biographical study of a. w. kinglake-第11节

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t　made　England　sacrifice　the　stateliest　among　her　ancient　　friends　to　an　ignoble　and　crime…stained　adventurer；　that　poured　out　　blood　and　treasure　for　no　public　advantage　and　with　no　permanent　　result；　that　first　humiliated；　then　slew　with　broken　heart　the　man　　who　had　been　so　great；　and　who　is　still　regarded　by　surviving　　Russians　who　knew　his　inner　life　and　had　seen　him　in　his　gentle　　mood　with　passionate　reverence　and　affection。

Kinglake's　description　of　〃Prince　Louis　Bonaparte；〃　of　his　　character；　his　accomplices；　his　policy；　his　crimes；　is　perhaps　　unequalled　in　historical　literature；　I　know　not　where　else　to　look　　for　a　vivisection　so　scientific　and　so　merciless　of　a　great　　potentate　in　the　height　of　his　power。　　With　scrutiny　polite；　　impartial；　guarded；　he　lays　bare　the　springs　of　a　conscienceless　　nature　and　the　secrets　of　a　crime…driven　career；　while　for　the　　combination　of　precise　simplicity　with　exhaustive　synopsis；　the　　masquerading　of　moral　indignation　in　the　guise　of　mocking　laughter；　　the　loathing　of　a　gentleman　for　a　scoundrel　set　to　the　measure　not　　of　indignation　but　of　contempt；　we　must　go　back　to　the　refined　　insolence；　the　＇Greek　text　which　cannot　be　reproduced＇　of　Voltaire。　　　He　had　well　known　Prince　Napoleon　in　his　London　days；　had　been　　attracted　by　him　as　a　curiosity　…　〃a　balloon　man　who　had　twice　　fallen　from　the　skies　and　yet　was　still　alive〃　…　had　divined　the　　mental　power　veiled　habitually　by　his　blank；　opaque；　wooden　looks；　　had　listened　to　his　ambitious　talk　and　gathered　up　the　utterances　　of　his　thoughtful；　long…pondering　mind；　had　quarrelled　with　him　　finally　and　lastingly　over　rivalry　in　the　good　graces　of　a　woman。　　（21）　　He　saw　in　him　a　fourfold　student；　of　the　art　of　war；　of　the　　mind　of　the　first　Napoleon；　of　the　French　people's　character；　of　　the　science　by　which　law　may　lend　itself　to　stratagem　and　become　a　　weapon　of　deceit。

The　intellect　of　this　strange　being　was　subject　to　an　uncertainty　　of　judgment；　issuing　in　ambiguity　of　enterprise；　and　giving　an　　impression　of　well…kept　secrecy；　due　often　to　the　fact　that　divided　　by　mental　conflict　he　had　no　secret　to　tell。　　He　understood　truth；　　but　under　the　pressure　of　strong　motive　would　invariably　deceive。　　　He　sometimes；　out　of　curiosity；　would　listen　to　the　voice　of　　conscience；　and　could　imitate　neatly　on　occasion　the　scrupulous　　language　of　a　man　of　honour；　but　the　consideration　that　one　of　two　　courses　was　honest；　and　the　other　not；　never　entered　into　his　　motives　for　action。　　He　was　bold　in　forming　plots；　and　skilful　in　　conducting　them；　but　in　the　hour　of　trial　and　under　the　confront　of　　physical　danger　he　was　paralysed　by　constitutional　timidity。　　His　　great　aim　in　life　was　to　be　conspicuous　…　DIGITO　MONSTRARIER　…　　coupled　with　a　theatric　mania　which　made　scenic　effects　and　　surprises　essential　to　the　eminence　he　craved。

