登陆注册
4619900000043

第43章

Without hands a man might have feet, and could still walk: but, consider it,--without morality, intellect were impossible for him; a thoroughly immoral _man_ could not know anything at all! To know a thing, what we can call knowing, a man must first _love_ the thing, sympathize with it: that is, be _virtuously_ related to it. If he have not the justice to put down his own selfishness at every turn, the courage to stand by the dangerous-true at every turn, how shall he know? His virtues, all of them, will lie recorded in his knowledge. Nature, with her truth, remains to the bad, to the selfish and the pusillanimous forever a sealed book: what such can know of Nature is mean, superficial, small; for the uses of the day merely.--But does not the very Fox know something of Nature? Exactly so:

it knows where the geese lodge! The human Reynard, very frequent everywhere in the world, what more does he know but this and the like of this? Nay, it should be considered too, that if the Fox had not a certain vulpine _morality_, he could not even know where the geese were, or get at the geese! If he spent his time in splenetic atrabiliar reflections on his own misery, his ill usage by Nature, Fortune and other Foxes, and so forth;and had not courage, promptitude, practicality, and other suitable vulpine gifts and graces, he would catch no geese. We may say of the Fox too, that his morality and insight are of the same dimensions; different faces of the same internal unity of vulpine life!--These things are worth stating; for the contrary of them acts with manifold very baleful perversion, in this time: what limitations, modifications they require, your own candor will supply.

If I say, therefore, that Shakspeare is the greatest of Intellects, I have said all concerning him. But there is more in Shakspeare's intellect than we have yet seen. It is what I call an unconscious intellect; there is more virtue in it than he himself is aware of. Novalis beautifully remarks of him, that those Dramas of his are Products of Nature too, deep as Nature herself. I find a great truth in this saying. Shakspeare's Art is not Artifice; the noblest worth of it is not there by plan or precontrivance.

It grows up from the deeps of Nature, through this noble sincere soul, who is a voice of Nature. The latest generations of men will find new meanings in Shakspeare, new elucidations of their own human being; "new harmonies with the infinite structure of the Universe; concurrences with later ideas, affinities with the higher powers and senses of man." This well deserves meditating. It is Nature's highest reward to a true simple great soul, that he get thus to be _a part of herself_. Such a man's works, whatsoever he with utmost conscious exertion and forethought shall accomplish, grow up withal unconsciously, from the unknown deeps in him;--as the oak-tree grows from the Earth's bosom, as the mountains and waters shape themselves; with a symmetry grounded on Nature's own laws, conformable to all Truth whatsoever. How much in Shakspeare lies hid; his sorrows, his silent struggles known to himself; much that was not known at all, not speakable at all: like _roots_, like sap and forces working underground! Speech is great; but Silence is greater.

Withal the joyful tranquillity of this man is notable. I will not blame Dante for his misery: it is as battle without victory; but true battle,--the first, indispensable thing. Yet I call Shakspeare greater than Dante, in that he fought truly, and did conquer. Doubt it not, he had his own sorrows: those _Sonnets_ of his will even testify expressly in what deep waters he had waded, and swum struggling for his life;--as what man like him ever failed to have to do? It seems to me a heedless notion, our common one, that he sat like a bird on the bough; and sang forth, free and off-hand, never knowing the troubles of other men. Not so; with no man is it so. How could a man travel forward from rustic deer-poaching to such tragedy-writing, and not fall in with sorrows by the way? Or, still better, how could a man delineate a Hamlet, a Coriolanus, a Macbeth, so many suffering heroic hearts, if his own heroic heart had never suffered?--And now, in contrast with all this, observe his mirthfulness, his genuine overflowing love of laughter! You would say, in no point does he _exaggerate_ but only in laughter. Fiery objurgations, words that pierce and burn, are to be found in Shakspeare; yet he is always in measure here; never what Johnson would remark as a specially "good hater." But his laughter seems to pour from him in floods; he heaps all manner of ridiculous nicknames on the butt he is bantering, tumbles and tosses him in all sorts of horse-play; you would say, with his whole heart laughs. And then, if not always the finest, it is always a genial laughter. Not at mere weakness, at misery or poverty; never. No man who _can_ laugh, what we call laughing, will laugh at these things. It is some poor character only _desiring_ to laugh, and have the credit of wit, that does so.

Laughter means sympathy; good laughter is not "the crackling of thorns under the pot." Even at stupidity and pretension this Shakspeare does not laugh otherwise than genially. Dogberry and Verges tickle our very hearts;and we dismiss them covered with explosions of laughter: but we like the poor fellows only the better for our laughing; and hope they will get on well there, and continue Presidents of the City-watch. Such laughter, like sunshine on the deep sea, is very beautiful to me.

We have no room to speak of Shakspeare's individual works; though perhaps there is much still waiting to be said on that head. Had we, for instance, all his plays reviewed as _Hamlet_, in _Wilhelm Meister_, is! A thing which might, one day, be done. August Wilhelm Schlegel has a remark on his Historical Plays, _Henry Fifth_ and the others, which is worth remembering.

