rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第13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！
THE conversation had a short pause。 The Prince； having considered his sister's observation； told her that she had surveyed life with prejudice and supposed misery where she did not find it。 〃Your narrative；〃 says he； 〃throws yet a darker gloom upon the prospects of futurity。 The predictions of Imlac were but faint sketches of the evils painted by Nekayah。 I have been lately convinced that quiet is not the daughter of grandeur or of power； that her presence is not to be bought by wealth nor enforced by conquest。 It is evident that as any man acts in a wider compass he must be more exposed to opposition from enmity or miscarriage from chance。 Whoever has many to please or to govern must use the ministry of many agents； some of whom will be wicked and some ignorant； by some he will be misled and by others betrayed。 If he gratifies one he will offend another； those that are not favoured will think themselves injured； and since favours can be conferred but upon few the greater number will be always discontented。〃
〃The discontent；〃 said the Princess； 〃which is thus unreasonable； I hope that I shall always have spirit to despise and you power to repress。〃
〃Discontent；〃 answered Rasselas； 〃will not always be without reason under the most just and vigilant administration of public affairs。 None； however attentive； can always discover that merit which indigence or faction may happen to obscure； and none； however powerful； can always reward it。 Yet he that sees inferior desert advanced above him will naturally impute that preference to partiality or caprice； and indeed it can scarcely be hoped that any man； however magnanimous by Nature or exalted by condition； will be able to persist for ever in fixed and inexorable justice of distribution； he will sometimes indulge his own affections and sometimes those of his favourites； he will permit some to please him who can never serve him； he will discover in those whom he loves qualities which in reality they do not possess； and to those from whom he receives pleasure he will in his turn endeavour to give it。 Thus will recommendations sometimes prevail which were purchased by money or by the more destructive bribery of flattery and servility。
〃He that hath much to do will do something wrong； and of that wrong must suffer the consequences； and if it were possible that he should always act rightly； yet； when such numbers are to judge of his conduct； the bad will censure and obstruct him by malevolence and the good sometimes by mistake。
〃The highest stations cannot therefore hope to be the abodes of happiness； which I would willingly believe to have fled from thrones and palaces to seats of humble privacy and placid obscurity。 For what can hinder the satisfaction or intercept the expectations of him whose abilities are adequate to his employments； who sees with his own eyes the whole circuit of his influence； who chooses by his own knowledge all whom he trusts； and whom none are tempted to deceive by hope or fear？ Surely he has nothing to do but to love and to be loved； to be virtuous and to be happy。〃
〃Whether perfect happiness would be procured by perfect goodness；〃 said Nekayah； 〃this world will never afford an opportunity of deciding。 But this； at least； may be maintained； that we do not always find visible happiness in proportion to visible virtue。 All natural and almost all political evils are incident alike to the bad and good； they are confounded in the misery of a famine； and not much distinguished in the fury of a faction； they sink together in a tempest and are driven together from their country by invaders。 All that virtue can afford is quietness of conscience and a steady prospect of a happier state； this may enable us to endure calamity with patience； but remember that patience must oppose pain。〃
CHAPTER XXVIII … RASSELAS AND NEKAYAH CONTINUE THEIR CONVERSATION。
〃DEAR Princess；〃 said Rasselas； 〃you fall into the common errors of exaggeratory declamation； by producing in a familiar disquisition examples of national calamities and scenes of extensive misery which are found in books rather than in the world； and which； as they are horrid； are ordained to be rare。 Let us not imagine evils which we do not feel； nor injure life by misrepresentations。 I cannot bear that querulous eloquence which threatens every city with a siege like that of Jerusalem； that makes famine attend on every flight of locust； and suspends pestilence on the wing of every blast that issues from the south。
〃On necessary and inevitable evils which overwhelm kingdoms at once all disputation is vain； when they happen they must be endured。 But it is evident that these bursts of universal distress are more dreaded than felt； thousands and tens of thousands flourish in youth and wither in age； without the knowledge of any other than domestic evils； and share the same pleasures and vexations； whether their kings are mild or cruel； whether the armies of their country pursue their enemies or retreat before them。 While Courts are disturbed with intestine competitions and ambassadors are negotiating in foreign countries； the smith still plies his anvil and the husbandman drives his plough forward； the necessaries of life are required and obtained； and the successive business of the season continues to make its wonted revolutions。
〃Let us cease to consider what perhaps may never happen； and what； when it shall happen； will laugh at human speculation。 We will not endeavour to modify the motions of the elements or to fix the destiny of kingdoms。 It is our business to consider what beings like us may perform； each labouring for his own happiness by promoting within his circle； however narrow； the happiness of others。
〃Marriage is evidently the dictate of Nature； men and women were made to be the companions of each other； and therefore I cannot be persuaded but that marriage is one of the means of happiness。〃
〃I know not；〃 said the Princess； 〃whether marriage be more than one of the innumerable modes of human misery。 When I see and reckon the various forms of connubial infelicity； the unexpected causes of lasting discord； the diversities of temper； the oppositions of opinion； the rude collisions of contrary desire where both are urged by violent impulses； the obstinate contest of disagreeing virtues where both are supported by consciousness of good intention； I am sometimes disposed to think； with the severer casuists of most nations； that marriage is rather permitted than approved； and that none； but by the instigation of a passion too much indulged； entangle themselves with indissoluble compact。〃
〃You seem to forget；〃 replied Rasselas； 〃that you have； even now represented celibacy as less happy than marriage。 Both conditions may be bad； but they cannot both be worse。 Thus it happens； when wrong opinions are entertained； that they mutually destroy each other and leave the mind open to truth。〃
〃I did not expect；〃 answered； the Princess； 〃to hear that imputed to falsehood which is the consequence only of frailty。 To the mind； as to the eye； it is difficult to compare with exactness objects vast in their extent and various in their parts。 When we see or conceive the whole at once； we readily note the discriminations and decide the preference； but of two systems； of which neither can be surveyed by any human being in its full compass of magnitude and multiplicity of complication； where is the wonder that； judging of the whole by parts； I am alternately affected by one and the other as either presses on my memory or fancy？ We differ from ourselves just as we differ from each other when we see only part of the question； as in the multifarious relations of politics and morality； but when we perceive the whole at once； as in numerical computations； all agree in one judgment； and none ever varies in his opinion。〃
〃Let us not add；〃 said the Prince； 〃to the other evils of life the bitterness of controversy； nor endeavour to vie with each other in subtilties of argument。 We are employed in a search of which both are equally to enjoy the success or suffer by the miscarriage； it is therefore fit that we assist each other。 You surely conclude too hastily from the infelicity of marriage against its institution； will not the misery of life prove equally that life cannot be the gift of Heaven？ The world must be peopled by marriage or peopled without it。〃
〃How the world is to be peopled；〃 returned Nekayah； 〃is not my care and need not be yours。 I see no danger that the present generation should omit to leave successors behind them； we are not now inquiring for the world； but for ourselves。〃
CHAPTER XXIX … THE DEBATE ON MARRIAGE （CONTINUED）。
〃THE good of the whole；〃 says Rasselas； 〃is the same with the good of all its parts。 If marriage be best for mankind； it must be evidently best for individuals； or a permanent and necessary duty must be the cause of evil； and some must be inevitably sacrificed to the convenience of others。 In the estimate which you have made of the two states； it appears that the incommodities of a single life are in a great measure necessary and certain；
