thoughts on man-第47节

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ll　meaner　and　selfish　regards　are　annihilated。

From　what　has　been　thus　drawn　together　and　recapitulated　it　seems　clearly　to　follow；　as　was　stated　in　the　beginning；　that　love　cannot　exist　in　its　purest　form　and　with　a　genuine　ardour；　where　the　parties　are；　and　are　felt　by　each　other　to　be；　on　an　equality；　but　that　in　all　cases　it　is　requisite　there　should　be　a　mutual　deference　and　submission；　agreeably　to　the　apostolic　precept；　〃Likewise　all　of　you　be　subject　one　to　the　other。〃　　There　must　be　room　for　the　imagination　to　exercise　its　powers；　we　must　conceive　and　apprehend　a　thousand　things　which　we　do　not　actually　witness；　each　party　must　feel　that　it　stands　in　need　of　the　other；　and　without　the　other　cannot　be　complete；　each　party　must　be　alike　conscious　of　the　power　of　receiving　and　conferring　benefit；　and　there　must　be　the　anticipation　of　a　distant　future；　that　may　every　day　enhance　the　good　to　be　imparted　and　enjoyed；　and　cause　the　individuals　thus　united　perpetually　to　become　more　sensible　of　the　fortunate　event　which　gave　them　to　each　other；　and　has　thus　entailed　upon　each　a　thousand　advantages　in　which　they　could　otherwise　never　have　shared。



ESSAY　XVI。　OF　FRANKNESS　AND　RESERVE。

Animals　are　divided　into　the　solitary　and　the　are　gregarious：　　the　former　being　only　occasionally　associated　with　its　mate；　and　perhaps　engaged　in　the　care　of　its　offspring；　the　latter　spending　their　lives　in　herds　and　communities。　　Man　is　of　this　last　class　or　division。

Where　the　animals　of　any　particular　species　live　much　in　society；　it　seems　requisite　that　in　some　degree　they　should　be　able　to　understand　each　other's　purposes；　and　to　act　with　a　certain　portion　of　concert。

All　other　animals　are　exceedingly　limited　in　their　powers　of　communication。　　But　speech　renders　that　being　whom　we　justly　entitle　the　lord　of　the　creation；　capable　of　a　boundless　interchange　of　ideas　and　intentions。　　Not　only　can　we　communicate　to　each　other　substantively　our　elections　and　preferences：　　we　can　also　exhort　and　persuade；　and　employ　reasons　and　arguments　to　convince　our　fellows；　that　the　choice　we　have　made　is　also　worthy　of　their　adoption。　　We　can　express　our　thoughts；　and　the　various　lights　and　shades；　the　bleedings；　of　our　thoughts。　　Language　is　an　instrument　capable　of　being　perpetually　advanced　in　copiousness；　perspicuity　and　power。

No　principle　of　morality　can　be　more　just；　than　that　which　teaches　us　to　regard　every　faculty　we　possess　as　a　power　intrusted　to　us　for　the　benefit　of　others　as　well　as　of　ourselves；　and　which　therefore　we　are　bound　to　employ　in　the　way　which　shall　best　conduce　to　the　general　advantage。

〃Speech　was　given　us；　that　by　it　we　might　express　our　thoughts＇34＇；〃　in　other　words；　our　impressions；　ideas　and　conceptions。　　We　then　therefore　best　fulfil　the　scope　of　our　nature；　when　we　sincerely　and　unreservedly　communicate　to　each　other　our　feelings　and　apprehensions。　　Speech　should　be　to　man　in　the　nature　of　a　fair　complexion；　the　transparent　medium　through　which　the　workings　of　the　mind　should　be　made　legible。

＇34＇　Moliere。


I　think　I　have　somewhere　read　of　Socrates；　that　certain　of　his　friends　expostulated　with　him；　that　the　windows　of　his　house　were　so　constructed　that　every　one　who　went　by　could　discover　all　that　passed　within。　　〃And　wherefore　not？〃　　said　the　sage。　　〃I　do　nothing　that　I　would　wish　to　have　concealed　from　any　human　eye。　　If　I　knew　that　all　the　world　observed　every　thing　I　did；　I　should　feel　no　inducement　to　change　my　conduct　in　the　minutest　particular。〃

It　is　not　however　practicable　that　frankness　should　be　carried　to　the　extent　above　mentioned。　　It　has　been　calculated　that　the　human　mind　is　capable　of　being　impressed　with　three　hundred　and　twenty　sensations　in　a　second　of　time。　　At　all　events　we　well　know　that；　even　〃while　I　am　speaking；　a　variety　of　sensations　are　experienced　by　me；　without　so　much　as　interrupting；　that　is；　without　materially　diverting；　the　train　of　my　ideas。　　My　eye　successively　remarks　a　thousand　objects　that　present　themselves；　and　my　mind　wanders　to　the　different　parts　of　my　body；　without　occasioning　the　minutest　obstacle　to　my　discourse；　or　my　being　in　any　degree　distracted　by　the　multiplicity　of　these　objects＇35＇。〃　　It　is　therefore　beyond　the　reach　of　the　faculty　of　speech；　for　me　to　communicate　all　the　sensations　I　experience；　and　I　am　of　necessity　reduced　to　a　selection。

