from this world to the next-第6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！



with　the　two　last。　　Every　single　lot　contained　two　more　articles；

which　were　generally　disposed　so　as　to　render　the　lots　as　equal

as　possible　to　each　other；　on　one　was　written；　EARL；　RICHES；

HEALTH；　DISQUIETUDE；　on　another；　COBLER；　SICKNESS；　GOOD…HUMOR；　on

a　third；　POET；　CONTEMPT；　SELF…SATISFACTION；　on　a　fourth；　GENERAL；

HONOR；　DISCONTENT；　on　a　fifth；　COTTAGE；　HAPPY　LOVE；　on　a　sixth；

COACH　AND　SIX；　IMPOTENT　JEALOUS　HUSBAND；　on　a　seventh；　PRIME

MINISTER；　DISGRACE；　on　an　eighth；　PATRIOT；　GLORY；　on　a　ninth；

PHILOSOPHER；　POVERTY；　EASE；　on　a　tenth；　MERCHANT；　RICHES；　CARE。　

And　indeed　the　whole　seemed　to　contain　such　a　mixture　of　good　and

evil；　that　it　would　have　puzzled　me　which　to　choose。　　I　must　not

omit　here　that　in　every　lot　was　directed　whether　the　drawer

should　marry　or　remain　in　celibacy；　the　married　lots　being　all

marked　with　a　large　pair　of　horns。　　We　were　obliged；　before　we

quitted　this　place；　to　take　each　of　us　an　emetic　from　the

apothecary；　which　immediately　purged　us　of　all　our　earthly

passions；　and　presently　the　cloud　forsook　our　eyes；　as　it　doth

those　of　Aeneas　in　Virgil；　when　removed　by　Venus；　and　we

discerned　things　in　a　much　clearer　light　than　before。　　We　began

to　compassionate　those　spirits　who　were　making　their　entry　into

the　flesh；　whom　we　had　till　then　secretly　envied；　and　to　long

eagerly　for　those　delightful　plains　which　now　opened　themselves

to　our　eyes；　and　to　which　we　now　hastened　with　the　utmost

eagerness。　　On　our　way　we　met　with　several　spirits　with　very

dejected　countenances；　but　our　expedition　would　not　suffer　us　to

ask　any　questions。　　At　length　we　arrived　at　the　gate　of　Elysium。　

Here　was　a　prodigious　crowd　of　spirits　waiting　for　admittance；

some　of　whom　were　admitted；　and　some　were　rejected；　for　all　were

strictly　examined　by　the　porter；　whom　I　soon　discovered　to　be　the

celebrated　judge　Minos。





CHAPTER　VII



The　proceedings　of　judge　Minos　at　the　gate　of　Elysium。



I　now　got　near　enough　to　the　gate　to　hear　the　several　claims　of

those　who　endeavored　to　pass。　　The　first　among　other　pretensions；

set　forth　that　he　had　been　very　liberal　to　an　hospital；　but　Minos

answered；　〃Ostentation；〃　and　repulsed　him。　　The　second　exhibited

that　he　had　constantly　frequented　his　church；　been　a　rigid

observer　of　fast…days：　　he　likewise　represented　the　great

animosity　he　had　shown　to　vice　in　others；　which　never　escaped　his

severest　censure；　and　as　to　his　own　behavior；　he　had　never　been

once　guilty　of　whoring；　drinking；　gluttony；　or　any　other　excess。　

He　said　he　had　disinherited　his　son　for　getting　a　bastard。　　〃Have

you　so？〃　said　Minos；　〃then　pray　return　into　the　other　world　and

beget　another；　for　such　an　unnatural　rascal　shall　never　pass　this

gate。〃　　A　dozen　others；　who　had　advanced　with　very　confident

countenances；　seeing　him　rejected；　turned　about　of　their　own

accord；　declaring；　if　he　could　not　pass；　they　had　no　expectation；

and　accordingly　they　followed　him　back　to　earth；　which　was　the

fate　of　all　who　were　repulsed；　they　being　obliged　to　take　a

further　purification；　unless　those　who　were　guilty　of　some　very

heinous　crimes；　who　were　hustled　in　at　a　little　back　gate；　whence

they　tumbled　immediately　into　the　bottomless　pit。



The　next　spirit　that　came　up　declared　he　had　done　neither　good

nor　evil　in　the　world；　for　that　since　his　arrival　at　man's　estate

he　had　spent　his　whole　time　in　search　of　curiosities；　and

particularly　in　the　study　of　butterflies；　of　which　he　had

collected　an　immense　number。　　Minos　made　him　no　answer；　but　with

great　scorn　pushed　him　back。　　There　now　advanced　a　very　beautiful

