世界名著THE BOARS HEAD TAVERN EASTCHEAP A SHAKSPEARIAN RESEARCH.docx

世界名著THE BOARS HEAD TAVERN EASTCHEAP A SHAKSPEARIAN RESEARCH.docx

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世界名著THEBOARSHEADTAVERNEASTCHEAPASHAKSPEARIANRESEARCH

1819-20

THESKETCHBOOK

THEBOAR'SHEADTAVERN,EASTCHEAP

ASHAKSPEARIANRESEARCH

byWashingtonIrving

"Atavernistherendezvous,theexchange,thestapleofgood

fellows.Ihaveheardmygreat-grandfathertell,howhis

great-great-grandfathershouldsay,thatitwasanoldproverbwhen

hisgreat-grandfatherwasachild,that'itwasagoodwindthat

blewamantothewine.'"

MOTHERBOMBIE.

ITISapiouscustom,insomeCatholiccountries,tohonorthe

memoryofsaintsbyvotivelightsburntbeforetheirpictures.The

popularityofasaint,therefore,maybeknownbythenumberof

theseofferings.One,perhaps,islefttomoulderinthedarknessof

hislittlechapel;anothermayhaveasolitarylamptothrowits

blinkingraysathwarthiseffigy;whilethewholeblazeofadoration

islavishedattheshrineofsomebeatifiedfatherofrenown.The

wealthydevoteebringshishugeluminaryofwax;theeagerzealot

hisseven-branchedcandlestick,andeventhemendicantpilgrimisby

nomeanssatisfiedthatsufficientlightisthrownuponthe

deceased,unlesshehangsuphislittlelampofsmokingoil.The

consequenceis,thatintheeagernesstoenlighten,theyareoftenapt

toobscure;andIhaveoccasionallyseenanunluckysaintalmost

smokedoutofcountenancebytheofficiousnessofhisfollowers.

InlikemannerhasitfaredwiththeimmortalShakspeare.Every

writerconsidersithisboundendutytolightupsomeportionofhis

characterorworks,andtorescuesomemeritfromoblivion.The

commentator,opulentinwords,producesvasttomesofdissertations;

thecommonherdofeditorssendupmistsofobscurityfromtheirnotes

atthebottomofeachpage;andeverycasualscribblerbringshis

farthingrushlightofeulogyorresearch,toswellthecloudof

incenseandofsmoke.

AsIhonorallestablishedusagesofmybrethrenofthequill,I

thoughtitbutpropertocontributemymiteofhomagetothememoryof

theillustriousbard.Iwasforsometime,however,sorelypuzzled

inwhatwayIshoulddischargethisduty.Ifoundmyselfanticipated

ineveryattemptatanewreading;everydoubtfullinehadbeen

explainedadozendifferentways,andperplexedbeyondthereachof

elucidation;andastofinepassages,theyhadallbeenamply

praisedbypreviousadmirers;nay,socompletelyhadthebard,of

late,beenoverlardedwithpanegyricbyagreatGermancritic,thatit

wasdifficultnowtofindevenafaultthathadnotbeenarguedintoa

beauty.

Inthisperplexity,Iwasonemorningturningoverhispages,whenI

casuallyopeneduponthecomicscenesofHenryIV.,andwas,ina

moment,completelylostinthemadcaprevelryoftheBoar'sHead

Tavern.Sovividlyandnaturallyarethesescenesofhumordepicted,

andwithsuchforceandconsistencyarethecharacterssustained,that

theybecomemingledupinthemindwiththefactsandpersonagesof

reallife.Tofewreadersdoesitoccur,thattheseareallideal

creationsofapoet'sbrain,andthat,insobertruth,nosuchknotof

merryroystererseverenlivenedthedullneighborhoodofEastcheap.

FormypartIlovetogivemyselfuptotheillusionsofpoetry.A

herooffictionthatneverexistedisjustasvaluabletomeasahero

ofhistorythatexistedathousandyearssince:

and,ifImaybe

excusedsuchaninsensibilitytothecommontiesofhumannature,I

wouldnotgiveupfatJackforhalfthegreatmenofancient

chronicle.Whathavetheheroesofyoredoneforme,ormenlikeme?

TheyhaveconqueredcountriesofwhichIdonotenjoyanacre;orthey

havegainedlaurelsofwhichIdonotinheritaleaf;ortheyhave

furnishedexamplesofhair-brainedprowess,whichIhaveneitherthe

opportunitynortheinclinationtofollow.But,oldJackFalstaff!

-

kindJackFalstaff!

sweetJackFalstaff!

-hasenlargedthe

boundariesofhumanenjoyment;hehasaddedvastregionsofwitand

goodhumor,inwhichthepoorestmanmayrevel;andhasbequeatheda

never-failinginheritanceofjollylaughter,tomakemankindmerrier

andbettertothelatestposterity.

Athoughtsuddenlystruckme:

"Iwillmakeapilgrimageto

Eastcheap,"saidI,closingthebook,"andseeiftheoldBoar's

HeadTavernstillexists.WhoknowsbutImaylightuponsome

legendarytracesofDameQuicklyandherguests;atanyrate,there

willbeakindredpleasure,intreadingthehallsoncevocalwith

theirmirth,tothatthetoperenjoysinsmellingtotheemptycask

oncefilledwithgenerouswine."

