louis lambert-第10章

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vividly　familiar　to　everybody；　is　painful　only　as　a　result　of　the　law
in　virtue　of　which　the　weight　of　a　body　is　multiplied　by　its　velocity。
The　weight　of　the　feeling　produced　by　suspense　increases　by　the
constant　addition　of　past　pain　to　the　pain　of　the　moment。

〃And　then；　to　what；　unless　it　be　to　the　electric　fluid；　are　we　to
attribute　the　magic　by　which　the　Will　enthrones　itself　so　imperiously
in　the　eye　to　demolish　obstacles　at　the　behest　of　genius；　thunders　in
the　voice；　or　filters；　in　spite　of　dissimulation；　through　the　human
frame？　The　current　of　that　sovereign　fluid；　which；　in　obedience　to　the
high　pressure　of　thought　or　of　feeling；　flows　in　a　torrent　or　is
reduced　to　a　mere　thread；　and　collects　to　flash　in　lightnings；　is　the
occult　agent　to　which　are　due　the　evil　or　the　beneficent　efforts　of
Art　and　Passionintonation　of　voice；　whether　harsh　or　suave；
terrible；　lascivious；　horrifying　or　seductive　by　turns；　thrilling　the
heart；　the　nerves；　or　the　brain　at　our　will；　the　marvels　of　the　touch；
the　instrument　of　the　mental　transfusions　of　a　myriad　artists；　whose
creative　fingers　are　able；　after　passionate　study；　to　reproduce　the
forms　of　nature；　or；　again；　the　infinite　gradations　of　the　eye　from
dull　inertia　to　the　emission　of　the　most　terrifying　gleams。

〃By　this　system　God　is　bereft　of　none　of　His　rights。　Mind；　as　a　form
of　matter；　has　brought　me　a　new　conviction　of　His　greatness。〃

After　hearing　him　discourse　thus；　after　receiving　into　my　soul　his
look　like　a　ray　of　light；　it　was　difficult　not　to　be　dazzled　by　his
conviction　and　carried　away　by　his　arguments。　The　Mind　appeared　to　me
as　a　purely　physical　power；　surrounded　by　its　innumerable　progeny。　It
was　a　new　conception　of　humanity　under　a　new　form。

This　brief　sketch　of　the　laws　which；　as　Lambert　maintained；　constitute
the　formula　of　our　intellect；　must　suffice　to　give　a　notion　of　the
prodigious　activity　of　his　spirit　feeding　on　itself。　Louis　had　sought
for　proofs　of　his　theories　in　the　history　of　great　men；　whose　lives；
as　set　forth　by　their　biographers；　supply　very　curious　particulars　as
to　the　operation　of　their　understanding。　His　memory　allowed　him　to
recall　such　facts　as　might　serve　to　support　his　statements；　he　had
appended　them　to　each　chapter　in　the　form　of　demonstrations；　so　as　to
give　to　many　of　his　theories　an　almost　mathematical　certainty。　The
works　of　Cardan；　a　man　gifted　with　singular　powers　of　insight；
supplied　him　with　valuable　materials。　He　had　not　forgotten　that
Apollonius　of　Tyana　had；　in　Asia；　announced　the　death　of　a　tyrant　with
every　detail　of　his　execution；　at　the　very　hour　when　it　was　taking
place　in　Rome；　nor　that　Plotinus；　when　far　away　from　Porphyrius；　was
aware　of　his　friend's　intention　to　kill　himself；　and　flew　to　dissuade
him；　nor　the　incident　in　the　last　century；　proved　in　the　face　of　the
most　incredulous　mockery　ever　knownan　incident　most　surprising　to
men　who　were　accustomed　to　regard　doubt　as　a　weapon　against　the　fact
alone；　but　simple　enough　to　believersthe　fact　that　Alphonzo…Maria　di
Liguori；　Bishop　of　Saint…Agatha；　administered　consolations　to　Pope
Ganganelli；　who　saw　him；　heard　him；　and　answered　him；　while　the　Bishop
himself；　at　a　great　distance　from　Rome；　was　in　a　trance　at　home；　in
the　chair　where　he　commonly　sat　on　his　return　from　Mass。　On　recovering
consciousness；　he　saw　all　his　attendants　kneeling　beside　him；
believing　him　to　be　dead：　〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃the　Holy　Father　is
just　dead。〃　Two　days　later　a　letter　confirmed　the　news。　The　hour　of
the　Pope's　death　coincided　with　that　when　the　Bishop　had　been　restored
to　his　natural　state。

