incompetent¡¡Irish¡¡and¡¡negro¡¡¡¨help¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡There¡¡were¡¡no¡¡bells¡¡in¡¡the¡¡
rooms£»¡¡which¡¡simplified¡¡the¡¡service£»¡¡and¡¡nothing¡¡could¡¡be¡¡ordered¡¡
out¡¡of¡¡meal¡¡hours¡£
The¡¡material¡¡defects¡¡in¡¡board¡¡and¡¡lodging¡¡sink£»¡¡however£»¡¡into¡¡
insignificance¡¡before¡¡the¡¡moral¡¡and¡¡social¡¡unpleasantness¡¡of¡¡an¡¡
establishment¡¡such¡¡as¡¡this¡£¡¡¡¡All¡¡ages£»¡¡all¡¡conditions£»¡¡and¡¡all¡¡
creeds¡¡are¡¡promiscuously¡¡huddled¡¡together¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡impossible¡¡to¡¡
choose¡¡whom¡¡one¡¡shall¡¡know¡¡or¡¡whom¡¡avoid¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡horrible¡¡burlesque¡¡of¡¡
family¡¡life¡¡is¡¡enabled£»¡¡with¡¡all¡¡its¡¡inconveniences¡¡and¡¡none¡¡of¡¡its¡¡
sanctity¡£¡¡¡¡People¡¡from¡¡different¡¡cities£»¡¡with¡¡different¡¡interests¡¡
and¡¡standards£»¡¡are¡¡expected¡¡to¡¡¡¨chum¡¨¡¡together¡¡in¡¡an¡¡intimacy¡¡that¡¡
begins¡¡with¡¡the¡¡eight¡¡o'clock¡¡breakfast¡¡and¡¡ends¡¡only¡¡when¡¡all¡¡
retire¡¡for¡¡the¡¡night¡£¡¡¡¡No¡¡privacy£»¡¡no¡¡isolation¡¡is¡¡allowed¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡you¡¡
take¡¡a¡¡book¡¡and¡¡begin¡¡to¡¡read¡¡in¡¡a¡¡remote¡¡corner¡¡of¡¡a¡¡parlor¡¡or¡¡
piazza£»¡¡some¡¡idle¡¡matron¡¡or¡¡idiotic¡¡girl¡¡will¡¡tranquilly¡¡invade¡¡
your¡¡poor¡¡little¡¡bit¡¡of¡¡privacy¡¡and¡¡gabble¡¡of¡¡her¡¡affairs¡¡and¡¡the¡¡
day's¡¡gossip¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡no¡¡escape¡¡unless¡¡you¡¡mount¡¡to¡¡your¡¡ten¡by¡
twelve¡¡cell¡¡and¡¡sit¡¡£¨like¡¡the¡¡Premiers¡¡of¡¡England¡¡when¡¡they¡¡visit¡¡
Balmoral£©¡¡on¡¡the¡¡bed£»¡¡to¡¡do¡¡your¡¡writing£»¡¡for¡¡want¡¡of¡¡any¡¡other¡¡
conveniences¡£¡¡¡¡Even¡¡such¡¡retirement¡¡is¡¡resented¡¡by¡¡the¡¡boarders¡£¡¡¡¡
You¡¡are¡¡thought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡haughty¡¡and¡¡to¡¡give¡¡yourself¡¡airs¡¡if¡¡you¡¡do¡¡
not¡¡sit¡¡for¡¡twelve¡¡consecutive¡¡hours¡¡each¡¡day¡¡in¡¡unending¡¡
conversation¡¡with¡¡them¡£
When¡¡one¡¡reflects¡¡that¡¡thousands¡¡of¡¡our¡¡countrymen¡¡pass¡¡at¡¡least¡¡
one¡half¡¡of¡¡their¡¡lives¡¡in¡¡these¡¡asylums£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡thousands¡¡more¡¡
in¡¡America¡¡know¡¡no¡¡other¡¡homes£»¡¡but¡¡move¡¡from¡¡one¡¡hotel¡¡to¡¡another£»¡¡
while¡¡the¡¡same¡¡outlay¡¡would¡¡procure¡¡them¡¡cosy£»¡¡cheerful¡¡dwellings£»¡¡
it¡¡does¡¡seem¡¡as¡¡if¡¡these¡¡modern¡¡Arabs£»¡¡Holmes's¡¡¡¨Folding¡¡Bed¡
ouins£»¡¨¡¡were¡¡gradually¡¡returning¡¡to¡¡prehistoric¡¡habits¡¡and¡¡would¡¡
