zanoni-第102节

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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；　and　may

summon　Faith；　even　when　the　cry　issues　from　beneath　the　yoke　of

fear。



DWELLER　OF　THE　THRESHOLD：FEAR　（or　HORROR）；　from　whose

ghastliness　men　are　protected　by　the　opacity　of　the　region　of

Prescription　and　Custom。　　The　moment　this　protection　is

relinquished；　and　the　human　spirit　pierces　the　cloud；　and　enters

alone　on　the　unexplored　regions　of　Nature；　this　Natural　Horror

haunts　it；　and　is　to　be　successfully　encountered　only　by

defiance；by　aspiration　towards；　and　reliance　on；　the　Former　and

Director　of　Nature；　whose　Messenger　and　Instrument　of　reassurance

is　Faith。



MERVALE：CONVENTIONALISM。



NICOT：Base；　grovelling；　malignant　PASSION。



GLYNDON：UNSUSTAINED　ASPIRATION：　　Would　follow　Instinct；　but　is

deterred　by　Conventionalism；　is　overawed　by　Idealism；　yet

attracted；　and　transiently　inspired；　but　has　not　steadiness　for

the　initiatory　contemplation　of　the　Actual。　　He　conjoins　its

snatched　privileges　with　a　besetting　sensualism；　and　suffers　at

once　from　the　horror　of　the　one　and　the　disgust　of　the　other；

involving　the　innocent　in　the　fatal　conflict　of　his　spirit。　　When

on　the　point　of　perishing；　he　is　rescued　by　Idealism；　and；　unable

to　rise　to　that　species　of　existence；　is　grateful　to　be　replunged

into　the　region　of　the　Familiar；　and　takes　up　his　rest　henceforth

in　Custom。　　（Mirror　of　Young　Manhood。）



。。。



ARGUMENT。



Human　Existence　subject　to；　and　exempt　from；　ordinary　conditions

（Sickness；　Poverty；　Ignorance；　Death）。



SCIENCE　is　ever　striving　to　carry　the　most　gifted　beyond　ordinary

conditions；the　result　being　as　many　victims　as　efforts；　and　the

striver　being　finally　left　a　solitary；for　his　object　is

unsuitable　to　the　natures　he　has　to　deal　with。



The　pursuit　of　the　Ideal　involves　so　much　emotion　as　to　render

the　Idealist　vulnerable　by　human　passion；　however　long　and　well

guarded；　still　vulnerable；liable；　at　last；　to　a　union　with

Instinct。　　Passion　obscures　both　Insight　and　Forecast。　　All

effort　to　elevate　Instinct　to　Idealism　is　abortive；　the　laws　of

their　being　not　coinciding　（in　the　early　stage　of　the　existence

of　the　one）。　　Instinct　is　either　alarmed；　and　takes　refuge　in

Superstition　or　Custom；　or　is　left　helpless　to　human　charity；　or

given　over　to　providential　care。



Idealism；　stripped　of　in　sight　and　forecast；　loses　its　serenity；

becomes　subject　once　more　to　the　horror　from　which　it　had

escaped；　and　by　accepting　its　aids；　forfeits　the　higher　help　of

Faith；　aspiration；　however；　remaining　still　possible；　and；

thereby；　slow　restoration；　and　also；　SOMETHING　BETTER。



Summoned　by　aspiration；　Faith　extorts　from　Fear　itself　the　saving

truth　to　which　Science　continues　blind；　and　which　Idealism　itself

hails　as　its　crowning　acquisition；the　inestimable　PROOF　wrought

out　by　all　labours　and　all　conflicts。



Pending　the　elaboration　of　this　proof；



CONVENTIONALISM　plods　on；　safe　and　complacent；



SELFISH　PASSION　perishes；　grovelling　and　hopeless；



INSTINCT　sleeps；　in　order　to　a　loftier　waking；　and



IDEALISM　learns；　as　its　ultimate　lesson；　that　self…sacrifice　is

true　redemption；　that　the　region　beyond　the　grave　is　the　fitting

one　for　exemption　from　mortal　conditions；　and　that　Death　is　the

everlasting　portal；　indicated　by　the　finger　of　God；the　broad

avenue　through　which　man　does　not　issue　solitary　and　stealthy

into　the　region　of　Free　Existence；　but　enters　triumphant；　hailed

by　a　hierarchy　of　immortal　natures。



The　result　is　（in　other　words）；　THAT　THE　UNIVERSAL　HUMAN　LOT　IS；

AFTER　ALL；　THAT　OF　THE　HIGHEST　PRIVILEGE。











End