第 41 节
作者:悟来悟去      更新:2021-02-20 15:46      字数:5331
  be evinced; yet the picking of pockets is an unw orthy act; pockets have
  been picked time immemorial; and Barrington; the pickpocket; in point of
  genius; would have thought hard of a comparison with William Wordsworth;
  the poet。
  〃Again; in estimating the merit of certain poems; whether they be Ossian's
  or Macpherson's can surely be of little consequence; yet; in order to
  prove their worthlessness; Mr。 W。 has expended many pages in the
  controversy。 _Tantaene animis? _Can great minds descend to such absurdity?
  But worse still: that he may bear down every argument in favor of these
  poems; he triumphantly drags forward a passage; in his abomination with
  which he expects the reader to sympathize。 It is the beginning of the epic
  poem 'Temora。' 'The blue waves of Ullin roll in light; the green hills are
  covered with day; trees shake their dusty heads in the breeze。' And this
  this gorgeous; yet simple imagery; where all is alive and panting with
  immortality…this; William Wordsworth; the author of 'Peter Bell;' has
  _selected _for his contempt。 We shall see what better he; in his own
  person; has to offer。 Imprimis:
  〃'And now she's at the pony's tail;
  And now she's at the pony's head;
  On that side now; and now on this;
  And; almost stifled with her bliss;
  A few sad tears does Betty shed。 。 。 。
  She pats the pony; where or when
  She knows not 。 。 。 。 happy Betty Foy!
  Oh; Johnny; never mind the doctor!'
  Secondly:
  〃'The dew was falling fast; the…stars began to blink;
  I heard a voice: it said…〃Drink; pretty creature; drink!〃
  And; looking o'er the hedge; be…fore me I espied
  A snow…white mountain lamb; with a…maiden at its side。
  No other sheep was near;the lamb was all alone;
  And by a slender cord was…tether'd to a stone。'
  〃Now; we have no doubt this is all true: we will believe it; indeed we
  will; Mr。 W。 Is it sympathy for the sheep you wish to excite? I love a
  sheep from the bottom of my heart。
  〃But there are occasions; dear B…; there are occasions when even
  Wordsworth is reasonable。 Even Stamboul; it is said; shall have an end;
  and the most unlucky blunders must come to a conclusion。 Here is an
  extract from his preface :…
  〃'Those who have been accustomed to the phraseology of modem writers; if
  they persist in reading this book to a conclusion _(impossible!) will; _no
  doubt; have to struggle with feelings of awkwardness; (ha! ha! ha!) they
  will look round for poetry (ha! ha! ha! ha!); and will be induced to
  inquire by what species of courtesy these attempts have been permitted to
  assume that title。' Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!
  〃Yet; let not Mr。 W。 despair; he has given immortality to a wagon; and the
  bee Sophocles has transmitted to eternity a sore toe; and dignified a
  tragedy with a chorus of turkeys。
  〃Of Coleridge; I can not speak but with reverence。 His towering intellect!
  his gigantic power! To use an author quoted by himself; _'Tai trouv?
  souvent que la plupart des sectes ont raison dans une bonne partie de ce
  qu'elles avancent; mais non pas en ce qu'elles nient ; ' and _to employ
  his own language; he has imprisoned his own conceptions by the barrier he
  has erected against those of others。 It is lamentable to think that such a
  mind should be buried in metaphysics; and; like the Nyctanthes; waste its
  perfume upon the night alone。 In reading that man's poetry; I tremble like
  one who stands upon a volcano; conscious from the very darkness bursting
  from the crater; of the fire and the light that are weltering below。
  〃What is poetry?…Poetry! that Proteus…like idea; with as many appellations
  as the nine…titled Corcyra! 'Give me;' I demanded of a scholar some time
  ago; 'give me a definition of poetry。' _'Tr鑣volontiers;' _and he
  proceeded to his library; brought me a Dr。 Johnson; and overwhelmed me
  with a definition。 Shade of the immortal Shakespeare! I imagine to myself
  the scowl of your spiritual eye upon the profanity of that scurrilous Ursa
  Major。 Think of poetry; dear B…; think of poetry; and then think of Dr。
  Samuel Johnson! Think of all that is airy and fairy…like; and then of all
  that is hideous and unwieldy; think of his huge bulk; the Elephant! and
  then…and then think of the 'Tempest' …the 'Midsummer…Night's Dream'…
  Prospero Oberon…and Titania!
  〃A poem; in my opinion; is opposed to a work of science by having; for its
  _immediate _object; pleasure; not truth; to romance; by having; for its
  object; an _indefinite _instead of a _definite _pleasure; being a poem
  only so far as this object is attained; romance presenting perceptible
  images with definite; poetry with indefinite sensations; to which end
  music is an _essential; since _the comprehension of sweet sound is our
  most indefinite conception。 Music; when combined with a pleasurable idea;
  is poetry; music; without the idea; is simply music; the idea; wi thout
  the music; is prose; from its very definitiveness。
  〃What was meant by the invective against him who had no music in his soul?
  〃To sum up this long rigmarole; I have; dear B…; what you; no doubt;
  perceive; for the metaphysical poets as poets; the most sovereign
  contempt。 That they have followers proves nothing…
  〃'No Indian prince has to his palace
  More followers than a thief to the gallows。
  * GJL*4@J〃J@《 6〃4 N48@F@M46@J〃J@《 (;