zanoni-第21章

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and　classic　vigour；　at　the　same　time　they　unquestionably　wanted

ideal　grace。　　He　was　fond　of　selecting　subjects　from　Roman

history；　rather　than　from　the　copious　world　of　Grecian　beauty；　or

those　still　more　sublime　stories　of　scriptural　record　from　which

Raphael　and　Michael　Angelo　borrowed　their　inspirations。　　His

grandeur　was　that　not　of　gods　and　saints；　but　mortals。　　His

delineation　of　beauty　was　that　which　the　eye　cannot　blame　and　the

soul　does　not　acknowledge。　　In　a　word；　as　it　was　said　of

Dionysius；　he　was　an　Anthropographos；　or　Painter　of　Men。　　It　was

also　a　notable　contradiction　in　this　person；　who　was　addicted　to

the　most　extravagant　excesses　in　every　passion；　whether　of　hate

or　love；　implacable　in　revenge；　and　insatiable　in　debauch；　that

he　was　in　the　habit　of　uttering　the　most　beautiful　sentiments　of

exalted　purity　and　genial　philanthropy。　　The　world　was　not　good

enough　for　him；　he　was；　to　use　the　expressive　German　phrase；　A

WORLD…BETTERER！　　Nevertheless；　his　sarcastic　lip　often　seemed　to

mock　the　sentiments　he　uttered；　as　if　it　sought　to　insinuate　that

he　was　above　even　the　world　he　would　construct。



Finally；　this　painter　was　in　close　correspondence　with　the

Republicans　of　Paris；　and　was　held　to　be　one　of　those

missionaries　whom；　from　the　earliest　period　of　the　Revolution；

the　regenerators　of　mankind　were　pleased　to　despatch　to　the

various　states　yet　shackled；　whether　by　actual　tyranny　or

wholesome　laws。　　Certainly；　as　the　historian　of　Italy　（Botta。）

has　observed；　there　was　no　city　in　Italy　where　these　new

doctrines　would　be　received　with　greater　favour　than　Naples；

partly　from　the　lively　temper　of　the　people；　principally　because

the　most　hateful　feudal　privileges；　however　partially　curtailed

some　years　before　by　the　great　minister；　Tanuccini；　still

presented　so　many　daily　and　practical　evils　as　to　make　change

wear　a　more　substantial　charm　than　the　mere　and　meretricious

bloom　on　the　cheek　of　the　harlot；　Novelty。　　This　man；　whom　I　will

call　Jean　Nicot；　was；　therefore；　an　oracle　among　the　younger　and

bolder　spirits　of　Naples；　and　before　Glyndon　had　met　Zanoni；　the

former　had　not　been　among　the　least　dazzled　by　the　eloquent

aspirations　of　the　hideous　philanthropist。



〃It　is　so　long　since　we　have　met；　cher　confrere；〃　said　Nicot；

drawing　his　seat　nearer　to　Glyndon's；　〃that　you　cannot　be

surprised　that　I　see　you　with　delight；　and　even　take　the　liberty

to　intrude　on　your　meditations。



〃They　were　of　no　agreeable　nature；〃　said　Glyndon；　〃and　never　was

intrusion　more　welcome。〃



〃You　will　be　charmed　to　hear；〃　said　Nicot；　drawing　several

letters　from　his　bosom；　〃that　the　good　work　proceeds　with

marvellous　rapidity。　　Mirabeau；　indeed；　is　no　more；　but；　mort

Diable！　the　French　people　are　now　a　Mirabeau　themselves。〃　　With

this　remark；　Monsieur　Nicot　proceeded　to　read　and　to　comment　upon

several　animated　and　interesting　passages　in　his　correspondence；

in　which　the　word　virtue　was　introduced　twenty…seven　times；　and

God　not　once。　　And　then；　warmed　by　the　cheering　prospects　thus

opened　to　him；　he　began　to　indulge　in　those　anticipations　of　the

future；　the　outline　of　which　we　have　already　seen　in　the　eloquent

extravagance　of　Condorcet。　　All　the　old　virtues　were　dethroned

for　a　new　Pantheon：　　patriotism　was　a　narrow　sentiment；

philanthropy　was　to　be　its　successor。　　No　love　that　did　not

embrace　all　mankind；　as　warm　for　Indus　and　the　Pole　as　for　the

hearth　of　home；　was　worthy　the　breast　of　a　generous　man。　　Opinion

was　to　be　free　as　air；　and　in　order　to　make　it　so；　it　was

necessary　to　exterminate　all　those　whose　opinions　were　not　the

same　as　Mons。　Jean　Nicot's。　　Much　of　this　amused；　much　revolted

Glyndon；　but　when　the　painter　turned　to　dwell　upon　a　science　that

all　should　comprehend；　and　the　results　of　which　all　should

enjoy；a　science　that；　springing　from　the　soil　of　equal

institutions　and　equal　mental　cultivation；　should　give　to　all　the

races　of　men　wealth　without　labour；　and　a　life　longer　than　the

Patriarchs'；　without　care；then　Glyndon　listened　with　interest

and　admiration；　not　unmixed　with　awe。　　〃Observe；〃　said　Nicot；

〃how　much　that　we　now　cherish　as　a　virtue　will　then　be　rejected

as　meanness。　　Our　oppressors；　for　instance；　preach　to　us　of　the

excellence　of　gratitude。　　Gratitude；　the　confession　of

inferiority！　　What　so　hateful　to　a　noble　spirit　as　the

humiliating　sense　of　obligation？　　But　where　there　is　equality

there　can　be　no　means　for　power　thus　to　enslave　merit。　　The

benefactor　and　the　client　will　alike　cease；　and〃



〃And　in　the　mean　time；〃　said　a　low　voice；　at　hand；〃in　the　mean

time；　Jean　Nicot？〃



The　two　artists　started；　and　Glyndon　recognised　Zanoni。



He　gazed　with　a　brow　of　unusual　sternness　on　Nicot；　who；　lumped

together　as　he　sat；　looked　up　at　him　askew；　and　with　an

expression　of　fear　and　dismay　upon　his　distorted　countenance。



Ho；　ho！　　Messire　Jean　Nicot；　thou　who　fearest　neither　God　nor

Devil；　why　fearest　thou　the　eye　of　a　man？



〃It　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　been　a　witness　to　your　opinions

