westminster abbey-第3部分

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longer　a　sanctuary。　There　is　a　shocking　levity　in　some　natures；

which　leads　them　to　sport　with　awful　and　hallowed　things；　and　there

are　base　minds；　which　delight　to　revenge　on　the　illustrious　dead　the

abject　homage　and　grovelling　servility　which　they　pay　to　the　living。

The　coffin　of　Edward　the　Confessor　has　been　broken　open；　and　his

remains　despoiled　of　their　funereal　ornaments；　the　sceptre　has　been

stolen　from　the　hand　of　the　imperious　Elizabeth；　and　the　effigy　of

Henry　the　Fifth　lies　headless。　Not　a　royal　monument　but　bears　some

proof　how　false　and　fugitive　is　the　homage　of　mankind。　Some　are

plundered；　some　mutilated；　some　covered　with　ribaldry　and　insult…

all　more　or　less　outraged　and　dishonored！

　　The　last　beams　of　day　were　now　faintly　streaming　through　the　painted

windows　in　the　high　vaults　above　me；　the　lower　parts　of　the　abbey　were

already　wrapped　in　the　obscurity　of　twilight。　The　chapels　and　aisles

grew　darker　and　darker。　The　effigies　of　the　kings　faded　into

shadows；　the　marble　figures　of　the　monuments　assumed　strange　shapes　in

the　uncertain　light；　the　evening　breeze　crept　through　the　aisles

like　the　cold　breath　of　the　grave；　and　even　the　distant　footfall　of

a　verger；　traversing　the　Poet's　Corner；　had　something　strange　and

dreary　in　its　sound。　I　slowly　retraced　my　morning's　walk；　and　as　I

passed　out　at　the　portal　of　the　cloisters；　the　door；　closing　with　a

jarring　noise　behind　me；　filled　the　whole　building　with　echoes。

　　I　endeavored　to　form　some　arrangement　in　my　mind　of　the　objects　I

had　been　contemplating；　but　found　they　were　already　fallen　into

indistinctness　and　confusion。　Names；　inscriptions；　trophies；　had　all

become　confounded　in　my　recollection；　though　I　had　scarcely　taken　my

foot　from　off　the　threshold。　What；　thought　I；　is　this　vast

assemblage　of　sepulchres　but　a　treasury　of　humiliation；　a　huge　pile　of

reiterated　homilies　on　the　emptiness　of　renown；　and　the　certainty　of

oblivion！　It　is；　indeed；　the　empire　of　death；　his　great　shadowy

palace；　where　he　sits　in　state；　mocking　at　the　relics　of　human

glory；　and　spreading　dust　and　forgetfulness　on　the　monuments　of

princes。　How　idle　a　boast；　after　all；　is　the　immortality　of　a　name！

Time　is　ever　silently　turning　over　his　pages；　we　are　too　much

engrossed　by　the　story　of　the　present；　to　think　of　the　characters

and　anecdotes　that　gave　interest　to　the　past；　and　each　age　is　a　volume

thrown　aside　to　be　speedily　forgotten。　The　idol　of　to…day　pushes　the

hero　of　yesterday　out　of　our　recollection；　and　will；　in　turn；　be

supplanted　by　his　successor　of　tomorrow。　〃Our　fathers；〃　says　Sir

Thomas　Brown；　〃find　their　graves　in　our　short　memories；　and　sadly　tell

us　how　we　may　be　buried　in　our　survivors。〃　History　fades　into　fable；

fact　becomes　clouded　with　doubt　and　controversy；　the　inscription

moulders　from　the　tablet；　the　statue　falls　from　the　pedestal。　Columns；

arches；　pyramids；　what　are　they　but　heaps　of　sand；　and　their　epitaphs；

but　characters　written　in　the　dust？　What　is　the　security　of　a　tomb；　or

the　perpetuity　of　an　embalmment？　The　remains　of　Alexander　the　Great

have　been　scattered　to　the　wind；　and　his　empty　sarcophagus　is　now

the　mere　curiosity　of　a　museum。　〃The　Egyptian　mummies；　which

Cambyses　or　time　hath　spared；　avarice　now　consumeth；　Mizraim　cures

wounds；　and　Pharaoh　is　sold　for　balsams。〃*



　　*　Sir　T。　Brown。



　　What　then　is　to　insure　this　pile　which　now　towers　above　me　from

sharing　the　fate　of　mightier　mausoleums？　The　time　must　come　when　its

gilded　vaults；　which　now　spring　so　loftily；　shall　lie　in　rubbish

beneath　the　feet；　when；　instead　of　the　sound　of　melody　and　praise；　the

wind　shall　whistle　through　the　broken　arches；　and　the　owl　hoot　from

the　shattered　tower…　when　the　garish　sunbeam　shall　break　into　these

gloomy　mansions　of　death；　and　the　ivy　twine　round　the　fallen　column；

and　the　fox…glove　hang　its　blossoms　about　the　nameless　urn；　as　if　in

mockery　of　the　dead。　Thus　man　passes　away；　his　name　perishes　from

record　and　recollection；　his　history　is　as　a　tale　that　is　told；　and

his　very　monument　becomes　a　ruin。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。