thoughts on man-第65部分

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　youth；　whose　morning　of　life　is　not　utterly　abortive；　palpitates　with　the　desire　to　promote　the　happiness　of　others；　and　with　the　desire　of　glory。

We　have　an　apt　specimen　of　this　in　the　first　period　of　the　reign　of　Nero。　　The　historians；　Tacitus　in　particular；　have　treated　this　with　too　much　incredulity。　　It　was　the　passion　of　that　eminent　man　to　indulge　in　subtleties；　and　to　find　hidden　meanings　in　cases　where　in　reality　every　thing　is　plain。　　We　must　not　regard　the　panegyric　of　Seneca；　and　the　devotion　of　Lucan　to　the　imperial　stripling；　as　unworthy　of　our　attention。　　He　was　declared　emperor　before　he　had　completed　the　eighteenth　year　of　his　age。　　No　occasion　for　the　exhibition　of　liberality；　clemency；　courtesy　or　kindness　escaped　him。　　He　called　every　one　by　his　name；　and　saluted　all　orders　of　men。　　When　the　senate　shewed　a　disposition　to　confer　on　him　peculiar　honours；　he　interposed；　he　said；　〃Let　them　be　bestowed　when　I　have　deserved　them＇83＇。〃　　Seneca　affirms；　that　in　the　first　part　of　his　reign；　and　to　the　time　in　which　the　philosopher　dedicated　to　him　his　treatise　of　Clemency；　he　had　〃shed　no　drop　of　blood＇84＇。〃　　He　adds；　〃If　the　Gods　were　this　day　to　call　thee　to　a　hearing；　thou　couldst　account　to　them　for　every　man　that　had　been　intrusted　to　thy　rule。　　Not　an　individual　has　been　lost　from　the　number；　either　by　secret　practices；　or　by　open　violence。　　This　could　scarcely　have　been；　if　thy　good　dispositions　had　not　been　natural；　but　assumed。

No　one　can　long　personate　a　character。　　A　pretended　goodness　will　speedily　give　place　to　the　real　temper；　while　a　sincere　mind；　and　acts　prompted　by　the　heart；　will　not　fail　to　go　on　from　one　stage　of　excellence　to　another＇85＇。〃

＇83＇　Suetonius；　Nero；　cap。　10。

＇84＇　De　Clementia；　Lib。　I；　cap。　II。

＇85＇　De　Clementia；　cap。　I。


The　philosopher　expresses　himself　in　raptures　on　that　celebrated　phrase　of　Nero；　WOULD　I　HAD　NEVER　LEARNED　TO　WRITE！　　〃An　exclamation；〃　he　says；　〃not　studied；　not　uttered　for　the　purpose　of　courting　popularity；　but　bursting　insuppressibly　from　thy　lips；　and　indicating　the　vehemence　of　the　struggle　between　the　kindness　of　thy　disposition　and　the　duties　of　thy　office＇86＇。〃

＇86＇　Ibid。；　Lib。　II；　cap。　I。

How　many　generous　purposes；　what　bright　and　heart…thrilling　visions　of　beneficence　and　honour；　does　the　young　man；　just　starting　in　the　race　of　life；　conceive！　　There　is　no　one　in　that　period　of　existence；　who　has　received　a　reasonable　education；　and　has　not　in　his　very　nonage　been　trod　down　in　the　mire　of　poverty　and　oppression；　that　does　not　say　to　himself；　〃Now　is　the　time；　and　I　will　do　something　worthy　to　be　remembered　by　myself　and　by　others。〃　　Youth　is　the　season　of　generosity。　　He　calls　over　the　catalogue　of　his　endowments；　his　attainments；　and　his　powers；　and　exclaims；　〃To　that　which　I　am；　my　contemporaries　are　welcome；　it　shall　all　be　expended　for　their　service　and　advantage。〃

With　what　disdain　he　looks　at　the　temptations　of　selfishness；　effeminate　indulgence；　and　sordid　gain！　　He　feels　within　himself　that　he　was　born　for　better　things。　　His　elders；　and　those　who　have　already　been　tamed　down　and　emasculated　by　the　corrupt　commerce　of　the　world；　tell　him；　〃All　this　is　the　rhapsody　of　youth；　fostered　by　inexperience；　you　will　soon　learn　to　know　better；　in　no　long　time　you　will　see　these　things　in　the　same　light　in　which　we　see　them。〃　　But　he　despises　the　sinister　prognostic　that　is　held　out　to　him；　and　feels　proudly　conscious　that　the　sentiments　that　now　live　in　his　bosom；　will　continue　to　animate　him　to　his　latest　breath。

