lay morals-第3章

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away　from　home；　it　was　his　best　　consolation　that　he　was　now；　at　a　single　plunge；　to　free　　himself　from　the　responsibility　of　this　wealth　that　was　not　　his；　and　do　battle　equally　against　his　fellows　in　the　warfare　　of　life。

Some　time　after　this；　falling　into　ill…health；　he　was　sent　at　　great　expense　to　a　more　favourable　climate；　and　then　I　think　　his　perplexities　were　thickest。　　When　he　thought　of　all　the　　other　young　men　of　singular　promise；　upright；　good；　the　prop　　of　families；　who　must　remain　at　home　to　die；　and　with　all　　their　possibilities　be　lost　to　life　and　mankind；　and　how　he；　　by　one　more　unmerited　favour；　was　chosen　out　from　all　these　　others　to　survive；　he　felt　as　if　there　were　no　life；　no　　labour；　no　devotion　of　soul　and　body；　that　could　repay　and　　justify　these　partialities。　　A　religious　lady；　to　whom　he　　communicated　these　reflections；　could　see　no　force　in　them　　whatever。　　'It　was　God's　will；'　said　she。　　But　he　knew　it　was　　by　God's　will　that　Joan　of　Arc　was　burnt　at　Rouen；　which　　cleared　neither　Bedford　nor　Bishop　Cauchon；　and　again；　by　　God's　will　that　Christ　was　crucified　outside　Jerusalem；　which　　excused　neither　the　rancour　of　the　priests　nor　the　timidity　　of　Pilate。　　He　knew；　moreover；　that　although　the　possibility　　of　this　favour　he　was　now　enjoying　issued　from　his　　circumstances；　its　acceptance　was　the　act　of　his　own　will；　　and　he　had　accepted　it　greedily；　longing　for　rest　and　　sunshine。　　And　hence　this　allegation　of　God's　providence　did　　little　to　relieve　his　scruples。　　I　promise　you　he　had　a　very　　troubled　mind。　　And　I　would　not　laugh　if　I　were　you；　though　　while　he　was　thus　making　mountains　out　of　what　you　think　　molehills；　he　were　still　（as　perhaps　he　was）　contentedly　　practising　many　other　things　that　to　you　seem　black　as　hell。　　　Every　man　is　his　own　judge　and　mountain…guide　through　life。　　　There　is　an　old　story　of　a　mote　and　a　beam；　apparently　not　　true；　but　worthy　perhaps　of　some　consideration。　　I　should；　if　　I　were　you；　give　some　consideration　to　these　scruples　of　his；　　and　if　I　were　he；　I　should　do　the　like　by　yours；　for　it　is　　not　unlikely　that　there　may　be　something　under　both。　　In　the　　meantime　you　must　hear　how　my　friend　acted。　　Like　many　　invalids；　he　supposed　that　he　would　die。　　Now；　should　he　die；　　he　saw　no　means　of　repaying　this　huge　loan　which；　by　the　　hands　of　his　father；　mankind　had　advanced　him　for　his　　sickness。　　In　that　case　it　would　be　lost　money。　　So　he　　determined　that　the　advance　should　be　as　small　as　possible；　　and；　so　long　as　he　continued　to　doubt　his　recovery；　lived　in　　an　upper　room；　and　grudged　himself　all　but　necessaries。　　But　　so　soon　as　he　began　to　perceive　a　change　for　the　better；　he　　felt　justified　in　spending　more　freely；　to　speed　and　brighten　　his　return　to　health；　and　trusted　in　the　future　to　lend　a　　help　to　mankind；　as　mankind；　out　of　its　treasury；　had　lent　a　　help　to　him。

I　do　not　say　but　that　my　friend　was　a　little　too　curious　and　　partial　in　his　view；　nor　thought　too　much　of　himself　and　too　　little　of　his　parents；　but　I　do　say　that　here　are　some　　scruples　which　tormented　my　friend　in　his　youth；　and　still；　　perhaps；　at　odd　times　give　him　a　prick　in　the　midst　of　his　　enjoyments；　and　which　after　all　have　some　foundation　in　　justice；　and　point；　in　their　confused　way；　to　some　more　　honourable　honesty　within　the　reach　of　man。　　And　at　least；　is　　not　this　an　unusual　gloss　upon　the　eighth　commandment？　　And　　what　sort　of　comfort；　guidance；　or　illumination　did　that　　precept　afford　my　friend　throughout　these　contentions？　　'Thou　　shalt　not　steal。'　　With　all　my　heart！　　But　AM　I　stealing？

