misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写3)-第6章
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
from this cruel blow。 As soon as he was himself again he became eager for
action and conflict； for grief； which disposes gentle natures to retirement；
to inaction； and to meditation； only makes restless spirits more restless。
The Pretender； dull and bigoted as he was； had found out that he had not
acted wisely in parting with one who； though a heretic； was； in abilities
and accomplishments； the foremost man of the Jacobite party。 The bishop
was courted back； and was without much difficulty induced to return to
Paris and to become once more the phantom minister of a phantom
monarchy。 But his long and troubled life was drawing to a close。 To the
last； however； his intellect retained all its keenness and vigour。 He learned；
in the ninth year of his banishment； that he had been accused by Oldmixon；
as dishonest and malignant a scribbler as any that has been saved from
oblivion by the Dunciad； of having； in concert with other Christchurchmen；
garbled Clarendon's History of the Rebellion。 The charge； as respected
Atterbury； had not the slightest foundation： for he was not one of the
editors of the History； and never saw it till it was printed。 He published a
short vindication of himself； which is a model in its kind； luminous；
temperate； and dignified。 A copy of this little work he sent to the Pretender；
with a letter singularly eloquent and graceful。 It was impossible； the old
man said； that he should write anything on such a subject without being
reminded of the resemblance between his own fate and that of Clarendon。
They were the only two English subjects that had ever been banished from
their country and debarred from all communication with their friends by
act of parliament。 But here the resemblance ended。 One of the exiles had
been so happy as to bear a chief part in the restoration of the Royal house。
All that the other could now do was to die asserting the rights of that
house to the last。 A few weeks after this letter was written Atterbury died。
He had just completed his seventieth year。
His body was brought to England； and laid； with great privacy； under
the nave of Westminster Abbey。 Only three mourners followed the coffin。
No inscription marks the grave。 That the epitaph with which Pope
honoured the memory of his friend does not appear on the walls of the
great national cemetery is no subject of regret： for nothing worse was ever
written by Colley Cibber。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Those who wish for more complete information about Atterbury may
easily collect it from his sermons and his controversial writings； from the
report of the parliamentary proceedings against him； which will be found
in the State Trials； from the five volumes of his correspondence； edited by
Mr Nichols； and from the first volume of the Stuart papers； edited by Mr
Glover。 A very indulgent but a very interesting account of the bishop's
political career will be found in Lord Mahon's valuable History of
England。
。。。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
JOHN BUNYAN。
（May 1854。）
John Bunyan； the most popular religious writer in the English
language； was born at Elstow； about a mile from Bedford； in the year 1628。
He may be said to have been born a tinker。 The tinkers then formed an
hereditary caste； which was held in no high estimation。 They were
generally vagrants and pilferers； and were often confounded with the
gipsies； whom in truth they nearly resembled。 Bunyan's father was more
respectable than most of the tribe。 He had a fixed residence； and was able
to send his son to a village school where reading and writing were taught。
The years of John's boyhood were those during which the puritan spirit
was in the highest vigour all over England； and nowhere had that spirit
more influence than in Bedfordshire。 It is not wonderful； therefore； that a
lad to whom nature had given a powerful imagination； and sensibility
which amounted to a disease； should have been early haunted by religious
terrors。 Before he was ten； his sports were interrupted by fits of remorse
and despair； and his sleep was disturbed by dreams of fiends trying to fly
away with him。 As he grew older； his mental conflicts became still more
violent。 The strong language in which he described them has strangely
misled all his biographers except Mr Southey。 It has long been an ordinary
practice with pious writers to cite Bunyan as an instance of the
supernatural power of divine grace to rescue the human soul from the
lowest depths of wickedness。 He is called in one book the most notorious
of profligates； in another； the brand plucked from the burning。 He is
designated in Mr Ivimey's History of the Baptists as the depraved Bunyan；
the wicked tinker of Elstow。 Mr Ryland； a man once of great note among
the Dissenters； breaks out into the following rhapsody：〃No man of
common sense and common integrity can deny that Bunyan was a
practical atheist； a worthless contemptible infidel； a vile rebel to God and
goodness； a common profligate； a soul…despising； a soul…murdering； a
soul… damning； thoughtless wretch as could exist on the face of the earth。
Now be astonished； O heavens； to eternity！ and wonder； O earth and hell！
while time endures。 Behold this very man become a miracle of mercy； a
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
mirror of wisdom； goodness； holiness； truth； and love。〃 But whoever takes
the trouble to examine the evidence will find that the good men who wrote
this had been deceived by a phraseology which； as they had been hearing
it and using it all their lives； they ought to have understood better。 There
cannot be a greater mistake than to infer； from the strong expressions in
which a devout man bemoans his exceeding sinfulness； that he has led a
worse life than his neighbours。 Many excellent persons； whose moral
character from boyhood to old age has been free from any stain discernible
to their fellow… creatures； have； in their autobiographies and diaries；
applied to themselves； and doubtless with sincerity； epithets as severe as
could be applied to Titus Oates or Mrs Brownrigg。 It is quite certain that
Bunyan was； at eighteen； what； in any but the most austerely puritanical
circles； would have been considered as a young man of singular gravity
and innocence。 Indeed； it may be remarked that he； like many other
penitents who； in general terms； acknowledged themselves to have been
the worst of mankind； fired up and stood vigorously on his defence；
whenever any particular charge was brought against him by others。 He
declares； it is true； that he had let loose the reins on the neck of his lusts；
that he had delighted in all transgressions against the divine law； and th
