zanoni-第51部分

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reluctantly　confesses　that　the　stars　are　worlds　larger　and　more

glorious　than　his　own；that　the　earth　on　which　he　crawls　is　a

scarce　visible　speck　on　the　vast　chart　of　creation。　　But　in　the

small　as　in　the　vast；　God　is　equally　profuse　of　life。　　The

traveller　looks　upon　the　tree；　and　fancies　its　boughs　were　formed

for　his　shelter　in　the　summer　sun；　or　his　fuel　in　the　winter

frosts。　　But　in　each　leaf　of　these　boughs　the　Creator　has　made　a

world；　it　swarms　with　innumerable　races。　　Each　drop　of　the　water

in　yon　moat　is　an　orb　more　populous　than　a　kingdom　is　of　men。

Everywhere；　then；　in　this　immense　design；　science　brings　new　life

to　light。　　Life　is　the　one　pervading　principle；　and　even　the

thing　that　seems　to　die　and　putrify　but　engenders　new　life；　and

changes　to　fresh　forms　of　matter。　　Reasoning；　then；　by　evident

analogy：　　if　not　a　leaf；　if　not　a　drop　of　water；　but　is；　no　less

than　yonder　star；　a　habitable　and　breathing　world；nay；　if　even

man　himself　is　a　world　to　other　lives；　and　millions　and　myriads

dwell　in　the　rivers　of　his　blood；　and　inhabit　man's　frame　as　man

inhabits　earth；　commonsense　（if　your　schoolmen　had　it）　would

suffice　to　teach　that　the　circumfluent　infinite　which　you　call

spacethe　countless　Impalpable　which　divides　earth　from　the　moon

and　starsis　filled　also　with　its　correspondent　and　appropriate

life。　　Is　it　not　a　visible　absurdity　to　suppose　that　being　is

crowded　upon　every　leaf；　and　yet　absent　from　the　immensities　of

space？　　The　law　of　the　Great　System　forbids　the　waste　even　of　an

atom；　it　knows　no　spot　where　something　of　life　does　not　breathe。

In　the　very　charnel…house　is　the　nursery　of　production　and

animation。　　Is　that　true？　　Well；　then；　can　you　conceive　that

space；　which　is　the　Infinite　itself；　is　alone　a　waste；　is　alone

lifeless；　is　less　useful　to　the　one　design　of　universal　being

than　the　dead　carcass　of　a　dog；　than　the　peopled　leaf；　than　the

swarming　globule？　　The　microscope　shows　you　the　creatures　on　the

leaf；　no　mechanical　tube　is　yet　invented　to　discover　the　nobler

and　more　gifted　things　that　hover　in　the　illimitable　air。　　Yet

between　these　last　and　man　is　a　mysterious　and　terrible　affinity。

And　hence；　by　tales　and　legends；　not　wholly　false　nor　wholly

true；　have　arisen　from　time　to　time；　beliefs　in　apparitions　and

spectres。　　If　more　common　to　the　earlier　and　simpler　tribes　than

to　the　men　of　your　duller　age；　it　is　but　that；　with　the　first；

the　senses　are　more　keen　and　quick。　　And　as　the　savage　can　see　or

scent　miles　away　the　traces　of　a　foe；　invisible　to　the　gross

sense　of　the　civilised　animal；　so　the　barrier　itself　between　him

and　the　creatures　of　the　airy　world　is　less　thickened　and

obscured。　　Do　you　listen？〃



〃With　my　soul！〃



〃But　first；　to　penetrate　this　barrier；　the　soul　with　which　you

listen　must　be　sharpened　by　intense　enthusiasm；　purified　from　all

earthlier　desires。　　Not　without　reason　have　the　so…styled

magicians；　in　all　lands　and　times；　insisted　on　chastity　and

abstemious　reverie　as　the　communicants　of　inspiration。　　When　thus

prepared；　science　can　be　brought　to　aid　it；　the　sight　itself　may

be　rendered　more　subtle；　the　nerves　more　acute；　the　spirit　more

alive　and　outward；　and　the　element　itselfthe　air；　the　space

