a vindication of the rights of woman-第26章

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after　we　have　thought　in　vain；　only　become　the　support　of　vegetable　life；　and　invigorate　a　cabbage；　or　blush　in　a　rose。　　The　appetites　would　answer　every　earthly　purpose；　and　produce　more　moderate　and　permanent　happiness。　　But　the　powers　of　the　soul　that　are　of　little　use　here；　and；　probably；　disturb　our　animal　enjoyments；　even　while　conscious　dignity　makes　us　glory　in　possessing　them；　prove　that　life　is　merely　an　education；　a　state　of　infancy；　of　which　the　only　hopes　worth　cherishing　should　not　be　sacrificed。　　I　mean；　therefore　to　infer；　that　we　ought　to　have　a　precise　idea　of　what　we　wish　to　attain　by　education；　for　the　immortality　of　the　soul　is　contradicted　by　the　actions　of　many　people；　who　firmly　profess　the　belief。　If　you　mean　to　secure　ease　and　prosperity　on　earth　as　the　first　consideration；　and　leave　futurity　to　provide　for　itself；　you　act　prudently　in　giving　your　child　an　early　insight　into　the　weaknesses　of　his　nature。　　You　may　not；　it　is　true；　make　an　Inkle　of　him；　but　do　not　imagine　that　he　will　stick　to　more　than　the　letter　of　the　law；　who　has　very　early　imbibed　a　mean　opinion　of　human　nature；　nor　will　he　think　it　necessary　to　rise　much　above　the　common　standard。　He　may　avoid　gross　vices；　because　honesty　is　the　best　policy；　but　he　will　never　aim　at　attaining　great　virtues。　　The　example　of　writers　and　artists　will　illustrate　this　remark。　I　must　therefore　venture　to　doubt；　whether　what　has　been　thought　an　axiom　in　morals；　may　not　have　been　a　dogmatical　assertion　made　by　men　who　have　coolly　seen　mankind　through　the　medium　of　books；　and　say；　in　direct　contradiction　to　them；　that　the　regulation　of　the　passions　is　not　always　wisdom。　　On　the　contrary；　it　should　seem；　that　one　reason　why　men　have　superiour　judgment　and　more　fortitude　than　women；　is　undoubtedly　this；　that　they　give　a　freer　scope　to　the　grand　passions；　and　by　more　frequently　going　astray；　enlarge　their　minds。　　If　then　by　the　exercise　of　their　own　reason；　they　fix　on　some　stable　principle；　they　have　probably　to　thank　the　force　of　their　passions；　nourished　by　FALSE　views　of　life；　and　permitted　to　overleap　the　boundary　that　secures　content。　　But　if；　in　the　dawn　of　life；　we　could　soberly　survey　the　scenes　before　us　as　in　perspective；　and　see　every　thing　in　its　true　colours；　how　could　the　passions　gain　sufficient　strength　to　unfold　the　faculties？　Let　me　now；　as　from　an　eminence；　survey　the　world　stripped　of　all　its　false　delusive　charms。　　The　clear　atmosphere　enables　me　to　see　each　object　in　its　true　point　of　view；　while　my　heart　is　still。　　I　am　calm　as　the　prospect　in　a　morning　when　the　mists；　slowly　dispersing；　silently　unveil　the　beauties　of　nature；　refreshed　by　rest。　In　what　light　will　the　world　now　appear？　　I　rub　my　eyes　and　think；　perchance；　that　I　am　just　awaking　from　a　lively　dream。　I　see　the　sons　and　daughters　of　men　pursuing　shadows；　and　anxiously　wasting　their　powers　to　feed　passions　which　have　no　adequate　objectif　the　very　excess　of　these　blind　impulses　pampered　by　that　lying；　yet　constantly…trusted　guide；　the　imagination；　did　not；　by　preparing　them　for　some　other　state；　render　short　sighted　mortals　wiser　without　their　own　concurrence；　or；　what　comes　to　the　same　thing；　when　they　were　pursuing　some　imaginary　present　good。　After　viewing　objects　in　this　light；　it　would　not　be　very　fanciful　to　imagine；　that　this　world　was　a　stage　on　which　a　pantomime　is　daily　performed　for　the　amusement　of　superiour　beings。　　How　would　they　be　diverted　to　see　the　ambitious　man　consuming　himself　by　running　after　a　phantom；　and；　pursuing　the　bubble　fame　in　〃the　cannon's　mouth〃　that　was　to　blow　him　to　nothing：　　for　when　consciousness　is　lost；　it　matters　not　whether　we　mount　in　a　whirlwind　or　descend　in　rain。　　