CHAPTER XXII.
When the mind contemplates a number of young men assembled at the University, with various talents, propensities, and pursuits, upon a footing of local equality, and communicating with one another on terms of greater or less familiarity; and again, after an interval of half a century, makes enquiry into their relative condition and connections; how wonderful a contrast is exhibited, and what food is administered for deep and serious reflection!
These pages have already detailed some, it is to be hoped, not uninteresting examples of unexpected elevation, as well as of extraordinary and melancholy depression, to say nothing of the diminution of the long, long catalogue, by the resistless ravages of death. One splendid instance of success and temporal prosperity has already been detailed. Here, however, was nothing to shock probability. The advantages of birth and splendid connection accompany a man through life, and he must be eminently deficient in talent, sagacity, or prudence, who does not in his progress through the world, turn them to adequate account. One favourite of fortune remains to be introduced to notice, who possessed no hereditary advantages, but who, meeting with a ladder placed against the Temple of Greatness, boldly ascended step by step, till he triumphantly reached, and remained enthroned, at the summit.
It is sometimes exceedingly convenient to deal in the article of “Supposes.” It is a very useful word to a lively fancy, and supplies many a chasm in an imaginary structure, which would seem mutilated, imperfect, and deformed, without it. It is adopted on the present occasion, because it will appear to many the most suitable.—The facts are so contrary to the ordinary chances of life, that they who are not in the secret, may be inclined to believe them “suppositions” altogether.
Suppose, therefore, good and gentle reader, a schoolmaster, established in a country town of no great celebrity, but which still furnished him with so much employment, that attention to his business enabled him to educate his two sons at a public school. Suppose this good man to die, and his widow again to marry respectably, and settle finally in the metropolis. Suppose the elder son, though of infirm health, to marry a woman of large fortune, a valetudinarian like himself.—It is no extravagant effort of imagination to conceive both of these personages to pay the debt of nature, and the surviving brother to become the inheritor of the possessions of them both. Here we appear to have advanced a few steps up the ladder.
Now then, let us suppose the surviving brother called to the bar, and, by abilities and assiduity to which the bar has affixed a jocular name, to obtain progressively a considerable practice.—Are we not mounting still higher? Now, then, let us picture to ourselves a great, a very great man, possessing the disposal of seats in a certain assembly, usually understood to display the most inviting avenues to fame and fortune. Fancy this great man, in perplexity from some unexpected accident how to supply the loss of a friend, vacating one of these seats, with an individual, who by no means must be inferior to his predecessor in obsequious attention to his patron’s political interests, his intentions, and injunctions. Accident, the veriest accident, might introduce the practitioner of the law to huggery of another kind.—What think you now, good people? are we not in a fair way to get to the top of the ladder? Conceive us, then, permanently fixed in this same honourable assembly; and a combination of talent and diligence, a proper degree of well-timed flexibility, with a due proportion of smiles and bows, may easily be supposed to accomplish all the rest.
But that which is to succeed can surely never be supposed. Can it be supposed, that one so favoured by a concurrence of fortunate events, should treat with neglect those to whose interposition and recommendation, he immediately owed his greatness? Can it be supposed, that he was detested by his dependants, for the most unrestrained insolence and intolerable arrogance? Can it be believed, that the friends and play-mates of his boyish days, equals to him in ability, far, very far superior in merit, should be contumeliously kept at an awful distance, sometimes oppressed with an assumed condescension, at others disgusted at unconcealed haughtiness? Can it be imagined, that when local circumstances assigned to him a division of influence and authority, in conjunction with individuals of high hereditary rank, he should proudly assume a pre-eminence; should direct, dictate, issue his imperial fiats, mandates, and decrees, and make all bow before his golden image?
Will it be believed, that, as the Chinese ceremonial requires, the head of him admitted to the Royal presence to be knocked nine times against the floor, and were this obeisance once, and once only, omitted, it is deemed high treason, and requires the utmost severity of punishment; so from the lack of some such attentions to this high and mighty person, there are many individuals who have reason to deplore, in bitterness of sorrow, their unpardoned inconsiderateness; and can ascribe their ruin to nothing, but the seeming want of reverence to his consequential importance?
No, no, no, none of these things can possibly be within the reach of the wildest suppositions; they can only have existence in the chimerical dreams of the most extravagant fancy. Nor will it ever obtain a moment’s credit, except indeed a similar representation should be made from ⸺.
But here prudence bids pause—
Securus licet Æneam rutulumque ferocem
Committas: nulli gravis est percussus Achilles.
Tollimur in cœlum curvato gurgite, et idem
Subducta ad manes imos desidimus unda.