主题：Andrew Marr：我们英国人——英国诗歌文学简史 -- 万年看客
以上就是一位骑士派指挥官的姐妹的发言。不过归根结底这首诗首先是一首田园诗，创作于一个城镇似乎正在主宰英国文坛的时代——政治讽刺诗，性爱情色诗，还有宫廷诗人的道德宣教诗，等等。但是此时英国的大部分人口依然居住在农村，一辈子都极少离开家乡。另一位主要描写当时英国农村现实生活的诗人是查尔斯.科顿，一位遭到流放的保皇派士绅与狂热的钓鱼迷。他的四行诗系列描绘了一天各个时段的农村日常生活。在各种古典文化典故的装点下，我们能看到听到十七世纪农村生活的真实景象。以下是《清晨四行诗》（The Morning Quatrains）的节选：
Now doors and windows are unbar'd,
Each-where are chearfull voices heard,
And round about Good-morrows fly,
As if Day taught Humanity.
门窗都已经下闩敞开，
愉快的声音从四处传来。
身边处处有人问候早上好，
新的一天正在将人类教导。
The Chimnies now to smoke begin
And the old Wife sits down to spin,
Whilst Kate, taking her Pail, does trip
Mulls swoll’n and stradl'ing Paps to strip.
家家烟囱开始冒出炊烟，
老婆婆坐下来开始纺线。
挤奶水的凯特提着木桶，
母牛乳房肿胀，后腿合不拢。
Vulcan now makes his Anvil ring,
Dick whistles loud, and Maud doth sing,
And Silvio with his Bugle Horn
Winds an Imprime unto the Morn.
伏尔坎将铁砧砸得响动铮铮，
迪克吹起口哨，毛德唱出歌声。
希维尔吹起了黄铜号角，
人们迎来了又一个清早。
Now through the morning doors behold
Phoebus array'd in burning Gold,
Lashing his fiery Steeds, displays
His warm and all enlight'ning Rays
穿过每一扇清晨的门户，
阳光如同燃烧的黄金一般注入。
太阳神驾驭着周身烈焰的骏马，
将温暖与光明向人世间播撒。
Now each one to his work prepares,
All that have hands are Labourers,
And Manufactures of each trade
By op'ning Shops are open laid.
人人都准备好了当天的劳动，
凡有双手之人都要将气力使用。
还有各行各业的各种匠人，
店铺都已开张，等待顾客上门。
Hob yokes his Oxen to the Team,
The Angler goes unto the stream,
The Wood-man to the Purlews highs,
And lab'ring Bees to load their thighs.
车夫为公牛套上了轭，
渔人来到小河边端坐，
樵夫走进了高高的林地，
勤劳的蜜蜂也开始采蜜。
Fair Amarillis drives her Flocks,
All night safe folded from the Fox,
To flow'ry Downs, where Collin stays,
To court her with his Roundelays.
美丽的艾莫莉丝将鸡鸭看护得好，
一整晚都没受到狐狸的侵扰。
来到鲜花盛开的坡地，遇到了柯林
用一支圆舞将她招待殷勤。
The Traveller now leaves his Inn
A new days Journey to begin,
As he would post it with the day,
And early rising makes good way.
旅行者离开了投宿的旅店
新一天的旅程就在前面。
他将当天行程规划妥当，
早早动身为的是将进度赶上。
The slick-fac'd School-boy Sachel takes,
And with slow pace small riddance makes;
For why, the haste we make, you know,
To Knowledge and to Vertue's slow.
小学生昂着小脸，书包在手中提，
脚步磨磨蹭蹭，上学一点不着急。
倒也不必生气，我们要知道为啥，
知识与美德之路确实欲速则不达
The Forehorse gingles on the Road,
The Waggoner lugs on his Load,
The Field with busie People snies,
And City rings with various cries.
挽马走在路上铃声叮当，
车夫将货物装满车厢，
忙碌的农夫布满了田间，
城市里也已经沸反盈天。
以下的诗文则描写了傍晚的景象：
The shadows now so long do grow,
That brambles like tall cedars show,
Mole-hills seem mountains, and the ant
Appears a monstrous elephant.
影子正在越拖越长，
荆棘也有了雪松的模样，
鼹鼠的土丘好似高山，
蚂蚁变得像巨象一般。
A very little little flock
Shades thrice the ground that it would stock;
Whilst the small stripling following them
Appears a mighty Polypheme.
一小群数量稀少的鹅鸭也会
投下巨大阴影，占地足有三倍。
跟在后面的还有一群小鸭小鹅
影子好像独眼巨人那样巍峨。
These being brought into the fold,
And by the thrifty master told,
He thinks his wages are well paid,
Since none are either lost or stray'd.
家禽们全都回归了笼舍，
勤俭的主人逐个清点过，
并且认为今天工作完成得很好
撒出去多少只，回来一只不少。
Now lowing herds are each-where heard,
Chains rattle in the villian's yard,
The cart's on tail set down to rest,
Bearing on high the cuckold's crest.
到处能听见牧人将牲畜呼唤，
农舍大门咣啷啷地缠上了锁链。
牛车沿着车辙前往过夜之处，
摇晃着犄角不慌不忙地赶路。
The hedge is stripp'd, the clothes brought in,
Nought's left without should be within,
The bees are hiv'd, and hum their charm,
Whilst every house does seem a swarm.
晾晒在篱笆上的衣物已经收拾起来，
需要拿进家的器物都没有遗留在外。
蜜蜂收进蜂箱，在里面嗡嗡作响，
各家各户此时都像蜂群一般熙攘。
The cock now to the roost is press'd:
For he must call up all the rest;
The sow's fast-pegg'd within the sty,
To still her squeaking progeny.
养鸡户首先要将公鸡捕捉，
要靠他呼唤母鸡小鸡回窝。
母猪在圈里要用木桩拴好，
好将尖叫的小猪仔们喂饱。
Each one has had his supping mess,
The cheese is put into the press,
The pans and bowls are scalded all,
Rear'd up against the milk-house wall.
人人都吃完了晚餐饭菜，
奶酪要送进榨机挤压成块，
用过的盆碗都要用开水烫，
然后在奶酪坊里靠墙堆放。
And now on benches all are sat
In the cool air to sit and chat,
Till Phoebus, dipping in the West,
Shall lead the World the way to rest.
长凳上的人们三三两两，
坐在清凉的空气里将闲话讲。
太阳越降越低，一路向西驶去，
整个世界即将入夜休憩。
好的叙事诗——例如以上诗文——就应该像好的新闻作品一样以注意力为基础，耳聪目明才能写得漂亮。
科顿难免令笔者联想到名气更大的诗人威廉.柯珀——我们接下来还要与他打交道——以及更加显赫的安德鲁.马维尔。上文我们提到在克伦威尔的葬礼上有三位诗人出席（科顿肯定得不到出席许可），其一是马维尔，其二是勇敢的弥尔顿，其三则是出身于某清教农户家庭、远比两位诗坛前辈更年轻的约翰.德莱顿。在共和派与保皇派的斗争当中，弥尔顿坚持原则绝不动摇，马维尔左右逢源八面玲珑，德莱顿则干脆转换了门庭。查理二世刚刚复辟，德莱顿就立刻跪舔了上去。他抛弃了为已故护国公撰写的相当蹩脚的颂词，又写了一首略微高明一点的新诗来庆祝君主制的回归。这首《正义女神再临》（Astraea Redux）将针对君主制的共和派起义当成了不折不扣的灾难：
The vulgar, gull'd into rebellion, arm'd;
Their blood to action by the prize was warm'd.
The sacred purple, then, and scarlet gown,
Like sanguine dye to elephants, was shown.
Thus when the bold Typhoeus scaled the sky,
And forced great Jove from his own Heaven to fly,
(What king, what crown from treason's reach is free,
If Jove and Heaven can violated be?)
The lesser gods, that shared his prosperous state,
All suffer'd in the exiled Thunderer's fate.
The rabble now such freedom did enjoy,
As winds at sea, that use it to destroy:
Blind as the Cyclop, and as wild as he,
They own'd a lawless, savage liberty;
Like that our painted ancestors so prized,
Ere empire's arts their breasts had civilized.
How great were then our Charles' woes, who thus
Was forced to suffer for himself and us!
He, tost by fate, and hurried up and down,
Heir to his father's sorrows, with his crown,
Could taste no sweets of youth's desired age,
But found his life too true a pilgrimage.
粗鄙贱民遭到哄骗投入叛乱，操刀弄枪，
丰厚的战利品温暖了他们的血浆。
绛紫丹朱，双色的神圣皇袍，
恰似招惹蠢象发怒的红布招摇。
狂妄的堤丰巨人攀爬上了天空，
迫使伟大的朱庇特逃离天国暂避其锋。
人间国王的冠冕怎能躲过叛国者的魔爪
要是连朱庇特的天国都难免遭受侵扰？
与雷霆之主共享天国的次等神灵
也遭受了被放逐的厄运，只得流落飘零。
暴民们终于可以自由地肆无忌惮，
恰似海上的狂风，将一切掀翻砸烂：
恰似盲目的独眼巨人，狂暴则不遑多让，
他们就是一群无法无天的凶恶混账。
我们的先祖也曾看重这样的自由，
直到帝国的艺术将他们教化怀柔。
我们的查理，他的苦痛沉重如山，
为了自己与我们，不得不独自承担。
大起大落，遭受命运的恣意玩弄，
继承了父亲的王冠，以及他的哀痛。
甜蜜的青春他却无缘度过，
他的人生是一场朝圣跋涉。
德莱顿最出名的作品自然是政治与文化讽刺诗，这些诗作将当时英国的最高层政客以及他本人的诗坛对手们都当成了活靶子。对于当代读者来说这些诗歌往往很不好懂，因为诗文内容与当年的时事联系太紧密了，但这一点正是德莱顿当年走红全国的原因。如今的德莱顿看上去就像老报纸的头版那样泛黄失色。今天的读者并不关心托马斯.西德维尔这样的次一等诗人有什么怪癖，或者蒙莫斯公爵其人如何失败，因此德莱顿的讽刺诗读起来未免有些干涩。这实在是太可惜了。他的讽刺诗虽然乍一看去不像威尔莫特的作品那样锋芒毕露，但却依然如同剃刀一般犀利。今天的我们依然会因为政客们的一意孤行而绝望，也依然会因为自欺欺人的明星而解颐，因此德莱顿的诗歌今天依然很值得欣赏。以下是他最著名的讽刺诗《押沙龙与亚希多弗》（Absalom and Achitophel）的选段。诗人讽刺了查理二世国王对于包养情妇的高涨热情，以及他的私生子蒙莫斯公爵（“押沙龙”）如何发动注定失败的叛乱来反对自己的叔伯，查理国王的兄弟兼继位者詹姆斯二世：
In pious times, ere priest-craft did begin,
Before polygamy was made a sin;
When man, on many, multipli'd his kind,
Ere one to one was cursedly confin'd:
When Nature prompted, and no Law deni'd
Promiscuous use of concubine and bride;
Then, Israel's monarch, after Heaven's own heart,
His vigorous warmth did variously impart
To wives and slaves: and, wide as his command,
Scatter'd his Maker's image through the land.
Michal, of royal blood, the crown did wear;
A soil ungrateful to the tiller's care:
Not so the rest; for several mothers bore
To god-like David, several sons before.
But since like slaves his bed they did ascend,
No true succession could their seed attend.
Of all this numerous progeny was none
So beautiful, so brave, as Absalom:
Whether, inspir'd by some diviner lust,
His father got him with a greater gust;
Or that his conscious destiny made way,
By manly beauty to imperial sway.
Early in foreign fields he won renown,
With kings and states alli'd to Israel's crown:
In peace the thoughts of war he could remove,
And seem'd as he were only born for love.
Whate'er he did, was done with so much ease,
In him alone, 'twas natural to please:
His motions all accompani'd with grace;
And Paradise was open'd in his face.
With secret joy, indulgent David view'd
His youthful image in his son renew'd:
To all his wishes nothing he deni'd;
And made the charming Annabel his bride.
What faults he had (for who from faults is free?)
His father could not, or he would not see.
Some warm excesses, which the Law forbore,
Were constru'd youth that purged by boiling o'er:
And Amnon's murther, by a specious name,
Was call'd a just revenge for injur'd fame.
Thus prais'd, and lov'd, the noble youth remain'd,
While David, undisturb'd, in Sion reign'd.
But life can never be sincerely blest:
Heav'n punishes the bad, and proves the best.
在虔诚的世代，教士这一行尚未出现之际，
那时候一夫多妻依然天经地义。
一名男性与多名女性繁衍族群，
然后才有了该诅咒的限制，婚姻只限两人。
天性的怂恿，外加并无法律禁止
淫乱的手段，同时享有妾室与妻子。
于是以色列的君主体察上天心意，
四处分发他那火热的精力，
撒向妻妾与婢女，上帝旨意牢记心上，
要让这大地布满造物主的形象。
头戴宝冠的米甲公主虽是前朝皇家血脉，
却是一片忘恩的土地，辜负了耕者的厚爱。
其他妾室可不像她这样泄气，
为威严的大卫王将许多子嗣孕育。
但是她们地位卑下，只能负责暖床
她们承载的种子成不了真正的国王。
众多此类子嗣当中有一位押沙龙，
俊美又英勇，当真堪称人中之雄。
或许是受到了高尚渴望的激励，
他的父亲对于他可谓格外中意。
又或者他的宿命有意显露分晓，
俊美的外貌令全国为他而倾倒。
他杀出国门，东征西讨，立下赫赫战功，
异邦君主纷纷成为以色列王冠的附庸。
和平时期他全然不想兵戈纷争，
乍一看去他似乎只为爱情而生。
无论何等事功他都能轻松做好，
无论谁见了他都夸他人才一表。
他的举手投足总是端庄舒展，
要想窥见天堂，只需看他的脸。
宠溺儿子的大卫王不免心中暗喜，
在儿子身上看到了年轻时的自己。
他总是让儿子的一切心愿得偿，
还让美丽的安娜贝尔成为儿子的新娘。*
他身上的弊病——话说世人谁能无过？
——他父亲没能看见，或者宁愿错过。
他有些鲁莽之举虽然为法律所不容，
却被诠释成少不更事，就此得到纵容。
尽管他谋杀了暗嫩，但却巧言令色地声辩
他妹妹的名节遭到玷污，他这才要了结仇怨。
这高贵的青年依然受到赞美爱护，
大卫王在锡安的统治也依然稳固。
但是他的生活得不到真正的庇佑，
上天认可善人，坏人必将受罚获咎。
*【安娜贝尔并非圣经人名，而是蒙莫斯公爵妻子的名字。】
接下来德莱顿又将一双毒眼转向了沙夫茨伯里侯爵（“亚希多弗”），此人在政坛素来惯于搞事，德莱顿对于他的描写简直与弥尔顿笔下的撒旦有一拼。沙夫茨伯里侯爵安东尼.阿什利.库珀这个名字如今或许只有历史学家才听说过，但可悲的是他这路人物在二十一世纪的威斯敏斯特也并不少见：
Of these the false Achitophel was first:
A name to all succeeding ages curst.
For close designs, and crooked counsels fit;
Sagacious, bold and turbulent of wit:
Restless, unfixt in principles and place;
In pow'r unpleas'd, impatient of disgrace.
A fiery soul, which working out its way,
Fretted the pigmy-body to decay:
And o'er inform'd the tenement of clay.
A daring pilot in extremity;
Pleas'd with the danger, when the waves went high
He sought the storms; but for a calm unfit,
Would steer too nigh the sands, to boast his wit.
Great wits are sure to madness near alli'd;
And thin partitions do their bounds divide:
Else, why should he, with wealth and honour blest,
Refuse his age the needful hours of rest?
Punish a body which he could not please;
Bankrupt of life, yet prodigal of ease?
And all to leave, what with his toil he won
To that unfeather'd, two-legg'd thing, a son:
Got, while his soul did huddled notions try;
And born a shapeless lump, like anarchy.
In friendship false, implacable in hate:
Resolv'd to ruin or to rule the state.
To compass this, the triple bond he broke;
The pillars of the public safety shook:
And fitted Israel for a foreign yoke.
Then, seiz'd with fear, yet still affecting fame,
Usurp'd a patriot's all-atoning name.
So easy still it proves in factious times,
With public zeal to cancel private crimes:
How safe is treason, and how sacred ill,
Where none can sin against the people's will:
Where crowds can wink; and no offence be known,
Since in another's guilt they find their own.
在这伙叛逆当中，亚希多弗是第一名，
后世之人将永远诅咒他的姓名。
满腹鬼蜮盘算，他献上阴险的奸计，
心思深沉，胆大包天，兴风作浪的智力。
无视原则，不守本分，一刻也不能安顿，
权力无法满足他，失宠更令他愤懑。
毒焰熊熊的灵魂，从里向外焚烧，
将他那矮小的身材烧得肉烂骨销。*1
这具卑下的泥胎，上蹿下跳不顾深浅，
他这位领航员最爱铤而走险，
风高浪急的险境最能为他带来快感。
他追逐暴风雨，风平浪静却让他烦乱，
故意冲向浅滩，只为炫耀行船的手段。
越高超的智力越与疯狂如影随身，
纤细的界线难以将两者明确区分。
不然怎么解释，他的生活原本富贵优渥，
但却不顾年岁已高，竟然不肯消停片刻？
他为何要惩罚自己的老朽皮囊？
早就该一命呜呼，却依然东奔西忙？
一辈子辛苦挣下的家业只能留给
不成器的儿子，身上无毛，蹬着两条腿：
这个废物在他盘算奸谋时配种受孕，
生下来就是一堆烂肉，简直无法辨认。
他的友情全是虚妄，他的仇恨时时牢记，
铁了心要统治国家，或者将其夷为平地。
为了满足野心，不惜冲破三重束缚，*2
动摇了维护公共安全的一根根支柱，
还要用外国的轭将以色列禁锢。
尽管满心恐惧，依然还要谋求名声，
假借爱国之名，浑身罪孽一扫而空。
在四分五裂的时代，行恶事多么容易，
公众的热情总能将私下的犯罪遮蔽，
叛国多么安全，作恶多么崇高，
任谁也抵挡不住群情汹涌民意滔滔。
向群氓抛个媚眼，罪行就再无人提起，
因为这罪行让广大民众想到了自己。
*1【沙夫茨伯侯爵身材不高，德莱顿曾在另一首诗里讽刺他“只能与鹳鸟作战”。】
*2【所谓三重束缚指的是1667年英国、瑞典与荷兰结成的三国反法同盟。1670年英国与法国结盟，反法同盟随即告终。沙夫茨伯侯爵是促成这一事件的主要推手之一。】
在同代人眼里德莱顿几乎什么都能写，无论是英雄剧还是悲剧，无论是喜剧还是歌词，无论是讽刺诗还是质量超群的维吉尔诗歌翻译。在他的时代，诗歌在社会生活当中依然举足轻重。他本人曾经因为与另一位诗人结怨——所谓的“另一位诗人”其实就是约翰.威尔莫特——而遭到后者雇佣的打手们的袭击，差点被活活打死。德莱顿还是第一位得到官方认证的英国桂冠诗人，不过为他赢得这一殊荣的作品是一首献给查理二世的颂圣诗，内容极其油腻。另一首质量更高的诗歌是他为了纪念1666年英荷海战以及各种灾害而创作的长诗《奇迹之年》（Annus Mirabilis），这首诗将英国与罗马帝国进行了类比，从而开启了维多利亚时代英国诗坛的惯用套路。诗文的风格难免让笔者联想起斯大林时期的苏联御用文人。在这首诗的创作时期，英国与荷兰正在为了争夺利润高昂的香料贸易份额而进行着你死我活的较量，当时肉豆蔻的价格以重量计算甚至高于黄金。荷兰共和国在香料贸易方面早已取得了巨大成功，德莱顿对于英荷战争的描述则从头到脚都流露着英国人的嫉妒心态。实际上英国在这场战争当中总体而言没占便宜：
In thriving arts long time had Holland grown,
Crouching at home and cruel when abroad:
Scarce leaving us the means to claim our own;
Our King they courted, and our merchants awed.
