On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    M THE LEADER. [No. 302, Saturday,

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    The Shaving Of Shagpat. Tlc Shachy Of Sh...

    , ^ J ^ e S ^ ruig ^ pf Shagpat / ' is a work of genius , and of poetical genius . |^ h fM 3 ll ^ e r sif . jfcEe tameness which belongs to mere imitations manufactured trap ^ W'ple effort pr thrown off with simious facility . It is no patchwork of bprr ^ w ^ incidents . Mr . Meredith las not simply imitated Arabian fictions , ^ 0 } 3 | $ | t ( een inspired by them ; he has used Oriental forms , but only as an Oriental genius would have used them who had been " to the manner born . " Goethe , when he wrote an immortal work under the inspiration of Oriental studies , very properly called it WestSstlicke— "West-eastern—because it was thoroughly Western in spirit , though Eastern in its forms . But this double epithet would not give a true idea of Mr . Meredith ' s work , for we do not remember that throughout our reading we were once struck by an incongruity between the thought and the form , once startled by the intrusion of the chill

    north into the land of the desert and the palm . Perhaps more lynx-eyed critics , and more learned ¦ Orientalists , than we , may detect discrepancies to which we are blind , but our experience will at least indicate what is likely to be the average impression . In one particular , indeed , Mr . Aferedith differs widely , from his models , but that difference is a high merit : * it lies in the exquisite delicacy of his love incidents and love scenes . Iu every other characteristic—in exuberance of imagery , in picturesque wildness of incident , in significant humour , in aphoristic wisdom , the "Shaving of Shagpat" is a new Arabian Night . To two thirds of the reading world this is sufficient recommendation . _ ' Accordingto Oriental custom the main story of the book—The Shaving of Shagpat—forms the setting to several minor tales , which are told , on pretexts more or less plausible , by the various dramatis persona . We will not forestall the reader ' s pleasure by telling him who Shagpat was , or , what were the wondrous adventures through which Shibli Bagarag , the wandering barber

    became Master of the Event and the destroyer of illusions , by shaving from Shagpat the mysterious identical , which had held men in subjection to him . There is plenty of deep meaning in the tale for those who cannot be satisfied without deep meanings , but there is no didactic thrusting forward of moral lessons , and our imagination is never chilled by a sense of allegorical intention predominating over poetic creation . Nothing can be more vivid and concrete than the narrative and description , nothing fresher and more vigorous than the imagery . Are we reading how-horsemen pursued their journey ? We are told that they ^ flourished their lances with cries , and jerked their heels into the flanks of their steeds , and stretched forward till their beards were mixed with the tossing manes , and the dust rose after them crimson in the sun . " Isfit amaiden ' s eyes we are to see ? They are "dark , under a low arch of darker lashes , like stars on the skirts of storm . " Sometimes the

    images are exquisitely poetical , as when Bhanavar looks forth " on the stars thati were above the purple heights and the blushes of inner heaven that streamed tip the skyf sometimes ingenious and pithy : for example , " she clenched her hands an instant with that feeling which-knocketh a nail in the coflinbf a desire not dead . " Indeed , one of the rarest charms of the book is the constant alternation of passion and wild imaginativeness ' with humour and pithy , practical sense . Mr . Meredith is very happy in his imitation of the lyrical fragments which the Eastern tale-tellers weave into their narrative eftherfof ^ or for the sake * of " giving a more intense utterance to passion , a loftier tone to description We will quote a specimen of the latter kind from the story of Bhanavar the Beauti / Hl . This story is the brightest gem among the minor tales , and perhaps in the whole book . It is admirably constructed and thoroughly poetic in its outline and texture . ( Bhanavar gazed on her fceioved , and the bridal dew overflowed her underlids and she loosed her hair to let ifc flow , part over her shoulders , part over his and in bighs that were the measure of music she sang : ' "I thought not to love again ! But now I love as I loved not before ; I love not : I adore ! O my beloved , kiss , kiss me ! waste thy kisses like a rain . Are not thy red lips fain ? Oh , and so softly they greet ! v Am I not sweet ? Sweet must I be for tliee , or sweet in vain : Sweet to thee only , my dear love ! The lamps and censers sink , but cannot c heat Those eyea of thine that shoot ahove , Trembling lustres of the dove ! A darkness drowns all lustres : still I see Thee , my love , thee ! Thee , my glory of gold , from Read to feet ! Oh , how the lidB of the world close quite when our lips meet ! ' Almeryl strained her to him , and responded : " My life was midnight on the mountain sido ; Cold stars were on the heights : There , in my darkness , I had lived and died , Content with little lights . Sudden I saw the heavens flush with a beam , And I ascended soon , And evermore over mankind supremo Stood silver in the moon . " And he fell playfully into a new metre , singing : . * ' " Who will paint my beloved In musical word or colour f ¦¦ , ¦ i i i : Earth with an envy is moved ; Seva n * Vs And roses sho bringcj Gems from the green ocean-springa , Fmata with the fairy bloom-dews , Feathers of Paradise hues . Waters with jewel-bright falls / Ore from the Qenii-halla : AM in their splendour approved ; All ; Imtj matoh'd with my beloved , _ , Darker , denser , and duller . " Then » he kfcaed him for that BOng , and eang : " Once to be beautiful was my prido , . Ana I Wunh'd in lovo with xny own bright brow

