thoughts on man-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ength　and　power。　　Let　us　call　to　mind　the　Apollo　Belvidere；　and　the　Venus　de　Medicis；　whose　very　〃bends　are　adornings。〃　　What　loftiness　and　awe　have　I　seen　expressed　in　the　step　of　an　actress；　not　yet　deceased；　when　first　she　advanced；　and　came　down　towards　the　audience！　　I　was　ravished；　and　with　difficulty　kept　my　seat！　　Pass　we　to　the　mazes　of　the　dance；　the　inimitable　charms　and　picturesque　beauty　that　may　be　given　to　the　figure　while　still　unmoved；　and　the　ravishing　grace　that　dwells　in　it　during　its　endless　changes　and　evolutions。

The　upright　figure　of　man　produces；　incidentally　as　it　were；　and　by　the　bye；　another　memorable　effect。　　Hence　we　derive　the　power　of　meeting　in　halls；　and　congregations；　and　crowded　assemblies。　　We　are　found　〃at　large；　though　without　number；〃　at　solemn　commemorations　and　on　festive　occasions。　　We　touch　each　other；　as　the　members　of　a　gay　party　are　accustomed　to　do；　when　they　wait　the　stroke　of　an　electrical　machine；　and　the　spark　spreads　along　from　man　to　man。　　It　is　thus　that　we　have　our　feelings　in　common　at　a　theatrical　representation　and　at　a　public　dinner；　that　indignation　is　communicated；　and　patriotism　become　irrepressible。

One　man　can　convey　his　sentiments　in　articulate　speech　to　a　thousand；　and　this　is　the　nursing　mother　of　oratory；　of　public　morality；　of　public　religion；　and　the　drama。　　The　privilege　we　thus　possess；　we　are　indeed　too　apt　to　abuse；　but　man　is　scarcely　ever　so　magnificent　and　so　awful；　as　when　hundreds　of　human　heads　are　assembled　together；　hundreds　of　faces　lifted　up　to　contemplate　one　object；　and　hundreds　of　voices　uttered　in　the　expression　of　one　common　sentiment。

But；　notwithstanding　the　infinite　beauty；　the　magazine　of　excellencies　and　perfections；　that　appertains　to　the　human　body；　the　mind　claims；　and　justly　claims；　an　undoubted　superiority。　　I　am　not　going　into　an　enumeration　of　the　various　faculties　and　endowments　of　the　mind　of　man；　as　I　have　done　of　his　body。　　The　latter　was　necessary　for　my　purpose。　　Before　I　proceeded　to　consider　the　ascendancy　of　mind；　the　dominion　and　loftiness　it　is　accustomed　to　assert；　it　appeared　but　just　to　recollect　what　was　the　nature　and　value　of　its　subject　and　its　slave。

By　the　mind　we　understand　that　within　us　which　feels　and　thinks；　the　seat　of　sensation　and　reason。　　Where　it　resides　we　cannot　tell；　nor　can　authoritatively　pronounce；　as　the　apostle　says；　relatively　to　a　particular　phenomenon；　〃whether　it　is　in　the　body；　or　out　of　the　body。〃　　Be　it　however　where　or　what　it　may；　it　is　this　which　constitutes　the　great　essence　of；　and　gives　value　to；　our　existence；　and　all　the　wonders　of　our　microcosm　would　without　it　be　a　form　only；　destined　immediately　to　perish；　and　of　no　greater　account　than　as　a　clod　of　the　valley。

It　was　an　important　remark；　suggested　to　me　many　years　ago　by　an　eminent　physiologer　and　anatomist；　that；　when　I　find　my　attention　called　to　any　particular　part　or　member　of　my　body；　I　may　be　morally　sure　that　there　is　something　amiss　in　the　processes　of　that　part　or　member。　　As　long　as　the　whole　economy　of　the　frame　goes　on　well　and　without　interruption；　our　attention　is　not　called　to　it。　　The　intellectual　man　is　like　a　disembodied　spirit。

He　is　almost　in　the　state　of　the　dervise　in　the　Arabian　Nights；　who　had　the　power　of　darting　his　soul　into　the　unanimated　body　of　another；　human　or　brute；　while　he　left　his　own　body　in　the　condition　of　an　insensible　carcase；　till　it　should　be　revivified　by　the　same　or　some　other　spirit。　　When　I　am；　as　it　is　vulgarly　understood；　in　a　state　of　motion；　I　use　my　limbs　as　the　implements　of　my　will。　　When；　in　a　quiescent　state　of　the　body；　I　continue　to　think；　to　reflect　and　to　reason；　I　use；　it　may　be；　the　substance　of　the　brain　as　the　implement　of　my　thinking；　reflecting　and　reasoning；　though　of　this　in　fact　we　know　nothing。

