James Joyce -- Oxen of the Sun

8/12/2019 James Joyce -- Oxen of the Sun

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DESHIL HOLLES EAMUS. DESHIL HOLLES EAMUS. DESHIL HOLES Eamus.

Send us, bright one, light one, Horhorn, quickening and omb!ruit. Send us, bright one, light one,Horhorn, quickening and omb!ruit. Send us bright one, light one, Horhorn, quickening and

omb!ruit.

Hoo"sa, bo#abo#, hoo"sa$ Hoo"sa, ho#abo#, hoo"sa$ Hoo"sa, bo#abo#, hoo"sa.

Uni%ersall# that "erson&s acumen is esteemed %er# little "erce"ti%e concerning hatsoe%er mattersare being held as most "ro!itable b# mortals ith sa"ience endoed to be studied ho is ignorant o!

that hich the most in doctrine erudite and certainl# b# reason o! that in them high mind&s ornamentdeser%ing o! %eneration constantl# maintain hen b# general consent the# a!!irm that other

circumstances being equal b# no e'terior s"lendour is the "ros"erit# o! a nation more e!!icaciousl#

asserted than b# the measure o! ho !ar !orard ma# ha%e "rogressed the tribute o! its solicitude !or

that "roli!erent continuance hich o! e%ils the original i! it be absent hen !ortunatel# "resent

constitutes the certain sign o! omni"ollent nature&s incorru"ted bene!action. (or ho is there ho

an#thing o! some signi!icance has a""rehended but is conscious that that e'terior s"lendour ma# be

the sur!ace o! a donardtending lutulent realit# or on the contrar# an#one so is there inilluminated

as not to "ercei%e that as no nature&s boon can contend against the bount# o! increase so it beho%es

e%er# most )ust citi*en to become the e'hortator and admonisher o! his semblables and to tremble

lest hat had in the "ast been b# the nation e'cellentl# commenced might be in the !uture not ith

similar e'cellence accom"lished i! an in%erecund habit shall ha%e graduall# traduced the honourable

b# ancestors transmitted customs to that thither o! "ro!undit# that that one as audacious

e'cessi%el# ho ould ha%e the hardihood to rise a!!irming that no more odious o!!ence can !or

an#one be than to obli%ious neglect to consign that e%angel simultaneousl# command and "romise

hich on all mortals ith "ro"hec# o! abundance or ith diminution&s menace that e'alted o!

reiteratedl# "rocreating !unction e%er irre%ocabl# en)oined+

It is not h# there!ore e shall onder i!, as the best historians relate, among the elts, ho nothingthat as not in its nature admirable admired, the art o! medicine shall ha%e been highl# honoured.

-ot to s"eak o! hostels, le"er#ards, seating chambers, "laguegra%es, their greatest doctors, theO&Shiels, the O&Hicke#s, the O&Lees, ha%e sedulousl# set don the di%ers methods b# hich the sick

and the rela"sed !ound again health hether the malad# had been trembling ithering or loosebo#connell !lu'. ertainl# in e%er# "ublic ork hich in it an#thing o! gra%it# contains "re"aration

should be ith im"ortance commensurate and there!ore a "lan as b# them ado"ted hether b#ha%ing "reconsidered or as the maturation o! e'"erience it is di!!icult in being said hich the

discre"ant o"inions o! subsequent inquirers are not u" to the "resent congrued to render mani!est/

hereb# maternit# as so !ar !rom all accident "ossibilit# remo%ed that hate%er care the "atient inthat allhardest o! oman hour chie!l# required and not solel# !or the co"iousl# o"ulent but also !or

her ho not being su!!icientl# mone#ed scarcel# and o!ten not e%en scarcel# could subsist %aliantl#

and !or an inconsiderable emolument as "ro%ided.

0o her nothing alread# then and thence!orard as an#a# able to be molest!ul !or this chie!l# !elt all

citi*ens e'ce"t ith "roli!erent mothers "ros"erit# at all not to can be and as the# had recei%ed

eternit# gods mortals generation to be!it them her beholding, hen the case as so ha%ing itsel!,

"arturient in %ehicle the reard carr#ing desire immense among all one another as im"elling on o!


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her to be recei%ed into that domicile. O thing o! "rudent nation not merel# in being seen but also e%en

in being related orth# o! being "raised that the# her b# antici"ation ent seeing mother, that she b#

them suddenl# to be about to be cherished had been begun she !elt$

1e!ore born babe bliss had. 2ithin omb on he orshi". 2hate%er in that one case donecommodiousl# done as. A couch b# midi%es attended ith holesome !ood re"ose!ul cleanest

saddles as though !orthbringing ere no done and b# ise !oresight set3 but to this no less o! hatdrugs there is need and surgical im"lements hich are "ertaining to her case not omitting as"ect o! all

%er# distracting s"ectacles in %arious latitudes b# our terrestrial orb o!!ered together ith images,di%ine and human, the cogitation o! hich b# se)unct !emales is to tumescence conduci%e or eases

issue in the high sunbright ellbuilt !air home o! mothers hen, ostensibl# !ar gone andre"roductiti%e, it is come b# her thereto to lie in, her term u".

Some man that a#!aring as stood b# housedoor at night&s oncoming. O! Israel&s !olk as that man

that on earth andering !ar had !ared. Stark ruth o! man his errand that him lone led till that house.

O! that house A. Horne is lord. Se%ent# beds kee"s he there teeming mothers are ont that the# lie

!or to thole and bring !orth bairns hale so 4od&s angel to Mar# quoth. 2atchers the# there alk, hite

sisters in ard slee"less. Smarts the# still sickness soothing3 in tel%e moons thrice an hundred.

0ruest bedthanes the# tain are, !or Horne holding ariest ard.

In ard ar# the atcher hearing come that man mild5hearted e!t rising ith sire #im"led to him

her gate ide undid. Lo, le%in lea"ing lightens in e#eblink Ireland&s estard elkin$ (ull she dread

that 4od the 2reaker all mankind ould !ordo ith ater !or his e%il sins. hrist&s rood made she on

breastbone and him dre that he ould rathe in!are under her thatch. 0hat man her ill otting

orth!ul ent in Horne&s house.

Loth to irk in Horne&s hall hat holding the seeker stood. On her sto he ere as li%ing ith dear i!eand lo%esome daughter that then o%er land and sea!loor nine #ear had long outandered. Once her intonhithe meeting he to her bo had not do!!ed. Her to !orgi%e no he cra%ed ith good ground o!

her alloed that that o! him si!tseen !ace, hers, so #oung then had looked. Light si!t her e#eskindled, bloom o! blushes his ord inning.

As her e#es then ongot his eeds sart there!or sorro she !eared. 4lad a!ter she as that ere

adread as. Her he asked i! O&Hare Doctor tidings sent !rom !ar coast and she ith grame!ul sigh himansered that O&Hare Doctor in hea%en as. Sad as the man that ord to hear that him so hea%ied

in boels ruth!ul. All she there told him, ruing death !or !riend so #oung, algate sore unilling 4od&s

rightiseness to ithsa#. She said that he had a !air seet death through 4od His goodness ithmass"riest to be shri%en, hol# housel and sick men&s oil to his limbs. 0he man then right earnest asked

the nun o! hich death the dead man as died and the nun ansered him and said that he as died

in Mona island through bell#crab three #ear agone come hildermas and she "ra#ed to 4od the

Allruth!ul to ha%e his dear soul in his undeathliness. He heard her sad ords, in held hat sad staring.

So stood the# there both ahile in anho"e, sorroing one ith other.

0here!ore, e%er#man, look to that last end that is th# death and the dust that gri"eth on e%er# man

that is born o! oman !or as he came naked !orth !rom his mother&s omb so naked shall he end


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him at the last !or to go as he came.

0he man that as come into the house then s"oke to the nursingoman and he asked her ho it!ared ith the oman that la# there in childbed. 0he nursingoman ansered him and said that that

oman as in throes no !ull three da#s and that it ould be a hard birth unneth to bear but thatno in a little it ould be. She said thereto that she had seen man# births o! omen but ne%er as

none so hard as as that oman&s birth. 0hen she set it !orth all to him that time as had li%ed nighthat house. 0he man hearkened to her ords !or he !elt ith onder omen&s oe in the tra%ail that

the# ha%e o! motherhood and he ondered to look on her !ace that as a #oung !ace !or an# man tosee but #et as she le!t a!ter long #ears a handmaid. -ine tel%e blood!los chiding her childless.

And hiles the# s"ake the door o! the castle as o"ened and there nighed them a mickle noise as o!

man# that sat there at meat. And there came against the "lace as the# stood a #oung learning knight

#cle"t Di'on. And the tra%eller Leo"old as couth to him sithen it had ha""ed that the# had had ado

each ith other in the house o! misericord here this learning knight la# b# cause the tra%eller

Leo"old came there to be healed !or he as sore ounded in his breast b# a s"ear hereith a

horrible and dread!ul dragon as smitten him !or hich he did do make a sal%e o! %olatile salt and

chrism as much as he might su!!ice. And he said no that he should go into that castle !or to make

merr# ith them that ere there. And the tra%eller Leo"old said that he should go otherhither !or

he as a man o! cautels and a subtle. Also the lad# as o! his a%is and re"ro%ed the learning knight

though she troed ell that the tra%eller had said thing that as !alse !or his subtilit#. 1ut the learning

knight ould not hear sa# na# nor do her mandement ne ha%e him in aught contrarious to his list and

he said ho it as a mar%ellous castle. And the tra%eller Leo"old ent into the castle !or to rest him

!or a s"ace being sore o! limb a!ter man# marches en%ironing in di%ers lands and sometimes %ener#.

And in the castle as set a board that as o! the birchood o! (inland# and it as u"held b# !our

dar!men o! that countr# but the# durst not mo%e !or enchantment. And on this board ere !right!ul

sords and kni%es that are made in a great ca%ern b# sinking demons out o! hite !lames that the#!i' in the horns o! bu!!alos and stags that there abound mar%ellousl#. And there ere %essels that arerought b# magic o! Mahound out o! seasand and the air b# a arlock ith his breath that he blares

into them like to bubbles. And !ull !air cheer and rich as on the board that no ight could de%ise a!uller ne richer. And there as a %at o! sil%er that as mo%ed b# cra!t to o"en in the hich la# strange

!ishes ithouten heads though misbelie%ing men nie that this be "ossible thing ithout the# see itnatheless the# are so. And these !ishes lie in an oil# ater brought there !rom 6ortugal land because

o! the !atness that therein is like to the )uices o! the oli%e "ress. And also it as mar%el to see in thatcastle ho b# magic the# make a com"ost out o! !ecund heat kidne#s out o! haldee that b# aid o!

certain angr# s"irits that the# do into it sells u" ondrousl# like to a %ast mountain. And the# teach

the ser"ents there to entine themsel%es u" on long sticks out o! the ground and o! the scales o!these ser"ents the# bre out a breage like to mead.

And the learning knight let "our !or childe Leo"old a draught and hal" thereto the hile all the# that

ere there drank e%er# each. And childe Leo"old did u" his bea%er !or to "leasure him and took

a"ertl# somehat in amit# !or he ne%er drank no manner o! mead hich he then "ut b# and anon !ull

"ri%il# he %oided the more "art in his neighbour glass and his neighbour ist not o! his ile. And he

sat don in that castle ith them !or to rest him there ahile. 0hanked be Almight# 4od.


