第29章

Desirefornovelty-Livesofthelawless-Countenances-Oldyeomananddame-Welivenearthesea-Uncouth-lookingvolume-

Theothercondition-Draoitheac-Adilemma-TheAntinomian-

LodowickMuggleton-Almostblind-AndersVedel。

BUTtoproceedwithmyownstory：Inowceasedallatoncetotakemuchpleasureinthepursuitswhichformerlyinterestedme，I

yawnedoverAbGwilym，evenasInowinmymind’seyeperceivethereaderyawningoverthepresentpages。Whatwasthecauseofthis？

Constitutionallassitude，oradesirefornovelty？Bothitisprobablehadsomeinfluenceinthematter，butIratherthinkthatthelatterfeelingwaspredominant。Thepartingwordsofmybrotherhadsunkintomymind。Hehadtalkedoftravellinginstrangeregionsandseeingstrangeandwonderfulobjects，andmyimaginationfelltowork，anddrewpicturesofadventureswildandfantastic，andIthoughtwhatafinethingitmustbetotravel，andIwishedthatmyfatherwouldgivemehisblessing，andthesamesumthathehadgivenmybrother，andbidmegoforthintotheworld；alwaysforgettingthatIhadneithertalentsnorenergiesatthisperiodwhichwouldenablemetomakeanysuccessfulfigureonitsstage。

AndthenIagainsoughtupthebookwhichhadsocaptivatedmeinmyinfancy，andIreaditthrough；andIsoughtupothersofasimilarcharacter，andinseekingforthemImetbooksalsoofadventure，butbynomeansofaharmlessdescription，livesofwickedandlawlessmen，MurrayandLatroon-booksofsingularpower，butofcoarseandprurientimagination-booksatonetimehighlyinvogue；nowdeservedlyforgotten，andmostdifficulttobefound。

AndwhenIhadgonethroughthesebooks，whatwasmystateofmind？

Ihadderivedentertainmentfromtheirperusal，buttheyleftmemorelistlessandunsettledthanbefore，andreallyknewnotwhattodotopassmytime。Myphilologicalstudieshadbecomedistasteful，andIhadnevertakenanypleasureinthedutiesofmyprofession。Isatbehindmydeskinastateoftorpor，mymindalmostasblankasthepaperbeforeme，onwhichIrarelytracedaline。Itwasalwaysarelieftohearthebellring，asitaffordedmeanopportunityofdoingsomethingwhichIwasyetcapableofdoing，toriseandopenthedoorandstareinthecountenancesofthevisitors。AllofasuddenIfelltostudyingcountenances，andsoonflatteredmyselfthatIhadmadeconsiderableprogressinthescience。

’Thereisnofaithincountenances，’saidsomeRomanofold；’trustanythingbutaperson’scountenance。’’Nottrustaman’scountenance？’saysomemoderns，’why，itistheonlythinginmanypeoplethatwecantrust；onwhichaccounttheykeepitmostassiduouslyoutoftheway。Trustnotaman’swordsifyouplease，oryoumaycometoveryerroneousconclusions；butatalltimesplaceimplicitconfidenceinaman’scountenance，inwhichthereisnodeceit；andofnecessitytherecanbenone。Ifpeoplewouldbutlookeachothermoreintheface，weshouldhavelesscausetocomplainofthedeceptionoftheworld；nothingsoeasyasphysiognomynorsouseful。’SomewhatinthislatterstrainI

thoughtatthetimeofwhichIamspeaking。Iamnowolder，and，letushope，lesspresumptuous。ItistruethatinthecourseofmylifeIhavescarcelyeverhadoccasiontorepentplacingconfidenceinindividualswhosecountenanceshaveprepossessedmeintheirfavour；thoughtohowmanyImayhavebeenunjust，fromwhosecountenancesImayhavedrawnunfavourableconclusions，isanothermatter。

ButithadbeendecreedbythatFatewhichgovernsoureveryactionthatIwassoontoreturntomyoldpursuits。ItwaswrittenthatIshouldnotyetceasetobeLav-engro，thoughIhadbecome，inmyownopinion，akindofLavater。Itissingularenoughthatmyrenewedardourforphilologyseemstohavebeenbroughtaboutindirectlybymyphysiognomicalresearches，inwhichhadI