and of action. He emerged from his shell, made many friends,
and threw himself with great zest into the social life of his comrades.
It is
evident, however, that this did not mean any slackening
in his
literary interests. His work gives ample proof of real,
if not of
systematic,
culture. He
genuinely loves and has made his own
many of the great things of the past. His translations from
Dante and Ariosto, for example, show no less
sympathy than accomplishment.
Very
characteristic is his
selection of the Twenty-sixth Canto
of the `Inferno', in which the
narrative of Ulysses brings with it
a
breath from the great
romance of the
antique world. It is noteworthy
that before he graduated he took up with zeal and with distinction
the study of Celtic
literature -- a corrective, perhaps, in its cooler tones,
to the
tropical motives with which his mind was stored.
He was one of the editors of the `Harvard Monthly', to which he made
frequent contributions of verse.
There followed two years (1910-12) in New York -- probably the
least
satisfactory years of his life. The quest of beauty
is scarcely a
profession, and it caused his parents some concern
to find him pausing irresolute on the
threshold of
manhood,
instead of
setting himself a goal and bracing his energies
for its
achievement. In 1911 his mother and sister left Mexico,
a week or two before Porfirio Diaz made his exit, and the Maderists
entered the capital. They returned to New York, to find Alan still unsettled,
and possessed with the thought, or perhaps rather the instinct,
that the life he craved for was not to be found in America,
but awaited him in Europe. In the following year he carried his point,
and set off for Paris -- a
departure which may fairly be called his Hegira,
the turning-point of his history. That it shortened his span
there can be little doubt. Had he settled down to
literary work,
in his native city, he might have lived to old age. But it secured him
four years of the tense and poignant joy of living on which his heart was set;
and during two of these years the joy was of a kind which
absolved him for ever from the
reproach of mere hedonism and self-indulgence.
He would certainly have said -- or rather he was
continually saying,
in words full of
passionateconviction --
One
crowded hour of
glorious life
Is worth an age without a name.
It was in the spirit of a
romanticist of the eighteen-forties that
he plunged into the life of Paris. He had a room near the Musee de Cluny,
and he found himself
thoroughly at home among the artists and students
of the Latin Quarter, though he
occasionallyvaried the `Vie de Boheme'
by excursions into "society" of a more
orthodox type.
Paris has had many lovers, but few more
devoted than Alan Seeger.
He accepted the life of "die singende, springende, schoene Paris"
with a curious whole-heartedness. Here and there we find evidence
-- for
instance, in the first two
sonnets -- that he was not blind
to its seamy side. But on the whole he appears to have seen beauty