荷兰长久以来精于发家致富的技艺，
盘踞在自家地界，在外行事残忍；
几乎不给我们留下创建基业的余地，
逢迎我们的国王，恐吓我们的商人。
Trade, which, like blood, should circularly flow,
Stopp’d in their channels, found its freedom lost:
Thither the wealth of all the world did go,
And seem’d but shipwreck’d on so base a coast.
贸易就像血液，天性应当循环流动，
却阻断在他们的运河里，从此失去自由；
他们吞噬了全世界的财富，恰似无底黑洞，
商船搁浅在卑劣的海滩，不能走只能留。
For them alone the heavens had kindly heat;
In eastern quarries ripening precious dew:
For them the Idumaean balm did sweat,
And in hot Ceylon spicy forests grew.
就好像天国仅仅为他们撒下和煦阳光，
东方矿场仅仅为他们孕育宝石闪耀
以土买的香膏仅仅为他们而芬芳，
炎热的锡兰仅仅为他们生长香料。
The sun but seem’d the labourer of the year;
Each waxing moon supplied her watery store,
To swell those tides, which from the line did bear
Their brimful vessels to the Belgian shore.
太阳只是他们的长工，全年不知疲倦，
每一轮满月都为他们打开水库；
令潮汐高涨，覆盖他们的海岸沿线，
将驶向比利时的满载商船托住。
Thus mighty in her ships, stood Carthage long,
And swept the riches of the world from far;
Yet stoop’d to Rome, less wealthy, but more strong:
And this may prove our second Punic war.
他们的行船技艺就像迦太基一般历史悠长，
他们聚敛的财富来自遥远的世界各地；
因此蔑视罗马，不如他们富裕，但比他们更强，
第二次布匿战争对我们而言或许无法回避。
What peace can be, where both to one pretend?
(But they more diligent, and we more strong)
Or if a peace, it soon must have an end;
For they would grow too powerful, were it long.
能有什么和平，倘若双方都披着伪装，
他们比看上去更勤勉，我们更强壮。
就算勉强和平，不用多久必然破灭泡汤，
拖得太久，他们的力量必将凌驾于我们之上。
Behold two nations, then, engaged so far
That each seven years the fit must shake each land:
Where France will side to weaken us by war,
Who only can his vast designs withstand.
像这样两个国家，彼此纠缠许久，
每隔七年必然要撼动对方的土地；
为了削弱我们，法国每次都会插手，
也只有我们才能顶住此等连环算计。
不过德莱顿将国王描绘成了一位审慎理智的明君而非一味叫嚣的好战分子。在一场又一场战争当中，英国领导人始终顶住国内叫嚣呼吁和平，而奸险的外国人屡屡逼迫他们走投无路：
The loss and gain each fatally were great;
And still his subjects call’d aloud for war;
But peaceful kings, o’er martial people set,
Each, other’s poise and counterbalance are.
死生之地，存亡之道，不可不慎，
但他的臣民却呼唤战争，喊声杀气腾腾；
爱好和平的君主治下，民众却战意振奋，
这两者分别担任对方的约束与制衡。
He first survey’d the charge with careful eyes,
Which none but mighty monarchs could maintain;
Yet judged, like vapours that from limbecks rise,
It would in richer showers descend again.
他检视了开战的诉求，看得多么仔细，
胸怀伟略的君主，真是人中之雄；
他的决断恰似蒸馏瓶中的升腾蒸汽，
再度凝结之际必将更加纯浓。
At length resolved to assert the watery ball,
He in himself did whole Armadoes bring:
Him aged seamen might their master call,
And choose for general, were he not their king.
必须主宰海上舞会，这是他的最终决定，
他还要亲率整支舰队与敌国交兵
积年的老水兵们都愿意听他号令，
倘若他不是国王，必要奉他为将军。
It seems as every ship their sovereign knows,
His awful summons they so soon obey;
So hear the scaly herd when Proteus blows,
And so to pasture follow through the sea.
每一艘战船都认得她们的君主，
全都服从他那恢弘的开战宣讲；
恰似普罗透斯的号角将鱼群鼓舞，
便横渡大海，前往它们的牧场。
To see this fleet upon the ocean move,
Angels drew wide the curtains of the skies;
And heaven, as if there wanted lights above,
For tapers made two glaring comets rise.
天使看到这舰队在海上航行，
随即收起了遮蔽天空的幕帐；
天国觉得这舰队需要光明，
于是放出两颗彗星多么明亮。
Whether they unctuous exhalations are,
Fired by the sun, or seeming so alone:
Or each some more remote and slippery star,
Which loses footing when to mortals shown.
吐息柔和的流星，来历众说纷纭，
看似形单影只，莫不是被太阳发射？
又或者两颗都是远方的星辰，
脚下一滑就在凡人面前跌落？
Or one, that bright companion of the sun,
Whose glorious aspect seal’d our new-born king;
And now a round of greater years begun,
New influence from his walks of light did bring.
又或者其中一颗明星曾陪在太阳身边，
璀璨星光预示过新生之王的事迹；*
更加伟大的时代如今正逢开端，
这颗星的光辉也将发挥全新效力。
*【新生之王即耶稣，这里指的是伯利恒之星。】
Victorious York did first with famed success,
To his known valour make the Dutch give place:
Thus Heaven our monarch’s fortune did confess,
Beginning conquest from his royal race.
战功赫赫的约克率先将胜利锁定，
他的英勇迫使荷兰人撤退让路；*
天堂已经彰显了我国君主的运命，
皇家贵胄踏上了征服的第一步。
*【在1665年6月的英荷海战当中，约克公爵乘坐的皇家查理号战舰与荷军旗舰和谐号交火并将其击沉，随后荷军接连受创，一百零三艘战舰只剩下了三十艘，不得不撤退。】
得到彗星的加护之后，英国人打赢了这场规模浩大的海战。诗中栩栩如生的细节暗示着德莱顿采用了战场当事人的第一手资料。他的用意自然是鼓舞全体英国人团结在查理二世身边。不过1666年不仅见证了战争，也见证了灾害——即瘟疫与伦敦大火。毫不意外的是，国王在大火期间再次展现了英雄形象。德莱顿写这首诗的时候并不在伦敦，因为他要躲避瘟疫。但是他对于大火如何在拥挤的伦敦城肆虐的描写却让人宛如身临其境一般——尽管他同时还指责“强风”助长了火势：
Their cries soon waken all the dwellers near;
Now murmuring noises rise in every street:
The more remote run stumbling with their fear,
And in the dark men jostle as they meet.
他们的叫声很快惊醒了临近的住户，
喧嚣的人声很快就响起在街上，
较远处的居民吓得跑三步摔两步，
摸黑跑路的人们相互冲撞。
So weary bees in little cells repose;
But if night-robbers lift the well-stored hive,
An humming through their waxen city grows,
And out upon each other’s wings they drive.
好比疲累的蜜蜂在小格子里休憩松弛，
可要是夜盗掀开库存丰满的蜂房，
蜂群的嗡嗡声随即响彻了蜡质城池，
翅膀相互摩擦，个个混乱慌忙。
Now streets grow throng’d and busy as by day:
Some run for buckets to the hallow’d quire:
Some cut the pipes, and some the engines play;
And some more bold mount ladders to the fire.
街头就像白天一样川流拥挤，
找水桶的人们朝着唱诗班的方向硬闯，
有人切断水管，有人操作喷水机，
还有胆大的架起梯子接近火场。
In vain: for from the east a Belgian wind
His hostile breath through the dry rafters sent;
The flames impell’d soon left their foes behind,
And forward with a wanton fury went.
可都是徒劳，因为东方刮起了一阵强风，
恶意的吐息穿过了干燥的梁柱。
火借风势，灭火者的抵抗顿时落空，
大火继续前进，恣意发泄着愤怒。
A quay of fire ran all along the shore,
And lighten’d all the river with a blaze:
The waken’d tides began again to roar,
And wondering fish in shining waters gaze.
泰晤士河两岸大火熊熊燃烧，
冲天火光将整条河面照亮。
潮水苏醒，再次开始咆哮，
好奇的鱼儿将闪烁的水面打量。
……
The fire, meantime, walks in a broader gross;
To either hand his wings he opens wide:
He wades the streets, and straight he reaches cross,
And plays his longing flames on the other side.
与此同时，火焰蔓延得越来越宽，
向两侧舒展开了广大的双翼，
信步走过街道，径直来到十字路口旁边，
就像玩耍一般将火苗投送过去。
At first they warm, then scorch, and then they take;
Now with long necks from side to side they feed:
At length, grown strong, their mother-fire forsake,
And a new colony of flames succeed.
首先送温暖，然后灼烫，最终夺取，
摇摆长颈左右吞吃果腹，
最终身强力壮，便脱离了母体，
火焰于是在新地盘将脚跟立住。
To every nobler portion of the town
The curling billows roll their restless tide:
In parties now they straggle up and down,
As armies, unopposed, for prey divide.
在伦敦城的各处高档地段，
浓烟滚滚恰似潮水不断涨落，
上下散播的火头，无处不受侵犯，
恰似无敌的军队将猎物分化击破。
One mighty squadron with a side-wind sped,
Through narrow lanes his cumber’d fire does haste,
By powerful charms of gold and silver led,
The Lombard bankers and the ‘Change to waste.
有一支别动队乘着侧风突进直捣，
受到窄巷约束的火苗飞速进逼，
火势受到了金银的强大魔咒的引导，
将隆巴德街的银行与交易所化为废墟。
Another backward to the Tower would go,
And slowly eats his way against the wind:
But the main body of the marching foe
Against the imperial palace is design’d.
另一股火头转身指向了伦敦塔，
顶着风势一点点蚕食灼烧，
但是攻城略地的主力人马
依然将王宫当成首要目标。
Now day appears, and with the day the King,
Whose early care had robb’d him of his rest:
Far off the cracks of falling houses ring,
And shrieks of subjects pierce his tender breast.
此时晨光初现，国王早已饱受煎熬，
因为关注火情，他一夜都没能睡好；
房倒屋塌之声，还有臣民的嚎啕
虽然遥远，却依然听得他心如刀绞。
国王确实是救火活动的总指挥。就算最终灾情惨重，但是至少没有变得比实际情况更糟。接下来德莱顿又描绘了大火熄灭之后满目疮痍的伦敦：梁柱化为焦炭，石墙摇摇欲坠，读之令人心里发毛：
Night came, but without darkness or repose, —
A dismal picture of the general doom,
Where souls, distracted when the trumpet blows,
And half unready, with their bodies come.
夜幕再临，但是黑暗或者宁静却无处寻觅，
满目凄惨，简直好比世界末日的景象，
宣告末世的号角分散了世间灵魂的精力，
尚未准备好各自的肉体陆续赶上。
Those who have homes, when home they do repair,
To a last lodging call their wandering friends:
Their short uneasy sleeps are broke with care,
To look how near their own destruction tends.
侥幸有家能回的人们开始修葺房舍，
呼唤流浪街头的亲友们进屋栖身；
短暂不安的睡眠总是被重重心事打破，
想起自己距离毁灭只差了一寸半分。
Those who have none, sit round where once it was,
And with full eyes each wonted room require;
Haunting the yet warm ashes of the place,
As murder’d men walk where they did expire.
无家可归的人们围坐在住宅旧址旁边
茫然双眼检视着一片片残垣断壁，
默默地行走在尚且温热的灰烬之间，
好像被害人的冤魂徘徊在案发地。
Some stir up coals, and watch the vestal fire,
Others in vain from sight of ruin run;
And, while through burning labyrinths they retire,
With loathing eyes repeat what they would shun.
有人铲起煤炭，凝视着火光灼灼在炉中，
也有人徒劳躲避着毁灭的景象；
他们疲惫不堪，刚刚逃出了燃烧的迷宫，
现在又嫌弃地将躲避许久的元素打量。
The most in fields like herded beasts lie down,
To dews obnoxious on the grassy floor;
And while their babes in sleep their sorrows drown,
Sad parents watch the remnants of their store.
绝大多数人都像牲畜在白地上躺卧，
顾不得地上青草凝结着刺骨的夜露；
孩子的沉眠暂且将父母的悲苦淹没，
愁眉苦脸的人们打量着残存的店铺。
尽管遭此重创，但是伦敦必然还会再次崛起。瑟瑟发抖的民众们对于好动的君主的忠诚将会再次拯救他们。德莱顿的妙笔将这场大灾转化成了爱国主义的胜利，他本人则因此赢得了一份皇家年金。尽管此时为时尚早，但他却已经预见到了日后伦敦作为全球商贸重镇与帝国首都的地位，这座城市将会让欧洲大陆上的竞争者们全都万分惊叹：
Now, like a maiden queen, she will behold,
From her high turrets, hourly suitors come;
The East with incense, and the West with gold,
Will stand, like suppliants, to receive her doom!
恰似童贞女王，她守在高塔上招亲，
仰慕她的追求者络绎不绝；
东方献上香料，西方献上黄金，
全都仰着脸等待她的裁决。
The silver Thames, her own domestic flood,
Shall bear her vessels like a sweeping train;
And often wind, as of his mistress proud,
With longing eyes to meet her face again.
粼粼的泰晤士河，她自家的水路干道，
托起她的商船就好比马车成行，
大风也为自己的情人感到骄傲，
渴望能再次见到她的面庞。
The wealthy Tagus, and the wealthier Rhine,
The glory of their towns no more shall boast;
And Seine, that would with Belgian rivers join,
Shall find her lustre stain’d, and traffic lost.
富饶的塔霍河与更富饶的莱茵河，
再也不能将沿岸城镇的荣光夸口；
本应在比利时合流的塞纳河，
将要丧尽润泽，客流再也没有。
The venturous merchant who design’d more far,
And touches on our hospitable shore,
Charm’d with the splendour of this northern star,
Shall here unlade him, and depart no more.
商贾们原本计划前往远方将财富寻找，
不过当他们来到我们的好客海岸，
被这颗北方星辰的光华所倾倒，
将会卸下全部货物，不再去别处查看。
Our powerful navy shall no longer meet,
The wealth of France or Holland to invade;
The beauty of this town without a fleet,
From all the world shall vindicate her trade.
我们的海军虽强，却不必对抗
法国或者荷兰的财富侵入这座美丽城镇；
财富并非舰队，入侵也不为打仗，
她的贸易活动将会得到全世界的承认。
在德莱顿年轻时，英国还是一个分裂的清教共和国。但是这个国家至少已经蕴含了日后横跨全球的君主制大英帝国的胚胎，而帝国大业将会持续整整二百五十年。
十八世纪上半叶的英国吸引了许多今天看来十分可笑的标签。由于这一时期的法国人与苏格兰人对于自然神论与科学哲学的兴趣日渐高涨，人们惯于将这一时期称作“启蒙时代”甚至“理性时代”。也有人将这一时期称作“奥古斯都时代”，因为有诗人将这一时期与罗马帝国治下的漫长和平时期相提并论，而且亚历山大.蒲柏也在一首关于乔治二世的诗中使用过这一说法。还有人将这一时期称作“礼貌时代”，因为这一时期的英国人热衷于更加礼貌且更受监管的社会行为。上述标签全都暗示了此时英国人的国民心态：经历了护国公时期的宗教极端主义与复辟时期的放荡享乐原则之后，英国人梦想着能走上一条折中路线。诚然，这些标签全都在一定程度上反映了当时英国的社会现实；但是这些标签同样暗示着这是一个和缓平静、人人谨言慎行的时期，这样的印象与事实可谓毫不沾边。
从十七世纪末到十八世纪五十年代是大英帝国的第一阶段。皇家海军在这一时期成为了英国最首要的武装力量。战舰上的生活条件极其恶劣，套用日后温斯顿.丘吉尔的话来说，“全靠朗姆酒、爆菊与鞭子抽”来维持士气与军纪，这些蛀虫缠身的海上怪兽们才得以行动。在战船的护卫下，英国获得了全新的财富，也遭遇了全新的道德难题，例如应当怎样看待奴隶贸易以及与法国之间绵延不断的贸易战争。在国内，贪污腐败大行其道。尽管此时的英国政府远不如都铎王朝或者斯图亚特王朝时期那样暴虐，但却依然高度依赖集体绞刑、鞭刑与烙铁来管控社会，而且公开火刑与斩首也尚未彻底消失。詹姆斯二世党人的叛乱不仅在苏格兰造成了重大影响，而且还提醒了每一位英国人，天主教正统派与新教汉诺威王朝死忠之间依然存在着一道鲜血淋漓的伤口。1707年的《联合法案》将苏格兰与英格兰焊接在了一起，两国当中都有一批少数派对此感到怨愤满腔。此外英国还在这一时期经受了迅速工业化的第一阶段，也是最肮脏、最危险、黑烟最浓密的阶段。与此同时城市化进程也在突飞猛进。在十八世纪期间，伦敦人口几乎翻了一番，逼近了一百万。布里斯托、爱丁堡与都柏林同样也在飞速扩张。贫民窟与污秽四溢的下水道在英国各地随处可见，这一问题将会在整个十八世纪死死纠缠英国。乔治王时代的伦敦尤其是个肮脏恶臭危险的所在。
就文学而言，最需要牢记的社会发展背景是科技民主化。大规模印刷技术正在用海量的报纸充填英国各地。尽管大多数英国人依然不识字，但他们总还可以在酒馆与咖啡馆里听别人大声读报。换句话说最切近的新闻与观点能以前所未有的速度传遍全国。除了报纸以外，布道词、散文与诗歌同样借助杂志与书籍的载体得到了热切的消费。我们今天所熟悉的小说体裁正是在这一时期问世的。因此假如这一时期的英国诗歌仅仅是对于古典作家的复刻，一味关注高雅品位与良好礼节，那才真是出人意料了。
尽管日后的一代代英国诗人在成长期间都免不了阅读亚历山大.蒲柏、严整乏味令人难忍的詹姆斯.汤姆逊以及托马斯.格雷，但是此时英国诗坛的活跃人物远不止这三位。事实上，任何人如果想编写像本书一样的书，必然离不开优秀文选编者的支持。例如罗杰.朗斯代尔教授主编的《新牛津十八世纪诗歌选集》就是一部极具开创性的文选，极大扩展了普通读者对于这一时期的理解。接下来的段落在很大程度上要仰赖朗斯代尔的开创性工作。文化的确是以辩证的方式行动的：有人提出一项命题，接下来又有人针对这一命题发起挑战或者提出这一命题的变体，这些观点之间的斗争与冲突又催生了新的命题，如是循环。这就是黑格尔与马克思提出并奉行的真知灼见，时至今日这种思考方式依然十分强大。问题在于，如果想要描述一个例如十八世纪英国这样飞速变化的复杂社会，这套思考方式还是太简略了。接下来我们将会看到这个社会能乱到什么地步，但首先还是要用宽大的笔触描绘一下这个社会的轮廓。
用最粗略的话来说，清教英格兰的宗教极端主义激发了复辟时期的放纵作风——高压导致反弹；下一代英国人觉得两边的极端都不可取，因此主张秩序与礼貌。要虔诚，但是不能过分；要爱诗歌，但是不能搞黄色。亚历山大.蒲柏是这一时期英国文坛当之无愧的教皇，继弥尔顿之后再次塑造了英国诗歌的风貌。但是从辩证法的角度来看，问题在于蒲柏是个天才，而天才永远都是反常少见的个例。真想深入理解本时期英国文坛的深层次创作选择，我们应当将目光转向一位名气小得多的诗人。约翰.庞弗雷特是贝德福德郡的一名教区牧师，塞缪尔.约翰逊很仰慕他。以下是庞弗雷特的《选择》（The Choice）一诗的节选，诗歌的主旨是主张适中的生活方式，避免一切极端。在之前的章节里，乔治.赫伯特为圣公会辩护的诗文也采取了同样的立场，庞弗雷特则将这一立场应用在了生活方面：
If heaven the grateful liberty would give
That I might choose my method how to live,
And all those hours propitious fate should lend,
In blissful ease and satisfaction spend:
Near some fair town I'd have a private seat,
Built uniform, not little, nor too great:
Better if on a rising ground it stood;
Fields on this side, on that a neighboring wood;
It should within no other things contain
But what were useful, necessary, plain:
Methinks 'tis nauseous, and I'd ne'er endure
The needless pomp of gaudy furniture.