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0his meanhile this good sister stood b# the door and begged them at the re%erence o! 7esu our

alther liege lord to lea%e their assailing !or there as abo%e one quick ith child a gentle dame,

hose time hied !ast. Sir Leo"old heard on the u"!loor cr# on high and he ondered hat cr# that itas hether o! child or oman and I mar%el, said he, that it be not come or no. Meseems it dureth

o%erlong. And he as are and sa a !ranklin that hight Lenehan on that side the table that as olderthan an# o! the tother and !or that the# both ere knights %irtuous in the one em"rise and eke b#

cause that he as elder he s"oke to him !ull gentl#. 1ut, said he, or it be long too she ill bring !orthb# 4od His bount# and ha%e )o# o! her childing !or she hath aited mar%ellous long. And the !ranklin

that had drunken said, E'"ecting each moment to be her ne't. Also he took the cu" that stood to!orehim !or him needed ne%er none asking nor desiring o! him to drink and, -o drink, said he, !ull#

delectabl#, and he qua!!ed as !ar as he might to their both&s health !or he as a "assing good man o!his lustiness. And sir Leo"old that as the goodliest guest that e%er sat in scholars& hall and that as

the meekest man and the kindest that e%er laid husbandl# hand under hen and that as the %er#

truest knight o! the orld one that e%er did minion ser%ice to lad# gentle "ledged him courtl# in the

cu". 2oman&s oe ith onder "ondering.

-o let us s"eak o! that !elloshi" that as there to the intent to be drunken an the# might. 0here

as a sort o! scholars along either side the board, that is to it, Di'on #cle"t )unior o! saint Mar#

Merciable&s ith other his !ellos L#nch and Madden, scholars o! medicine, and the !ranklin that high$

Lenehan and one !rom Alba Longa, one rotthers, and #oung Ste"hen that had mien o! a !rere that

as at head o! the board and ostello that men cle"en 6unch ostello all long o! a master# o! him

erehile gested and o! all them, reser%ed #oung Ste"hen, he as the most drunken that demanded

still o! more mead/ and beside the meek sir Leo"old. 1ut on #oung Malachi the# aited !or that he

"romised to ha%e come and such as intended to no goodness said ho he had broke his a%o. And sir

Leo"old sat ith them !or he bore !ast !riendshi" to sir Simon and to this his son #oung Ste"hen and

!or that his languor becalmed him there a!ter longest anderings insomuch as the# !easted him !or

that time in the honourablest manner. 8uth red him, lo%e led on ith ill to ander, loth to lea%e.

(or the# ere right itt# scholars. And he heard their aresouns each gen other as touching birth andrighteousness, #oung Madden maintaining that "ut such case it ere hard the i!e to die !or so it had

!allen out a matter o! some #ear agone ith a oman o! Eblana in Horne&s house that no astres"assed out o! this orld and the sel! night ne't be!ore her death all leeches and "othecaries had

taken counsel o! her case/. And the# said !arther she should li%e because in the beginning the# saidthe oman should bring !orth in "ain and here!ore the# that ere o! this imagination a!!irmed ho

#oung Madden had said truth !or he had conscience to let her die. And not !e and o! these as#oung L#nch ere in doubt that the orld as no right e%il go%erned as it as ne%er other hobeit

the mean "eo"le belie%ed it otherise but the la nor his )udges did "ro%ide no remed#. A redress

4od grant. 0his as scant said but all cried ith one acclaim na#, b# our 9irgin Mother, the i!e shouldli%e and the babe to die. In colour hereo! the# a'ed hot u"on that head hat ith argument and

hat !or their drinking but the !ranklin Lenehan as "rom"t each hen to "our them ale so that at

the least a# mirth might not lack. 0hen #oung Madden shoed all the hole a!!air and hen he said

ho that she as dead and ho !or hol# religion sake b# rede o! "almer and bedesman and !or a %o

he had made to Saint Ultan o! Arbraccan her goodman husband ould not let her death hereb# the#

ere all ondrous grie%ed. 0o hom #oung Ste"hen had these ords !olloing, Murmur, sirs, is eke

o!t among la# !olk. 1oth babe and "arent no glori!# their Maker, the one in limbo gloom, the other in

"urge !ire. 1ut, gramerc#, hat o! those 4od"ossibled souls that e nightl# un"ossibilise, hich is the


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sin against the Hol# 4host, 9er# 4od, Lord and 4i%er o! Li!e+ (or, sirs, he said, our lust is brie!. 2e are

means to those small creatures ithin us and nature has other ends than e. 0hen said Di'on )unior

to 6unch ostello ist he hat ends. 1ut he had o%ermuch drunken and the best ord he could ha%eo! him as that he ould e%er dishonest a oman hoso she ere or i!e or maid or leman i! it so

!ortuned him to be deli%ered o! his s"leen o! lustihead. 2hereat rotthers o! Alba Longa sang #oungMalachi&s "raise o! that beast the unicorn ho once in the millennium he cometh b# his horn the

other all this hile "ricked !orard ith their )ibes hereith the# did malice him, itnessing all andse%eral b# saint (outinus his engines that he as able to do an# manner o! thing that la# in man to do.

0hereat laughed the# all right )ocundl# onl# #oung Ste"hen and sir Leo"old hich ne%er durst laughtoo o"en b# reason o! a strange humour hich he ould not bera# and also !ord that he rued !or her

that bare hoso she might be or heresoe%er. 0hen s"oke #oung Ste"hen orgulous o! mother hurchthat ould cast him out o! her bosom, o! la o! canons, o! Lilith, "atron o! abortions, o! bigness

rought b# ind o! seeds o! brightness or b# "otenc# o! %am"ires mouth to mouth or, as 9irgilius

saith, b# the in!luence o! the occident or b# the reek o! moon!loer or an she lie ith a oman hich

her man has but lain ith e!!ectu secuto, or "erad%enture in her bath according to the o"inions o!

A%erroes and Moses Maimonides. He said also ho at the end o! the second month a human soul as

in!used and ho in all our hol# mother !oldeth e%er souls !or 4od&s greater glor# hereas that earthl#

mother hich as but a dam to bring !orth beastl# should die b# canon !or so saith he that holdeth

the !isherman&s seal, e%en that blessed 6eter on hich rock as hol# church !or all ages !ounded. All

the# bachelors then asked o! sir Leo"old ould he in like case so )eo"ard her "erson as risk li!e to sa%e

li!e. A ariness o! mind he ould anser as !itted all and, la#ing hand to )a, he said dissembling, as

his ont as, that as it as in!ormed him, ho had e%er lo%ed the art o! "h#sic as might a la#man,

and agreeing also ith his e'"erience o! so seldom seen an accident it as good !or that Mother

hurch belike at one blo had birth and death "ence and in such sort deli%erl# he sca"ed their

questions. 0hat is truth, "ard#, said Di'on, and, or I err, a "regnant ord. 2hich hearing #oung

Ste"hen as a mar%ellous glad man and he a%erred that he ho stealeth !rom the "oor lendeth to the

Lord !or he as o! a ild manner hen he as drunken and that he as no in that taking it

a""eared e!tsoons.

1ut sir Leo"old as "assing gra%e maugre his ord b# cause he still had "it# o! the terrorcausing

shrieking o! shrill omen in their labour and as he as minded o! his good lad# Marion that had bornehim an onl# manchild hich on his ele%enth da# on li%e had died and no man o! art could sa%e so dark

is destin#. And she as ondrous stricken o! heart !or that e%il ha" and !or his burial did him on a !aircorselet o! lamb&s ool, the !loer o! the !lock, lest he might "erish utterl# and lie akeled !or it as

then about the midst o! the inter/ and no sir Leo"old that had o! his bod# no manchild !or an heirlooked u"on him his !riend&s son and as shut u" in sorro !or his !ore"assed ha""iness and as sad as

he as that him !ailed a son o! such gentle courage !or all accounted him o! real "arts/ so grie%ed he

also in no less measure !or #oung Ste"hen !or that he li%ed riotousl# ith those astrels andmurdered his goods ith hores.

About that "resent time #oung Ste"hen !illed all cu"s that stood em"t# so as there remained but little

mo i! the "rudenter had not shadoed their a""roach !rom him that still "lied it %er# busil# ho,

"ra#ing !or the intentions o! the so%ereign "onti!!, he ga%e them !or a "ledge the %icar o! hrist hich

also as he said is %icar o! 1ra#. -o drink e, quod he, o! this ma*er and qua!! #e this mead hich is

not indeed "arcel o! m# bod# but m# soul&s bodiment. Lea%e #e !raction o! bread to them that li%e b#

bread alone. 1e not a!eard neither !or an# ant !or this ill com!ort more than the other ill disma#.


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See #e here. And he shoed them glistering coins o! the tribute and goldsmiths& notes the orth o!

to "ound nineteen shilling that he had, he said, !or a song hich he rit. 0he# all admired to see the

!oresaid riches in such dearth o! mone# as as herebe!ore. His ords ere then these as !olloeth3:no all men, he said, time&s ruins build eternit#&s mansions. 2hat means this+ Desire&s ind blasts

the thorntree but a!ter it becomes !rom a bramblebush to be a rose u"on the rood o! time. Mark meno. In oman&s omb ord is made !lesh but in the s"irit o! the maker all !lesh that "asses becomes

the ord that shall not "ass aa#. 0his is the "ostcreation. Omnis cam ad te %eniet. -o question buther name is "uissant ho a%entried the dear corse o! our Agenbu#er, Healer and Herd, our might#

mother and mother most %enerable and 1ernardus saith a"tl# that she hath an omni"otentiamdei"arae su""licem, that is to it, an almightiness o! "etition because she is the second E%e and she

on us, saith Augustine too, hereas that other, our grandam, hich e are linked u" ith b#successi%e anastomosis o! na%elcords sold us all, seed, breed and generation, !or a "enn# "i""in. 1ut

here is the matter no. Or she kne him, that second I sa#, and as but creature o! her creature,

%ergine madre !iglia di tuo !iglio or she kne him not and then stands she in the one denial or

ignoranc# ith 6eter 6iscator ho li%es in the house that 7ack built and ith 7ose"h the 7oiner "atron

o! the ha""# demise o! all unha""# marriages "arce que M. L;o 0a'il nous a dit que qui l&a%ait mise

dans cette !ichue "osition c&;tait le sacr; "igeon, %entre de Dieu$ Enteder transsubstantialit# oder

consubstantialit# but in no case subsubstantialit#. And all cried out u"on It !or a %er# scur%# ord. A

"regnanc# ithout )o#, he said, a birth ithout "angs, a bod# ithout blemish, a bell# ithout

bigness. Let the led ith !aith and !er%our orshi". 2ith ill ill e ithstand, ithsa#.

