essays on life, art and science-第19章

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Behind　the　sanctuary　there　is　a　semi…ruinous　and　wholly　valueless
work；　which　shows　the　finding　of　the　black　image；　which　is　now　in
the　church；　but　is　only　shown　on　great　festivals。

This　leads　us　to　a　consideration　that　I　have　delayed　till　now。　　The
black　image　is　the　central　feature　of　Oropa；　it　is　the　raison　d'etre
of　the　whole　place；　and　all　else　is　a　mere　incrustation；　so　to
speak；　around　it。　　According　to　this　image；　then；　which　was　carved
by　St。　Luke　himself；　and　than　which　nothing　can　be　better
authenticated；　both　the　Madonna　and　the　infant　Christ　were　as　black
as　anything　can　be　conceived。　　It　is　not　likely　that　they　were　as
black　as　they　have　been　painted；　no　one　yet　ever　was　so　black　as
that；　yet；　even　allowing　for　some　exaggeration　on　St。　Luke's　part；
they　must　have　been　exceedingly　black　if　the　portrait　is　to　be
accepted；　and　uncompromisingly　black　they　accordingly　are　on　most　of
the　wayside　chapels　for　many　a　mile　around　Oropa。　　Yet　in　the
chapels　we　have　been　hitherto　consideringworks　in　which；　as　we
know；　the　most　punctilious　regard　has　been　shown　to　accuracyboth
the　Virgin　and　Christ　are　uncompromisingly　white。　　As　in　the　shops
under　the　Colonnade　where　devotional　knick…knacks　are　sold；　you　can
buy　a　black　china　image　or　a　white　one；　whichever　you　like；　so　with
the　picturesthe　black　and　white　are　placed　side　by　sidepagando
il　danaro　si　puo　scegliere。　　It　rests　not　with　history　or　with　the
Church　to　say　whether　the　Madonna　and　Child　were　black　or　white；　but
you　may　settle　it　for　yourself；　whichever　way　you　please；　or　rather
you　are　required；　with　the　acquiescence　of　the　Church；　to　hold　that
they　were　both　black　and　white　at　one　and　the　same　time。

It　cannot　be　maintained　that　the　Church　leaves　the　matter　undecided；
and　by　tolerating　both　types　proclaims　the　question　an　open　one；　for
she　acquiesces　in　the　portrait　by　St。　Luke　as　genuine。　　How；　then；
justify　the　whiteness　of　the　Holy　Family　in　the　chapels？　　If　the
portrait　is　not　known　as　genuine；　why　set　such　a　stumbling…block　in
our　paths　as　to　show　us　a　black　Madonna　and　a　white　one；　both　as
historically　accurate；　within　a　few　yards　of　one　another？

I　ask　this　not　in　mockery；　but　as　knowing　that　the　Church　must　have
an　explanation　to　give；　if　she　would　only　give　it；　and　as　myself
unable　to　find　any；　even　the　most　farfetched；　that　can　bring　what　we
see　at　Oropa；　Loreto　and　elsewhere　into　harmony　with　modern
conscience；　either　intellectual　or　ethical。

I　see；　indeed；　from　an　interesting　article　in　the　Atlantic　Monthly
for　September　1889；　entitled　〃The　Black　Madonna　of　Loreto；〃　that
black　Madonnas　were　so　frequent　in　ancient　Christian　art　that　〃some
of　the　early　writers　of　the　Church　felt　obliged　to　account　for　it　by
explaining　that　the　Virgin　was　of　a　very　dark　complexion；　as　might
be　proved　by　the　verse　of　Canticles　which　says；　'I　am　black；　but
comely；　O　ye　daughters　of　Jerusalem。'　　Others　maintained　that　she
became　black　during　her　sojourn　in　Egypt。　。　。　。　　Priests；　of　to…day；
say　that　extreme　age　and　exposure　to　the　smoke　of　countless　altar…
candles　have　caused　that　change　in　complexion　which　the　more　naive
fathers　of　the　Church　attributed　to　the　power　of　an　Egyptian　sun〃；
but　the　writer　ruthlessly　disposes　of　this　supposition　by　pointing
out　that　in　nearly　all　the　instances　of　black　Madonnas　it　is　the
flesh　alone　that　is　entirely　black；　the　crimson　of　the　lips；　the
white　of　the　eyes；　and　the　draperies　having　preserved　their　original
colour。　　The　authoress　of　the　article　（Mrs。　Hilliard）　goes　on　to
tell　us　that　Pausanias　mentions　two　statues　of　the　black　Venus；　and
says　that　the　oldest　statue　of　Ceres　among　the　Phigalenses　was
black。　　She　adds　that　Minerva　Aglaurus；　the　daughter　of　Cecrops；　at
Athens；　was　black；　that　Corinth　had　a　black　Venus；　as　also　the
Thespians；　that　the　oracles　of　Dodona　and　Delphi　were　founded　by
black　doves；　the　emissaries　of　Venus；　and　that　the　Isis　Multimammia
in　the　Capitol　at　Rome　is　black。

