{"id":"01KG8AK98D3727PD74NZHTHWR7","cid":"bafkreiabqwwzmq5l63kdf2tdeai5fb5vwcq7n6p2bzhhuinhkca73tlwku","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":7755,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.725Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 5","source_file":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","start_line":7694,"text":"there is humor; but though, according to my principle, humor is in\r\ngeneral to be held a saving quality, yet the case of Autolycus is an\r\nexception; because it is his humor which, so to speak, oils his\r\nmischievousness. The bravadoing mischievousness of Autolycus is slid\r\ninto the world on humor, as a pirate schooner, with colors flying, is\r\nlaunched into the sea on greased ways.\"\r\n\r\n\"I approve of Autolycus as little as you,\" said the stranger, who,\r\nduring his companion's commonplaces, had seemed less attentive to them\r\nthan to maturing with in his own mind the original conceptions destined\r\nto eclipse them. \"But I cannot believe that Autolycus, mischievous as he\r\nmust prove upon the stage, can be near so much so as such a character as\r\nPolonius.\"\r\n\r\n\"I don't know about that,\" bluntly, and yet not impolitely, returned the\r\ncosmopolitan; \"to be sure, accepting your view of the old courtier,\r\nthen if between him and Autolycus you raise the question of\r\nunprepossessingness, I grant you the latter comes off best. For a moist\r\nrogue may tickle the midriff, while a dry worldling may but wrinkle the\r\nspleen.\"\r\n\r\n\"But Polonius is not dry,\" said the other excitedly; \"he drules. One\r\nsees the fly-blown old fop drule and look wise. His vile wisdom is made\r\nthe viler by his vile rheuminess. The bowing and cringing, time-serving\r\nold sinner--is such an one to give manly precepts to youth? The\r\ndiscreet, decorous, old dotard-of-state; senile prudence; fatuous\r\nsoullessness! The ribanded old dog is paralytic all down one side, and\r\nthat the side of nobleness. His soul is gone out. Only nature's\r\nautomatonism keeps him on his legs. As with some old trees, the bark\r\nsurvives the pith, and will still stand stiffly up, though but to rim\r\nround punk, so the body of old Polonius has outlived his soul.\"\r\n\r\n\"Come, come,\" said the cosmopolitan with serious air, almost displeased;\r\n\"though I yield to none in admiration of earnestness, yet, I think, even\r\nearnestness may have limits. To human minds, strong language is always\r\nmore or less distressing. Besides, Polonius is an old man--as I remember\r\nhim upon the stage--with snowy locks. Now charity requires that such a\r\nfigure--think of it how you will--should at least be treated with\r\ncivility. Moreover, old age is ripeness, and I once heard say, 'Better\r\nripe than raw.'\"\r\n\r\n\"But not better rotten than raw!\" bringing down his hand with energy on\r\nthe table.\r\n\r\n\"Why, bless me,\" in mild surprise contemplating his heated comrade, \"how\r\nyou fly out against this unfortunate Polonius--a being that never was,\r\nnor will be. And yet, viewed in a Christian light,\" he added pensively,\r\n\"I don't know that anger against this man of straw is a whit less wise\r\nthan anger against a man of flesh, Madness, to be mad with anything.\"\r\n\r\n\"That may be, or may not be,\" returned the other, a little testily,\r\nperhaps; \"but I stick to what I said, that it is better to be raw than\r\nrotten. And what is to be feared on that head, may be known from this:\r\nthat it is with the best of hearts as with the best of pears--a\r\ndangerous experiment to linger too long upon the scene. This did\r\nPolonius. Thank fortune, Frank, I am young, every tooth sound in my\r\nhead, and if good wine can keep me where I am, long shall I remain so.\"\r\n\r\n\"True,\" with a smile. \"But wine, to do good, must be drunk. You have\r\ntalked much and well, Charlie; but drunk little and indifferently--fill\r\nup.\"\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 5"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJMV9MSRGN5AE81C6QV95","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AK8NP2C6HPF6AXTQ1JV57","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AK98KE9V6X8JME47NRHFT","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:59.245Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:12.935Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}