thoughts on man-第42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！


njuries　of　the　less　powerful　sex。

This　simple　outline　as　to　the　relative　position　of　the　one　sex　and　the　other；　gave　a　new　face　to　the　whole　scheme　and　arrangements　of　civil　society。　　　It　is　like　those　admirable　principles　in　the　order　of　the　material　universe；　or　those　grand　discoveries　brought　to　light　from　time　to　time　by　superior　genius；　so　obvious　and　simple；　that　we　wonder　the　most　common　understanding　could　have　missed　them；　yet　so　pregnant　with　results；　that　they　seem　at　once　to　put　a　new　life　and　inspire　a　new　character　into　every　part　of　a　mighty　and　all…comprehensive　mass。

The　passion　between　the　sexes；　in　its　grosser　sense；　is　a　momentary　impulse　merely；　and　there　was　danger　that；　when　the　fit　and　violence　of　the　passion　was　over；　the　whole　would　subside　into　inconstancy　and　a　roving　disposition；　or　at　least　into　indifference　and　almost　brutal　neglect。　　But　the　institutions　of　chivalry　immediately　gave　a　new　face　to　this。　　Either　sex　conceived　a　deep　and　permanent　interest　in　the　other。　　In　the　unsettled　state　of　society　which　characterised　the　period　when　these　institutions　arose；　the　defenceless　were　liable　to　assaults　of　multiplied　kinds；　and　the　fair　perpetually　stood　in　need　of　a　protector　and　a　champion。　　The　knights　on　the　other　hand　were　taught　to　derive　their　fame　and　their　honour　from　the　suffrages　of　the　ladies。　　Each　sex　stood　in　need　of　the　other；　and　the　basis　of　their　union　was　mutual　esteem。

The　effect　of　this　was　to　give　a　hue　of　imagination　to　all　their　intercourse。　　A　man　was　no　longer　merely　a　man；　nor　a　woman　merely　a　woman。　　They　were　taught　mutual　deference。　　The　woman　regarded　her　protector　as　something　illustrious　and　admirable；　and　the　man　considered　the　smiles　and　approbation　of　beauty　as　the　adequate　reward　of　his　toils　and　his　dangers。　　These　modes　of　thinking　introduced　a　nameless　grace　into　all　the　commerce　of　society。　　It　was　the　poetry　of　life。　　Hence　originated　the　delightful　narratives　and　fictions　of　romance；　and　human　existence　was　no　longer　the　bare；　naked　train　of　vulgar　incidents；　which　for　so　many　ages　of　the　world　it　had　been　accustomed　to　be。　　It　was　clothed　in　resplendent　hues；　and　wore　all　the　tints　of　the　rainbow。　　Equality　fled　and　was　no　more；　and　love；　almighty；　perdurable　love；　came　to　supply　its　place。

By　means　of　this　state　of　things　the　vulgar　impulse　of　the　sexes　towards　each　other；　which　alone　was　known　to　the　former　ages　of　the　world；　was　transformed　into　somewhat　of　a　totally　different　nature。　　It　became　a　kind　of　worship。　　The　fair　sex　looked　upon　their　protectors；　their　fathers；　their　husbands；　and　the　whole　train　of　their　chivalry；　as　something　more　than　human。　　There　was　a　grace　in　their　motions；　a　gallantry　in　their　bearing；　and　a　generosity　in　their　spirit　of　enterprise；　that　the　softness　of　the　female　heart　found　irresistible。　　Nor　less　on　the　other　hand　did　the　knights　regard　the　sex　to　whose　service　and　defence　they　were　sworn；　as　the　objects　of　their　perpetual　deference。　　They　approached　them　with　a　sort　of　gallant　timidity；　listened　to　their　behests　with　submission；　and　thought　the　longest　courtship　and　devotion　nobly　recompensed　by　the　final　acceptance　of　the　fair。

