letters on literature(关于文学)-第16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！
of Adonis which Ptolemy's sister gave in Alexandria； or as in Eisen's
vignettes for Dorat's Baisers：
〃Ask me no more whither do stray The golden atoms of the day； For
in pure love did Heaven prepare These powders to enrich your hair。〃
It would be affectation； Gifted； if you rhymed in that fashion for the
lady of your love； and presented her； as it were； with cosmical cosmetics；
and compliments drawn from the starry spaces and deserts； from skies；
phoenixes； and angels。 But it was a natural and pretty way of writing
when Thomas Carew was young。 I prefer Herrick the inexhaustible in
dainties； Herrick； that parson…pagan； with the soul of a Greek of the
Anthology； and a cure of souls （Heaven help them！） in Devonshire。 His
Julia is the least mortal of these 〃daughters of dreams and of stories；〃
whom poets celebrate； she has a certain opulence of flesh and blood； a
cheek like a damask rose； and 〃rich eyes；〃 like Keats's lady； no vaporous
Beatrice； she； but a handsome English wench； with
〃A cuff neglectful and thereby Ribbons to flow confusedly； A
winning wave； deserving note In the tempestuous petticoat。〃
Then Suckling strikes up a reckless military air； a warrior he is who
has seen many a siege of heartshearts that capitulated； or held out like
Troy…town； and the impatient assailant whistles：
〃Quit； quit； for shame： this will not move； This cannot take her。 If
of herself she will not love； Nothing can make her … The devil take her。〃
68
… Page 69…
Letters on Literature
So he rides away； curling his moustache； hiding his defeat in a big
inimitable swagger。 It is a pleasanter piece in which Suckling； after a
long leaguer of a lady's heart； finds that Captain honour is governor of the
place； and surrender hopeless。 So he departs with a salute：
〃March； march （quoth I）； the word straight give； Let's lose no time
but leave her： That giant upon air will live； And hold it out for ever。〃
Lovelace is even a better type in his rare good things of the military
amorist and poet。 What apology of Lauzun's； or Bussy Rabutin's for
faithlessness could equal this？ …
〃Why dost thou say I am forsworn； Since thine I vowed to be？ Lady；
it is already morn； It was last night I swore to thee That fond
impossibility。〃
Has 〃In Memoriam〃 nobler numbers than the poem； from exile； to
Lucasta？ …
〃Our Faith and troth All time and space controls； Above the highest
sphere we meet； Unseen； unknown； and greet as angels greet。〃
How comes it that in the fierce fighting days the soldiers were so
tuneful； and such scholars？ In the first edition of Lovelace's 〃Lucasta〃
there is a flock of recommendatory verses； English； Latin； even Greek； by
the gallant Colonel's mess…mates and comrades。 What guardsman now
writes like Lovelace； and how many of his friends could applaud him in
Greek？ You； my Gifted； are happily of a pacific disposition； and tune a
gentle lyre。 Is it not lucky for swains like you that the soldiers have quite
forsworn sonneting？ When a man was a rake； a poet； a warrior； all in one；
what chance had a peaceful minor poet like you or me； Gifted； against his
charms？ Sedley； when sober； must have been an invincible rival
invincible； above all； when he pretended constancy：
〃Why then should I seek further store； And still make love anew？
When change itself can give no more 'Tis easy to be true。〃
How infinitely more delightful； musical； and captivating are those
Cavalier singerstheir numbers flowing fair； like their scented lovelocks
than the prudish society poets of Pope's day。 〃The Rape of the Lock〃 is
very witty； but through it all don't you mark the sneer of the contemptuous；
unmanly little wit； the crooked dandy？ He jibes among his compliments；
69
… Page 70…
Letters on Literature
and I do not wonder that Mistress Arabella Fermor was not conciliated by
his long…drawn cleverness and polished lines。 I prefer Sackville's verses
〃written at sea the night before an engagement〃：
〃To all you ladies now on land We men at sea indite。〃
They are all alike； the wits of Queen Anne； and even Matt Prior；
when he writes of ladies occasionally； writes down to them； or at least
glances up very saucily from his position on his knees。 But Prior is the
best of them； and the most candid：
〃I court others in versebut I love thee in prose； And they have my
whimsies； but thou hast my heart。〃
Yes； Prior is probably the greatest of all who dally with the light lyre
