the professor at the breakfast table-第18章

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science　jumps　on　to　the　stage；　whip　in　hand；　with　half…a…dozen

somersets；　and　begins　laying　about　him。



In　1817；　perhaps　you　remember；　the　law　of　wager　by　battle　was

unrepealed；　and　the　rascally　murderous；　and　worse　than　murderous；

clown；　Abraham　Thornton；　put　on　his　gauntlet　in　open　court　and　defied

the　appellant　to　lift　the　other　which　he　threw　down。　　It　was　not

until　the　reign　of　George　II。　that　the　statutes　against　witchcraft

were　repealed。　　As　for　the　English　Court　of　Chancery；　we　know　that

its　antiquated　abuses　form　one　of　the　staples　of　common　proverbs　and

popular　literature。　　So　the　laws　and　the　lawyers　have　to　be　watched

perpetually　by　public　opinion　as　much　as　the　doctors　do。



I　don't　think　the　other　profession　is　an　exception。　　When　the

Reverend　Mr。　Cauvin　and　his　associates　burned　my　distinguished

scientific　brother；he　was　burned　with　green　fagots；　which　made　it

rather　slow　and　painful；it　appears　to　me　they　were　in　a　state　of

religious　barbarism。　　The　dogmas　of　such　people　about　the　Father　of

Mankind　and　his　creatures　are　of　no　more　account　in　my　opinion　than

those　of　a　council　of　Aztecs。　　If　a　man　picks　your　pocket；　do　you　not

consider　him　thereby　disqualified　to　pronounce　any　authoritative

opinion　on　matters　of　ethics？　　If　a　man　hangs　my　ancient　female

relatives　for　sorcery；　as　they　did　in　this　neighborhood　a　little

while　ago；　or　burns　my　instructor　for　not　believing　as　he　does；　I

care　no　more　for　his　religious　edicts　than　I　should　for　those　of　any

other　barbarian。



Of　course；　a　barbarian　may　hold　many　true　opinions；　but　when　the

ideas　of　the　healing　art；　of　the　administration　of　justice；　of

Christian　love；　could　not　exclude　systematic　poisoning；　judicial

duelling；　and　murder　for　opinion's　sake；　I　do　not　see　how　we　can

trust　the　verdict　of　that　time　relating　to　any　subject　which　involves

the　primal　instincts　violated　in　these　abominations　and　absurdities。

What　if　we　are　even　now　in　a　state　of　semi…barbarism？





＇This　physician　believes　we　〃are　even　now　in　a　state　of　semi…

barbarism〃：　invasive　procedures　for　the　prolongation　of　death　rather

than　prolongation　of　life；　〃faith〃；as　slimly　based　as　medieval　faith

in　minute　differences　between　control　and　treated　groups；　statistical

manipulation　to　prove　a　prejudice。　　Medicine　has　a　good　deal　to

answer　for！　　D。W。＇





Perhaps　some　think　we　ought　not　to　talk　at　table　about　such　things。

I　am　not　so　sure　of　that。　　Religion　and　government　appear　to　me　the

two　subjects　which　of　all　others　should　belong　to　the　common　talk　of

people　who　enjoy　the　blessings　of　freedom。　　Think；　one　moment。　　The

earth　is　a　great　factory…wheel；　which；　at　every　revolution　on　its

axis；　receives　fifty　thousand　raw　souls　and　turns　off　nearly　the　same

number　worked　up　more　or　less　completely。　　There　must　be　somewhere　a

population　of　two　hundred　thousand　million；　perhaps　ten　or　a　hundred

times　as　many；　earth…born　intelligences。　　Life；　as　we　call　it；　is

nothing　but　the　edge　of　the　boundless　ocean　of　existence　where　it

comes　on　soundings。　　In　this　view；　I　do　not　see　anything　so　fit　to

talk　about；　or　half　so　interesting；　as　that　which　relates　to　the

innumerable　majority　of　our　fellow…creatures；　the　dead…living；　who

are　hundreds　of　thousands　to　one　of　the　live…living；　and　with　whom　we

all　potentially　belong；　though　we　have　got　tangled　for　the　present　in

some　parcels　of　fibrine；　albumen；　and　phosphates；　that　keep　us　on　the

minority　side　of　the　house。　　In　point　of　fact；　it　is　one　of　the　many

results　of　Spiritualism　to　make　the　permanent　destiny　of　the　race　a