Sometimes　I　have　asked　myself　whether　the　Church　does　not　intend　to
suggest　that　the　whole　story　falls　outside　the　domain　of　history；
and　is　to　be　held　as　the　one　great　epos；　or　myth；　common　to　all
mankind；　adaptable　by　each　nation　according　to　its　own　several
needs；　translatable；　so　to　speak；　into　the　facts　of　each　individual
nation；　as　the　written　word　is　translatable　into　its　language；　but
appertaining　to　the　realm　of　the　imagination　rather　than　to　that　of
the　understanding；　and　precious　for　spiritual　rather　than　literal
truths。　　More　briefly；　I　have　wondered　whether　she　may　not　intend
that　such　details　as　whether　the　Virgin　was　white　or　black　are　of
very　little　importance　in　comparison　with　the　basing　of　ethics　on　a
story　that　shall　appeal　to　black　races　as　well　as　to　white　ones。

If　so；　it　is　time　we　were　made　to　understand　this　more　clearly。　　If
the　Church；　whether　of　Rome　or　England；　would　lean　to　some　such　view
as　thistainted　though　it　be　with　mysticismif　we　could　see　either
great　branch　of　the　Church　make　a　frank；　authoritative　attempt　to
bring　its　teaching　into　greater　harmony　with　the　educated
understanding　and　conscience　of　the　time；　instead　of　trying　to
fetter　that　understanding　with　bonds　that　gall　it　daily　more　and
more　profoundly；　then　I；　for　one；　in　view　of　the　difficulty　and
graciousness　of　the　task；　and　in　view　of　the　great　importance　of
historical　continuity；　would　gladly　sink　much　of　my　own　private
opinion　as　to　the　value　of　the　Christian　ideal；　and　would　gratefully
help　either　Church　or　both；　according　to　the　best　of　my　very　feeble
ability。　　On　these　terms；　indeed；　I　could　swallow　not　a　few　camels
myself　cheerfully　enough。

Can　we；　however；　see　any　signs　as　though　either　Rome　or　England　will
stir　hand　or　foot　to　meet　us？　　Can　any　step　be　pointed　to　as　though
either　Church　wished　to　make　things　easier　for　men　holding　the
opinions　held　by　the　late　Mr。　Darwin；　or　by　Mr。　Herbert　Spencer　and
Professor　Huxley？　　How　can　those　who　accept　evolution　with　any
thoroughness　accept　such　doctrines　as　the　Incarnation　or　the
Redemption　with　any　but　a　quasi…allegorical　and　poetical
interpretation？　　Can　we　conceivably　accept　these　doctrines　in　the
literal　sense　in　which　the　Church　advances　them？　　And　can　the
leaders　of　the　Church　be　blind　to　the　resistlessness　of　the　current
that　has　set　against　those　literal　interpretations　which　she　seems
to　hug　more　and　more　closely　the　more　religious　life　is　awakened　at
all？　　The　clergyman　is　wanted　as　supplementing　the　doctor　and　the
lawyer　in　all　civilised　communities；　these　three　keep　watch　on　one
another；　and　prevent　one　another　from　becoming　too　powerful。　　I；　who
distrust　the　doctrinaire　in　science　even　more　than　the　doctrinaire
in　religion；　should　view　with　dismay　the　abolition　of　the　Church　of
England；　as　knowing　that　a　blatant　bastard　science　would　instantly
step　into　her　shoes；　but　if　some　such　deplorable　consummation　is　to
be　avoided　in　England；　it　can　only　be　through　more　evident　leaning
on　the　part　of　our　clergy　to　such　an　interpretation　of　the　Sacred
History　as　the　presence　of　a　black　and　white　Madonna　almost　side　by
side　at　Oropa　appears　to　suggest。

I　fear　that　in　these　last　paragraphs　I　may　have　trenched　on
dangerous　ground；　but　it　is　not　possible　to　go　to　such　places　as
Oropa　without　asking　oneself　what　they　mean　and　involve。　　As　for　the
average　Italian　pilgrims；　they　do　not　appear　to　give　the　matter　so
much　as　a　thought。　　They　love　Oropa；　and　flock　to　it　in　thousands
during　the　summer；　the　President　of　the　Administration　assured　me
that　they　lodged；　after　a　fashion；　as　many　as　ten　thousand　pilgrims
on　the　15th　of　last　August。　　It　is　astonishing　how　living　the
statues　are　to　these　people；　and　how　the　wicked　are　upbraided　and
the　good　applauded。　　At　Varallo；　since　I　took　the　photographs　I
published　in　my　book　〃Ex　Voto；〃　an　angry　pilgrim　has　smashed　the
nose　of　the　dwarf　in　Tabachetti's　Journey　to　Calvary；　for　no　other
reason　than　inability　to　restrain　his　indignation　against　one　who
was　helping　to　inflict　pain　on　Christ。　　It　is　the　real　hair　and　the
painting　up　to　nature　that　does　this。　　Here　at　Oropa　I　found　a　paper
on　the　floor　of　the　Sposalizio　Chapel；　which　ran