the miscellaneous writings and speeches-1-第26部分

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　the　circumstances　mentioned　in　the　text　is　to　be　referred　one　of　the　most　remarkable　events　in　Grecian　history；　I　mean　the　silent　but　rapid　downfall　of　the　Lacedaemonian　power。　　Soon　after　the　termination　of　the　Peloponnesian　war；　the　strength　of　Lacedaemon　began　to　decline。　Its　military　discipline；　its　social　institutions；　were　the　same。　Agesilaus；　during　whose　reign　the　change　took　place；　was　the　ablest　of　its　kings。　　Yet　the　Spartan　armies　were　frequently　defeated　in　pitched　battles；an　occurrence　considered　impossible　in　the　earlier　ages　of　Greece。　　They　are　allowed　to　have　fought　most　bravely；　yet　they　were　no　longer　attended　by　the　success　to　which　they　had　formerly　been　accustomed。　　No　solution　of　these　circumstances　is　offered；　as　far　as　I　know；　by　any　ancient　author。　　The　real　cause；　I　conceive；　was　this。　　The　Lacedaemonians；　alone　among　the　Greeks；　formed　a　permanent　standing　army。　　While　the　citizens　of　other　commonwealths　were　engaged　in　agriculture　and　trade；　they　had　no　employment　whatever　but　the　study　of　military　discipline。　　Hence；　during　the　Persian　and　Peloponnesian　wars；　they　had　that　advantage　over　their　neighbours　which　regular　troops　always　possess　over　militia。　This　advantage　they　lost；　when　other　states　began；　at　a　later　period；　to　employ　mercenary　forces；　who　were　probably　as　superior　to　them　in　the　art　of　war　as　they　had　hitherto　been　to　their　antagonists。）　　Each　pursuit　therefore　became　first　an　art；　and　then　a　trade。　　In　proportion　as　the　professors　of　each　became　more　expert　in　their　particular　craft；　they　became　less　respectable　in　their　general　character。　　Their　skill　had　been　obtained　at　too　great　expense　to　be　employed　only　from　disinterested　views。　　Thus；　the　soldiers　forgot　that　they　were　citizens；　and　the　orators　that　they　were　statesmen。　　I　know　not　to　what　Demosthenes　and　his　famous　contemporaries　can　be　so　justly　compared　as　to　those　mercenary　troops　who；　in　their　time；　overran　Greece；　or　those　who；　from　similar　causes；　were　some　centuries　ago　the　scourge　of　the　Italian　republics；perfectly　acquainted　with　every　part　of　their　profession；　irresistible　in　the　field；　powerful　to　defend　or　to　destroy；　but　defending　without　love；　and　destroying　without　hatred。　　We　may　despise　the　characters　of　these　political　Condottieri；　but　is　impossible　to　examine　the　system　of　their　tactics　without　being　amazed　at　its　perfection。

I　had　intended　to　proceed　to　this　examination；　and　to　consider　separately　the　remains　of　Lysias；　of　Aeschines；　of　Demosthenes；　and　of　Isocrates；　who；　though　strictly　speaking　he　was　rather　a　pamphleteer　than　an　orator；　deserves；　on　many　accounts；　a　place　in　such　a　disquisition。　　The　length　of　my　prolegomena　and　digressions　compels　me　to　postpone　this　part　of　the　subject　to　another　occasion。　　A　Magazine　is　certainly　a　delightful　invention　for　a　very　idle　or　a　very　busy　man。　　He　is　not　compelled　to　complete　his　plan　or　to　adhere　to　his　subject。　　He　may　ramble　as　far　as　he　is　inclined；　and　stop　as　soon　as　he　is　tired。　　No　one　takes　the　trouble　to　recollect　his　contradictory　opinions　or　his　unredeemed　pledges。　　He　may　be　as　superficial；　as　inconsistent；　and　as　careless　as　he　chooses。　　Magazines　resemble　those　little　angels；　who；　according　to　the　pretty　Rabbinical　tradition；　are　generated　every　morning　by　the　brook　which　rolls　over　the　flowers　of　Paradise；whose　life　is　a　song；who　warble　till　sunset；　and　then　sink　back　without　regret　into　nothingness。　　Such　spirits　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　detecting　spear　of　Ithuriel　or　the　victorious　sword　of　Michael。　　It　is　enough　for　them　to　please　and　be　forgotten。

