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from this world to the next-第8章

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whatever we are commanded; or we should be a disgrace to the

army; and very little deserve our pay。〃  〃You are brave fellows

indeed;〃 said Minos; 〃but be pleased to face about; and obey my

command for once; in returning back to the other world:  for what

should such fellows as you do where there are no cities to be

burned; nor people to be destroyed? But let me advise you to have

a stricter regard to truth for the future; and not call the

depopulating other countries the service of your own。〃  The

captain answered; in a rage; 〃Dn me! do you give me the lie?〃

and was going to take Minos by the nose had not his guards

prevented him; and immediately turned him and all his followers

back the same road they came。



Four spirits informed the judge that they had been starved to

death through povertybeing the father; mother; and two

children; that they had been honest and as industrious as

possible; till sickness had prevented the man from labor。  〃All

that is very true;〃 cried a grave spirit who stood by。  〃I know

the fact; for these poor people were under my cure。〃  〃You was; I

suppose; the parson of the parish;〃 cries Minos; 〃I hope you had

a good living; sir。〃  〃That was but a small one;〃 replied the

spirit; 〃but I had another a little better。〃〃Very well;〃 said

Minos; 〃let the poor people pass。〃 At which the parson was

stepping forwards with a stately gait before them; but Minos

caught hold of him and pulled him back; saying; 〃Not so fast;

doctoryou must take one step more into the other world first;

for no man enters that gate without charity。〃  A very stately

figure now presented himself; and; informing Minos he was a

patriot; began a very florid harangue on public virtue and the

liberties of his country。  Upon which Minos showed him the utmost

respect; and ordered the gate to be opened。  The patriot was not

contented with this applause; he said he had behaved as well in

place as he had done in the opposition; and that; though he was

now obliged to embrace the court measures; yet he had behaved

very honestly to his friends; and brought as many in as was

possible。  〃Hold a moment;〃 says Minos:  〃on second

consideration; Mr。 Patriot; I think a man of your great virtue

and abilities will be so much missed by your country; that; if I

might advise you; you should take a journey back again。  I am

sure you will not decline it; for I am certain you will; with

great readiness; sacrifice your own happiness to the public

good。〃  The patriot smiled; and told Minos he believed he was in

jest; and was offering to enter the gate; but the judge laid fast

hold of him and insisted on his return; which the patriot still

declining; he at last ordered his guards to seize him and conduct

him back。



A spirit now advanced; and the gate was immediately thrown open

to him before he had spoken a word。  I heard some whisper; 〃That

is our last lord mayor。〃



It now came to our company's turn。  The fair spirit which I

mentioned with so much applause in the beginning of my journey

passed through very easily; but the grave lady was rejected on

her first appearance; Minos declaring there was not a single

prude in Elysium。



The judge then addressed himself to me; who little expected to

pass this fiery trial。  I confessed I had indulged myself very

freely with wine and women in my youth; but had never done an

injury to any man living; nor avoided an opportunity of doing

good; that I pretended to very little virtue more than general

philanthrophy and private friendship。  I was proceeding; when

Minos bade me enter the gate; and not indulge myself with

trumpeting forth my virtues。  I accordingly passed forward with

my lovely companion; and; embracing her with vast eagerness; but

spiritual innocence; she returned my embrace in the same manner;

and we both congratulated ourselves on our arrival in this happy

region; whose beauty no painting of the imagination can describe。





CHAPTER VIII



The adventures which the author met on his first entrance into

Elysium。



We pursued our way through a delicious grove of orange…trees;

where I saw infinite numbers of spirits; every one of whom I

knew; and was known by them (for spirits here know one another by

intuition)。  I presently met a little daughter whom I had lost

several years before。  Good gods! what words can describe the

raptures; the melting passionate tenderness; with which we kissed

each other; continuing in our embrace; with the most ecstatic

joy; a space which; if time had been measured here as on earth;

