letters on literature(关于文学)-第12节
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A curious touch； is it not； of pity for the people？ The old poet is
serious for one moment。 〃Compare；〃 he says； 〃the sorrows of sentiment；
of ladies and lovers； praised in song； with the sorrows of the poor； with
troubles that are real and not of the heart！〃 Even Aucassin the lovelorn
feels it； and gives the hind money to pay for his ox； and so riding on
comes to a lodge that Nicolette has built with blossoms and boughs。 And
Aucassin crept in and looked through a gap in the fragrant walls of the
lodge； and saw the stars in heaven； and one that was brighter than the rest。
Does one not feel it； the cool of that old summer night； the sweet smell
of broken boughs and trodden grass and deep dew； and the shining of the
star？
〃Star that I from far behold That the moon draws to her fold；
Nicolette with thee doth dwell； My sweet love with locks of gold；〃
sings Aucassin。 〃And when Nicolette heard Aucassin； right so came
she unto him； and passed within the lodge； and cast her arms about his
neck and kissed and embraced him：
〃Fair sweet friend； welcome be thou！〃 〃And thou； fair sweet love； be
thou welcome！〃
There the story should end； in a dream of a summer's night。 But the
old minstrel did not end it so； or some one has continued his work with a
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heavier hand。 Aucassin rides； he cares not whither； if he has but his love
with him。 And they come to a fantastic land of burlesque； such as
Pantagruel's crew touched at many a time。 And Nicolette is taken by
Carthaginian pirates； and proves to be daughter to the King of Carthage；
and leaves his court and comes to Beaucaire in the disguise of a ministrel；
and 〃journeys end in lovers' meeting。〃
That is all the tale； with its gaps； its careless passages； its adventures
that do not interest the poet。 He only cares for youth； love； spring；
flowers； and the song of the birds； the rest； except the passage about the
hind； is mere 〃business〃 done casually； because the audience expects
broad jests； hard blows； misadventures； recognitions。 What lives is the
touch of poetry； of longing； of tender heart； of humorous resignation。 It
lives； and always must live； 〃while the nature of man is the same。〃 The
poet hopes his tale will gladden sad men。 This service it did for M。 Bida；
he says； in the dreadful year of 1870…71； when he translated 〃Aucassin。〃
This； too； it has done for me in days not delightful。 ｛6｝
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PLOTINUS （A。D。 200…262）
To the Lady Violet Lebas。
Dear Lady Violet；You are discursive and desultory enough； as a
reader； to have pleased even the late Lord Iddesleigh。 It was 〃Aucassin
and Nicolette〃 only a month ago； and to…day you have been reading Lord
Lytton's 〃Strange Story；〃 I am sure； for you want information about
Plotinus！ He was born （about A。D。 200） in Wolf… town （Lycopolis）； in
Egypt； the town； you know； where the natives might not eat wolves； poor
fellows； just as the people of Thebes might not eat sheep。 Probably this
prohibition caused Plotinus no regret； for he was a consistent vegetarian。
However； we are advancing too rapidly； and we must discuss Plotinus
more in order。 His name is very dear to mystic novelists； like the author
of 〃Zanoni。〃 They always describe their favourite hero as 〃deep in
Plotinus or Iamblichus；〃 and I venture to think that nearly represents the
depth of their own explorations。 We do not know exactly when Plotinus
was born。 Like many ladies he used to wrap up his age in a mystery；
observing that these petty details about the body （a mere husk of flesh
binding the soul） were of no importance。 He was not weaned till he was
eight years old； a singular circumstance。 Having a turn for philosophy；
he attended the schools of Alexandria； concerning which Kingsley's
〃Hypatia〃 is the most accessible authority。
All these anecdotes； I should have said； we learn from Porphyry； the
Tyrian； who was a kind of Boswell to Plotinus。 The philosopher himself
often reminds me of Dr。 Johnson； especially as Dr。 Johnson is described by
Mr。 Carlyle。 Just as the good doctor was a sound Churchman in the
beginning of the age of new ideas； so Plotinus was a sound pagan in the
beginning of the triumph of Christianity。
Like Johnson； Plotinus was lazy and energetic and short…sighted。 He
wrote a very large number of treatises； but he never took the trouble to
read through them when once they were written； because his eyes were
weak。 He was superstitious； like Dr。 Johnson； yet he had lucid intervals
of common sense； when he laughed at the superstitions of his disciples。
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Like Dr。 Johnson； he was always begirt by disciples； men and women；
Bozzys and Thrales。 He was so full of honour and charity； that his house
was crowded with persons in need of help and friendly care。 Though he
lived so much in the clouds and among philosophical abstractions； he was
an excellent man of business。 Though a philosopher he was pious； and
was courageous； dreading the plague no more than the good doctor
dreaded the tempest that fell on him when he was voyaging to Coll。
You will admit that the parallel is pretty close for an historical parallel；
despite the differences between the ascetic of Wolf…town and the sage of
Bolt Court； hard by Fleet Street！
To return to the education of Plotinus。 He was twenty…eight when he
went up to the University of Alexandria。 For eleven years he diligently
attended the lectures of Ammonius。 Then he went on the Emperor
Gordian's expedition to the East； hoping to learn the philosophy of the
Hindus。 The Upanishads would have puzzled Plotinus； had he reached
India； but he never did。 Gordian's army was defeated in Mesopotamia；
no 〃blessed word〃 to Gordian； and Plotinus hardly escaped with his life。
He must have felt like Stendhal on the retreat from Moscow。
From Syria his friend and disciple Amelius led him to Rome； and here；
as novelists say； 〃a curious thing happened。〃 There was in Rome an
Egyptian priest； who offered to raise up the Demon； or Guardian Angel； of
Plotinus in visible form。 But there was only one pure spot in all Rome；
so said the priest； and this spot was the Temple of Isis。 Here the seance
was held； and no demon appeared； but a regular God of one of the first
circles。 So terrified was an onlooker that he crushed to death the living
birds which he held in his hands for some ritual or magical purpose。
It was a curious scene； a cosmopolitan confusion of Egypt； Rome； Isis；
table…turning； the late Mr。 Home； religion； and mummery； while Christian
hymns of the early Church were being sung； perhaps in the garrets around；
outside the Temple of Isis。 The discovery that he had a god for his
guardian angel gave Plotinus plenty of confidence in dealing with rival
philosophers。 For example； Alexandrinus Olympius； another mystic；
tried magical arts against Plotinus。 But Alexandrinus； suddenly doubling
up during lecture with unaffected agony； cried； 〃Great virtue hath the soul
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of Plotinus； for my spells have returned against myself。〃 As for Plotinus；
he remarked among his disciples； 〃Now the body of Alexandrinus is
collapsing like an empty purse。〃
How diverting it would be； Lady Violet；
