The Travellers depart for Antwerp, at which place the Painter gives a loose to his Enthusiasm.
Our adventurer, baffled in all his efforts to retrieve1 his lost Amanda, yielded at length to the remonstrances2 of his governor and fellow-travellers, who, out of pure complaisance3 to him, had exceeded their intended stay by six days at least; and a couple of post-chaises, with three riding-horses, being hired, they departed from Brussels in the morning, dined at Mechlin, and arrived about eight in the evening at the venerable city of Antwerp. During this day’s journey Pallet was elevated to an uncommon4 flow of spirits, with the prospect5 of seeing the birthplace of Rubens, for whom he professed6 an enthusiastic admiration8. He swore, that the pleasure he felt was equal to that of a Mussulman, on the last day of his pilgrimage to Mecca; and that he already considered himself a native of Antwerp, being so intimately acquainted with their so justly boasted citizen, from whom, at certain junctures9, he could not help believing himself derived10, because his own pencil adopted the manner of that great man with surprising facility, and his face wanted nothing but a pair of whiskers and a beard, to exhibit the express image of the Fleming’s countenance12. He told them he was so proud of this resemblance, that, in order to render it more striking, he had, at one time of his life, resolved to keep his face sacred from the razor; and in that purpose had persevered13, notwithstanding the continual reprehensions of Mrs. Pallet, (who, being then with child), said, his aspect was so hideous15, that she dreaded16 a miscarriage17 every hour, until she threatened in plain terms, to dispute the sanity18 of his intellects, and apply to the chancellor19 for a committee.
The doctor, on this occasion, observed, that a man who is not proof against the solicitations of a woman, can never expect to make a great figure in life; that painters and poets ought to cultivate no wives but the Muses20; or, if they are by the accidents of fortune encumbered21 with families, they should carefully guard against that pernicious weakness, falsely honoured with the appellation22 of natural affection, and pay no manner of regard to the impertinent customs of the world. “Granting that you had been for a short time deemed a lunatic,” said he, “you might have acquitted23 yourself honourably24 of that imputation25, by some performance that would have raised your character above all censure26. Sophocles himself, that celebrated27 tragic28 poet, who, for the sweetness of his versification, was styled Melitta, or “the Bee,” in his old age, suffered the same accusation29 from his own children. who, seeing him neglect his family affairs, and devote himself entirely30 to poetry, carried him before the magistrate31, as a man whose intellects were so much impaired32 by the infirmities of age, that he was no longer fit to manage his domestic concerns; upon which the reverend bard33 produced his tragedy of Oidipus epi Kolono, as a work he had just finished; which being perused34, instead of being declared unsound of understanding, he was dismissed with admiration and applause. I wish your beard and whiskers had been sanctioned by the like authority; though I am afraid you would have been in the predicament of those disciples35 of a certain philosopher, who drank decoctions of cummin seeds, that their faces might adopt the paleness of their master’s complexion36, hoping that, in being as wan11, they would be as learned as their teacher.” The painter, stung by this sarcasm37, replied, “or like those virtuosi, who, by repeating Greek, eating sillikicaby, and pretending to see visions, think they equal the ancients in taste and genius.” The physician retorted, Pallet rejoined, and the altercation38 continued until they entered the gates of Antwerp, when the admirer of Rubens broke forth39 into a rapturous exclamation40, which put an end to the dispute and attracted the notice of the inhabitants, many of whom by shrugging up their shoulders and pointing to their foreheads, gave shrewd indications that they believed him a poor gentleman disordered in his brain.
They had no sooner alighted at the inn, than this pseudo-enthusiast7 proposed to visit the great church, in which he had been informed some of his master’s pieces were to be seen, and was remarkably41 chagrined42, when he understood that he could not be admitted till next day. He rose next morning by day-break, and disturbed his fellow-travellers in such a noisy and clamorous43 manner, that Peregrine determined44 to punish him with some new infliction45, and, while he put on his clothes, actually formed the plan of promoting a duel46 between him and the doctor, in the management of which, he promised himself store of entertainment, from the behaviour of both.