could not be less than half a year。



The first spirit with whom I entered into discourse was the

famous Leonidas of Sparta。  I acquainted him with the honors

which had been done him by a celebrated poet of our nation; to

which he answered he was very much obliged to him。  We were

presently afterwards entertained with the most delicious voice I

had ever heard; accompanied by a violin; equal to Signior

Piantinida。  I presently discovered the musician and songster to

be Orpheus and Sappho。



Old Homer was present at this concert (if I may so call it); and

Madam Dacier sat in his lap。  He asked much after Mr。 Pope; and

said he was very desirous of seeing him; for that he had read his

Iliad in his translation with almost as much delight as he

believed he had given others in the original。  I had the

curiosity to inquire whether he had really writ that poem in

detached pieces; and sung it about as ballads all over Greece;

according to the report which went of him。  He smiled at my

question; and asked me whether there appeared any connection in

the poem; for if there did he thought I might answer myself。  I

then importuned him to acquaint me in which of the cities which

contended for the honor of his birth he was really born?  To

which he answered; 〃Upon my soul I can't tell。〃



Virgil then came up to me; with Mr。 Addison under his arm。 

〃Well; sir;〃 said he; 〃how many translations have these few last

years produced of my Aeneid?〃  I told him I believed several; but

I could not possibly remember; for that I had never read any but

Dr。 Trapp's。  〃Ay;〃 said he; 〃that is a curious piece indeed!〃  I

then acquainted him with the discovery made by Mr。 Warburton of

the Elusinian mysteries couched in his sixth book。  〃What

mysteries?〃 said Mr。 Addison。  〃The Elusinian;〃 answered Virgil;

〃which I have disclosed in my sixth book。〃  〃How!〃 replied

Addison。  〃You never mentioned a word of any such mysteries to me

in all our acquaintance。〃  〃I thought it was unnecessary;〃 cried

the other; 〃to a man of your infinite learning:  besides; you

always told me you perfectly understood my meaning。〃  Upon this I

thought the critic looked a little out of countenance; and turned

aside to a very merry spirit; one Dick Steele; who embraced him;

and told him he had been the greatest man upon earth; that he

readily resigned up all the merit of his own works to him。  Upon

which Addison gave him a gracious smile; and; clapping him on the

back with much solemnity; cried out; 〃Well said; Dick!〃



I then observed Shakespeare standing between Betterton and Booth;

and deciding a difference between those two great actors

concerning the placing an accent in one of his lines:  this was

disputed on both sides with a warmth which surprised me in

Elysium; till I discovered by intuition that every soul retained

its principal characteristic; being; indeed; its very essence。 

The line was that celebrated one in Othello

PUT OUT THE LIGHT; AND THEN PUT OUT THE LIGHT。  according to

Betterton。  Mr。 Booth contended to have it thus:

Put out the light; and then put out THE light。  I could not help

offering my conjecture on this occasion; and suggested it might

perhaps be

Put out the light; and then put out THY light。  Another hinted a

reading very sophisticated in my opinion

     Put out the light; and then put out THEE; light; making

light to be the vocative case。  Another would have altered the

last word; and read

     PUT OUT THY LIGHT; AND THEN PUT OUT THY SIGHT。  But

Betterton said; if the text was to be disturbed; he saw no reason

why a word might not be changed as well as a letter; and; instead

of 〃put out thy light;〃 you may read 〃put out thy eyes。〃  At last

it was agreed on all sides to refer the matter to the decision of

Shakespeare himself; who delivered his sentiments as follows:

〃Faith; gentlemen; it is so long since I wrote the line; I have

forgot my meaning。  This I know; could I have dreamed so much

nonsense would have been talked and writ about it; I would have

blotted it out of my works; for I am sure; if any of these be my

meaning; it doth me very little honor。〃



He was then interrogated concerning some other ambiguous passages

in his works; but he declined any satisfactory answer; saying; if

Mr。 Theobald had not writ about it sufficiently; there were three

or four more new editions of his plays c
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