thoughts on man-第5章

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s　ear；　produce　an　effect　upon　him；　and　leave　a　memory　behind；　different　from　that　which　is　experienced　by　his　fellows。　　His　perceptions　have　a　singular　vividness。

　　　　　　The　poet's　eye；　in　a　fine　frenzy　rolling；　　　　　　　Doth　glance　from　heaven　to　earth；　from　earth　to　heaven；　　　　

　　　　　　And　his　imagination　bodies　forth　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　forms　of　things　unknown；

It　is　not　probable　that　any　trainings　of　art　can　give　these　endowments　to　him　who　has　not　received　them　from　the　gift　of　nature。

The　subtle　network　of　the　brain；　or　whatever　else　it　is；　that　makes　a　man　more　fit　for；　and　more　qualified　to　succeed　in；　one　occupation　than　another；　can　scarcely　be　followed　up　and　detected　either　in　the　living　subject　or　the　dead　one。　　But；　as　in　the　infinite　variety　of　human　beings　no　two　faces　are　so　alike　that　they　cannot　be　distinguished；　nor　even　two　leaves　plucked　from　the　same　tree＇2＇；　so　it　may　reasonably　be　presumed；　that　there　are　varieties　in　the　senses；　the　organs；　and　the　internal　structure　of　the　human　species；　however　delicate；　and　to　the　touch　of　the　bystander　evanescent；　which　may　give　to　each　individual　a　predisposition　to　rise　to　a　supreme　degree　of　excellence　in　some　certain　art　or　attainment；　over　a　million　of　competitors。

＇2＇　Papers　between　Clarke　and　Leibnitz；　p。　95。


It　has　been　said　that　all　these　distinctions　and　anticipations　are　idle；　because　man　is　born　without　innate　ideas。　　Whatever　is　the　incomprehensible　and　inexplicable　power；　which　we　call　nature；　to　which　he　is　indebted　for　his　formation；　it　is　groundless　to　suppose；　that　that　power　is　cognisant　of；　and　guides　itself　in　its　operations　by；　the　infinite　divisibleness　of　human　pursuits　in　civilised　society。　　A　child　is　not　designed　by　his　original　formation　to　be　a　manufacturer　of　shoes；　for　he　may　be　born　among　a　people　by　whom　shoes　are　not　worn；　and　still　less　is　he　destined　by　his　structure　to　be　a　metaphysician；　an　astronomer；　or　a　lawyer；　a　rope…dancer；　a　fortune…teller；　or　a　juggler。

It　is　true　that　we　cannot　suppose　nature　to　be　guided　in　her　operations　by　the　infinite　divisibleness　of　human　pursuits　in　civilised　society。　　But　it　is　not　the　less　true　that　one　man　is　by　his　structure　best　fitted　to　excel　in　some　one　in　particular　of　these　multifarious　pursuits；　however　fortuitously　his　individual　structure　and　that　pursuit　may　be　brought　into　contact。　　Thus　a　certain　calmness　and　steadiness　of　purpose；　much　flexibility；　and　a　very　accurate　proportion　of　the　various　limbs　of　the　body；　are　of　great　advantage　in　rope…dancing；　while　lightness　of　the　fingers；　and　a　readiness　to　direct　our　thoughts　to　the　rapid　execution　of　a　purpose；　joined　with　a　steadiness　of　countenance　adapted　to　what　is　figuratively　called　throwing　dust　in　the　eyes　of　the　bystander；　are　of　the　utmost　importance　to　the　juggler：　　and　so　of　the　rest。

It　is　as　much　the　temper　of　the　individual；　as　any　particular　subtlety　of　organ　or　capacity；　that　prepares　him　to　excel　in　one　pursuit　rather　than　a　thousand　others。　　And　he　must　have　been　a　very　inattentive　observer　of　the　indications　of　temper　in　an　infant　in　the　first　months　of　his　existence；　who　does　not　confess　that　there　are　various　peculiarities　in　that　respect　which　the　child　brings　into　the　world　with　him。

There　is　excellent　sense　in　the　fable　of　Achilles　in　the　island　of　Scyros。　　He　was　placed　there　by　his　mother　in　female　attire　among　the　daughters　of　Lycomedes；　that　he　might　not　be　seduced　to　engage　in　the　Trojan　war。　　Ulysses　was　commissioned　to　discover　him；　and；　while　he　exhibited　jewels　and　various　woman's　ornaments　to　the　princesses；　contrived　to　mix　with　his　stores　a　suit　of　armour；　the　sight　of　which　immediately　awakened　the　spirit　of　the　hero。

