanthropicshoalscamethrongingtounicatetheiradviceastotherecovery;prescribingvariouslytheapplication,ornonapplication,ofsalt,&c.,tothepersonofthepatient.Lifemeantimewasebbingfastaway,amidstthestifleoffligjudgments,whenone,macioustha,byabrightthought,proposedsendingfortheDoctor.Triteastheselwas,andimpossible,asoneshouldthink,tobemissedon,--shallIfess?--inthisemergency,itwastomeasifanAngelhadspokepreviousexertions--andminehadnotbeeninsiderable--areonlyfollowedbyadebilityofpurpose.Thiswasamomentofirresolution.

  Monoculus--forso,indefaultofcatghistruename,Ichoosetodesighemedicalgentlemaneared--isagrave,middle-agedperson,who,withouthavingstudiedatthecollege,ortruckledtothepedantryofadiploma,hathemployedagreatportionofhisvaluabletimeinexperimentalprocessesuponthebodiesofunfortunatefellow-creatures,inwhomthevitalspark,tomerevulgarthinking,wouldseemextindlostforever.Heomittethnooccasionofobtrudinghisservices,fromamonsurfeit-suffocationtotheignoblerobstrus,sometimesinducedbyatoowilfulapplicationoftheplantabisoutwardly.Butthoughhedeethnotaltogetherthesedrierextins,hisoccupatiohforthemostparttowater-practice;forthevenienceofwhich,hehathjudiciouslyfixedhisquartershegrandrepositoryofthestreammentioned,where,dayandnight,fromhislittlewatch-tower,attheMiddletons-Head,helisteodetectthewrecksofdrownedmortality--partly,ashesaith,tobeupo--andpartly,becausetheliquidswhichheusethtoprescribetohimselfandhispatients,onthesedistressingoccasions,areordinarilymorevelytobefoundattheseonhostelries,thanintheshopsandphialsoftheapothecaries.Hisearhatharrivedtosuessebypractice,thatitisreported,hedistinguishaplumeatahalffurlongdistandtell,ifitbecasualordeliberate.Hewearethamedal,suspendedoverasuit,inallyofasadbrown,butwhich,bytime,andfrequenightlydivings,hasbeendioatrueprofessionalsable.HepassethbythenameofDoctor,andisremarkableforwantinghislefteye.Hisremedy--afterasuffitapplicationofwarmblas,fri,&c.,isasimpletumbler,ormore,ofthepurestac,withwater,madeashotasthevalestbearit.Wherehefih,asintheyfriend,asqueamishsubject,hedesdethtobethetaster;andshoweth,byhisole,theinnocuousnatureoftheprescription.Nothingbemorekindorencingthanthisprocedure.Itaddethfidehepatient,toseehismedicaladvisergohandinhandwithhimselfintheremedy.Wheorswallowethhisht,eevishinvalidrefusetopledgehimiion?Infine,Monoculusisahumane,sensibleman,who,forasletance,scaroughtosustainlife,istenttowearitoutintheendeavourtosavethelivesofothers--hispretensionssomoderate,thatwithdifficultyIcouldpressauponhim,forthepriceofresttheexistenceofsuinvaluablecreaturetosocietyasG.D.

  Itleasanttoobservetheeffectofthesubsidingalarmuponthehedearabseseemedtohavegivenashaketomemory,callingupnoticeafternotice,ofalltheprovidentialdeliveranceshehadexperiehecourseofhislongandilife.Sittingupinmycouch--mycouchwhiakedandvoidoffurniturehitherto,forthesalutaryreposewhichitadministered,shallbehohcostlyvalasomepridhehbeastate-bedatColebrooke,hediscoursedofmarvellousescapes--bycarelessnessofnurses--bypailsofgelid,alesoftheboili,ininfancy--byorchardpranks,andsnappingtwigs,inschoolboyfrolics--bydestoftilesatTrumpington,andofheaviertomesatPembroke--bystudiouswatgs,indugfrightfulvigilance--bywant,andthefearofwant,andallthesorethrobbingsofthelearnedhead.--Anon,hewouldburstoutintolittlefragmentsoftingofsongslongago--endsofdeliverance-hymns,notrememberedbeforesincechildhood,butingupnow,whenhisheartwasmadetenderasachilds--forthetremorcordis,irospectofaretdeliverance,asinapendingdanger,aguponaniheart,willproduceaself-tenderness,whichweshoulddoilltochristencowardidShakspeare,iercrisis,hasmadehisgohtorememberthesittingbyBabylon,andtomutterofshallowrivers.

