01-what is man-第17节
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instrumenta speaking…trumpet。 Speaking…trumpets are not
responsible for what is said through them。 Outside influences
in the form of lifelong teachings； trainings； notions；
prejudices； and other second…hand importationshave persuaded
the Master within you that the publication of these doctrines
would be harmful。 Very well； this is quite natural； and was to
be expected； in fact； was inevitable。 Go on； for the sake of
ease and convenience； stick to habit： speak in the first person；
and tell me what your Master thinks about it。
Y。M。 Well； to begin： it is a desolating doctrine； it is
not inspiring； enthusing； uplifting。 It takes the glory out of
man； it takes the pride out of him； it takes the heroism out of
him； it denies him all personal credit； all applause； it not only
degrades him to a machine； but allows him no control over the
machine； makes a mere coffee…mill of him； and neither permits him
to supply the coffee nor turn the crank； his sole and piteously
humble function being to grind coarse or fine； according to his
make； outside impulses doing the rest。
O。M。 It is correctly stated。 Tell mewhat do men admire
most in each other？
Y。M。 Intellect； courage； majesty of build； beauty of
countenance； charity； benevolence； magnanimity； kindliness；
heroism； andand
O。M。 I would not go any further。 These are ELEMENTALS。
Virtue； fortitude； holiness； truthfulness； loyalty； high ideals
these； and all the related qualities that are named in the
dictionary； are MADE OF THE ELEMENTALS； by blendings；
combinations； and shadings of the elementals； just as one makes
green by blending blue and yellow； and makes several shades and
tints of red by modifying the elemental red。 There are several
elemental colors； they are all in the rainbow； out of them we
manufacture and name fifty shades of them。 You have named the
elementals of the human rainbow； and also one BLENDheroism；
which is made out of courage and magnanimity。 Very well； then；
which of these elements does the possessor of it manufacture for
himself？ Is it intellect？
Y。M。 No。
O。M。 Why？
Y。M。 He is born with it。
O。M。 Is it courage？
Y。M。 No。 He is born with it。
O。M。 Is it majesty of build； beauty of countenance？
Y。M。 No。 They are birthrights。
O。M。 Take those othersthe elemental moral qualities
charity； benevolence； magnanimity； kindliness； fruitful seeds；
out of which spring； through cultivation by outside influences；
all the manifold blends and combinations of virtues named in the
dictionaries： does man manufacture any of those seeds； or are
they all born in him？
Y。M。 Born in him。
O。M。 Who manufactures them； then？
Y。M。 God。
O。M。 Where does the credit of it belong？
Y。M。 To God。
O。M。 And the glory of which you spoke； and the applause？
Y。M。 To God。
O。M。 Then it is YOU who degrade man。 You make him claim
glory； praise； flattery； for every valuable thing he possesses
BORROWED finery； the whole of it； no rag of it earned by himself；
not a detail of it produced by his own labor。 YOU make man a
humbug； have I done worse by him？
Y。M。 You have made a machine of him。
O。M。 Who devised that cunning and beautiful mechanism； a
man's hand？
Y。M。 God。
O。M。 Who devised the law by which it automatically hammers
out of a piano an elaborate piece of music； without error； while
the man is thinking about something else； or talking to a friend？
Y。M。 God。
O。M。 Who devised the blood？ Who devised the wonderful
machinery which automatically drives its renewing and refreshing
streams through the body； day and night； without assistance or
advice from the man？ Who devised the man's mind； whose machinery
works automatically； interests itself in what it pleases；
regardless of its will or desire； labors all night when it likes；
deaf to his appeals for mercy？ God devised all these things。
_I_ have not made man a machine； God made him a machine。 I am
merely calling attention to the fact； nothing more。 Is it wrong
to call attention to the fact？ Is it a crime？
Y。M。 I think it is wrong to EXPOSE a fact when harm can
come of it。
O。M。 Go on。
Y。M。 Look at the matter as it stands now。 Man has been
taught that he is the supreme marvel of the Creation； he believes
it； in all the ages he has never doubted it； whether he was a
naked savage； or clothed in purple and fine linen； and civilized。
