thoughts on man-第10部分

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！


ites　that　should　fix　their　choice；　nothing　so　good　that　should　authorise　them　to　present　it　to　public　observation；　and　enable　them　to　offer　it　to　their　contemporaries　as　something　that　we　should　〃not　willingly　let　die。〃　　They　begin　often；　but　nothing　they　produce　appears　to　them　such　as　that　they　should　say　of　it；　〃Let　this　stand。〃　　Or　they　never　begin；　none　of　their　thoughts　being　judged　by　them　to　be　altogether　such　as　to　merit　the　being　preserved。　　They　have　a　microscopic　eye；　and　discern　faults　unworthy　to　be　tolerated；　in　that　in　which　the　critic　himself　might　perceive　nothing　but　beauty。

These　phenomena　have　introduced　a　maxim　which　is　current　with　many；　that　the　men　who　write　nothing；　and　bequeath　no　record　of　themselves　to　posterity；　are　not　unfrequently　of　larger　calibre；　and　more　gigantic　standard　of　soul；　than　such　as　have　inscribed　their　names　upon　the　columns　of　the　temple　of　Fame。　　And　certain　it　is；　that　there　are　extraordinary　instances　which　appear　in　some　degree　to　countenance　this　assertion。　　Many　men　are　remembered　as　authors；　who　seem　to　have　owed　the　permanence　of　their　reputation　rather　to　fortune　than　merit。　　They　were　daring；　and　stepped　into　a　niche　that　was　left　in　the　gallery　of　art　or　of　science；　where　others　of　higher　qualifications；　but　of　unconquerable　modesty；　held　back。　　At　the　same　time　persons；　whose　destiny　caused　them　to　live　among　the　elite　of　an　age；　have　seen　reason　to　confess　that　they　have　heard　such　talk；　such　glorious　and　unpremeditated　discourse；　from　men　whose　thoughts　melted　away　with　the　breath　that　uttered　them；　as　the　wisest　of　their　vaunted　contemporary　authors　would　in　vain　have　sought　to　rival。

The　maxim　however；　notwithstanding　these　appearances；　may　safely　be　pronounced　to　be　a　fallacious　one。　　It　has　been　received　in　various　quarters　with　the　greater　indulgence；　inasmuch　as　the　human　mind　is　prone　in　many　cases　to　give　a　more　welcome　reception　to　seeming　truths；　that　present　us　at　the　first　blush　the　appearance　of　falshood。

It　must　however　be　recollected　that　the　human　mind　consists　in　the　first　instance　merely　of　faculties　prepared　to　be　applied　to　certain　purposes；　and　susceptible　of　improvement。　　It　cannot　therefore　happen；　that　the　man；　who　has　chosen　a　subject　towards　which　to　direct　the　energy　of　his　faculties；　who　has　sought　on　all　sides　for　the　materials　that　should　enable　him　to　do　that　subject　justice；　who　has　employed　upon　it　his　contemplations　by　day；　and　his　meditations　during　the　watches　of　the　night；　should　not　by　such　exercise　greatly　invigorate　his　powers。　　In　this　sense　there　was　much　truth　in　the　observation　of　the　author　who　said；　〃I　did　not　write　upon　the　subject　you　mention　because　I　understood　it；　but　I　understood　it　afterward；　because　I　had　written　upon　it。〃

The　man　who　merely　wanders　through　the　fields　of　knowledge　in　search　of　its　gayest　flowers　and　of　whatever　will　afford　him　the　most　enviable　amusement；　will　necessarily　return　home　at　night　with　a　very　slender　collection。　　He　that　shall　apply　himself　with　self…denial　and　an　unshrinking　resolution　to　the　improvement　of　his　mind；　will　unquestionably　be　found　more　fortunate　in　the　end。

