ItiscurioustoobservethetendencywhichthedialogueofLordByronalwayshastoloseitscharacterofadialogue，andtobecomesoliloquy。ThescenesbetweenManfredandtheChamois—
hunter，betweenManfredandtheWitchoftheAlps，betweenManfredandtheAbbot，areinstancesofthistendency。Manfred，afterafewunimportantspeeches，hasallthetalktohimself。
Theotherinterlocutorsarenothingmorethangoodlisteners。
TheydropanoccasionalquestionorejaculationwhichsetsManfredoffagainontheinexhaustibletopicofhispersonalfeelings。IfweexaminethefinepassagesinLordByron’sdramas，thedescriptionofRome，forexample，inManfred，thedescriptionofaVenetianrevelinMarinoFaliero，theconcludinginvectivewhichtheolddogepronouncesagainstVenice，weshallfindthatthereisnothingdramaticinthesespeeches，thattheyderivenoneoftheireffectfromthecharacterorsituationofthespeaker，andthattheywouldhavebeenasfine，orfiner，iftheyhadbeenpublishedasfragmentsofblankversebyLordByron。
ThereisscarcelyaspeechinShakspeareofwhichthesamecouldbesaid。NoskilfulreaderoftheplaysofShakspearecanenduretoseewhatarecalledthefinethingstakenout，underthenameof"Beauties，"orof"ElegantExtracts，"ortohearanysinglepassage，"Tobeornottobe，"forexample，quotedasasampleofthegreatpoet。"Tobeornottobe"hasmeritundoubtedlyasacomposition。Itwouldhavemeritifputintothemouthofachorus。ButitsmeritasacompositionvanisheswhencomparedwithitsmeritasbelongingtoHamlet。ItisnottoomuchtosaythatthegreatplaysofShakspearewouldloselessbybeingdeprivedofallthepassageswhicharecommonlycalledthefinepassages，thanthosepassageslosebybeingreadseparatelyfromtheplay。Thisisperhapsthehighestpraisewhichcanbegiventoadramatist。
Ontheotherhand，itmaybedoubtedwhetherthereis，inallLordByron’splays，asingleremarkablepassagewhichowesanyportionofitsinterestoreffecttoitsconnectionwiththecharactersortheaction。Hehaswrittenonlyonescene，asfaraswecanrecollect，whichisdramaticeveninmanner——thescenebetweenLuciferandCain。Theconferenceisanimated，andeachoftheinterlocutorshasafairshareofit。Butthisscene，whenexamined，willbefoundtobeaconfirmationofourremarks。Itisadialogueonlyinform。Itisasoliloquyinessence。Itisinrealityadebatecarriedonwithinonesingleunquietandscepticalmind。Thequestionsandtheanswers，theobjectionsandthesolutions，allbelongtothesamecharacter。
Awriterwhoshowedsolittledramaticskillinworksprofessedlydramatic，wasnotlikelytowritenarrativewithdramaticeffect。
Nothingcouldindeedbemorerudeandcarelessthanthestructureofhisnarrativepoems。Heseemstohavethought，withtheherooftheRehearsal，thattheplotwasgoodfornothingbuttobringinfinethings。Histwolongestworks，ChildeHaroldandDonJuan，havenoplanwhatever。Eitherofthemmighthavebeenextendedtoanylength，orcutshortatanypoint。ThestateinwhichtheGiaourappearsillustratesthemannerinwhichallByron’spoemswereconstructed。Theyareall，liketheGiaour，collectionsoffragments;and，thoughtheremaybenoemptyspacesmarkedbyasterisks，itisstilleasytoperceive，bytheclumsinessofthejoining，wherethepartsforthesakeofwhichthewholewascomposedendandbegin。
ItwasindescriptionandmeditationthatByronexcelled。
