第5部分(第5/6 页)

　twigs　to　its　sapless　trunk；　‘tis　now；　at　best；　but　the　reverse　of　what　it　was；　a　tree　turned　upside　down；　the　branches　on　the　earth；　and　the　root　in　the　air；　‘tis　now　handled　by　every　dirty　wenchs；　condemned　to　do　her　drudgery；　and；　by　a　capricious　kind　of　fate；　destined　to　make　other　things　clean；　and　be　nasty　itself：　at　length；　worn　to　the　stumps　in　the　service　of　the　maids；　it　is　either　thrown　out　of　door；　or　condemned　to　the　last　use　of　kindling　a　fire。　When　I　beheld　this　I　sighed；　and　said　within　myself；　surely　man　is　a　Broomstick！Nature　sent　him　into　the　world　strong　and　lusty；　in　a　thriving　condition；　wearing　his　own　hair　on　his　head；　the　proper　branches　of　this　reasoning　vegetable；　until　the　axe　of　intemperance　has　lopped　off　his　green　boughs；　and　left　him　a　withered　trunk；　he　then　flies　to　art；　and　puts　on　a　periwig　；　valuing　himself　upon　an　unnatural　bundle　of　hairs　（all　covered　with　powder）　that　never　grew　on　his　head；　but　now；　should　this　our　broomstick　pretend　to　enter　the　scene；　proud　of　those　birchen　spoils　it　never　bore；　and　all　covered　with　dust；　though　the　sweepings　of　the　finest　lady’s　chamber3；　we　should　be　apt　to　ridicule　and　despise　its　vanity。　Partial　judges　that　we　are　of　our　own　excellencies4；　and　other　men’s　defaults！

But　a　broomstick；　perhaps；　you　will　say；　is　an　emblem5　of　a　tree　standing　on　its　head；　and　pray　what　is　man；　but　a　topsy…turvy　creature；　his　animal　faculties　perpetually　mounted　on　his　rational；　his　head　where　his　heels　should　be；　groveling　on　the　earth！　and　yet；　with　all　his　faults；　he　sets　up　to　be　a　universal　reformer　and　corrector　of　abuses；　a　remover　of　grievances6；　rakes　into　every　slut’s　corner　of　Nature；　bringing　hidden　corruption　to　the　light；　and　raises　a　mighty　dust　where　there　was　none　before；　sharing　deeply　al