misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写3)-第4章
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the archbishopric of Canterbury。 The more splendid his prospects； the
more reason he had to dread the accession of a family which was well…
known to be partial to the Whigs。 There is every reason to believe that he
was one of those politicians who hoped that they might be able； during the
life of Anne； to prepare matters in such a way that at her decease there
might be little difficulty in setting aside the Act of Settlement and placing
the Pretender on the throne。 Her sudden death confounded the projects of
these conspirators。 Atterbury； who wanted no kind of courage； implored
his confederates to proclaim James III。； and offered to accompany the
heralds in lawn sleeves。 But he found even the bravest soldiers of his party
irresolute； and exclaimed； not； it is said； without interjections which ill
became the mouth of a father of the church； that the best of all causes and
the most precious of all moments had been pusillanimously thrown away。
He acquiesced in what he could not prevent； took the oaths to the House of
Hanover； and at the coronation officiated with the outward show of zeal；
and did his best to ingratiate himself with the royal family。 But his
servility was requited with cold contempt。 No creature is so revengeful as
a proud man who has humbled himself in vain。 Atterbury became the most
factious and pertinacious of all the opponents of the government。 In the
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
House of Lords his oratory； lucid； pointed； lively； and set off with every
grace of pronunciation and of gesture； extorted the attention and
admiration even of a hostile majority。 Some of the most remarkable
protests which appear in the journals of the peers were drawn up by him；
and in some of the bitterest of those pamphlets which called on the
English to stand up for their country against the aliens who had come from
beyond the seas to oppress and plunder her； critics easily detected his style。
When the rebellion of 1715 broke out； he refused to sign the paper in
which the bishops of the province of Canterbury declared their attachment
to the Protestant succession。 He busied himself in electioneering；
especially at Westminster； where； as dean； he possessed great influence；
and was； indeed； strongly suspected of having once set on a riotous mob to
prevent his Whig fellow… citizens from polling。
After having been long in indirect communication with the exiled
family； he； in 1717； began to correspond directly with the Pretender。 The
first letter of the correspondence is extant。 In that letter Atterbury boasts of
having； during many years past； neglected no opportunity of serving the
Jacobite cause。 〃My daily prayer；〃 he says； 〃is that you may have success。
May I live to see that day； and live no longer than I do what is in my
power to forward it。〃 It is to be remembered that he who wrote thus was a
man bound to set to the church of which he was overseer an example of
strict probity； that he had repeatedly sworn allegiance to the House of
Brunswick； that he had assisted in placing the crown on the head of
George I。； and that he had abjured James III。； 〃without equivocation or
mental reservation； on the true faith of a Christian。〃
It is agreeable to turn from his public to his private life。 His turbulent
spirit； wearied with faction and treason； now and then required repose； and
found it in domestic endearments； and in the society of the most illustrious
of the living and of the dead。 Of his wife little is known： but between him
and his daughter there was an affection singularly close and tender。 The
gentleness of his manners when he was in the company of a few friends
was such as seemed hardly credible to those who knew him only by his
writings and speeches。 The charm of his 〃softer hour〃 has been
commemorated by one of those friends in imperishable verse。 Though
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Atterbury's classical attainments were not great； his taste in English
literature was excellent； and his admiration of genius was so strong that it
overpowered even his political and religious antipathies。 His fondness for
Milton； the mortal enemy of the Stuarts and of the church； was such as to
many Tories seemed a crime。 On the sad night on which Addison was laid
in the chapel of Henry VII。； the Westminster boys remarked that Atterbury
read the funeral service with a peculiar tenderness and solemnity。 The
favourite companions； however； of the great Tory prelate were； as might
have been expected； men whose politics had at least a tinge of Toryism。
He lived on friendly terms with Swift； Arbuthnot； and Gay。 With Prior he
had a close intimacy； which some misunderstanding about public affairs at
last dissolved。 Pope found in Atterbury； not only a warm admirer； but a
most faithful； fearless； and judicious adviser。 The poet was a frequent
guest at the episcopal palace among the elms of Bromley； and entertained
not the slightest suspicion that his host； now declining in years； confined
to an easy chair by gout； and apparently devoted to literature； was deeply
concerned in criminal and perilous designs against the government。
The spirit of the Jacobites had been cowed by the events of 1715。 It
revived in 1721。 The failure of the South Sea project； the panic in the
money market； the downfall of great commercial houses； the distress from
which no part of the kingdom was exempt； had produced general
discontent。 It seemed not improbable that at such a moment an
insurrection might be successful。 An insurrection was planned。 The streets
of London were to be barricaded； the Tower and the Bank were to be
surprised； King George； his family； and his chief captains and councillors；
were to be arrested； and King James was to be proclaimed。 The design
became known to the Duke of Orleans； regent of France； who was on
terms of friendship with the House of Hanover。 He put the English
government on its guard。 Some of the chief malecontents were committed
to prison； and among them was Atterbury。 No bishop of the Church of
England had been taken into custody since that memorable day when the
applauses and prayers of all London had followed the seven bishops to the
gate of the Tower。 The Opposition entertained some hope that it might be
possible to excite among the people an enthusiasm resembling that of their
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
fathers； who rushed into the waters of the Thames to implore the blessing
of Sancroft。 Pictures of the heroic confessor in his cell were exhibited at
the shop windows。 Verses in his praise were sung about the streets。 The
restraints by which he was prevented from communicating with his
accomplices were represented as cruelties worthy of the dungeons of the
Inquisition。 Strong appeals were mad
