a study of bible-第27节
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e world at large lies in the fact that after all he is incurably religious。〃 It is true that he could not see any importance in forms； or in ordinary declarations of faith。 〃He would fight no battle for prelacy； nor for the Westminster confession； nor for the Trinity； but as against atheism； pessimism； and materialism； he was an ally of Christianity。〃 The influence of the Bible on Emerson is more marked in his spirit than in anything else。 Once in a while； as in that familiar address at Concord （1873）； you run across Scripture phrases： 〃Shall not they who receive the largest streams spread abroad the healing waters？〃 That figure appears in literature only in the Bible； and there are others like it in his writings。
As for Longfellow； he is shot through with Scripture。 No man who did not know Scripture in more than a passing way could have written such a sentence as this： 〃There are times when the grasshopper is a burden； and thirsty with the heat of labor the spirit longs for the waters of Shiloah； that go softly。〃 There are two strikingly beautiful expressions from Scripture。 Take another familiar saying in the same essay when he says the prospect for poetry is brightening； since but a short time ago not a poet 〃moved the wing or opened the mouth or peeped。〃 He did not run across that in general current writing。 He got that directly from the Bible。 In his poems is an amazing amount of reference to the Bible。 One would expect much in the 〃Courtship of Miles Standish；〃 for that is a story of the Puritans； and they spoke； naturally； in terms of the Bible； yet； of course； they could not do it in Longfellow's poem； if Longfellow did not know the language of the Bible very well。 One might not expect to find it so much in 〃Evangeline；〃 but it is there from beginning to end。 In 〃Acadia；〃 the cock crowed
〃With the self…same Voice that in ages of old had startled the penitent Peter。〃
And； 〃Wild with the winds of September； Wrestled the trees of the forest； as Jacob of old with the angel。〃
Evangeline saw the moon pass
Forth from the folds of the cloud； and one star followed her footsteps； As out of Abraham's tent young Ishmael Wandered with Hagar。〃
There is a great deal of that sort of thing in his writing。 He has done for many what he did for Lowell one day。 Discouraged in settling the form of a new edition of his own poems； Lowell took up a volume of Longfellow just to see the type； and presently found that he had been reading two hours。 He wrote Longfellow he could understand his popularity； saying： 〃You sang me out of all my worries。〃 That is a great thing to do； and Longfellow learned from the Scripture how to do that in the 〃Psalm of Life〃 and all his other poems。
We need only a word about Lowell himself。 He was the son of a minister； and so knew the Bible from his infancy。 He belonged to the Brahman caste himself； but a good deal of the ruggedness of the Old Testament got into his writing。 It is in 〃The Vision of Sir Launfal。〃 It is in his plea for international copyright where the familiar lines occur：
〃In vain we call old notions fudge； And bend our conscience to our dealing； The Ten Commandments will not budge； And stealing will continue stealing。〃
There is hint of it in his quizzical lines about himself in the Fable for Critics。 He says that he is in danger of rattling away
〃Until he is as old as Methusalem； At the head of the march to the last New Jerusalem。〃
Whittier needs no words of ours。 His hymns are part of our religious equipment。 〃Snowbound〃 and all the rest of the beautiful； quiet； Quaker…like writing of this beloved poet are among our national assets。 We join in his sorrow as he writes the doom of Webster and his fame； and we do not wonder that he chose for it the Scriptural title 〃Ichabod。〃
Whatever is to be said about an individual here or there； it is true that great American literature shows the influence of the Bible。 Like everything else in America； it has been founded on a religious purpose。 Writers in all lines have been trained in the Bible。 If they feel any religious influence at all； it is the Bible influence。
