Abraham Cowley 1618 1667 poet englez nscut n

Abraham Cowley (1618 -1667) poet englez, născut în City of London intr -o familie cu o stare materiala foarte buna – tatăl sau a fost papetar.

Unde a studiat Cowley ? • A studiat la Westminster School și la Trinity College. • La 15 ani și-a publicat primul volum de versuri: „Poetical Blossoms” care contine 5 poeme, dintre care unul a fost scris la 10 ani. • A scris o dramă pastorală și o comedie latină la vârsta de 20 ani - „Naufragium Iaculare”. • Licențiat în litere și filosofie la vârsta de 21 de ani. • Doctor în litere și filosofie la vârsta de 25 de ani. • A studiat medicina la Oxford devenind doctor la vârsta de 32 de ani.

Statutul utopiei științifice pe fondul gândirii lui A. Cowley • Prin trecerea de la poemul metafizic standard la poemul ancorat în științificitate empirică - menită să direcționeze corect imaginația - Cowley poate fi înțeles, în probabil trei feluri:

• 1. Drept un poet reprofilat în filosof al naturii. • 2. Drept un poet cu o atitudine distructivă la adresa imaginației care i-a deservit până atunci în activitatea literară. • 3. Drept un poet care caută să își ducă la alt nivel poemul metafizic.

• La prima vedere primele două explicații, luate fie împreună sau separat, par mai la îndemână având în vedere asocierea lui Cowley cu Bacon (amintit în oda adresată Societății Regale) și Hobbes (primul gânditor care a vrut să construiască o filosofie politică pe un raționalism împins cu bună știință la extrem. Mai ales că Hobbes se sprijină în totalitate pe adevărul științific așa cum reiese din examenul concret al faptelor și neagă originea divină a puterii sau a caracterului sacru al regilor sau preoților, teze care nu sunau prea bine poeților metafizici ai vremii).

• Pentru Cowley, lumea experiențelor sensibile este una din cele două lumi cu care imaginația poetului trebuie să lucreze (cealaltă lume, adică cea a mitului, este cea în care mintea creează). În spatele amândurora se află realitatea - Universul armonios conceput în mintea lui Dumnezeu și accesibil omului prin surprindere. Cowley este un soi de poet filosof cu preocupări științifice care se găsește într-un rol destinat cunoașterii. Iar prin acest rol, el trebuie să unească înțelegerea științifică a fenomenelor naturii cu înțelegerea imaginativă a lumiii pentru a crea o viziune a ordinii și armoniei universale.

• Astfel, filosofia naturala este doar o anexa a perspectivei sale, menită să îndrume imaginația și nicidecum o preocupare diferita. Cuvintele cu care lucrează un astfel de poet sunt imagini ale lucrurilor și nu ale gândurilor. O astfel de idee de relație a limbajului cu adevărul limitează drastic spiritul poetic convențional. Iată o implicație de care e posibil ca poetul nostru să fi dat seama în cercurile literare ale vremii. • • „From words, which are but pictures of the thought (Though we our thoughts from them perversely drew), To things, the mind’s right object, he it brought. Like foolish birds, to painted grapes we flew; ” • - Ode to the Royal Society

• Separarea carteziană minte-corp, spiritsens, Dumnezeu-creație sau separarea lui Locke dintre cuvinte și obiecte nu face obiectul gândirii lui Cowley: • • „And when on heaps the chosen Bunches lay, He pressed them wisely the Mechanic way, Till all their juice did in one Vessel join, Ferment into a Nourishment Divine. . . ”. • - Ode to the Royal Society

• • Pentru poetul metafizic, natura umana este o reprezentare a unui Univers care funcționează ca un organism viu și care manifesta scopuri sacre in toate procesele lui. Avem de-a face cu un concept de ordine naturala in care cauzele de ordin spiritual și material nu sunt independente ci interdependente. De aici și asumarea cum că ideile, ca produse ale imaginației nu sunt obiecte mentale ci entități care participa prin interrelatie la intreg. Transcenderea spațiului și timpului preocuparea poetului metafizic- ține de descoperirea cauzelor secunde ale realității (adică poetul, de fapt, descoperă la acest nivel infinta creativitate de ordin divin), ca mai apoi să intervină poezia, care în contextul acesta nu este nimic altceva decât știința divină care funcționează ca un pod între universul cognoscibil de prim nivel și universul misterios atemporal - locuit doar de către suflet. Iată fondul gândirii pe care a luat naștere utopia științifică „O propunere pentru progresul filosofiei experimentale”.

