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Life of John Sterling-Part21_Thomas Carlyle(1795-1881)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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"Tell Mrs. Carlyle that I have written, since I have been here, and am



going to send to _Blackwood_, a humbleimitation of her _Watch and

Canary-Bird_, entitled _The Suit of Armor and the Skeleton_.[15] I am



conscious that I am far from having reached the depth and fulness of

despair and mockery which distinguish the original! But in truth



there is a lightness of tone about her style, which I hold to be

invaluable: where she makes hairstrokes, I make blotches. I have a



vehement suspicion that my Dialogue is an entire failure; but I cannot

be plagued with it any longer. Tell her I will not send her messages,



but will write to her soon.--Meanwhile I am affectionately hers and

yours,



"JOHN STERLING."

The next is to his Brother-in-law; and in a still hopefuler tone:--



"_To Charles Barton, Esq._[16]

FUNCHAL, MADEIRA, 3d March, 1838.



"MY DEAR CHARLES,--I have often been thinking of you and your

whereabouts in Germany, and wishing I knew more about you; and at last



it occurred to me that you might perhaps have the same wish about me,

and that therefore I should do well to write to you.



"I have been here exactly four months, having arrived on the 2d of

November,--my wedding-day; and though you perhaps may not think it a



compliment to Susan, I have seldom passed four months more cheerfully

and agreeably. I have of course felt my absence from my family, and



missed the society of my friends; for there is not a person here whom

I knew before I left England. But, on the whole, I have been in good



health, and actively employed. I have a good many agreeable and

valuable acquaintances, one or two of whom I hope I may hereafter



reckon as friends. The weather has generally been fine, and never

cold; and the scenery of the Island is of a beauty which you unhappy



Northern people can have little conception of.

"It consists of a great mass of volcanic mountains, covered in their



lower parts with cottages, vines and patches of vegetables. When you

pass through, or over the central ridge, and get towards the North,



there are woods of trees, of the laurel kind, covering the wild steep

slopes, and forming some of the strangest and most beautiful prospects



I have ever seen. Towards the interior, the forms of the hills become

more abrupt, and loftier; and give the notion of very recent volcanic



disturbances, though in fact there has been nothing of the kind since

the discovery of the Island by Europeans. Among these mountains, the



dark deep precipices, and narrow ravines with small streams at the

bottom; the basaltic knobs and ridges on the summits; and the



perpetual play of mist and cloud around them, under this bright sun

and clear sky,--form landscapes which you would thoroughly enjoy, and



which I much wish I could give you a notion of. The Town is on the

south, and of course the sheltered side of the Island; perfectly



protected from the North and East; although we have seen sometimes

patches of bright snow on the dark peaks in the distance. It is a



neat cheerful place; all built of gray stone, but having many of the

houses colored white or red. There is not a really handsome building



in it, but there is a general aspect of comfort and solidity. The

shops are very poor. The English do not mix at all with the



Portuguese. The Bay is a very bad anchorage; but is wide, bright and

cheerful; and there are some picturesque points--one a small black



island--scattered about it.

"I lived till a fortnight ago in lodgings, having two rooms, one a



very good one; and paying for everything fifty-six dollars a month,

the dollar being four shillings and twopence. This you will see is



dear; but I could make no better arrangement, for there is an unusual

affluence of strangers this year. I have now come to live with a



friend, a Dr. Calvert, in a small house of our own, where I am much

more comfortable, and live greatly cheaper. He is a friend of Mrs.



Percival's; about my age, an Oriel man, and a very superior person. I

think the chances are, we shall go home together.... I cannot tell



you of all the other people I have become familiar with; and shall

only mention in addition Bingham Baring, eldest son of Lord Ashburton,



who was here for some weeks on account of a dying brother, and whom I

saw a great deal of. He is a pleasant, very good-natured and rather






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