beacon lights of history-iii-2-第69章

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wealth；　and　carry　out　inventions　as　those　cities　did；　and　all　other

civilized　peoples　since　Babel　towered　above　the　plains　of　Babylon？

Physical　developments　arise　from　the　developments　of　man；　whatever

method　may　be　recommended　by　philosophers。　　What　philosophical

teachings　led　to　the　machinery　of　the　mines　of　California；　or　to

that　of　the　mills　of　Lowell？　　Some　think　that　our　modern

improvements　would　have　come　whether　Bacon　had　lived　or　not。　　But　I

would　not　disparage　the　labors　of　Bacon　in　pointing　out　the　method

which　leads　to　scientific　discoveries。　　Granting　that　he　sought

merely　utility；　an　improvement　in　the　outward　condition　of　society；

which　is　the　view　that　Macaulay　takes；　I　would　not　underrate　his

legacy。　　And　even　supposing　that　the　blessings　of　material　life

〃the　acre　of　Middlesex〃are　as　much　to　be　desired　as　Macaulay；

with　the　complacency　of　an　eminently　practical　and　prosperous　man；

seems　to　argue；　I　would　not　sneer　at　them。　　Who　does　not　value

them？　　Who　will　not　value　them　so　long　as　our　mortal　bodies　are　to

be　cared　for？　　It　is　a　pleasant　thing　to　ride　in　〃cars　without

horses；〃　to　feel　in　winter　the　genial　warmth　of　grates　and

furnaces；　to　receive　messages　from　distant　friends　in　a　moment　of

time；　to　cross　the　ocean　without　discomfort；　with　the　〃almost

certainty〃　of　safety；　and　save　our　wives　and　daughters　from　the

ancient　drudgeries　of　the　loom　and　the　knitting…needle。　　Who　ever

tires　in　gazing　at　a　locomotive　as　it　whirls　along　with　the　power

of　destiny？　　Who　is　not　astonished　at　the　triumphs　of　the　engineer；

the　wonders　of　an　ocean…steamer；　the　marvellous　tunnels　under　lofty

mountains？　　We　feel　that　Titans　have　been　sent　to　ease　us　of　our

burdens。



But　great　and　beneficent　as　are　these　blessings；　they　are　not　the

only　certitudes；　nor　are　they　the　greatest。　　An　outward　life　of

ease　and　comfort　is　not　the　chief　end　of　man。　　The　interests　of　the

soul　are　more　important　than　any　comforts　of　the　body。　　The　higher

life　is　only　reached　by　lofty　contemplation　on　the　true；　the

beautiful；　and　the　good。　　Subjective　wisdom　is　worth　more　than

objective　knowledge。　　What　are　the　great　realities；machinery；　new

breeds　of　horses；　carpets；　diamonds；　mirrors；　gas？　or　are　they

affections；　friendships；　generous　impulses；　inspiring　thoughts？

Look　to　Socrates：　what　raised　that　barefooted；　ugly…looking；

impecunious；　persecuted；　cross…questioning；　self…constituted

teacher；　without　pay；　to　the　loftiest　pedestal　of　Athenian　fame？

What　was　the　spirit　of　the　truths　HE　taught？　　Was　it　objective　or

subjective　truth；　the　way　to　become　rich　and　comfortable；　or　the

search　for　the　indefinite；　the　infinite；　the　eternal；Utopia；　not

Middlesex；that　which　fed　the　wants　of　the　immaterial　soul；　and

enabled　it　to　rise　above　temptation　and　vulgar　rewards？　　What

raised　Plato　to　the　highest　pinnacle　of　intellectual　life？　　Was　it

definite　and　practical　knowledge　of　outward　phenomena；　or　was　it　〃a

longing　after　love；　in　the　contemplation　of　which　the　mortal　soul

sustains　itself；　and　becomes　participant　in　the　glories　of

immortality〃？　　What　were　realities　to　Anselm；　Bernard；　and

Bonaventura？　　What　gave　beauty　and　placidity　to　Descartes　and

Leibnitz　and　Kant？　　It　may　be　very　dignified　for　a　modern　savant　to

sit　serenely　on　his　tower　of　observation；　indifferent　to　all　the

lofty　speculations　of　the　great　men　of　bygone　ages；　yet　those

profound　questions　pertaining　to　the　＇Greek　text　omitted＇　and　the

＇Greek　text　omitted＇；　which　had　such　attractions　for　Augustine　and

Pascal　and　Calvin；　did　have　as　real　bearing　on　human　life　and　on

what　is　best　worth　knowing；　as　the　scales　of　a　leuciscus　cephalus

or　the　limbs　of　a　magnified　animalculus；　or　any　of　the　facts　of

which　physical　science　can　boast。　　The　wonders　of　science　are

great；　but　so　also　are　the　secrets　of　the　soul；　the　mysteries　of

the　spiritual　life；　the　truths　which　come　from　divine　revelation。

