r. f. murray-his poems with a memoir-第2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！



Ocean；'　swimming　out　beyond　the　‘lake'　where　the　witches　were

dipped；　walking　to　the　grey　little　coast…towns；　with　their　wealth　of

historic　documents；　their　ancient　kirks　and　graves；　dreaming　in　the

vernal　woods　of　Mount　Melville　or　Strathtyrum；　rambling　（without　a

fishing…rod）　in　the　charmed　‘dens'　of　the　Kenley　burn；　a　place　like

Tempe　in　miniature：　　these　things　were　Murray's　usual　enjoyments；

and　they　became　his　indispensable　needs。　　His　peculiarly　shy　and；　as

it　were；　silvan　nature；　made　it　physically　impossible　for　him　to

live　in　crowded　streets　and　push　his　way　through　throngs　of

indifferent　men。　　He　could　not　live　even　in　Edinburgh；　he　made　the

effort；　and　his　health；　at　no　time　strong；　seems　never　to　have

recovered　from　the　effects　of　a　few　months　spent　under　a　roof　in　a

large　town。　　He　hurried　back　to　St。　Andrews：　　her　fascination　was

too　powerful。　　Hence　it　is　that；　dying　with　his　work　scarcely　begun；

he　will　always　be　best　remembered　as　the　poet　of　The　Scarlet　Gown；

the　Calverley　or　J。　K。　S。　of　Kilrymont；　endowed　with　their　humour；

their　skill　in　parody；　their　love　of　youth；　but　（if　I　am　not

prejudiced）　with　more　than　the　tenderness　and　natural　magic　of　these

regretted　writers。　　Not　to　be　able　to　endure　crowds　and　towns；　（a

matter　of　physical　health　and　constitution；　as　well　as　of

temperament）　was；　of　course；　fatal　to　an　ordinary　success　in

journalism。　　On　the　other　hand；　Murray's　name　is　inseparably

connected　with　the　life　of　youth　in　the　little　old　college；　in　the

University　of　the　Admirable　Crichton　and　Claverhouse；　of　the　great

Montrose　and　of　Ferguson；the　harmless　Villon　of　Scotland；the

University　of　almost　all　the　famous　Covenanters；　and　of　all　the

valiant　poet…Cavaliers。　　Murray　has　sung　of　the　life　and　pleasures

of　its　students；　of　examinations　and　Gaudeamusessupper　partieshe

has　sung　of　the　sands；　the　links；　the　sea；　the　towers；　and　his　name

and　fame　are　for　ever　blended　with　the　air　of　his　city　of　youth　and

dream。　　It　is　not　a　wide　name　or　a　great　fame；　but　it　is　what　he

would　have　desired；　and　we　trust　that　it　may　be　long…lived　and

enduring。　　We　are　not　to　wax　elegiac；　and　adopt　a　tearful　tone　over

one　so　gallant　and　so　uncomplaining。　　He　failed；　but　he　was

undefeated。



In　the　following　sketch　of　Murray's　life　and　work　use　is　made　of　his

letters；　chiefly　of　letters　to　his　mother。　　They　always　illustrate

his　own　ideas　and　attempts；　frequently　they　throw　the　light　of　an

impartial　and　critical　mind　on　the　distinguished　people　whom　Murray

observed　from　without。　　It　is　worth　remarking　that　among　many

remarks　on　persons；　I　have　found　not　one　of　a　censorious；　cynical；

envious；　or　unfriendly　nature。　　Youth　is　often　captious　and　keenly

critical；　partly　because　youth　generally　has　an　ideal；　partly；

perhaps　chiefly；　from　mere　intellectual　high　spirits　and　sense　of

the　incongruous；　occasionally　the　motive　is　jealousy　or　spite。

Murray's　sense　of　fun　was　keen；　his　ideal　was　lofty；　of　envy；　of　an

injured　sense　of　being　neglected；　he　does　not　show　one　trace。　　To

make　fun　of　their　masters　and　pastors；　tutors；　professors；　is　the

general　and　not　necessarily　unkind　tendency　of　pupils。　　Murray

rarely　mentions　any　of　the　professors　in　St。　Andrews　except　in　terms

of　praise；　which　is　often　enthusiastic。　　Now；　as　he　was　by　no　means

a　prize　student；　or　pattern　young　man　for　a　story…book；　this

generosity　is　a　high　proof　of　an　admirable　nature。　　If　he　chances　to

speak　to　his　mother　about　a　bore；　and　he　did　not　suffer　bores

gladly；　he　not　only　does　not　name　the　person；　but　gives　no　hint　by