Nor　had　Lambert　omitted　the　yet　more　recent　adventure　of　an　English
girl　who　was　passionately　attached　to　a　sailor；　and　set　out　from
London　to　seek　him。　She　found　him；　without　a　guide；　making　her　way
alone　in　the　North　American　wilderness；　reaching　him　just　in　time　to
save　his　life。

Louis　had　found　confirmatory　evidence　in　the　mysteries　of　the
ancients；　in　the　acts　of　the　martyrsin　which　glorious　instances　may
be　found　of　the　triumph　of　human　will；　in　the　demonology　of　the　Middle
Ages；　in　criminal　trials　and　medical　researches；　always　selecting　the
real　fact；　the　probable　phenomenon；　with　admirable　sagacity。

All　this　rich　collection　of　scientific　anecdotes；　culled　from　so　many
books；　most　of　them　worthy　of　credit；　served　no　doubt　to　wrap　parcels
in；　and　this　work；　which　was　curious；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　as　the
outcome　of　a　most　extraordinary　memory；　was　doomed　to　destruction。

Among　the　various　cases　which　added　to　the　value　of　Lambert's
/Treatise/　was　an　incident　that　had　taken　place　in　his　own　family；　of
which　he　had　told　me　before　he　wrote　his　essay。　This　fact；　bearing　on
the　post…existence　of　the　inner　man；　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　coin　a　new
word　for　a　phenomenon　hitherto　nameless；　struck　me　so　forcibly　that　I
have　never　forgotten　it。　His　father　and　mother　were　being　forced　into
a　lawsuit；　of　which　the　loss　would　leave　them　with　a　stain　on　their
good　name；　the　only　thing　they　had　in　the　world。　Hence　their　anxiety
was　very　great　when　the　question　first　arose　as　to　whether　they　should
yield　to　the　plaintiff's　unjust　demands；　or　should　defend　themselves
against　him。　The　matter　came　under　discussion　one　autumn　evening；
before　a　turf　fire　in　the　room　used　by　the　tanner　and　his　wife。　Two　or
three　relations　were　invited　to　this　family　council；　and　among　others
Louis'　maternal　great…grandfather；　an　old　laborer；　much　bent；　but　with
a　venerable　and　dignified　countenance；　bright　eyes；　and　a　bald；　yellow
head；　on　which　grew　a　few　locks　of　thin；　white　hair。　Like　the　Obi　of
the　Negroes；　or　the　Sagamore　of　the　Indian　savages；　he　was　a　sort　of
oracle；　consulted　on　important　occasions。　His　land　was　tilled　by　his
grandchildren；　who　fed　and　served　him；　he　predicted　rain　and　fine
weather；　and　told　them　when　to　mow　the　hay　and　gather　the　crops。　The
barometric　exactitude　of　his　forecasts　was　quite　famous；　and　added　to
the　confidence　and　respect　he　inspired。　For　whole　days　he　would　sit
immovable　in　his　armchair。　This　state　of　rapt　meditation　often　came
upon　him　since　his　wife's　death；　he　had　been　attached　to　her　in　the
truest　and　most　faithful　affection。

This　discussion　was　held　in　his　presence；　but　he　did　not　seem　to　give
much　heed　to　it。

〃My　children；〃　said　he；　when　he　was　asked　for　his　opinion；　〃this　is
too　serious　a　matter　for　me　to　decide　on　alone。　I　must　go　and　consult
my　wife。〃

The　old　man　rose；　took　his　stick；　and　went　out；　to　the　great
astonishment　of　the　others；　who　thought　him　daft。　He　presently　came
back　and　said：

〃I　did　not　have　to　go　so　far　as　the　graveyard；　your　mother　came　to
meet　me；　I　found　her　by　the　brook。　She　tells　me　that　you　will　find
some　receipts　in　the　hands　of　a　notary　at　Blois；　which　will　enable　you
to　gain　your　suit。〃

The　words　were　spoken　in　a　firm　tone；　the　old　man's　demeanor　and
countenance　showed　that　such　an　apparition　was　habitual　with　him。　In
fact；　the　disputed　receipts　were　found；　and　the　lawsuit　was　not
attempted。

This　event；　under　his　father's　roof　and　to　his　own　knowledge；　when
Louis　was　nine　years　old；　contributed　largely　to　his　belief　in
Swedenborg's　miraculous　visions；　for　in　the　course　of　that
philosopher's　life　he　repeatedly　gave　proof　of　the　power　of　sight
developed　in　his　Inner　Being。　As　he　grew　older；　and　as　his
intelligence　was　developed；　Lambert　was　naturally　led　to　seek　in　the
laws　of　nature　for　the　causes　of　the　miracle　which；　in　his　childhood；
had　captivated　his　attention。　What　name　can　be　given　to　the　chance
which　brought　within　his　ken　so　many　facts　and　books　bearing　on　such
phenomena；　and　made　him　the　principal　subject　and　actor　in　such
marvelous　manifestations　of　mind？

