lay morals-第7章

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er　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　the　example　of　others；　perhaps；　who　knows？　they　may　be　　on　the　right　track；　and　the　more　our　patterns　are　in　number；　　the　better　seems　the　chance；　until；　if　we　be　acting　in　　concert　with　a　whole　civilised　nation；　there　are　surely　a　　majority　of　chances　that　we　must　be　acting　right。　　And　again；　　how　true　it　is　that　we　can　never　behave　as　we　wish　in　this　　tormented　sphere；　and　can　only　aspire　to　different　and　more　　favourable　circumstances；　in　order　to　stand　out　and　be　　ourselves　wholly　and　rightly！　　And　yet　once　more；　if　in　the　　hurry　and　pressure　of　affairs　and　passions　you　tend　to　nod　　and　become　drowsy；　here　are　twenty…four　hours　of　Sunday　set　　apart　for　you　to　hold　counsel　with　your　soul　and　look　around　　you　on　the　possibilities　of　life。

This　is　not；　of　course；　all　that　is　to　be；　or　even　should　be；　　said　for　these　doctrines。　　Only；　in　the　course　of　this　　chapter；　the　reader　and　I　have　agreed　upon　a　few　catchwords；　　and　been　looking　at　morals　on　a　certain　system；　it　was　a　pity　　to　lose　an　opportunity　of　testing　the　catchwords；　and　seeing　　whether；　by　this　system　as　well　as　by　others；　current　　doctrines　could　show　any　probable　justification。　　If　the　　doctrines　had　come　too　badly　out　of　the　trial；　it　would　have　　condemned　the　system。　　Our　sight　of　the　world　is　very　narrow；　　the　mind　but　a　pedestrian　instrument；　there's　nothing　new　　under　the　sun；　as　Solomon　says；　except　the　man　himself；　and　　though　that　changes　the　aspect　of　everything　else；　yet　he　　must　see　the　same　things　as　other　people；　only　from　a　　different　side。

And　now；　having　admitted　so　much；　let　us　turn　to　criticism。

If　you　teach　a　man　to　keep　his　eyes　upon　what　others　think　of　　him；　unthinkingly　to　lead　the　life　and　hold　the　principles　of　　the　majority　of　his　contemporaries；　you　must　discredit　in　his　　eyes　the　one　authoritative　voice　of　his　own　soul。　　He　may　be　　a　docile　citizen；　he　will　never　be　a　man。　　It　is　ours；　on　the　　other　hand；　to　disregard　this　babble　and　chattering　of　other　　men　better　and　worse　than　we　are；　and　to　walk　straight　be