zanoni-第115章

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who　employ　the　resources　of　Fear　must　dispense　with　those　of

Faith。　　Yet　aspiration　holds　open　a　way　of　restoration；　and　may

summon　Faith；　even　when　the　cry　issues　from　beneath　the　yoke　of

fear。



DWELLER　OF　THE　THRESHOLD：FEAR　（or　HORROR）；　from　whose

ghastliness　men　are　protected　by　the　opacity　of　the　region　of

Prescription　and　Custom。　　The　moment　this　protection　is

relinquished；　and　the　human　spirit　pierces　the　cloud；　and　enters

alone　on　the　unexplored　regions　of　Nature；　this　Natural　Horror

haunts　it；　and　is　to　be　successfully　encountered　only　by

defiance；by　aspiration　towards；　and　reliance　on；　the　Former　and

Director　of　Nature；　whose　Messenger　and　Instrument　of　reassurance

is　Faith。



MERVALE：CONVENTIONALISM。



NICOT：Base；　grovelling；　malignant　PASSION。



GLYNDON：UNSUSTAINED　ASPIRATION：　　Would　follow　Instinct；　but　is

deterred　by　Conventionalism；　is　overawed　by　Idealism；　yet

attracted；　and　transiently　inspired；　but　has　not　steadiness　for

the　initiatory　contemplation　of　the　Actual。　　He　conjoins　its

snatched　privileges　with　a　besetting　sensualism；　and　suffers　at

once　from　the　horror　of　the　one　and　the　disgust　of　the　other；

involving　the　innocent　in　the　fatal　conflict　of　his　spirit。　　When

on　the　point　of　perishing；　he　is　rescued　by　Idealism；　and；　unable

to　rise　to　that　species　of　existence；　is　grateful　to　be　replunged

into　the　region　of　the　Familiar；　and　takes　up　his　rest　henceforth

in　Custom。　　（Mirror　of　Young　Manhood。）



。。。



ARGUMENT。



Human　Existence　subject　to；　and　exempt　from；　ordinary　conditions

（Sickness；　Poverty；　Ignorance；　Death）。



SCIENCE　is　ever　striving　to　carry　the　most　gifted　beyond　ordinary

conditions；the　result　being　as　many　victims　as　efforts；　and　the

striver　being　finally　left　a　solitary；for　his　object　is

unsuitable　to　the　natures　he　has　to　deal　with。



The　pursuit　of　the　Ideal　involves　so　much　emotion　as　to　render

the　Idealist　vulnerable　by　human　passion；　however　long　and　well

guarded；　still　vulnerable；liable；　at　last；　to　a　union　with

Instinct。　　Passion　obscures　both　Insight　and　Forecast。　　All

effort　to　elevate　Instinct　to　Idealism　is　abortive；　the　laws　of

their　being　not　coinciding　（in　the　early　stage　of　the　existence

of　the　one）。　　Instinct　is　either　alarmed；　and　takes　refuge　in

Superstition　or　Custom；　or　is　left　helpless　to　human　charity；　or

given　over　to　providential　care。



Idealism；　stripped　of　in　sight　and　forecast；　loses　its　serenity；

becomes　subject　once　more　to　the　horror　from　which　it　had

escaped；　and　by　accepting　its　aids；　forfeits　the　higher　help　of

Faith；　aspiration；　however；　remaining　still　possible；　and；

thereby；　slow　restoration；　and　also；　SOMETHING　BETTER。



Summoned　by　aspiration；　Faith　extorts　from　Fear　itself　the　saving

truth　to　which　Science　continues　blind；　and　which　Idealism　itself

hails　as　its　crowning　acquisition；the　inestimable　PROOF　wrought

out　by　all　labours　and　all　conflicts。



Pending　the　elaboration　of　this　proof；



CONVENTIONALISM　plods　on；　safe　and　complacent；



SELFISH　PASSION　perishes；　grovelling　and　hopeless；



INSTINCT　sleeps；　in　order　to　a　loftier　waking；　and



IDEALISM　learns；　as　its　ultimate　lesson；　that　self…sacrifice　is

true　redemption；　that　the　region　beyond　the　grave　is　the　fitting

one　for　exemption　from　mortal　conditions；　and　that　Death　is　the

everlasting　portal；　indicated　by　the　finger　of　God；the　broad

avenue　through　which　man　does　not　issue　solitary　and　stealthy

into　the　region　of　Free　Existence；　but　enters　triumphant；　hailed

by　a　hierarchy　of　immortal　natures。



The　result　is　（in　other　words）；　THAT　THE　UNIVERSAL　HUMAN　LOT　IS；

AFTER　ALL；　THAT　OF　THE　HIGHEST　PRIVILEGE。











End