zanoni-第116部分

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mighty　and　solemn　kingdoms　in　which　they　dwelt；　there　were　no

turbulent　and　earthly　channels　to　work　off　the　fever　of　their

minds。　　Set　in　the　antique　mould　of　casts　through　which　no

intellect　could　pierce；　no　valour　could　force　its　way；　the　thirst

for　wisdom　alone　reigned　in　the　hearts　of　those　who　received　its

study　as　a　heritage　from　sire　to　son。　　Hence；　even　in　your

imperfect　records　of　the　progress　of　human　knowledge；　you　find

that；　in　the　earliest　ages；　Philosophy　descended　not　to　the

business　and　homes　of　men。　　It　dwelt　amidst　the　wonders　of　the

loftier　creation；　it　sought　to　analyse　the　formation　of　matter；

the　essentials　of　the　prevailing　soul；　to　read　the　mysteries　of

the　starry　orbs；　to　dive　into　those　depths　of　Nature　in　which

Zoroaster　is　said　by　the　schoolmen　first　to　have　discovered　the

arts　which　your　ignorance　classes　under　the　name　of　magic。　　In

such　an　age；　then；　arose　some　men；　who；　amidst　the　vanities　and

delusions　of　their　class；　imagined　that　they　detected　gleams　of　a

brighter　and　steadier　lore。　　They　fancied　an　affinity　existing

among　all　the　works　of　Nature；　and　that　in　the　lowliest　lay　the

secret　attraction　that　might　conduct　them　upward　to　the　loftiest。

（Agreeably；　it　would　seem；　to　the　notion　of　Iamblichus　and

Plotinus；　that　the　universe　is　as　an　animal；　so　that　there　is

sympathy　and　communication　between　one　part　and　the　other；　in　the

smallest　part　may　be　the　subtlest　nerve。　　And　hence　the　universal

magnetism　of　Nature。　　But　man　contemplates　the　universe　as　an

animalcule　would　an　elephant。　　The　animalcule；　seeing　scarcely

the　tip　of　the　hoof；　would　be　incapable　of　comprehending　that　the

trunk　belonged　to　the　same　creature；that　the　effect　produced

upon　one　extremity　would　be　felt　in　an　instant　by　the　other。）

Centuries　passed；　and　lives　were　wasted　in　these　discoveries；　but

step　after　step　was　chronicled　and　marked；　and　became　the　guide

to　the　few　who　alone　had　the　hereditary　privilege　to　track　their

path。



At　last　from　this　dimness　upon　some　eyes　the　light　broke；　but

think　not；　young　visionary；　that　to　those　who　nursed　unholy

thoughts；　over　whom　the　Origin　of　Evil　held　a　sway；　that　dawning

was　vouchsafed。　　It　could　be　given　then；　as　now；　only　to　the

purest　ecstasies　of　imagination　and　intellect；　undistracted　by

the　cares　of　a　vulgar　life；　or　the　appetites　of　the　common　clay。

Far　from　descending　to　the　assistance　of　a　fiend；　theirs　was　but

the　august　ambition　to　approach　nearer　to　the　Fount　of　Good；　the

more　they　emancipated　themselves　from　this　limbo　of　the　planets；

the　more　they　were　penetrated　by　the　splendour　and　beneficence　of

God。　　And　if　they　sought；　and　at　last　discovered；　how　to　the　eye

of　the　Spirit　all　the　subtler　modifications　of　being　and　of

matter　might　be　made　apparent；　if　they　discovered　how；　for　the

wings　of　the　Spirit；　all　space　might　be　annihilated；　and　while

the　body　stood　heavy　and　solid　here；　as　a　deserted　tomb；　the

freed　IDEA　might　wander　from　star　to　star；if　such　discoveries

became　in　truth　their　own；　the　sublimest　luxury　of　their

knowledge　was　but　this；　to　wonder；　to　venerate；　and　adore！　　For；

as　one　not　unlearned　in　these　high　matters　has　expressed　it；

'There　is　a　principle　of　the　soul　superior　to　all　external

nature；　and　through　this　principle　we　are　capable　of　surpassing

the　order　and　systems　of　the　world；　and　participating　the

immortal　life　and　the　energy　of　the　Sublime　Celestials。　　When　the

