thoughts on man-第33部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ves　the　phenomena　of　thinking　and　sentient　beings；　will　be　convinced；　that　men　and　animals　are　under　the　influence　of　motives；　that　we　are　subject　to　the　predominance　of　the　passions；　of　love　and　hatred；　of　desire　and　aversion；　of　sorrow　and　joy；　and　that　the　elections　we　make　are　regulated　by　impressions　supplied　to　us　by　these　passions。　　But　we　are　fully　penetrated　with　the　notion；　that　mind　is　an　arbiter；　that　it　sits　on　its　throne；　and　decides；　as　an　absolute　prince；　this　may　or　that；　in　short；　that；　while　inanimate　nature　proceeds　passively　in　an　eternal　chain　of　cause　and　effect；　mind　is　endowed　with　an　initiating　power；　and　forms　its　determinations　by　an　inherent　and　indefeasible　prerogative。

Hence　arises　the　idea　of　contingency　relative　to　the　acts　of　living　and　sentient　beings；　and　the　opinion　that；　while；　in　the　universe　of　matter；　every　thing　proceeds　in　regular　course；　and　nothing　has　happened　or　can　happen；　otherwise　than　as　it　actually　has　been　or　will　be；　in　the　determinations　and　acts　of　living　beings　each　occurrence　may　be　or　not　be；　and　waits　the　mastery　of　mind　to　decide　whether　the　event　shall　be　one　way　or　the　other；　both　issues　being　equally　possible　till　that　decision　has　been　made。

Thus；　as　was　said　in　the　beginning；　we　have　demonstration；　all　the　powers　of　our　reasoning　faculty；　on　one　side；　and　the　feeling；　of　our　minds；　an　inward　persuasion　of　which　with　all　our　efforts　we　can　never　divest　ourselves；　on　the　other。　　This　phenomenon　in　the　history　of　every　human　creature；　had　aptly　enough　been　denominated；　the　〃delusive　sense　of　liberty＇27＇。〃

＇27＇　The　first　writer；　by　whom　this　proposition　was　distinctly　enunciated；　seems　to　have　been　Lord　Kaimes；　in　his　Essays　on　the　Principles　of　Morality　and　Natural　Religion；　published　in　1751。　　But　this　ingenious　author　was　afterwards　frightened　with　the　boldness　of　his　own　conclusions；　and　in　the　subsequent　editions　of　his　work　endeavoured　ineffectually　to　explain　away　what　he　had　said。


And；　though　the　philosopher　in　his　closet　will　for　the　most　part　fully　assent　to　the　doctrine　of　the　necessity　of　human　actions；　yet　this　indestructible　feeling　of　liberty；　which　accompanies　us　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave；　is　entitled　to　our　serious　attention；　and　has　never　obtained　that　consideration　from　the　speculative　part　of　mankind；　which　must　by　no　means　be　withheld；　if　we　would　properly　enter　into　the　mysteries　of　our　nature。　　The　necessarian　has　paid　it　very　imperfect　attention　to　the　impulses　which　form　the　character　of　man；　if　he　omits　this　chapter　in　the　history　of　mind；　while　on　the　other　hand　the　advocate　of　free　will；　if　he　would　follow　up　his　doctrine　rigorously　into　all　its　consequences；　would　render　all　speculations　on　human　character　and　conduct　superfluous；　put　an　end　to　the　system　of　persuasion；　admonition；　remonstrance；　menace；　punishment　and　reward；　annihilate　the　very　essence　of　civil　government；　and　bring　to　a　close　all　distinction　between　the　sane　person　and　the　maniac。

With　the　disciples　of　the　latter　of　these　doctrines　I　am　by　no　means　specially　concerned。　　I　am　fully　persuaded；　as　far　as　the　powers　of　my　understanding　can　carry　me；　that　the　phenomena　of　mind　are　governed　by　laws　altogether　as　inevitable　as　the　phenomena　of　matter；　and　that　the　decisions　of　our　will　are　always　in　obedience　to　the　impulse　of　the　strongest　motive。

