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bathing。 Swarms and heaps of people in all lolling and lying and
wallowing shapes strew the beach； and the water is full of slopping and
shouting and shrieking human creatures； clinging with bare white arms to
the life…lines that run from the shore to the buoys； beyond these the
lifeguard stays himself in his boat with outspread oars； and rocks on the
incoming surf。
All that you can say of it is that it is queer。 It is not picturesque；
or poetic； or dramatic； it is queer。 An enfilading glance gives this
impression and no other； if you go to the balcony of the nearest marine
restaurant for a flanking eye…shot； it is still queer； with the added
effect； in all those arms upstretched to the life…lines； of frogs' legs
inverted in a downward plunge。
On the sand before this spectacle I talked with a philosopher of humble
condition who backed upon me and knocked my umbrella out of my hand。
This made us beg each other's pardon； he said that he did not know I was
there； and I said it did not matter。 Then we both looked at the bathing；
and he said：
〃I don't like that。〃
〃Why；〃 I asked； 〃do you see any harm in it？〃
〃No。 But I don't like the looks of it。 It ain't nice。 It's queer。〃
It was indeed like one of those uncomfortable dreams where you are not
dressed sufficiently for company； or perhaps at all； and yet are making a
very public appearance。 This promiscuous bathing was not much in excess
of the convention that governs the sea…bathing of the politest people； it
could not be； and it was marked by no grave misconduct。 Here and there a
gentleman was teaching a lady to swim； with his arms round her； here and
there a wild nereid was splashing another； a young Jew pursued a flight
of naiads with a section of dead eel in his hand。 But otherwise all was
a damp and dreary decorum。 I challenged my philosopher in vain for a
specific cause of his dislike of the scene。
Most of the people on the sand were in bathing…dress； but there were a
multitude of others who had apparently come for the sea…air and not the
sea…bathing。 A mother sat with a sick child on her knees； babies were
cradled in the sand asleep； and people walked carefully round and over
them。 There were everywhere a great many poor mothers and children； who
seemed getting the most of the good that was going。
VI。
But upon the whole； though I drove away from the beach celebrating the
good temper and the good order of the scene to an applausive driver； I
have since thought of it as rather melancholy。 It was in fact no wiser
or livelier than a society function in the means of enjoyment it
afforded。 The best thing about it was that it left the guests very much
to their own devices。 The established pleasures were clumsy and
tiresome…looking； but one could eschew them。 The more of them one
eschewed； the merrier perhaps； for I doubt if the race is formed for much
pleasure； and even a day's rest is more than most people can bear。 They
endure it in passing； but they get home weary and cross； even after a
twenty…mile run on the wheel。 The road； by…the…by； was full of homeward
wheels by this time； single and double and tandem； and my driver
professed that their multitude greatly increased the difficulties of his
profession。
SAWDUST IN THE ARENA
It was in the old Roman arena of beautiful Verona that the circus events
I wish to speak of took place； in fact； I had the honor and profit of
seeing two circuses there。 Or； strictly speaking； it was one entire
circus that I saw； and the unique speciality of another； the dying glory
of a circus on its last legs； the triumphal fall of a circus superb in
adversity。
I。
The entire circus was altogether Italian； with the exception of the
clowns； who； to the credit of our nation； are always Americans； or
advertised as such； in Italy。 Its chief and almost absorbing event was a
reproduction of the tournament which had then lately been held at Rome in
celebration of Prince Tommaso's coming of age； and for a copy of a copy
it was really fine。 It had fitness in the arena； which must have
witnessed many such mediaeval shows in their time； and I am sensible
still of the pleasure its effects of color gave me。 There was one
beautiful woman； a red blonde in a green velvet gown； who might have
ridden； as she was； out of a canvas of Titian's； if he had ever painted
equestrian pictures； and who at any rate was an excellent Carpaccio。
Then； the 'Clowns Americani' were very amusing； from a platform devoted
solely to them； and it was a source of pride if not of joy with me to
think that we were almost the only people present who understood their
jokes。 In the vast oval of the arena； however； the circus ring looked
very little； not half so large； say； as the rim of a lady's hat in front
of you at the play； and on the gradines of the ancient amphitheatre we
were all such a great way off that a good field…glass would have been
needed to distinguish the features of the actors。 I could not make out；
therefore； whether the 'Clowns Americani' had the national expression or
not； but one of them； I am sorry to say； spoke the United States language
with a cockney accent。 I suspect that he was an Englishman who had
passed himself off upon the Italian management as a true Yankee； and who
had formed himself upon our school of clowning； just as some of the
recent English humorists have patterned after certain famous wits of
ours。 I do not know that I would have exposed this impostor； even if
occasion had offered； for； after all； his fraud was a tribute to our own
primacy in clowning； and the Veronese were none the worse for his erring
aspirates。
The audience was for me the best part of the spectacle； as the audience
always is in Italy； and I indulged my fancy in some cheap excursions
concerning the place and people。 I reflected that it was the same race
essentially as that which used to watch the gladiatorial shows in that
arena when it was new； and that very possibly there were among these
spectators persons of the same blood as those Veronese patricians who had
left their names carved on the front of the gradines in places； to claim
this or that seat for their own。 In fact； there was so little
difference； probably； in their qualities； from that time to this； that I
felt the process of the generations to be a sort of impertinence； and if
Nature had been present； I might very well have asked her why； when she
had once arrived at a given expression of humanity； she must go on
repeating it indefinitely？ How were all those similar souls to know
themselves apart in their common eternity？ Merely to have been
differently circumstanced in time did not seem enough； and I think Nature
would have been puzzled to answer me。 But perhaps not； she may have had
her reasons； as that you cannot have too much of a good thing； and that
when the type was so fine in most respects as the Italian you could not
do better than go on repeating impressions from it。
Certainly I myself could have wished no variation from it in the young
officer of 'bersaglieri'； who had come down from antiquity to the topmost
gradine of the arena over a