thoughts on man-第40部分

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Even　if　we　put　all　these　considerations　out　of　the　question；　still　the　affection　of　the　child　to　its　parent　of　adoption；　wants　the　kernel；　and；　if　I　may　so　speak；　the　soul；　of　the　connection　which　has　been　formed　and　modelled　by　the　great　hand　of　nature。　　If　the　mere　circumstance　of　filiation　and　descent　creates　no　debt；　it　however　is　the　principle　of　a　very　close　connection。　　One　of　the　most　memorable　mysteries　of　nature；　is　how；　out　of　the　slightest　of　all　connections　（for　such；　literally　speaking；　is　that　between　father　and　child）；　so　many　coincidences　should　arise。　　The　child　resembles　his　parent　in　feature；　in　temperament；　in　turn　of　mind；　and　in　class　of　disposition；　while　at　the　same　time　in　many　particulars；　in　these　same　respects；　he　is　a　new　and　individual　creature。　　In　one　view　therefore　the　child　is　merely　the　father　multiplied　and　repeated。　　Now　one　of　the　indefeasible　principles　of　affection　is　the　partaking　of　a　common　nature；　and　as　man　is　a　species　by　himself；　so　to　a　certain　degree　is　every　nation　and　every　family；　and　this　consideration；　when　added　to　the　moral　and　spiritual　ties　already　treated　of；　undoubtedly　has　a　tendency　to　give　them　their　zest　and　perfection。

But　even　this　is　not　the　most　agreeable　point　of　view　in　which　we　may　consider　the　filial　affection。　　I　come　back　to　my　first　position；　that　where　there　is　no　imagination；　there　can　be　no　passion；　and　by　consequence　no　love。　　No　parent　ever　understood　his　child；　and　no　child　ever　understood　his　parent。　　We　have　seen　that　the　affectionate　parent　considers　his　child　like　a　flower　in　the　bud；　as　a　mine　of　power　that　is　to　be　unfolded；　as　a　creature　that　is　to　act　and　to　pass　through　he　knows　not　what；　as　a　canvas　that　〃gives　ample　room　and　verge　enough；〃　for　his　prophetic　soul　to　hang　over　in　endless　visions；　and　his　intellectual　pencil　to　fill　up　with　various　scenes　and　fortunes。　　And；　if　the　parent　does　not　understand　his　child；　certainly　as　little　does　the　child　understand　his　parent。　　Wherever　this　relation　subsists　in　its　fairest　form；　the　parent　is　as　a　God；　a　being　qualified　with　supernatural　powers；　to　his　offspring。　　The　child　consults　his　father　as　an　oracle；　to　him　he　proposes　all　his　little　questions；　from　him　he　learns　his　natural　philosophy；　his　morals；　his　rules　of　conduct；　his　religion；　and　his　creed。　　The　boy　is　uninformed　on　every　point；　and　the　father　is　a　vast　Encyclopedia；　not　merely　of　sciences；　but　of　feelings；　of　sagacity；　of　practical　wisdom；　and　of　justice；　which　the　son　consults　on　all　occasions；　and　never　consults　in　vain。　　Senseless　and　inexpert　is　that　parent；　who　endeavours　to　govern　the　mind　by　authority；　and　to　lay　down　rugged　and　peremptory　dogmas　to　his　child；　the　child　is　fully　and　unavoidably　prepared　to　receive　every　thing　with　unbounded　deference；　and　to　place　total　reliance　in　the　oracle　which　nature　has　assigned　him。　　Habits；　how　beautiful！　　Inestimable　benefit　of　nature；　that　has　given　me　a　prop　against　which　to　sustain　my　unripened　strength；　and　has　not　turned　me　loose　to　wander　with　tottering　steps　amidst　the　vast　desert　of　society！

But　it　is　not　merely　for　contemplative　wisdom　that　the　child　honours　his　parent；　he　sees　in　him　a　vast　fund　of　love；　attachment　and　sympathy。　　That　he　cannot　mistake；　and　it　is　all　a　mystery　to　him。　　He　says；　What　am　I；　that　I　should　be　the　object　of　this？　　and　whence　comes　it？　　He　sees　neither　the　fountain　from　which　it　springs；　nor　the　banks　that　confine　it。　　To　him　it　is　an　ocean；　unfathomable；　and　without　a　shore。