which　he　might　be　identified。　　He　had　much　to　embitter　him；　for　he

had　a　keen　consciousness　of　‘the　something　within　him；'　of　the

powers　which　never　found　full　expression；　and　he　saw　others

advancing　and　prospering　while　he　seemed　to　be　standing　still；　or

losing　ground　in　all　ways。　　But　no　word　of　bitterness　ever　escapes

him　in　the　correspondence　which　I　have　seen。　　In　one　case　he　has　to

speak　of　a　disagreeable　and　disappointing　interview　with　a　man　from

whom　he　had　been　led　to　expect　sympathy　and　encouragement。　　He　told

me　about　this　affair　in　conversation；　‘There　were　tears　in　my　eyes

as　I　turned　from　the　house；'　he　said；　and　he　was　not　effusive。　　In　a

letter　to　Mrs。　Murray　he　describes　this　unlucky　interview；a

discouragement　caused　by　a　manner　which　was　strange　to　Murray；

rather　than　by　real　unkindness；and　he　describes　it　with　a

delicacy；　with　a　reserve；　with　a　toleration；　beyond　all　praise。

These　are　traits　of　a　character　which　was　greater　and　more　rare　than

his　literary　talent：　　a　character　quite　developed；　while　his　talent

was　only　beginning　to　unfold　itself；　and　to　justify　his　belief　in

his　powers。



Robert　Murray　was　the　eldest　child　of　John　and　Emmeline　Murray：　　the

father　a　Scot；　the　mother　of　American　birth。　　He　was　born　at

Roxbury；　in　Massachusetts；　on　December　26th；　1863。　　It　may　be　fancy；

but；　in　his　shy　reserve；　his　almost　farouche　independence；　one　seems

to　recognise　the　Scot；　while　in　his　cast　of　literary　talent；　in　his

natural　‘culture；'　we　observe　the　son　of　a　refined　American　lady。

To　his　mother　he　could　always　write　about　the　books　which　were

interesting　him；　with　full　reliance　on　her　sympathy；　though　indeed；

he　does　not　often　say　very　much　about　literature。



Till　1869　he　lived　in　various　parts　of　New　England；　his　father　being

a　Unitarian　minister。　　‘He　was　a　remarkably　cheerful　and

affectionate　child；　and　seldom　seemed　to　find　anything　to　trouble

him。'　　In　1869　his　father　carried　him　to　England；　Mrs。　Murray　and　a

child　remaining　in　America。　　For　more　than　a　year　the　boy　lived　with

kinsfolk　near　Kelso；　the　beautiful　old　town　on　the　Tweed　where　Scott

passed　some　of　his　childish　days。　　In　1871　the　family　were　reunited

at　York；　where　he　was　fond　of　attending　the　services　in　the

Cathedral。　　Mr。　Murray　then　took　charge　of　the　small　Unitarian


chapel　of　Blackfriars；　at　Canterbury。　　Thus　Murray's　early　youth　was

passed　in　the　mingled　influences　of　Unitarianism　at　home；　and　of

Cathedral　services　at　York；　and　in　the　church　where　Becket　suffered

martyrdom。　　A　not　unnatural　result　was　a　somewhat　eclectic　and

unconstrained　religion。　　He　thought　but　little　of　the　differences　of

creed；　believing　that　all　good　men　held；　in　essentials；　much　the

same　faith。　　His　view　of　essentials　was　generous；　as　he　admitted。

He　occasionally　spoke　of　himself　as　‘sceptical；'　that　is；　in

contrast　with　those　whose　faith　was　more　definite；　more　dogmatic；

more　securely　based　on　‘articles。'　　To　illustrate　Murray's　religious

attitude；　at　least　as　it　was　in　1887；　one　may　quote　from　a　letter　of

that　year　（April　17）。





‘There　was　a　University　sermon；　and　I　thought　I　would　go　and　hear

it。　　So　I　donned　my　old　cap　and　gown　and　felt　quite　proud　of　them。

The　preacher　was　Bishop　Wordsworth。　　He　goes　in　for　the　union　of　the

Presbyterian　and　Episcopalian　Churches；　and　is　glad　to　preach　in　a

Presbyterian　Church；　as　he　did　this　morning。　　How　the　aforesaid

Union　is　to　be　brought　about；　I'm　sure　I　don't　know；　for　I　am　pretty

certain　that　the　Episcopalians　won't　give　up　their　bishops；　and　the

Presbyterians　won't　have　them　on　any　account。　　However；　that's

neither　here　nor　thereat　least　it　does　not　affect　the　fact　that

