thoughts on man-第45章

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ctions；　or　rather　series　and　chains　of　actions；　which　comprise　energy　in　the　first　determination；　and　honour　in　the　execution；　each　in　its　degree　rests　upon　self…complacency　as　the　pillar　upon　which　its　weight　is　sustained；　and　without　which　it　must　sink　into　nothing。

Self…complacency　then　being　the　indispensible　condition　of　all　that　is　honourable　in　human　achievements；　hence　we　may　derive　a　multitude　of　duties；　and　those　of　the　most　delicate　nature；　incumbent　on　the　preceptor；　as　well　as　a　peculiar　discipline　to　be　observed　by　the　candidate；　both　while　he　is　〃under　a　schoolmaster；〃　and　afterwards　when　he　is　emancipated；　and　his　plan　of　conduct　is　to　he　regulated　by　his　own　discretion。

The　first　duty　of　the　preceptor　is　encouragement。

Not　that　his　face　is　to　be　for　ever　dressed　in　smiles；　and　that　his　tone　is　to　be　at　all　times　that　of　invitation　and　courtship。　　The　great　theatre　of　the　world　is　of　a　mingled　constitution；　made　up　of　advantages　and　sufferings；　and　it　is　perhaps　best　that　so　should　be　the　different　scenes　of　the　drama　as　they　pass。　　The　young　adventurer　is　not　to　expect　to　have　every　difficulty　smoothed　for　him　by　the　hand　of　another。　　This　were　to　teach　him　a　lesson　of　effeminacy　and　cowardice。　　On　the　contrary　it　is　necessary　that　he　should　learn　that　human　life　is　a　state　of　hardship；　that　the　adversary　we　have　to　encounter　does　not　always　present　himself　with　his　fangs　sheathed　in　the　woolly　softness　which　occasionally　renders　them　harmless；　and　that　nothing　great　or　eminently　honourable　was　ever　achieved　but　through　the　dint　of　resolution；　energy　and　struggle。　　It　is　good　that　the　winds　of　heaven　should　blow　upon　him；　that　he　should　encounter　the　tempest　of　the　elements；　and　occasionally　sustain　the　inclemency　of　the　summer's　heat　and　winter's　cold；　both　literally　and　metaphorically。

But　the　preceptor；　however　he　conducts　himself　in　other　respects；　ought　never　to　allow　his　pupil　to　despise　himself；　or　to　hold　himself　as　of　no　account。　　Self…contempt　can　never　be　a　discipline　favourable　to　energy　or　to　virtue。　　The　pupil　ought　at　all　times　to　judge　himself　in　some　degree　worthy；　worthy　and　competent　now　to　attempt；　and　hereafter　to　accomplish；　things　deserving　of　commendation。　　The　preceptor　must　never　degrade　his　pupil　in　his　own　eyes；　but　on　the　contrary　must　teach　him　that　nothing　but　resolution　and　perseverance　are　necessary；　to　enable　him　to　effect　all　that　the　judicious　director　can　expect　from　him。　　He　should　be　encouraged　through　every　step　of　his　progress；　and　specially　encouraged　when　he　has　gained　a　certain　point；　and　arrived　at　an　important　resting…place。　　It　is　thus　we　are　taught　the　whole　circle　of　what　are　called　accomplishments；　dancing；　music；　fencing；　and　the　rest；　and　it　is　surely　a　strange　anomaly；　if　those　things　which　are　most　essential　in　raising　the　mind　to　its　true　standard；　cannot　be　communicated　with　equal　suavity　and　kindness；　be　surrounded　with　allurements；　and　regarded　as　sources　of　pleasure　and　genuine　hilarity。

In　the　mean　time　it　is　to　be　admitted　that　every　human　creature；　especially　in　the　season　of　youth；　and　not　being　the　victim　of　some　depressing　disease　either　of　body　or　mind；　has　in　him　a　good　obstinate　sort　of　self…complacency；　which　cannot　without　much　difficulty　be　eradicated。　　〃Though　he　falleth　seven　times；　yet　will　he　rise　again。〃　　And；　when　we　have　encountered　various　mortifications；　and　have　been　many　times　rebuked　and　inveighed　against；　we　nevertheless　recover　our　own　good　opinion；　and　are　ready　to　enter　into　a　fresh　contention　for　the　prize；　if　not　in　one　kind；　then　in　another。

