the miscellaneous writings and speeches-1-第22部分

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！


njust。　　Many　men　have　there　been　ignorant　of　letters；　without　wit；　without　eloquence；　who　yet　had　the　wisdom　to　devise；　and　the　courage　to　perform；　that　which　they　lacked　language　to　explain。　　Such　men　often；　in　troubled　times；　have　worked　out　the　deliverance　of　nations　and　their　own　greatness；　not　by　logic；　not　by　rhetoric；　but　by　wariness　in　success；　by　calmness　in　danger；　by　fierce　and　stubborn　resolution　in　all　adversity。　　The　hearts　of　men　are　their　books；　events　are　their　tutors；　great　actions　are　their　eloquence：　and　such　an　one；　in　my　judgment；　was　his　late　Highness；　who；　if　none　were　to　treat　his　name　scornfully　now　shook　not　at　the　sound　of　it　while　he　lived；　would；　by　very　few；　be　mentioned　otherwise　than　with　reverence。　　His　own　deeds　shall　avouch　him　for　a　great　statesman；　a　great　soldier；　a　true　lover　of　his　country；　a　merciful　and　generous　conqueror。

〃For　his　faults；　let　us　reflect　that　they　who　seem　to　lead　are　oftentimes　most　constrained　to　follow。　　They　who　will　mix　with　men；　and　especially　they　who　will　govern　them；　must　in　many　things　obey　them。　　They　who　will　yield　to　no　such　conditions　may　be　hermits；　but　cannot　be　generals　and　statesmen。　　If　a　man　will　walk　straight　forward　without　turning　to　the　right　or　the　left；　he　must　walk　in　a　desert；　and　not　in　Cheapside。　　Thus　was　he　enforced　to　do　many　things　which　jumped　not　with　his　inclination　nor　made　for　his　honour；　because　the　army；　on　which　alone　he　could　depend　for　power　and　life；　might　not　otherwise　be　contented。　　And　I；　for　mine　own　part；　marvel　less　that　he　sometimes　was　fain　to　indulge　their　violence　than　that　he　could　so　often　restrain　it。

〃In　that　he　dissolved　the　Parliament；　I　praise　him。　　It　then　was　so　diminished　in　numbers；　as　well　by　the　death　as　by　the　exclusion　of　members；　that　it　was　no　longer　the　same　assembly；　and；　if　at　that　time　it　had　made　itself　perpetual；　we　should　have　been　governed；　not　by　an　English　House　of　Commons；　but　by　a　Venetian　Council。

〃If　in　his　following　rule　he　overstepped　the　laws；　I　pity　rather　than　condemn　him。　　He　may　be　compared　to　that　Maeandrius　of　Samos；　of　whom　Herodotus　saith；　in　his　Thalia；　that；　wishing　to　be　of　all　men　the　most　just；　he　was　not　able；　for　after　the　death　of　Polycrates　he　offered　freedom　to　the　people；　and　not　till　certain　of　them　threatened　to　call　him　to　a　reckoning　for　what　he　had　formerly　done；　did　he　change　his　purpose；　and　make　himself　a　tyrant；　lest　he　should　be　treated　as　a　criminal。

〃Such　was　the　case　of　Oliver。　　He　gave　to　his　country　a　form　of　government　so　free　and　admirable　that；　in　near　six　thousand　years；　human　wisdom　hath　never　devised　any　more　excellent　contrivance　for　human　happiness。　　To　himself　he　reserved　so　little　power　that　it　would　scarcely　have　sufficed　for　his　safety；　and　it　is　a　marvel　that　it　could　suffice　for　his　ambition。　　When；　after　that；　he　found　that　the　members　of　his　Parliament　disputed　his　right　even　to　that　small　authority　which　he　had　kept；　when　he　might　have　kept　all；　then　indeed　I　own　that　he　began　to　govern　by　the　sword　those　who　would　not　suffer　him　to　govern　by　the　law。

〃But；　for　the　rest；　what　sovereign　was　ever　more　princely　in　pardoning　injuries；　in　conquering　enemies；　in　extending　the　dominions　and　the　renown　of　his　people？　　What　sea；　what　shore　did　he　not　mark　with　imperishable　memorials　of　his　friendship　or　his　vengeance？　　The　gold　of　Spain；　the　steel　of　Sweden；　the　ten　thousand　sails　of　Holland；　availed　nothing　against　him。　　While　every　foreign　state　trembled　at　our　arms；　we　sat　secure　from　all　assault。　　War；　which　often　so　strangely　troubles　both　husbandry　and　commerce；　never　silenced　the　song　of　our　reapers；　or　the　sound　of　our　looms。　　Justice　was　equally　administered；　God　was　freely　worshipped。