He　is　not　deterred　by　the　gulphs　that　yawn　beneath　his　feet；　or　the　mountains　that　may　oppose　themselves　to　his　progress。　　He　knows　that　the　adventurer　of　timid　mind；　and　that　is　infirm　of　purpose；　will　never　make　himself　master　of　those　points　which　it　would　be　most　honourable　to　him　to　subdue。　　But　he　who　undertakes　to　commit　to　writing　the　result　of　his　researches；　and　to　communicate　his　discoveries　to　mankind；　is　the　genuine　hero。　　Till　he　enters　on　this　task；　every　thing　is　laid　up　in　his　memory　in　a　certain　confusion。　　He　thinks　he　possesses　a　thing　whole；　but；　when　he　brings　it　to　the　test；　he　is　surprised　to　find　how　much　he　was　deceived。　　He　that　would　digest　his　thoughts　and　his　principles　into　a　regular　system；　is　compelled　in　the　first　place　to　regard　them　in　all　their　clearness　and　perspicuity；　and　in　the　next　place　to　select　the　fittest　words　by　which　they　may　be　communicated　to　others。　　It　is　through　the　instrumentality　of　words　that　we　are　taught　to　think　accurately　and　severely　for　ourselves；　they　are　part　and　parcel　of　all　our　propositions　and　theories。　　It　is　therefore　in　this　way　that　a　preceptor；　by　undertaking　to　enlighten　the　mind　of　his　pupil；　enlightens　his　own。　　He　becomes　twice　the　man　in　the　sequel；　that　he　was　when　he　entered　on　his　task。　　We　admire　the　amateur　student　in　his　public　essays；　as　we　admire　a　jackdaw　or　a　parrot：　　he　does　considerably　more　than　could　have　been　expected　from　him。

In　attending　to　the　subject　of　this　Essay　we　have　been　led　to　observe　the　different　ways；　in　which　the　mind　of　man　may　be　brought　into　a　position　tending　to　exhibit　its　powers　in　a　less　creditable　and　prepossessing　point　of　view；　than　that　in　which　all　men；　idiots　and　extraordinary　cases　excepted；　are　by　nature　qualified　to　appear。　　Many；　not　contented　with　those　occupations；　modest　and　humble　in　certain　cases；　to　which　their　endowments　and　original　bent　had　designed　them；　shew　themselves　immoderately　set　upon　more　alluring　and　splendid　pursuits　in　which　they　are　least　qualified　to　excel。　　Other　instances　there　are；　still　more　entitled　to　our　regret；　where　the　individual　is　seen　to　be　gifted　with　no　ordinary　qualities；　where　his　morning　of　life　has　proved　auspicious；　and　the　highest　expectations　were　formed　of　a　triumphant　career；　while　yet　in　the　final　experiment　he　has　been　found　wanting；　and　the　〃voyage　of　his　life〃　has　passed　〃in　shallows　and　in　miseries。〃

But　our　survey　of　the　subject　of　which　I　treat　will　not　be　complete；　unless　we　add　to　what　has　been　said；　another　striking　truth　respecting　the　imperfection　of　man　collectively　taken。　　The　examples　of　which　the　history　of　our　species　consists；　not　only　abound　in　cases；　where；　from　mistakes　in　the　choice　of　life；　or　radical　and　irremediable　imperfection　in　the　adventurer；　the　most　glaring　miscarriages　are　found　to　result；but　it　is　also　true；　that　all　men；　even　the　most　illustrious；　have　some　fatal　weakness；　obliging　both　them　and　their　rational　admirers　to　confess；　that　they　partake　of　human　frailty；　and　belong　to　a　race　of　beings　which　has　small　occasion　to　be　proud。　　Each　man　has　his　assailable　part。　　He　is　vulnerable；　though　it　be　only　like　the　fabled　Achilles　in　his　heel。　　We　are　like　the　image　that　Nebuchadnezzar　saw　in　his　dream；　of　which　though　the　head　was　of　fine　gold；　and　the　breast　and　the　arms　were　silver；　yet　the　feet　were　partly　only　of　iron；　and　partly　of　clay。　　No　man　is　whole　and　entire；　armed　at　all　points；　and　qualified　for　every　undertaking；　or　even　for　any　one　undertaking；　so　as　to　carry　it　through；　and　to　make　the　achievement　he　would　perform；　or　the　work　he　would　produce；　in　all　its　parts　equal　and　complete。

