01-what is man-第4节

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self…approval　if　they　did　not　work　and　spend　for　the　unfortunate。

It　makes　THEM　happy　to　see　others　happy；　and　so　with　money　and

labor　they　buy　what　they　are　afterHAPPINESS；　SELF…APPROVAL。

Why　don't　miners　do　the　same　thing？　　Because　they　can　get　a

thousandfold　more　happiness　by　NOT　doing　it。　　There　is　no

other　reason。　　They　follow　the　law　of　their　make。



Y。M。　　What　do　you　say　of　duty　for　duty's　sake？



O。M。　　That　IS　DOES　NOT　EXIST。　　Duties　are　not　performed　for

duty's　SAKE；　but　because　their　NEGLECT　would　make　the　man

UNCOMFORTABLE。　　A　man　performs　but　ONE　dutythe　duty　of

contenting　his　spirit；　the　duty　of　making　himself　agreeable　to

himself。　　If　he　can　most　satisfyingly　perform　this　sole　and　only

duty　by　HELPING　his　neighbor；　he　will　do　it；　if　he　can　most

satisfyingly　perform　it　by　SWINDLING　his　neighbor；　he　will　do　it。

But　he　always　looks　out　for　Number　OneFIRST；　the　effects　upon

others　are　a　SECONDARY　matter。　　Men　pretend　to　self…sacrifices；

but　this　is　a　thing　which；　in　the　ordinary　value　of　the　phrase；

DOES　NOT　EXIST　AND　HAS　NOT　EXISTED。　　A　man　often　honestly　THINKS

he　is　sacrificing　himself　merely　and　solely　for　some　one　else；

but　he　is　deceived；　his　bottom　impulse　is　to　content　a

requirement　of　his　nature　and　training；　and　thus　acquire　peace

for　his　soul。



Y。M。　　Apparently；　then；　all　men；　both　good　and　bad　ones；

devote　their　lives　to　contenting　their　consciences。



O。M。　　Yes。　　That　is　a　good　enough　name　for　it：　　Conscience

that　independent　Sovereign；　that　insolent　absolute　Monarch　inside

of　a　man　who　is　the　man's　Master。　　There　are　all　kinds　of

consciences；　because　there　are　all　kinds　of　men。　　You　satisfy　an

assassin's　conscience　in　one　way；　a　philanthropist's　in　another；

a　miser's　in　another；　a　burglar's　in　still　another。　　As　a　GUIDE

or　INCENTIVE　to　any　authoritatively　prescribed　line　of　morals　or

conduct　（leaving　TRAINING　out　of　the　account）；　a　man's　conscience

is　totally　valueless。　　I　know　a　kind…hearted　Kentuckian　whose

self…approval　was　lackingwhose　conscience　was　troubling　him；　to

phrase　it　with　exactnessBECAUSE　HE　HAD　NEGLECTED　TO　KILL　A

CERTAIN　MANa　man　whom　he　had　never　seen。　　The　stranger　had

killed　this　man's　friend　in　a　fight；　this　man's　Kentucky　training

made　it　a　duty　to　kill　the　stranger　for　it。　　He　neglected　his

dutykept　dodging　it；　shirking　it；　putting　it　off；　and　his

unrelenting　conscience　kept　persecuting　him　for　this　conduct。　　At

last；　to　get　ease　of　mind；　comfort；　self…approval；　he　hunted　up

the　stranger　and　took　his　life。　　It　was　an　immense　act　of　SELF…

SACRIFICE　（as　per　the　usual　definition）；　for　he　did　not　want　to

do　it；　and　he　never　would　have　done　it　if　he　could　have　bought　a

contented　spirit　and　an　unworried　mind　at　smaller　cost。　　But　we

are　so　made　that　we　will　pay　ANYTHING　for　that　contentmenteven

another　man's　life。



Y。M。　　You　spoke　a　moment　ago　of　TRAINED　consciences。　　You　mean