matter　of　common　reflection　and　discourse；　and　a　vehicle　for　the

prevailing　disbelief　of　the　Middle…Age　doctrines　on　the　subject。　　I

cannot　help　thinking；　when　I　remember　how　many　conversations　my

friend　and　myself　have　sported；　that　it　would　be　very　extraordinary；

if　there　were　no　mention　of　that　class　of　subjects　which　involves　all

that　we　have　and　all　that　we　hope；　not　merely　for　ourselves；　but　for

the　dear　people　whom　we　love　best；noble　men；　pure　and　lovely　women；

ingenuous　children；　about　the　destiny　of　nine　tenths　of　whom　you　know

the　opinions　that　would　have　been　taught　by　those　old　man…roasting；

woman…strangling　dogmatists。　However；　I　fought　this　matter　with　one

of　our　boarders　the　other　day；　and　I　am　going　to　report　the

conversation。



The　divinity…student　came　down；　one　morning；　looking　rather　more

serious　than　usual。　　He　said　little　at　breakfast…time；　but　lingered

after　the　others；　so　that　I；　who　am　apt　to　be　long　at　the　table；

found　myself　alone　with　him。



When　the　rest　were　all　gone；　he　turned　his　chair　round　towards　mine；

and　began。



I　am　afraid；he　said；you　express　yourself　a　little　too　freely　on　a

most　important　class　of　subjects。　　Is　there　not　danger　in　introducing

discussions　or　allusions　relating　to　matters　of　religion　into　common

discourse？



Danger　to　what？I　asked。



Danger　to　truth；he　replied；　after　a　slight　pause。



I　didn't　know　Truth　was　such　an　invalid；'　I　said。　How　long　is　it

since　she　could　only　take　the　air　in　a　close　carriage；　with　a

gentleman　in　a　black　coat　on　the　box？　　Let　me　tell　you　a　story；

adapted　to　young　persons；　but　which　won't　hurt　older　ones。



There　was　a　very　little　boy　who　had　one　of　those　balloons　you　may

have　seen；　which　are　filled　with　light　gas；　and　are　held　by　a　string

to　keep　them　from　running　off　in　aeronautic　voyages　on　their　own

account。　　This　little　boy　had　a　naughty　brother；　who　said　to　him；　one

day；Brother；　pull　down　your　balloon；　so　that　I　can　look　at　it　and

take　hold　of　it。　　Then　the　little　boy　pulled　it　down。　　Now　the

naughty　brother　had　a　sharp　pin　in　his　hand；　and　he　thrust　it　into

the　balloon；　and　all　the　gas　oozed　out；　so　that　there　was　nothing

left　but　a　shrivelled　skin。



One　evening；　the　little　boy's　father　called　him　to　the　window　to　see

the　moon；　which　pleased　him　very　much；　but　presently　he　said；

Father；　do　not　pull　the　string　and　bring　down　the　moon；　for　my

naughty　brother　will　prick　it；　and　then　it　will　all　shrivel　up　and　we

shall　not　see　it　any　more。



Then　his　father　laughed；　and　told　him　how　the　moon　had　been　shining　a

good　while；　and　would　shine　a　good　while　longer；　and　that　all　we

could　do　was　to　keep　our　windows　clean；　never　letting　the　dust　get

too　thick　on　them；　and　especially　to　keep　our　eyes　open；　but　that　we

could　not　pull　the　moon　down　with　a　string；　nor　prick　it　with　a　pin。

Mind　you　this；　too；　the　moon　is　no　man's　private　property；　but　is

seen　from　a　good　many　parlor…windows。



Truth　is　tough。　　It　will　not　break；　like　a　bubble；　at　a　touch；　nay；

you　may　kick　it　about　all　day；　like　a　football；　and　it　will　be　round

and　full　at　evening。　　Does　not　Mr。　Bryant　say；　that　Truth　gets　well

if　she　is　run　over　by　a　locomotive；　while　Error　dies　of　lockjaw　if

she　scratches　her　finger？　　＇Would　that　this　was　so：error；

superstition；　mysticism；　authoritarianism；　pseudo…science　all　have　a

tenacity　that　survives　inexplicably。　　D。W。＇　　I　never　heard　that　a

mathematician　was　alarmed　for　the　safety　of　a　demonstrated

proposition。　　I　think；　generally；　that　fear　of　open　discussion

implies　feebleness　of　inward　conviction；　and　great　sensitiveness　to

the　expression　of　individual　opinion　is　a　mark　of　weakness。



