迪文小说

第2部分（第2页）

do　not　please　my　hand。　When　I　touch　what　there　is　of　the　Winged　Victory；

it　reminds　me　at　first　of　a　headless；　limbless　dream　that　flies　towards

me　in　an　unrestful　sleep。　The　garments　of　the　Victory　thrust　stiffly　out

behind；　and　do　not　resemble　garments　that　I　have　felt　flying；

fluttering；　folding；　spreading　in　the　wind。　But　imagination　fulfils

these　imperfections；　and　straightway　the　Victory　bees　a　powerful　and

spirited　figure　with　the　sweep　of　sea…winds　in　her　robes　and　the

splendour　of　conquest　in　her　wings。

I　find　in　a　beautiful　statue　perfection　of　bodily　form；　the　qualities　of

balance　and　pleteness。　The　Minerva；　hung　with　a　web　of　poetical

allusion；　gives　me　a　sense　of　exhilaration　that　is　almost　physical；　and

I　like　the　luxuriant；　wavy　hair　of　Bacchus　and　Apollo；　and　the　wreath　of

ivy；　so　suggestive　of　pagan　holidays。

So　imagination　crowns　the　experience　of　my　hands。　And　they　learned　their

cunning　from　the　wise　hand　of　another；　which；　itself　guided　by

imagination；　led　me　safely　in　paths　that　I　knew　not；　made　darkness　light

before　me；　and　made　crooked　ways　straight。

THE　HANDS　OF　OTHERS

II

THE　HANDS　OF　OTHERS

THE　warmth　and　protectiveness　of　the　hand　are　most　homefelt　to　me　who

have　always　looked　to　it　for　aid　and　joy。　I　understand　perfectly　how　the

Psalmist　can　lift　up　his　voice　with　strength　and　gladness；　singing；　〃I

put　my　trust　in　the　Lord　at　all　times；　and　his　hand　shall　uphold　me；　and

I　shall　dwell　in　safety。〃　In　the　strength　of　the　human　hand；　too；　there

is　something　divine。　I　am　told　that　the　glance　of　a　beloved　eye　thrills

one　from　a　distance；　but　there　is　no　distance　in　the　touch　of　a　beloved

hand。　Even　the　letters　I　receive　are……

Kind　letters　that　betray　the　hearts　deep　history；

In　which　we　feel　the　presence　of　a　hand。

It　is　interesting　to　observe　the　differences　in　the　hands　of　people。

They　show　all　kinds　of　vitality；　energy；　stillness；　and　cordiality。　I

never　realized　how　living　the　hand　is　until　I　saw　those　chill　plaster

images　in　Mr。　Huttons　collection　of　casts。　The　hand　I　know　in　life　has

the　fullness　of　blood　in　its　veins；　and　is　elastic　with　spirit。　How