Handling　this　key　to　his　character；　Kinglake　pursues　him　into　his　　December　treason；　contrasts　the　consummate　cleverness　of　his　　schemes　with　the　faltering　cowardice　which　shrank；　like　Macbeth's　　ambition；　from　〃the　illness　should　attend　them；〃　and　which；　but　for　　the　stronger　nerve　of　those　behind　him；　would　have　caused　his　　collapse；　at　Paris　as　at　Strasburg　and　Boulogne；　in　contact　with　　the　shock　of　action。　　It　is　difficult　now　to　realize　the　commotion　　caused　by　this　fourteenth　chapter　of　Kinglake's　book。　　The　Emperor　　was　at　the　summit　of　his　power；　fresh　from　Austrian　conquest；　　viewed　with　alarm　by　England；　whose　rulers　feared　his　strength　and　　were　distrustful　of　his　friendship。　　Our　Crown；　our　government；　our　　society；　had　condoned　his　usurpation；　he　had　kissed　the　Queen's　　cheek；　bent　her　ministers　to　his　will；　ridden　through　her　capital　a　　triumphant　and　applauded　guest。　　And　now　men　read　not　only　a　　cynical　dissection　of　his　character　and　disclosure　of　his　early　　foibles；　but　the　hideous　details　of　his　deceit　and　treachery；　the　　phases　of　cold…blooded　massacre　and　lawless　deportation　by　which　he　　emptied　France　of　all　who　hesitated　to　enrol　themselves　as　his　　accomplices　or　his　tools。　　Forty　years　have　passed　since　the　　terrible　indictment　was　put　forth；　down　to　its　minutest　allegation　　it　has　been　proved　literally　true；　the　arch　criminal　has　fallen　　from　his　estate　to　die　in　disgrace；　disease；　exile。　　When　we　talk　　today　with　cultivated　Frenchmen　of　that　half…forgotten　epoch；　and　　of　the　book　which　bared　its　horrors；　we　are　met　by　their　response　　of　ardent　gratitude　to　the　man　who　joined　to　passionate　hatred　of　　iniquity　surpassing　capacity　for　denouncing　it；　their　avowal　that　　with　all　its　frequent　exposure　of　their　military　shortcomings　and　　depreciation　of　their　national　character；　no　English　chronicle　of　　the　century　stands　higher　in　their　esteem　than　the　history　of　the　　war　in　the　Crimea。

The　close　of　the　book　is　grim　and　tragic　in　the　main；　the　stir　of　　gallant　fights　exchanged　for　the　dreary　course　of　siege；　　intrenchment；　mine　and　countermine。　　We　have　the　awful　winter　on　　the　heights；　the　November　hurricane；　the　foiled　bombardments；　the　　cruel　blunder　of　the　Karabelnaya　assault；　the　bitter　natural　　discontent　at　home；　the　weak　subservience　of　our　government　to　　misdirected　clamour；　the　touching　help…fraught　advent　of　the　Lady　　Nurses：　then；　just　as　better　prospects　dawn；　the　Chief's　collapse　　and　death。　　From　the　morrow　of　Inkerman　to　the　end；　through　no　　fault　of　his；　the　historian's　chariot　wheels　drag。　　More　and　more　　one　sees　how　from　the　nature　of　the　task；　except　for　the　flush　of　　contemporary　interest　then；　except　by　military　students　now；　it　is　　not　a　work　to　be　popularly　read；　the　exhausted　interest　of　its　　subject　swamps　the　genius　of　its　narrator。　　Scattered　through　its　　more　serious　matter　are　gems　with　the　old　〃Eothen〃　sparkle；　of　　periphrasis；　aphorism；　felicitous　phrase　and　pregnant　epithet。　　　Such　is　the　fine　analogy　between　the　worship　of　holy　shrines　and　　the　lover's　homage　to　the　spot　which　his　mistress's　feet　have　trod；　　such　France's　tolerance　of　the　Elysee　brethren　compared　to　the　Arab　　laying　his　verminous　burnous　upon　an　ant…hill；　the　apt　quotation　　from　the　Psalms　to　illustrate　the　on…coming　of　the　Guards；　the　　demeanour　of　horses　in　action；　the　course　of　a　flying　cannon…ball；　　the　two　ponderous　troopers　at　the　Horse　Guards；　Tom　Tower　and　his　　Croats　landing　stores　for　our　soldiers　from　the　〃Erminia。〃　　Or　　again；　we　have　the　light　clear　touches　of　a　single　line；　〃the　　decisiveness　and　consistency　of　despotism〃　…　〃the　fractional　and　　volatile　interests　in　trading　adventure　which　go　by　the　name　of　　Shares〃　…　〃the　unlabelled；　undocketed　state　of　mind　which　shall　　enable　a　man　to　encounter　the　Unknown〃　…　〃the　qualifying　words　　which　correct　the　imprudences　and　derange　the　grammatical　structure　　of　a　Queen's　Speech〃：　but　these　are　islets　in　the　sea　of　narrative；　　not；　as　in　〃Eothen；〃　woof…threads　which　cross　the　warp。

