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1、The Poetical Principle IN SPEAKING of the Poetical Principle，I have no design to be either thorough or profound. While discussing, very much at random, the essentiality of what we call Poetical, my principle purpose will be to cite for consideration, some few of those minor English or American poe

2、ms which best suit my own taste, or which, upon my own fancy, have left the most definite impression. By “minor poems” I mean, of course, poems of little length. And here, in the beginning, permit me to say a few words in regard to a somewhat peculiar principle, which, whether rightful or wrongful

3、ly, has always had it influence in my own critical estimate of the poem. I hold that a long poem does not exist. I maintain that the phrase, “a long poem,” is simple a flat contradiction in terms. I need scarcely observe that a poem deserves its title only inasmuch as it excites, by elevating the

4、soul. The value of the poem is the ratio of this elevating excitement. But all excitement are, through a psychal necessity, transient. The degree of excitement which would entitle a poem to be so called at all, cannot be sustained throughout a composition of any great length. After the lapse of h

5、alf an hour, at the very utmost, it flags --- fails --- a revulsion ensues --- and then the poem is, in effect, and in fact, no longer such. There are, no doubt, many who have found difficult in reconciling the critical dictum that the “Paradise Lost” is to be devoutly admired throughout, with the

6、absolute impossibility for maintaining for it, during perusal, the amount of enthusiasm which that critical dictum would demand. This great work, in fact, is to be regarded poetical, only when, losing sight of that vital requisite in all works of Art, Unity, we view it merely as a series of minor p

7、oems. If, to preserve its Unity --- its totality of effect or impression --- we read it(as would be necessary) at a single sitting, the result is but a constant alternation of excitement and depression. After a passage of what we feel to be true poetry, there follows, inevitably, a passage of plat

8、itude which no critical pre-judgment can force us to admire; but if , upon completing the work, we read it again; omitting the first work---that is to say, commencing with second --- we shall be surprised at now finding that admirable which we before condemned --- the damnable which we had previousl

9、y so much admired. It follows from all this that the ultimate, aggregate, or absolute effect of even the best epic under the sun, is a nullity: --- band this precisely the fact. In regard to the Iliad, we have, if not possible proof, at least very good reason, for it intended as a series of lyrics

10、; but, granting the epic intention, I can say only that the work is based in an imperfect sense of art. The modern epic is, of the suppositious ancient model, but an inconsiderate and blindfold imitation. But the day of these anomalies is over. If , at any time, any very long poem were popular re

11、ality, which I doubt, it is at least clear that no very long poem will ever be popular again. That extent of a poetical work is, ceteris paribus, the measure of its merit, seems undoubted, when we thus state it, a proposition sufficiently absurd --- yet we are indebted for it to the Quarterly Revie

12、ws. Surely there can be nothing in mere size, abstractly considered --- there can be nothing in bulk, so far as a volume is concerned, which had so continuously elicited admiration from these saturnine pamphlets! A mountain, to be sure, by the mere sentiment of physical magnitude which it conveys,

13、 does impress us with a sense of the sublime --- but no man is impressed after this fashion by material grandeur of even “The Columbiad.” Even the Quarterlies have not instructed us to be so impressed by it. As yet, they have not insisted on our estimating Lamartine by the cubic foot, or Pollok by

14、 the pound --- but what else are we to infer from their continual prating about “sustained effort?” If, by “sustained effort,” any little gentlemen has accomplished an epic, let us frankly commend him for the effort --- if this indeed be a thing commendable --- but let us forbear praising the epic

15、on the effort’s account. It is to be hoped that common sense, in the time to come, will prefer deciding upon a work of art, rather by the impression it makes, by the amount of “sustained effort” which had been found necessary in effecting the impression. The fact is, that perseverance is one thing

16、, and genius quite anther --- nor can all the Quarterlies in Christendom confound them. By –and-by, this proposition, with many which I have been just urging, will be received as self-evident. In the meantime, by being generally condemned as falsities, they will not be essentially damaged as truth

17、s. On the other hand, it is clear that a poem may be improperly brief. Undue brevity degenerates into mere epigrammatism. A very short poem, while now and then producing a brilliant or vivid, never produces a profound or enduring effect. There must be the steady pressing down of the stamp upon

18、the wax. De Beranger has wrought innumerable things, pungent and spirit-stirring; but, in general, they have been too imponderous to stamp themselves deeply into aloft only to be whistled down the wind. A remarkable instance of the effect of undue brevity in depressing a poem --- in keeping it out

