thoughts on man-第6部分

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ipline　under　which　they　are　placed。　　The　instructor　draws；　one　way；　and　the　pupil　another。　　The　object　of　the　latter　is　to　find　out　how　he　may　escape　censure　and　punishment　with　the　smallest　expence　of　scholastic　application。　　He　looks　at　the　task　that　is　set　him；　without　the　most　distant　desire　of　improvement；　but　with　alienated　and　averted　eye。　　And；　where　this　is　the　case；　the　wonder　is　not　that　he　does　not　make　a　brilliant　figure。　　It　is　rather　an　evidence　of　the　slavish　and　subservient　spirit　incident　to　the　majority　of　human　beings；　that　he　learns　any　thing。　　Certainly　the　schoolmaster；　who　judges　of　the　powers　of　his　pupil's　mind　by　the　progress　he　makes　in　what　he　would　most　gladly　be　excused　from　learning；　must　be　expected　perpetually　to　fall　into　the　most　egregious　mistakes。

The　true　test　of　the　capacity　of　the　individual；　is　where　the　desire　to　succeed；　and　accomplish　something　effective；　is　already　awakened　in　the　youthful　mind。　　Whoever　has　found　out　what　it　is　in　which　he　is　qualified　to　excel；　from　that　moment　becomes　a　new　creature。　　The　general　torpor　and　sleep　of　the　soul；　which　is　incident　to　the　vast　multitude　of　the　human　species；　is　departed　from　him。　　We　begin；　from　the　hour　in　which　our　limbs　are　enabled　to　exert　themselves　freely；　with　a　puerile　love　of　sport。　　Amusement　is　the　order　of　the　day。　　But　no　one　was　ever　so　fond　of　play；　that　he　had　not　also　his　serious　moments。　　Every　human　creature　perhaps　is　sensible　to　the　stimulus　of　ambition。　　He　is　delighted　with　the　thought　that　he　also　shall　be　somebody；　and　not　a　mere　undistinguished　pawn；　destined　to　fill　up　a　square　in　the　chess…board　of　human　society。　　He　wishes　to　be　thought　something　of；　and　to　be　gazed　upon。　　Nor　is　it　merely　the　wish　to　be　admired　that　excites　him：　　he　acts；　that　he　may　be　satisfied　with　himself。　　Self…respect　is　a　sentiment　dear　to　every　heart。　　The　emotion　can　with　difficulty　be　done　justice　to；　that　a　man　feels；　who　is　conscious　that　he　is　breathing　his　true　element；　that　every　stroke　that　he　strikes　will　have　the　effect　he　designs；　that　he　has　an　object　before　him；　and　every　moment　approaches　nearer　to　that　object。　　Before；　he　was　wrapped　in　an　opake　cloud；　saw　nothing　distinctly；　and　struck　this　way　and　that　at　hazard　like　a　blind　man。　　But　now　the　sun　of　understanding　has　risen　upon　him；　and　every　step　that　he　takes；　he　advances　with　an　assured　and　undoubting　confidence。

It　is　an　admirable　remark；　that　the　book　which　we　read　at　the　very　time　that　we　feel　a　desire　to　read　it；　affords　us　ten　times　the　improvement；　that　we　should　have　derived　from　it　when　it　was　taken　up　by　us　as　a　task。　　It　is　just　so　with　the　man　who　chooses　his　occupation；　and　feels　assured　that　that　about　which　he　is　occupied　is　his　true　and　native　field。　　Compare　this　person　with　the　boy　that　studies　the　classics；　or　arithmetic；　or　any　thing　else；　with　a　secret　disinclination；　and；　as　Shakespear　expresses　it；　〃creeps　like　snail；　unwillingly；　to　school。〃　They　do　not　seem　as　if　they　belonged　to　the　same　species。

The　result　of　these　observations　certainly　strongly　tends　to　support　the　proposition　laid　down　early　in　the　present　Essay；　that；　putting　idiots　and　extraordinary　cases　out　of　the　question；　every　human　creature　is　endowed　with　talents；　which；　if　rightly　directed；　would　shew　him　to　be　apt；　adroit；　intelligent　and　acute；　in　the　walk　for　which　his　organisation　especially　fitted　him。


