thoughts on man-第31部分

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y　man　engaged。

The　advocates　of　the　doctrine　of　〃self…love　the　source　of　all　our　actions；〃　are　still　more　puzzled；　when　the　case　set　before　them　is　that　of　the　man；　who　flies；　at　an　instant's　warning；　to　save　the　life　of　the　child　who　has　fallen　into　the　river；　or　the　unfortunate　whom　he　beholds　in　the　upper　story　of　a　house　in　flames。　　This　man；　as　might　be　illustrated　in　a　thousand　instances；　treats　his　own　existence　as　unworthy　of　notice；　and　exposes　it　to　multiplied　risks　to　effect　the　object　to　which　he　devotes　himself。

They　are　obliged　to　say；　that　this　man　anticipates　the　joy　he　will　feel　in　the　recollection　of　a　noble　act；　and　the　cutting　and　intolerable　pain　he　will　experience　in　the　consciousness　that　a　human　being　has　perished；　whom　it　was　in　his　power　to　save。　　It　is　in　vain　that　we　tell　them　that；　without　a　moment's　consideration；　he　tore　off　his　clothes；　or　plunged　into　the　stream　with　his　clothes　on；　or　rushed　up　a　flaming　stair…case。　　Still　they　tell　us；　that　he　recollected　what　compunctious　visitings　would　be　his　lot　if　he　remained　supinehe　felt　the　sharpest　uneasiness　at　sight　of　the　accident　before　him；　and　it　was　to　get　rid　of　that　uneasiness；　and　not　for　the　smallest　regard　to　the　unhappy　being　he　has　been　the　means　to　save；　that　he　entered　on　the　hazardous　undertaking。

Uneasiness；　the　knowledge　of　what　inwardly　passes　in　the　mind；　is　a　thing　not　in　the　slightest　degree　adverted　to　but　in　an　interval　of　leisure。　　No；　the　man　here　spoken　of　thinks　of　nothing　but　the　object　immediately　before　his　eyes；　he　adverts　not　at　all　to　himself；　he　acts　only　with　an　undeveloped；　confused　and　hurried　consciousness　that　he　may　be　of　some　use；　and　may　avert　the　instantly　impending　calamity。　　He　has　scarcely　even　so　much　reflection　as　amounts　to　this。

The　history　of　man；　whether　national　or　individual；　and　consequently　the　acts　of　human　creatures　which　it　describes；　are　cast　in　another　mould　than　that　which　the　philosophy　of　self…love　sets　before　us。　　A　topic　that　from　the　earliest　accounts　perpetually　presents　itself　in　the　records　of　mankind；　is　self…sacrifice；　parents　sacrificing　themselves　for　their　children；　and　children　for　their　parents。　　Cimon；　the　Athenian；　yet　in　the　flower　of　his　youth；　voluntarily　became　the　inmate　of　a　prison；　that　the　body　of　his　father　might　receive　the　honours　of　sepulture。　　Various　and　unquestionable　are　the　examples　of　persons　who　have　exposed　themselves　to　destruction；　and　even　petitioned　to　die；　that　so　they　might　save　the　lives　of　those；　whose　lives　they　held　dearer　than　their　own。　　Life　is　indeed　a　thing；　that　is　notoriously　set　at　nothing　by　generous　souls；　who　have　fervently　devoted　themselves　to　an　overwhelming　purpose。　　There　have　been　instances　of　persons；　exposed　to　all　the　horrors　of　famine；　where　one　has　determined　to　perish　by　that　slowest　and　most　humiliating　of　all　the　modes　of　animal　destruction；　that　another；　dearer　to　him　than　life　itself；　might；　if　possible；　be　preserved。

What　is　the　true　explanation　of　these　determinations　of　the　human　will？　　Is　it；　that　the　person；　thus　consigning　himself　to　death；　loved　nothing　but　himself；　regarded　only　the　pleasure　he　might　reap；　or　the　uneasiness　he　was　eager　to　avoid？　　Or；　is　it；　that　he　had　arrived　at　the　exalted　point　of　self…oblivion；　and　that　his　whole　soul　was　penetrated　and　ingrossed　with　the　love　of　those　for　whom　he　conceived　so　exalted　a　partiality？

