In real truth, was there ever a fitter subject for the Petites-Maisons, or Bedlam5, than Ignatius, or St. Inigo the Biscayan, for that was his true name? His head became deranged6 in consequence of his reading the “Golden Legend”; as Don Quixote’s was, afterwards, by reading the romances of chivalry7. Our Biscayan hero, in the first place, dubs8 himself a knight9 of the Holy Virgin10, and performs the Watch of Arms in honor of his lady. The virgin appears to him and accepts his services; she often repeats her visit, and introduces to him her son. The devil, who watches his opportunity, and clearly foresees the injury he must in the course of time suffer from the Jesuits, comes and makes a tremendous noise in the house, and breaks all the windows; the Biscayan drives him away with the sign of the cross; and the devil flies through the wall, leaving in it a large opening, which was shown to the curious fifty years after the happy event.
His family, seeing the very disordered state of his mind, is desirous of his being confined and put under a course of regimen and medicine. He extricates11 himself from his family as easily as he did from the devil, and escapes without knowing where to go. He meets with a Moor12, and disputes with him about the immaculate conception. The Moor, who takes him exactly for what he is, quits him as speedily as possible. The Biscayan hesitates whether he shall kill the Moor or pray to God for his conversion13; he leaves the decision to his horse, and the animal, rather wiser than its master, takes the road leading to the stable.
Our hero, after this adventure, undertakes a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, begging his bread on the way: his madness increases as he proceeds; the Dominicans take pity on him at Manrosa, and keep him in their establishment for some days, and then dismiss him uncured.
He embarks14 at Barcelona, and goes to Venice; he returns to Barcelona, still travelling as a mendicant15, always experiencing trances and ecstacies, and frequently visited by the Holy Virgin and Jesus Christ.
At length, he was given to understand that, in order to go to the Holy Land with any fair view of converting the Turks, the Christians16 of the Greek church, the Armenians, and the Jews, it was necessary to begin with a little study of theology. Our hero desires nothing better; but, to become a theologian, it was requisite18 to know something of grammar and a little Latin; this gives him no embarrassment19 whatever: he goes to college at the age of thirty-three; he is there laughed at, and learns nothing.
He was almost broken-hearted at the idea of not being able to go and convert the infidels. The devil, for this once, took pity on him. He appeared to him, and swore to him, on the faith of a Christian17, that, if he would deliver himself over to him, he would make him the most learned and able man in the church of God. Ignatius, however, was not to be cajoled to place himself under the discipline of such a master; he went back to his class; he occasionally experienced the rod, but his learning made no progress.
Expelled from the college of Barcelona, persecuted21 by the devil, who punished him for refusing to submit to his instructions, and abandoned by the Virgin Mary, who took no pains about assisting her devoted22 knight, he, nevertheless, does not give way to despair. He joins the pilgrims of St. James in their wanderings over the country. He preaches in the streets and public places, from city to city, and is shut up in the dungeons23 of the Inquisition. Delivered from the Inquisition, he is put in prison at Alcala. He escapes thence to Salamanca, and is there again imprisoned24. At length, perceiving that he is no prophet in his own country, he forms a resolution to go to Paris. He travels thither25 on foot, driving before him an ass20 which carried his baggage, money, and manuscripts. Don Quixote had a horse and an esquire, but Ignatius was not provided with either.
He experiences at Paris the same insults and injuries as he had endured in Spain. He is absolutely flogged, in all the regular form and ceremony of scholastic26 discipline, at the college of St. Barbe. His vocation27, at length, calls him to Rome.
How could it possibly come to pass, that a man of such extravagant28 character and manners, should at length obtain consideration at the court of Rome, gain over a number of disciples29, and become the founder of a powerful order, among whom are to be found men of unquestionable worth and learning? The reason is, that he was opinionated, obstinate, and enthusiastic; and found enthusiasts30 like himself, with whom he associated. These, having rather a greater share of reason than himself, were instrumental in somewhat restoring and re-establishing his own; he became more prudent31 and regular towards the close of his life, and occasionally even displayed in his conduct proofs of ability.
Perhaps Mahomet, in his first conversations with the angel Gabriel, began his career with being as much deranged as Ignatius; and perhaps Ignatius, in Mahomet’s circumstances, would have performed as great achievements as the prophet; for he was equally ignorant, and quite as visionary and intrepid32.
It is a common observation, that such cases occur only once: however, it is not long since an English rustic33, more ignorant than the Spaniard Ignatius, formed the society of people called “Quakers”; a society far superior to that of Ignatius. Count Zinzendorf has, in our own time, formed the sect of Moravians; and the Convulsionaries of Paris were very nearly upon the point of effecting a revolution. They were quite mad enough, but they were not sufficiently34 persevering35 and obstinate.
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1
Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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bedlam
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| n.混乱，骚乱；疯人院 | |
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deranged
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| adj.疯狂的 | |
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chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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8
dubs
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| v.给…起绰号( dub的第三人称单数 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
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9
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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extricates
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| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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12
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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13
conversion
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| n.转化，转换，转变 | |
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14
embarks
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| 乘船( embark的第三人称单数 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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mendicant
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| n.乞丐；adj.行乞的 | |
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16
Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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17
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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18
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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dungeons
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| n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
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imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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scholastic
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| adj.学校的，学院的，学术上的 | |
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vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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30
enthusiasts
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| n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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31
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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32
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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33
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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34
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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35
persevering
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| a.坚忍不拔的 | |
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