SECTION　III。

ENCOURAGING　VIEW　OF　OUR　COMMON　NATURE。POWER　OF　SOUND　EXPOSITION　AFFORDED　TO　ALL。DOCTRINE　OF　THIS　ESSAY　AND　THE　HYPOTHESIS　OF　HELVETIUS　COMPARED。THE　WILLING　AND　UNWILLING　PUPIL　CONTRASTED。MISCHIEVOUS　TENDENCY　OF　THE　USUAL　MODES　OF　EDUCATION。

What　a　beautiful　and　encouraging　view　is　thus　afforded　us　of　our　common　nature！　　It　is　not　true；　as　certain　disdainful　and　fastidious　censurers　of　their　fellow…men　would　persuade　us　to　believe；　that　a　thousand　seeds　are　sown　in　the　wide　field　of　humanity；　for　no　other　purpose　than　that　half…a…dozen　may　grow　up　into　something　magnificent　and　splendid；　and　that　the　rest；　though　not　absolutely　extinguished　in　the　outset；　are　merely　suffered　to　live　that　they　may　furnish　manure　and　nourishment　to　their　betters。　　On　the　contrary；　each　man；　according　to　this　hypothesis；　has　a　sphere　in　which　he　may　shine；　and　may　contemplate　the　exercise　of　his　own　powers　with　a　well…grounded　satisfaction。　　He　produces　something　as　perfect　in　its　kind；　as　that　which　is　effected　under　another　form　by　the　more　brilliant　and　illustrious　of　his　species。　　He　stands　forward　with　a　serene　confidence　in　the　ranks　of　his　fellow…creatures；　and　says；　〃I　also　have　my　place　in　society；　that　I　fill　in　a　manner　with　which　I　have　a　right　to　be　satisfied。〃　　He　vests　a　certain　portion　of　ingenuity　in　the　work　he　turns　out。　　He　incorporates　his　mind　with　the　labour　of　his　hands；　and　a　competent　observer　will　find　character　and　individuality　in　it。

He　has　therefore　nothing　of　the　sheepishness　of　the　ordinary　schoolboy；　the　tasks　imposed　upon　whom　by　his　instructor　are　foreign　to　the　true　bent　of　his　mind；　and　who　stands　cowed　before　his　seniors；　shrinking　under　the　judgment　they　may　pass　upon　him；　and　the　oppression　they　may　exercise　towards　him。　　He　is　probably　competent　to　talk　in　a　manner　that　may　afford　instruction　to　men　in　other　respects　wise　and　accomplished；　and　is　no　less　clear　and　well…digested　in　his　discourse　respecting　the　subjects　to　which　his　study　and　labour　have　been　applied；　than　they　are　on　the　questions　that　have　exercised　the　powers　of　analysis　with　which　they　are　endowed。　　Like　Elihu　in　the　Book　of　Job；　he　says；　〃I　am　young；　and　you　are　old；　I　said　therefore；　Days　shall　speak；　and　multitude　of　years　shall　teach　wisdom。　　But　there　is　a　spirit　in　man；　and　the　inspiration　of　the　Almighty　giveth　him　understanding。　　Great　men　are　not　always　wise；　neither　do　the　aged　understand　judgment。　　Hearken　therefore　to　me；　and　I　also　will　shew　my　opinion。〃

What　however　in　the　last　instance　is　affirmed；　is　not　always　realised　in　the　experiment。　　The　humblest　mechanic；　who　works　con　amore；　and　feels　that　he　discharges　his　office　creditably；　has　a　sober　satisfaction　in　the　retrospect；　and　is　able　to　express　himself　perspicuously　and　well　on　the　subject　that　has　occupied　his　industry。　　He　has　a　just　confidence　in　himself。　　If　the　occasion　arises；　on　which　he　should　speak　on　the　subject　of　what　he　does；　and　the　methods　he　adopts　for　effecting　it；　he　will　undoubtedly　acquit　himself　to　the　satisfaction　of　those　who　hear　him。　　He　knows　that　the　explanations　he　can　afford　will　be　sound　and　masculine；　and　will　stand　the　test　of　a　rigid　examination。