even in aspects of it for which it is almost as difficult
to find aesthetic as moral
justification. The truth is, no doubt,
that the whole
spectacle was plunged for him in the glamour of
romance.
Paris did not belong to the working-day world, but was like
Baghdad or Samarcand, a city of the Arabian Nights.
How his
imagination transfigured it we may see in such a passage as this:
By
silvery waters in the plains afar
Glimmers the
inland city like a star,
With gilded gates and sunny spires ablaze,
And burnished domes half seen through
luminous haze.
- romantic [rəu´mæntik] a.传奇(式)的;浪漫的 (初中英语单词)
- western [´westən] a.西的;西方的 (初中英语单词)
- glorious [´glɔ:riəs] a.光荣的;辉煌的 (初中英语单词)
- statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像,雕像 (初中英语单词)
- unlike [,ʌn´laik] a.不同的 prep.不象… (初中英语单词)
- stream [stri:m] n.河 vi.流出;飘扬 (初中英语单词)
- imagination [i,mædʒi´neiʃən] n.想象(力) (初中英语单词)
- european [juərə´pi:ən] a.欧洲的 n.欧洲人 (初中英语单词)
- shipping [´ʃipiŋ] n.船运业;船舶(总数) (初中英语单词)
- accurate [´ækjurət] a.准确的;精密的 (初中英语单词)
- observation [,ɔbzə´veiʃən] n.观测;注意;意义 (初中英语单词)
- mexico [´meksikəu] n.墨西哥 (初中英语单词)
- romance [rəu´mæns] n.中世纪骑士小说 (初中英语单词)
- wherever [weər´evə] conj.无论在哪里 (初中英语单词)
- fascinating [´fæsineitiŋ] a.迷人,使神魂颠倒的 (初中英语单词)
- climate [´klaimit] n.气候;特殊气候地带 (初中英语单词)
- attractive [ə´træktiv] a.有吸引力;诱人的 (初中英语单词)
- height [hait] n.高度;顶点;卓越 (初中英语单词)
- poetry [´pəuitri] n.诗;诗意 (初中英语单词)
- painting [´peintiŋ] n.绘画;(油)画;着色 (初中英语单词)
- supposed [sə´pəuzd] a.想象的;假定的 (初中英语单词)
- literary [´litərəri] a.文学(上)的 (初中英语单词)
- ability [ə´biliti] n.(办事)能力;才干 (初中英语单词)
- chilly [´tʃili] a.凉飕飕的 (初中英语单词)
- frequent [´fri:kwənt] a.常见的,频繁的 (初中英语单词)
- mexican [´meksikən] n.&a.墨西哥人(语)的 (初中英语单词)
- vacation [və´keiʃən, vei´keiʃən] n.假期;休庭期;腾空 (初中英语单词)
- delightful [di´laitful] a.讨人喜欢的 (初中英语单词)
- definite [´definit] a.确定的,明确的 (初中英语单词)
- instance [´instəns] n.例子,实例,例证 (初中英语单词)
- companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴;同事;伴侣 (初中英语单词)
- fortunate [´fɔ:tʃənət] a.幸运的,侥幸的 (初中英语单词)
- sunlight [´sʌnlait] n.日光 (初中英语单词)
- existence [ig´zistəns] n.存在;生存;生活 (初中英语单词)
- meadow [´medəu] n.草地;牧场 (初中英语单词)
- scarlet [´skɑ:lit] n.猩红色 a.猩红的 (初中英语单词)
- altitude [´æltitju:d] n.高度;海拨 (初中英语单词)
- therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此;所以 (初中英语单词)
- california [,kæli´fɔ:njə] n.加利福尼亚 (初中英语单词)
- reading [´ri:diŋ] n.(阅)读;朗读;读物 (初中英语单词)
- magnificent [mæg´nifisənt] a.壮丽的;豪华的 (初中英语单词)
- obvious [´ɔbviəs] a.明显的;显而易见的 (初中英语单词)
- career [kə´riə] n.经历;生涯;职业 (初中英语单词)
- evident [´evidənt] a.明显的,明白的 (初中英语单词)
- culture [´kʌltʃə] n.修养;文化;饲养 (初中英语单词)
- sympathy [´simpəθi] n.同情,怜悯 (初中英语单词)
- breath [breθ] n.呼吸;气息 (初中英语单词)
- literature [´litərətʃə] n.文学;文献;著作 (初中英语单词)
- satisfactory [,sætis´fæktəri] a.令人满意的 (初中英语单词)
- profession [prə´feʃən] n.职业;声明;表白 (初中英语单词)
- achievement [ə´tʃi:vmənt] n.完成;成就,成绩 (初中英语单词)
- departure [di´pɑ:tʃə] n.离开,出发 (初中英语单词)
- conviction [kən´vikʃən] n.定罪;确信,信服 (初中英语单词)
- thoroughly [´θʌrəli] ad.完全地,彻底地 (初中英语单词)
- occasionally [ə´keiʒənəli] ad.偶然地;非经常地 (初中英语单词)