The　truly　quaint　materialism　of　our　view　of　life　disables　us　　from　pursuing　any　transaction　to　an　end。　　You　can　make　no　one　　understand　that　his　bargain　is　anything　more　than　a　bargain；　　whereas　in　point　of　fact　it　is　a　link　in　the　policy　of　　mankind；　and　either　a　good　or　an　evil　to　the　world。　　We　have　　a　sort　of　blindness　which　prevents　us　from　seeing　anything　　but　sovereigns。　　If　one　man　agrees　to　give　another　so　many　　shillings　for　so　many　hours'　work；　and　then　wilfully　gives　　him　a　certain　proportion　of　the　price　in　bad　money　and　only　　the　remainder　in　good；　we　can　see　with　half　an　eye　that　this　　man　is　a　thief。　　But　if　the　other　spends　a　certain　proportion　　of　the　hours　in　smoking　a　pipe　of　tobacco；　and　a　certain　　other　proportion　in　looking　at　the　sky；　or　the　clock；　or　　trying　to　recall　an　air；　or　in　meditation　on　his　own　past　　adventures；　and　only　the　remainder　in　downright　work　such　as　　he　is　paid　to　do；　is　he；　because　the　theft　is　one　of　time　and　　not　of　money；　…　is　he　any　the　less　a　thief？　　The　one　gave　a　　bad　shilling；　the　other　an　imperfect　hour；　but　both　broke　the　　bargain；　and　each　is　a　thief。　　In　piecework；　which　is　what　　most　of　us　do；　the　case　is　none　the　less　plain　for　being　even　　less　material。　　If　you　forge　a　bad　knife；　you　have　wasted　　some　of　mankind's　iron；　and　then；　with　unrivalled　cynicism；　　you　pocket　some　of　mankind's　money　for　your　trouble。　　Is　　there　any　man　so　blind　who　cannot　see　that　this　is　theft？　　　Again；　if　you　carelessly　cultivate　a　farm；　you　have　been　　playing　fast　and　loose　with　mankind's　resources　against　　hunger；　there　will　be　less　bread　in　consequence；　and　for　lack　　of　that　bread　somebody　will　die　next　winter：　a　grim　　consideration。　　And　you　must　not　hope　to　shuffle　out　of　blame　　because　you　got　less　money　for　your　less　quantity　of　bread；　　for　although　a　theft　be　partly　punished；　it　is　none　the　less　　a　theft　for　that。　　You　took　the　farm　against　competitors；　　there　were　others　ready　to　shoulder　the　responsibility　and　be　　answerable　for　the　tale　of　loaves；　but　it　was　you　who　took　　it。　　By　the　act　you　came　under　a　tacit　bargain　with　mankind　　to　cultivate　that　farm　with　your　best　endeavour；　you　were　　under　no　superintendence；　you　were　on　parole；　and　you　have　　broke　your　bargain；　and　to　all　who　look　closely；　and　yourself　　among　the　rest　if　you　have　moral　eyesight；　you　are　a　thief。　　　Or　take　the　case　of　men　of　letters。　　Every　piece　of　work　　which　is　not　as　good　as　you　can　make　it；　which　you　have　　palmed　off　imperfect；　meagrely　thought；　niggardly　in　　execution；　upon　mankind　who　is　your　paymaster　on　parole　and　　in　a　sense　your　pupil；　every　hasty　or　slovenly　or　untrue　　performance；　should　rise　up　against　you　in　the　court　of　your　　own　heart　and　condemn　you　for　a　thief。　　Have　you　a　salary？　　　If　you　trifle　with　your　health；　and　so　render　yourself　less　　capable　for　duty；　and　still　touch；　and　still　greedily　pocket　　the　emolument　…　what　are　you　but　a　thief？　　Have　you　double　　accounts？　do　you　by　any　time…honoured　juggle；　deceit；　or　　ambiguous　process；　gain　more　from　those　who　deal　with　you　　than　it　you　were　bargaining　and　dealing　face　to　face　in　front　　of　God？　…　What　are　you　but　a　thief？　　Lastly；　if　you　fill　an　　office；　or　produce　an　article；　which；　in　your　heart　of　　hearts；　you　think　a　delusion　and　a　fraud　upon　mankind；　and　　still　draw　your　salary　and　go　through　the　sham　manoeuvres　of　　this　office；　or　still　book　your　profits　and　keep　on　flooding　　the　world　with　these　injurious　goods？　…　though　you　were　old；　　and　bald；　and　the　first　at　church；　and　a　baronet；　what　are　　you　but　a　thief？　　These　may　seem　hard　words　and　mere　　curiosities　of　the　intellect；　in　an　age　when　the　spirit　of　　honesty　is　so　sparingly　cultivated　that　all　business　is　　conducted　upon　lies　and　so…called　customs　of　the　trade；　that　　not　a　man　bestows　two　thoughts　on　the　utility　or　　honourableness　of　his　pursuit。　　I　would　say　less　if　I　thought　　less。　　But　looking　to　my　own　reason　and　the　right　of　things；　　I　can　only　avow　that　I　am　a　thief　myself；　and　that　I　　passionately　suspect　my　neighbours　of　the　same　guilt。