Every　one　has　probably　within　him　a　string　more　susceptible　than　the　rest；　that　demands　only　a　kindred　impression　to　be　made；　to　call　forth　its　latent　character。　　Like　the　war…horse　described　in　the　Book　of　Job：　　〃He　paweth　in　the　valley；　and　rejoiceth　in　his　strength；　he　goeth　on　to　meet　the　armed　men；　he　smelleth　the　battle　afar　off；　the　thunder　of　the　captains；　and　the　shouting。〃

Nothing　can　be　more　unlike　than　the　same　man　to　himself；　when　he　is　touched；　and　not　touched；　upon

　　　　　　　　　　　the　master…string　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　makes　most　harmony　or　discord　to　him。

It　is　like　the　case　of　Manlius　Torquatus　in　Livy；　who　by　his　father　was　banished　among　his　hinds　for　his　clownish　demeanour　and　untractableness　to　every　species　of　instruction　that　was　offered　him；　but　who；　understanding　that　his　parent　was　criminally　arraigned　for　barbarous　treatment　of　him；　first　resolutely　resorted　to　the　accuser；　compelling　him　upon　pain　of　death　to　withdraw　his　accusation；　and　subsequently；　having　surmounted　this　first　step　towards　an　energetic　carriage　and　demeanour；　proved　one　of　the　most　illustrious　characters　that　the　Roman　republic　had　to　boast。

Those　children　whose　parents　have　no　intention　of　training　them　to　the　highest　departments　of　intellect；　and　have　therefore　no　thought　of　bestowing　on　them　a　classical　education；　nevertheless　for　the　most　part　send　them　to　a　school　where　they　are　to　be　taught　arithmetic；　and　the　principles　of　English　grammar。　　I　should　say　in　this　case；　as　I　said　before　on　the　subject　of　classical　education；　that　a　certain　initiation　in　these　departments　of　knowledge；　even　if　they　are　pursued　a　very　little　way；　will　probably　be　beneficial　to　all。

But　it　will　often　be　found；　in　these　schools　for　more　ordinary　education；　as　in　the　school　for　classical　instruction；　that　the　majority　of　the　pupils　will　be　seen　to　be　unpromising；　and；　what　is　usually　called；　dull。　　The　mistake　is；　that　the　persons　by　whom　this　is　perceived；　are　disposed　to　set　aside　these　pupils　as　blockheads；　and　unsusceptible　of　any　species　of　ingenuity。

It　is　unreasonable　that　we　should　draw　such　a　conclusion。

In　the　first　place；　as　has　been　already　observed；　it　is　the　most　difficult　thing　in　the　world　for　the　schoolmaster　to　inspire　into　his　pupil　the　desire　to　do　his　best。　　An　overwhelming　majority　of　lads　at　school　are　in　their　secret　hearts　rebels　to　the　discipline　under　which　they　are　placed。　　The　instructor　draws；　one　way；　and　the　pupil　another。　　The　object　of　the　latter　is　to　find　out　how　he　may　escape　censure　and　punishment　with　the　smallest　expence　of　scholastic　application。　　He　looks　at　the　task　that　is　set　him；　without　the　most　distant　desire　of　improvement；　but　with　alienated　and　averted　eye。　　And；　where　this　is　the　case；　the　wonder　is　not　that　he　does　not　make　a　brilliant　figure。　　It　is　rather　an　evidence　of　the　slavish　and　subservient　spirit　incident　to　the　majority　of　human　beings；　that　he　learns　any　thing。　　Certainly　the　schoolmaster；　who　judges　of　the　powers　of　his　pupil's　mind　by　the　progress　he　makes　in　what　he　would　most　gladly　be　excused　from　learning；　must　be　expected　perpetually　to　fall　into　the　most　egregious　mistakes。