end¡¡by¡¡eating¡¡roots¡¡promiscuously¡¡in¡¡caves¡£
The¡¡contradiction¡¡appears¡¡more¡¡marked¡¡the¡¡longer¡¡one¡¡reflects¡¡on¡¡
the¡¡love¡¡of¡¡independence¡¡and¡¡impatience¡¡of¡¡all¡¡restraint¡¡that¡¡
characterize¡¡our¡¡race¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡such¡¡an¡¡institution¡¡had¡¡been¡¡conceived¡¡
by¡¡people¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Old¡¡World£»¡¡accustomed¡¡to¡¡moral¡¡slavery¡¡and¡¡to¡¡a¡¡
thousand¡¡petty¡¡tyrannies£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡not¡¡be¡¡so¡¡remarkable£»¡¡but¡¡that¡¡
we£»¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡races¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earth£»¡¡should¡¡have¡¡created¡¡a¡¡form¡¡of¡¡
torture¡¡unknown¡¡to¡¡Louis¡¡XI¡£¡¡or¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Spanish¡¡Inquisitors£»¡¡is¡¡
indeed¡¡inexplicable£¡¡¡¡¡Outside¡¡of¡¡this¡¡happy¡¡land¡¡the¡¡institution¡¡is¡¡
unknown¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡PENSION¡¡when¡¡it¡¡exists¡¡abroad£»¡¡is¡¡only¡¡an¡¡exotic¡¡
growth¡¡for¡¡an¡¡American¡¡market¡£¡¡¡¡Among¡¡European¡¡nations¡¡it¡¡is¡¡
undreamed¡¡of£»¡¡the¡¡poorest¡¡when¡¡they¡¡travel¡¡take¡¡furnished¡¡rooms£»¡¡
where¡¡they¡¡are¡¡served¡¡in¡¡private£»¡¡or¡¡go¡¡to¡¡restaurants¡¡or¡¡TABLE¡¡
D'HOTES¡¡for¡¡their¡¡meals¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡a¡¡strictly¡¡continental¡¡hotel¡¡the¡¡
public¡¡parlor¡¡does¡¡not¡¡exist¡£¡¡¡¡People¡¡do¡¡not¡¡travel¡¡to¡¡make¡¡
acquaintances£»¡¡but¡¡for¡¡health¡¡or¡¡recreation£»¡¡or¡¡to¡¡improve¡¡their¡¡
minds¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡enforced¡¡intimacy¡¡of¡¡our¡¡American¡¡family¡¡house£»¡¡with¡¡
its¡¡attendant¡¡quarrelling¡¡and¡¡back¡biting£»¡¡is¡¡an¡¡infliction¡¡of¡¡
which¡¡Europeans¡¡are¡¡in¡¡happy¡¡ignorance¡£
One¡¡explanation£»¡¡only£»¡¡occurs¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡which¡¡is¡¡that¡¡among¡¡New¡¡
England¡¡people£»¡¡largely¡¡descended¡¡from¡¡Puritan¡¡stock£»¡¡there¡¡still¡¡
lingers¡¡some¡¡blind¡¡impulse¡¡at¡¡self¡mortification£»¡¡an¡¡hereditary¡¡
inclination¡¡to¡¡make¡¡this¡¡life¡¡as¡¡disagreeable¡¡as¡¡possible¡¡by¡¡self¡
immolation¡£¡¡¡¡Their¡¡ancestors£»¡¡we¡¡are¡¡told¡¡by¡¡Macaulay£»¡¡suppressed¡¡
bull¡¡baiting£»¡¡not¡¡because¡¡it¡¡hurt¡¡the¡¡bull£»¡¡but¡¡because¡¡it¡¡gave¡¡
pleasure¡¡to¡¡the¡¡people¡£¡¡¡¡Here¡¡in¡¡New¡¡England¡¡they¡¡refused¡¡the¡¡Roman¡¡
dogma¡¡of¡¡Purgatory¡¡and¡¡then¡¡with¡¡complete¡¡inconsistency£»¡¡invented¡¡
