“The benignant efficacies of Concealment10,” cries our Professor, “who shall speak or sing? SILENCE and SECRECY11! Altars might still be raised to them (were this an altar-building time) for universal worship. Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic12, into the daylight of Life, which they are thenceforth to rule. Not William the Silent only, but all the considerable men I have known, and the most undiplomatic and unstrategic of these, forbore to babble13 of what they were creating and projecting. Nay14, in thy own mean perplexities, do thou thyself but hold thy tongue for one day: on the morrow, how much clearer are thy purposes and duties; what wreck15 and rubbish have those mute workmen within thee swept away, when intrusive16 noises were shut out! Speech is too often not, as the Frenchman defined it, the art of concealing17 Thought; but of quite stifling18 and suspending Thought, so that there is none to conceal9. Speech too is great, but not the greatest. As the Swiss Inscription19 says: Sprechen ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden (Speech is silvern, Silence is golden); or as I might rather express it: Speech is of Time, Silence is of Eternity20.
“Bees will not work except in darkness; Thought will not work except in Silence: neither will Virtue21 work except in Secrecy. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth! Neither shalt thou prate22 even to thy own heart of ‘those secrets known to all.’ Is not Shame (Schaam) the soil of all Virtue, of all good manners and good morals? Like other plants, Virtue will not grow unless its root be hidden, buried from the eye of the sun. Let the sun shine on it, nay do but look at it privily23 thyself, the root withers24, and no flower will glad thee. O my Friends, when we view the fair clustering flowers that overwreathe, for example, the Marriage-bower, and encircle man’s life with the fragrance25 and hues26 of Heaven, what hand will not smite27 the foul28 plunderer29 that grubs them up by the roots, and, with grinning, grunting30 satisfaction, shows us the dung they flourish in! Men speak much of the Printing Press with its Newspapers: du Himmel! what are these to Clothes and the Tailor’s Goose?
“Of kin31 to the so incalculable influences of Concealment, and connected with still greater things, is the wondrous32 agency of Symbols. In a Symbol there is concealment and yet revelation; here therefore, by Silence and by Speech acting33 together, comes a double significance. And if both the Speech be itself high, and the Silence fit and noble, how expressive34 will their union be! Thus in many a painted Device, or simple Seal-emblem, the commonest Truth stands out to us proclaimed with quite new emphasis.
“For it is here that Fantasy with her mystic wonderland plays into the small prose domain35 of Sense, and becomes incorporated therewith. In the Symbol proper, what we can call a Symbol, there is ever, more or less distinctly and directly, some embodiment and revelation of the Infinite; the Infinite is made to blend itself with the Finite, to stand visible, and as it were, attainable36 there. By Symbols, accordingly, is man guided and commanded, made happy, made wretched: He everywhere finds himself encompassed37 with Symbols, recognized as such or not recognized: the Universe is but one vast Symbol of God; nay if thou wilt38 have it, what is man himself but a Symbol of God; is not all that he does symbolical39; a revelation to Sense of the mystic god-given force that is in him; a ‘Gospel of Freedom,’ which he, the ‘Messias of Nature,’ preaches, as he can, by act and word? Not a Hut he builds but is the visible embodiment of a Thought; but bears visible record of invisible things; but is, in the transcendental sense, symbolical as well as real.”
“Man,” says the Professor elsewhere, in quite antipodal contrast with these high-soaring delineations, which we have here cut short on the verge41 of the inane42, “Man is by birth somewhat of an owl43. Perhaps, too, of all the owleries that ever possessed44 him, the most owlish, if we consider it, is that of your actually existing Motive–Millwrights. Fantastic tricks enough man has played, in his time; has fancied himself to be most things, down even to an animated45 heap of Glass: but to fancy himself a dead Iron–Balance for weighing Pains and Pleasures on, was reserved for this his latter era. There stands he, his Universe one huge Manger, filled with hay and thistles to be weighed against each other; and looks long-eared enough. Alas46, poor devil! spectres are appointed to haunt him: one age he is hag-ridden, bewitched; the next, priest-ridden, befooled; in all ages, bedevilled. And now the Genius of Mechanism47 smothers48 him worse than any Nightmare did; till the Soul is nigh choked out of him, and only a kind of Digestive, Mechanic life remains49. In Earth and in Heaven he can see nothing but Mechanism; has fear for nothing else, hope in nothing else: the world would indeed grind him to pieces; but cannot he fathom50 the Doctrine of Motives51, and cunningly compute52 these, and mechanize them to grind the other way?
