the flower of the mind(脑之花)-第7章
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traveller； unspent； of longer impulse； of more impetuous foot； of fuller and
of hastier breath； more eager to speak； and yet more reluctant to have done。
Cowley left the line with all this lyrical promise within it； and if his
example had been followed； English prosody would have had in this a
valuable bequest。
Cowley probably was two or three years younger than Richard
Crashaw； and the alexandrine is to be foundto be found by searchingin
Crashaw； and he took precisely the same care as Cowley that the long
wand of that line should not give way in the middleshould be strong and
supple and should last。 Here are four of his alexandrines …
〃Or you； more noble architects of intellectual noise。〃 〃Of sweets you
have； and murmur that you have no more。〃 〃And everlasting series of a
deathless song。〃 〃To all the dear…bought nations this redeeming name。〃
A later poetCoventry Patmorewrote a far longer line than even
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thesea line not only speeding further； but speeding with a more celestial
movement than Cowley or Crashaw heard with the ear of dreams。
〃He unhappily adopted；〃 says Dr。 Johnson as to Cowley's diction； 〃that
which was predominant。〃 〃That which was predominant〃 was as good a
vintage of English language as the cycles of history have ever brought to
pass。
TO LUCASTA
Colonel Richard Lovelace； an enchanting poet； is hardly read； except
for two poems which are as famous as any in our language。 Perhaps the
rumour of his conceits has frightened his reader。 It must be granted they
are now and then daunting； there is a poem on 〃Princess Louisa Drawing〃
which is a very maze； the little paths of verse and fancy turn in upon one
another； and the turns are pointed with artificial shouts of joy and surprise。
But； again； what a reader unused to a certain living symbolism will be apt
to take for a careful and cold conceit is； in truth； a rapturenone graver；
none more fiery or more luminous。 But even to name the poem where
these occur might be to deliver delicate and ardent poetry over to the
general sense of humour； which one distrusts。 Nor is Lovelace easy
reading at any time （the two or three famous poems excepted）。 The age he
adorned lived in constant readiness for the fiddler。 Eleven o'clock in the
morning was as good an hour as another for a dance； and poetry； too； was
gay betimes； but intricate with figures。 It is the very order； the perspective；
as it were； of the movement that seems to baffle the eye； but the game was
a free impulse。 Since the first day danced with the first night； no dancing
was more naturalat least to a dancer of genius。 True； the dance could be
tyrannous。 It was an importunate fashion。 When the Bishop of Hereford；
compelled by Robin Hood； in merry Barnsdale； danced in his boots （〃and
glad he could so get away〃）； he was hardly in worse heart or trim than a
seventeenth century author here and there whose original seriousness or
work…a…day piety would have been content to go plodding flat…foot or
halting； as the muse might naturally incline with him； but whom the tune；
the grace； and gallantry of the time beckoned to tread a perpetual measure。
Lovelace was a dancer of genius； nay； he danced to rest his wings； for he
was winged； cap and heel。 The fiction of flight has lost its charm long
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since。 Modern art grew tired of the idea； now turned to commonplace； and
painting took leave of the buoyant urchinsnaughty cherub and Cupid
together； but the seventeenth century was in love with that old fancy
more in love； perhaps； than any century in the past。 Its late painters； whose
human figures had no lack of weight upon the comfortable ground； yet
kept a sense of buoyancy for this hovering childhood； and kept the angels
and the loves aloft； as though they shook a tree to make a flock of birds
flutter up。
Fine is the fantastic and infrequent landscape in Lovelace's poetry：
〃This is the palace of the wood； And court o' the royal oak； where
stood The whole nobility。〃
In more than one place Lucasta's； or Amarantha's； or Laura's hair is
sprinkled with dew or rain almost as freshly and wildly as in Wordsworth's
line。
Lovelace； who loved freedom； seems to be enclosed in so narrow a
book； yet it is but a 〃hermitage。〃 To shake out the light and spirit of its
leaves is to give a glimpse of liberty not to him； but to the world。
In To Lucasta I have been bold to alter； at the close； 〃you〃 to 〃thou。〃
Lovelace sent his verses out unrevised； and the inconsistency of pronouns
is common with him； but nowhere else so distressing as in this brief and
otherwise perfect poem。 The fault is easily set right； and it seems even an
unkindness not to lend him this redress； offered him here as an act of
comradeship。
LUCASTA PAYING HER OBSEQUIES
That errors should abound in the text of Lovelace is the more
lamentable because he was apt to make a play of phrases that depend upon
the precision of a commanay； upon the precision of the voice in reading。
Lucasta Paying her Obsequies is a poem that makes a kind of dainty
confusion between the two vestalsthe living and the dead； they are
〃equal virgins；〃 and you must assign the pronouns carefully to either as
you read。 This； read twice； must surely be placed amongst the loveliest of
his lovely writings。 It is a joy to meet such a phrase as 〃her brave eyes。〃
TO ALTHEA； FROM PRISON
This is a poem that takes the winds with an answering flight。 Should
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they be 〃birds〃 or 〃gods〃 that wanton in the air in the first of these gallant
stanzas？ Bishop Percy shied at 〃gods；〃 and with admirable judgment
suggested 〃birds；〃 an amendment adopted by the greater number of
succeeding editors； until one or two wished for the other phrase again； as
an audacity fit for Lovelace。 But the Bishop's misgiving was after all
justified by one of the Mss。 of the poem； in which the 〃gods〃 proved to be
〃birds〃 long before he changed them。 The reader may ask； what is there to
choose between birds so divine and gods so light？ But to begin with
〃gods〃 would be to make an anticlimax of the close。 Lovelace led from
birds and fishes to winds； and from winds to angels。
〃When linnet…like confined〃 is another modern reading。 〃When； like
committed linnets；〃 daunted the eighteenth century。 Nevertheless； it is
right seventeenth century； and is now happily restored； happily； because
Lovelace would not have the word 〃confined〃 twice in this little poem。
A HORATIAN ODE
〃He earned the glorious name；〃 says a biographer of Andrew Marvell
（editing an issue of that poet's works which certainly has its faults）； 〃of the
British Aristides。〃 The portly dulness of the mind that could make such a
phrase； and having made； award it； is not； in fairness； to affect a reader's
thought of Marve
