资源描述:
《Historical Lectures and Essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座) 》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、HistoricalLecturesandEssaysHistoricalLecturesandEssaysbyCharlesKingsley1HistoricalLecturesandEssaysTHEFIRSTDISCOVERYOFAMERICALetmebeginthislecture{1}withasceneintheNorthAtlantic863yearssince."BjarneGrimolfsonwasblownwithhisshipintotheIrishOcean;andtherecam
2、ewormsandtheshipbegantosinkunderthem.Theyhadaboatwhichtheyhadpayedwithseals'blubber,forthatthesea-wormswillnothurt.Butwhentheygotintotheboattheysawthatitwouldnotholdthemall.ThensaidBjarne,'Astheboatwillonlyholdthehalfofus,myadviceisthatweshoulddrawlotswhos
3、hallgoinher;forthatwillnotbeunworthyofourmanhood.'Thisadviceseemedsogoodthatnonegainsaidit;andtheydrewlots.AndthelotfelltoBjarnethatheshouldgointheboatwithhalfhiscrew.Butashegotintotheboat,therespakeanIcelanderwhowasintheshipandhadfollowedBjarnefromIceland
4、,'Artthougoingtoleavemehere,Bjarne?'QuothBjarne,'Soitmustbe.'Thensaidtheman,'Anotherthingdidstthoupromisemyfather,whenIsailedwiththeefromIceland,thantodesertmethus.Forthousaidstthatwebothshouldsharethesamelot.'Bjarnesaid,'Andthatwewillnotdo.Getthoudowninto
5、theboat,andIwillgetupintotheship,nowIseethatthouartsogreedyafterlife.'SoBjarnewentupintotheship,andthemanwentdownintotheboat;andtheboatwentonitsvoyagetilltheycametoDublininIreland.MostmensaythatBjarneandhiscomradesperishedamongtheworms;fortheywereneverhear
6、dofafter."Thisstorymayserveasatextformywholelecture.Notonlydoesitsmackofthesea-breezeandthesaltwater,likeallthefinestoldNorsesagas,butitgivesaglimpseatleastofthenoblenesswhichunderlaythegrimandoftencruelnatureoftheNorseman.Itbelongs,too,tothe2HistoricalLec
7、turesandEssaysculminatingepoch,tothebeginningofthaterawhentheScandinavianpeopleshadtheirgreattimes;whentheoldfiercenessoftheworshippersofThorandOdinwastempered,withoutbeingeffeminated,bytheFaithofthe"WhiteChrist,"tilltheverymenwhohadbeenthedestroyersofWest
8、ernEuropebecameitscivilisers.Itshouldhave,moreover,aspecialinteresttoAmericans.For--asAmericanantiquariesarewellaware--BjarnewasonhisvoyagehomefromthecoastofNewEngland;possiblyfromthatveryMountHopeBaywhichsee