01-fate-第4节

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or　the　statute　right　to　vote；　by　those　who　have　never　dared　to　think

or　to　act；　yet　it　is　wholesome　to　man　to　look　not　at　Fate；　but　the

other　way：　the　practical　view　is　the　other。　　His　sound　relation　to

these　facts　is　to　use　and　command；　not　to　cringe　to　them。　　〃Look　not

on　nature；　for　her　name　is　fatal；〃　said　the　oracle。　　The　too　much

contemplation　of　these　limits　induces　meanness。　　They　who　talk　much

of　destiny；　their　birth…star；　&c。；　are　in　a　lower　dangerous　plane；

and　invite　the　evils　they　fear。



　　　　　　　　I　cited　the　instinctive　and　heroic　races　as　proud　believers　in

Destiny。　　They　conspire　with　it；　a　loving　resignation　is　with　the

event。　　But　the　dogma　makes　a　different　impression；　when　it　is　held

by　the　weak　and　lazy。　　'Tis　weak　and　vicious　people　who　cast　the

blame　on　Fate。　　The　right　use　of　Fate　is　to　bring　up　our　conduct　to

the　loftiness　of　nature。　　Rude　and　invincible　except　by　themselves

are　the　elements。　　So　let　man　be。　　Let　him　empty　his　breast　of　his

windy　conceits；　and　show　his　lordship　by　manners　and　deeds　on　the

scale　of　nature。　　Let　him　hold　his　purpose　as　with　the　tug　of

gravitation。　　No　power；　no　persuasion；　no　bribe　shall　make　him　give

up　his　point。　　A　man　ought　to　compare　advantageously　with　a　river；　an

oak；　or　a　mountain。　　He　shall　have　not　less　the　flow；　the　expansion；

and　the　resistance　of　these。



　　　　　　　　'Tis　the　best　use　of　Fate　to　teach　a　fatal　courage。　　Go　face

the　fire　at　sea；　or　the　cholera　in　your　friend's　house；　or　the

burglar　in　your　own；　or　what　danger　lies　in　the　way　of　duty；　knowing

you　are　guarded　by　the　cherubim　of　Destiny。　　If　you　believe　in　Fate

to　your　harm；　believe　it；　at　least；　for　your　good。



　　　　　　　　For；　if　Fate　is　so　prevailing；　man　also　is　part　of　it；　and　can

confront　fate　with　fate。　　If　the　Universe　have　these　savage

accidents；　our　atoms　are　as　savage　in　resistance。　　We　should　be

crushed　by　the　atmosphere；　but　for　the　reaction　of　the　air　within　the

body。　　A　tube　made　of　a　film　of　glass　can　resist　the　shock　of　the

ocean；　if　filled　with　the　same　water。　　If　there　be　omnipotence　in　the

stroke；　there　is　omnipotence　of　recoil。



　　　　　　　　1。　But　Fate　against　Fate　is　only　parrying　and　defence：　there

are；　also；　the　noble　creative　forces。　　The　revelation　of　Thought

takes　man　out　of　servitude　into　freedom。　　We　rightly　say　of

ourselves；　we　were　born；　and　afterward　we　were　born　again；　and　many

times。　　We　have　successive　experiences　so　important；　that　the　new

forgets　the　old；　and　hence　the　mythology　of　the　seven　or　the　nine

heavens。　　The　day　of　days；　the　great　day　of　the　feast　of　life；　is

that　in　which　the　inward　eye　opens　to　the　Unity　in　things；　to　the

omnipresence　of　law；　　sees　that　what　is　must　be；　and　ought　to　be；

or　is　the　best。　　This　beatitude　dips　from　on　high　down　on　us；　and　we

see。　　It　is　not　in　us　so　much　as　we　are　in　it。　　If　the　air　come　to

our　lungs；　we　breathe　and　live；　if　not；　we　die。　　If　the　light　come　to

our　eyes；　we　see；　else　not。　　And　if　truth　come　to　our　mind；　we

suddenly　expand　to　its　dimensions；　as　if　we　grew　to　worlds。　　We　are

as　lawgivers；　we　speak　for　Nature；　we　prophesy　and　divine。



　　　　　　　　This　insight　throws　us　on　the　party　and　interest　of　the

Universe；　against　all　and　sundry；　against　ourselves；　as　much　as

others。　　A　man　speaking　from　insight　affirms　of　himself　what　is　true

of　the　mind：　seeing　its　immortality；　he　says；　I　am　immortal；　seeing

its　invincibility；　he　says；　I　am　strong。　　It　is　not　in　us；　but　we　are

in　it。　　It　is　of　the　maker；　not　of　what　is　made。　　All　things　are

touched　and　changed　by　it。　　This　uses；　and　is　not　used。　　It　distances

those　who　share　it；　from　those　who　share　it　not。　　Those　who　share　it

not　are　flocks　and　herds。　　It　dates　from　itself；　　not　from　former

men　or　better　men；　　gospel；　or　constitution；　or　college；　or　custom。

Where　it　shines；　Nature　is　no　longer　intrusive；　but　all　things　make　a

musical　or　pictorial　impression。　　The　world　of　men　show　like　a　comedy

without　laughter：　　populations；　interests；　government；　history；　

'tis　all　toy　figures　in　a　toy　house。　　It　does　not　overvalue

particular　truths。　　We　hear　eagerly　every　thought　and　word　quoted

from　an　intellectual　man。　　But；　in　his　presence；　our　own　mind　is

roused　to　activity；　and　we　forget　very　fast　what　he　says；　much　more

interested　in　the　new　play　of　our　own　thought；　than　in　any　thought　of

his。　　'Tis　the　majesty　into　which　we　have　suddenly　mounted；　the

impersonality；　the　scorn　of　egotisms；　the　sphere　of　laws；　that　engage