19、 of the popular view --- is afforded by the following exquisite little Serenade: I arise from dreams of thee In the first sweet of night When the winds are breathing low And the stars are shining bright I arise from dreams of thee And a spirit in my feet Hath led me---who knows how To thy

20、chamber-window sweet! The wandering airs, they faint On the dark, the silent stream--- The champak odors fail Like sweet thoughts in a dream; The nightingale’s complaint, It dies upon her heart, As I must die on thine, O, beloved as thou art! O, lift me from the grass! I die, I faint,

21、I fail! Let thy love in kisses rain On my lips and eyelids pale. My cheek is cold and white, alas! My heart beats loud and fast: Oh! Press it close to thine again, Where it will break at last! Very few, perhaps, are familiar with these lines --- yet no less a poet than Shelly is their autho

22、r. Their warm, yet delicate and ethereal imagination will be appreciated by all --- but by none so thoroughly as by him who has himself arisen from sweet dreams of one beloved to bathe in the aromatic air of a southern midsummer night. One of the finest poems by Willis --- the very best, in my opi

23、nion, which he has ever written --- has, no doubt, through this same defect of undue brevity, been kept back from its proper position, not less in the critical than in the popular view. The shadows lay along Broadway ’Twas near the twilight-tide--- And slowly there a lady fair Was walking in h

24、er pride. Alone walk’d she; but, viewlessly Walk’d spirits at her side. Peace charm’d the street beneath her feet, And honor charm’d the air; And all astir looked kind on her, And call’d her good and fair--- For all God ever gave to her She kept with chary care. She kept with care her b

25、eauties rare From lovers warm and true--- For her heart was cold to all but gold, And the rich came not to woo--- But honor ‘d well are charms to sell, If priests the selling do. Now walking there was one more fair--- A slight girl, lily-pale; And she had unseen company To make the spirit

26、 quail--- ’Twixt Want and Scorn she walk’d forlorn And nothing could avail. No merey now can clear her brow For this world’s peace to pray; For, as love’s wild prayer dissolved in air, Her woman’s heart gave way! --- But the sin forgive by Christ in Heaven By man is cursed always! In th

27、is composition we find it difficult to recognize the Willis who has written so many mere “verse of society.” The lines are not only richly ideal, but full of energy; while they breathe an earnestness --- an evident sincerity of sentiment --- for which we look in vain throughout all the other works

28、of this author. While the epic mania --- while the idea that, to merit in poetry, prolixity is indispensable --- has, for some years past, been gradually dying out of the public mind, by mere dint if its own absurdity --- we find it succeeded by a heresy too palpably false to be long tolerated, but

29、 one which, in the brief period if has already endued, may be said to have accomplished more in the corruption of our Poetical Literature than all its other enemies combined. I allude to the heresy of The Didactic. It has been assumed, tacitly and avowedly, directly and indirectly, that the ultima

30、te object of all Poetry is Truth. Even poem, it is said, should inculcate a moral; and by this moral is the poetical merit if the work to be adjudged. We American especially have patronized this happy idea; and we Bostonians, very especially have developed it in full. We have taken it into our he

31、ads that to write a poem simply for the poem’ sake, and to acknowledge such to have been our design, would be to confess ourselves radically wanting in the true Poetic dignity and force: --- but the simple fact is, that, would we but permit ourselves to look into our own souls, we should immediately

32、 there discover that under the sun there neither exists nor can exist any work more thoroughly dignity --- more supremely noble than this very poem --- this poem per se --- this poem which is a poem and nothing more --- this poem written solely for the poem’ sake. With as deep a reverence for the T

33、rue as ever inspired the bosom of man, I would, nevertheless, limit, in some measure, its modes of inculcation. I would limit to enforce them. I would not enfeeble them by dissipation. The demands of Truth are severe. She has no sympathy with the myrtles. All that which is so indispensable in S

34、ong, is precisely all that with hich she has nothing whatever to do. It is but making a flaunting paradox, to wreathe her gems and flowers. In enforcing a truth, we need severity rather than efflorescence of language. We must be simple, precise, terse. We must be cool, calm, unimpassioned. In a

35、 word, we must be in that mood which, as nearly as possible, is the exact converse of the poetical. He must be blind, indeed, who does not perceive the radical and chasmal differences between the truthful and the poetical modes of inculcation. He must be theory-mad beyond redemption who, in spite

