CHAPTER X.

“Hehadcatchedagreatcold,hadhehadnootherclothestowearthantheskinofabearnotyetkilled.”—FULLER. YoungLadislawdidnotpaythatvisittowhichMr.Brookehadinvitedhim,andonlysixdaysafterwardsMr.CasaubonmentionedthathisyoungrelativehadstartedfortheContinent,seemingbythiscoldvaguenesstowaiveinquiry.Indeed,WillhaddeclinedtofixonanymoreprecisedestinationthantheentireareaofEurope.Genius,heheld,isnecessarilyintolerantoffetters:ontheonehanditmusthavetheutmostplayforitsspontaneityontheother,itmayconfidentlyawaitthosemessagesfromtheuniversewhichsummonittoitspeculiarwork,onlyplacingitselfinanattitudeofreceptivitytowardsallsublimechances.Theattitudesofreceptivityarevarious,andWillhadsincerelytriedmanyofthem.Hewasnotexcessivelyfondofwine,buthehadseveraltimestakentoomuch,simplyasanexperimentinthatformofecstasyhehadfastedtillhewasfaint,andthensuppedonlobsterhehadmadehimselfillwithdosesofopium.NothinggreatlyoriginalhadresultedfromthesemeasuresandtheeffectsoftheopiumhadconvincedhimthattherewasanentiredissimilaritybetweenhisconstitutionandDeQuincey’s.Thesuperaddedcircumstancewhichwouldevolvethegeniushadnotyetcometheuniversehadnotyetbeckoned.EvenCaesar’sfortuneatonetimewasbutagrandpresentiment.Weknowwhatamasqueradealldevelopmentis,andwhateffectiveshapesmaybedisguisedinhelplessembryos.Infact,theworldisfullofhopefulanalogiesandhandsomedubiouseggscalledpossibilities.Willsawclearlyenoughthepitiableinstancesoflongincubationproducingnochick,andbutforgratitudewouldhavelaughedatCasaubon,whoseploddingapplication,rowsofnote-books,andsmalltaperoflearnedtheoryexploringthetossedruinsoftheworld,seemedtoenforceamoralentirelyencouragingtoWill’sgenerousrelianceontheintentionsoftheuniversewithregardtohimself.Heheldthatreliancetobeamarkofgeniusandcertainlyitisnomarktothecontrarygeniusconsistingneitherinself-conceitnorinhumility,butinapowertomakeordo,notanythingingeneral,butsomethinginparticular.LethimstartfortheContinent,then,withoutourpronouncingonhisfuture.Amongallformsofmistake,prophecyisthemostgratuitous. ButatpresentthiscautionagainstatoohastyjudgmentinterestsmemoreinrelationtoMr.Casaubonthantohisyoungcousin.IftoDorotheaMr.Casaubonhadbeenthemereoccasionwhichhadsetalightthefineinflammablematerialofheryouthfulillusions,doesitfollowthathewasfairlyrepresentedinthemindsofthoselessimpassionedpersonageswhohavehithertodeliveredtheirjudgmentsconcerninghim?Iprotestagainstanyabsoluteconclusion,anyprejudicederivedfromMrs.Cadwallader’scontemptforaneighboringclergyman’sallegedgreatnessofsoul,orSirJamesChettam’spooropinionofhisrival’slegs,—fromMr.Brooke’sfailuretoelicitacompanion’sideas,orfromCelia’scriticismofamiddle-agedscholar’spersonalappearance.Iamnotsurethatthegreatestmanofhisage,ifeverthatsolitarysuperlativeexisted,couldescapetheseunfavorablereflectionsofhimselfinvarioussmallmirrorsandevenMilton,lookingforhisportraitinaspoon,mustsubmittohavethefacialangleofabumpkin.Moreover,ifMr.Casaubon,speakingforhimself,hasratherachillingrhetoric,itisnotthereforecertainthatthereisnogoodworkorfinefeelinginhim.Didnotanimmortalphysicistandinterpreterofhieroglyphswritedetestableverses?Hasthetheoryofthesolarsystembeenadvancedbygracefulmannersandconversationaltact?Supposeweturnfromoutsideestimatesofaman,towonder,withkeenerinterest,whatisthereportofhisownconsciousnessabouthisdoingsorcapacity:withwhathindrancesheiscarryingonhisdailylaborswhatfadingofhopes,orwhatdeeperfixityofself-delusiontheyearsaremarkingoffwithinhimandwithwhatspirithewrestlesagainstuniversalpressure,whichwillonedaybetooheavyforhim,andbringhishearttoitsfinalpause.Doubtlesshislotisimportantinhisowneyesandthechiefreasonthatwethinkheaskstoolargeaplaceinourconsiderationmustbeourwantofroomforhim,sincewereferhimtotheDivineregardwithperfectconfidencenay,itisevenheldsublimeforourneighbortoexpecttheutmostthere,howeverlittlehemayhavegotfromus.Mr.Casaubon,too,wasthecentreofhisownworldifhewasliabletothinkthatotherswereprovidentiallymadeforhim,andespeciallytoconsidertheminthelightoftheirfitnessfortheauthorofa“KeytoallMythologies,”thistraitisnotquitealientous,and,liketheothermendicanthopesofmortals,claimssomeofourpity. CertainlythisaffairofhismarriagewithMissBrooketouchedhimmorenearlythanitdidanyoneofthepersonswhohav