01-economy-第13章

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would　not　stand　between　any　man　and　his　genius；　and　to　him　who　does

this　work；　which　I　decline；　with　his　whole　heart　and　soul　and　life；

I　would　say；　Persevere；　even　if　the　world　call　it　doing　evil；　as　it

is　most　likely　they　will。

　　　　I　am　far　from　supposing　that　my　case　is　a　peculiar　one；　no　doubt

many　of　my　readers　would　make　a　similar　defence。　　At　doing　something

　I　will　not　engage　that　my　neighbors　shall　pronounce　it　good　　I

do　not　hesitate　to　say　that　I　should　be　a　capital　fellow　to　hire；

but　what　that　is；　it　is　for　my　employer　to　find　out。　　What　good　I

do；　in　the　common　sense　of　that　word；　must　be　aside　from　my　main

path；　and　for　the　most　part　wholly　unintended。　　Men　say；

practically；　Begin　where　you　are　and　such　as　you　are；　without　aiming

mainly　to　become　of　more　worth；　and　with　kindness　aforethought　go

about　doing　good。　　If　I　were　to　preach　at　all　in　this　strain；　I

should　say　rather；　Set　about　being　good。　　As　if　the　sun　should　stop

when　he　had　kindled　his　fires　up　to　the　splendor　of　a　moon　or　a　star

of　the　sixth　magnitude；　and　go　about　like　a　Robin　Goodfellow；

peeping　in　at　every　cottage　window；　inspiring　lunatics；　and　tainting

meats；　and　making　darkness　visible；　instead　of　steadily　increasing

his　genial　heat　and　beneficence　till　he　is　of　such　brightness　that

no　mortal　can　look　him　in　the　face；　and　then；　and　in　the　meanwhile

too；　going　about　the　world　in　his　own　orbit；　doing　it　good；　or

rather；　as　a　truer　philosophy　has　discovered；　the　world　going　about

him　getting　good。　　When　Phaeton；　wishing　to　prove　his　heavenly　birth

by　his　beneficence；　had　the　sun's　chariot　but　one　day；　and　drove　out

of　the　beaten　track；　he　burned　several　blocks　of　houses　in　the　lower

streets　of　heaven；　and　scorched　the　surface　of　the　earth；　and　dried

up　every　spring；　and　made　the　great　desert　of　Sahara；　till　at　length

Jupiter　hurled　him　headlong　to　the　earth　with　a　thunderbolt；　and　the

sun；　through　grief　at　his　death；　did　not　shine　for　a　year。

　　　　There　is　no　odor　so　bad　as　that　which　arises　from　goodness

tainted。　　It　is　human；　it　is　divine；　carrion。　　If　I　knew　for　a

certainty　that　a　man　was　coming　to　my　house　with　the　conscious

design　of　doing　me　good；　I　should　run　for　my　life；　as　from　that　dry

and　parching　wind　of　the　African　deserts　called　the　simoom；　which

fills　the　mouth　and　nose　and　ears　and　eyes　with　dust　till　you　are

suffocated；　for　fear　that　I　should　get　some　of　his　good　done　to　me

　some　of　its　virus　mingled　with　my　blood。　　No　　in　this　case　I

would　rather　suffer　evil　the　natural　way。　　A　man　is　not　a　good　man

to　me　because　he　will　feed　me　if　I　should　be　starving；　or　warm　me　if

I　should　be　freezing；　or　pull　me　out　of　a　ditch　if　I　should　ever

fall　into　one。　　I　can　find　you　a　Newfoundland　dog　that　will　do　as

much。　　Philanthropy　is　not　love　for　one's　fellow…man　in　the　broadest

sense。　　Howard　was　no　doubt　an　exceedingly　kind　and　worthy　man　in

his　way；　and　has　his　reward；　but；　comparatively　speaking；　what　are　a

hundred　Howards　to　us；　if　their　philanthropy　do　not　help　us　in　our

best　estate；　when　we　are　most　worthy　to　be　helped？　　I　never　heard　of

a　philanthropic　meeting　in　which　it　was　sincerely　proposed　to　do　any

good　to　me；　or　the　like　of　me。

　　　　The　Jesuits　were　quite　balked　by　those　Indians　who；　being　burned

at　the　stake；　suggested　new　modes　of　torture　to　their　tormentors。

Being　superior　to　physical　suffering；　it　sometimes　chanced　that　they

were　superior　to　any　consolation　which　the　missionaries　could　offer；

and　the　law　to　do　as　you　would　be　done　by　fell　with　less

persuasiveness　on　the　ears　of　those　who；　for　their　part；　did　not