To　the　bounty　of　its　operations　he　trusts　implicitly。　　The　stores　of　judgment　and　knowledge　he　finds　in　his　father；　prompt　him　to　trust　it。　　In　many　instances　where　it　appeared　at　first　obscure　and　enigmatical；　the　event　has　taught　him　to　acknowledge　its　soundness。　　The　mutinousness　of　passion　will　sometimes　excite　a　child　to　question　the　decrees　of　his　parent；　it　is　very　long　before　his　understanding；　as　such；　comes　to　set　up　a　separate　system；　and　teaches　him　to　controvert　the　decisions　of　his　father。

Perhaps　I　ought　earlier　to　have　stated；　that　the　filial　connection　we　have　here　to　consider；　does　not　include　those　melancholy　instances　where　some　woful　defect　or　utter　worthlessness　in　the　parent　counteracts　the　natural　course　of　the　affections；　but　refers　only　to　cases；　where　the　character　of　father　is　on　the　whole　sustained　with　honour；　and　the　principle　of　the　connection　is　left　to　its　true　operation。　　In　such　cases　the　child　not　only　observes　for　himself　the　manifestations　of　wisdom　and　goodness　in　his　parent；　but　is　also　accustomed　to　hear　well　of　him　from　all　around。　　There　is　a　generous　conspiracy　in　human　nature；　not　to　counteract　the　honour　borne　by　the　offspring　to　him　from　whom　he　sprung；　and　the　wholsome　principle　of　superiority　and　dependence　which　is　almost　indispensible　between　persons　of　different　ages　dwelling　under　the　same　roof。　　And；　exclusively　of　this　consideration；　the　men　who　are　chiefly　seen　by　the　son　are　his　father's　friends　and　associates；　and　it　is　the　very　bent；　and；　as　it　were；　law　of　our　nature；　that　we　do　not　associate　much；　but　with　persons　whom　we　favour；　and　who　are　prepared　to　mention　us　with　kindness　and　honour。

Thus　every　way　the　child　is　deeply　imbued　with　veneration　for　his　parent；　and　forms　the　habit　of　regarding　him　as　his　book　of　wisdom；　his　philosopher　and　guide。　　He　is　accustomed　to　hear　him　spoken　of　as　a　true　friend；　an　active　ally；　and　a　pattern　of　justice　and　honour；　and　he　finds　him　so。　　Now　these　are　the　true　objects　of　affection；wisdom　and　beneficence；　and　the　human　heart　loves　this　beneficence　better　when　it　is　exercised　towards　him　who　loves；　first；　because　inevitably　in　almost　all　instances　we　are　best　pleased　with　the　good　that　is　done　to　ourselves；　and　secondly；　because　it　can　scarcely　happen　but　that　we　in　that　case　understand　it　best；　both　in　its　operation　and　its　effects。

The　active　principles　of　religion　are　all　moulded　upon　this　familiar　and　sensible　relation　of　father　and　child：　　and　to　understand　whet　the　human　heart　is　capable　to　conceive　on　this　subject；　we　have　only　to　refer　to　the　many　eloquent　and　glowing　treatises　that　have　been　written　upon　the　love　of　God　to　his　creatures；　and　the　love　that　the　creature　in　return　owes　to　his　God。　　I　am　not　now　considering　religion　in　a　speculative　point　of　view；　or　enquiring　among　the　different　sects　and　systems　of　religion　what　it　is　that　is　true；　but　merely　producing　religion　as　an　example　of　what　have　been　the　conceptions　of　the　human　mind　in　successive　ages　of　the　world　on　the　subject　of　love。