A little garden, grateful to the eye,
And a cool rivulet run murmuring by,
On whose delicious banks a stately row
Of shady limes or sycamores should grow;
At the end of which a silent study placed
Should be with all the noblest authors graced:
Horace and Virgil, in whose mighty lines
Immortal wit and solid learning shines;
Sharp Juvenal, and amorous Ovid too,
Who all the turns of love's soft passion knew;
He that with judgment reads his charming lines,
In which strong art with stronger nature joins,
Must grant his fancy does the best excel,
His thoughts so tender and expressed so well;
With all those moderns, men of steady sense,
Esteemed for learning and for eloquence.
In some of these, as fancy should advise,
I'd always take my morning exercise:
For sure no minutes bring us more content
Than those in pleasing, useful studies spent.
I'd have a clear and competent estate,
That I might live genteelly, but not great;
As much as I could moderately spend,
A little more, sometimes to oblige a friend.
Nor should the sons of poverty repine
Too much at fortune, they should taste of mine;
And all that objects of true pity were
Should be relieved with what my wants could spare.
For that our Maker has too largely given
Should be returned, in gratitude to heaven.
A frugal plenty should my table spread,
With healthy, not luxurious dishes fed:
Enough to satisfy, and something more
To feed the stranger and the neighboring poor.
Strong meat indulges vice, and pampering food
Creates diseases and inflames the blood.
But what's sufficient to make nature strong
And the bright lamp of life continue long
I'd freely take, and as I did possess,
The bounteous Author of my plenty bless.
I'd have a little vault, but always stored
With the best wines each vintage could afford.
Wine whets the wit, improves its native force,
And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse:
By making all our spirits debonair
Throws off the lees, the sediment of care.
But as the greatest blessing heaven lends
May be debauched and serve ignoble ends,
So, but too oft, the grape's refreshing juice
Does many mischievous effects produce.
My house should no such rude disorders know
As from high drinking consequently flow.
若是天堂能赐予令我感激不尽的自由，
那我或许会将最喜欢的生活方式追求。
吉祥的命运借给我的人生每一刻，
都将在幸福的安逸满足当中度过。
我要拥有一间私宅，临近某个优美小镇，
不太小也不太大，房屋造型要讲究分寸。
宅基地的地势最好比周边高一些，
一侧是田野，另一侧与树林相接。
屋里不要盛放无用的杂物，
陈设要简朴，每件器物都有用处；
令我无法忍受，想起来就焦躁，
华而不实的家具我才不需要。
要有一座小花园，里面的景色优美，
一条潺潺小河，流淌着清凉的河水。
河岸边要有一排挺拔的大树
投下荫凉，例如酸橙或者悬铃木。
树木尽头要有一座安静的书房，
最高贵的著作要在房间里收藏；
贺拉斯与维吉尔，笔下有千钧之力，
文采千古，学养坚实，光辉夺目的诗句。
尤维纳利斯犀利如刀，奥维德旖旎翩跹，
洞察了温柔爱情的九转十八弯；
心有定见之人大可以欣赏他的曼妙诗行，
艺术与自然结合，前者强后者更强。
必须承认他的想象力堪称诗坛之最，
思路如此细腻，表达如此到位。
还有各位现代作家，一个个心思纯正，
知识渊博，文采斐然，无不受人尊重。
若能随我心愿，那么一部分此类书籍
我每天早上都要认真研读学习。
每一分钟都能带来无比的满足喜乐，
倘若是在有趣有益的书房里度过。
我的住宅应当整洁且功能周到，
让人住得舒服，而不必豪华炫耀。
花钱要量入为出，等闲不会剁手，
有时候大方一点，只为招朋待友。
寒门之子何必长吁短叹，
我愿向他们将家财分散。
当真可悯的贫困之辈也无需多虑，
我愿用日常开销的盈余进行周济。
上帝的赐予若是过于慷慨
就理应退还，答谢天国的厚爱。
餐桌上的饭菜丰盛而不浪费，
有益健康即可，用不着山珍海味。
餐餐都能吃饱，有时还有多余
用来款待过路人与贫困的邻居。
大鱼大肉只会助长顽劣的脾性，
精食细脍烧热血液又引发疾病。
但若是有助于维持体魄坚强，
让生命灯火燃烧得更加绵长，
那我就尽情吃喝，享受我的财富，
慷慨的命运将我的富足生活眷顾。
我要一间小小的酒窖，总是满满当当，
盛满了我能买得起的最优质佳酿。
美酒能促进思维，将头脑打磨犀利，
还能为言谈赋予宜人的神气。
让我们的精神变得轻盈焕发，
抛弃重重心事的沉淀与残渣。
但是天堂赐予的最伟大福祉，
也可能因为放纵而变得可耻，
一次又一次，本应振奋精神的葡萄汁，
害得多少人丢脸出丑，陷入了昏乱愚痴。
我家里决不能发生此等粗鲁悖乱之举，
贪杯滥饮，酒水横流，定然为我所不取。
这段诗文写得入情入理，就是有点乏味。不过庞弗雷特的节制应当被视为意志坚定的积极行动，诗文体现了一位果决之人企图用方方正正的格子——依靠哲学自我认知而搭建的框架——来固定并且应对生活当中的恐惧与破灭。这一姿态的重要意义在于让人能在最糟糕的环境下依然挺胸抬头。
说到哲学改善人生的效力，还有一个远远更加出色的例子，也就是乔纳森.斯威夫特撰写的关于他本人如何来日无多的著名诗歌。今天的读者们一提到斯威夫特首先就会想到《格列佛游记》与《木桶的故事》，但他同时也是英国历史上最杰出的爱尔兰诗人之一。以下诗文节选自《咏斯威夫特教长之死》（Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift），诗文开篇首先反思了人类幸灾乐祸的心态，然后又以非凡的勇气直视了生死之镜：
The time is not remote, when I
Must by the course of nature die;
When I foresee my special friends
Will try to find their private ends:
Tho' it is hardly understood
Which way my death can do them good,
Yet thus, methinks, I hear 'em speak:
"See, how the Dean begins to break!
Poor gentleman, he droops apace!
You plainly find it in his face.
That old vertigo in his head
Will never leave him till he's dead.
Besides, his memory decays:
He recollects not what he says;
He cannot call his friends to mind:
Forgets the place where last he din'd;
Plies you with stories o'er and o'er;
He told them fifty times before.
How does he fancy we can sit
To hear his out-of-fashion'd wit?
But he takes up with younger folks,
Who for his wine will bear his jokes.
Faith, he must make his stories shorter,
Or change his comrades once a quarter:
In half the time he talks them round,
There must another set be found.
那个日子距离现在不会漫长，
当我由于自然规律必须死亡；
我能预见到我的亲密朋友
从各自角度出发大嚼舌头。
尽管我反复思考还是糊涂，
我死了对他们有什么好处？
但是现在我就能听见他们说话：
“瞧啊，教长他真是老得太不像话！
可怜的老先生，涎水滴答直流，
流得满脸都是，看着叫人犯愁。
多久以前他就整天晕头胀脑，
这毛病到他死那天也好不了。
他的记性一天不如一天，
开口说话总是倒四颠三。
朋友的名字他全都对不上号，
问他上顿饭在哪里吃都不知道。
老掉牙的段子他讲了一遍又一遍，
重复了五十次，真招人不待见。
他还以为我们都有耐心坐下
听他那些老掉牙的陈年闲话？
他拉拢到身边的年轻人格外多，
陪他扯东扯西只为了蹭他的酒喝。
他当真有必要将他的故事精简一通，
要不然每次都要更换四分之一听众。
将全体听众絮叨一遍的时间过半，
就该另找一帮听众前来替换。”
"For poetry he's past his prime:
He takes an hour to find a rhyme;
His fire is out, his wit decay'd,
His fancy sunk, his Muse a jade.
I'd have him throw away his pen;—
But there's no talking to some men!"
“他的诗才早已经日薄西山，
如今押个韵脚都要寻思半天。
他的灵感已经熄灭，他的智力已经枯槁，
他的想象已经沉没，他的缪斯徐娘半老。
要我说他这把年纪就该趁早封笔——
可他要是气出个好歹我可承受不起！”
And then their tenderness appears,
By adding largely to my years:
"He's older than he would be reckon'd
And well remembers Charles the Second.
接下来他们就放软了口气
开始夸奖我这一把年纪：
“他可是比看上去更加高寿，
见识过查理二世主政的时候。”
"He hardly drinks a pint of wine;
And that, I doubt, is no good sign.
His stomach too begins to fail:
Last year we thought him strong and hale;
But now he's quite another thing:
I wish he may hold out till spring."
“他如今几乎滴酒不沾唇，
我觉得这一迹象着实有些愁人。
他的肠胃功能一天不如一天，
去年我们还觉得他老而弥坚。
可他现在看上去气息奄奄，
我希望他能活到明年春天。”
Then hug themselves, and reason thus:
"It is not yet so bad with us."
然后他们相互拥抱，并且得出结论：
“咱们现在身体还行，真是不小的福分。”
这段诗文对于死亡的描写如此露骨，同时又不乏幽默与人性，为约翰.道恩恐惧死亡的诗文提供了响亮的回答，奥古斯都时代英国人对于镇定克制的信念也得到了彰显。诗歌有实用价值吗？笔者认为这首诗肯定有，因为诗人生动且永久地申斥了自艾自怜的心态。不过斯威夫特也会创作没那么有用却同样令人瞠目的诗歌。他的《妙龄水仙女就寝》（A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed）描写了一位胸部下垂的老妓女脱衣上炕的景象，行文实在过于恶心，以至于笔者实在无法收录在此。此外就笔者所知，他的《女更衣室》（The Lady's Dressing Room）也是第一首直接描写大便过程的英文诗歌（“啊，西莉亚，西莉亚，西莉亚，你也拉屎啊！”）。斯威夫特的伟大之处在于戳破了我们对于十八世纪英国诗人的成见：他们绝非只会描写理想化的事物，却对身边的日常生活视而不见。斯威夫特的观察力极其敏锐，他注意到了人们在突然遇到倾盆大雨时会如何表现，也听到了他们在参加某位将军的葬礼时的交头接耳。他的平生挚爱名叫艾丝特.约翰森，他惯于在她生日那天为她写诗祝贺。下面这首《致斯黛拉的生日，1720年》（Stella’s Birthday, 1720）一下就触及了爱情与衰老这两大话题：
ALL travellers at first incline
Where’er they see the fairest sign:
And if they find the chambers neat,
And like the liquor and the meat,
Will call again, and recommend
The Angel Inn to every friend.
What though the painting grows decay’d,
The house will never lose its trade:
Nay, though the treacherous tapster, Thomas,
Hangs a new Angel two doors from us,
As fine as daubers’ hands can make it,
In hopes that strangers may mistake it,
We think it both a shame and sin
To quit the true old Angel Inn.
所有的行路旅人第一眼看到
这最美丽的招牌，都忍不住歇脚。
若是他们喜欢这整洁的房舍，
美酒佳肴消解了他们的饥饿，
那么他们改天必然还会光临，
并且将天使酒馆推荐给友人。
就算招牌上的涂料有些脱落，
这家店永远不必担心生意难做。
只可气那酒保托马斯自以为别出心裁，
在隔壁第三栋房屋挂出了簇新的招牌。
画匠穷尽技艺，天使画得栩栩有神，
他以为这就能诱骗头回顾客走错门。
至于熟客们都觉得真是丢人现眼，
我们可不会离开正牌的天使酒馆。
Now this is Stella’s case in fact,
An angel’s face a little crack’d,
(Could poets or could painters fix
How angels look at thirty-six:)
This drew us in at first to find
In such a form an angel’s mind;
And every virtue now supplies
The fainting rays of Stella’s eyes.
See at her levee crowding swains,
Whom Stella freely entertains
With breeding, humour, wit, and sense,
And puts them but to small expense;
Their minds so plentifully fills,
And makes such reasonable bills,
So little gets for what she gives,
We really wonder how she lives!
And had her stock been less, no doubt
She must have long ago run out.
斯黛拉的境况也与此相同，
略微有些皴裂的天使面容。
（诗人与画家们，求你们用心创造
三十六岁的中年天使该是何等容貌：）
这副面容吸引我们深入寻找
天使具有怎样一副明慧头脑；
人间一切德行无不具备，
斯黛拉的眼神多么妩媚。
看斯黛拉如何应对追求者的拥挤人流
轻松写意，在主顾们之间周到应酬。
凭借气质，幽默，机智以及心思灵巧，
让每一位酒客花钱都不会大手大脚。
客人们都被她招待得满心欢喜，
他们的消费金额自然十分合理。
她的所得这么少，她的付出这么多，
我们都奇怪她究竟如何维持生活！
若是她的家底再薄弱一些，那就毫不稀奇
好久之前她家买卖就要关门大吉。
Then who can think we’ll quit the place,
When Doll hangs out a newer face?
Or stop and light at Chloe’s head,
With scraps and leavings to be fed?
Then, Chloe, still go on to prate
Of thirty-six and thirty-eight;
Pursue your trade of scandal-picking,
Your hints that Stella is no chicken;
Your innuendoes, when you tell us,
That Stella loves to talk with fellows:
所以说我们怎会另寻去处？真是笑话，
就因为布娃娃酒馆将新招牌悬挂？
难道我们还真要去克洛伊酒馆做客？
她家饭菜的用料全都是边角剩货。
克洛伊老板娘还有脸整天叽叽喳喳：
“她都三十六了”——你今年可是三十八！
你老人家的手艺无非是搬弄短长，
明里暗里咒骂斯黛拉不是黄花姑娘。
含沙射影，你散布伤人的八卦：
“那个斯黛拉整天爱跟男人说话！”
And let me warn you to believe
A truth, for which your soul should grieve;
That should you live to see the day,
When Stella’s locks must all be gray,
When age must print a furrow’d trace
On every feature of her face;
Though you and all your senseless tribe,
Could art, or time, or nature bribe,
To make you look like Beauty’s Queen,
And hold for ever at fifteen;
No bloom of youth can ever blind
The cracks and wrinkles of your mind:
All men of sense will pass your door,
And crowd to Stella’s at four-score.
我有一条事实，请你用心牢记，
记住之后你的灵魂活该痛哭流涕：
就算你能看到那个时候，
当斯黛拉终于白发满头，
当岁月在她脸上开垦出沟壑，
眼角眉梢全都不肯放过，
而且你与那帮众星捧你的俗汉
还将艺术、时间抑或自然规律买断，
让你从此变得美若天仙，
永远驻留在十五岁那天，
可你再怎么装嫩也掩饰不了
一颗黑心当中的皱纹与衰老。
凡是明理之辈都将过你家门而不入，
只会争先恐后将斯黛拉的生意光顾。
就像关于他本人的死亡的诗歌一样，这首诗的主旨同样是体面的生存与强大的内心。“气质，幽默，机智以及心思灵巧”全都无惧时间的考验。
接下来这首诗堪称是奥古斯都时代最大胆的发言。每一位受过教育的读者都很清楚，斯威夫特在文坛的主流形象既愤怒又冷峻，尤其是涉及到英格兰在爱尔兰的残暴统治的时候。他在著名散文《一个温和的建议》当中反话正说地主张要将爱尔兰儿童卖给英格兰富人当成美味佳肴，从而一举解决爱尔兰人口过剩与农业衰落的问题。这篇文章堪称是英伦三岛古往今来最犀利最凶残的一篇政治讽刺。此外斯威夫特的讽刺诗歌同样独树一帜。下面这首《已故著名将军讽刺悼词》（A Satirical Elegy on the Death of a Late Famous General）虽然不像《建议》一文那样怒火中烧，但是也差不了多少。在笔者看来，这是截止到当前为止（即1765年）最伟大的英国反战诗歌。诗中的讽刺对象是马尔伯勒公爵、温斯顿.丘吉尔的祖先约翰.丘吉尔。马尔伯勒公爵是一位在英国军事史上名列前茅的伟大将领，他在欧陆各地与法军作战并取得了一连串辉煌胜利，例如布莱尼姆战役，拉米伊战役以及奥登纳德战役等等。他是安妮女王的亲信，对他心怀感激的英国民众还在牛津郊区为他集资兴建了一座宫殿规模的豪宅。但是所有这一切对于斯威夫特来说连个屁都不值。在他眼里，马尔伯勒公爵仅仅只是一个躲藏在荣华富贵的伪装之下的战争贩子与刽子手而已：
His Grace! impossible! what dead!
Of old age too, and in his bed!
And could that mighty warrior fall?
And so inglorious, after all!
Well, since he’s gone, no matter how,
The last loud trump must wake him now:
And, trust me, as the noise grows stronger,
He’d wish to sleep a little longer.
And could he be indeed so old
As by the newspapers we’re told?
Threescore, I think, is pretty high;
’Twas time in conscience he should die
This world he cumbered long enough;
He burnt his candle to the snuff;
And that’s the reason, some folks think,
He left behind so great a stink.
Behold his funeral appears,
Nor widow’s sighs, nor orphan’s tears,
Wont at such times each heart to pierce,
Attend the progress of his hearse.
But what of that, his friends may say,
He had those honours in his day.
True to his profit and his pride,
He made them weep before he died.
