study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第25节
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the Bible story；〃 and a century ago Capel Lloft said quaintly that
Shakespeare 〃had deeply imbibed the Scriptures。〃 But the King James
version appeared only five years before his death； and it is in some sense
fairer to say that Shakespeare and the King James version are formed by
the same influence as to their English style。 The Bishop of St。 Andrews
even devotes the first part of his book on Shakespeare and the Bible to a
study of parallels between the two in peculiar forms of speech； and thinks
it 〃probable that our translators of 1611 owed as much to Shakespeare as；
or rather far more than； he owed to them。〃＇1＇ It is generally agreed that
only two of his works were written after our version appeared。 Several
other writers have devoted separate volumes to noting the frequent use by
Shakespeare of Biblical phrases and allusions and characters taken from
early versions。 It is a very tempting field； and we pass it by only because it
is hardly in the range of the study we are now making。
＇1＇ Wordsworth； Shakespeare's Knowledge and Use of the Bible； p。 9。
When； however； we come to John Milton （1608…1674）； we remember
he was only three years old when our version was issued； that when at
fifteen； an undergraduate in Cambridge； he made his first paraphrases；
casting two of the Psalms into meter； the version he used was this familiar
one。 A biographer says he began the day always with the reading of
Scripture and kept his memory deeply charged with its phrases。 In later
life the morning chapter was generally from the Hebrew； and was followed
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by an hour of silence for meditation； an exercise whose influence no man's
style could escape。 As a writer he moved steadily toward the Scripture and
the religious teaching which it brought his age。 His earlier writing is a
group of poems largely secular； which yet show in phrases and expressions
much of the influence of his boyhood study of the Bible； as well as the
familiar use of mythology。 The memorial poem 〃Lycidas；〃 for example；
contains the much…quoted reference to Peter and his two keys
〃Last came and last did go The pilot of the Galilean lake； Two
massy keys he bore of metals twain； （The golden opes； the iron shuts
amain）。〃
But after these poems came the period of his prose； the work which
he supposed was the abiding work of his life。 George William Curtis told a
friend that our civil war changed his own literary style： 〃That roused me to
see that I had no right to spend my life in literary leisure。 I felt that I must
throw myself into the struggle for freedom and the Union。 I began to
lecture and to write。 The style took care of itself。 But I fancy it is more
solid than it was thirty years ago。〃 That is what happened to Milton when
the protectorate came。＇1＇ It made his style more solid。 He did not mean to
live as a poet。 He felt that his best energies were being put into his essays
in defense of liberty； on the freedom of the press and on the justice of the
beheading of Charles； in which service he sacrificed his sight。 All of it is
shot through with Scripture quotations and arguments； and some of it； at
least； is in the very spirit of Scripture。 The plea for larger freedom of
divorce issued plainly from his own bitter experience； but his main
argument roots in a few Bible texts taken out of their connection and urged
with no shadow of question of their authority。 Indeed； when he comes to
his more religious essays； his heavy argument is that there should be no
religion permitted in England which is not drawn directly from the Bible；
which； therefore； he urges must be common property for all the people。
There is a curious bit of evidence that the men of his own time did not
realize his power as a poet。 In Pierre Bayle's critical survey of the
literature of the time； he calls Milton 〃the famous apologist for the
execution of Charles I。；〃 who 〃meddled in poetry and several of whose
poems saw the light during his life or after his death！〃 For all that； Milton
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was only working on toward his real power； and his power was to be
shown in his service to religion。 His three great poems； in the order of
their value； are； of course； 〃Paradise Lost；〃 〃Samson Agonistes；〃 and
〃Paradise Regained。〃 Whoever knows anything of Milton knows these
three and knows they are Scriptural from first to last in phrase； in allusion；
and； in part at least； in idea。 There is not time for extended illustration。
One instance may stand for all； which shall illustrate how Milton's mind
was like a garden where the seeds of Scripture came to flower and fruit。
He will take one phrase from the Bible and let it grow to a page in
〃Paradise Lost。〃 Here is an illustration which comes readily to hand。 In the
Genesis it is said that 〃the spirit of God moved on the face of the waters。〃
The verb suggests the idea of brooding。 There is only one other possible
reference （Psalm xxiv： 9。） which is included in this statement which
Milton makes out of that brief word in the Genesis：
〃On the watery calm His broadening wings the
Spirit of God outspread； And vital virtue infused； and vital warmth
Throughout the fluid mass； but downward purged The black tartareous
cold infernal dregs； Adverse to life； then formed； then con…globed；
Like things to like； the rest to several place Disparted； and between spun
out the air And earth self…balanced on her center swung。〃
＇1＇ Strong； The Theology of the Poets。
Any one familiar with Milton will recognize that as a typical instance
of the way in which a seed idea from the Scripture comes to flower and
fruit in him。 The result is that more people have their ideas about heaven
and hell from Milton than from the Bible； though they do not know it。
It seems hardly fair to use John Bunyan （1628…1688） as an illustration
of the influence of the English Bible on literature； because his chief work
is composed so largely in the language of Scripture。 Pilgrim's Progress is
the most widely read book in the English language after the Bible。 Its
phrases； its names； its matter are either directly or indirectly taken from
the Bible。 It has given us a long list of phrases which are part of our
literary and religious capital。 Thackeray took the motto of one of his best…
known books from the Bible； but the title； Vanity Fair； comes from
Pilgrim's Progress。 When a discouraged man says he is 〃in the slough of
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despond；〃 he quotes Bunyan； and when a popular evangelist tells the
people that the burden of sin will roll away if they look at the cross；
〃according to the Bible；〃 he ought to say according to Bunyan。 But all this
was only the outcome of the familiarity of Bunyan with the Scripture。 It
was almost all he did know in a literary way。 Macaulay says that 〃he knew
no language but the English as it was spoken by the common people； he
had studied no great model of composition； with the exception of our
noble translation of the Bible。 But of that his knowledge was such that he
might have been called a living concordance。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ History of England； vol。 III。； p。 220。
After these threeShakespeare； Milton； and Bunyanthere appeared
another three； very much their inferiors and having much less influence on
literary history。 I mean Dryden； Addison； and Pope。 It is not necessary to
credit the Scripture with much of Dryden's spirit； nor with much of his
style； and certainly not with his attitude toward his fellows； but it is
