robert louis stevenson-第22章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
er writings。 It is true that even in his final philosophy he still seems to me to underrate； or rather to shirk； the significance of that most compendious parable which he thus relates in a letter to Mr Henry James：… 'Do you know the story of the man who found a button in his hash； and called the waiter？ 〃What do you call that？〃 says he。 〃Well；〃 said the waiter； 〃what d'you expect？ Expect to find a gold watch and chain？〃 Heavenly apologue； is it not？' Heavenly； by all means； but I think Stevenson relished the humour of it so much that he 'smiling passed the moral by。' In his enjoyment of the waiter's effrontery； he forgot to sympathise with the man （even though it was himself） who had broken his teeth upon the harmful； unnecessary button。 He forgot that all the apologetics in the world are based upon just this audacious paralogism。〃
Many writers have done the same … and not a few critics have hinted at this： I do not think any writer has got at the radical truth of it more directly； decisively； and clearly than 〃J。 F。 M。；〃 in a monthly magazine； about the time of Stevenson's death； and the whole is so good and clear that I must quote it … the writer was not thinking of the drama specially； only of prose fiction； and this but makes the passage the more effective and apt to my point。
〃In the outburst of regret which followed the death of Robert Louis Stevenson； one leading journal dwelt on his too early removal in middle life 'with only half his message delivered。' Such a phrase may have been used in the mere cant of modern journalism。 Still it set one questioning what was Stevenson's message； or at least that part of it which we had time given us to hear。
〃Wonderful as was the popularity of the dead author； we are inclined to doubt whether the right appreciation of him was half as wide。 To a certain section of the public he seemed a successful writer of boys' books； which yet held captive older people。 Now； undoubtedly there was an element （not the highest） in his work which fascinated boys。 It gratified their yearning for adventure。 To too large a number of his readers； we suspect； this remains Stevenson's chief charm； though even of those there were many able to recognise and be thankful for the literary power and grace which could serve up their sanguinary diet so daintily。
〃Most of Stevenson's titles； too； like TREASURE ISLAND； KIDNAPPED； and THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE； tended to foster delusion in this direction。 The books were largely bought for gifts by maiden aunts； and bestowed as school prizes； when it might not have been so had their titles given more indication of their real scope and tendency。
〃All this； it seems to us； has somewhat obscured Stevenson's true power； which is surely that of an arch…delineator of 'human nature' and of the devious ways of men。 As we read him we feel that we have our finger on the pulse of the cruel politics of the world。 He has the Shakespearean gift which makes us recognise that his pirates and his statesmen； with their violence and their murders and their perversions of justice； are swayed by the same interests and are pulling the same strings and playing on the same passions which are at work in quieter methods around ourselves。 The vast crimes and the reckless bloodshed are nothing more nor less than stage effects used to accentuate for the common eye what the seer can detect without them。
〃And reading him from this standpoint； Stevenson's 'message' （so far as it was delivered） appears to be that of utter gloom … the creed that good is always overcome by evil。 We do not mean in the sense that good always suffers through evil and is frequently crucified by evil。 That is only the sowing of the martyr's blood； which is； we know； the seed of the Church。 We should not have marvelled in the least that a genius like Stevenson should rebel against mere external 'happy endings；' which； being in flat contradiction to the ordinary ways of Providence； are little short of thoughtless blasphemy against Providence。 But the terrible thing about the Stevenson philosophy of life is that it seems to make evil overcome good in the sense of absorbing it； or perverting it； or at best lowering it。 When good and evil come in conflict in one person； Dr Jekyll vanishes into Mr Hyde。 The awful Master of Ballantrae drags down his brother； though he seems to fight for his soul at every step。 The sequel to KIDNAPPED shows David Balfour ready at last to be hail…fellow…well…met with the supple Prestongrange and the other intriguers； even though they had forcibly made him a partner to their shedding of innocent blood。
〃Is it possible that this was what Stevenson's experience of real life had brought him？ Fortunate himself in so many respects； he was yet one of those who turn aside from the smooth and sunny paths of life； to enter into brotherly sympathy and fellowship with the disinherited。 Is this； then； what he found on those darker levels？ Did he discover that triumphant hypocrisy treads down souls as well as lives？
〃We cannot doubt that it often does so； and it is well that we should see this sometimes； to make us strong to contend with evil before it works out this； its worst mischief； and to rouse us from the easy optimist laziness which sits idle while others are being wronged； and bids them believe 'that all will come right in the end；' when it is our direct duty to do our utmost to make it 'come right' to…day。
〃But to show us nothing but the gloomy side； nothing but the weakness of good； nothing but the strength of evil； does not inspire us to contend for the right； does not inform us of the powers and weapons with which we might so contend。 To gaze at unqualified and inevitable moral defeat will but leave us to the still worse laziness of pessimism； uttering its discouraging and blasphemous cry； 'It does not matter； nothing will ever come right！'
〃Shakespeare has shown us … and never so nobly as in his last great creation of THE TEMPEST … that a man has one stronghold which none but himself can deliver over to the enemy … that citadel of his own conduct and character； from which he can smile supreme upon the foe； who may have conquered all down the line； but must finally make pause there。
〃We must remember that THE TEMPEST was Shakespeare's last work。 The genuine consciousness of the possible triumph of the moral nature against every assault is probably reserved for the later years of life； when； somewhat withdrawn from the passions of its struggle； we become those lookers…on who see most of the game。 Strange fate is it that so much of our genius vanishes into the great silence before those later years are reached！〃
Stevenson was too late in awakening fully to the tragic error to which short…sighted youth is apt to wander that 〃bad…heartedness is strength。〃 And so； from this point of view； to our sorrow； he too much verified Goethe's saw that 〃simplicity （not artifice） and repose are the acme of art； and therefore no youth can be a master。〃 In fact； he might very well from another side； have taken one of Goethe's fine sayings as a motto for himself：
〃Greatest saints were ever most kindly…hearted to sinners； Here I'm a saint with the best； sinners I never could hate。〃 （7）
Stevenson's own verdict on DEACON BRODIE given to a NEW YORK HERALD reporter on the author's arrival in New York in September 1887； on the LUDGATE HILL； is thus very near the precise truth： 〃The piece has been all overhauled； and though I have no idea whether it will please an audience； I don't think either Mr Henley or I are ashamed of it。 BUT WE WERE BOTH YOUNG MEN WHEN WE DID THAT； AND I THINK WE HAD AN IDEA THAT BAD…HEARTEDNESS WAS STRENGTH。〃
If Mr Henley in any way confirmed R。 L。 Stevenson in this perversion； as I much fear he did； no true admirer of Stevenson has much to thank him for； whatever claims he may have fancied he had to Stevenson's eternal gratitude。 He did Stevenson about the very worst turn he could have done； and aided and abetted in robbing us and the world of yet greater works than we have had from his hands。 He was but