好一位大人！不可能！死了吗？
居然还是寿终正寝？还死在自家床上？
难不成伟大的武士就这样陨落？
这么丢人的结局，请容我道一声“呵呵！”
嗨，死都死了，何必费力勉强，
唯有末日审判的号角才能让他睁眼还阳。
相信我，随着审判号角越发刺耳，
他肯定想在坟坑里再多躲一会儿。
他的寿数难道当真年逾花甲，
要是我们听信了报纸的说法？
阳寿六十年，要我说差不多就得了，
他要还有良心，趁早就该别活了。
他在人世间腻歪了太久太长，
油尽灯枯，如今他终于毙亡。
许多人都以为正是因为如此
他的尸体才会散发恶臭不止。
在他的葬礼上可是看不到
孤儿的眼泪与寡妇的哭号。
别人出殡时能刺穿人心的哀鸣
并未陪伴他的灵车向前进行。
不过他的朋友或许会说，这都是小事，
毕竟他还活着那会儿就已经哀荣备至。
为了维护骄傲，为了一己私利，
他在生前就听够了孤儿寡妇的哭泣！
读者们要是觉得斯威夫特的怒火已经达到了极致，不妨继续看看这首诗的结尾：
Come hither, all ye empty things,
Ye bubbles raised by breath of kings;
Who float upon the tide of state,
Come hither, and behold your fate.
Let pride be taught by this rebuke,
How very mean a thing’s a Duke;
From all his ill-got honours flung,
Turned to that dirt from whence he sprung.
都凑过来吧，你们这帮腹内空洞的草包，
你们不过是肥皂泡，被君王的吐息吹高。
你们的浮沉全凭国运潮落潮涨，
都凑过来吧，看看你们命定的下场！
让傲慢之辈将眼前的教训铭记，
所谓的公爵究竟是个什么东西；
一辈子欺世盗名，最终于事无补，
粪土里滋生的玩意毕竟要归于粪土。
住在伦敦的斯威夫特身边有一个由托利党反对派组成的小圈子，亚历山大.蒲柏就是其中之一。蒲柏是一位罗马天主教徒，终日疾病缠身，而且身材矮小近乎侏儒。他是英雄双韵体这一体例的最主要拥护者，一方面继承了弥尔顿的诗风，同时又避免了亦步亦趋的陷阱。1734年他撰写了著名长诗《论人》（Essay on Man），在诗中他试图为上帝对待人类的方式辩护。这首诗的笔调明媚乐观，绝对超出了弥尔顿的想象。诗文当中体现的“存在即合理”式的唯理论世界观日后将会遭到法国哲学大家伏尔泰的嘲讽与排斥。就其本质而言，这一世界观与庞弗雷特的中庸生活之道如出一辙，只是在哲学方面拔高了一层。不过与此同时，虔信天主教的蒲柏也流露出了针对科学理性主义的怀疑：
Know then thyself, presume not God to scan
The proper study of Mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
A Being darkly wise, and rudely great:
With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,
He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest;
In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beast;
In doubt his mind or body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err;
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little, or too much;
Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself, abus'd or disabus'd;
Created half to rise and half to fall;
Great Lord of all things, yet a prey to all,
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd;
The glory, jest and riddle of the world.
先了解自己吧，且莫狂妄地窥测上帝，
人的研究对象应该是人类自己；
他愚昧的聪明，拙劣的伟大，
位于中间状态的狭窄地岬；
他要怀疑一切，可是又知识过多，
他要坚毅奋发，可是又意志薄弱；
他悬持中间，出处行藏，犹豫不定，
犹豫不定，是自视为神灵，还是畜生；
犹豫不定，是要灵魂，还是要肉体，
生来要死，依靠理性反而错误不己；
想得过多，想得过少，结果相同，
思想的道理都是同样的愚昧荒懵；
思想和感情，一切都庞杂混乱，
他仍放纵滥用，或先放纵而后收敛；
他生就的半要升天，半要入地，
既是万物之主，又受万物奴役；
他是真理的唯一裁判，又不断错误迷离，
他是世上的荣耀、世上的笑柄、世上的谜。【吕千飞译】
Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides,
Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides;
Instruct the planets in what orbs to run,
Correct old time, and regulate the sun;
Go, soar with Plato to th’ empyreal sphere,
To the first good, first perfect, and first fair;
Or tread the mazy round his followers trod,
And quitting sense call imitating God;
As Eastern priests in giddy circles run,
And turn their heads to imitate the sun.
Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule—
Then drop into thyself, and be a fool!
去吧，了不起的生物！跟随科学的引领向上攀登，
去丈量大地，去称重空气，去规定潮落潮升；
去指教各大行星沿着哪条轨道奔忙，
去矫正旧日时光，还要去管理太阳；
去吧，跟随柏拉图翱翔到最高天，
去置身于太初既有的尽善尽美之间，
或者踏入他的追随者曾经涉足的迷魂场，
舍弃理智的呼唤，一心将上帝效仿；
恰似东方的教士，不顾眩晕地绕圈，
终日摇头晃脑，模仿太阳行进高天。
去吧，去教训永恒智慧怎样将寰宇统治，
然后赶紧回来老老实实当个傻子！
蒲柏毕生都是个虔诚的基督徒，不过并不是一般人想象当中反宗教改革时期典型的天主教徒——面容死板，心怀狂热。面对弥尔顿的质问，他认为人类理解能力有限，因此应当无条件信任上帝的智慧——换句话说人生在世理应随遇而安：
Hope humbly then; with trembling pinions soar;
Wait the great teacher Death; and God adore!
What future bliss, he gives not thee to know,
But gives that hope to be thy blessing now.
Hope springs eternal in the human breast:
Man never is, but always to be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.
怀抱谦卑的希望，展开战栗的双翼，尽情飞升，
静待死亡这位伟大的教师，将上帝放在心中！
未来有什么福祉，祂可不会向我们说破，
只会给我们希望，让我们静享此时此刻。
永恒的希望，源自于人类的胸腔，
人永远不会幸福，但幸福永在前方；
灵魂远离故乡，受到束缚，局促迷惘，
待到来生降临，尽管可以休憩徜徉。
不过蒲柏与弥尔顿的较劲还催生了另一部人气更旺且更机智的作品。《卷发遇劫记》（The Rape of the Lock）是一首恶搞版的英雄史诗，也是针对气势恢宏但却毫无幽默可言的《失乐园》做出的搞怪回应。本诗发表于1712年，诗文的原型事件是现实生活当中一对青年男女的争执。姑娘名叫阿拉贝拉.弗莫尔，小伙子名叫佩德罗勋爵，两人都出身于信奉天主教的名门望族，因此他们在生活当中就像蒲柏本人一样要收到圣公会英国社会的诸多严格限制。不过这首诗却未曾沾染一丁点阴霾与苦涩。简单说来：佩德罗未经阿拉贝拉许可就剪下了她的一缕秀发，致使两家人吵得不可开交。蒲柏抓住这点鸡毛蒜皮的小事大做文章，将矮妖、精怪与仙灵等等一干神话生物全都请了出来。这些生物就像弥尔顿笔下的天使军团一样缥缈，但是体格却远远更小，因此看起来也远没有那么吓人——实际上这些小家伙们根本就是从《仲夏夜之梦》的片场赶过来客串的。凭借着它们的法力，蒲柏将弥尔顿式的暗黑悲剧硬生生地搅和成了一出轻喜剧。尽管英国的音乐传统无法与欧陆相提并论，但是蒲柏却证明了自己是全英国最接近莫扎特的存在。就像莫扎特的歌剧一样，这首诗一方面跳脱搞怪，同时又洋溢着浓厚的人文精神。诗篇一开头读者们就能看到蒲柏怎样将英雄史诗的套路演绎出了喜剧效果。本诗女主贝琳达一登场就赖在床上不肯起来：
Sol thro' white curtains shot a tim'rous ray,
And op'd those eyes that must eclipse the day;
Now lap-dogs give themselves the rousing shake,
And sleepless lovers, just at twelve, awake:
Thrice rung the bell, the slipper knock'd the ground,
And the press'd watch return'd a silver sound.
Belinda still her downy pillow press'd,
Her guardian sylph prolong'd the balmy rest:
'Twas he had summon'd to her silent bed
The morning dream that hover'd o'er her head;
A youth more glitt'ring than a birthnight beau,
(That ev'n in slumber caus'd her cheek to glow)
Seem'd to her ear his winning lips to lay,
And thus in whispers said, or seem'd to say.
穿过乳白的窗帘，是太阳神的辉光温柔，
唤醒了那对令白昼黯然失色的眼眸。
叭儿狗们长伸懒腰，开始抖擞身材，
彻夜未眠的恋人们在十二点钟醒来。
更衣铃三声脆响，拖鞋踢在地上，
玉手按动报时钟，报时声音清亮。
贝琳达依然赖着枕头，迷瞪着不肯起床，
她的守护仙灵将温存休憩的时刻延长，
召唤一段迷梦，来到安静的床前，
清晨的梦境在她脑海里飞扬盘旋。
梦中的少年，比皇家生日舞会更加光彩照人，
（还睡着的她都不免脸颊飞起红云）
他那迷人的双唇凑到了她的耳际，
似乎对她说了一番耳语私密：
"Fairest of mortals, thou distinguish'd care
Of thousand bright inhabitants of air!
If e'er one vision touch'd thy infant thought,
Of all the nurse and all the priest have taught,
Of airy elves by moonlight shadows seen,
The silver token, and the circled green,
Or virgins visited by angel pow'rs,
With golden crowns and wreaths of heav'nly flow'rs,
Hear and believe! thy own importance know,
Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.
Some secret truths from learned pride conceal'd,
To maids alone and children are reveal'd:
What tho' no credit doubting wits may give?
The fair and innocent shall still believe.
Know then, unnumber'd spirits round thee fly,
The light militia of the lower sky;
“最美丽的凡人，汝可知自己受到周到照顾，
栖身大气当中的成千生灵将汝精心看护！
若汝曾在孩提时分想象过此等景象，
若是乳娘神父的教诲汝还放在心上，
若汝还记得月光投影下现身的缥缈精灵，
献给它们的祈福银币，它们留下的芳草环形，
又或者天使的权柄如何将处女访问，
天使头戴金冠与花环，天国的鲜花多么娇嫩，
那么汝当听当信！汝可知自己多么重要？
切勿被下界的狭隘眼光束缚圈套，
多少秘密隐藏在傲慢的饱学之士眼前，
只会向少女与儿童展现本源。
疑心重重的智慧对它们不屑一顾，
纯真之辈却依然相信是真实事物。
要知道，无数的精灵正在环绕汝飞翔，
天空之下的纵队正在轻盈巡航。”
这段诗文与莎士比亚的继承关系可谓一看便知。但是接下来，随着邪恶的男主即将拿起贝琳达的剪刀剪下她的卷发，诗文风格也变成了恶搞版的弥尔顿史诗：
Just then, Clarissa drew with tempting grace
A two-edg'd weapon from her shining case;
So ladies in romance assist their knight
Present the spear, and arm him for the fight.
He takes the gift with rev'rence, and extends
The little engine on his fingers' ends;
This just behind Belinda's neck he spread,
As o'er the fragrant steams she bends her head.
Swift to the lock a thousand sprites repair,
A thousand wings, by turns, blow back the hair,
And thrice they twitch'd the diamond in her ear,
Thrice she look'd back, and thrice the foe drew near.
Just in that instant, anxious Ariel sought
The close recesses of the virgin's thought;
As on the nosegay in her breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' ideas rising in her mind,
Sudden he view'd, in spite of all her art,
An earthly lover lurking at her heart.
Amaz'd, confus'd, he found his pow'r expir'd,
Resign'd to fate, and with a sigh retir'd.
就在此时，克拉丽莎凭着诱人的姿态
将一把双刃兵器从精美盒子里拿出来，
满心浪漫的女士们协助她们的骑士，
向他献上长矛，鼓舞他的斗志。
他虔诚地接过赠予，然后轻轻操纵
两道青锋在指端交叠运动。
潜行到贝琳达脑后，他将利刃舒张，
趁着她正低头嗅闻香水的馨香。
一千位仙灵赶紧冲上来将秀发保护，
一千对翅膀轮流扇动秀发，免得被利刃攫住。
为了报示警，它们三次将她耳垂上的钻石转动，
三次她回头观瞧，她的敌人三次蠢蠢欲动。
就在此刻，焦急的爱丽儿想要
向这懵懂的少女发送危险信号；
随着她胸前的香气逐渐消退，
祂看到她心里另有念想，以至于丧失戒备。
突然祂看到，尽管她的头脑玲珑聪慧，
一位俗世情郎却已潜入她心房之内。
既惊又惑，祂的法力迅速消散，
只得听天由命，徒留一声长叹。
The peer now spreads the glitt'ring forfex wide,
T' inclose the lock; now joins it, to divide.
Ev'n then, before the fatal engine clos'd,
A wretched Sylph too fondly interpos'd;
Fate urg'd the shears, and cut the Sylph in twain,
(But airy substance soon unites again).
The meeting points the sacred hair dissever
From the fair head, for ever, and for ever!
贵族青年张开了剪刀，只见寒光湛湛，
一旦两刃咔嚓合拢，卷发就要一刀两断。
当此关头，眼看致命的利刃即将交叠，
一位焦急的仙灵想用身躯挡住这一劫。
可恨命运驱动的利刃，将仙灵活活腰斩，
好在气态身躯立刻复原，结果并不算惨。
可是在锋刃的汇合点，神圣秀发根根截断，
远离了美丽的头颅，永别了，再不相见！
Then flash'd the living lightning from her eyes,
And screams of horror rend th' affrighted skies.
Not louder shrieks to pitying Heav'n are cast,
When husbands or when lap-dogs breathe their last,
Or when rich China vessels, fall'n from high,
In glitt'ring dust and painted fragments lie!
寒光恰似活闪电，在她的眼前掠过，
恐怖的惊叫足以将畏惧的天空刺破。
还从没有更刺耳的惨呼曾向天国射去，
哪怕眼看着丈夫或者叭儿狗寿终断气，
或者眼看着华丽的中国花瓶自高处落下，
化作闪光粉尘，彩绘碎片，一堆稀里哗啦！
就像莫扎特与斯威夫特一样，蒲柏的诗句也在喜剧的表象下潜藏了更加严肃的信息。惯于批判奥地利贵族精英的莫扎特最终贫病而死，斯威夫特临终之前则丧失了神智。喜剧及其所必需的姿态为他们提供了暂且抵挡黑暗的手段。蒲柏的生活也很不容易。由于在政坛与文坛树敌太多，他在泰晤士河畔的推克纳姆兴建了一座精巧的石窟型住宅用来自保，平时出门的时候总是牵着一条大狗，怀揣上膛的手枪。蒲柏毕生都是个局外人，全靠机智的头脑来对抗人生的无意义。他之所以大力抨击各位诗坛庸才，是为了维护自己的理智。在他晚年的作品《与阿布斯诺博士书》（Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot）当中，蒲柏代表古往今来每一位遭到三流粉丝仰慕的明星作家们宣泄了一番怨气：
Shut, shut the door, good John! fatigu'd, I said,
Tie up the knocker, say I'm sick, I'm dead.
The dog-star rages! nay 'tis past a doubt,
All Bedlam, or Parnassus, is let out:
Fire in each eye, and papers in each hand,
They rave, recite, and madden round the land.
快关上，亲爱的约翰，快关上门！我疲惫地说道，
快去固定住门环，就说我病入膏肓，针石无效。
天狼星邪光大作！情况已经显而易见，
文坛群英集体出动，活像掀翻了疯人院；
一个个两眼冒火，两手紧攥着片片纸张，
或狂呼乱叫，或念念有词，在大地上纵横嚣张。
What walls can guard me, or what shades can hide?
They pierce my thickets, through my grot they glide;
By land, by water, they renew the charge;
They stop the chariot, and they board the barge.
No place is sacred, not the church is free;
Ev'n Sunday shines no Sabbath-day to me:
Then from the Mint walks forth the man of rhyme,
Happy! to catch me just at dinner-time.
哪有围墙能保护我，哪有阴影供我躲避？
他们穿过我家树篱，他们翻找我家垃圾；
水上与陆上，他们的攻势源源不断，
他们阻拦我的马车，还要登上我的驳船查看。
他们无视圣所，我在教堂也不得自由，
就连礼拜天也不得安息，让我多么发愁；
然后又有一位文人施施然来自敏特：
好极了！晚餐时分他非得上门做客。
Is there a parson, much bemus'd in beer,
A maudlin poetess, a rhyming peer,
A clerk, foredoom'd his father's soul to cross,
Who pens a stanza, when he should engross?
Is there, who, lock'd from ink and paper, scrawls
With desp'rate charcoal round his darken'd walls?
All fly to Twit'nam, and in humble strain
Apply to me, to keep them mad or vain.
Arthur, whose giddy son neglects the laws,
Imputes to me and my damn'd works the cause:
Poor Cornus sees his frantic wife elope,
And curses wit, and poetry, and Pope.
一位教区牧师，啤酒杯从不离手，
一位忧郁的才女，一位贵族时常来两首，
一位文书官，决心要违背父亲的心意，
只顾涂写诗章，顾不得专心把账记，
一名囚犯，在牢房里搞不到笔墨，
就抓起木炭在墙壁上大搞创作，
全都涌向推克纳姆，央求我指点几句，
好让他们能继续发疯或者虚荣下去。
还有一位阿瑟——他的莽撞儿子惯于违法闯祸
——认为祸根都在于我本人与我的诗作；
可怜的考纳斯，他的老婆私奔偷汉，
因此诅咒文艺、诗歌以及蒲柏那个混蛋。
人生如此严肃，不大笑不足以安然度过。在蒲柏看来，针对文明与理智的最大威胁就是沉闷乏味——这个标签包括了政治宣传、夸大其词、谎言以及我们今天在信息层面上面临的一切威胁——而且这一威胁是生死攸关的大事。智力对于蒲柏来说是一项道德品质，换句话说蠢人就等于坏人。在他的长诗《愚人记》（The Dunciad）的结尾，他难得地点明了小丑的面孔后面潜藏着什么：
Religion blushing, veils her sacred fires,
And unawares Morality expires.
Nor public flame nor private dares to shine;
Nor human spark is left, nor glimpse divine!
Lo! thy dread empire Chaos is restor'd,
Light dies before thy uncreating word;
Thy hand, great Anarch, lets the curtain fall,
And universal darkness buries all.
宗教的尴尬，掩饰了神圣的火焰，
意识不到道德正在衰竭绝断，
明面上无人放火，私下里不敢点灯，
人类灵光荡然无存，只剩一片昏懵！
呜呼！可怖的混沌帝国即将恢复统治，
词语遭到抹杀之前光明就会消逝；
伟大的昏乱，你的手降下了帷幕，
无边的黑暗从此将一切禁锢。
就像德莱顿一样，蒲柏也是一名伟大的翻译——他主要翻译荷马而不是维吉尔——但是他为其他诗人留下的最重要遗赠在于彰显了恶搞英雄诗可以用来描绘几乎一切事物。恶搞英雄诗非但没有局限作者的写作范围，反而为他们打开了整个世界。蒲柏最伟大的仰慕者托马斯.格雷学到了这一课。他的《墓园挽歌》（Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard）堪称最广为人知且最具标志性的十八世纪英语诗歌。就像蒲柏一样，我们今天依然会有意无意地引用格雷的诗句。不过早在他创作这首诗之前还写过另一首远远更加接近蒲柏的搞笑精神的诗歌。这首诗让我们看到了英国国民性的另一个重要侧面，即宠爱小动物，尤其是猫。这一特质正在十八世纪迅速成型。这首诗也是一首挽歌，题为《一只心爱的猫在金鱼缸中淹死有感》（Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes'）。但凡是养猫的人都能看出诗文的描写多么栩栩如生。此外这首诗还提醒我们，贸易与物质主义的新时代正在降临英国——当时来自中国的瓷器是最炙手可热的畅销品。（还记得《卷发遇劫记》里那个从高处落下的“华丽的中国花瓶”吗？）
’Twas on a lofty vase’s side,
Where China’s gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima, reclined,
Gazed on the lake below.
