Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 6
Andweotherboys,whowouldhavesacrificedtentermsofourschool-lifeforthesakeofbeingillforaday,andhadnodesirewhatevertogiveourparentsanyexcuseforbeingstuck-upaboutus,couldn’tcatchsomuchasastiffneck. Wefooledaboutindraughts,anditdidusgood,andfreshenedusup;andwetookthingstomakeussick,andtheymadeusfat,andgaveusanappetite. Nothingwecouldthinkofseemedtomakeusilluntiltheholidaysbegan. Then,onthebreaking-upday,wecaughtcolds,andwhoopingcough,andallkindsofdisorders,whichlastedtillthetermrecommenced; when,inspiteofeverythingwecouldmanoeuvretothecontrary,wewouldgetsuddenlywellagain,andbebetterthanever.
Suchislife;andwearebutasgrassthatiscutdown,andputintotheovenandbaked.
Togobacktothecarved-oakquestion,theymusthavehadveryfairnotionsoftheartisticandthebeautiful,ourgreat-great-grandfathers. Why,allourarttreasuresoftodayareonlythedug-upcommonplacesofthreeorfourhundredyearsago. Iwonderifthereisrealintrinsicbeautyintheoldsoup-plates,beer-mugs,andcandle-snuffersthatweprizesonow,orifitisonlythehaloofageglowingaroundthemthatgivesthemtheircharmsinoureyes. The"oldblue"thatwehangaboutourwallsasornamentswerethecommonevery-dayhouseholdutensilsofafewcenturiesago; andthepinkshepherdsandtheyellowshepherdessesthatwehandroundnowforallourfriendstogushover,andpretendtheyunderstand,weretheunvaluedmantel-ornamentsthatthemotheroftheeighteenthcenturywouldhavegiventhebabytosuckwhenhecried.
Willitbethesameinthefuture? Willtheprizedtreasuresoftodayalwaysbethecheaptriflesofthedaybefore? Willrowsofourwillow-patterndinner-platesberangedabovethechimneypiecesofthegreatintheyears2000andodd?
