madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第28节
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along； and was； and will be for many a year to come； perfectly able to take
care of himself。
As for poor Synthesis； he really has fallen so low in these days； that
one cannot but pity him。 He now goes about humbly after his brother；
feeding on any scraps that are thrown to him； and is snubbed and rapped
over the knuckles； and told one minute to hold his tongue and mind his
own business； and the next that he has no business at all to mind； till he
has got into such a poor way that some folks fancy he will die； and are
actually digging his grave already； and composing his epitaph。 But they
are trying to wear the bear's skin before the bear is killed； for Synthesis is
not dead； nor anything like it； and he will rise up again some day； to make
good friends with his brother Analysis； and by his help do nobler and more
beautiful work than he has ever yet done in the world。
So now Analysis has got the upper hand； so much so that he is in
danger of being spoilt by too much prosperity； as his brother was before
him； in which case he too will have his fall； and a great deal of good it will
do him。 And that is the end of my story； and a true story it is。
Now you must remember； whenever you have to do with him； that
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Analysis； like fire； is a very good servant； but a very bad master。 For；
having got his freedom only of late years or so； he is； like young men
when they come suddenly to be their own masters； apt to be conceited； and
to fancy that he knows everything； when really he knows nothing； and can
never know anything； but only knows about things； which is a very
different matter。 Indeed； nowadays he pretends that he can teach his old
grandmother； Madam How； not only how to suck eggs； but to make eggs
into the bargain； while the good old lady just laughs at him kindly； and lets
him run on； because she knows he will grow wiser in time； and learn
humility by his mistakes and failures； as I hope you will from yours。
However； Analysis is a very clever young giant； and can do wonderful
work as long as he meddles only with dead things； like this bit of lime。
He can take it to pieces； and tell you of what things it is made； or seems to
be made； and take them to pieces again； and tell you what each of them is
made of； and so on； till he gets conceited； and fancies that he can find out
some one Thing of all things （which he calls matter）； of which all other
things are made； and some Way of all ways （which he calls force）； by
which all things are made： but when he boasts in that way； old Madam
How smiles； and says； 〃My child； before you can say that； you must
remember a hundred things which you are forgetting； and learn a hundred
thousand things which you do not know；〃 and then she just puts her hand
over his eyes； and Master Analysis begins groping in the dark； and talking
the saddest nonsense。 So beware of him； and keep him in his own place；
and to his own work； or he will flatter you； and get the mastery of you； and
persuade you that he can teach you a thousand things of which he knows
no more than he does why a duck's egg never hatches into a chicken。
And remember； if Master Analysis ever grows saucy and conceited with
you； just ask him that last riddle； and you will shut him up at once。
And why？
Because Analysis can only explain to you a little about dead things；
like stonesinorganic things as they are called。 Living thingsorganisms；
as they are calledhe cannot explain to you at all。 When he meddles
with them； he always ends like the man who killed his goose to get the
golden eggs。 He has to kill his goose； or his flower； or his insect； before
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he can analyse it； and then it is not a goose； but only the corpse of a goose；
not a flower； but only the dead stuff of the flower。
And therefore he will never do anything but fail； when he tries to find
out the life in things。 How can he； when he has to take the life out of
them first？ He could not even find out how a plum… pudding is made by
merely analysing it。 He might part the sugar； and the flour； and the suet；
he might even （for he is very clever； and very patient too； the more honour
to him） take every atom of sugar out of the flour with which it had got
mixed； and every atom of brown colour which had got out of the plums
and currants into the body of the pudding； and then； for aught I know； put
the colouring matter back again into the plums and currants； and then； for
aught I know； turn the boiled pudding into a raw one again； for he is a
great conjurer； as Madam How's grandson is bound to be： but yet he
would never find out how the pudding was made； unless some one told
him the great secret which the sailors in the old story forgotthat the cook
boiled it in a cloth。
This is Analysis's weak pointdon't let it be yoursthat in all his
calculations he is apt to forget the cloth； and indeed the cook likewise。
No doubt he can analyse the matter of things： but he will keep forgetting
that he cannot analyse their form。
Do I mean their shape？
No； my child； no。 I mean something which makes the shape of things；
and the matter of them likewise； but which folks have lost sight of
nowadays； and do not seem likely to get sight of again for a few hundred
years。 So I suppose that you need not trouble your head about it； but may
just follow the fashions as long as they last。
About this piece of lime； however； Analysis can tell us a great deal。
And we may trust what he says； and believe that he understands what he
says。
Why？
Think now。 If you took your watch to pieces； you would probably
spoil it for ever； you would have perhaps broken； and certainly mislaid；
some of the bits； and not even a watchmaker could put it together again。
You would have analysed the watch wrongly。 But if a watchmaker took
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it to pieces then any other watchmaker could put it together again to go as
well as ever； because they both understand the works； how they fit into
each other； and what the use and the power of each is。 Its being put
together again rightly would be a proof that it had been taken to pieces
rightly。
And so with Master Analysis。 If he can take a thing to pieces so that
his brother Synthesis can put it together again； you may be sure that he has
done his work rightly。
Now he can take a bit of chalk to pieces； so that it shall become
several different things； none of which is chalk； or like chalk at all。 And
then his brother Synthesis can put them together again； so that they shall
become chalk； as they were before。 He can do that very nearly； but not
quite。 There is； in every average piece of chalk； something which he
cannot make into chalk again when he has once unmade it。
What that is I will show you presently； and a wonderful tale hangs
thereby。 But first we will let Analysis tell us what chalk is made of； as
far as he knows。
He will sayChalk is carbonate of lime。
But what is carbonate of lime made of？
Lime and carbonic acid。
And what is lime？
The oxide of a certain metal； called calcium。
What do you mean？
That quicklime is a certain metal mixed with oxygen gas； and slacked
lime is the same； mixed with water。
So lime is a metal。 What is a metal？ Nobody knows。
And what is oxygen gas？ Nobody knows。
Well； Analysis； stops short very soon。 He does not seem to know
much about the matter。
Nay； nay； you are wrong there。 It is just 〃about the matter〃 that he
does know； and knows a great deal； and very accurately； what he does not
know is the matter itself。 He will tell you wond
