Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

Roundabout Papersopinants. I say the Duke and Tom could have held out,that they meant to hold out, that they did hold out,and that there has been fistifying enough. That crowdwhich came in and stopped the fight ought to be consideredlike one of those divine clouds which the godssend in Homer:“Apollo shroudsThe godlike Trojan in a veil of clouds.”It is the best way of getting the godlike Trojan out ofthe scrape, don’t you see? The nodus is cut; Tom is outof chancery; the Benicia Boy not a bit the worse, nay,better than if he had beaten the little man. He has notthe humiliation of conquest. He is greater, and will beloved more hereafter by the gentle sex. Suppose he hadovercome the godlike Trojan? Suppose he had tied Tom’scorpse to his cab-wheels, and driven to Farnham, smokingthe pipe of triumph? Faugh! the great hulking conqueror!Why did you not hold your hand from yonderhero? Everybody, I say, was relieved by that opportuneappearance of the British gods, protectors of native valor,who interfered, and “withdrew” their champion.Now, suppose six-feet-two conqueror, and five-feeteightbeaten; would Sayers have been a whit the lessgallant and meritorious? If Sancho had been allowedreally to reign in Barataria, I make no doubt that, withhis good sense and kindness of heart, he would havedevised some means of rewarding the brave vanquished,as well as the brave victors in the Baratarian army, andthat a champion who had fought a good fight wouldhave been a knight of King Don Sancho’s orders, whateverthe upshot of the combat had been. SupposeWellington overwhelmed on the plateau of Mont St.John; suppose Washington attacked and beaten at ValleyForge—and either supposition is quite easy—andwhat becomes of the heroes? They would have been asbrave, honest, heroic, wise; but their glory, where wouldit have been? Should we have had their portraits hangingin our chambers? have been familiar with their histories?have pondered over their letters, common lives,and daily sayings? There is not only merit, but luck36