lay morals-第8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！


hich　is　at　least　tangible；　would　you　do　it；　then；　for　　a　doubtful　forecast　in　politics；　or　another　person's　theory　　in　morals？

So　intricate　is　the　scheme　of　our　affairs；　that　no　man　can　　calculate　the　bearing　of　his　own　behaviour　even　on　those　　immediately　around　him；　how　much　less　upon　the　world　at　large　　or　on　succeeding　generations！　　To　walk　by　external　prudence　　and　the　rule　of　consequences　would　require；　not　a　man；　but　　God。　　All　that　we　know　to　guide　us　in　this　changing　labyrinth　　is　our　soul　with　its　fixed　design　of　righteousness；　and　a　few　　old　precepts　which　commend　themselves　to　that。　　The　precepts　　are　vague　when　we　endeavour　to　apply　them；　consequences　are　　more　entangled　than　a　wisp　of　string；　and　their　confusion　is　　unrestingly　in　change；　we　must　hold　to　what　we　know　and　walk　　by　it。　　We　must　walk　by　faith；　indeed；　and　not　by　knowledge。

You　do　not　love　another　because　he　is　wealthy　or　wise　or　　eminently　respectable：　you　love　him　because　you　love　him；　　that　is　love；　and　any　other　only　a　derision　and　grimace。　　It　　should　be　the　same　with　all　our　actions。　　If　we　were　to　　conceive　a　perfect　man；　it　should　be　one　who　was　never　torn　　between　conflicting　impulses；　but　who；　on　the　absolute　　consent　of　all　his　parts　and　faculties；　submitted　in　every　　action　of　his　life　to　a　self…dictation　as　absolute　and　　unreasoned　as　that　which　bids　him　love　one　woman　and　be　true　　to　her　till　death。　　But　we　should　not　conceive　him　as　　sagacious；　ascetical；　playing　off　his　appetites　against　each　　other；　turning　the　wing　of　public　respectable　immorality　　instead　of　riding　it　directly　down；　or　advancing　toward　his　　end　through　a　thousand　sinister　compromises　and　　considerations。　　The　one　man　might　be　wily；　might　be　adroit；　　might　be　wise；　might　be　respectable；　might　be　gloriously　　useful；　it　is　the　other　man　who　would　be　good。

The　soul　asks　honour　and　not　fame；　to　be　upright；　not　to　be　　successful；　to　be　good；　not　prosperous；　to　be　essentially；　　not　outwardly；　respectable。　　Does　your　soul　ask　profit？　　Does　　it　ask　money？　　Does　it　ask　the　approval　of　the　indifferent　　herd？　　I　believe　not。　　For　my　own　part；　I　want　but　little　　money；　I　hope；　and　I　do　not　want　to　be　decent　at　all；　but　to　　be　good。



LAY　MORALS　CHAPTER　IV



WE　have　spoken　of　that　supreme　self…dictation　which　keeps　　varying　from　hour　to　hour　in　its　dictates　with　the　variation　　of　events　and　circumstances。　　Now；　for　us；　that　is　ultimate。　　　It　may　be　founded　on　some　reasonable　process；　but　it　is　not　a　　process　which　we　can　follow　or　comprehend。　　And　moreover　the　　dictation　is　not　continuous；　or　not　continuous　except　in　very　　lively　and　well…living　natures；　and　between…whiles　we　must　　brush　along　without　it。　　Practice　is　a　more　intricate　and　　desperate　business　than　the　toughest　theorising；　life　is　an　　affair　of　cavalry；　where　rapid　judgment　and　prompt　action　are　　alone　possible　and　right。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　there　is　no　　one　so　upright　but　he　is　influenced　by　the　world's　chatter；　　and　no　one　so　headlong　but　he　requires　to　consider　　consequences　and　to　keep　an　eye　on　profit。　　For　the　soul　　adopts　all　affections　and　appetites　without　exception；　and　　cares　only　to　combine　them　for　some　common　purpose　which　　shall　interest　all。　　Now；　respect　for　the　opinion　of　others；　　the　study　of　consequences；　and　the　desire　of　power　and　　comfort；　are　all　undeniably　factors　in　the　nature　of　man；　and　　the　more　undeniably　since　we　find　that；　in　our　current　　doctrines；　they　have　swallowed　up　the　others　and　are　thought　　to　conclude　in　themselves　all　the　worthy　parts　of　man。　　　These；　then；　must　also　be　suffered　to　affect　conduct　in　the　　practical　domain；　much　or　little　according　as　they　are　　forcibly　or　feebly　present　to　the　mind　of　each。

