四季隨筆-the private papers of henry ryecroft(英文版)

第8部分 (第3/7頁)

　the　fabulists；　to　tell　truth；　they　monly　hold　the　place　of　honour　in　these　varied　lists。　Who　shall　count　them？　Who　shall　calculate　their　readers？　Builders　of　verse　are　many；　yet　the　observer　will　note　that　contemporary　poets　have　but　an　inconspicuous　standing　in　this　index　of　the　public　taste。　Travel；　on　the　other　hand；　is　largely　represented；　the　general　appetite　for　information　about　lands　remote　would　appear　to　be　only　less　keen　than　for　the　adventures　of　romance。

With　these　pages　before　one's　eyes；　must　one　not　needs　believe　that　things　of　the　mind　are　a　prime　concern　of　our　day？　Who　are　the　purchasers　of　these　volumes　ever　pouring　from　the　press？　How　is　it　possible　for　so　great　a　merce　to　flourish　save　as　a　consequence　of　national　eagerness　in　this　intellectual　domain？　Surely　one　must　take　for　granted　that　throughout　the　land；　in　town　and　country；　private　libraries　are　growing　apace；　that　by　the　people　at　large　a　great　deal　of　time　is　devoted　to　reading；　that　literary　ambition　is　one　of　the　monest　spurs　to　effort？

It　is　the　truth。　All　this　may　be　said　of　contemporary　England。　But　is　it　enough　to　set　one's　mind　at　ease　regarding　the　outlook　of　our　civilization？

Two　things　must　be　remembered。　However　considerable　this　literary　traffic；　regarded　by　itself；　it　is　relatively　of　small　extent。　And；　in　the　second　place；　literary　activity　is　by　no　means　an　invariable　proof　of　that　mental　attitude　which　marks　the　truly　civilized　man。

Lay　aside　the　〃literary　organ；〃　which　appears　once　a　week；　and　take　up　the　newspaper；　which　es　forth　every　day；　morning　and　evening。　Here　you　get　the　true　proportion　of　things。　Read　your　daily　news…　sheet……that　which　costs　threepence　or　that　which　costs　a　halfpenny……　and　muse　upon　the　impression　it　leaves。　It　may　be