Hereu"on 6unch ostello dinged ith his !ist u"on the board and ould sing a bad# catch Staboo

Stabella about a ench that as "ut in "od o! a )oll# sashbuckler in Alman# hich he did no attack3

0he !irst three months she as not ell, Staboo, hen here nurse


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anthem Ut no%etur se'us omnis cor"oris m#sterium till she as there unmaided. He ga%e them then a

much admirable h#men minim b# those delicate "oets Master 7ohn (letcher and Master (rancis

1eaumont that is in their Maid&s 0raged# that as rit !or a like tining o! lo%ers3 0o bed, to bed, asthe burden o! it to be "la#ed ith accom"anable concent u"on the %irginals. An e'quisite dulcet

e"ithalame o! most molli!icati%e suadenc# !or )u%eniles amator# hom the odori!erous !lambeaus o!the "aran#m"hs ha%e escorted to the quadru"edal "roscenium o! connubial communion. 2ell met

the# ere, said Master Di'on, )o#ed, but, harkee, #oung sir, better ere the# named 1eau Mount andLecher !or, b# m# truth, o! such a mingling much might come. =oung Ste"hen said indeed to his best

remembrance the# had but the one do'# beteen them and she o! the stes to make shi!t ith indelights amorous !or li!e ran %er# high in those da#s and the custom o! the countr# a""ro%ed ith it.

4reater lo%e than this, he said, no man hath that a man la# don his i!e !or his !riend. 4o thou anddo likeise. 0hus, or ords to that e!!ect, said >arathustra, sometime regius "ro!essor o! (rench

letters to the uni%ersit# o! O'tail nor breathed there e%er that man to hom mankind as more

beholden. 1ring a stranger ithin th# toer it ill go hard but thou ilt ha%e the secondbest bed.

Orate, !ratres, "ro memeti"so. And all the "eo"le shall sa#, Amen. 8emember, Erin, th# generations

and th# da#s o! old, ho thou settedst little b# me and b# m# ord and broughtest in a stranger to m#

gates to commit !ornication in m# sight and to a' !at and kick like 7eshurum. 0here!ore hast thou

sinned against the light and hast made me, th# lord, to be the sla%e o! ser%ants. 8eturn, return, lan

Mill#3 !orget me not, O Milesian. 2h# hast thou done this abomination be!ore me that thou didst

s"urn me !or a merchant o! )ala"s and didst den# me to the 8oman and the Indian o! dark s"eech ith

hom th# daughters did lie lu'uriousl#+ Look !orth no, m# "eo"le, u"on the land o! behest, e%en

!rom Horeb and !rom -ebo and !rom 6isgah and !rom the Horns o! Hatten unto a land !loing ith

milk and mone#. 1ut thou hast suckled me ith a bitter milk3 m# moon and m# sun thou hast

quenched !or e%er. And thou hast le!t me alone !or e%er in the dark a#s o! m# bitterness3 and ith a

kiss o! ashes hast thou kissed m# mouth. 0his tenebrosit# o! the interior, he "roceeded to sa#, hath

not been illumined b# the it o! the se"tuagint nor so much as mentioned !or the Orient !rom on high

hich brake hell&s gates %isited a darkness that as !oraneous. Assue!action minorates atrocities as

0ull# saith o! his darling Stoics/ and Hamlet his !ather shoeth the "rince no blister o! combustion.0he adia"hane in the noon o! li!e is an Eg#"t&s "lague hich in the nights o! "renati%it# and"ostmortemit# is their most "ro"er ubi and quomodo. And as the ends and ultimates o! all things

accord in some mean and measure ith their ince"tions and originals, that same multi"licitconcordance hich leads !orth groth !rom birth accom"lishing b# a retrogressi%e metamor"hosis

that minishing and ablation toards the !inal hich is agreeable unto nature so is it ith our subsolarbeing. 0he aged sisters dra us into li!e3 e ail, batten, s"ort, cli", clas", sunder, dindle, die3 o%er

us dead the# bend. (irst sa%ed !rom ater o! old -ile, among bulrushes, a bed o! !asciated attles3 atlast the ca%it# o! a mountain, an occulted se"ulchre amid the conclamation o! the hillcat and the

ossi!rage. And as no man knos the ubicit# o! his tumulus nor to hat "rocesses e shall thereb# be

ushered nor hether to 0o"het or to Eden%ille in the like a# is all hidden hen e ould backardsee !rom hat region o! remoteness the hatness o! our honess hath !etched his henceness.

0hereto 6unch ostello roared out mainl# Etienne chanson but he loudl# bid them lo, isdom hath

built hersel! a house, this %ast ma)estic longstablished %ault, the cr#stal "alace o! the reator all in

a""le"ie order, a "enn# !or him ho !inds the "ea.

1ehold the mansion reared b# dedal 7ack,

See the malt stored in man# a re!luent sack,


8/27


9/27

not !or them, !or 6reser%ati%e had gi%en them a stout shield o! o'engut and, third, that the# might

take no hurt neither !rom O!!s"ring that as that icked de%il b# %irtue o! this same shield hich as

named :illchild. So ere the# all in their blind !anc#, Mr a%il and Mr Sometimes 4odl#, Mr A"eSillale, Mr (alse (ranklin, Mr Daint# Di'on, =oung 1oasthard and Mr autious almer. 2herein, O

retched com"an#, ere #e all decei%ed !or that as the %oice o! the god that as in a %er# grie%ousrage that he ould "resentl# li!t his arm and s"ill their souls !or their abuses and their s"illings done

b# them contrariise to his ord hich !orth to bring brenningl# biddeth.

So 0hursda# si'teenth 7une 6atk. Dignam laid in cla# o! an a"o"le'# and a!ter hard drought, "lease4od, rained, a bargeman coming in b# ater a !i!t# mile or thereabout ith tur! sa#ing the seed on&t

s"rout, !ields athirst, %er# sadcoloured and stunk mightil#, the quags and to!ts too. Hard to breatheand all the #oung quicks clean consumed ithout s"rinkle this long hile back as no man

remembered to be ithout. 0he ros# buds all gone bron and s"read out blobs and on the hills

nought but dr# !lags and !aggots that ould catch at !irst !ire. All the orld sa#ing, !or aught the#

kne, the big ind o! last (ebruar# a #ear that did ha%oc the land so "iti!ull# a small thing beside this

barrenness. 1ut b# and b#, as said, this e%ening a!ter sundon, the ind sitting in the est, biggish

sollen clouds to be seen as the night increased and the eatherise "oring u" at them and some

sheet lightnings at !irst and a!ter, "ast ten o! the clock, one great stroke ith a long thunder and in a

brace o! shakes all scam"er "ellmell ithin door !or the smoking shoer, the men making shelter !or

their stras ith a clout or kerchie!, omen!olk ski""ing o!! ith kirtles catched u" soon as the "our

came. In El# "lace, 1aggot street, Duke&s lan, thence through Merrion green u" to Holles street, a

sash o! ater running that as be!ore bonedr# and not one chair or coach or !iacre seen about but

no more crack a!ter that !irst. O%er against the 8t. Hon. Mr 7ustice (it*gibbon&s door that is to sit ith

Mr Heal# the la#er u"on the college lands/ Mal. Mulligan a gentleman&s gentleman that had but

come !rom Mr Moore&s the riter&s that as a "a"ish but is no, !olk sa#, a good 2illiamite/ chanced

against Alec. 1annon in a cut bob hich are no In ith dance cloaks o! :endal green/ that as ne

got to ton !rom Mullingar ith the stage here his co* and Mal M&s brother ill sta# a month #et till

Saint Sithin and asks hat in the earth he does there, he bound home and he to Andre Horne&sbeing sta#ed !or to crush a cu" o! ine, so he said, but ould tell him o! a skittish hei!er, big o! her ageand bee! to the heel and all this hile "oured ith rain and so both together on to Horne&s. 0here

Leo". 1loom o! ra!ord&s )ournal sitting snug ith a co%e# o! ags, likel# brangling !ellos, Di'on)un., scholar o! m# lad# o! Merc#, 9in. L#nch, a Scots !ello, 2ill. Madden, 0. Lenehan, %er# sad !or a

racinghorse he !ancied and Ste"hen D. Leo". 1loom there !or a languor he had but as no better, heha%ing dreamed tonight a strange !anc# o! his dame Mrs Moll ith red sli""ers on in "air o! 0urke#

trunks hich is thought b# those in ken to be !or a change and Mistress 6ure!o# there, that got inthrough "leading her bell#, and no on the stools, "oor bod#, to da#s "ast her term, the midi%es

sore "ut to it and can&t deli%er, she queas# !or a bol o! riceslo" that is a shred drier u" o! the

insides and her breath %er# hea%# more than good and should be a bull#bo# !rom the knocks the# sa#,but 4od gi%e her soon issue. &0is her ninth chick to li%e, I hear, and Lad# da# bit o!! her last chick&s nails

that as then a tel%emonth and ith other three all breast!ed that died ritten out in a !air hand in

the king&s bible. Her hub !i!t# odd and a methodist but takes the Sacrament and is to be seen an# !air

sabbath ith a "air o! his bo#s o!! 1ullock harbour da""ing on the sound ith a hea%#braked reel or in

a "unt he has trailing !or !lounder and "ollock and catches a !ine bag, I hear. In sum an in!inite great

!all o! rain and all re!reshed and ill much increase the har%est #et those in ken sa# a!ter ind and

ater !ire shall come !or a "rognostication o! Malachi&s almanac and I hear that Mr 8ussell has done a

"ro"hetical charm o! the same gist out o! the Hindustanish !or his !armer&s ga*ette/ to ha%e three


10/27

things in all but this a mere !etch ithout bottom o! reason !or old crones and bairns #et sometimes

the# are !ound in the right guess ith their queerities no telling ho.

2ith this came u" Lenehan to the !eet o! the table to sa# ho the letter as in that night&s ga*ette

and he made a sho to !ind it about him !or he sore ith an oath that he had been at "ains aboutit/ but on Ste"hen&s "ersuasion he ga%e o%er to search and as bidden to sit near b# hich he did

might# brisk. He as a kind o! s"ort gentleman that ent !or a merr#andre or honest "ickle andhat belonged o! oman, horse!lesh, or hot scandal he had it "at. 0o tell the truth he as mean in

!ortunes and !or the most "art hankered about the co!!eehouses and lo ta%erns ith crim"s, ostlers,bookies, 6aul&s men, runners, !latca"s, aistcoateers, ladies o! the bagnio and other rogues o! the

game or ith a chanceable catch"ole or a ti"sta!! o!ten at nights till broad da# o! hom he "icked u"beteen his sack"ossets much loose gossi". He took his ordinar# at a boiling5cook&s and i! he had but

gotten into him a mess o! broken %ictuals or a "latter o! tri"es ith a bare tester in his "urse he could

ala#s bring himsel! o!! ith his tongue, some rand# qui" he had !rom a "unk or hatnot that e%er#

mother&s son o! them ould burst their sides. 0he other, ostello, that is, hearing this talk asked as it

"oetr# or a tale. (aith, no, he sa#s, (rank that as his name/, &tis all about :err# cos that are to be

butchered along o! the "lague. 1ut the# can go hang, sa#s he ith a ink, !or me ith their bull# bee!,

a "o' on it. 0here&s as good !ish in this tin as e%er came out o! it and %er# !riendl# he o!!ered to take o!

