thoughts on man-第7部分

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or　mathematicians；　astronomers　or　dissectors　of　the　faculties　of　our　common　nature。

But　this　is　not　true。　　It　has　already　appeared　in　the　course　of　this　Essay；　that　the　talent；　or；　more　accurately　speaking；　the　original　suitableness　of　the　individual　for　the　cultivation；　of　music　or　painting；　depends　upon　certain　peculiarities　that　we　bring　into　the　world　with　us。　　The　same　thing　may　be　affirmed　of　the　poet。　　As；　in　the　infinite　variety　of　human　beings；　there　are　no　two　faces　so　alike　that　they　cannot　be　distinguished；　nor　even　two　leaves　plucked　from　the　same　tree；　so　there　are　varieties　in　the　senses；　the　organs；　and　the　internal　structure　of　the　human　species；　however　delicate；　and　to　the　touch　of　the　bystander　evanescent；　which　give　to　each　individual　a　predisposition　to　rise　to　excellence　in　one　particular　art　or　attainment；　rather　than　in　any　other。

And　this　view　of　things；　if　well　considered；　is　as　favourable；　nay；　more　so；　to　the　hypothesis　of　the　successive　improveableness　of　the　human　species；　as　the　creed　of　Helvetius。　　According　to　that　philosopher；　every　human　creature　that　is　born　into　the　world；　is　capable　of　becoming；　or　being　made；　the　equal　of　Homer；　Bacon　or　Newton；　and　as　easily　and　surely　of　the　one　as　the　other。　　This　creed；　if　sincerely　embraced；　no　doubt　affords　a　strong　stimulus　to　both　preceptor　and　pupil；　since；　if　true；　it　teaches　us　that　any　thing　can　be　made　of　any　thing；　and　that；　wherever　there　is　mind；　it　is　within　the　compass　of　possibility；　not　only　that　that　mind　can　be　raised　to　a　high　pitch　of　excellence；　but　even　to　a　high　pitch　of　that　excellence；　whatever　it　is；　that　we　shall　prefer　to　all　others；　and　most　earnestly　desire。

Still　this　creed　will；　after　all；　leave　both　preceptor　and　pupil　in　a　state　of　feeling　considerably　unsatisfactory。　　What　it　sets　before　us；　is　too　vast　and　indefinite。　　We　shall　be　left　long　perhaps　in　a　state　of　balance　as　to　what　species　of　excellence　we　shall　choose；　and；　in　the　immense　field　of　accessible　improvement　it　offers　to　us；　without　land…mark　or　compass　for　the　direction　of　our　course；　it　is　scarcely　possible　that　we　should　feel　that　assured　confidence　and　anticipation　of　success；　which　are　perhaps　indispensibly　required　to　the　completion　of　a　truly　arduous　undertaking。

But；　upon　the　principles　laid　down　in　this　Essay；　the　case　is　widely　different。　　We　are　here　presented　in　every　individual　human　creature　with　a　subject　better　fitted　for　one　sort　of　cultivation　than　another。　　We　are　excited　to　an　earnest　study　of　the　individual；　that　we　may　the　more　unerringly　discover　what　pursuit　it　is　for　which　his　nature　and　qualifications　especially　prepare　him。　　We　may　be　long　in　choosing。　　We　may　be　even　on　the　brink　of　committing　a　considerable　mistake。　　Our　subsequent　observations　may　enable　us　to　correct　the　inference　we　were　disposed　to　make　from　those　which　went　before。　　Our　sagacity　is　flattered　by　the　result　of　the　laborious　scrutiny　which　this　view　of　our　common　nature　imposes　upon　us。

In　addition　to　this　we　reap　two　important　advantages。

In　the　first　place；　we　feel　assured　that　every　child　that　is　born　has　his　suitable　sphere；　to　which　if　he　is　devoted；　he　will　not　fail　to　make　an　honourable　figure；　or；　in　other　words；　will　be　seen　to　be　endowed　with　faculties；　apt；　adroit；　intelligent　and　acute。　　This　consideration　may　reasonably　stimulate　us　to　call　up　all　our　penetration　for　the　purpose　of　ascertaining　the　proper　destination　of　the　child　for　whom　we　are　interested。