that　we　are　not　BORN　with　consciences　competent　to　guide　us　aright？



O。M。　　If　we　were；　children　and　savages　would　know　right　from　wrong；

and　not　have　to　be　taught　it。



Y。M。　　But　consciences　can　be　TRAINED？



O。M。　　Yes。



Y。M。　　Of　course　by　parents；　teachers；　the　pulpit；　and　books。



O。M。　　Yesthey　do　their　share；　they　do　what　they　can。



Y。M。　　And　the　rest　is　done　by



O。M。　　Oh；　a　million　unnoticed　influencesfor　good　or　bad：

influences　which　work　without　rest　during　every　waking　moment　of

a　man's　life；　from　cradle　to　grave。



Y。M。　　You　have　tabulated　these？



O。M。　　Many　of　themyes。



Y。M。　　Will　you　read　me　the　result？



O。M。　　Another　time；　yes。　　It　would　take　an　hour。



Y。M。　　A　conscience　can　be　trained　to　shun　evil　and　prefer　good？



O。M。　　Yes。



Y。M。　　But　will　it　for　spirit…contenting　reasons　only？



O。M。　　It　CAN'T　be　trained　to　do　a　thing　for　any　OTHER　reason。

The　thing　is　impossible。



Y。M。　　There　MUST　be　a　genuinely　and　utterly　self…sacrificing

act　recorded　in　human　history　somewhere。



O。M。　　You　are　young。　　You　have　many　years　before　you。

Search　one　out。



Y。M。　　It　does　seem　to　me　that　when　a　man　sees　a　fellow…being

struggling　in　the　water　and　jumps　in　at　the　risk　of　his　life　to

save　him



O。M。　　Wait。　　Describe　the　MAN。　　Describe　the　FELLOW…BEING。

State　if　there　is　an　AUDIENCE　present；　or　if　they　are　ALONE。



Y。M。　　What　have　these　things　to　do　with　the　splendid　act？



O。M。　　Very　much。　　Shall　we　suppose；　as　a　beginning；　that　the

two　are　alone；　in　a　solitary　place；　at　midnight？



Y。M。　　If　you　choose。



O。M。　　And　that　the　fellow…being　is　the　man's　daughter？



Y。M。　　Well；　n…nomake　it　someone　else。



O。M。　　A　filthy；　drunken　ruffian；　then？



Y。M。　　I　see。　　Circumstances　alter　cases。　　I　suppose　that　if　there

was　no　audience　to　observe　the　act；　the　man　wouldn't　perform　it。



O。M。　　But　there　is　here　and　there　a　man　who　WOULD。　　People；

for　instance；　like　the　man　who　lost　his　life　trying　to　save　the

child　from　the　fire；　and　the　man　who　gave　the　needy　old　woman　his

twenty…five　cents　and　walked　home　in　the　stormthere　are　here

and　there　men　like　that　who　would　do　it。　　And　why？　　Because　they

couldn't　BEAR　to　see　a　fellow…being　struggling　in　the　water　and

not　jump　in　and　help。　　It　would　give　THEM　pain。　　They　would　save

the　fellow…being　on　that　account。　　THEY　WOULDN'T　DO　IT　OTHERWISE。

They　strictly　obey　the　law　which　I　have　been　insisting　upon。　　You

must　remember　and　always　distinguish　the　people　who　CAN'T　BEAR

things　from　people　who　CAN。　　It　will　throw　light　upon　a　number　of

apparently　〃self…sacrificing〃　cases。



Y。M。　　Oh；　dear；　it's　all　so　disgusting。



O。M。　　Yes。　　And　so　true。



Y。M。　　Cometake　the　good　boy　who　does　things　he　doesn't

want　to　do；　in　order　to　gratify　his　mother。



O。M。　　He　does　seven…tenths　of　the　act　because　it　gratifies

HIM　to　gratify　his　mother。　　Throw　the　bulk　of　advantage　the　other

way　and　the　good　boy　would　not　do　the　act。　　He　MUST　obey　the　iron

