letters on literature(关于文学)-第7章
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Who knows？ But do not let us prefer anything to our English follower of
Cervantes； our wise； merry； learned Sancho； trudging on English roads；
like Don Quixote on the paths of Spain。
But I cannot convert you。 You will turn to some story about store…
clerks and summer visitors。 Such is his fate who argues with the fair。
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LONGFELLOW
To Walter Mainwaring； Esq。； Lothian College； Oxford。
My dear Mainwaring；You are very good to ask me to come up and
listen to a discussion； by the College Browning Society； of the minor
characters in 〃Sordello；〃 but I think it would suit me better； if you didn't
mind； to come up when the May races are on。 I am not deeply concerned
about the minor characters in 〃Sordello；〃 and have long reconciled myself
to the conviction that I must pass through this pilgrimage without hearing
Sordello's story told in an intelligible manner。 Your letter； however； set
me a…voyaging about my bookshelves； taking up a volume of poetry here
and there。
What an interesting tract might be written by any one who could
remember； and honestly describe； the impressions that the same books
have made on him at different ages！ There is Longfellow； for example。
I have not read much in him for twenty years。 I take him up to…day； and
what a flood of memories his music brings with it！ To me it is like a sad
autumn wind blowing over the woods； blowing over the empty fields；
bringing the scents of October； the song of a belated bird； and here and
there a red leaf from the tree。 There is that autumnal sense of things fair
and far behind； in his poetry； or； if it is not there； his poetry stirs it in our
forsaken lodges of the past。 Yes； it comes to one out of one's boyhood； it
breathes of a world very vaguely realizeda world of imitative sentiments
and forebodings of hours to come。 Perhaps Longfellow first woke me to
that later sense of what poetry means； which comes with early manhood。
Before； one had been content； I am still content； with Scott in his battle
pieces； with the ballads of the Border。 Longfellow had a touch of
reflection you do not find； of course； in battle poems； in a boy's favourites；
such as 〃Of Nelson and the North；〃 or 〃Ye Mariners of England。〃
His moral reflections may seem obvious now； and trite； they were
neither when one was fifteen。 To read the 〃Voices of the Night；〃 in
particularthose early piecesis to be back at school again； on a Sunday；
reading all alone on a summer's day； high in some tree； with a wide
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prospect of gardens and fields。
There is that mysterious note in the tone and measure which one first
found in Longfellow； which has since reached our ears more richly and
fully in Keats； in Coleridge； in Tennyson。 Take； for example；
〃The welcome； the thrice prayed for； the most fair； The best…beloved
Night！〃
Is not that version of Euripides exquisitedoes it not seem exquisite
still； though this is not the quality you expect chiefly from Longfellow；
though you rather look to him for honest human matter than for an
indefinable beauty of manner？
I believe it is the manner； after all； of the 〃Psalm of Life〃 that has
made it so strangely popular。 People tell us； excellent people； that it is
〃as good as a sermon；〃 that they value it for this reason； that its lesson has
strengthened the hearts of men in our difficult life。 They say so； and they
think so： but the poem is not nearly as good as a sermon； it is not even
coherent。 But it really has an original cadence of its own； with its double
rhymes； and the pleasure of this cadence has combined； with a belief that
they are being edified； to make readers out of number consider the
〃Psalms of Life〃 a masterpiece。 Youmy learned prosodist and student
of Browning and Shelleywill agree with me that it is not a masterpiece。
But I doubt if you have enough of the experience brought by years to
tolerate the opposite opinion； as your elders can。
How many other poems of Longfellow's there are that remind us of
youth； and of those kind； vanished faces which were around us when we
read 〃The Reaper and the Flowers〃！ I read again； and； as the poet says；
〃Then the forms of the departed Enter at the open door； The beloved；
the true…hearted Come to visit me once more。〃
Compare that simple strain； you lover of Theophile Gautier； with
Theo's own 〃Chateau de Souvenir〃 in 〃Emaux et Camees；〃 and confess the
truth； which poet brings the break into the reader's voice？ It is not the
dainty； accomplished Frenchman； the jeweller in words； it is the simpler
speaker of our English tongue who stirs you as a ballad moves you。 I
find one comes back to Longfellow； and to one's old self of the old years。
I don't know a poem 〃of the affections；〃 as Sir Barnes Newcome would
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have called it； that I like better than Thackeray's 〃Cane…bottomed Chair。〃
Well； 〃The Fire of Driftwood〃 and this other of Longfellow's with its
absolute lack of pretence； its artful avoidance of art； is not less tender and
true。
〃And she sits and gazes at me With those deep and tender eyes； Like
the stars； so still and saintlike； Looking downward from the skies。〃
It is from the skies that they look down； those eyes which once read
the 〃Voices of the Night〃 from the same book with us； how long ago！ So
long ago that one was half…frightened by the legend of the 〃Beleaguered
City。〃 I know the ballad brought the scene to me so vividly that I
expected； any frosty night； to see how
〃The white pavilions rose and fell On the alarmed air；〃
and it was down the valley of Ettrick； beneath the dark 〃Three
Brethren's Cairn；〃 that I half…hoped to watch when 〃the troubled army
fled〃fled with battered banners of mist drifting through the pines； down
to the Tweed and the sea。 The 〃Skeleton in Armour〃 comes out once
more as terrific as ever； and the 〃Wreck of the Hesperus〃 touches one in
the old； simple way after so many； many days of verse…reading and even
verse…writing。
In brief； Longfellow's qualities are so mixed with what the reader
brings； with so many kindliest associations of memory； that one cannot
easily criticize him in cold blood。 Even in spite of this friendliness and
affection which Longfellow wins； I can see； of course； that he does
moralize too much。 The first part of his lyrics is always the best； the part
where he is dealing directly with his subject。 Then comes the 〃practical
application〃 as preachers say； and I feel now that it is sometimes uncalled
for； disenchanting； and even manufactured。
Look at his 〃Endymion。〃 It is the earlier verses t