那是在一个高大的磁缸边上，
中国磁器的色彩多么绚丽明亮；
上面绘有盛开的天蓝花朵，
赛莉玛趴在缸沿思索深沉；
她这只猫最庄严最斯文，
正将脚下湖水紧紧盯着。
Her conscious tail her joy declared;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purred applause.
轻摇的尾巴表露出她的喜悦：
她照见漂亮的圆脸，髭须如雪，
她的四爪绒毛像天鹅绒般柔和，
她的皮毛闪着玳瑁般的光泽，
还有墨玉似的耳朵，碧玉似的眼睛；
她发出呜呜的叫声十分高兴。
Still had she gazed; but ’midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,
The genii of the stream;
Their scaly armour’s Tyrian hue
Through richest purple to the view
Betrayed a golden gleam.
她两眼盯着水面，只见水波荡漾
游荡着一双天仙似的倩影，
那模样就象是一对水妖形象，
披着紫红色的鳞甲将水波引领：
那鳞色好比用海螺浸出的染料，
在浓艳的绛紫中有金光闪耀。
The hapless nymph with wonder saw;
A whisker first and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish,
She stretched in vain to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat’s averse to fish?
不幸的猫美人她越看越惊奇，
炽热的欲望在她心中升起，
她先探出胡须，又伸爪到水中，
拼命抓捞，但却枉费心机一场空。
哪个女人的心能鄙视黄金？
哪只猫的嘴巴能不馋鱼腥？
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch’d, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between.
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled)
The slippery verge her feet beguiled,
She tumbled headlong in.
冒失的猫小姐呵！她两眼似火烧，
不住地探下身，不住地去抓捞；
她不知道脚下是一片深渊，
暗自狞笑的命运等在旁边；
缸沿太滑，她的立足点突然一松，
她一失足就头朝下摔进水中。
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mewed to every watery god,
Some speedy aid to send.
No dolphin came, no Nereid stirred;
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard;
A Favourite has no friend!
她先后八次浮出激荡的水面，
挣扎呼叫向各位水神求援，
快来把她救出这危险；
但既不见海豚，仙女也没出现，
连狠心的汤姆和苏珊也毫无所闻，
心爱的猫啊，临危时竟没一个友人！
From hence, ye beauties, undeceived,
Know, one false step is ne’er retrieved,
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
Nor all that glisters, gold.
你们，还未受骗上当的美人，
从此该知道一失足将成千古恨，
你们要大胆，但更须谨慎：
那使你们流盼的秀目和轻浮的心
感到诱惑的，并非都是可取的目标，
那熠熠生辉的并非都是金子在闪耀！【顾子欣译，有修改】
格雷笔下更有名的那首挽歌创作于十八世纪四十年代，其中至少有一部分章节创作于白金汉郡斯托克珀格斯的圣贾尔斯教区教堂的周边墓地里。尽管这首诗的创作起因是一位朋友的逝世，但是诗歌的主题却是对生死关口的整体反思。诗人身处于一个睡眼惺忪、籍籍无名的英国小镇，镇子里的淳朴居民们全都注定将会被历史遗忘。针对小镇风貌的细微描写正是诗文的奇特感染力源自的来源。莎士比亚在十四行诗里不管不顾地表达了对于永世留名的渴望，而我们不妨将这首诗视作针对莎士比亚的回答：
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
晚钟响起一阵阵给白昼报丧，
牛群在草原上迂回，吼声起落，
耕地人累了，回家走，脚步踉跄，
把整个世界留给了黄昏与我。
Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the sight,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
苍茫的景色逐渐从眼前消退，
一边肃穆的寂静盖遍了尘寰，
只听见嗡嗡的甲虫转圈子纷飞，
昏沉的铃声催眠着远处的羊栏。
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r
The moping owl does to the moon complain
Of such, as wand'ring near her secret bow'r,
Molest her ancient solitary reign.
只听见常春藤披裹的塔顶地下
一只阴郁的鸱枭向月亮诉苦，
怪人家无端走进它秘密的住家，
搅扰它这个悠久而僻静的领土。
Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap,
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
峥嵘的榆树地下，扁柏的荫里，
草皮鼓起了许多零落的荒堆，
各自在洞窟里永远放下了身体，
小村里粗鄙的父老在那里安睡。
The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,
The swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built shed,
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.
香气四溢的晨风轻松的呼召，
燕子从茅草棚子里吐出的呢喃，
公鸡的尖喇叭，使山鸣谷应的猎号
再不能唤醒他们在地下的长眠。
For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
Or busy housewife ply her evening care:
No children run to lisp their sire's return,
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.
在他们，熊熊的炉火不再会燃烧，
忙碌的管家妇不再会赶他的夜活；
孩子们不再会“牙牙”的报父亲的来到，
为一个亲吻爬到他膝上去争夺。
Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;
How jocund did they drive their team afield!
How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
往常是：他们一开镰就所向披靡
顽梗的泥板让他们犁出了垄沟；
他们多么欢欣的赶牲口下地！
他们一猛砍，树木就一棵棵低头！
Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor.
“雄心”别嘲讽他们使用的操劳，
家常的欢乐、默默无闻的运命；
“豪华”也不用带着轻蔑的冷笑
来听讲穷人的又短又简的生平。
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
Awaits alike th' inevitable hour.
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
门第的炫耀，有权有势的煊赫，
凡是美和财富所能赋予的好处，
前头都等待着不可避免的时刻：
光荣的道路无非是引导到坟墓。【卞之琳译】
上文中笔者提到，尽管亚历山大.蒲柏通常被视为文学经营与罕见的奇才，但却是他开启了描写日常生活现实的大门。他的另一位朋友——同时也是乔纳森.斯威夫特的朋友——是约翰.盖伊。今天的读者们大概最熟悉他在1728年创作的《乞丐歌剧》。此前的英国戏剧从没见识过这样的作品。当时的伦敦痴迷于奢华的意大利歌剧，其中充斥着阉人歌手与一个字都听不懂的咏叹调。盖伊的应对则是推出了一部朴实刚健的英国戏剧，配乐采用民歌曲调，对白全用英文，剧情里遍布着强盗与杀人犯，还毫不留情地讽刺了英国的第一位恐怕也是最腐败的一位首相罗伯特.沃波尔。贝尔托.布莱希特还在二十世纪改编过这部作品。回到我们当下的主题，盖伊笔下描写日常生活最到位的诗歌就是《琐事，或行走于伦敦街道的艺术》（Trivia; or The Art of Walking the Streets of London），一看标题就知道诗歌内容是什么。读者们能够通过这首诗领略一下十八世纪早期的英国城市生活。就像今天一样，上街散步首先要挑个好时候：
For ease and for dispatch, the morning's best;
No tides of passengers the street molest.
You'll see a draggled damsel, here and there,
From Billingsgate her fishy traffic bear;
On doors the sallow milk-maid chalks her gains;
Ah! how unlike the milk-maid of the plains!
Before proud gates attending asses bray,
Or arrogate with solemn pace the way;
These grave physicians with their milky cheer,
The love-sick maid and dwindling beau repair;
Here rows of drummers stand in martial file,
And with their vellum thunder shake the pile,
To greet the new-made bride. Are sounds like these
The proper prelude to a state of peace?
Now industry awakes her busy sons,
Full charg'd with news the breathless hawker runs:
Shops open, coaches roll, carts shake the ground,
And all the streets with passing cries resound.
为了轻松便利，出门最好赶在清早；
汹涌人潮尚未将街道搅扰。
一身又湿又脏的妇人三三两两，
提着鱼篮赶赴比灵门水产市场。
蜡黄脸的挤奶女工在各家门口用粉笔标记收获，
唉，她们的乡间同行可不是这番气色！
在敞亮的门口，前来出诊的毛驴嘶鸣，
它们迈着稳健的步伐占道慢行；
这些拉着长脸的医师给出乳汁甘甜，
化解怨女的相思病，将憔悴的痴男复原；*1
成排鼓手组成严整军阵，
小牛皮的鼓面声若雷震，
向新婚佳偶贺喜，耳听得鼓声不停
难道这也能预示婚后生活的和平？*2
此时各行各业都唤醒了各自人马操劳繁忙
气喘吁吁冲将过来的是传达新闻的卖报郎。
店铺开张，马车隆隆，板车震动地面，
形形色色的吆喝街头巷尾都能听见。
*1【当时英国人认为新鲜驴奶有保健功能，因此挤奶女工会将驴赶到买主家门口当场挤奶。】
*2【当时的英国婚俗，鼓乐队会在婚礼次日清晨来到婚房门口奏乐，领到钱才会离开。】
随着日上三竿，街道上越发繁忙拥挤，因此散步也越来越危险了，尤其要小心弄脏衣服：
If cloth'd in black, you tread the busy town
Or if distinguish'd by the rev'rend gown,
Three trades avoid; oft in the mingling press,
The barber's apron soils the sable dress;
Shun the perfumer's touch with cautious eye,
Nor let the baker's step advance too nigh;
Ye walkers too that youthful colours wear,
Three sullying trades avoid with equal care;
The little chimney-sweeper skulks along,
And marks with sooty stains the heedless throng;
When small-coal murmurs in the hoarser throat,
From smutty dangers guard thy threaten'd coat:
The dust-man's cart offends thy clothes and eyes,
When through the street a cloud of ashes flies;
But whether black or lighter dyes are worn,
The chandler's basket, on his shoulder borne,
With tallow spots thy coat; resign the way,
To shun the surly butcher's greasy tray,
Butcher's, whose hands are dy'd with blood's foul stain,
And always foremost in the hangman's train.
Let due civilities be strictly paid.
The wall surrender to the hooded maid;
Nor let thy sturdy elbow's hasty rage
Jostle the feeble steps of trembling age;
And when the porter bends beneath his load,
And pants for breath, clear thou the crowded road.
But, above all, the groping blind direct,
And from the pressing throng the lame protect.
You'll sometimes meet a fop, of nicest tread,
Whose mantling peruke veils his empty head;
At ev'ry step he dreads the wall to lose,
And risks, to save a coach, his red-heel'd shoes;
Him, like the miller, pass with caution by,
Lest from his shoulder clouds of powder fly.
若是你身穿黑衣来到繁忙路段，
又或者一身教士法袍，那可要小心察看
三大行当必须回避，尤其在拥挤的地方，
理发师的围裙准会将紫貂大衣弄脏；
千万别让香水师触摸你的衣服，
也不要挡住糕点师傅的去路。
你的衣衫若是青春的五彩亮色，
同样有三大行当要避让躲过；
清扫烟囱的孩童满街乱窜，
不留神的人群准得蹭一身煤烟。
一旦听见火炭在烟囱的粗喉中低声诉说，
就要保护大衣不受沾污，再小心也不多。
垃圾工的大车同时冒犯衣衫与眼目，
隆隆驶过街道，掀起一团尘土灰雾；
但是不管你的衣料颜色是浅是深，
都要将蜡烛匠肩头的篮子避让三分，
略碰一下，必然沾染一团油迹，
坏脾气屠夫的盛肉盘也同样油腻。
屠夫的双手浸透了可厌的血污，
经常率先将绞刑师的生意照顾。
话说回来，走在路上必须遵守礼貌，
要为带兜帽的女士让出内侧人行道；
切勿亮出结实的胳膊肘左推右搡，
体弱老者脚步虚浮，经不住此等鲁莽；
倘若看到直不起腰的搬运工扛着重负，
累得直喘粗气，应当主动为他开路。
但最重要的是，遇到摸索的盲人要主动指路，
要在拥挤人流当中将腿脚不便的残疾人保护。
有时你会遇见某人将最精美的假发顶在头上，
假发好似斗篷，遮住他的头顶空空荡荡。
他每走一步都存心内靠紧贴墙根，
为了赶上马车，顾不得爱惜红色鞋跟；
好比磨坊工人，他走起路来小心翼翼，
就怕扑满粉的发套离开肩膀凌空飞去。
显然这些诗文并非单纯的白描，而是包含了针对英国社会的讽刺。此外从地理角度来说这首诗还揭示了另一项有趣的现实：早在1716年本诗成篇的时候，伦敦城就已经出现了东城与西城之分：东城遍布着辛苦的劳动者，空气极其刺鼻，西城则更加高雅祥和：
Or who that rugged street would traverse o'er,
That stretches, O Fleet-ditch, from thy black shore*1
To the Tower's moated walls? Here steams ascend
That in mix'd fumes the wrinkled nose offend.
Where chandlers' cauldrons boil; where fishy prey
Hide the wet stall, long absent from the sea;
And where the cleaver chops the heifer's spoil,
And where huge hogsheads sweat with trainy oil
Thy breathing nostril bold; but how shall I
Pass, where in piles Carnavian cheeses lie;
Cheese,that the table's closing rites denies,
And bids me with th' unwilling chaplain rise?
O bear me to the paths of fair Pall-mall!
Safe are thy pavements; grateful is thy smell;
At distance rolls along the gilded coach,
Nor sturdy carmen on thy walk encroach;
No lets would bar thy ways, were chairs deny'd,
The soft supports of laziness and pride:
Shops breathe perfumes, through sashes ribbons glow,
The mutual arms of ladies and the beau.
若是有人走过这些粗粝街道之间，
这片街道起始于漆黑的舰队沟岸边，*1
通向护城河环绕的伦敦塔城墙脚下，
一路上各种秽气杂糅，令鼻子无法招架。
蜡烛匠煮开了大釜，鱼贩子摊开货物，
离海许久的水产将潮湿的摊位遮住；
大砍刀劈开了一块块硬质牛油，
大木桶壁渗出的鲸脂直往下流，
敢在这里吸气的鼻孔不得不说真有胆色，
遇见成堆的柴郡奶酪，我只得掩鼻而过；
好一堆奶酪，不去充当正餐之后的小菜，
非得逼着我像无奈的家庭牧师那样离开？*2
啊，我多想漫步在美丽的帕尔玛尔大道！
清新怡人的空气，安全放心的人行道；
远处辚辚驶过镀金马车光辉灿烂，
并不与行人争道，车夫也非粗壮莽汉。
路上没有杂乱障碍，不会妨碍坐轿，
柔软地衬托着乘客的慵懒与骄傲；*3
商铺橱窗里缎带生辉，门口飘着香气，
相互挽着臂膀的是情郎与佳丽。
*1【当时伦敦的一条排污明渠】
*2【在英国上游家庭当中，家庭牧师的地位高于仆役，但低于家庭成员与宾客。因此家庭牧师要在正餐结束后离席，没资格留下来享用奶酪之类的餐后甜点。】
*3【帕尔玛尔是步行街，车辆不得进入，但是轿子可以。】
笔者觉得约翰.盖伊的作品读起来很容易上瘾。他笔下的伦敦城如今依旧清晰可见。不过另一方面他也创作了大量乡村诗歌。以下诗文节选自他的《乡间运动：一首牧歌》（Rural Sports: A Georgic），首先是犬戏野兔：
Yet if for silvan sport thy bosom glow,
Let thy feet greyhound urge his dying foe.
With what delight the rapid course I view!
How does my eye the circling race pursue!
He snaps deceitful air with empty jaws,
The subtle hare darts swift beneath his paws;
She flies, he stretches, now with nimble bound.
Eager he presses on, but overshoots his ground;
She turns, he winds, and soon regains the way,
Then tears with goary mouth the screaming prey.
What various sport does rural life afford!
What unbought dainties heap the wholesome board!
若是你胸中涌动着林间运动的热情，
就放纵灵𤟥飞奔，去追逐亡命的敌人。
你追我赶的疾驰，看得我多么愉悦，
紧紧盯着绕圈子的竞赛激烈。
猎犬的利齿几次三番仅仅咬到骗人的空气
灵巧的兔子在利爪之间蹿来跳去。
她飞奔，他扑捉，灵活的动作真堪匹敌，
他纵身扑上去，可惜动作太大过犹不及。
她急转，他掉头，很快重新赶上进度，
张开血盆大口，咬住了尖叫的猎物。
乡间生活包含了多少娱乐花样！
健康的运动将免费的美味献上！
接下来是射猎丘鹬：
Now to the copse thy lesser spaniel take,
Teach him to range the ditch and force the brake;
Now closest coverts can protect the game:
Hark! the dog opens; take thy certain aim;
The woodcock flutters; how he wavering flies!
The wood resounds: he wheels, he drops, he dies.
体格较小的猎鹬犬，灌木丛是用武之地，
教会他跳过沟渠，冲过枝丫，径直向前去。
尽量抵近，让猎物难以逃走，
去！冲着既定目标撒出猎狗；
丘鹬扑腾腾飞起来，半空中摇摇晃晃，
一声枪响震动树林，鸟儿转着圈掉在地上。
除了上述的乡间运动之外，还有其他现代体育活动也正在显露雏形。威廉.索莫韦尔是华威郡的一位乡间士绅，在诗坛的名气相对而言不太显赫。之所以要提到此人是因为他的诗作率先描述了英国人打板球的场面。1734年他创作了一首名为《保龄绿地》（The Bowling-Green）的诗歌，首先描写了平整球场的场景：
Here every morn, while fruitful vapours feed
The swelling blade, and bless the smoking mead,
A cruel tyrant reigns: like Time, the swain
Whets his unrighteous scythe, and shaves the plain:
Beneath each stroke the peeping flowers decay,
And all the' unripen'd crop is swept away:
The heavy roller next he tugs along,
Whift's his short pipe, or rears a rural song ;
With curious eye then the press'd turf he views,
And every rising prominence subdues.
每天清晨，正当饱满的露水滋养孕育
饱满的草叶与晨雾缭绕的草地，
一位残忍的暴君，恰似时光无情，
磨利不义的镰刀，将绿地齐头削平；
每次挥动利刃，都要摧残多少鲜花，
那么多未成熟的植株都要脑袋搬家；
接下来他拖来一具沉重的辊子，
嘴里叼着烟斗，唱着村俗的曲子；
他仔细打量压平过后的草地，
看哪里还有凸起，就强行镇压下去。
接下来比赛选手们纷纷亮相，可谓涵盖了英国乡间的各色人等：
Attornies spruce, in their plate-button'd frocks,
And rosy parsons, fat and orthodox ;
Of every sect, Whigs, Papists, and Highflyers,
Cornuted aldermen and hen-peck'd squires ;
Fox-hunters, quacks, scribblers in verse and prose,
And half-pay captains, and half-witted beaus.
