第37部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

during　the　greater　partof　two　centuries…　the　Puritans　pressed　whatever　mirth　and　publicjoy　they　deemed　allowable　to　human　infirmity；　thereby　so　fardispelling　the　customary　cloud；　that；　for　the　space　of　a　singleholiday；　they　appeared　scarcely　more　grave　than　most　other　munitiesat　a　period　of　general　affliction。 But　we　perhaps　exaggerate　the　grey　or　sable　tinge；　which　undoubtedlycharacterised　the　mood　and　manners　of　the　age。　The　persons　now　inthe　market…place　of　Boston　had　not　been　born　to　an　inheritance　ofPuritanic　gloom。　They　were　native　Englishmen；　whose　fathers　hadlived　in　the　sunny　richness　of　the　Elizabethan　epoch；　a　time　whenthe　life　of　England；　viewed　as　one　great　mass；　would　appear　to　havebeen　as　stately；　magnificent；　and　joyous；　as　the　world　has　everwitnessed。　Had　they　followed　their　hereditary　taste；　the　New　Englandsettlers　would　have　illustrated　all　events　of　public　importance　bybonfires；　banquets；　pageantries；　and　processions。　Nor　would　it　havebeen　impracticable；　in　the　observance　of　majestic　ceremonies；　tobine　mirthful　recreation　with　solemnity；　and　give；　as　it　broidery　to　the　great　robe　of　state；　which　anation；　at　such　festivals；　puts　on。　There　was　some　shadow　of　anattempt　of　this　kind　in　the　mode　of　celebrating　the　day　on　which　thepolitical　year　of　the　colony　menced。　The　dim　reflection　of　aremembered　splendour；　a　colourless　and　manifold　diluted　repetitionof　what　they　had　beheld　in　proud　old　London…　we　will　not　say　at　aroyal　coronation；　but　at　a　Lord　Mayor's　show…　might　be　traced　in　thecustoms　which　our　forefathers　instituted；　with　reference　to　the　annualinstallation　of　magistrates。　The　fathers　and　founders　of　themonwealth…　the　statesman；　the　priest；　and　the　soldier…　deemed　ita　duty　then　to　assume　the　outward　state　and　majesty；　which；　inaccordance　with　ant