zanoni-第1章

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Zanoni



by　Edward　Bulwer　Lytton













DEDICATORY　EPISTLE

First　prefixed　to　the　Edition　of　1845





TO



JOHN　GIBSON；　R。A。；　SCULPTOR。



In　looking　round　the　wide　and　luminous　circle　of　our　great　living

Englishmen；　to　select　one　to　whom　I　might　fitly　dedicate　this

work；one　who；　in　his　life　as　in　his　genius；　might　illustrate

the　principle　I　have　sought　to　convey；　elevated　by　the　ideal

which　he　exalts；　and　serenely　dwelling　in　a　glorious　existence

with　the　images　born　of　his　imagination；in　looking　round　for

some　such　man；　my　thoughts　rested　upon　you。　　Afar　from　our

turbulent　cabals；　from　the　ignoble　jealousy　and　the　sordid　strife

which　degrade　and　acerbate　the　ambition　of　Genius；in　your　Roman

Home；　you　have　lived　amidst　all　that　is　loveliest　and　least

perishable　in　the　past；　and　contributed　with　the　noblest　aims；

and　in　the　purest　spirit；　to　the　mighty　heirlooms　of　the　future。

Your　youth　has　been　devoted　to　toil；　that　your　manhood　may　be

consecrated　to　fame：　　a　fame　unsullied　by　one　desire　of　gold。

You　have　escaped　the　two　worst　perils　that　beset　the　artist　in

our　time　and　land；the　debasing　tendencies　of　commerce；　and　the

angry　rivalries　of　competition。　　You　have　not　wrought　your　marble

for　the　market；you　have　not　been　tempted；　by　the　praises　which

our　vicious　criticism　has　showered　upon　exaggeration　and

distortion；　to　lower　your　taste　to　the　level　of　the　hour；　you

have　lived；　and　you　have　laboured；　as　if　you　had　no　rivals　but　in

the　dead；no　purchasers；　save　in　judges　of　what　is　best。　　In　the

divine　priesthood　of　the　beautiful；　you　have　sought　only　to

increase　her　worshippers　and　enrich　her　temples。　　The　pupil　of

Canova；　you　have　inherited　his　excellences；　while　you　have

shunned　his　errors；yours　his　delicacy；　not　his　affectation。

Your　heart　resembles　him　even　more　than　your　genius：　　you　have

the　same　noble　enthusiasm　for　your　sublime　profession；　the　same

lofty　freedom　from　envy；　and　the　spirit　that　depreciates；　the

same　generous　desire　not　to　war　with　but　to　serve　artists　in　your

art；　aiding；　strengthening；　advising；　elevating　the　timidity　of

inexperience；　and　the　vague　aspirations　of　youth。　　By　the

intuition　of　a　kindred　mind；　you　have　equalled　the　learning　of

Winckelman；　and　the　plastic　poetry　of　Goethe；　in　the　intimate

comprehension　of　the　antique。　　Each　work　of　yours；　rightly

studied；　is　in　itself　a　CRITICISM；　illustrating　the　sublime

secrets　of　the　Grecian　Art；　which；　without　the　servility　of

plagiarism；　you　have　contributed　to　revive　amongst　us；　in　you　we

behold　its　three　great　and　long…undetected　principles；

simplicity；　calm；　and　concentration。



But　your　admiration　of　the　Greeks　has　not　led　you　to　the　bigotry

of　the　mere　antiquarian；　nor　made　you　less　sensible　of　the

unappreciated　excellence　of　the　mighty　modern；　worthy　to　be　your

countryman；though　till　his　statue　is　in　the　streets　of　our

capital；　we　show　ourselves　not　worthy　of　the　glory　he　has　shed

upon　our　land。　　You　have　not　suffered　even　your　gratitude　to

Canova　to　blind　you　to　the　superiority　of　Flaxman。　　When　we

become　sensible　of　our　title…deeds　to　renown　in　that　single　name；

we　may　look　for　an　English　public　capable　of　real　patronage　to

English　Art；and　not　till　then。



I；　artist　in　words；　dedicate；　then；　to　you；　artist　whose　ideas

speak　in　marble；　this　well…loved　work　of　my　matured　manhood。　　I

love　it　not　the　less　because　it　has　been　little　understood　and

superficially　judged　by　the　common　herd：　　it　was　not　meant　for

them。　　I　love　it　not　the　more　because　it　has　found　enthusiastic

favorers　amongst　the　Few。　　My　affection　for　my　work　is　rooted　in