It　is　a　gross　misapprehension　in　such　men　as；　smitten　with　admiration　of　a　certain　cluster　of　excellencies；　or　series　of　heroic　acts；　are　willing　to　predicate　of　the　individual　to　whom　they　belong；　〃This　man　is　consummate；　and　without　alloy。〃　　Take　the　person　in　his　retirement；　in　his　hours　of　relaxation；　when　he　has　no　longer　a　part　to　play；　and　one　or　more　spectators　before　whom　he　is　desirous　to　appear　to　advantage；　and　you　shall　find　him　a　very　ordinary　man。　　He　has　〃passions；　dimensions；　senses；　affections；　like　the　rest　of　his　fellow…creatures；　is　fed　with　the　same　food；　hurt　with　the　same　weapons；　warmed　and　cooled　by　the　same　summer　and　winter。〃　　He　will　therefore；　when　narrowly　observed；　be　unquestionably　found　betraying　human　weaknesses；　and　falling　into　fits　of　ill　humour；　spleen；　peevishness　and　folly。　　No　man　is　always　a　sage；　no　bosom　at　all　times　beats　with　sentiments　lofty；　self…denying　and　heroic。　　It　is　enough　if　he　does　so；　〃when　the　matter　fits　his　mighty　mind。〃

The　literary　genius；　who　undertakes　to　produce　some　consummate　work；　will　find　himself　pitiably　in　error；　if　he　expects　to　turn　it　out　of　his　hands；　entire　in　all　its　parts；　and　without　a　flaw。

There　are　some　of　the　essentials　of　which　it　is　constituted；　that　he　has　mastered；　and　is　sufficiently　familiar　with　them；　but　there　are　others；　especially　if　his　work　is　miscellaneous　and　comprehensive；　to　which　he　is　glaringly　incompetent。　　He　must　deny　his　nature；　and　become　another　man；　if　he　would　execute　these　parts；　in　a　manner　equal　to　that　which　their　intrinsic　value　demands；　or　to　the　perfection　he　is　able　to　give　to　his　work　in　those　places　which　are　best　suited　to　his　powers。　　There　are　points　in　which　the　wisest　man　that　ever　existed　is　no　stronger　than　a　child。　　In　this　sense　the　sublimest　genius　will　be　found　infelix　operas　summa；　nam　ponere　totum　nescit。　　And；　if　he　properly　knows　himself；　and　is　aware　where　lies　his　strength；　and　where　his　weakness；　he　will　look　for　nothing　more　in　the　particulars　which　fall　under　the　last　of　these　heads；　than　to　escape　as　he　can；　and　to　pass　speedily　to　things　in　which　he　finds　himself　at　home　and　at　his　ease。

Shakespear　we　are　accustomed　to　call　the　most　universal　genius　that　ever　existed。　　He　has　a　truly　wonderful　variety。　　It　is　almost　impossible　to　pronounce　in　which　he　has　done　best；　his　Hamlet；　Macbeth；　Lear；　or　Othello。　　He　is　equally　excellent　in　his　comic　vein　as　his　tragic。　　Falstaff　is　in　his　degree　to　the　full　as　admirable　and　astonishing；　as　what　he　achieved　that　is　noblest　under　the　auspices　of　the　graver　muse。　　His　poetry　and　the　fruits　of　his　imagination　are　unrivalled。　　His　language；　in　all　that　comes　from　him　when　his　genius　is　most　alive；　has　a　richness；　an　unction；　and　all　those　signs　of　a　character　which　admits　not　of　mortality　and　decay；　for　ever　fresh　as　when　it　was　first　uttered；　which　we　recognise；　while　we　can　hardly　persuade　ourselves　that　we　are　not　in　a　delusion。　　As　Anthony　Wood　says＇4＇；　〃By　the　writings　of　Shakespear　and　others　of　his　time；　the　English　tongue　was　exceedingly　enriched；　and　made　quite　another　thing　than　what　it　was　before。〃　　His　versification　on　these　occasions　has　a　melody；　a　ripeness　and　variety　that　no　other　pen　has　reached。

＇4＇　Athenae　Oxonienses；　vol。　i。　p。　592。


Yet　there　were　things　that　Shakespear　could　not　do。　　He　could　not　make　a　hero。　　Familiar　as　he　was　with　the　evanescent　touches　of　mind　en　dishabille；　and　in　its　inne