＇35＇　See　above；　Essay　7。


Nor　is　this　the　whole。　　We　do　not　communicate　all　that　we　feel；　and　all　that　we　think；　for　this　would　be　impertinent。　　We　owe　a　certain　deference　and　consideration　to　our　fellow…men；　we　owe　it　in　reality　to　ourselves。　　We　do　not　communicate　indiscriminately　all　that　passes　within　us。　　The　time　would　fail　us；　and　〃the　world　would　not　contain　the　books　that　might　be　written。〃　　We　do　not　speak　merely　for　the　sake　of　speaking；　otherwise　the　communication　of　man　with　his　fellow　would　be　but　one　eternal　babble。　　Speech　is　to　be　employed　for　some　useful　purpose；　nor　ought　we　to　give　utterance　to　any　thing　that　shall　not　promise　to　be　in　some　way　productive　of　benefit　or　amusement。

Frankness　has　its　limits；　beyond　which　it　would　cease　to　be　either　advantageous　or　virtuous。　　We　are　not　to　tell　every　thing：

but　we　are　not　to　conceal　any　thing；　that　it　would　be　useful　or　becoming　in　us　to　utter。　　Our　first　duty　regarding　the　faculty　of　speech　is；　not　to　keep　back　what　it　would　be　beneficial　to　our　neighbour　to　know。　　But　this　is　a　negative　sincerity　only。　　If　we　would　acquire　a　character　for　frankness；　we　must　be　careful　that　our　conversation　is　such；　as　to　excite　in　him　the　idea　that　we　are　open；　ingenuous　and　fearless。　　We　must　appear　forward　to　speak　all　that　will　give　him　pleasure；　and　contribute　to　maintain　in　him　an　agreeable　state　of　being。　　It　must　be　obvious　that　we　are　not　artificial　and　on　our　guard。After　all；　it　is　difficult　to　lay　down　rules　on　this　subject：　　the　spring　of　whatever　is　desirable　respecting　it；　must　be　in　the　temper　of　the　man　with　whom　others　have　intercourse。　　He　must　be　benevolent；　sympathetic　and　affectionate。　　His　heart　must　overflow　with　good…will；　and　he　must　be　anxious　to　relieve　every　little　pain；　and　to　contribute　to　the　enjoyment　and　complacent　feelings；　of　those　with　whom　he　is　permanently　or　accidentally　connected。　　〃Out　of　the　abundance　of　the　heart　the　mouth　speaketh。〃

There　are　two　considerations　by　which　we　ought　to　be　directed　in　the　exercise　of　the　faculty　of　speech。

The　first　is；　that　we　should　tell　our　neighbour　all　that　it　would　be　useful　to　him　to　know。　　We　must　have　no　sinister　or　bye　ends。　　〃No　man　liveth　to　himself。〃　　We　are　all　of　us　members　of　the　great　congregation　of　mankind。　　The　same　blood　should　circulate　through　every　limb　and　every　muscle。　　Our　pulses　should　beat　time　to　each　other；　and　we　should　have　one　common　sensorium；　vibrating　throughout；　upon　every　material　accident　that　occurs；　and　when　any　object　is　at　stake　essentially　affecting　the　welfare　of　our　fellow…beings。　　We　should　forget　ourselves　in　the　interest　that　we　feel　for　the　happiness　of　others；　and；　if　this　were　universal；　each　man　would　be　a　gainer；　inasmuch　as　he　lost　himself；　and　was　cared　and　watched　for　by　many。

In　all　these　respects　we　must　have　no　reserve。　　We　should　only　consider　what　it　is　that　it　would　be　beneficial　to　have　declared。

We　must　not　look　back　to　ourselves；　and　consult　the　dictates　of　a　narrow　and　self…interested　prudence。　　The　whole　essence　of　communication　is　adulterated；　if；　instead　of　attending　to　the　direct　effects　of　what　suggests　itself　to　our　tongue；　we　are　to　consider　how　by　a　circuitous　route　it　may　react　upon　our　own　pleasures　and　advantage。

Nor　only　are　we　bound　to　communicate　to　our　neighbour　all　that　it　will　be　useful　to　him　to　know。　　We　have　many　neighbours；　beside　those　to　whom　we　immediately　address　ourselves。　　To　these　our　absent　fellow…beings；　we　owe　a　thousand　duties。　　We　are　bound　to　defend　those　whom　we　hear　aspersed；　and　who　are　spoken　unworthily　of　by　the　persons　whom　we　incidentally　encounter。　　We　should　be　the　forward　and　spontaneous　advocates　of　merit　in　every　shape　and　in　every　individual　in　whom　we　know　it　to　exist。　　What　a　character　would　that　man　make　for　himself；　of　whom　it　was　notorious　that　he　consecrated　his　faculty　of　speech　to　the　refuting　unjust　imputations　against　whomsoever　they　were　directed；　to　the　contradicting　all　false　and　malicious　reports；　and　to　the　bringing　forth　obscure　and　unrecognised　worth　from　the　shades　in　which　it　lay　hid！　What　a　world　should　we　live　in；　if　all　men　were　thus　prompt　and　fearless　to　do　justice　to　all　the　worth　they　knew　or　apprehended　to　exist！　　Justice；　simple　justice；　if　it　extended　no　farther　than　barely　to　the　faculty　of　speech；　would　in　no　long　time　put　down　all　misrepresentation　and　calumny；　bring　all　that　is　good　and　meritorious　into　honour；　and；　so　to　speak；　set　every　man　in　his　true　and　rightful　position。　　But　whoever　would　attempt　this；　must　do　it　in　all　honour；　without　parade；　and　with　no　ever…and…anon　looking　back　upon　his　achievement；　and　saying；　See　to　how　much　credit　I　am　entitled！as　if　he　laid　more　stress　upon　himself；　the　doer　of　this　justice；　than　upon　justice　in　its　intrinsic　nature　and　claims。

But　we　not　only　owe　something　to　th