thoughts on man-第17节

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h。　　Home　is　the　place　where　he　can　be　uninterrupted。　　He　is　in　a　castle　which　is　his　in　full　propriety。　　No　unwelcome　guests　can　intrude；　no　harsh　sounds　can　disturb　his　contemplations；　he　is　the　master；　and　can　command　a　silence　equal　to　that　of　the　tomb；　whenever　he　pleases。

In　this　sense　every　man　feels；　while　cribbed　in　a　cabin　of　flesh；　and　shut　up　by　the　capricious　and　arbitrary　injunctions　of　human　communities；　that　he　is　not　at　home。

Another　cause　of　our　discontent　is　to　be　traced　to　the　disparity　of　the　two　parts　of　which　we　are　composed；　the　thinking　principle；　and　the　body　in　which　it　acts。　　The　machine　which　constitutes　the　visible　man；　bears　no　proportion　to　our　thoughts；　our　wishes　and　desires。　　Hence　we　are　never　satisfied；　we　always　feel　the　want　of　something　we　have　not；　and　this　uneasiness　is　continually　pushing　us　on　to　precipitate　and　abortive　resolves。

I　find　in　a　book；　entitled；　Illustrations　of　Phrenology；　by　Sir　George　Mackenzie；　Baronet；　the　following　remark。　　'If　this　portrait　be　correctly　drawn；　the　right　side　does　not　quite　agree　with　the　left　in　the　region　of　ideality。　　This　dissimilarity　may　have　produced　something　contradictory　in　the　feelings　of　the　person　it　represents；　which　he　may　have　felt　extremely　annoying＇7＇。〃　　An　observation　of　this　sort　may　be　urged　with　striking　propriety　as　to　the　dissimilar　attributes　of　the　body　and　the　thinking　principle　in　man。


＇7＇　The　remark　thus　delivered　is　applied　to　the　portrait　of　the　author　of　the　present　volume。


It　is　perhaps　thus　that　we　are　to　account　for　a　phenomenon；　in　itself　sufficiently　obvious；　that　our　nature　has　within　it　a　principle　of　boundless　ambition；　a　desire　to　be　something　that　we　are　not；　a　feeling　that　we　are　out　of　our　place；　and　ought　to　be　where　we　are　not。　　This　feeling　produces　in　us　quick　and　earnest　sallies　and　goings　forth　of　the　mind；　a　restlessness　of　soul；　and　an　aspiration　after　some　object　that　we　do　not　find　ourselves　able　to　chalk　out　and　define。

Hence　comes　the　practice　of　castle…building；　and　of　engaging　the　soul　in　endless　reveries　and　imaginations　of　something　mysterious　and　unlike　to　what　we　behold　in　the　scenes　of　sublunary　life。　　Many　writers；　having　remarked　this；　have　endeavoured　to　explain　it　from　the　doctrine　of　a　preexistent　state；　and　have　said　that；　though　we　have　no　clear　and　distinct　recollection　of　what　happened　to　us　previously　to　our　being　launched　in　our　present　condition；　yet　we　have　certain　broken　and　imperfect　conceptions；　as　if；　when　the　tablet　of　the　memory　was　cleared　for　the　most　part　of　the　traces　of　what　we　had　passed　through　in　some　other　mode　of　being；　there　were　a　few　characters　that　had　escaped　the　diligence　of　the　hand　by　which　the　rest　had　been　obliterated。

It　is　this　that；　in　less　enlightened　ages　of　the　world；　led　men　to　engage　so　much　of　their　thoughts　upon　supposed　existences；　which；　though　they　might　never　become　subject　to　our　organs　of　vision；　were　yet　conceived　to　be　perpetually　near　us；　fairies；　ghosts；　witches；　demons　and　angels。　　Our　ancestors　often　derived　suggestions　from　these；　were　informed　of　things　beyond　the　ken　of　ordinary　faculties；　were　tempted　to　the　commission　of　forbidden　acts；　or　encouraged　to　proceed　in　the　paths　of　virtue。

The　most　remarkable　of　these　phenomena　was　that　of　necromancy；　sorcery　and　magic。　　There　were　men　who　devoted　themselves　to　〃curious　arts；〃　and　had　books　fraught　with　hidden　knowledge。　　They　could　〃bedim

　The　noon…tide　sun；　call　forth　the　mutinous　winds；　And　'twixt　the　green　sea　and　the　azured　vault　Set　roaring　war：　　to　the　dread；　rattling　thunder　They　could　give　fire；　and　rift　even　Jove's　stout　oak　With　his　own　boltgraves　at　their　command　Have　waked　their　sleepers；　oped　and　let　them　forth。


And　of　these　things　the　actors　in　them　were　so　certain；　that　many　witches　were　led　to　the　stake；　their　guilt　being　principally　established　on　their　own　confessions。　　But　the　most　memorable　matters　in　the　history　of　the　black　art；　were　the　contracts　which　those　who　practised　it　not　unfrequently　entered　into　with　the　devil；　that　he　should　assist　them　by　his　supernatural　power　for　ten　or　twenty　years；　and；　in　consideration　of　this　aid；　they　consented　to　resign　their　souls　into　his　possession；　when　the　period　of　the　contract　was　expired。

