Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

Roundabout Paperskind of modesty. That beard was her profession: thatbeard brought the public to see her: out of her businessshe wished to put that beard aside as it were: as a barristerwould wish to put off his wig. I know some whocarry theirs into private life, and who mistake you andme for jury-boxes when they address us: but these arenot your modest barristers, not your true gentlemen.Well, I own I respected the lady for the modesty withwhich, her public business over, she retired into privatelife. She respected her life, and her beard. That beardhaving done its day’s work, she puts it away in herhandkerchief; and becomes, as far as in her lies, a privateordinary person. All public men and women of goodsense, I should think, have this modesty. When, forinstance, in my small way, poor Mrs. Brown comes simperingup to me, with her album in one hand, a pen inthe other, and says, “Ho, ho, dear Mr. Roundabout, writeus one of your amusing,” &c .&c., my beard drops behindmy handkerchief instantly. Why am I to wag mychin and grin for Mrs. Brown’s good pleasure? My dearmadam, I have been making faces all day. It is my profession.I do my comic business with the greatest pains,seriousness, and trouble: and with it make, I hope, anot dishonest livelihood. If you ask Mons. Blondin totea, you don’t have a rope stretched from your garretwindow to the opposite side of the square, and requestMonsieur to take his tea out on the centre of the rope?I lay my hand on this waistcoat, and declare that notonce in the course of our voyage together did I allowthe Kentucky Giant to suppose I was speculating on hisstature, or the Bearded Lady to surmise that I wished topeep under the handkerchief which muffled the lowerpart of her face. “And the more fool you,” says somecynic. (Faugh, those cynics, I hate ‘em!) Don’t you know,sir, that a man of genius is pleased to have his geniusrecognized; that a beauty likes to be admired; that anactor likes to be applauded; that stout old Wellingtonhimself was pleased, and smiled when the people cheeredhim as he passed? Suppose you had paid some respectfulcompliment to that lady? Suppose you had askedthat giant, if, for once, he would take anything at theliquor-bar? you might have learned a great deal of curi-158