thoughts on man-第38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！



It　is　in　reality　obvious；　that　man　and　woman；　as　they　come　from　the　hands　of　nature；　are　so　much　upon　a　par　with　each　other；　as　not　to　afford　the　best　subjects　between　whom　to　graft　a　habit　of　entire；　unalterable　affection。　　In　the　scenes　of　vulgar　and　ordinary　society；　a　permanent　connection　between　persons　of　opposite　sexes　is　too　apt　to　degenerate　into　a　scene　of　warfare；　where　each　party　is　for　ever　engaged　in　a　struggle　for　superiority；　and　neither　will　give　way。　　A　penetrating　observer；　with　whom　in　former　days　I　used　intimately　to　converse；　was　accustomed　to　say；　that　there　was　generally　more　jarring　and　ill　blood　between　the　two　parties　in　the　first　year　of　their　marriage；　than　during　all　the　remainder　of　their　lives。　　It　is　at　length　found　necessary；　as　between　equally　matched　belligerents　on　the　theatre　of　history；　that　they　should　come　to　terms；　make　a　treaty　of　peace；　or　at　least　settle　certain　laws　of　warfare；　that　they　may　not　waste　their　strength　in　idle　hostilities。

The　nations　of　antiquity　had　a　way　of　settling　this　question　in　a　very　summary　mode。　　As　certain　Oriental　tribes　have　determined　that　women　have　no　souls；　and　that　nothing　can　be　more　proper　than　to　shut　them　up；　like　singing　birds　in　cages；　so　the　Greeks　and　Romans　for　the　most　part　excluded　their　females　from　the　society　of　the　more　martial　sex。　　Marriage　with　them　was　a　convenience　merely；　and　the　husband　and　wife　were　in　reality　nothing　more　than　the　master　and　the　slave。　　This　point　once　settled　as　a　matter　of　national　law；　there　was　certainly　in　most　cases　little　danger　of　any　vexatious　rivalship　and　struggle　for　power。

But　there　is　nothing　in　which　the　superiority　of　modern　times　over　the　ancient　has　been　more　conspicuous；　than　in　our　sentiments　and　practices　on　this　subject。　　This　superiority；　as　well　as　several　other　of　our　most　valuable　acquisitions；　took　its　rise　in　what　we　call　the　dark　ages。　　Chivalry　was　for　the　most　part　the　invention　of　the　eleventh　century。　　Its　principle　was　built　upon　a　theory　of　the　sexes；　giving　to　each　a　relative　importance；　and　assigning　to　both　functions　full　of　honour　and　grace。　　The　knights　（and　every　gentleman　during　that　period　in　due　time　became　a　knight）　were　taught；　as　the　main　features　of　their　vocation；　the　〃love　of　God　and　the　ladies。〃　　The　ladies　in　return　were　regarded　as　the　genuine　censors　of　the　deeds　of　knighthood。　　From　these　principles　arose　a　thousand　lessons　of　humanity。　　The　ladies　regarded　it　as　their　glory　to　assist　their　champions　to　arm　and　to　disarm；　to　perform　for　them　even　menial　services；　to　attend　them　in　sickness；　and　to　dress　their　wounds。　　They　bestowed　on　them　their　colours；　and　sent　them　forth　to　the　field　hallowed　with　their　benedictions。　　The　knights　on　the　other　hand　considered　any　slight　towards　the　fair　sex　as　an　indelible　stain　to　their　order；　they　contemplated　the　graceful　patronesses　of　their　valour　with　a　feeling　that　partook　of　religious　homage　and　veneration；　and　esteemed　it　as　perhaps　the　first　duty　of　their　profession；　to　relieve　the　wrongs；　and　avenge　the　injuries　of　the　less　powerful　sex。

This　simple　outline　as　to　the　relative　position　of　the　one　sex　and　the　other；　gave　a　new　face　to　the　whole　scheme　and　arrangements　of　civil　society。　　　It　is　like　those　admirable　principles　in　the　order　of　the　material　universe；　or　those　grand　discoveries　brought　to　light　from　time　to　time　by　superior　genius；　so　obvious　and　simple；　that　we　wonder　the　most　common　understanding　could　have　missed　them；　yet　so　pregnant　with　results；　that　they　seem　at　once　to　put　a　new　life　and　inspire　a　new　character　into　every　part　of　a　mighty　and　all…comprehensive　mass。