I　am　not　so　much　afraid　for　truth；said　the　divinity…student；as

for　the　conceptions　of　truth　in　the　minds　of　persons　not　accustomed

to　judge　wisely　the　opinions　uttered　before　them。



Would　you；　then；　banish　all　allusions　to　matters　of　this　nature　from

the　society　of　people　who　come　together　habitually？



I　would　be　very　careful　in　introducing　them；said　the　divinity…

student。



Yes；　but　friends　of　yours　leave　pamphlets　in　people's　entries；　to　be

picked　up　by　nervous　misses　and　hysteric　housemaids；　full　of

doctrines　these　people　do　not　approve。　　Some　of　your　friends　stop

little　children　in　the　street；　and　give　them　books；　which　their

parents；　who　have　had　them　baptized　into　the　Christian　fold　and　give

them　what　they　consider　proper　religious　instruction；　do　not　think

fit　for　them。　　One　would　say　it　was　fair　enough　to　talk　about　matters

thus　forced　upon　people's　attention。



The　divinity…student　could　not　deny　that　this　was　what　might　be

called　opening　the　subject　to　the　discussion　of　intelligent　people。



But；he　said；the　greatest　objection　is　this；　that　persons　who　have

not　made　a　professional　study　of　theology　are　not　competent　to　speak

on　such　subjects。　　Suppose　a　minister　were　to　undertake　to　express

opinions　on　medical　subjects；　for　instance；　would　you　not　think　he

was　going　beyond　his　province？



I　laughed；for　I　remembered　John　Wesley's　〃sulphur　and

supplication；〃　and　so　many　other　cases　where　ministers　had　meddled

with　medicine；sometimes　well　and　sometimes　ill；　but；　as　a　general

rule；　with　a　tremendous　lurch　to　quackery；　owing　to　their　very　loose

way　of　admitting　evidence；that　I　could　not　help　being　amused。



I　beg　your　pardon；I　said；I　do　not　wish　to　be　impolite；　but　I　was

thinking　of　their　certificates　to　patent　medicines。　　Let　us　look　at

this　matter。



If　a　minister　had　attended　lectures　on　the　theory　and　practice　of

medicine；　delivered　by　those　who　had　studied　it　most　deeply；　for

thirty　or　forty　years；　at　the　rate　of　from　fifty　to　one　hundred　a

year；if　he　had　been　constantly　reading　and　hearing　read　the　most

approved　text…books　on　the　subject；if　he　had　seen　medicine　actually

practised　according　to　different　methods；　daily；　for　the　same　length

of　time；I　should　think；　that　if　a　person　of　average　understanding；

he　was　entitled　to　express　an　opinion　on　the　subject　of　medicine；　or

else　that　his　instructors　were　a　set　of　ignorant　and　incompetent

charlatans。



If；　before　a　medical　practitioner　would　allow　me　to　enjoy　the　full

privileges　of　the　healing　art；　he　expected　me　to　affirm　my　belief　in

a　considerable　number　of　medical　doctrines；　drugs；　and　formulae；　I

should　think　that　he　thereby　implied　my　right　to　discuss　the　same；

and　my　ability　to　do　so；　if　I　knew　how　to　express　myself　in　English。



Suppose；　for　instance；　the　Medical　Society　should　refuse　to　give　us

an　opiate；　or　to　set　a　broken　limb；　until　we　had　signed　our　belief　in

a　certain　number　of　propositions；of　which　we　will　say　this　is　the

first：



I。　　All　men's　teeth　are　naturally　in　a　state　of　total　decay　or

caries；　and；　therefore；　no　man　can　bite　until　every　one　of　them　is

extracted　and　a　new　set　is　inserted　according　to　the　principles　of

dentistry　adopted　by　this　Society。



I；　for　one；　should　want　to　discuss　that　before　signing　my　name　to　it；

and　I　should　say　this：Why；　no；　that　is　n't　true。　　There　are　a　good

many　bad　teeth；　we　all　know；　but　a　great　many　more　good　ones。　　You

must　n't　trust　the　dentists；　they　are　all　the　time　looking　at　the

people　who　have　bad　teeth；　and　such　as　are　suffering　from　toothache。

The　idea　that　you　must　pull　out　every　one　of　every　nice　young　man　and

you