18-conclusion-第2章

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but　one　order　of　understandings；　could　not　sustain　birds　as　well　as

quadrupeds；　flying　as　well　as　creeping　things；　and　hush　and　whoa；

which　Bright　can　understand；　were　the　best　English。　　As　if　there

were　safety　in　stupidity　alone。　　I　fear　chiefly　lest　my　expression

may　not　be　extravagant　enough；　may　not　wander　far　enough　beyond　the

narrow　limits　of　my　daily　experience；　so　as　to　be　adequate　to　the

truth　of　which　I　have　been　convinced。　　Extra　vagance！　it　depends　on

how　you　are　yarded。　　The　migrating　buffalo；　which　seeks　new　pastures

in　another　latitude；　is　not　extravagant　like　the　cow　which　kicks

over　the　pail；　leaps　the　cowyard　fence；　and　runs　after　her　calf；　in

milking　time。　　I　desire　to　speak　somewhere　without　bounds；　like　a

man　in　a　waking　moment；　to　men　in　their　waking　moments；　for　I　am

convinced　that　I　cannot　exaggerate　enough　even　to　lay　the　foundation

of　a　true　expression。　　Who　that　has　heard　a　strain　of　music　feared

then　lest　he　should　speak　extravagantly　any　more　forever？　　In　view

of　the　future　or　possible；　we　should　live　quite　laxly　and　undefined

in　front；　our　outlines　dim　and　misty　on　that　side；　as　our　shadows

reveal　an　insensible　perspiration　toward　the　sun。　　The　volatile

truth　of　our　words　should　continually　betray　the　inadequacy　of　the

residual　statement。　　Their　truth　is　instantly　translated；　its

literal　monument　alone　remains。　　The　words　which　express　our　faith

and　piety　are　not　definite；　yet　they　are　significant　and　fragrant

like　frankincense　to　superior　natures。

　　　　Why　level　downward　to　our　dullest　perception　always；　and　praise

that　as　common　sense？　　The　commonest　sense　is　the　sense　of　men

asleep；　which　they　express　by　snoring。　　Sometimes　we　are　inclined　to

class　those　who　are　once…and…a…half…witted　with　the　half…witted；

because　we　appreciate　only　a　third　part　of　their　wit。　　Some　would

find　fault　with　the　morning　red；　if　they　ever　got　up　early　enough。

〃They　pretend；〃　as　I　hear；　〃that　the　verses　of　Kabir　have　four

different　senses；　illusion；　spirit；　intellect；　and　the　exoteric

doctrine　of　the　Vedas〃；　but　in　this　part　of　the　world　it　is

considered　a　ground　for　complaint　if　a　man's　writings　admit　of　more

than　one　interpretation。　　While　England　endeavors　to　cure　the

potato…rot；　will　not　any　endeavor　to　cure　the　brain…rot；　which

prevails　so　much　more　widely　and　fatally？

　　　　I　do　not　suppose　that　I　have　attained　to　obscurity；　but　I　should

be　proud　if　no　more　fatal　fault　were　found　with　my　pages　on　this

score　than　was　found　with　the　Walden　ice。　　Southern　customers

objected　to　its　blue　color；　which　is　the　evidence　of　its　purity；　as

if　it　were　muddy；　and　preferred　the　Cambridge　ice；　which　is　white；

but　tastes　of　weeds。　　The　purity　men　love　is　like　the　mists　which

envelop　the　earth；　and　not　like　the　azure　ether　beyond。

　　　　Some　are　dinning　in　our　ears　that　we　Americans；　and　moderns

generally；　are　intellectual　dwarfs　compared　with　the　ancients；　or

even　the　Elizabethan　men。　　But　what　is　that　to　the　purpose？　　A

living　dog　is　better　than　a　dead　lion。　　Shall　a　man　go　and　hang

himself　because　he　belongs　to　the　race　of　pygmies；　and　not　be　the

biggest　pygmy　that　he　can？　　Let　every　one　mind　his　own　business；　and

endeavor　to　be　what　he　was　made。

　　　　Why　should　we　be　in　such　desperate　haste　to　succeed　and　in　such

desperate　enterprises？　　If　a　man　does　not　keep　pace　with　his

companions；　perhaps　it　is　because　he　hears　a　different　drummer。　　Let

him　step　to　the　music　which　he　hears；　however　measured　or　far　away。

It　is　not　important　that　he　should　mature　as　soon　as　an　apple　tree

or　an　oak。　　Shall　he　turn　his　spring　into　summer？　　If　the　condition

of　things　which　we　were　made　for　is　not　yet；　what　were　any　reality

which　we　can　substitute？　　We　will　not　be　shipwrecked　on　a　vain

reality。　　Shall　we　with　pains　erect　a　heaven　of　blue　glass　over

ourselves；　though　when　it　is　done　we　shall　be　sure　to　gaze　still　at

the　true　ethereal　heaven　far　above；　as　if　the　former　were　not？

