letters on literature(关于文学)-第26章
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Reynolds's Peter Bell。
When the article on John Hamilton Reynolds （〃A Friend of Keats〃）
was written； I had not seen his 〃Peter Bell〃 （Taylor and Hessey； London；
1888）。 This 〃Lyrical Ballad〃 is described in a letter of Keats's published
by Mr。 Sidney Colvin in Macmillan's Magazine； August； 1888。 The point
of Reynolds's joke was to produce a parody before the original。
Reynolds was annoyed by what Hood called 〃The Betty Foybles〃 of
Wordsworth； and by the demeanour of a poet who was serious； not only in
season； but out of season。 Moreover； Wordsworth had damned 〃a pretty
piece of heathenism〃 by Keats； with praise which was faint even from
Wordsworth to a contemporary。 In the circumstances； as Wordsworth
was not yet a kind of solemn shade； whom we see haunting the hills； and
hear chanting the swan song of the dying England； perhaps Reynolds's
parody scarce needs excuse。 Mr。 Ainger calls it 〃insolent；〃 meaning that it
has an unkind tone of personal attack。 That is； unluckily； true； but to
myself the parody appears remarkably funny； and quite worthy of 〃the
sneering brothers； the vile Smiths；〃 as Lamb calls the authors of 〃Rejected
Addresses。〃 Lamb wrote to tell Wordsworth that he did not see the fun of
the parodyperhaps it is as well that we should fail to see the fun of jests
broken on our friends。 But will any Wordsworthian deny to…day the
humour of this？ …
〃He is rurally related； Peter Bell hath country cousins； （He had once a
worthy mother）； Bells and Peters by the dozens； But Peter Bell he hath no
brothers； Not a brother owneth he； Peter Bell he hath no brother； His
mother had no other son； No other son e'er called her 'mother；' Peter Bell
hath brother none。〃
As Keats says in a review he wrote for The Examiner； 〃there is a
pestilent humour in the rhymes； and an inveterate cadence in some of the
stanzas that must be lamented。〃 In his review Keats tried to hurt neither
side； but his heart was with Reynolds； 〃it would be just as well to trounce
Lord Byron in the same manner。〃
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Letters on Literature
People still make an outcry over the trouncing of Keats。 It was
bludgeonly done； but only part of a game； a kind of horseplay at which
most men of letters of the age were playing。 Who but regrets that； in his
〃Life of Keats；〃 Mr。 Colvin should speak as if Sir Walter Scott had；
perhaps； a guilty knowledge of the review of Keats in Blackwood！ There
is but a tittle of published evidence to the truth of a theory in itself utterly
detestable； and； to every one who understands the character of Scott；
wholly beyond possibility of belief。 Even if Lockhart was the reviewer；
and if Scott came to know it； was Scott responsible for what Lockhart did
in 1819 or 1820； the very time when Mrs。 Shelley thought he was
defending Shelley in Blackwood （where he had praised her Frankenstein）；
and when she spoke of Sir Walter as 〃the only liberal man in the faction〃？
Unluckily Keats died； and his death was absurdly attributed to a pair of
reviews which may have irritated him； and which were coarse； and cruel
even for that period of robust reviewing。 But Keats knew very well the
value of these critiques； and probably resented them not much more than a
football player resents being 〃hacked〃 in the course of the game。 He was
very willing to see Byron and Wordsworth 〃trounced；〃 and as ready as
Peter Corcoran in his friend's poem to 〃take punishment〃 himself。 The
character of Keats was plucky； and his estimate of his own genius was
perfectly sane。 He knew that he was in the thick of a literary
〃scrimmage；〃 and he was not the man to flinch or to repine at the
consequences。
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Letters on Literature
APPENDIX II
Portraits of Virgil and Lucretius。
In the Letter on Virgil some remarks are made on a bust of the poet。 It
is wholly fanciful。 Our only vestiges of a portrait of Virgil are in two
MSS。； the better of the two is in the Vatican。 The design represents a
youth； with dark hair and a pleasant face； seated reading。 A desk is
beside him； and a case for manuscript； in shape like a band…box。 （See
Visconti； 〃Icon。 Rom。〃 i。 179； plate 13。） Martial tells us that portraits of
Virgil were illuminated on copies of his 〃AEneid。〃 The Vatican MS。 is of
the twelfth century。 But every one who has followed the fortunes of books
knows that a kind of tradition often preserves the illustrations； which are
copied and recopied without material change。 （See Mr。 Jacobs's 〃Fables
of Bidpai；〃 Nutt； 1888。） Thus the Vatican MS。 may preserve at least a
shadow of Virgil。
If there be any portrait of Lucretius； it is a profile on a sard； published
by Mr。 Munro in his famous edition of the poet。 The letters LVCR are
inscribed on the stone； and appear to be contemporary with the gem。
This； at least； is the opinion of Mr。 A。 S。 Murray； of the late Mr。 C。 W。
King； Braun； and Muller。 On the other hand； Bernouilli （〃Rom。 Icon。〃 i。
247） regards this； and apparently most other Roman gems with
inscriptions； as 〃apocryphal。〃 The ring； which was in the Nott collection；
is now in my possession。 If Lucretius were the rather pedantic and sharp…
nosed Roman of the gem； his wife had little reason for the jealousy which
took so deplorable a form。 Cold this Lucretius may have been； volatile
never！ ｛11｝
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Letters on Literature
Footnotes：
｛1｝ This was written during the lifetime of Mr。 Arnold and Mr。
Browning。
｛2｝ Since this was written； Mr。 Bridges has made his lyrics
accessible in 〃Shorter Poems。〃 （G。 Bell and Sons： 1890）
｛3｝ Macmillans。
｛4｝ Reynolds was； perhaps； a little irreverent。 He anticipated
Wordsworth's 〃Peter Bell〃 by a premature parody； 〃Peter Bell the First。〃
｛5｝ Appendix on Reynolds's 〃Peter Bell。〃
｛6｝ 〃Aucassin and Nicolette〃 has now been edited； annotated； and
equipped with a translation by Mr。 F。 W。 Bourdillon （Kegan Paul & Trench；
1887）。
｛7｝ Edinburgh； 1862。
｛8｝ The Elzevir piracy was rather earlier。
｛9｝ Pindar； perhaps； in one of his fragments； suggested that pretty
Cum regnat Rosa。
｛10｝ See next letter。
｛11｝ Mr。 Munro calls the stone 〃a black agate；〃 and does not
mention its provenance。 The engraving in his book does no justice to the
portrait。 There is another gem representing Lucretius in the Vatican： of
old it belonged to Leo X。 The two gems are in all respects si
