lay morals-第7部分

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m　persuaded　there　can　　spring　no　great　moral　zeal。　　To　look　thus　obliquely　upon　life　　is　the　very　recipe　for　moral　slumber。　　Our　intention　and　　endeavour　should　be　directed；　not　on　some　vague　end　of　money　　or　applause；　which　shall　come　to　us　by　a　ricochet　in　a　month　　or　a　year；　or　twenty　years；　but　on　the　act　itself；　not　on　the　　approval　of　others；　but　on　the　rightness　of　that　act。　　At　　every　instant；　at　every　step　in　life；　the　point　has　to　be　　decided；　our　soul　has　to　be　saved；　heaven　has　to　be　gained　or　　lost。　　At　every　step　our　spirits　must　applaud；　at　every　step　　we　must　set　down　the　foot　and　sound　the　trumpet。　　'This　have　　I　done；'　we　must　say；　'right　or　wrong；　this　have　I　done；　in　　unfeigned　honour　of　intention；　as　to　myself　and　God。'　　The　　profit　of　every　act　should　be　this；　that　it　was　right　for　us　　to　do　it。　　Any　other　profit　than　that；　if　it　involved　a　　kingdom　or　the　woman　I　love；　ought；　if　I　were　God's　upright　　soldier；　to　leave　me　untempted。

It　is　the　mark　of　what　we　call　a　righteous　decision；　that　it　　is　made　directly　and　for　its　own　sake。　　The　whole　man；　mind　　and　body；　having　come　to　an　agreement；　tyrannically　dictates　　conduct。　　There　are　two　dispositions　eternally　opposed：　that　　in　which　we　recognise　that　one　thing　is　wrong　and　another　　right；　and　that　in　which；　not　seeing　any　clear　distinction；　　we　fall　back　on　the　consideration　of　consequences。　　The　truth　　is；　by　the　scope　of　our　present　teaching；　nothing　is　thought　　very　wrong　and　nothing　very　right；　except　a　few　actions　which　　have　the　disadvantage　of　being　disrespectable　when　found　out；　　the　more　serious　part　of　men　inclining　to　think　all　things　　RATHER　WRONG；　the　more　jovial　to　suppose　them　RIGHT　ENOUGH　　FOR　PRACTICAL　PURPOSES。　　I　will　engage　my　head；　they　do　not　　find　that　view　in　their　own　hearts；　they　have　taken　it　up　in　　a　dark　despair；　they　are　but　troubled　sleepers　talking　in　　their　sleep。　　The　soul；　or　my　soul　at　least；　thinks　very　　distinctly　upon　many　points　of　right　and　wrong；　and　often　　differs　flatly　with　what　is　held　out　as　the　thought　of　　corporate　humanity　in　the　code　of　society　or　the　code　of　law。　　　Am　I　to　suppose　myself　a　monster？　　I　have　only　to　read　books；　　the　Christian　Gospels　for　example；　to　think　myself　a　monster　　no　longer；　and　instead　I　think　the　mass　of　people　are　merely　　speaking　in　their　sleep。

It　is　a　commonplace；　enshrined；　if　I　mistake　not；　even　in　　school　copy…books；　that　honour　is　to　be　sought　and　not　fame。　　　I　ask　no　other　admission；　we　are　to　seek　honour；　upright　　walking　with　our　own　conscience　every　hour　of　the　day；　and　　not　fame；　the　consequence；　the　far…off　reverberation　of　our　　footsteps。　　The　walk；　not　the　rumour　of　the　walk；　is　what　　concerns　righteousness。　　Better　disrespectable　honour　than　　dishonourable　fame。　　Better　useless　or　seemingly　hurtful　　honour；　than　dishonour　ruling　empires　and　filling　the　mouths　　of　thousands。　　For　the　man　must　walk　by　what　he　sees；　and　　leave　the　issue　with　God　who　made　him　and　taught　him　by　the　　fortune　of　his　life。　　You　would　not　dishonour　yourself　for　　money；　which　is　at　least　tangible；　would　you　do　it；　then；　for　　a　doubtful　forecast　in　politics；　or　another　person's　theory　　in　morals？

