thoughts on man-第12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！
ne best； his Hamlet； Macbeth； Lear； or Othello。 He is equally excellent in his comic vein as his tragic。 Falstaff is in his degree to the full as admirable and astonishing； as what he achieved that is noblest under the auspices of the graver muse。 His poetry and the fruits of his imagination are unrivalled。 His language； in all that comes from him when his genius is most alive； has a richness； an unction； and all those signs of a character which admits not of mortality and decay； for ever fresh as when it was first uttered； which we recognise； while we can hardly persuade ourselves that we are not in a delusion。 As Anthony Wood says＇4＇； 〃By the writings of Shakespear and others of his time； the English tongue was exceedingly enriched； and made quite another thing than what it was before。〃 His versification on these occasions has a melody； a ripeness and variety that no other pen has reached。
＇4＇ Athenae Oxonienses； vol。 i。 p。 592。
Yet there were things that Shakespear could not do。 He could not make a hero。 Familiar as he was with the evanescent touches of mind en dishabille； and in its innermost feelings； he could not sustain the tone of a character； penetrated with a divine enthusiasm； or fervently devoted to a generous cause； though this is truly within the compass of our nature； and is more than any other worthy to be delineated。 He could conceive such sentiments； for there are such in his personage of Brutus； but he could not fill out and perfect what he has thus sketched。 He seems even to have had a propensity to bring the mountain and the hill to a level with the plain。 Caesar is spiritless； and Cicero is ridiculous； in his hands。 He appears to have written his Troilus and Cressida partly with a view to degrade； and hold up to contempt； the heroes of Homer； and he has even disfigured the pure； heroic affection which the Greek poet has painted as existing between Achilles and Patroclus with the most odious imputations。
And； as he could not sustain an heroic character throughout； so neither could he construct a perfect plot； in which the interest should be perpetually increasing； and the curiosity of the spectator kept alive and in suspense to the last moment。 Several of his plays have an unity of subject to which nothing is wanting； but he has not left us any production that should rival that boast of Ancient Greece in the conduct of a plot； the OEdipus Tyrannus； a piece in which each act rises upon the act before； like a tower that lifts its head story above story to the skies。 He has scarcely ever given to any of his plays a fifth act； worthy of those that preceded； the interest generally decreases after the third。
Shakespear is also liable to the charge of obscurity。 The most sagacious critics dispute to this very hour； whether Hamlet is or is not mad； and whether Falstaff is a brave man or a coward。 This defect is perhaps partly to be imputed to the nature of dramatic writing。 It is next to impossible to make words； put into the mouth of a character； develop all those things passing in his mind； which it may be desirable should be known。
I spoke； a short time back； of the language of Shakespear in his finest passages； as of unrivalled excellence and beauty； I might almost have called it miraculous。 O； si sic omnia！ It is to be lamented that this felicity often deserts him。 He is not seldom cramp； rigid and pedantic。 What is best in him is eternal； of all ages and times； but what is worst； is crusted with an integument； almost more cumbrous than that of any other writer； his contemporary； the merits of whose works continue to invite us to their perusal。
After Shakespear； it is scarcely worth while to bring forward any other example； of a writer who； notwithstanding his undoubted claims to excellencies of the highest order； yet in his productions fully displays the inequality and non…universality of his genius。 One of the most remarkable instances may be alleged in Richardson； the author of Clarissa。 In his delineation of female delicacy； of high…souled and generous sentiments； of the subtlest feelings and even mental aberrations of virtuous distress strained beyond the power of human endurance； nothing ever equalled this author。 But he could not shape out the image of a perfect gentleman； or of that winning gaiety of soul； which may indeed be exemplified； but can never be defined； and never be resisted。 His profligate is a man without taste； and his coquettes are insolent and profoundly revolting。 He has no resemblance of the art； so conspicuous in Fletcher and Farquhar； of presenting to the reader or spectator an hilarity； bubbling and spreading forth from a perennial spring； which we love as surely as we feel； which communicates its own tone to the bystander； and makes our very hearts dance within us with a responsive sportiveness。 We are astonished however that the formal pedant has acquitted himself of his uncongenial task with so great a display of intellectual wealth； and； though he has not presented to us the genuine picture of an intellectual profligate； or of that lovely gaiety of the female spirit which we have all of us seen； but which it is scarcely possible to fix and to copy； we almost admire the more the astonishing talent； that； having undertaken a task for which it was so eminently unfit； yet has been able to substitute for the substance so amazing a mockery； and has treated with so much copiousness and power what it was unfit ever to have attempted。
ESSAY IV。 OF THE DURABILITY OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENTS AND PRODUCTIONS。
There is a view of the character of man； calculated more perhaps than any other to impress us with reverence and awe。
Man is the only creature we know； that； when the term of his natural life is ended； leaves the memory of himself behind him。
All other animals have but one object in view in their more considerable actions； the supply of the humbler accommodations of their nature。 Man has a power sufficient for the accomplishment of this object； and a residue of power beyond； which he is able； and which he not unfrequently feels himself prompted； to employ in consecutive efforts； and thus； first by the application and arrangement of material substances； and afterward by the faculty he is found to possess of giving a permanent record to his thoughts； to realise the archetypes and conceptions which previously existed only in his mind。
One method； calculated to place this fact strongly before us； is； to suppose ourselves elevated； in a balloon or otherwise； so as to enable us to take an extensive prospect of the earth on which we dwell。 We shall then see the plains and the everlasting hills； the forests and the rivers； and all the exuberance of production which nature brings forth for the supply of her living progeny。 We shall see multitudes of animals； herds of cattle and of beasts of prey； and all the varieties of the winged tenants of the air。 But we shall also behold； in a manner almost equally calculated to arrest our attention； the traces and the monuments of human industry。 We shall see castles and churches； and hamlets and mighty cities。 We shall see this strange creature； man； subjecting all nature to his will。 He builds bridges； and he constructs aqueducts。 He 〃goes down to the sea in ships；〃 and variegates the ocean with his squadrons and his fleets。 To the person thus mounted in the air to take a wide and magnificent prospect； there seems to be a sort of contest between the face of the earth； as it may be supposed to have been at first； and the ingenuity of man； which shall occupy and possess itself of the greatest number of acres。 We cover immense regions of the globe with the tokens of human cultivation。
Thus the matter stands as to the exertions of the power of man in the application and arrangement of material substances。
But there is something to a profound and contemplative mind much more extraordinary； in the effects produced by the faculty we possess of giving a permanent record to our thoughts。
From the development of this faculty all human science and literature take their commencement。 Here it is that we most distinctly； and with the greatest astonishment； perceive that man is a miracle。 Declaimers are perpetually expatiating to us upon the shortness of human life。 And yet all this is performed by us； when the wants of our nature have already by our industry been supplied。 We manufacture these sublimities and everlasting monuments out of the bare remnants and shreds of our time。
The labour of the intellect of man is endless。 How copious is the volume； and how extraordinary the variety； of our sciences and our arts！ The number of men is exceedingly great in every civilised state of society； that make these the sole object of their occupation。 And this has been more or less the condition of our species in all ages； ever since we left the savage and the pastoral modes of existence。
From this view of the history of man we are led by an easy transition to the consideration of the nature and influence of the love of fame in modifying the actions of the human mind。 We have already stated it to be one of the characteristic distinctions of our species to erect monuments which outlast the existe