the¡¡boarding¡house£»¡¡in¡¡order£»¡¡doubtless£»¡¡to¡¡take¡¡as¡¡much¡¡of¡¡the¡¡joy¡¡
as¡¡possible¡¡out¡¡of¡¡this¡¡life£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡preparation¡¡for¡¡endless¡¡bliss¡¡in¡¡
the¡¡next¡£
CHAPTER¡¡15¡¡¡¡¡A¡¡False¡¡Start
HAVING¡¡had£»¡¡during¡¡a¡¡wandering¡¡existence£»¡¡many¡¡opportunities¡¡of¡¡
observing¡¡my¡¡compatriots¡¡away¡¡from¡¡home¡¡and¡¡familiar¡¡surroundings¡¡
in¡¡various¡¡circles¡¡of¡¡cosmopolitan¡¡society£»¡¡at¡¡foreign¡¡courts£»¡¡in¡¡
diplomatic¡¡life£»¡¡or¡¡unofficial¡¡capacities£»¡¡I¡¡am¡¡forced¡¡to¡¡
acknowledge¡¡that¡¡whereas¡¡my¡¡countrywoman¡¡invariably¡¡assumed¡¡her¡¡new¡¡
position¡¡with¡¡grace¡¡and¡¡dignity£»¡¡my¡¡countryman£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡majority¡¡of¡¡
cases£»¡¡appeared¡¡at¡¡a¡¡disadvantage¡£
I¡¡take¡¡particular¡¡pleasure¡¡in¡¡making¡¡this¡¡tribute¡¡to¡¡my¡¡¡¨sisters¡¨¡¡
tact¡¡and¡¡wit£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡accused¡¡of¡¡being¡¡¡¨hard¡¨¡¡on¡¡American¡¡
women£»¡¡and¡¡some¡¡half¡humorous¡¡criticisms¡¡have¡¡been¡¡taken¡¡seriously¡¡
by¡¡over¡susceptible¡¡women¡¡¡¡¡doubtless¡¡troubled¡¡with¡¡guilty¡¡
consciences¡¡for¡¡nothing¡¡is¡¡more¡¡exact¡¡than¡¡the¡¡old¡¡French¡¡proverb£»¡¡
¡¨It¡¡is¡¡only¡¡the¡¡truth¡¡that¡¡wounds¡£¡¨
The¡¡fact¡¡remains¡¡clear£»¡¡however£»¡¡that¡¡American¡¡men£»¡¡as¡¡regards¡¡
polish£»¡¡facility¡¡in¡¡expressing¡¡themselves¡¡in¡¡foreign¡¡languages£»¡¡the¡¡
arts¡¡of¡¡pleasing¡¡and¡¡entertaining£»¡¡in¡¡short£»¡¡the¡¡thousand¡¡and¡¡one¡¡
nothings¡¡composing¡¡that¡¡agreeable¡¡whole£»¡¡a¡¡cultivated¡¡member¡¡of¡¡
society£»¡¡are¡¡inferior¡¡to¡¡their¡¡womankind¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡feel¡¡sure¡¡that¡¡all¡¡
Americans¡¡who¡¡have¡¡travelled¡¡and¡¡have¡¡seen¡¡their¡¡compatriot¡¡in¡¡his¡¡
social¡¡relations¡¡with¡¡foreigners£»¡¡will¡¡agree¡¡with¡¡this£»¡¡reluctant¡¡
as¡¡I¡¡am¡¡to¡¡acknowledge¡¡it¡£
That¡¡a¡¡sister¡¡and¡¡brother¡¡brought¡¡up¡¡together£»¡¡under¡¡the¡¡same¡¡
influences£»¡¡should¡¡later¡¡differ¡¡to¡¡this¡¡extent¡¡seems¡¡incredible¡£¡¡¡¡
It¡¡is¡¡just¡¡this¡¡that¡¡convinces¡¡me¡¡we¡¡have¡¡made¡¡a¡¡false¡¡start¡¡as¡¡
regards¡¡the¡¡education¡¡and¡¡ambitions¡¡of¡¡our¡¡young¡¡men¡£
To¡¡find¡¡the¡¡reasons¡¡one¡¡has¡¡only¡¡to¡¡glance¡¡back¡¡at¡¡our¡¡past¡£¡¡¡¡After¡¡
the¡¡struggle¡¡that¡¡insured¡¡our¡¡existence¡¡as¡¡a¡¡united¡¡nation£»¡¡came¡¡a¡¡
period¡¡of¡¡great¡¡prosperity¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡both¡¡seemed¡¡secure£»¡¡we¡¡did¡¡not¡¡