may　be　made；　by　certain　secrets　of　the　higher　chemistry；　more

palpable　and　clear。　　And　this；　too；　is　not　magic；　as　the

credulous　call　it；　as　I　have　so　often　said　before；　magic　（or

science　that　violates　Nature）　exists　not：　　it　is　but　the　science

by　which　Nature　can　be　controlled。　　Now；　in　space　there　are

millions　of　beings　not　literally　spiritual；　for　they　have　all；

like　the　animalculae　unseen　by　the　naked　eye；　certain　forms　of

matter；　though　matter　so　delicate；　air…drawn；　and　subtle；　that　it

is；　as　it　were；　but　a　film；　a　gossamer　that　clothes　the　spirit。

Hence　the　Rosicrucian's　lovely　phantoms　of　sylph　and　gnome。　　Yet；

in　truth；　these　races　and　tribes　differ　more　widely；　each　from

each；　than　the　Calmuc　from　the　Greek；differ　in　attributes　and

powers。　　In　the　drop　of　water　you　see　how　the　animalculae　vary；

how　vast　and　terrible　are　some　of　those　monster　mites　as　compared

with　others。　　Equally　so　with　the　inhabitants　of　the　atmosphere：

some　of　surpassing　wisdom；　some　of　horrible　malignity；　some

hostile　as　fiends　to　men；　others　gentle　as　messengers　between

earth　and　heaven。



He　who　would　establish　intercourse　with　these　varying　beings

resembles　the　traveller　who　would　penetrate　into　unknown　lands。

He　is　exposed　to　strange　dangers　and　unconjectured　terrors。　　THAT

INTERCOURSE　ONCE　GAINED；　I　CANNOT　SECURE　THEE　FROM　THE　CHANCES　TO

WHICH　THY　JOURNEY　IS　EXPOSED。　　I　cannot　direct　thee　to　paths　free

from　the　wanderings　of　the　deadliest　foes。　　Thou　must　alone；　and

of　thyself；　face　and　hazard　all。　　But　if　thou　art　so　enamoured　of

life　as　to　care　only　to　live　on；　no　matter　for　what　ends；

recruiting　the　nerves　and　veins　with　the　alchemist's　vivifying

elixir；　why　seek　these　dangers　from　the　intermediate　tribes？

Because　the　very　elixir　that　pours　a　more　glorious　life　into　the

frame；　so　sharpens　the　senses　that　those　larvae　of　the　air　become

to　thee　audible　and　apparent；　so　that；　unless　trained　by　degrees

to　endure　the　phantoms　and　subdue　their　malice；　a　life　thus

gifted　would　be　the　most　awful　doom　man　could　bring　upon　himself。

Hence　it　is；　that　though　the　elixir　be　compounded　of　the　simplest

herbs；　his　frame　only　is　prepared　to　receive　it　who　has　gone

through　the　subtlest　trials。　　Nay；　some；　scared　and　daunted　into

the　most　intolerable　horror　by　the　sights　that　burst　upon　their

eyes　at　the　first　draft；　have　found　the　potion　less　powerful　to

save　than　the　agony　and　travail　of　Nature　to　destroy。　　To　the

unprepared　the　elixir　is　thus　but　the　deadliest　poison。　　Amidst

the　dwellers　of　the　threshold　is　ONE；　too；　surpassing　in

malignity　and　hatred　all　her　tribe；one　whose　eyes　have

paralyzed　the　bravest；　and　whose　power　increases　over　the　spirit

precisely　in　proportion　to　its　fear。　　Does　thy　courage　falter？〃



〃Nay；　thy　words　but　kindle　it。〃



〃Follow　me；　then；　and　submit　to　the　initiatory　labours。〃



With　that；　Mejnour　led　him　into　the　interior　chamber；　and

proceeded　to　explain　to　him　certain　chemical　operations　which；

though　extremely　simple　in　themselves；　Glyndon　soon　perceived

were　capable　of　very　extraordinary　results。



〃In　the　remoter　times；〃　said　Mejnour；　smiling；　〃our　brotherhood

were　often　compelled　to　recur　to　delusions　to　protect　realities；

and；　as　dexterous　mechanicians　or　expert　chemists；　they　obtained

the　name　of　sorcerers。　　Observe　how　easy　to　construct　is　the

