the complete poetical works-第168节
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！
Unharmed on serpents in their path；
And laughed to scorn the Devil's wrath！
Safe in this Wartburg tower I stand
Where God hath led me by the hand；
And look down； with a heart at ease；
Over the pleasant neighborhoods；
Over the vast Thuringian Woods；
With flash of river； and gloom of trees；
With castles crowning the dizzy heights；
And farms and pastoral delights；
And the morning pouring everywhere
Its golden glory on the air。
Safe； yes； safe am I here at last；
Safe from the overwhelming blast
Of the mouths of Hell； that followed me fast；
And the howling demons of despair
That hunted me like a beast to his lair。
Of our own might we nothing can；
We soon are unprotected：
There fighteth for us the right Man；
Whom God himself elected。
Who is He； ye exclaim？
Christus is his name；
Lord of Sabaoth；
Very God in troth；
The field He holds forever。
Nothing can vex the Devil more
Than the name of him whom we adore。
Therefore doth it delight me best
To stand in the choir among the rest；
With the great organ trumpeting
Through its metallic tubes； and sing：
Et verbum caro factum est！
These words the devil cannot endure；
For he knoweth their meaning well！
Him they trouble and repel；
Us they comfort and allure；
And happy it were； if our delight
Were as great as his affright！
Yea； music is the Prophet's art；
Among the gifts that God hath sent；
One of the most magnificent！
It calms the agitated heart；
Temptations； evil thoughts； and all
The passions that disturb the soul；
Are quelled by its divine control；
As the evil spirit fled from Saul；
And his distemper was allayed；
When David took his harp and played。
This world may full of Devils be；
All ready to devour us；
Yet not so sore afraid are we；
They shall not overpower us。
This World's Prince； howe'er
Fierce he may appear；
He can harm us not；
He is doomed； God wot！
One little word can slay him！
Incredible it seems to some
And to myself a mystery；
That such weak flesh and blood as we；
Armed with no other shield or sword；
Or other weapon than the Word；
Should combat and should overcome
A spirit powerful as he！
He summons forth the Pope of Rome
With all his diabolic crew；
His shorn and shaven retinue
Of priests and children of the dark；
Kill！ kill！ they cry； the Heresiarch；
Who rouseth up all Christendom
Against us； and at one fell blow
Seeks the whole Church to overthrow！
Not yet； my hour is not yet come。
Yesterday in an idle mood；
Hunting with others in the wood；
I did not pass the hours in vain；
For in the very heart of all
The joyous tumult raised around；
Shouting of men； and baying of hound；
And the bugle's blithe and cheery call；
And echoes answering back again；
From crags of the distant mountain chain；
In the very heart of this； I found
A mystery of grief and pain。
It was an image of the power
Of Satan； hunting the world about；
With his nets and traps and well…trained dogs；
His bishops and priests and theologues；
And all the rest of the rabble rout；
Seeking whom he may devour！
Enough I have had of hunting hares；
Enough of these hours of idle mirth；
Enough of nets and traps and gins！
The only hunting of any worth
Is where I can pierce with javelins
The cunning foxes and wolves and bears；
The whole iniquitous troop of beasts；
The Roman Pope and the Roman priests
That sorely infest and afflict the earth！
Ye nuns； ye singing birds of the air！
The fowler hath caught you in his snare；
And keeps you safe in his gilded cage；
Singing the song that never tires；
To lure down others from their nests；
How ye flutter and heat your breasts；
Warm and soft with young desires；
Against the cruel； pitiless wires；
Reclaiming your lost heritage！
Behold！ a hand unbars the door；
Ye shall be captives held no more。
The Word they shall perforce let stand；
And little thanks they merit！
For He is with us in the land；
With gifts of his own Spirit！
Though they take our life；
Goods； honors； child and wife；
Lot these pass away；
Little gain have they；
The Kingdom still remaineth！
Yea； it remaineth forevermore；
However Satan may rage and roar；
Though often be whispers in my ears：
What if thy doctrines false should be？
