thoughts on man-第22章

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　Of　these　studies　the　earliest　consist　in　the　arts　of　reading　and　writing。　　Next　follows　arithmetic；　with　perhaps　some　rudiments　of　algebra　and　geometry。　　Afterward　comes　in　due　order　the　acquisition　of　languages；　particularly　the　dead　languages；　a　most　fortunate　occupation　for　those　years　of　man；　in　which　the　memory　is　most　retentive；　and　the　reasoning　powers　have　yet　acquired　neither　solidity　nor　enlargement。　　Such　are　the　occupations　of　the　schoolboy　in　his　prescribed　hours　of　study。

But　the　schoolboy　is　cooped　up　in　an　apartment；　it　may　be　with　a　number　of　his　fellows。　　He　is　seated　at　a　desk；　diligently　conning　the　portion　of　learning　that　is　doled　out　to　him；　or；　when　he　has　mastered　his　lesson；　reciting　it　with　anxious　brow　and　unassured　lips　to　the　senior；　who　is　to　correct　his　errors；　and　pronounce　upon　the　sufficiency　of　his　industry。　　All　this　may　be　well：　　but　it　is　a　new　and　more　exhilarating　spectacle　that　presents　itself　to　our　observation；　when　he　is　dismissed　from　his　temporary　labours；　and　rushes　impetuously　out　to　the　open　air；　and　gives　free　scope　to　his　limbs　and　his　voice；　and　is　no　longer　under　the　eye　of　a　censor　that　shall　make　him　feel　his　subordination　and　dependence。

Meanwhile　the　question　under　consideration　was；　not　in　which　state　he　experienced　the　most　happiness；　but　which　was　productive　of　the　greatest　improvement。

The　review　of　the　human　subject　is　conveniently　divided　under　the　heads　of　body　and　mind。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　health　of　the　body　is　most　promoted　by　those　exercises　in　which　the　schoolboy　is　engaged　during　the　hours　of　play。　　And　it　is　further　to　be　considered　that　health　is　required；　not　only　that　we　may　be　serene；　contented　and　happy；　but　that　we　may　be　enabled　effectually　to　exert　the　faculties　of　the　mind。

But　there　is　another　way；　in　which　we　are　called　upon　to　consider　the　division　of　the　human　subject　under　the　heads　of　body　and　mind。

The　body　is　the　implement　and　instrument　of　the　mind；　the　tool　by　which　most　of　its　purposes　are　to　be　effected。　　We　live　in　the　midst　of　a　material　world；　or　of　what　we　call　such。　　The　greater　part　of　the　pursuits　in　which　we　engage；　are　achieved　by　the　action　of　the　limbs　and　members　of　the　body　upon　external　matter。

Our　communications　with　our　fellow…men　are　all　of　them　carried　on　by　means　of　the　body。

Now　the　action　of　the　limbs　and　members　of　the　body　is　infinitely　improved　by　those　exercises　in　which　the　schoolboy　becomes　engaged　during　his　hours　of　play。　　In　the　first　place　it　is　to　be　considered　that　we　do　those　things　most　thoroughly　and　in　the　shortest　time；　which　are　spontaneous；　the　result　of　our　own　volition；　and　such　are　the　exercises　in　which　the　schoolboy　engages　during　this　period。　　His　heart　and　soul　are　in　what　he　does。　　The　man　or　the　boy　must　be　a　poor　creature　indeed；　who　never　does　any　thing　but　as　he　is　bid　by　another。　　It　is　in　his　voluntary　acts　and　his　sports；　that　he　learns　the　skilful　and　effective　use　of　his　eye　and　his　limbs。　　He　selects　his　mark；　and　he　hits　it。　　He　tries　again　and　again；　effort　after　effort；　and　day　after　day；　till　he　has　surmounted　the　difficulty　of　the　attempt；　and　the　rebellion　of　his　members。　　Every　articulation　and　muscle　of　his　frame　is　called　into　action；　till　all　are　obedient　to　the　master…will；　and　his　limbs　are　lubricated　and　rendered　pliant　by　exercise；　as　the　limbs　of　the　Grecian　athleta　were　lubricated　with　oil。

Thus　he　acquires；　first　dexterity　of　motion；　and　next；　which　is　of　no　less　importance；　a　confidence　in　his　own　powers；　a　consciousness　that　he　is　able　to　effect　what　he　purposes；　a　calmness　and　serenity　which　resemble　the　sweeping　of　the　area；　and　scattering　of　the　saw…dust；　upon　which　the　dancer　or　the　athlete　is　to　exhibit　with　grace；　strength　and　effect。

