01-what is man-第3节
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O。M。 What makes you think that？
Y。M。 Pray what else could I think？ Do you imagine that
there is some other way of looking at it？
O。M。 Can you put yourself in the man's place and tell me
what he felt and what he thought？
Y。M。 Easily。 The sight of that suffering old face pierced
his generous heart with a sharp pain。 He could not bear it。 He
could endure the three…mile walk in the storm； but he could not
endure the tortures his conscience would suffer if he turned his
back and left that poor old creature to perish。 He would not
have been able to sleep； for thinking of it。
O。M。 What was his state of mind on his way home？
Y。M。 It was a state of joy which only the self…sacrificer
knows。 His heart sang； he was unconscious of the storm。
O。M。 He felt well？
Y。M。 One cannot doubt it。
O。M。 Very well。 Now let us add up the details and see how
much he got for his twenty…five cents。 Let us try to find out
the REAL why of his making the investment。 In the first place HE
couldn't bear the pain which the old suffering face gave him。 So
he was thinking of HIS painthis good man。 He must buy a salve
for it。 If he did not succor the old woman HIS conscience would
torture him all the way home。 Thinking of HIS pain again。 He
must buy relief for that。 If he didn't relieve the old woman HE
would not get any sleep。 He must buy some sleepstill thinking
of HIMSELF； you see。 Thus； to sum up； he bought himself free of
a sharp pain in his heart； he bought himself free of the tortures
of a waiting conscience； he bought a whole night's sleepall for
twenty…five cents！ It should make Wall Street ashamed of itself。
On his way home his heart was joyful； and it sangprofit on top
of profit！ The impulse which moved the man to succor the old
woman wasFIRSTto CONTENT HIS OWN SPIRIT； secondly to relieve
HER sufferings。 Is it your opinion that men's acts proceed from
one central and unchanging and inalterable impulse； or from a
variety of impulses？
Y。M。 From a variety； of coursesome high and fine and
noble； others not。 What is your opinion？
O。M。 Then there is but ONE law； one source。
Y。M。 That both the noblest impulses and the basest proceed
from that one source？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 Will you put that law into words？
O。M。 Yes。 This is the law； keep it in your mind。 FROM HIS
CRADLE TO HIS GRAVE A MAN NEVER DOES A SINGLE THING WHICH HAS ANY
FIRST AND FOREMOST OBJECT BUT ONETO SECURE PEACE OF MIND；
SPIRITUAL COMFORT； FOR HIMSELF。
Y。M。 Come！ He never does anything for any one else's
comfort； spiritual or physical？
O。M。 No。 EXCEPT ON THOSE DISTINCT TERMSthat it shall
FIRST secure HIS OWN spiritual comfort。 Otherwise he will not do
it。
Y。M。 It will be easy to expose the falsity of that
proposition。
O。M。 For instance？
Y。M。 Take that noble passion； love of country； patriotism。
A man who loves peace and dreads pain； leaves his pleasant home
and his weeping family and marches out to manfully expose himself
to hunger； cold； wounds； and death。 Is that seeking spiritual
comfort？
O。M。 He loves peace and dreads pain？
Y。M。 Yes。
O。M。 Then perhaps there is something that he loves MORE
than he loves peaceTHE APPROVAL OF HIS NEIGHBORS AND THE
PUBLIC。 And perhaps there is something which he dreads more than
he dreads painthe DISAPPROVAL of his neighbors and the public。
If he is sensitive to shame he will go to the fieldnot because
his spirit will be ENTIRELY comfortable there； but because it
will be more comfortable there than it would be if he remained at
home。 He will always do the thing which will bring him the MOST
mental comfortfor that is THE SOLE LAW OF HIS LIFE。 He leaves
the weeping family behind； he is sorry to make them
uncomfortable； but not sorry enough to sacrifice his OWN comfort
to secure theirs。
Y。M。 Do you really believe that mere public opinion could
force a timid and peaceful man to
O。M。 Go to war？ Yespublic opinion can force some men to
do ANYTHING。
Y。M。 ANYTHING？
O。M。 Yesanything。
Y。M。 I don't believe that。 Can it force a right…principled
man to do a wrong thing？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 Can it force a kind man to do a cruel thing？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 Give an instance。
O。M。 Alexander Hamilton was a conspicuously high…principled
