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ingenious clock…work arrangement。 No place； short of the temple of
the living God； can be more solemn。 The jars of the restless life
around it do not disturb the serene intelligence of the half…
reasoning apparatus。 Nothing can stir the massive pier but the
shocks that shake the solid earth itself。 When an earthquake thrills
the planet； the massive turret shudders with the shuddering rocks on
which it rests； but it pays no heed to the wildest tempest； and while
the heavens are convulsed and shut from the eye of the far…seeing
instrument it waits without a tremor for the blue sky to come back。
It is the type of the true and steadfast man of the Roman poet； whose
soul remains unmoved while the firmament cracks and tumbles about
him。 It is the material image of the Christian； his heart resting on
the Rock of Ages； his eye fixed on the brighter world above。
I did not say all this while we were looking round among these
wonders； quite new to many of us。 People don't talk in straight…off
sentences like that。 They stumble and stop； or get interrupted；
change a word； begin again； miss connections of verbs and nouns； and
so on； till they blunder out their meaning。 But I did let fall a
word or two； showing the impression the celestial laboratory produced
upon me。 I rather think I must own to the 〃Rock of Ages〃 comparison。
Thereupon the 〃Man of Letters；〃 so called； took his pipe from his
mouth； and said that he did n't go in 〃for sentiment and that sort of
thing。 Gush was played out。〃
The Member of the Haouse； who； as I think； is not wanting in that
homely good sense which one often finds in plain people from the
huckleberry districts； but who evidently supposes the last speaker to
be what he calls 〃a tahlented mahn；〃 looked a little puzzled。 My
remark seemed natural and harmless enough to him； I suppose； but I
had been distinctly snubbed； and the Member of the Haouse thought I
must defend myself； as is customary in the deliberative body to which
he belongs； when one gentleman accuses another gentleman of mental
weakness or obliquity。 I could not make up my mind to oblige him at
that moment by showing fight。 I suppose that would have pleased my
assailant； as I don't think he has a great deal to lose； and might
have made a little capital out of me if he could have got a laugh out
of the Member or either of the dummies；I beg their pardon again； I
mean the two undemonstrative boarders。 But I will tell you； Beloved；
just what I think about this matter。
We poets； you know； are much given to indulging in sentiment； which
is a mode of consciousness at a discount just now with the new
generation of analysts who are throwing everything into their
crucibles。 Now we must not claim too much for sentiment。 It does
not go a great way in deciding questions of arithmetic； or algebra；
or geometry。 Two and two will undoubtedly make four； irrespective of
the emotions or other idiosyncrasies of the calculator； and the three
angles of a triangle insist on being equal to two right angles； in
the face of the most impassioned rhetoric or the most inspired verse。
But inasmuch as religion and law and the whole social order of
civilized society； to say nothing of literature and art； are so
founded on and pervaded by sentiment that they would all go to pieces
without it； it is a word not to be used too lightly in passing
judgment； as if it were an element to be thrown out or treated with
small consideration。 Reason may be the lever； but sentiment gives
you the fulcrum and the place to stand on if you want to move the
world。 Even 〃sentimentality；〃 which is sentiment overdone； is better
than that affectation of superiority to human weakness which is only
tolerable as one of the stage properties of full…blown dandyism； and
is； at best； but half…blown cynicism； which participle and noun you
can translate； if you happen to remember the derivation of the last
of them； by a single familiar word。 There is a great deal of false
sentiment in the world； as there is of bad logic and erroneous
doctrine； butit is very much less disagreeable to hear a young poet
overdo his emotions； or even deceive himself about them； than to hear
a caustic…epithet flinger repeating such words as 〃sentimentality〃
and 〃entusymusy；〃one of the least admirable of Lord Byron's
bequests to our language；for the purpose of ridiculing him into
silence。 An overdressed woman is not so pleasing as she might be；
but at any rate she is better than the oil of vitriol squirter； whose
profession it is to teach young ladies to avoid vanity by spoiling
their showy silks and satins。
The Lady was the first of our party who was invited to look through
the equatorial。 Perhaps this world had proved so hard to her that
she was pained to think that other worlds existed； to be homes of
suffering and sorrow。 Perhaps she was thinking it would be a happy
change when she should leave this dark planet for one of those
brighter spheres。 She sighed； at any rate； but thanked the Young
Astronomer for the beautiful sights he had shown her； and gave way to
the next comer； who was That Boy； now in a state of irrepressible
enthusiasm to see the Man in the Moon。 He was greatly disappointed
at not making out a colossal human figure moving round among the
shining summits and shadowy ravines of the 〃spotty globe。〃
The Landlady came next and wished to see the moon also； in preference
to any other object。 She was astonished at the revelations of the
powerful telescope。 Was there any live creatures to be seen on the
moon？ she asked。 The Young Astronomer shook his head； smiling a
little at the question。 Was there any meet'n'…houses？ There was no
evidence； he said； that the moon was inhabited。 As there did not
seem to be either air or water on its surface； the inhabitants would
have a rather hard time of it； and if they went to meeting the
sermons would be apt to be rather dry。 If there were a building on
it as big as York minster； as big as the Boston Coliseum； the great
telescopes like Lord Rosse's would make it out。 But it seemed to be
a forlorn place； those who had studied it most agreed in considering
it a 〃cold； crude； silent； and desolate〃 ruin of nature； without the
possibility； if life were on it； of articulate speech； of music； even
of sound。 Sometimes a greenish tint was seen upon its surface； which
might have been taken for vegetation； but it was thought not
improbably to be a reflection from the vast forests of South America。
The ancients had a fancy； some of them； that the face of the moon was
a mirror in which the seas and shores of the earth were imaged。 Now
we know the geography of the side toward us about as well as that of
Asia； better than that of Africa。 The Astronomer showed them one of
the common small photographs of the moon。 He assured them that he
had received letters inquiring in all seriousness if these alleged
lunar photographs were not really taken from a peeled orange。 People
had got angry with him for laughing at them for asking such a
question。 Then he gave them an account of the famous moon…hoax which
came out； he believed； in 1835。 It was full of the most bare…