thoughts on man-第28章

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　the　sight　of　those　things　which　constitute　wealth；　another　in　meditating　the　triumphs　of　Alexander　or　Caesar；　and　a　third　in　viewing　the　galleries　of　the　Louvre。　　Not　one　of　these　thinks　in　the　outset　of　appropriating　these　objects　to　himself；　not　one　of　them　begins　with　aspiring　to　be　the　possessor　of　vast　opulence；　or　emulating　the　triumphs　of　Caesar；　or　obtaining　in　property　the　pictures　and　statues　the　sight　of　which　affords　him　so　exquisite　delight。　　Even　the　admirer　of　female　beauty；　does　not　at　first　think　of　converting　this　attractive　object　into　a　mistress；　but　on　the　contrary　desires；　like　Pygmalion；　that　the　figure　he　beholds　might　become　his　solace　and　companion；　because　he　had　previously　admired　it　for　itself。

Just　so　the　benevolent　man　is　an　individual　who　finds　a　peculiar　delight　in　contemplating　the　contentment；　the　peace　and　heart's　ease　of　other　men；　and　sympathises　in　no　ordinary　degree　with　their　sufferings。　　He　rejoices　in　the　existence　and　diffusion　of　human　happiness；　though　he　should　not　have　had　the　smallest　share　in　giving　birth　to　the　thing　he　loves。　　It　is　because　such　are　his　tastes；　and　what　above　all　things　he　prefers；　that　he　afterwards　becomes　distinguished　by　the　benevolence　of　his　conduct。

The　reflex　act　of　the　mind；　which　these　new　philosophers　put　forward　as　the　solution　of　all　human　pursuits；　rarely　presents　itself　but　to　the　speculative　enquirer　in　his　closet。　　The　savage　never　dreams　of　it。　　The　active　man；　engaged　in　the　busy　scenes　of　life；　thinks　little；　and　on　rare　occasions　of　himself；　but　much；　and　in　a　manner　for　ever；　of　the　objects　of　his　pursuit。

Some　men　are　uniform　in　their　character；　and　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave　prefer　the　same　objects　that　first　awakened　their　partialities。　　Other　men　are　inconsistent　and　given　to　change；　are　〃every　thing　by　starts；　and　nothing　long。〃　　Still　it　is　probable　that；　in　most　cases；　he　who　performs　an　act　of　benevolence；　feels　for　the　time　that　he　has　a　peculiar　delight　in　contemplating　the　good　of　his　fellow…man。

The　doctrine　of　the　modern　philosophers　on　this　point；　is　in　many　ways　imbecil　and　unsound。　　It　is　inauspicious　to　their　creed；　that　the　reflex　act　of　the　mind　is　purely　the　affair　of　experience。　　Why　did　the　liberal…minded　man　perform　his　first　act　of　benevolence？　　The　answer　of　these　persons　ought　to　be；　because　the　recollection　of　a　generous　deed　is　a　source　of　the　truest　delight。　　But　there　is　an　absurdity　on　the　face　of　this　solution。

We　do　not　experimentally　know　the　delight　which　attends　the　recollection　of　a　generous　deed；　till　a　generous　deed　has　been　performed　by　us。　　We　do　not　learn　these　things　from　books。　　And　least　of　all　is　this　solution　to　the　purpose；　when　the　business　is　to　find　a　solution　that　suits　the　human　mind　universally；　the　unlearned　as　well　as　the　learned；　the　savage　as　well　as　the　sage。

And　surely　it　is　inconsistent　with　all　sound　reasoning；　to　represent　that　as　the　sole　spring　of　our　benevolent　actions；　which　by　the　very　terms　will　not　fit　the　first　benevolent　act　in　which　any　man　engaged。

The　advocates　of　the　doctrine　of　〃self…love　the　source　of　all　our　actions；〃　are　still　more　puzzled；　when　the　case　set　before　them　is　that　of　the　man；　who　flies；　at　an　instant's　warning；　to　save　the　life　of　the　child　who　has　fallen　into　the　river；　or　the　unfortunate　whom　he　beholds　in　the　upper　story　of　a　house　in　flames。　　This　man；　as　might　be　illustrated　in　a　thousand　instances；　treats　his　own　existence　as　unworthy　of　notice；　and　exposes　it　to　multiplied　risks　to　effect　the　object　to　which　he　devotes　himself。

