thoughts on man-第8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！



But　this　is　not　all。　　Men　are　not　only　placed；　by　the　absurd　choice　of　their　parents；　or　an　imperious　concurrence　of　circumstances；　in　destinations　and　employments　in　which　they　can　never　appear　to　advantage：　　they　frequently；　without　any　external　compulsion；　select　for　themselves　objects　of　their　industry；　glaringly　unadapted　to　their　powers；　and　in　which　all　their　efforts　must　necessarily　terminate　in　miscarriage。

I　remember　a　young　man；　who　had　been　bred　a　hair…dresser；　but　who　experienced；　as　he　believed；　the　secret　visitations　of　the　Muse；　and　became　inspired。　　〃With　sad　civility；　and　aching　head；〃　I　perused　no　fewer　than　six　comedies　from　the　pen　of　this　aspiring　genius；　in　no　page　of　which　I　could　discern　any　glimmering　of　poetry　or　wit；　or　in　reality　could　form　a　guess　what　it　was　that　the　writer　intended　in　his　elaborate　effusions。　　Such　are　the　persons　enumerated　by　Pope　in　the　Prologue　to　his　Satires；

　　　　　　　　　　a　parson；　much　bemused　in　beer；　　　　　　　A　maudlin　poetess；　a　rhyming　peer；　　　　　　　A　clerk；　foredoomed　his　father's　sou　to　cross；　　　　　　　Who　pens　a　stanza；　when　he　should　engross。

Every　manager　of　a　theatre；　and　every　publishing　bookseller　of　eminence；　can　produce　you　in　each　revolving　season　whole　reams；　almost　cartloads；　of　blurred　paper；　testifying　the　frequent　recurrence　of　this　phenomenon。

The　cause　however　of　this　painful　mistake　does　not　lie　in　the　circumstance；　that　each　man　has　not　from　the　hand　of　nature　an　appropriate　destination；　a　sphere　assigned　him；　in　which；　if　life　should　be　prolonged　to　him；　he　might　be　secure　of　the　respect　of　his　neighbours；　and　might　write　upon　his　tomb；　〃I　have　filled　an　honourable　career；　I　have　finished　my　course。〃

One　of　the　most　glaring　infirmities　of　our　nature　is　discontent。　　One　of　the　most　unquestionable　characteristics　of　the　human　mind　is　the　love　of　novelty。　　Omne　ignotum　pro　magnifico　est。　　We　are　satiated　with　those　objects　which　make　a　part　of　our　business　in　every　day；　and　are　desirous　of　trying　something　that　is　a　stranger　to　us。　　Whatever　we　see　through　a　mist；　or　in　the　twilight；　is　apt　to　be　apprehended　by　us　as　something　admirable；　for　the　single　reason　that　it　is　seen　imperfectly。　　What　we　are　sure　that　we　can　easily　and　adequately　effect；　we　despise。　　He　that　goes　into　battle　with　an　adversary　of　more　powerful　muscle　or　of　greater　practice　than　himself；　feels　a　tingling　sensation；　not　unallied　to　delight；　very　different　from　that　which　would　occur　to　him；　when　his　victory　was　easy　and　secure。

Each　man　is　conscious　what　it　is　that　he　can　certainly　effect。　　This　does　not　therefore　present　itself　to　him　as　an　object　of　ambition。　　We　have　many　of　us　internally　something　of　the　spirit　expressed　by　the　apostle：　　〃Forgetting　the　things　that　are　behind；　we　press　forward　to　those　that　remain。〃　　And；　so　long　as　this　precept　is　soberly　applied；　no　conduct　can　be　more　worthy　of　praise。　　Improvement　is　the　appropriate　race　of　man。　　We　cannot　stand　still。　　If　we　do　not　go　forward；　we　shall　inevitably　recede。　　Shakespear；　when　he　wrote　his　Hamlet；　did　not　know　that　he　could　produce　Macbeth　and　Othello。

But　the　progress　of　a　man　of　reflection　will　be；　to　a　considerable　degree；　in　the　path　he　has　already　entered。　　If　he　strikes　into　a　new　career；　it　will　not　be　without　deep　premeditation。　　He　will　attempt　nothing　wantonly。　　He　will　carefully　examine　his　powers；　and　see　for　what　they　are　adapted。　　Sudet　multum。　　He　will　be　like　the　man；　who　first　in　a　frail　bark　committed　himself　to　the　treachery　of　the　waves。　　He　will　keep　near　to　the　shore；　he　will　tremble　for　the　audaciousness　of　his　enterprise；　he　will　feel　that　it　calls　for　all　his　alertness　and　vigilance。　　The　man　of　reflection　will　not　begin；　till　he　feels　his　mind　swelling　with　his　purposed　theme；　till　his　blood　flows　fitfully　and　with　full　pulses　through　his　veins；　till　his　eyes　sparkle　with　the　intenseness　of　his　conceptions；　and　his　〃bosom　labours　with　the　God。〃

