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admired disorder of their combination。 A talker of a different
calibre； though belonging to the same school； is Burly。 Burly is a
man of a great presence； he commands a larger atmosphere； gives the
impression of a grosser mass of character than most men。 It has
been said of him that his presence could be felt in a room you
entered blindfold； and the same； I think； has been said of other
powerful constitutions condemned to much physical inaction。 There
is something boisterous and piratic in Burly's manner of talk which
suits well enough with this impression。 He will roar you down； he
will bury his face in his hands； he will undergo passions of revolt
and agony； and meanwhile his attitude of mind is really both
conciliatory and receptive； and after Pistol has been out Pistol'd；
and the welkin rung for hours； you begin to perceive a certain
subsidence in these spring torrents； points of agreement issue； and
you end arm…in…arm； and in a glow of mutual admiration。 The outcry
only serves to make your final union the more unexpected and
precious。 Throughout there has been perfect sincerity； perfect
intelligence； a desire to hear although not always to listen； and
an unaffected eagerness to meet concessions。 You have； with Burly；
none of the dangers that attend debate with Spring…Heel'd Jack； who
may at any moment turn his powers of transmigration on yourself；
create for you a view you never held； and then furiously fall on
you for holding it。 These； at least； are my two favourites； and
both are loud； copious； intolerant talkers。 This argues that I
myself am in the same category； for if we love talking at all； we
love a bright； fierce adversary； who will hold his ground； foot by
foot； in much our own manner； sell his attention dearly； and give
us our full measure of the dust and exertion of battle。 Both these
men can be beat from a position； but it takes six hours to do it； a
high and hard adventure； worth attempting。 With both you can pass
days in an enchanted country of the mind； with people； scenery and
manners of its own； live a life apart； more arduous； active and
glowing than any real existence； and come forth again when the talk
is over； as out of a theatre or a dream； to find the east wind
still blowing and the chimney…pots of the old battered city still
around you。 Jack has the far finer mind； Burly the far more
honest； Jack gives us the animated poetry； Burly the romantic
prose； of similar themes； the one glances high like a meteor and
makes a light in darkness； the other； with many changing hues of
fire； burns at the sea…level； like a conflagration； but both have
the same humour and artistic interests； the same unquenched ardour
in pursuit； the same gusts of talk and thunderclaps of
contradiction。
Cockshot （5） is a different article； but vastly entertaining； and
has been meat and drink to me for many a long evening。 His manner
is dry； brisk and pertinacious； and the choice of words not much。
The point about him is his extraordinary readiness and spirit。 You
can propound nothing but he has either a theory about it ready…
made； or will have one instantly on the stocks； and proceed to lay
its timbers and launch it in your presence。 〃Let me see；〃 he will
say。 〃Give me a moment。 I SHOULD have some theory for that。〃 A
blither spectacle than the vigour with which he sets about the
task； it were hard to fancy。 He is possessed by a demoniac energy；
welding the elements for his life； and bending ideas； as an athlete
bends a horse…shoe； with a visible and lively effort。 He has； in
theorising； a compass； an art； what I would call the synthetic
gusto； something of a Herbert Spencer； who should see the fun of
the thing。 You are not bound； and no more is he； to place your
faith in these brand…new opinions。 But some of them are right
enough； durable even for life； and the poorest serve for a cock shy
… as when idle people； after picnics； float a bottle on a pond and
have an hour's diversion ere it sinks。 Whichever they are； serious
opinions or humours of the moment； he still defends his ventures
with indefatigable wit and spirit； hitting savagely himself； but
taking punishment like a man。 He knows and never forgets that
people talk； first of all； for the sake of talking； conducts
himself in the ring； to use the old slang； like a thorough
〃glutton；〃 and honestly enjoys a telling facer from his adversary。
Cockshot is bottled effervescency； the sworn foe of sleep。 Three…
in…the…morning Cockshot； says a victim。 His talk is like the
driest of all imaginable dry champagnes。 Sleight of hand and
inimitable quickness are the qualities by which he lives。
Athelred； on the other hand； presents you with the spectacle of a
sincere and somewhat slow nature thinking aloud。 He is the most
unready man I ever knew to shine in conversation。 You may see him
sometimes wrestle with a refractory jest for a minute or two
together； and perhaps fail to throw it in the end。 And there is
something singularly engaging； often instructive； in the simplicity
with which he thus exposes the process as well as the result； the
works as well as the dial of the clock。 Withal he has his hours of
inspiration。 Apt words come to him as if by accident； and； coming
from deeper down； they smack the more personally； they have the
more of fine old crusted humanity； rich in sediment and humour。
There are sayings of his in which he has stamped himself into the
very grain of the language； you would think he must have worn the
words next his skin and slept with them。 Yet it is not as a sayer
of particular good things that Athelred is most to he regarded；
rather as the stalwart woodman of thought。 I have pulled on a
light cord often enough； while he has been wielding the broad…axe；
and between us； on this unequal division； many a specious fallacy
has fallen。 I have known him to battle the same question night
after night for years； keeping it in the reign of talk； constantly
applying it and re…applying it to life with humorous or grave
intention； and all the while； never hurrying； nor flagging； nor
taking an unfair advantage of the facts。 Jack at a given moment；
when arising； as it were； from the tripod； can be more radiantly
just to those from whom he differs； but then the tenor of his
thoughts is even calumnious； while Athelred； slower to forge
excuses； is yet slower to condemn； and sits over the welter of the
world； vacillating but still judicial； and still faithfully
contending with his doubts。
Both the last talkers deal much in points of conduct and religion
studied in the 〃dry light〃 of prose。 Indirectly and as if against
his will the same elements from time to time appear in the troubled
and poetic talk of Opalstein。 His various and exotic knowledge；
complete although unready sympathies； and fine； full；
discriminative flow of language； fit him out to be the best of
talkers； so perhaps he is with some； not quite with me … PROXIME
ACCESSIT； I should say。 He sings the praises of the earth and the
arts； flowers and jewels； wine and music； in a moonlight；
serenading manner； as to the light guitar； even wisdom comes from
his tongue like singing； no one is； indeed； more tuneful in the
upper notes。 But even while he sings the song of the Sirens； he
still hearkens to the barking of the Sphinx。 Jarring Byronic notes
interrupt the flow of his Horatian humours。 His mirth has
something of the tragedy of the world for its perpetual background；
and he feasts like Don Giovanni to a double orchestra； one lightly
sounding for the dance； one pealing Beethoven in the distance。 He
is not truly reconciled either with life or with himself； and this
instant war in his members sometimes divides the man's attention。
He does not always； perhaps not often； frankly surrender himself in
convers