letters on literature-第8章

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〃The　damoiseau　was　tall　and　strong；　and　the　horse　whereon　he　sat

fierce　and　great；　and　Aucassin　laid　hand　to　sword；　and　fell　a…

smiting　to　right　and　left；　and　smote　through　helm　and　headpiece；　and

arm　and　shoulder；　making　a　murder　about　him；　like　a　wild　boar　the

hounds　fall　on　in　the　forest。　　There　slew　he　ten　knights；　and　smote

down　seven；　and　mightily　and　knightly　he　hurled　through　the　press；

and　charged　home　again；　sword　in　hand。〃　　For　that　hour　Aucassin

struck　like　one　of　Mallory's　men　in　the　best　of　all　romances。　　But

though　he　took　Count　Bougars　prisoner；　his　father　would　not　keep　his

word；　nor　let　him　have　one　word　or　two　with　Nicolette；　and　one　kiss。

Nay；　Aucassin　was　thrown　into　prison　in　an　old　tower。　　There　he　sang

of　Nicolette；





〃Was　it　not　the　other　day

That　a　pilgrim　came　this　way？

And　a　passion　him　possessed；

That　upon　his　bed　he　lay；

Lay；　and　tossed；　and　knew　no　rest；

In　his　pain　discomforted。

But　thou　camest　by　his　bed；

Holding　high　thine　amice　fine

And　thy　kirtle　of　ermine。

Then　the　beauty　that　is　thine

Did　he　look　on；　and　it　fell

That　the　Pilgrim　straight　was　well；

Straight　was　hale　and　comforted。

And　he　rose　up　from　his　bed；

And　went　back　to　his　own　place

Sound　and　strong；　and　fair　of　face。〃





Thus　Aucassin　makes　a　Legend　of　his　lady；　as　it　were；　assigning　to

her　beauty　such　miracles　as　faith　attributes　to　the　excellence　of

the　saints。



Meanwhile；　Nicolette　had　slipped　from　the　window　of　her　prison

chamber；　and　let　herself　down　into　the　garden；　where　she　heard　the

song　of　the　nightingales。　　〃Then　caught　she　up　her　kirtle　in　both

hands；　behind　and　before；　and　flitted　over　the　dew　that　lay　deep　on

the　grass；　and　fled　out　of　the　garden；　and　the　daisy　flowers　bending

below　her　tread　seemed　dark　against　her　feet；　so　white　was　the

maiden。〃　　Can't　you　see　her　stealing　with　those　〃feet　of　ivory；〃

like　Bombyca's；　down　the　dark　side　of　the　silent　moonlit　streets　of

Beaucaire？



Then　she　came　where　Aucassin　was　lamenting　in　his　cell；　and　she

whispered　to　him　how　she　was　fleeing　for　her　life。　　And　he　answered

that　without　her　he　must　die；　and　then　this　foolish　pair；　in　the

very　mouth　of　peril；　must　needs　begin　a　war　of　words　as　to　which

loved　the　other　best！



〃Nay；　fair　sweet　friend；〃　saith　Aucassin；　〃it　may　not　be　that　thou

lovest　me　more　than　I　love　thee。　　Woman　may　not　love　man　as　man

loves　woman；　for　a　woman's　love　lies　no　deeper　than　in　the　glance　of

her　eye；　and　the　blossom　of　her　breast；　and　her　foot's　tip…toe；　but

man's　love　is　in　his　heart　planted；　whence　never　can　it　issue　forth

and　pass　away。〃



So　while　they　speak





〃In　debate　as　birds　are；

Hawk　on　bough；〃





comes　the　kind　sentinel　to　warn　them　of　a　danger。　　And　Nicolette

flees；　and　leaps　into　the　fosse；　and　thence　escapes　into　a　great

forest　and　lonely。　　In　the　morning　she　met　shepherds　merry　over

their　meat；　and　bade　them　tell　Aucassin　to　hunt　in　that　forest；

where　he　should　find　a　deer　whereof　one　glance　would　cure　him　of　his

malady。　　The　shepherds　are　happy；　laughing　people；　who　half　mock

Nicolette；　and　quite　mock　Aucassin；　when　he　comes　that　way。　　But　at

first　they　took　Nicolette　for　a　fee；　such　a　beauty　shone　so　brightly

from　her；　and　lit　up　all　the　forest。　　Aucassin　they　banter；　and

indeed　the　free　talk　of　the　peasants　to　their　lord's　son　in　that

feudal　age　sounds　curiously；　and　may　well　make　us　reconsider　our

notions　of　early　feudalism。



But　Aucassin　learns　at　least　that　Nicolette　is　in　the　wood；　and　he

rides　at　adventure　after　her；　till　the　thorns　have　ruined　his　silken