And　should　they　compassionately　invigorate　his　sight；　and　show　him　the　thorny　path　which　led　to　eminence；　that　like　a　quicksand　sinks　as　he　ascends；　disappointing　his　hopes　when　almost　within　his　grasp；　would　he　not　leave　to　others　the　honour　of　amusing　them；　and　labour　to　secure　the　present　moment；　though　from　the　constitution　of　his　nature　he　would　not　find　it　very　easy　to　catch　the　flying　stream？　　Such　slaves　are　we　to　hope　and　fear！　But；　vain　as　the　ambitious　man's　pursuit　would　be；　he　is　often　striving　for　something　more　substantial　than　famethat　indeed　would　be　the　veriest　meteor；　the　wildest　fire　that　could　lure　a　man　to　ruin。　　What！　renounce　the　most　trifling　gratification　to　be　applauded　when　he　should　be　no　more！　Wherefore　this　struggle；　whether　man　is　mortal　or　immortal；　if　that　noble　passion　did　not　really　raise　the　being　above　his　fellows？　And　love！　　What　diverting　scenes　would　it　producePantaloon's　tricks　must　yield　to　more　egregious　folly。　　To　see　a　mortal　adorn　an　object　with　imaginary　charms；　and　then　fall　down　and　worship　the　idol　which　he　had　himself　set　uphow　ridiculous！　　But　what　serious　consequences　ensue　to　rob　man　of　that　portion　of　happiness；　which　the　Deity　by　calling　him　into　existence　has　（or；　on　what　can　his　attributes　rest？）　indubitably　promised；　would　not　all　the　purposes　of　life　have　been　much　better　fulfilled　if　he　had　only　felt　what　has　been　termed　physical　love？　　And；　would　not　the　sight　of　the　object；　not　seen　through　the　medium　of　the　imagination；　soon　reduce　the　passion　to　an　appetite；　if　reflection；　the　noble　distinction　of　man；　did　not　give　it　force；　and　make　it　an　instrument　to　raise　him　above　this　earthy　dross；　by　teaching　him　to　love　the　centre　of　all　perfection！　whose　wisdom　appears　clearer　and　clearer　in　the　works　of　nature；　in　proportion　as　reason　is　illuminated　and　exalted　by　contemplation；　and　by　acquiring　that　love　of　order　which　the　struggles　of　passion　produce？　The　habit　of　reflection；　and　the　knowledge　attained　by　fostering　any　passion；　might　be　shown　to　be　equally　useful　though　the　object　be　proved　equally　fallacious；　for　they　would　all　appear　in　the　same　light；　if　they　were　not　magnified　by　the　governing　passion　implanted　in　us　by　the　Author　of　all　good；　to　call　forth　and　strengthen　the　faculties　of　each　individual；　and　enable　it　to　attain　all　the　experience　that　an　infant　can　obtain；　who　does　certain　things；　it　cannot　tell　why。　I　descend　from　my　height；　and　mixing　with　my　fellow　creatures；　feel　myself　hurried　along　the　common　stream；　ambition；　love；　hope；　and　fear；　exert　their　wonted　power；　though　we　be　convinced　by　reason　that　their　present　and　most　attractive　promises　are　only　lying　dreams；　but　had　the　cold　hand　of　circumspection　damped　each　generous　feeling　before　it　had　left　any　permanent　character；　or　fixed　some　habit；　what　could　be　expected；　but　selfish　prudence　and　reason　just　rising　above　instinct？　　Who　that　has　read　Dean　Swift's　disgusting　description　of　the　Yahoos；　and　insipid　one　of　Houyhnhnm　with　a　philosophical　eye；　can　avoid　seeing　the　futility　of　degrading　the　passions；　or　making　man　rest　in　contentment？　The　youth　should　ACT；　for　had　he　the　experience　of　a　grey　head；　he　would　be　fitter　for　death　than　life；　though　his　virtues；　rather　residing　in　his　head　than　his　heart　could　produce　nothing　great；　and　his　understanding　prepared　for　this　world；　would　not；　by　its　noble　flights；　prove　that　it　had　a　title　to　a　better。　Besides；　it　is　not　possible　to　give　a　young　person　a　just　view　of　life；　he　must　have　struggled　with　his　own　passions　before　he　can　estimate　the　force　of　the　temptation　which　betrayed　his　brother　into　vice。　　Those　who　are　entering　life；　and　those　who　are　departing；　see　the　world　from　such　very　different　points　of　view；　that　they　can　seldom　think　alike；　unless　the　unfledged　reason　of　the　former　never　attempted　a　solitary　flight。　