• Abraham Cowley (1618 -1667) • • • To The Royal Society (excerpt) • • • • • 1 Philosophy the great and only heir 2 Of all that human knowledge which has bin 3 Unforfeited by man's rebellious sin, 4 Though full of years he do appear, 5(Philosophy, I say, and call it, he, 6 For whatso'ere the painter's fancy be, 7 It a male-virtue seems to me) 8 Has still been kept in nonage till of late, 9 Nor manag'd or enjoy'd his vast estate: 10 Three or four thousand years one would have thought, 11 To ripeness and perfection might have brought 12 A science so well bred and nurst, 13 And of such hopeful parts too at the first. 14 But, oh, the guardians and the tutors then, 15(Some negligent, and some ambitious men) 16 Would ne'er consent to set him free, 17 Or his own natural powers to let him see, 18 Lest that should put an end to their authority. • • • • • • 19 That his own business he might quite forget, 20 They' amus'd him with the sports of wanton wit, 21 With the desserts of poetry they fed him, 22 Instead of solid meats t' encrease his force; 23 Instead of vigorous exercise they led him 24 Into the pleasant labyrinths of ever-fresh discourse: 25 Instead of carrying him to see 26 The riches which do hoarded for him lie 27 In Nature's endless treasury, 28 They chose his eye to entertain 29 (His curious but not covetous eye) 30 With painted scenes, and pageants of the brain. 31 Some few exalted spirits this latter age has shown, 32 That labour'd to assert the liberty 33(From guardians, who were now usurpers grown) 34 Of this old minor still, captiv'd Philosophy; 35 But 'twas rebellion call'd to fight 36 For such a long oppressed right. 37 Bacon at last, a mighty man, arose 38 Whom a wise King and Nature chose 39 Lord Chancellor of both their laws, 40 And boldly undertook the injur'd pupil's cause. • • • 41 Authority, which did a body boast, 42 Though 'twas but air condens'd, and stalk'd about, 43 Like some old giant's more gigantic ghost, 44 To terrify the learned rout 45 With the plain magic of true reason's light, • • • • • • 47 Nor suffer'd living men to be misled 48 By the vain shadows of the dead: 49 To graves, from whence it rose, the conquer'd phantom fled; 50 He broke that monstrous god which stood 51 In midst of th' orchard, and the whole did claim, 52 Which with a useless scythe of wood, 53 And something else not worth a name, 54 (Both vast for show, yet neither fit 55 Or to defend, or to beget; 56 Ridiculous and senseless terrors!) made 57 Children and superstitious men afraid. 58 The orchard's open now, and free; 59 Bacon has broke that scarecrow deity; 60 Come, enter, all that will, 61 Behold the ripen'd fruit, come gather now your fill. 62 Yet still, methinks, we fain would be 63 Catching at the forbidden tree, 64 We would be like the Deity, 65 When truth and falshood, good and evil, we 66 Without the senses aid within our selves would see; 67 For 'tis God only who can find 68 All Nature in his mind. • • • • • • • • 69 From words, which are but pictures of the thought, 70 Though we our thoughts from them perversely drew 71 To things, the mind's right object, he it brought, 72 Like foolish birds to painted grapes we flew; 73 He sought and gather'd for our use the true; 74 And when on heaps the chosen bunches lay, 75 He press'd them wisely the mechanic way, 76 Till all their juice did in one vessel join, 77 Ferment into a nourishment divine, 78 The thirsty soul's refreshing wine. 79 Who to the life an exact piece would make, 80 Must not from other's work a copy take; 81 No, not from Rubens or Vandyke; 82 Much less content himself to make it like 83 Th' ideas and the images which lie 84 In his own fancy, or his memory. 85 No, he before his sight must place 86 The natural and living face; 87 The real object must command 88 Each judgment of his eye, and motion of his hand. 89 From these and all long errors of the way, 90 In which our wand'ring predecessors went, 91 And like th' old Hebrews many years did stray 92 In deserts but of small extent; 93 Bacon, like Moses, led us forth at last, 94 The barren wilderness he past, 95 Did on the very border stand 96 Of the blest promis'd land, 97 And from the mountain's top of his exalted wit, 98 Saw it himself, and shew'd us it. 99 But life did never to one man allow • • • 100 Time to discover worlds, and conquer too; 101 Nor can so short a line sufficient be 102 To fathom the vast depths of Nature's sea: 103 The work he did we ought t' admire, 104 And were unjust if we should more require 105 From his few years, divided 'twixt th' excess 106 Of low affliction, and high happiness. 107 For who on things remote can fix his sight, 108 That's always in a triumph, or a fight? • • • • • • 109 From you, great champions, we expect to get 110 These spacious countries but discover'd yet; 111 Countries where yet in stead of Nature, we 112 Her images and idols worshipp'd see: 113 These large and wealthy regions to subdue, 114 Though learning has whole armies at command, 115 Quarter'd about in every land, 116 A better troop she ne're together drew. 117 Methinks, like Gideon's little band, 118 God with design has pick'd out you, 119 To do these noble wonders by a few: 120 When the whole host he saw, they are (said he) 121 Too many to o'ercome for me; 122 And now he chooses out his men, 123 Much in the way that he did then: 124 Not those many whom he found 125 Idly extended on the ground, 126 To drink with their dejected head 127 The stream just so as by their mouths it fled: 128 No, but those few who took the waters up, 129 And made of their laborious hands the cup. . • • • • • 166 With courage and success you the bold work begin; 167 Your cradle has not idle bin: 168 None e're but Hercules and you could be 169 At five years age worthy a history. 170 And ne're did fortune better yet 171 Th' historian to the story fit: 172 As you from all old errors free 173 And purge the body of philosophy; 174 So from all modern follies he 175 Has vindicated eloquence and wit. 176 His candid style like a clean stream does slide, 177 And his bright fancy all the way 178 Does like the sun-shine in it play; 179 It does like Thames, the best of rivers, glide, 180 Where the god does not rudely overturn, 181 But gently pour the crystal urn, 182 And with judicious hand does the whole current guide. 183'T has all the beauties Nature can impart, 184 And all the comely dress without the paint of art.

