lay morals-第6节

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erceive　the　same　or　any　cognate　facts；　they　agree　　upon　a　word　as　symbol；　and　hence　we　have　such　words　as　TREE；　　STAR；　LOVE；　HONOUR；　or　DEATH；　hence　also　we　have　this　word　　RIGHT；　which；　like　the　others；　we　all　understand；　most　of　us　　understand　differently；　and　none　can　express　succinctly　　otherwise。　　Yet　even　on　the　straitest　view；　we　can　make　some　　steps　towards　comprehension　of　our　own　superior　thoughts。　　　For　it　is　an　incredible　and　most　bewildering　fact　that　a　man；　　through　life；　is　on　variable　terms　with　himself；　he　is　aware　　of　tiffs　and　reconciliations；　the　intimacy　is　at　times　almost　　suspended；　at　times　it　is　renewed　again　with　joy。　　As　we　said　　before；　his　inner　self　or　soul　appears　to　him　by　successive　　revelations；　and　is　frequently　obscured。　　It　is　from　a　study　　of　these　alternations　that　we　can　alone　hope　to　discover；　　even　dimly；　what　seems　right　and　what　seems　wrong　to　this　　veiled　prophet　of　ourself。

All　that　is　in　the　man　in　the　larger　sense；　what　we　call　　impression　as　well　as　what　we　call　intuition；　so　far　as　my　　argument　looks；　we　must　accept。　　It　is　not　wrong　to　desire　　food；　or　exercise；　or　beautiful　surroundings；　or　the　love　of　　sex；　or　interest　which　is　the　food　of　the　mind。　　All　these　　are　craved；　all　these　should　be　craved；　to　none　of　these　in　　itself　does　the　soul　demur；　where　there　comes　an　undeniable　　want；　we　recognise　a　demand　of　nature。　　Yet　we　know　that　　these　natural　demands　may　be　superseded；　for　the　demands　　which　are　common　to　mankind　make　but　a　shadowy　consideration　　in　comparison　to　the　demands　of　the　individual　soul。　　Food　is　　almost　the　first　prerequisite；　and　yet　a　high　character　will　　go　without　food　to　the　ruin　and　death　of　the　body　rather　than　　gain　it　in　a　manner　which　the　spirit　disavows。　　Pascal　laid　　aside　mathematics；　Origen　doctored　his　body　with　a　knife；　　every　day　some　one　is　thus　mortifying　his　dearest　interests　　and　desires；　and；　in　Christ's　words；　entering　maim　into　the　　Kingdom　of　Heaven。　　This　is　to　supersede　the　lesser　and　less　　harmonious　affections　by　renunciation；　and　though　by　this　　ascetic　path　we　may　get　to　heaven；　we　cannot　get　thither　a　　whole　and　perfect　man。　　But　there　is　another　way；　to　　supersede　them　by　reconciliation；　in　which　the　soul　and　all　　the　faculties　and　senses　pursue　a　common　route　and　share　in　　one　desire。　　Thus；　man　is　tormented　by　a　very　imperious　　physical　desire；　it　spoils　his　rest；　it　is　not　to　be　denied；　　the　doctors　will　tell　you；　not　I；　how　it　is　a　physical　need；　　like　the　want　of　food　or　slumber。　　In　the　satisfaction　of　　this　desire；　as　it　first　appears；　the　soul　sparingly　takes　　part；　nay；　it　oft　unsparingly　regrets　and　disapproves　the　　satisfaction。　　But　let　the　man　learn　to　love　a　woman　as　far　　as　he　is　capable　of　love；　and　for　this　random　affection　of　　the　body　there　is　substituted　a　steady　determination；　a　　consent　of　all　his　powers　and　faculties；　which　supersedes；　　adopts；　and　commands　the　other。　　The　desire　survives；　　strengthened；　perhaps；　but　taught　obedience　and　changed　in　　scope　and　character。　　Life　is　no　longer　a　tale　of　betrayals　　and　regrets；　for　the　man　now　lives　as　a　whole；　his　　consciousness　now　moves　on　uninterrupted　like　a　river；　　through　all　the　extremes　and　ups　and　downs　of　passion；　he　　remains　approvingly　conscious　of　himself。

