misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写)-第33章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to Brussels。
131
… Page 132…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
BOOK IX。
The Duke is received at Brussels by the King of the Netherlands with
great magnificence。 He is informed of the approach of the armies of all
the confederate kings。 The poet； however； with a laudable zeal for the
glory of his country； completely passes over the exploits of the Austrians
in Italy； and the discussions of the congress。 England and France；
Wellington and Napoleon； almost exclusively occupy his attention。
Several days are spent at Brussels in revelry。 The English heroes
astonish their allies by exhibiting splendid games； similar to those which
draw the flower of the British aristocracy to Newmarket and Moulsey
Hurst； and which will be considered by our descendants with as much
veneration as the Olympian and Isthmian contests by classical students of
the present time。 In the combat of the cestus； Shaw； the lifeguardsman；
vanquishes the Prince of Orange； and obtains a bull as a prize。 In the
horse…race； the Duke of Wellington and Lord Uxbridge ride against each
other； the Duke is victorious； and is rewarded with twelve opera…girls。
On the last day of the festivities； a splendid dance takes place； at which all
the heroes attend。
132
… Page 133…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
BOOK X。
Mars； seeing the English army thus inactive； hastens to rouse
Napoleon； who； conducted by Night and Silence； unexpectedly attacks the
Prussians。 The slaughter is immense。 Napoleon kills many whose
histories and families are happily particularised。 He slays Herman； the
craniologist； who dwelt by the linden…shadowed Elbe； and measured with
his eye the skulls of all who walked through the streets of Berlin。 Alas！
his own skull is now cleft by the Corsican sword。 Four pupils of the
University of Jena advance together to encounter the Emperor； at four
blows he destroys them all。 Blucher rushes to arrest the devastation；
Napoleon strikes him to the ground； and is on the point of killing him； but
Gneisenau； Ziethen； Bulow； and all the other heroes of the Prussian army；
gather round him； and bear the venerable chief to a distance from the field。
The slaughter is continued till night。 In the meantime Neptune has
despatched Fame to bear the intelligence to the Duke； who is dancing at
Brussels。 The whole army is put in motion。 The Duke of Brunswick's
horse speaks to admonish him of his danger； but in vain。
133
… Page 134…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
BOOK VI。
Picton； the Duke of Brunswick； and the Prince of Orange； engage Ney
at Quatre Bras。 Ney kills the Duke of Brunswick； and strips him； sending
his belt to Napoleon。 The English fall back on Waterloo。 Jupiter calls a
council of the gods； and commands that none shall interfere on either side。
Mars and Neptune make very eloquent speeches。 The battle of Waterloo
commences。 Napoleon kills Picton and Delancy。 Ney engages
Ponsonby and kills him。 The Prince of Orange is wounded by Soult。
Lord Uxbridge flies to check the carnage。 He is severely wounded by
Napoleon； and only saved by the assistance of Lord Hill。 In the
meantime the Duke makes a tremendous carnage among the French。 He
encounters General Duhesme and vanquishes him； but spares his life。 He
kills Toubert； who kept the gaming…house in the Palais Royal； and Maronet；
who loved to spend whole nights in drinking champagne。 Clerval； who
had been hooted from the stage； and had then become a captain in the
Imperial Guard； wished that he had still continued to face the more
harmless enmity of the Parisian pit。 But Larrey； the son of Esculapius；
whom his father had instructed in all the secrets of his art； and who was
surgeon…general of the French army； embraced the knees of the destroyer；
and conjured him not to give death to one whose office it was to give life。
The Duke raised him； and bade him live。
But we must hasten to the close。 Napoleon rushes to encounter
Wellington。 Both armies stand in mute amaze。 The heroes fire their
pistols； that of Napoleon misses； but that of Wellington； formed by the
hand of Vulcan； and primed by the Cyclops； wounds the Emperor in the
thigh。 He flies； and takes refuge among his troops。 The flight becomes
promiscuous。 The arrival of the Prussians； from a motive of patriotism；
the poet completely passes over。
134
… Page 135…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
BOOK XII。
Things are now hastening to the catastrophe。 Napoleon flies to
London； and； seating himself on the hearth of the Regent； embraces the
household gods and conjures him； by the venerable age of George III。； and
by the opening perfections of the Princess Charlotte； to spare him。 The
Prince is inclined to do so； when； looking on his breast； he sees there the
belt of the Duke of Brunswick。 He instantly draws his sword； and is
about to stab the destroyer of his kinsman。 Piety and hospitality；
however； restrain his hand。 He takes a middle course； and condemns
Napoleon to be exposed on a desert island。 The King of France re…enters
Paris； and the poem concludes。
。。。
135
… Page 136…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
ON MITFORD'S HISTORY OF
GREECE。
（November 1824。）
This is a book which enjoys a great and increasing popularity： but；
while it has attracted a considerable share of the public attention； it has
been little noticed by the critics。 Mr Mitford has almost succeeded in
mounting； unperceived by those whose office it is to watch such aspirants；
to a high place among historians。 He has taken a seat on the dais without
being challenged by a single seneschal。 To oppose the progress of his
fame is now almost a hopeless enterprise。 Had he been reviewed with
candid severity； when he had published only his first volume； his work
would either have deserved its reputation； or would never have obtained it。
〃Then；〃 as Indra says of Kehama； 〃then was the time to strike。〃 The time
was neglected； and the consequence is that Mr Mitford like Kehama； has
laid his victorious hand on the literary Amreeta； and seems about to taste
the precious elixir of immortality。 I shall venture to emulate the courage
of the honest Glendoveer 〃When now He saw the Amreeta in Kehama's
hand； An impulse that defied all self…command； In that extremity； Stung
him； and he resolved to seize the cup； And dare the Rajah's force in
Seeva's sight； Forward he sprung to tempt the unequal fray。〃
In plain words； I shall offer a few considerations； which may tend to
reduce an overpraised writer to his proper level。
The principal characteristic of this historian； the origin of his
excellencies and his defects； is a love of singularity。 He has no notion of
going with a multitude to do either good or evil。 An exploded opinion； or
an unpopular person； has an irresistible charm for him。 The same
perverseness may be traced in his diction。 His style would never have
been elegant； but it might at least have been manly and perspicuous； and
nothing but the most elaborate care could possibly have made it so bad as
it is。 It is distinguished by harsh phrases； strange collocations； occasional
solecisms； frequent obscurity； and； above all； by a peculiar oddity； which
can no more be described than it can be overlooked。 Nor is this all。 Mr
136
… Page 137…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
Mitford piques himself on spelling better than any of his neighbours； and
this not only in ancient names； which he mangles in defiance both of
custom and of reason； but in the most ordinary words of the English
language。 It is； in itself； a matter perfectly indifferent whether we call a
foreigner by the name which he bears in his own language； or by that
which corresponds to it in ours； whether we say Lorenzo de Medici； or
Lawrence de Medici； Jean Chauvin； or John Calvin。 In such cases
established usage is considered as law by all writers except Mr Mitford。
If he were always consistent with himself； he might be excused for
sometimes disagreeing with his neighbours； but he proceeds on no
principle but that of being unlike the rest of the world。 Every child has
heard of Linnaeus； therefore Mr Mitford calls him Linne： Rousseau is
known all over Europe as Jean Jacques； therefore Mr Mitford bestows on
him the strange appellation of John James。
Had Mr Mitford undertaken a History of any other country than
Greece； this propensity would have rendered his work useless and absurd。
His occasional remarks on the affairs of ancient Rome and of modern
Europe are full of errors： but he writes of times with respect to which
almost every other