And；　secondly；　having　arrived　at　this　point；　we　shall　find　ourselves　placed　in　a　very　different　predicament　from　the　guardian　or　instructor；　who；　having　selected　at　random　the　pursuit　which　his　fancy　dictates；　and　in　the　choice　of　which　he　is　encouraged　by　the　presumptuous　assertions　of　a　wild　metaphysical　philosophy；　must　often；　in　spite　of　himself；　feel　a　secret　misgiving　as　to　the　final　event。　　He　may　succeed；　and　present　to　a　wondering　world　a　consummate　musician；　painter；　poet；　or　philosopher；　for　even　blind　chance　may　sometimes　hit　the　mark；　as　truly　as　the　most　perfect　skill。　　But　he　will　probably　fail。　　Sudet　multum；　frustraque　laboret。　　And；　if　he　is　disappointed；　he　will　not　only　feel　that　disappointment　in　the　ultimate　result；　but　also　in　every　step　of　his　progress。　　When　he　has　done　his　best；　exerted　his　utmost　industry；　and　consecrated　every　power　of　his　soul　to　the　energies　he　puts　forth；　he　may　close　every　day；　sometimes　with　a　faint　shadow　of　success；　and　sometimes　with　entire　and　blank　miscarriage。　　And　the　latter　will　happen　ten　thousand　times；　for　once　that　the　undertaking　shall　be　blessed　with　a　prosperous　event。

But；　when　the　destination　that　is　given　to　a　child　has　been　founded　upon　a　careful　investigation　of　the　faculties；　tokens；　and　accidental　aspirations　which　characterise　his　early　years；　it　is　then　that　every　step　that　is　made　with　him；　becomes　a　new　and　surer　source　of　satisfaction。　　The　moment　the　pursuit　for　which　his　powers　are　adapted　is　seriously　proposed　to　him；　his　eyes　sparkle；　and　a　second　existence；　in　addition　to　that　which　he　received　at　his　birth；　descends　upon　him。　　He　feels　that　he　has　now　obtained　something　worth　living　for。　　He　feels　that　he　is　at　home；　and　in　a　sphere　that　is　appropriately　his　own。　　Every　effort　that　he　makes　is　successful。　　At　every　resting…place　in　his　race　of　improvement　he　pauses；　and　looks　back　on　what　he　has　done　with　complacency。　　The　master　cannot　teach　him　so　fast；　as　he　is　prompted　to　acquire。

What　a　contrast　does　this　species　of　instruction　exhibit；　to　the　ordinary　course　of　scholastic　education！　There；　every　lesson　that　is　prescribed；　is　a　source　of　indirect　warfare　between　the　instructor　and　the　pupil；　the　one　professing　to　aim　at　the　advancement　of　him　that　is　taught；　in　the　career　of　knowledge；　and　the　other　contemplating　the　effect　that　is　intended　to　be　produced　upon　him　with　aversion；　and　longing　to　be　engaged　in　any　thing　else；　rather　than　in　that　which　is　pressed　upon　his　foremost　attention。　　In　this　sense　a　numerous　school　is；　to　a　degree　that　can　scarcely　be　adequately　described；　the　slaughter…house　of　mind。　　It　is　like　the　undertaking；　related　by　Livy；　of　Accius　Navius；　the　augur；　to　cut　a　whetstone　with　a　razorwith　this　difference；　that　our　modern　schoolmasters　are　not　endowed　with　the　gift　of　working　miracles；　and；　when　the　experiment　falls　into　their　hands；　the　result　of　their　efforts　is　a　pitiful　miscarriage。　　Knowledge　is　scarcely　in　any　degree　imparted。　　But；　as　they　are　inured　to　a　dogged　assiduity；　and　persist　in　their　unavailing　attempts；　though　the　shell　of　science；　so　to　speak；　is　scarcely　in　the　smallest　measure　penetrated；　yet　that　inestimable　gift　of　the　author　of　our　being；　the　sharpness　of　human　faculties；　is　so　blunted　and　destroyed；　that　it　can　scarcely　ever　be　usefully　employed　even　for　those　purposes　which　it　was　originally　best　qualified　to　effect。

