thoughts on man-第63部分

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Now　with　all　these　each　man　is　acquainted　in　the　sphere　of　his　inward　experience；　whether　he　is　a　single　being　standing　by　himself；　or　is　an　individual　belonging　to　a　numerous　species。

Observe　then　the　difference　between　my　acquaintance　with　the　phenomena　of　the　material　universe；　and　with　the　individuals　of　my　own　species。　　The　former　say　nothing　to　me；　they　are　a　series　of　events　and　no　more；　I　cannot　penetrate　into　their　causes；　that　which　gives　rise　to　my　sensations；　may　or　may　not　be　similar　to　the　sensations　themselves。　　The　follower　of　Berkeley　or　Newton　has　satisfied　himself　in　the　negative。

But　the　case　is　very　different　in　my　intercourse　with　my　fellow…men。　　Agreeably　to　the　statement　already　made　I　know　the　reality　of　human　nature；　for　I　feel　the　particulars　that　constitute　it　within　myself。　　The　impressions　I　receive　from　that　intercourse　say　something　to　me；　for　they　talk　to　me　of　beings　like　myself。　　My　own　existence　becomes　multiplied　in　infinitum。　　Of　the　possibility　of　matter　I　know　nothing；　but　with　the　possibility　of　mind　I　am　acquainted；　for　I　am　myself　an　example。　　I　am　amazed　at　the　consistency　and　systematic　succession　of　the　phenomena　of　the　material　universe；　though　I　cannot　penetrate　the　veil　which　presents　itself　to　my　grosser　sense；　nor　see　effects　in　their　causes。　　But　I　can　see；　in　other　words；　I　have　the　most　cogent　reasons　to　believe　in；　the　causes　of　the　phenomena　that　occur　in　my　apparent　intercourse　with　my　fellow…men。　　What　solution　so　natural；　as　that　they　are　produced　by　beings　like　myself；　the　duplicates；　with　certain　variations；　of　what　I　feel　within　me？

The　belief　in　the　reality　of　matter　explains　nothing。　　Supposing　it　to　exist；　if　Newton　is　right；　no　particle　of　extraneous　matter　ever　touched　the　matter　of　my　body；　and　therefore　it　is　not　just　to　regard　it　as　the　cause　of　my　sensations。　　It　would　amount　to　no　more　than　two　systems　going　on　at　the　same　time　by　a　preestablished　harmony；　but　totally　independent　of　and　disjointed　from　each　other。

But　the　belief　in　the　existence　of　our　fellow…men　explains　much。　　It　makes　level　before　us　the　wonder　of　the　method　of　their　proceedings；　and　affords　an　obvious　reason　why　they　should　be　in　so　many　respects　like　our　own。　　If　I　dismiss　from　my　creed　the　existence　of　inert　matter；　I　lose　nothing。　　The　phenomena；　the　train　of　antecedents　and　consequents；　remain　as　before；　and　this　is　all　that　I　am　truly　concerned　with。　　But　take　away　the　existence　of　my　fellow…men；　and　you　reduce　all　that　is；　and　all　that　I　experience；　to　a　senseless　mummery。　　〃You　take　my　life；　taking　the　thing　whereon　I　live。〃

Human　nature；　and　the　nature　of　mind；　are　to　us　a　theme　of　endless　investigation。　　〃The　proper　study　of　mankind　is　man。〃　　All　the　subtlety　of　metaphysics；　or　（if　there　be　men　captious　and　prejudiced　enough　to　dislike　that　term）　the　science　of　ourselves；　depends　upon　it。　　The　science　of　morals　hangs　upon　the　actions　of　men；　and　the　effects　they　produce　upon　our　brother…men；　in　a　narrower　or　a　wider　circle。　　The　endless；　and　inexpressibly　interesting；　roll　of　history　relies　for　its　meaning　and　its　spirit　upon　the　reality　and　substance　of　the　subjects　of　which　it　treats。　　Poetry；　and　all　the　wonders　and　endless　varieties　that　imagination　creates；　have　this　for　their　solution　and　their　soul。