soul　is　elevated　to　natures　above　itself；　it　deserts　the　order　to

which　it　is　awhile　compelled；　and　by　a　religious　magnetism　is

attracted　to　another　and　a　loftier；　with　which　it　blends　and

mingles。'　　（From　Iamblichus；　〃On　the　Mysteries；〃　c。　7；　sect。　7。）

Grant；　then；　that　such　beings　found　at　last　the　secret　to　arrest

death；　to　fascinate　danger　and　the　foe；　to　walk　the　revolutions

of　the　earth　unharmed；think　you　that　this　life　could　teach　them

other　desire　than　to　yearn　the　more　for　the　Immortal；　and　to　fit

their　intellect　the　better　for　the　higher　being　to　which　they

might；　when　Time　and　Death　exist　no　longer；　be　transferred？　　Away

with　your　gloomy　fantasies　of　sorcerer　and　demon！the　soul　can

aspire　only　to　the　light；　and　even　the　error　of　our　lofty

knowledge　was　but　the　forgetfulness　of　the　weakness；　the

passions；　and　the　bonds　which　the　death　we　so　vainly　conquered

only　can　purge　away！〃



This　address　was　so　different　from　what　Glyndon　had　anticipated；

that　he　remained　for　some　moments　speechless；　and　at　length

faltered　out；



〃But　why；　then；　to　me〃



〃Why；〃　added　Zanoni；〃why　to　thee　have　been　only　the　penance　and

the　terror；the　Threshold　and　the　Phantom？　　Vain　man！　look　to

the　commonest　elements　of　the　common　learning。　　Can　every　tyro　at

his　mere　wish　and　will　become　the　master；　can　the　student；　when

he　has　bought　his　Euclid；　become　a　Newton；　can　the　youth　whom　the

Muses　haunt；　say；　'I　will　equal　Homer；'　yea；　can　yon　pale　tyrant；

with　all　the　parchment　laws　of　a　hundred　system…shapers；　and　the

pikes　of　his　dauntless　multitude；　carve；　at　his　will；　a

constitution　not　more　vicious　than　the　one　which　the　madness　of　a

mob　could　overthrow？　　When；　in　that　far　time　to　which　I　have

referred；　the　student　aspired　to　the　heights　to　which　thou

wouldst　have　sprung　at　a　single　bound；　he　was　trained　from　his

very　cradle　to　the　career　he　was　to　run。　　The　internal　and　the

outward　nature　were　made　clear　to　his　eyes；　year　after　year；　as

they　opened　on　the　day。　　He　was　not　admitted　to　the　practical

initiation　till　not　one　earthly　wish　chained　that　sublimest

faculty　which　you　call　the　IMAGINATION；　one　carnal　desire　clouded

the　penetrative　essence　that　you　call　the　INTELLECT。　　And　even

then；　and　at　the　best；　how　few　attained　to　the　last　mystery！

Happier　inasmuch　as　they　attained　the　earlier　to　the　holy　glories

for　which　Death　is　the　heavenliest　gate。〃



Zanoni　paused；　and　a　shade　of　thought　and　sorrow　darkened　his

celestial　beauty。



〃And　are　there；　indeed；　others；　besides　thee　and　Mejnour；　who　lay

claim　to　thine　attributes；　and　have　attained　to　thy　secrets？〃



〃Others　there　have　been　before　us；　but　we　two　now　are　alone　on

earth。〃



〃Imposter；　thou　betrayest　thyself！　　If　they　could　conquer　Death；

why　live　they　not　yet？〃　（Glyndon　appears　to　forget　that　Mejnour

had　before　answered　the　very　question　which　his　doubts　here　a

second　time　suggest。）



〃Child　of　a　day！〃　answered　Zanoni；　mournfully；　〃have　I　not　told

thee　the　error　of　our　knowledge　was　the　forgetfulness　of　the

desires　and　passions　which　the　spirit　never　can　wholly　and

permanently　conquer　while　this　matter　cloaks　it？　　Canst　thou

think　that　it　is　no　sorrow；　either　to　reject　all　human　ties；　all

friendship；　and　all　love；　or　to　see；　day　after　day；　friendship

and　love　wither　from　our　life；　as　blossoms　from　the　stem？　　Canst

thou　wonder　how；　with　the　power　to　live　while　the　world　shall

last；　ere　even　our　ordinary　date　be　finished　we　yet　may　prefer　to

die？　　Wonder　rather　that　there　are　two　who　have　clung