the　solemn　and　pure　delight　which　it　gave　me　to　conceive　and　to

perform。　　If　I　had　graven　it　on　the　rocks　of　a　desert；　this

apparition　of　my　own　innermost　mind；　in　its　least…clouded

moments；　would　have　been　to　me　as　dear；　and　this　ought；　I

believe；　to　be　the　sentiment　with　which　he　whose　Art　is　born　of

faith　in　the　truth　and　beauty　of　the　principles　he　seeks　to

illustrate；　should　regard　his　work。　　Your　serener　existence；

uniform　and　holy；　my　lot　denies；if　my　heart　covets。　　But　our

true　nature　is　in　our　thoughts；　not　our　deeds：　　and　therefore；　in

bookswhich　ARE　his　thoughtsthe　author's　character　lies　bare

to　the　discerning　eye。　　It　is　not　in　the　life　of　cities；in　the

turmoil　and　the　crowd；　it　is　in　the　still；　the　lonely；　and　more

sacred　life；　which　for　some　hours；　under　every　sun；　the　student

lives　（his　stolen　retreat　from　the　Agora　to　the　Cave）；　that　I

feel　there　is　between　us　the　bond　of　that　secret　sympathy；　that

magnetic　chain；　which　unites　the　everlasting　brotherhood　of　whose

being　Zanoni　is　the　type。



E。B。L。

London；　May；　1845。





INTRODUCTION。



One　of　the　peculiarities　of　Bulwer　was　his　passion　for　occult

studies。　　They　had　a　charm　for　him　early　in　life；　and　he　pursued

them　with　the　earnestness　which　characterised　his　pursuit　of

other　studies。　　He　became　absorbed　in　wizard　lore；　he　equipped

himself　with　magical　implements；with　rods　for　transmitting

influence；　and　crystal　balls　in　which　to　discern　coming　scenes

and　persons；　and　communed　with　spiritualists　and　mediums。　　The

fruit　of　these　mystic　studies　is　seen　in　〃Zanoni〃　and　〃A　strange

Story；〃　romances　which　were　a　labour　of　love　to　the　author；　and

into　which　he　threw　all　the　power　he　possessed；power　re…

enforced　by　multifarious　reading　and　an　instinctive　appreciation

of　Oriental　thought。　　These　weird　stories；　in　which　the　author

has　formulated　his　theory　of　magic；　are　of　a　wholly　different

type　from　his　previous　fictions；　and；　in　place　of　the　heroes　and

villains　of　every　day　life；　we　have　beings　that　belong　in　part　to

another　sphere；　and　that　deal　with　mysterious　and　occult

agencies。　　Once　more　the　old　forgotten　lore　of　the　Cabala　is

unfolded；　the　furnace　of　the　alchemist；　whose　fires　have　been

extinct　for　centuries；　is　lighted　anew；　and　the　lamp　of　the

Rosicrucian　re…illumined。　　No　other　works　of　the　author；

contradictory　as　have　been　the　opinions　of　them；　have　provoked

such　a　diversity　of　criticism　as　these。　　To　some　persons　they

represent　a　temporary　aberration　of　genius　rather　than　any

serious　thought　or　definite　purpose；　while　others　regard　them　as

surpassing　in　bold　and　original　speculation；　profound　analysis　of

character；　and　thrilling　interest；　all　of　the　author's　other

works。　　The　truth；　we　believe；　lies　midway　between　these

extremes。　　It　is　questionable　whether　the　introduction　into　a

novel　of　such　subjects　as　are　discussed　in　these　romances　be　not

an　offence　against　good　sense　and　good　taste；　but　it　is　as

unreasonable　to　deny　the　vigour　and　originality　of　their　author's

conceptions；　as　to　deny　that　the　execution　is　imperfect；　and；　at

times；　bungling　and　absurd。



It　has　been　justly　said　that　the　present　half　century　has

witnessed　the　rise　and　triumphs　of　science；　the　extent　and

marvels　of　which　even　Bacon's　fancy　never　conceived；

simultaneously　with　superstitions　grosser　than　any　which　Bacon's

age　believed。　　〃The　one　is；　in　fact；　the　natural　reaction　from

the　other。　　The　more　science　seeks　to　exclude　the　miraculous；　and

reduce　all　nature；　animate　and　inanimate；　to　an　invariable　law　of

sequences；　the　more　does　the　natural　instinct　of　man　rebel；　and

seek　an　outlet　for　those　obstinate　questionings；　those　'blank

misgivings　of　a　creature　moving　about　in　worlds　not　realised；'

