lay morals-第11节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ntment； and hence he cares not to keep more； and shares his sovereign or his shilling with a friend。 The poor； if they are generous； are Bohemian in virtue of their birth。 Do you know where beggars go？ Not to the great houses where people sit dazed among their thousands； but to the doors of poor men who have seen the world； and it was the widow who had only two mites； who cast half her fortune into the treasury。
But a young man who elects to save on dress or on lodging； or who in any way falls out of the level of expenditure which is common to his level in society； falls out of society altogether。 I suppose the young man to have chosen his career on honourable principles； he finds his talents and instincts can be best contented in a certain pursuit； in a certain industry； he is sure that he is serving mankind with a healthy and becoming service； and he is not sure that he would be doing so； or doing so equally well； in any other industry within his reach。 Then that is his true sphere in life； not the one in which he was born to his father； but the one which is proper to his talents and instincts。 And suppose he does fall out of society； is that a cause of sorrow？ Is your heart so dead that you prefer the recognition of many to the love of a few？ Do you think society loves you？ Put it to the proof。 Decline in material expenditure； and you will find they care no more for you than for the Khan of Tartary。 You will lose no friends。 If you had any； you will keep them。 Only those who were friends to your coat and equipage will disappear； the smiling faces will disappear as by enchantment； but the kind hearts will remain steadfastly kind。 Are you so lost； are you so dead； are you so little sure of your own soul and your own footing upon solid fact； that you prefer before goodness and happiness the countenance of sundry diners…out； who will flee from you at a report of ruin； who will drop you with insult at a shadow of disgrace； who do not know you and do not care to know you but by sight； and whom you in your turn neither know nor care to know in a more human manner？ Is it not the principle of society； openly avowed； that friendship must not interfere with business； which being paraphrased； means simply that a consideration of money goes before any consideration of affection known to this cold…blooded gang； that they have not even the honour of thieves； and will rook their nearest and dearest as readily as a stranger？ I hope I would go as far as most to serve a friend； but I declare openly I would not put on my hat to do a pleasure to society。 I may starve my appetites and control my temper for the sake of those I love； but society shall take me as I choose to be； or go without me。 Neither they nor I will lose； for where there is no love； it is both laborious and unprofitable to associate。
But it is obvious that if it is only right for a man to spend money on that which he can truly and thoroughly enjoy； the doctrine applies with equal force to the rich and to the poor； to the man who has amassed many thousands as well as to the youth precariously beginning life。 And it may be asked； Is not this merely preparing misers； who are not the best of company？ But the principle was this： that which a man has not fairly earned； and； further； that which he cannot fully enjoy； does not belong to him； but is a part of mankind's treasure which he holds as steward on parole。 To mankind； then； it must be made profitable； and how this should be done is； once more； a problem which each man must solve for himself； and about which none has a right to judge him。 Yet there are a few considerations which are very obvious and may here be stated。 Mankind is not only the whole in general； but every one in particular。 Every man or woman is one of mankind's dear possessions； to his or her just brain； and kind heart； and active hands； mankind intrusts some of its hopes for the future； he or she is a possible well…spring of good acts and source of blessings to the race。 This money which you do not need； which； in a rigid sense； you do not want； may therefore be returned not only in public benefactions to the race； but in private kindnesses。 Your wife； your children； your friends stand nearest to you； and should be helped the first。 There at least there can be little imposture； for you know their necessities of your own knowledge。 And consider； if all the world did as you did； and according to their means extended help in the circle of their affections； there would be no more crying want in times of plenty and no more cold； mechanical charity given with a doubt and received with confusion。 Would not this simple rule make a new world out of the old and cruel one which we inhabit？
＇After two more sentences the fragment breaks off。＇
FATHER DAMIEN AN OPEN LETTER TO THE REVEREND DR。 HYDE OF HONOLULU
SYDNEY； FEBRUARY 25； 1890。
SIR； … It may probably occur to you that we have met； and visited； and conversed； on my side； with interest。 You may remember that you have done me several courtesies； for which I was prepared to be grateful。 But there are duties which come before gratitude； and offences which justly divide friends； far more acquaintances。 Your letter to the Reverend H。 B。 Gage is a document which； in my sight； if you had filled me with bread when I was starving； if you had sat up to nurse my father when he lay a…dying； would yet absolve me from the bonds of gratitude。 You know enough； doubtless； of the process of canonisation to be aware that； a hundred years after the death of Damien； there will appear a man charged with the painful office of the DEVIL'S ADVOCATE。 After that noble brother of mine； and of all frail clay； shall have lain a century at rest； one shall accuse； one defend him。 The circumstance is unusual that the devil's advocate should be a volunteer； should be a member of a sect immediately rival； and should make haste to take upon himself his ugly office ere the bones are cold； unusual； and of a taste which I shall leave my readers free to qualify； unusual； and to me inspiring。 If I have at all learned the trade of using words to convey truth and to arouse emotion； you have at last furnished me with a subject。 For it is in the interest of all mankind； and the cause of public decency in every quarter of the world； not only that Damien should be righted； but that you and your letter should be displayed at length； in their true colours； to the public eye。
To do this properly； I must begin by quoting you at large： I shall then proceed to criticise your utterance from several points of view； divine and human； in the course of which I shall attempt to draw again； and with more specification； the character of the dead saint whom it has pleased you to vilify： so much being done； I shall say farewell to you for ever。
'HONOLULU； 'AUGUST 2； 1889。
'Rev。 H。 B。 GAGE。
'DEAR BROTHER； … In answer to your inquiries about Father Damien； I can only reply that we who knew the man are surprised at the extravagant newspaper laudations； as if he was a most saintly philanthropist。 The simple truth is； he was a coarse； dirty man； head…strong and bigoted。 He was not sent to Molokai； but went there without orders； did not stay at the leper settlement （before he became one himself）； but circulated freely over the whole island （less than half the island is devoted to the lepers）； and he came often to Honolulu。 He had no hand in the reforms and improvements inaugurated； which were the work of our Board of Health； as occasion required and means were provided。 He was not a pure man in his relations with women； and the leprosy of which he died should be attributed to his vices and carelessness。 Others have done much for the lepers； our own ministers； the government physicians； and so forth； but never with the Catholic idea of meriting eternal life。 … Yours； etc。；
'C。 M。 HYDE。' （1）
To deal fitly with a letter so extraordinary； I must draw at the outset on my private knowledge of the signatory and his sect。 It may offend others； scarcely you； who have been so busy to collect； so bold to publish； gossip on your rivals。 And this is perhaps the moment when I may best explain to you the character of what you are to read： I conceive you as a man quite beyond and below the reticences of civility： with what measure you mete； with that shall it be measured you again； with you； at last； I rejoice to feel the button off the foil and to plunge home。 And if in aught that I shall say I should offend others； your colleagues； whom I respect and remember with affection； I can but offer them my regret； I am not free； I am inspired by the consideration of interests far more large； and such pain as can be inflicted by anything from me must be indeed trifling when compared with the pain with which they read your letter。 It is not the hangman； but the criminal； that brings dishonour on the house。
You belong； sir； to a sect … I believe my sect； and that in which my ancestors laboured … which has enjoyed； and partly failed to utilise； an exceptional advantage in the is