Now　to　me；　this　seems　a　type　of　that　rightness　which　the　soul　　demands。　　It　demands　that　we　shall　not　live　alternately　with　　our　opposing　tendencies　in　continual　see…saw　of　passion　and　　disgust；　but　seek　some　path　on　which　the　tendencies　shall　no　　longer　oppose；　but　serve　each　other　to　a　common　end。　　It　　demands　that　we　shall　not　pursue　broken　ends；　but　great　and　　comprehensive　purposes；　in　which　soul　and　body　may　unite　like　　notes　in　a　harmonious　chord。　　That　were　indeed　a　way　of　peace　　and　pleasure；　that　were　indeed　a　heaven　upon　earth。　　It　does　　not　demand；　however；　or；　to　speak　in　measure；　it　does　not　　demand　of　me；　that　I　should　starve　my　appetites　for　no　　purpose　under　heaven　but　as　a　purpose　in　itself；　or；　in　a　　weak　despair；　pluck　out　the　eye　that　I　have　not　yet　learned　　to　guide　and　enjoy　with　wisdom。　　The　soul　demands　unity　of　　purpose；　not　the　dismemberment　of　man；　it　seeks　to　roll　up　　all　his　strength　and　sweetness；　all　his　passion　and　wisdom；　　into　one；　and　make　of　him　a　perfect　man　exulting　in　　perfection。　　To　conclude　ascetically　is　to　give　up；　and　not　　to　solve；　the　problem。　　The　ascetic　and　the　creeping　hog；　　although　they　are　at　different　poles；　have　equally　failed　in　　life。　　The　one　has　sacrificed　his　crew；　the　other　brings　back　　his　seamen　in　a　cock…boat；　and　has　lost　the　ship。　　I　believe　　there　are　not　many　sea…captains　who　would　plume　themselves　on　　either　result　as　a　success。

But　if　it　is　righteousness　thus　to　fuse　together　our　divisive　　impulses　and　march　with　one　mind　through　life；　there　is　　plainly　one　thing　more　unrighteous　than　all　others；　and　one　　declension　which　is　irretrievable　and　draws　on　the　rest。　　And　　this　is　to　lose　consciousness　of　oneself。　　In　the　best　of　　times；　it　is　but　by　flashes；　when　our　whole　nature　is　clear；　　strong　and　conscious；　and　events　conspire　to　leave　us　free；　　that　we　enjoy　communion　with　our　soul。　　At　the　worst；　we　are　　so　fallen　and　passive　that　we　may　say　shortly　we　have　none。　　　An　arctic　torpor　seizes　upon　men。　　Although　built　of　nerves；　　and　set　adrift　in　a　stimulating　world；　they　develop　a　　tendency　to　go　bodily　to　sleep；　consciousness　becomes　　engrossed　among　the　reflex　and　mechanical　parts　of　life；　and　　soon　loses　both　the　will　and　power　to　look　higher　　considerations　in　the　face。　　This　is　ruin；　this　is　the　last　　failure　in　life；　this　is　temporal　damnation；　damnation　on　the　　spot　and　without　the　form　of　judgment。　　'What　shall　it　profit　　a　man　if　he　gain　the　whole　world　and　LOSE　HIMSELF？'