But；　in　proportion　as　he　feels　the　ground　on　which　he　stands；　and　his　own　power　to　make　it　good；　he　will　not　fail　to　retire　from　an　audience　that　is　not　willing　to　be　informed　by　him。　　He　will　often　appear　in　the　presence　of　those；　whom　the　established　arrangements　of　society　call　his　superiors；　who　are　more　copiously　endowed　with　the　treasures　of　language；　and　who；　confident　perhaps　in　the　advantage　of　opulence；　and　what　is　called；　however　they　may　have　received　it；　a　liberal　education；　regard　with　disdain　his　artless　and　unornamented　explanations。　　He　did　not；　it　may　be；　expect　this。　　And；　having　experienced　several　times　such　unmerited　treatment；　he　is　not　willing　again　to　encounter　it。　　He　knew　the　worth　of　what　he　had　to　offer。　　And；　finding　others　indisposed　to　listen　to　his　suggestions；　he　contentedly　confines　them　within　the　circle　of　his　own　thoughts。

To　this　it　must　be　added　that；　though　he　is　able　to　explain　himself　perspicuously；　yet　he　is　not　master　of　the　graces　of　speech；　nor　even　perhaps　of　the　niceties　of　grammar。　　His　voice　is　not　tuned　to　those　winning　inflections　by　which　men；　accustomed　to　the　higher　ranks　of　society；　are　enabled　so　to　express　themselves；

　　　　　　That　aged　ears　play　truant　at　their　tales；　　　　　　　And　younger　hearings　are　quite　ravished；　　　　　　　So　sweet　and　voluble　is　their　discourse。

On　the　contrary　there　is　a　ruggedness　in　his　manner　that　jars　upon　the　sense。　　It　is　easy　for　the　light　and　supercilious　to　turn　him　into　ridicule。　　And　those　who　will　not　be　satisfied　with　the　soundness　of　his　matter；　expounded；　as　he　is　able　to　expound　it；　in　clear　and　appropriate　terms；　will　yield　him　small　credit；　and　listen　to　him　with　little　delight。

These　considerations　therefore　bring　us　back　again　to　the　reasons　of　the　prevalent　opinion；　that　the　majority　of　mankind　are　dull；　and　of　apprehension　narrow　and　confused。　　The　mass　of　boys　in　the　process　of　their　education　appear　so；　because　little　of　what　is　addressed　to　them　by　their　instructors；　awakens　their　curiosity；　and　inspires　them　with　the　desire　to　excel。　　The　concealed　spark　of　ambition　is　not　yet　cleared　from　the　crust　that　enveloped　it　as　it　first　came　from　the　hand　of　nature。　　And　in　like　manner　the　elder　persons；　who　have　not　experienced　the　advantages　of　a　liberal　education；　or　by　whom　small　profit　was　made　by　those　advantages；　being　defective　in　exterior　graces；　are　generally　listened　to　with　impatience；　and　therefore　want　the　confidence　and　the　inclination　to　tell　what　they　know。

But　these　latter；　if　they　are　not　attended　to　upon　the　subjects　to　which　their　attention　and　ingenuity　have　been　applied；　do　not　the　less　possess　a　knowledge　and　skill　which　are　intrinsically　worthy　of　applause。　　They　therefore　contentedly　shut　up　the　sum　of　their　acquisitions　in　their　own　bosoms；　and　are　satisfied　with　the　consciousness　that　they　have　not　been　deficient　in　performing　an　adequate　part　in　the　generation　of　men　among　whom　they　live。

Those　persons　who　favour　the　opinion　of　the　incessant　improveableness　of　the　human　species；　have　felt　strongly　prompted　to　embrace　the　creed　of　Helvetius；　who　affirms　that　the　minds　of　men；　as　they　are　born　into　the　world；　are　in　a　state　of　equality；　alike　prepared　for　any　kind　of　discipline　and　instruction　that　may　be　afforded　them；　and　that　it　depends　upon　education　only；　in　the　largest　sense　of　that　word；　including　every　impression　that　may　be　made　upon　the　mind；　intentional　or　accidental；　from　the　hour　of　our　birth；　whether　we　shall　be　poets　or　philosophers；　dancers　or　singers；　chemists　or　mathematicians；　astronomers　or　dissectors　of　the　faculties　of　our　common　nature。

But　this　is　n