第78章

NotI！ThereinthatgreatpileofVictorianarchitecturethelandlordsandthelawyers，thebishops，therailwaymenandthemagnatesofcommercegotoandfro——intheirincurabletraditionofcommercialisedBladesovery，ofmeretriciousgentryandnobilitysoldforriches。Ihavebeennearenoughtoknow。TheIrishandtheLabour-menrunaboutamongtheirfeet，makingafuss，effectinglittle，they’vegotnobetterplansthatIcansee。Respectitindeed！There’sacertainparaphernaliaofdignity，butwhomdoesitdeceive？TheKingcomesdowninagiltcoachtoopentheshowandwearslongrobesandacrown；andthere’sadisplayofstoutandslenderlegsinwhitestockingsandstoutandslenderlegsinblackstockingsandartfuloldgentlemeninermine。IwasremindedofonecongestedafternoonI

hadspentwithmyauntamidstaclusterofagitatedwomen’shatsintheRoyalGalleryoftheHouseofLordsandhowIsawtheKinggoingtoopenParliament，andtheDukeofDevonshirelookinglikeagorgeouspedlarandterriblyboredwiththecapofmaintenanceonatraybeforehimhungbyslingsfromhisshoulder。A

wonderfulspectacle！

Itisquaint，nodoubt，thisEngland——itisevendignifiedinplaces——andfullofmellowassociations。Thatdoesnotalterthequalityoftherealitiestheserobesconceal。Therealitiesaregreedytrade，baseprofit——seeking，boldadvertisement；andkingshipandchivalry，spiteofthiswearingoftreasuredrobes，areasdeadamongitallasthatcrusadermyunclechampionedagainstthenettlesoutsidetheDuffieldchurch。

Ihavethoughtmuchofthatbrightafternoon’spanorama。

TorundowntheThamessoistorunone’shandoverthepagesinthebookofEnglandfromendtoend。OnebeginsinCravenReachanditisasifonewereintheheartofoldEngland。BehindusareKewandHamptonCourtwiththeirmemoriesofKingsandCardinals，andonerunsatfirstbetweenFulham’sepiscopalgardenpartiesandHurlingham’splaygroundforthesportinginstinctofourrace。ThewholeeffectisEnglish。Thereisspace，thereareoldtreesandallthebestqualitiesofthehome-landinthatupperreach。Putney，too，looksAnglicanonadwindlingscale。Andthenforastretchthenewerdevelopmentsslopover，onemissesBladesoverandtherecomefirstsqualidstretchesofmeanhomesrightandleftandthenthedingyindustrialismofthesouthside，andonthenorthbankthepolitelongfrontofnicehouses，artistic，literary，administrativepeople’sresidences，thatstretchesfromCheyneWalknearlytoWestminsterandhidesawildernessofslums。Whatalongslowcrescendothatis，mileaftermile，withthehousescrowdingcloselier，themultiplyingsuccessionofchurchtowers，thearchitecturalmoments，thesuccessivebridges，untilyoucomeoutintothesecondmovementofthepiecewithLambeth’soldpalaceunderyourquarterandthehousesofParliamentonyourbow！WestminsterBridgeisaheadofyouthen，andthroughityouflash，andinamomenttheround-facedclocktowercranesuptopeeratyouagainandNewScotlandYardsquaresatyou，afatbeef-eaterofapolicemandisguisedmiraculouslyasaBastille。

ForastretchyouhavetheessentialLondon；youhaveCharingCrossrailwaystation，heartoftheworld，andtheEmbankmentonthenorthsidewithitsnewhotelsovershadowingitsGeorgianandVictorianarchitecture，andmudandgreatwarehousesandfactories，chimneys，shottowers，advertisementsonthesouth。

Thenorthwardskylinegrowsmoreintricateandpleasing，andmoreandmoredoesonethankGodforWren。SomersetHouseisaspicturesqueasthecivilwar，oneisremindedagainoftheoriginalEngland，onefeelsinthefrettedskythequalityofRestorationLace。

AndthencomesAstor’sstrongboxandthelawyers’Inns。

(Ihadapassingmemoryofmyselfthere，howonceIhadtrudgedalongtheEmbankmentwestward，weighingmyuncle’sofferofthreehundredpoundsayear。)

ThroughthatcentralessentialLondonreachIdrove，andX2

boredhernoseunderthefoamregardlessofitalllikeablackhoundgoingthroughreeds——onwhattrailevenIwhomadehercannottell。

Andinthisreach，too，onefirstmeetstheseagullsandisremindedofthesea。Blackfriarsonetakes——justunderthesetwobridgesandjustbetweenthemisthefinestbridgemomenti