law。　　None　can　escape　it。



Y。M。　　Well；　take　the　case　of　a　bad　boy　who



O。M。　　You　needn't　mention　it；　it　is　a　waste　of　time。　　It　is

no　matter　about　the　bad　boy's　act。　　Whatever　it　was；　he　had　a

spirit…contenting　reason　for　it。　　Otherwise　you　have　been

misinformed；　and　he　didn't　do　it。



Y。M。　　It　is　very　exasperating。　　A　while　ago　you　said　that　man's

conscience　is　not　a　born　judge　of　morals　and　conduct；　but　has　to

be　taught　and　trained。　　Now　I　think　a　conscience　can　get　drowsy

and　lazy；　but　I　don't　think　it　can　go　wrong；　if　you　wake　it　up







A　Little　Story





O。M。　　I　will　tell　you　a　little　story：



Once　upon　a　time　an　Infidel　was　guest　in　the　house　of　a

Christian　widow　whose　little　boy　was　ill　and　near　to　death。　　The

Infidel　often　watched　by　the　bedside　and　entertained　the　boy　with

talk；　and　he　used　these　opportunities　to　satisfy　a　strong　longing

in　his　naturethat　desire　which　is　in　us　all　to　better　other

people's　condition　by　having　them　think　as　we　think。　　He　was

successful。　　But　the　dying　boy；　in　his　last　moments；　reproached

him　and　said：



〃I　BELIEVED；　AND　WAS　HAPPY　IN　IT；　YOU　HAVE　TAKEN　MY　BELIEF

AWAY；　AND　MY　COMFORT。　　NOW　I　HAVE　NOTHING　LEFT；　AND　I　DIE

MISERABLE；　FOR　THE　THINGS　WHICH　YOU　HAVE　TOLD　ME　DO　NOT　TAKE　THE

PLACE　OF　THAT　WHICH　I　HAVE　LOST。〃



And　the　mother；　also；　reproached　the　Infidel；　and　said：



〃MY　CHILD　IS　FOREVER　LOST；　AND　MY　HEART　IS　BROKEN。　　HOW

COULD　YOU　DO　THIS　CRUEL　THING？　　WE　HAVE　DONE　YOU　NO　HARM；　BUT

ONLY　KINDNESS；　WE　MADE　OUR　HOUSE　YOUR　HOME；　YOU　WERE　WELCOME　TO

ALL　WE　HAD；　AND　THIS　IS　OUR　REWARD。〃



The　heart　of　the　Infidel　was　filled　with　remorse　for　what　he

had　done；　and　he　said：



〃IT　WAS　WRONGI　SEE　IT　NOW；　BUT　I　WAS　ONLY　TRYING　TO　DO　HIM

GOOD。　　IN　MY　VIEW　HE　WAS　IN　ERROR；　IT　SEEMED　MY　DUTY　TO　TEACH　HIM

THE　TRUTH。〃



Then　the　mother　said：



〃I　HAD　TAUGHT　HIM；　ALL　HIS　LITTLE　LIFE；　WHAT　I　BELIEVED　TO

BE　THE　TRUTH；　AND　IN　HIS　BELIEVING　FAITH　BOTH　OF　US　WERE　HAPPY。

NOW　HE　IS　DEAD；AND　LOST；　AND　I　AM　MISERABLE。　　OUR　FAITH　CAME

DOWN　TO　US　THROUGH　CENTURIES　OF　BELIEVING　ANCESTORS；　WHAT　RIGHT

HAD　YOU；　OR　ANY　ONE；　TO　DISTURB　IT？　　WHERE　WAS　YOUR　HONOR；　WHERE

WAS　YOUR　SHAME？〃



Y。M。　　He　was　a　miscreant；　and　deserved　death！



O。M。　　He　thought　so　himself；　and　said　so。



Y。M。　　Ahyou　see；　HIS　CONSCIENCE　WAS　AWAKENED1！



O。M。　　Yes；　his　Self…Disapproval　was。　　It　PAINED　him　to　see

the　mother　suffer。　　He　was　sorry　he　had　done　a　thing　which

brought　HIM　pain。　　It　did　not　occur　to　him　to　think　of　the　mother

when　he　was　misteaching　the　boy；　for　he　was　absorbed　in　providing

PLEASURE　for　himself；　then。　　Providing　it　by　satisfying　what　he

believed　to　be　a　call　of　duty。



Y。M。　　Call　it　what　you　please；　it　is　to　me　a　case　of

AWAKENED　CONSCIENCE。　　That　awakened　conscience　could　never　get

itself　into　that　species　of　trouble　again。　　A　cure　like　that　is　a

PERMANENT　cure。



O。M。　　PardonI　had　not　finished　the　story。　　We　are

creatures　of　OUTSIDE　INFLUENCESwe　originate　NOTHING　withi