The　romance　and　exaggeration　characteristic　of　these　modes　of　thinking　have　gradually　worn　away　in　modern　times；　but　much　of　what　was　most　valuable　in　them　has　remained。　　Love　has　in　later　ages　never　been　divested　of　the　tenderness　and　consideration；　which　were　thus　rendered　some　of　its　most　estimable　features。　　A　certain　desire　in　each　party　to　exalt　the　other；　and　regard　it　as　worthy　of　admiration；　became　inextricably　interwoven　with　the　simple　passion。　　A　sense　of　the　honour　that　was　borne　by　the　one　to　the　other；　had　the　happiest　effect　in　qualifying　the　familiarity　and　unreserve　in　the　communion　of　feelings　and　sentiments；　without　which　the　attachment　of　the　sexes　cannot　subsist。　　It　is　something　like　what　the　mystic　divines　describe　of　the　beatific　vision；　where　entire　wonder　and　adoration　are　not　judged　to　be　incompatible　with　the　most　ardent　affection；　and　all　meaner　and　selfish　regards　are　annihilated。

From　what　has　been　thus　drawn　together　and　recapitulated　it　seems　clearly　to　follow；　as　was　stated　in　the　beginning；　that　love　cannot　exist　in　its　purest　form　and　with　a　genuine　ardour；　where　the　parties　are；　and　are　felt　by　each　other　to　be；　on　an　equality；　but　that　in　all　cases　it　is　requisite　there　should　be　a　mutual　deference　and　submission；　agreeably　to　the　apostolic　precept；　〃Likewise　all　of　you　be　subject　one　to　the　other。〃　　There　must　be　room　for　the　imagination　to　exercise　its　powers；　we　must　conceive　and　apprehend　a　thousand　things　which　we　do　not　actually　witness；　each　party　must　feel　that　it　stands　in　need　of　the　other；　and　without　the　other　cannot　be　complete；　each　party　must　be　alike　conscious　of　the　power　of　receiving　and　conferring　benefit；　and　there　must　be　the　anticipation　of　a　distant　future；　that　may　every　day　enhance　the　good　to　be　imparted　and　enjoyed；　and　cause　the　individuals　thus　united　perpetually　to　become　more　sensible　of　the　fortunate　event　which　gave　them　to　each　other；　and　has　thus　entailed　upon　each　a　thousand　advantages　in　which　they　could　otherwise　never　have　shared。



ESSAY　XVI。　OF　FRANKNESS　AND　RESERVE。

Animals　are　divided　into　the　solitary　and　the　are　gregarious：　　the　former　being　only　occasionally　associated　with　its　mate；　and　perhaps　engaged　in　the　care　of　its　offspring；　the　latter　spending　their　lives　in　herds　and　communities。　　Man　is　of　this　last　class　or　division。

Where　the　animals　of　any　particular　species　live　much　in　society；　it　seems　requisite　that　in　some　degree　they　should　be　able　to　understand　each　other's　purposes；　and　to　act　with　a　certain　portion　of　concert。

All　other　animals　are　exceedingly　limited　in　their　powers　of　communication。　　But　speech　renders　that　being　whom　we　justly　entitle　the　lord　of　the　creation；　capable　of　a　boundless　interchange　of　ideas　and　intentions。　　Not　only　can　we　communicate　to　each　other　substantively　our　elections　and　preferences：　　we　can　also　exhort　and　persuade；　and　employ　reasons　and　arguments　to　convince　our　fellows；　that　the　choice　we　have　made　is　also　worthy　of　their　adoption。　　We　can　express　our　thoughts；　and　the　various　lights　and　shades；　the　bleedings；　of　our　thoughts。　　Language　is　an　instrument　capable　of　being　perpetually　advanced　in　copiousness；　perspicuity　and　power。

No　principle　of　morality　can　be　more　just；　than　that　which　teaches　us　to　regard　every　faculty　we　possess　as　a　power　intrusted　to　us　for　the　benefit　of　others　as　well　as　of　ourselves；　and　which　therefore　we　are　bound　to　employ　in　the　way　which　shall　best　conduce　to　the　general　advantage。

〃Speech　was　given　us；　that　by　it　we　might　express　our　thoughts＇34＇；〃　in　other　words；　our　impressions；　ideas　and　conceptions。　　We　then　therefore　best　fulfil　the　scope　of　our　nature；　when　we　sincerely　and　unreservedly　communicate　to　each　other　our　feelings　and　apprehensions。　　Speech　should　be　to　man　in　the　nature　of　a　fair　complexion；　the　transparent　medium　through　which　the　workings　of　the　mind　should　be　made　legible。