36、of these differences, shall still persist in attempting to reconcile the obstinate oils and waters of Poetry and Truth. Dividing the world of mind into its three most immediately obvious distinctions, , have the Pure Intellect, Taste, and the Moral Sense. I place Taste in the middle, because it is

37、 just this position which, in the mind, it occupied. It holds intimate relations with either extreme; but from the Moral Sense is separated by so faint a difference that Aristotle has not hesitated to place some of operations among the virtues themselves. Nevertheless, we find the offices of the t

38、rio marked with a sufficient distinction. Just as the Intellect concerns itself with Truth, so Taste informs us of the Beautiful while the Moral Sense is regardful of duty. Of this latter, while Conscience teaches the obligation, and Reason the expediency, Taste contents herself with displaying --

39、- her disproportion --- her animosity to the fitting, to the appropriate, to the harmonious--- in a word, to Beauty. 詩歌的原則 說起詩歌的原則，我并不打算說的很全面透徹。對于詩歌的本質(zhì)問題，我只是很隨意的談?wù)?，而我的主要目的是列舉一些我喜歡的或是我記得很清楚的短詩作為參考的內(nèi)容。我所說的短詩，當(dāng)然還是有點長的。在文章的開始，對于詩歌，我想說一些特別的原則，不管對錯與否，它們對于我的詩歌評價總會產(chǎn)生影響。我個人覺得長詩是不存在的，它只不過是詞條中具有矛盾性的詞而

40、已。 想都不用想，每首詩都有它的題目，只是因為它能起到激勵作用，可以提高人的自身修養(yǎng)。詩的價值是通過不斷提升的激勵作用來體現(xiàn)的，但從心理需求來看，這種刺激是短暫的，并不是說通過冗長的詩就能使這種刺激可以一直持續(xù)下去。我們可以看到，半個小時過去后，這種刺激就會消失無影，隨之而來的卻是對冗長的詩歌產(chǎn)生的反感。所以，事實可以說明詩歌不需要太長。 毫無疑問，《失樂園》這本小說得到一些人的肯定和欣賞，然而另一些人對此做出強烈的反對，為此許多人想緩和一點言辭激烈的持有反對觀點的評論宣言，可是覺得這做起來相當(dāng)困難。然而認(rèn)真讀了評論宣言后，會覺得評論家所具有的這種熱情正是評論宣言所需要的。《失樂園》這部偉

41、大的作品極富有詩意，只有對所有著作都沒有考慮到詩歌整體性這一必要特征時，我們會覺得這只不過是一系列的短詩而已。如果為了保留整體性------效果上的或印象上的整體性，作為需要，我們讀了一段時間，其結(jié)果會是我們不斷地在興奮和壓抑之間徘徊。在我們看來，一首真正的詩，不可避免的會遵循舊的模式，在這種情況中，我們不必忍受預(yù)先的評論壓力去贊美一部作品。但是一旦我們完成了一部創(chuàng)作，當(dāng)我們再次讀它時，會直接讀修訂版而不是原稿，在讀的過程中我們會驚訝地發(fā)現(xiàn)：以前推崇備至的內(nèi)容如今卻讓人嗤之以鼻；反過來，以前令人嗤之以鼻的內(nèi)容而今卻備受推崇，這是經(jīng)過不斷地總結(jié)得出來的，而那種具有重要，全面，絕對影響，堪稱是世上

42、最好的史詩，它是不存在的------這就是毫無爭議的事實。 關(guān)于《伊里亞特》這部史詩，盡管我們沒有充足的資料，也有很好的理由讓人相信它是一部抒情詩集。但是從詩歌的目的來考慮，我只能說這部詩集并不是建立在完美的藝術(shù)感上?，F(xiàn)代史詩是通過對舊體史詩的加以想象而發(fā)展而來的，但實際上它只不過是對舊體史詩不加考慮地一味盲目模仿后的產(chǎn)物，這種文學(xué)病態(tài)會有消亡的那天。如果說長詩在任何時候都備受歡迎，這個推論值得我懷疑，至少有一點很清楚是長詩不會再掀起浪潮。 在條件不變的情況下，鑒賞一部詩歌作品就是研究它的特點，這是無可厚非的。當(dāng)我們認(rèn)為這個觀點十分荒謬，雖然如此，我們?nèi)匀灰屑ぜ究u論提出這個觀點。當(dāng)然，

