The Best Horrors by F. Marion Crawford. Francis Marion Crawford

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СКАЧАТЬ with those of others. But the case of the man who occupies himself in endeavouring to better the condition of his fellow-men by imparting to them some of the results of his study, is very different. For, while the man of speculative science acts upon ideas, theories, and the like, the student of the applied sciences acts upon things and in a high degree upon people. It is clear that the immediate results produced by the man who acts upon living men are, in the present, incalculably more important than those brought about by the student who speculates upon the origin of the human race, or upon the ultimate nature of human happiness; although it is true that where speculation results in discoveries capable of being widely and advantageously applied, the man of science attains to an importance which cannot be over-estimated. When Pascal discovered that the atmosphere has weight, he laid the foundation for the invention of the first steam-engine; when Newton established the nature of the laws of gravity, he gave to science the means of weighing the earth, and on his method of prime and ultimate ratios is founded the most subtle, powerful and universally applicable system of calculation now known. But there are few who combine common and uncommon sense in the same degree as those two men; and we may safely say that those persons who act upon men directly, as statesmen, or upon things, as engineers, are the men who, in the present, make their influence most widely felt. Any great railway of the world transports from place to place in one month, affording thereby immense facilities to their lives, a greater number of people than in the whole world have read, or perhaps ever heard of, Mr. Darwin's book upon the origin of man, or Professor Kant's work on the criticism exercised by pure reason."

      "The only measure of force, of which we know, is the result produced," said Augustus.

      "And will any one venture to compare the result produced upon the lives, the wealth and the prosperity of mankind by so small a modification of an existing machine as is comprised in the invention of the marine compound engine of to-day, with the result produced by Mr. Darwin's researches concerning the origin of man ? The simple idea of using the steam twice over in cylinders of different sizes has revolutionised modern commerce, has been the death-warrant of thousands of sailing vessels, and has caused thousands of steamships to be built, employing many millions of men and iipsetting all oldfashioned notions of trade. But I will venture to say that the theory which teaches people to believe that they are descended from monkeys has neither contributed to the happiness of mankind nor in any way increased the prosperity of nations. If it possesses merits as a theory, which may or may not be questioned, it can certainly never be said to have any application bearing upon the lives of men ; and though it will survive as a remarkable monument of the ingenuity, the imagination and the industry of a learned man, it will neither inspire humanity at large with elevating and strengthening thoughts, nor will it help individuals in particular to better their condition or to surmount the ordinary difficulties of everyday life."

      "I should think not! " exclaimed Lady Brenda in a tone of conviction. " But of course one has to pretend to believe what everybody else does — or at least one must let other people believe what they please. It makes life so much easier ! "

      "Madam," said Johnson, sternly, " it is always easier to avoid a responsibility than to assume it."

      "Oh dear ! I did not mean to be so serious! " rejoined the lady. " But I really could not take upon myself to persuade all the people I meet in society that they are not descended from monkeys, when they assure me that they are, you know."

      "No, madam," answered the doctor, with a twinkle in his eye. " So nice a matter should be referred to a court of claims, and the candidates for the honours of monkeydom should be judged upon their own merits."

      "And if approved, be declared tenants in tail for ever," suggested Augustus.

      "Sir," said Johnson, almost angrily, " puns are the last resource of exhausted wit, as swearing is the refuge of those whose vocabulary is too limited to furnish them with a means of expressing their anger or disappointment."

      "I beg your pardon," returned Augustus, smiling. " Wit is much exhausted in our day."

      "It must be, sir," answered the doctor, who did not seem quite pacified. But the three ladies laughed.

      "Won't you let me make a pun?" asked Lady Brenda, beseechingly.

      "No, madam. Not if I can help it," returned Johnson, smiling and resuming his good-humour. "I ask your pardon, sir," he continued, turning to Augustus. " I did not mean to imply that your wit was exhausted."

      "It is, I assure you. So pray do not mention the matter," answered Chard, laughing. " The unconscious ratiocination of my feeble brain found expression in words."

      "Some day," said the doctor, " I would like to discuss with you the nature of wit and humour. At present the digression would be too great, for we were speaking of men of science, in whom wit is rarely abundant and in whom humour is as conspicuous by its absence as speech in a whale. But I should except Pascal, who was a very witty man. You would find great advantage in his acquaintance."

      "Do you often see him?" asked Diana, eagerly. She loved and admired the writer as distinguished from the scientist.

      "Sometimes," answered Johnson. " He is a most unclubable man. He loves solitude and his own thoughts, which, to tell the truth, are very good, so that he is not altogether to be blamed."

      They walked together along the ridge of the mountain, stopping now and then to rest a little and to look at the wonderful views which were unfolded to their eyes almost at every step. The bare brown rocks over which they climbed contrasted strongly with the deep blue of the sea far below and with the grand sweep of the Gulf of Salerno in the distance, where the green and marshy plain beyond the white city stretched back from the water towards the Calabrian hills. The sun was not hot at that high elevation and the sea breeze swept the rocks and blew cool in the faces of the party. Suddenly the mountain path came abruptly to an end as they reached the foot of a high and inaccessible rock. It was evident that they must go round it, and turning to the left they ascended a little channel which led up through the boulders. The sound of voices reached their ears, and Gwendoline paused to listen.

      "We shall find our friends here," said Dr. Johnson. " They must be just beyond that corner."

      They hastened forward and soon they came upon the strange company, seated together in a half circle where there was an indentation in the hill. Caesar was there, and Francis, Heine and Chopin and one other, whom they had not seen before. He was a man in white armour, complete save that he wore no helmet; a slender, graceful man seated in an easy attitude, his chin resting on his hand. His face was of calm, angelic beauty, pale and refined, but serene and strong. Short curls of chestnut hair clustered about his white brow and his deep-set blue eyes looked quietly at the advancing party.

      "Who is the man in armour ? " asked Gwendoline of Dr Johnson in a low voice as they approached.

      "A very good man, madam," he answered. " That is no less a person, madam, than Pierre du Terrail, Seigneur de Bayard, known as the Chevalier Bayard, without fear and without reproach. A man, madam, of whom it is impossible to say whether he is most to be revered for his virtue, admired for his prowess, or imitated for his fidelity to his sovereign."

      "Really! " exclaimed Gwendoline. But there was not time for more. The dead men rose to their feet together, and greetings were exchanged between them and their living acquaintances. King Francis presented Bayard to Lady Brenda, who in her turn presented Gwendoline, Diana and Augustus to the king.

      "We feared you were not coming," said the latter, smiling pleasantly. " Indeed, we were planning the siege of your castle, and Bayard had volunteered to lead the forlorn hope."

      "If we had taken him prisoner," said Augustus, " the ladies would not have let him go as Ludovico did, when he rushed into СКАЧАТЬ