Youth　is　necessarily　ingenuous　in　its　thoughts；　and　sanguine　in　its　anticipations　of　the　future。　　But　the　predictions　of　the　seniors　I　have　quoted；　are　unfortunately　in　too　many　cases　fulfilled。　　The　outline　of　the　scheme　of　civil　society　is　in　a　high　degree　hostile　to　the　growth　and　maturity　of　human　virtue。　　Its　unavoidable　operation；　except　in　those　rare　cases　where　positive　institutions　have　arrested　its　tendency；　has　been　to　divide　a　great　portion　of　its　members；　especially　in　large　and　powerful　states；　into　those　who　are　plentifully　supplied　with　the　means　of　luxury　and　indulgence；　and　those　who　are　condemned　to　suffer　the　rigours　of　indigence。

The　young　man　who　is　born　to　the　prospect　of　hereditary　wealth；　will　not　unfrequently　feel　as　generous　emotions；　and　as　much　of　the　spirit　of　self…denial；　as　the　bosom　of　man　is　capable　of　conceiving。　　He　will　say；　What　am　I；　that　I　should　have　a　monopoly　of　those　things；　which；　if　〃well　dispensed；　in　unsuperfluous；　even　proportion；〃　would　supply　the　wants　of　all？　　He　is　ready；　agreeably　to　the　advice　of　Christ　to　the　young　man　in　the　Gospel；　to　〃sell　all　that　he　has；　and　give　to　the　poor；〃　if　he　could　be　shewn　how　so　generous　a　resolution　on　his　part　could　be　encountered　with　an　extensive　conspiracy　of　the　well…disposed；　and　rendered　available　to　the　real　melioration　of　the　state　of　man　in　society。　　Who　is　there　so　ignorant；　or　that　has　lived　in　so　barren　and　unconceiving　a　tract　of　the　soil　of　earth；　that　has　not　his　tale　to　tell　of　the　sublime　emotions　and　the　generous　purposes　he　has　witnessed；　which　so　often　mark　this　beautiful　era　of　our　sublunary　existence？

But　this　is　in　the　dawn　of　life；　and　the　first　innocence　of　the　human　heart。　　When　once　the　young　man　of　〃great　possessions〃　has　entered　the　gardens　of　Alcina；　when　he　has　drunk　of　the　cup　of　her　enchantments；　and　seen　all　the　delusive　honour　and　consideration　that；　in　the　corruptness　of　modern　times；　are　the　lot　of　him　who　is　the　owner　of　considerable　wealth；　the　dreams　of　sublime　virtue　are　too　apt　to　fade　away。　　He　was　willing　before；　to　be　nourished　with　the　simplest　diet；　and　clad　with　the　plainest　attire。　　He　knew　that　he　was　but　a　man　like　the　rest　of　his　species；　and　was　in　equity　entitled　to　no　more　than　they。　　But　he　presently　learns　a　very　different　lesson。　　He　believes　that　he　cannot　live　without　splendour　and　luxury；　he　regards　a　noble　mansion；　elegant　vesture；　horses；　equipage；　and　an　ample　establishment；　as　things　without　which　he　must　be　hopelessly　miserable。　　That　income；　which　he　once　thought；　if　divided；　would　have　secured　the　happiness　and　independence　of　many；　he　now　finds　scarcely　sufficient　to　supply　his　increased　and　artificial　cravings。

