thoughts on man-第37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！


upon　the　love　of　God　to　his　creatures；　and　the　love　that　the　creature　in　return　owes　to　his　God。　　I　am　not　now　considering　religion　in　a　speculative　point　of　view；　or　enquiring　among　the　different　sects　and　systems　of　religion　what　it　is　that　is　true；　but　merely　producing　religion　as　an　example　of　what　have　been　the　conceptions　of　the　human　mind　in　successive　ages　of　the　world　on　the　subject　of　love。

This　All　that　we　behold；　the　immensity　of　the　universe；　the　admirable　harmony　and　subtlety　of　its　structure；　as　they　appear　in　the　vastest　and　the　minutest　bodies；　is　considered　by　religion；　as　the　emanation　of　pure　love；　a　mighty　impulse　and　ardour　in　its　great　author　to　realise　the　idea　existing　in　his　mind；　and　to　produce　happiness。　　The　Providence　that　watches　over　us；　so　that　not　a　sparrow　dies　unmarked；　and　that　〃the　great　Sensorium　of　the　world　vibrates；　if　a　hair　of　our　head　but　falls　to　the　ground　in　the　remotest　desert　of　his　creation；〃　is　still　unremitted；　never…satiated　love。　　And；　to　go　from　this　to　the　peculiarities　of　the　Christian　doctrine；　〃Greater　love　hath　no　man　than　this；　that　a　man　lay　down　his　life　for　his　friends：　　God　so　loved　the　world；　that　he　gave　his　only…begotten　Son　to　suffer；　to　be　treated　contumeliously；　and　to　die　with　ignominy；　that　we　might　live。〃

If　on　the　other　hand　we　consider　the　love　which　the　creature　must　naturally　pay　to　his　creator；　we　shall　find　that　the　affection　we　can　suppose　the　most　ingenuous　child　to　bear　to　the　worthiest　parent；　is　a　very　faint　image　of　the　passion　which　may　be　expected　to　grow　out　of　this　relation。　　In　God；　as　he　is　represented　to　us　in　the　books　of　the　worthiest　divines；　is　every　thing　that　can　command　love；　wisdom　to　conceive；　power　to　execute；　and　beneficence　actually　to　carry　into　effect；　whatever　is　excellent　and　admirable。　　We　are　lost　in　contemplating　the　depth　and　immensity　of　his　perfections。　　〃Every　good　and　every　perfect　gift　is　from　the　universal　Father；　with　whom　is　no　variableness；　neither　shadow　of　turning。〃　　The　most　soothing　and　gratifying　of　all　sentiments；　is　that　of　entire　confidence　in　the　divine　goodness；　a　reliance　which　no　adversity　can　shake；　and　which　supports　him　that　entertains　it　under　every　calamity；　that　sees　the　finger　of　God　in　every　thing　that　comes　to　pass；　that　says；　〃It　is　good　for　me　to　be　afflicted；〃　believes；　that　〃all　things　work　together　for　blessings〃　to　the　pious　and　the　just；　and　is　intimately　persuaded　that　〃our　light　affliction；　which　is　but　for　a　moment；　is　the　means　and　the　earnest　of　a　far　more　exceeding　and　eternal　weight　of　glory。〃

If　we　descend　from　these　great　archetypes；　the　love　between　parent　and　child；　and　between　the　creator　and　his　creature；　we　shall　still　find　the　same　inequality　the　inseparable　attendant　upon　the　most　perfect　ties　of　affection。　　The　ancients　seem　to　have　conceived　the　truest　and　most　exalted　ideas　on　the　subject　of　friendship。　　Among　the　most　celebrated　instances　are　the　friendship　of　Achilles　and　Patroclus；　Orestes　and　Pylades；　Aeneas　and　Achates；　Cyrus　and　Araspes；　Alexander　and　Hephaestion；　Scipio　and　Laelius。　　In　each　of　these　the　parties　are；　the　true　hero；　the　man　of　lofty　ambition；　the　magnificent　personage　in　whom　is　concentred　every　thing　that　the　historian　or　the　poet　was　able　to　realise　of　excellence；　and　the　modest　and　unpretending　individual　in　whom　his　confidence　was　reposed。　　The　grand　secret　of　the　connection　is　unfolded　in　the　saying　of　the　Macedonian　conqueror；　〃Craterus　loves　the　king；　but　Hephaestion　loves　Alexander。〃　　Friendship　is　to　the　loftier　mind　the　repose；　the　unbending　of　the　soul。　　The　great　man　（whatever　may　be　the　department　in　which　his　excellence　consists）　has　enough　of　his　greatness；　when　he　stands　before　the　world；　and　receives　the　homage　that　is　paid　to　his　merits。　　Ever　and　anon　he　is　anxious　to　throw　aside　this　incumbrance；　and　be　as　a　man　merely　to　a　man。　　He　wishes　to　forget　the　〃pride；　pomp；　and　circumstance〃　of　greatness；　and　to　be　that　only　which　he　is　himself。　　He　desires　at　length　to　be　sure；　that　he　receives　no　adulation；　that　he　is　accosted　with　no　insincerity；　and　that　the　individual　to　whose　society　he　has　thought　proper　to　withdraw；　has　no　by…ends；　no　sinister　purposes　in　all　his　thoughts。　　What　he　seeks　for；　is　a　true　friend；　a　being　who　sincerely　loves；　one　who　is　attached　to　him；　not　for　the　accidents　that　attend　him；　hut　for　what　most　strictly　belongs　to　him；　and　of　which　he　cannot　be　divested。　　In　this　friend　there　is　neither　interested　intention　nor　rivalry。