。。。


A　PROPHETIC　ACCOUNT　OF　A　GRAND　NATIONAL　EPIC　POEM；　TO　BE　ENTITLED　〃THE　WELLINGTONIAD；〃　AND　TO　BE　PUBLISHED　A。D。　2824。

（November　1824。）

How　I　became　a　prophet　it　is　not　very　important　to　the　reader　to　know。　　Nevertheless　I　feel　all　the　anxiety　which；　under　similar　circumstances；　troubled　the　sensitive　mind　of　Sidrophel；　and；　like　him；　am　eager　to　vindicate　myself　from　the　suspicion　of　having　practised　forbidden　arts；　or　held　intercourse　with　beings　of　another　world。　　I　solemnly　declare；　therefore；　that　I　never　saw　a　ghost；　like　Lord　Lyttleton；　consulted　a　gipsy；　like　Josephine；　or　heard　my　name　pronounced　by　an　absent　person；　like　Dr　Johnson。　　Though　it　is　now　almost　as　usual　for　gentlemen　to　appear　at　the　moment　of　their　death　to　their　friends　as　to　call　on　them　during　their　life；　none　of　my　acquaintance　have　been　so　polite　as　to　pay　me　that　customary　attention。　　I　have　derived　my　knowledge　neither　from　the　dead　nor　from　the　living；　neither　from　the　lines　of　a　hand；　nor　from　the　grounds　of　a　tea…cup；　neither　from　the　stars　of　the　firmament；　nor　from　the　fiends　of　the　abyss。　　I　have　never；　like　the　Wesley　family；　heard　〃that　mighty　leading　angel；〃　who　〃drew　after　him　the　third　part　of　heaven's　sons；〃　scratching　in　my　cupboard。　I　have　never　been　enticed　to　sign　any　of　those　delusive　bonds　which　have　been　the　ruin　of　so　many　poor　creatures；　and；　having　always　been　an　indifferent　horse　man；　I　have　been　careful　not　to　venture　myself　on　a　broomstick。

My　insight　into　futurity；　like　that　of　George　Fox　the　quaker；　and　that　of　our　great　and　philosophic　poet；　Lord　Byron；　is　derived　from　simple　presentiment。　　This　is　a　far　less　artificial　process　than　those　which　are　employed　by　some　others。　　Yet　my　predictions　will；　I　believe；　be　found　more　correct　than　theirs；　or；　at　all　events；　as　Sir　Benjamin　Back　bite　says　in　the　play；　〃more　circumstantial。〃

I　prophesy　then；　that；　in　the　year　2824；　according　to　our　present　reckoning；　a　grand　national　Epic　Poem；　worthy　to　be　compared　with　the　Iliad；　the　Aeneid；　or　the　Jerusalem；　will　be　published　in　London。

Men　naturally　take　an　interest　in　the　adventures　of　every　eminent　writer。　　I　will；　therefore；　gratify　the　laudable　curiosity；　which；　on　this　occasion；　will　doubtless　be　universal；　by　pre　fixing　to　my　account　of　the　poem　a　concise　memoir　of　the　poet。

Richard　Quongti　will　be　born　at　Westminster　on　the　1st　of　July；　2786。　　He　will　be　the　younger　son　of　the　younger　branch　of　one　of　the　most　respectable　families　in　England。　　He　will　be　linearly　descended　from　Quongti；　the　famous　Chinese　liberal；　who；　after　the　failure　of　the　heroic　attempt　of　his　party　to　obtain　a　constitution　from　the　Emperor　Fim　Fam；　will　take　refuge　in　England；　in　the　twenty…third　century。　　Here　his　descendants　will　obtain　considerable　note；　and　one　branch　of　the　family　will　be　raised　to　the　peerage。

