zanoni-第114章

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work　regarded　in　this　view；　it　is　not　my　intention　to　say

anything；　whether　in　exposition　of　the　design；　or　in　defence　of

the　execution。　　No　typical　meanings　（which；　in　plain　terms　are

but　moral　suggestions；　more　or　less　numerous；　more　or　less

subtle）　can　afford　just　excuse　to　a　writer　of　fiction；　for　the

errors　he　should　avoid　in　the　most　ordinary　novel。　　We　have　no

right　to　expect　the　most　ingenious　reader　to　search　for　the　inner

meaning；　if　the　obvious　course　of　the　narrative　be　tedious　and

displeasing。　　It　is；　on　the　contrary；　in　proportion　as　we　are

satisfied　with　the　objective　sense　of　a　work　of　imagination；　that

we　are　inclined　to　search　into　its　depths　for　the　more　secret

intentions　of　the　author。　　Were　we　not　so　divinely　charmed　with

〃Faust；〃　and　〃Hamlet；〃　and　〃Prometheus；〃　so　ardently　carried　on

by　the　interest　of　the　story　told　to　the　common　understanding；　we

should　trouble　ourselves　little　with　the　types　in　each　which　all

of　us　can　detect；none　of　us　can　elucidate；　none　elucidate；　for

the　essence　of　type　is　mystery。　　We　behold　the　figure；　we　cannot

lift　the　veil。　　The　author　himself　is　not　called　upon　to　explain

what　he　designed。　　An　allegory　is　a　personation　of　distinct　and

definite　things；virtues　or　qualities；and　the　key　can　be　given

easily；　but　a　writer　who　conveys　typical　meanings；　may　express

them　in　myriads。　　He　cannot　disentangle　all　the　hues　which

commingle　into　the　light　he　seeks　to　cast　upon　truth；　and

therefore　the　great　masters　of　this　enchanted　soil；Fairyland　of

Fairyland；　Poetry　imbedded　beneath　Poetry；wisely　leave　to　each

mind　to　guess　at　such　truths　as　best　please　or　instruct　it。　　To

have　asked　Goethe　to　explain　the　〃Faust〃　would　have　entailed　as

complex　and　puzzling　an　answer　as　to　have　asked　Mephistopheles　to

explain　what　is　beneath　the　earth　we　tread　on。　　The　stores

beneath　may　differ　for　every　passenger；　each　step　may　require　a

new　description；　and　what　is　treasure　to　the　geologist　may　be

rubbish　to　the　miner。　　Six　worlds　may　lie　under　a　sod；　but　to　the

common　eye　they　are　but　six　layers　of　stone。



Art　in　itself；　if　not　necessarily　typical；　is　essentially　a

suggester　of　something　subtler　than　that　which　it　embodies　to　the

sense。　　What　Pliny　tells　us　of　a　great　painter　of　old；　is　true　of

most　great　painters；　〃their　works　express　something　beyond　the

works；〃〃more　felt　than　understood。〃　　This　belongs　to　the

concentration　of　intellect　which　high　art　demands；　and　which；　of

all　the　arts；　sculpture　best　illustrates。　　Take　Thorwaldsen's

Statue　of　Mercury；it　is　but　a　single　figure；　yet　it　tells　to

those　conversant　with　mythology　a　whole　legend。　　The　god　has

removed　the　pipe　from　his　lips；　because　he　has　already　lulled　to

sleep　the　Argus；　whom　you　do　not　see。　　He　is　pressing　his　heel

against　his　sword；　because　the　moment　is　come　when　he　may　slay

his　victim。　　Apply　the　principle　of　this　noble　concentration　of

art　to　the　moral　writer：　　he；　too；　gives　to　your　eye　but　a　single

figure；　yet　each　attitude；　each　expression；　may　refer　to　events

and　truths　you　must　have　the　learning　to　remember；　the　acuteness

to　penetrate；　or　the　imagination　to　conjecture。　　But　to　a

classical　judge　of　sculpture；　would　not　the　exquisite　pleasure　of

discovering　the　all　not　told　in　Thorwaldsen's　masterpiece　be

destroyed　if　the　artist　had　engraved　in　detail　his　meaning　at　the

base　of　the　statue？　　Is　it　not　the　same　with　the　typical　sense

which　the　artist　in　words　conveys？　　The　pleasure　of　divining　art

in　each　is　the　noble　exercise　of　all　by　whom　art　is　worthily

regarded。



We　of　the　humbler　race　not　unreasonably　shelter　ourselves　under

the　authority　of　the　masters；　on　whom　the　world's　judgment　is

pronounced；　and　great　names　are　cited；　not　with　the　arrogance　of

equals；　but　with　the　humility　of　inferiors。



The　author　of　Zanoni　gives；　then；　no　key　to　mysteries；　be　they

trivial　or　important；　which　may　be　found　in　the　secret　chambers