It　is　to　keep　a　man　awake；　to　keep　him　alive　to　his　own　soul　　and　its　fixed　design　of　righteousness；　that　the　better　part　　of　moral　and　religious　education　is　directed；　not　only　that　　of　words　and　doctors；　but　the　sharp　ferule　of　calamity　under　　which　we　are　all　God's　scholars　till　we　die。　　If；　as　　teachers；　we　are　to　say　anything　to　the　purpose；　we　must　say　　what　will　remind　the　pupil　of　his　soul；　we　must　speak　that　　soul's　dialect；　we　must　talk　of　life　and　conduct　as　his　soul　　would　have　him　think　of　them。　　If；　from　some　conformity　　between　us　and　the　pupil；　or　perhaps　among　all　men；　we　do　in　　truth　speak　in　such　a　dialect　and　express　such　views；　beyond　　question　we　shall　touch　in　him　a　spring；　beyond　question　he　　will　recognise　the　dialect　as　one　that　he　himself　has　spoken　　in　his　better　hours；　beyond　question　he　will　cry；　'I　had　　forgotten；　but　now　I　remember；　I　too　have　eyes；　and　I　had　　forgot　to　use　them！　　I　too　have　a　soul　of　my　own；　arrogantly　　upright；　and　to　that　I　will　listen　and　conform。'　　In　short；　　say　to　him　anything　that　he　has　once　thought；　or　been　upon　　the　point　of　thinking；　or　show　him　any　view　of　life　that　he　　has　once　clearly　seen；　or　been　upon　the　point　of　clearly　　seeing；　and　you　have　done　your　part　and　may　leave　him　to　　complete　the　education　for　himself。

Now；　the　view　taught　at　the　present　time　seems　to　me　to　want　　greatness；　and　the　dialect　in　which　alone　it　can　be　　intelligibly　uttered　is　not　the　dialect　of　my　soul。　　It　is　a　　sort　of　postponement　of　life；　nothing　quite　is；　but　something　　different　is　to　be；　we　are　to　keep　our　eyes　upon　the　indirect　　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave。　　We　are　to　regulate　our　conduct　　not　by　desire；　but　by　a　politic　eye　upon　the　future；　and　to　　value　acts　as　they　will　bring　us　money　or　good　opinion；　as　　they　will　bring　us；　in　one　word；　PROFIT。　　We　must　be　what　is　　called　respectable；　and　offend　no　one　by　our　carriage；　it　　will　not　do　to　make　oneself　conspicuous　…　who　knows？　even　in　　virtue？　says　the　Christian　parent！　　And　we　must　be　what　is　　called　prudent　and　make　money；　not　only　because　it　is　　pleasant　to　have　money；　but　because　that　also　is　a　part　of　　respectability；　and　we　cannot　hope　to　be　received　in　society　　without　decent　possessions。　　Received　in　society！　as　if　that　　were　the　kingdom　of　heaven！　　There　is　dear　Mr。　So…and…so；　…　　look　at　him！　…　so　much　respected　…　so　much　looked　up　to　…　　quite　the　Christian　merchant！　　And　we　must　cut　our　conduct　as　　strictly　as　possible　after　the　pattern　of　Mr。　So…and…so；　and　　lay　our　whole　lives　to　make　money　and　be　strictly　decent。　　　Besides　these　holy　injunctions；　which　form　by　far　the　greater　　part　of　a　youth's　training　in　our　Christian　homes；　there　are　　at　least　two　other　doctrines。　　We　are　to　live　just　now　as　　well　as　we　can；　but　scrape　at　last　into　heaven；　where　we　　shall　be　good。　　We　are　to　worry　through　the　week　in　a　lay；　　disreputable　way；　but；　to　make　matters　square；　live　a　　different　life　on　Sunday。

The　train　of　thought　we　have　been　following　gives　us　a　key　to　　all　these　positions；　without　stepping　aside　to　justify　them　　on　their　own　ground。　　It　is　because　we　have　been　disgusted　　fifty　times　with　physical　squalls；　and　fifty　times　torn　　between　conflicting　impulses；　that　we　teach　people　this　　indirect　and　tactical　procedure　in　life；　and　to　judge　by　　remote　consequences　instead　of　the　immediate　face　of　things。　　　The　very　desire　to　act　as　our　own　souls　would　have　us；　　coupled　with　a　pathetic　disbelief　in　ourselves；　moves　us　to　　follow