So　much　for　the　advantages　reaped　by　the　schoolboy　during　his　hours　of　play　as　to　the　maturing　his　bodily　powers；　and　the　improvement　of　those　faculties　of　his　mind　which　more　immediately　apply　to　the　exercise　of　his　bodily　powers。

But；　beside　this；　it　is　indispensible　to　the　well…being　and　advantage　of　the　individual；　that　he　should　employ　the　faculties　of　his　mind　in　spontaneous　exertions。　　I　do　not　object；　especially　during　the　period　of　nonage；　to　a　considerable　degree　of　dependence　and　control。　　But　his　greatest　advancement；　even　then；　seems　to　arise　from　the　interior　impulses　of　his　mind。　　The　schoolboy　exercises　his　wit；　and　indulges　in　sallies　of　the　thinking　principle。　　This　is　wholsome；　this　is　fresh；　it　has　twice　the　quickness；　clearness　and　decision　in　it；　that　are　to　be　found　in　those　acts　of　the　mind　which　are　employed　about　the　lessons　prescribed　to　him。

In　school　our　youth　are　employed　about　the　thoughts；　the　acts　and　suggestions　of　other　men。　　This　is　all　mimicry；　and　a　sort　of　second…hand　business。　　It　resembles　the　proceeding　of　the　fresh…listed　soldier　at　drill；　he　has　ever　his　eye　on　his　right…hand　man；　and　does　not　raise　his　arm；　nor　advance　his　foot；　nor　move　his　finger；　but　as　he　sees　another　perform　the　same　motion　before　him。　　It　is　when　the　schoolboy　proceeds　to　the　playground；　that　he　engages　in　real　action　and　real　discussion。　　It　is　then　that　he　is　an　absolute　human　being　and　a　genuine　individual。

The　debates　of　schoolboys；　their　discussions　what　they　shall　do；　and　how　it　shall　be　done；　are　anticipations　of　the　scenes　of　maturer　life。　　They　are　the　dawnings　of　committees；　and　vestries；　and　hundred…courts；　and　ward…motes；　and　folk…motes；　and　parliaments。　　When　boys　consult　when　and　where　their　next　cricket…match　shall　be　played；　it　may　be　regarded　as　the　embryo　representation　of　a　consult　respecting　a　grave　enterprise　to　be　formed；　or　a　colony　to　be　planted。　　And；　when　they　enquire　respecting　poetry　and　prose；　and　figures　and　tropes；　and　the　dictates　of　taste；　this　happily　prepares　them　for　the　investigations　of　prudence；　and　morals；　and　religious　principles；　and　what　is　science；　and　what　is　truth。

It　is　thus　that　the　wit　of　man；　to　use　the　word　in　the　old　Saxon　sense；　begins　to　be　cultivated。　　One　boy　gives　utterance　to　an　assertion；　and　another　joins　issue　with　him；　and　retorts。　　The　wheels　of　the　engine　of　the　brain　are　set　in　motion；　and；　without　force；　perform　their　healthful　revolutions。　　The　stripling　feels　himself　called　upon　to　exert　his　presence　of　mind；　and　becomes　conscious　of　the　necessity　of　an　immediate　reply。　　Like　the　unfledged　bird；　he　spreads　his　wings；　and　essays　their　powers。　　He　does　not　answer；　like　a　boy　in　his　class；　who　tasks　his　understanding　or　not；　as　the　whim　of　the　moment　shall　prompt　him；　where　one　boy　honestly　performs　to　the　extent　of　his　ability；　and　others　disdain　the　empire　assumed　over　them；　and　get　off　as　cheaply　as　they　can。　　He　is　no　longer　under　review；　but　is　engaged　in　real　action。　　The　debate　of　the　schoolboy　is　the　combat　of　the　intellectual　gladiator；　where　he　fences　and　parries　and　thrusts　with　all　the　skill　and　judgment　he　possesses。