Where　did　you　hear　that　it　was　easy　to　be　honest？　　Do　you　　find　that　in　your　Bible？　　Easy！　　It　is　easy　to　be　an　ass　and　　follow　the　multitude　like　a　blind；　besotted　bull　in　a　　stampede；　and　that；　I　am　well　aware；　is　what　you　and　Mrs。　　Grundy　mean　by　being　honest。　　But　it　will　not　bear　the　stress　　of　time　nor　the　scrutiny　of　conscience。　　Even　before　the　　lowest　of　all　tribunals；　…　before　a　court　of　law；　whose　　business　it　is；　not　to　keep　men　right；　or　within　a　thousand　　miles　of　right；　but　to　withhold　them　from　going　so　tragically　　wrong　that　they　will　pull　down　the　whole　jointed　fabric　of　　society　by　their　misdeeds　…　even　before　a　court　of　law；　as　we　　begin　to　see　in　these　last　days；　our　easy　view　of　following　　at　each　other's　tails；　alike　to　good　and　evil；　is　beginning　　to　be　reproved　and　punished；　and　declared　no　honesty　at　all；　　but　open　theft　and　swindling；　and　simpletons　who　have　gone　on　　through　life　with　a　quiet　conscience　may　learn　suddenly；　from　　the　lips　of　a　judge；　that　the　custom　of　the　trade　may　be　a　　custom　of　the　devil。　　You　thought　it　was　easy　to　be　honest。　　　Did　you　think　it　was　easy　to　be　just　and　kind　and　truthful？　　　Did　you　think　the　whole　duty　of　aspiring　man　was　as　simple　as　　a　horn…pipe？　and　you　could　walk　through　life　like　a　gentleman　　and　a　hero；　with　no　more　concern　than　it　takes　to　go　to　　church　or　to　address　a　circular？　　And　yet　all　this　time　you　　had　the　eighth　commandment！　and；　what　makes　it　richer；　you　　would　not　have　broken　it　for　the　world！

The　truth　is；　that　these　commandments　by　themselves　are　of　　little　use　in　private　judgment。　　If　compression　is　what　you　　want；　you　have　their　whole　spirit　compressed　into　the　golden　　rule；　and　yet　there　expressed　with　more　significance；　since　　the　law　is　there　spiritually　and　not　materially　stated。　　And　　in　truth；　four　out　of　these　ten　commands；　from　the　sixth　to　　the　ninth；　are　rather　legal　than　ethical。　　The　police…court　　is　their　proper　home。　　A　magistrate　cannot　tell　whether　you　　love　your　neighbour　as　yourself；　but　he　can　tell　more　or　less　　whether　you　have　murdered；　or　stolen；　or　committed　adultery；　　or　held　up　your　hand　and　testified　to　that　which　was　not；　and　　these　things；　for　rough　practical　tests；　are　as　good　as　can　　be　found。　　And　perhaps；　therefore；　the　best　condensation　of　　the　Jewish　moral　law　is　in　the　maxims　of　the　priests；　　'neminem　laedere'　and　'suum　cuique　tribuere。'　　But　all　this　　granted；　it　becomes　only　the　more　plain　that　they　are　　inadequate　in　the　sphere　of　personal　morality；　that　while　　they　tell　the　magistrate　roughly　when　to　punish；　they　can　　never　direct　an　anxious　sinner　what　to　do。

Only　Polonius；　or　the　like　solemn　sort　of　ass；　can　offer　us　a　　succinct　proverb　by　way　of　advice；　and　not　burst　out　blushing　　in　our　faces。　　We　grant　them　one　and　all　and　for　all　that　　they　are　worth；　it　is　something　above　and　beyond　that　we　　desire。　　Christ　was　in　general　a　great　enemy　to　such　a　way　of　　teaching；　we　rarely　find　him　meddling　with　any　of　these　plump　　commands　but　it　was　to　open　them　out；　and　lift　his　hearers　　from　the　letter　to　the　spirit。　　For　morals　are　a　personal　　affair；　in　the　war　of　righteousness　every　man　fights　for　his　　own　hand；　all　the　six　hundred　precepts　of　the　Mishna　cannot　　shake　my　private　judgment；　my　magistracy　of　myself　is　an　　indefeasible　charge；　and　my　decisions　absolute　for　the　time　　and　case。　　The　moralist　is　not　a　judge　of　appeal；　but　an　　advocate　who　pleads　at　my　tribunal。　　He　has　to　show　not　the　　law；　but　that　the　law　applies。　　Can　he　convince　me？　then　he　　gains　the　cause。　　And　thus　you　find　Christ　giving　various　　counsels　to　varying　people；　and　often　jealously　careful　to　　avoid　def