It　is　in　allusion　to　this　feature　in　the　human　character；　that　we　have　an　expressive　phrase　in　the　English　language；〃to　break　the　spirit。〃　　The　preceptor　may　occasionally　perhaps　prescribe　to　the　pupil　a　severe　task；　and　the　young　adventurer　may　say；　Can　I　be　expected　to　accomplish　this？　　But　all　must　be　done　in　kindness。　　The　generous　attempter　must　be　reminded　of　the　powers　he　has　within　him；　perhaps　yet　unexercised；　with　cheering　sounds　his　progress　must　be　encouraged；　and；　above　all；　the　director　of　the　course　must　take　care　not　to　tax　him　beyond　his　strength。　　And；　be　it　observed；　that　the　strength　of　a　human　creature　is　to　be　ascertained　by　two　things；　first；　the　abstract　capacity；　that　the　thing　required　is　not　beyond　the　power　of　a　being　so　constituted　to　perform；　and；　secondly；　we　must　take　into　the　account　his　past　achievements；　the　things　he　has　already　accomplished；　and　not　expect　that　he　is　at　once　to　overleap　a　thousand　obstacles。

For　there　is　such　a　thing　as　a　broken　spirit。　　I　remember　a　boy　who　was　my　schoolfellow；　that；　having　been　treated　with　uncalled　for　severity；　never　appeared　afterwards　in　the　scene　of　instruction；　but　with　a　neglected　appearance；　and　the　articles　of　his　dress　scarcely　half　put　on。　　I　was　very　young　at　the　time；　and　viewed　only　the　outside　of　things。　　I　cannot　tell　whether　he　had　any　true　ambition　previously　to　his　disgrace；　but　I　am　sure　he　never　had　afterwards。

How　melancholy　an　object　is　the　man；　who；　〃for　the　privilege　to　breathe；　bears　up　and　down　the　city

　　　　　A　discontented　and　repining　spirit　　　　　　Burthensome　to　itself；〃

incapable　of　enterprise；　listless；　with　no　courage　to　undertake；　and　no　anticipation　of　the　practicability　of　success　and　honour！　　And　this　spectacle　is　still　more　affecting；　when　the　subject　shall　be　a　human　creature　in　the　dawn　of　youth；　when　nature　opens　to　him　a　vista　of　beauty　and　fruition　on　every　side；　and　all　is　encouraging；　redolent　of　energy　and　enterprise！

To　break　the　spirit　of　a　man；　bears　a　considerable　resemblance　to　the　breaking　the　main　spring；　or　principal　movement；　of　a　complicated　and　ingeniously　constructed　machine。　　We　cannot　tell　when　it　is　to　happen；　and　it　comes　at　last　perhaps　at　the　time　that　it　is　least　expected。　　A　judicious　superintendent　therefore　will　be　far　from　trying　consequences　in　his　office；　and　will；　like　a　man　walking　on　a　cliff　whose　extremes　are　ever　and　anon　crumbling　away　and　falling　into　the　ocean；　keep　much　within　the　edge；　and　at　a　safe　distance　from　the　line　of　danger。

But　this　consideration　has　led　me　much　beyond　the　true　subject　of　this　Essay。　　The　instructor　of　youth；　as　I　have　already　said；　is　called　upon　to　use　all　his　skill；　to　animate　the　courage；　and　maintain　the　cheerfulness　and　self…complacency　of　his　pupil。　　And；　as　such　is　the　discipline　to　be　observed　to　the　candidate；　while　he　is　〃under　a　schoolmaster；〃　so；　when　he　is　emancipated；　and　his　plan　of　conduct　is　to　be　regulated　by　his　own　discretion；　it　is　necessary　that　he　should　carry　forward　the　same　scheme；　and　cultivate　that　tone　of　feeling；　which　should　best　reconcile　him　to　himself；　and；　by　teaching　him　to　esteem　himself　and　bear　in　mind　his　own　value；　enable　him　to　achieve　things　honourable　to　his　character；　and　memorably　useful　to　others。　　Melancholy；　and　a　disposition　anticipating　evil　are　carefully　to　be　guarded　against；　by　him　who　is　desirous　to　perform　his　part　well　on　the　theatre　of　society。　　He　should　habitually　meditate　all　cheerful　things；　and　sing　the　song　of　battle　which　has　a　thousand　times　spurred　on　his　predecessors　to　victory。　　He　should　contemplate　the　crown　that　awaits　him；　and　say　to　himself；　I　also　will　do　my　part；　and　endeavour　to　enrol　myself　in　the　select　number　of　those　champions；　of　whom　it　has　been　predicated　that　they　were　men；　of　whom；　compared　with　the　herd　of　ordinary　mortals；　〃the　world；〃　the　species　among　whom　they　were　rated；　〃was　not　worthy。〃

