第51章

imaginedawildphilosophyofpleasure，andcamehithertoactout

theirlatestday-dream。Theygatheredfollowersfromallthatgiddy

tribewhosewholelifeislikethefestaldaysofsoberermen。In

theirtrainwereminstrels，notunknowninLondonstreets：wandering

players，whosetheatreshadbeenthehallsofnoblemen；mummers，

rope-dancers，andmountebanks，whowouldlongbemissedatwakes，

churchales，andfairs；inaword，mirthmakersofeverysort，suchas

aboundedinthatage，butnowbegantobediscountenancedbytherapid

growthofPuritanism。Lighthadtheirfootstepsbeenonland，andas

lightlytheycameacrossthesea。Manyhadbeenmaddenedbytheir

previoustroublesintoagaydespair；otherswereasmadlygayin

theflushofyouth，liketheMayLordandhisLady；butwhatevermight

bethequalityoftheirmirth，oldandyoungweregayatMerry

Mount。Theyoungdeemedthemselveshappy。Theelderspirits，ifthey

knewthatmirthwasbutthecounterfeitofhappiness，yetfollowedthe

falseshadowwilfully，becauseatleasthergarmentsglittered

brightest。Sworntriflersofalifetime，theywouldnotventure

amongthesobertruthsoflifenoteventobetrulyblest。

AllthehereditarypastimesofOldEnglandweretransplanted

hither。TheKingofChristmaswasdulycrowned，andtheLordof

Misruleborepotentsway。OntheEveofSt。John，theyfelledwhole

acresoftheforesttomakebonfires，anddancedbytheblazeall

night，crownedwithgarlands，andthrowingflowersintotheflame。

Atharvesttime，thoughtheircropwasofthesmallest，theymadean

imagewiththesheavesofIndiancorn，andwreatheditwithautumnal

garlands，andboreithometriumphantly。Butwhatchiefly

characterizedthecolonistsofMerryMountwastheirvenerationfor

theMaypole。Ithasmadetheirtruehistoryapoet’stale。Spring

deckedthehallowedemblemwithyoungblossomsandfreshgreenboughs；

Summerbroughtrosesofthedeepestblush，andtheperfectedfoliage

oftheforest；Autumnenricheditwiththatredandyellow

gorgeousnesswhichconvertseachwildwoodleafintoapainted

flower；andWintersilvereditwithsleet，andhungitroundwith

icicles，tillitflashedinthecoldsunshine，itselfafrozen

sunbeam。ThuseachalternateseasondidhomagetotheMaypole，and

paiditatributeofitsownrichestsplendor。Itsvotariesdanced

roundit，once，atleast，ineverymonth；sometimestheycalledit

theirreligion，ortheiraltar；butalways，itwasthebannerstaffof

MerryMount。

Unfortunately，thereweremeninthenewworldofasternerfaith

thantheseMaypoleworshippers。NotfarfromMerryMountwasa

settlementofPuritans，mostdismalwretches，whosaidtheirprayers

beforedaylight，andthenwroughtintheforestorthecorn-fieldtill

eveningmadeitprayertimeagain。Theirweaponswerealwaysathand

toshootdownthestragglingsavage。Whentheymetinconclave，itwas

nevertokeepuptheoldEnglishmirth，buttohearsermonsthree

hourslong，ortoproclaimbountiesontheheadsofwolvesandthe

scalpsofIndians。Theirfestivalswerefastdays，andtheirchief

pastimethesingingofpsalms。Wototheyouthormaidenwhodidbut

dreamofadance！Theselectmannoddedtotheconstable；andtheresat

thelight-heeledreprobateinthestocks；orifhedanced，itwas

roundthewhipping-post，whichmightbetermedthePuritanMaypole。

ApartyofthesegrimPuritans，toilingthroughthedifficult

woods，eachwithahorseloadofironarmortoburdenhisfootsteps，

wouldsometimesdrawnearthesunnyprecinctsofMerryMount。There

werethesilkencolonists，sportingroundtheirMaypole；perhaps

teachingabeartodance，orstrivingtocommunicatetheirmirthto

thegraveIndian；ormasqueradingintheskinsofdeerandwolves，

whichtheyhadhuntedforthatespecialpurpose。Often，thewhole

colonywereplayingatblindman’sbuff，magistratesandall，with

theireyesbandaged，exceptasinglescapegoat，whomtheblinded

sinnerspursuedbythetinklingofthebellsathisgarments。Once，i