This has been a long journey from Shakespeare to Whittier； and it leaves untouched the great field of present…day writers。 Let the unstarred names wait their time。 Among them are many who can say in their way what Hall Caine has said of himself： 〃I think I know my Bible as few literary men know it。 There is no book in the world like it； and the finest novels ever written fall far short in interest of any one of the stories it tells。 Whatever strong situations I have in my books are not of my creation； but are taken from the Bible。 The Deemster is a story of the Prodigal Son。 The Bondman is the story of Esau and Jacob。 The Scapegoat is the story of Eli and his sons； but with Samuel as a little girl； and The Manxman is the story of David and Uriah。〃 Take up any of the novels of the day； even the poorer ones； but notably the better ones； and see how uniformly they show the Scriptural influence in material； in idea； and in spirit。 What the literature of the future will be no one can say。 This much is as sure as any fact in literary history； that the English Bible is part of the very fiber of great literature from the day it first appeared in our tongue to this hour。
LECTURE V
THE KING JAMES VERSIONITS INFLUENCE ON ENGLISH AND AMERICAN HISTORY
THE King James version of the Bible is only a book。 What can a book do in history？ Well； whatever the reason； books have played a large part in the movements of men； specially of modern men。
They have markedly influenced the opinion of men about the past。 It is commonly said that Hume's History of England； defective as it is； has yet 〃by its method revolutionized the writing of history；〃 and that is true。 Nearer our own time； Carlyle's Life of Cromwell reversed the judgment of history on Cromwell； gave all readers of history a new conception of him and his times and of the movement of which he was the life。 After the Restoration none were so poor as to do Cromwell reverence until Carlyle's BOOK gave him anew to the world。
There are instances squarely in our own time by which their mighty influence may be tested。 They are of books of almost ephemeral value save for the student of history。 As literature they will be quickly forgotten； but as FORCES they must be reckoned with。 There is Uncle Tom's Cabin。 It would be absurd to say that it brought the American Civil War； or freed the negroes； or saved the Union。 It did none of those great things。 Yet it is not at all absurd to name it among the potent powers in all three。 It is not to our purpose whether it is true or not as a statement of the whole fact。 Doubtless it was not true of the general and common circumstances of Southern slavery； but everything in it was possible； and even frequent enough so that it could not be questioned。 It pretended no more。 But its influence was simply tremendous。 In book form it became available in 1852； and within three years； 1855； it was common property of English…speaking people。 No other book ever produced so extraordinary an effect so quickly in the public mind。＇1＇ It held up slavery to judgment。 It crystallized the thoughts of common people。 The work of those strenuous years in the '60's could not have been done without the result of that book。 It made history。 Come nearer our own day。 We could not be long in London without feeling the concern of the better people for conditions in the East End。 A new social impulse has seized them。 To be sure； it lacks much yet of success； but more has been done than most people realize。 The new movement； the awakening of that social sense； traces back to the book of Gen。 William Booth； In Darkest England （1890）。 It has helped to change the life of a large part of London。
＇1＇ Rhodes； History of the United States； vol。 i； pp。 185…303。
On this side； the new concern for city conditions dates from the book of a newspaper reporter； Jacob A。 Riis； How the Other Half Lives。 It thrust the Other Half into such prominence that it has never been possible to forget it。 Marked advance in all American cities； in legislation and life； goes straight back to it。 Name one other book still in the field of social service； even so unpleasant； so terrible； so obnoxious a book as Upton Sinclair's The Jungle。 It started and sustained movements which have unsettled business and political life ever since it appeared。 It made some conditions vivid； unescapable。
Do not misunderstand the argument。 No man can tell what will be said in the histories a century from now about these lesser books。 We can never go beyond guesses as to the whole cause of any chain of events。＇1＇ As time passes； incidental elements in the causes gradually sink out of sight and a few great forces take the whole horizon。 Whatever the histories a century from now say about the relative place of such books as we have named； it is certain that they have influenced the movements mightily。 The literary histories will say nothing at all about them。 They are not great literature； but they were born of a passion of the times and voiced and aroused it anew。
＇1＇ MacPhail； Essays on Puritani