Now；　a　man's　view　of　the　universe　is　mostly　a　view　of　the　　civilised　society　in　which　he　lives。　　Other　men　and　women　are　　so　much　more　grossly　and　so　much　more　intimately　palpable　to　　his　perceptions；　that　they　stand　between　him　and　all　the　　rest；　they　are　larger　to　his　eye　than　the　sun；　he　hears　them　　more　plainly　than　thunder；　with　them；　by　them；　and　for　them；　　he　must　live　and　die。　　And　hence　the　laws　that　affect　his　　intercourse　with　his　fellow…men；　although　merely　customary　　and　the　creatures　of　a　generation；　are　more　clearly　and　　continually　before　his　mind　than　those　which　bind　him　into　　the　eternal　system　of　things；　support　him　in　his　upright　　progress　on　this　whirling　ball；　or　keep　up　the　fire　of　his　　bodily　life。　　And　hence　it　is　that　money　stands　in　the　first　　rank　of　considerations　and　so　powerfully　affects　the　choice。　　　For　our　society　is　built　with　money　for　mortar；　money　is　　present　in　every　joint　of　circumstance；　it　might　be　named　the　　social　atmosphere；　since；　in　society；　it　is　by　that　alone　　that　men　continue　to　live；　and　only　through　that　or　chance　　that　they　can　reach　or　affect　one　another。　　Money　gives　us　　food；　shelter；　and　privacy；　it　permits　us　to　be　clean　in　　person；　opens　for　us　the　doors　of　the　theatre；　gains　us　books　　for　study　or　pleasure；　enables　us　to　help　the　distresses　of　　others；　and　puts　us　above　necessity　so　that　we　can　choose　the　　best　in　life。　　If　we　love；　it　enables　us　to　meet　and　live　　with　the　loved　one；　or　even　to　prolong　her　health　and　life；　　if　we　have　scruples；　it　gives　us　an　opportunity　to　be　honest；　　if　we　have　any　bright　designs；　here　is　what　will　smooth　the　　way　to　their　accomplishment。　　Penury　is　the　worst　slavery；　　and　will　soon　lead　to　death。

