study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第33节
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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
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the 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。〃
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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
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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。
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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