On the green cirque the ready racers stand,
Dispos'd in pairs, and tempt the bowler's hand ;
身穿平板纽扣大衣，律师们纷纷出动，
面色红润的教区教士，身材圆润，信仰端正；
政治派系一应俱全：辉格党，教皇派，高派教会信徒，
老婆偷汉的市议员，乡绅惧内如虎；
猎狐的士绅，二把刀的庸医，寻章摘句的字匠，
囊中羞涩的船长，多情郎的脑子不太灵光。
在绿色的环形场地里，选手们各自站好，
两两一组，等待着投球手的出招。
索莫韦尔本人的板球水平显然不错，至少很清楚这项运动有时会多么令人丧气。例如下面这位神父——诗人套用所罗门王手下大祭司的名讳，将此人称作匝多克————他的球技显然不如自己以为的那样出色。他一开始发球太靠左，后来又向右纠正得太过了：
As if he meant to regulate its course,
By power attractive and magnetic force;
Now almost in despair, he raves, he storms,
Writhes his unwieldy truck in various forms.
Unhappy Proteus! still in vain he tries
A thousand shapes, the bowl erroneous flies,
Deaf to his prayers, regardless of his cries;
His puffing cheeks with rising rage inflame,
And all his sparkling rubies glow with shame.
就好像他有意调整球的轨迹，
似乎他能释放吸引的磁力；
几乎彻底绝望，他狂呼不停，
颟顸的身材扭曲成了各种造型，
不幸的普罗透斯！千番变形全是徒劳，
错误的投球轨迹并不会矫正分毫，
听不见他的祈祷，不顾他的哭号；
他两颊如同火烧，粗气喘不止，
红宝石一般的脸色反映了心中羞耻。
父老似乎一般指活着的人
尽管索莫韦尔笔下景象看上去十分祥和，但是“囊中羞涩的船长”一句还是提醒了我们，十八世纪的英国社会在大部分时候都处于战争状态并且高度军事化。上文中我们见识了乔纳森.斯威夫特的凶猛反战诗歌，下文中我们还要接触到小说家多比亚斯.斯摩莱特旗鼓相当的反战文学。但是战争的确为许多青年男性提供了就业机会与社会地位，待到英国与敌国签订合约时这些人往往痛心疾首。比方说理查森.派克，此人是一位职业士兵，曾经参加过西班牙王位继承战争，退伍后先后定居在伦敦与阿伯丁。1713年英法两国签订了《乌德勒支和约》，就此终结了欧洲的王朝冲突（就是这份协议将直布罗陀割让给了英国）。消息传来举国欢庆，但是派克却另有想法。他以一位“收入微薄、住在乡间的军官”的身份向伦敦的朋友抱怨道：
CURSE on the star, dear Harry, that betrayed
My choice from law, divinity or trade,
To turn a rambling brother o' the blade!
Of all professions sure the worst is war.
How whimsical our fortune! how bizarre!
This week we shine in scarlet and in gold:
The next, the cloak is pawned- -the watch is sold.
Today we re company for any lord:
Tomorrow not a soul will take our word.
Like meteors raised in a tempestuous sky,
A while we gitter, then obscurely die.
Must heroes suffer such disgrace as this?
0 cursed effects of Honourable Peace!
亲爱的亨利，该死的星运竟敢背叛
我遵从法律、神意与技艺做出的决断，
让持剑的兄弟沦为喋喋不休的闲汉！
一切行当当中战争的确最糟糕，
可是我们的命运怎么会如此蹊跷！
这个礼拜我们身穿大红军装，金色勋章多么骄傲,
下个礼拜就要将大衣送进当铺，怀表也要卖掉。
今天我们身边都是各位贵族相伴，
明天磨破嘴皮也得不到正眼相看。
恰似流星划过动荡的天空，
上一刻熠熠生辉，下一刻无影无踪。
大英雄莫非必须蒙尘纳垢？
啊，光荣的和平真该受诅咒！
在战争期间他桃花运不断，喝够了香槟酒。现在的情况可是无法与那时候相比了：
Must now retire, and languish out my days
Far from the roads of pleasure or of praise:
Quit sweet Hyde Park for dull provincial air,
And change the playhouse for a country fair;
With sneaking parsons beastly bumpers quaff,
At low conceits and vile conundrums laugh;
Toast to the Church and talk of Right Divine,
And herd with squires- -more noisy than their swine.
Must heroes suffer such disgrace as this?
0 cursed effects of Honourable Peace!
现在我不得不退伍，徒劳追忆往昔，
远离了享乐道路上的怒马鲜衣，
离开美丽的海德公园，忍受沉闷的农村空气，
将大剧院替换成粗鄙的地方土戏；
獐头鼠目的教区牧师端着大杯牛饮咕咚，
花言巧语和倒霉糗事逗得他们大笑出声；
他们向教会祝酒，胡扯什么神意奥妙，
跟他们厮混的乡绅比猪猡更加聒噪。
大英雄莫非必须蒙尘纳垢？
啊，光荣的和平真该受诅咒！
如今他不仅伙食标准大为下降，而且还丧失了女人缘：
There was a time- -oh yes! there was a time-
(Ere poverty made luxury a crime)
When marigolds in porridge were a jest,
And soups were used to introduce the feast.
Then French ragouts were orthodox and good,
And truffles held no heresy in food.
Nor to eat mackerel was judged high treason,
Though gooseberries as yet were not in season.
But under Harley's frugal dispensation,
These vanities require a reformation.
Scourged by his wand and humbled by his sway,
I've learned to suit my diet to my pay;
And now can sanctify with solemn face
A heavy dumpling with a formal grace.
In awkward plenty, slovenly I dine,
And nappy ale supplies the want of wine.
No nice desserts my learned palate please:
To fill up chinks- -a slice of Suffolk cheese.
And must then heroes nibble Suffolk cheese?
0 cursed effects of Honourable Peace!
曾几何时——啊，确实有过那样的时节，
那时贫困尚未抹杀奢侈与犯罪的区别。
那时粥碗里点缀着金盏花瓣，
汤菜的作用无非是引导正宴；
法式蔬菜炖肉量大味鲜，
松露也不算出格的异端；
来一条鲭鱼算不得叛国重罪，
尽管醋栗的时节总是不对。
但是小气的哈利削减了退伍津贴，*1
上述美食只能长期欠缺。
他一挥魔杖，我只得低头弯腰，
摸索着让伙食符合日常开销。
如今我总是摆出一脸严肃
小口吞咽死沉的汤团果腹。
份量倒是管够，我吃得慢慢腾腾，
喝不起红酒，只能用麦芽啤酒补充。
再也没有餐后甜点让我眉开眼笑，
只能凑合着嚼一片萨福克奶酪。
大英雄干嚼萨福克奶酪？何以沦落至此？
啊，光荣的和平究竟多么可耻！
*1【即罗伯特.哈利，安妮女王时代的首相。】
But ah! the hardest part is still behind-
The fair too, gentle Harry, prove unkind.
Think then how wretchedly my life must pass!
For what's this world, my friend, without a lass?
Poor be my lot, inglorious be my state,
Give me but woman, I'll absolve my fate.
But 'tis in vain. Th' ungrateful sex, as senseless as unjust,
To feed their pride will even starve their lust;
And fooled by equipage and empty show,
Quit the tough soldier for the lathy beau.
I who so oft their forward zeal have showed,
And in their service spent my warmest blood,
Am now reduced (hard fate!) for want of pelf
To fight the Jesuit's battle by myself.
Must heroes suffer such disgrace as this?
O cursed effects of Honourable Peace!
可是啊，最艰难的部分还在后面，
亲爱的哈利，如今美女们对我都不待见。
你想想我的生活现在多么惨淡，
亲爱的朋友啊，我的世界缺少了姑娘的陪伴！
纵然命途多舛，纵然世事艰难，
只要不缺女人，我就能与命运周旋。
可是这不知感恩的性别，全然不讲道理，
为了满足骄傲，就连情欲都置之不理。
花言巧语将她们哄得团团转，
只喜欢小白脸，大头兵看都不看。
她们也曾向我殷勤频献，
我也曾为她们浴血奋战，
如今（艰难的命运！）手头缺少阿堵物，
只能独自将奸人的攻势顶住。
大英雄莫非必须蒙尘纳垢？
啊，光荣的和平真该受诅咒！
以上诗文描写了战争世界不太常见的一面，但是听上去依旧十分真诚。当然，缅怀一场发生在其他国家并且早已过去的冲突的确不太难。这首抱怨诗问世三十年后，英国经受了1745年的詹姆斯二世党人叛乱。这是英国本土上的最后一场全面战斗，决战地点在卡洛登。查尔斯.爱德华.斯图尔特王子的军队在这里被康博兰公爵击败。苏格兰高地随后经受了一轮严酷镇压，留下的伤口很久之后方才愈合。多比亚斯.斯摩莱特是一名人气旺盛且争议缠身的小说家，他离开故乡苏格兰来到伦敦为海军工作。他的小说极少直接涉及政治，但是他最早发表的作品就是一首充满激情的后卡洛登时代挽歌。请看《苏格兰之泪》（The Tears of Scotland）：
Mourn, hapless Caledonia, mourn
Thy banish'd peace, thy laurels torn!
Thy sons, for valour long renown'd,
Lie slaughter'd on their native ground;
Thy hospitable roofs no more
Invite the stranger to the door;
In smoky ruins sunk they lie,
The monuments of cruelty.
悲恸吧，加勒多尼亚，尽情的悲恸
桂冠被撕碎，和平遭到断送！
你的子弟，长久以来英勇无双，
如今惨遭屠戮，丧命在家乡；
曾经好客的住宅再也不会
将陌生人请进房门之内；
如今只剩下冒烟的残垣断壁，
提醒人们将残忍行径铭记。
The wretched owner sees afar
His all become the prey of war,
Bethinks him of his babes and wife,
Then smites his breast and curses life.
Thy swains are famish'd on the rocks
Where once they fed their wanton flocks;
Thy ravish'd virgins shriek in vain;
Thy infants perish on the plain.
五内如焚的房主远远看见
战争将他的所有化作焦土一片，
想起他的妻儿如今已然没救，
他捶胸顿足将人生诅咒。
青年曾经在岩地放养牲畜，
如今却躲在这里饥肠辘辘；
惨遭蹂躏的少女嘶喊疯狂，
幼弱的婴儿在平原上夭亡。
What boots it then, in every clime,
Through the wide-spreading waste of time,
Thy martial glory, crown'd with praise,
Still shone with undiminish'd blaze?
Thy towering spirit now is broke,
Thy neck is bended to the yoke;
What foreign arms could never quell
By civil rage and rancour fell.
这一切根源何在，在各种天气当中，
漫长的时光到头来都是一场空，
尚武的荣耀，也曾饱受礼赞，
雪亮的锋刃如今怎堪验看？
高昂的精神如今遭到摧折，
脖颈上被强加了一副重轭；
异邦军队从未能将此地降服，
如今却惨遭内战怨憎的荼毒。
……
O baneful cause, O fatal morn,
Accursed to ages yet unborn!
The sons against their father stood,
The parent shed his children's blood.
Yet, when the rage of battle ceased,
The victor's soul was not appeased;-
The naked and forlorn must feel
Devouring flames and murdering steel!
哦，可恨的根由，哦，致命的哀悼
遭受诅咒的世代眼下尚未来到！
谁成想儿子竟会将父亲攻打，
父辈竟会将子女的鲜血泼洒。
可是待到战争怒火平息之后，
胜利者的灵魂却还嫌不够，
赤裸的难民们必须再经受一遭
吞噬无度的烈火与杀人的钢刀！
The pious mother, doom'd to death,
Forsaken wanders o'er the heath:
The bleak wind whistles round her head,
Her helpless orphans cry for bread;
Bereft of shelter, food, and friend,
She views the shades of night descend;
And, stretch'd beneath the inclement skies,
Weeps o'er her tender babes, and dies.
虔诚的母亲，注定难逃一死，
无助地在荒野里游荡不止。
凄厉寒风刮过她耳边，呼啸声高，
无助的孤儿哭喊着想要面包；
没了家园，没了粮食，没了亲友依靠，
眼看着夜幕降临将天地笼罩；
在冷酷的天空下，她喘出最后一口气，
为了娇儿流下眼泪，然后死去。
While the warm blood bedews my veins,
And unimpair'd remembrance reigns,
Resentment of my country's fate
Within my filial breast shall beat;
And, spite of her insulting foe,
My sympathising verse shall flow.
Mourn, hapless Caledonia, mourn
Thy banish'd peace, thy laurels torn!
火热的血液在我的血管里流淌，
脑海中的记忆永远不会被遗忘，
我怨憎祖国遭到的厄运，
胸怀里跳动着人子的愤恨；
我要怒斥竟敢侮辱她的敌人，
源源不绝地写下同情的诗文。
悲恸吧，加勒多尼亚，尽情的悲恸
桂冠被撕碎，和平遭到断送！
斯摩莱特很熟悉军旅生涯。他曾经在皇家海军担任外科医生，他在小说当中也花费了不少笔墨来描写军队的肮脏暗面。但是如果读者们真想了解在一艘乔治二世国王时期的战舰上生活是怎样的感受，斯摩莱特的文笔还是略逊一筹，倒不如去读一读某无名诗人撰写的讽刺诗：《一名海上随军牧师就船尾瞭望台的使用情况向指挥室各级军官请愿》（A Sea Chaplain's Petition to the Lieutenants in the Ward-room, for the Use of the Quarter Gallery）。诗文的标题虽然拗口，内容却很直白。战舰上的随军牧师不想继续与其他水兵一起在船尾解大手，而是希望能使用相对隐秘舒适的军官们专用厕所。当然，诗人也知道自己仅仅在靠岸期间才有资格与军官同桌吃饭，但是他依然忍不住请求军官们给个方便：
You that can grant or can refuse the pow'r,
Low from the stern to drop the golden show'r
When nature prompts,Oh! patient deign to hear,
If not a parson's, yet a poet's pray'r!
E'er taught the difference, to commissions due,
Presumptuous I aspir'd to mess with you :
But since the diff'rence known 'twixt sea & shore,
That mighty happiness I urge no more,
An humble boon, and of a different kind,
(Grant heav'n a diff'rent answer it may find)
Attends you now (excuse the rhyme I write),
And tho' I mess not with you--let me shite!
你若有权拒绝或者允许
从船尾向下洒落黄金雨
在自然督促之际，哦！请耐心听我分说根由，
就算这不是牧师发言，至少是诗人的祈求。
在下早就学过军衔高低之分，
也曾放肆地胆敢与各位厮混；
但是海上与岸上的规矩不能相提并论，
我自然也再不敢寻求此等天大福分。
只有一点卑微的请求，源自另一方面
（惟愿上天赐予我不同的答案）,
允许我加入你们（请原谅我强行押韵）
——我绝无冒犯之意——当我必须排粪！
当然，缺乏隐私还远远算不上是最严重的问题。接下来的诗文更是直言不讳地描述了船上的如厕方式：
Of those more vulgar tubes that downward peep,
Near where the lion awes the raging deep,
The waggish youths, I tell what I am told,
Oft smear the sides with excremental gold,
Say then, when pease, within the belly pent,
Roar at the port and struggle for a vent,
Say, shall I pludge on dung remissly down,
And with unseemly ordure stain the gown?
Or shall I - terrible to think - displode,
Against the unbutton'd plush the smoky load?
The laugh of swabbers? - Heav'n avert the jest !
And from th' impending scorn preserve your priest!
那些更粗鄙的管道自然也会向下窥探，
位置就在那傲视波涛的船首狮头侧面。
那些顽劣的青年——这话也是别人告诉我
——惯于将后门出产的黄金在狮头两边涂抹。
例如当豌豆在某人腹中起劲翻搅，
自然要跑到船舷将宣泄场所寻找。
莫非我排放污秽时只能马虎随意，
听任这身法袍沾染上刺鼻的臭气？
又莫非我只能——天可怜见——原地爆破，
解开绒毛裤，喷发出热气腾腾的负荷？
沦为拖地勤务兵的笑柄？——上天开恩！
别让你们的教士被奚落得无处容身！
十八世纪英语诗歌全都彬彬有礼的成见到此就可以休矣了。接下来随军牧师又抱怨说他嫉妒船上的皮匠，因为皮匠有专属的厕所。他此前空耗光阴接受教育与祝圣，可是现在的如厕条件还赶不上区区一个“收拾皮革的家伙”：
Ah! What avails it, that in days of yore,
The instructive lashes of the birch I bore.
For four long years with logic stuff'd my head,
And feeding thought went supperless to bed,
Since you with whom my lot afloat is thrown,
(O sense! O elegance! to land unknown)
Superiour rev'rence to the man refuse,
Who mends your morals, than who mends your shoes.
啊！这么多年的辛苦，究竟为了什么？
桦树枝教鞭的抽打我曾无数次挨过。
整整四年研究逻辑，塞满我的头脑，
空着肚子上床睡觉，脑子里只顾思考。
现在我与你们几位一起漂流在海上，
（啊理性！啊优雅！都留在了陆地的方向）
诸位却拒绝授予更高一等的尊敬，
振奋士气之人还赶不上鞋匠的处境。
以上诗文肯定无法与蒲柏的手笔相提并论，甚至与斯威夫特都相差甚远。但是诗文当中的确蕴藏着源于个人尊严与阶级歧视的真切愤怒。在笔者看来，这一首诗对于皇家海军生活的描述足以与一大摞历史著作相提并论。
这段诗文当中特别提到了桦树枝教鞭，这一点难免让读者们想到十八世纪男性生活的另一个基本方面：体罚盛行的学校生活。这方面的情况在大部分诗歌当中仅仅被附带提及，不过有一首诗是个例外。威廉.申斯通是一位出身什罗普郡的诗人，生前广为人知，身后却声名不显。在《女教师》（The Schoolmistress）一诗中，他描绘了英国农村地区常见的学堂，这些学堂勉强承担了英国的小学教育。诗文在序言中写道：“仿斯威夫特戏谑风格而作。”但是今天的读者们读到这些诗文只怕根本笑不出来：
IN every village marked with little spire,
Embowered in trees, and hardly known to fame,
There dwells, in lowly shed and mean attire,
A matron old, whom we schoolmistress name,
Who boasts unruly brats with birch to tame;
They grieven sore, in piteous durance pent,
Awed by the power of this relentless dame,
And ofttimes, on vagaries idly bent,
For unkempt hair, or task unconned, are sorely shent.
在每一个具备教堂尖顶的小小村镇，
周围绿树环绕，几乎不被外人所知，
都有一间低矮小屋，室内陈设寒碜，
住着一位老年妇女，人人尊称女教师。
她夸口专管熊孩子，全凭一根桦树枝，
他们的疼痛，只能虔诚地在肚里憋着，
在这位无情的女士手下没少找苦吃。
经常只因为这样那样的微小过错，
头发凌乱，忘记看书，就要遭受鞭笞。
And all in sight doth rise a birchen tree,
Which Learning near her little dome did stow,
Whilom a twig of small regard to see,
Though now so wide its waving branches flow,
And work the simple vassals mickle woe;
For not a wind might curl the leaves that blew,
But their limbs shuddered, and their pulse beat low,
And as they looked they found their horror grew,
And shaped it into rods, and tingled at the view.