spirit　indeed。　　She　began　to　ogle　Minos　the　moment　she　saw　him。　

She　said　she　hoped　there　was　some　merit　in　refusing　a　great

number　of　lovers；　and　dying　a　maid；　though　she　had　had　the　choice

of　a　hundred。　　Minos　told　her　she　had　not　refused　enow　yet；　and

turned　her　back。



She　was　succeeded　by　a　spirit　who　told　the　judge　he　believed　his

works　would　speak　for　him。　　〃What　works？〃　answered　Minos。　　〃My

dramatic　works；〃　replied　the　other；　〃which　have　done　so　much　good

in　recommending　virtue　and　punishing　vice。〃　　〃Very　well；〃　said

the　judge；　〃if　you　please　to　stand　by；　the　first　person　who

passes　the　gate　by　your　means　shall　carry　you　in　with　him；　but；

if　you　will　take　my　advice；　I　think；　for　expedition　sake；　you　had

better　return；　and　live　another　life　upon　earth。〃　　The　bard

grumbled　at　this；　and　replied　that；　besides　his　poetical　works；

he　had　done　some　other　good　things：　　for　that　he　had　once　lent

the　whole　profits　of　a　benefit…night　to　a　friend；　and　by　that

means　had　saved　him　and　his　family　from　destruction。　　Upon　this

the　gate　flew　open；　and　Minos　desired　him　to　walk　in；　telling

him；　if　he　had　mentioned　this　at　first；　he　might　have　spared　the

remembrance　of　his　plays。　　The　poet　answered；　he　believed；　if

Minos　had　read　his　works；　he　would　set　a　higher　value　on　them。　

He　was　then　beginning　to　repeat；　but　Minos　pushed　him　forward；

and；　turning　his　back　to　him；　applied　himself　to　the　next

passenger；　a　very　genteel　spirit；　who　made　a　very　low　bow　to

Minos；　and　then　threw　himself　into　an　erect　attitude；　and

imitated　the　motion　of　taking　snuff　with　his　right　hand。　　Minos

asked　him　what　he　had　to　say　for　himself。　　He　answered；　he　would

dance　a　minuet　with　any　spirit　in　Elysium：　　that　he　could

likewise　perform　all　his　other　exercises　very　well；　and　hoped　he

had　in　his　life　deserved　the　character　of　a　perfect　fine

gentleman。　　Minos　replied　it　would　be　great　pity　to　rob　the　world

of　so　fine　a　gentleman；　and　therefore　desired　him　to　take　the

other　trip。　　The　beau　bowed；　thanked　the　judge；　and　said　he

desired　no　better。



Several　spirits　expressed　much　astonishment　at　this　his

satisfaction；　but　we　were　afterwards　informed　he　had　not　taken

the　emetic　above　mentioned。



A　miserable　old　spirit　now　crawled　forwards；　whose　face　I　thought

I　had　formerly　seen　near　Westminster　Abbey。　　He　entertained　Minos

with　a　long　harangue　of　what　he　had　done　when　in　the　HOUSE；　and

then　proceeded　to　inform　him　how　much　he　was　worth；　without

attempting　to　produce　a　single　instance　of　any　one　good　action。　

Minos　stopped　the　career　of　his　discourse；　and　acquainted　him　he

must　take　a　trip　back　again。



〃What！　to　S　house？〃　said　the　spirit　in　an　ecstasy；　but　the

judge；　without　making　him　any　answer；　turned　to　another；　who　with

a　very　solemn　air　and　great　dignity；　acquainted　him　he　was　a

duke。　　〃To　the　right…about；　Mr。　Duke；〃　cried　Minos；　〃you　are

infinitely　too　great　a　man　for　Elysium；〃　and　then；　giving　him　a

kick　on　the　bch；　he　addressed　himself　to　a　spirit　who；　with

fear　and　trembling；　begged　he　might　not　go　to　the　bottomless　pit：

he　said　he　hoped　Minos　would　consider　that；　though　he　had　gone

astray；　he　had　suffered　for　itthat　it　was　necessity　which　drove

him　to　the　robbery　of　eighteenpence；　which　he　had　committed；　and

for　which　he　was　hangedthat　he　had　done　some　good　actions　in

his　lifethat　he　had　supported　an　aged　parent　with　his　labor

that　he　had　been　a　very　tender　husband　and　a　kind　fatherand

that　he　had　ruined　himself　by　being　bail　for　his　friend。　　At

which　words　the　gate　opened；　and　Minos　bade　him　enter；　giving　him

a　slap　on　the　back　as　he　passed　by　him。　　A　great　number　of