The　passion　between　the　sexes；　in　its　grosser　sense；　is　a　momentary　impulse　merely；　and　there　was　danger　that；　when　the　fit　and　violence　of　the　passion　was　over；　the　whole　would　subside　into　inconstancy　and　a　roving　disposition；　or　at　least　into　indifference　and　almost　brutal　neglect。　　But　the　institutions　of　chivalry　immediately　gave　a　new　face　to　this。　　Either　sex　conceived　a　deep　and　permanent　interest　in　the　other。　　In　the　unsettled　state　of　society　which　characterised　the　period　when　these　institutions　arose；　the　defenceless　were　liable　to　assaults　of　multiplied　kinds；　and　the　fair　perpetually　stood　in　need　of　a　protector　and　a　champion。　　The　knights　on　the　other　hand　were　taught　to　derive　their　fame　and　their　honour　from　the　suffrages　of　the　ladies。　　Each　sex　stood　in　need　of　the　other；　and　the　basis　of　their　union　was　mutual　esteem。

The　effect　of　this　was　to　give　a　hue　of　imagination　to　all　their　intercourse。　　A　man　was　no　longer　merely　a　man；　nor　a　woman　merely　a　woman。　　They　were　taught　mutual　deference。　　The　woman　regarded　her　protector　as　something　illustrious　and　admirable；　and　the　man　considered　the　smiles　and　approbation　of　beauty　as　the　adequate　reward　of　his　toils　and　his　dangers。　　These　modes　of　thinking　introduced　a　nameless　grace　into　all　the　commerce　of　society。　　It　was　the　poetry　of　life。　　Hence　originated　the　delightful　narratives　and　fictions　of　romance；　and　human　existence　was　no　longer　the　bare；　naked　train　of　vulgar　incidents；　which　for　so　many　ages　of　the　world　it　had　been　accustomed　to　be。　　It　was　clothed　in　resplendent　hues；　and　wore　all　the　tints　of　the　rainbow。　　Equality　fled　and　was　no　more；　and　love；　almighty；　perdurable　love；　came　to　supply　its　place。

By　means　of　this　state　of　things　the　vulgar　impulse　of　the　sexes　towards　each　other；　which　alone　was　known　to　the　former　ages　of　the　world；　was　transformed　into　somewhat　of　a　totally　different　nature。　　It　became　a　kind　of　worship。　　The　fair　sex　looked　upon　their　protectors；　their　fathers；　their　husbands；　and　the　whole　train　of　their　chivalry；　as　something　more　than　human。　　There　was　a　grace　in　their　motions；　a　gallantry　in　their　bearing；　and　a　generosity　in　their　spirit　of　enterprise；　that　the　softness　of　the　female　heart　found　irresistible。　　Nor　less　on　the　other　hand　did　the　knights　regard　the　sex　to　whose　service　and　defence　they　were　sworn；　as　the　objects　of　their　perpetual　deference。　　They　approached　them　with　a　sort　of　gallant　timidity；　listened　to　their　behests　with　submission；　and　thought　the　longest　courtship　and　devotion　nobly　recompensed　by　the　final　acceptance　of　the　fair。

The　romance　and　exaggeration　characteristic　of　these　modes　of　thinking　have　gradually　worn　away　in　modern　times；　but　much　of　what　was　most　valuable　in　them　has　remained。　　Love　has　in　later　ages　never　been　divested　of　the　tenderness　and　consideration；　which　were　thus　rendered　some　of　its　most　estimable　features。　　A　certain　desire　in　each　party　to　exalt　the　other；　and　regard　it　as　worthy　of　admiration；　became　inextricably　interwoven　with　the　simple　passion。　　A　sense　of　the　honour　that　was　borne　by　the　one　to　the　other；　had　the　happiest　effect　in　qualifying　the　familiarity　and　unreserve　in　the　communion　of　feelings　and　sentiments；　without　which　the　attachment　of　the　sexes　cannot　subsist。　　It　is　something　like　what　the　mystic　divines　describe　of　the　beatific　vision；　where　entire　wonder　and　adoration　are　not　judged　to　be　incompatible　with　the　most　ardent　affection；　and　all　meaner　and　selfish　regards　are　annihilated。

