the flower of the mind(脑之花)-第6节
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intelligible； they had been obviously misprinted。 I have also found it
necessary to re…punctuate generally。
WISHES TO HIS SUPPOSED MISTRESS
This beautiful and famous poem has its stanzas so carelessly thrown
together that editors have allowed themselves a certain freedom with it。 I
have done the least I could； by separating two stanzas that repeated the
rhyme； and by suppressing one that grew tedious。
ON THE DEATH OF MR。 CRASHAW
This ode has been chosen as more nobly representative than that；
better known； On the Death of Mr。 William Harvey。 In the Crashaw ode；
and in the Hymn to the Light； Cowley is； at last； tender。 But it cannot be
said that his love…poems had tenderness。 Be wrote in a gay language； but
added nothing to its gaiety。 He wrote the language of love； and left it
cooler than he found it。 What the conceits of Lovelace and the rest
flagrant； not frigiddid not do was done by Cowley's quenching breath；
the language of love began to lose by him。 But even then； even then； who
could have foretold what the loss at a later day would be！
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HYMN TO THE LIGHT
It is somewhat to be regretted that this splendid poem should show
Cowley as the writer of the alexandrine that divides into two lines。 For he
it was who first used （or first conspicuously used） the alexandrine that is
organic； integral； and itself a separate unit of metre。 He first passed
beyond the heroic line； or at least he first used the alexandrine freely； at his
pleasure； amid heroic verse； and after him Dryden took possession and
then Pope。 But both these masters； when they wrote alexandrines； wrote
them in the French manner； divided。 Cowley； however； with admirable art；
is able to prevent even an accidental pause； making the middle of his line
fall upon the middle of some word that is rapid in the speaking and
therefore indivisible by pause or even by any lingering。 Take this one
instance …
〃Like some fair pine o'erlooking all the ignobler wood。〃
If Cowley's delicate example had ruled in English poetry （and he
surely had authority on this one point； at least）； this alexandrine would
have taken its own place as an important line of English metre； more
mobile than the heroic； less fitted to epic or dramatic poetry； but a line
liberally lyrical。 It would have been the light； pursuing wave that runs
suddenly； outrunning twenty； further up the sands than these； a swift
traveller； unspent； of longer impulse； of more impetuous foot； of fuller and
of hastier breath； more eager to speak； and yet more reluctant to have done。
Cowley left the line with all this lyrical promise within it； and if his
example had been followed； English prosody would have had in this a
valuable bequest。
Cowley probably was two or three years younger than Richard
Crashaw； and the alexandrine is to be foundto be found by searchingin
Crashaw； and he took precisely the same care as Cowley that the long
wand of that line should not give way in the middleshould be strong and
supple and should last。 Here are four of his alexandrines …
〃Or you； more noble architects of intellectual noise。〃 〃Of sweets you
have； and murmur that you have no more。〃 〃And everlasting series of a
deathless song。〃 〃To all the dear…bought nations this redeeming name。〃
A later poetCoventry Patmorewrote a far longer line than even
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thesea line not only speeding further； but speeding with a more celestial
movement than Cowley or Crashaw heard with the ear of dreams。
〃He unhappily adopted；〃 says Dr。 Johnson as to Cowley's diction； 〃that
which was predominant。〃 〃That which was predominant〃 was as good a
vintage of English language as the cycles of history have ever brought to
pass。
TO LUCASTA
Colonel Richard Lovelace； an enchanting poet； is hardly read； except
for two poems which are as famous as any in our language。 Perhaps the
rumour of his conceits has frightened his reader。 It must be granted they
are now and then daunting； there is a poem on 〃Princess Louisa Drawing〃
which is a very maze； the little paths of verse and fancy turn in upon one
another； and the turns are pointed with artificial shouts of joy and surprise。
But； again； what a reader unused to a certain living symbolism will be apt
to take for a careful and cold conceit is； in truth； a rapturenone graver；
none more fiery or more luminous。 But even to name the poem where
these occur might be to deliver delicate and ardent poetry over to the
general sense of humour； which one distrusts。 Nor is Lovelace easy
reading at any time （the two or three famous poems excepted）。 The age he
adorned lived in constant readiness for the fiddler。 Eleven o'clock in the
morning was as good an hour as another for a dance； and poetry； too； was
gay betimes； but intricate with figures。 It is the very order； the perspective；
as it were； of the movement that seems to baffle the eye； but the game was
a free impulse。 Since the first day danced with the first night； no dancing
was more naturalat least to a dancer of genius。 True； the dance could be
tyrannous。 It was an importunate fashion。 When the Bishop of Hereford；
compelled by Robin Hood； in merry Barnsdale； danced in his boots （〃and
glad he could so get away〃）； he was hardly in worse heart or trim than a
seventeenth century author here and there whose original seriousness or
work…a…day piety would have been content to go plodding flat…foot or
halting； as the muse might naturally incline with him； but whom the tune；
the grace； and gallantry of the time beckoned to tread a perpetual measure。
Lovelace was a dancer of genius； nay； he danced to rest his wings； for he
was winged； cap and heel。 The fiction of flight has lost its charm long
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since。 Modern art grew tired of the idea； now turned to commonplace； and
painting took leave of the buoyant urchinsnaughty cherub and Cupid
together； but the seventeenth century was in love with that old fancy
more in love； perhaps； than any century in the past。 Its late painters； whose
human figures had no lack of weight upon the comfortable ground； yet
kept a sense of buoyancy for this hovering childhood； and kept the angels
and the loves aloft； as though they shook a tree to make a flock of birds
flutter up。
Fine is the fantastic and infrequent landscape in Lovelace's poetry：
〃This is the palace of the wood； And court o' the royal oak； where
stood The whole nobility。〃
In more than one place Lucasta's； or Amarantha's； or Laura's hair is
sprinkled with dew or rain almost as freshly and wildly as in Wordsworth's
line。
Lovelace； who loved freedom； seems to be enclosed in so narrow a
book； yet it is but a 〃hermitage。〃 To shake out the light and spirit of its
leaves is to give a glimpse of liberty not to him； but to the world。
In To Lucasta I have been bold to alter； at the close； 〃you〃 to 〃thou。〃
Lovelace sent his verses out unrevised； and the inconsistency of pronouns
is common with him； but nowhere else so distressing as in this brief and
otherwise perfect poem。 The fault is easily set right； and it seems even an
unkindness not to lend him this redress； offered him here as an act of
comradeship。
LUCASTA PAYING HER OBSEQUIES
That errors should abound in the text of Lovelace is the more
lamentable because he was apt to make a play of phrases that depend upon
the precision of a commanay； upon the precision of the voice in reading。
Lucasta Paying her Obsequies is a poem that makes a kind of dainty
confusion between the two vestalsthe living and the dead； they are
〃equal virgins；〃 and you