But　the　fool　dashes　in　at　once。　　He　does　not　calculate　the　dangers　of　his　enterprise。　　He　does　not　study　the　map　of　the　country　he　has　to　traverse。　　He　does　not　measure　the　bias　of　the　ground；　the　rising　knolls　and　the　descending　slopes　that　are　before　him。　　He　obeys　a　blind　and　unreflecting　impulse。

His　case　bears　a　striking　resemblance　to　what　is　related　of　Oliver　Goldsmith。　　Goldsmith　was　a　man　of　the　most　felicitous　endowments。　　His　prose　flows　with　such　ease；　copiousness　and　grace；　that　it　resembles　the　song　of　the　sirens。　　His　verses　are　among　the　most　spirited；　natural　and　unaffected　in　the　English　language。　　Yet　he　was　not　contented。　　If　he　saw　a　consummate　dancer；　he　knew　no　reason　why　he　should　not　do　as　well；　and　immediately　felt　disposed　to　essay　his　powers。　　If　he　heard　an　accomplished　musician；　he　undertook　to　enter　the　lists　with　him。　　His　conduct　was　of　a　piece　with　that　of　the　countryman；　who；　cheapening　spectacles；　and　making　experiment　of　them　for　ever　in　vain　upon　the　book　before　him；　was　at　length　asked；　〃Could　you　ever　read　without　spectacles？〃　to　which　he　was　obliged　to　answer；　〃I　do　not　know；　I　never　tried。〃　　The　vanity　of　Goldsmith　was　infinite；　and　his　failure　in　such　attempts　must　necessarily　have　been　ludicrous。

The　splendour　of　the　thing　presented　to　our　observation；　awakens　the　spirit　within　us。　　The　applause　and　admiration　excited　by　certain　achievements　and　accomplishments　infects　us　with　desire。　　We　are　like　the　youthful　Themistocles；　who　complained　that　the　trophies　of　Miltiades　would　not　let　him　sleep。　　We　are　like　the　novice　Guido；　who；　while　looking　on　the　paintings　of　Michael　Angelo；　exclaimed；　〃I　also　am　a　painter。〃　　Themistocles　and　Guido　were　right；　for　they　were　of　kindred　spirit　to　the　great　men　they　admired。　　But　the　applause　bestowed　on　others　will　often　generate　uneasiness　and　a　sigh；　in　men　least　of　all　qualified　by　nature　to　acquire　similar　applause。　　We　are　not　contented　to　proceed　in　the　path　of　obscure　usefulness　and　worth。　　We　are　eager　to　be　admired；　and　thus　often　engage　in　pursuits　for　which　perhaps　we　are　of　all　men　least　adapted　Each　one　would　be　the　man　above　him。

And　this　is　the　cause　why　we　see　so　many　individuals；　who　might　have　passed　their　lives　with　honour；　devote　themselves　to　incredible　efforts；　only　that　they　may　be　made　supremely　ridiculous。

To　this　let　it　be　added；　that　the　wisest　man　that　ever　existed；　never　yet　knew　himself；　especially　in　the　morning　of　life。　　The　person；　who　ultimately　stamped　his　history　with　the　most　heroic　achievements；　was　far　perhaps　even　from　suspecting；　in　the　dawn　of　his　existence；　that　he　should　realise　the　miracles　that　mark　its　maturity。　　He　might　be　ready　to　exclaim；　with　Hazael　in　the　Scriptures；　〃Is　thy　servant　more　than　man；　that　he　should　do　this　great　thing？〃　　The　sublimest　poet　that　ever　sung；　was　peradventure；　while　a　stripling；　unconscious　of　the　treasures　which　formed　a　part　of　the　fabric　of　his　mind；　and　unsuspicious　of　the　high　destiny　that　in　the　sequel　awaited　him。　　What　wonder　then；　that；　awaking　from　the　insensibility　and　torpor　which　precede　the　activity　of　the　soul；　some　men　should　believe　in　a　fortune　that　shall　never　be　theirs；　and　anticipate　a　glory　they　are　fated　never　to　sustain！　　And　for　the　same　reason；　when　unanticipated　failure　becomes　their　lot；　they　are　unwilling　at　first　to　be　discouraged；　and　find　a　certain　gallantry　in　persevering；　and　〃against　hope　believing　in　hope。〃

