lectures11-13-第2章
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little difference； for when the strenuous mood is on one； the aim
is to break something； no matter whose or what。 Nothing
annihilates an inhibition as irresistibly as anger does it； for；
as Moltke says of war； destruction pure and simple is its
essence。 This is what makes it so invaluable an ally of every
other passion。 The sweetest delights are trampled on with a
ferocious pleasure the moment they offer themselves as checks to
a cause by which our higher indignations are elicited。 It costs
then nothing to drop friendships； to renounce long…rooted
privileges and possessions； to break with social ties。 Rather do
we take a stern joy in the astringency and desolation； and what
is called weakness of character seems in most cases to consist in
the inaptitude for these sacrificial moods； of which one's own
inferior self and its pet softnesses must often be the targets
and the victims。＇145＇
＇145＇ Example： Benjamin Constant was often marveled at as an
extraordinary instance of superior intelligence with inferior
character。 He writes （Journal； Paris； 1895； p。 56）； 〃I am tossed
and dragged about by my miserable weakness。 Never was anything
so ridiculous as my indecision。 Now marriage； now solitude； now
Germany； now France hesitation upon hesitation； and all because
at bottom I am UNABLE TO GIVE UP ANYTHING。〃 He can't 〃get mad〃
at any of his alternatives； and the career of a man beset by such
an all…round amiability is hopeless。
So far I have spoken of temporary alterations produced by
shifting excitements in the same person。 But the relatively
fixed differences of character of different persons are explained
in a precisely similar way。 In a man with a liability to a
special sort of emotion； whole ranges of inhibition habitually
vanish； which in other men remain effective； and other sorts of
inhibition take their place。 When a person has an inborn genius
for certain emotions； his life differs strangely from that of
ordinary people； for none of their usual deterrents check him。
Your mere aspirant to a type of character； on the contrary； only
shows； when your natural lover； fighter； or reformer； with whom
the passion is a gift of nature； comes along； the hopeless
inferiority of voluntary to instinctive action。 He has
deliberately to overcome his inhibitions； the genius with the
inborn passion seems not to feel them at all； he is free of all
that inner friction and nervous waste。 To a Fox； a Garibaldi； a
General Booth； a John Brown； a Louise Michel； a Bradlaugh； the
obstacles omnipotent over those around them are as if
non…existent。 Should the rest of us so disregard them； there
might be many such heroes； for many have the wish to live for
similar ideals； and only the adequate degree of
inhibition…quenching fury is lacking。＇146＇
＇146＇ The great thing which the higher excitabilities give is
COURAGE； and the addition or subtraction of a certain amount of
this quality makes a different man； a different life。 Various
excitements let the courage loose。 Trustful hope will do it；
inspiring example will do it； love will do it； wrath will do it。
In some people it is natively so high that the mere touch of
danger does it； though danger is for most men the great inhibitor
of action。 〃Love of adventure〃 becomes in such persons a ruling
passion。 〃I believe；〃 says General Skobeleff； 〃that my bravery
is simply the passion and at the same time the contempt of
danger。 The risk of life fills me with an exaggerated rapture。
The fewer there are to share it； the more I like it。 The
participation of my body in the event is required to furnish me
an adequate excitement。 Everything intellectual appears to me to
be reflex； but a meeting of man to man； a duel； a danger into
which I can throw myself headforemost； attracts me； moves me；
intoxicates me。 I am crazy for it； I love it； I adore it。 I run
after danger as one runs after women； I wish it never to stop。
Were it always the same； it would always bring me a new pleasure。
When I throw myself into an adventure in which I hope to find it；
my heart palpitates with the uncertainty； I could wish at once to
have it appear and yet to delay。 A sort of painful and delicious
shiver shakes me； my entire nature runs to meet the peril with an
impetus that my will would in vain try to resist。 （Juliette Adam：
Le General Skobeleff； Nouvelle Revue； 1886； abridged。） Skobeleff
seems to have been a cruel egoist； but the disinterested
Garibaldi； if one may judge by his 〃Memorie；〃 lived in an
unflagging emotion of similar danger…seeking excitement。
The difference between willing and merely wishing； between having
ideals that are creative and ideals that are but pinings and
regrets； thus depends solely either on the amount of
steam…pressure chronically driving the character in the ideal
direction； or on the amount of ideal excitement transiently
acquired。 Given a certain amount of love； indignation；
generosity； magnanimity； admiration； loyalty； or enthusiasm of
