主题：Andrew Marr：我们英国人——英国诗歌文学简史 -- 万年看客

以上就是一位骑士派指挥官的姐妹的发言。不过归根结底这首诗首先是一首田园诗，创作于一个城镇似乎正在主宰英国文坛的时代——政治讽刺诗，性爱情色诗，还有宫廷诗人的道德宣教诗，等等。但是此时英国的大部分人口依然居住在农村，一辈子都极少离开家乡。另一位主要描写当时英国农村现实生活的诗人是查尔斯.科顿，一位遭到流放的保皇派士绅与狂热的钓鱼迷。他的四行诗系列描绘了一天各个时段的农村日常生活。在各种古典文化典故的装点下，我们能看到听到十七世纪农村生活的真实景象。以下是《清晨四行诗》（The Morning Quatrains）的节选：

Now doors and windows are unbar'd,

Each-where are chearfull voices heard,

And round about Good-morrows fly,

As if Day taught Humanity.

门窗都已经下闩敞开，

愉快的声音从四处传来。

身边处处有人问候早上好，

新的一天正在将人类教导。

The Chimnies now to smoke begin

And the old Wife sits down to spin,

Whilst Kate, taking her Pail, does trip

Mulls swoll’n and stradl'ing Paps to strip.

家家烟囱开始冒出炊烟，

老婆婆坐下来开始纺线。

挤奶水的凯特提着木桶，

母牛乳房肿胀，后腿合不拢。

Vulcan now makes his Anvil ring,

Dick whistles loud, and Maud doth sing,

And Silvio with his Bugle Horn

Winds an Imprime unto the Morn.

伏尔坎将铁砧砸得响动铮铮，

迪克吹起口哨，毛德唱出歌声。

希维尔吹起了黄铜号角，

人们迎来了又一个清早。

Now through the morning doors behold

Phoebus array'd in burning Gold,

Lashing his fiery Steeds, displays

His warm and all enlight'ning Rays

穿过每一扇清晨的门户，

阳光如同燃烧的黄金一般注入。

太阳神驾驭着周身烈焰的骏马，

将温暖与光明向人世间播撒。

Now each one to his work prepares,

All that have hands are Labourers,

And Manufactures of each trade

By op'ning Shops are open laid.

人人都准备好了当天的劳动，

凡有双手之人都要将气力使用。

还有各行各业的各种匠人，

店铺都已开张，等待顾客上门。

Hob yokes his Oxen to the Team,

The Angler goes unto the stream,

The Wood-man to the Purlews highs,

And lab'ring Bees to load their thighs.

车夫为公牛套上了轭，

渔人来到小河边端坐，

樵夫走进了高高的林地，

勤劳的蜜蜂也开始采蜜。

Fair Amarillis drives her Flocks,

All night safe folded from the Fox,

To flow'ry Downs, where Collin stays,

To court her with his Roundelays.

美丽的艾莫莉丝将鸡鸭看护得好，

一整晚都没受到狐狸的侵扰。

来到鲜花盛开的坡地，遇到了柯林

用一支圆舞将她招待殷勤。

The Traveller now leaves his Inn

A new days Journey to begin,

As he would post it with the day,

And early rising makes good way.

旅行者离开了投宿的旅店

新一天的旅程就在前面。

他将当天行程规划妥当，

早早动身为的是将进度赶上。

The slick-fac'd School-boy Sachel takes,

And with slow pace small riddance makes;

For why, the haste we make, you know,

To Knowledge and to Vertue's slow.

小学生昂着小脸，书包在手中提，

脚步磨磨蹭蹭，上学一点不着急。

倒也不必生气，我们要知道为啥，

知识与美德之路确实欲速则不达

The Forehorse gingles on the Road,

The Waggoner lugs on his Load,

The Field with busie People snies,

And City rings with various cries.

挽马走在路上铃声叮当，

车夫将货物装满车厢，

忙碌的农夫布满了田间，

城市里也已经沸反盈天。

以下的诗文则描写了傍晚的景象：

The shadows now so long do grow,

That brambles like tall cedars show,

Mole-hills seem mountains, and the ant

Appears a monstrous elephant.

影子正在越拖越长，

荆棘也有了雪松的模样，

鼹鼠的土丘好似高山，

蚂蚁变得像巨象一般。

A very little little flock

Shades thrice the ground that it would stock;

Whilst the small stripling following them

Appears a mighty Polypheme.

一小群数量稀少的鹅鸭也会

投下巨大阴影，占地足有三倍。

跟在后面的还有一群小鸭小鹅

影子好像独眼巨人那样巍峨。

These being brought into the fold,

And by the thrifty master told,

He thinks his wages are well paid,

Since none are either lost or stray'd.

家禽们全都回归了笼舍，

勤俭的主人逐个清点过，

并且认为今天工作完成得很好

撒出去多少只，回来一只不少。

Now lowing herds are each-where heard,

Chains rattle in the villian's yard,

The cart's on tail set down to rest,

Bearing on high the cuckold's crest.

到处能听见牧人将牲畜呼唤，

农舍大门咣啷啷地缠上了锁链。

牛车沿着车辙前往过夜之处，

摇晃着犄角不慌不忙地赶路。

The hedge is stripp'd, the clothes brought in,

Nought's left without should be within,

The bees are hiv'd, and hum their charm,

Whilst every house does seem a swarm.

晾晒在篱笆上的衣物已经收拾起来，

需要拿进家的器物都没有遗留在外。

蜜蜂收进蜂箱，在里面嗡嗡作响，

各家各户此时都像蜂群一般熙攘。

The cock now to the roost is press'd:

For he must call up all the rest;

The sow's fast-pegg'd within the sty,

To still her squeaking progeny.

养鸡户首先要将公鸡捕捉，

要靠他呼唤母鸡小鸡回窝。

母猪在圈里要用木桩拴好，

好将尖叫的小猪仔们喂饱。

Each one has had his supping mess,

The cheese is put into the press,

The pans and bowls are scalded all,

Rear'd up against the milk-house wall.

人人都吃完了晚餐饭菜，

奶酪要送进榨机挤压成块，

用过的盆碗都要用开水烫，

然后在奶酪坊里靠墙堆放。

And now on benches all are sat

In the cool air to sit and chat,

Till Phoebus, dipping in the West,

Shall lead the World the way to rest.

长凳上的人们三三两两，

坐在清凉的空气里将闲话讲。

太阳越降越低，一路向西驶去，

整个世界即将入夜休憩。

好的叙事诗——例如以上诗文——就应该像好的新闻作品一样以注意力为基础，耳聪目明才能写得漂亮。