some salt# s"rats that stood b# hich he had e#ed ishl# in the meantime and !ound the "lace hich

as indeed the chie! design o! his embass# as he as shar"set. Mort au' %aches, sa#s (rank then in

the (rench language that had been indentured to a brand# shi""er that has a inelodge in 1ordeau'

and he s"oke (rench like a gentleman too. (rom a child this (rank had been a donought that his !ather,

a headborough, ho could ill kee" him to school to learn his letters and the use o! the globes,

matriculated at the uni%ersit# to stud# the mechanics but he took the bit beteen his teeth like a ra

colt and as more !amiliar ith the )usticiar# and the "arish beadle than ith his %olumes. One time

he ould be a "la#actor, then a sutler or a elsher, then nought ould kee" him !rom the bear"it and

the cocking main, then he as !or the ocean sea or to hoo! it on the roads ith the 8oman# !olk,

kidna""ing a squire&s heir b# !a%our or moonlight or !ecking maid&s linen or choking chickens behind ahedge. He had been o!! as man# times as a cat has li%es and back again ith naked "ockets as man#more to his !ather the headborough ho shed a "int o! tears as o!ten as he sa him. 2hat, sa#s Mr

Leo"old ith his hands across, that as earnest to kno the dri!t o! it, ill the# slaughter all+ I "rotestI sa them but this da# morning going to the Li%er"ool boats, sa#s he. I can scarce belie%e &tis so bad,

sa#s he. And he had e'"erience o! the like brood beasts and o! s"ringers, greas# hoggets and etherools, ha%ing been some #ears be!ore actuar# !or Mr 7ose"h u!!e, a orth# salesmaster that dro%e

his trade !or li%e stock and meado auctions hard b# Mr 4a%in Lo&s #ard in 6russia street. I questionith #ou there, sa#s he. More like &tis the hoose o! the timber tongue. Mr Ste"hen, a little mo%ed but

%er# handsomel#, told him no such matter and that he had dis"atches !rom the em"eror&s chie!

tailtickler thanking him !or the hos"italit#, that as sending o%er Doctor 8inder"est, the bestquotedcocatcher in all Musco%#, ith a bolus or to o! "h#sic to take the bull b# the horns. ome, come,

sa#s Mr 9incent, "lain dealing. He&ll !ind himsel! on the horns o! a dilemma i! he meddles ith a bull

that&s Irish, sa#s he. Irish b# name and Irish b# nature, sa#s Mr Ste"hen, and he sent the ale "urling

about. An Irish bull in an English chinasho". I concei%e #ou, sa#s Mr Di'on. It is that same bull that as

sent to our island b# !armer -icholas, the bra%est cattle breeder o! them all, ith an emerald ring in

his nose. 0rue !or #ou, sa#s Mr 9incent cross the table, and a bullse#e into the bargain, sa#s he, and a

"lum"er and a "ortlier bull, sa#s he, ne%er shit on shamrock. He had horns galore, a coat o! gold and a

seet smok# breath coming out o! his nostrils so that the omen o! our island, lea%ing doughballs


11/27

and rolling"ins, !olloed a!ter him hanging his bulliness in dais#chains. 2hat !or that, sa#s Mr Di'on,

but be!ore he came o%er !armer -icholas that as a eunuch had him "ro"erl# gelded b# a college o!

doctors, ho ere no better o!! than himsel!. So be o!! no, sa#s he, and do all m# cousin german theLord Harr# tells #ou and take a !armer&s blessing, and ith that he sla""ed his "osteriors %er# soundl#.

1ut the sla" and the blessing stood him !riend, sa#s Mr 9incent, !or to make u" he taught him a trickorth to o! the other so that maid, i!e, abbess and ido to this da# a!!irm that the# ould rather

an# time o! the month his"er in his ear in the dark o! a cohouse or get a lick on the na"e !rom hislong hol# tongue then lie ith the !inest stra""ing #oung ra%isher in the !our !ields o! all Ireland.

Another then "ut in his ord3 And the# dressed him, sa#s he, in a "oint shi!t and "etticoat ith ati""et and girdle and ru!!les on his rists and cli""ed his !orelock and rubbed him all o%er ith

s"ermacetic oil and built stables !or him at e%er# turn o! the road ith a gold manger in each !ull o!the best ha# in the market so that he could doss and dung to his heart&s content. 1# this time the

!ather o! the !aith!ul !or so the# called him/ as gron so hea%# that he could scarce alk to "asture.

0o remed# hich our co*ening dames and damsels brought him his !odder in their a"ronla"s and as

soon as his bell# as !ull he ould rear u" on his hind quarters to sho their lad#shi"s a m#ster# and

roar and bello out o! him in bull&s language and the# all a!ter him. A#, sa#s another, and so "am"ered

as he that he ould su!!er nought to gro in all the land but green grass !or himsel! !or that as the

onl# colour to his mind/ and there as a board "ut u" on a hillock in the middle o! the island ith a

"rinted notice, sa#ing3 1# the lord Harr# green is the grass that gros on the ground. And, sa#s Mr

Di'on, i! e%er he got scent o! a cattleraider in 8oscommon or the ilds o! onnemara or a

husbandman in Sligo that as soing as much as a hand!ul o! mustard or a bag o! ra"eseed out he

run amok o%er hal! the countr#side rooting u" ith his horns hate%er as "lanted and all b# lord

Harr#&s orders. 0here as bad blood beteen them at !irst, sa#s Mr 9incent, and the lord Harr# called

!armer -icholas all the old -icks in the orld and an old horemaster that ke"t se%en trulls in his

house and I&ll meddle in his matters, sa#s he. I&ll make that animal smell hell, sa#s he, ith the hel" o!

that good "i**le m# !ather le!t me. 1ut one e%ening, sa#s Mr Di'on, hen the lord Harr# as cleaning

his ro#al "elt to go to dinner a!ter inning a boatrace he had s"ade oars !or himsel! but the !irst rule

o! the course as that the others ere to ro ith "itch!orks/ he disco%ered in himsel! a onder!ullikeness to a bull and on "icking u" a blackthumbed cha"book that he ke"t in the "antr# he !ound sureenough that he as a le!thanded descendant o! the !amous cham"ion bull o! the 8omans, 1os

1o%um, hich is good bog Latin !or boss o! the sho. A!ter that, sa#s Mr 9incent, the lord Harr# "uthis head into a co&s drinking trough in the "resence o! all his courtiers and "ulling it out again told

them all his ne name. 0hen, ith the ater running o!! him, he got into an old smock and skirt thathad belonged to his grandmother and bought a grammar o! the bull&s language to stud# but he could

ne%er learn a ord o! it e'ce"t the !irst "ersonal "ronoun hich he co"ied out big and got o!! b# heartand i! e%er he ent out !or a alk he !illed his "ockets ith chalk to rite it u" on hat took his !anc#,

the side o! a rock or a teahouse table or a bale o! cotton or a cork!loat. In short he and the bull o!

Ireland ere soon as !ast !riends as an arse and a shirt. 0he# ere, sa#s Mr Ste"hen, and the end asthat the men o! the island, seeing no hel" as toard as the ungrate omen ere all o! one mind,

made a herr# ra!t, loaded themsel%es and their bundles o! chattels on shi"board, set all masts erect,

manned the #ards, s"rang their lu!!, hea%ed to, s"read three sheets in the ind, "ut her head beteen

ind and ater, eighed anchor, "orted her helm, ran u" the )oll# 8oger, ga%e three times three, let

the bullgine run, "ushed o!! in their bumboat and "ut to sea to reco%er the main o! America. 2hich

as the occasion, sa#s Mr 9incent, o! the com"osing b# a boatsain o! that rollicking chant#3

55 6o"e 6eter&s but a "issabed.


12/27

A man&s a man !or a& that.

Our orth# acquaintance, Mr Malachi Mulligan, no a""eared in the doora# as the students ere

!inishing their a"ologue accom"anied ith a !riend hom he had )ust rencountered, a #ounggentleman, his name Alec 1annon, ho had late come to ton, it being his intention to bu# a colour

or a cornetc# in the !encibles and list !or the ars. Mr Mulligan as ci%il enough to e'"ress some relisho! it all the more as it )um"ed ith a "ro)ect o! his on !or the cure o! the %er# e%il that had been

touched on. 2hereat he handed round to the com"an# a set o! "asteboard cards hich he had had"rinted that da# at Mr


13/27

magno"ere ante"onunt3 hile !or those o! ruder it he dro%e home his "oint b# analogies o! the

animal kingdom more suitable to their stomach, the buck and doe o! the !orest glade, the !arm#ard

drake and duck.

9aluing himsel! not a little u"on his elegance, being indeed a "ro"er man o! his "erson, this talkati%eno a""lied himsel! to his dress ith animad%ersions o! some heat u"on the sudden hims# o! the

atmos"herics hile the com"an# la%ished their encomiums u"on the "ro)ect he had ad%anced. 0he#oung gentleman, his !riend, o%er)o#ed as he as at a "assage that had be!allen him, could not

!orbear to tell it his nearest neighbour. Mr Mulligan, no "ercei%ing the table, asked !or hom erethose loa%es and !ishes and, seeing the stranger, he made him a ci%il bo and said, 6ra#, sir, as #ou in

need o! an# "ro!essional assistance e could gi%e+ 2ho, u"on his o!!er, thanked him %er# heartil#,though "reser%ing his "ro"er distance, and re"lied that he as come there about a lad#, no an

inmate o! Horne&s house, that as in an interesting condition, "oor lad#, !rom oman&s oe and here

he !etched a dee" sigh/ to kno i! her ha""iness had #et taken "lace. Mr Di'on, to turn the table, took

on to ask Mr Mulligan himsel! hether his inci"ient %entri"otence, u"on hich he rallied him,

betokened an o%oblastic gestation in the "rostatic utricle or male omb or as due as ith the noted

"h#sician, Mr Austin Meldon, to a ol! in the stomach. (or anser Mr Mulligan, in a gale o! laughter

at his smalls, smote himsel! bra%el# belo the dia"hragm, e'claiming ith an admirable droll mimic o!

Mother 4rogan the most e'cellent creature o! her se' though &tis "it# she&s a trollo"/3 0here&s a bell#

that ne%er bore a bastard. 0his as so ha""# a conceit that it reneed the storms o! mirth and thre

the hole room into the most %iolent agitations o! delight. 0he s"r# rattle had run on in the same %ein

o! mimicr# but !or some larum in the antechamber.