Such　are　the　characteristic　features　of　the　superior　party　in　these　exemplars　of　friendship　among　the　ancients。　　Of　the　unpretending；　unassuming　party　Homer；　the　great　master　of　the　affections　and　emotions　in　remoter　ages；　has　given　us　the　fullest　portrait　in　the　character　of　Patroclus。　　The　distinguishing　feature　of　his　disposition　is　a　melting　and　affectionate　spirit；　the　concentred　essence　of　tenderness　and　humanity。　　When　Patroclus　comes　from　witnessing　the　disasters　of　the　Greeks；　to　collect　a　report　of　which　he　had　been　sent　by　Achilles；　he　is　〃overwhelmed　with　floods　of　tears；　like　a　spring　which　pours　down　its　waters　from　the　steep　edge　of　a　precipice。〃　　It　is　thus　that　Jupiter　characterises　him　when　he　lies　dead　in　the　field　of　battle：

Thou　＇addressing　himself　in　his　thoughts　to　Hector＇　hast　slain　the　friend　of　Achilles；　not　less　memorable　for　the　blandness　of　his　temper；　than　the　bravery　of　his　deeds。

It　is　thus　that　Menelaus　undertakes　to　excite　the　Grecian　chiefs　to　rescue　his　body：　　

Let　each　man　recollect　the　sweetness　of　his　disposition　for；　as　long　as　he　lived；　he　was　unremitted　in　kindness　to　all。　　When　Achilles　proposes　the　games　at　the　funeral；　he　says；　〃On　any　other　occasion　my　horses　should　have　started　for　the　prize；　but　now　it　cannot　be。　　They　have　lost　their　incomparable　groom；　who　was　accustomed　to　refresh　their　limbs　with　water；　and　anoint　their　flowing　manes；　and　they　are　inconsolable。〃　　Briseis　also　makes　her　appearance　among　the　mourners；　avowing　that；　〃when　her　husband　had　been　slain　in　battle；　and　her　native　city　laid　in　ashes；　this　generous　man　prevented　her　tears；　averring　to　her；　that　she　should　be　the　wife　of　her　conqueror；　and　that　he　would　himself　spread　the　nuptial　banquet　for　her　in　the　hero's　native　kingdom　of　Phthia。〃

The　reciprocity　which　belongs　to　a　friendship　between　unequals　may　well　be　expected　to　give　a　higher　zest　to　their　union。　　Each　party　is　necessary　to　the　other。　　The　superior　considers　him　towards　whom　he　pours　out　his　affection；　as　a　part　of　himself。

　　　　　The　head　is　not　more　native　to　the　heart；　　　　　　The　hand　more　instrumental　to　the　mouth。

