Authors Right And Left
Sailing from Padulla, after many pleasant things had been said concerning the sights there beheld1; Babbalanja thus addressed Yoomy— "Warbler, the last song you sung was about moonlight, and paradise, and fabulous2 pleasures evermore: now, have you any hymns3 about earthly felicity?"
"Just now, my lord," replied Yoomy, "I was singing to myself, as I. — often do, and by your leave, I will continue aloud."
"Better begin at the beginning, I should think," said the chronicler, both hands to his chin, beginning at the top to new braid his beard.
"No: like the roots of your beard, old Mohi, all beginnings are stiff," cried Babbalanja. "We are lucky in living midway in eternity5. So sing away, Yoomy, where you left off," and thus saying he unloosed his girdle for the song, as Apicius would for a banquet.
"Shall I continue aloud, then, my lord?"
My lord nodded, and Yoomy sang:—
"Full round, full soft, her dewy arms,—
Sweet shelter from all Mardi's harms!"
"Whose arms?" cried Mohi.
Sang Yoomy:—
Diving deep in the sea,
She takes sunshine along:
Down flames in the sea,
Sang Yoomy:—
Her foot, a falling sound,
That all day long might bound.
Over the beach,
The soft sand beach,
And none would find
A trace behind.
"And why not?" demanded Media, "why could no trace be found?"
Said Braid-Beard, "Perhaps owing, my lord, to the flatness of the mermaid's foot. But no; that can not be; for mermaids8 are all vertebrae below the waist."
"Your fragment is pretty good, I dare say, Yoomy," observed Media, "but as Braid-Beard hints, rather flat."
"Flat as the foot of a man with his mind made up," cried Braid-Beard. "Yoomy, did you sup on flounders last night?"
But Yoomy vouchsafed9 no reply, he was ten thousand leagues off in a reverie: somewhere in the Hyades perhaps.
Conversation proceeding10, Braid-Beard happened to make allusion11 to one Rotato, a portly personage, who, though a sagacious philosopher, and very ambitious to be celebrated12 as such, was only famous in Mardi as the fattest man of his tribe.
Said Media, "Then, Mohi, Rotato could not pick a quarrel with Fame, since she did not belie13 him. Fat he was, and fat she published him."
"Right, my lord," said Babbalanja, "for Fame is not always so honest. Not seldom to be famous, is to be widely known for what you are not, says Alla-Malolla. Whence it comes, as old Bardianna has it, that for years a man may move unnoticed among his fellows; but all at once, by some chance attitude, foreign to his habit, become a trumpet-full for fools; though, in himself, the same as ever. Nor has he shown himself yet; for the entire merit of a man can never be made known; nor the sum of his demerits, if he have them. We are only known by our names; as letters sealed up, we but read each other's superscriptions.
"So with the commonalty of us Mardians. How then with those beings who every way are but too apt to be riddles14. In many points the works of our great poet Vavona, now dead a thousand moons, still remain a mystery. Some call him a mystic; but wherein he seems obscure, it is, perhaps, we that are in fault; not by premeditation spoke15 he those archangel thoughts, which made many declare, that Vavona, after all, was but a crack-pated god, not a mortal of sound mind. But had he been less, my lord, he had seemed more. Saith Fulvi, 'Of the highest order of genius, it may be truly asserted, that to gain the reputation of superior power, it must partially16 disguise itself; it must come down, and then it will be applauded for soaring.' And furthermore, that there are those who falter17 in the common tongue, because they think in another; and these are accounted stutterers and stammerers.'"
"Ah! how true!" cried the Warbler.
"And what says the archangel Vavona, Yoomy, in that wonderful drama of his, 'The Souls of the Sages19?'—'Beyond most barren hills, there are landscapes ravishing; with but one eye to behold20; which no pencil can portray21.' What wonder then, my lord, that Mardi itself is so blind. 'Mardi is a monster,' says old Bardianna, 'whose eyes are fixed22 in its head, like a whale's; it can see but two ways, and those comprising but a small arc of a perfect vision. Poets, heroes, and men of might, are all around this monster Mardi. But stand before me on stilts23, or I. — will behold you not, says the monster; brush back your hair; inhale24 the wind largely; lucky are all men with dome-like foreheads; luckless those with pippin-heads; loud lungs are a blessing25; a lion is no lion that can not roar.' Says Aldina, 'There are those looking on, who know themselves to be swifter of foot than the racers, but are confounded with the simpletons that stare.'"
"The mere18 carping of a disappointed cripple," cried Mold. His biographer states, that Aldina had only one leg."
"Braid-Beard, you are witty26," said Babbbalanja, adjusting his robe. "My lord, there are heroes without armies, who hear martial27 music in their souls."
"My lord Media, too, is witty, Babbalanja," said Mohi.
Breathed Yoomy, "There are birds of divinest plumage, and most glorious song, yet singing their lyrics29 to themselves."
Said Media, "The lark30 soars high, cares for no auditor31, yet its sweet notes are heard here below. It sings, too, in company with myriads32 of mates. Your soliloquists, Yoomy, are mostly herons and owls33."
Said Babbalanja, "Very clever, my lord; but think you not, there are men eloquent34, who never babble35 in the marketplace?"
"Ay, and arrant36 babblers at home. In few words, Babbalanja, you espouse37 a bad cause. Most of you mortals are peacocks; some having tails, and some not; those who have them will be sure to thrust their plumes38 in your face; for the rest, they will display their bald cruppers, and still screech39 for admiration40. But when a great genius is born into Mardi, he nods, and is known."
"More wit, but, with deference41, perhaps less truth, my lord. Say what you will, Fame is an accident; merit a thing absolute. But what matter? Of what available value reputation, unless wedded42 to power, dentals, or place? To those who render him applause, a poet's may seem a thing tangible43; but to the recipient44, 'tis a fantasy; the poet never so stretches his imagination, as when striving to comprehend what it is; often, he is famous without knowing it."