Another　consideration　is　to　be　recollected　here。　　Without　self…complacency　in　the　agent　no　generous　enterprise　is　to　be　expected；　and　no　train　of　voluntary　actions；　such　as　may　purchase　honour　to　the　person　engaged　in　them。

But；　beside　this；　there　is　no　true　and　substantial　happiness　but　for　the　self…complacent。　　〃The　good　man；〃　as　Solomon　says；　〃is　satisfied　from　himself。〃　The　reflex　act　is　inseparable　from　the　constitution　of　the　human　mind。　　How　can　any　one　have　genuine　happiness；　unless　in　proportion　as　he　looks　round；　and；　〃behold！　　every　thing　is　very　good？〃　This　is　the　sunshine　of　the　soul；　the　true　joy；　that　gives　cheerfulness　to　all　our　circulations；　and　makes　us　feel　ourselves　entire　and　complete。　　What　indeed　is　life；　unless　so　far　as　it　is　enjoyed？　　It　does　not　merit　the　name。　　If　I　go　into　a　school；　and　look　round　on　a　number　of　young　faces；　the　scene　is　destitute　of　its　true　charm；　unless　so　far　as　I　see　inward　peace　and　contentment　on　all　sides。　　And；　if　we　require　this　eminently　in　the　young；　neither　can　it　be　less　essential；　when　in　growing　manhood　we　have　the　real　cares　of　the　world　to　contend　with；　or　when　in　declining　age　we　need　every　auxiliary　to　enable　us　to　sustain　our　infirmities。

But；　before　I　conclude　my　remarks　on　this　subject；　it　is　necessary　that　I　should　carefully　distinguish　between　the　thesis；　that　self…complacency　is　the　indispensible　condition　of　all　that　is　honourable　in　human　achievements；　and　the　proposition　contended　against　in　Essay　XI；　that　〃self…love　is　the　source　of　all　our　actions。〃　　Self…complacency　is　indeed　the　feeling　without　which　we　cannot　proceed　in　an　honourable　course；　but　is　far　from　being　the　motive　that　impels　us　to　act。　　The　motive　is　in　the　real　nature　and　absolute　properties　of　the　good　thing　that　is　proposed　to　our　choice：　　we　seek　the　happiness　of　another；　because　his　happiness　is　the　object　of　our　desire。　　Self…complacency　may　be　likened　to　the　bottle…holder　in　one　of　those　contentions　for　bodily　prowess；　so　characteristic　of　our　old　English　manners。　　The　bottle…holder　is　necessary　to　supply　the　combatant　with　refreshment；　and　to　encourage　him　to　persist；　but　it　would　be　most　unnatural　to　regard　him　as　the　cause　of　the　contest。　　No：　　the　parties　have　found　reason　for　competition；　they　apprehend　a　misunderstanding　or　a　rivalry　impossible　to　be　settled　but　by　open　contention；　and　the　putting　forth　of　mental　and　corporeal　energy；　and　the　bottle…holder　is　an　auxiliary　called　in　afterwards；　his　interference　implying　that　the　parties　have　already　a　motive　to　act；　and　have　thrown　down　the　gauntlet　in　token　of　the　earnest　good…will　which　animates　them　to　engage。



ESSAY　XX。　OF　PHRENOLOGY。

The　following　remarks　can　pretend　to　he　nothing　more　than　a　few　loose　and　undigested　thoughts　upon　a　subject；　which　has　recently　occupied　the　attention　of　many　men；　and　obtained　an　extraordinary　vogue　in　the　world。　　It　were　to　be　wished；　that　the　task　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　a　writer　whose　studies　were　more　familiar　with　all　the　sciences　which　bear　more　or　less　on　the　topic　I　propose　to　consider：　　but；　if　abler　and　more　competent　men　pass　it　by；　I　feel　disposed　to　plant　myself　in　the　breach；　and　to　offer　suggestions　which　may　have　the　fortune　to　lead　others；　better　fitted　for　the　office　than　myself；　to　engage　in　the　investigation。　　One　advantage　I　may　claim；　growing　out　of　my　partial　deficiency。　　It　is　known　not　to　be　uncommon　for　a　man　to　stand　too　near　to　the　subject　of　his　survey；　to　allow　him　to　obtain　a　large　view　of　it　in　all　its　bearings。　　I　am　no　anatomist：　　I　simply　take　my　stand　upon　the　broad　ground　of　the　general　philosophy　of　man。

It　is　a　very　usual　thing　for　fanciful　theories　to　have　their　turn　amidst　the　eccentricities　of　the　human　mind；　and　t