autobiography and selected essays-第12章
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of which; in the bowels of the earth; made possible by the steam
pump; gives rise to an amount of wealth to which the millions lost
in old London are but as an old song。
But spinning jenny and steam pump are; after all; but toys;
possessing an accidental value; and natural knowledge creates
multitudes of more subtle contrivances; the praises of which do not
happen to be sung because they are not directly convertible into
instruments for creating wealth。 When I contemplate natural
knowledge squandering such gifts among men; the only appropriate
comparison I can find for her is to liken her to such a peasant
woman as one sees in the Alps; striding ever upward; heavily
burdened; and with mind bent only on her home; but yet without
effort and without thought; knitting for her children。 Now
stockings are good and comfortable things; and the children will
undoubtedly be much the better for them; but surely it would be
short…sighted; to say the least of it; to depreciate this toiling
mother as a mere stocking…machinea mere provider of physical
comforts?
However; there are blind leaders of the blind; and not a few of
them; who take this view of natural knowledge; and can see nothing
in the bountiful mother of humanity but a sort of comfort…grinding
machine。 According to them; the improvement of natural knowledge
always has been; and always must be; synonymous with no more than
the improvement of the material resources and the increase of the
gratifications of men。
Natural knowledge is; in their eyes; no real mother of mankind;
bringing them up with kindness; and; if need be; with sternness; in
the way they should go; and instructing them in all things needful
for their welfare; but a sort of fairy god…mother; ready to furnish
her pets with shoes of swiftness; swords of sharpness; and
omnipotent Aladdin's lamps;'43' so that they may have telegraphs to
Saturn; and see the other side of the moon; and thank God they are
better than their benighted ancestors。
If this talk were true; I; for one; should not greatly care to toil
in the service of natural knowledge。 I think I would just as soon
be quietly chipping my own flint axe; after the manner of my
forefathers a few thousand years back; as be troubled with the
endless malady of thought which now infests us all; for such
reward。 But I venture to say that such views are contrary alike to
reason and to fact。 Those who discourse in such fashion seem to me
to be so intent upon trying to see what is above Nature; or what is
behind her; that they are blind to what stares them in the face in
her。
I should not venture thus to speak strongly if my justification
were not to be found in the simplest and most obvious facts;if it
needed more than an appeal to the most notorious truths to justify
my assertion; that the improvement of natural knowledge; whatever
direction it has taken; and however low the aims of those who may
have commenced ithas not only conferred practical benefits on
men; but; in so doing; has effected a revolution in their
conceptions of the universe and of themselves; and has profoundly
altered their modes of thinking and their views of right and wrong。
I say that natural knowledge; seeking to satisfy natural wants; has
found the ideas which can alone still spiritual cravings。 I say
that natural knowledge; in desiring to ascertain the laws of
comfort; has been driven to discover those of conduct; and to lay
the foundations of a new morality。
Let us take these points separately; and first; what great ideas
has natural knowledge introduced into men's minds?
I cannot but think that the foundations of all natural knowledge
were laid when the reason of man first came face to face with the
facts of Nature; when the savage first learned that the fingers of
one hand are fewer than those of both; that it is shorter to cross
a stream than to head it; that a stone stops where it is unless it
be moved; and that it drops from the hand which lets it go; that
light and heat come and go with the sun; that sticks burn away in a
fire; that plants and animals grow and die; that if he struck his
fellow savage a blow he would make him angry; and perhaps get a
blow in return; while if he offered him a fruit he would please
him; and perhaps receive a fish in exchange。 When men had acquired
this much knowledge; the outlines; rude though they were; of
mathematics; of physics; of chemistry; of biology; of moral;
economical; and political science; were sketched。 Nor did the germ
of religion fail when science began to bud。 Listen to words which;
though new; are yet three thousand years old:
。 。 。 When in heaven the stars about the moon
Look beautiful; when all the winds are laid;
And every height comes out; and jutting peak
And valley; and the immeasurable heavens
Break open to their highest; and all the stars
Shine; and the shepherd gladdens in his heart。'44'
If the half savage Greek could share our feelings thus far; it is
irrational to doubt that he went further; to find as we do; that
upon that brief gladness there follows a certain sorrow;the
little light of awakened human intelligence shines so mere a spark
amidst the abyss of the unknown and unknowable; seems so
insufficient to do more than illuminate the imperfections that
cannot be remedied; the aspirations that cannot be realised; of
man's own nature。 But in this sadness; this consciousness of the
limitation of man; this sense of an open secret which he cannot
penetrate; lies the essence of all religion; and the attempt to
embody it in the forms furnished by the intellect is the origin of
the higher theologies。
Thus it seems impossible to imagine but that the foundations of all
knowledgesecular or sacredwere laid when intelligence dawned;
though the superstructure remained for long ages so slight and
feeble as to be compatible with the existence of almost any general
view respecting the mode of governance of the universe。 No doubt;
from the first; there were certain phenomena which; to the rudest
mind; presented a constancy of occurrence; and suggested that a
fixed order ruled; at any rate; among them。 I doubt if the
grossest of Fetish worshippers ever imagined that a stone must have
a god within it to make it fall; or that a fruit had a god within
it to make it taste sweet。 With regard to such matters as these;
it is hardly questionable that mankind from the first took strictly
positive and scientific views。
But; with respect to all the less familiar occurrences which
present themselves; uncultured man; no doubt; has always taken
himself as the standard of comparison; as the centre and measure of
the world; nor could be well avoid doing so。 And finding that his
apparently uncaused will has a powerful effect in giving rise to
many occurrences; he naturally enough ascribed other and greater
events to other and greater volitions and came to look upon the
world and all that therein is; as the product of the volitions of
persons like himself; but stronger; and capable of being appeased
or angered; as he himself might be soothed or irritated。 Through
such conceptions of the plan and working of the universe all
mankind have passed; or are passing。 And we may now consider what
has been the effect of the improvement of natural knowledge on the
views of men who have reached this stage; and who have begun to
cultivate natural knowledge with no desire but that of 〃increasing
God's honour and bettering man's estate。〃'45'
For example; what could seem wiser; from a mere material point of
view; more innocent; from a theological one; to an ancient people;
than that they should learn the exact succession of the seasons; as
warnings for their husbandmen; or the position of the stars; as
guides to their rude navigators?'46' But what has grown out of this
search for natural knowledge of so merely useful a character? Yo