self…surrender； the result is always the same。 That whole raft
of cowardly obstructions； which in tame persons and dull moods
are sovereign impediments to action； sinks away at once。 Our
conventionality；＇147＇ our shyness； laziness； and stinginess； our
demands for precedent and permission； for guarantee and surety；
our small suspicions； timidities； despairs； where are they now？
Severed like cobwebs； broken like bubbles in the sun
〃Wo sind die Sorge nun und Noth
Die mich noch gestern wollt' erschlaffen？
Ich scham' mich dess' im Morgenroth。〃
The flood we are borne on rolls them so lightly under that their
very contact is unfelt。 Set free of them； we float and soar and
sing。 This auroral openness and uplift gives to all creative
ideal levels a bright and caroling quality； which is nowhere more
marked than where the controlling emotion is religious。 〃The
true monk；〃 writes an Italian mystic； 〃takes nothing with him but
his lyre。〃
＇147＇ See the case on p。 69； above； where the writer describes
his experiences of communion with the Divine as consisting
〃merely in the TEMPORARY OBLITERATION OF THE CONVENTIONALITIES
which usually cover my life。〃
We may now turn from these psychological generalities to those
fruits of the religious state which form the special subject of
our present lecture。 The man who lives in his religious centre
of personal energy； and is actuated by spiritual enthusiasms；
differs from his previous carnal self in perfectly definite ways。
The new ardor which burns in his breast consumes in its glow the
lower 〃noes〃 which formerly beset him； and keeps him immune
against infection from the entire groveling portion of his
nature。 Magnanimities once impossible are now easy； paltry
conventionalities and mean incentives once tyrannical hold no
sway。 The stone wall inside of him has fallen； the hardness in
his heart has broken down。 The rest of us can； I think； imagine
this by recalling our state of feeling in those temporary
〃melting moods〃 into which either the trials of real life； or the
theatre； or a novel sometimes throws us。 Especially if we weep！
For it is then as if our tears broke through an inveterate inner
dam； and let all sorts of ancient peccancies and moral
stagnancies drain away； leaving us now washed and soft of heart
and open to every nobler leading。 With most of us the customary
hardness quickly returns； but not so with saintly persons。 Many
saints； even as energetic ones as Teresa and Loyola； have
possessed what the church traditionally reveres as a special
grace； the so…called gift of tears。 In these persons the melting
mood seems to have held almost uninterrupted control。 And as it
is with tears and melting moods； so it is with other exalted
affections。 Their reign may come by gradual growth or by a
crisis； but in either case it may have 〃come to stay。〃
At the end of the last lecture we saw this permanence to be true
of the general paramountcy of the higher insight； even though in
the ebbs of emotional excitement meaner motives might temporarily
prevail and backsliding might occur。 But that lower temptations
may remain completely annulled； apart from transient emotion and
as if by alteration of the man's habitual nature； is also proved
by documentary evidence in certain cases。 Before embarking on
the general natural history of the regenerate character； let me
convince you of this curious fact by one or two examples。 The
most numerous are those of reformed drunkards。 You recollect the
case of Mr。 Hadley in the last lecture； the Jerry McAuley Water
Street Mission abounds in similar instances。＇148＇ You also
remember the graduate of Oxford； converted at three in the
afternoon； and getting drunk in the hay…field the next day；
but after that permanently cured of his appetite。 〃From that
hour drink has had no terrors for me： I never touch it； never
want it。 The same thing occurred with my pipe。 。 。 。 the desire
for it went at once and has never returned。 So with every known
sin； the deliverance in each case being permanent and complete。
I have had no temptations since conversion。〃
＇148＇ Above； p。 200。 〃The only radical remedy I know for
dipsomania is religiomania；〃 is a saying I have heard quoted from
some medical man。
Here is an analogous case from Starbuck's manuscript
collection：
〃I went into the old Adelphi Theatre； where there was a Holiness
meeting； 。 。 。 and I began saying； 'Lord； Lord； I must have this
blessing。' Then what was to me an audible voice said： 'Are you
willing to give up everything to the Lord？' and question after
question kept coming up； to all of which I said： 'Yes； Lord；
yes； Lord！' until this came： 'Why do you not accept it NOW？' and
I said： 'I do； Lord。'I felt no particular joy； only a trust。
Just then the meeting closed； and； as I went out on the street； I
met a gentleman smoking a fine cigar； and a cloud of smoke came
into my face； and I took a long； deep breath of it； and praise
the Lord； all my appetite for it was gone。 Then as I walked
along the street； passing sa