When　we　hear　of　some　daring　crimeit　comes　full　upon　us　in　the　deepest　shade　of　turpitude；　and　raises　indignation；　but　the　eye　that　gradually　saw　the　darkness　thicken；　must　observe　it　with　more　compassionate　forbearance。　　The　world　cannot　be　seen　by　an　unmoved　spectator；　we　must　mix　in　the　throng；　and　feel　as　men　feel　before　we　can　judge　of　their　feelings。　　If　we　mean；　in　short；　to　live　in　the　world　to　grow　wiser　and　better；　and　not　merely　to　enjoy　the　good　things　of　life；　we　must　attain　a　knowledge　of　others　at　the　same　time　that　we　become　acquainted　with　ourselves　knowledge　acquired　any　other　way　only　hardens　the　heart　and　perplexes　the　understanding。　I　may　be　told；　that　the　knowledge　thus　acquired；　is　sometimes　purchased　at　too　dear　a　rate。　　I　can　only　answer；　that　I　very　much　doubt　whether　any　knowledge　can　be　attained　without　labour　and　sorrow；　and　those　who　wish　to　spare　their　children　both；　should　not　complain　if　they　are　neither　wise　nor　virtuous。　　They　only　aimed　at　making　them　prudent；　and　prudence；　early　in　life；　is　but　the　cautious　craft　of　ignorant　self…love。　　I　have　observed；　that　young　people；　to　whose　education　particular　attention　has　been　paid；　have；　in　general；　been　very　superficial　and　conceited；　and　far　from　pleasing　in　any　respect；　because　they　had　neither　the　unsuspecting　warmth　of　youth；　nor　the　cool　depth　of　age。　　I　cannot　help　imputing　this　unnatural　appearance　principally　to　that　hasty　premature　instruction；　which　leads　them　presumptuously　to　repeat　all　the　crude　notions　they　have　taken　upon　trust；　so　that　the　careful　education　which　they　received；　makes　them　all　their　lives　the　slaves　of　prejudices。　Mental　as　well　as　bodily　exertion　is；　at　first；　irksome；　so　much　so；　that　the　many　would　fain　let　others　both　work　and　think　for　them。　　An　observation　which　I　have　often　made　will　illustrate　my　meaning。　　When　in　a　circle　of　strangers；　or　acquaintances；　a　person　of　moderate　abilities；　asserts　an　opinion　with　heat；　I　will　venture　to　affirm；　for　I　have　traced　this　fact　home；　very　often；　that　it　is　a　prejudice。　　These　echoes　have　a　high　respect　for　the　understanding　of　some　relation　or　friend；　and　without　fully　comprehending　the　opinions；　which　they　are　so　eager　to　retail；　they　maintain　them　with　a　degree　of　obstinacy；　that　would　surprise　even　the　person　who　concocted　them。　I　know　that　a　kind　of　fashion　now　prevails　of　respecting　prejudices；　and　when　any　one　dares　to　face　them；　though　actuated　by　humanity　and　armed　by　reason；　he　is　superciliously　asked；　whether　his　ancestors　were　fools。　　No；　I　should　reply；　opinions；　at　first；　of　every　description；　were　all；　probably；　considered；　and　therefore　were　founded　on　some　reason；　yet　not　unfrequently；　of　course；　it　was　rather　a　local　expedient　than　a　fundamental　principle；　that　would　be　reasonable　at　all　times。　　But；　moss…covered　opinions　assume　the　disproportioned　form　of　prejudices；　when　they　are　indolently　adopted　only　because　age　has　given　them　a　venerable　aspect；　though　the　reason　on　which　they　were　built　ceases　to　be　a　reason；　or　cannot　be　traced。　　Why　are　we　to　love　prejudices；　merely　because　they　are　prejudices？　　A　prejudice　is　a　fond　obstinate　persuasion；　for　which　we　can　give　no　reason；　for　the　moment　a　reason　can　be　given　for　an　opinion；　it　ceases　to　be　a　prejudice；　though　it　may　be　an　error　in　judgment：　　and　are　we　then　advised　to　cherish　opinions　only　to　set　reason　at　defiance？　　This　mode　of　arguing；　if　arguing　it　may　be　called；　reminds　me　of　what　is　vulgarly　termed　a　woman's　reason。　　For　women　sometimes　declare　that　they　love；　or　believe　certain　things；　BECAUSE　they　love；　or　believe　them。　It　is　impossible　to　converse　with　people　to　any　purpose；　who；　in　this　style；　only　use　affirmatives　and　negatives。　　Before　you　ca