ImentionthesemerelytoshowthatNewYorkispeculiarlyconstructedtoabsorbalmostanythingthatcomesalong(whetherathousand-footlineroutoftheEastoratwenty-thousand-manconventionoutoftheWest)withoutinf?lictiontheeventonitsinhabitants,sothateveryeventis,inasense,optional,andtheinhabitantisinthehappypositionofbeingabletochoosehisspectacleandsoconservehissoul.Inmostmetropolises,smallandlarge,thechoiceisoftennotwiththeindividualatall.HeisthrowntotheLions.TheLionsareoverwhelming;theeventisunavoidable.Acornicefalls,andithitseverycitizenonthehead,everylastmanintown.IsometimesthinkthattheonlyeventthathitseveryNewYorkerontheheadistheannualSt.Patrick』sDayparade,whichisfairlypenetrating—theIrishareahardracetotuneout,andthereare500,000oftheminresidence.
ThequalityinNewYorkthatinsulatesitsinhabitantsfromlifemaysimplyweakenthemasindividuals.Perhapsitishealthiertoliveinacommunitywhere,whenacornicefalls,youfeeltheblow;where,whenthegovernorpasses,youseeatanyratehishat.
IamnotdefendingNewYorkinthisregard.Manyofitssettlersareprobablyheremerelytoescape,notface,reality.Butwhateveritmeans,itisaratherraregift,andIbelieveithasapositiveeffectonthecreativecapacitiesofNewYorker—forcreationisinpartmerelythebusinessofforgoingthegreatandsmalldistractions.
AlthoughNewYorkoftenimpartsafeelingofgreatforlornnessorforsakenness,itseldomseemsdeadorunresourceful;andyoualwaysfeelthateitherbyshiftingyourlocationtenblocksorbyreducingyourfortunebyf?ivedollarsyoucanexperiencerejuvenation.Manypeoplewhohavenorealindependenceofspiritdependonthecity』stremendousvarietyandsourcesofexcitementforspiritualsustenanceandmaintenanceofmorale.Inthecountrythereareafewchancesofsuddenrejuvenation—ashiftinweather,perhaps,orsomethingarrivinginthemail.ButinNewYorkthechancesareendless.Ithinkthatalthoughmanypersonsareherefromsomeexcessofspirit(whichcausedthemtobreakawayfromtheirsmalltown),some,too,areherefromadef?iciencyofspirit,whof?indinNewYorkaprotection,oraneasysubstitution.
ThereareroughlythreeNewYorks.Thereis,f?irst,theNewYorkofthemanorwomanwhowasbornhere,whotakesthecityforgrantedandacceptsitssizeanditsturbulenceasnaturalandinevitable.Second,thereistheNewYorkofthecommuter—thecitythatisdevouredbylocustseachdayandspatouteachnight.Third,thereistheNewYorkofthepersonwhowasbornsomewhereelseandcametoNewYorkinquestofsomething.Ofthesethreetremblingcitiestilegreatestisthelast—thecityoff?inaldestination,thecitythatisagoal.ItisthisthirdcitythataccountsforNewYork』slight-strungdisposition,itspoeticaldeportment,itsdedicationtothearts,anditsincomparableachievements.Commutersgivethecityitstidalrestlessness,nativegiveitsolidityandcontinuity,butthesettlersgiveitpassion.AndwhetheritisafarmerarrivingfromItalytosetupasmalltowninMississippitoescapetheindignityofbeingobservedbyherneighbors,oraboyarrivingfromtheCornBeltwithamanuscriptinhissuitcaseandapaininhisheart,itmakesnodifference:eachabsorbsNewYorkwiththefresheyesofanadventurer,eachgeneratesheatandlighttodwarftheConsolidatedEdisonCompany.
Thecommuteristhequeerestbirdofall.Thesuburbheinhabitshasnoessentialvitalityofitsownandisamereroostwherehecomesatday』sendtogottosleep.Exceptinrarecases,themanwholivesinMamaroneckorLittleNeckorTeaneckandworksinNewYork,discoversnothingmuchaboutthecityexceptthetimeofarrivalanddepartureoftrainsandbuses,andthepathtoaquicklunch.Heisdesk-bound,andhasnever,idlyroaminginthegloaming,stumbledsuddenlyonBelvedereTowerinthePark,seentherampartsrisesheerfromthewaterofthepond,andtheboysalongtheshoref?ishingforminnows,girlsstretchedoutnegligentlyontheshelvesoftherocks;hehasnevercomesuddenlyonanythingatallinNewYorkasaloiterer,becausehehashadnotimebetweentrains.Hehasf?ishedinManhattan』swalletanddugoutcoinsbuthasneverlistenedtoManhattan』sbreathing,neverawakenedtoitsmorning,neverdroppedofftosleepinitsnight.About400,000menandwomencomechargingontotheislandeachweekdaymorning,outofthemouthsoftubesandtunnels.NotmanyamongthemhaveeverspentadrowsyafternooninthegreatrustlingoakensilenceofthereadingroomofthePublicLibrary,withthebookelevator(likeanoldwaterwheel)spewingoutbooksontothetrays.TheytendtheirfurnacesoftheBowery,thef?iresthatburninoildrumsonzerowinternights.Theymayworkinthef?inancialdistrictdowntownandneverseetheextravagantplantingsofRockefellerCenter—thedaffodilsandgrapehyacinthsandbirchesandthef?lagstrimmedtothewindonaf?inemorninginspring.Ortheymayworkinamidtownoff?iceandmayletawholeyearswingroundwithoutsightingGovernorsIslandfromtheseawall.Thecommuterdieswithtremendousmileagetohiscreditbutheisnorover.Hisentrancesandexitsaremoredeviousthanthoseinaprairie-dogvillage,andhecalmlyplaysbridgewhileburiedinthemudatthebottomoftheEastRiver.TheLongIslandRailRoadalonecarriedfortymillioncommuterslastyear,butmanyofthemwerethesamefellowretracinghissteps.