taking　refuge　in　delusions　as　degrading　as　any　of　the　so…called

Dark　Ages。〃　　It　was　the　revolt　from　the　chilling　materialism　of

the　age　which　inspired　the　mystic　creations　of　〃Zanoni〃　and　〃A

Strange　Story。〃　　Of　these　works；　which　support　and　supplement

each　other；　one　is　the　contemplation　of　our　actual　life　through　a

spiritual　medium；　the　other　is　designed　to　show　that；　without

some　gleams　of　the　supernatural；　man　is　not　man；　nor　nature

nature。



In　〃Zanoni〃　the　author　introduces　us　to　two　human　beings　who　have

achieved　immortality：　　one；　Mejnour；　void　of　all　passion　or

feeling；　calm；　benignant；　bloodless；　an　intellect　rather　than　a

man；　the　other；　Zanoni；　the　pupil　of　Mejnour；　the　representative

of　an　ideal　life　in　its　utmost　perfection；　possessing　eternal

youth；　absolute　power；　and　absolute　knowledge；　and　withal　the

fullest　capacity　to　enjoy　and　to　love；　and；　as　a　necessity　of

that　love；　to　sorrow　and　despair。　　By　his　love　for　Viola　Zanoni

is　compelled　to　descend　from　his　exalted　state；　to　lose　his

eternal　calm；　and　to　share　in　the　cares　and　anxieties　of

humanity；　and　this　degradation　is　completed　by　the　birth　of　a

child。　　Finally；　he　gives　up　the　life　which　hangs　on　that　of

another；　in　order　to　save　that　other；　the　loving　and　beloved

wife；　who　has　delivered　him　from　his　solitude　and　isolation。

Wife　and　child　are　mortal；　and　to　outlive　them　and　his　love　for

them　is　impossible。　　But　Mejnour；　who　is　the　impersonation　of

thought；pure　intellect　without　affection；lives　on。



Bulwer　has　himself　justly　characterised　this　work；　in　the

Introduction；　as　a　romance　and　not　a　romance；　as　a　truth　for

those　who　can　comprehend　it；　and　an　extravagance　for　those　who

cannot。　　The　most　careless　or　matter…of…fact　reader　must　see　that

the　work；　like　the　enigmatical　〃Faust；〃　deals　in　types　and

symbols；　that　the　writer　intends　to　suggest　to　the　mind　something

more　subtle　and　impalpable　than　that　which　is　embodied　to　the

senses。　　What　that　something　is；　hardly　two　persons　will　agree。

The　most　obvious　interpretation　of　the　types　is；　that　in　Zanoni

the　author　depicts　to　us　humanity；　perfected；　sublimed；　which

lives　not　for　self；　but　for　others；　in　Mejnour；　as　we　have　before

said；　cold；　passionless；　self…sufficing　intellect；　in　Glyndon；

the　young　Englishman；　the　mingled　strength　and　weakness　of　human

nature；　in　the　heartless；　selfish　artist；　Nicot；　icy；　soulless

atheism；　believing　nothing；　hoping　nothing；　trusting　and　loving

nothing；　and　in　the　beautiful；　artless　Viola；　an　exquisite

creation；　pure　womanhood；　loving；　trusting　and　truthful。　　As　a

work　of　art　the　romance　is　one　of　great　power。　　It　is　original　in

its　conception；　and　pervaded　by　one　central　idea；　but　it　would

have　been　improved；　we　think；　by　a　more　sparing　use　of　the

supernatural。　　The　inevitable　effect　of　so　much　hackneyed

diablerieof　such　an　accumulation　of　wonder　upon　wonderis　to

deaden　the　impression　they　would　naturally　make　upon　us。　　In

Hawthorne's　tales　we　see　with　what　ease　a　great　imaginative

artist　can　produce　a　deeper　thrill　by　a　far　slighter　use　of　the

weird　and　the　mysterious。



The　chief　interest　of　the　story　for　the　ordinary　reader　centres；

not　in　its　ghostly　characters　and　improbable　machinery；　the

scenes　in　Mejnour's　chamber　in　the　ruined　castle　among　the

Apennines；　the　colossal　and　appalling　apparitions　on　Vesuvius；

the　hideous　phantom　with　its　burning　eye　that　haunted　Glyndon；

but　in　the　loves　of　Viola　and　the　mysterious　Zanoni；　the　blissful

and　the　fearful　scene