＇34＇　Moliere。


I　think　I　have　somewhere　read　of　Socrates；　that　certain　of　his　friends　expostulated　with　him；　that　the　windows　of　his　house　were　so　constructed　that　every　one　who　went　by　could　discover　all　that　passed　within。　　〃And　wherefore　not？〃　　said　the　sage。　　〃I　do　nothing　that　I　would　wish　to　have　concealed　from　any　human　eye。　　If　I　knew　that　all　the　world　observed　every　thing　I　did；　I　should　feel　no　inducement　to　change　my　conduct　in　the　minutest　particular。〃

It　is　not　however　practicable　that　frankness　should　be　carried　to　the　extent　above　mentioned。　　It　has　been　calculated　that　the　human　mind　is　capable　of　being　impressed　with　three　hundred　and　twenty　sensations　in　a　second　of　time。　　At　all　events　we　well　know　that；　even　〃while　I　am　speaking；　a　variety　of　sensations　are　experienced　by　me；　without　so　much　as　interrupting；　that　is；　without　materially　diverting；　the　train　of　my　ideas。　　My　eye　successively　remarks　a　thousand　objects　that　present　themselves；　and　my　mind　wanders　to　the　different　parts　of　my　body；　without　occasioning　the　minutest　obstacle　to　my　discourse；　or　my　being　in　any　degree　distracted　by　the　multiplicity　of　these　objects＇35＇。〃　　It　is　therefore　beyond　the　reach　of　the　faculty　of　speech；　for　me　to　communicate　all　the　sensations　I　experience；　and　I　am　of　necessity　reduced　to　a　selection。

＇35＇　See　above；　Essay　7。


Nor　is　this　the　whole。　　We　do　not　communicate　all　that　we　feel；　and　all　that　we　think；　for　this　would　be　impertinent。　　We　owe　a　certain　deference　and　consideration　to　our　fellow…men；　we　owe　it　in　reality　to　ourselves。　　We　do　not　communicate　indiscriminately　all　that　passes　within　us。　　The　time　would　fail　us；　and　〃the　world　would　not　contain　the　books　that　might　be　written。〃　　We　do　not　speak　merely　for　the　sake　of　speaking；　otherwise　the　communication　of　man　with　his　fellow　would　be　but　one　eternal　babble。　　Speech　is　to　be　employed　for　some　useful　purpose；　nor　ought　we　to　give　utterance　to　any　thing　that　shall　not　promise　to　be　in　some　way　productive　of　benefit　or　amusement。

Frankness　has　its　limits；　beyond　which　it　would　cease　to　be　either　advantageous　or　virtuous。　　We　are　not　to　tell　every　thing：

but　we　are　not　to　conceal　any　thing；　that　it　would　be　useful　or　becoming　in　us　to　utter。　　Our　first　duty　regarding　the　faculty　of　speech　is；　not　to　keep　back　what　it　would　be　beneficial　to　our　neighbour　to　know。　　But　this　is　a　negative　sincerity　only。　　If　we　would　acquire　a　character　for　frankness；　we　must　be　careful　that　our　conversation　is　such；　as　to　excite　in　him　the　idea　that　we　are　open；　ingenuous　and　fearless。　　We　must　appear　forward　to　speak　all　that　will　give　him　pleasure；　and　contribute　to　maintain　in　him　an　agreeable　state　of　being。　　It　must　be　obvious　that　we　are　not　artificial　and　on　our　guard。After　all；　it　is　difficult　to　lay　down　rules　on　this　subject：　　the　spring　of　whatever　is　desirable　respecting　it；　must　be　in　the　temper　of　the　man　with　whom　others　have　intercourse。　　He　must　be　benevolent；　sympathetic　and　affectionate。　　His　heart　must　overflow　with　good…will；　and　he　must　be　anxious　to　relieve　every　little　pain；　and　to　contribute　to　the　enjoyment