Sympathy　is　the　only　reality　of　which　we　are　susceptible；　it　is　our　heart　of　hearts：　　and；　if　the　world　had　been　〃one　entire　and　perfect　chrysolite；〃　without　this　it　would　have　been　no　more　than　one　heap　of　rubbish。

Observe　the　difference　between　what　we　know　of　the　material　world；　and　what　of　the　intellectual。　　The　material　goes　on　for　ever　according　to　certain　laws　that　admit　of　no　discrimination。　　They　proceed　upon　a　first　principle；　an　impulse　given　them　from　the　beginning　of　things。　　Their　effects　are　regulated　by　something　that　we　call　their　nature：　　fire　burns；　water　suffocates；　the　substances　around　us　that　we　call　solid；　depend　for　their　effects；　when　put　in　motion；　upon　momentum　and　gravity。

The　principle　that　regulates　the　dead　universe；　〃acts　by　general；　not　by　partial　laws。〃

　　　　　When　the　loose　mountain　trembles　from　on　high；　　　　　　　Shall　gravitation　cease；　if　you　go　by？

No：　　the　chain　of　antecedents　and　consequents　proceeds　in　this　respect　for　ever　the　same。　　The　laws　of　what　we　call　the　material　world　continue　unvaried。　　And；　when　the　vast　system　of　things　was　first　set　in　motion；　every　thing；　so　far　as　depends　on　inert　matter；　was　determined　to　the　minutest　particle；　even　to　the　end　of　time。

The　material　world；　or　that　train　of　antecedents　and　consequents　which　we　understand　by　that　term；　goes　on　for　ever　in　a　train　agreeably　to　the　impulse　previously　given。　　It　is　deaf　and　inexorable。　　It　is　unmoved　by　the　consideration　of　any　accidents　and　miseries　that　may　result；　and　unalterable。　　But　man　is　a　source　of　events　of　a　very　different　nature。　　He　looks　to　results；　and　is　governed　by　views　growing　out　of　the　contemplation　of　them。　　He　acts　in　a　way　diametrically　opposite　to　the　action　of　inert　matter；　and　〃turns；　and　turns；　and　turns　again；〃　at　the　impulse　of　the　thought　that　strikes　him；　the　appetite　that　prompts；　the　passions　that　move；　and　the　effects　that　he　anticipates。　　It　is　therefore　in　a　high　degree　unreasonable；　to　make　that　train　of　inferences　which　may　satisfy　us　on　the　subject　of　material　phenomena；　a　standard　of　what　we　ought　to　think　respecting　the　phenomena　of　mind。

It　is　further　worthy　of　our　notice　to　recollect；　that　the　same　reasonings　which　apply　to　our　brethren　of　mankind；　apply　also　to　the　brute　creation。　　They；　like　ourselves；　act　from　motives；　that　is；　the　elections　they　form　are　adopted　by　them　for　the　sake　of　certain　consequences　they　expect　to　see　result　from　them。　　Whatever　becomes　therefore　of　the　phenomena　of　what　we　call　dead　matter；　we　are　here　presented　with　tribes　of　being；　susceptible　of　pleasure　and　pain；　of　hope　and　fear；　of　regard　and　resentment。

How　beautifully　does　this　conviction　vary　the　scene　of　things！　　What　a　source　to　us　is　the　animal　creation；　of　amusement；　of　curious　observations　upon　the　impulses　of　inferior　intellect；　of　the　exhaustless　varieties　of　what　we　call　instinct；　of　the　care　we　can　exercise　for　their　accommodation　and　welfare；　and　of　the　attachment　and　affection　we　win　from　them　in　return！　　If　I　travel　alone　through　pathless　deserts；　if　I　journey　from　the　rising　to　the　setting　sun；　with　no　object　around　me　but　nature's　desolation；　or　the　sublime；　the　magnificent　and　the　exuberant　scenery　she　occasionally　presents；　still　I　have　that　noble　animal；　the　horse；　and　my　faithful　dog；　the　companions　of　my　toil；　and　with　whom；　when　my　solitude　would　otherwise　become　insufferable；　I　can　hold　communion；　and　engage　in　dumb　dialogues　of　sentiment　and　affection。

