第33章 CRITICISMS ON THE PRINCIPAL ITALIAN WRITERS(7)

The invectives on an unfortunate physician， or rather upon the medical science， have more spirit. Petrarch was thoroughly in earnest on this subject. And the bitterness of his feelings occasionally produces， in the midst of his classical and scholastic pedantry， a sentence worthy of the second Philippic. Swift himself might have envied the chapter on the causes of the paleness of physicians.

Of his Latin works the Epistles are the most generally known and admired. As compositions they are certainly superior to his essays. But their excellence is only comparative. From so large a collection of letters， written by so eminent a man， during so varied and eventful a life， we should have expected a complete and spirited view of the literature， the manners， and the politics of the age. A traveller--a poet--a scholar--a lover--a courtier--a recluse--he might have perpetuated， in an imperishable record， the form and pressure of the age and body of the time.Thosewho read his correspondence， in the hope of finding such information as this， will be utterly disappointed. It contains nothing characteristic of the period or of the individual. It is a series， not of letters， but of themes； and， as it is not generally known， might be very safely employed at public schools as a magazine of commonplaces. Whether he write on politics to the Emperor and the Doge， or send advice and consolation to a private friend， every line is crowded with examples and quotations， and sounds big with Anaxagoras and Scipio. Such was the interest excited by the character of Petrarch， and such the admiration which was felt for his epistolary style， that it was with difficulty that his letters reached the place of their destination. The poet describes， with pretended regret and real complacency， the importunity of the curious， who often opened， and sometimes stole， these favourite compositions. It is a remarkable fact that， of all his epistles， the least affected are those which are addressed to the dead and the unborn. Nothing can be more absurd than his whim of composing grave letters of expostulation and commendation to Cicero and Seneca； yet these strange performances are written in a far more natural manner than his communications to his living correspondents. But of all his Latin works the preference must be given to the Epistle to Posterity； a simple， noble， and pathetic composition， most honourable both to his taste and his heart. If we can make allowance for some of the affected humility of an author， we shall perhaps think that no literary man has left a more pleasing memorial of himself.

In conclusion， we may pronounce that the works of Petrarch were below both his genius and his celebrity； and that the circumstances under which he wrote were as adverse to the development of his powers as they were favourable to the extension of his fame.

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第一章SOME ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT LAWSUIT BETWEEN THE PARISHES OF ST DENNIS AND STGEORGE IN THE WATER.

(April 1824)

PART I.

The parish of St Dennis is one of the most pleasant parts of the county in which it is situated. It is fertile， well wooded， well watered， and of an excellent air. For many generations the manor had been holden in tail- male by a worshipful family， who have always taken precedence of their neighbours at the races and the sessions.

In ancient times the affairs of this parish were administered by a Court-Baron， in which the freeholders were judges； and the rates were levied by select vestries of the inhabitant householders. But at length these good customs fell into disuse. The Lords of the Manor， indeed， still held courts for form's sake； but they or their stewards had the whole management of affairs. They demanded services， duties， and customs to which they had no just title. Nay， they would often bring actions against their neighbours for their own private advantage， and then send in the bill to the parish. No objection was made， during many years， to these proceedings， so that the rates became heavier and heavier： nor was any person exempted from these demands， except the footmen and gamekeepers of the squire and the rector of the parish. They indeed were never checked in any excess. They would come to an honest labourer's cottage， eat his pancakes， tuck his fowls into their pockets， and cane the poor man himself. If he went up to the great house to complain， it was hard to get the speech of Sir Lewis； and， indeed， his only chance of being righted was to coax the squire's pretty housekeeper， who could do whatshe pleased with her master. If he ventured to intrude upon the Lord of the Manor without this precaution， he gained nothing by his pains. Sir Lewis， indeed， would at first receive him with a civil face； for， to give him his due， he could be a fine gentleman when he pleased. "Good day， my friend，" he would say， "what situation have you in my family？" "Bless your honour！" says the poor fellow， "I am not one of your honour's servants； I rent a small piece of ground， your honour." "Then， you dog，" quoth the squire， "what do you mean by coming here？ Has a gentleman nothing to do but to hear the complaints of clowns？ Here！ Philip， James， Dick， toss this fellow in a blanket； or duck him， and set him in the stocks to dry."One of these precious Lords of the Manor enclosed a deer-park； and， in order to stock it， he seized all the pretty pet fawns that his tenants had brought up， without paying them a farthing， or asking their leave. It was a sad day for the parish of St Dennis. Indeed， I do not believe that all his oppressive exactions and long bills enraged the poor tenants so much as this cruel measure.