WIT • • spirit inteligenţă minte agerime haz raţiune duh om de spirit

Ode of Wit • In a true piece of Wit all things must be, Yet all things there agree, As in the ark, joined without force or strife, All creatures dwelt: all creatures that had life; Or as the primitive forms of all (If we compare great things with small) Which without discord or confusion lie In that strange mirror of the Deity.

• To Mr. Hobs • VAst Bodies of Philosophie I oft have seen, and read, But all are Bodies Dead, Or Bodies by Art fashioned; I never yet the Living Soul could see, But in thy Books and Thee. 'Tis onely God can know Whether the fair Idea thou dost show Agree intirely with his own or no. This I dare boldly tell, 10 'Tis so like Truth 'twill serve our turn as well. Just, as in Nature thy Proportions be, As full of Concord their Varietie, As firm the parts upon their Centre rest, And all so Solid are that they at least As much as Nature, Emptiness detest. 2. 1 Long did the mighty Stagirite retain The universal Intellectual reign, 2 Saw his own Countreys short-liv'ed Leopard slain; 3 The stronger Roman-Eagle did out-fly, 20 Oftner renewed his Age, and saw that Dy. 4 Mecha it self, in spight of Mahumet possest, And chas'ed by a wild Deluge from the East, His Monarchy new planted in the West. But as in time each great imperial race Degenerates, and gives some new one place: So did this noble Empire wast, Sunk by degrees from glories past, And in the Schoolmens hands it perisht quite at last. Then nought but Words it grew, 30 And those all Barb'arous too. It perisht, and it vanisht there, The Life and Soul breath'd out, became but empty Air. 3. The Fields which answer'd well the Ancients Plow, Spent and out-worn return no Harvest now, In barren Age wild and unglorious lie, And boast of past Fertilitie, The poor relief of Present Povertie. Food and Fruit we now must want Unless new Lands we plant. 40 We break up Tombs with Sacrilegious hands; Old Rubbish we remove; To walk in Ruines, like vain Ghosts, we love, And with fond Divining Wands We search among the Dead For Treasures Buried, Whilst still the Liberal Earth does hold So many Virgin Mines of undiscover'ed Gold. 4. 1 The Baltique, Euxin, and the Caspian, And slender-limb'ed Mediterranean, 50 Seem narrow Creeks to Thee, and only fit For the poor wretched Fisher-boats of Wit. Thy nobler Vessel the vast Ocean tries, And nothing sees but Seas and Skies, Till unknown Regions it descries, Thou great Columbus of the Golden Lands of new Philosophies. Thy task was harder much then his, For thy learn'd America is Not onely found out first by Thee, And rudely left to Future Industrie, 60 But thy Eloquence and thy Wit, Has planted, peopled, built, and civiliz'd it. 5. I little thought before, (Nor being my own self so poor Could comprehend so vast a store) [1] That all the Wardrobe of rich Eloquence, Could have afforded half enuff, Of bright, of new, and lasting stuff, To cloath the mighty Limbs of thy Gigantique Sence. [2] Thy solid Reason like the shield from heaven 70 To the Trojan Heroe given, Too strong to take a mark from any mortal dart, Yet shines with Gold and Gems in every part And Wonders on it grave'd by the learn'd hand of Art, A shield that gives delight Even to the enemies sight, Then when they're sure to lose the Combate by't. 6. Nor can the Snow which now cold Age does shed Upon thy reverend Head, Quench or allay the noble Fires within, 80 But all which thou hast bin, And all that Youth can be thou'rt yet, So fully still dost Thou Enjoy the Manhood, and the Bloom of Wit, And all the Natural Heat, but not the Feaver too. [1] So Contraries on Ætna's top conspire, Here hoary Frosts, and by them breaks out Fire. A secure peace the faithful Neighbors keep, Th'emboldned Snow next to the Flame does sleep. And if we weigh, like Thee, 90 Nature, and Causes, we shall see That thus it needs must be, To things Immortal Time can do no wrong, And that which never is to Dye, forever mus be Young.