So　intricate　is　the　scheme　of　our　affairs；　that　no　man　can　　calculate　the　bearing　of　his　own　behaviour　even　on　those　　immediately　around　him；　how　much　less　upon　the　world　at　large　　or　on　succeeding　generations！　　To　walk　by　external　prudence　　and　the　rule　of　consequences　would　require；　not　a　man；　but　　God。　　All　that　we　know　to　guide　us　in　this　changing　labyrinth　　is　our　soul　with　its　fixed　design　of　righteousness；　and　a　few　　old　precepts　which　commend　themselves　to　that。　　The　precepts　　are　vague　when　we　endeavour　to　apply　them；　consequences　are　　more　entangled　than　a　wisp　of　string；　and　their　confusion　is　　unrestingly　in　change；　we　must　hold　to　what　we　know　and　walk　　by　it。　　We　must　walk　by　faith；　indeed；　and　not　by　knowledge。

You　do　not　love　another　because　he　is　wealthy　or　wise　or　　eminently　respectable：　you　love　him　because　you　love　him；　　that　is　love；　and　any　other　only　a　derision　and　grimace。　　It　　should　be　the　same　with　all　our　actions。　　If　we　were　to　　conceive　a　perfect　man；　it　should　be　one　who　was　never　torn　　between　conflicting　impulses；　but　who；　on　the　absolute　　consent　of　all　his　parts　and　faculties；　submitted　in　every　　action　of　his　life　to　a　self…dictation　as　absolute　and　　unreasoned　as　that　which　bids　him　love　one　woman　and　be　true　　to　her　till　death。　　But　we　should　not　conceive　him　as　　sagacious；　ascetical；　playing　off　his　appetites　against　each　　other；　turning　the　wing　of　public　respectable　immorality　　instead　of　riding　it　directly　down；　or　advancing　toward　his　　end　through　a　thousand　sinister　compromises　and　　considerations。　　The　one　man　might　be　wily；　might　be　adroit；　　might　be　wise；　might　be　respectable；　might　be　gloriously　　useful；　it　is　the　other　man　who　would　be　good。

The　soul　asks　honour　and　not　fame；　to　be　upright；　not　to　be　　successful；　to　be　good；　not　prosperous；　to　be　essentially；　　not　outwardly；　respectable。　　Does　your　soul　ask　profit？　　Does　　it　ask　money？　　Does　it　ask　the　approval　of　the　indifferent　　herd？　　I　believe　not。　　For　my　own　part；　I　want　but　little　　money；　I　hope；　and　I　do　not　want　to　be　decent　at　all；　but　to　　be　good。



LAY　MORALS　CHAPTER　IV



WE　have　spoken　of　that　supreme　self…dictation　which　keeps　　varying　from　hour　to　hour　in　its　dictates　with　the　variation　　of　events　and　circumstances。　　Now；　for　us；　that　is　ultimate。　　　It　may　be　founded　on　some　reasonable　process；　but　it　is　not　a　　process　which　we　can　follow　or　comprehend。　　And　moreover　the　　dictation　is　not　continuous；　or　not　continuous　except　in　very　　lively　and　well…living　natures；　and　between…whiles　we　must　　brush　along　without　it。　　Practice　is　a　more　intricate　and　　desperate　business　than　the　toughest　theorising；　life　is　an　　affair　of　cavalry；　where　rapid　judgment　and　prompt　action　are　　alone　possible　and　right。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　there　is　no　　one　so　upright　but　he　is　influenced　by　the　world's　chatter；　　and　no　one　so　headlong　but　he　requires　to　consider　　consequences　and　to　keep　an　eye　on　profit。　　For　the　soul　　adopts　all　affections　and　appetites　without　exception；　and　　cares　only　to　combine　them　for　some　common　purpose　which　　shall　interest　all。　　Now；　respect　for　the　opinion　of　others；　　the　study　of　consequences；　and　the　desire　of　power　and　　comfort；　are　all　undeniably　factors　in　the　nature　of　man；　and　　the　more　undeniably　since　we　find　that；　in　our　current　　doctrines；　they　have　swallowed　up　the　others　and　are　thought　　to　conclude　in　themselves　all　the　worthy　parts　of　man。　　　These；　then；　must　also　be　suffered　to　affect　conduct　in　the　　practical　domain；　much　or　little　according　as　they　are　　forcibly　or　feebly　present　to　the　mind　of　each。