This　is　the　explanation　of　a　countless　multitude　of　failures　that　occur　in　the　career　of　literature。　　Nor　is　this　phenomenon　confined　to　literature。　　In　all　the　various　paths　of　human　existence；　that　appear　to　have　something　in　them　splendid　and　alluring；　there　are　perpetual　instances　of　daring　adventures；　unattended　with　the　smallest　rational　hope　of　success。　　Optat　ephippia　bos　piger。

　　　　　　　　　　All　quit　their　sphere；　and　rush　into　the　skies。

But；　beside　these　instances　of　perfect　and　glaring　miscarriage；　there　are　examples　worthy　of　a　deeper　regret；　where　the　juvenile　candidate　sets　out　in　the　morning　of　life　with　the　highest　promise；　with　colours　flying；　and　the　spirit…stirring　note　of　gallant　preparation；　when　yet　his　voyage　of　life　is　destined　to　terminate　in　total　discomfiture。　　I　have　seen　such　an　one；　whose　early　instructors　regarded　him　with　the　most　sanguine　expectation；　and　his　elders　admired　him；　while　his　youthful　competitors　unreluctantly　confessed　his　superiority；　and　gave　way　on　either　side　to　his　triumphant　career；　and　all　this　has　terminated　in　nothing。

In　reality　the　splendid　march　of　genius　is　beset　with　a　thousand　difficulties。　　〃The　race　is　not　always　to　the　swift；　nor　the　battle　to　the　strong。〃　　A　multitude　of　unthought…of　qualifications　are　required；　and　it　depends　at　least　as　much　upon　the　nicely　maintained　balance　of　these；　as　upon　the　copiousness　and　brilliancy　of　each；　whether　the　result　shall　be　auspicious。　　The　progress　of　genius　is　like　the　flight　of　an　arrow；　a　breath　may　turn　it　out　of　its　course；　and　cause　that　course　to　terminate　many　a　degree　wide　of　its　purposed　mark。　　It　is　therefore　scarcely　possible　that　any　sharpness　of　foresight　can　pronounce　of　the　noblest　beginnings　whether　they　shall　reach　to　an　adequate　conclusion。

I　have　seen　such　a　man；　with　the　most　fervent　imagination；　with　the　most　diligent　study；　with　the　happiest　powers　of　memory；　and　with　an　understanding　that　apparently　took　in　every　thing；　and　arranged　every　thing；　at　the　same　time　that　by　its　acuteness　it　seemed　able　to　add　to　the　accumulated　stores　of　foregone　wisdom　and　learning　new　treasures　of　its　own；　and　yet　this　man　shall　pass　through　the　successive　stages　of　human　life；　in　appearance　for　ever　active；　for　ever　at　work；　and　leave　nothing　behind　that　shall　embalm　his　name　to　posterity；　certainly　nothing　in　any　degree　adequately　representing　those　excellencies；　which　a　chosen　few；　admitted　to　his　retired　and　his　serenest　hours；　knew　to　reside　in　him。

There　are　conceptions　of　the　mind；　that　come　forth　like　the　coruscations　of　lightning。　　If　you　could　fix　that　flash；　it　would　seem　as　if　it　would　give　new　brightness　to　the　sons　of　men；　and　almost　extinguish　the　luminary　of　day。　　But；　ere　you　can　say　it　is　here；　it　is　gone。　　It　appears　to　reveal　to　us　the　secrets　of　the　world　unknown；　but　the　clouds　congregate　again；　and　shut　in　upon　us；　before　we　had　time　to　apprehend　its　full　radiance　and　splendour。

To　give　solidity　and　permanence　to　the　inspirations　of　genius　two　things　are　especially　necessary。　　First；　that　the　idea　to　be　communicated　should　be　powerfully　apprehended　by　the　speaker　or　writer；　and　next；　that　he　should　employ　words　and　phrases　which　might　convey　it　in　all　its　truth　to　the　mind　of　another。　　The　man　who　entertains　such　conceptions；　will　not　unfrequently　want　the　steadiness　of　nerve　which　is　required　for　their　adequate　transmission。　　Suitable　words　will　not　always　wait　upon　his　thoughts。　　Language　is　in　reality　a　vast　labyrinth；　a　scene　like　the　Hercinian　Forest　of　old；　which；　we　are　told；　could　not　be　traversed　in　less　than　sixty　days。　　If　we　do　not　possess　the　clue；　we　shall　infallibly　perish　in　the　attempt；　and　our　thoughts　and　our　memory　will　expire　with　us。

The　sentences　of　this　man；　when　he　speaks；　or　when　he　writes；　will　be　full　of　perplexity　and　confusion。　　They　will　be　endless；　and　never