They　are　obliged　to　say；　that　this　man　anticipates　the　joy　he　will　feel　in　the　recollection　of　a　noble　act；　and　the　cutting　and　intolerable　pain　he　will　experience　in　the　consciousness　that　a　human　being　has　perished；　whom　it　was　in　his　power　to　save。　　It　is　in　vain　that　we　tell　them　that；　without　a　moment's　consideration；　he　tore　off　his　clothes；　or　plunged　into　the　stream　with　his　clothes　on；　or　rushed　up　a　flaming　stair…case。　　Still　they　tell　us；　that　he　recollected　what　compunctious　visitings　would　be　his　lot　if　he　remained　supinehe　felt　the　sharpest　uneasiness　at　sight　of　the　accident　before　him；　and　it　was　to　get　rid　of　that　uneasiness；　and　not　for　the　smallest　regard　to　the　unhappy　being　he　has　been　the　means　to　save；　that　he　entered　on　the　hazardous　undertaking。

Uneasiness；　the　knowledge　of　what　inwardly　passes　in　the　mind；　is　a　thing　not　in　the　slightest　degree　adverted　to　but　in　an　interval　of　leisure。　　No；　the　man　here　spoken　of　thinks　of　nothing　but　the　object　immediately　before　his　eyes；　he　adverts　not　at　all　to　himself；　he　acts　only　with　an　undeveloped；　confused　and　hurried　consciousness　that　he　may　be　of　some　use；　and　may　avert　the　instantly　impending　calamity。　　He　has　scarcely　even　so　much　reflection　as　amounts　to　this。

The　history　of　man；　whether　national　or　individual；　and　consequently　the　acts　of　human　creatures　which　it　describes；　are　cast　in　another　mould　than　that　which　the　philosophy　of　self…love　sets　before　us。　　A　topic　that　from　the　earliest　accounts　perpetually　presents　itself　in　the　records　of　mankind；　is　self…sacrifice；　parents　sacrificing　themselves　for　their　children；　and　children　for　their　parents。　　Cimon；　the　Athenian；　yet　in　the　flower　of　his　youth；　voluntarily　became　the　inmate　of　a　prison；　that　the　body　of　his　father　might　receive　the　honours　of　sepulture。　　Various　and　unquestionable　are　the　examples　of　persons　who　have　exposed　themselves　to　destruction；　and　even　petitioned　to　die；　that　so　they　might　save　the　lives　of　those；　whose　lives　they　held　dearer　than　their　own。　　Life　is　indeed　a　thing；　that　is　notoriously　set　at　nothing　by　generous　souls；　who　have　fervently　devoted　themselves　to　an　overwhelming　purpose。　　There　have　been　instances　of　persons；　exposed　to　all　the　horrors　of　famine；　where　one　has　determined　to　perish　by　that　slowest　and　most　humiliating　of　all　the　modes　of　animal　destruction；　that　another；　dearer　to　him　than　life　itself；　might；　if　possible；　be　preserved。

What　is　the　true　explanation　of　these　determinations　of　the　human　will？　　Is　it；　that　the　person；　thus　consigning　himself　to　death；　loved　nothing　but　himself；　regarded　only　the　pleasure　he　might　reap；　or　the　uneasiness　he　was　eager　to　avoid？　　Or；　is　it；　that　he　had　arrived　at　the　exalted　point　of　self…oblivion；　and　that　his　whole　soul　was　penetrated　and　ingrossed　with　the　love　of　those　for　whom　he　conceived　so　exalted　a　partiality？

This　sentiment　so　truly　forms　a　part　of　our　nature；　that　a　multitude　of　absurd　practices；　and　a　multitude　of　heart…rending　fables；　have　been　founded　upon　the　consciousness　of　man　in　different　ages　and　nations；　that　these　modes　of　thinking　form　a　constituent　part　of　our　common　existence。　　In　India　there　was　found　a　woman；　whose　love　to　the　deceased　partner　of　her　soul　was　so　overwhelming；　that　she　resolved　voluntarily　to　perish　on　his　funeral　pile。　　And　this　example　became　so　fascinating　and　admirable；　that；　by　insensible　degrees；　it　grew　into　a　national　custom　with　the　Hindoos；　that；　by　a　sort　of　voluntary　constraint；　the　widows　of　all　men　of　a　certain　caste；　should　consign　themselves　to　the　flames　with　the　dead　bodies　of　their　husbands。　　The　story　of　Zopyrus　cutting　off　his　nose　and　ears；　and　of　Curtius　leaping　into　the　gulph；　may　be　fictitious：　　but　it　was　the　consciousness　of　those　by　whom　these　narratives　were　written　that　they　drew　their　materials　from　the　mighty　store…house　of　the　heart　of　man；　that　prompted　them　to　record　them。　　The　institutions　of　clientship　and　clans；　so　extensively　diffused　in　different　ages　of　the　world；　rests　upon　this　characteristic　of　our　nature；　that　multitudes　of　men　may　be　trained　and　educated　so；　as　to　hold　their　existence　at　no　price；　when　the　life　of　the　individual　they　were　taught　unlimitedly　to　reverence　might　be　preserved；　or　might　be　defended　at　the　risk　of　their　destruction。