This　sentiment　so　truly　forms　a　part　of　our　nature；　that　a　multitude　of　absurd　practices；　and　a　multitude　of　heart…rending　fables；　have　been　founded　upon　the　consciousness　of　man　in　different　ages　and　nations；　that　these　modes　of　thinking　form　a　constituent　part　of　our　common　existence。　　In　India　there　was　found　a　woman；　whose　love　to　the　deceased　partner　of　her　soul　was　so　overwhelming；　that　she　resolved　voluntarily　to　perish　on　his　funeral　pile。　　And　this　example　became　so　fascinating　and　admirable；　that；　by　insensible　degrees；　it　grew　into　a　national　custom　with　the　Hindoos；　that；　by　a　sort　of　voluntary　constraint；　the　widows　of　all　men　of　a　certain　caste；　should　consign　themselves　to　the　flames　with　the　dead　bodies　of　their　husbands。　　The　story　of　Zopyrus　cutting　off　his　nose　and　ears；　and　of　Curtius　leaping　into　the　gulph；　may　be　fictitious：　　but　it　was　the　consciousness　of　those　by　whom　these　narratives　were　written　that　they　drew　their　materials　from　the　mighty　store…house　of　the　heart　of　man；　that　prompted　them　to　record　them。　　The　institutions　of　clientship　and　clans；　so　extensively　diffused　in　different　ages　of　the　world；　rests　upon　this　characteristic　of　our　nature；　that　multitudes　of　men　may　be　trained　and　educated　so；　as　to　hold　their　existence　at　no　price；　when　the　life　of　the　individual　they　were　taught　unlimitedly　to　reverence　might　be　preserved；　or　might　be　defended　at　the　risk　of　their　destruction。

The　principal　circumstance　that　divides　our　feelings　for　others　from　our　feelings　for　ourselves；　and　that　gives；　to　satirical　observers；　and　superficial　thinkers；　an　air　of　exclusive　selfishness　to　the　human　mind；　lies　in　this；　that　we　can　fly　from　others；　but　cannot　fly　from　ourselves。　　While　I　am　sitting　by　the　bed…side　of　the　sufferer；　while　I　am　listening　to　the　tale　of　his　woes；　there　is　comparatively　but　a　slight　line　of　demarcation；　whether　they　are　his　sorrows　or　my　own。　　My　sympathy　is　vehemently　excited　towards　him；　and　I　feel　his　twinges　and　anguish　in　a　most　painful　degree。　　But　I　can　quit　his　apartment　and　the　house　in　which　he　dwells；　can　go　out　in　the　fields；　and　feel　the　fresh　air　of　heaven　fanning　my　hair；　and　playing　upon　my　cheeks。　　This　is　at　first　but　a　very　imperfect　relief。　　His　image　follows　me；　I　cannot　forget　what　I　have　heard　and　seen；　I　even　reproach　myself　for　the　mitigation　I　involuntarily　experience。　　But　man　is　the　creature　of　his　senses。　　I　am　every　moment　further　removed；　both　in　time　and　place；　from　the　object　that　distressed　me。　　There　he　still　lies　upon　the　bed　of　agony：　　but　the　sound　of　his　complaint；　and　the　sight　of　all　that　expresses　his　suffering；　are　no　longer　before　me。　　A　short　experience　of　human　life　convinces　us　that　we　have　this　remedy　always　at　hand　＇〃I　am　unhappy；　only　while　I　please〃＇24＇；　and　we　soon　come　therefore　to　anticipate　the　cure；　and　so；　even　while　we　are　in　the　presence　of　the　sufferer；　to　feel　that　he　and　ourselves　are　not　perfectly　one。

＇24＇　Douglas。


But　with　our　own　distempers　and　adversities　it　is　altogether　different。　　It　is　this　that　barbs　the　arrow。　　We　may　change　the　place　of　our　local　existence；　but　we　cannot　go　away　from　ourselves。　　With　chariots；　and　embarking　ourselves　on　board　of　ships；　we　may　seek　to　escape　from　the　enemy。　　But　grief　and　apprehension　enter　the　vessel　along　with　us；　and；　when　we　mount　on　horseback；　the　discontent　that　specially　annoyed　us；　gets　up　behind；　and　clings　to　our　sides　with　a　hold　never　to　be　loosened＇25＇。