"At the sacred games of Lazella," said Yoomy, "slyly crowned from behind with a laurel fillet, for many hours, the minstrel Jarmi wandered about ignorant of the honors he bore. But enlightened at last, he doffed45 the wreath; then, holding it at arm's length, sighed forth—Oh, ye laurels46! to be visible to me, ye must be removed from my brow!"
"And what said Botargo," cried Babbalanja, "hearing that his poems had been translated into the language of the remote island of Bertranda?— 'It stirs me little; already, in merry fancies, have I dreamed of their being trilled by the blessed houris in paradise; I can only imagine the same of the damsels of Bertranda.' Says Boldo, the Materialist,—'Substances alone are satisfactory.'"
"And so thought the mercenary poet, Zenzi," said Yoomy. "Upon receiving fourteen ripe yams for a sonnet47, one for every line, he said to me, Yoomy, I shall make a better meal upon these, than upon so many compliments."
"Ay," cried Babbalanja, "'Bravos,' saith old Bardianna, but induce flatulency.'"
Said Media, "And do you famous mortals, then, take no pleasure in hearing your bravos?"
"Much, my good lord; at least such famous mortals, so enamored of a clamorous48 notoriety, as to bravo for themselves, when none else will huzza; whose whole existence is an unintermitting consciousness of self; whose very persons stand erect49 and self-sufficient as their infallible index, the capital letter I; who relish50 and comprehend no reputation but what attaches to the carcass; who would as lief be renowned51 for a splendid mustache, as for a splendid drama: who know not how it was that a personage, to posterity52 so universally celebrated as the poet Vavona, ever passed through the crowd unobserved; who deride53 the very thunder for making such a noise in Mardi, and yet disdain54 to manifest itself to the eye."
"Wax not so warm, Babbalanja; but tell us, if to his contemporaries Vavona's person was almost unknown, what satisfaction did he derive55 from his genius?"
"Had he not its consciousness?—an empire boundless56 as the West. What to him were huzzas? Why, my lord, from his privacy, the great and good Logodora sent liniment to the hoarse57 throats without. But what said Bardianna, when they dunned him for autographs?—'Who keeps the register of great men? who decides upon noble actions? and how long may ink last? Alas58! Fame has dropped more rolls than she displays; and there are more lost chronicles, than the perished books of the historian Livella.' But what is lost forever, my lord, is nothing to what is now unseen. There are more treasures in the bowels59 of the earth, than on its surface."
"Ah! no gold," cried Yoomy, "but that comes from dark mines."
Said Babbalanja, "Bear witness, ye gods! cries fervent60 old Bardianna, that besides disclosures of good and evil undreamed of now, there will be other, and more astounding61 revelations hereafter, of what has passed in Mardi unbeheld."
"A truce62 to your everlasting63 pratings of old Bardianna," said King Media; why not speak your own thoughts, Babbalanja? then would your discourse64 possess more completeness; whereas, its warp65 and woof are of all sorts,—Bardianna, Alla-Malolla, Vavona, and all the writers that ever have written. Speak for yourself, mortal!"
"May you not possibly mistake, my lord? for I do not so much quote Bardianna, as Bardianna quoted me, though he flourished before me; and no vanity, but honesty to say so. The catalogue of true thoughts is but small; they are ubiquitous; no man's property; and unspoken, or bruited66, are the same. When we hear them, why seem they so natural, receiving our spontaneous approval? why do we think we have heard them before? Because they but reiterate67 ourselves; they were in us, before we were born. The truest poets are but mouth-pieces; and some men are duplicates of each other; I see myself in Bardianna."
"And there, for Oro's sake, let it rest, Babbalanja; Bardianna in you, and you in Bardianna forever!"
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1
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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2
fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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3
hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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7
mermaid
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| n.美人鱼 | |
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mermaids
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| n.（传说中的）美人鱼( mermaid的名词复数 ) | |
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9
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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10
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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13
belie
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| v.掩饰，证明为假 | |
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14
riddles
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| n.谜（语）( riddle的名词复数 )；猜不透的难题，难解之谜 | |
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15
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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16
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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17
falter
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| vi.(嗓音)颤抖，结巴地说；犹豫；蹒跚 | |
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18
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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sages
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| n.圣人( sage的名词复数 )；智者；哲人；鼠尾草（可用作调料） | |
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20
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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21
portray
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| v.描写，描述；画(人物、景象等) | |
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22
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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23
stilts
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| n.（支撑建筑物高出地面或水面的）桩子，支柱( stilt的名词复数 )；高跷 | |
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24
inhale
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| v.吸入(气体等)，吸(烟) | |
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25
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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26
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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27
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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28
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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29
lyrics
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| n.歌词 | |
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30
lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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31
auditor
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| n.审计员，旁听着 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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33
owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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34
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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35
babble
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| v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语 | |
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arrant
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| adj.极端的；最大的 | |
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espouse
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| v.支持，赞成，嫁娶 | |
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plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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39
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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40
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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41
deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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42
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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44
recipient
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| a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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45
doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
laurels
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| n.桂冠，荣誉 | |
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47
sonnet
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| n.十四行诗 | |
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48
clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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49
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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50
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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51
renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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52
posterity
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| n.后裔，子孙，后代 | |
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53
deride
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| v.嘲弄，愚弄 | |
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54
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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55
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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56
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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57
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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58
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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60
fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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61
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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62
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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63
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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64
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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65
warp
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| vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见 | |
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66
bruited
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| v.传播（传说或谣言）( bruit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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reiterate
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| v.重申，反复地说 | |
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