And wrings from me a bitter sweat。
Then I put him to flight with jeers；
Saying： Saint Satan！ pray for me；
If thou thinkest I am not saved yet！
And my mortal foes that lie in wait
In every avenue and gate！
As to that odious monk John Tetzel；
Hawking about his hollow wares
Like a huckster at village fairs；
And those mischievous fellows； Wetzel；
Campanus； Carlstadt； Martin Cellarius；
And all the busy； multifarious
Heretics； and disciples of Arius；
Half…learned； dunce…bold； dry and hard；
They are not worthy of my regard；
Poor and humble as I am。
But ah！ Erasmus of Rotterdam；
He is the vilest miscreant
That ever walked this world below
A Momus； making his mock and mow；
At Papist and at Protestant；
Sneering at St。 John and St。 Paul；
At God and Man； at one and all；
And yet as hollow and false and drear；
As a cracked pitcher to the ear；
And ever growing worse and worse！
Whenever I pray； I pray for a curse
On Erasmus； the Insincere！
Philip Melanethon！ thou alone
Faithful among the faithless known；
Thee I hail； and only thee！
Behold the record of us three！
Res et verba Philippus；
Res sine verbis Lutherus；
Erasmus verba sine re！
My Philip； prayest thou for me？
Lifted above all earthly care；
From these high regions of the air；
Among the birds that day and night
Upon the branches of tall trees
Sing their lauds and litanies；
Praising God with all their might；
My Philip； unto thee I write；
My Philip！ thou who knowest best
All that is passing in this breast；
The spiritual agonies；
The inward deaths； the inward hell；
And the divine new births as well；
That surely follow after these；
As after winter follows spring；
My Philip； in the night…time sing
This song of the Lord I send to thee；
And I will sing it for thy sake；
Until our answering voices make
A glorious antiphony；
And choral chant of victory！
PART THREE
THE NEW ENGLAND TRAGEDIES
JOHN ENDICOTT
DRAMATIS PERSONAE。
JOHN ENDICOTT Governor。
JOHN ENDICOTT His son。
RICHARD BELLINGHAM Deputy Governor。
JOHN NORTON Minister of the Gospel。
EDWARD BUTTER Treasurer。
WALTER MERRY Tithing…man。
NICHOLAS UPSALL An old citizen。
SAMUEL COLE Landlord of the Three Mariners。
SIMON KEMPTHORN
RALPH GOLDSMITH Sea…Captains。
WENLOCK CHRISTISON
EDITH； his daughter
EDWARD WHARTON Quakers
Assistants； Halberdiers； Marshal； etc。
The Scene is in Boston in the year 1665。
PROLOGUE。
To…night we strive to read； as we may best；
This city； like an ancient palimpsest；
And bring to light； upon the blotted page；
The mournful record of an earlier age；
That； pale and half effaced； lies hidden away
Beneath the fresher writing of to…day。
Rise； then； O buried city that hast been；
Rise up； rebuilded in the painted scene；
And let our curious eyes behold once more
The pointed gable and the pent…house door；
The Meeting…house with leaden—latticed panes；
The narrow thoroughfares； the crooked lanes！
Rise； too； ye shapes and shadows of the Past；
Rise from your long…forgotten graves at last；
Let us behold your faces； let us hear
The words ye uttered in those days of fear
Revisit your familiar haunts again；
The scenes of triumph； and the scenes of pain
And leave the footprints of your bleeding feet
Once more upon the pavement of the street！
Nor let the Historian blame the Poet here；
If he perchance misdate the day or year；
And group events together； by his art；
That in the Chronicles lie far apart；
For as the double stars； though sundered far；
Seem to the naked eye a single star；
So facts of history； at a distance seen；
Into one common point of light convene。
〃Why touch upon such themes？〃 perhaps some friend
May ask； incredulous； 〃and to what good end？
Why drag again into the light of day
The errors of an age long passed away？〃
I answer： 〃For the lessons that they teach：
The tolerance of opinion and of speech。
Hope； Faith； and Charity remain；these three；
And greatest of them all is Charity。〃
Let us remember； if these words be true；
That unto all men Charity is due；
Give what we ask； and pity； while we blame；
Lest we become copartners in the shame；
Lest we condemn； and yet ourselves partake；
And persecute the dead for conscience' sake。
Therefore it is the author seeks and strives
To represent the dead as in thei
