The reader is of course acquainted with the vigorous and bracing3 pages of Sir John (2 vols., London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown). Sir John, who plays but a tooth-comb in the orchestra of this historical romance, blows in his own book the big bassoon. His character is there drawn4 at large; and the sympathy of Landor has countersigned5 the admiration6 of the public. One point, however, calls for explanation; the chapter on Grunewald was torn by the hand of the author in the palace gardens; how comes it, then, to figure at full length among my more modest pages, the Lion of the caravan7? That eminent8 literatus was a man of method; ‘Juvenal by double entry,’ he was once profanely9 called; and when he tore the sheets in question, it was rather, as he has since explained, in the search for some dramatic evidence of his sincerity10, than with the thought of practical deletion. At that time, indeed, he was possessed11 of two blotted12 scrolls13 and a fair copy in double. But the chapter, as the reader knows, was honestly omitted from the famous ‘Memoirs on the various Courts of Europe.’ It has been mine to give it to the public.
Bibliography14 still helps us with a further glimpse of our characters. I have here before me a small volume (printed for private circulation: no printer’s name; n.d.), ‘Poesies par15 Frederic et Amelie.’ Mine is a presentation copy, obtained for me by Mr. Bain in the Haymarket; and the name of the first owner is written on the fly-leaf in the hand of Prince Otto himself. The modest epigraph — ‘Le rime16 n’est pas riche’ — may be attributed, with a good show of likelihood, to the same collaborator17. It is strikingly appropriate, and I have found the volume very dreary18. Those pieces in which I seem to trace the hand of the Princess are particularly dull and conscientious19. But the booklet had a fair success with that public for which it was designed; and I have come across some evidences of a second venture of the same sort, now unprocurable. Here, at least, we may take leave of Otto and Seraphina — what do I say? of Frederic and Amelie — ageing together peaceably at the court of the wife’s father, jingling20 French rhymes and correcting joint21 proofs.
Still following the book-lists, I perceive that Mr. Swinburne has dedicated22 a rousing lyric23 and some vigorous sonnets24 to the memory of Gondremark; that name appears twice at least in Victor Hugo’s trumpet-blasts of patriot25 enumeration26; and I came latterly, when I supposed my task already ended, on a trace of the fallen politician and his Countess. It is in the ‘Diary of J. Hogg Cotterill, Esq.’ (that very interesting work). Mr. Cotterill, being at Naples, is introduced (May 27th) to ‘a Baron27 and Baroness28 Gondremark — he a man who once made a noise — she still beautiful — both witty29. She complimented me much upon my French — should never have known me to be English — had known my uncle, Sir John, in Germany — recognised in me, as a family trait, some of his GRAND AIR and studious courtesy — asked me to call.’ And again (May 30th), ‘visited the Baronne de Gondremark — much gratified — a most REFINED, INTELLIGENT woman, quite of the old school, now, HELAS! extinct — had read my REMARKS ON SICILY— it reminds her of my uncle, but with more of grace — I feared she thought there was less energy — assured no — a softer style of presentation, more of the LITERARY GRACE, but the same firm grasp of circumstance and force of thought — in short, just Buttonhole’s opinion. Much encouraged. I have a real esteem30 for this patrician31 lady.’ The acquaintance lasted some time; and when Mr. Cotterill left in the suite32 of Lord Protocol33, and, as he is careful to inform us, in Admiral Yardarm’s flag-ship, one of his chief causes of regret is to leave ‘that most SPIRITUELLE and sympathetic lady, who already regards me as a younger brother.’
The End
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1 memoirs | |
n.回忆录;回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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2 bias | |
n.偏见,偏心,偏袒;vt.使有偏见 | |
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3 bracing | |
adj.令人振奋的 | |
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4 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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5 countersigned | |
v.连署,副署,会签 (文件)( countersign的过去式 ) | |
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6 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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7 caravan | |
n.大蓬车;活动房屋 | |
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8 eminent | |
adj.显赫的,杰出的,有名的,优良的 | |
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9 profanely | |
adv.渎神地,凡俗地 | |
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10 sincerity | |
n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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11 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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12 blotted | |
涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 ); (用吸墨纸)吸干 | |
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13 scrolls | |
n.(常用于录写正式文件的)纸卷( scroll的名词复数 );卷轴;涡卷形(装饰);卷形花纹v.(电脑屏幕上)从上到下移动(资料等),卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 );(似卷轴般)卷起;(像展开卷轴般地)将文字显示于屏幕 | |
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14 bibliography | |
n.参考书目;(有关某一专题的)书目 | |
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15 par | |
n.标准,票面价值,平均数量;adj.票面的,平常的,标准的 | |
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16 rime | |
n.白霜;v.使蒙霜 | |
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17 collaborator | |
n.合作者,协作者 | |
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18 dreary | |
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的 | |
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19 conscientious | |
adj.审慎正直的,认真的,本着良心的 | |
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20 jingling | |
叮当声 | |
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21 joint | |
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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22 dedicated | |
adj.一心一意的;献身的;热诚的 | |
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23 lyric | |
n.抒情诗,歌词;adj.抒情的 | |
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24 sonnets | |
n.十四行诗( sonnet的名词复数 ) | |
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25 patriot | |
n.爱国者,爱国主义者 | |
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26 enumeration | |
n.计数,列举;细目;详表;点查 | |
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27 baron | |
n.男爵;(商业界等)巨头,大王 | |
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28 baroness | |
n.男爵夫人,女男爵 | |
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29 witty | |
adj.机智的,风趣的 | |
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30 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
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31 patrician | |
adj.贵族的,显贵的;n.贵族;有教养的人;罗马帝国的地方官 | |
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32 suite | |
n.一套(家具);套房;随从人员 | |
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33 protocol | |
n.议定书,草约,会谈记录,外交礼节 | |
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