Theresolutionwasnosoonerformedthanputinexecution.Iforbear

totreatofthevariousadventuresandwondersIencounteredinmy

travels;ofthehauntedregionsofCockLane;ofthefadedglories

ofLittleBritain,andthepartsadjacent;whatperilsIranin

Cateaton-streetandoldJewry;oftherenownedGuildhallanditstwo

stuntedgiants,theprideandwonderofthecity,andtheterrorof

allunluckyurchins;andhowIvisitedLondonStone,andstruckmy

staffuponit,inimitationofthatarchrebel,JackCade.

Letitsufficetosay,thatIatlengtharrivedinmerry

Eastcheap,thatancientregionofwitandwassail,wherethevery

namesofthestreetsrelishedofgoodcheer,asPuddingLanebears

testimonyevenatthepresentday.ForEastcheap,saysoldStowe,"was

alwaysfamousforitsconvivialdoings.Thecookescriedhotribbesof

beefroasted,pieswellbaked,andothervictuals:

therewas

clatteringofpewterpots,harpe,pipe,andsawtrie."Alas!

how

sadlyisthescenechangedsincetheroaringdaysofFalstaffand

oldStowe!

Themadcaproystererhasgivenplacetotheplodding

tradesman;theclatteringofpotsandthesoundof"harpeand

sawtrie,"tothedinofcartsandtheaccurseddingingofthe

dustman'sbell;andnosongisheard,save,haply,thestrainof

somesirenfromBillingsgate,chantingtheeulogyofdeceased

mackerel.

Isought,invain,fortheancientabodeofDameQuickly.Theonly

relicofitisaboar'shead,carvedinreliefinstone,which

formerlyservedasthesign,butatpresentisbuiltintothe

partinglineoftwohouses,whichstandonthesiteoftherenowned

oldtavern.

Forthehistoryofthislittleabodeofgoodfellowship,Iwas

referredtoatallow-chandler'swidow,opposite,whohadbeenbornand

broughtuponthespot,andwaslookeduptoastheindisputable

chronicleroftheneighborhood.Ifoundherseatedinalittleback

parlor,thewindowofwhichlookedoutuponayardabouteightfeet

square,laidoutasaflower-garden;whileaglassdooropposite

affordedadistantpeepofthestreet,throughavistaofsoapand

tallowcandles:

thetwoviews,whichcomprised,inallprobability,

herprospectsinlife,andthelittleworldinwhichshehadlived,

andmoved,andhadherbeing,forthebetterpartofacentury.

TobeversedinthehistoryofEastcheap,greatandlittle,from

LondonStoneevenuntotheMonument,wasdoubtless,inheropinion,to

beacquaintedwiththehistoryoftheuniverse.Yet,withallthis,

shepossessedthesimplicityoftruewisdom,andthatliberal

communicativedisposition,whichIhavegenerallyremarkedin

intelligentoldladies,knowingintheconcernsoftheirneighborhood.

Herinformation,however,didnotextendfarbackintoantiquity.

ShecouldthrownolightuponthehistoryoftheBoar'sHead,fromthe

timethatDameQuicklyespousedthevaliantPistol,untilthegreat

fireofLondon,whenitwasunfortunatelyburntdown.Itwassoon

rebuilt,andcontinuedtoflourishundertheoldnameandsign,

untiladyinglandlord,struckwithremorsefordoublescores,bad

measures,andotheriniquities,whichareincidenttothesinful

raceofpublicans,endeavoredtomakehispeacewithheaven,by

bequeathingthetaverntoSt.Michael'sChurch,CrookedLane,

towardsthesupportingofachaplain.Forsometimethevestry

meetingswereregularlyheldthere;butitwasobservedthattheold

Boarneverhelduphisheadunderchurchgovernment.Hegradually

declined,andfinallygavehislastgaspaboutthirtyyearssince.The

tavernwasthenturnedintoshops;butsheinformedmethata

pictureofitwasstillpreservedinSt.Michael'sChurch,whichstood

justintherear.Togetasightofthispicturewasnowmy

determination;so,havinginformedmyselfoftheabodeofthe

sexton,ItookmyleaveofthevenerablechroniclerofEastcheap,my

visithavingdoubtlessraisedgreatlyheropinionofherlegendary

lore,andfurnishedanimportantincidentinthehistoryofherlife.

Itcostmesomedifficulty,andmuchcuriousinquiry,toferret

outthehumblehanger-ontothechurch.IhadtoexploreCrookedLane,

anddiverslittlealleys,andelbows,anddarkpassages,withwhich

thisoldcityisperforated,likeanancientcheese,oraworm-eaten

chestofdrawers.AtlengthItracedhimtoacornerofasmall

courtsurroundedbyloftyhouses,wheretheinhabitantsenjoyaboutas

muchofthefaceofheaven,asacommunityoffrogsatthebottomofa

well.

Thesextonwasameek,acquiescinglittleman,ofabowing,lowly

habit:

yethehadapleasanttwinklinginhiseye,and,ifencouraged,

wouldnowandthenhazardasmallpleasantry;suchasamanofhislow

estatemightventuretomakeinthecompanyofhighchurchwardens,and

othermightymenoftheearth.Ifoundhimincompanywiththe

deputyorganist,seatedapart,likeMilton'sangels,discoursing,no

doubt,onhighdoctrinalpoints,andsettlingtheaffairsofthe

churchoverafriendlypotofale-forthelowerclassesofEnglish

seldomdeliberateonanyweightymatterwithouttheassistanceofa

cooltankardtocleartheirunderstandings.Iarrivedatthemoment

whentheyhadfinishedtheiraleandtheirargument,and