- spectacle [´spektəkəl] n.展览;表演;景象 (初中英语单词)
- gateway [´geit-wei] n.入口;通道;途径 (高中英语单词)
- historic [his´tɔrik] a.有历史意义的 (高中英语单词)
- manhood [´mænhud] n.人格;男子气概 (高中英语单词)
- perfection [pə´fekʃən] n.完美;极致;熟练 (高中英语单词)
- spacious [´speiʃəs] a.广阔的,宽敞的 (高中英语单词)
- exploit [´eksplɔit] n.功绩 vt.剥削;开发 (高中英语单词)
- scanty [´skænti] a.贫乏的;节省的 (高中英语单词)
- elevation [,eli´veiʃən] n.高度;晋升;高尚 (高中英语单词)
- convent [´kɔnvənt] n.女修道院;女修道会 (高中英语单词)
- patron [´peitrən] n.庇护人,保护人;赞助人 (高中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的,博学的 (高中英语单词)
- orient [´ɔ:riənt] n.东方 a.东方的 (高中英语单词)
- industrious [in´dʌstriəs] a.勤勉的,刻苦的 (高中英语单词)
- landscape [´lændskeip] n.风景;景色;风景画 (高中英语单词)
- solitary [´sɔlitəri] a.独居的;孤独的 (高中英语单词)
- drowsy [´drauzi] a.困倦的;催眠的 (高中英语单词)
- woodland [´wudlənd] n.树林,林地 (高中英语单词)
- harvard [´hɑ:vəd] n.哈佛大学 (高中英语单词)
- knight [nait] n.骑士;爵士 (高中英语单词)
- characteristic [,kæriktə´ristik] a.特有的 n.特性 (高中英语单词)
- selection [si´lekʃən] n.选择;选拔;精选物 (高中英语单词)
- narrative [´nærətiv] a.叙述的 n.记事 (高中英语单词)
- tropical [´trɔpikəl] a.热带地区的 (高中英语单词)
- threshold [´θreʃhəuld] n.门槛;入门;开端 (高中英语单词)
- reproach [ri´prəutʃ] vt.&n.责备;指责;耻辱 (高中英语单词)
- continually [kən´tinjuəli] ad.不断地,频繁地 (高中英语单词)
- passionate [´pæʃənit] a.易动情的;易怒的 (高中英语单词)
- crowded [´kraudid] a.充(拥)满了的 (高中英语单词)
- inland [´inlənd, in´lænd] a.&n.内地的 ad.在内地 (高中英语单词)
- bridge [bridʒ] n.桥(梁);鼻梁;桥牌 (英语四级单词)
- mountainous [´mauntinəs] a.山多的;巨大的 (英语四级单词)
- stirring [´stə:riŋ] a.活跃的;热闹的 (英语四级单词)
- migration [mai´greiʃən] n.迁移;移居 (英语四级单词)
- magnificence [mæg´nifisns] n.壮丽;宏伟;豪华 (英语四级单词)
- wonderfully [´wʌndəfuli] ad.令人惊讶地;奇妙地 (英语四级单词)
- periodical [,piəri´ɔdikəl] a.定期的 n.期刊 (英语四级单词)
- havana [hə´vænə] n.哈瓦那 (英语四级单词)
- tropic [´trɔpik] n.热带地区;回归线 (英语四级单词)
- conjecture [kən´dʒektʃə] n.&v.猜测(想);设想 (英语四级单词)
- sonnet [´sɔnit] n.十四行诗 (英语四级单词)
- assuredly [ə´ʃuəridli] ad.确实地;确信地 (英语四级单词)
- sojourn [´sɔdʒə:n] vi.&n.旅居;逗留 (英语四级单词)
- domain [də´mein,dəu-] n.领土;版图;范围 (英语四级单词)
- miscellaneous [,misə´leiniəs] a.混杂的;兴趣杂的 (英语四级单词)
- adventurous [əd´ventʃərəs] a.冒险的;惊险的 (英语四级单词)
- allusion [ə´lu:ʒən] n.暗指;提及;引喻 (英语四级单词)
- antique [æn´ti:k] a.古代的 n.古物(董) (英语四级单词)
- setting [´setiŋ] n.安装;排字;布景 (英语四级单词)
- varied [´veərid] a.各种各样的 (英语四级单词)
- devoted [di´vəutid] a.献身…的,忠实的 (英语四级单词)
- silvery [´silvəri] a.银一般的 (英语四级单词)
- luminous [´lu:minəs] a.发光的;明晰的 (英语四级单词)
- fulfilment [ful´filmənt] n.完成,成就 (英语六级单词)
- expanse [ik´spæns] n.广阔;宽阔的区域 (英语六级单词)
- incessant [in´sesənt] a.不断的,不停的 (英语六级单词)
- seaward [´si:wəd] a.&ad.朝海(的) (英语六级单词)
- immaculate [i´mækjulit] a.纯洁的;无瑕疵的 (英语六级单词)
- lagoon [lə´gu:n] n.濒海湖,泻湖 (英语六级单词)
- upland [´ʌplənd] n.高地;山地 (英语六级单词)
- nightfall [´nait,fɔ:l] n.黄昏;傍晚 (英语六级单词)
- fabulous [´fæbjuləs] a.难以置信的;惊人的 (英语六级单词)
- veritable [´veritəbəl] a.真正的;确实的 (英语六级单词)
- imaginative [i´mædʒənətiv] a.富于想象(力)的 (英语六级单词)
- robust [rəu´bʌst] a.强建的;茁壮的 (英语六级单词)
- systematic [,sisti´mætik] a.有系统的,成体系的 (英语六级单词)
- genuinely [´dʒenjuinli] ad.由衷地 (英语六级单词)
- orthodox [´ɔ:θədɔks] a.正统的;正统的;习惯的 (英语六级单词)
- justification [,dʒʌstifi´keiʃən] n.辩护;根据;缘故 (英语六级单词)