Spectre　Lion　that　attended　the　renowned　Leonardo　da　Vinci！〃



And　Glyndon　beheld　with　delighted　surprise　the　simple　means　by

which　the　wildest　cheats　of　the　imagination　can　be　formed。　　The

magical　landscapes　in　which　Baptista　Porta　rejoiced；　the　apparent

change　of　the　seasons　with　which　Albertus　Magnus　startled　the

Earl　of　Holland；　nay；　even　those　more　dread　delusions　of　the

Ghost　and　Image　with　which　the　necromancers　of　Heraclea　woke　the

conscience　of　the　conqueror　of　Plataea　（Pausanias；see

Plutarch。）；all　these；　as　the　showman　enchants　some　trembling

children　on　a　Christmas　Eve　with　his　lantern　and　phantasmagoria；

Mejnour　exhibited　to　his　pupil。



。。。



〃And　now　laugh　forever　at　magic！　when　these；　the　very　tricks；　the

very　sports　and　frivolities　of　science；　were　the　very　acts　which

men　viewed　with　abhorrence；　and　inquisitors　and　kings　rewarded

with　the　rack　and　the　stake。〃



〃But　the　alchemist's　transmutation　of　metals〃



〃Nature　herself　is　a　laboratory　in　which　metals；　and　all

elements；　are　forever　at　change。　　Easy　to　make　gold；easier；

more　commodious；　and　cheaper　still；　to　make　the　pearl；　the

diamond；　and　the　ruby。　　Oh；　yes；　wise　men　found　sorcery　in　this

too；　but　they　found　no　sorcery　in　the　discovery　that　by　the

simplest　combination　of　things　of　every…day　use　they　could　raise

a　devil　that　would　sweep　away　thousands　of　their　kind　by　the

breath　of　consuming　fire。　　Discover　what　will　destroy　life；　and

you　are　a　great　man！what　will　prolong　it；　and　you　are　an

imposter！　　Discover　some　invention　in　machinery　that　will　make

the　rich　more　rich　and　the　poor　more　poor；　and　they　will　build

you　a　statue！　　Discover　some　mystery　in　art　that　will　equalise

physical　disparities；　and　they　will　pull　down　their　own　houses　to

stone　you！　　Ha；　ha；　my　pupil！　such　is　the　world　Zanoni　still

cares　for！you　and　I　will　leave　this　world　to　itself。　　And　now

that　you　have　seen　some　few　of　the　effects　of　science；　begin　to

learn　its　grammar。〃



Mejnour　then　set　before　his　pupil　certain　tasks；　in　which　the

rest　of　the　night　wore　itself　away。





CHAPTER　4。V。



Great　travell　hath　the　gentle　Calidore

And　toyle　endured。。。

There　on　a　day；

He　chaunst　to　spy　a　sort　of　shepheard　groomes；

Playing　on　pipes　and　caroling　apace。

。。。He；　there　besyde

Saw　a　faire　damzell。

Spenser；　〃Faerie　Queene；〃　cant。　ix。



For　a　considerable　period　the　pupil　of　Mejnour　was　now　absorbed

in　labour　dependent　on　the　most　vigilant　attention；　on　the　most

minute　and　subtle　calculation。　　Results　astonishing　and　various

rewarded　his　toils　and　stimulated　his　interest。　　Nor　were　these

studies　limited　to　chemical　discovery；in　which　it　is　permitted

me　to　say　that　the　greatest　marvels　upon　the　organisation　of

physical　life　seemed　wrought　by　experiments　of　the　vivifying

influence　of　heat。　　Mejnour　professed　to　find　a　link　between　all

intellectual　beings　in　the　existence　of　a　certain　all…pervading

and　invisible　fluid　resembling　electricity；　yet　distinct　from　the

known　operations　of　that　mysterious　agencya　fluid　that

connected　thought　to　thought　with　the　rapidity　and　precision　of

the　modern　telegraph；　and　the　influence　of　this　fluid；　according

to　Mejnour；　extended　to　the　remotest　past；that　is　to　say；

whenever　and　wheresoever　man　had　thought。　　Thus；　if　the　doctrine

were　true；　all　human　knowledge　became　att