“Were he not, as has been said, purblinded by enchantment53, you had but to bid him open his eyes and look. In which country, in which time, was it hitherto that man’s history, or the history of any man, went on by calculated or calculable ‘Motives’? What make ye of your Christianities, and Chivalries, and Reformations, and Marseillaise Hymns54, and Reigns55 of Terror? Nay, has not perhaps the Motive-grinder himself been in Love? Did he never stand so much as a contested Election? Leave him to Time, and the medicating virtue of Nature.”
“Yes, Friends,” elsewhere observes the Professor, “not our Logical, Mensurative faculty56, but our Imaginative one is King over us; I might say, Priest and Prophet to lead us heavenward; or Magician and Wizard to lead us hellward. Nay, even for the basest Sensualist, what is Sense but the implement57 of Fantasy; the vessel58 it drinks out of? Ever in the dullest existence there is a sheen either of Inspiration or of Madness (thou partly hast it in thy choice, which of the two), that gleams in from the circumambient Eternity, and colors with its own hues our little islet of Time. The Understanding is indeed thy window, too clear thou canst not make it; but Fantasy is thy eye, with its color-giving retina, healthy or diseased. Have not I myself known five hundred living soldiers sabred into crows’-meat for a piece of glazed59 cotton, which they called their Flag; which, had you sold it at any market-cross, would not have brought above three groschen? Did not the whole Hungarian Nation rise, like some tumultuous moon-stirred Atlantic, when Kaiser Joseph pocketed their Iron Crown; an implement, as was sagaciously observed, in size and commercial value little differing from a horse-shoe? It is in and through Symbols that man, consciously or unconsciously, lives, works, and has his being: those ages, moreover, are accounted the noblest which can the best recognize symbolical worth, and prize it the highest. For is not a Symbol ever, to him who has eyes for it, some dimmer or clearer revelation of the Godlike?
“Of Symbols, however, I remark farther, that they have both an extrinsic60 and intrinsic value; oftenest the former only. What, for instance, was in that clouted61 Shoe, which the Peasants bore aloft with them as ensign in their Bauernkrieg (Peasants’ War)? Or in the Wallet-and-staff round which the Netherland Gueux, glorying in that nickname of Beggars, heroically rallied and prevailed, though against King Philip himself? Intrinsic significance these had none: only extrinsic; as the accidental Standards of multitudes more or less sacredly uniting together; in which union itself, as above noted62, there is ever something mystical and borrowing of the Godlike. Under a like category, too, stand, or stood, the stupidest heraldic Coats-of-arms; military Banners everywhere; and generally all national or other sectarian Costumes and Customs: they have no intrinsic, necessary divineness, or even worth; but have acquired an extrinsic one. Nevertheless through all these there glimmers63 something of a Divine Idea; as through military Banners themselves, the Divine Idea of Duty, of heroic Daring; in some instances of Freedom, of Right. Nay the highest ensign that men ever met and embraced under, the Cross itself, had no meaning save an accidental extrinsic one.
“Another matter it is, however, when your Symbol has intrinsic meaning, and is of itself fit that men should unite round it. Let but the Godlike manifest itself to Sense, let but Eternity look, more or less visibly, through the Time–Figure (Zeitbild)! Then is it fit that men unite there; and worship together before such Symbol; and so from day to day, and from age to age, superadd to it new divineness.
“Of this latter sort are all true Works of Art: in them (if thou know a Work of Art from a Daub of Artifice) wilt thou discern Eternity looking through Time; the Godlike rendered visible. Here too may an extrinsic value gradually superadd itself: thus certain Iliads, and the like, have, in three thousand years, attained64 quite new significance. But nobler than all in this kind are the Lives of heroic god-inspired Men; for what other Work of Art is so divine? In Death too, in the Death of the Just, as the last perfection of a Work of Art, may we not discern symbolic40 meaning? In that divinely transfigured Sleep, as of Victory, resting over the beloved face which now knows thee no more, read (if thou canst for tears) the confluence65 of Time with Eternity, and some gleam of the latter peering through.
“Highest of all Symbols are those wherein the Artist or Poet has risen into Prophet, and all men can recognize a present God, and worship the Same: I mean religious Symbols. Various enough have been such religious Symbols, what we call Religions; as men stood in this stage of culture or the other, and could worse or better body forth the Godlike: some Symbols with a transient intrinsic worth; many with only an extrinsic. If thou ask to what height man has carried it in this manner, look on our divinest Symbol: on Jesus of Nazareth, and his Life, and his Biography, and what followed therefrom. Higher has the human Thought not yet reached: this is Christianity and Christendom; a Symbol of quite perennial66, infinite character; whose significance will ever demand to be anew inquired into, and anew made manifest.