care　how　they　were　done　by；　who　loved　their　enemies　after　a　new

fashion；　and　came　very　near　freely　forgiving　them　all　they　did。

　　　　Be　sure　that　you　give　the　poor　the　aid　they　most　need；　though　it

be　your　example　which　leaves　them　far　behind。　　If　you　give　money；

spend　yourself　with　it；　and　do　not　merely　abandon　it　to　them。　　We

make　curious　mistakes　sometimes。　　Often　the　poor　man　is　not　so　cold

and　hungry　as　he　is　dirty　and　ragged　and　gross。　　It　is　partly　his

taste；　and　not　merely　his　misfortune。　　If　you　give　him　money；　he

will　perhaps　buy　more　rags　with　it。　　I　was　wont　to　pity　the　clumsy

Irish　laborers　who　cut　ice　on　the　pond；　in　such　mean　and　ragged

clothes；　while　I　shivered　in　my　more　tidy　and　somewhat　more

fashionable　garments；　till；　one　bitter　cold　day；　one　who　had　slipped

into　the　water　came　to　my　house　to　warm　him；　and　I　saw　him　strip　off

three　pairs　of　pants　and　two　pairs　of　stockings　ere　he　got　down　to

the　skin；　though　they　were　dirty　and　ragged　enough；　it　is　true；　and

that　he　could　afford　to　refuse　the　extra　garments　which　I　offered

him；　he　had　so　many　intra　ones。　　This　ducking　was　the　very　thing　he

needed。　　Then　I　began　to　pity　myself；　and　I　saw　that　it　would　be　a

greater　charity　to　bestow　on　me　a　flannel　shirt　than　a　whole

slop…shop　on　him。　　There　are　a　thousand　hacking　at　the　branches　of

evil　to　one　who　is　striking　at　the　root；　and　it　may　be　that　he　who

bestows　the　largest　amount　of　time　and　money　on　the　needy　is　doing

the　most　by　his　mode　of　life　to　produce　that　misery　which　he　strives

in　vain　to　relieve。　　It　is　the　pious　slave…breeder　devoting　the

proceeds　of　every　tenth　slave　to　buy　a　Sunday's　liberty　for　the

rest。　　Some　show　their　kindness　to　the　poor　by　employing　them　in

their　kitchens。　　Would　they　not　be　kinder　if　they　employed

themselves　there？　　You　boast　of　spending　a　tenth　part　of　your　income

in　charity；　maybe　you　should　spend　the　nine　tenths　so；　and　done　with

it。　　Society　recovers　only　a　tenth　part　of　the　property　then。　　Is

this　owing　to　the　generosity　of　him　in　whose　possession　it　is　found；

or　to　the　remissness　of　the　officers　of　justice？

　　　　Philanthropy　is　almost　the　only　virtue　which　is　sufficiently

appreciated　by　mankind。　　Nay；　it　is　greatly　overrated；　and　it　is　our

selfishness　which　overrates　it。　　A　robust　poor　man；　one　sunny　day

here　in　Concord；　praised　a　fellow…townsman　to　me；　because；　as　he

said；　he　was　kind　to　the　poor；　meaning　himself。　　The　kind　uncles　and

aunts　of　the　race　are　more　esteemed　than　its　true　spiritual　fathers

and　mothers。　　I　once　heard　a　reverend　lecturer　on　England；　a　man　of

learning　and　intelligence；　after　enumerating　her　scientific；

literary；　and　political　worthies；　Shakespeare；　Bacon；　Cromwell；

Milton；　Newton；　and　others；　speak　next　of　her　Christian　heroes；

whom；　as　if　his　profession　required　it　of　him；　he　elevated　to　a

place　far　above　all　the　rest；　as　the　greatest　of　the　great。　　They

were　Penn；　Howard；　and　Mrs。　Fry。　　Every　one　must　feel　the　falsehood

and　cant　of　this。　　The　last　were　not　England's　best　men　and　women；

only；　perhaps；　her　best　philanthropists。

　　　　I　would　not　subtract　anything　from　the　praise　that　is　due　to

philanthropy；　but　merely　demand　justice　for　all　who　by　their　lives

and　works　are　a　blessing　to　mankind。　　I　do　not　value　chiefly　a　man's

uprightness　and　benevolence；　which　are；　as　it　were；　his　stem　and

leaves。　　Those　plants　of　whose　greenness　withered　we　make　herb　tea

for　the　sick　serve　but　a　humble　use；　and　are　most　employed　by

quacks。　　I　want　the　flower　and　fruit　of　a　man；　that　some　fragrance

be　wafted　over　from　him　to　me；　and　some　ripeness　flavor　our

intercourse。　　His　goodness　must　not　be　a　partial　and　transitory　act；