I　have　heard　of　a　man；　who；　talking　to　his　friend　on　the　subject　of　these　speculations；　said；　〃What　then；　are　you　so　poor　and　pusillanimous　a　creature；　that　you　could　not　preserve　your　serenity；　be　perfectly　composed　and　content；　and　hold　on　your　way　unvaried；　though　you　were　convinced　that　you　were　the　only　real　being　in　existence；　and　all　the　rest　were　mere　phantasies　and　shadows？〃

If　I　had　been　the　person　to　whom　this　speech　was　addressed；　I　should　have　frankly　acknowledged；　〃I　am　the　poor　and　pusillanimous　creature　you　are　disposed　to　regard　with　so　much　scorn。〃

To　adopt　the　sententious　language　of　the　Bible；　〃It　is　not　good　for　man　to　be　alone。〃　　All　our　faculties　and　attributes　bear　relation　to；　and　talk　to　us　of；　other　beings　like　ourselves。　　We　might　indeed　eat；　drink　and　sleep；　that　is；　submit　to　those　necessities　which　we　so　denominate；　without　thinking　of　any　thing　beyond　ourselves；　for　these　are　the　demands　of　our　nature；　and　we　know　that　we　cannot　subsist　without　them。　　We　might　make　use　of　the　alternate　conditions　of　exercise　and　repose。

But　the　life　of　our　lives　would　be　gone。　　As　far　as　we　bore　in　mind　the　creed　we　had　adopted；　of　our　single　existence；　we　could　neither　love　nor　hate。　　Sympathy　would　be　a　solemn　mockery。　　We　could　not　communicate；　for　the　being　to　whom　our　communication　was　addressed　we　were　satisfied　was　a　non…entity。　　We　could　not　anticipate　the　pleasure　or　pain；　the　joy　or　sorrow；　of　another；　for　that　other　had　no　existence。　　We　should　be　in　a　worse　condition　than　Robinson　Crusoe　in　the　desolate　island；　for　he　believed　in　the　existence　of　other　men；　and　hoped　and　trusted　that　he　should　one　day　again　enter　into　human　society。　　We　should　be　in　a　worse　condition　than　Robinson　Crusoe；　for　he　at　least　was　unannoyed　in　his　solitude；　while　we　are　perpetually　and　per　force　intruded　on；　like　a　delirious　man；　by　visions　which　we　know　to　be　unreal；　but　which　we　are　denied　the　power　to　deliver　ourselves　from。　　We　have　no　motive　to　any　of　the　great　and　cardinal　functions　of　human　life；　for　there　is　no　one　in　being；　that　we　can　benefit；　or　that　we　can　affect。　　Study　is　nothing　to　us；　for　we　have　no　use　for　it。　　Even　science　is　unsatisfactory；　unless　we　can　communicate　it　by　word　or　writing；　can　converse　upon　it；　and　compare　notes　with　our　neighbour。　　History　is　nothing；　for　there　were　no　Greeks　and　no　Romans；　no　freemen　and　no　slaves；　no　kings　and　no　subjects；　no　despots；　nor　victims　of　their　tyranny；　no　republics；　nor　states　immerged　in　brutal　and　ignominious　servitude。　　Life　must　be　inevitably　a　burthen　to　us；　a　dreary；　unvaried；　motiveless　existence；　and　death　must　be　welcomed；　as　the　most　desirable　blessing　that　can　visit　us。　　It　is　impossible　indeed　that　we　should　always　recollect　this　our；　by　supposition；　real　situation；　but；　as　often　as　we　did；　it　would　come　over　us　like　a　blight；　withering　all　the　prospects　of　our　industry；　or　like　a　scirocco；　unbracing　the　nerves　of　our　frame；　and　consigning　us　to　the　most　pitiable　depression。

Thus　far　I　have　allowed　myself　to　follow　the　refinements　of　those　who　profess　to　deny　the　existence　of　the　material　universe。　　But　it　is　satisfactory　to　come　back　to　that　persuasion；　which；　from　whatever　cause　it　is　derived；　is　incorporated　with　our　very　existence；　and　can　never　be　shaken　off　by　us。　　Our　senses　are　too　powerful　in　their　operation；　for　it　to　be　possible　for　us　to　discard　them；　and　to　take　as　their　substitute；　in　active　life；　and　in　the　earnestness　of　pu