Wordsworth　is　a　first…rate　man；　and　a　fine　preacher。　　I　dare　say　you

know　he　is　a　nephew　or　grand…nephew　of　the　Poet。　　He　is　a　most

venerable　old　man；　and　worth　looking　at；　merely　for　his　exterior。

He　is　so　feeble　with　age　that　he　can　with　difficulty　climb　the　three

short　steps　that　lead　into　the　pulpit；　but；　once　in　the　pulpit；　it

is　another　thing。　　There　is　no　feebleness　when　he　begins　to　preach。

He　is　one　of　the　last　voices　of　the　old　orthodox　school；　and　I　wish

there　were　hundreds　like　him。　　If　ever　a　man　believed　in　his

message；　Wordsworth　does。　　And　though　I　cannot　follow　him　in　his

veneration　for　the　Thirty…nine　Articles；　the　way　in　which　he　does

makes　me　half　wish　I　could。　。　。　。　It　was　full　of　wisdom　and　the

beauty　of　holiness；　which　even　I；　poor　sceptic　and　outcast；　could

recognise　and　appreciate。　　After　all；　he　didn't　get　it　from　the

Articles；　but　from　his　own　human　heart；　which；　he　told　us；　was

deceitful　and　desperately　wicked。



‘Confound　it；　how　stupid　we　all　are！　　Episcopalians；　Presbyterians；

Unitarians；　Agnostics；　the　whole　lot　of　us。　　We　all　believe　the　same

things；　to　a　great　extent；　but　we　must　keep　wrangling　about　the　data

from　which　we　infer　these　beliefs　。　。　。　I　believe　a　great　deal　that

he　does；　but　I　certainly　don't　act　up　to　my　belief　as　he　does　to

his。'





The　belief　‘up　to'　which　Murray　lived　was；　if　it　may　be　judged　by

its　fruits；　that　of　a　Christian　man。　　But；　in　this　age；　we　do　find

the　most　exemplary　Christian　conduct　in　some　who　have　discarded

dogma　and　resigned　hope。　　Probably　Murray　would　not　the　less　have

regarded　these　persons　as　Christians。　　If　we　must　make　a　choice；　it

is　better　to　have　love　and　charity　without　belief；　than　belief　of

the　most　intense　kind；　accompanied　by　such　love　and　charity　as　John

Knox　bore　to　all　who　differed　from　him　about　a　mass　or　a　chasuble；　a

priest　or　a　presbyter。　　This　letter；　illustrative　of　the　effect　of

cathedral　services　on　a　young　Unitarian；　is　taken　out　of　its　proper

chronological　place。



From　Canterbury　Mr。　Murray　went　to　Ilminster　in　Somerset。　　Here

Robert　attended　the　Grammar　School；　in　1879　he　went　to　the　Grammar

School　of　Crewkerne。　　In　1881　he　entered　at　the　University　of　St。

Andrews；　with　a　scholarship　won　as　an　external　student　of　Manchester

New　College。　　This　he　resigned　not　long　after；　as　he　had　abandoned

the　idea　of　becoming　a　Unitarian　minister。



No　longer　a　schoolboy；　he　was　now　a　Bejant　（bec　jaune？）；　to　use　the

old　Scotch　term　for　‘freshman。'　　He　liked　the　picturesque　word；　and

opposed　the　introduction　of　‘freshman。'　　Indeed　he　liked　all　things

old；　and；　as　a　senior　man；　was　a　supporter　of　ancient　customs　and　of

esprit　de　corps　in　college。　　He　fell　in　love　for　life　with　that　old

and　grey　enchantress；　the　city　of　St。　Margaret；　of　Cardinal　Beaton；

of　Knox　and　Andrew　Melville；　of　Archbishop　Sharp；　and　Samuel

Rutherford。　　The　nature　of　life　and　education　in　a　Scottish

university　is　now；　probably；　better　understood　in　England　than　it

used　to　be。　　Of　the　Scottish　universities；　St。　Andrews　varies　least；

though　it　varies　much；　from　Oxford　and　Cambridge。　　Unlike　the

others；　Aberdeen；　Glasgow；　and　Edinburgh；　the　United　College　of　St。

Leonard　and　St。　Salvator　is　not　lost　in　a　large　town。　　The　College

and　the　Divinity　Hall　of　St。　Mary's　are　a　survival　from　the　Middle

Ages。　　The　University　itself　arose　from　a　voluntary　association　of

the　learned　in　1410。　　Privileges　were　conferred　on　this　association

by　Bishop　Wardlaw　in　1411。　　It　was　intended　as　a　bulwark　against

Lollard　ideas。　　In　1413　the　Antipope　Benedict　XIII。；　to　whom

Scotland　then　adhered；　granted　six　bulls　of　confirmation　to　the　new