the professor at the breakfast table-第25节

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different　humanity　from　feudal　Europe；　and　so　must　have　a　new

divinity。　　See；　for　one　moment；　how　intelligence　reacts　on　our

faiths。　　The　Bible　was　a　divining…book　to　our　ancestors；　and　is　so

still　in　the　hands　of　some　of　the　vulgar。　　The　Puritans　went　to　the

Old　Testament　for　their　laws；　the　Mormons　go　to　it　for　their

patriarchal　institution。　　Every　generation　dissolves　something　new

and　precipitates　something　once　held　in　solution　from　that　great

storehouse　of　temporary　and　permanent　truths。



You　may　observe　this：　that　the　conversation　of　intelligent　men　of　the

stricter　sects　is　strangely　in　advance　of　the　formula　that　belong　to

their　organizations。　　So　true　is　this；　that　I　have　doubts　whether　a

large　proportion　of　them　would　not　have　been　rather　pleased　than

offended；　if　they　could　have　overheard　our；　talk。　　For；　look　you；　I

think　there　is　hardly　a　professional　teacher　who　will　not　in　private

conversation　allow　a　large　part　of　what　we　have　said；　though　it　may

frighten　him　in　print；　and　I　know　well　what　an　under…current　of

secret　sympathy　gives　vitality　to　those　poor　words　of　mine　which

sometimes　get　a　hearing。



I　don't　mind　the　exclamation　of　any　old　stager　who　drinks　Madeira

worth　from　two　to　six　Bibles　a　bottle；　and　burns；　according　to　his

own　premises；　a　dozen　souls　a　year　in　the　cigars　with　which　he

muddles　his　brains。　　But　as　for　the　good　and　true　and　intelligent　men

whom　we　see　all　around　us；　laborious；　self…denying；　hopeful；

helpful；men　who　know　that　the　active　mind　of　the　century　is　tending

more　and　more　to　the　two　poles；　Rome　and　Reason；　the　sovereign　church

or　the　free　soul；　authority　or　personality；　God　in　us　or　God　in　our

masters；　and　that；　though　a　man　may　by　accident　stand　half…way

between　these　two　points；　he　must　look　one　way　or　the　other；I　don't

believe　they　would　take　offence　at　anything　I　have　reported　of　our

late　conversation。



But　supposing　any　one　do　take　offence　at　first　sight；　let　him　look

over　these　notes　again；　and　see　whether　he　is　quite　sure　he　does　not

agree　with　most　of　these　things　that　were　said　amongst　us。　　If　he

agrees　with　most　of　them；　let　him　be　patient　with　an　opinion　he　does

not　accept；　or　an　expression　or　illustration　a　little　too　vivacious。

I　don't　know　that　I　shall　report　any　more　conversations　on　these

topics；　but　I　do　insist　on　the　right　to　express　a　civil　opinion　on

this　class　of　subjects　without　giving　offence；　just　when　and　where　I

please；…unless；　as　in　the　lecture…room；　there　is　an　implied

contract　to　keep　clear　of　doubtful　matters。　　You　did　n't　think　a　man

could　sit　at　a　breakfast…table　doing　nothing　but　making　puns　every

morning　for　a　year　or　two；　and　never　give　a　thought　to　the　two

thousand　of　his　fellow…creatures　who　are　passing　into　another　state

during　every　hour　that　he　sits　talking　and　laughing。　　Of　course；　the

one　matter　that　a　real　human　being　cares　for　is　what　is　going　to

become　of　them　and　of　him。　　And　the　plain　truth　is；　that　a　good　many

people　are　saying　one　thing　about　it　and　believing　another。



How　do　I　know　that？　　Why；　I　have　known　and　loved　to　talk　with　good

people；　all　the　way　from　Rome　to　Geneva　in　doctrine；　as　long　as　I　can

remember。　　Besides；　the　real　religion　of　the　world　comes　from　women

much　more　than　from　men；from　mothers　most　of　all；　who　carry　the　key

of　our　souls　in　their　bosoms。　　It　is　in　their　hearts　that　the

〃sentimental〃　religion　some　people　are　so　fond　of　sneering　at　has　its

source。　　The　sentiment　of　love；　the　sentiment　of　maternity；　the

sentiment　of　the　paramount　obligation　of　the　parent　to　the　child　as

having　called　it　into　existence；　enhanced　just　in　proportion　to　the

power　and　knowledge　of　the　one　and　the　weakness　and　ignorance　of　the

other；these　are　the　〃sentiments〃　that　have　kept　our　soulless

systems　from　driving　men　off　to　die　in　holes　like　those　that　riddle

the　sides　of　the　hill　opposite　the　Monastery　of　St。　Saba；　where　the

miserable　victims　of　a　falsely…interpreted　religion　starved　and

withered　in　their　delusion。



I　have　looked　on　the　face　of　a　saintly　woman　this　very　day；　whose

creed　many　dread　and　hate；　but　whose　life　is　lovely　and　noble　beyond

all　praise。　　When　I　remember　the　bitter　words　I　have　heard　spoken

against　her　faith；　by　men　who　have　an　Inquisition　which

excommunicates　those　who　ask　to　leave　their　communion　in　peace；　and

an　Index　Expurgatorius　on　which　this　article　may　possibly　have　the