us。　　Once　we　were　stepping　a　little　this　way；　and　a　little　that　way；

now；　we　are　as　men　in　a　balloon；　and　do　not　think　so　much　of　the

point　we　have　left；　or　the　point　we　would　make；　as　of　the　liberty　and

glory　of　the　way。



　　　　　　　　Just　as　much　intellect　as　you　add；　so　much　organic　power。　　He

who　sees　through　the　design；　presides　over　it；　and　must　will　that

which　must　be。　　We　sit　and　rule；　and；　though　we　sleep；　our　dream　will

come　to　pass。　　Our　thought；　though　it　were　only　an　hour　old；　affirms

an　oldest　necessity；　not　to　be　separated　from　thought；　and　not　to　be

separated　from　will。　　They　must　always　have　coexisted。　　It　apprises

us　of　its　sovereignty　and　godhead；　which　refuse　to　be　severed　from

it。　　It　is　not　mine　or　thine；　but　the　will　of　all　mind。　　It　is　poured

into　the　souls　of　all　men；　as　the　soul　itself　which　constitutes　them

men。　　I　know　not　whether　there　be；　as　is　alleged；　in　the　upper　region

of　our　atmosphere；　a　permanent　westerly　current；　which　carries　with

it　all　atoms　which　rise　to　that　height；　but　I　see；　that　when　souls

reach　a　certain　clearness　of　perception；　they　accept　a　knowledge　and

motive　above　selfishness。　　A　breath　of　will　blows　eternally　through

the　universe　of　souls　in　the　direction　of　the　Right　and　Necessary。

It　is　the　air　which　all　intellects　inhale　and　exhale；　and　it　is　the

wind　which　blows　the　worlds　into　order　and　orbit。



　　　　　　　　Thought　dissolves　the　material　universe；　by　carrying　the　mind

up　into　a　sphere　where　all　is　plastic。　　Of　two　men；　each　obeying　his

own　thought；　he　whose　thought　is　deepest　will　be　the　strongest

character。　　Always　one　man　more　than　another　represents　the　will　of

Divine　Providence　to　the　period。



　　　　　　　　2。　If　thought　makes　free；　so　does　the　moral　sentiment。　　The

mixtures　of　spiritual　chemistry　refuse　to　be　analyzed。　　Yet　we　can

see　that　with　the　perception　of　truth　is　joined　the　desire　that　it

shall　prevail。　　That　affection　is　essential　to　will。　　Moreover；　when

a　strong　will　appears；　it　usually　results　from　a　certain　unity　of

organization；　as　if　the　whole　energy　of　body　and　mind　flowed　in　one

direction。　　All　great　force　is　real　and　elemental。　　There　is　no

manufacturing　a　strong　will。　　There　must　be　a　pound　to　balance　a

pound。　　Where　power　is　shown　in　will；　it　must　rest　on　the　universal

force。　　Alaric　and　Bonaparte　must　believe　they　rest　on　a　truth；　or

their　will　can　be　bought　or　bent。　　There　is　a　bribe　possible　for　any

finite　will。　　But　the　pure　sympathy　with　universal　ends　is　an

infinite　force；　and　cannot　be　bribed　or　bent。　　Whoever　has　had

experience　of　the　moral　sentiment　cannot　choose　but　believe　in

unlimited　power。　　Each　pulse　from　that　heart　is　an　oath　from　the　Most

High。　　I　know　not　what　the　word　_sublime_　means；　if　it　be　not　the

intimations　in　this　infant　of　a　terrific　force。　　A　text　of　heroism；　a

name　and　anecdote　of　courage；　are　not　arguments；　but　sallies　of

freedom。　　One　of　these　is　the　verse　of　the　Persian　Hafiz；　〃'Tis

written　on　the　gate　of　Heaven；　‘Wo　unto　him　who　suffers　himself　to　be

betrayed　by　Fate！'〃　Does　the　reading　of　history　make　us　fatalists？

What　courage　does　not　the　opposite　opinion　show！　　A　little　whim　of

will　to　be　free　gallantly　contending　against　the　universe　of

chemistry。



　　　　　　　　But　insight　is　not　will；　nor　is　affection　will。　　Perception　is

cold；　and　goodness　dies　in　wishes；　as　Voltaire　said；　'tis　the

misfortune　of　worthy　people　that　they　are　cowards；　_〃un　des　plus

grands　malheurs　des　honnetes　gens　c'est　qu'ils　sont　des　lafaches。〃_

There　must　be　a　fusion　of　these　two　to　generate　the　energy　of　will。

There　can　be　no　driving　force；　except　through　the　conversion　of　the

man　into　his　will；　making　him　the　will；　and　the　will　him。　　And　one

may　say　boldly；　that　no　man　has　a　right　perception　of　any　truth；　who

has　not　been　reacted　on　by　it；　so　as　to　be　ready　to　be　its　martyr。



　　　　　　　　The　one　serious　and　formidable　thing　in　nature　is　a　will。

Society　is　servile　from　want　of　will；　and　therefore　the　world　wants

saviours　and　religions。　　One　way　is　right　to　go：　the　hero　sees　it；

and　moves　on　that　aim；　and　has　the　world　under　him　for　root　and

support。　　He　is　to　others　as　the　world。　　His　approbation　is　honor；

his　dissent；　infamy。　　The　glance　of　his　eye　has　the　force　of

sunbeams。　　A　personal　influence　towers　up　in　memory　only　worthy；　and

we　gladly　forget　numbers；　money；　climate；　gravitation；　and　the　rest

of　Fate。



　　　　　　　　We　can　afford　to　allow　the　limitation；　if　we　know　it　is　the

meter　of　t