by　those　who　lift　the　tapestry　from　the　wall；　but　out　of　the　many

solutions　of　the　main　enigmaif　enigma；　indeed；　there　bewhich

have　been　sent　to　him；　he　ventures　to　select　the　one　which　he

subjoins；　from　the　ingenuity　and　thought　which　it　displays；　and

from　respect　for　the　distinguished　writer　（one　of　the　most

eminent　our　time　has　produced）　who　deemed　him　worthy　of　an　honour

he　is　proud　to　display。　　He　leaves　it　to　the　reader　to　agree

with；　or　dissent　from　the　explanation。　　〃A　hundred　men；〃　says　the

old　Platonist；　〃may　read　the　book　by　the　help　of　the　same　lamp；

yet　all　may　differ　on　the　text；　for　the　lamp　only　lights　the

characters；the　mind　must　divine　the　meaning。〃　　The　object　of　a

parable　is　not　that　of　a　problem；　it　does　not　seek　to　convince；

but　to　suggest。　　It　takes　the　thought　below　the　surface　of　the

understanding　to　the　deeper　intelligence　which　the　world　rarely

tasks。　　It　is　not　sunlight　on　the　water；　it　is　a　hymn　chanted　to

the　nymph　who　hearkens　and　awakes　below。



。。。



〃ZANONI　EXPLAINED。



BY。〃



MEJNOUR：Contemplation　of　the　Actual；SCIENCE。　　Always　old；　and

must　last　as　long　as　the　Actual。　　Less　fallible　than　Idealism；

but　less　practically　potent；　from　its　ignorance　of　the　human

heart。



ZANONI：Contemplation　of　the　Ideal；IDEALISM。　　Always

necessarily　sympathetic：　　lives　by　enjoyment；　and　is　therefore

typified　by　eternal　youth。　　（〃I　do　not　understand　the　making

Idealism　less　undying　（on　this　scene　of　existence）　than

Science。〃Commentator。　　Because；　granting　the　above　premises；

Idealism　is　more　subjected　than　Science　to　the　Affections；　or　to

Instinct；　because　the　Affections；　sooner　or　later；　force　Idealism

into　the　Actual；　and　in　the　Actual　its　immortality　departs。　　The

only　absolutely　Actual　portion　of　the　work　is　found　in　the

concluding　scenes　that　depict　the　Reign　of　Terror。　　The

introduction　of　this　part　was　objected　to　by　some　as　out　of

keeping　with　the　fanciful　portions　that　preceded　it。　　But　if　the

writer　of　the　solution　has　rightly　shown　or　suggested　the

intention　of　the　author；　the　most　strongly　and　rudely　actual

scene　of　the　age　in　which　the　story　is　cast　was　the　necessary　and

harmonious　completion　of　the　whole。　　The　excesses　and　crimes　of

Humanity　are　the　grave　of　the　Ideal。　Author。）　　Idealism　is　the

potent　Interpreter　and　Prophet　of　the　Real；　but　its　powers　are

impaired　in　proportion　to　their　exposure　to　human　passion。



VIOLA：Human　INSTINCT。　　（Hardly　worthy　to　be　called　LOVE；　as

Love　would　not　forsake　its　object　at　the　bidding　of

Superstition。）　　Resorts；　first　in　its　aspiration　after　the　Ideal；

to　tinsel　shows；　then　relinquishes　these　for　a　higher　love；　but

is　still；　from　the　conditions　of　its　nature；　inadequate　to　this；

and　liable　to　suspicion　and　mistrust。　　Its　greatest　force

（Maternal　Instinct）　has　power　to　penetrate　some　secrets；　to　trace

some　movements　of　the　Ideal；　but；　too　feeble　to　command　them；

yields　to　Superstition；　sees　sin　where　there　is　none；　while

committing　sin；　under　a　false　guidance；　weakly　seeking　refuge

amidst　the　very　tumults　of　the　warring　passions　of　the　Actual；

while　deserting　the　serene　Ideal；pining；　nevertheless；　in　the

absence　of　the　Ideal；　and　expiring　（not　perishing；　but　becoming

transmuted）　in　the　aspiration　after　having　the　laws　of　the　two

natures　reconciled。



（It　might　best　suit　popular　apprehension　to　call　these　three　the

Understanding；　the　Imagination；　and　the　Heart。）



CHILD：NEW…BORN　INSTINCT；　while　trained　and　informed　by

Idealism；　promises　a　preter…human　result　by　its　early；

incommunicable　vigilance　and　intelligence；　but　is　compelled；　by

inevitable　orphanhood；　and　the　one…half　of　the　laws　of　its

existence；　to　lapse　into　ordinary　conditions。



AIDON…AI：FAITH；　which　manifests　its　splendour；　and　delivers　its

oracles；　and　imparts　its　marvels；　only　to　the　higher　moods　of　the

soul；　and　whose　directed　antagonism　is　with　Fear；　so　that　those

who　employ　the　resources　of　Fear　must　dispense　with　those　of

Faith。　　Yet　aspiration　holds　open　a　way　of　restoration