Our Theory of Gravitation is as good as perfect: Lagrange, it is well known, has proved that the Planetary System, on this scheme, will endure forever; Laplace, still more cunningly, even guesses that it could not have been made on any other scheme. Whereby, at least, our nautical4 Logbooks can be better kept; and water-transport of all kinds has grown more commodious5. Of Geology and Geognosy we know enough: what with the labors6 of our Werners and Huttons, what with the ardent7 genius of their disciples8, it has come about that now, to many a Royal Society, the Creation of a World is little more mysterious than the cooking of a dumpling; concerning which last, indeed, there have been minds to whom the question, How the apples were got in, presented difficulties. Why mention our disquisitions on the Social Contract, on the Standard of Taste, on the Migrations9 of the Herring? Then, have we not a Doctrine10 of Rent, a Theory of Value; Philosophies of Language, of History, of Pottery11, of Apparitions12, of Intoxicating13 Liquors? Man’s whole life and environment have been laid open and elucidated14; scarcely a fragment or fibre of his Soul, Body, and Possessions, but has been probed, dissected15, distilled16, desiccated, and scientifically decomposed17: our spiritual Faculties18, of which it appears there are not a few, have their Stewarts, Cousins, Royer Collards: every cellular19, vascular20, muscular Tissue glories in its Lawrences, Majendies, Bichats.
How, then, comes it, may the reflective mind repeat, that the grand Tissue of all Tissues, the only real Tissue, should have been quite overlooked by Science, — the vestural Tissue, namely, of woollen or other cloth; which Man’s Soul wears as its outmost wrappage and overall; wherein his whole other Tissues are included and screened, his whole Faculties work, his whole Self lives, moves, and has its being? For if, now and then, some straggling broken-winged thinker has cast an owl’s glance into this obscure region, the most have soared over it altogether heedless; regarding Clothes as a property, not an accident, as quite natural and spontaneous, like the leaves of trees, like the plumage of birds. In all speculations23 they have tacitly figured man as a Clothed Animal; whereas he is by nature a Naked Animal; and only in certain circumstances, by purpose and device, masks himself in Clothes. Shakespeare says, we are creatures that look before and after: the more surprising that we do not look round a little, and see what is passing under our very eyes.
But here, as in so many other cases, Germany, learned, indefatigable24, deep-thinking Germany comes to our aid. It is, after all, a blessing25 that, in these revolutionary times, there should be one country where abstract Thought can still take shelter; that while the din21 and frenzy26 of Catholic Emancipations, and Rotten Boroughs27, and Revolts of Paris, deafen28 every French and every English ear, the German can stand peaceful on his scientific watch-tower; and, to the raging, struggling multitude here and elsewhere, solemnly, from hour to hour, with preparatory blast of cow-horn, emit his Horet ihr Herren und lasset’s Euch sagen; in other words, tell the Universe, which so often forgets that fact, what o’clock it really is. Not unfrequently the Germans have been blamed for an unprofitable diligence; as if they struck into devious29 courses, where nothing was to be had but the toil30 of a rough journey; as if, forsaking31 the gold-mines of finance and that political slaughter32 of fat oxen whereby a man himself grows fat, they were apt to run goose-hunting into regions of bilberries and crowberries, and be swallowed up at last in remote peat-bogs. Of that unwise science, which, as our Humorist expresses it,
“By geometric scale
Doth take the size of pots of ale;”
still more, of that altogether misdirected industry, which is seen vigorously thrashing mere33 straw, there can nothing defensive34 be said. In so far as the Germans are chargeable with such, let them take the consequence. Nevertheless be it remarked, that even a Russian steppe has tumult35 and gold ornaments36; also many a scene that looks desert and rock-bound from the distance, will unfold itself, when visited, into rare valleys. Nay37, in any case, would Criticism erect38 not only finger-posts and turnpikes, but spiked39 gates and impassable barriers, for the mind of man? It is written, “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Surely the plain rule is, Let each considerate person have his way, and see what it will lead to. For not this man and that man, but all men make up mankind, and their united tasks the task of mankind. How often have we seen some such adventurous40, and perhaps much-censured wanderer light on some out-lying, neglected, yet vitally momentous41 province; the hidden treasures of which he first discovered, and kept proclaiming till the general eye and effort were directed thither42, and the conquest was completed; — thereby43, in these his seemingly so aimless rambles44, planting new standards, founding new habitable colonies, in the immeasurable circumambient realm of Nothingness and Night! Wise man was he who counselled that Speculation22 should have free course, and look fearlessly towards all the thirty-two points of the compass, whithersoever and howsoever it listed.
Perhaps it is proof of the stunted45 condition in which pure Science, especially pure moral Science, languishes46 among us English; and how our mercantile greatness, and invaluable47 Constitution, impressing a political or other immediately practical tendency on all English culture and endeavor, cramps48 the free flight of Thought, — that this, not Philosophy of Clothes, but recognition even that we have no such Philosophy, stands here for the first time published in our language. What English intellect could have chosen such a topic, or by chance stumbled on it? But for that same unshackled, and even sequestered49 condition of the German Learned, which permits and induces them to fish in all manner of waters, with all manner of nets, it seems probable enough, this abtruse Inquiry50 might, in spite of the results it leads to, have continued dormant51 for indefinite periods. The Editor of these sheets, though otherwise boasting himself a man of confirmed speculative52 habits, and perhaps discursive53 enough, is free to confess, that never, till these last months, did the above very plain considerations, on our total want of a Philosophy of Clothes, occur to him; and then, by quite foreign suggestion. By the arrival, namely, of a new Book from Professor Teufelsdrockh of Weissnichtwo; treating expressly of this subject, and in a style which, whether understood or not, could not even by the blindest be overlooked. In the present Editor’s way of thought, this remarkable54 Treatise55, with its Doctrines56, whether as judicially57 acceded58 to, or judicially denied, has not remained without effect.