honor　of　figuring；and；　far　worse　than　these；　the　reluctant；

pharisaical　confession；　that　it　might　perhaps　be　possible　that　one

who　so　believed　should　be　accepted　of　the　Creator；and　then　recall

the　sweet　peace　and　love　that　show　through　all　her　looks；　the　price

of　untold　sacrifices　and　labors；　and　again　recollect　how　thousands　of

women；　filled　with　the　same　spirit；　die；　without　a　murmur；　to　earthly

life；　die　to　their　own　names　even；　that　they　may　know　nothing　but

their　holy　duties；while　men　are　torturing　and　denouncing　their

fellows；　and　while　we　can　hear　day　and　night　the　clinking　of　the

hammers　that　are　trying；　like　the　brute　forces　in　the　〃Prometheus；〃

to　rivet　their　adamantine　wedges　right　through　the　breast　of　human

nature；I　have　been　ready　to　believe　that　we　have　even　now　a　new

revelation；　and　the　name　of　its　Messiah　is　WOMAN！



I　should　be　sorry；I　remarked；　a　day　or　two　afterwards；　to　the

divinity…student；if　anything　I　said　tended　in　any　way　to　foster　any

jealousy　between　the　professions；　or　to　throw　disrespect　upon　that

one　on　whose　counsel　and　sympathies　almost　all　of　us　lean　in　our

moments　of　trial。　　But　we　are　false　to　our　new　conditions　of　life；　if

we　do　not　resolutely　maintain　our　religious　as　well　as　our　political

freedom；　in　the　face　of　any　and　all　supposed　monopolies。　　Certain　men

will；　of　course；　say　two　things；　if　we　do　not　take　their　views：

first；　that　we　don't　know　anything　about　these　matters；　and；

secondly；　that　we　are　not　so　good　as　they　are。　　They　have　a　polarized

phraseology　for　saying　these　things；　but　it　comes　to　precisely　that。

To　which　it　may　be　answered；　in　the　first　place；　that　we　have　good

authority　for　saying　that　even　babes　and　sucklings　know　something；

and；　in　the　second；　that；　if　there　is　a　mote　or　so　to　be　removed　from

our　premises；　the　courts　and　councils　of　the　last　few　years　have

found　beams　enough　in　some　other　quarters　to　build　a　church　that

would　hold　all　the　good　people　in　Boston　and　have　sticks　enough　left

to　make　a　bonfire　for　all　the　heretics。



As　to　that　terrible　depolarizing　process　of　mine；　of　which　we　were

talking　the　other　day；　I　will　give　you　a　specimen　of　one　way　of

managing　it；　if　you　like。　　I　don't　believe　it　will　hurt　you　or

anybody。　　Besides；　I　had　a　great　deal　rather　finish　our　talk　with

pleasant　images　and　gentle　words　than　with　sharp　sayings；　which　will

only　afford　a　text；　if　anybody　repeats　them；　for　endless　relays　of

attacks　from　Messrs。　　Ananias；　Shimei；　and　Rabshakeh。



＇I　must　leave　such　gentry；　if　any　of　them　show　themselves；　in　the

hands　of　my　clerical　friends；　many　of　whom　are　ready　to　stand　up　for

the　rights　of　the　laity；and　to　those　blessed　souls；　the　good　women；

to　whom　this　version　of　the　story　of　a　mother's　hidden　hopes　and

tender　anxieties　is　dedicated　by　their　peaceful　and　loving　servant。＇







　　　　　　　　　　A　MOTHER'S　SECRET。



How　sweet　the　sacred　legendif　unblamed

In　my　slight　verse　such　holy　things　are　named

Of　Mary's　secret　hours　of　hidden　joy；

Silent；　but　pondering　on　her　wondrous　boy！

Ave；　Maria！　　Pardon；　if　I　wrong

Those　heavenly　words　that　shame　my　earthly　song！



The　choral　host　had　closed　the　angel's　strain

Sung　to　the　midnight　watch　on　Bethlehem's　plain；

And　now　the　shepherds；　hastening　on　their　way；

Sought　the　still　hamlet　where　the　Infant　lay。

They　passed　the　fields　that　gleaning　Ruth　toiled　O'er；

They　saw　afar　the　ruined　threshing…floor

Where　Moab's　daughter；　homeless　and　forlorn；

Found　Boaz　slumbering　by　his　heaps　of　corn；

And　some　remembered　how　the　holy　scribe；

Skilled　in　the　lore　of　every　jealous　tribe；

Traced　the　warm　blood　of　Jesse's　royal　son

To　that　fair　alien；　bravely　wooed　and　won。

So　fared　they　on　to　seek　the　promised　sign

That　marked　the　anointed　heir　of　David's　line。



At　last；　by　forms　of　earthly　semblance　led；

They　found　the　crowded　inn；　the　oxen's　shed。

No　pomp　was　there；　no　glory　shone　around

On　the　coarse　straw　that　strewed　the　reeking　ground；

One　dim　retreat　a　flickering　torch　betrayed；

In　that　poor　cell　the　Lord　of　Life　was　laid！



The　wondering　shepherds　told　their　breathless　tale

Of　the　bright　choir　that　woke　the　sleeping　vale；

Told　how　the　skies　with　sudden　glory　flamed；

Told　how　the　shining　multitude　proclaimed

〃Joy；　joy　to　earth！　　Behold　the　hallowed　morn！

In　David's　city　Christ　the　Lord　is　born！

'Glory　to　God！'　let　angels　shout　on　high；

'Good…will　to　men！'　the　listening　Earth　reply！〃



They　spoke　with　hurried　words　and　accents　wild；

Calm　in　his　cradle　slept　the　heavenly