But；　if　the　rich　are　seduced　and　led　away　from　the　inspirations　of　virtue；　it　may　easily　be　conceived　how　much　more　injurious；　and　beyond　the　power　of　control；　are　the　effects　on　the　poor。　　The　mysterious　source　from　which　the　talents　of　men　are　derived；　cannot　be　supposed　in　their　distribution　to　be　regulated　by　the　artificial　laws　of　society；　and　to　have　one　measure　for　those　which　are　bestowed　upon　the　opulent；　and　another　for　the　destitute。　　It　will　therefore　not　seldom　happen　that　powers　susceptible　of　the　noblest　uses　may　be　cast；　like　〃seed　sown　upon　stony　places；〃　where　they　have　scarcely　any　chance　to　be　unfolded　and　matured。　　In　a　few　instances　they　may　attract　the　attention　of　persons　both　able　and　willing　to　contribute　to　their　being　brought　to　perfection。　　In　a　few　instances　the　principle　may　be　so　vigorous；　and　the　tendency　to　excel　so　decisive；　as　to　bid　defiance　to　and　to　conquer　every　obstacle。　　But　in　a　vast　majority　the　promise　will　be　made　vain；　and　the　hopes　that　might　have　been　entertained　will　prove　frustrate。　　What　can　be　expected　from　the　buds　of　the　most　auspicious　infancy；　if　encountered　in　their　earliest　stage　with　the　rigorous　blasts　of　a　polar　climate？

And　not　only　will　the　germs　of　excellence　be　likely　to　be　extinguished　in　the　members　of　the　lower　class　of　the　community；　but　the　temptations　to　irregular　acts　and　incroachments　upon　the　laws　for　the　security　of　property　will　often　be　so　great；　as　to　be　in　a　manner　irresistible。　　The　man　who　perceives　that；　with　all　his　industry；　he　cannot　provide　for　the　bare　subsistence　of　himself　and　those　dependent　upon　him；　while　his　neighbour　revels　in　boundless　profusion；　cannot　but　sometimes　feel　himself　goaded　to　an　attempt　to　correct　this　crying　evil。　　What　must　be　expected　to　become　of　that　general　good…will　which　is　the　natural　inheritance　of　a　well…constituted　mind；　when　urged　by　so　bitter　oppression　and　such　unendurable　sufferings？　　The　whole　temper　of　the　human　heart　must　be　spoiled；　and　the　wine　of　life　acquire　a　quality　acrimonious　and　malignant。

But　it　is　not　only　in　the　extreme　classes　of　society　that　the　glaring　inequality　with　which　property　is　shared　produces　its　injurious　effects。　　All　those　who　are　born　in　the　intermediate　ranks　are　urged　with　a　distempered　ambition；　unfavourable　to　independence　of　temper；　and　to　true　philanthropy。　Each　man　aspires　to　the　improvement　of　his　circumstances；　and　the　mounting；　by　one　step　and　another；　higher　in　the　scale　of　the　community。　　The　contemplations　of　the　mind　are　turned　towards　selfishness。　　In　opulent　communities　we　are　presented　with　the　genuine　theatre　for　courts　and　kings。　　And；　wherever　there　are　courts；　duplicity；　lying；　hypocrisy　and　cringing　dwell　as　in　their　proper　field。　　Next　come　trades　and　professions；　with　all　the　ignoble　contemplations；　the　resolved　smoothness；　servility　and　falshood；　by　which　they　are　enabled　to　gain　a　prosperous　and　triumphant　career。

It　is　by　such　means；　that　man；　whom　〃God　made　upright；〃　is　led　away　into　a　thousand　devious　paths；　and；　long　before　the　closing　scene　of　his　life；　is　rendered　something　the　very　reverse　of　what　in　the　dawning　of　existence　he　promised　to　be。　　He　is　like　Hazael　in　the　Jewish　history；　who；　when　the　prophet　set　before　him　the　crying　enormities　he　should　hereafter　perpetrate；　exclaimed；　〃Is　thy　servant　a　dog；〃　that　he　should　degrade　himself　so　vilely？　　He　feels　the　purity　of　his　purposes；　but　is　goaded　by　one　excitement　and　exasperation　after　another；　till　he　becomes　debased；　worthless　and　criminal。　　This　is　strikingly　illustrated　in　the　story　of　Dr。　Johnson　and　the　celebrated　Windham；　who；　when　he　was　setting　out　as　secretary　to　the　lord　lieutenant　of　Ireland；　expressed　to　his　aged　monitor；　some　doubts　whether　he　could　ever　reconcile　himself　to　certain　indirect　proceedings　which　he　was　afraid　would　be　expected　of　him：　　to　which　the　veteran　replied；　〃Oh；　sir；　be　under　no　alarm；　in　a　short　time；　depend　upon　it；　you　will　make　a　very　pretty　rascal＇87＇。〃

＇87＇　　The