To　compare　an　idyll　with　an　epic；　it　may　be　said；　is　like　comparing　　a　cameo　with　a　Grecian　temple：　be　it　so；　but　the　temple　falls　in　　ruins；　the　cameo　is　preserved　in　cabinets；　and　it　is　possible　that　　a　century　hence　the　Crimean　history　will　be　forgotten；　while　　〃Eothen〃　is　read　and　enjoyed。　　The　best　judges　at　the　time　　pronounced　that　as　a　lasting　monument　of　literary　force　the　work　　was　over　refined：　〃Kinglake；〃　said　Sir　George　Cornewall　Lewis；　　〃tries　to　write　better　than　he　can　write〃；　quoting；　perhaps　　unconsciously；　the　epigram　of　a　French　art　critic　a　hundred　years　　before　…　　IL　CHERCHE　TOUJOURS　A　FAIRE　MIEUX　QU'IL　NE　FAIT。　（22）　　He　　lavished　on　it　far　more　pains　than　on　〃Eothen〃：　the　proof　sheets　　were　a　black　sea　of　erasures；　intercalations；　blots；　the　original　　chaotic　manuscript　pages　had　to　be　disentangled　by　a　calligraphic　　Taunton　bookseller　before　they　could　be　sent　to　press。　　This　　fastidiousness　in　part　gained　its　purpose；　won　temporary　success；　　gave　to　his　style　the　glitter；　rapidity；　point；　effectiveness；　of　a　　pungent　editorial；　went　home；　stormed；　convinced；　vindicated；　　damaged；　triumphed：　but　it　missed　by　excessive　polish　the　　reposeful；　unlaboured；　classic　grace　essential　to　the　highest　art。　　　Over…scrupulous　manipulation　of　words　is　liable　to　the　〃defect　of　　its　qualities〃；　as　with　unskilful　goldsmiths　of　whom　old　Latin　　writers　tell　us；　the　file　goes　too　deep；　trimming　away　more　of　the　　first　fine　minting　than　we　can　afford　to　lose。　　Ruskin　has　　explained　to　us　how　the　decadence　of　Gothic　architecture　commenced　　through　care　bestowed　on　window　tracery　for　itself　instead　of　as　an　　avenue　or　vehicle　for　the　admission　of　light。　　Read　〃words〃　for　　tracery；　〃thought〃　for　light；　and　we　see　how　inspiration　avenges　　itself　so　soon　as　diction　is　made　paramount；　artifice；　which　　demands　and　misses　watchful　self…concealment；　passes　into　　mannerism；　we　have　lost　the　incalculable　charm　of　spontaneity。　　　Comparison　of　〃Eothen〃　with　the　〃Crimea〃　will　I　think　exemplify　　this　truth。　　The　first；　to　use　Matthew　Arnold's　imagery；　is　Attic；　　the　last　has　declined　to　the　Corinthian；　it　remains　a　great；　an　　amazingly　great　production；　great　in　its　pictorial　force；　its　　omnipresent　survey；　verbal　eloquence；　firm　grasp；　marshalled　　delineation　of　multitudinous　and　entangled　matter；　but　it　is　not　　unique　amongst　martial　records　as　〃Eothen〃　is　unique　amon