letters on literature(关于文学)-第10节
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and less obvious in the 〃Georgics；〃 when the poet is carried away into
naturalness by the passion for his native land； by the longing for peace
after cruel wars； by the joy of a country life。 Virgil had that love of rivers
which； I think； a poet is rarely without； and it did not need Greece to teach
him to sing of the fields：
Propter aquam； tardis ingens ubi flexibus Mincius et tenera praetexit
arundine ripas。
〃By the water…side； where mighty Mincius wanders； with links and
loops； and fringes all the banks with the tender reed。〃 Not the Muses of
Greece； but his own Casmenae； song…maidens of Italy； have inspired him
here； and his music is blown through a reed of the Mincius。 In many
such places he shows a temper with which we of England； in our late age；
may closely sympathize。
Do you remember that mediaeval story of the building of Parthenope；
how it was based； by the Magician Virgilius； on an egg； and how the city
shakes when the frail foundation chances to be stirred？ This too vast
empire of ours is as frail in its foundation； and trembles at a word。 So it
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was with the Empire of Rome in Virgil's time： civic revolution muttering
within it； like the subterranean thunder； and the forces of destruction
gathering without。 In Virgil； as in Horace； you constantly note their
anxiety； their apprehension for the tottering fabric of the Roman state。
This it was； I think； and not the contemplation of human fortunes alone；
that lent Virgil his melancholy。 From these fears he looks for a shelter in
the sylvan shades； he envies the ideal past of the golden world。
Aureus hanc vitam in terris Saturnus agebat！
〃Oh； for the fields！ Oh； for Spercheius and Taygetus； where wander
the Lacaenian maids！ Oh； that one would carry me to the cool valleys of
Haemus； and cover me with the wide shadow of the boughs！ Happy was
he who came to know the causes of things； who set his foot on fear and on
inexorable Fate； and far below him heard the roaring of the streams of Hell！
And happy he who knows the rural deities； Pan； and Sylvanus the Old； and
the sisterhood of the nymphs！ Unmoved is he by the people's favour； by
the purple of kings； unmoved by all the perfidies of civil war； by the
Dacian marching down from his hostile Danube； by the peril of the Roman
state； and the Empire hurrying to its doom。 He wasteth not his heart in
pity of the poor； he envieth not the rich； he gathereth what fruits the
branches bear and what the kindly wilderness unasked brings forth； he
knows not our laws； nor the madness of the courts； nor the records of the
common weal〃does not read the newspapers； in fact。
The sorrows of the poor； the luxury of the rich； the peril of the Empire；
the shame and dread of each day's news； we too know them； like Virgil we
too deplore them。 We； in our reveries； long for some such careless
paradise； but we place it not in Sparta but in the Islands of the Southern
Seas。 It is in passages of this temper that Virgil wins us most； when he
speaks for himself and for his age； so distant； and so weary； and so modern；
when his own thought； unborrowed and unforced； is wedded to the music
of his own unsurpassable style。
But he does not always write for himself and out of his own thought；
that style of his being far more frequently misapplied； wasted on telling a
story that is only of feigned and foreign interest。 Doubtless it was the
〃AEneid；〃 his artificial and unfinished epic； that won Virgil the favour of
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the Middle Aces。 To the Middle Ages； which knew not Greek； and knew
not Homer； Virgil was the representative of the heroic and eternally
interesting past。 But to us who know Homer； Virgil's epic is indeed； 〃like
moonlight unto sunlight；〃 is a beautiful empty world； where no real life
stirs； a world that shines with a silver lustre not its own； but borrowed
from 〃the sun of Greece。〃
Homer sang of what he knew； of spears and ships； of heroic chiefs and
beggar men； of hunts and sieges； of mountains where the lion roamed； and
of fairy isles where a goddess walked alone。 He lived on the marches of
the land of fable； when half the Mediterranean was a sea unsailed； when
even Italy was as dimly descried as the City of the Sun in Elizabeth's reign。
Of all that he knew he sang； but Virgil could only follow and imitate； with
a pale antiquarian interest； the things that were alive for Homer。 What
could Virgil care for a tussle between two stout men…at…arms； for the clash
of contending war…chariots； driven each on each； like wave against wave
in the sea？ All that tide had passed over； all the story of the 〃AEneid〃 is
mere borrowed antiquity； like the Middle Ages of Sir Walter Scott； but the
borrower had none of Scott's joy in the noise and motion of war； none of
the Homeric 〃delight in battle。〃
Virgil； in writing the 〃AEneid；〃 executed an imperial commission； and
an ungrateful commission； it is the sublime of hack…work； and the legend
may be true which declares that； on his death…bed； he wished his poem
burned。 He could only be himself here and there； as in that earliest
picture of romantic love； as some have called the story of 〃Dido；〃 not
remembering； perhaps； that even here Virgil had before his mind a Greek
model； that he was thinking of Apollonius Rhodius； and of Jason and
Medea。 He could be himself； too； in passages of reflection and
description； as in the beautiful sixth book； with its picture of the under
world； and its hints of mystical philosophy。
Could we choose our own heavens； there in that Elysian world might
Virgil be well content to dwell； in the shadow of that fragrant laurel grove；
with them who were 〃priests pure of life； while life was theirs； and holy
singers； whose songs were worthy of Apollo。〃 There he might muse on his
own religion and on the Divinity that dwells in； that breathes in； that is； all
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things and more than all。 Who could wish Virgil to be one of the spirits
that
Lethaeum ad flumen Dues evocat agmine magno；
that are called once more to the Lethean stream； and that once more；
forgetful of their home； 〃into the world and wave of men depart？〃
There will come no other Virgil； unless his soul； in accordance with his
own philosophy； is among us to…day； crowned with years and honours； the
singer of 〃Ulysses；〃 of the 〃Lotus Eaters；〃 of 〃Tithonus；〃 and 〃OEnone。〃
So； after all； I have been enthusiastic； 〃maugre my head；〃 as Malory
says； and perhaps； Lady Violet； I have shown you why it is 〃right〃 to
admire Virgil； and perhaps I have persuaded nobody but myself。
P。S。Mr。 Coleridge was no great lover of Virgil； inconsistently。 〃If you
take from Virgil his diction and metre； what do you leave him？〃 Yet Mr。
Coleridge had defined poetry as 〃the best words； in the best order〃that is；
〃diction and metre。〃 He； therefore； proposed to take from Virgil his
poetry； and then to ask what was left of the Poet！
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AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE
To the Lady Violet Lebas。
Dear Lady Violet；I do not wonder that you are puzzled by the
language of the first French novel。 The French of 〃Aucassin et
Nicolette〃 is not French after the school of Miss Pinkerton； at Chiswick。
Indeed； as the little song…story has been translated into modern French by
M。 Bida； the painter （whose book is very scarce）； I presume even the
countrywomen of Aucassin find it difficult。 You will not expect me to
write an essay on the grammar； nor would you read it if I did。