＇25＇　Horace。


Is　it　then　indeed　a　proof　of　selfishness；　that　we　are　in　a　greater　or　less　degree　relieved　from　the　anguish　we　endured　for　our　friend；　when　other　objects　occupy　us；　and　we　are　no　longer　the　witnesses　of　his　sufferings？　　If　this　were　true；　the　same　argument　would　irresistibly　prove；　that　we　are　the　most　generous　of　imaginable　beings；　the　most　disregardful　of　whatever　relates　to　ourselves。　　Is　it　not　the　first　ejaculation　of　the　miserable；　〃Oh；　that　I　could　fly　from　myself？　　Oh；　for　a　thick；　substantial　sleep！〃　What　the　desperate　man　hates　is　his　own　identity。　　But　he　knows　that；　if　for　a　few　moments　he　loses　himself　in　forgetfulness；　he　will　presently　awake　to　all　that　distracted　him。　　He　knows　that　he　must　act　his　part　to　the　end；　and　drink　the　bitter　cup　to　the　dregs。　　He　can　do　none　of　these　things　by　proxy。　　It　is　the　consciousness　of　the　indubitable　future；　from　which　we　can　never　be　divorced；　that　gives　to　our　present　calamity　its　most　fearful　empire。　　Were　it　not　for　this　great　line　of　distinction；　there　are　many　that　would　feel　not　less　for　their　friend　than　for　themselves。　　But　they　are　aware；　that　his　ruin　will　not　make　them　beggars；　his　mortal　disease　will　not　bring　them　to　the　tomb；　and　that；　when　he　is　dead；　they　may　yet　be　reserved　for　many　years　of　health；　of　consciousness　and　vigour。

The　language　of　the　hypothesis　of　self…love　was　well　adapted　to　the　courtiers　of　the　reign　of　Louis　the　Fourteenth。　　The　language　of　disinterestedness　was　adapted　to　the　ancient　republicans　in　the　purest　times　of　Sparta　and　Rome。

But　these　ancients　were　not　always　disinterested；　and　the　moderns　are　not　always　narrow；　self…centred　and　cold。　　The　ancients　paid；　though　with　comparative　infrequency；　the　tax　imposed　upon　mortals；　and　thought　of　their　own　gratification　and　ease；　and　the　moderns　are　not　utterly　disqualified　for　acts　of　heroic　affection。

It　is　of　great　consequence　that　men　should　come　to　think　correctly　on　this　subject。　　The　most　snail…blooded　man　that　exists；　is　not　so　selfish　as　he　pretends　to　be。　　In　spite　of　all　the　indifference　he　professes　towards　the　good　of　others；　he　will　sometimes　be　detected　in　a　very　heretical　state　of　sensibility　towards　his　wife；　his　child　or　his　friend；　he　will　shed　tears　at　a　tale　of　distress；　and　make　considerable　sacrifices　of　his　own　gratification　for　the　relief　of　others。

But　his　creed　is　a　pernicious　one。　　He　who　for　ever　thinks；　that　his　〃charity　must　begin　at　home；〃　is　in　great　danger　of　becoming　an　indifferent　citizen；　and　of　withering　those　feelings　of　philanthropy；　which　in　all　sound　estimation　constitute　the　crowning　glory　of　man。　　He　will　perhaps　have　a　reasonable　affection　towards　what　he　calls　his　own　flesh　and　blood；　and　may　assist　even　a　stranger　in　a　case　of　urgent　distress。But　it　is　dangerous　to　trifle　with　the　first　principles　and　sentiments　of　morality。　　And　this　man　will　scarcely　in　any　case　have　his　mind　prepared　to　hail　the　first　dawnings　of　human　improvement；　and　to　regard　all　that　belongs　to　the　welfare　of　his　kind　as　parcel　of　his　own　particular　estate。

The　creed　of　self…love　will　always　have　a　tendency　to　make　us　Frenchmen　in　the　frivolous　part　of　that　character；　and　Dutchmen　in　the　plodding　and　shopkeeping　spirit　of　barter　and　sale。　　There　is　no　need　that　we　should　beat　down　the　impulse　of　heroism　in　the　human　character；　and　be　upon　our　guard　agains