01-what is man-第2部分

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me；　he　was　a　Gobelin　loom。　　The　threads　and　the　colors　came　into

him　FROM　THE　OUTSIDE；　outside　influences；　suggestions；

EXPERIENCES　（reading；　seeing　plays；　playing　plays；　borrowing

ideas；　and　so　on）；　framed　the　patterns　in　his　mind　and　started　up

his　complex　and　admirable　machinery；　and　IT　AUTOMATICALLY　turned

out　that　pictured　and　gorgeous　fabric　which　still　compels　the

astonishment　of　the　world。　　If　Shakespeare　had　been　born　and　bred

on　a　barren　and　unvisited　rock　in　the　ocean　his　mighty　intellect

would　have　had　no　OUTSIDE　MATERIAL　to　work　with；　and　could　have

invented　none；　and　NO　OUTSIDE　INFLUENCES；　teachings；　moldings；

persuasions；　inspirations；　of　a　valuable　sort；　and　could　have

invented　none；　and　so　Shakespeare　would　have　produced　nothing。

In　Turkey　he　would　have　produced　somethingsomething　up　to　the

highest　limit　of　Turkish　influences；　associations；　and　training。

In　France　he　would　have　produced　something　bettersomething　up

to　the　highest　limit　of　the　French　influences　and　training。　　In

England　he　rose　to　the　highest　limit　attainable　through　the

OUTSIDE　HELPS　AFFORDED　BY　THAT　LAND'S　IDEALS；　INFLUENCES；　AND

TRAINING。　　You　and　I　are　but　sewing…machines。　　We　must　turn　out

what　we　can；　we　must　do　our　endeavor　and　care　nothing　at　all　when

the　unthinking　reproach　us　for　not　turning　out　Gobelins。



Y。M。　　And　so　we　are　mere　machines！　　And　machines　may　not

boast；　nor　feel　proud　of　their　performance；　nor　claim　personal

merit　for　it；　nor　applause　and　praise。　　It　is　an　infamous

doctrine。



O。M。　　It　isn't　a　doctrine；　it　is　merely　a　fact。



Y。M。　　I　suppose；　then；　there　is　no　more　merit　in　being　brave

than　in　being　a　coward？



O。M。　　PERSONAL　merit？　　No。　　A　brave　man　does　not　CREATE　his

bravery。　　He　is　entitled　to　no　personal　credit　for　possessing　it。

It　is　born　to　him。　　A　baby　born　with　a　billion　dollarswhere　is

the　personal　merit　in　that？　　A　baby　born　with　nothingwhere　is

the　personal　demerit　in　that？　　The　one　is　fawned　upon；　admired；

worshiped；　by　sycophants；　the　other　is　neglected　and　despised

where　is　the　sense　in　it？



Y。M。　　Sometimes　a　timid　man　sets　himself　the　task　of

conquering　his　cowardice　and　becoming　braveand　succeeds。　　What

do　you　say　to　that？



O。M。　　That　it　shows　the　value　of　TRAINING　IN　RIGHT

DIRECTIONS　OVER　TRAINING　IN　WRONG　ONES。　　Inestimably　valuable　is

training；　influence；　education；　in　right　directionsTRAINING

ONE'S　SELF…APPROBATION　TO　ELEVATE　ITS　IDEALS。



Y。M。　　But　as　to　meritthe　personal　merit　of　the　victorious

coward's　project　and　achievement？



O。M。　　There　isn't　any。　　In　the　world's　view　he　is　a　worthier

man　than　he　was　before；　but　HE　didn't　achieve　the　changethe

merit　of　it　is　not　his。



Y。M。　　Whose；　then？



O。M。　　His　MAKE；　and　the　influences　which　wrought　upon　it

from　the　outside。



Y。M。　　His　make？



O。M。　　To　start　with；　he　was　NOT　utterly　and　completely　a

coward；　or　the　influences　would　have　had　nothing　to　work　upon。

He　was　not　afraid　of　a　cow；　though　perhaps　of　a　bull：　　not　afraid

of　a　woman；　but　afraid　of　a　man。　　There　was　something　to　build

upon。　　There　was　a　SEED。　　No　seed；　no　plant。　　Did　he　make　that

seed　himself；　or　was　it　born　in　him？　　It　was　no　merit　of　HIS　that

the　seed　was　there。



