a study of bible-第26节
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！
he poles； but they have this in common； that they have drunk lightly or deeply from the same fountain； they have drawn from it ideas； allusions； literary style。 Each of them has weakened as he has gotten farther from it； and loyalty to it has strengthened any one of them。
Turn now to the American group of writers。 If we except theological writers with Jonathan Edwards； Horace Bushnell； Henry Ward Beecher； and their like； and political writers with Jefferson； Webster； and their like； the list need not be a long one。 Only one writer in our narrower sense of literature must be named in the earlier dayBenjamin Franklin。 In the period before the Civil War must be named Edgar Allan Poe （died 1849） and Washington Irving （died 1859）。 The Civil War group is the large one； and its names are those of the later group as well。 Let them be alphabetical； for convenience： William Cullen Bryant； poet and critic； George William Curtis； essayist and editor； Emerson； our noblest name in the sphere of pure essay literature； Hawthorne； the novelist of conscience； as Socrates was its philosopher； Oliver Wendell Holmes； whose 〃two chief hatreds were orthodoxy in religion and heterodoxy in medicine〃； James Russell Lowell； essayist and poet； apt to live by his essays rather than by his poetry； Longfellow； whose 〃Psalm of Life〃 and 〃Hiawatha〃 have lived through as much parody and ridicule as any two bits of literature extant； and have lived because they are predestined to live； Thoreau； whose Walden may show； as Lowell said； how much can be done on little capital； but which has the real literary tang to it； and Whittier； whose poetry is sung the world around。
That makes only twelve names from Franklin to Whittier。 Others could be included； but they are not so great as these。 No one of these could be taken out of our literature without affecting it and； in some degree at least； changing the current of it。 This is not to forget Bret Harte nor Samuel L。 Clemens。 But each is dependent for his survival on a taste for a certain kind of humor； not delicate like Irving's and Holmes's； but strong and sudden and a bit sharp。 If we should forget the 〃Luck of Roaring Camp；〃 〃Truthful James；〃 and the 〃Heathen Chinee；〃 we would also forget Bret Harte。 We are not apt to forget Tom Sawyer； nor perhaps The Innocents Abroad； but we are forgetting much else of Mark Twain。 Whitman is not named。 His claims are familiar； but in spite of his admirers he seems so charged with a sensuous egotism that he is not apt to be a formative influence in literary history。 It is still interesting； however； to remember how frequently he reveals his reading of Scripture。
Fortunately； all these writers are so near； and their work is so familiar； that details regarding them are not needed。 Two or three general words can be said。 In the first place； observe the high moral tone of all these first…grade writers； and； indeed； of the others who may be spoken of as in second rank。 There is not a meretricious or humiliating book in the whole collection。 There is not one book which has lived in American literature which has the tone of Fielding's Tom Jones。 Whether it is that the Puritan strain continues in us or not； it is true that the American literary public has not taken happily to stories that would bring a blush in public reading。 Professor Richardson； of Dartmouth； gives some clue to the reason of that。 He says that 〃since 1870 or 1880 in America there has been a marked increase of strength of theistic and spiritual belief and argument among scientific men； students of philosophy； religious 'radicals；' and others。〃 He adds that while much contemporary American literature and thought is outside the accepted orthodox lines； yet 〃it is not hostile to Christianity； to the principles of its Founder it is for the most part sincerely attached。 On the other hand； materialism has scarcely any hold upon it。〃 Then follows a very notable sentence which is sustained by the facts： 〃Not an American book of the first class has ever been written by an atheist or denier of immortality。〃 That sentence need not offend an admirer of Walt Whitman； for he 〃accepts both theism and the doctrine of the future life。〃 American thought has remained loyal to the great Trinity； God； Freedom； and Immortality。 So it comes about that while there are a number of these writers who could be put under the ban of the strongly orthodox in religion； every one of them shows the effect of early training in religion and in the Scripture。＇1＇
＇1＇ This is fully worked out in Professor Richardson's American Literature； with ample illustration and argument。
Another thing to be said is that America has a unique history among great nations in that it has never been affected by any great religious influence except that which has issued from the Scriptures。 No religion has ever been influential in America except Christianity。 For many years there have been sporadic and spasmodic efforts to extend the influence of Buddhism or other Indian cults。 They have never been successful； because the American spirit is practical； and not meditative。 We are not an introspective people。 We do not look within ourselves for our religion。 Whatever moral and religious influence our literature shows gets back first or last to our Scriptures。 The point of view of nature that is taken by our writers like Bryant and Thoreau is that of the Nineteenth Psalm。 Moreover； we have been strongly under the English influence。 Irving insisted that we ought to be； that we were a young nation； that we ought frankly to follow the leadership of more experienced writers。 Longfellow thought we had gone too far that way； and that our poets； at least； ought to be more independent； ought to write in the spirit of America and not of traditional poetry。 Whether we ought to have yielded to it or not； it is true that English influence has told very strongly upon us； and the writers who have influenced our writers most have been those whom we have named as being themselves under the Bible influence。
We need not go into detail about these writers； though they are most attractive。 Bryant did for us what Wordsworth did for England。 He made nature seem vocal。 〃Thanatopsis〃 is not a Christian poem in the narrow sense of the word； and yet it could hardly have been written except under Christian influence。 His own genial； beautiful character was itself a tribute to Christian civilization； and his life； as critic and essayist； has left an impression which we shall not soon lose。 Professor Richardson thinks that the three problematical characters in American literature are Emerson； Hawthorne； and Poe。 The shrewdest estimate of Poe that has ever been given us is in Lowell's Fable for Critics：
〃There comes Poe with his raven like Barnaby Rudge； Three…fifths of him genius； and two…fifths sheer fudge； Who has written some things quite the best of their kind； But the heart somehow seems all squeezed out by the mind。〃
That says it exactly。 Poe knew many horrible situations； but he did not know the way out； and of all our American writers laying claim to place in the first class Poe shows least influence of the Bible； and apparently needs it most。
Irving was the first American writer who stood high enough to be seen across the water。 Thackeray's most beautiful essay is on Irving and Macaulay； who died just one month apart。 In it he describes Irving as the best intermediary between the nations； telling us Americans that the English are still human； and assuring the English that Americans are already human。 Irving was trained early and thoroughly in the Bible。 All his life he was an old…fashioned Episcopalian with no concern for new religious ideas and with no rough edges anywhere。 Charles Dudley Warner； speaking of Irving's moral quality； says： 〃I cannot bring myself to exclude it from a literary estimate； even in the face of the current gospel of art for art's sake。〃＇1＇ Like Scott； he 〃recognized the abiding value in literature of integrity； sincerity； purity； charity； faith。 These are beneficences； and Irving's literature； walk around it and measure it by whatever critical instruments you will； is a beneficent literature。〃
＇1＇ American Men of Letters Series； Washington Irving； p。 302。
Then there is Emerson； a son of the manse and once a minister himself。 He was； therefore； perfectly familiar with the English Bible。 He did not accept it in all its religious teaching。 Indeed； we have never had a more marked individualist in our American public life than Emerson。 At every point he was simply himself。 There is very little quotation in his writing； very little visible influence of any one else。 He was not a follower of Carlyle； though he was his friend。 If there is any precedent for the construction of his sentences； and even of his essays； it is to be found in the Hebrew prophets。 As some one puts it； 〃he uttered sayings。〃 In many of his essays there is no particular reason why the paragraphs should run one； two； three； and not three； two； one； or two； one； three； or in any other order。 But Mr。 Emerson was just himself。 It is yet true that 〃his value for the world at large lies in the fact that after all he is incurably religious。〃 It is true that he coul
