early kings of norway(古挪威的国王)-第30节
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was one saving element； the now want of which； especially the
unlamented want； transcends all lamentation。 Here is one of those strange；
piercing； winged…words of Ruskin； which has in it a terrible truth for us in
these epochs now come：
〃My friends； the follies of modern Liberalism； many and great though
they be； are practically summed in this denial or neglect of the quality and
intrinsic value of things。 Its rectangular beatitudes； and spherical
benevolences；theology of universal indulgence； and jurisprudence which
will hang no rogues； mean； one and all of them； in the root； incapacity of
discerning； or refusal to discern； worth and unworth in anything； and least
of all in man； whereas Nature and Heaven command you； at your peril； to
discern worth from unworth in everything； and most of all in man。 Your
main problem is that ancient and trite one； 'Who is best man？' and the
Fates forgive much；forgive the wildest； fiercest； cruelest experiments；if
fairly made for the determination of that。
Theft and blood…guiltiness are not pleasing in their sight； yet the
favoring powers of the spiritual and material world will confirm to you
your stolen goods； and their noblest voices applaud the lifting of Your
spear； and rehearse the sculpture of your shield； if only your robbing and
slaying have been in fair arbitrament of that question； 'Who is best man？'
But if you refuse such inquiry； and maintain every man for his neighbor's
match；if you give vote to the simple and liberty to the vile； the powers of
those spiritual and material worlds in due time present you inevitably with
the same problem； soluble now only wrong side upwards； and your
robbing and slaying must be done then to find out； 'Who is worst man？'
Which； in so wide an order of merit； is； indeed； not easy； but a complete
Tammany Ring； and lowest circle in the Inferno of Worst； you are sure to
find； and to be governed by。〃＇20＇
All readers will admit that there was something naturally royal in these
Haarfagr Kings。 A wildly great kind of kindred； counts in it two Heroes of
a high； or almost highest； type： the first two Olafs； Tryggveson and the
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
Saint。 And the view of them； withal； as we chance to have it； I have often
thought； how essentially Homeric it was：indeed what is 〃Homer〃 himself
but the _Rhapsody_ of five centuries of Greek Skalds and wandering
Ballad…singers； done （i。e。 〃stitched together〃） by somebody more musical
than Snorro was？ Olaf Tryggveson and Olaf Saint please me quite as well
in their prosaic form； offering me the truth of them as if seen in their real
lineaments by some marvellous opening （through the art of Snorro） across
the black strata of the ages。 Two high； almost among the highest sons of
Nature； seen as they veritably were； fairly comparable or superior to god…
like Achilleus； goddess…wounding Diomedes； much more to the two
Atreidai； Regulators of the Peoples。
I have also thought often what a Book might be made of Snorro； did
there but arise a man furnished with due literary insight； and indefatigable
diligence； who； faithfully acquainting himself with the topography； the
monumental relies and illustrative actualities of Norway； carefully
scanning the best testimonies as to place and time which that country can
still give him； carefully the best collateral records and chronologies of
other countries； and who； himself possessing the highest faculty of a Poet；
could； abridging； arranging； elucidating； reduce Snorro to a polished
Cosmic state； unweariedly purging away his much chaotic matter！ A
modern 〃highest kind of Poet；〃 capable of unlimited slavish labor withal；
who； I fear； is not soon to be expected in this world； or likely to find his
task in the _Heimskringla_ if he did appear here。
Footnotes： _______________________________
＇1＇ J。 G。 Dahlmann； _Geschichte von Dannemark_； 3 vols。 8vo。
Hamburg； 1840…1843。
＇2＇ 〃Settlement；〃 dated 912； by Munch； Henault； &c。 The Saxon
Chronicle says （anno 876）： 〃In this year Rolf overran Normandy with his
army； and he reigned fifty winters。〃
＇3＇ Dahlmann； ii。 87。
＇4＇ Dahlmann； ii。 93。
＇5＇ _Laing's Snorro_； i。 344。
＇6＇ G。 Buchanani _Opera Omnia_； i。 103； 104 （Curante Ruddimano；
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
Edinburgi； 1715）。
＇7＇ His Long Serpent； judged by some to be of the size of a frigate of
forty…five guns （Laing）。
＇8＇ This sermon was printed by Hearne； and is given also by Langebek
in his excellent Collection； _Rerum Danicarum Scriptores Medii AEri。_
Hafniae。 1772…1834。
＇9＇ Kennet； i。 67； Rapin； i。 119； 121 （from the _Saxon Chronicle_
both）。
＇10＇ Knut born A。D。 988 according to Munch's calculation （ii。 126）。
＇11＇ Snorro； Laing's Translation； ii。 p。 31 et seq。； will minutely specify。
＇12＇ Snorro； ii。 pp。 24； 25。
＇13＇ Snorro； ii。 pp。 156…161。
＇14＇ Snorro； ii。 pp。 252； 253。
＇15＇ _Saxon Chronicle_ says expressly； under A。D。 1030： 〃In this year
King Olaf was slain in Norway by his own people； and was afterwards
sainted。〃
＇16＇ _Saxon Chronicle_ says： 〃1035。 In this year died King Cnut。 。。。
He departed at Shaftesbury； November 12； and they conveyed him thence
to Winchester； and there buried him。〃
＇17＇ Munch gives the date 1038 （ii。 840）； Adam of Bremen 1040。
＇18＇ Camden； Rapin； &c。 quote。
＇19＇ _Buchanani Hist。_ i。 130。
＇20＇ _Fors Clavigera_； Letter XIV。 Pp。 8…10。
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