那棵桦树就竖立在在私塾门前，
校长女士曾亲手将这棵树培养，
曾经只是一根细枝，离远了看不见，
如今却亭亭如盖，树冠随风飘扬，
让多少小孩子将苦头饱尝。
就算有一阵微风甚至无法吹动树叶，
依然吓得孩子们脉搏减慢，手脚冰凉，
眼看桦树的树干，恐惧越发迫切，
化作教鞭的形状，刺痛得愈发强烈。
So have I seen (who has not, may conceive)
A lifeless phantom near a garden placed,
So doth it wanton birds of peace bereave,
Of sport, of song, of pleasure, of repast;
They start, they stare, they wheel, they look aghast;
Sad servitude! such comfortless annoy
May no bold Briton’s riper age e’er taste!
Ne superstition clog his dance of joy,
Ne vision empty, vain, his native bliss destroy.
我曾经见过（没见过的想象一下也行）
毫无生机的鬼怪监视着花园，
凶恶剥夺了欢快鸟儿的和平，
吓得他们不敢唱歌，休憩或者游玩，
一惊一乍，两眼圆瞪，神情骇然。
可悲的奴役！多么生硬无情，
惟愿更年长的英国人不必受此摧残。
希望他的欢乐之舞不会被迷信逼停，
空洞虚荣的执念不会毁坏他的安宁。
Near to this dome is found a patch so green
On which the tribe their gambols do display.
And at the door imprisoning board is seen,
Lest weakly wights of smaller size should stray,
Eager, perdie, to bask in sunny day!
The noises intermixed, which thence resound,
Do Learning’s little tenement betray;
Where sits the dame disguised in look profound,
And eyes her fairy throng, and turns her wheel around.
在房舍附近是一片如茵绿草，
别的孩子们在草地上欢乐嬉戏。
禁锢的木板将门口封堵好，
以免身体瘦小的学生偷偷溜出去。
一心只想将温暖的阳光沐浴！
草地上玩乐的喧闹声响，
穿透了狭小教室的屋门锁闭，
女校长装出一脸高深莫测，
转身打量学生们拥挤就坐。
Her cap, far whiter than the driven snow,
Emblem right meet of decency does yield;
Her apron, dyed in grain, as blue, I trow,
As is the harebell that adorns the field;
And in her hand, for sceptre, she does wield
Tway birchen sprays; with anxious fear entwined,
With dark distrust, and sad repentance filled,
And steadfast hate, and sharp affliction joined,
And fury uncontrolled, and chastisement unkind.
她的头发远比积雪更白，
看上去确实可敬而又体面；
她的围裙染成了蓝色，我猜
就像风铃草将田野铺遍。
恰似权杖握在她手中，只见
桦树枝条上缠绕着不安与恐惧，
暗黑的质疑与悲哀的积怨，
不动不摇的憎恨，尖锐的焦虑，
失控的怒火，以及惩处充满恶意。
到目前为止我们还没怎么听到十八世纪女性诗人的声音。不过既然谈到了童年的话题，那就有必要介绍一下玛丽.巴伯。她是都柏林人，在诗歌创作方面深受斯威夫特的影响。她本人生育了九个孩子，她笔下的最优秀诗作要么以孩子为题，要么是写给他们的。巴伯很不待见当时英国盛行的鞭笞教育法，她的诗作《写给吾子，由他在学校朗读，有感于老师首次亮出教鞭》（Written for my Son, and spoken by him in School, upon his Master's first bringing in a Rod）明确表达了她的观点。在笔者看来，我们不妨将这首作品视为当代教育的第一声呼吁：
Our Master, in a fatal Hour,
Brought in this Rod, to shew his Pow'r.
O dreadful Birch! O baleful Tree!
Thou Instrument of Tyranny!
Thou deadly Damp to youthful Joys!
The Sight of thee our Peace destroys.
Not Damocles, with greater Dread,
Beheld the Weapon o'er his Head.
我们的大人，在那生死攸关的时刻，
抽出这根教鞭，以示自己大权在握。
哦可怖的树枝，哦该死的桦树！
你这器械只会为暴君服务！
少年的欢乐惨遭你的压抑，
和平的景象被你打翻在地。
就算达摩克利斯也从未这般害怕，
悬在他头顶的杀器带不来此等惊吓。
That Sage was surely more discerning,
Who taught to play us into Learning,
By 'graving Letters on the Dice:
May Heav'n reward the kind Device,
And crown him with immortal Fame,
Who taught at once to read and game!
曾经的明师远远更加高明，
寓教于乐的手段真有水平，
骰子刻上字母，用来将知识宣讲，
愿这件教具为他赢得天国的奖赏，
愿他英名流传直到后世，
戏耍之间就教会孩子们认字！
Take my Advice; pursae that Rule;
You'll make a Fortune by your School.
You'll soon have all the elder Brothers,
And be the Darling of their Mothers.
听取我的建议，遵循这条原则，
你将会拥有幸运的教学生活。
学生们都会将你视作兄长，
母亲们都会为你热烈鼓掌。
O may I live to hail the Day,
When Boys shall go to School to play!
To Grammar Rules we'll bid Defiance;
For Play will then become a Science.
愿我能欢呼那一天的来到，
愿孩子们为了嬉戏而前往学校！
再不必死记硬背语法口诀，
玩耍届时将成为一门科学。
看多了十八世纪肖像画的人们都知道，当时的男孩在小时候都要穿裙子而不是裤子。大约在五六岁的时候他们则会改穿紧腿马裤，假领子以及挤脚的鞋子。巴伯对此同样颇有微词。她显然鼓励过自己的儿子当众念诵她的诗作《写给吾子，由他在第一次试穿马裤时朗读》（Written for my Son, and spoken by him at his first putting on Breeches）。
What is it our Mamma's bewitches,
To plague us little Boys with Breeches?
To Tyrant Custom we must yield,
Whilst vanquish'd Reason flies the Field.
Our Legs must suffer by Ligation,
To keep the Blood from Circulation;
And then our Feet, tho' young and tender,
We to the Shoemaker surrender;
Who often makes our Shoes so strait,
Our growing Feet they cramp and fret;
Whilst, with Contrivance most profound,
Across our Insteps we are bound;
Which is the Cause, I make no Doubt,
Why Thousands suffer in the Gout.
Our wiser Ancestors wore Brogues,
Before the Surgeons brib'd these Rogues,
With narrow Toes, and Heels like Pegs,
To help to make us break our Legs.
Then, ere we know to use our Fists;
Our Mothers closely bind our Wrists;
And never think our Cloaths are neat,
Till they're so tight we cannot eat.
And, to increase our other Pains,
The Hat-band helps to cramp our Brains.
The Cravat finishes the Work,
Like Bow-string sent from the Grand Turk.
Thus Dress, that should prolong our Date,
Is made to hasten on our Fate.
Fair Privilege of nobler Natures,
To be more plagu'd than other Creatures!
The wild Inhabitants of Air
Are cloath'd by Heav'n with wondrous Care:
Their beauteous, well-compacted Feathers
Are Coats of Mail against all Weathers;
Enamell'd, to delight the Eye;
Gay, as the Bow that decks the Sky.
The Beasts are cloath'd with beauteous Skins:
The Fishes arm'd with Scales and Fins;
Whose Lustre lends the Sailer Light,
When all the Stars are hid in Night.
O were our Dress contriv'd like these,
For Use, for Ornament, and Ease!
我们的母亲为何遭受迷惑，
让孩童们遭受马裤的灾祸？
我们必须屈服于传统的暴虐，
将飞扬的理性在田野里消灭。
我们的双腿被捆扎束缚，
以至血液循环遭到禁锢。
我们的双脚如此娇嫩，
却要听任鞋匠的蹂躏。
他们的童鞋总是太过逼仄，
正在发育的双脚多么难过。
最别扭的设计，最造作的局限，
紧紧束缚了我们的脚面。
我毫不怀疑，这就是致病根源，
为何许多人日后会患上关节炎。
明智的先辈都穿雕花皮鞋，鞋身镂空，
只可恨外科医师后来与可恶的鞋匠串通。
鞋尖局促狭窄，鞋跟好似木橛，
害得我们随时可能把腿摔瘸。
还没等我们学会使用双手，
母亲就牢牢扎紧了我们的袖口。
她们从不认为我们的衣服合体好看，
除非紧绷在身上，害得我们没法吃饭。
身体其他部位也不让我们好受，
勒住头脑的帽带堪比紧箍咒。
还要再扎一条领巾才算大功告成，
恰似突厥人的弓弦死命勒住喉咙。
服装的本意是便利生活，
如今却成了催命的网罗。
人为万物灵长，衣物蔽体本是特权，
却要饱受折磨，不如鸟兽自由周旋。
自由不羁的群鸟在天空中栖息，
上帝精心为它们织就一身羽衣。
优美的羽毛片片排列致密，
恰似甲胄将雨雪风霜抵御。
鲜艳美丽，为眼目带来欢乐，
恰似天上彩虹的明快彩色。
地上的走兽身披丰美的毛皮，
水里的游鱼身上有鳞又有鳍。
鳞光闪烁，借给水手点点光明，
当他们在无星之夜摸黑航行。
哦，惟愿我们的服装也能如此设计，
为了实用，为了装饰，为了行动便利！
十八世纪的都柏林是英国的诗歌与文学中心之一，这一点并不能完全归功于斯威夫特。哲学家扎堆的爱丁堡则紧随其后。在罗伯特.彭斯出现之前，同时代最著名的诗人是罗伯特.弗格森。爱丁堡的皇家一英里大街上有他的雕像。他的塑像化身看上去既年轻又瘦削，尽管塑像面容是金属质地，但是看上去依然洋溢着营养不良的气质。弗格森在二十四岁得那年就英年早逝了，但是他在生前早已抓紧时间将爱丁堡的权贵阶层骂了个狗血淋头。日后彭斯将会继承他的戏谑诗风并且一炮打响。他的诗作《犯傻的日子》（The Daft Days）描述了苏格兰当地庆祝新年的景象。早在当时苏格兰人的狂放作风就已经举世闻名了。诗文当中的苏格兰腔调很重，但是只要大声念诵出来还是很容易理解的：
Now mirk December’s dowie face
Glours our the rigs wi sour grimace,
While, thro’ his minimum of space,
The bleer-ey’d sun,
Wi blinkin light and stealing pace,
His race doth run.
十二月摆着一张阴沉苦脸，
斜视着我们做出酸涩鬼脸，
露面时间不能再短
的太阳，睡眼惺忪，
光线闪烁，偷偷摸摸把路赶，
一直向前冲。
From naked groves nae birdie sings,
To shepherd’s pipe nae hillock rings,
The breeze nae od’rous flavour brings
From Borean cave,
And dwyning nature droops her wings,
Wi visage grave.
赤裸的树林里没有百鸟鸣唱，
山丘四周听不到牧笛明亮，
空气中闻不到一丝芬芳
源自北风的洞窟，
郁闷的自然将双翼沉降，
触目所及尽是光秃。
Mankind but scanty pleasure glean
Frae snawy hill or barren plain,
Whan winter, ‘midst his nipping train,
Wi frozen spear,
Sends drift our a’ his bleak domain,
And guides the weir.
人类此时找不到多少乐趣，
从大雪封山到贫瘠的平地，
寒冬的队列多么犀利，
用冻结的长矛
驱赶积雪覆盖他的惨淡领地，
水闸无法移动分毫。
……
Fidlers, your pins in temper fix,
And roset weel your fiddle-sticks;
But banish vile Italian tricks
Frae out your quorum,
Not fortes wi pianos mix –
Gie’s Tulloch Gorum.
提琴手们，快调整琴码舒张，
快为琴弓涂一层松香；
难听的意大利曲调可别开张，
你们的乐队要知道——
更不需要钢琴来帮腔——
来一段图洛克.格罗姆的曲调。*
*【以奔放著称的曲调。】
For nought can cheer the heart sae weel
As can a canty Highland reel;
It even vivifies the heel
To skip and dance:
Lifeless is he wha canna feel
Its influence.
要说到怎样让人心花怒放，
高地回旋舞最令气氛高涨；
简直让脚跟忍不住歌唱；
一双双脚步流转，
除非你毫无生气一脸死相，
才不会受到感染。
Let mirth abound, let social cheer
Invest the dawning of the year;
Let blithesome innocence appear
To crown our joy;
Nor envy wi sarcastic sneer
Our bliss destroy.
让欢乐遍及四方，用欢呼连连
迎接即将到来的新一年；
愿愉悦的纯真浮现
为我们的欢笑献上王冠，
不要让尖酸的假笑糟践
我们的快乐联欢。
And thou, great god of Aqua Vitae!
Wha sways the empire of this city,
When fou we’re sometimes capernoity,
Be thou prepar’d
To hedge us frae that black banditti,
The City Guard.
还有你，伟大的美酒之神！
这座城市眼下奉你为尊，
为了你我们偶尔会脑子发昏，
请你做好准备，
保护我们免受黑衣匪徒的袭侵，
那帮所谓的城市守卫。*
*【即爱丁堡警察，当时素有暴力执法的恶名，曾与弗格森多次起冲突。】
苏格兰是全英国宗教氛围最浓厚的地区，更何况当时依然是宗教盛行的时代。十八世纪的宗教复兴主义为英国留下了许多传唱至今的赞美诗。《奇妙十架》（When I survey the Wondrous Cross）的作者以撒.华滋与《灵友歌》（Jesus, Lover of My Soul）的作者查理.卫斯理是两位最著名的赞美诗作者。不过笔者更欣赏另一位诗人，也就是非同寻常的克里斯托弗.斯玛特。此人毕生饱受精神问题折磨，最终死在了债务人监狱里。斯玛特是个天才，也是以塞缪尔.约翰逊为代表的诸多文坛大家心目中的偶像。他的圣诞颂歌《救主基督耶稣诞生礼赞》（The Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ）在笔者眼中堪称自从乔治.赫伯特以来最优美的宗教作品：
Where is this stupendous stranger,
Swains of Solyma, advise?
Lead me to my Master's manger,
Show me where my Saviour lies.
神奇陌客现在何方，
犹太牧人可知分晓？
带我前去救主身旁，
领我去看我主马槽。
O Most Mighty! O Most Holy!
Far beyond the seraph's thought,
Art thou then so mean and lowly
As unheeded prophets taught?
无上圣洁无上威赫！
炽焰天使亦不能比。
您可也曾如此卑弱，
先知预言谁人记起？
O the magnitude of meekness!
Worth from worth immortal sprung;
O the strength of infant weakness,
If eternal is so young!
何等柔顺既深且远！
永生之源宝中之宝；
赤子虽弱伟力彰显，
永恒竟能如此幼小！
If so young and thus eternal,
Michael tune the shepherd's reed,
Where the scenes are ever vernal,
And the loves be Love indeed!
如此幼小亦能永存，
米迦勒也吹起牧笛，
彼时彼地四季常春，
世间众爱均为一体！
See the God blasphem'd and doubted
In the schools of Greece and Rome;
See the pow'rs of darkness routed,
Taken at their utmost gloom.
希腊罗马学校荒悖，
竟将上帝亵渎质疑；
黑暗权柄一击即溃，
就在最为昏沉时期。
Nature's decorations glisten
Far above their usual trim;
Birds on box and laurels listen,
As so near the cherubs hymn.
自然装饰熠熠生辉
远比平时更加好看；
群鸟栖息黄杨月桂，
凑近倾听天使礼赞。
Boreas now no longer winters
On the desolated coast;
Oaks no more are riv'n in splinters
By the whirlwind and his host.
北风不与寒冬共论
不再横行荒凉海岸；
橡树再不会被阵阵
回旋寒风撕成碎片。
Spinks and ouzels sing sublimely,
"We too have a Saviour born";
Whiter blossoms burst untimely
On the blest Mosaic thorn.
雉鸟黑鸫齐声高唱，
“我们也有救主降世”；
洁白花朵神奇绽放，
开满蒙恩摩西荆刺。
God all-bounteous, all-creative,
Whom no ills from good dissuade,
Is incarnate, and a native
Of the very world He made.
至美上帝造物大能，
万难岂能阻祂为善，
道成肉身人世降生，
来到祂创造的世界。【感谢atr网友的指正】
此外斯玛特还是十八世纪最不同凡响的动物诗歌的作者，尽管这一点看上去有点怪。他在《羔羊颂》（Jubilate Agno）一诗中专门抽出篇幅描写了自己的宠物猫杰弗里。顾名思义，《羔羊颂》首先是一首赞美诗，诗人将神性深切延展进入了动物世界。对于一本像本书这样借助诗歌来品读英国国民性的作品来说，似乎没什么理由选入这首诗。但是笔者实在忍不住还是将这段诗文收录了进来，因为我们英国人确实很喜欢动物：
For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.
For he rolls upon prank to work it in.
For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.
For this he performs in ten degrees.
For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.
For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.
For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.
For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.
For fifthly he washes himself.
For sixthly he rolls upon wash.
For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.
For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.
For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.
For tenthly he goes in quest of food.
For having consider'd God and himself he will consider his neighbour.
For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.
For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.
For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.
For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.
For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.
For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.
For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.
For he is of the tribe of Tiger.
For the Cherub Cat is a term of the Angel Tiger.