43、就詩歌篇幅這點而言，它是毫無意義的，但那些帶有諷刺意味的小冊子卻讓人頓生敬意。可以說，人們會因為山峰的高聳而產(chǎn)生敬畏之情，但決沒有人會因為《哥倫比亞德》這部愛國詩的冗長的篇幅而感動，季刊也不會引導(dǎo)我們?yōu)檫@種情況而感動。同樣如此，我們不會用立方英尺來衡量偉大的詩人拉馬丁，也不會用英鎊來衡量偉大的詩人波羅克。但是從他們對“持之以恒的努力”總是喋喋不休來看，我們這些人又算什么呢？如果單談“持之以恒的努力”這一方面，任何有丁點知識的人都可以寫出一首宏篇史詩來，于是我們就該贊賞他的努力？如果這真是一件值得稱贊的事，對它的重要性我想我們會盡量克制的去稱贊的。我們期待這樣一個時刻的到來，大家都一致認(rèn)為對于詩

44、歌的肯定應(yīng)該取決于真正的上乘之作，及其產(chǎn)生的影響，而不是在作品所產(chǎn)生的影響中“持之以恒的努力”是必不可少的。實際上，堅持和天才是不能混為一談的，即使是關(guān)于基督教界，季刊也不會在二者之間犯糊涂。隨著時間的推移，慢慢地，人們明確地接受了這個觀點以及我所主張的其他觀點，同時我那些曾被認(rèn)為是胡說八道而遭到抨擊的觀點，而今如同真理一樣，在本質(zhì)上并為被顛覆。 從另一方面來說，我們都很清楚，詩歌也存在太短的問題。太短的詩就會在遣詞造句方面過度斟酌，會導(dǎo)致警句過多的出現(xiàn)。在我們看來，一首短詩充滿哲理智慧或生動形象，但絕不會令人刻骨銘心或經(jīng)久不衰，如同蠟燭上粘得牢牢的郵票。德 佰倫杰（De Beranger）

45、一生充滿刺激和挑戰(zhàn)，但總的來說，成為大眾矚目的焦點，令他們痛苦不堪，正如想象仿佛一根根飄在空中的羽毛，卻因無情的現(xiàn)實最終要落在地上。 這里舉出一個典型的例子，一首過度精簡的小詩，它早已被人遺忘了。下面是一首精美的小詩《小夜曲》（Serenade）: I arise from dreams of thee In the first sweet of night When the winds are breathing low And the stars are shining bright I arise from dreams of thee And a spirit in my

46、 feet Hath led me---who knows how To thy chamber-window sweet! The wandering airs, they faint On the dark, the silent stream--- The champak odors fail Like sweet thoughts in a dream; The nightingale’s complaint, It dies upon her heart, As I must die on thine, O, beloved as thou art! O

47、, lift me from the grass! I die, I faint, I fail! Let thy love in kisses rain On my lips and eyelids pale. My cheek is cold and white, alas! My heart beats loud and fast: Oh! Press it close to thine again, Where it will break at last! 可能很少人熟悉這幾行詩吧,這正是雪萊的作品。這幾行詩想象豐富，空靈，絕妙。詩人從甜美的夢中醒來，夢里：在南方一

48、個仲夏的夜晚，女友漫步在小道上，周圍的空氣中彌漫著芳香。 下面是魏里斯（Willis）寫的一首精美的小詩，在我看來，這是他寫得最好的一首詩了。毫無疑問，這首詩也因過度追求簡短而失去了它本該享有的文學(xué)地位，不僅僅是評論界還有大眾的評價。 The shadows lay along Broadway ’Twas near the twilight-tide--- And slowly there a lady fair Was walking in her pride. Alone walk’d she; but, viewlessly Walk’d spirits at her s

49、ide. Peace charm’d the street beneath her feet, And honor charm’d the air; And all astir looked kind on her, And call’d her good and fair--- For all God ever gave to her She kept with chary care. She kept with care her beauties rare From lovers warm and true--- For her heart was cold to

50、 all but gold, And the rich came not to woo--- But honor ‘d well are charms to sell, If priests the selling do. Now walking there was one more fair--- A slight girl, lily-pale; And she had unseen company To make the spirit quail--- ’Twixt Want and Scorn she walk’d forlorn And nothing coul