pause¡¡and¡¡take¡¡breath£»¡¡as¡¡it¡¡were£»¡¡before¡¡entering¡¡a¡¡new¡¡epoch¡¡of¡¡
development£»¡¡but¡¡dashed¡¡ahead¡¡on¡¡the¡¡old¡¡lines¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡here¡¡that¡¡we¡¡
got¡¡on¡¡the¡¡wrong¡¡road¡£¡¡¡¡Naturally¡¡enough¡¡too£»¡¡for¡¡our¡¡peculiar¡¡
position¡¡on¡¡this¡¡continent£»¡¡far¡¡away¡¡from¡¡the¡¡centres¡¡of¡¡
cultivation¡¡and¡¡art£»¡¡surrounded¡¡only¡¡by¡¡less¡¡successful¡¡states¡¡with¡¡
which¡¡to¡¡compare¡¡ourselves£»¡¡has¡¡led¡¡us¡¡into¡¡forming¡¡erroneous¡¡ideas¡¡
as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡proportions¡¡of¡¡things£»¡¡causing¡¡us¡¡to¡¡exaggerate¡¡the¡¡value¡¡
of¡¡material¡¡prosperity¡¡and¡¡undervalue¡¡matters¡¡of¡¡infinitely¡¡greater¡¡
importance£»¡¡which¡¡have¡¡been¡¡neglected¡¡in¡¡consequence¡£
A¡¡man¡¡who£»¡¡after¡¡fighting¡¡through¡¡our¡¡late¡¡war£»¡¡had¡¡succeeded¡¡in¡¡
amassing¡¡a¡¡fortune£»¡¡naturally¡¡wished¡¡his¡¡son¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡him¡¡on¡¡the¡¡
only¡¡road¡¡in¡¡which¡¡it¡¡had¡¡ever¡¡occurred¡¡to¡¡him¡¡that¡¡success¡¡was¡¡of¡¡
any¡¡importance¡£¡¡¡¡So¡¡beyond¡¡giving¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡a¡¡college¡¡education£»¡¡
which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡not¡¡enjoyed£»¡¡his¡¡ambition¡¡rarely¡¡went£»¡¡his¡¡idea¡¡being¡¡
to¡¡make¡¡a¡¡practical¡¡business¡¡man¡¡of¡¡him£»¡¡or¡¡a¡¡lawyer£»¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡
keep¡¡the¡¡estate¡¡together¡¡more¡¡intelligently¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡thousands¡¡of¡¡
cases£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡individual¡¡taste¡¡and¡¡bent¡¡over¡ruled¡¡this¡¡
influence£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡career¡¡of¡¡science¡¡or¡¡art¡¡was¡¡chosen£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡the¡¡
mass¡¡of¡¡the¡¡American¡¡people£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡firmly¡¡implanted¡¡that¡¡the¡¡
pursuit¡¡of¡¡wealth¡¡was¡¡the¡¡only¡¡occupation¡¡to¡¡which¡¡a¡¡reasonable¡¡
human¡¡being¡¡could¡¡devote¡¡himself¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡young¡¡man¡¡who¡¡was¡¡not¡¡in¡¡some¡¡
way¡¡engaged¡¡in¡¡increasing¡¡his¡¡income¡¡was¡¡looked¡¡upon¡¡as¡¡a¡¡very¡¡
undesirable¡¡member¡¡of¡¡society£»¡¡and¡¡sure£»¡¡sooner¡¡or¡¡later£»¡¡to¡¡come¡¡
to¡¡harm¡£
Millionaires¡¡declined¡¡to¡¡send¡¡their¡¡sons¡¡to¡¡college£»¡¡saying¡¡they¡¡