which thrills to the wings of fleeting Lovesthe greatest English writer of
vers de societe； the most gay； frank； good… humoured； tuneful and
engaging。
Landor is great； too； but in another kind； the bees that hummed over
Plato's cradle have left their honey on his lips； none but Landor； or a Greek；
could have written this on Catullus：
〃Tell me not what too well I know About the Bard of Sirmio … Yes； in
Thalia's son Such stains there are as when a Grace Sprinkles another's
laughing face With nectar； and runs on！〃
That is poetry deserving of a place among the rarest things in the
Anthology。 It is a sorrow to me that I cannot quite place Praed with Prior
in my affections。 With all his gaiety and wit； he wearies one at last with
that clever； punning antithesis。 I don't want to know how
〃Captain Hazard wins a bet； Or Beaulieu spoils a curry〃 …
and I prefer his sombre 〃Red Fisherman；〃 the idea of which is
borrowed； wittingly or unwittingly； from Lucian。
Thackeray； too careless in his measures； yet comes nearer Prior in
breadth of humour and in unaffected tenderness。 Who can equal that
song； 〃Once you come to Forty Year；〃 or the lines on the Venice Love…
lamp； or the 〃Cane…bottomed Chair〃？ Of living English writers of verse
in the 〃familiar style；〃 as Cowper has it； I prefer Mr。 Locker when he is
tender and not untouched with melancholy； as in 〃The Portrait of a Lady；〃
and Mr。 Austin Dobson； when he is not flirting； but in earnest； as in the
70
… Page 71…
Letters on Literature
〃Song of Four Seasons〃 and 〃The Dead Letter。〃 He has ingenuity； pathos；
mastery of his art； and； though the least pedantic of poets； is 〃conveniently
learned。〃
Of contemporary Americans； if I may be frank； I prefer the verse of Mr。
Bret Harte； verse with so many tunes and turns； as comic as the 〃Heathen
Chinee；〃 as tender as the lay of the ship with its crew of children that
slipped its moorings in the fog。 To me it seems that Mr。 Bret Harte's
poems have never （at least in this country） been sufficiently esteemed。
Mr。 Lowell has written （〃The Biglow Papers〃 apart） but little in this vein。
Mr。 Wendell Holmes； your delightful godfather； Gifted； has written much
with perhaps some loss from the very quantity。 A little of vers de societe；
my dear Gifted； goes a long way； as you will think； if ever you sit down
steadily to read right through any collection of poems in this manner。 So
do not add too rapidly to your own store； let them be 〃few； but roses〃 all of
them。
71
… Page 72…
Letters on Literature
RICHARDSON
By Mrs。 Andrew Lang。
＇This letter is excluded from this version of the eText until the
copyright status of Mrs。 Andrew Lang's work in the UK can be
ascertained。＇
72
… Page 73…
Letters on Literature
GERARD DE NERVAL
To Miss Girton； Cambridge。
Dear Miss Girton；Yes； I fancy Gerard de Nerval is one of that rather
select party of French writers whom Mrs。 Girton will allow you to read。
But even if you read him； I do not think you will care very much for him。
He is a man's author； not a woman's； and yet one can hardly say why。 It
is not that he offends 〃the delicacy of your sex；〃 as Tom Jones calls it； I
think it is that his sentiment； whereof he is full； is not of the kind you like。
Let it be admitted that； when his characters make love； they might do it 〃in
a more human sort of way。〃
In this respect； and in some others； Gerard de Nerval resembles Edgar
Poe。 Not that his heroes are always attached to a belle morte in some
distant Aiden； not that they have been for long in the family sepulchre； not
that their attire is a vastly becoming shroud… …no； Aurelie and Sylvie； in
Les Filles de Feu； are nice and natural girls； but their lover is not in love
with them 〃in a human sort of way。〃 He is in love with some vaporous
ideal； of which they faintly remind him。 He is； as it were； the eternal
passer…by； he is a wanderer from his birth； he sees the old chateau； or the
farmer's cottage； or even the bright theatre； or the desert tent； he sees the
daughters of men that they are fair and dear； in moonlight； in sunlight； in
the glare of the footlights； and he looks； and longs； and sighs； and wanders
on his fatal path。 Nothing can make him pause； and at last his urgent
spirit leads him over the limit of this earth； and far from the human shores；
his delirious fancy haunts graveyards； or the fabled harbours of happy
stars； and he who rested never； rests in the grave； forgetting his dreams or
finding them true。
All this is too vague for you； I do not doub
