study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第30章
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the land。 It was not his genius that sent him to visit Shelley and his
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mistress at Lake Geneva and seduce their guest； so that she bore him a
daughter； though she was never his wife。 It was not genius that made him
pick up still another companion out of several in Italy and live with her in
immoral relation。 In the name of common decency let no one stand up for
Shelley and Byron in their personal characters！ There are not two moral
laws； one for geniuses and one for common people。 Byron； at any rate；
was never deceived about himself； never blamed his genius nor his
conscience for his wrong。 These are striking lines in 〃Childe Harold；〃 in
which he disclaims all right to sympathy； because；
〃The thorns which I have reaped are of the tree I planted；they
have torn me and I bleed。 I should have known what fruit would spring
from such a tree。〃
Shelley's wife would not say that for him。 〃In all Shelley did；〃 she
says； 〃he at the time of doing it believed himself justified to his own
conscience。〃 Well； so much the worse for Shelley！ Geniuses are not the
only men who can find good reason for doing what they want to do。 One
of Shelley's critics suggests that the trouble was his introduction into
personal conduct of the imagination which he ought to have saved for his
writing。 Perhaps we might explain Byron's misconduct by reminding
ourselves of his club…foot； and applying one code of morals to men with
club…feet and another to men with normal feet。
If we speak of the influence of the Bible on these men； it must be on
their literary work； and when we find it there； it becomes peculiar mark of
its power。 They had little sense of it as moral law。 Their consciences
approved it and condemned themselves； or else their delicate literary taste
sensed it as a book of power。
This is notably true of Shelley。 When he was still a student in Oxford
he committed himself to the opinion of another writer； that 〃the mind
cannot believe in the existence of God。〃 He tries to work that out fully in
his notes on 〃Queen Mab。〃 When he was hardly yet of age he himself
wrote that 〃The genius of human happiness must tear every leaf from the
accursed Book of God； ere man can read the inscription on its heart。〃 He
once said that his highest desire was that there should be a monument to
himself somewhere in the Alps which should be only a great stone with its
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face smoothed and this short inscription cut in it； 〃Percy Bysshe Shelley；
Atheist。〃
It would seem that whatever Shelley drew of strength or inspiration
from the Bible would be by way of reaction； but it is not so。 However he
may have hated the 〃accursed Book of God；〃 his wife tells in her note on
〃The Revolt of Islam〃 that Shelley 〃debated whether he should devote
himself to poetry or metaphysics；〃 and； resolving on the former； he
〃educated himself for it； engaging himself in the study of the poets of
Greece； England； and Italy。 To these； may be added；〃 she goes on； 〃a
constant perusal of portions of the Old Testament； the Book of Psalms； Job；
Isaiah； and others； the sublime poetry of which filled him with delight。〃
Not only did he catch the spirit of that poetry； but its phrases haunted his
memory。 In his best prose work； which he called A Defense of Poetry；
there is an interesting revelation of the influence of his Bible reading upon
him。 Toward the end of the essay these two sentences occur： 〃It is
inconsistent with this division of our subject to cite living poets； but
posterity has done ample justice to the great names now referred to。 Their
errors have been weighed and found to have been dust in the balance； if
their sins are as scarlet； they are now white as snow； they have been
washed in the blood of the mediator and redeemer； Time。〃 There is no
more eloquent passage in the essay than the one of which this is part； and
yet it is full of allusion to this Book from which all pages must be torn！
Even in 〃Queen Mab〃 he makes Ahasuerus； the wandering Jew； recount
the Bible story in such broad outlines as could be given only by a man
who was familiar with it。 When Shelley was in Italy and the word came to
him of the massacre at Manchester； he wrote his 〃Masque of Anarchy。〃
There are few more melodious lines of his writing than those which occur
in this long poem in the section regarding freedom。 Four of those lines are
often quoted。 They are at the very heart of Shelley's best work。 Addressing
freedom； he says：
〃Thou art love： the rich have kissed Thy feet； and； like him
following Christ； Gave their substance to the free； And through the
rough world follow thee。〃
Page after page of Shelley reveals these half… conscious references to
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the Bible。 There were two sources from which he received his passionate
democracy。 One was the treatment he received at Eton； and later at Oxford；
the other is his frequent reading of the English Bible； even though he was
in the spirit of rebellion against much of its teaching。 In Browning's essay
on Shelley； he reaches the amazing conclusion that 〃had Shelley lived； he
would finally have ranged himself with the Christians；〃 and seeks to
justify it by showing that he was moving straight toward the positions of
Paul and of David。 Some of us may not see such rapid approach； but that
Shelley felt the drawing of God in the universe is plain enough。
The influence of the Bible is still more marked on Byron。 He spent his
childhood years at Aberdeen。 There his nurse trained him in the Bible； and；
though he did not live by it； he never lost his love for it； nor his knowledge
of it。 He tells of his own experience in this way： 〃I am a great reader of
those books ＇the Bible＇； and had read them through and through before I
was eight years old； that is to say； the Old Testament； for the New struck
me as a task； but the other as a pleasure。〃＇1＇ One of the earliest bits of his
work is a paraphrase of one of the Psalms。 His physical infirmity put him
at odds with the world； while his striking beauty drew to him a crowd of
admirers who helped to poison every spring of his genius。 Even so； he
held his love for the Bible。 While Shelley often spoke of it in contempt；
while he prided himself on his divergence from the path of its teaching；
Byron never did。 He wandered far； but he always knew it； and； though he
could hardly find terms to express his contempt for the Church； there is no
line of Byron's writing which is a slur at the Bible。 On the other hand；
much of his work reveals a passion for the beauty of it as well as its truth。
His most melodious writing is in that group of Hebrew melodies which
were written to be sung。 They demand far more than a passing knowledge
of t