我想起了我家猫儿杰弗里。
他是上帝的仆役，忠诚为祂服务。
他崇拜每天上帝光辉从东方投射的第一瞥。
崇拜仪式是以头顾尾，优雅迅捷地转七圈。
然后他一跃而起去扑麝香花，这是上帝回应他祈祷的恩赐。
他在花丛里撒欢，将香气沾满全身。
完成了职责，领受了恩典，他开始打理自己。
打理过程一共分十步。
第一步他检查前爪是否干净。
第二步他后爪踢土清理污物。
第三步他伸直前爪来一个懒腰。
第四步他在木料上打磨爪子。
第五步他清洁自身。
第六步他继续清洁前半身。
第七步他清除身上的跳蚤，以免出击时遭到干扰。
第八步他在柱子上蹭痒。
第九步他听人训话。
第十步他去找吃的。
礼敬过了上帝，照顾好了自己，之后他将为邻居们考虑。
他若是遇到另一只猫，一定会亲切接吻。
若是抓到猎物，必定玩弄片刻，给予其逃命的机会。
抓到一只老鼠总要七纵七擒才肯罢休。
忙完了白天的工作，他才要开始干正事。
夜里他是上帝的哨兵，负责监视敌人。
因为他的皮毛泛着电光，两眼如火，对抗黑暗的势力。
因为他对抗死亡化身的魔鬼，凭借旺盛的生命力。
每日晨祷之际，他热爱太阳，太阳也热爱他。
他是猛虎的同族。
猫之于虎，恰似基路伯之于天使。【感谢首fool网友的指正】
常言说猫是老虎的师傅，在这里斯玛特笔下的猫肯定是威廉.布莱克的老虎的师傅。
有爱尔兰语，是否有苏格兰语？
应该没有形成独立的语言，只能算是方言。
我之前做的《我本衰人》的作者就是苏格兰人，不过有河友还是弄混了。
苏格兰说三种语言。一是英语，二是和英语相近的苏格兰方言，三是和英语非常不一样的苏格兰盖尔语。苏格兰盖尔语很少人说，但的确是自古以来苏格兰土著的语言。
到了下一章我们还要重点介绍布莱克。但是在此之前我们还要再接触一位重要的十八世纪诗人。此人就像斯玛特一样也受到精神疾病的困扰，并且在福音派基督教当中找寻到了慰藉。本章节此前介绍的诗歌全都各成一家，其中有些恶搞了英雄体裁，有些表达了对于优雅姿态的强烈渴望，有些彰显了细致入微的白描功夫，有些体现了深切的宗教感情，还有些抒发了对于乡村生活的热爱。可是有没有这样一位诗人能将所有这些套路融为一体呢？在蒲柏的时代已经过去了两代人之后，有没有这样一位诗人能够担当时代精神的化身呢？确实有一位威廉.柯珀应声出列。此人一副神经紧张的样子，但却有着于无声处摧枯拉朽的性格。
柯珀是一位杰出的学生，也是一位求不得的心碎情郎，平生曾经三次自杀未遂。最终他在白金汉郡奥尔尼镇安顿下来并且得到了朋友们的关怀。他在奥尔尼遇到了曾经的黑奴商人、如今的皈依基督徒以及《奇异恩典》的词作者约翰.牛顿，并在其影响下投入了废奴运动。废奴是本时期英国诗歌的一大主题，从丹尼尔.笛福到汉娜.摩尔再到恢复自由的前尼日利亚黑奴奥拉达.艾奎亚诺都创作过涉及这方面的诗歌。但是柯珀围绕这一主题创作的诗歌却比任何其他人的作品都更加优美且怒火中烧。他的同情心比蒲柏更重，或许也因此而更受折磨。他很理解节律、清新文笔以及固定套路对于遏制恐惧维持理智的重要性，并且在这方面竭尽了全力。他是个用心的听众，也是可靠的女性伴侣。他热爱动物，而且热衷于针砭时弊。但是在所有这一切表象之下他并不快乐，因为他总是难以自抑地觉得自己即将永坠地狱。正如前文所见，十八世纪是英国的海洋时代，而柯珀则觉得大海是一个无所不在且饱含威胁的比喻。他以大海为题创作了最著名的一首赞美诗《上主作为何等奥秘》（God moves in a mysterious way），这首诗深刻揭露了英国人的集体意识：
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm
上主作为何等奥秘，行事伟大神奇；
海洋之中有其足迹，驾御风暴飞驰。
Deep in unsearchable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will
上主大能深不可测，历来有成无败，
珍藏各种奇妙设计，由他意旨主宰。
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings, on your head
圣徒应当鼓勇振奋，不怕天空多云；
云中深藏慈爱怜悯，化为恩雨降临。
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face
莫凭感觉臆断上主，一心靠主恩典；
愁云惨雾隐密之处，有主仁慈笑脸。
His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower
上主用意迅速成熟，时刻向人彰显。
花蕾或许味道苦涩，鲜花多么香甜。
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain
盲目不信导致错误，观察却不领悟；
惟神自己洞悉其工，向人启发显明。
在另一首更伟大的诗作《落水者》（The Castaway）当中，柯珀做出了一个可怖的比喻。当时海军上将乔治.安森在航行期间有一位水兵不慎落水失踪，柯珀将这一事件与他本人在心理与宗教层面漂泊无着的感受联系了起来。这首诗淋漓尽致地表达了新教个人主义对诗人的影响。这种宗教感受对于蒲柏来说想必十分陌生：
Obscurest night involved the sky,
The Atlantic billows roared,
When such a destined wretch as I,
Washed headlong from on board,
Of friends, of hope, of all bereft,
His floating home forever left.
最晦暗的夜幕笼罩了苍穹，
四面八方都是大西洋的吼声，
一位像我这样命中注定的可怜虫，
被巨浪从甲板上扫到了海中。
失去朋友，失去希望，一切都被夺去，
远离了海上家园，再也回不去。
No braver chief could Albion boast
Than he with whom he went,
Nor ever ship left Albion's coast,
With warmer wishes sent.
He loved them both, but both in vain,
Nor him beheld, nor her again.
阿尔比恩再没有如此勇敢的船长
陪同他一起出海经受磨炼，
离开阿尔比恩的船只全都赶不上
这条船承载的温暖祝愿。
他热爱船长与船，但两者均是徒劳，
船长无处寻觅，船也再见不着。
Not long beneath the whelming brine,
Expert to swim, he lay;
Nor soon he felt his strength decline,
Or courage die away;
But waged with death a lasting strife,
Supported by despair of life.
他并未长久被无边咸水淹没，
因为他水性极佳，漂在海面；
他也并未很快感到体力衰弱，
他的勇气并未消失不见。
但是对抗死亡是一刻不停的斗争，
生命的绝望充斥了他的心胸。
He shouted: nor his friends had failed
To check the vessel's course,
But so the furious blast prevailed,
That, pitiless perforce,
They left their outcast mate behind,
And scudded still before the wind.
他高声呼喊，朋友们并未见死不救，
急忙纠正船只的航向，
只可惜海面上止不住的浪高风骤，
如此毫不留情的力量，
迫使他们只得将落水同伴舍弃，
狂风裹挟着他们迅速远去。
Some succour yet they could afford;
And, such as storms allow,
The cask, the coop, the floated cord,
Delayed not to bestow.
But he (they knew) nor ship, nor shore,
Whatever they gave, should visit more.
他们依然提供了力所能及的帮助，
顶着风暴的强大阻力
将木桶，绳索，以及各种漂浮物
朝他身边抛掷过去。
但是无论抛过去什么，他们心里都知道，
这条船，或者海岸，他都再也见不到。
Nor, cruel as it seemed, could he
Their haste himself condemn,
Aware that flight, in such a sea,
Alone could rescue them;
Yet bitter felt it still to die
Deserted, and his friends so nigh.
这做法看似残酷，但他却实在不能
谴责他们弃他而不顾，
这样狂暴的大海，这样危险的航程，
唯有逃命才是唯一活路。
但是死到临头他心里依然难受，
他的朋友们将他落在了身后。
He long survives, who lives an hour
In ocean, self-upheld;
And so long he, with unspent power,
His destiny repelled;
And ever, as the minutes flew,
Entreated help, or cried, "Adieu!"
他坚持了一个小时，不肯轻易死去
一直在海面上漂浮；
只要他还没有耗尽最后一丝体力
就不肯向宿命屈服。
随着时间分分钟消逝如飞
他不断呼救，直到最后意冷心灰。
At length, his transient respite past,
His comrades, who before
Had heard his voice in every blast,
Could catch the sound no more.
For then, by toil subdued, he drank
The stifling wave, and then he sank.
到头来他再不能苟延残喘，
此前他的船上同伴
在风中听到了他的每一声呼喊，
现在他们再也听不见。
屈服于疲劳，他饱饮了一顿
令人窒息的海浪，然后沉沦。
……
No voice divine the storm allayed,
No light propitious shone;
When, snatched from all effectual aid,
We perished, each alone:
But I beneath a rougher sea,
And whelmed in deeper gulfs than he.
神灵缄口不语，不曾将风暴平复，
从未亮起救苦救难的光芒；
我们总会被夺去所有切实援助，
每一个人都要孤独地消亡。
可我正在更凶险的汪洋里沦落，
更可怖的无底深渊已经将我吞没。
很可能柯珀抵御疯狂的手段就是写诗。他笔下篇幅最长的诗作《任务》（The Task）一开头是仿照蒲柏的恶搞英雄诗风格：他的一位女性资助人请他为一座沙发写一首诗，这可谓是一切诗歌题材当中最不起眼的一种了。柯珀的诗文信马由缰，从冬日雪地漫步写到了阅读报纸的愉悦，从修剪花园写到了爱国主义，从可怖的城市污秽写到了围炉夜读的幸福感，然后又写到了针对奴隶制火力全开的激烈批判。引领这一切内容的全诗开篇只是一句平平无奇的“我为沙发歌唱”。任何其他英语诗歌都无法在这样的开局之后展现出更有文采的内容。以下是他的反奴隶制发言：
Oh for a lodge in some vast wilderness,
Some boundless contiguity of shade,
Where rumour of oppression and deceit,
Of unsuccessful or successful war,
Might never reach me more! My ear is pained,
My soul is sick with every day's report
Of wrong and outrage with which earth is filled.
There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart,
It does not feel for man. The natural bond
Of brotherhood is severed as the flax
That falls asunder at the touch of fire.
He finds his fellow guilty of a skin
Not coloured like his own, and having power
To enforce the wrong, for such a worthy cause
Dooms and devotes him as his lawful prey.
Lands intersected by a narrow frith
Abhor each other. Mountains interposed
Make enemies of nations, who had else
Like kindred drops been mingled into one.
Thus man devotes his brother, and destroys;
And worse than all, and most to be deplored,
As human nature's broadest, foulest blot,
Chains him, and tasks him, and exacts his sweat
With stripes, that mercy, with a bleeding heart,
Weeps when she sees inflicted on a beast.
Then what is man? And what man, seeing this,
And having human feelings, does not blush
And hang his head, to think himself a man?
I would not have a slave to till my ground,
To carry me, to fan me while I sleep,
And tremble when I wake, for all the wealth
That sinews bought and sold have ever earned.
No: dear as freedom is, and in my heart's
Just estimation prized above all price,
I had much rather be myself the slave
And wear the bonds, than fasten them on him.
We have no slaves at home—then why abroad?
And they themselves, once ferried o'er the wave
That parts us, are emancipate and loosed.
Slaves cannot breathe in England; if their lungs
Receive our air, that moment they are free,
They touch our country and their shackles fall.
That's noble, and bespeaks a nation proud
And jealous of the blessing. Spread it then,
And let it circulate through every vein
Of all your empire; that where Britain's power
Is felt, mankind may feel her mercy too.
啊，多希望能在无边荒野当中有一间小屋，
位于无限蔓延的阴影里，
关于压迫与欺骗，
成功与失败的战争的谣言
再也不会传到我这里！我两耳生疼，
日复一日的报告令我的灵魂作呕，
人世间充斥着多少恶行与暴行，
愚顽的人心里没有丝毫血肉，
对他人毫无感情。天然的
兄弟情谊如同麻线一般，
被火舌一撩就立刻绷断。
他发现其他人类同胞犯下了
肤色与他不同的罪状，而且他也有力量
作恶为祸，为了有利可图的事业
祸害了他们，当成自己的合法猎物。
被一水之隔分开的两块陆地
却相互厌恶。区区几道山脉
就能造就多少敌国，其实他们
就像雨滴一般并无区别，终将汇入一体。
于是人类致力于毁灭自己的兄弟；
比一切都更恶劣，并且最为可悲，
人性最大最肮脏的污点，
束缚了他，役使着他，用皮鞭榨取他的血汗，
心中流血的慈悲女神
看到他遭到牲畜般的对待，忍不住落泪。
人是什么？见到此情此景，
凡是还有人性的人，怎会不满脸通红，
低下头颅，因为自己也是人而羞愧？
我绝不会让奴隶为我耕田，
抬我代步，为我睡觉时扇风，
在我醒来时颤抖，无论这奴隶的筋骨
能在一买一卖之间换来多少资财。
绝不，自由多么宝贵，在我心中
超过一切宝物的估价，
我宁愿自身为奴，
披枷带锁，也不愿束缚别人。
既然国内不允许蓄奴——为何国外就行？
他们一旦被渡过了分隔
我们的波涛，就会得到解放与解脱。
奴隶不能在英格兰呼吸；一旦他们的肺
纳入了我们的空气，那一刻他们就自由了，
他们一踏入我们的国土，镣铐就脱落。
多么高尚，这才是一国应有的骄傲。
他国都要嫉妒我们的福祉。将福祉扩散吧，
让它流经你的帝国的每一根
血管，在一切能感到不列颠强权
的土地上，让人们也感到她的慈悲。
作为政论文字而言，这段诗文的力度毫不亚于威廉.威伯福斯的任何一篇演讲。但是《任务》是一首情绪多变的叙事诗，生活的喜悦也是诸多情绪之一。接下来这段关于冬日漫步的诗文足以与托尔斯泰的文字交相辉映：
’TIS the morning, and the sun with ruddy orb
Ascending fires the horizon; while the clouds,
That crowd away before the driving wind,
More ardent as the disc emerges more,
Resembles most some city in a blaze,
Seen through the leafless wood. His slanting ray
Slides ineffectual down the snowy vale,
And, tingeing all with his own rosy hue,
From every herb and every spiry blade
Stretches a length of shadow o’er the field.
The verdure of the plain lies buried deep
Beneath the dazzling deluge; and the bents,
And coarser grass, upspearing o’er the rest,
Of late unsightly and unseen, now shine
Conspicuous, and in bright apparel clad,
And, fledged with icy feathers, nod superb.
The cattle mourn in corners, where the fence
Screens them, and seem half petrified to sleep
In unrecumbent sadness. There they wait
Their wonted fodder; not, like hungering man,
Fretful if unsupplied; but silent, meek,
And patient of the slow-paced swain’s delay.
He from the stack carves out the accustomed load
Deep-plunging, and again deep-plunging oft,
His broad keen knife into the solid mass:
Smooth as a wall the upright remnant stands,
With such undeviating and even force
He severs it away: no needless care,
Lest storms should overset the leaning pile
Deciduous, or its own unbalanced weight.
Forth goes the woodman, leaving unconcerned
The cheerful haunts of men,—to wield the axe
And drive the wedge in yonder forest drear,
From morn to eve his solitary task.
Shaggy and lean and shrewd with pointed ears,
And tail cropped short, half lurcher and half cur,
His dog attends him. Close behind his heel
Now creeps he slow; and now, with many a frisk
Wide-scampering, snatches up the drifted snow
With ivory teeth, or ploughs it with his snout;
Then shakes his powdered coat, and barks for joy.
这样的清晨，太阳是一枚红润的宝珠
向地平线泼洒火焰；天上的流云
被强风聚拢，堆积在天边，
随着日轮逐渐露脸，越发赤红夺目，
恰似烈火熊熊的城市，
透过片叶不存的树林。斜射下来的光线
无力地滑过积雪覆压的山谷，
将一切染上一层玫瑰色，
每一片草叶与每一棵树尖，
在地面上拖曳了漫长的阴影。
青青的草地被深深掩埋
在反炫目的融雪水流之下，芦苇
与更坚韧的粗草，顶开了其他同类，
它们多日以来隐而不显，如今
却慨然露面，身披亮丽的服色，
身披冰霜的羽毛，骄傲地点头。
牛在角落里呻吟，牛棚的围墙
遮蔽着它们，看它们一边昏昏欲睡
一边难过得不肯倒卧。它们等待着
迟迟不至的草料；但却不像饥饿的人类那样
焦躁不安，而是沉静温顺，
耐心等待着脚步缓慢的牛倌。
他从柴火垛中劈砍出了惯常的负荷，
深入的一刀，紧接着同样深入的好几刀，
柴刀即宽且利，插入结实的木材
宛如顺着竖直的墙壁滑落，
他的发力端正且平稳，
将木柴一分两片，不多费神，
也不让倾斜的柴堆被大风吹倒
洒落一地，或者因为重量失衡而坍塌。
接下来，劈柴人踏实地离开了
愉快的男性消遣之所——抡起利斧
去阴暗的森林里制造缺口，
从清晨到夜晚他都孤独地劳动。
皮毛纠结，精瘦结实，竖着一对尖耳朵，
尾巴截断，勒车犬与土狗的串子，
他的狗紧跟着他的脚后跟。
他慢行，它便匍匐。现在它活蹦乱跳，
四处飞奔，露出象牙白的利齿
撕咬着积雪，或者用鼻子拱开雪层，
然后抖掉一身雪粉，快乐地吠叫。
伟大的英国诗人往往喜爱动物，往前数有乔叟，往后数有阿德里安.米切尔，柯珀也不例外。斯玛特养了猫儿杰弗里，柯珀则养了一对兔子。请看《悼野兔》（Epitaph on a Hare）：
Here lies, whom hound did ne’er pursue,
Nor swifter greyhound follow,
Whose foot ne’er tainted morning dew,
Nor ear heard huntsman’s hallo’,
长眠在此的生灵，从未与猎犬竞逐，
也没有被更迅捷的灵缇追赶，
他的四脚从未沾染过清晨的露珠，
也没有听过猎人的呼喊。
Old Tiney, surliest of his kind,
Who, nursed with tender care,
And to domesticate bounds confined,
Was still a wild jack-hare.
年迈的蒂尼，脾气恶劣超过一切同类
尽管毕生都受到了温柔的呵护，
尽管一直都被圈养在四壁之内，
但是骨子里依然是一只野兔。
Though duly from my hand he took
His pittance every night,
He did it with a jealous look,
And, when he could, would bite.
尽管每晚他要想领取果腹夜宵
都必须要凑近我的手，
但戾气总是布满他的眼角眉梢，
一有机会就咬我一口。
His diet was of wheaten bread,
And milk, and oats, and straw,
Thistles, or lettuces instead,
With sand to scour his maw.
他的主食是小麦面包，
以及牛奶、燕麦和稻草杆，
若是没有蓟草，莴苣也挺好，
助消化的沙粒也要来一点。
On twigs of hawthorn he regaled,
On pippins’ russet peel;
And, when his juicy salads failed,
Sliced carrot pleased him well.
山楂的幼芽嫩叶是无上美味，
褐红的苹果皮味道真不错，
若是多汁沙拉满足不了肠胃，
那就再给他切几片胡萝卜。
A Turkey carpet was his lawn,
Whereon he loved to bound,
To skip and gambol like a fawn,
And swing his rump around.
土耳其地毯是他的草地，
他就爱在这里连蹦带窜，
恰似小鹿，腾跃着跳来跳去，
后臀摇晃指向左边右边。
His frisking was at evening hours,
For then he lost his fear;
But most before approaching showers,
Or when a storm drew near.
到夜晚他就变得格外活泼，
这时候他不再害怕；
洗澡之前他总是难于捕捉，
暴风雨也会将他惊吓。
Eight years and five round-rolling moons
He thus saw steal away,
Dozing out all his idle noons,
And every night at play.
八年时光，外加五轮满月，
光阴飞逝匆匆过去，
他就这样度过悠闲岁月，
每晚都会尽情嬉戏。
I kept him for his humor’s sake,
For he would oft beguile
My heart of thoughts that made it ache,
And force me to a smile.
我豢养他因为性情契合，
他有一肚子鬼主意；
有时他气得我难过，
有时又让我忍不住笑意。
But now, beneath this walnut-shade
He finds his long, last home,
And waits in snug concealment laid,
Till gentler Puss shall come.
可是现在，这片核桃树的树荫
成了他最终的长眠之地，
他就在这隐秘的小窝里安身，
等着与温顺的普斯团聚。
He, still more aged, feels the shocks
From which no care can save,
And, partner once of Tiney’s box,
Must soon partake his grave.
年龄更大的普斯，这次深受打击，
多少关怀也无法缓解，
他曾与蒂尼在同一间兔舍栖息，
很快也将要死后同穴。
柯珀显然是老派英国的一部分，这个英国依然看重姿态与温文礼让并且相信持中之道，反对清教徒的狂热与复辟时代的犬儒。在这个英国，中上层人物依然会前往乡村度过退休生活，向女性致以最热烈的恭维，并且敬畏上帝。另一方面同样醒目的是，他针对不义的愤怒，面对弱者的感同身受以及跃跃欲试的心魔都表明了他期待着某种全然不同的国内氛围。日后的浪漫主义诗人们将会把他视为他们当中的一员。因此将他作为即将到来的革命时代的切入点可以说是很合适的。