There　is　another　way　in　which　the　schoolboy　exercises　his　powers　during　his　periods　of　leisure。　　He　is　often　in　society；　but　he　is　ever　and　anon　in　solitude。　　At　no　period　of　human　life　are　our　reveries　so　free　and　untrammeled；　as　at　the　period　here　spoken　of。　　He　climbs　the　mountain…cliff；　and　penetrates　into　the　depths　of　the　woods。　　His　joints　are　well　strung；　he　is　a　stranger　to　fatigue。　　He　rushes　down　the　precipice；　and　mounts　again　with　ease；　as　though　he　had　the　wings　of　a　bird。　　He　ruminates；　and　pursues　his　own　trains　of　reflection　and　discovery；　〃exhausting　worlds；〃　as　it　appears　to　him；　〃and　then　imagining　new。〃　　He　hovers　on　the　brink　of　the　deepest　philosophy；　enquiring　how　came　I　here；　and　to　what　end。　　He　becomes　a　castle…builder；　constructing　imaginary　colleges　and　states；　and　searching　out　the　businesses　in　which　they　are　to　be　employed；　and　the　schemes　by　which　they　are　to　be　regulated。　　He　thinks　what　he　would　do；　if　he　possessed　uncontrolable　strength；　if　he　could　fly；　if　he　could　make　himself　invisible。　　In　this　train　of　mind　he　cons　his　first　lessons　of　liberty　and　independence。　　He　learns　self…reverence；　and　says　to　himself；　I　also　am　an　artist；　and　a　maker。　　He　ruffles　himself　under　the　yoke；　and　feels　that　he　suffers　foul　tyranny　when　he　is　driven；　and　when　brute　force　is　exercised　upon　him；　to　compel　him　to　a　certain　course；　or　to　chastise　his　faults；　imputed　or　real。

Such　are　the　benefits　of　leisure　to　the　schoolboy：　　and　they　are　not　less　to　man　when　arrived　at　years　of　discretion。　　It　is　good　for　us　to　have　some　regular　and　stated　occupation。　　Man　may　be　practically　too　free；　this　is　frequently　the　case　with　those　who　have　been　nurtured　in　the　lap　of　opulence　and　luxury。　　We　were　sent　into　the　world　under　the　condition；　〃In　the　sweat　of　thy　brow　shalt　thou　eat　bread。〃　　And　those　who；　by　the　artificial　institutions　of　society；　are　discharged　from　this　necessity；　are　placed　in　a　critical　and　perilous　situation。　　They　are　bound；　if　they　would　consult　their　own　well…being；　to　contrive　for　themselves　a　factitious　necessity；　that　may　stand　them　in　the　place　of　that　necessity　which　is　imposed　without　appeal　on　the　vast　majority　of　their　brethren。

But；　if　it　is　desirable　that　every　man　should　have　some　regular　and　stated　occupation；　so　it　is　certainly　not　less　desirable；　that　every　man　should　have　his　seasons　of　relaxation　and　leisure。

Unhappy　is　the　wretch；　whose　condition　it　is　to　be　perpetually　bound　to　the　oar；　and　who　is　condemned　to　labour　in　one　certain　mode；　during　all　the　hours　that　are　not　claimed　by　sleep；　or　as　long　as　the　muscles　of　his　frame；　or　the　fibres　of　his　fingers　will　enable　him　to　persevere。　　〃Apollo　himself；〃　says　the　poet；　〃does　not　always　bend　the　bow。〃　　There　should　be　a　season；　when　the　mind　is　free　as　air；　when　not　only　we　should　follow　without　restraint　any　train　of　thinking　or　action；　within　the　bounds　of　sobriety；　and　that　is　not　attended　with　injury　to　others；　that　our　own　minds　may　suggest　to　us；　but　should　sacrifice　at　the　shrine　of　intellectual　liberty；　and　spread　our　wings；　and　take　our　flight　into　untried　regions。　　It　is　good　for　man　that　he　should　feel　himself　at　some　time　unshackled　and　autocratical；　that　he　should　say；　This　I　do；　because　it　is　prescribed　to　me　by　the　conditions　without　which　I　cannot　exist；　or　by　the　election　which　in　past　time　I　deliberately　made；　and　this；　because　it　is　dictated　by　the　present　frame　of　my　spirit；　and　is　therefore　that　in　which　the　powers　my　nature　has　entailed　upon　me　may　be　most　fully　manifested。　　In　addition　to　which　we　are　to　consider；　that　a　certain　variety　and　mutation　of　employments　is　best　adapted　to　humanity。　　When　my　mind　or　my　body　seems　to　be　overwrought　by　one　species　of　occupation；　the　substitution　of　another　will　often　impart　to　me　new　life；　and　make　me　feel　as　fresh　as　if　no　labour　had　before　engaged　me。　　For　all　these　reasons　it　is　to　be　desired；　that　we　should　possess　the　inestimable　privilege　of　leisure；　that　in　the　revolving　hours　of　every　day　a　period　should　arrive；　at　which　we　should　lay　down　the　weapons　of　our　labour；　and　engage　in　a　sport　that　may　be　no　less　active　and　strenuous　than　the　occupation　which　preceded　it。

A　question；　which　deserves　our　attention　in　this　place；　is；　how　much　of　every　day　it　behoves　us　to　give　to　regular　and　stated　occupation