This　All　that　we　behold；　the　immensity　of　the　universe；　the　admirable　harmony　and　subtlety　of　its　structure；　as　they　appear　in　the　vastest　and　the　minutest　bodies；　is　considered　by　religion；　as　the　emanation　of　pure　love；　a　mighty　impulse　and　ardour　in　its　great　author　to　realise　the　idea　existing　in　his　mind；　and　to　produce　happiness。　　The　Providence　that　watches　over　us；　so　that　not　a　sparrow　dies　unmarked；　and　that　〃the　great　Sensorium　of　the　world　vibrates；　if　a　hair　of　our　head　but　falls　to　the　ground　in　the　remotest　desert　of　his　creation；〃　is　still　unremitted；　never…satiated　love。　　And；　to　go　from　this　to　the　peculiarities　of　the　Christian　doctrine；　〃Greater　love　hath　no　man　than　this；　that　a　man　lay　down　his　life　for　his　friends：　　God　so　loved　the　world；　that　he　gave　his　only…begotten　Son　to　suffer；　to　be　treated　contumeliously；　and　to　die　with　ignominy；　that　we　might　live。〃

If　on　the　other　hand　we　consider　the　love　which　the　creature　must　naturally　pay　to　his　creator；　we　shall　find　that　the　affection　we　can　suppose　the　most　ingenuous　child　to　bear　to　the　worthiest　parent；　is　a　very　faint　image　of　the　passion　which　may　be　expected　to　grow　out　of　this　relation。　　In　God；　as　he　is　represented　to　us　in　the　books　of　the　worthiest　divines；　is　every　thing　that　can　command　love；　wisdom　to　conceive；　power　to　execute；　and　beneficence　actually　to　carry　into　effect；　whatever　is　excellent　and　admirable。　　We　are　lost　in　contemplating　the　depth　and　immensity　of　his　perfections。　　〃Every　good　and　every　perfect　gift　is　from　the　universal　Father；　with　whom　is　no　variableness；　neither　shadow　of　turning。〃　　The　most　soothing　and　gratifying　of　all　sentiments；　is　that　of　entire　confidence　in　the　divine　goodness；　a　reliance　which　no　adversity　can　shake；　and　which　supports　him　that　entertains　it　under　every　calamity；　that　sees　the　finger　of　God　in　every　thing　that　comes　to　pass；　that　says；　〃It　is　good　for　me　to　be　afflicted；〃　believes；　that　〃all　things　work　together　for　blessings〃　to　the　pious　and　the　just；　and　is　intimately　persuaded　that　〃our　light　affliction；　which　is　but　for　a　moment；　is　the　means　and　the　earnest　of　a　far　more　exceeding　and　eternal　weight　of　glory。〃

If　we　descend　from　these　great　archetypes；　the　love　between　parent　and　child；　and　between　the　creator　and　his　creature；　we　shall　still　find　the　same　inequality　the　inseparable　attendant　upon　the　most　perfect　ties　of　affection。　　The　ancients　seem　to　have　conceived　the　truest　and　most　exalted　ideas　on　the　subject　of　friendship。　　Among　the　most　celebrated　instances　are　the　friendship　of　Achilles　and　Patroclus；　Orestes　and　Pylades；　Aeneas　and　Achates；　Cyrus　and　Araspes；　Alexander　and　Hephaestion；　Scipio　and　Laelius。　　In　each　of　these　the　parties　are；　the　true　hero；　the　man　of　lofty　ambition；　the　magnificent　personage　in　whom　is　concentred　every　thing　that　the　historian　or　the　poet　was　able　to　realise　of　excellence；　and　the　modest　and　unpretending　individual　in　whom　his　confidence　was　reposed。　　The　grand　secret　of　the　connection　is　unfolded　in　the　saying　of　the　Macedonian　conqueror；　〃Craterus　loves　the　king；　but　Hephaestion　loves　Alexander。〃　　Friendship　is　to　the　loftier　mind　the　repose；　the　unbending　of　the　soul。　　The　great　man　（whatever　may　be　the　department　in　which　his　excellence　consists）　has　enough　of　his　greatness；　when　he　stands　before　the　world；　and　receives　the　homage　that　is　paid　to　his　merits。　　Ever　and　anon　he　is　anxious　to　throw　aside　this　incumbrance；　and　be　as　a　man　merely　to　a　man。　　He　wishes　to　forget　the　〃pride；　pomp；　and　circumstance〃　of　greatness；　and　to　be　that　only　which　he　is　himself。　　He　desires　at　length　to　be　sure；　that　he　receives　no　adulation；　that　he　is　accosted　with　no　insincerit