surcoat；　and　the　blood；　dripping　from　his　torn　body；　makes　a　visible

track　in　the　grass。　　So；　as　he　wept；　he　met　a　monstrous　man　of　the

wood；　that　asked　him　why　he　lamented。　　And　he　said　he　was　sorrowing

for　a　lily…white　hound　that　he　had　lost。　　Then　the　wild　man　mocked

him；　and　told　his　own　tale。　　He　was　in　that　estate　which　Achilles；

among　the　ghosts；　preferred　to　all　the　kingship　of　the　dead　outworn。

He　was　hind　and　hireling　to　a　villein；　and　he　had　lost　one　of　the

villein's　oxen。　　For　that　he　dared　not　go　into　the　town；　where　a

prison　awaited　him。　　Moreover；　they　had　dragged　the　very　bed　from

under　his　old　mother；　to　pay　the　price　of　the　ox；　and　she　lay　on

straw；　and　at　that　the　woodman　wept。



A　curious　touch；　is　it　not；　of　pity　for　the　people？　　The　old　poet　is

serious　for　one　moment。　　〃Compare；〃　he　says；　〃the　sorrows　of

sentiment；　of　ladies　and　lovers；　praised　in　song；　with　the　sorrows

of　the　poor；　with　troubles　that　are　real　and　not　of　the　heart！〃

Even　Aucassin　the　lovelorn　feels　it；　and　gives　the　hind　money　to　pay

for　his　ox；　and　so　riding　on　comes　to　a　lodge　that　Nicolette　has

built　with　blossoms　and　boughs。　　And　Aucassin　crept　in　and　looked

through　a　gap　in　the　fragrant　walls　of　the　lodge；　and　saw　the　stars

in　heaven；　and　one　that　was　brighter　than　the　rest。



Does　one　not　feel　it；　the　cool　of　that　old　summer　night；　the　sweet

smell　of　broken　boughs　and　trodden　grass　and　deep　dew；　and　the

shining　of　the　star？





〃Star　that　I　from　far　behold

That　the　moon　draws　to　her　fold；

Nicolette　with　thee　doth　dwell；

My　sweet　love　with　locks　of　gold；〃





sings　Aucassin。　　〃And　when　Nicolette　heard　Aucassin；　right　so　came

she　unto　him；　and　passed　within　the　lodge；　and　cast　her　arms　about

his　neck　and　kissed　and　embraced　him：





〃Fair　sweet　friend；　welcome　be　thou！〃

〃And　thou；　fair　sweet　love；　be　thou　welcome！〃





There　the　story　should　end；　in　a　dream　of　a　summer's　night。　　But　the

old　minstrel　did　not　end　it　so；　or　some　one　has　continued　his　work

with　a　heavier　hand。　　Aucassin　rides；　he　cares　not　whither；　if　he

has　but　his　love　with　him。　　And　they　come　to　a　fantastic　land　of

burlesque；　such　as　Pantagruel's　crew　touched　at　many　a　time。　　And

Nicolette　is　taken　by　Carthaginian　pirates；　and　proves　to　be

daughter　to　the　King　of　Carthage；　and　leaves　his　court　and　comes　to

Beaucaire　in　the　disguise　of　a　ministrel；　and　〃journeys　end　in

lovers'　meeting。〃



That　is　all　the　tale；　with　its　gaps；　its　careless　passages；　its

adventures　that　do　not　interest　the　poet。　　He　only　cares　for　youth；

love；　spring；　flowers；　and　the　song　of　the　birds；　the　rest；　except

the　passage　about　the　hind；　is　mere　〃business〃　done　casually；

because　the　audience　expects　broad　jests；　hard　blows；　misadventures；

recognitions。　　What　lives　is　the　touch　of　poetry；　of　longing；　of

tender　heart；　of　humorous　resignation。　　It　lives；　and　always　must

live；　〃while　the　nature　of　man　is　the　same。〃　　The　poet　hopes　his

tale　will　gladden　sad　men。　　This　service　it　did　for　M。　Bida；　he

says；　in　the　dreadful　year　of　1870…71；　when　he　translated

〃Aucassin。〃　　This；　too；　it　has　done　for　me　in　days　not　delightful。

｛6｝







PLOTINUS　（A。D。　200…262）







To　the　Lady　Violet　Lebas。



Dear　Lady　Violet；You　are　discursive　and　desultory　enough；　as　a

reader；　to　have　pleased　even　the　late　Lord　Iddesleigh。　　It　was

〃Aucassin　and　Nicolette〃　only　a　month　ago；　and　to…day　you　have　been

reading　Lord　Lytton's　〃Strange　Story；〃　I　am　sure；　for　you　want

information　about　Plotinus！　　He　was　born　（about　A。D。　200）　in　Wolf…

town　（Lycopolis）；　in　Egypt；　the　town；　you　know；　where　the　natives