同类推荐
  • PHYSICS

    PHYSICS

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严经论

    华严经论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南天竺国菩提达摩禅师观门

    南天竺国菩提达摩禅师观门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编交谊典赠答部

    明伦汇编交谊典赠答部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • OF THE EPIDEMICS

    OF THE EPIDEMICS

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 登裴秀才迪小台

    登裴秀才迪小台

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 绛云楼俊遇

    绛云楼俊遇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 妖城传

    妖城传

    人说,世界上有一城,此城名为妖城;城说,城中里有一人,其名为式胜安。学习、战斗、争夺、逃命。过五关,斩六将,一波未平一波又起,路途逍遥问命如何,还请阅这异世之书。
  • 完美圈套

    完美圈套

    醋溜悬疑拔丝恐怖的小清新,推理怎么样?世界上最悲剧的事情,不是看男友的手机之后,发现自己被三了。而是在看了男友的手机之后,发现自己被当做了谋杀的目标!梁安然在相亲中遇到了一个难得的优质帅哥,可她却万万没想到,他接近她只是为了干掉她!从此之后,梁安然就拥有了走到哪儿让人死到哪儿的“死神体质”!一个个看似意外的死亡事件背后,似乎隐藏着更加骇人的秘密。而真相,远远不止一个!
  • 腹黑小皇“叔”

    腹黑小皇“叔”

    一九四一年的冬季很漫长,漫长到,已经没有人去想,这样的日子何时是个尽头。偌大的收发室很安静,静到唯有发报机嘀嘀嘀作响的声音和沙沙的记录声,偶尔有人推开椅子从座位上站起,椅脚和水泥地面摩擦发出的声音便显得格外刺耳,紧接着又是一片安静,然后会有人拿着一打记录安静而又匆匆地从后面走过。“老姜,这是大老板的人。这些都是老鹰一手带出来的人,老鹰死后,这里就交给了老姜。”李阳压低了声音……
  • 绣楼里的女人

    绣楼里的女人

    《绣楼里的女人》是描写晋商家族的四代女子穿过跌宕的岁月,于冷暖和爱恨中一次一次重新认识,什么是女人。绣楼的文化标志如一道咒符,生死轮回的女人们或抗争或彻悟,寂寞地生,再寂寞地死,一如人类长河中所有昙花一现的女人们。
  • 锦年安好

    锦年安好

    【一念生,万劫覆】“我一直不相信有人会真的爱我。”这是朴安好的心魔。尤其是当她生命里唯一挚爱的好友张婧雅离开莲花渡以后,这种想法愈演愈烈。“我不会再相信任何人,我也不需要朋友。”然,十四岁那年遇见的爱穿花布衣裳的小春却说“安好,我从六岁那年开始就一直注视着你。”……还有接下来在朴安好身边渐次出现的时雨、朱槿、夏微凉、陆锦年、苏筱筱、刘宇涵……素色锦年,向来缘浅,奈何情深?
  • 惹祸妖仙

    惹祸妖仙

    简介:狡诈腹黑的天才女主,坚韧的灵魂觉醒,法宝丹药飞剑,奇幻的仙侠世界她富豪之女林雪凝,家破人亡被迫混迹黑道,是个小流氓,为人心机深沉,腹黑狡诈如狐,最擅长扮猪吃老虎,闷声发大财!穿越重生来到一片人兽混居的修仙大陆,这里有不可思议的凶兽和漫天飞舞的修士和飞剑,法宝。而她重生后竟然成为四大神兽之一的朱雀。她天资纵横,是令人艳羡的天灵根火属性,并拥有令人稀罕的仙根体质,然这一切却遭人妒忌,因为她的出现,强夺了别人的光芒,妨碍了别人的光明大道!【幽冥媚影】:新书求收藏,花花感激不尽********************************************************持强凌弱,杀人夺宝,正邪大战,阴谋迭起,是谁在幕后布局,是谁在掌控这一切?是谁非要她死不可?面对家族内部的争斗,同门的妒恨,邪魔的出世,功力一夕之间倒退回原点,没有放弃,没有自怨自艾!而是毫不犹豫的再度崛起!从那一刻起,仙界又多了一名绝代天资的奇才,多了一名令人仰视的强者!她冲破一切束缚,一飞冲天,血债要用血来偿,她要一步一步向敌人讨回他们欠自己的血债!进阶修仙长生不老,她一路冲!冲!冲!让世界知道她神兽朱雀的威能!她凭着一股不服输执着,一步步努力让自己变得强大起来,强大到她可以保护她在乎的人!她站在世界的顶端,披靡天下,众人敬仰,万人朝拜,她笑看风云!********************************************************进阶困难,需要丹药辅助?不好意思,她一向拿丹药当糖豆吃的,没办法谁让她拥有随身空间法宝,种植灵药易如反掌,她好东西多到令人眼红啊!战斗需要法宝防护?不要见怪,她天生就能找到宝,谁让她鼻子灵啊!这宝器啊好像那美食一样,她一找一个准,宝器她多到爆啊!越阶挑战高手,她有神兽秘法,过关斩将,我杀!杀!杀!五大门派,几大强横种族,七大危险禁地,危险么?她只看到了无数的宝物在向她招手啊!宝贝啊!等我呀!我来了!********************************************************他林致远衣袂飘飘,温润如玉,奈何世事无常,人心浮动。
  • 阳光的心态

    阳光的心态

    本书教导学生要以阳光的心态来面对学习和生活,才能实现自己的理想。
  • 丑女惊天,盛世第一王

    丑女惊天,盛世第一王

    盗墓穿越,她成为了全国最丑的人,在自家的生活也因为自己的名声而并不好过。嫡姐日日找她的麻烦,她冷笑,君子报仇十年不晚,她总会报了今日之仇!不过,那个什么杰克苏银白色眼睛的五皇子,别摆成一个霸道总裁的样子好吗?顾蒲柳可是会将你收入囊中的!身为一个穿越者,她一定要不凡的度过此生!左边美男,右边美男,前面后面还是美男!手握重权,她要变成这盛世第一王,美男坐拥怀中,一起游历她打下来的天下!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】