"Description，"ashesaidinDonJuan，"washisforte。"Hismannerisindeedpeculiar，andisalmostunequalled;rapid，sketchy，fullofvigour;theselectionhappy，thestrokesfewandbold。InspiteofthereverencewhichwefeelforthegeniusofMr。Wordsworthwecannotbutthinkthattheminutenessofhisdescriptionsoftendiminishestheireffect。Hehasaccustomedhimselftogazeonnaturewiththeeyeofalover，todwelloneveryfeature，andtomarkeverychangeofaspect。Thosebeautieswhichstrikethemostnegligentobserver，andthosewhichonlyacloseattentiondiscovers，areequallyfamiliartohimandareequallyprominentinhispoetry。TheproverbofoldHesiod，thathalfisoftenmorethanthewhole，iseminentlyapplicabletodescription。ThepolicyoftheDutch，whocutdownmostoftheprecioustreesintheSpiceIslands，inordertoraisethevalueofwhatremained，wasapolicywhichpoetswoulddowelltoimitate。ItwasapolicywhichnopoetunderstoodbetterthanLordByron。Whateverhisfaultsmightbe，hewasnever，whilehismindretaineditsvigour，accusedofprolixity。
Hisdescriptions，greataswastheirintrinsicmerit，derived。
theirprincipalinterestfromthefeelingwhichalwaysmingledwiththem。Hewashimselfthebeginning，themiddle，andtheend，ofallhisownpoetry，theheroofeverytale，thechiefobjectineverylandscape。Harold，Lara，Manfred，andacrowdofothercharacters，wereuniversallyconsideredmerelyaslooseincognitosofByron;andthereiseveryreasontobelievethathemeantthemtobesoconsidered。Thewondersoftheouterworld，theTagus，withthemightyfleetsofEnglandridingonitsbosom，thetowersofCintraoverhangingtheshaggyforestofcork—treesandwillows，theglaringmarbleofPentelicus，thebanksoftheRhine，theglaciersofClarens，thesweetLakeofLeman，thedellofEgeriawithitssummer—birdsandrustlinglizards，theshapelessruinsofRomeovergrownwithivyandwall—flowers，the，stars，thesea，themountains，allweremereaccessories，thebackgroundtoonedarkandmelancholyfigure。
Neverhadanywritersovastacommandofthewholeeloquenceofscorn，misanthropy，anddespair。ThatMarahwasneverdry。Noartcouldsweeten，nodraughtscouldexhaust，itsperennialwatersofbitterness。NeverwastheresuchvarietyinmonotonyasthatofByron。Frommaniaclaughtertopiercinglamentation，therewasnotasinglenoteofhumananguishofwhichhewasnotmaster。
Yearafteryear，andmonthaftermonth，hecontinuedtorepeatthattobewretchedisthedestinyofall;thattobeeminentlywretchedisthedestinyoftheeminent;thatallthedesiresbywhichwearecursedleadaliketomisery，iftheyarenotgratified，tothemiseryofdisappointment;iftheyaregratified，tothemiseryofsatiety。Hisheroesaremenwhohavearrivedbydifferentroadsatthesamegoalofdespair，whoaresickoflife，whoareatwarwithsociety，whoaresupportedintheiranguishonlybyanunconquerableprideresemblingthatofPrometheusontherockorofSatanintheburningmarl，whocanmastertheiragoniesbytheforceoftheirwill，andwhotothelastdefythewholepowerofearthandheaven。Healwaysdescribedhimselfasamanofthesamekindwithhisfavouritecreations，asamanwhosehearthadbeenwithered，whosecapacityforhappinesswasgoneandcouldnotberestored，butwhoseinvinciblespiritdaredtheworstthatcouldbefallhimhereorhereafter。
Howmuchofthismorbidfeelingsprangfromanoriginaldiseaseofthemind，howmuchfromrealmisfortune，howmuchfromthenervousnessofdissipation，howmuchwasfanciful，howmuchwasmerelyaffected，itisimpossibleforus，andwouldprobablyhavebeenimpossibleforthemostintimatefriendsofLordByron，todecide。Whetherthereeverexisted，orcaneverexist，apersonansweringtothedescriptionwhichhegaveofhimselfmaybedoubted;butthathewasnotsuchapersonisbeyondalldoubt。