51、d avail. No merey now can clear her brow For this world’s peace to pray; For, as love’s wild prayer dissolved in air, Her woman’s heart gave way! --- But the sin forgive by Christ in Heaven By man is cursed always! 從這首詩來看，我們很難想象到詩人曾經(jīng)以社會現(xiàn)實為題材創(chuàng)作了很多作品。這幾行詩想象豐富，鏗鏘有力，字里行間感情真摯，這是他其它幾部詩歌中所沒有的元

52、素。 幾年后，史詩的熱潮逐漸淡去，史詩的時代已經(jīng)是過去式了------主張連篇累牘是詩歌必不可少的特點------這次文學(xué)熱潮的消失卻是一種很荒謬的方式------一種異端邪說取得了勝利，盡管它錯誤百出到令人無法長期忍受，但是有一點很清楚的是，我們已經(jīng)隱忍了一段時間。據(jù)說，在詩歌文學(xué)衰落時期，這種異端邪說所創(chuàng)作出的作品遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)多于與其對立派所創(chuàng)作的所有作品。我曾經(jīng)暗示過《說教》（The Didactic）是一篇異端邪說。緘默不語也好，公開聲明也罷，我們都一直認(rèn)為詩歌的終極目標(biāo)是真理。據(jù)說每首詩都應(yīng)該達(dá)到教化人們道德品行的目的，這也是作為評論詩歌的一個依據(jù)。美國人對于這個評論標(biāo)準(zhǔn)雙手贊成，波斯頓人

53、會對這個標(biāo)準(zhǔn)不斷地完善并加以運用。這個標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，我們會牢牢記住的，它是我們寫詩的出發(fā)點，也肯定了我們的初衷------在詩歌的肅穆和力量中，完全的袒露自己的情感，但我們要注意地是只能由我們自己看穿自己。我們會立刻發(fā)現(xiàn)，這首詩比世界上存在的任何一部作品都要莊嚴(yán)，高貴，這是絕無僅有的一首單純以寫詩為出發(fā)點所創(chuàng)作出來的詩。 對于真理人類懷著無比的崇敬之情，雖然如此，我還是會用一些措施來限制對道德品行教育的方式，但會盡量控制使用強制手段。我不會通過分離的方式而使其有所衰弱。真理需要的是嚴(yán)肅，莊重，她不會對香桃木有惻隱之心，在音樂中，一切都是不可或缺的，準(zhǔn)確的說，這一切就是音樂無論做什么都是徒勞，有的只

54、是在珠寶和鮮花的簇?fù)硐拢瑢Υ丝淇淦湔?。真理需要的是言簡意賅而不是辭藻華麗，我們必須做到頭腦冷靜，鎮(zhèn)定自若?？傊覀円M可能地抱著一種態(tài)度對待真理，這是一種與對待詩歌截然相反的態(tài)度。如果一個人看不出真理和詩歌所起的教育作用的深層次差異，那么他一定是個盲人；盡管存在這些差異，如果一個人仍然執(zhí)著于使詩歌和理論達(dá)到水乳交融的程度，那么他一定是一個不可救藥的理論瘋子。 根據(jù)精神世界的顯著差異，我們可以把它分為三個部分：智慧，鑒賞力，道德觀。我認(rèn)為鑒賞力居于第二位恰到好處，它與智慧，道德觀息息相關(guān)。根據(jù)一點細(xì)微的差別，亞里士多德好不猶豫地將鑒賞力的某些方面歸于美德本身。雖然如此，我們知道三重奏的位置是

55、有明顯的差別的，這正如智慧的本身與真理有關(guān)，鑒賞力讓我們善于發(fā)現(xiàn)美，而道德觀就被看成是一種責(zé)任。對于所提到的智慧，鑒賞力，道德觀，我們還可以理解為：良知使我們自己的履行義務(wù)，理智讓事情處理起來變得簡單，鑒賞力滿足于自身所展現(xiàn)的魅力。對自身不滿而心生邪惡引發(fā)過一場戰(zhàn)爭：恨自己丑陋的外表，繼而心里不平衡，最后滋生仇恨，對一切心懷怨恨，但對根到底，是對美的仇恨。 Edgar Allen Poe. The Poetic Principle [A]. Edited by Yao Naiqian . Selecting Reading For Western Classics in Literary Criticism [C]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2003: 398---404.