Being provided with one of those domestics who are always in waiting to offer their services to strangers on their first arrival, they were conducted to the house of a gentleman who had an excellent collection of pictures; and though the greatest part of them were painted by his favourite artist, Pallet condemned47 them all by the lump, because Pickle48 had told him beforehand that there was not one performance of Rubens among the number.
The next place they visited was what is called the Academy of Painting, furnished with a number of paltry49 pieces, in which our painter recognised the style of Peter Paul, with many expressions of admiration, on the same sort of previous intelligence.
From this repository, they went to the great church; and being led to the tomb of Rubens, the whimsical painter fell upon his knees, and worshipped with such appearance of devotion, that the attendant, scandalized at his superstition50, pulled him up, observing, with great warmth, that the person buried in that place was no saint, but as great a sinner as himself; and that, if he was spiritually disposed, there was a chapel51 of the Blessed Virgin52, at the distance of three yards on the right hand, to which he might retire. He thought it was incumbent53 upon him to manifest some extraordinary inspiration, while he resided on the spot where Rubens was born; and, therefore, his whole behaviour was an affectation of rapture54, expressed in distracted exclamations55, convulsive starts, and uncouth56 gesticulations. In the midst of this frantic57 behaviour, he saw an old Capuchin, with a white beard, mount the pulpit, and hold forth to the congregation with such violence of emphasis and gesture, as captivated his fancy; and, bawling58 aloud, “Zounds! what an excellent Paul preaching at Athens!” he pulled a pencil and a small memorandum59 book from his pocket, and began to take a sketch60 of the orator61, with great eagerness and agitation62, saying “Egad! friend Raphael, we shall see whether you or I have got the best knack63 at trumping64 up an apostle.” This appearance of disrespect gave offence to the audience, who began to murmur65 against this heretic libertine66; when one of the priests belonging to the choir67, in order to prevent any ill consequence from their displeasure, came and told him in the French language, that such liberties were not permitted in their religion, and advised him to lay aside his implements68, lest the people should take umbrage69 at his design, and be provoked to punish him as a profane70 scoffer71 at their worship.
The painter, seeing himself addressed by a friar, who, while he spoke72, bowed with great complaisance, imagined that he was a begging brother come to supplicate73 his charity; and his attention being quite engrossed74 by the design he was making, he patted the priest’s shaven crown with his hand, saying, Oter tems, oter tems, and then resumed his pencil with great earnestness. The ecclesiastic75, perceiving that the stranger did not comprehend his meaning, pulled him by the sleeve, and explained himself in the Latin tongue: upon which Pallet, provoked at his intrusion, cursed him aloud for an impudent76 beggarly son of a w —, and, taking out a shilling, flung it upon the pavement, with manifest signs of indignation.
Some of the common people, enraged77 to see their religion contemned78, and their priests insulted at the very altar, rose from their seats, and, surrounding the astonished painter, one of the number snatched his book from his hand, and tore it into a thousand pieces. Frightened as he was, he could not help crying “Fire and fagots! all my favourite ideas are gone to wreck79!” and was in danger of being very roughly handled by the crowd, had not Peregrine stepped in, and assured them, that he was a poor unhappy gentleman, who laboured under a transport of the brain. Those who understood the French language communicated this information to the rest, so that he escaped without any other chastisement80 than being obliged to retire. And as they could not see the famous Descent from the Cross till after the service was finished, they were conducted by their domestic to the house of a painter, where they found a beggar standing14 for his picture, and the artist actually employed in representing a huge louse that crawled upon his shoulder. Pallet was wonderfully pleased with this circumstance, which he said was altogether a new thought, and an excellent hint, of which he would make his advantage: and, in the course of his survey of this Fleming’s performances, perceiving a piece in which two flies were engaged upon the carcass of a dog half devoured81, he ran to his brother brush, and swore he was worthy82 of being a fellow-citizen of the immortal83 Rubens. He then lamented84, with many expressions of grief and resentment85, that he had lost his commonplace book, in which he had preserved a thousand conceptions of the same sort, formed by the accidental objects of his senses and imagination; and took an opportunity of telling his fellow-travellers, that in execution he had equalled, if not excelled, the two ancient painters who had vied with each other in the representation of a curtain and a bunch of grapes; for he had exhibited the image of a certain object so like to nature, that the bare sight of it set a whole hog-sty in an uproar86.
