misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写3)-第4章
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reached only by a bill of pains and penalties。 Such a bill the Whig party；
then decidedly predominant in both houses； was quite prepared to support。
Many hot…headed members of that party were eager to follow the
precedent which had been set in the case of Sir John Fenwick； and to pass
an act for cutting off the bishop's head。 Cadogan； who commanded the
army； a brave soldier； but a headstrong politician； is said to have
exclaimed with great vehemence： 〃Fling him to the lions in the Tower。〃
But the wiser and more humane Walpole was always unwilling to shed
blood； and his influence prevailed。 When Parliament met； the evidence
against the bishop was laid before committees of both houses。 Those
committees reported that his guilt was proved。 In the Commons a
resolution； pronouncing him a traitor； was carried by nearly two to one。 A
bill was then introduced which provided that he should be deprived of his
spiritual dignities； that he should be banished for life； and that no British
subject should hold any intercourse with him except by the royal
permission。
This bill passed the Commons with little difficulty。 For the bishop；
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
though invited to defend himself； chose to reserve his defence for the
assembly of which he was a member。 In the Lords the contest was sharp。
The young Duke of Wharton； distinguished by his parts； his dissoluteness；
and his versatility； spoke for Atterbury with great effect； and Atterbury's
own voice was heard for the last time by that unfriendly audience which
had so often listened to him with mingled aversion and delight。 He
produced few witnesses； nor did those witnesses say much that could be of
service to him。 Among them was Pope。 He was called to prove that； while
he was an inmate of the palace at Bromley； the bishop's time was
completely occupied by literary and domestic matters； and that no leisure
was left for plotting。 But Pope； who was quite unaccustomed to speak in
public； lost his head； and； as he afterwards owned； though he had only ten
words to say； made two or three blunders。
The bill finally passed the Lords by eighty…three votes to forty… three。
The bishops； with a single exception； were in the majority。 Their conduct
drew on them a sharp taunt from Lord Bathurst； a warm friend of
Atterbury and a zealous Tory。 〃The wild Indians；〃 he said； 〃give no quarter；
because they believe that they shall inherit the skill and prowess of every
adversary whom they destroy。 Perhaps the animosity of the right reverend
prelates to their brother may be explained in the same way。〃
Atterbury took leave of those whom he loved with a dignity and
tenderness worthy of a better man。 Three fine lines of his favourite poet
were often in his mouth：
〃Some natural tears he dropped； but wiped them soon： The world was
all before him； where to chuse His place of rest； and Providence his
guide。〃
At parting he presented Pope with a Bible； and said； with a
disingenuousness of which no man who had studied the Bible to much
purpose would have been guilty： 〃If ever you learn that I have any
dealings with the Pretender； I give you leave to say that my punishment is
just。〃 Pope at this time really believed the bishop to be an injured man。
Arbuthnot seems to have been of the same opinion。 Swift； a few months
later； ridiculed with great bitterness； in the 〃Voyage to Laputa；〃 the
evidence which had satisfied the two Houses of Parliament。 Soon；
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however； the most partial friends of the banished prelate ceased to assert
his innocence； and contented themselves with lamenting and excusing
what they could not defend。 After a short stay at Brussels； he had taken up
his abode at Paris； and had become the leading man among the Jacobite
refugees who were assembled there。 He was invited to Rome by the
Pretender； who then held his mock court under the immediate protection
of the Pope。 But Atterbury felt that a bishop of the Church of England
would be strangely out of place at the Vatican； and declined the invitation。
During some months； however； he might flatter himself that he stood high
in the good graces of James。 The correspondence between the master and
the servant was constant。 Atterbury's merits were warmly acknowledged；
his advice was respectfully received； and he was； as Bolingbroke had been
before him； the prime minister of a king without a kingdom。 But the new
favourite found； as Bolingbroke had found before him； that it was quite as
hard to keep the shadow of power under a vagrant and mendicant prince as
to keep the reality of power at Westminster。 Though James had neither
territories nor revenues； neither army nor navy； there was more faction and
more intrigue among his courtiers than among those of his successful rival。
Atterbury soon perceived that his counsels were disregarded； if not
distrusted。 His proud spirit was deeply wounded。 He quitted Paris； fixed
his residence at Montpellier； gave up politics； and devoted himself entirely
to letters。 In the sixth year of his exile he had so severe an illness that his
daughter； herself in very delicate health； determined to run all risks that
she might see him once more。 Having obtained a licence from the English
Government； she went by sea to Bordeaux； but landed there in such a state
that she could travel only by boat or in a litter。 Her father； in spite of his
infirmities； set out from Montpellier to meet her； and she； with the
impatience which is often the sign of approaching death； hastened towards
him。 Those who were about her in vain implored her to travel slowly。 She
said that every hour was precious； that she only wished to see her papa and
to die。 She met him at Toulouse； embraced him； received from his hand
the sacred bread and wine； and thanked God that they had passed one day
in each other's society before they parted forever。 She died that night。
It was some time before even the strong mind of Atterbury recovered
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from this cruel blow。 As soon as he was himself again he became eager for
action and conflict； for grief； which disposes gentle natures to retirement；
to inaction； and to meditation； only makes restless spirits more restless。
The Pretender； dull and bigoted as he was； had found out that he had not
acted wisely in parting with one who； though a heretic； was； in abilities
and accomplishments； the foremost man of the Jacobite party。 The bishop
was courted back； and was without much difficulty induced to return to
Paris and to become once more the phantom minister of a phantom
monarchy。 But his long and troubled life was drawing to a close。 To the
last； however； his intellect retained all its keenness and vigour。 He learned；
in the ninth year of his banishment； that he had been accused by Oldmixon；
as dishonest and malignant a scribbler as any that has been saved from
oblivion by the Dunciad； of having； in concert with other Christchurchmen；
garbled Clarendon's History of the Rebellion。 The charge； as respected
Atterbury； had not the slightest foundation： for he was not one of the
editors of the History； and never saw it till it was printed。 He published a
short vindication of himself； which is a model in its kind； luminous；
temperate； and dignified。 A copy of this little work he sent to the Pretender；
with a letter singularly eloquent and graceful。 It was impossible； the old
man said； that he should write anything on such a subject without being
reminded of the resemblance between his own fate and that of Clarendon。
They were the only two English subjects that had ever been banished from
their country and debarred from all communication with their friends by
act of parliament。 But here the resemblance ended。 One of the exiles had
been so happy as to bear a chief part in the restoration of the Royal house。
All that the other could now do was to die asserting the rights of that
house to the last。 A few weeks after this letter was written Atterbury died。
He had just completed his seventieth year。
His body was brought to England； and laid； with great privacy； under
the nave of Westminster Abbey。 Only three mourners followed the coffin。
No inscription marks the grave。 That the epitaph with which Pope
honoured the memory of his friend does not appear on the walls of the
great national cemetery is no subject of regret： for nothing worse was ever
written by Colley Cibber。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Those who wish for more complete information about Atterbury may
easily collect it from his sermons and his controversial writings； from the
report of the parliamentary proceedings against him； which will be found
in the State Trials； from the five volumes of his correspondence； edited by
Mr Nichols； and from the first volume of the Stuart papers； edited by Mr
Glover。 A very indulgent but a very interesting account of the bishop's
political career will be found in Lord Mahon's valuable History of
England。
。。。
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JOHN BUNYAN。
（May 1854。）
John Bunyan； the most popular religious writer in the English
language； was born at Elstow； about a mile from Bedford； in the year 1628。
He may be said to have been born a