But　money　is　only　a　means；　it　presupposes　a　man　to　use　it。　　　The　rich　can　go　where　he　pleases；　but　perhaps　please　himself　　nowhere。　　He　can　buy　a　library　or　visit　the　whole　world；　but　　perhaps　has　neither　patience　to　read　nor　intelligence　to　see。　　　The　table　may　be　loaded　and　the　appetite　wanting；　the　purse　　may　be　full；　and　the　heart　empty。　　He　may　have　gained　the　　world　and　lost　himself；　and　with　all　his　wealth　around　him；　　in　a　great　house　and　spacious　and　beautiful　demesne；　he　may　　live　as　blank　a　life　as　any　tattered　ditcher。　　Without　an　　appetite；　without　an　aspiration；　void　of　appreciation；　　bankrupt　of　desire　and　hope；　there；　in　his　great　house；　let　　him　sit　and　look　upon　his　fingers。　　It　is　perhaps　a　more　　fortunate　destiny　to　have　a　taste　for　collecting　shells　than　　to　be　born　a　millionaire。　　Although　neither　is　to　be　　despised；　it　is　always　better　policy　to　learn　an　interest　　than　to　make　a　thousand　pounds；　for　the　money　will　soon　be　　spent；　or　perhaps　you　may　feel　no　joy　in　spending　it；　but　the　　interest　remains　imperishable　and　ever　new。　　To　become　a　　botanist；　a　geologist；　a　social　philosopher；　an　antiquary；　or　　an　artist；　is　to　enlarge　one's　possessions　in　the　universe　by　　an　incalculably　higher　degree；　and　by　a　far　surer　sort　of　　property；　than　to　purchase　a　farm　of　many　acres。　　You　had　　perhaps　two　thousand　a　year　before　the　transaction；　perhaps　　you　have　two　thousand　five　hundred　after　it。　　That　represents　　your　gain　in　the　one　case。　　But　in　the　other；　you　have　thrown　　down　a　barrier　which　concealed　significance　and　beauty。　　The　　blind　man　has　learned　to　see。　　The　prisoner　has　opened　up　a　　window　in　his　cell　and　beholds　enchanting　prospects；　he　will　　never　again　be　a　prisoner　as　he　was；　he　can　watch　clouds　and　　changing　seasons；　ships　on　the　river；　travellers　on　the　road；　　and　the　stars　at　night；　happy　prisoner！　his　eyes　have　broken　　jail！　　And　again　he　who　has　learned　to　love　an　art　or　science　　has　wisely　laid　up　riches　against　the　day　of　riches；　if　　prosperity　come；　he　will　not　enter　poor　into　his　inheritance；　　he　will　not　slumber　and　forget　himself　in　the　lap　of　money；　　or　spend　his　hours　in　counting　idle　treasures；　but　be　up　and　　briskly　doing；　he　will　have　the　true　alchemic　touch；　which　is　　not　that　of　Midas；　but　which　transmutes　dead　money　into　　living　delight　and　satisfaction。　　ETRE　ET　PAS　AVOIR　…　to　be；　　not　to　possess　…　that　is　the　problem　of　life。　　To　be　wealthy；　　a　rich　nature　is　the　first　requisite　and　money　but　the　　second。　　To　be　of　a　quick　and　healthy　blood；　to　share　in　all　　honourable　curiosities；　to　be　rich　in　admiration　and　free　　from　envy；　to　rejoice　greatly　in　the　good　of　others；　to　love　　with　such　generosity　of　heart　that　your　love　is　still　a　dear　　possession　in　absence　or　unkindness　…　these　are　the　gifts　of　　fortune　which　money　cannot　buy　and　without　which　money　can　　buy　nothing。　　For　what　can　a　man　possess；　or　what　can　he　　enjoy；　except　himself？　　If　he　enlarge　his　nature；　it　is　then　　that　he　enlarges　his　estates。　　If　his　nature　be　happy　and　　valiant；　he　will　enjoy　the　universe　as　if　it　were　his　park　　and　orchard。

But　money　is　not　only　to　be　spent；　it　has　also　to　be　earned。　　　It　is　not　merely　a　convenience　or　a　necessary　in　social　life；　　but　it　is　the　coin　in　which　mankind　pays　his　wages　to　the　　individual　man。　　And　from　this　side；　the　question　of　money　　has　a　very　different　scope　and　application。　　For　no　man　can　　be　honest　who　does　not　work。　　Service　for　service。　　If　the　　farmer　buys　corn；　and　the　labourer　ploughs　and　reaps；　and　the　　baker　sweats　in　his　hot　bakery；　plainly　you　who　eat　must　do　　something　in　your　turn。　　It　is　not　enough　to　take　off　your　　hat；　or　to　thank　God　upon　your　knees　for　the　admirable　　constitution　of　society　and　your　own　convenient　situation　in　　its　upper　and　more　ornamental　stories。　　Neither　is　it　e