64

CONSTANCY

I was discussing oysters with a crony:

GOD sent to me the angels DIN and DONI.

"A man of spunk," they urged, "would hardly choose

To breakfast every day chez Lapérouse."

"No!" I replied, "he would not do so, BUT

Think of his woe if Lapérouse were shut!

"I eat the oysters and I drink this wine

Solely to drown this misery of mine

"Yet the last height of consolation's cold:

Its pinnacle is -- not to be consoled!

"And though I sleep with Jane and Eleanor

I feel no better than I did before,

"And Julian only fixes in my mind

Even before feels better than behind.

"You are Mercurial spirits -- be so kind

As to enable me to raise the wind.

"Put me in LAYLAH'S arms again: the Accurst,

Leaving me that, elsehow may do his worst."

DONI and DIN, perceiving me inspired,

Conceived their task was finished: they retired.

I turned upon my friend, and, breaking bounds,

Borrowed a trifle of two hundred pounds.

COMMENTARY (ΞΔ)

64 is the number of Mercury, and of the intelligence of that planet, Din and Doni.

The moral of the chapter is that one wants liberty, although one may not wish to exercise it: the author would readily die in defence of the right of Englishmen to play football, or of his own right not to play it. (As a great poet has expressed it: "We don't want to fight, but, by Jingo, if we do--") This is his meaning towards his attitude to complete freedom of speech and action. He refuses to listen to the ostensible criticism of the spirits, and explains his own position. Their real mission was to rouse him to confidence and action.