We　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　the　mind　cannot　subsist　without　the　body；　at　least　we　must　be　very　different　creatures　from　what　we　are　at　present；　when　that　shall　take　place。　　For　a　man　to　think；　agreeably　and　with　serenity；　he　must　be　in　some　degree　of　health。　　The　corpus　sanum　is　no　less　indispensible　than　the　mens　sana。　　We　must　eat；　and　drink；　and　sleep。　　We　must　have　a　reasonably　good　appetite　and　digestion；　and　a　fitting　temperature；　neither　too　hot　nor　cold。　　It　is　desirable　that　we　should　have　air　and　exercise。　　But　this　is　instrumental　merely。　　All　these　things　are　negatives；　conditions　without　which　we　cannot　think　to　the　best　purpose；　but　which　lend　no　active　assistance　to　our　thinking。

Man　is　a　godlike　being。　　We　launch　ourselves　in　conceit　into　illimitable　space；　and　take　up　our　rest　beyond　the　fixed　stars。　　We　proceed　without　impediment　from　country　to　country；　and　from　century　to　century；　through　all　the　ages　of　the　past；　and　through　the　vast　creation　of　the　imaginable　future。　　We　spurn　at　the　bounds　of　time　and　space；　nor　would　the　thought　be　less　futile　that　imagines　to　imprison　the　mind　within　the　limits　of　the　body；　than　the　attempt　of　the　booby　clown　who　is　said　within　a　thick　hedge　to　have　plotted　to　shut　in　the　flight　of　an　eagle。

We　never　find　our　attention　called　to　any　particular　part　or　member　of　the　body；　except　when　there　is　somewhat　amiss　in　that　part　or　member。　　And；　in　like　manner　as　we　do　not　think　of　any　one　part　or　member　in　particular；　so　neither　do　we　consider　our　entire　microcosm　and　frame。　　The　body　is　apprehended　as　no　more　important　and　of　intimate　connection　to　a　man　engaged　in　a　train　of　reflections；　than　the　house　or　apartment　in　which　he　dwells。　　The　mind　may　aptly　be　described　under　the　denomination　of　the　〃stranger　at　home。〃　　On　set　occasions　and　at　appropriate　times　we　examine　our　stores；　and　ascertain　the　various　commodities　we　have；　laid　up　in　our　presses　and　our　coffers。　　Like　the　governor　of　a　fort　in　time　of　peace；　which　was　erected　to　keep　out　a　foreign　assailant；　we　occasionally　visit　our　armoury；　and　take　account　of　the　muskets；　the　swords；　and　other　implements　of　war　it　contains；　but　for　the　most　part　are　engaged　in　the　occupations　of　peace；　and　do　not　call　the　means　of　warfare　in　any　sort　to　our　recollection。

The　mind　may　aptly　be　described　under　the　denomination　of　the　〃stranger　at　home。〃　　With　their　bodies　most　men　are　little　acquainted。　　We　are　〃like　unto　a　man　beholding　his　natural　face　in　a　glass；　who　beholdeth　himself；　and　goeth　his　way；　and　straightway　forgetteth　what　manner　of　man　he　is。〃　　In　the　ruminations　of　the　inner　man；　and　the　dissecting　our　thoughts　and　desires；　we　employ　our　intellectual　arithmetic；　we　add；　and　subtract；　and　multiply；　and　divide；　without　asking　the　aid；　without　adverting　to　the　existence；　of　our　joints　and　members。　　Even　as　to　the　more　corporeal　part　of　our　avocations；　we　behold　the　external　world；　and　proceed　straight　to　the　object　of　our　desires；　without　almost　ever　thinking　of　this　medium；　our　own　material　frame；　unaided　by　which　none　of　these　things　could　be　accomplished。　　In　this　sense　we　may　properly　be　said　to　be　spiritual　existences；　however　imperfect　may　be　the　idea　we　are　enabled　to　affix　to　the　term　spirit。

Hence　arises　the　notion；　which　has　been　entertained　ever　since　the　birth　of　reflection　and　logical　discourse　in　the　world；　and　which　in　some　faint　and　confused　degree　exists　probably　even　among　savages；　that　the　body　is　the　prison　of　the　mind。　　It　is　in　this　sense　that　Waller；　after　completing　fourscore　years　of　age；　expresses　himself　in　these　affecting　and　interesting　couplets。

