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第30章

misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写)-第30章

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up for a short time to London; that he might urge a suit to his Grace of 

Buckingham touching certain lands of her Majesty's; whereof he requested 

a   lease。 I   had   the   honour   to   be   familiarly   acquainted   with   that   worthy 

gentleman and most excellent poet; whose death hath been deplored with 

as general a consent of all Powers that delight in the woods; or in verse; or 

in love; as was of old that of Daphnis or of Callus。 

    After   some   talk;  which   it  is  not  material  to  set  down  at  large; 

concerning    his  suit  and  his  vexations  at  the  court;  where  indeed  his 

honesty did him more harm than his parts could do him good; I entreated 



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him    to   dine   with   me   at  my    lodging    in  the  Temple;     which    he   most 

courteously   promised。        And;   that   so   eminent   a   guest   might   not   lack   a 

better entertainment than cooks or vintners can provide; I sent to the house 

of Mr John Milton; in the Artillery Walk; to beg that he would also be my 

guest。 For; though he had been secretary; first to the Council of State; and; 

after that; to the Protector; and Mr Cowley had held the same post under 

the Lord St Albans in his banishment; I hoped; notwithstanding that they 

would think themselves rather united by their common art than divided by 

their different factions。       And so indeed it proved。           For; while we sat at 

table;   they   talked   freely   of  many   men     and   things;   as  well   ancient   as 

modern;   with   much   civility。   Nay;   Mr   Milton;   who   seldom   tasted   wine; 

both because of his singular temperance and because of his gout; did more 

than once pledge Mr Cowley; who was indeed no hermit in diet。                      At last; 

being heated; Mr Milton begged that I would open the windows。 〃Nay;〃 

said I; 〃if you desire fresh air and coolness; what should hinder us; as the 

evening is fair; from sailing for an hour on the river?〃               To this they both 

cheerfully consented; and forth we walked; Mr Cowley and I leading Mr 

Milton   between   us;   to   the   Temple   Stairs。     There   we   took   a   boat;   and 

thence we were rowed up the river。 

     The   wind   was   pleasant;   the   evening   fine;   the   sky;   the   earth;   and   the 

water beautiful to look upon。          But Mr Cowley and I held our peace; and 

said   nothing   of   the   gay   sights   around   us;   lest   we   should   too   feelingly 

remind     Mr    Milton    of  his  calamity;    whereof;     however;     he  needed     no 

monitor:      for soon he said; sadly; 〃Ah; Mr Cowley; you are a happy man。 

What would I now give but for one more look at the sun; and the waters; 

and the gardens of this fair city!〃 

     〃I know not;〃 said Mr Cowley; 〃whether we ought not rather to envy 

you for that which makes you to envy others:                 and that specially in this 

place; where all eyes which are not closed in blindness ought to become 

fountains of tears。       What can we look upon which is not a memorial of 

change and sorrow; of fair things vanished; and evil things done?                  When I 

see the gate of Whitehall; and the stately pillars of the Banqueting House; 

I   cannot   choose   but   think   of   what   I   have   there   seen   in   former  days; 

masques;      and   pageants;     and   dances;    and   smiles;    and   the  waving     of 



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graceful   heads;   and   the   bounding   of   delicate   feet。     And   then   I   turn   to 

thoughts of other things; which even to remember makes me to blush and 

weep;of   the   great   black   scaffold;   and   the   axe   and   block;   which   were 

placed before those very windows; and the voice seems to sound in mine 

ears; the lawless and terrible voice; which cried out that the head of a king 

was the head of a traitor。        There stands Westminster Hall; which who can 

look   upon;   and   not   tremble   to   think   how   time;   and   change;   and   death 

confound   the   councils   of   the   wise;   and   beat   down   the   weapons   of   the 

mighty?       How      have   I  seen   it  surrounded     with    tens   of  thousands     of 

petitioners   crying   for   justice   and   privilege!    How  have   I   heard   it   shake 

with   fierce   and   proud   words;   which   made   the   hearts   of   the   people   burn 

within them!       Then it is blockaded by dragoons; and cleared by pikemen。 

And they who have conquered their master go forth trembling at the word 

of their servant。      And yet a little while; and the usurper comes forth from 

it; in his robe of ermine; with the golden staff in one hand and the Bible in 

the other; amidst the roaring of the guns and the shouting of the people。 

And yet again a little while; and the doors are thronged with multitudes in 

black; and the hearse and the plumes come forth; and the tyrant is borne; 

in more than royal pomp; to a royal sepulchre。                A few days more; and his 

head is fixed to rot on the pinnacles   of that very hall where he sat on   a 

throne   in   his   life;  and   lay  in   state  after his   death。 When   I  think   on   all 

these things; to look round me makes me sad at heart。                  True it is that God 

hath restored to us our old laws; and the rightful line of our kings。                    Yet; 

how I know  not; but it  seems to   me that something is wantingthat our 

court hath not the old gravity; nor our people the old loyalty。                  These evil 

times;  like   the great   deluge; have   overwhelmed   and   confused   all   earthly 

things。     And; even as those waters; though at last they abated; yet; as the 

learned write; destroyed all trace of the garden of Eden; so that its place 

hath never since been found; so hath this opening of all the flood…gates of 

political evil effaced all marks of the ancient political paradise。〃 

     〃Sir;    by    your    favour;〃     said   Mr    Milton;     〃though;      from    many 

circumstances both of body and of fortune; I might plead fairer excuses for 

despondency than yourself; I yet look not so sadly either on the past or on 

the  future。     That   a  deluge  hath   passed   over  this our   nation;  I  deny  not。 



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But I hold it not to be such a deluge as that of which you speak; but rather 

a blessed flood; like those of the Nile; which in its overflow doth indeed 

wash away ancient landmarks; and confound boundaries; and sweep away 

dwellings; yea; doth give birth to many foul and dangerous reptiles。                        Yet 

hence is the fulness of the granary; the beauty of the garden; the nurture of 

all living things。 

     〃I remember   well; Mr   Cowley; what   you have   said concerning these 

things   in   your   Discourse of   the   Government   of   Oliver   Cromwell;   which 

my friend Elwood read to me last year。                Truly; for elegance and rhetoric; 

that   essay   is   to   be   compared   with   the   finest   tractates   of   Isocrates   and 

Cicero。      But neither that nor any other book; nor any events; which with 

most   men   have;   more than   any  book;  weight and   authority;  have   altered 

my opinion; that; of all assemblies that ever were in this world; the best 

and the most useful was our Long Parliament。                  I speak not this as wishing 

to provoke debate; which neither yet do I decline。〃 

     Mr Cowley was; as I could see; a little nettled。                Yet; as he was a man 

of   a   kind   disposition   and   

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