the flower of the mind(脑之花)-第9章
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as though it were a separable quality in literature； and it is not in that
illusion that the style of the opening of Aphra Behn's resounding song is to
be praised。 But it IS the styleimplying the reckless and majestic heart
that first takes the reader of these great verses。
HYMN （The spacious firmament on high）
Whether Addison wrote the whole of this or not；and it seems that
the inspired passages are none of hisit is to me a poem of genius；
magical in spite of the limited diction。
ELEGY TO THE MEMORY OF AN UNFORTUNATE LADY
Also in spite of limited dictionthe sign of thought closing in； as it
did fast close in during those yearsare Pope's tenderness and passion
communicated in this beautiful elegy。 It would not be too much to say that
all his passion； all his tenderness； and certainly all his mystery； are in the
few lines at the opening and close。 The Epistle of Eloisa is （artistically
speaking） but a counterfeit。 Yet Pope's Elegy begins by stealing and
translating into the false elegance of altered taste that lovely and poetic
opening of Ben Jonson's …
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〃What beckoning ghost； besprent with April dew； Hails me so
solemnly to yonder yew？〃
All the gravity； all the sweetness； one might fear； must be lost in such a
change as Pope makes …
〃What beckoning ghost along the moonlight shade Invites my steps；
and points to yonder glade？〃
Yet they are not lost。 Pope's awe and ardour are authentic； and they
prevail； the succeeding coupletinimitably modulated； and of tragic
dignityproves； without delay； the quality of the poem。 The poverty and
coldness of the passage （towards the end）； in which the roses and the
angels are somewhat trivially sung； cannot mar so veritable an utterance。
The four final couplets are the very glory of the English couplet。
LINE ON RECEIVING HIS MOTHER'S PICTURE
Cowper； again； by the very directness of human feeling makes his
narrowing English a means of absolutely direct communication。 Of all his
works （and this is my own mere and unshared opinion） this single one
deserves immortality。
LIFE
This fragment （the only fragment； properly so called； in the present
collection） so pleased Wordsworth that he wished he had written the lines。
They are very gently touched。
THE LAND OF DREAMS
When Blake writes of sleep and dreams he writes under the very
influence of the hours of sleepwith a waking consciousness of the wilder
emotion of the dream。 Corot painted so； when at summer dawn he went
out and saw landscape in the hours of sleep。
SURPRISED BY JOY
It is not necessary to write notes on Wordsworth's sonnetsthe
greatest sonnets in our literature； but it would be well to warn editors how
they print this one sonnet； 〃I wished to share the transport〃 is by no means
an uncommon reading。 Into the history of the variant I have not looked。 It
is enough that all the suddenness； all the clash and recoil of these
impassioned lines are lost by that 〃wished〃 in the place of 〃turned。〃 The
loss would be the less tolerable in as much as perhaps only here and in that
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heart…moving poem； 'Tis said that some have died for love； is Wordsworth
to be confessed as an impassioned poet。
STEPPING WESTWARD
This and the preceding two exquisite poems of sympathy are far more
justified； more recollected and sincere than is that more monumental
composition； the famous poem of sympathy； Hartleap Well。 The most
beautiful stanzas of this poem last…named are so rebuked by the truths of
nature that they must ever stand as obstacles to the straightforward view of
sensitive eyes upon the natural world。 Wordsworth shows us the ruins of
an aspen…wood； a blighted hollow； a dreary place forlorn because an
innocent creature； hunted； had there broken its heart in a leap from the
rocks above； grass would not grow； nor shade linger there …
〃This beast not unobserved by Nature fell； His death was mourned by
sympathy divine。〃
And the signs of that sympathy are cruelly asserted to be these arid
woodland ruinscruelly； because the common sight of the day blossoming
over the agonies of animals and birds is made less tolerable by such
fictions。 We have to shut our ears to the benign beauty of this stanza
especially …
〃The Being that is in the clouds and air； That is in the green leaves
among the groves； Maintains a deep and reverential care For the
unoffending creature whom He loves。〃
We must shut our ears because the poet offers us； as a proof of that
〃reverential care；〃 the visible alteration of nature at the scene of suffering…
…an alteration we are obliged to dispense with every day we pass in the
woods。 We are tempted to ask whether Wordsworth himself believed in a
sympathy he asks usupon such grounds！to believe in？ Did he think his
faith to be worthy of no more than a fictitious sign or a false proof？
To choose from Wordsworth is to draw close a net with very large
meshesso that the lovely things that escape must doubtless cause the
reader to protest； but the poems gathered here are not only supremely
beautiful but exceedingly Wordsworthian。
YOUTH AND AGE
Close to the marvellous Kubla Khana poem that wrests the secret of
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dreams and brings it to the light of verseI place Youth and Age as the
best specimen of Coleridge's poetry that is quite undeliriousto my mind
the only fine specimen。 I do not rate his undelirious poems highly； and
even this； charming and nimble as it is； seems to me rather lean in thought
and image。 The tenderness of some of the images comes to a rather
lamentable close； the likeness to 〃some poor nigh…related guest〃 with the
three lines that follow is too squalid for poetry； or prose； or thought。
THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER
This poem is surely more full of a certain quality of extreme poetry
the simplest 〃flower of the mind；〃 the most single magic than any other
in our language。 But the reader must be permitted to call the story silly。
Page 265 （Are those her ribs through which the Sun）
Coleridge used the sun； moon； and stars as a great dream uses them
when the sleeping imagination is obscurely threatened with illness。 All
through The Ancient Mariner we see them like apparitions。 It is a pity that
he followed the pranks also of a dream when he impossibly placed a star
WITHIN the tip of the crescent。
Page 266 （I feer thee； ancient Mariner！）
The likeness of 〃the ribbed sea sand〃 is said to be the one passage
actually composed by Wordsworth；who according to the first plan should
have written The Ancient Mariner with Coleridge〃and perhaps the most
beautiful passage in
