登陆注册
4705400000533

第533章

This controversy probably prevented Congreve from fulfilling the engagements into which he had entered with the actors. It was not till 1700 that he produced the Way of the World, the most deeply meditated and the most brilliantly written of all his works. It wants, perhaps, the constant movement, the effervescence of animal spirits, which we find in love for Love. But the hysterical rants of Lady Wishfort, the meeting of Witwould and his brother, the country knight's courtship and his subsequent revel, and, above all, the chase and surrender of Millamant, are superior to anything that is to be found in the whole range of English comedy from the civil war downwards. It is quite inexplicable to us that this play should have failed on the stage. Yet so it was; and the author, already sore with the wounds which Collier had inflicted, was galled past endurance by this new stroke. He resolved never again to expose himself to the rudeness of a tasteless audience, and took leave of the theatre for ever.

He lived twenty-eight years longer, without adding to the high literary reputation which he had attained. He read much while he retained his eyesight, and now and then wrote a short essay, or put an idle tale into verse; but he appears never to have planned any considerable work. The miscellaneous pieces which he published in 1710 are of little value, and have long been forgotten.

The stock of fame which he had acquired by his comedies was sufficient, assisted by the graces of his manner and conversation, to secure for him a high place in the estimation of the world. During the winter, he lived among the most distinguished and agreeable people in London. His summers were passed at the splendid country-seats of ministers and peers.

Literary envy and political faction, which in that age respected nothing else, respected his repose. He professed to be one of the party of which his patron Montagu, now Lord Halifax, was the head. But he had civil words and small good offices for men of every shade of opinion. And men of every shade of opinion spoke well of him in return.

His means were for a long time scanty. The place which he had in possession barely enabled him to live with comfort. And, when the Tories came into power, some thought that he would lose even this moderate provision. But Harley, who was by no means disposed to adopt the exterminating policy of the October club, and who, with all his faults of understanding and temper, had a sincere kindness for men of genius, reassured the anxious poet by quoting very gracefully and happily the lines of Virgil, "Non obtusa adeo gestamus pectora Poeni, Nec tam aversus equos Tyria Sol jungit ab urbe."

The indulgence with which Congreve was treated by the Tories was not purchased by any concession on his part which could justly offend the Whigs. It was his rare good fortune to share the triumph of his friends without having shared their proscription.

When the House of Hanover came to the throne, he partook largely of the prosperity of those with whom he was connected. The reversion to which he had been nominated twenty years before fell in. He was made secretary to the island of Jamaica; and his whole income amounted to twelve hundred a year, a fortune which, for a single man, was in that age not only easy but splendid. He continued, however, to practise the frugality which he had learned when he could scarce spare, as Swift tells us, a shilling to pay the chairman who carried him to Lord Halifax's. Though he had nobody to save for, he laid up at least as much as he spent.

The infirmities of age came early upon him. His habits had been intemperate; he suffered much from gout; and, when confined to his chamber, he had no longer the solace of literature.

Blindness, the most cruel misfortune that can befall the lonely student, made his books useless to him. He was thrown on society for all his amusement; and in society his good breeding and vivacity made him always welcome.

By the rising men of letters he was considered not as a rival, but as a classic. He had left their arena; he never measured his strength with them; and he was always loud in applause of their exertions. They could, therefore, entertain no jealousy of him and thought no more of detracting from his fame than of carping at the great men who had been lying a hundred years in Poets' Corner. Even the inmates of Grub Street, even the heroes of the Dunciad, were for once just to living merit. There can be no stronger illustration of the estimation in which Congreve was held than the fact that the English Iliad, a work which appeared with more splendid auspices than any other in our language, was dedicated to him. There was not a duke in the kingdom who would not have been proud of such a compliment. Dr. Johnson expresses great admiration for the independence of spirit which Pope showed on this occasion. "He passed over peers and statesmen to inscribe his Iliad to Congreve, with a magnanimity of which the praise had been complete, had his friend's virtue been equal to his wit. Why he was chosen for so great an honour, it is not now possible to know." It is certainly impossible to know; yet we think it is possible to guess. The translation of the Iliad had been zealously befriended by men of all political opinions. The poet who, at an early age, had been raised to affluence by the emulous liberality of Whigs and Tories, could not with propriety inscribe to a chief of either party a work which had been munificently patronised by both. It was necessary to find some person who was at once eminent and neutral. It was therefore necessary to pass over peers and statesmen. Congreve had a high name in letters.

He had a high name in aristocratic circles. He lived on terms of civility with men of all parties. By a courtesy paid to him, neither the Ministers nor the leaders of the Opposition could be offended.

