wild wales-第66章

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both　will　be　accepted　on　the　great　day　when；　as　Gronwy　Owen　says：…


〃Like　corn　from　the　belly　of　the　ploughed　field；　in　a　thick　crop；　
those　buried　in　the　earth　shall　arise；　and　the　sea　shall　cast　forth　
a　thousand　myriads　of　dead　above　the　deep　billowy　way。〃



CHAPTER　LX



Mystery　Plays　…　The　Two　Prime　Opponents　…　Analysis　of　Interlude　…　
Riches　and　Poverty　…　Tom's　Grand　Qualities。


IN　the　preceding　chapter　I　have　given　an　abstract　of　the　life　of　
Tom　O'　the　Dingle；　I　will　now　give　an　analysis　of　his　interlude；　
first；　however；　a　few　words　on　interludes　in　general。　　It　is　
difficult　to　say　with　anything　like　certainty　what　is　the　meaning　
of　the　word　interlude。　　It　may　mean；　as　Warton　supposes　in　his　
history　of　English　Poetry；　a　short　play　performed　between　the　
courses　of　a　banquet　or　festival；　or　it　may　mean　the　playing　of　
something　by　two　or　more　parties；　the　interchange　of　playing　or　
acting　which　occurs　when　two　or　more　people　act。　　It　was　about　the　
middle　of　the　fifteenth　century　that　dramatic　pieces　began　in　
England　to　be　called　Interludes；　for　some　time　previous　they　had　
been　styled　Moralities；　but　the　earliest　name　by　which　they　were　
known　was　Mysteries。　　The　first　Mysteries　composed　in　England　were　
by　one　Ranald；　or　Ranulf；　a　monk　of　Chester；　who　flourished　about　
1322；　whose　verses　are　mentioned　rather　irreverently　in　one　of　the　
visions　of　Piers　Plowman；　who　puts　them　in　the　same　rank　as　the　
ballads　about　Robin　Hood　and　Maid　Marion；　making　Sloth　say：


〃I　cannon　perfitly　my　Paternoster　as　the　priest　it　singeth；
But　I　can　rhymes　of　Robin　Hood　and　Ranald　of　Chester。〃


Long；　however；　before　the　time　of　this　Ranald　Mysteries　had　been　
composed　and　represented　both　in　Italy　and　France。　　The　Mysteries　
were　very　rude　compositions；　little　more；　as　Warton　says；　than　
literal　representations　of　portions　of　Scripture。　　They　derived　
their　name　of　Mysteries　from　being　generally　founded　on　the　more　
mysterious　parts　of　Holy　Writ；　for　example　the　Incarnation；　the　
Atonement；　and　the　Resurrection。　　The　Moralities　displayed　
something　more　of　art　and　invention　than　the　Mysteries；　in　them　
virtues；　vices　and　qualities　were　personified；　and　something　like　a　
plot　was　frequently　to　be　discovered。　　They　were　termed　Moralities　
because　each　had　its　moral；　which　was　spoken　at　the　end　of　the　
piece　by　a　person　called　the　Doctor。　（7）　　Much　that　has　been　said　
about　the　moralities　holds　good　with　respect　to　the　interludes。　　
Indeed；　for　some　time　dramatic　pieces　were　called　moralities　and　
interludes　indifferently。　　In　both　there　is　a　mixture　of　allegory　
and　reality。　　The　latter　interludes；　however；　display　more　of　
every…day　life　than　was　ever　observable　in　the　moralities；　and　more　
closely　approximate　to　modern　plays。　　Several　writers　of　genius　
have　written　interludes；　amongst　whom　are　the　English　Skelton　and　
the　Scottish　Lindsay；　the　latter　of　whom　wrote　eight　pieces　of　that　
kind；　the　most　celebrated　of　which　is　called　〃The　Puir　Man　and　the　
Pardoner。〃　　Both　of　these　writers　flourished　about　the　same　period；　
and　made　use　of　the　interlude　as　a　means　of　satirizing　the　vices　of　
the　popish　clergy。　　In　the　time　of　Charles　the　First　the　interlude　
went　much　out　of　fashion　in　England；　in　fact；　the　play　or　regular　
drama　had　superseded　it。　　In　Wales；　however；　it　continued　to　the　
beginning　of　the　present　century；　when　it　yielded　to　the　influence　
of　Methodism。　　Of　all　Welsh　interlude　composers　Twm　O'r　Nant　or　Tom　
of　the　Dingle　was　the　most　famous。　　Here　follows　the　promised　
analysis　of　his　〃Riches　and　Poverty。〃

