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第32节

a vindication of the rights of woman-第32节

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very easy to catch the flying stream?  Such slaves are we to hope and fear! But; vain as the ambitious man's pursuit would be; he is often striving for something more substantial than famethat indeed would be the veriest meteor; the wildest fire that could lure a man to ruin。  What! renounce the most trifling gratification to be applauded when he should be no more! Wherefore this struggle; whether man is mortal or immortal; if that noble passion did not really raise the being above his fellows? And love!  What diverting scenes would it producePantaloon's tricks must yield to more egregious folly。  To see a mortal adorn an object with imaginary charms; and then fall down and worship the idol which he had himself set uphow ridiculous!  But what serious consequences ensue to rob man of that portion of happiness; which the Deity by calling him into existence has (or; on what can his attributes rest?) indubitably promised; would not all the purposes of life have been much better fulfilled if he had only felt what has been termed physical love?  And; would not the sight of the object; not seen through the medium of the imagination; soon reduce the passion to an appetite; if reflection; the noble distinction of man; did not give it force; and make it an instrument to raise him above this earthy dross; by teaching him to love the centre of all perfection! whose wisdom appears clearer and clearer in the works of nature; in proportion as reason is illuminated and exalted by contemplation; and by acquiring that love of order which the struggles of passion produce? The habit of reflection; and the knowledge attained by fostering any passion; might be shown to be equally useful though the object be proved equally fallacious; for they would all appear in the same light; if they were not magnified by the governing passion implanted in us by the Author of all good; to call forth and strengthen the faculties of each individual; and enable it to attain all the experience that an infant can obtain; who does certain things; it cannot tell why。 I descend from my height; and mixing with my fellow creatures; feel myself hurried along the common stream; ambition; love; hope; and fear; exert their wonted power; though we be convinced by reason that their present and most attractive promises are only lying dreams; but had the cold hand of circumspection damped each generous feeling before it had left any permanent character; or fixed some habit; what could be expected; but selfish prudence and reason just rising above instinct?  Who that has read Dean Swift's disgusting description of the Yahoos; and insipid one of Houyhnhnm with a philosophical eye; can avoid seeing the futility of degrading the passions; or making man rest in contentment? The youth should ACT; for had he the experience of a grey head; he would be fitter for death than life; though his virtues; rather residing in his head than his heart could produce nothing great; and his understanding prepared for this world; would not; by its noble flights; prove that it had a title to a better。 Besides; it is not possible to give a young person a just view of life; he must have struggled with his own passions before he can estimate the force of the temptation which betrayed his brother into vice。  Those who are entering life; and those who are departing; see the world from such very different points of view; that they can seldom think alike; unless the unfledged reason of the former never attempted a solitary flight。 When we hear of some daring crimeit comes full upon us in the deepest shade of turpitude; and raises indignation; but the eye that gradually saw the darkness thicken; must observe it with more compassionate forbearance。  The world cannot be seen by an unmoved spectator; we must mix in the throng; and feel as men feel before we can judge of their feelings。  If we mean; in short; to live in the world to grow wiser and better; and not merely to enjoy the good things of life; we must attain a knowledge of others at the same time that we become acquainted with ourselves knowledge acquired any other way only hardens the heart and perplexes the understanding。 I may be told; that the knowledge thus acquired; is sometimes purchased at too dear a rate。  I can only answer; that I very much doubt whether any knowledge can be attained without labour and sorrow; and those who wish to spare their children both; should not complain if they are neither wise nor virtuous。  They only aimed at making them prudent; and prudence; early in life; is but the cautious craft of ignorant self…love。  I have observed; that young people; to whose education particular attention has been paid; have; in general; been very superficial and conceited; and far from pleasing in any respect; because they had neither the unsuspecting warmth of youth; nor the cool depth of age。  I cannot help imputing this unnatural appearance principally to that hasty premature instruction; which leads them presumptuously to repeat all the crude notions they have taken upon trust; so that the careful education which they received; makes them all their lives the slaves of prejudices。 Mental as well as bodily exertion is; at first; irksome; so much so; that the many would fain let others both work and think for them。  An observation which I have often made will illustrate my meaning。  When in a circle of strangers; or acquaintances; a person of moderate abilities; asserts an opinion with heat; I will venture to affirm; for I have traced this fact home; very often; that it is a prejudice。  These echoes have a high respect for the understanding of some relation or friend; and without fully comprehending the opinions; which they are so eager to retail; they maintain them with a degree of obstinacy; that would surprise even the person who concocted them。 I know that a kind of fashion now prevails of respecting prejudices; and when any one dares to face them; though actuated by humanity and armed by reason; he is superciliously asked; whether his ancestors were fools。  No; I should reply; opinions; at first; of every description; were all; probably; considered; and therefore were founded on some reason; yet not unfrequently; of course; it was rather a local expedient than a fundamental principle; that would be reasonable at all times。  But; moss…covered opinions assume the disproportioned form of prejudices; when they are indolently adopted only because age has given them a venerable aspect; though the reason on which they were built ceases to be a reason; or cannot be traced。  Why are we to love prejudices; merely because they are prejudices?  A prejudice is a fond obstinate persuasion; for which we can give no reason; for the moment a reason can be given for an opinion; it ceases to be a prejudice; though it may be an error in judgment:  and are we then advised to cherish opinions only to set reason at defiance?  This mode of arguing; if arguing it may be called; reminds me of what is vulgarly termed a woman's reason。  For women sometimes declare that they love; or believe certain things; BECAUSE they love; or believe them。 It is impossible to converse with people to any purpose; who; in this style; only use affirmatives and negatives。  Before you can bring them to a point; to start fairly from; you must go back to the simple principles that were antecedent to the prejudices broached by power; and it is ten to one but you are stopped by the philosophical assertion; that certain principles are as practically false as they are abstractly true。  Nay; it may be inferred; that reason has whispered some doubts; for it generally happens that people assert their opinions with the greatest heat when they begin to waver; striving to drive out their own doubts by convincing their opponent; they grow angry when those gnawing doubts are thrown back to prey on themselves。 The fact is; that men expect from education; what education cannot give。  A sagacious parent or tutor may strengthen the body and sharpen the instruments by which the child is to gather knowledge; but the honey must be the reward of the individual's own industry。 It is almost as absurd to attempt to make a youth wise by the experience of another; as to expect the body to grow strong by the exercise which is only talked of; or seen。 Many of those children whose conduct has been most narrowly watched; become the weakest men; because their instructors only instill certain notions into their minds; that have no other foundation than their authority; and if they are loved or respected; the mind is cramped in its exertions and wavering in its advances。  The business of education in this case; is only to conduct the shooting tendrils to a proper pole; yet after laying precept upon precept; without allowing a child to acquire judgment itself; parents expect them to act in the same manner by this borrowed fallacious light; as if they had illuminated it themselves; and be; when they enter life; what their parents are at the close。  They do not consider that the tree; and even the human body; does not strengthen its fibres till it has reached its full growth。 There appears to be something analogous in the mind。  The senses and the imagination give a form to the character; during childhood and youth; and the underst

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