　　　　　　When　we　for　age　could　neither　read　nor　write；　　　　　　　The　subject　made　us　able　to　indite。　　　　　　　The　soul's　dark　cottage；　battered　and　decayed；　　　　　　　Lets　in　new　light　by　chinks　that　time　hath　made：　　　　　　　Stronger　by　weakness；　wiser；　men　become；　　　　　　　As　they　draw　near　to　their　eternal　home。

Thus　it　is　common　with　persons　of　elevated　soul　to　talk　of　neglecting；　overlooking；　and　taking　small　account　of　the　body。　　It　is　in　this　spirit　that　the　story　is　recorded　of　Anaxarchus；　who；　we　are　told；　was　ordered　by　Nicocreon；　tyrant　of　Salamis；　to　be　pounded　in　a　mortar；　and　who；　in　contempt　of　his　mortal　sufferings；　exclaimed；　〃Beat　on；　tyrant！　thou　dost　but　strike　upon　the　case　of　Anaxarchus；　thou　canst　not　touch　the　man　himself。〃　　And　it　is　in　something　of　the　same　light　that　we　must　regard　what　is　related　of　the　North　American　savages。　　Beings；　who　scoff　at　their　tortures；　must　have　an　idea　of　something　that　lies　beyond　the　reach　of　their　assailants。

It　is　just　however　to　observe；　that　some　of　the　particulars　here　related；　belong　not　less　to　the　brute　creation　than　to　man。　　If　men　are　imperfectly　acquainted　with　their　external　figure　and　appearance；　this　may　well　be　conceived　to　be　still　more　predicable　of　the　inferior　animals。　　It　is　true　that　all　of　them　seem　to　be　aware　of　the　part　in　their　structure；　where　lie　their　main　strength　and　means　of　hostility。　　Thus　the　bull　attacks　with　his　horns；　and　the　horse　with　his　heels；　the　beast　of　prey　with　his　claws；　the　bird　with　his　beak；　and　insects　and　other　venomous　creatures　with　their　sting。　　We　know　not　by　what　impulse　they　are　prompted　to　the　use　of　the　various　means　which　are　so　intimately　connected　with　their　preservation　and　welfare；　and　we　call　it　instinct。　　We　may　be　certain　it　does　not　arise　from　a　careful　survey　of　their　parts　and　members；　and　a　methodised　selection　of　the　means　which　shall　be　found　most　effectual　for　the　accomplishment　of　their　ends。　　There　is　no　premeditation；　and；　without　anatomical　knowledge；　or　any　distinct　acquaintance　with　their　image　and　likeness；　they　proceed　straight　to　their　purpose。

Hence；　even　as　men；　they　are　more　familiar　with　the　figures　and　appearance　of　their　fellows；　their　allies；　or　their　enemies；　than　with　their　own。

Man　is　a　creature　of　mingled　substance。　　I　am　many　times　a　day　compelled　to　acknowledge　what　a　low；　mean　and　contemptible　being　I　am。　　Philip　of　Macedon　had　no　need　to　give　it　in　charge　to　a　page；　to　repair　to　him　every　morning；　and　repeat；　〃Remember；　sir；　you　are　a　man。〃　　A　variety　of　circumstances　occur　to　us；　while　we　eat；　and　drink；　and　submit　to　the　humiliating　necessities　of　nature；　that　may　well　inculcate　into　us　this　salutary　lesson。　　The　wonder　rather　is；　that　man；　who　has　so　many　things　to　put　him　in　mind　to　be　humble　and　despise　himself；　should　ever　have　been　susceptible　of　pride　and　disdain。　　Nebuchadnezzar　must　indeed　have　been　the　most　besotted　of　mortals；　if　it　were　necessary　that　he　should　be　driven　from　among　men；　and　made　to　eat　grass　like　an　ox；　to　convince　him　that　he　was　not　the　equal　of　the　power　that　made　him。

But　fortunately；　as　I　have　said；　man　is　a　〃stranger　at　home。〃　　Were　it　not　for　this；　how　incomprehensible　would　be

　　　　　　The　ceremony　that　to　great　ones　'longs；　　　　　　　The　monarch's　crown；　and　the　deputed　sword；　　　　　　　The　marshal's　truncheon；　and　the　judge's　robe！

How　ludicrous　would　be　the　long　procession　and　the　caparisoned　horse；　the　gilded　chariot　and　the　flowing　train；　the　colours　flying；　the　drums　beating；　and　the　sound　of　trumpets　rending　the　air；　which　after　all　only　introduce　to　us　an　ordinary　man；　no　otherwise　perhaps　distinguished　from　the　vilest　of　the　ragged　spectators；　than　by　the　accident　of　his　birth！

But　what　is　of　more　importance　in　the　temporary　oblivion　we　are　enabled　to　throw　over　the　r