The　entire　title　of　the　interlude　is　to　this　effect。　　The　two　prime　
opponents　Riches　and　Poverty。　　A　brief　exposition　of　their　contrary　
effects　on　the　world；　with　short　and　appropriate　explanations　of　
their　quality　and　substance　according　to　the　rule　of　the　four　
elements；　Water；　Fire；　Earth；　and　Air。

First　of　all　enter　Fool；　Sir　Jemant　Wamal；　who　in　rather　a　foolish　
speech　tells　the　audience　that　they　are　about　to　hear　a　piece　
composed　by　Tom　the　poet。　　Then　appears　Captain　Riches；　who　makes　a　
long　speech　about　his　influence　in　the　world　and　the　general　
contempt　in　which　Poverty　is　held；　he　is；　however；　presently　
checked　by　the　Fool；　who　tells　him　some　home　truths；　and　asks　him；　
among　other　questions；　whether　Solomon　did　not　say　that　it　is　not　
meet　to　despise　a　poor　man；　who　conducts　himself　rationally。　　Then　
appears　Howel　Tightbelly；　the　miser；　who　in　capital　verse；　with　
very　considerable　glee　and　exultation；　gives　an　account　of　his　
manifold　rascalities。　　Then　comes　his　wife；　Esther　Steady；　home　
from　the　market；　between　whom　and　her　husband　there　is　a　pithy　
dialogue。　　Captain　Riches　and　Captain　Poverty　then　meet；　without　
rancour；　however；　and　have　a　long　discourse　about　the　providence　of　
God；　whose　agents　they　own　themselves　to　be。　　Enter　then　an　old　
worthless　scoundrel　called　Diogyn　Trwstan；　or　Luckless　Lazybones；　
who　is　upon　the　parish；　and　who；　in　a　very　entertaining　account　of　
his　life；　confesses　that　he　was　never　good　for　anything；　but　was　a　
liar　and　an　idler　from　his　infancy。　　Enter　again　the　Miser　along　
with　poor　Lowry；　who　asks　the　Miser　for　meal　and　other　articles；　
but　gets　nothing　but　threatening　language。　　There　is　then　a　very　
edifying　dialogue　between　Mr　Contemplation　and　Mr　Truth；　who；　when　
they　retire；　are　succeeded　on　the　stage　by　the　Miser　and　John　the　
Tavern…keeper。　　The　publican　owes　the　Miser　money；　and　begs　that　he　
will　be　merciful　to　him。　　The　Miser；　however；　swears　that　he　will　
be　satisfied　with　nothing　but　bond　and　judgment　on　his　effects。　　
The　publican　very　humbly　says　that　he　will　go　to　a　friend　of　his　in　
order　to　get　the　bond　made　out；　almost　instantly　comes　the　Fool　who　
reads　an　inventory　of　the　publican's　effects。　　The　Miser　then　sings　
for　very　gladness；　because　everything　in　the　world　has　hitherto　
gone　well　with　him；　turning　round；　however；　what　is　his　horror　and　
astonishment　to　behold　Mr　Death；　close　by　him。　　Death　hauls　the　
Miser　away；　and　then　appears　the　Fool　to　moralise　and　dismiss　the　
audience。

The　appropriate　explanations　mentioned　in　the　title　are　given　in　
various　songs　which　the　various　characters　sing　after　describing　
themselves；　or　after　dialogues　with　each　other。　　The　announcement　
that　the　whole　exposition；　etc。；　will　be　after　the　rule　of　the　four　
elements；　is　rather　startling；　the　dialogue；　however；　between　
Captain　Riches　and　Captain　Poverty　shows　that　Tom　was　equal　to　his　
subject；　and　promised　nothing　that　he　could　not　perform。


ENTER　CAPTAIN　POVERTY

O　Riches；　thy　figure　is　charming　and　bright；
And　to　speak　in　thy　praise　all　the　world　doth　delight；
But　I'm　a　poor　fellow　all　tatter'd　and　torn；
Whom　all　the　world　treateth　with　insult　and　scorn。


RICHES


However　mistaken　the　judgment　may　be
Of　the　world　which　is　never　from　ignorance　free；
The　parts　we　must　play；　which　to　us　are　assign'd；
According　as　God　has　enlightened　our　mind。

Of　elements　four　did　our　Master　create
The　earth　and　all　in　it　with　skill　the　most　great；
Need　I　the　world's　four　materials　declare　…
Are　they　not　water；　fire；　earth；　and　air？

Too　wise　was　the　mighty　Creator　to　frame
A　world　from　one　element；　water　or　flame；
The　one　is　full　moist　and　the　other　full　hot；
And　a　world　made　of　either　were　useless；　I　wot。