Y。M。　　Well；　anyway；　the　idea　of　CULTIVATING　it；　the

resolution　to　cultivate　it；　was　meritorious；　and　he　originated

that。



O。M。　　He　did　nothing　of　the　kind。　　It　came　whence　ALL

impulses；　good　or　bad；　comefrom　OUTSIDE。　　If　that　timid　man　had

lived　all　his　life　in　a　community　of　human　rabbits；　had　never

read　of　brave　deeds；　had　never　heard　speak　of　them；　had　never

heard　any　one　praise　them　nor　express　envy　of　the　heroes　that　had

done　them；　he　would　have　had　no　more　idea　of　bravery　than　Adam

had　of　modesty；　and　it　could　never　by　any　possibility　have

occurred　to　him　to　RESOLVE　to　become　brave。　　He　COULD　NOT

ORIGINATE　THE　IDEAit　had　to　come　to　him　from　the　OUTSIDE。　　And

so；　when　he　heard　bravery　extolled　and　cowardice　derided；　it　woke

him　up。　　He　was　ashamed。　　Perhaps　his　sweetheart　turned　up　her

nose　and　said；　〃I　am　told　that　you　are　a　coward！〃　　It　was　not　HE

that　turned　over　the　new　leafshe　did　it　for　him。　　HE　must　not

strut　around　in　the　merit　of　itit　is　not　his。



Y。M。　　But；　anyway；　he　reared　the　plant　after　she　watered　the

seed。



O。M。　　No。　　OUTSIDE　INFLUENCES　reared　it。　　At　the　command

and　tremblinghe　marched　out　into　the　fieldwith　other　soldiers

and　in　the　daytime；　not　alone　and　in　the　dark。　　He　had　the

INFLUENCE　OF　EXAMPLE；　he　drew　courage　from　his　comrades'　courage；

he　was　afraid；　and　wanted　to　run；　but　he　did　not　dare；　he　was

AFRAID　to　run；　with　all　those　soldiers　looking　on。　　He　was

progressing；　you　seethe　moral　fear　of　shame　had　risen　superior

to　the　physical　fear　of　harm。　　By　the　end　of　the　campaign

experience　will　have　taught　him　that　not　ALL　who　go　into　battle

get　hurtan　outside　influence　which　will　be　helpful　to　him；　and

he　will　also　have　learned　how　sweet　it　is　to　be　praised　for

courage　and　be　huzza'd　at　with　tear…choked　voices　as　the　war…worn

regiment　marches　past　the　worshiping　multitude　with　flags　flying

and　the　drums　beating。　　After　that　he　will　be　as　securely　brave

as　any　veteran　in　the　armyand　there　will　not　be　a　shade　nor

suggestion　of　PERSONAL　MERIT　in　it　anywhere；　it　will　all　have

come　from　the　OUTSIDE。　　The　Victoria　Cross　breeds　more　heroes

than



Y。M。　　Hang　it；　where　is　the　sense　in　his　becoming　brave　if

he　is　to　get　no　credit　for　it？



O。M。　　Your　question　will　answer　itself　presently。　　It

involves　an　important　detail　of　man's　make　which　we　have　not　yet

touched　upon。



Y。M。　　What　detail　is　that？



O。M。　　The　impulse　which　moves　a　person　to　do　thingsthe

only　impulse　that　ever　moves　a　person　to　do　a　thing。



Y。M。　　The　ONLY　one！　　Is　there　but　one？



O。M。　　That　is　all。　　There　is　only　one。



Y。M。　　Well；　certainly　that　is　a　strange　enough　doctrine。

What　is　the　sole　impulse　that　ever　moves　a　person　to　do　a　thing？



O。M。　　The　impulse　to　CONTENT　HIS　OWN　SPIRITthe　NECESSITY

of　contenting　his　own　spirit　and　WINNING　ITS　APPROVAL。



Y。M。　　Oh；　come；　that　won't　do！



O。M。　　Why　won't　it？



Y。M。　　Because　it　puts　him　in　the　attitude　of　always　looking

out　for　his　own　comfort　and　advantage；　whereas　an　unselfish　man

often　does　a　thing　solely　for　another　person's　good　when　it　is　a

positive　disadvantage　to　himself。



O。M。　　It　is　a　mistake。　　The　act　must　do　HIM　good；　FIRST；

otherwise　he　will　not　do　it。　　He　may　THINK　he　is　doing　it　solely

for　the　other　person's　sake；　but　it　is　not　so；　he　is　contenting