but　a　constant　superfluity；　which　costs　him　nothing　and　of　which　he

is　unconscious。　　This　is　a　charity　that　hides　a　multitude　of　sins。

The　philanthropist　too　often　surrounds　mankind　with　the　remembrance

of　his　own　castoff　griefs　as　an　atmosphere；　and　calls　it　sympathy。

We　should　impart　our　courage；　and　not　our　despair；　our　health　and

ease；　and　not　our　disease；　and　take　care　that　this　does　not　spread

by　contagion。　　From　what　southern　plains　comes　up　the　voice　of

wailing？　　Under　what　latitudes　reside　the　heathen　to　whom　we　would

send　light？　　Who　is　that　intemperate　and　brutal　man　whom　we　would

redeem？　　If　anything　ail　a　man；　so　that　he　does　not　perform　his

functions；　if　he　have　a　pain　in　his　bowels　even　　for　that　is　the

seat　of　sympathy　　he　forthwith　sets　about　reforming　　the　world。

Being　a　microcosm　himself；　he　discovers　　and　it　is　a　true

discovery；　and　he　is　the　man　to　make　it　　that　the　world　has　been

eating　green　apples；　to　his　eyes；　in　fact；　the　globe　itself　is　a

great　green　apple；　which　there　is　danger　awful　to　think　of　that　the

children　of　men　will　nibble　before　it　is　ripe；　and　straightway　his

drastic　philanthropy　seeks　out　the　Esquimau　and　the　Patagonian；　and

embraces　the　populous　Indian　and　Chinese　villages；　and　thus；　by　a

few　years　of　philanthropic　activity；　the　powers　in　the　meanwhile

using　him　for　their　own　ends；　no　doubt；　he　cures　himself　of　his

dyspepsia；　the　globe　acquires　a　faint　blush　on　one　or　both　of　its

cheeks；　as　if　it　were　beginning　to　be　ripe；　and　life　loses　its

crudity　and　is　once　more　sweet　and　wholesome　to　live。　　I　never

dreamed　of　any　enormity　greater　than　I　have　committed。　　I　never

knew；　and　never　shall　know；　a　worse　man　than　myself。

　　　　I　believe　that　what　so　saddens　the　reformer　is　not　his　sympathy

with　his　fellows　in　distress；　but；　though　he　be　the　holiest　son　of

God；　is　his　private　ail。　　Let　this　be　righted；　let　the　spring　come

to　him；　the　morning　rise　over　his　couch；　and　he　will　forsake　his

generous　companions　without　apology。　　My　excuse　for　not　lecturing

against　the　use　of　tobacco　is；　that　I　never　chewed　it；　that　is　a

penalty　which　reformed　tobacco…chewers　have　to　pay；　though　there　are

things　enough　I　have　chewed　which　I　could　lecture　against。　　If　you

should　ever　be　betrayed　into　any　of　these　philanthropies；　do　not　let

your　left　hand　know　what　your　right　hand　does；　for　it　is　not　worth

knowing。　　Rescue　the　drowning　and　tie　your　shoestrings。　　Take　your

time；　and　set　about　some　free　labor。

　　　　Our　manners　have　been　corrupted　by　communication　with　the

saints。　　Our　hymn…books　resound　with　a　melodious　cursing　of　God　and

enduring　Him　forever。　　One　would　say　that　even　the　prophets　and

redeemers　had　rather　consoled　the　fears　than　confirmed　the　hopes　of

man。　　There　is　nowhere　recorded　a　simple　and　irrepressible

satisfaction　with　the　gift　of　life；　any　memorable　praise　of　God。

All　health　and　success　does　me　good；　however　far　off　and　withdrawn

it　may　appear；　all　disease　and　failure　helps　to　make　me　sad　and　does

me　evil；　however　much　sympathy　it　may　have　with　me　or　I　with　it。

If；　then；　we　would　indeed　restore　mankind　by　truly　Indian；　botanic；

magnetic；　or　natural　means；　let　us　first　be　as　simple　and　well　as

Nature　ourselves；　dispel　the　clouds　which　hang　over　our　own　brows；

and　take　up　a　little　life　into　our　pores。　　Do　not　stay　to　be　an

overseer　of　the　poor；　but　endeavor　to　become　one　of　the　worthies　of

the　world。

　　　　I　read　in　the　Gulistan；　or　Flower　Garden；　of　Sheik　Sadi　of

Shiraz；　that　〃they　asked　a　wise　man；　saying：　Of　the　many　celebrated

trees　which　the　Most　High　God　has　created　lofty　and　umbrageous；　they

call　none　azad；　or　free；　excepting　the