〃Now　look　at　that　which　we　have　taken　in　exchange。　　With　the　restored　king　have　come　over　to　us　vices　of　every　sort；　and　most　the　basest　and　most　shameful；lust　without　loveservitude　without　loyaltyfoulness　of　speechdishonesty　of　dealing　grinning　contempt　of　all　things　good　and　generous。　　The　throne　is　surrounded　by　men　whom　the　former　Charles　would　have　spurned　from　his　footstool。　　The　altar　is　served　by　slaves　whose　knees　are　supple　to　every　being　but　God。　　Rhymers；　whose　books　the　hangman　should　burn；　pandars；　actors；　and　buffoons；　these　drink　a　health　and　throw　a　main　with　the　King；　these　have　stars　on　their　breasts　and　gold　sticks　in　their　hands；　these　shut　out　from　his　presence　the　best　and　bravest　of　those　who　bled　for　his　house。　　Even　so　doth　God　visit　those　who　know　not　how　to　value　freedom。　　He　gives　them　over　to　the　tyranny　which　they　have　desired；　Ina　pantes　epaurontai　basileos。〃

〃I　will　not；〃　said　Mr　Cowley；　〃dispute　with　you　on　this　argument。　But；　if　it　be　as　you　say；　how　can　you　maintain　that　England　hath　been　so　greatly　advantaged　by　the　rebellion？〃

〃Understand　me　rightly；　Sir；〃　said　Mr　Milton。　　〃This　nation　is　not　given　over　to　slavery　and　vice。　　We　tasted　indeed　the　fruits　of　liberty　before　they　had　well　ripened。　　Their　flavour　was　harsh　and　bitter；　and　we　turned　from　them　with　loathing　to　the　sweeter　poisons　of　servitude。　　This　is　but　for　a　time。　　England　is　sleeping　on　the　lap　of　Dalilah；　traitorously　chained；　but　not　yet　shorn　of　strength。　　Let　the　cry　be　once　heardthe　Philistines　be　upon　thee；　and　at　once　that　sleep　will　be　broken；　and　those　chains　will　be　as　flax　in　the　fire。　　The　great　Parliament　hath　left　behind　it　in　our　hearts　and　minds　a　hatred　of　tyrants；　a　just　knowledge　of　our　rights；　a　scorn　of　vain　and　deluding　names；　and　that　the　revellers　of　Whitehall　shall　surely　find。　　The　sun　is　darkened；　but　it　is　only　for　a　moment：　　it　is　but　an　eclipse；　though　all　birds　of　evil　omen　have　begun　to　scream；　and　all　ravenous　beasts　have　gone　forth　to　prey；　thinking　it　to　be　midnight。　　Woe　to　them　if　they　be　abroad　when　the　rays　again　shine　forth！

〃The　king　hath　judged　ill。　　Had　he　been　wise　he　would　have　remembered　that　he　owed　his　restoration　only　to　confusions　which　had　wearied　us　out；　and　made　us　eager　for　repose。　　He　would　have　known　that　the　folly　and　perfidy　of　a　prince　would　restore　to　the　good　old　cause　many　hearts　which　had　been　alienated　thence　by　the　turbulence　of　factions；　for；　if　I　know　aught　of　history；　or　of　the　heart　of　man；　he　will　soon　learn　that　the　last　champion　of　the　people　was　not　destroyed　when　he　murdered　Vane；　nor　seduced　when　he　beguiled　Fairfax。〃

Mr　Cowley　seemed　to　me　not　to　take　much　amiss　what　Mr　Milton　had　said　touching　that　thankless　court；　which　had　indeed　but　poorly　requited　his　own　good　service。　　He　only　said；　therefore；　〃Another　rebellion！　　Alas！　alas！　Mr　Milton！　　If　there　be　no　choice　but　between　despotism　and　anarchy；　I　prefer　despotism。〃