“Die Kleider, ihr Werden und Wirken (Clothes, their Origin and Influence): von Diog. Teufelsdrockh, J. U. D. etc. Stillschweigen und Cognie. Weissnichtwo, 1831.
“Here,” says the Weissnichtwo’sche Anzeiger, “comes a Volume of that extensive, close-printed, close-meditated sort, which, be it spoken with pride, is seen only in Germany, perhaps only in Weissnichtwo. Issuing from the hitherto irreproachable59 Firm of Stillschweigen and Company, with every external furtherance, it is of such internal quality as to set Neglect at defiance60. . . . A work,” concludes the well-nigh enthusiastic Reviewer, “interesting alike to the antiquary, the historian, and the philosophic61 thinker; a masterpiece of boldness, lynx-eyed acuteness, and rugged62 independent Germanism and Philanthropy (derber Kerndeutschheit und Menschenliebe); which will not, assuredly, pass current without opposition63 in high places; but must and will exalt64 the almost new name of Teufelsdrockh to the first ranks of Philosophy, in our German Temple of Honor.”
Mindful of old friendship, the distinguished65 Professor, in this the first blaze of his fame, which however does not dazzle him, sends hither a Presentation-copy of his Book; with compliments and encomiums which modesty66 forbids the present Editor to rehearse; yet without indicated wish or hope of any kind, except what may be implied in the concluding phrase: Mochte es (this remarkable Treatise) auch im Brittischen Boden gedeihen!
点击收听单词发音
1 brandished | |
v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 );炫耀 | |
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2 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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3 kindled | |
(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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4 nautical | |
adj.海上的,航海的,船员的 | |
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5 commodious | |
adj.宽敞的;使用方便的 | |
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6 labors | |
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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7 ardent | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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8 disciples | |
n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 );门徒;耶稣的信徒;(尤指)耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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9 migrations | |
n.迁移,移居( migration的名词复数 ) | |
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10 doctrine | |
n.教义;主义;学说 | |
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11 pottery | |
n.陶器,陶器场 | |
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12 apparitions | |
n.特异景象( apparition的名词复数 );幽灵;鬼;(特异景象等的)出现 | |
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13 intoxicating | |
a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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14 elucidated | |
v.阐明,解释( elucidate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15 dissected | |
adj.切开的,分割的,(叶子)多裂的v.解剖(动物等)( dissect的过去式和过去分词 );仔细分析或研究 | |
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16 distilled | |
adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 );从…提取精华 | |
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17 decomposed | |
已分解的,已腐烂的 | |
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18 faculties | |
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院 | |
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19 cellular | |
adj.移动的;细胞的,由细胞组成的 | |
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20 vascular | |
adj.血管的,脉管的 | |
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21 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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22 speculation | |
n.思索,沉思;猜测;投机 | |
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23 speculations | |
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 );思考;投机活动;推断 | |
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24 indefatigable | |
adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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25 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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26 frenzy | |
n.疯狂,狂热,极度的激动 | |
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27 boroughs | |
(尤指大伦敦的)行政区( borough的名词复数 ); 议会中有代表的市镇 | |
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28 deafen | |
vt.震耳欲聋;使听不清楚 | |
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29 devious | |
adj.不坦率的,狡猾的;迂回的,曲折的 | |
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30 toil | |
vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事 | |
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31 forsaking | |
放弃( forsake的现在分词 ); 弃绝; 抛弃; 摒弃 | |
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32 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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33 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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34 defensive | |
adj.防御的;防卫的;防守的 | |
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35 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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36 ornaments | |
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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37 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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38 erect | |
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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39 spiked | |
adj.有穗的;成锥形的;有尖顶的 | |
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40 adventurous | |
adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的 | |
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41 momentous | |
adj.重要的,重大的 | |
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42 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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43 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
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44 rambles | |
(无目的地)漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 ); (喻)漫谈; 扯淡; 长篇大论 | |
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45 stunted | |
adj.矮小的;发育迟缓的 | |
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46 languishes | |
长期受苦( languish的第三人称单数 ); 受折磨; 变得(越来越)衰弱; 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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47 invaluable | |
adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的 | |
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48 cramps | |
n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚 | |
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49 sequestered | |
adj.扣押的;隐退的;幽静的;偏僻的v.使隔绝,使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 );扣押 | |
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50 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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51 dormant | |
adj.暂停活动的;休眠的;潜伏的 | |
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52 speculative | |
adj.思索性的,暝想性的,推理的 | |
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53 discursive | |
adj.离题的,无层次的 | |
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54 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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55 treatise | |
n.专著;(专题)论文 | |
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56 doctrines | |
n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 );教义;学说;(政府政策的)正式声明 | |
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57 judicially | |
依法判决地,公平地 | |
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58 acceded | |
v.(正式)加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 );答应;(通过财产的添附而)增加;开始任职 | |
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59 irreproachable | |
adj.不可指责的,无过失的 | |
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60 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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61 philosophic | |
adj.哲学的,贤明的 | |
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62 rugged | |
adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的 | |
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63 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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64 exalt | |
v.赞扬,歌颂,晋升,提升 | |
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65 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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66 modesty | |
n.谦逊,虚心,端庄,稳重,羞怯,朴素 | |
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