    Once , when a wooer was by my side , I v / orship'd the object that had his vow : Different , different , different * now , Different now is my beauty to me : Different , different , different now ! For I prize it alone because prized by thee . " Almeryl stretched his arm to the lattice , and drew it open , letting in the soft night wind , and the sound of the fou ntain and the bulbul and the beam of the stars , and versed to her in the languor of deep love : " Whether we die or we live Matters it now n . o more ; Life has nought further to give : Love is its crown and its core . Come to us either , we ' re rife , — Death or life 1 " Death can take no t away ,

    Darkness and light are the same : We are beyond the pale ray , Wrapt in a rosier flame ; Welcome which will to our breath , — Life or death ! ' An example of Mr . Meredith ' s skill in humorous apologue is the Puntshment of Khipil the Builder , which is short enough to be quoted without much mutilation : — They relate that Shapesh , the Persian , commanded the building of a palace and Khipil was his builder . The work lingered from the first year of the reign of Shapesh even to his fourteenth . One day Shapesh went to the river-side where it stood , to inspect it . Khipil was sitting on a , inarble slab among the stones and blocks ; round him stretch ed lazily the masons and stonecuutters and slaves of burden ; and they with the curve of humorous enjoyment on their lips , for he -was reciting to them adventures , interspersed with anecdotes and recitations and poetic instances , as was his wont . They were like pleased flocks whom the shepherd hath led to a pasture freshened with brooks , there to feed indolently ; he , the shepherd , in the midst .

    Now the King said to him , "O Khipil , show me my palace where it standeth , for I desire to gratify my sight -with its fairness . " Khipil abased himself before Shahpesli , and answered , "' Tis even here , 0 King of the age , where thou delightest the earth with thy foot , and the ear of thy slave with , sweetness . Surely a site of vantage , one that dominateth earth , air , and water , which is the builder ' s first and . chief requisition for a noble palace , a palace to ill foreign kings and sultans with the distraction of envy ; and it is , 0 Sovereign of the time , a site , this site I have chosen , to occupy the tongues of travellers and awaken the flights of poets I " Shahpeah smiled and said , "The site is good ! I laud the site ! Likewise I laud the wisdom of Ebn Busrac , where he exclaims : — " ' Be sure , where Virtue faileth to appear , For her a gorgeous mansion men will rear ; And day and night her praises will bo heard , Where never yet she spake a single word . '"

    Then said he , "O Khipil , my builder , there was once a farm-servant that , having neglected in the seed-time to sow , - took to siuging the richness of his soil when it was harvest , in proof of which he displayed the abundance of weeds that coloured the land everywhere . Discover to me now the completeness of my halls and . apartments , I pray thee , O Khipil , and he the ' excellence of thy construction made visible to me ?" Quoth Khipil , " To hear is to obey . " He conducted Shahpesh among the unfinished saloons Jiucl imperfect courts and roofless rooms , and by half-erected obelisks , and columns pierced and chipped , of the palace of his "building . And he waa bewildered at the words spoken by Shahpesh ; but now the king exalted him , and admired the perfection of his craft , the greatness of his labour , the Bpeediuess of his construction , his aBBiduity ; feigning not to behold his negligence . Presently they -went up winding' balusters to a tnarble terrace , and the King said , " Such is thy devotion and constancy to toil , O Khipil , that thou shalt walk before me here . "

    He then commanded Khipil to precede him , and Khipil was hei ghtened with the honour . When Khipil had paraded a Bhort space he stopped quickly , and said to Shahpesb , " Here is , as it chanceth , a gap , O King ! and we can go no further this way . " ShahpeBh said , " All is perfect , and it is nay will thou delay not to advance . '' Khipil cried , " Tho gap is wide , O mighty King , and manifest , and it is the one incomplete part of thy palace . " Then said Shahpesh , " O Khipil , I boo no distinction batweori one part and another ; excellent are all parts in beauty and propor tion , and there can be no

    part incomplete in this palace that ocoupieth the builder fourteen years in its building : ho advance , and do my bidding , " Khipil yet hesitated , for the gap waa of mnny strides , nnd at tho bottom of the gap was a deep water , nnd he one that know not the motion of swimming . But Shahpeah ordered his guard to point their arrows in the direction of Khipil , and Khipil stepped forth hurriedly , and fell into tho gap , and was swallowed by the water below . When he roao the third time succour reached him , and ho was drawn to land trembling , his teeth chattering . And Shahpoah praisod him , and said , " This is au apt contrivance for a bath , Khipil , O my builder ! well conceived ; one that taketh by surprise ; and it shall be thy reward daily when much talking hath fatigued thoe .

    Then lie bade Khipil load ham to tho kail of stato . And when they -wore thoro Shahposli said , " For a privilege , and « s a mark of my approbation , I givo theo permission to sit in the marble chair of yonder throno , oven in my presence , O Khipil . " Khipil said , " Suroly , O Kin £ , tho ohiu > is not yet oxooutod . " And Shahposh exclaimed , " If thia bo so , thou art but the length of thy measure on the ground , O tulkativo one !" Khipil said , " Nay , ' tis not so , O K 5 ug of splendours ! blind that I am t yonder s indeed the chair . " And Klripil feared the King , and wont to the pl « oo where tho ohuir » liould bo , and bent his body in a aittiug posture , eyoiug tuo King , and made- pretence to Bit in the chair of Shnhpoah .

    Then eaid Shnhpeah , "Aa « token that I npprovo thy oxooution of tho ohnir , thou Bhalt bo honoured by remaining seated in it one day and ouo night ; but move thou to tho right or to tho loft , ohowing thy » oul inaowmblo of the honour done thoo , transfixed shalt thou bo with twenty arrows and five . "

    M The Leader. [No. 302, Saturday,

    M THE LEADER . [ No . 302 , Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 5, 1856, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05011856/page/16/