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Scarcely anything in appearance, everything in the root, such was the
influence of Barkilphedro over the queen. There is nothing more
difficult than to drag up these bad grasses of the court--they take a
deep root, and offer no hold above the surface. To root out a
Roquelaure, a Triboulet, or a Brummel, is almost impossible.
From day to day, and more and more, did the queen take Barkilphedro into
her good graces. Sarah Jennings is famous; Barkilphedro is unknown. His
existence remains ignored. The name of Barkilphedro has not reached as
far as history. All the moles are not caught by the mole-trapper.
Barkilphedro, once a candidate for orders, had studied a little of
everything. Skimming all things leaves naught for result. One may be
victim of the omnis res scibilis. Having the vessel of the Danaïdes in
one's head is the misfortune of a whole race of learned men, who may be
termed the sterile. What Barkilphedro had put into his brain had left it
empty.
The mind, like nature, abhors vacuum. Into emptiness nature puts love;
the mind often puts hate. Hate occupies.
Hate for hate's sake exists. Art for art's sake exists in nature more
than is believed. A man hates--he must do something. Gratuitous
hate--formidable word! It means hate which is itself its own payment.
The bear lives by licking his claws. Not indefinitely, of course. The
claws must be revictualled--something must be put under them.
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