The　consequences　of　the　principle　implanted　in　our　nature；　by　which　men　of　every　creed；　when　they　descend　into　the　scene　of　busy　life；　pronounce　themselves　and　their　fellow…mortals　to　be　free　agents；　are　sufficiently　memorable。

From　hence　there　springs　what　we　call　conscience　in　man；　and　a　sense　of　praise　or　blame　due　to　ourselves　and　others　for　the　actions　we　perform。

How　poor；　listless　and　unenergetic　would　all　our　performances　be；　but　for　this　sentiment！　　It　is　in　vain　that　I　should　talk　to　myself　or　others；　of　the　necessity　of　human　actions；　of　the　connection　between　cause　and　effect；　that　all　industry；　study　and　mental　discipline　will　turn　to　account；　and　this　with　infinitely　more　security　on　the　principle　of　necessity；　than　on　the　opposite　doctrine；　every　thing　I　did　would　be　without　a　soul。　　I　should　still　say；　Whatever　I　may　do；　whether　it　be　right　or　wrong；　I　cannot　help　it；　wherefore　then　should　I　trouble　the　master…spirit　within　me？　　It　is　either　the　calm　feeling　of　self…approbation；　or　the　more　animated　swell　of　the　soul；　the　quick　beatings　of　the　pulse；　the　enlargement　of　the　heart；　the　glory　sparkling　in　the　eye；　and　the　blood　flushing　into　the　cheek；　that　sustains　me　in　all　my　labours。　　This　turns　the　man　into　what　we　conceive　of　a　God；　arms　him　with　prowess；　gives　him　a　more　than　human　courage；　and　inspires　him　with　a　resolution　and　perseverance　that　nothing　can　subdue。

In　the　same　manner　the　love　or　hatred；　affection　or　alienation；　we　entertain　for　our　fellow…men；　is　mainly　referable　for　its　foundation　to　the　〃delusive　sense　of　liberty。〃　　〃We　approve　of　a　sharp　knife　rather　than　a　blunt　one；　because　its　capacity　is　greater。　　We　approve　of　its　being　employed　in　carving　food；　rather　than　in　maiming　men　or　other　animals；　because　that　application　of　its　capacity　is　preferable。　　But　all　approbation　or　preference　is　relative　to　utility　or　general　good。　　A　knife　is　as　capable　as　a　man；　of　being　employed　in　purposes　of　utility；　and　the　one　is　no　more　free　than　the　other　as　to　its　employment。　　The　mode　in　which　a　knife　is　made　subservient　to　these　purposes；　is　by　material　impulse。　　The　mode　in　which　a　man　is　made　subservient；　is　by　inducement　and　persuasion。　　But　both　are　equally　the　affair　of　necessity＇28＇。〃　　These　are　the　sentiments　dictated　to　us　by　the　doctrine　of　the　necessity　of　human　actions。

＇28＇　Political　Justice；　Book　IV；　Chap。　VIII。


But　how　different　are　the　feelings　that　arise　within　us；　as　soon　as　we　enter　into　the　society　of　our　fellow…creatures！　　〃The　end　of　the　commandment　is　love。〃　　It　is　the　going　forth　of　the　heart　towards　those　to　whom　we　are　bound　by　the　ties　of　a　common　nature；　affinity；　sympathy　or　worth；　that　is　the　luminary　of　the　moral　world。　　Without　it　there　would　have　been　〃a　huge　eclipse　of　sun　and　moon；〃　or　at　best；　as　a　well…known　writer＇29＇　expresses　it　in　reference　to　another　subject；　we　should　have　lived　in　〃a　silent　and　drab…coloured　creation。〃　　We　are　prepared　by　the　power　that　made　us　for　feelings　and　emotions；　and；　unless　these　come　to　diversify　and　elevate　our　existence；　we　should　waste　our　days　in　melancholy；　and　scarcely　be　able　to　sustain　ourselves。　　The　affection　we　entertain　for　those　towards　whom　our　partiality　and　kindness　are　excited；　is　the　life　of　our　life。　　It　is　to　this　we　are　indebted　for　all　our　refinement；　and；　in　the　noblest　sense　of　the　word；　for　all　our　humanity。　　Without　it　we　should　have　had　no　sentiment　（a　word；　however　abused；　which；　when　properly　defined；　comprises　every　thing　that　is　the　crown　of　our　nature）；　and　no　poetry。Love　and　hatred；　as　they　regard　our　fellow…creatures；　in　contradistinction　to　the　complacency；　or　the　feeling　of　an　opposite　nature；　which　is　excited　in　us　towards　inanimate　objects；　arc　entirely　the　offspring　of　the　delusive　sense　of　liberty。