on　the　infirmity　of　gratitude；〃　said　Zanoni。



Nicot　suppressed　an　exclamation；　and；　after　gloomily　surveying

Zanoni　with　an　eye　villanous　and　sinister；　but　full　of　hate

impotent　and　unutterable；　said；　〃I　know　you　not；what　would　you

of　me？〃



〃Your　absence。　　Leave　us！〃



Nicot　sprang　forward　a　step；　with　hands　clenched；　and　showing　his

teeth　from　ear　to　ear；　like　a　wild　beast　incensed。　　Zanoni　stood

motionless；　and　smiled　at　him　in　scorn。　　Nicot　halted　abruptly；

as　if　fixed　and　fascinated　by　the　look；　shivered　from　head　to

foot；　and　sullenly；　and　with　a　visible　effort；　as　if　impelled　by

a　power　not　his　own；　turned　away。



Glyndon's　eyes　followed　him　in　surprise。



〃And　what　know　you　of　this　man？〃　said　Zanoni。



〃I　know　him　as　one　like　myself；a　follower　of　art。〃



〃Of　ART！　　Do　not　so　profane　that　glorious　word。　　What　Nature　is

to　God；　art　should　be　to　man；a　sublime；　beneficent；　genial；　and

warm　creation。　　That　wretch　may　be　a　PAINTER；　not　an　ARTIST。〃



〃And　pardon　me　if　I　ask　what　YOU　know　of　one　you　thus　disparage？〃



〃I　know　thus　much；　that　you　are　beneath　my　care　if　it　be

necessary　to　warn　you　against　him；　his　own　lips　show　the

hideousness　of　his　heart。　　Why　should　I　tell　you　of　the　crimes　he

has　committed？　　He　SPEAKS　crime！〃



〃You　do　not　seem；　Signor　Zanoni；　to　be　one　of　the　admirers　of　the

dawning　Revolution。　　Perhaps　you　are　prejudiced　against　the　man

because　you　dislike　the　opinions？〃



〃What　opinions？〃



Glyndon　paused；　somewhat　puzzled　to　define；　but　at　length　he

said；　〃Nay；　I　must　wrong　you；　for　you；　of　all　men；　I　suppose；

cannot　discredit　the　doctrine　that　preaches　the　infinite

improvement　of　the　human　species。〃



〃You　are　right；　the　few　in　every　age　improve　the　many；　the　many

now　may　be　as　wise　as　the　few　were；　but　improvement　is　at　a

standstill；　if　you　tell　me　that　the　many　now　are　as　wise　as　the

few　ARE。〃



〃I　comprehend　you；　you　will　not　allow　the　law　of　universal

equality！〃



〃Law！　　If　the　whole　world　conspired　to　enforce　the　falsehood　they

could　not　make　it　LAW。　　Level　all　conditions　to…day；　and　you　only

smooth　away　all　obstacles　to　tyranny　to…morrow。　　A　nation　that

aspires　to　EQUALITY　is　unfit　for　FREEDOM。　　Throughout　all

creation；　from　the　archangel　to　the　worm；　from　Olympus　to　the

pebble；　from　the　radiant　and　completed　planet　to　the　nebula　that

hardens　through　ages　of　mist　and　slime　into　the　habitable　world；

the　first　law　of　Nature　is　inequality。〃



〃Harsh　doctrine；　if　applied　to　states。　　Are　the　cruel　disparities

of　life　never　to　be　removed？〃



〃Disparities　of　the　PHYSICAL　life？　　Oh；　let　us　hope　so。　　But

disparities　of　the　INTELLECTUAL　and　the　MORAL；　never！　　Universal

equality　of　intelligence；　of　mind；　of　genius；　of　virtue！no

teacher　left　to　the　world！　no　men　wiser；　better　than　others；

were　it　not　an　impossible　condition；　WHAT　A　HOPELESS　PROSPECT　FOR

HUMANITY！　　No；　while　the　world　lasts；　the　sun　will　gild　the