The　principal　circumstance　that　divides　our　feelings　for　others　from　our　feelings　for　ourselves；　and　that　gives；　to　satirical　observers；　and　superficial　thinkers；　an　air　of　exclusive　selfishness　to　the　human　mind；　lies　in　this；　that　we　can　fly　from　others；　but　cannot　fly　from　ourselves。　　While　I　am　sitting　by　the　bed…side　of　the　sufferer；　while　I　am　listening　to　the　tale　of　his　woes；　there　is　comparatively　but　a　slight　line　of　demarcation；　whether　they　are　his　sorrows　or　my　own。　　My　sympathy　is　vehemently　excited　towards　him；　and　I　feel　his　twinges　and　anguish　in　a　most　painful　degree。　　But　I　can　quit　his　apartment　and　the　house　in　which　he　dwells；　can　go　out　in　the　fields；　and　feel　the　fresh　air　of　heaven　fanning　my　hair；　and　playing　upon　my　cheeks。　　This　is　at　first　but　a　very　imperfect　relief。　　His　image　follows　me；　I　cannot　forget　what　I　have　heard　and　seen；　I　even　reproach　myself　for　the　mitigation　I　involuntarily　experience。　　But　man　is　the　creature　of　his　senses。　　I　am　every　moment　further　removed；　both　in　time　and　place；　from　the　object　that　distressed　me。　　There　he　still　lies　upon　the　bed　of　agony：　　but　the　sound　of　his　complaint；　and　the　sight　of　all　that　expresses　his　suffering；　are　no　longer　before　me。　　A　short　experience　of　human　life　convinces　us　that　we　have　this　remedy　always　at　hand　＇〃I　am　unhappy；　only　while　I　please〃＇24＇；　and　we　soon　come　therefore　to　anticipate　the　cure；　and　so；　even　while　we　are　in　the　presence　of　the　sufferer；　to　feel　that　he　and　ourselves　are　not　perfectly　one。

＇24＇　Douglas。


But　with　our　own　distempers　and　adversities　it　is　altogether　different。　　It　is　this　that　barbs　the　arrow。　　We　may　change　the　place　of　our　local　existence；　but　we　cannot　go　away　from　ourselves。　　With　chariots；　and　embarking　ourselves　on　board　of　ships；　we　may　seek　to　escape　from　the　enemy。　　But　grief　and　apprehension　enter　the　vessel　along　with　us；　and；　when　we　mount　on　horseback；　the　discontent　that　specially　annoyed　us；　gets　up　behind；　and　clings　to　our　sides　with　a　hold　never　to　be　loosened＇25＇。

＇25＇　Horace。


Is　it　then　indeed　a　proof　of　selfishness；　that　we　are　in　a　greater　or　less　degree　relieved　from　the　anguish　we　endured　for　our　friend；　when　other　objects　occupy　us；　and　we　are　no　longer　the　witnesses　of　his　sufferings？　　If　this　were　true；　the　same　argument　would　irresistibly　prove；　that　we　are　the　most　generous　of　imaginable　beings；　the　most　disregardful　of　whatever　relates　to　ourselves。　　Is　it　not　the　first　ejaculation　of　the　miserable；　〃Oh；　that　I　could　fly　from　myself？　　Oh；　for　a　thick；　substantial　sleep！〃　What　the　desperate　man　hates　is　his　own　identity。　　But　he　knows　that；　if　for　a　few　moments　he　loses　himself　in　forgetfulness；　he　will　presently　awake　to　all　that　distracted　him。　　He　knows　that　he　must　act　his　part　to　the　end；　and　drink　the　bitter　cup　to　the　dregs。　　He　can　do　none　of　these　things　by　proxy。　　It　is　the　consciousness　of　the　indubitable　future；　from　which　we　can　never　be　divorced；　that　gives　to　our　present　calamity　its　most　fearful　empire。　　Were　it　not　for　this　great　line　of　distinction；　there　are　many　that　would　feel　not　less　for　their　friend　than　for　themselves。　　But　they　are　aware；　that　his　ruin　will　not　make　them　beggars；　his　mortal　disease　will　not　bring　them　to　the　tomb；　and　that；　when　he　is　dead；　they　may　yet　be　reserved　for　many　years　of　health；　of　consciousness　and　vigour。

The　language　of　t