Here the listener, ho as none other than the Scotch student, a little !ume o! a !ello, blond as to,

congratulated in the li%eliest !ashion ith the #oung gentleman and, interru"ting the narrati%e at a

salient "oint, ha%ing desired his %isa%is ith a "olite beck to ha%e the obligingness to "ass him a !lagon

o! cordial aters at the same time b# a questioning "ose o! the head a hole centur# o! "olite

breeding had not achie%ed so nice a gesture/ to hich as united an equi%alent but contrar# balanceo! the head, asked the narrator as "lainl# as as e%er done in ords i! he might treat him ith a cu"o! it. Mais bien s?r, noble stranger, said he cheeril#, et mille com"liments. 0hat #ou ma# and %er#

o""ortunel#. 0here anted nothing but this cu" to cron m# !elicit#. 1ut, gracious hea%en, as I le!tith but a crust in m# allet and a cu"!ul o! ater !rom the ell, m# 4od, I ould acce"t o! them and

!ind it in m# heart to kneel don u"on the ground and gi%e thanks to the "oers abo%e !or theha""iness %ouchsa!ed me b# the 4i%er o! good things. 2ith these ords he a""roached the goblet to

his li"s, took a com"lacent draught o! the cordial, slicked his hair and, o"ening his bosom, out "o""eda locket that hung !rom a silk riband that %er# "icture hich he had cherished e%er since her hand had

rote therein. 4a*ing u"on those !eatures ith a orld o! tenderness, Ah, Monsieur, he said, had #ou

but beheld her as I did ith these e#es at that a!!ecting instant ith her daint# tucker and her necoquette ca" a gi!t !or her !east da# as she told me/ in such an artless disorder, o! so melting a

tenderness, &"on m# conscience, e%en #ou, Monsieur, had been im"elled b# generous nature to

deli%er #oursel! holl# into the hands o! such an enem# or to quit the !ield !or e%er. I declare, I as

ne%er so touched in all m# li!e. 4od I thank thee as the Author o! m# da#s$ 0hrice ha""# ill he be

hom so amiable a creature ill bless ith her !a%ours. A sigh o! a!!ection ga%e eloquence to these

ords and, ha%ing re"laced the locket in his bosom, he i"ed his e#e and sighed again. 1ene!icent

Disseminator o! blessing to all 0h# creatures, ho great and uni%ersal must be that seetest o! 0h#

t#rannies hich can hold in thrall the !ree and the bond, the sim"le sain and the "olished co'comb,


14/27

the lo%er in the he#da# o! reckless "assion and the husband o! maturer #ears. 1ut indeed, sir, I ander

!rom the "oint. Ho mingled and im"er!ect are all our sublunar# )o#s$ Maledicit#$ 2ould to 4od that

!oresight had remembered me to take m# cloak along$ I could ee" to think o! it. 0hen, though it had"oured se%en shoers, e ere neither o! us a "enn# the orse. 1ut beshre me, he cried, cla""ing

hand to his !orehead, tomorro ill be a ne da# and, thousand thunders, I kno o! a marchand deca"otes, Monsieur 6o#nt*, !rom hom I can ha%e !or a li%re as snug a cloak o! the (rench !ashion as

e%er ke"t a lad# !rom etting. 0ut, 0ut$ cries le (;condateur, tri""ing in, m# !riend Monsieur Moore,that most accom"lished tra%eller I ha%e )ust cracked a hal! bottle a%ec lui in a circle o! the best its o!

the ton/, is m# authorit# that in a"e Horn, %entre biche, the# ha%e a rain that ill et through an#,e%en the stoutest cloak. A drenching o! that %iolence, he tells me, sans blague, has sent more than one

luckless !ello in good earnest "osthaste to another orld. 6ooh$ A li%re$ cries Monsieur L#nch. 0heclums# things are dear at a sou. One umbrella, ere it no bigger than a !air# mushroom, is orth ten

such sto"ga"s. -o oman o! an# it ould ear one. M# dear :itt# told me toda# that she ould

dance in a deluge be!ore e%er she ould star%e in such an ark o! sal%ation !or, as she reminded me

blushing "iquantl# and his"ering in m# ear though there as none to sna" her ords but gidd#

butter!lies/, dame -ature, b# the di%ine blessing, has im"lanted it in our heart and it has become a

household ord that il # a deu' choses !or hich the innocence o! our original garb, in other

circumstances a breach o! the "ro"rieties, is the !ittest na#, the onl#, garment. 0he !irst, said she and

here m# "rett# "hiloso"her, as I handed her to her tilbur#, to !i' m# attention, gentl# ti""ed ith her

tongue the outer chamber o! m# ear/, the !irst is a bath... but at this "oint a bell tinkling in the hall cut

short a discourse hich "romised so bra%el# !or the enrichment o! our store o! knoledge.

Amid the general %acant hilarit# o! the assembl# a bell rang and hile all ere con)ecturing hat

might be the cause Miss allan entered and, ha%ing s"oken a !e ords in a lo tone to #oung Mr

Di'on, retired ith a "ro!ound bo to the com"an#. 0he "resence e%en !or a moment among a "art#

o! debauchees o! a oman endued ith e%er# qualit# o! modest# and not less se%ere than beauti!ul

re!rained the humorous sallies e%en o! the most licentious but her de"arture as the signal !or an

outbreak o! ribaldr#. Strike me sill#, said ostello, a lo !ello ho as !uddled. A monstrous !ine bito! co5!lesh$ I&ll be sorn she has rende*%oused #ou. 2hat, #ou dog+ Ha%e #ou a a# ith them+4ad&s bud. Immensel# so, said Mr L#nch. 0he bedside manner it is that the# use in the Mater hos"ice.

Demme, does not Doctor O&4argle chuck the nuns there under the chin+ As I look to be sa%ed I had it!rom m# :itt# ho has been ardmaid there an# time these se%en months. Laksamerc#, doctor,

cried the #oung blood in the "rimrose %est, !eigning a omanish sim"er and immodest squirmings o!his bod#, ho #ou do tease a bod#$ Drat the man$ 1less me, I&m all o! a ibbl#obbl#. 2h#, #ou&re as

bad as dear little (ather antekissem that #ou are$ Ma# this "ot o! !our hal! choke me, cried ostello,i! she ain&t in the !amil# a#. I knos a lad# hat&s got a hite selling quick as I cla"s e#es on her.

0he #oung surgeon, hoe%er, rose and begged the com"an# to e'cuse his retreat as the nurse had )ust

then in!ormed him that he as needed in the ard. Merci!ul "ro%idence had been "leased to "ut a"eriod to the su!!erings o! the lad# ho as enceinte hich she had borne ith a laudable !ortitude

and she had gi%en birth to a bouncing bo#. I ant "atience, said he, ith those ho ithout it to

enli%en or learning to instruct, re%ile an ennobling "ro!ession hich, sa%ing the re%erence due to the

Deit#, is the greatest "oer !or ha""iness u"on the earth. I am "ositi%e hen I sa# that i! need ere I

could "roduce a cloud o! itnesses to the e'cellence o! her noble e'ercitations hich, so !ar !rom

being a b#ord, should be a glorious incenti%e in the human breast. I cannot aa# ith them. 2hat+

Malign such an one, the amiable Miss allan, ho is the lustre o! her on se' and the astonishment o!

ours and at an instant the most momentous that can be!all a "un# child o! cla#+ 6erish the thought$ I


15/27

shudder to think o! the !uture o! a race here the seeds o! such malice ha%e been son and here no

right re%erence is rendered to mother and maid in house o! Horne. Ha%ing deli%ered himsel! o! this

rebuke he saluted those "resent on the b# and re"aired to the door. A murmur o! a""ro%al arose !romall and some ere !or e)ecting the lo soaker ithout more ado, a design hich ould ha%e been

e!!ected nor ould he ha%e recei%ed more than his bare deserts had he not abridged his transgressionb# a!!irming ith a horrid im"recation !or he sore a round hand/ that he as as good a son o! the

true !old as e%er dre breath. Sta" m# %itals, said he, them as ala#s the sentiments o! honest (rankostello hich I as bred u" most "articular to honour th# !ather and th# mother that had the best

hand to a rol#"ol# or a hast# "udding as #ou e%er see hat I ala#s looks back on ith a lo%ing heart.

0o re%ert to Mr 1loom ho, a!ter his !irst entr#, had been conscious o! some im"udent mocks hichhe, hoe%er, had borne ith being the !ruits o! that age u"on hich it is commonl# charged that it

knos not "it#. 0he #oung s"arks, it is true, ere as !ull o! e'tra%agancies as o%ergron children3 the

ords o! their tumultuar# discussions ere di!!icultl# understood and not o!ten nice3 their testiness

and outrageous mots ere such that his intellects resiled !rom3 nor ere the# scru"ulousl# sensible o!

the "ro"rieties though their !und o! strong animal s"irits s"oke in their behal!. 1ut the ord o! Mr

ostello as an unelcome language !or him !or he nauseated the retch that seemed to him a

cro"eared creature o! a missha"en gibbosit# born out o! edlock and thrust like a crookback teethed

and !eet !irst into the orld, hich the dint o! the surgeon&s "liers in his skull lent indeed a colour to,

so as it "ut him in thought o! that missing link o! creation&s chain desiderated b# the late ingenious Mr

Darin. It as no !or more than the middle s"an o! our allotted #ears that he had "assed through

the thousand %icissitudes o! e'istence and, being o! a ar# ascendanc# and sel! a man o! a rare

!orecast, he had en)oined his heart to re"ress all motions o! a rising choler and, b# interce"ting them

ith the readiest "recaution, !oster ithin his breast that "lenitude o! su!!erance hich base minds

)eer at, rash )udgers scorn and all !ind tolerable and but tolerable. 0o those ho create themsel%es

its at the cost o! !eminine delicac# a habit o! mind hich he ne%er did hold ith/ to them he ould

concede neither to bear the name nor to herit the tradition o! a "ro"er breeding3 hile !or such that,

ha%ing lost all !orbearance, can lose no more, there remained the shar" antidote o! e'"erience tocause their insolenc# to beat a "reci"itate and inglorious retreat. -ot but hat he could !eel ithmettlesome #outh hich, caring nought !or the mos o! dotards or the gruntlings o! the se%ere, is

e%er as the chaste !anc# o! the Hol# 2riter e'"ress it/ !or eating o! the tree !orbid it #et not so !ar!orth as to "retermit humanit# u"on an# condition soe%er toards a gentleoman hen she as

about her la!ul occasions. 0o conclude, hile !rom the sister&s ords he had reckoned u"on a s"eed#deli%er# he as, hoe%er, it must be oned, not a little alle%iated b# the intelligence that the issue so

aus"icated a!ter an ordeal o! such duress no testi!ied once more to the merc# as ell as to thebount# o! the Su"reme 1eing.

Accordingl# he broke his mind to his neighbour, sa#ing that, to e'"ress his notion o! the thing, hiso"inion ho ought not "erchance to e'"ress one/ as that one must ha%e a cold constitution and a

!rigid genius not to be re)oiced b# this !reshest nes o! the !ruition o! her con!inement since she had

been in such "ain through no !ault o! hers. 0he dress# #oung blade said it as her husband&s that "ut

her in that e'"ectation or at least it ought to be unless she ere another E"hesian matron. I must

acquaint #ou, said Mr rothers, cla""ing on the table so as to e%oke a resonant comment o! em"hasis,

old 4lor# Allelu)erum as round again to5da#, an elderl# man ith dundrearies, "re!erring through his

nose a request to ha%e ord o! 2ilhelmina, m# li!e, as he calls her. I bade him hold himsel! in

readiness !or that the e%ent ould burst anon. &Sli!e, I&ll be round ith #ou. I cannot but e'tol the %irile


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"otenc# o! the old bucko that could still knock another child out o! her. All !ell to "raising o! it, each

a!ter his on !ashion, though the same #oung blade held ith his !ormer %ie that another than her

con)ugial had been the man in the ga", a clerk in orders, a linkbo# %irtuous/ or an itinerant %endor o!articles needed in e%er# household. Singular, communed the guest ith himsel!, the onder!ull#

unequal !acult# o! metem"s#chosis "ossessed b# them, that the "uer"eral dormitor# and thedissecting theatre should be the seminaries o! such !ri%olit#, that the mere acquisition o! academic

titles should su!!ice to trans!orm in a "inch o! time these %otaries o! le%it# into e'em"lar# "ractitionerso! an art hich most men an#ise eminent ha%e esteemed the noblest. 1ut, he !urther added, it is

ma#ha" to relie%e the "entu" !eelings that in common o""ress them !or I ha%e more than onceobser%ed that birds o! a !eather laugh together.