And　if　it　had　all　of　mere　earth　been　compos'd
And　no　water　nor　fire　been　within　it　enclos'd；
It　could　ne'er　have　produc'd　for　a　huge　multitude
Of　all　kinds　of　living　things　suitable　food。

And　if　God　what　was　wanted　had　not　fully　known；
But　created　the　world　of　these　three　things　alone；
How　would　any　creature　the　heaven　beneath；
Without　the　blest　air　have　been　able　to　breathe？

Thus　all　things　created；　the　God　of　all　grace；
Of　four　prime　materials；　each　good　in　its　place。
The　work　of　His　hands；　when　completed；　He　view'd；
And　saw　and　pronounc'd　that　'twas　seemly　and　good。


POVERTY


In　the　marvellous　things；　which　to　me　thou　hast　told
The　wisdom　of　God　I　most　clearly　behold；
And　did　He　not　also　make　man　of　the　same
Materials　He　us'd　when　the　world　He　did　frame？


RICHES


Creation　is　all；　as　the　sages　agree；
Of　the　elements　four　in　man's　body　that　be；
Water's　the　blood；　and　fire　is　the　nature；
Which　prompts　generation　in　every　creature。

The　earth　is　the　flesh　which　with　beauty　is　rife
The　air　is　the　breath；　without　which　is　no　life；
So　man　must　be　always　accounted　the　same
As　the　substances　four　which　exist　in　his　frame。

And　as　in　their　creation　distinction　there's　none
'Twixt　man　and　the　world；　so　the　Infinite　One
Unto　man　a　clear　wisdom　did　bounteously　give
The　nature　of　everything　to　perceive。


POVERTY


But　one　thing　to　me　passing　strange　doth　appear
Since　the　wisdom　of　man　is　so　bright　and　so　clear
How　comes　there　such　jarring　and　warring　to　be
In　the　world　betwixt　Riches　and　Poverty？


RICHES


That　point　we'll　discuss　without　passion　or　fear
With　the　aim　of　instructing　the　listeners　here；
And　haply　some　few　who　instruction　require
May　profit　derive　like　the　bee　from　the　briar。

Man　as　thou　knowest；　in　his　generation
Is　a　type　of　the　world　and　of　all　the　creation；
Difference　there's　none　in　the　manner　of　birth
'Twixt　the　lowliest　hinds　and　the　lords　of　the　earth。

The　world　which　the　same　thing　as　man　we　account
In　one　place　is　sea；　in　another　is　mount；
A　part　of　it　rock；　and　a　part　of　it　dale　…
God's　wisdom　has　made　every　place　to　avail。

There　exist　precious　treasures　of　every　kind
Profoundly　in　earth's　quiet　bosom　enshrin'd；
There's　searching　about　them；　and　ever　has　been；
And　by　some　they　are　found；　and　by　some　never　seen。

With　wonderful　wisdom　the　Lord　God　on　high
Has　contriv'd　the　two　lights　which　exist　in　the　sky；
The　sun's　hot　as　fire；　and　its　ray　bright　as　gold；
But　the　moon's　ever　pale；　and　by　nature　is　cold。

The　sun；　which　resembles　a　huge　world　of　fire；
Would　burn　up　full　quickly　creation　entire
Save　the　moon　with　its　temp'rament　cool　did　assuage
Of　its　brighter　companion　the　fury　and　rage。

Now　I　beg　you　the　sun　and　the　moon　to　behold；
The　one　that's　so　bright　and　the　other　so　cold。
And　say　if　two　things　in　creation　there　be
Better　emblems　of　Riches　and　Poverty。


POVERTY


In　manner　most　brief；　yet　convincing　and　clear；
You　have　told　the　whole　truth　to　my　wond'ring　ear；
And　I　see　that　'twas　God；　who　in　all　things　is　fair；
Has　assign'd　us　the　forms；　in　this　world　which　we　bear。

In　the　sight　of　the　world　doth　the　wealthy　man　seem
Like　the　sun　which　doth　warm　everything　with　its　beam；
Whilst　the　poor　needy　wight　with　his　pitiable　case
Resembles　the　moon　which　doth　chill　with　its　face。


RICHES


You　know　that　full　oft；　in　their　course　as　they　run；
An　eclipse　cometh　over　the　moon　or　the　sun；
Certain　hills　of　the　earth　with　their　summits　of　pride
The　face　of　the　one　from　the　other　do　hide。

The　sun　doth　uplift　his　magnificent　head；
And　illumines　the　moon；　which　were　otherwise　dead；
Even　as　Wealth　from　its　station　on　high；
Giveth　work　and　provision　to　Poverty。


POVERTY


I　know；　and　the　thought　mighty　sorrow　instils；
The　sins　of　the　world　are　the　terrible　hills
An　eclipse　which　do　ca