If　Lambert　had　no　other　title　to　fame　than　the　fact　of　his　having
formulated；　in　his　sixteenth　year；　such　a　psychological　dictum　as
this：〃The　events　which　bear　witness　to　the　action　of　the　human　race；
and　are　the　outcome　of　its　intellect；　have　causes　by　which　they　are
preconceived；　as　our　actions　are　accomplished　in　our　minds　before　they
are　reproduced　by　the　outer　man；　presentiments　or　predictions　are　the
perception　of　these　causes〃I　think　we　may　deplore　in　him　a　genius
equal　to　Pascal；　Lavoisier；　or　Laplace。　His　chimerical　notions　about
angels　perhaps　overruled　his　work　too　long；　but　was　it　not　in　trying
to　make　gold　that　the　alchemists　unconsciously　created　chemistry？　At
the　same　time；　Lambert；　at　a　later　period；　studied　comparative
anatomy；　physics；　geometry；　and　other　sciences　bearing　on　his
discoveries；　and　this　was　undoubtedly　with　the　purpose　of　collecting
facts　and　submitting　them　to　analysisthe　only　torch　that　can　guide
us　through　the　dark　places　of　the　most　inscrutable　work　of　nature。　He
had　too　much　good　sense　to　dwell　among　the　clouds　of　theories　which
can　all　be　expressed　in　a　few　words。　In　our　day；　is　not　the　simplest
demonstration　based　on　facts　more　highly　esteemed　than　the　most
specious　system　though　defended　by　more　or　less　ingenious　inductions？
But　as　I　did　not　know　him　at　the　period　of　his　life　when　his
cogitations　were；　no　doubt；　the　most　productive　of　results；　I　can　only
conjecture　that　the　bent　of　his　work　must　have　been　from　that　of　his
first　efforts　of　thought。

It　is　easy　to　see　where　his　/Treatise　on　the　Will/　was　faulty。　Though
gifted　already　with　the　powers　which　characterize　superior　men；　he　was
but　a　boy。　His　brain；　though　endowed　with　a　great　faculty　for
abstractions；　was　still　full　of　the　delightful　beliefs　that　hover
around　youth。　Thus　his　conception；　while　at　some　points　it　touched　the
ripest　fruits　of　his　genius；　still；　by　many　more；　clung　to　the　smaller
elements　of　its　germs。　To　certain　readers；　lovers　of　poetry；　what　he
chiefly　lacked　must　have　been　a　certain　vein　of　interest。

But　his　work　bore　the　stamp　of　the　struggle　that　was　going　on　in　that
noble　Spirit　between　the　two　great　principles　of　Spiritualism　and
Materialism；　round　which　so　many　a　fine　genius　has　beaten　its　way
without　ever　daring　to　amalgamate　them。　Louis；　at　first　purely
Spiritualist；　had　been　irresistibly　led　to　recognize　the　Material
conditions　of　Mind。　Confounded　by　the　facts　of　analysis　at　the　moment
when　his　heart　still　gazed　with　yearning　at　the　clouds　which　floated
in　Swedenborg's　heaven；　he　had　not　yet　acquired　the　necessary　powers
to　produce　a　coherent　system；　compactly　cast　in　a　piece；　as　it　were。
Hence　certain　inconsistencies　that　have　left　their　stamp　even　on　the
sketch　here　given　of　his　first　attempts。　Still；　incomplete　as　his　work
may　have　been；　was　it　not　the　rough　copy　of　a　science　of　which　he
would　have　investigated　the　secrets　at　a　later　time；　have　secured　the
foundations；　have　examined；　deduced；　and　connected　the　logical
sequence？



Six　months　after　the　confiscation　of　the　/Treatise　on　the　Will/　I　left
school。　Our　parting　was　unexpected。　My　mother；　alarmed　by　a　feverish
attack　which　for　some　months　I　had　been　unable　to　shake　off；　while　my
inactive　life　induced　symptoms　of　/coma/；　carried　me　off　at　four　or
five　hours'　notice。　The　announcement　of　my　departure　reduced　Lambert
to　dreadful　dejection。

〃Shall　I　ever　seen　you　again？〃　said　he　in　his　gentle　voice；　as　he
clasped　me　in　his　arms。　〃