Richard；　however；　though　destined　to　exalt　his　family　to　distinction　far　nobler　than　any　which　wealth　or　titles　can　bestow；　will　be　born　to　a　very　scanty　fortune。　　He　will　display　in　his　early　youth　such　striking　talents　as　will　attract　the　notice　of　Viscount　Quongti；　his　third　cousin；　then　secretary　of　state　for　the　Steam　Department。　　At　the　expense　of　this　eminent　nobleman；　he　will　be　sent　to　prosecute　his　studies　at　the　university　of　Tombuctoo。　　To　that　illustrious　seat　of　the　muses　all　the　ingenuous　youth　of　every　country　will　then　be　attracted　by　the　high　scientific　character　of　Professor　Quashaboo；　and　the　eminent　literary　attainments　of　Professor　Kissey　Kickey。　　In　spite　of　this　formidable　competition；　however；　Quongti　will　acquire　the　highest　honours　in　every　department　of　knowledge；　and　will　obtain　the　esteem　of　his　associates　by　his　amiable　and　unaffected　manners。　　The　guardians　of　the　young　Duke　of　Carrington；　premier　peer　of　England；　and　the　last　remaining　scion　of　the　ancient　and　illustrious　house　of　Smith；　will　be　desirous　to　secure　so　able　an　instructor　for　their　ward。　　With　the　Duke；　Quongti　will　perform　the　grand　tour；　and　visit　the　polished　courts　of　Sydney　and　Capetown。　　After　prevailing　on　his　pupil；　with　great　difficulty；　to　subdue　a　violent　and　imprudent　passion　which　he　had　conceived　for　a　Hottentot　lady；　of　great　beauty　and　accomplishments　indeed；　but　of　dubious　character；　he　will　travel　with　him　to　the　United　States　of　America。　　But　that　tremendous　war　which　will　be　fatal　to　American　liberty　will；　at　that　time；　be　raging　through　the　whole　federation。　　At　New　York　the　travellers　will　hear　of　the　final　defeat　and　death　of　the　illustrious　champion　of　freedom；　Jonathon　Higginbottom；　and　of　the　elevation　of　Ebenezer　Hogsflesh　to　the　perpetual　Presidency。　They　will　not　choose　to　proceed　in　a　journey　which　would　expose　them　to　the　insults　of　that　brutal　soldiery；　whose　cruelty　and　rapacity　will　have　devastated　Mexico　and　Colombia；　and　now；　at　length；　enslaved　their　own　country。

On　their　return　to　England；　A。D。　2810；　the　death　of　the　Duke　will　compel　his　preceptor　to　seek　for　a　subsistence　by　literary　labours。　　His　fame　will　be　raised　by　many　small　productions　of　considerable　merit；　and　he　will　at　last　obtain　a　permanent　place　in　the　highest　class　of　writers　by　his　great　epic　poem。

The　celebrated　work　will　become；　with　unexampled　rapidity；　a　popular　favourite。　　The　sale　will　be　so　beneficial　to　the　author　that；　instead　of　going　about　the　dirty　streets　on　his　velocipede；　he　will　be　enabled　to　set　up　his　balloon。

The　character　of　this　noble　poem　will　be　so　finely　and　justly　given　in　the　Tombuctoo　Review　for　April　2825；　that　I　cannot　refrain　from　translating　the　passage。　　The　author　will　be　our　poet's　old　preceptor；　Professor　Kissey　Kickey。

〃In　pathos；　in　splendour　of　language；　in　sweetness　of　versification；　Mr　Quongti　has　long　been　considered　as　unrivalled。　In　his　exquisite　poem　on　the　Ornithorhynchus　Paradoxus　all　these　qualities　are　displayed　in　their　greatest　perfection。　　How　exquisitely　does　that　work　arrest　and　embody　the　undefined　and　vague　shadows　which　flit　over　an　imaginative　mind。　　The　cold　worldling　may　not　comprehend　it；　but　it　will　find　a　response　in　the　bosom　of　every　youthful　poet；　of　every　enthusiastic　lover；　who　has　seen　an　Ornithorhynchus　Paradoxus　by　moonlight。　　But　we　were　yet　to　learn　that　he　possessed　the　comprehension；　the　judgment；　and　the　fertility　of　mind　indispensable　to　the　epic　poet。

〃It　is　difficult　to　conceive　a　plot　more　perfect　than　that　of　the　'Wellingtoniad。'　　It　is　most　faithful　to　the　manners　of　the　age　to　which　it　relates。　　It　preserves　exactly　all　the　historical　circumstances；　and　interweaves　them　most　artfully　with　all　the　speciosa　miracula　of　supernatural　agency。〃

Thus　far　the　learned　Professor　of　Humanit