In　the　animal　creation　there　are　some　species　that　may　be　tamed；　and　others　whose　wildness　is　irreclaimable。　　Horace　says；　that　all　men　are　mad：　　and　no　doubt　mankind　in　general　has　one　of　the　features　of　madness。　　In　the　ordinary　current　of　our　existence　we　are　to　a　considerable　degree　rational　and　tractable。　　But　we　are　not　altogether　safe。　　I　may　converse　with　a　maniac　for　hours；　he　shall　talk　as　soberly；　and　conduct　himself　with　as　much　propriety；　as　any　other　of　the　species　who　has　never　been　afflicted　with　his　disease；　but　touch　upon　a　particular　string；　and；　before　you　are　aware　of　it；　he　shall　fly　out　into　the　wildest　and　most　terrifying　extravagances。　　Such；　though　in　a　greatly　inferior　degree；　are　the　majority　of　human　beings。

The　original　impulse　of　man　is　uncontrolableness。　　When　the　spirit　of　life　first　descends　upon　us；　we　desire　and　attempt　to　be　as　free　as　air。　　We　are　impatient　of　restraint。　　This　is　the　period　of　the　empire　of　will。　　There　is　a　power　within　us　that　wars　against　the　restraint　of　another。　　We　are　eager　to　follow　our　own　impulses　and　caprices；　and　are　with　difficulty　subjected　to　those　who　believe　they　best　know　how　to　control　inexperienced　youth　in　a　way　that　shall　tend　to　his　ultimate　advantage。

The　most　moderate　and　auspicious　method　in　which　the　old　may　endeavour　to　guide　and　control　the　pursuits　of　the　young；　undoubtedly　is　by　the　conviction　of　the　understanding。　　But　this　is　not　always　easy。　　It　is　not　at　all　times　practicable　fully　to　explain　to　the　apprehension　of　a　very　young　person　the　advantage；　which　at　a　period　a　little　more　advanced　he　would　be　able　clearly　to　recognise。

There　is　a　further　evil　appertaining　to　this　view　of　the　subject。

A　young　man　even；　in　the　early　season　of　life；　is　not　always　disposed　to　obey　the　convictions　of　his　understanding。　　He　has　prescribed　to　himself　a　task　which　returns　with　the　returning　day；　but　he　is　often　not　disposed　to　apply。　　The　very　sense　that　it　is　what　he　conceives　to　be　an　incumbent　duty；　inspires　him　with　reluctance。

An　obvious　source　of　this　reluctance　is；　that　the　convictions　of　our　understanding　are　not　always　equally　present　to　us。　　I　have　entered　into　a　deduction　of　premises；　and　arrived　at　a　conclusion；　but　some　of　the　steps　of　the　chain　are　scarcely　obvious　to　me；　at　the　time　that　I　am　called　upon　to　act　upon　the　conclusion　I　have　drawn。　　Beside　which；　there　was　a　freshness　in　the　first　conception　of　the　reasons　on　which　my　conduct　was　to　be　framed；　which；　by　successive　rehearsals；　and　by　process　of　time；　is　no　longer　in　any　degree　spirit…stirring　and　pregnant。

This　restiveness　and　impracticability　are　principally　incident　to　us　in　the　period　of　youth。　　By　degrees　the　novelties　of　life　wear　out；　and　we　become　sober。　　We　are　like　soldiers　at　drill；　and　in　a　review。　　At　first　we　perform　our　exercise　from　necessity；　and　with　an　ill　grace。　　We　had　rather　be　doing　almost　any　thing　else。

By　degrees　we　are　reconciled　to　our　occupation。　　We　are　like　horses　in　a　manege；　or　oxen　or　dogs　taught　to　draw　the　plough；　or　be　harnessed　to　a　carriage。　　Our　stubbornness　is　subdued；　we　no　longer　exhaust　our　strength　in　vain　efforts　to　free　ourselves　from　the　yoke。

Conviction　at　first　is　strong。　　Having　arrived　at　years　of　discretion；　I　revolve　with　a　sobered　mind　the　different　occupations　to　which　my　efforts　and　my　time　may　be　devoted；　and　determine　at　length　upon　that　which　under　all　the　circumstances　displays　the　most　cogent　recommendations。　　Having　done　so；　I　rouse　my　faculties　and　direct　my　energies　to　the　performance　of　my　task。　　By　degrees　however　my　resolution　grows　less　vigorous；　and　my　exertions　relax。　　I　accept　any　pretence　to　be　let　off；　and　fly　into　a　thousand　episodes　and　eccentricities。

But；　as　the　newness　of　life　subsides；　the　power　of　temptation　becomes　less。　　That　conviction；　which　was　at　first　strong；　and　gradually　became　fainter　and　less　impressive；　is　made　by　incessant　repetitions　a　part　of　my　nature。　　I　no　more　think　of　doubting　its　truth；　than　of　my　own　existence。　　Practice　has　rendered　the　pursuits　that　engage　me　more　easy；　till　at　length　I　grow　disturbed　and　uncomfortable　if　I　am　withheld　from　them。　　They　are　like　my　daily　bread。　　If　they　are　not　afforded　me；　I　grow　sick　and　attenuated；　and　my　life　verges　to　a　close。　　The　sun　is　not　surer　to　rise；　than　I　am　to　feel　the　want　of　my　stated　employment。

It　is　the　business　of　education　to　tame　the　wild　ass；　the　restive　and　rebellious　principle；　in　our　nature。　　The　judicious　parent　or　instructor　essays　a　thousand　methods　to　accomplish　his　end。　　The　considerate　elder　tempts　the　child　with　inticements　and　caresses；　that　he　may　win　his　attention　to　the　first　rudiments　of　learning。

He　sets　before　him；　as　he　grows　older；　all　the　considerations　and　reasons　he　can　devise；　to　make　him　apprehend　the　advantage　of　improvement　and　literature。　　He　does　his　utmost　to　make　his　progress　easy；　and　to　remove　all　impediments。　　He　smooths　the　pat