Itisridiculoustoimaginethatamanwhosemindwasreallyimbuedwithscornofhisfellow—creatureswouldhavepublishedthreeorfourbookseveryyearinordertotellthemso;orthatamanwhocouldsaywithtruththatheneithersoughtsympathynorneededitwouldhaveadmittedallEuropetohearhisfarewelltohiswife，andhisblessingsonhischild。InthesecondcantoofChildeHarold，hetellsusthatheisinsensibletofameandobloquy:
"Illmaysuchcontestnowthespiritmove，Whichheedsnorkeenreproofnorpartialpraise。"
Yetweknowonthebestevidencethat，adayortwobeforehepublishedtheselines，hewasgreatly，indeedchildishly，elatedbythecomplimentspaidtohismaidenspeechintheHouseofLords。
Wearefar，however，fromthinkingthathissadnesswasaltogetherfeigned。Hewasnaturallyamanofgreatsensibility;
hehadbeenill—educated;hisfeelingshadbeenearlyexposedtosharptrials;hehadbeencrossedinhisboyishlove;hehadbeenmortifiedbythefailureofhisfirstliteraryefforts;hewasstraitenedinpecuniarycircumstances;hewasunfortunateinhisdomesticrelations;thepublictreatedhimwithcruelinjustice;
hishealthandspiritssufferedfromhisdissipatedhabitsoflife;hewas，onthewhole，anunhappyman。Heearlydiscoveredthat，byparadinghisunhappinessbeforethemultitude，heproducedanimmensesensation。Theworldgavehimeveryencouragementtotalkabouthismentalsufferings。Theinterestwhichhisfirstconfessionsexcitedinducedhimtoaffectmuchthathedidnotfeel;andtheaffectationprobablyreactedonhisfeelings。Howfarthecharacterinwhichheexhibitedhimselfwasgenuine，andhowfartheatrical，itwouldprobablyhavepuzzledhimselftosay。
Therecanbenodoubtthatthisremarkablemanowedthevastinfluencewhichheexercisedoverhiscontemporariesatleastasmuchtohisgloomyegotismastotherealpowerofhispoetry。Wenevercouldveryclearlyunderstandhowitisthategotism，sounpopularinconversation，shouldbesopopularinwriting;orhowitisthatmenwhoaffectintheircompositionsqualitiesandfeelingswhichtheyhavenot，imposesomuchmoreeasilyontheircontemporariesthanonposterity。TheinterestwhichthelovesofPetrarchexcitedinhisowntime，andthepityingfondnesswithwhichhalfEuropelookeduponRousseau，arewellknown。Toreadersofourage，theloveofPetrarchseemstohavebeenloveofthatkindwhichbreaksnohearts，andthesufferingsofRousseautohavedeservedlaughterratherthanpity，tohavebeenpartlycounterfeited，andpartlytheconsequencesofhisownperversenessandvanity。
WhatourgrandchildrenmaythinkofthecharacterofLordByron，asexhibitedinhispoetry，wewillnotpretendtoguess。Itiscertain，thattheinterestwhichheexcitedduringhislifeiswithoutaparallelinliteraryhistory。Thefeelingwithwhichyoungreadersofpoetryregardedhimcanbeconceivedonlybythosewhohaveexperiencedit。Topeoplewhoareunacquaintedwithrealcalamity，"nothingissodaintysweetaslovelymelancholy。"Thisfaintimageofsorrowhasinallagesbeenconsideredbyyounggentlemenasanagreeableexcitement。Oldgentlemenandmiddle—agedgentlemenhavesomanyrealcausesofsadnessthattheyarerarelyinclined"tobeassadasnightonlyforwantonness。"Indeedtheywantthepoweralmostasmuchastheinclination。Weknowveryfewpersonsengagedinactivelife，who，eveniftheyweretoprocurestoolstobemelancholyupon，andweretositdownwithallthepremeditationofMasterStephen，wouldbeabletoenjoymuchofwhatsomebodycallsthe"ecstasyofwoe。"