would¡¡get¡¡ideas¡¡there¡¡that¡¡would¡¡unfit¡¡them¡¡for¡¡business£»¡¡to¡¡
Paterfamilias¡¡the¡¡one¡¡object¡¡of¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡Under¡¡such¡¡fostering¡¡
influences£»¡¡the¡¡ambitions¡¡in¡¡our¡¡country¡¡have¡¡gradually¡¡given¡¡way¡¡
to¡¡money¡¡standards¡¡and¡¡the¡¡false¡¡start¡¡has¡¡been¡¡made£¡¡¡¡¡Leaving¡¡
aside¡¡at¡¡once¡¡the¡¡question¡¡of¡¡money¡¡in¡¡its¡¡relation¡¡to¡¡our¡¡politics¡¡
£¨although¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡a¡¡fruitful¡¡subject¡¡for¡¡moralizing£©£»¡¡and¡¡
confining¡¡ourselves¡¡strictly¡¡to¡¡the¡¡social¡¡side¡¡of¡¡life£»¡¡we¡¡soon¡¡
see¡¡the¡¡results¡¡of¡¡this¡¡mammon¡¡worship¡£
In¡¡England¡¡£¨although¡¡Englishmen¡¡have¡¡been¡¡contemptuously¡¡called¡¡the¡¡
shop¡keepers¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world£©¡¡the¡¡extension¡¡and¡¡maintenance¡¡of¡¡their¡¡
vast¡¡empire¡¡is¡¡the¡¡mainspring¡¡which¡¡keeps¡¡the¡¡great¡¡machine¡¡in¡¡
movement¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡one¡¡sees¡¡tens¡¡of¡¡thousands¡¡of¡¡well¡born¡¡and¡¡
delicately¡bred¡¡men¡¡cheerfully¡¡entering¡¡the¡¡many¡¡branches¡¡of¡¡public¡¡
service¡¡where¡¡the¡¡hope¡¡of¡¡wealth¡¡can¡¡never¡¡come£»¡¡and¡¡retiring¡¡on¡¡
pensions¡¡or¡¡half¡pay¡¡in¡¡the¡¡strength¡¡of¡¡their¡¡middle¡¡age£»¡¡
apparently¡¡without¡¡a¡¡regret¡¡or¡¡a¡¡thought¡¡beyond¡¡their¡¡country's¡¡
well¡being¡£
In¡¡France£»¡¡where¡¡the¡¡passionate¡¡love¡¡of¡¡their¡¡own¡¡land¡¡has¡¡made¡¡
colonial¡¡extension¡¡impossible£»¡¡the¡¡modern¡¡Frenchman¡¡of¡¡education¡¡is¡¡
more¡¡interested¡¡in¡¡the¡¡yearly¡¡exhibition¡¡at¡¡the¡¡SALON¡¡or¡¡in¡¡a¡¡
successful¡¡play¡¡at¡¡the¡¡FRANCAIS£»¡¡than¡¡in¡¡the¡¡stock¡¡markets¡¡of¡¡the¡¡
world¡£
Would¡¡that¡¡our¡¡young¡¡men¡¡had¡¡either¡¡of¡¡these¡¡bents£¡¡¡¡¡They¡¡have¡¡
copied¡¡from¡¡England¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡love¡¡of¡¡sport£»¡¡without¡¡the¡¡English¡¡
climate¡¡or¡¡the¡¡calm¡¡of¡¡country¡¡and¡¡garrison¡¡life£»¡¡to¡¡make¡¡these¡¡
sports¡¡logical¡¡and¡¡necessary¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡the¡¡young¡¡American¡¡millionaire¡¡
thinks¡¡he¡¡must¡¡go¡¡on¡¡increasing¡¡his¡¡fortune£»¡¡we¡¡see¡¡the¡¡anomaly¡¡of¡¡
a¡¡man¡¡working¡¡through¡¡a¡¡summer's¡¡day¡¡in¡¡Wall¡¡Street£»¡¡then¡¡dashing¡¡
in¡¡a¡¡train¡¡to¡¡some¡¡suburban¡¡club£»¡¡and¡¡appearing¡¡a¡¡half¡hour¡¡later¡¡
on¡¡the¡¡polo¡¡field
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£
ÔÞÒ»ÏÂ
Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü