按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
great king。 （See Herodotus； viii。 28。）
HIPPOMACHUS。 That plane…tree
42
… Page 43…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
ALCIBIADES。 Never mind the plane…tree。 Come； Callicles； you
were not so timid when you plundered the merchantman off Cape Malea。
Take up the torch and move。 Hippomachus； tell one of the slaves to
bring a sow。 （A sow was sacrificed to Ceres at the admission to the
greater mysteries。）
CALLICLES。 And what part are you to play？
ALCIBIADES。 I shall be hierophant。 Herald； to your office。
Torchbearer； advance with the lights。 Come forward； fair novice。 We
will celebrate the rite within。
＇Exeunt。＇
。。。
43
… Page 44…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
CRITICISMS ON THE
PRINCIPAL ITALIAN WRITERS。
No。 I。 DANTE。
（January 1824）
〃Fairest of stars； last in the train of night； If better thou belong not to
the dawn； Sure pledge of day； that crown'st the smiling morn With thy
bright circlet。〃 Milton。
In a review of Italian literature； Dante has a double claim to
precedency。 He was the earliest and the greatest writer of his country。
He was the first man who fully descried and exhibited the powers of his
native dialect。 The Latin tongue； which； under the most favourable
circumstances； and in the hands of the greatest masters； had still been poor；
feeble； and singularly unpoetical； and which had； in the age of Dante； been
debased by the admixture of innumerable barbarous words and idioms；
was still cultivated with superstitious veneration； and received； in the last
stage of corruption； more honours than it had deserved in the period of its
life and vigour。 It was the language of the cabinet； of the university； of
the church。 It was employed by all who aspired to distinction in the
higher walks of poetry。 In compassion to the ignorance of his mistress； a
cavalier might now and then proclaim his passion in Tuscan or Proven 嘺 l
rhymes。 The vulgar might occasionally be edified by a pious allegory in
the popular jargon。 But no writer had conceived it possible that the
dialect of peasants and market…women should possess sufficient energy
and precision for a majestic and durable work。 Dante adventured first。
He detected the rich treasures of thought and diction which still lay latent
in their ore。 He refined them into purity。 He burnished them into
splendour。 He fitted them for every purpose of use and magnificence。
And he has thus acquired the glory； not only of producing the finest
narrative poem of modern times but also of creating a language；
distinguished by unrivalled melody； and peculiarly capable of furnishing
to lofty and passionate thoughts their appropriate garb of severe and
concise expression。
44
… Page 45…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
To many this may appear a singular panegyric on the Italian tongue。
Indeed the great majority of the young gentlemen and young ladies； who；
when they are asked whether they read Italian； answer 〃yes；〃 never go
beyond the stories at the end of their grammar；The Pastor Fido；or an
act of Artaserse。 They could as soon read a Babylonian brick as a canto
of Dante。 Hence it is a general opinion； among those who know little or
nothing of the subject； that this admirable language is adapted only to the
effeminate cant of sonnetteers； musicians； and connoisseurs。
The fact is that Dante and Petrarch have been the Oromasdes and
Arimanes of Italian literature。 I wish not to detract from the merits of
Petrarch。 No one can doubt that his poems exhibit； amidst some
imbecility and more affectation； much elegance； ingenuity； and tenderness。
They present us with a mixture which can only be compared to the
whimsical concert described by the humorous poet of Modena：
〃S'udian gli usignuoli； al primo albore； Egli asini cantar versi
d'amore。〃 （Tassoni； Secchia Rapita； canto i。 stanza 6。）
I am not； however； at present speaking of the intrinsic excellencies of
his writings； which I shall take another opportunity to examine； but of the
effect which they produced on the literature of Italy。 The florid and
luxurious charms of his style enticed the poets and the public from the
contemplation of nobler and sterner models。 In truth； though a rude state
of society is that in which great original works are most frequently
produced； it is also that in which they are worst appreciated。 This may
appear paradoxical； but it is proved by experience； and is consistent with
reason。 To be without any received canons of taste is good for the few
who can create； but bad for the many who can only imitate and judge。
Great and active minds cannot remain at rest。 In a cultivated age they are
too often contented to move on in the beaten path。 But where no path
exists they will make one。 Thus the Iliad； the Odyssey； the Divine
Comedy； appeared in dark and half barbarous times： and thus of the few
original works which have been produced in more polished ages we owe a
large proportion to men in low stations and of uninformed minds。 I will
instance； in our own language； the Pilgrim's Progress and Robinson
Crusoe。 Of all the prose works of fiction which we possess； these are； I
45
… Page 46…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
will not say the best； but the most peculiar； the most unprecedented； the
most inimitable。 Had Bunyan and Defoe been educated gentlemen； they
would probably have published translations and imitations of French
romances 〃by a person of quality。〃 I am not sure that we should have had
Lear if Shakspeare had been able to read Sophocles。
But these circumstances； while they foster genius； are unfavourable to
the science of criticism。 Men judge by comparison。 They are unable to
estimate the grandeur of an object when there is no standard by which they
can measure it。 One of the French philosophers （I beg Gerard's pardon）；
who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt； tells us that； when he first visited
the great Pyramid； he was surprised to see it so diminutive。 It stood
alone in a boundless plain。 There was nothing near it from which he
could calculate its magnitude。 But when the camp was pitched beside it；
and the tents appeared like diminutive specks around its base； he then
perceived the immensity of this mightiest work of man。 In the same
manner； it is not till a crowd of petty writers has sprung up that the merit
of the great masterspirits of literature is understood。
We have indeed ample proof that Dante was highly admired in his own
and the following age。 I wish that we had equal proof that he was
admired for his excellencies。 But it is a remarkable corroboration of
what has been said； that this great man seems to have been utterly unable
to appreciate himself。 In his treatise 〃De Vulgari Eloquentia〃 he talks
with satisfaction of what he has done for Italian literature； of the purity
and correctness of his style。 〃Cependant；〃 says a favourite writer of
mine；（Sismondi； Literature du Midi de l'Europe。） 〃il n'est ni pur； ni correct；
mais il est createur。〃 Considering the difficulties with which Dante had
to struggle； we may perhaps be more inclined than the French critic to
allow him this praise。 Still it is by no means hi