Whatever　most　dignifies　humanity；　and　makes　our　labors　sweet；　and

causes　us　to　forget　our　pains；　and　kindles　us　to　lofty

contemplations；　and　prompts　us　to　heroic　sacrifice；　is　the　most

real　and　the　most　useful。　　Even　the　leaves　of　a　barren　and

neglected　philosophy　may　be　in　some　important　respects　of　more

value　than　all　the　boasted　fruit　of　utilitarian　science。　　Is　that

which　is　most　useful　always　the　most　valuable；that；　I　mean；　which

gives　the　highest　pleasure？　　Do　we　not　plant　our　grounds　with　the

acacia；　the　oak；　the　cedar；　the　elm；　as　well　as　with　the　apple；　the

pear；　and　the　cherry？　　Are　not　flowers　and　shrubs　which　beautify

the　lawn　as　desirable　as　beans　and　turnips　and　cabbages？　　Is　not

the　rose　or　tulip　as　great　an　addition　to　even　a　poor　man's　cottage

as　his　bed　of　onions　or　patch　of　potatoes？　　What　is　the　scale　to

measure　even　mortal　happiness？　　What　is　the　marketable　value　of

friendship　or　of　love？　　What　makes　the　dinner　of　herbs　sometimes

more　refreshing　than　the　stalled　ox？　　What　is　the　material　profit

of　a　first　love？　　What　is　the　value　in　tangible　dollars　and　cents

of　a　beautiful　landscape；　or　a　speaking　picture；　or　a　marble

statue；　or　a　living　book；　or　the　voice　of　eloquence；　or　the　charm

of　earliest　bird；　or　the　smile　of　a　friend；　or　the　promise　of

immortality？　　In　what　consisted　the　real　glory　of　the　country　we

are　never　weary　of　quoting；the　land　of　Phidias　and　Pericles　and

Demosthenes？　　Was　it　not　in　immaterial　ideas；　in　patriotism；　in

heroism；　in　conceptions　of　ideal　beauty；　in　speculations　on　the

infinite　and　unattainable；　in　the　songs　which　still　inspire　the

minds　of　youth；　in　the　expression　which　made　marble　live；　in　those

conceptions　of　beauty　and　harmony　which　still　give　shape　to　the

temples　of　Christendom？　　Was　Rome　more　glorious　with　her　fine　roads

and　tables　of　thuja…root；　and　Falernian　wines；　and　oysters　from　the

Lucrine　Lake；　and　chariots　of　silver；　and　robes　of　purple　and　rings

of　gold；these　useful　blessings　which　are　the　pride　of　an

Epicurean　civilization？　　And　who　gave　the　last　support；　who　raised

the　last　barrier；　against　that　inundation　of　destructive　pleasures

in　which　some　see　the　most　valued　fruits　of　human　invention；　but

which　proved　a　canker　that　prepared　the　way　to　ruin？　　It　was　that

pious　Emperor　who　learned　his　wisdom　from　a　slave；　and　who　set　a

haughty　defiance　to　all　the　grandeur　and　all　the　comforts　of　the

highest　position　which　earth　could　give；　and　spent　his　leisure

hours　in　the　quiet　study　of　those　truths　which　elevate　the　soul；

truths　not　taught　by　science　or　nature；　but　by　communication　with

invisible　powers。



Ah；　what　indeed　is　reality；　what　is　the　higher　good；　what　is　that

which　perishes　never；　what　is　that　which　assimilates　man　to　Deity？

Is　it　houses；　is　it　lands；　is　it　gold　and　silver；　is　it　luxurious

couches；　is　it　the　practical　utilitarian　comforts　that　pamper　this

mortal　body　in　its　brief　existence？　or　is　it　women's　loves　and

patriots'　struggles；　and　sages'　pious　thoughts；　affections；　noble

aspirations；　Bethanies；　the　serenities　of　virtuous　old　age；　the

harmonies　of　unpolluted　homes；　the　existence　of　art；　of　truth；　of

love；　the　hopes　which　last　when　sun　and　stars　decay？　　Tell　us；　ye

women；　what　are　realities　to　you；your　carpets；　your　plate；　your

jewels；　your　luxurious　banquets；　or　your　husbands'　love；　your

friends'　esteem；　your　children's　reverence？　　And　ye；　toiling　men　of

business；　what　is　really　your　highest　joy；your　piles　of　gold；

your　marble　palaces；　or　the　pleasures　of　your　homes；　the

approbation　of　your　consciences；　your　hopes　of　future　bliss？　　Yes；

you　are　dreamers；　like　poets　and　philosophers；　when　you　call

yourselves　pack…horses。　　Even　you　are　only　sustained　in　labor　by

intangible　rewards　that　you　can　neither　see　nor　feel。　　The　most

practical　of　men　and　women　can　really　only　live　in　those　ideas

which　are　deemed　indefinite　and　unreal。　　For　what　do　the　busiest　of

you　run　away　from　money…making；　and　ride　in　cold　or　heat；　in

dreariness　or　discomfort；dinners；　or　greetings　of　love　and

sympath