his　own　spirit　firstthe　other's　person's　benefit　has　to　always

take　SECOND　place。



Y。M。　　What　a　fantastic　idea！　　What　becomes　of　self…

sacrifice？　　Please　answer　me　that。



O。M。　　What　is　self…sacrifice？



Y。M。　　The　doing　good　to　another　person　where　no　shadow　nor

suggestion　of　benefit　to　one's　self　can　result　from　it。







II



Man's　Sole　Impulsethe　Securing　of　His　Own　Approval





Old　Man。　　There　have　been　instances　of　ityou　think？



Young　Man。　　INSTANCES？　　Millions　of　them！



O。M。　　You　have　not　jumped　to　conclusions？　　You　have　examined

themcritically？



Y。M。　　They　don't　need　it：　　the　acts　themselves　reveal　the

golden　impulse　back　of　them。



O。M。　　For　instance？



Y。M。　　Well；　then；　for　instance。　　Take　the　case　in　the　book

here。　　The　man　lives　three　miles　up…town。　　It　is　bitter　cold；

snowing　hard；　midnight。　　He　is　about　to　enter　the　horse…car　when

a　gray　and　ragged　old　woman；　a　touching　picture　of　misery；　puts

out　her　lean　hand　and　begs　for　rescue　from　hunger　and　death。　　The

man　finds　that　he　has　a　quarter　in　his　pocket；　but　he　does　not

hesitate：　　he　gives　it　her　and　trudges　home　through　the　storm。

Thereit　is　noble；　it　is　beautiful；　its　grace　is　marred　by　no

fleck　or　blemish　or　suggestion　of　self…interest。



O。M。　　What　makes　you　think　that？



Y。M。　　Pray　what　else　could　I　think？　　Do　you　imagine　that

there　is　some　other　way　of　looking　at　it？



O。M。　　Can　you　put　yourself　in　the　man's　place　and　tell　me

what　he　felt　and　what　he　thought？



Y。M。　　Easily。　　The　sight　of　that　suffering　old　face　pierced

his　generous　heart　with　a　sharp　pain。　　He　could　not　bear　it。　　He

could　endure　the　three…mile　walk　in　the　storm；　but　he　could　not

endure　the　tortures　his　conscience　would　suffer　if　he　turned　his

back　and　left　that　poor　old　creature　to　perish。　　He　would　not

have　been　able　to　sleep；　for　thinking　of　it。



O。M。　　What　was　his　state　of　mind　on　his　way　home？



Y。M。　　It　was　a　state　of　joy　which　only　the　self…sacrificer

knows。　　His　heart　sang；　he　was　unconscious　of　the　storm。



O。M。　　He　felt　well？



Y。M。　　One　cannot　doubt　it。



O。M。　　Very　well。　　Now　let　us　add　up　the　details　and　see　how

much　he　got　for　his　twenty…five　cents。　　Let　us　try　to　find　out

the　REAL　why　of　his　making　the　investment。　　In　the　first　place　HE

couldn't　bear　the　pain　which　the　old　suffering　face　gave　him。　　So

he　was　thinking　of　HIS　painthis　good　man。　　He　must　buy　a　salve

for　it。　　If　he　did　not　succor　the　old　woman　HIS　conscience　would

torture　him　all　the　way　home。　　Thinking　of　HIS　pain　again。　　He

must　buy　relief　for　that。　　If　he　didn't　relieve　the　old　woman　HE

would　not　get　any　sleep。　　He　must　buy　some　sleepstill　thinking

of　HIMSELF；　you　see。　　Thus；　to　sum　up；　he　bought　himself　free　of

a　sharp　pain　in　his　heart；　he　bought　himself　free　of　the　tortures

of　a　waiting　conscience；　he　bought　a　whole　night's　sleepall　for

twenty…five　cents！　　It　should　make　Wall　Street　ashamed　of　itself。

On　his　way　home　his　heart　was　joyful；　and　it　sangprofit　on　top

of　profit！　　The　impulse　which　moved　the　man　to　succor　the　old

woman　wasFIRSTto　CONTENT　HIS　OWN　SPIRIT；　secondly　to　relieve

HER　sufferings。　　Is　it　your　opinion　that　men's　acts　proceed　from

one　central　and　unchanging　and　inalterable　impulse；　or　from　a

variety　of　impulses？



Y。M。　　From　a　variety；　of　coursesome　high　and　fine　and