1ut ith hat !itness, let it be asked, o! the noble lord, his "atron, has this alien, hom the

concession o! a gracious "rince has admitted to ci%il rights, constituted himsel! the lord "aramount o!

our internal "olit#+ 2here is no that gratitude hich lo#alt# should ha%e counselled+ During the

recent ar hene%er the enem# had a tem"orar# ad%antage ith his granados did this traitor to his

kind not sei*e that moment to discharge his "iece against the em"ire o! hich he is a tenant at ill

hile he trembled !or the securit# o! his !our "er cents+ Has he !orgotten this as he !orgets all bene!its

recei%ed+ Or is it that !rom being a deluder o! others he has become at last his on du"e as he is, i!

re"ort belie him not his on and his onl# en)o#er+ (ar be it !rom candour to %iolate the bedchamber

o! a res"ectable lad#, the daughter o! a gallant ma)or, or to cast the most distant re!lections u"on her

%irtue but i! he challenges attention there as it as indeed highl# his interest not to ha%e done/ then

be it so. Unha""# oman she has been too long and too "ersistentl# denied her legitimate

"rerogati%e to listen to his ob)urgations ith an# other !eeling than the derision o! the des"erate. He

sa#s this, a censor o! morals, a %er# "elican in his "iet#, ho did not scru"le, obli%ious o! the ties o!

nature, to attem"t illicit intercourse ith a !emale domestic dran !rom the loest strata o! societ#.

-a#, had the huss#&s scouringbrush not been her tutelar# angel it had gone ith her as hard as ith

Hagar, the Eg#"tian$ In the question o! the gra*ing lands his "ee%ish as"erit# is notorious and in Mr

u!!e&s hearing brought u"on him !rom an indignant rancher a scathing retort couched in terms asstraight!orard as the# ere bucolic. It ill becomes him to "reach that gos"el. Has he not nearerhome a seed5!ield that lies !allo !or the ant o! a "loughshare+ A habit re"rehensible at "ubert# is

second nature and an o""robium in middleli!e. I! he must dis"ense his balm o! 4ilead in nostrums anda"othegms o! dubious taste to restore to health a generation o! un!ledged "ro!ligates let his "ractice

consist better ith the doctrines that no engross him. His marital breast is the re"ositor# o! secretshich decorum is reluctant to adduce. 0he led suggestions o! some !aded beaut# ma# console him

!or a consort neglected and debauched but this ne e'"onent o! morals and healer o! ills is at his bestan e'otic tree hich, hen rooted in its nati%e orient, thro%e and !lourished and as abundant in

balm but, trans"lanted to a clime more tem"erate, its roots ha%e lost their quondam %igour hile the

stu!! that comes aa# !rom it is stagnant, acid and ino"erati%e.

0he nes as im"arted ith a circums"ection recalling the ceremonial usages o! the Sublime 6orte b#

the second !emale in!irmarian to the )unior medical o!!icer in residence, ho in his turn announced to

the delegation that an heir had been born. 2hen he had betaken himsel! to the omen&s a"artment

to assist at the "rescribed ceremon# o! the a!terbirth in the "resence o! the secretar# o! state !or

domestic a!!airs and the members o! the "ri%# council, silent in unanimous e'haustion and

a""robation, the delegates, cha!ing under the length and solemnit# o! their %igil and ho"ing that the

)o#!ul occurrence ould "alliate a licence hich the simultaneous absence o! abigail and o!!icer


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rendered the easier, broke out at once into a stri!e o! tongues. In %ain the %oice o! Mr an%asser

1loom as heard endea%ouring to urge, to molli!#, to restrain. 0he moment as too "ro"itious !or the

dis"la# o! that discursi%eness hich seemed the onl# bond o! union among tem"ers so di%ergent.E%er# "hase o! the situation as successi%el# e%iscerated3 the "renatal re"ugnance o! uterine

brothers, the aesarean section, "osthumit# ith res"ect to the !ather and, that rarer !orm, ithres"ect to the mother, the !ratricidal case knon as the hilds murder and endered memorable b# the

im"assioned "lea o! Mr Ad%ocate 1ushe hich secured the acquittal o! the rong!ull# accused, therights o! "rimogeniture and king&s bount# touching tins and tri"lets, miscarriages and in!anticides,

simulated and dissimulated, acardiac !oetus in !oetu, a"roso"ia due to a congestion, the agnatia o!certain chinless hinamen cited b# Mr andidate Mulligan/ in consequence o! de!ecti%e reunion o!

the ma'illar# knobs along the medial line so that as he said/ one ear could hear hat the other s"oke,the bene!its o! anesthesia or tilight slee", the "rolongation o! labour "ains in ad%anced gra%idanc#

b# reason o! "ressure on the %ein, the "remature relentment o! the amniotic !luid as e'em"li!ied in

the actual case/ ith consequent "eril o! se"sis to the matri', arti!icial insemination b# means o!

s#ringes, in%olution o! the omb consequent u"on the meno"ause, the "roblem o! the "er"etuation

o! the s"ecies in the case o! !emales im"regnated b# delinquent ra"e, that distressing manner o!

deli%er# called b# the 1randenburghers Stur*geburt, the recorded instances o! multigeminal,

tikindled and monstrous births concei%ed during the catamenic "eriod or o! consanguineous "arents

5 in a ord all the cases o! human nati%it# hich Aristotle has classi!ied in his master5"iece ith

chromolithogra"hic illustrations. 0he gra%est "roblems o! obstetrics and !orensic medicine ere

e'amined ith as much animation as the most "o"ular belie!s on the state o! "regnanc# such as the

!orbidding to a gra%id oman to ste" o%er a countr# stile lest, b# her mo%ement, the na%elcord should

strangle her creature and the in)unction u"on her in the e%ent o! a #earning, ardentl# and ine!!ectuall#

entertained, to "lace her hand against that "art o! her "erson hich long usage has consecrated as

the seat o! castigation. 0he abnormalities o! hareli", breastmole, su"ernumerar# digits, negro&s inkle,

straberr# mark and "ortine stain ere alleged b# one as a "rima!acie and natural h#"othetical

e'"lanation o! sineheaded the case o! Madame 4rissel Stee%ens as not !orgotten/ or doghaired

in!ants occasionall# born. 0he h#"othesis o! a "lasmic memor#, ad%anced b# the taledonian en%o# andorth# o! the meta"h#sical traditions o! the land he stood !or, en%isaged in such cases an arrest o!embr#onic de%elo"ment at some stage antecedent to the human. An outlandish delegate sustained

against both these %ies ith such heat as almost carried con%iction the theor# o! co"ulationbeteen omen and the males o! brutes, his authorit# being his on a%ouchment in su""ort o! !ables

such as that o! the Minotaur hich the genius o! the elegant Latin "oet has handed don to us in the"ages o! his Metamor"hoses. 0he im"ression made b# his ords as immediate but shortli%ed. It as

e!!aced as easil# as it had been e%oked b# an allocution !rom Mr andidate Mulligan in that %ein o!"leasantr# hich none better than he kne kno to a!!ect, "ostulating as the su"remest ob)ect o!

desire a nice clean old man. ontem"oraneousl#, a heated argument ha%ing arisen beteen Mr

Delegate Madden and Mr andidate L#nch regarding the )uridical and theological dilemma in the e%eno! one Siamese tin "redeceasing the other, the di!!icult# b# mutual consent as re!erred to Mr

an%asser 1loom !or instant submittal to Mr oad)utor Deacon Dedalus. Hitherto silent, hether the

better to sho b# "reternatural gra%it# that curious dignit# o! the garb ith hich he as in%ested or

in obedience to an inard %oice, he deli%ered brie!l#, and as some thought "er!unctoril#, the

ecclesiastical ordinance !orbidding man to "ut asunder hat 4od has )oined.

1ut Malachias& tale began to !ree*e them ith horror. He con)ured u" the scene be!ore them. 0he

secret "anel beside the chimne# slid back and in the recess a""eared... Haines$ 2hich o! us did not


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19/27

sunn#golden babe o! da#. -o, Leo"old$ -ame and memor# solace thee not. 0hat #outh!ul illusion o!

th# strength as taken !rom thee and in %ain. -o son o! th# loins is b# thee. 0here is none no to be

!or Leo"old, hat Leo"old as !or 8udol"h.

0he %oices blend and !use in clouded silence3 silence that is the in!inite o! s"ace3 and si!tl#, silentl#the soul is a!ted o%er regions o! c#cles o! c#cles o! generations that ha%e li%ed. A region here gre#

tilight e%er descends, ne%er !alls on ide sagegreen "asture!ields, shedding her dusk, scattering a"erennial de o! stars. She !ollos her mother ith ungainl# ste"s, a mare leading her !ill#!oal.

0ilight "hantoms are the# #et moulded in "ro"hetic grace o! structure, slim sha"el# haunches, asu""le tendonous neck, the meek a""rehensi%e skull. 0he# !ade, sad "hantoms3 all is gone. Agendath

is a aste land, a home o! screechols and the sandblind u"u"a. -etaim, the golden, is no more. Andon the higha# o! the clouds the# come, muttering thunder o! rebellion, the ghosts o! beasts. Huuh$

Hark$ Huuh$ 6aralla' stalks behind and goads them, the lancinating lightnings o! hose bro are

scor"ions. Elk and #ak, the bulls o! 1ashan and o! 1ab#lon, mammoth and mastodon, the# come

troo"ing to the sunken sea, Lacus Mortis. Ominous, re%enge!ul *odiacal host$ 0he# moan, "assing

u"on the clouds, horned and ca"ricorned, the trum"eted ith the tusked, the lionmaned the

giantantlered, snouter and craler, rodent, ruminant and "ach#derm, all their mo%ing moaning

multitude, murderers o! the sun.

Onard to the dead sea the# tram" to drink, unslaked and ith horrible gul"ings, the salt somnolent

ine'haustible !lood. And the equine "ortent gros again, magni!ied in the deserted hea%ens, na# to

hea%en&s on magnitude, till it looms, %ast, o%er the house o! 9irgo. And, lo, onder o!

metem"s#chosis, it is she, the e%erlasting bride, harbinger o! the da#star, the bride, e%er %irgin. It is

she, Martha, thou lost one, Millicent, the #oung, the dear, the radiant. Ho serene does she no

arise, a queen among the 6leiades, in the "enultimate antelucan hour, shod in sandals o! bright gold,

coi!ed ith a %eil o! hat do #ou call it gossamer$ It !loats, it !los about her starborn !lesh and loose

it streams emerald, sa""hire, mau%e and heliotro"e, sustained on currents o! cold interstellar ind,

inding, coiling, sim"l# sirling, rithing in the skies a m#sterious riting till a!ter a m#riadmetamor"hoses o! s#mbol, it bla*es, Al"ha, a rub# and triangled sign u"on the !orehead o! 0aurus.

