misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写)-第12章
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energy； no condensation； nothing which springs from strong feeling；
nothing which tends to excite it。 Many fine thoughts and fine
expressions reward the toil of reading。 Still it is a toil。 The Secchia
Rapita； in some points the best poem of its kind； is painfully diffuse and
languid。 The Animali Parlanti of Casti is perfectly intolerable。 I admire
the dexterity of the plot； and the liberality of the opinions。 I admit that it
is impossible to turn to a page which does not contain something that
deserves to be remembered； but it is at least six times as long as it ought to
be。 And the garrulous feebleness of the style is a still greater fault than
the length of the work。
It may be thought that I have gone too far in attributing these evils to
the influence of the works and the fame of Petrarch。 It cannot； however；
be doubted that they have arisen； in a great measure； from a neglect of the
style of Dante。 This is not more proved by the decline of Italian poetry
than by its resuscitation。 After the lapse of four hundred and fifty years；
there appeared a man capable of appreciating and imitating the father of
Tuscan literatureVittorio Alfieri。 Like the prince in the nursery tale； he
sought and found the sleeping beauty within the recesses which had so
long concealed her from mankind。 The portal was indeed rusted by time；
the dust of ages had accumulated on the hangings；the furniture was of
antique fashion；and the gorgeous colour of the embroidery had faded。
But the living charms which were well worth all the rest remained in the
bloom of eternal youth； and well rewarded the bold adventurer who roused
them from their long slumber。 In every line of the Philip and the Saul；
the greatest poems； I think； of the eighteenth century； we may trace the
influence of that mighty genius which has immortalised the ill…starred love
of Francesca； and the paternal agonies of Ugolino。 Alfieri bequeathed
the sovereignty of Italian literature to the author of the Aristodemusa
man of genius scarcely inferior to his own； and a still more devoted
disciple of the great Florentine。 It must be acknowledged that this
eminent writer has sometimes pushed too far his idolatry of Dante。 To
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borrow a sprightly illustration from Sir John Denham； he has not only
imitated his garb； but borrowed his clothes。 He often quotes his phrases；
and he has； not very judiciously as it appears to me； imitated his
versification。 Nevertheless； he has displayed many of the higher
excellencies of his master； and his works may justly inspire us with a hope
that the Italian language will long flourish under a new literary dynasty； or
rather under the legitimate line； which has at length been restored to a
throne long occupied by specious usurpers。
The man to whom the literature of his country owes its origin and its
revival was born in times singularly adapted to call forth his extraordinary
powers。 Religious zeal； chivalrous love and honour； democratic liberty；
are the three most powerful principles that have ever influenced the
character of large masses of men。 Each of them singly has often excited
the greatest enthusiasm； and produced the most important changes。 In
the time of Dante all the three； often in amalgamation； generally in conflict；
agitated the public mind。 The preceding generation had witnessed the
wrongs and the revenge of the brave； the accomplished； the unfortunate
Emperor Frederic the Second；a poet in an age of schoolmen；a
philosopher in an age of monks； a statesman in an age of crusaders。
During the whole life of the poet； Italy was experiencing the consequences
of the memorable struggle which he had maintained against the Church。
The finest works of imagination have always been produced in times of
political convulsion； as the richest vineyards and the sweetest flowers
always grow on the soil which has been fertilised by the fiery deluge of a
volcano。 To look no further than the literary history of our own country；
can we doubt that Shakspeare was in a great measure produced by the
Reformation； and Wordsworth by the French Revolution？ Poets often
avoid political transactions； they often affect to despise them。 But；
whether they perceive it or not； they must be influenced by them。 As
long as their minds have any point of contact with those of their fellow…
men； the electric impulse； at whatever distance it may originate； will be
circuitously communicated to them。
This will be the case even in large societies； where the division of
labour enables many speculative men to observe the face of nature； or to
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analyse their own minds； at a distance from the seat of political
transactions。 In the little republic of which Dante was a member the state
of things was very different。 These small communities are most
unmercifully abused by most of our modern professors of the science of
government。 In such states； they tell us； factions are always most violent：
where both parties are cooped up within a narrow space； political
difference necessarily produces personal malignity。 Every man must be a
soldier； every moment may produce a war。 No citizen can lie down
secure that he shall not be roused by the alarum…bell； to repel or avenge an
injury。 In such petty quarrels Greece squandered the blood which might
have purchased for her the permanent empire of the world； and Italy
wasted the energy and the abilities which would have enabled her to
defend her independence against the Pontiffs and the Caesars。
All this is true： yet there is still a compensation。 Mankind has not
derived so much benefit from the empire of Rome as from the city of
Athens； nor from the kingdom of France as from the city of Florence。
The violence of party feeling may be an evil； but it calls forth that activity
of mind which in some states of society it is desirable to produce at any
expense。 Universal soldiership may be an evil； but where every man is a
soldier there will be no standing army。 And is it no evil that one man in
every fifty should be bred to the trade of slaughter； should live only by
destroying and by exposing himself to be destroyed； should fight without
enthusiasm and conquer without glory； be sent to a hospital when
wounded； and rot on a dunghill when old？ Such； over more than two…
thirds of Europe； is the fate of soldiers。 It was something that the citizen
of Milan or Florence fought； not merely in the vague and rhetorical sense
in which the words are often used； but in sober truth； for his parents； his
children； his lands； his house； his altars。 It was something that he
marched forth to battle beneath the Carroccio； which had been the object
of his childish veneration： that his aged father looked down from the
battlements on his exploits； that his friends and his rivals were the
witnesses of his glory。 If he fell； he was consigned to no venal or
heedless guardians。 The same day saw him conveyed within the walls
which he had defended。 His wounds were dressed by his mother； his
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confession was whispered to the friendly priest who had heard and
absolved the follies of his youth； his last sigh was breathed upon the lips
of the lady of his love。 Surely there is no sword like that which is beaten
out of a ploughshare。 Surely this state of things was not unmixedly bad；
its evils were alleviated by enthusiasm and by tenderness； and it will at
least be acknowledged that it was well fitted to nurse poetical genius in an
imaginative and observant mind。
Nor did the religious spirit of the age tend less to this result than its
political circumstances。 Fanaticism is an evil； but it is not the greatest of
evils。 It is good that a people should be roused by any means from a
state of utter torpor；that their minds should be diverted from objects
merely sensual； to meditations； however erroneous； on the mysteries of the
moral and intellectual world； and from interests which are immediately
selfish to those which relate to the past； the future； and the remote。 These
effects have sometimes been produced by the worst superstitions that ever
existed； but the Catholic religion； even in the time of its utmost
extravagance and atrocity； never wholly lost the spirit of the Great Teacher；
whose precepts form the noblest code； as His conduct furnished the purest
example； of moral excellence。 It is of all religions the most poetical。
The ancient superstitions furnished the fancy with beautiful images； but
took no hold on the heart。 The doctrines of the Reformed Churches have
most powerfully influenced the feelings and the conduct of men； but have
not presented them with visions of sensible beauty and grandeur。 The
Roman Catholic Church has united to the awful doctrines of the one that
Mr Coleridge calls the 〃fair humanities〃 of the other。 It has enriched
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