　　　　There　was　an　artist　in　the　city　of　Kouroo　who　was　disposed　to

strive　after　perfection。　　One　day　it　came　into　his　mind　to　make　a

staff。　　Having　considered　that　in　an　imperfect　work　time　is　an

ingredient；　but　into　a　perfect　work　time　does　not　enter；　he　said　to

himself；　It　shall　be　perfect　in　all　respects；　though　I　should　do

nothing　else　in　my　life。　　He　proceeded　instantly　to　the　forest　for

wood；　being　resolved　that　it　should　not　be　made　of　unsuitable

material；　and　as　he　searched　for　and　rejected　stick　after　stick；　his

friends　gradually　deserted　him；　for　they　grew　old　in　their　works　and

died；　but　he　grew　not　older　by　a　moment。　　His　singleness　of　purpose

and　resolution；　and　his　elevated　piety；　endowed　him；　without　his

knowledge；　with　perennial　youth。　　As　he　made　no　compromise　with

Time；　Time　kept　out　of　his　way；　and　only　sighed　at　a　distance

because　he　could　not　overcome　him。　　Before　he　had　found　a　stock　in

all　respects　suitable　the　city　of　Kouroo　was　a　hoary　ruin；　and　he

sat　on　one　of　its　mounds　to　peel　the　stick。　　Before　he　had　given　it

the　proper　shape　the　dynasty　of　the　Candahars　was　at　an　end；　and

with　the　point　of　the　stick　he　wrote　the　name　of　the　last　of　that

race　in　the　sand；　and　then　resumed　his　work。　　By　the　time　he　had

smoothed　and　polished　the　staff　Kalpa　was　no　longer　the　pole…star；

and　ere　he　had　put　on　the　ferule　and　the　head　adorned　with　precious

stones；　Brahma　had　awoke　and　slumbered　many　times。　　But　why　do　I

stay　to　mention　these　things？　　When　the　finishing　stroke　was　put　to

his　work；　it　suddenly　expanded　before　the　eyes　of　the　astonished

artist　into　the　fairest　of　all　the　creations　of　Brahma。　　He　had　made

a　new　system　in　making　a　staff；　a　world　with　full　and　fair

proportions；　in　which；　though　the　old　cities　and　dynasties　had

passed　away；　fairer　and　more　glorious　ones　had　taken　their　places。

And　now　he　saw　by　the　heap　of　shavings　still　fresh　at　his　feet；

that；　for　him　and　his　work；　the　former　lapse　of　time　had　been　an

illusion；　and　that　no　more　time　had　elapsed　than　is　required　for　a

single　scintillation　from　the　brain　of　Brahma　to　fall　on　and　inflame

the　tinder　of　a　mortal　brain。　　The　material　was　pure；　and　his　art

was　pure；　how　could　the　result　be　other　than　wonderful？

　　　　No　face　which　we　can　give　to　a　matter　will　stead　us　so　well　at

last　as　the　truth。　　This　alone　wears　well。　　For　the　most　part；　we

are　not　where　we　are；　but　in　a　false　position。　　Through　an　infinity

of　our　natures；　we　suppose　a　case；　and　put　ourselves　into　it；　and

hence　are　in　two　cases　at　the　same　time；　and　it　is　doubly　difficult

to　get　out。　　In　sane　moments　we　regard　only　the　facts；　the　case　that

is。　　Say　what　you　have　to　say；　not　what　you　ought。　　Any　truth　is

better　than　make…believe。　　Tom　Hyde；　the　tinker；　standing　on　the

gallows；　was　asked　if　he　had　anything　to　say。　　〃Tell　the　tailors；〃

said　he；　〃to　remember　to　make　a　knot　in　their　thread　before　they

take　the　first　stitch。〃　　His　companion's　prayer　is　forgotten。

　　　　However　mean　your　life　is；　meet　it　and　live　it；　do　not　shun　it

and　call　it　hard　names。　　It　is　not　so　bad　as　you　are。　　It　looks

poorest　when　you　are　richest。　　The　fault…finder　will　find　faults

even　in　paradise。　　Love　your　life；　poor　as　it　is。　　You　may　perhaps

have　some　pleasant；　thrilling；　glorious　hours；　even　in　a　poorhouse。

The　setting　sun　is　reflected　from　the　windows　of　the　almshouse　as

brightly　as　from　the　rich　man's　abode；　the　snow　melts　before　its

door　as　early　in　the　spring。　　I　do　not　see　but　a　quiet　mind　may　live

as　contentedly　there；　and　have　as　cheering　thoughts；　as　in　a　palace。

The　town's　poor　seem　to　me　often　to　live　the　most　independent　lives

of　any。　　Maybe　they　are　simply　great　enough　to　receive　without

misgiving。　　Most　think　that　they　are　above　being　supported　by　the

town；　but　it　oftener　happens　that　they　are　not　above　supporting

themselves　by　dishonest　means；　which　should　be　more　disreputable。

Cultivate　poverty　like　a　garden　herb；　like　sage。　　Do　not　trouble

yourself　much　to　get　new　things；　whether　clothes　or