Amongthatlargeclassofyoungpersonswhosereadingisalmostentirelyconfinedtoworksofimagination，thepopularityofLordByronwasunbounded。Theyboughtpicturesofhim;theytreasuredupthesmallestrelicsofhim;theylearnedhispoemsbyheart，anddidtheirbesttowritelikehim，andtolooklikehim。Manyofthempractisedattheglassinthehopeofcatchingthecurloftheupperlip，andthescowlofthebrow，whichappearinsomeofhisportraits。Afewdiscardedtheirneck—clothsinimitationoftheirgreatleader。ForsomeyearstheMinervapresssentforthnonovelwithoutamysterious，unhappy，Lara—likepeer。Thenumberofhopefulundergraduatesandmedicalstudentswhobecamethingsofdarkimaginings，onwhomthefreshnessoftheheartceasedtofalllikedew，whosepassionshadconsumedthemselvestodust，andtowhomthereliefoftearswasdenied，passesallcalculation。Thiswasnottheworst。Therewascreatedinthemindsofmanyoftheseenthusiastsaperniciousandabsurdassociationbetweenintellectualpowerandmoraldepravity。FromthepoetryofLordByrontheydrewasystemofethics，compoundedofmisanthropyandvoluptuousness，asysteminwhichthetwogreatcommandmentswere，tohateyourneighbour，andtoloveyourneighbour’swife。
Thisaffectationhaspassedaway;andafewmoreyearswilldestroywhateveryetremainsofthatmagicalpotencywhichoncebelongedtothenameofByron。Tousheisstillaman，young，noble，andunhappy。Toourchildrenhewillbemerelyawriter;
andtheirimpartialjudgmentwillappointhisplaceamongwriters;withoutregardtohisrankortohisprivatehistory。
Thathispoetrywillundergoaseveresifting，thatmuchofwhathasbeenadmiredbyhiscontemporarieswillberejectedasworthless，wehavelittledoubt。Butwehaveaslittledoubtthat，aftertheclosestscrutiny，therewillstillremainmuchthatcanonlyperishwiththeEnglishlanguage。
MR。ROBERTMONTGOMERY
（April1830）
1。TheOmnipresenceoftheDeity:aPoemByROBERTMONTGOMERY。
EleventhEdition。London。1830。
2。Satan:aPoemByROBERTMONTGOMERY。SecondEdition。London:
1830。
THEwisemenofantiquitylovedtoconveyinstructionunderthecoveringofapologue;andthoughthispracticeisgenerallythoughtchildish，weshallmakenoapologyforadoptingitonthepresentoccasion。AgenerationwhichhasboughteleveneditionsofapoembyMr。RobertMontgomerymaywellcondescendtolistentoafableofPilpay。
ApiousBrahmin，itiswritten，madeavowthatonacertaindayhewouldsacrificeasheep，andontheappointedmorninghewentforthtobuyone。Therelivedinhisneighbourhoodthreerogueswhoknewofhisvow，andlaidaschemeforprofitingbyit。Thefirstmethimandsaid，"OhBrahmin，wiltthoubuyasheep？I
haveonefitforsacrifice。""Itisforthatverypurpose，"saidtheholyman，"thatIcameforththisday。"Thentheimpostoropenedabag，andbroughtoutofitanuncleanbeast，anuglydog，lameandblind。ThereontheBrahmincriedout，"Wretch，whotouchestthingsimpure，andutterestthingsuntrue;callestthouthatcurasheep？""Truly，"answeredtheother，"itisasheepofthefinestfleece，andofthesweetestflesh。OhBrahmin，itwillbeanofferingmostacceptabletothegods。""Friend，"saidtheBrahmin，eitherthouorImustbeblind。"
Justthenoneoftheaccomplicescameup。"Praisedbethegods，"
saidthesecondrogue，"thatIhavebeensavedthetroubleofgoingtothemarketforasheep！ThisissuchasheepasI
wanted。Forhowmuchwiltthousellit？"WhentheBrahminheardthis，hismindwavedtoandfro，likeoneswingingintheairataholyfestival。"Sir，"saidhetothenewcomer，"takeheedwhatthoudost;thisisnosheep，butanuncleancur。""OhBrahmin，"
saidthenewcorner，"thouartdrunkormad！"
Atthistimethethirdconfederatedrewnear。"Letusaskthisman，"saidtheBrahmin...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：