From　what　has　been　thus　drawn　together　and　recapitulated　it　seems　clearly　to　follow；　as　was　stated　in　the　beginning；　that　love　cannot　exist　in　its　purest　form　and　with　a　genuine　ardour；　where　the　parties　are；　and　are　felt　by　each　other　to　be；　on　an　equality；　but　that　in　all　cases　it　is　requisite　there　should　be　a　mutual　deference　and　submission；　agreeably　to　the　apostolic　precept；　〃Likewise　all　of　you　be　subject　one　to　the　other。〃　　There　must　be　room　for　the　imagination　to　exercise　its　powers；　we　must　conceive　and　apprehend　a　thousand　things　which　we　do　not　actually　witness；　each　party　must　feel　that　it　stands　in　need　of　the　other；　and　without　the　other　cannot　be　complete；　each　party　must　be　alike　conscious　of　the　power　of　receiving　and　conferring　benefit；　and　there　must　be　the　anticipation　of　a　distant　future；　that　may　every　day　enhance　the　good　to　be　imparted　and　enjoyed；　and　cause　the　individuals　thus　united　perpetually　to　become　more　sensible　of　the　fortunate　event　which　gave　them　to　each　other；　and　has　thus　entailed　upon　each　a　thousand　advantages　in　which　they　could　otherwise　never　have　shared。



ESSAY　XVI。　OF　FRANKNESS　AND　RESERVE。

Animals　are　divided　into　the　solitary　and　the　are　gregarious：　　the　former　being　only　occasionally　associated　with　its　mate；　and　perhaps　engaged　in　the　care　of　its　offspring；　the　latter　spending　their　lives　in　herds　and　communities。　　Man　is　of　this　last　class　or　division。

Where　the　animals　of　any　particular　species　live　much　in　society；　it　seems　requisite　that　in　some　degree　they　should　be　able　to　understand　each　other's　purposes；　and　to　act　with　a　certain　portion　of　concert。

All　other　animals　are　exceedingly　limited　in　their　powers　of　communication。　　But　speech　renders　that　being　whom　we　justly　entitle　the　lord　of　the　creation；　capable　of　a　boundless　interchange　of　ideas　and　intentions。　　Not　only　can　we　communicate　to　each　other　substantively　our　elections　and　preferences：　　we　can　also　exhort　and　persuade；　and　employ　reasons　and　arguments　to　convince　our　fellows；　that　the　choice　we　have　made　is　also　worthy　of　their　adoption。　　We　can　express　our　thoughts；　and　the　various　lights　and　shades；　the　bleedings；　of　our　thoughts。　　Language　is　an　instrument　capable　of　being　perpetually　advanced　in　copiousness；　perspicuity　and　power。

No　principle　of　morality　can　be　more　just；　than　that　which　teaches　us　to　regard　every　faculty　we　possess　as　a　power　intrusted　to　us　for　the　benefit　of　others　as　well　as　of　ourselves；　and　which　therefore　we　are　bound　to　employ　in　the　way　which　shall　best　conduce　to　the　general　advantage。

〃Speech　was　given　us；　that　by　it　we　might　express　our　thoughts＇34＇；〃　in　other　words；　our　impressions；　ideas　and　conceptions。　　We　then　therefore　best　fulfil　the　scope　of　our　nature；　when　we　sincerely　and　unreservedly　communicate　to　each　other　our　feelings　and　apprehensions。　　Speech　should　be　to　man　in　the　nature　of　a　fair　complexion；　the　transparent　medium　through　which　the　workings　of　the　mind　should　be　made　legible。

＇34＇　Moliere。


I　think　I　have　somewhere　read　of　Socrates；　that　certain　of　his　friends　expostulated　with　him；　that　the　windows　of　his　house　were　so　constructed　that　every　one　who　went　by　could　discover　all　that　passed　within。　　〃And　wherefore　not？〃　　said　the　sage。　　〃I　do　nothing　that　I　would　wish　to　have　concealed　from　any　human　eye。　　If　I　knew　that　all　the　world　observed　every　thing　I　did；　I　should　feel　no　inducement　to　change　my　conduct　in　the　minutest　particular。〃

It　is　not　however　practicable　that　frankness　should　be　carried　to　the　extent　above　mentioned。　　It　has　been　calculated　that　the　human　mind　is　capable　of　being　impressed　with　three　hundred　and　twenty　sensations　in　a　second　of　time。　　At　all　events　we　well　know　that；　even　〃while　I　am　speaking；　a　variety　of　sensations　are　experienced　by　me；　without　so　much　as　interrupting；　that　is；　without　materially　diverting；　the　train　of　my　ideas。　　My　eye　successively　remarks　a　thousand　objects　that　present　themselves；　and　my　mind　wanders　to　the　different　parts　of　my　body；　without　occasioning　the　minutest　obstacle　to　my　discourse；　or　my