might　not　eat　wolves；　poor　fellows；　just　as　the　people　of　Thebes

might　not　eat　sheep。　　Probably　this　prohibition　caused　Plotinus　no

regret；　for　he　was　a　consistent　vegetarian。



However；　we　are　advancing　too　rapidly；　and　we　must　discuss　Plotinus

more　in　order。　　His　name　is　very　dear　to　mystic　novelists；　like　the

author　of　〃Zanoni。〃　　They　always　describe　their　favourite　hero　as

〃deep　in　Plotinus　or　Iamblichus；〃　and　I　venture　to　think　that　nearly

represents　the　depth　of　their　own　explorations。　　We　do　not　know

exactly　when　Plotinus　was　born。　　Like　many　ladies　he　used　to　wrap　up

his　age　in　a　mystery；　observing　that　these　petty　details　about　the

body　（a　mere　husk　of　flesh　binding　the　soul）　were　of　no　importance。

He　was　not　weaned　till　he　was　eight　years　old；　a　singular

circumstance。　　Having　a　turn　for　philosophy；　he　attended　the　schools

of　Alexandria；　concerning　which　Kingsley's　〃Hypatia〃　is　the　most

accessible　authority。



All　these　anecdotes；　I　should　have　said；　we　learn　from　Porphyry；　the

Tyrian；　who　was　a　kind　of　Boswell　to　Plotinus。　　The　philosopher

himself　often　reminds　me　of　Dr。　Johnson；　especially　as　Dr。　Johnson

is　described　by　Mr。　Carlyle。　　Just　as　the　good　doctor　was　a　sound

Churchman　in　the　beginning　of　the　age　of　new　ideas；　so　Plotinus　was

a　sound　pagan　in　the　beginning　of　the　triumph　of　Christianity。



Like　Johnson；　Plotinus　was　lazy　and　energetic　and　short…sighted。　　He

wrote　a　very　large　number　of　treatises；　but　he　never　took　the

trouble　to　read　through　them　when　once　they　were　written；　because

his　eyes　were　weak。　　He　was　superstitious；　like　Dr。　Johnson；　yet　he

had　lucid　intervals　of　common　sense；　when　he　laughed　at　the

superstitions　of　his　disciples。　　Like　Dr。　Johnson；　he　was　always

begirt　by　disciples；　men　and　women；　Bozzys　and　Thrales。　　He　was　so

full　of　honour　and　charity；　that　his　house　was　crowded　with　persons

in　need　of　help　and　friendly　care。　　Though　he　lived　so　much　in　the

clouds　and　among　philosophical　abstractions；　he　was　an　excellent　man

of　business。　　Though　a　philosopher　he　was　pious；　and　was　courageous；

dreading　the　plague　no　more　than　the　good　doctor　dreaded　the　tempest

that　fell　on　him　when　he　was　voyaging　to　Coll。



You　will　admit　that　the　parallel　is　pretty　close　for　an　historical

parallel；　despite　the　differences　between　the　ascetic　of　Wolf…town

and　the　sage　of　Bolt　Court；　hard　by　Fleet　Street！



To　return　to　the　education　of　Plotinus。　　He　was　twenty…eight　when　he

went　up　to　the　University　of　Alexandria。　　For　eleven　years　he

diligently　attended　the　lectures　of　Ammonius。　　Then　he　went　on　the

Emperor　Gordian's　expedition　to　the　East；　hoping　to　learn　the

philosophy　of　the　Hindus。　　The　Upanishads　would　have　puzzled

Plotinus；　had　he　reached　India；　but　he　never　did。　　Gordian's　army

was　defeated　in　Mesopotamia；　no　〃blessed　word〃　to　Gordian；　and

Plotinus　hardly　escaped　with　his　life。　　He　must　have　felt　like

Stendhal　on　the　retreat　from　Moscow。



From　Syria　his　friend　and　disciple　Amelius　led　him　to　Rome；　and

here；　as　novelists　say；　〃a　curious　thing　happened。〃　　There　was　in

Rome　an　Egyptian　priest；　who　offered　to　raise　up　the　Demon；　or

Guardian　Angel；　of　Plotinus　in　visible　form。　　But　there　was　only　one

pure　spot　in　all　Rome；　so　said　the　priest；　and　this　spot　was　the

Temple　of　Isis。　　Here　the　seance　was　held；　and　no　demon　appeared；

but　a　regular　God　of　one　of　the　first　circles。　　So　terrified　was　an

onlooker　that　he　crushed　to　death　the　living　birds　which　he　held　in

his　hands　for　some　ritual　or　magical　purpose。



It　was　a　curious　scene；　a　cosmopolitan　confusion　of　Egypt；　Rome；

Isis；　table…turning；　the　late　Mr。　Home；　religion；　and　mummery；　while

Christian