  WatershMiddleton--arkyouwereliketohaveextinguishedforever!YoursalubriousstreamstothisCity,forwoturies,wouldhardlyhaveatonedforwhatyouwereinamomentwashingaway.Mockeryofariver--liquidartifice--wretchedduit!hehrankwithals,andsluggishaqueducts.Wasitforthis,that,smitinboyhoodwiththeexplorationsofthatAbyssiniantraveller,IpacedthevalesofAmwelltoexploreyourtributarysprings,totraceyoursalutarywaterssparklingthroughgreefordshire,andculturedEnfieldparks?--Yehavenoswans--noNaiads--noriverGod--ordidthebenevolenthoaryaspeyfrieyetosuckhimin,thatyealsomighthavethetutelarygeniusofyourwaters?

  HadhebeendrownedinCamtherewouldhavebeensomesonanit;butwhatwillowshadyetowaveandrustleoverhismoistsepulture?--or,havingnoname,besidesthatunmeaningassumptioernalnovity,didyethinktogetohenobleprize,andhehtobetermedtheSTREAMDYERIAN?

  Andcouldsuchspaciousvirtuefindagrave

  Beheimposthumedbubbleofawave?

  Iprotest,Gee,youshallureoutagain--no,notbydaylight--withoutasuffitpairofspectacles--inyourmusingmoodsespecially.Yourabsenindwehaveborillyourpresenceofbodycametobecallediionbyit.YoushallnotgowanderingintoEuripuswithAristotle,ifwehelpit.Fie,man,toturndipperatyouryears,afteryourmanytrafavourofsprinklingonly!

  Ihavenothingbutwaterinmyheadonightssihisfrightfulact.SometimesIamwithClarenhisdream.Atothers,IbeholdChristianbeginningtosink,andgouttohisgoodbrotherHopeful(thatistome),"Isinkiers;thebillowsgoovermyhead,allthewavesgooverme.Selah."ThenIhavebeforemePalinurus,justlettinggothesteerage.Icryouttoolatetosave.follow--amournfulprocession--suicidalfaces,savedagainsttheirwillsfromdrowning;dolefullytrailihofrelutgratefulness,withropyweedspendantfromlocksofwatchethue--strainedLazari--Plutoshallsubjects--stolenfeesfromthegrave-bilkingCharonofhisfare.AttheirheadArion--orisitG.D.?--inhissinginggarmentsmarchethsingly,withharpinhand,andvotivegarland,whichMa(orDr.Hawes)snatchethstraight,intendingtosuspendittothesternGodofSea.ThenfollowdismalstreamsofLethe,inwhichthehalf-drenchedoharestraiodrowndht,bywharfswhereOpheliatwiceactshermuddydeath.

  And,doubtless,thereissomenotithatinvisibleworld,whenoneofusapproacheth(asmyfrienddidsolately)totheirinexorableprects.Whenasoulknoce,twice,atdeathsdoor,thesensationarousedwithinthepalacemustbesiderable;andthegrimFeature,bymodernscesooftendispossessedofhisprey,musthavelearhistimetopityTantalus.

  ApulseassuredlywasfeltalongtheliheElysianshades,whentheneararrivalofG.D.wasannouncedbynoequivodications.FromtheirseatsofAsphodelarosethegentlerandthegraverghosts--poet,orhistorian--ofGreorofRomanlordtowithunfadingchapletsthehalf-finishedlove-laboursoftheirunweariedscholiast.HimMarklandexpected--himTyrwhitthopedtoenter--himthesweetlyristofPeterHouse,whomhehadbarelyseenupoh,*withairspreparedtogreet--;and,patronofthegentleChristsboy,--whoshouldhavebeenhispatrhlife--themildAskew,withlongingaspirations,leanedforemostfromhisvenerableAesculapianchair,toweleintothathappypauredvirtuesoftheman,whosetenderssintheboyhehimselfupohhadsopropheticallyfedandwatered.

  *GRAIUMtantumvidit.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

• 推荐自己的新书《天命讨债人》

  齐天大魔猴

  桀骜齐天圣，铮铮大魔猴
• 第817章 四公子当真与众不同？

  清穿后每天被迫撩

  【欢脱独宠，沙雕撩夫日
• 新书《谜城》开启

  神峰

  一次偶然， 他踏足修
• 第270章 酒吧偶遇

  网游之影子大师

  我，在黑夜中行走 我
• 007儿女成群

  婚城难入

  十八岁的她，一心想用高
• 第四百一十六章 邀请

  剑神之剑弑乾坤

  《剑神之剑弑乾坤》是一