This has made his heart buoyant； his life cheery。 His pride in
himself； his sincere admiration of himself； his joy in what he
supposed were his own and unassisted achievements； and his
exultation over the praise and applause which they evokedthese
have exalted him； enthused him； ambitioned him to higher and
higher flights； in a word； made his life worth the living。 But
by your scheme； all this is abolished； he is degraded to a
machine； he is a nobody； his noble prides wither to mere
vanities； let him strive as he may； he can never be any better
than his humblest and stupidest neighbor； he would never be
cheerful again； his life would not be worth the living。
O。M。 You really think that？
Y。M。 I certainly do。
O。M。 Have you ever seen me uncheerful； unhappy。
Y。M。 No。
O。M。 Well； _I_ believe these things。 Why have they not
made me unhappy？
Y。M。 Oh； welltemperament； of course！ You never let THAT
escape from your scheme。
O。M。 That is correct。 If a man is born with an unhappy
temperament； nothing can make him happy； if he is born with a
happy temperament； nothing can make him unhappy。
Y。M。 Whatnot even a degrading and heart…chilling system
of beliefs？
O。M。 Beliefs？ Mere beliefs？ Mere convictions？ They are
powerless。 They strive in vain against inborn temperament。
Y。M。 I can't believe that； and I don't。
O。M。 Now you are speaking hastily。 It shows that you have
not studiously examined the facts。 Of all your intimates； which
one is the happiest？ Isn't it Burgess？
Y。M。 Easily。
O。M。 And which one is the unhappiest？ Henry Adams？
Y。M。 Without a question！
O。M。 I know them well。 They are extremes； abnormals； their
temperaments are as opposite as the poles。 Their life…histories
are about alikebut look at the results！ Their ages are about
the sameabout around fifty。 Burgess had always been buoyant；
hopeful； happy； Adams has always been cheerless； hopeless；
despondent。 As young fellows both tried country journalismand
failed。 Burgess didn't seem to mind it； Adams couldn't smile； he
could only mourn and groan over what had happened and torture
himself with vain regrets for not having done so and so instead
of so and soTHEN he would have succeeded。 They tried the law
and failed。 Burgess remained happybecause he couldn't help it。
Adams was wretchedbecause he couldn't help it。 From that day
to this； those two men have gone on trying things and failing：
Burgess has come out happy and cheerful every time； Adams the
reverse。 And we do absolutely know that these men's inborn
temperaments have remained unchanged through all the vicissitudes
of their material affairs。 Let us see how it is with their
immaterials。 Both have been zealous Democrats； both have been
zealous Republicans； both have been zealous Mugwumps。 Burgess
has always found happiness and Adams unhappiness in these several
political beliefs and in their migrations out of them。 Both of
these men have been Presbyterians； Universalists； Methodists；
Catholicsthen Presbyterians again； then Methodists again。
Burgess has always found rest in these excursions； and Adams
unrest。 They are trying Christian Science； now； with the
customary result； the inevitable result。 No political or
religious belief can make Burgess unhappy or the other man happy。
I assure you it is purely a matter of temperament。 Beliefs are
ACQUIREMENTS； temperaments are BORN； beliefs are subject to
change； nothing whatever can change temperament。
Y。M。 You have instanced extreme temperaments。
O。M。 Yes； the half…dozen others are modifications of the
extremes。 But the law is the same。 Where the temperament is
two…thirds happy； or two…thirds unhappy； no political or
religious beliefs can change the proportions。 The vast majority
of temperaments are pretty equally balanced； the intensities are
absent； and this enables a nation to learn to accommodate itself
to its political and religious circumstances and like them； be
satisfied with them； at last prefer them。 Nations do not THINK；
they only FEEL。 They get their feelings at second hand through
their temperaments； not their brains。 A nation can be brought
by force of circumstances； not argumentto reconcile itself to
ANY KIND OF GOVERNMENT OR RELIGION THAT CAN BE DEVISED； in time
it will fit itself to the required conditions； later； it will
prefer them and will