He　cannot　separate　himself　from　him；　but　at　the　cost　of　a　fearful　maim。　　When　the　world　is　shut　out　by　him；　when　he　retires　into　solitude；　and　falls　back　upon　himself；　then　his　unpretending　friend　is　most　of　all　necessary　to　him。　　He　is　his　consolation　and　his　pleasure；　the　safe　coffer　in　which　he　reposits　all　his　anxieties　and　sorrows。　　If　the　principal；　instead　of　being　a　public　man；　is　a　man　of　science；　this　kind　of　unbending　becomes　certainly　not　the　less　welcome　to　him。　　He　wishes　occasionally　to　forget　the　severity　of　his　investigations；　neither　to　have　his　mind　any　longer　wound　up　and　stretched　to　the　height　of　meditation；　nor　to　feel　that　he　needs　to　be　any　way　on　his　guard；　or　not　completely　to　give　the　rein　to　all　his　sallies　and　the　sportiveness　of　his　soul。　　Having　been　for　a　considerable　time　shut　up　in　sequestered　reflection；　he　wishes；　it　may　be；　to　have　the　world；　the　busy　impassioned　world；　brought　to　his　ears；　without　his　being　obliged　to　enter　into　its　formalities　and　mummeries。　　If　he　desires　to　speak　of　the　topics　which　had　so　deeply　engaged　him；　he　can　keep　as　near　the　edge　as　he　pleases；　and　drop　or　resume　them　as　his　fancy　may　prompt。　　And　it　seems　useless　to　say；　how　much　his　modest　and　unassuming　friend　will　be　gratified　in　being　instrumental　to　relieve　the　labours　of　his　principal；　in　feeling　that　he　is　necessary　to　him；　and　in　meditating　on　the　delight　he　receives　in　being　made　the　chosen　companion　and　confident　of　him　whom　he　so　ardently　admires。　　It　was　precisely　in　this　spirit；　that　Fulke　Greville；　two　hundred　years　ago；　directed　that　it　should　be　inscribed　on　his　tomb；　〃Here　lies　the　friend　of　Sir　Philip　Sidney。〃　　Tenderness　on　the　one　part；　and　a　deep　feeling　of　honour　and　respect　on　the　other；　give　a　completeness　to　the　union　which　it　must　otherwise　for　ever　want。　　〃There　is　no　limit；　none；〃　to　the　fervour　with　which　the　stronger　goes　forward　to　protect　the　weak；　while　in　return　the　less　powerful　would　encounter　a　thousand　deaths　rather　than　injury　should　befall　the　being　to　whom　in　generosity　and　affection　he　owes　so　much。

In　the　mean　time；　though　inequality　is　necessary　to　give　this　completeness　to　friendship；　the　inequality　must　not　be　too　great。

The　inferior　party　must　be　able　to　understand　and　appreciate　the　sense　and　the　merits　of　him　to　whom　he　is　thus　bound。　　There　must　be　no　impediment　to　hinder　the　communications　of　the　principal　from　being　fully　comprehended；　and　his　sentiments　entirely　participated。　　There　must　be　a　boundless　confidence；　without　apprehension　that　the　power　of　the　stronger　party　can　by　the　remotest　possibility　be　put　forth　ungenerously。　　〃Perfect　love　casteth　out　fear。〃　　The　evangelist　applies　this　aphorism　even　to　the　love　of　the　creature　to　his　creator。　　〃The　Lord　spake　unto　Moses；　face　to　face；　as　a　man　speaketh　unto　his　friend。〃　　In　the　union　of　which　I　am　treating　the　demonstrative　and　ordinary　appearance　will　be　that　of　entire　equality；　which　is　heightened　by　the　inner；　and　for　the　greater　part　unexplained　and　undeveloped；　impression　of　a　contrary　nature。　　There　is　in　either　party　a　perfect　reliance；　an　idea　of　inequality　with　the　most　entire　assurance　that　it　can　never　operate　unworthily　in　the　stronger　party；　or　produce　insincerity　or　servility　in　the　weaker。　　There　will　in　reality　always　be　some　reserve；　some　shadow　of　fear　between　equals；　which　in　the　friendship　of　unequals；　if　happily　assorted；　can　find　no　place。　　There　is　a　pouring　out　of　the　heart　on　the　one　side；　and　a　cordial　acceptance　on　the　other；　which　words　are　inadequate　to　describe。

To　proceed。　　If　from　friendship　we　go　forward　to　that　which　in　all　languages　is　emphatically　called　love；　we　shall　still　find　ourselves　dogged　and　attended　by　inequality。　　Nothing　can　be　more　certain；　however　we　may　seek　to　modify　and　abate　it；　than　the　inequality　of　the　sexes。　　Let　us　attend　to　it　as　it　stands　in　Milton：

　　　　　　For　contemplation　he　and　velour　formed　　　　　　　For　softness　she　and　sweet　attractive　grace；　　　　　　　He　for　God　only；　she　for　God　in　him。

Thus　it　is　painted　to　us　as　having　been　in　Paradise；　and　with　similar　inequality　have　the　sexes　subsisted　in　all　ages　and　nations　since。　　If　it　were　possible　to　take　from　the　fair　sex　its　softness　and　attractive　grace；　and　endow　it　instead　with　audacious；　masculine　and　military　qualities；　there　is　scarcely　any　one　that　does　not　perceive；　with　whatever　advantages　it　might　be　attended　in　other　respects；　that　it　would　be　far　from　tending　to　cherish　and　increase　the　passion　of　love。

It　is　in　reality　obvious；　that　man　and　woman；　as　they　come　from　the　hands　of　nature；　are　so　much　upon　a　par　with