＇29＇　Thomas　Paine。


The　terms；　praise　and　blame；　express　to　a　great　degree　the　same　sentiments　as　those　of　love　and　hatred；　with　this　difference；　that　praise　and　blame　in　their　simplest　sense　apply　to　single　actions；　whereas　love　and　hatred　are　produced　in　us　by　the　sum　of　those　actions　or　tendencies；　which　constitute　what　we　call　character。　　There　is　also　another　difference；　that　love　and　hatred　are　engendered　in　us　by　other　causes　as　well　as　moral　qualities；　but　praise　and　blame；　in　the　sense　in　which　they　are　peculiarly　applied　to　our　fellow…mortals；　are　founded　on　moral　qualities　only。　　In　love　and　hatred　however；　when　they　are　intense　or　are　lasting；　some　reference　to　moral　qualities　is　perhaps　necessarily　implied。　　The　love　between　the　sexes；　unless　in　cases　where　it　is　of　a　peculiarly　transient　nature；　always　comprises　in　it　a　belief　that　the　party　who　is　the　object　of　our　love；　is　distinguished　by　tendencies　of　an　amiable　nature；　which　we　expect　to　see　manifesting　themselves　in　affectionate　attentions　and　acts　of　kindness。　　Even　the　admiration　we　entertain　for　the　features；　the　figure；　and　personal　graces　of　the　object　of　our　regard；　is　mixed　with　and　heightened　by　our　expectation　of　actions　and　tones　that　generate　approbation；　and；　if　divested　of　this；　would　be　of　small　signification　or　permanence。　　In　like　manner　in　the　ties　of　affinity；　or　in　cases　where　we　are　impelled　by　the　consideration；　〃He　also　is　a　man　as　well　as　I；〃　the　excitement　will　carry　us　but　a　little　way；　unless　we　discover　in　the　being　towards　whom　we　are　moved　some　peculiarities　which　may　beget　a　moral　partiality　and　regard。

And；　as　towards　our　fellow…creatures；　so　in　relation　to　ourselves；　our　moral　sentiments　are　all　involved　with；　and　take　their　rise　in；　the　delusive　sense　of　liberty。　　It　is　in　this　that　is　contained　the　peculiar　force　of　the　terms　virtue；　duty；　guilt　and　desert。　　We　never　pronounce　these　words　without　thinking　of　the　action　to　which　they　refer；　as　that　which　might　or　might　not　be　done；　and　therefore　unequivocally　approve　or　disapprove　in　ourselves　and　others。　　A　virtuous　man；　as　the　term　is　understood　by　all；　as　soon　as　we　are　led　to　observe　upon　those　qualities；　and　the　exhibition　of　those　qualities　in　actual　life；　which　constitute　our　nature；　is　a　man　who；　being　in　full　possession　of　the　freedom　of　human　action；　is　engaged　in　doing　those　things　which　a　sound　judgment　of　the　tendencies　of　what　we　do　pronounces　to　be　good。

Duty　is　a　term　that　can　scarcely　be　said　to　have　a　meaning；　except　that　which　it　derives　from　the　delusive　sense　of　liberty。　　According　to　the　creed　of　the　necessarian；　it　expresses　that　mode　of　action　on　the　part　of　the　individual；　which　constitutes　the　best　possible　application　of　his　capacity　to　the　general　benefit＇30＇。　　In　the　mean　time；　if　we　confine　ourselves　to　this　definition；　it　may　as　well　be　taken　to　describe　the　best　application　of　a　knife；　or　any　other　implement　proceeding　from　the　hands　of　the　manufacturer；　as　of　the　powers　of　a　human　being。

But　we　surely　have　a　very　different　idea　in　our　minds；　when　we　employ　the　term　duty。　　It　is　n