The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-29
THE TALE OF CHLOE
An Episode in the History Of
Beau Beamish.
M GEoRGE MEREDITH.
CHAPTER ".

1t was an axiom with Mr.. Beamlsh our fra,
II not our only philosophical beau. and gen
tleman OF some thoughtfulness, that tho social
English require tyrannical government az
much as tho political are able to dispense with
II, and this he explained by an exposition OF
the character OF race possessed OF the
eminent virtue OF individual selt.assertlon,
which causes them to insist on good elbow
room wherever they gather together. Society.
however. not being tolerable whore tho smooth
nees Of intercourse Is disturbed by perpetual
punching OF sides, tho merits OF the free citizen
In thom become their demerits when n frater-
nal oirole 10 established. and they who have
shown an example OF civilization too notable In
ono sphere to call for euogy. are often to be
seen elbowinR on tho ragged edge OF barbarian
in the other. They must. therefore. BIO reduced
to accept laws not OF their own making. and OF
an extreme rigidlty.
Here. too, Is a further peril; for the gallant
spirits distinguishing them in tho state OF in
dependence may the foresaw tho melancholy
experience OF later ago. abandon them
utterly In subsection. and tho glorious bolster
BUSINESS bentting the village green forsake
them even In their haunts Of liberal assooia-
ton. should they once be- thoroughly tanned by
authority. Our merrie England" will then be
lonR-faced England. an England Of fallen
chaps. like boars head, bearing for speech
lemon In his mouth: good to feast on. may
hap: not With
MIR. Beamish would actually seem to have
foreseen tho danger OF transition that he
could watch over only In his time; and, as he
said. II 20. as l came, on q fash" he had
neither ancestry nor descendants: he was q
genius: he knew himself solitary therefore.
In spite OF his efforts to create his like Within
his district he did effect something. enough to
give him fame as one OF the princely fathers
OF our domestic civilization. though we now
appear TO have lost by it more than formerly
We gained. The chasing OF the natural Is ever
fraught with dubious hazards. II 1t gallops
back according to the proverb 1t will do so at
the charge: commonly 1t Rallops of. quito of !:
and then for any kind OF animation our pre-
carious dependence Is upon bralns We have
10 live on our wits, which are ordinarily less
productive than land. and cannot be RENTED
in entail.
Rightly or wrongly there are differences Of
opinion about it, Mr.. Beamish repressed the
chthonic natural with rod OF iron beneath his
rule. The hoyden and the pumpkin had no
peace until they had given public limitations of
the lady and the gentleman: nor were the lady
and the gentleman privileged to be what he
called free flags" He could be charitable to
the passion. but he beloved the very word
itself thauled up smoking from the birthstone
lake, against them that pretended to be shame
lossly guilty OF the peccadiloes OF gallantry.
His famous accost Of q lady threatening to
sink. and already performing like vessel in
that situation. SO. madam, I hear you are
preparing to enroll yourself in the very ancient
order p The named it, was O piece OF insolence
that involved him in some discord with the
lady's husband and the rascal steward" as he
chose to term the third party in these affairs /;
yet 1t is reputed to have saved the lady.
Furthermore, he attacked the vulgarity Of
persons Of quality. and he has told a fashiona-
Bile dame who was indulginR herself In mark
cd sneer Of disdain. not improving her fea-
lures. that he would be pleased to have her
assurance 1t was her face she presented to
mankind:' thing. thanks perhaps to him
chiefly. no longer possible Of uttersnoe. One
Of the sex asking him why he addressed his
prosecutions particularly to women: Because
fight your battle" says he. and find you
in the ranks Of the enemy" He treated them
as traitors.
He was nevertheless we'll supported by sex
that compensates for dislike OF It's friend be-
fore q certain age by a cordial recognition OF
him whom 1t has touched the period. A phalanx
OF great danes gave him the terrors OF Olym-
pus for all except the natively audacious, the
truculent. and the insufferably obtuse: and
from the midst Of them he launched decree and
bolt to good effect: not, OF course. without re-
ceiving return missiles and not without SUBJ
sequent question whether the work OF that
man was beneficial to the country. who in
deed tanned the bumpkin Squire and his
brood. but at the cost Of their animal spirits
and their gift of speech, viz, by making petri-
factions OF them. In the surgical operation Of
tracheotomy q successful treatment Of the pa
tient hangs, We believe, on the promptness and
skill OF the introduction OF the artificial wind
pipe; and 1t may be that our unhappy coun-
trymen. when cut of from the source Of their
breath. were not neatly handled; or else that
there Is a physical opposition in them to my
thing artificial. and 1t must be nature or moth
ing. The dispute shall BIO left whore 1t stands.
Now. to venture upon paradlnR beautiful
young Duchess OF Dewlap, with an odor OF the
Bheperdess about hor Notwithstanding her &C.
Quired art OF stepping conformably in hoop.
and to demand full homage Of respect for q
lady bearing such title, who had the intoxi-
eating attractions OF the rudy orchard apple
on the tree next the roadside wall when the
owner is absent. was bold In Mr.. Beamish.
passing temerity: nor would even he have at
tempted 1t had he not been assured OF the sup
port Of his phalanx OF great ladies. They, In
decd. after being taken into the secret, had
stipulated that first they must have an
inspection OF the transformed dairy
maid: and the review was not unfa-
vorable. Duchess Susan came out OF
1t more scathless than her Duke. She was
tonRue-tied. and her tutored walking and
really admirable stature helped her to appease
tho critics OF her sex. by whom her too readily
blushful Innocence was praised with a reserve
expressed In the remark that she was q mon
strous fine toy for Dukes second childhood,
and should never have been let fly from his
nursery. Her milliner was approved The
Duke was a notorious connoisseur Of female
charms. and would see. OF course. to tho
decorous adornment OF her person by the best
OF modistes- Her smiling was pretty. her eyes
were soft: she might turn out good II well
guarded for time but these merits Of tho
woman are not those OF tho great lady. and her
title was too strong beam on her character to
give 1t a fair chance with her critics. They one
and all recommended powder for her hair and
checks. That odor OF the shepherdess could DO
exercised by no other means they declared.
Her blushing was indecent.
Truly the critics OF the foeman sex behaved
In way to cause the bushes to swarm rosy as
the trOonp n ynuner 1ovaa round Tvtharaa In