historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)-第30章
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been so。 We have had； in the last generation； an exactly similar case in a
philosopher； now I trust in heaven； and to whose genius I owe too much to
mention his name here。
But that Paracelsus was a sot I cannot believe。 That face of his； as
painted by the great Tintoretto； is not the face of a drunkard； quack； bully；
but of such a man as Browning has conceived。 The great globular brain；
the sharp delicate chin； is not that of a sot。 Nor are those eyes； which
gleam out from under the deep pressed brow； wild； intense； hungry；
homeless； defiant； and yet plaining； the eyes of a sotbut rather the
eyes of a man who struggles to tell a great secret； and cannot find words
for it； and yet wonders why men cannot understand； will not believe what
seems to him as clear as daya tragical face； as you well can see。
God keep us all from making our lives a tragedy by one great sin。 And
now let us end this sad story with the last words which Mr。 Browning puts
into the mouth of Paracelsus； dying in the hospital at Salzburg； which have
e literally true：
Meanwhile； I have done well though not all well。 As yet men cannot
do without contempt； 'Tis for their good； and therefore fit awhile That they
reject the weak and scorn the false； Rather than praise the strong and true
in me： But after； they will know me。 If I stoop Into a dark tremendous
sea of cloud； It is but for a time。 I press God's lamp Close to my breast；
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its splendour； soon or late； Will pierce the gloom。 I shall emerge one day。
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GEORGE BUCHANAN；
SCHOLAR
The scholar； in the sixteenth century； was a far more important
personage than now。 The supply of learned men was very small； the
demand for them very great。 During the whole of the fifteenth； and a
great part of the sixteenth century； the human mind turned more and more
from the scholastic philosophy of the Middle Ages to that of the Romans
and the Greeks； and found more and more in old Pagan Art an element
which Monastic Art had not； and which was yet necessary for the full
satisfaction of their craving after the Beautiful。 At such a crisis of
thought and taste； it was natural that the classical scholar； the man who
knew old Rome； and still more old Greece； should usurp the place of the
monk； as teacher of mankind； and that scholars should form； for a while； a
new and powerful aristocracy； limited and privileged； and all the more
redoubtable； because its power lay in intellect； and had been won by
intellect alone。
Those who； whether poor or rich； did not fear the monk and priest； at
least feared the 〃scholar；〃 who held； so the vulgar believed； the keys of
that magic lore by which the old necromancers had built cities like Rome；
and worked marvels of mechanical and chemical skill； which the
degenerate modern could never equal。
If the 〃scholar〃 stopped in a town； his hostess probably begged of him
a charm against toothache or rheumatism。 The penniless knight
discoursed with him on alchemy； and the chances of retrieving his fortune
by the art of transmuting metals into gold。 The queen or bishop worried
him in private about casting their nativities； and finding their fates among
the stars。 But the statesman； who dealt with more practical matters； hired
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him as an advocate and rhetorician； who could fight his master's enemies
with the weapons of Demosthenes and Cicero。 Wherever the scholar's
steps were turned； he might be master of others； as long as he was master
of himself。 The plaints which he so often uttered concerning the
cruelty of fortune； the fickleness of princes and so forth； were probably no
more just then than such plaints are now。 Then； as now； he got his
deserts； and the world bought him at his own price。 If he chose to sell
himself to this patron and to that； he was used and thrown away： if he
chose to remain in honourable independence； he was courted and feared。
Among the successful scholars of the sixteenth century； none surely is
more notable than George Buchanan。 The poor Scotch widow's son； by
force of native wit； and； as I think； by force of native worth； fights his way
upward； through poverty and severest persecution； to bee the
correspondent and friend of the greatest literary celebrities of the
Continent； parable； in their opinion； to the best Latin poets of antiquity；
the preceptor of princes； the counsellor and spokesman of Scotch
statesmen in the most dangerous of times； and leaves behind him political
treatises； which have influenced not only the history of his own country；
but that of the civilised world。
Such a success could not be attained without making enemies； perhaps
without making mistakes。 But the more we study George Buchanan's
history； the less we shall be inclined to hunt out his failings； the more
inclined to admire his worth。 A shrewd； sound…hearted； affectionate man；
with a strong love of right and scorn of wrong； and a humour withal which
saved himexcept on really great occasionsfrom bitterness； and helped
him to laugh where narrower natures would have only snarled；he is； in
many respects； a type of those Lowland Scots； who long preserved his
jokes； genuine or reputed； as a mon household book。 ｛16｝ A
schoolmaster by profession； and struggling for long years amid the
temptations which； in those days； degraded his class into cruel and sordid
pedants； he rose from the mere pedagogue to be； in the best sense of the
word； a courtier： 〃One；〃 says Daniel Heinsius； 〃who seemed not only
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born for a court； but born to amend it。 He brought to his queen that at
which she could not wonder enough。 For； by affecting a certain liberty in
censuring morals； he avoided all offence； under the cloak of simplicity。〃
Of him and his peers； Turnebus； and Muretus； and their friend Andrea
Govea； Ronsard； the French court poet； said that they had nothing of the
pedagogue about them but the gown and cap。 〃Austere in face； and rustic
in his looks；〃 says David Buchanan； 〃but most polished in style and
speech； and continually； even in serious conversation； jesting most
wittily。〃 〃Rough…hewn； slovenly； and rude；〃 says Peacham； in his
〃pleat Gentleman；〃 speaking of him； probably； as he appeared in old
age； 〃in his person； behaviour； and fashion； seldom caring for a better
outside than a rugge…gown girt close about him： yet his inside and
conceipt in poesie was most rich； and his sweetness and facilitie in verse
most excellent。〃 A typical Lowland Scot； as I said just now； he seems to
have absorbed all the best culture which France could afford him； without
losing the strength； honesty； and humour which he inherited from his
Stirlingshire kindred。
The story of his life is easily traced。 When an old man； he himself
wrote down the main events of it； at the request of his friends； and his
sketch has been filled out by mentators； if not always favourable； at
least erudite。 Born in 1506； at the Moss； in Killearnwhere an obelisk to
his memory； so one reads； has been erected in this centuryof a family
〃rather ancient than rich；〃 his father dead in the prime of manhood； his
grandfather a spendthrift； he and his seven brothers and sisters we