(rancis as reminding Ste"hen o! #ears be!ore hen the# had been at school together in onmee&stime. He asked about 4laucon, Alcibiades, 6isistratus. 2here ere the# no+ -either kne. =ou ha%e

s"oken o! the "ast and its "hantoms, Ste"hen said. 2h# think o! them+ I! I call them into li!e acrossthe aters o! Lethe ill not the "oor ghosts troo" to m# call+ 2ho su""oses it+ I, 1ous

Ste"hanoumenos, bullockbe!riending bard, am lord and gi%er o! their li!e. He encircled his gaddinghair ith a coronal o! %inelea%es, smiling at 9incent. 0hat anser and those lea%es, 9incent said to

him, ill adorn #ou more !itl# hen something more, and greatl# more, than a ca"!ul o! light odes can

call #our genius !ather. All ho ish #ou ell ho"e this !or #ou. All desire to see #ou bring !orth theork #ou meditate. I heartil# ish #ou ma# not !ail them. O no, 9incent, Lenehan said, la#ing a hand

on the shoulder near him, ha%e no !ear. He could not lea%e his mother an or"han. 0he #oung mans

!ace gre dark. All could see ho hard it as !or him to be reminded o! his "romise and o! his recent

loss. He ould ha%e ithdran !rom the !east had not the noise o! %oices alla#ed the smart. Madden

had lost !i%e drachmas on Sce"tre !or a him o! the rider&s name3 Lenehan as much more. He told

them o! the race. 0he !lag !ell and, huuh, o!!, scam"er, the mare ran out !reshl# ith O. Madden u".

She as leading the !ield3 all hearts ere beating. E%en 6h#llis could not contain hersel!. She a%ed

her scar! and cried3 Hu**ah$ Sce"tre ins$ 1ut in the straight on the run home hen all ere in close


20/27

order the dark horse 0hroaa# dre le%el, reached, outstri""ed her. All as lost no. 6h#llis as

silent3 her e#es ere sad anemones. 7uno, she cried, I am undone. 1ut her lo%er consoled her and

brought her a bright casket o! gold in hich la# some o%al sugar"lums hich she "artook. A tear !ell3one onl#. A hacking !ine hi", said Lenehan, is 2. Lane. (our inners #esterda# and three toda#.

2hat rider is like him+ Mount him on the camel or the boisterous bu!!alo the %ictor# in a hack canteris still his. 1ut let us bear it as as the ancient ont. Merc# on the luckless$ 6oor Sce"tre$ he said ith

a light sigh. She is not the !ill# that she as. -e%er, b# this hand, shall e behold such another. 1# gad,sir, a queen o! them. Do #ou remember her, 9incent+ I ish #ou could ha%e seen m# queen toda#,

9incent said, ho #oung she as and radiant Lalage ere scarce !air beside her/ in her #ello shoesand !rock o! muslin, I do not kno the right name o! it. 0he chestnuts that shaded us ere in bloom3

the air droo"ed ith their "ersuasi%e odour and ith "ollen !loating b# us. In the sunn# "atches onemight easil# ha%e cooked on a stone a batch o! those buns ith orinth !ruit in them that

6eri"le"omenos sells in his booth near the bridge. 1ut she had nought !or her teeth but the arm ith

hich I held her and in that she nibbled mischie%ousl# hen I "ressed too dose. A eek ago she la# ill,

!our da#s on the couch, but toda# she as !ree, blithe, mocked at "eril. She is more taking then. Her

"osies too$ Mad rom" that it is, she had "ulled her !ill as e reclined together. And in #our ear, m#

!riend, #ou ill not think ho met us as e le!t the !ield. onmee himsel!$ He as alking b# the

hedge, reading, I think a bre%ier book ith, I doubt not, a itt# letter in it !rom 4l#cera or hloe to

kee" the "age. 0he seet creature turned all colours in her con!usion, !eigning to re"ro%e a slight

disorder in her dress3 a sli" o! underood clung there !or the %er# trees adore her. 2hen conmee had

"assed she glanced at her lo%el# echo in the little mirror she carries. 1ut he had been kind. In going b#

he had blessed us. 0he gods too are e%er kind, Lenehan said. I! I had "oor luck ith 1ass&s mare

"erha"s this draught o! his ma# ser%e me more "ro"ensel#. He as la#ing his hand u"on a ine)ar3

Malachi sa it and ithheld his act, "ointing to the stranger and to the scarlet label. 2aril#, Malachi

his"ered, "reser%e a druid silence. His soul is !ar aa#. It is as "ain!ul "erha"s to be aakened !rom

a %ision as to be born. An# ob)ect, intensel# regarded, ma# be a gate o! access to the incorru"tible eon

o! the gods. Do #ou not think it, Ste"hen+ 0heoso"hos told me so, Ste"hen ansered, hom in a

"re%ious e'istence Eg#"tian "riests initiated into the m#steries o! karmic la. 0he lords o! the moon,0heoso"hos told me, an orange5!ier# shi"load !rom "lanet Al"ha o! the lunar chain, ould not assumethe etheric doubles and these ere there!ore incarnated b# the rub#5coloured egos !rom the second

constellation.

Hoe%er, as a matter o! !act though, the "re"osterous surmise about him being in some descri"tion o!a doldrums or other or mesmerised, hich as entirel# due to a misconce"tion o! the shalloest

character, as not the case at all. 0he indi%idual hose %isual organs, hile the abo%e as going on,ere at this )uncture commencing to e'hibit s#m"toms o! animation, as as astute i! not astuter than

an# man li%ing and an#bod# that con)ectured the contrar# ould ha%e !ound themsel%es "rett#

s"eedil# in the rong sho". During the "ast !our minutes or thereabouts he had been staring hard at acertain amount o! number one 1ass bottled b# Messrs 1ass and o at 1urton5on50rent hich

ha""ened to be situated amongst a lot o! others right o""osite to here he as and hich as

certainl# calculated to attract an#one&s remark on account o! its scarlet a""earance. He as sim"l#

and solel#, as it subsequentl# trans"ired !or reasons best knon to himsel! hich "ut quite an

altogether di!!erent com"le'ion on the "roceedings, a!ter the moment be!ore&s obser%ations about

bo#hood da#s and the tur!, recollecting to or three "ri%ate transactions o! his on hich the other

to ere as mutuall# innocent o! as the babe unborn. E%entuall#, hoe%er, both their e#es met and,

as soon as it began to dan on him that the other as endea%ouring to hel" himsel! to the thing, he


21/27

in%oluntaril# determined to hel" him himsel! and so he accordingl# took hold o! the mediumsi*ed

glass reci"ient hich contained the !luid sought a!ter and made a ca"acious hole in it b# "ouring a lot

o! it out ith, also at the same time hoe%er, a considerable degree o! attenti%eness in order not tou"set an# o! the beer that as in it about the "lace.

0he debate hich ensued as in its sco"e and "rogress an e"itome o! the course o! li!e. -either "lace

nor council as lacking in dignit#. 0he debaters ere the keenest in the land, the theme the# ereengaged on the lo!tiest and most %ital. 0he high hall o! Horne&s house had ne%er beheld an assembl#

so re"resentati%e and so %aried nor had the old ra!ters o! that establishment e%er listened to alanguage so enc#clo"aedic. A gallant scene in truth it made. rothers as there at the !oot o! the

table in his striking Highland garb, his !ace gloing !rom the brin# airs o! the Mull o! 4alloa#. 0heretoo, o""osite to him as L#nch, hose countenance bore alread# the stigmata o! earl# de"ra%it# and

"remature isdom. -e't the Scotchman as the "lace assigned to ostello, the eccentric, hile at his

side as seated in stolid re"ose the squat !orm o! Madden. 0he chair o! the resident indeed stood

%acant be!ore the hearth but on either !lank o! it the !igure o! 1annon in e'"lorer&s kit o! teed shorts

and salted cohide brogues contrasted shar"l# ith the "rimrose elegance and tonbred manners o!

Malachi 8oland St 7ohn Mulligan. Lastl# at the head o! the board as the #oung "oet ho !ound a

re!uge !rom his labours o! "edagog# and meta"h#sical inquisition in the con%i%ial atmos"here o!

Socratic discussion, hile to right and le!t o! him ere accommodated the !li""ant "rognosticator,

!resh !rom the hi""odrome, and that %igilant anderer, soiled b# the dust o! tra%el and combat and

stained b# the mire o! an indelible dishonour, but !rom hose stead!ast and constant heart no lure or

"eril or threat or degradation could e%er e!!ace the image o! that %olu"tuous lo%eliness hich the

ins"ired "encil o! La!a#ette has limned !or ages #et to come.

It had better be stated here and no at the outset that the "er%erted transcendentalism to hich Mr

S. Dedalus& Di%. Sce"./ contentions ould a""ear to "ro%e him "rett# badl# addicted runs directl#

counter to acce"ted scienti!ic methods. Science, it cannot be too o!ten re"eated, deals ith tangible

"henomena. 0he man o! science like the man in the street has to !ace hardheaded !acts that cannotbe blinked and e'"lain them as best he can. 0here ma# be, it is true, some questions hich sciencecannot anser 5 at "resent 5 such as the !irst "roblem submitted b# Mr L. 1loom 6ubb. an%./

regarding the !uture determination o! se'. Must e acce"t the %ie o! Em"edocles o! 0rinacria thatthe right o%ar# the "ostmenstrual "eriod, assert others/ is res"onsible !or the birth o! males or are

the too long neglected s"ermato*oa or nemas"erms the di!!erentiating !actors or is it, as mostembr#ologists incline to o"ine, such as ul"e""er, S"allan*ani, 1lumenbach, Lusk, Hertig, Leo"old

and 9alenti, a mi'ture o! both+ 0his ould be tantamount to a coo"eration one o! nature&s !a%ouritede%ices/ beteen the nisus !ormati%us o! the nemas"erm on the one hand and on the other a ha""il#

chosen "osition, succubitus !eli', o! the "assi%e element. 0he other "roblem raised b# the same

inquirer is scarcel# less %ital3 in!ant mortalit#. It is interesting because, as he "ertinentl# remarks, eare all born in the same a# but e all die in di!!erent a#s. Mr M. Mulligan H#g. et Eug. Doc./

blames the sanitar# conditions in hich our gre#lunged citi*ens contract adenoids, "ulmonar#

com"laints etc. b# inhaling the bacteria hich lurk in dust. 0hese !acts, he alleges, and the re%olting

s"ectacles o!!ered b# our streets, hideous "ublicit# "osters, religious ministers o! all denominations,

mutilated soldiers and sailors, e'"osed scorbutic cardri%ers, the sus"ended carcases o! dead animals,

"aranoic bachelors and un!ructi!ied duennas 5 these, he said, ere accountable !or an# and e%er#

!allingo!! in the calibre o! the race. :ali"edia, he "ro"hesied, ould soon be generall# ado"ted and all

the graces o! li!e, genuinel# good music, agreeable literature, light "hiloso"h#, instructi%e "ictures,