man。 He regarded dueling as wrong； and as opposed to the
teachings of religionbut in deference to PUBLIC OPINION he
fought a duel。 He deeply loved his family； but to buy public
approval he treacherously deserted them and threw his life away；
ungenerously leaving them to lifelong sorrow in order that he
might stand well with a foolish world。 In the then condition of
the public standards of honor he could not have been comfortable
with the stigma upon him of having refused to fight。 The
teachings of religion； his devotion to his family； his kindness
of heart； his high principles； all went for nothing when they
stood in the way of his spiritual comfort。 A man will do
ANYTHING； no matter what it is； TO SECURE HIS SPIRITUAL COMFORT；
and he can neither be forced nor persuaded to any act which has
not that goal for its object。 Hamilton's act was compelled by
the inborn necessity of contenting his own spirit； in this it was
like all the other acts of his life； and like all the acts of all
men's lives。 Do you see where the kernel of the matter lies？ A
man cannot be comfortable without HIS OWN approval。 He will
secure the largest share possible of that； at all costs； all
sacrifices。
Y。M。 A minute ago you said Hamilton fought that duel to get
PUBLIC approval。
O。M。 I did。 By refusing to fight the duel he would have
secured his family's approval and a large share of his own； but
the public approval was more valuable in his eyes than all other
approvals put togetherin the earth or above it； to secure that
would furnish him the MOST comfort of mind； the most SELF…
approval； so he sacrificed all other values to get it。
Y。M。 Some noble souls have refused to fight duels； and have
manfully braved the public contempt。
O。M。 They acted ACCORDING TO THEIR MAKE。 They valued their
principles and the approval of their families ABOVE the public
approval。 They took the thing they valued MOST and let the rest
go。 They took what would give them the LARGEST share of PERSONAL
CONTENTMENT AND APPROVALa man ALWAYS does。 Public opinion
cannot force that kind of men to go to the wars。 When they go it
is for other reasons。 Other spirit…contenting reasons。
Y。M。 Always spirit…contenting reasons？
O。M。 There are no others。
Y。M。 When a man sacrifices his life to save a little child
from a burning building； what do you call that？
O。M。 When he does it； it is the law of HIS make。 HE can't
bear to see the child in that peril （a man of a different make
COULD）； and so he tries to save the child； and loses his life。
But he has got what he was afterHIS OWN APPROVAL。
Y。M。 What do you call Love； Hate； Charity； Revenge；
Humanity； Magnanimity； Forgiveness？
O。M。 Different results of the one Master Impulse： the
necessity of securing one's self approval。 They wear diverse
clothes and are subject to diverse moods； but in whatsoever ways
they masquerade they are the SAME PERSON all the time。 To change
the figure； the COMPULSION that moves a manand there is but the
oneis the necessity of securing the contentment of his own
spirit。 When it stops； the man is dead。
Y。M。 That is foolishness。 Love
O。M。 Why； love is that impulse； that law； in its most
uncompromising form。 It will squander life and everything else
on its object。 Not PRIMARILY for the object's sake； but for ITS
OWN。 When its object is happy IT is happyand that is what it
is unconsciously after。
Y。M。 You do not even except the lofty and gracious passion
of mother…love？
O。M。 No； IT is the absolute slave of that law。 The mother
will go naked to clothe her child； she will starve that it may
have food； suffer torture to save it from pain； die that it may
live。 She takes a living PLEASURE in making these sacrifices。
SHE DOES IT FOR THAT REWARDthat self…approval； that
contentment； that peace； that comfort。 SHE WOULD DO IT FOR YOUR
CHILD IF SHE COULD GET THE SAME PAY。
Y。M。 This is an infernal philosophy of yours。
O。M。 It isn't a philosophy； it is a fact。
Y。M。 Of course you must admit that there are some acts which
O。M。 No。 There is NO act； large or small； fine or mean；
which springs from any motive but the onethe necessity of
appeasing and contenting one's own spirit。
Y。M。 The world's philanthropists
O。M。 I honor them； I uncover my head to themfrom habit
and training； and THEY could not know comfort or happiness or
self…approval if they did not work and spend for the unfortunate。