〃Many　men；〃　said　Mr　Milton；　〃have　floridly　and　ingeniously　compared　anarchy　and　despotism；　but　they　who　so　amuse　themselves　do　but　look　at　separate　parts　of　that　which　is　truly　one　great　whole。　　Each　is　the　cause　and　the　effect　of　the　other；　the　evils　of　either　are　the　evils　of　both。　　Thus　do　states　move　on　in　the　same　eternal　cycle；　which；　from　the　remotest　point；　brings　them　back　again　to　the　same　sad　starting…post：　　and；　till　both　those　who　govern　and　those　who　obey　shall　learn　and　mark　this　great　truth；　men　can　expect　little　through　the　future；　as　they　have　known　little　through　the　past；　save　vicissitudes　of　extreme　evils；　alternately　producing　and　produced。

〃When　will　rulers　learn　that；　where　liberty　is　not；　security　end　order　can　never　be？　　We　talk　of　absolute　power；　but　all　power　hath　limits；　which；　if　not　fixed　by　the　moderation　of　the　governors；　will　be　fixed　by　the　force　of　the　governed。　Sovereigns　may　send　their　opposers　to　dungeons；　they　may　clear　out　a　senate…house　with　soldiers；　they　may　enlist　armies　of　spies；　they　may　hang　scores　of　the　disaffected　in　chains　at　every　cross　road；　but　what　power　shall　stand　in　that　frightful　time　when　rebellion　hath　become　a　less　evil　than　endurance？　　Who　shall　dissolve　that　terrible　tribunal；　which；　in　the　hearts　of　the　oppressed；　denounces　against　the　oppressor　the　doom　of　its　wild　justice？　　Who　shall　repeal　the　law　of　selfdefence？　　What　arms　or　discipline　shall　resist　the　strength　of　famine　and　despair？　　How　often　were　the　ancient　Caesars　dragged　from　their　golden　palaces；　stripped　of　their　purple　robes；　mangled；　stoned；　defiled　with　filth；　pierced　with　hooks；　hurled　into　Tiber？　　How　often　have　the　Eastern　Sultans　perished　by　the　sabres　of　their　own　janissaries；　or　the　bow…strings　of　their　own　mutes！　　For　no　power　which　is　not　limited　by　laws　can　ever　be　protected　by　them。　　Small；　therefore；　is　the　wisdom　of　those　who　would　fly　to　servitude　as　if　it　were　a　refuge　from　commotion；　for　anarchy　is　the　sure　consequence　of　tyranny。　　That　governments　may　be　safe；　nations　must　be　free。　Their　passions　must　have　an　outlet　provided；　lest　they　make　one。

〃When　I　was　at　Naples；　I　went　with　Signor　Manso；　a　gentleman　of　excellent　parts　and　breeding；　who　had　been　the　familiar　friend　of　that　famous　poet　Torquato　Tasso；　to　see　the　burning　mountain　Vesuvius。　　I　wondered　how　the　peasants　could　venture　to　dwell　so　fearlessly　and　cheerfully　on　its　sides；　when　the　lava　was　flowing　from　its　summit；　but　Manso　smiled；　and　told　me　that　when　the　fire　descends　freely　they　retreat　before　it　without　haste　or　fear。　They　can　tell　how　fast　it　will　move；　and　how　far；　and　they　know；　moreover；　that；　though　it　may　work　some　little　damage；　it　will　soon　cover　the　fields　over　which　it　hath　passed　with　rich　vineyards　and　sweet　flowers。　　But；　when　the　flames　are　pent　up　in　the　mountain；　then　it　is　that　they　have　reason　to　fear；　then　it　is　that　the　earth　sinks　and　the　sea　swells；　then　cities　are　swallowed　up；　and　their　place　knoweth　them　no　more。　　So　it　is　in　politics：　　where　the　people　is　most　closely　restrained；　there　it　gives　the　greatest　shocks　to　peace　and　order；　therefore　would　I　say　to　all　kings；　let　your　demagogues　lead　crowds；　lest　they　lead　armies；　let　them　bluster；　lest　they　massacre；　a　little　turbulence　is；　as　it　were；　the　rainbow　of　the　state；　it　shows　indeed　that　there　is　a　passing　shower；　but　it　is　a　pledge　that　there　shall　be　no　deluge。〃

〃This　is　true；〃　said　Mr　Cowley；　〃yet　these　admonitions　are　not　less　needful　to　subjects　than　to　sovereigns。〃

〃Surely；〃　said　Mr　Milton；　〃and；　that　I　may　end　this　long　debate