Now；　a　man's　view　of　the　universe　is　mostly　a　view　of　the　　civilised　society　in　which　he　lives。　　Other　men　and　women　are　　so　much　more　grossly　and　so　much　more　intimately　palpable　to　　his　perceptions；　that　they　stand　between　him　and　all　the　　rest；　they　are　larger　to　his　eye　than　the　sun；　he　hears　them　　more　plainly　than　thunder；　with　them；　by　them；　and　for　them；　　he　must　live　and　die。　　And　hence　the　laws　that　affect　his　　intercourse　with　his　fellow…men；　although　merely　customary　　and　the　creatures　of　a　generation；　are　more　clearly　and　　continually　before　his　mind　than　those　which　bind　him　into　　the　eternal　system　of　things；　support　him　in　his　upright　　progress　on　this　whirling　ball；　or　keep　up　the　fire　of　his　　bodily　life。　　And　hence　it　is　that　money　stands　in　the　first　　rank　of　considerations　and　so　powerfully　affects　the　choice。　　　For　our　society　is　built　with　money　for　mortar；　money　is　　present　in　every　joint　of　circumstance；　it　might　be　named　the　　social　atmosphere；　since；　in　society；　it　is　by　that　alone　　that　men　continue　to　live；　and　only　through　that　or　chance　　that　they　can　reach　or　affect　one　another。　　Money　gives　us　　food；　shelter；　and　privacy；　it　permits　us　to　be　clean　in　　person；　opens　for　us　the　doors　of　the　theatre；　gains　us　books　　for　study　or　pleasure；　enables　us　to　help　the　distresses　of　　others；　and　puts　us　above　necessity　so　that　we　can　choose　the　　best　in　life。　　If　we　love；　it　enables　us　to　meet　and　live　　with　the　loved　one；　or　even　to　prolong　her　health　and　life；　　if　we　have　scruples；　it　gives　us　an　opportunity　to　be　honest；　　if　we　have　any　bright　designs；　here　is　what　will　smooth　the　　way　to　their　accomplishment。　　Penury　is　the　worst　slavery；　　and　will　soon　lead　to　death。

But　money　is　only　a　means；　it　presupposes　a　man　to　use　it。　　　The　rich　can　go　where　he　pleases；　but　perhaps　please　himself　　nowhere。　　He　can　buy　a　library　or　visit　the　whole　world；　but　　perhaps　has　neither　patience　to　read　nor　intelligence　to　see。　　　The　table　may　be　loaded　and　the　appetite　wanting；　the　purse　　may　be　full；　and　the　heart　empty。　　He　may　have　gained　the　　world　and　lost　himself；　and　with　all　his　wealth　around　him；　　in　a　great　house　and　spacious　and　beautiful　demesne；　he　may　　live　as　blank　a　life　as　any　tattered　ditcher。　　Without　an　　appetite；　without　an　aspiration；　void　of　appreciation；　　bankrupt　of　desire　and　hope；　there；　in　his　great　house；　let　　him　sit　and　look　upon　his　fingers。　　It　is　perhaps　a　more　　fortunate　destiny　to　have　a　taste　for　collecting　shells　than　　to　be　born　a　millionaire。　　Although　neither　is　to　be　　despised；　it　is　always　better　policy　to　learn　an　interest　　than　to　make　a　thousand　pounds；　for　the　money　will　soon　be　　spent；　or　perhaps　you　may　feel　no　joy　in　spending　it；　but　the　　interest　remains　imperishable　and　ever　new。　　To　become　a　　botanist；　a　geologist；　a　social　philosopher；　an　antiquary；　or　　an　artist；　is　to　enlarge　one's　possessions　in　the　universe　by　　an　incalculably　higher　degree；　and　by　a　far　surer　sort　of　　property；　than　to　purchase　a　farm　of　many　acres。　　You　had　　perhaps　two　thousand　a　year　before　the　transaction；　perhaps　　you　have　two　thousand　five　hundred　after　it。　　That　represents　　your　gain　in　the　one　case。　　But　in　the　other；　you　have　thrown　　down　a　barrier　which　concealed　significance　and　beauty。　　The　　blind　man　has　learned　to　see。　　The　prisoner　has　opened　up　a　　window　in　his　cell　and　beholds　enchanting　prospects；　he　will　　never　again　be　a　prisoner　as　he　was；　he　can　watch　clouds　and　　changing　seasons；　ships　on　th