spirits　now　came　forwards；　who　all　declared　they　had　the　same

claim；　and　that　the　captain　should　speak　for　them。　　He　acquainted

the　judge　that　they　had　been　all　slain　in　the　service　of　their

country。　　Minos　was　going　to　admit　them；　but　had　the　curiosity　to

ask　who　had　been　the　invader；　in　order；　as　he　said；　to　prepare

the　back　gate　for　him。　　The　captain　answered　they　had　been　the

invaders　themselvesthat　they　had　entered　the　enemy's　country；

and　burned　and　plundered　several　cities。　　〃And　for　what　reason？〃

said　Minos。　　〃By　the　command　of　him　who　paid　us；〃　said　the

captain；　〃that　is　the　reason　of　a　soldier。　　We　are　to　execute

whatever　we　are　commanded；　or　we　should　be　a　disgrace　to　the

army；　and　very　little　deserve　our　pay。〃　　〃You　are　brave　fellows

indeed；〃　said　Minos；　〃but　be　pleased　to　face　about；　and　obey　my

command　for　once；　in　returning　back　to　the　other　world：　　for　what

should　such　fellows　as　you　do　where　there　are　no　cities　to　be

burned；　nor　people　to　be　destroyed？　But　let　me　advise　you　to　have

a　stricter　regard　to　truth　for　the　future；　and　not　call　the

depopulating　other　countries　the　service　of　your　own。〃　　The

captain　answered；　in　a　rage；　〃Dn　me！　do　you　give　me　the　lie？〃

and　was　going　to　take　Minos　by　the　nose　had　not　his　guards

prevented　him；　and　immediately　turned　him　and　all　his　followers

back　the　same　road　they　came。



Four　spirits　informed　the　judge　that　they　had　been　starved　to

death　through　povertybeing　the　father；　mother；　and　two

children；　that　they　had　been　honest　and　as　industrious　as

possible；　till　sickness　had　prevented　the　man　from　labor。　　〃All

that　is　very　true；〃　cried　a　grave　spirit　who　stood　by。　　〃I　know

the　fact；　for　these　poor　people　were　under　my　cure。〃　　〃You　was；　I

suppose；　the　parson　of　the　parish；〃　cries　Minos；　〃I　hope　you　had

a　good　living；　sir。〃　　〃That　was　but　a　small　one；〃　replied　the

spirit；　〃but　I　had　another　a　little　better。〃〃Very　well；〃　said

Minos；　〃let　the　poor　people　pass。〃　At　which　the　parson　was

stepping　forwards　with　a　stately　gait　before　them；　but　Minos

caught　hold　of　him　and　pulled　him　back；　saying；　〃Not　so　fast；

doctoryou　must　take　one　step　more　into　the　other　world　first；

for　no　man　enters　that　gate　without　charity。〃　　A　very　stately

figure　now　presented　himself；　and；　informing　Minos　he　was　a

patriot；　began　a　very　florid　harangue　on　public　virtue　and　the

liberties　of　his　country。　　Upon　which　Minos　showed　him　the　utmost

respect；　and　ordered　the　gate　to　be　opened。　　The　patriot　was　not

contented　with　this　applause；　he　said　he　had　behaved　as　well　in

place　as　he　had　done　in　the　opposition；　and　that；　though　he　was

now　obliged　to　embrace　the　court　measures；　yet　he　had　behaved

very　honestly　to　his　friends；　and　brought　as　many　in　as　was

possible。　　〃Hold　a　moment；〃　says　Minos：　　〃on　second

consideration；　Mr。　Patriot；　I　think　a　man　of　your　great　virtue

and　abilities　will　be　so　much　missed　by　your　country；　that；　if　I

might　advise　you；　you　should　take　a　journey　back　again。　　I　am

sure　you　will　not　decline　it；　for　I　am　certain　you　will；　with

great　readiness；　sacrifice　your　own　happiness　to　the　public

good。〃　　The　patriot　smiled；　and　told　Minos　he　believed　he　was　in

jest；　and　was　offering　to　enter　the　gate；　but　the　judge　laid　fast

hold　of　him　and　insisted　on　his　return；　which　the　patriot　still

declining；　he　at　last　ordered　his　guards　to　seize　him　and　conduct

him　back。



A　spirit　now　advanced；　and　the　gate　was　immediately　thrown　open

to　him　before　he　had　spoken　a　word。　　I　heard　some　whisper；　〃That

is　our　last　lord　mayor。〃



It　now　came　to　our　company's　turn。　　The　fair　spirit　which　I

mentioned　with　so　much　applause　in　the　beginning　of　my　journey