“But, on the whole, as Time adds much to the sacredness of Symbols, so likewise in his progress he at length defaces, or even desecrates67 them; and Symbols, like all terrestrial Garments, wax old. Homer’s Epos has not ceased to be true; yet it is no longer our Epos, but shines in the distance, if clearer and clearer, yet also smaller and smaller, like a receding68 Star. It needs a scientific telescope, it needs to be reinterpreted and artificially brought near us, before we can so much as know that it was a Sun. So likewise a day comes when the Runic Thor, with his Eddas, must withdraw into dimness; and many an African Mumbo–Jumbo and Indian Pawaw be utterly69 abolished. For all things, even Celestial70 Luminaries71, much more atmospheric72 meteors, have their rise, their culmination73, their decline.
“Small is this which thou tellest me, that the Royal Sceptre is but a piece of gilt74 wood; that the Pyx has become a most foolish box, and truly, as Ancient Pistol thought, ‘of little price.’ A right Conjurer might I name thee, couldst thou conjure75 back into these wooden tools the divine virtue they once held.
“Of this thing, however, be certain: wouldst thou plant for Eternity, then plant into the deep infinite faculties76 of man, his Fantasy and Heart; wouldst thou plant for Year and Day, then plant into his shallow superficial faculties, his Self-love and Arithmetical Understanding, what will grow there. A Hierarch, therefore, and Pontiff of the World will we call him, the Poet and inspired Maker77; who, Prometheus-like, can shape new Symbols, and bring new Fire from Heaven to fix it there. Such too will not always be wanting; neither perhaps now are. Meanwhile, as the average of matters goes, we account him Legislator and wise who can so much as tell when a Symbol has grown old, and gently remove it.
“When, as the last English Coronation 3 I was preparing,” concludes this wonderful Professor, “I read in their Newspapers that the ‘Champion of England,’ he who has to offer battle to the Universe for his new King, had brought it so far that he could now ‘mount his horse with little assistance,’ I said to myself: Here also we have a Symbol well-nigh superannuated78. Alas, move whithersoever you may, are not the tatters and rags of superannuated worn-out Symbols (in this Ragfair of a World) dropping off everywhere, to hoodwink, to halter, to tether you; nay, if you shake them not aside, threatening to accumulate, and perhaps produce suffocation79?”
3 That of George IV. — ED.
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1
elucidate
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| v.阐明，说明 | |
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utterances
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| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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glean
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| v.收集(消息、资料、情报等) | |
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coherence
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| n.紧凑；连贯；一致性 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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babble
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| v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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intrusive
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| adj.打搅的；侵扰的 | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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prate
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| v.瞎扯，胡说 | |
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privily
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| adv.暗中，秘密地 | |
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withers
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| 马肩隆 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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smite
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| v.重击；彻底击败；n.打；尝试；一点儿 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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plunderer
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| 掠夺者 | |
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grunting
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| 咕哝的，呼噜的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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attainable
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| a.可达到的，可获得的 | |
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encompassed
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| v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 )；包围；包含；包括 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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symbolical
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| a.象征性的 | |
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symbolic
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| adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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inane
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| adj.空虚的，愚蠢的，空洞的 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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48
smothers
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的第三人称单数 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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49
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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52
compute
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| v./n.计算，估计 | |
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53
enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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54
hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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reigns
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| n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 )；君主统治时期；任期；当政期 | |
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56
faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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implement
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| n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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59
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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extrinsic
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| adj.外部的；不紧要的 | |
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61
clouted
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| adj.缀补的，凝固的v.（尤指用手）猛击，重打( clout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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glimmers
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| n.微光，闪光( glimmer的名词复数 )v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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confluence
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| n.汇合，聚集 | |
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perennial
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| adj.终年的；长久的 | |
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desecrates
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| 毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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69
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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71
luminaries
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| n.杰出人物，名人（luminary的复数形式） | |
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72
atmospheric
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| adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的 | |
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culmination
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| n.顶点；最高潮 | |
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74
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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75
conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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77
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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superannuated
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| adj.老朽的，退休的；v.因落后于时代而废除，勒令退学 | |
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suffocation
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