同类推荐
  • 环溪惟一禅师语录

    环溪惟一禅师语录

    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。
  • 大方广如来秘密藏经

    大方广如来秘密藏经

    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。
  • 护法论

    护法论

    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。
  • 辟邪集

    辟邪集

    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。
  • Maid Marian

    Maid Marian

    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
  • 中国党政公文写作要领与范例

    中国党政公文写作要领与范例

    《中国党政公文写作要领与范例》——以写作的基础知识为主线,以其艺术性、技巧性为点,实例佐证为辅,选例准确,讲明要领。
  • 狐作妃为:邪皇的小萌妃

    狐作妃为:邪皇的小萌妃

    有谁穿越连物种都变了?变就变了,老天接二连三让她屁屁中箭是闹哪样?夜帝帅得人神共愤却偏宠她一“狐”,惹来八方妒意,誓要清妖孽除邪灵,她不跑路更待何时?可是……为什么却莫名其妙的被抓回来,而且,还成了光溜溜的人?月圆之夜,变身?!这下一个脑袋两个大了!!
  • 一个神秘事件调查员的秘密笔记(全集)

    一个神秘事件调查员的秘密笔记(全集)

    我因为科研过程中无意遇到的神秘事件,被一秘密科研部门收罗门下,开始了惊险、绝地逢生的人生旅程。在这个过程当中我不但见到了地球上从未记载过的巨型生物,也见到了具有某种神秘隐形力量的非人类;不但看到了为了贪欲而扭曲变异的人性,也遇到了甘为人类,奉献出自己生命的地外生命体。而我的生死之交,同样是做神秘调查工作的同事到底隐藏着什么秘密?还有这个地球上最强悍的部落是不是保护着中华民族的精神图腾——龙?
  • 我们不要伤心了

    我们不要伤心了

    从第一次逃课在楼道遇见开始,简云泥单恋了宋之遥整整五年。五年的仰望时光里,他身边的女孩换了一拨又一拨,却从来没有轮到过她。在云泥的看来,宋之遥是游走在暗夜里的王子,不会真正为谁停下,默默地守护便是离他最近的相处方式。不料,富家女苏寻的强势介入打破了她所有的幻想,原本平静的生活开始天翻地覆。与此同时,校草聂斯年也突然卷入了她凌乱的世界,替他挡下所有流言冷箭……伤害与治愈,打击与救赎,一切来得太快,快得更像是一场预谋……有的人,你想要追逐,像候鸟永不停息。有的人,却一心等你驻足,从不言弃。漫长的青春期里,爱情像一场重感冒,疯狂肆虐,猝不及防。悔恨如荆棘疯长,我们的伤心却还如此漫长……
  • 临渊

    临渊

    国师临渊,寿同金石,不老不死。在世人眼中,他是神明一般的存在,凛然不可轻犯。在莲灯眼中,他娇气、不讲理、臭美、怕疼,还晕血……但是因为长得好看,以上缺点也都可以忽略不计了。中原有一个词语,专门用来形容一个人清白一辈子,到了晚年却未能保住节操。叫晚节不保。他在人间踽踽独行了上百年,只为等待与她相逢的瞬间。
  • 重生之文学女神

    重生之文学女神

    一只神笔,让我回到了初中时代,让当初错过了作家梦而成为编辑的我重新拾起了自己的大神梦。但是,重生了,为什么我还要穿越到各个时代寻找晶片!神笔有任务布置,完成任务文笔+1,灵感+1,运气+1,人缘+1,技巧+1,…什么!还有神秘奖励!好吧,面对各种早期的新人,后世的大神们,任务也层出不穷,且看我如何奋斗,成长为一代大神吧。
  • 家园

    家园

    1975年,无论人心还是社会,只是仿佛没有白日一般的睡意深沉。一过晚上九点,人们便真的睡熟了。上海的大街小巷,无论是陈旧的四十年代花园洋房,还是三十年代的美国式公寓,或者是二十年代的石库门里弄,十年代涂抹了棕红色油漆的木质板屋,便渐渐散发出压抑而失望的躯体在沉睡时动物般微臭的体味。那深长而寂寞的睡意,如街道上的夜雾沉甸甸地漂浮着,笼罩了整个城市。三年前,毛泽东诗词的美国翻译者伯恩斯通从上海访问归去,发表观感说,中国人的身体丝毫没有本位感,它们如此沉静,犹如自然界中的山水。
  • 售楼帅哥:卖房不卖情

    售楼帅哥:卖房不卖情

    售楼帅哥接触形形色色的顾客,周旋于各色人物之间,顾客算是奇葩各异,随之而来的情感经历也是起起伏伏.......……售楼帅哥,不仅仅是普通的售楼那么简单。
  • 假装清纯小丫头

    假装清纯小丫头

    在这世间,真的还有我的容身之处吗?那个拥有我全部童年的地方,是否还会再出现?那个一直在我身边陪着我的那个人,现在我的记忆仅仅只剩一个温暖的背影,和温暖的一句话。
  • 红大衣

    红大衣

    创作,是以真挚清澈之心与外界交融的过程。感谢《北京文学》能够让我的中篇处女作《红大衣》问世。 《红大衣》三次易主,它的款式和颜色几经改头换面,折射着大衣主人们命运的跌宕和时代的变迁。 我以红大衣为线索,以时代变迁为背景,作人性白描,尤其是“外公”和“母亲”两代人的勇气和对理想的永不放弃。 80年前,“外公”,一个东北的土财主,有一个不能被家族接受的理想:他的女儿们长大了个个都要做医生,不靠男人吃饭。他放弃了土地进城打工,将女儿们送进学校。日本鬼子的奴役,长春被围时的饥饿,都不能让他放弃理想。