When he had examined and applauded all the productions of this minute artist, they returned to the great church, and were entertained with the view of that celebrated masterpiece of Rubens, in which he has introduced the portraits of himself and his whole family. The doors that conceal87 this capital performance were no sooner unfolded, than our enthusiast, debarred the use of speech, by a previous covenant88 with his friend Pickle, lifted up his hands and eyes, and putting himself in the attitude of Hamlet, when his father’s ghost appears, adored in silent ecstasy89 and awe90. He even made a merit of necessity; and, when they had withdrawn91 from the place, protested that his whole faculties92 were swallowed up in love and admiration. He now professed himself more than ever enamoured of the Flemish school, raved93 in extravagant94 encomiums, and proposed that the whole company should pay homage95 to the memory of the divine Rubens, by repairing forthwith to the house in which he lived, and prostrating96 themselves on the floor of his painting-room.
As there was nothing remarkable97 in the tenement98, which had been rebuilt more than once since the death of that great man, Peregrine excused himself from complying with the proposal, on pretence99 of being fatigued100 with the circuit they had already performed. Jolter declined it for the same reason; and the question being put to the doctor, he refused his company with an air of disdain101. Pallet, piqued102 at his contemptuous manner, asked, “if he would not go and see the habitation of Pindoor, provided he was in the city where that poet lived?” and when the physician observed, that there was an infinite difference between the men, “That I’ll allow,” replied the painter, “for the devil a poet ever lived in Greece or Troy, that was worthy to clean the pencils of our beloved Rubens.” The physician could not, with any degree of temper and forbearance, hear this outrageous103 blasphemy104, for which, he said, Pallet’s eyes ought to be picked out by owls105; and the dispute arose, as usual, to such scurrilities of language, and indecency of behaviour, that passengers began to take notice of their animosity, and Peregrine was obliged to interpose for his own credit.
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1
retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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2
remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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3
complaisance
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| n.彬彬有礼，殷勤，柔顺 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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enthusiast
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| n.热心人，热衷者 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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junctures
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| n.时刻，关键时刻( juncture的名词复数 )；接合点 | |
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derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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11
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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miscarriage
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| n.失败，未达到预期的结果；流产 | |
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sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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muses
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的第三人称单数 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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21
encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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honourably
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| adv.可尊敬地，光荣地，体面地 | |
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imputation
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| n.归罪，责难 | |
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censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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30
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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32
impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bard
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| n.吟游诗人 | |
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perused
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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35
disciples
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| 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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36
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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38
altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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40
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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41
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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42
chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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44
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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45
infliction
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| n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚 | |
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46
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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47
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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48
pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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49
paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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50
superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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51
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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52
virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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53
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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54
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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55
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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56
uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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57
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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58
bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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59
memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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60
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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knack
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| n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法 | |
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trumping
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| v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的现在分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造 | |
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65
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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libertine
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| n.淫荡者；adj.放荡的，自由思想的 | |
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67
choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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68
implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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umbrage
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| n.不快；树荫 | |
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profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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scoffer
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| 嘲笑者 | |
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72
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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supplicate
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| v.恳求；adv.祈求地，哀求地，恳求地 | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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ecclesiastic
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| n.教士，基督教会；adj.神职者的，牧师的，教会的 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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contemned
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| v.侮辱，蔑视( contemn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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chastisement
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| n.惩罚 | |
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81
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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83
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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84
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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86
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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87
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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88
covenant
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| n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约 | |
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89
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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90
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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92
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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93
raved
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| v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说 | |
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94
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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96
prostrating
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的现在分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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99
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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100
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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101
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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102
piqued
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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103
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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104
blasphemy
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| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
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105
owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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