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lavengro-第139部分

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direction; to say nothing of my trade。'  'Thou dost right to say 

nothing of thy trade;' said Peter; smiling; 'for thou seemest to 

care nothing about it; which has led Winifred and myself to suspect 

that thou art not altogether what thou seemest; but; setting that 

aside; we should be most happy if thou wouldst go with us into 

Wales。'  'I cannot promise to go with you into Wales;' said I; 

'but; as you depart to…morrow; I will stay with you through the 

day; and on the morrow accompany you part of the way。'  'Do;' said 

Peter:  'I have many people to see to…day; and so has Winifred; but 

we will both endeavour to have some serious discourse with thee; 

which; perhaps; will turn to thy profit in the end。'



In the course of the day the good Peter came to me; as I was seated 

beneath the oak; and; placing himself by me; commenced addressing 

me in the following manner:…



'I have no doubt; my young friend; that you are willing to admit 

that the most important thing which a human being possesses is his 

soul; it is of infinitely more importance than the body; which is a 

frail substance; and cannot last for many years; but not so the 

soul; which; by its nature; is imperishable。  To one of two 

mansions the soul is destined to depart; after its separation from 

the body; to heaven or hell; to the halls of eternal bliss; where 

God and His holy angels dwell; or to the place of endless misery; 

inhabited by Satan and his grisly companions。  My friend; if the 

joys of heaven are great; unutterably great; so are the torments of 

hell unutterably so。  I wish not to speak of them; I wish not to 

terrify your imagination with the torments of hell:  indeed; I like 

not to think of them; but it is necessary to speak of them 

sometimes; and to think of them sometimes; lest you should sink 

into a state of carnal security。  Authors; friend; and learned men; 

are not altogether agreed as to the particulars of hell。  They all 

agree; however; in considering it a place of exceeding horror。  

Master Ellis Wyn; who by the bye was a churchman; calls it; amongst 

other things; a place of strong sighs; and of flaming sparks。  

Master Rees Pritchard; who was not only a churchman; but Vicar of 

Llandovery; and flourished about two hundred years ago … I wish 

many like him flourished now … speaking of hell; in his collection 

of sweet hymns called the 〃Welshman's Candle;〃 observes;



'〃The pool is continually blazing; it is very deep; without any 

known bottom; and the walls are so high; that there is neither hope 

nor possibility of escaping over them。〃



'But; as I told you just now; I have no great pleasure in talking 

of hell。  No; friend; no; I would sooner talk of the other place; 

and of the goodness and hospitality of God amongst His saints 

above。'



And then the excellent man began to dilate upon the joys of heaven; 

and the goodness and hospitality of God in the mansions above; 

explaining to me; in the clearest way; how I might get there。



And when he had finished what he had to say; he left me; whereupon 

Winifred drew nigh; and sitting down by me began to address me。  'I 

do not think;' said she; 'from what I have observed of thee; that 

thou wouldst wish to be ungrateful; and yet; is not thy whole life 

a series of ingratitude; and to whom? … to thy Maker。  Has He not 

endowed thee with a goodly and healthy form; and senses which 

enable thee to enjoy the delights of His beautiful universe … the 

work of His hands?  Canst thou not enjoy; even to rapture; the 

brightness of the sun; the perfume of the meads; and the song of 

the dear birds which inhabit among the trees?  Yes; thou canst; for 

I have seen thee; and observed thee doing so。  Yet; during the 

whole time that I have known thee; I have not heard proceed from 

thy lips one single word of praise or thanksgiving to 。 。 。'



And in this manner the admirable woman proceeded for a considerable 

time; and to all her discourse I listened with attention; and when 

she had concluded; I took her hand and said; 'I thank you;' and 

that was all。



On the next day everything was ready for our departure。  The good 

family of the house came to bid us farewell。  There were shaking of 

hands; and kisses; as on the night of our arrival。



And as I stood somewhat apart; the young girl of whom I have spoken 

so often came up to me; and holding out her hand; said; 'Farewell; 

young man; wherever thou goest。'  Then; after looking around her; 

she said; 'It was all true you told me。  Yesterday I received a 

letter from him thou wottest of; he is coming soon。  God bless you; 

young man; who would have thought thou knewest so much!'



So; after we had taken our farewell of the good family; we 

departed; proceeding in the direction of Wales。  Peter was very 

cheerful; and enlivened the way with godly discourse and spiritual 

hymns; some of which were in the Welsh language。  At length I said; 

'It is a pity that you did not continue in the Church; you have a 

turn for Psalmody; and I have heard of a man becoming a bishop by 

means of a less qualification。'



'Very probably;' said Peter; 'more the pity。  But I have told you 

the reason of my forsaking it。  Frequently; when I went to the 

church door; I found it barred; and the priest absent; what was I 

to do?  My heart was bursting for want of some religious help and 

comfort; what could I do? as good Master Rees Pritchard observes in 

his 〃Candle for Welshmen〃:…



'〃It is a doleful thing to see little children burning on the hot 

coals for want of help; but yet more doleful to see a flock of 

souls falling into the burning lake for want of a priest。〃'



'The Church of England is a fine church;' said I; 'I would not 

advise any one to speak ill of the Church of England before me。'



'I have nothing to say against the church;' said Peter; 'all I wish 

is that it would fling itself a little more open; and that its 

priests would a little more bestir themselves; in a word; that it 

would shoulder the cross and become a missionary church。'



'It is too proud for that;' said Winifred。



'You are much more of a Methodist;' said I; 'than your husband。  

But tell me;' said I; addressing myself to Peter; 'do you not 

differ from the church in some points of doctrine?  I; of course; 

as a true member of the church; am quite ignorant of the peculiar 

opinions of wandering sectaries。'



'Oh the pride of that church!' said Winifred; half to herself; 

'wandering sectaries!'



'We differ in no points of doctrine;' said Peter; 'we believe all 

the church believes; though we are not so fond of vain and 

superfluous ceremonies; snow…white neckcloths and surplices; as the 

church is。  We likewise think that there is no harm in a sermon by 

the road…side; or in holding free discourse with a beggar beneath a 

hedge; or a tinker;' he added; smiling; 'it was those superfluous 

ceremonies; those surplices and white nec
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