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"lastercast re"roductions o! the classical statues such as 9enus and A"ollo, artistic coloured

"hotogra"hs o! "ri*e babies, all these little attentions ould enable ladies ho ere in a "articular

condition to "ass the inter%ening months in a most en)o#able manner. Mr 7. rotthers Disc. 1acc./attributes some o! these demises to abnormal trauma in the case o! omen orkers sub)ected to

hea%# labours in the orksho" and to marital disci"line in the home but b# !ar the %ast ma)orit# toneglect, "ri%ate or o!!icial, culminating in the e'"osure o! neborn in!ants, the "ractice o! criminal

abortion or in the atrocious crime o! in!anticide. Although the !ormer e are thinking o! neglect/ isundoubtedl# onl# too true the case he cites o! nurses !orgetting to count the s"onges In the "eritoneal

ca%it# is too rare to be normati%e. In !act hen one comes to look into it the onder is that so man#"regnancies and deli%eries go o!! so ell as the# do, all things considered and in s"ite o! our human

shortcomings hich o!ten balk nature in her intentions. An ingenious suggestion is that thron out b#Mr 9. L#nch 1acc. Arith./ that both natalit# and mortalit#, as ell as all other "henomena o! e%olution,

tidal mo%ements, lunar "hases, blood tem"eratures, diseases in general, e%er#thing, in !ine, in

nature&s %ast orksho" !rom the e'tinction o! some remote sun to the blossoming o! one o! the

countless !loers hich beauti!# our "ublic "arks, is sub)ect to a la o! numeration as #et

unascertained. Still the "lain straight!orard question h# a child o! normall# health# "arents and

seemingl# a health# child and "ro"erl# looked a!ter succumbs unaccountabl# in earl# childhood

though other children o! the same marriage do not/ must certainl#, in the "oet&s ords, gi%e us

"ause. -ature, e ma# rest assured, has her on good and cogent reasons !or hate%er she does and

in all "robabilit# such deaths are due to some la o! antici"ation b# hich organisms in hich

morbous germs ha%e taken u" their residence modern science has conclusi%el# shon that onl# the

"lasmic substance can be said to be immortal/ tend to disa""ear at an increasingl# earlier stage o!

de%elo"ment, an arrangement, hich, though "roducti%e o! "ain to some o! our !eelings notabl# the

maternal/, is ne%ertheless, some o! us think, in the long run bene!icial to the race in general in

securing thereb# the sur%i%al o! the !ittest. Mr S. Dedalus& Di%. Sce"./ remark or should it be called an

interru"tion+/ that an omni%orous being hich can masticate, deglute, digest and a""arentl# "ass

through the ordinar# channel ith "luter"er!ect im"erturbabilit# such multi!arious aliments as

cancrenous !emales emaciated b# "arturition, cor"ulent "ro!essional gentlemen, not to s"eak o!)aundiced "oliticians and chlorotic nuns, might "ossibl# !ind gastric relie! in an innocent collation o!staggering bob, re%eals as nought else could and in a %er# unsa%our# light the tendenc# abo%e alluded

to. (or the enlightenment o! those ho are not so intimatel# acquainted ith the minutiae o! themunici"al abattoir as this morbidminded esthete and embr#o "hiloso"her ho !or all his o%ereening

bum"tiousness in things scienti!ic can scarcel# distinguish an acid !rom an alkali "rides himsel! onbeing, it should "erha"s be stated that staggering bob in the %ile "arlance o! our loer class licensed

%ictuallers signi!ies the cookable and eatable !lesh o! a cal! nel# dro""ed !rom its mother. In a recent"ublic contro%ers# ith Mr L. 1loom 6ubb. an%./ hich took "lace in the commons& hall o! the

-ational Maternit# Hos"ital, @, BC and B Holles street, o! hich, as is ell knon, Dr A. Horne Lic.

in Md., (. :.


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bra%e oman had man!ull# hel"ed. She had. She had !ought the good !ight and no she as %er# %er#

ha""#. 0hose ho ha%e "assed on, ho ha%e gone be!ore, are ha""# too as the# ga*e don and smile

u"on the touching scene. 8e%erentl# look at her as she reclines there ith the motherlight in her e#es,that longing hunger !or bab# !ingers a "rett# sight it is to see/, in the !irst bloom o! her ne

motherhood, breathing a silent "ra#er o! thanksgi%ing to One abo%e, the Uni%ersal Husband. And asher lo%ing e#es behold her babe she ishes onl# one blessing more, to ha%e her dear Doad# there

ith her to share her )o#, to la# in his arms that mite o! 4od&s cla#, the !ruit o! their la!ul embraces.He is older no #ou and I ma# his"er it/ and a tri!le stoo"ed in the shoulders #et in the hirligig o!

#ears a gra%e dignit# has come to the conscientious second accountant o! the Ulster bank, ollege4reen branch. O Doad#, lo%ed one o! old, !aith!ul li!emate no, it ma# ne%er be again, that !aro!! time

o! the roses$ 2ith the old shake o! her "rett# head she recalls those da#s. 4od, ho beauti!ul noacross the mist o! #ears$ 1ut their children are grou"ed in her imagination about the bedside, hers and

his, harle#, Mar# Alice, (rederick Albert i! he had li%ed/, Mam#, 1udg# 9ictoria (rances/, 0om, 9iolet

onstance Louisa, darling little 1obs# called a!ter our !amous hero o! the South A!rican ar, lord 1obs

o! 2ater!ord and andahar/ and no this last "ledge o! their union, a 6ure!o# i! e%er there as one,

ith the true 6ure!o# nose. =oung ho"e!ul ill be christened Mortimer Edard a!ter the in!luential

third cousin o! Mr 6ure!o# in the 0reasur# 8emembrancer&s o!!ice, Dublin astle. And so time ags on3

but !ather ronion has dealt lightl# here. -o, let no sigh break !rom that bosom, dear gentle Mina.

And Doad#, knock the ashes !rom #our "i"e, the seasoned briar #ou still !anc# hen the cur!e rings

!or #ou ma# it be the distant da#$/ and dout the light hereb# #ou read in the Sacred 1ook !or the oil

too has run lo and so ith a tranquil heart to bed, to rest. He knos and ill call in His on good

time. =ou too ha%e !ought the good !ight and "la#ed lo#all# #our man&s "art. Sir, to #ou m# hand. 2ell

done, thou good and !aith!ul ser%ant$

0here are sins or let us call them as the orld calls them/ e%il memories hich are hidden aa# b#

man in the darkest "laces o! the heart but the# abide there and ait. He ma# su!!er their memor# to

gro dim, let them be as though the# had not been and all but "ersuade himsel! that the# ere not or

at least ere otherise. =et a chance ord ill call them !orth suddenl# and the# ill rise u" tocon!ront him in the most %arious circumstances, a %ision or a dream, or hile timbrel and har" soothehis senses or amid the cool sil%er tranquillit# o! the e%ening or at the !east at midnight hen he is no

!illed ith ine. -ot to insult o%er him ill the %ision come as o%er one that lies under her rath, not!or %engeance to cut o!! !rom the li%ing but shrouded in the "iteous %esture o! the "ast, silent, remote,

re"roach!ul.

0he stranger still regarded on the !ace be!ore him a slo recession o! that !alse calm there, im"osed,as it seemed, b# habit or some studied trick, u"on ords so embittered as to accuse in their s"eaker

an unhealthiness, a !lair, !or the cruder things o! li!e. A scene disengages itsel! in the obser%er&s

memor#, e%oked, it ould seem, b# a ord o! so natural a homeliness as i! those da#s ere reall#"resent there as some thought/ ith their immediate "leasures. A sha%en s"ace o! lan one so!t Ma#

e%ening, the ellremembered gro%e o! lilacs at 8oundton, "ur"le and hite, !ragrant slender

s"ectators o! the game but ith much real interest in the "ellets as the# run slol# !orard o%er the

sard or collide and sto", one b# its !ello, ith a brie! alert shock. And #onder about that gre# urn

here the ater mo%es at times in thought!ul irrigation #ou sa another as !ragrant sisterhood, (loe#,

Att#, 0in# and their darker !riend ith I kno not hat o! arresting in her "ose then, Our Lad# o! the

herries, a comel# brace o! them "endent !rom an ear, bringing out the !oreign armth o! the skin so

daintil# against the cool ardent !ruit. A lad o! !our or !i%e in linse#oolse# blossomtime but there ill


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be cheer in the kindl# hearth hen ere long the bols are gathered and hutched/ is standing on the

urn secured b# that circle o! girlish !ond hands. He !rons a little )ust as this #oung man does no

ith a "erha"s too conscious en)o#ment o! danger but must needs glance at hiles toards here hismother atches !rom the "ia**etta gi%ing u"on the !loer5close ith a !aint shado o! remoteness or

o! re"roach alles 9ergnghche/ in her glad look.

Mark this !arther and remember. 0he end comes suddenl#. Enter that antechamber o! birth here thestudious are assembled and note their !aces. -othing, as it seems, there o! rash or %iolent.


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trans"ontine bison. Ho saith >arathusthra+ Deine kuh 0rFbsal melkest Du. -un trinkst Du die sFsse

Milch des Euters. See$ It dis"lodes !or thee in abundance. Drink, man, an udder!ul$ Mother&s milk,

6ure!o#, the milk o! human kin, milk too o! those burgeoning stars o%erhead, rutilant in thinrain%a"our, "unch milk, such as those rioters ill qua!! in their gu**lingden, milk o! madness, the

hone#milk o! anaan&s land. 0h# co&s dug as tough, hat+ A#, but her milk is hot and seet and!attening. -o dollo" this but thick rich bonn#claber. 0o her, old "atriarch$ 6a"$ 6er deam 6artulam et

6ertundam nunc est bibendum$

All o!! !or a buster, armstrong, hollering don the street. 1ona!ides. 2here #ou sle" las nigh+ 0imoth#o! the battered naggin. Like ole 1ill#o. An# brollies or gumboots in the !amil#+ 2here the Henr# -e%il&s

sabones and ole clo+ Sorra one o me knos. Hurrah there, Di'$ (orard the ribbon counter. 2here&s6unch+ All serene. 7a#, look at the drunken minister coming out o! the maternit# hos"al$ 1enedicat

%os omni"otens Deus, 6ater et (ilius. A make, mister. 0he Den*ille lane bo#s. Hell, blast #e$ Scoot.

8ighto, Isaacs, sho%e em out o! the bleeding limelight. =ous )oin us, dear sir+ -o hentrusion in li!e. Lou

hea" good man. Allee samee this bunch. En a%ant, mes en!ants$ (ire aa# number one on the gun.

1urke&s$ 0hence the# ad%anced !i%e "arasangs. Slatter#&s mounted !oot here&s that bleeding a!ur+

6arson Ste%e, a"ostates& creed$ -o, no. Mulligan$ Aba!t there$ Sho%e ahead. :ee" a atch on the

clock. huckingout time. Mullee$ 2hat&s on #ou+ Ma mGre m&a mari;e. 1

James Joyce -- Oxen of the Sun

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Transcript of James Joyce -- Oxen of the Sun