mountain…top　before　it　shines　upon　the　plain。　　Diffuse　all　the

knowledge　the　earth　contains　equally　over　all　mankind　to…day；　and

some　men　will　be　wiser　than　the　rest　to…morrow。　　And　THIS　is　not

a　harsh；　but　a　loving　law；the　REAL　law　of　improvement；　the

wiser　the　few　in　one　generation；　the　wiser　will　be　the　multitude

the　next！〃



As　Zanoni　thus　spoke；　they　moved　on　through　the　smiling　gardens；

and　the　beautiful　bay　lay　sparkling　in　the　noontide。　　A　gentle

breeze　just　cooled　the　sunbeam；　and　stirred　the　ocean；　and　in　the

inexpressible　clearness　of　the　atmosphere　there　was　something

that　rejoiced　the　senses。　　The　very　soul　seemed　to　grow　lighter

and　purer　in　that　lucid　air。



〃And　these　men；　to　commence　their　era　of　improvement　and

equality；　are　jealous　even　of　the　Creator。　　They　would　deny　an

intelligence；a　God！〃　said　Zanoni；　as　if　involuntarily。　　〃Are

you　an　artist；　and；　looking　on　the　world；　can　you　listen　to　such

a　dogma？　　Between　God　and　genius　there　is　a　necessary　link；

there　is　almost　a　correspondent　language。　　Well　said　the

Pythagorean　（Sextus；　the　Pythagorean。）；　'A　good　intellect　is　the

chorus　of　divinity。'〃



Struck　and　touched　with　these　sentiments；　which　he　little

expected　to　fall　from　one　to　whom　he　ascribed　those　powers　which

the　superstitions　of　childhood　ascribe　to　the　darker　agencies；

Glyndon　said：　　〃And　yet　you　have　confessed　that　your　life；

separated　from　that　of　others；　is　one　that　man　should　dread　to

share。　　Is　there；　then；　a　connection　between　magic　and　religion？〃



〃Magic！　　And　what　is　magic！　　When　the　traveller　beholds　in　Persia

the　ruins　of　palaces　and　temples；　the　ignorant　inhabitants　inform

him　they　were　the　work　of　magicians。　　What　is　beyond　their　own

power；　the　vulgar　cannot　comprehend　to　be　lawfully　in　the　power

of　others。　　But　if　by　magic　you　mean　a　perpetual　research　amongst

all　that　is　more　latent　and　obscure　in　Nature；　I　answer；　I

profess　that　magic；　and　that　he　who　does　so　comes　but　nearer　to

the　fountain　of　all　belief。　　Knowest　thou　not　that　magic　was

taught　in　the　schools　of　old？　　But　how；　and　by　whom？　　As　the　last

and　most　solemn　lesson；　by　the　Priests　who　ministered　to　the

Temple。　　（Psellus　de　Daemon　（MS。））　　And　you；　who　would　be　a

painter；　is　not　there　a　magic　also　in　that　art　you　would　advance？

Must　you　not；　after　long　study　of　the　Beautiful　that　has　been；

seize　upon　new　and　airy　combinations　of　a　beauty　that　is　to　be？

See　you　not　that　the　grander　art；　whether　of　poet　or　of　painter；

ever　seeking　for　the　TRUE；　abhors　the　REAL；　that　you　must　seize

Nature　as　her　master；　not　lackey　her　as　her　slave？



You　demand　mastery　over　the　past；　a　conception　of　the　future。

Has　not　the　art　that　is　truly　noble　for　its　domain　the　future　and

the　past？　　You　would　conjure　the　invisible　beings　to　your　charm；

and　what　is　painting　but　the　fixing　into　substance　the　Invisible？

Are　you　discontented　with　this　world？