A　numerous　school　is　that　mint　from　which　the　worst　and　most　flagrant　libels　on　our　nature　are　incessantly　issued。　　Hence　it　is　that　we　are　taught；　by　a　judgment　everlastingly　repeated；　that　the　majority　of　our　kind　are　predestinated　blockheads。

Not　that　it　is　by　any　means　to　be　recommended；　that　a　little　writing　and　arithmetic；　and　even　the　first　rudiments　of　classical　knowledge；　so　far　as　they　can　be　practicably　imparted；　should　be　withheld　from　any。　　The　mischief　is；　that　we　persist；　month　after　month；　and　year　after　year；　in　sowing　our　seed；　when　it　has　already　been　fully　ascertained；　that　no　suitable　and　wholsome　crop　will　ever　be　produced。

But　what　is　perhaps　worse　is；　that　we　are　accustomed　to　pronounce；　that　that　soil；　which　will　not　produce　the　crop　of　which　we　have　attempted　to　make　it　fertile；　is　fit　for　nothing。　　The　majority　of　boys；　at　the　very　period　when　the　buds　of　intellect　begin　to　unfold　themselves；　are　so　accustomed　to　be　told　that　they　are　dull　and　fit　for　nothing；　that　the　most　pernicious　effects　are　necessarily　produced。　　They　become　half　convinced　by　the　ill…boding　song　of　the　raven；　perpetually　croaking　in　their　ears；　and；　for　the　other　half；　though　by　no　means　assured　that　the　sentence　of　impotence　awarded　against　them　is　just；　yet；　folding　up　their　powers　in　inactivity；　they　are　contented　partly　to　waste　their　energies　in　pure　idleness　and　sport；　and　partly　to　wait；　with　minds　scarcely　half　awake；　for　the　moment　when　their　true　destination　shall　be　opened　before　them。

Not　that　it　is　by　any　means　to　be　desired。　　that　the　child　in　his　earlier　years　should　meet　with　no　ruggednesses　in　his　way；　and　that　he　should　perpetually　tread　〃the　primrose　path　of　dalliance。〃　Clouds　and　tempests　occasionally　clear　the　atmosphere　of　intellect；　not　less　than　that　of　the　visible　world。　　The　road　to　the　hill　of　science；　and　to　the　promontory　of　heroic　virtue；　is　harsh　and　steep；　and　from　time　to　time　puts　to　the　proof　the　energies　of　him　who　would　ascend　their　topmost　round。

There　are　many　things　which　every　human　creature　should　learn；　so　far　as；　agreeably　to　the　constitution　of　civilised　society；　they　can　be　brought　within　his　reach。　　He　should　be　induced　to　learn　them；　willingly　if　possible；　but；　if　that　cannot　be　thoroughly　effected；　yet　with　half　a　will。　　Such　are　reading；　writing；　arithmetic；　and　the　first　principles　of　grammar；　to　which　shall　be　added；　as　far　as　may　be；　the　rudiments　of　all　the　sciences　that　are　in　ordinary　use。　　The　latter　however　should　not　be　brought　forward　too　soon；　and；　if　wisely　delayed；　the　tyro　himself　will　to　a　certain　degree　enter　into　the　views　of　his　instructor；　and　be　disposed　to　essay　Quid　valeant　humeri；　quid　ferre　recusent。　　But；　above　all；　the　beginnings　of　those　studies　should　be　encouraged；　which　unfold　the　imagination；　familiarise　us　with　the　feelings；　the　joys　and　sufferings　of　our　fellow…beings；　and　teach　us　to　put　ourselves　in　their　place　and　eagerly　fly　to　their　assistance。


SECTION　IV。

HOW　FAR　OUR　GENUINE　PROPENSITIES　AND　VOCATION　SHOULD　BE　FAVOURED。SELF…REVERENCE　RECOMMENDED。CONCLUSION。

I　knew　a　man　of　eminent　intellectual　faculties＇3＇；　one　of　whose　favourite　topics　of　moral　prudence　was；　that　it　is　the　greatest　mistake　in　the　world　to　suppose；　that；　when　we　have　discovered　the　special　aspiration　of　the　youthful　mind；　we　are　bound　to　do　every　thin