The　true　test　of　the　capacity　of　the　individual；　is　where　the　desire　to　succeed；　and　accomplish　something　effective；　is　already　awakened　in　the　youthful　mind。　　Whoever　has　found　out　what　it　is　in　which　he　is　qualified　to　excel；　from　that　moment　becomes　a　new　creature。　　The　general　torpor　and　sleep　of　the　soul；　which　is　incident　to　the　vast　multitude　of　the　human　species；　is　departed　from　him。　　We　begin；　from　the　hour　in　which　our　limbs　are　enabled　to　exert　themselves　freely；　with　a　puerile　love　of　sport。　　Amusement　is　the　order　of　the　day。　　But　no　one　was　ever　so　fond　of　play；　that　he　had　not　also　his　serious　moments。　　Every　human　creature　perhaps　is　sensible　to　the　stimulus　of　ambition。　　He　is　delighted　with　the　thought　that　he　also　shall　be　somebody；　and　not　a　mere　undistinguished　pawn；　destined　to　fill　up　a　square　in　the　chess…board　of　human　society。　　He　wishes　to　be　thought　something　of；　and　to　be　gazed　upon。　　Nor　is　it　merely　the　wish　to　be　admired　that　excites　him：　　he　acts；　that　he　may　be　satisfied　with　himself。　　Self…respect　is　a　sentiment　dear　to　every　heart。　　The　emotion　can　with　difficulty　be　done　justice　to；　that　a　man　feels；　who　is　conscious　that　he　is　breathing　his　true　element；　that　every　stroke　that　he　strikes　will　have　the　effect　he　designs；　that　he　has　an　object　before　him；　and　every　moment　approaches　nearer　to　that　object。　　Before；　he　was　wrapped　in　an　opake　cloud；　saw　nothing　distinctly；　and　struck　this　way　and　that　at　hazard　like　a　blind　man。　　But　now　the　sun　of　understanding　has　risen　upon　him；　and　every　step　that　he　takes；　he　advances　with　an　assured　and　undoubting　confidence。

It　is　an　admirable　remark；　that　the　book　which　we　read　at　the　very　time　that　we　feel　a　desire　to　read　it；　affords　us　ten　times　the　improvement；　that　we　should　have　derived　from　it　when　it　was　taken　up　by　us　as　a　task。　　It　is　just　so　with　the　man　who　chooses　his　occupation；　and　feels　assured　that　that　about　which　he　is　occupied　is　his　true　and　native　field。　　Compare　this　person　with　the　boy　that　studies　the　classics；　or　arithmetic；　or　any　thing　else；　with　a　secret　disinclination；　and；　as　Shakespear　expresses　it；　〃creeps　like　snail；　unwillingly；　to　school。〃　They　do　not　seem　as　if　they　belonged　to　the　same　species。

The　result　of　these　observations　certainly　strongly　tends　to　support　the　proposition　laid　down　early　in　the　present　Essay；　that；　putting　idiots　and　extraordinary　cases　out　of　the　question；　every　human　creature　is　endowed　with　talents；　which；　if　rightly　directed；　would　shew　him　to　be　apt；　adroit；　intelligent　and　acute；　in　the　walk　for　which　his　organisation　especially　fitted　him。


SECTION　III。

ENCOURAGING　VIEW　OF　OUR　COMMON　NATURE。POWER　OF　SOUND　EXPOSITION　AFFORDED　TO　ALL。DOCTRINE　OF　THIS　ESSAY　AND　THE　HYPOTHESIS　OF　HELVETIUS　COMPARED。THE　WILLING　AND　UNWILLING　PUPIL　CONTRASTED。MISCHIEVOUS　TENDENCY　OF　THE　USUAL　MODES　OF　EDUCATION。

What　a　beautiful　and　encouraging　view　is　thus　afforded　us　of　our　common　nature！　　It　is　not　true；　as　certain　disdainful　and　fastidious　censurers　of　their　fellow…men　would　persuade　us　to　believe；　that　a　thousand　seeds　are　sown　in　the　wide　field　of　humanity；　for　no　other　purpose　than　that　half…a…dozen　may　grow　up　into　something　magnificent　and　splendid；　and　that　the　rest；　though　not　absolutely　extinguished　in　the　outset；　are　merely　suffered　to　live　that　they　may　furnish　manure　and　nourishment　to　their　betters。　　On　the　contrary；　each　man；　according　to　this　hypothesis；　has　a　sphere　in　which　he　may　shine；　and　may　contemplate　the　exercise　of　his　own　powers　with　a　well…grounded　satisfaction。　　He　produces　something　as　perfect　in　its　kind；　as　that　which　is　effected　under　another　form　by　the　more　brilliant　and　illustrious　of　his　species。　　He　stands　forward　with　a　serene　confidence　in　the　ranks　of　his　fellow…creatures；　and　says；　〃I　also　have　my　place　in　society；　that　I　fill　in　a　manner　with　which　I　have　a　right　to　be　satisfied。〃　　He　vests　a　certain　portion　of　ingenuity　in　the　work　he　turns　out。　　He　incorporates　his　mind　with　the　labour　of　his　hands；　and　a　competent　observer　will　find　character　and　individuality　in　it。

He　has　therefore　nothing　of　the　sheepishness　of　the　ordinary　schoolboy；　the　tasks　imposed　upon　whom　by　his　instructor　are　foreign　to　the　true　bent　of　his　mind；　and　who　stands　cowed　before　his　seniors；　shrinking　under　the　judgment　they　may　pass　upon　him；　and　the　oppression　they　may　exercise　t