18-conclusion-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

yourself　much　to　get　new　things；　whether　clothes　or　friends。　　Turn

the　old；　return　to　them。　　Things　do　not　change；　we　change。　　Sell

your　clothes　and　keep　your　thoughts。　　God　will　see　that　you　do　not

want　society。　　If　I　were　confined　to　a　corner　of　a　garret　all　my

days；　like　a　spider；　the　world　would　be　just　as　large　to　me　while　I

had　my　thoughts　about　me。　　The　philosopher　said：　〃From　an　army　of

three　divisions　one　can　take　away　its　general；　and　put　it　in

disorder；　from　the　man　the　most　abject　and　vulgar　one　cannot　take

away　his　thought。〃　　Do　not　seek　so　anxiously　to　be　developed；　to

subject　yourself　to　many　influences　to　be　played　on；　it　is　all

dissipation。　　Humility　like　darkness　reveals　the　heavenly　lights。

The　shadows　of　poverty　and　meanness　gather　around　us；　〃and　lo！

creation　widens　to　our　view。〃　　We　are　often　reminded　that　if　there

were　bestowed　on　us　the　wealth　of　Croesus；　our　aims　must　still　be

the　same；　and　our　means　essentially　the　same。　　Moreover；　if　you　are

restricted　in　your　range　by　poverty；　if　you　cannot　buy　books　and

newspapers；　for　instance；　you　are　but　confined　to　the　most

significant　and　vital　experiences；　you　are　compelled　to　deal　with

the　material　which　yields　the　most　sugar　and　the　most　starch。　　It　is

life　near　the　bone　where　it　is　sweetest。　　You　are　defended　from

being　a　trifler。　　No　man　loses　ever　on　a　lower　level　by　magnanimity

on　a　higher。　　Superfluous　wealth　can　buy　superfluities　only。　　Money

is　not　required　to　buy　one　necessary　of　the　soul。

　　　　I　live　in　the　angle　of　a　leaden　wall；　into　whose　composition　was

poured　a　little　alloy　of　bell…metal。　　Often；　in　the　repose　of　my

mid…day；　there　reaches　my　ears　a　confused　tintinnabulum　from

without。　　It　is　the　noise　of　my　contemporaries。　　My　neighbors　tell

me　of　their　adventures　with　famous　gentlemen　and　ladies；　what

notabilities　they　met　at　the　dinner…table；　but　I　am　no　more

interested　in　such　things　than　in　the　contents　of　the　Daily　Times。

The　interest　and　the　conversation　are　about　costume　and　manners

chiefly；　but　a　goose　is　a　goose　still；　dress　it　as　you　will。　　They

tell　me　of　California　and　Texas；　of　England　and　the　Indies；　of　the

Hon。　Mr。　…　of　Georgia　or　of　Massachusetts；　all　transient　and

fleeting　phenomena；　till　I　am　ready　to　leap　from　their　court…yard

like　the　Mameluke　bey。　　I　delight　to　come　to　my　bearings　　not　walk

in　procession　with　pomp　and　parade；　in　a　conspicuous　place；　but　to

walk　even　with　the　Builder　of　the　universe；　if　I　may　　not　to　live

in　this　restless；　nervous；　bustling；　trivial　Nineteenth　Century；　but

stand　or　sit　thoughtfully　while　it　goes　by。　　What　are　men

celebrating？　　They　are　all　on　a　committee　of　arrangements；　and

hourly　expect　a　speech　from　somebody。　　God　is　only　the　president　of

the　day；　and　Webster　is　his　orator。　　I　love　to　weigh；　to　settle；　to

gravitate　toward　that　which　most　strongly　and　rightfully　attracts

me　　not　hang　by　the　beam　of　the　scale　and　try　to　weigh　less　　not

suppose　a　case；　but　take　the　case　that　is；　to　travel　the　only　path　I

can；　and　that　on　which　no　power　can　resist　me。　　It　affords　me　no

satisfaction　to　commerce　to　spring　an　arch　before　I　have　got　a　solid

foundation。　　Let　us　not　play　at　kittly…benders。　　There　is　a　solid

bottom　everywhere。　　We　read　that　the　traveller　asked　the　boy　if　the

swamp　before　him　had　a　hard　bottom。　　The　boy　replied　that　it　had。

But　presently　the　traveller's　horse　sank　in　up　to　the　girths；　and　he

observed　to　the　boy；　〃I　thought　you　said　that　this　bog　had　a　hard

bottom。〃　　〃So　it　has；〃　answered　the　latter；　〃but　you　have　not　got

half　way　to　it　yet。〃　　So　it　is　with　the　bogs　and　quicksands　of

society；　but　he　is　an　old　boy　that　knows　it。　　Only　what　is　thought；

said；　or　done　at　a　certain　rare　coincidence　is　good。　　I　would　not　be

one　of　those　who　will　foolishly　drive　a　nail　into　mere　lath　and

plastering；　such　a　deed　would　keep　me　awake　nights。　　Give　me　a

hammer；　and　let　me　feel　for　the　furring。　　Do　not　depend　on　the

putty。　　Drive　a　nail　home　and　clinch　it　so　faithfully　that　you　can

wake　up　in　the　night　and　think　of　your　work　with　satisfaction　　a

work　at　which　you　would　not　be　ashamed　to　invoke　the　Muse。　　So　will

help　you　God；　and　so　only。　　Every　nail　driven　should　be　as　another

rivet　in　the　machine　of　the　universe；　you　carrying　on　the　work。

　　　　Rather　than　love；　than　money；　than　fame；　give　me　truth。　　I　sat

at　a　table　where　were　rich　food　and　wine　in　abundance；　and

obsequious　attendance；　but　sincerity　and　truth　were　not；　and　I　went

away　hungry　from　the　inhospitable　board。　　The　hospitality　was　as

cold　as　the　ices。　　I　thought　that　there　was　no　need　of　ice　to　freeze

them。　　They　talked　to　me　of　the　age　of　the　wine　and　the　fame　of　the

vintage；　but　I　thought　of　an　older；　a　newer；　and　purer　wine；　of　a

more　glorious　vintage；　which　they　had　not　got；　and　could　not　buy。

The　style；　the　house　and　grounds　and　〃entertainment〃　pass　for

nothing　with　me。　　I　called　on　the　king；　but　he　made　me　wait　in　his

hall；　and　conducted　like　a　man　incapacitated　for　hospitality。　　There

was　a　man　in　my　neighborhood　who　lived　in　a　hollow　tree。　　His

manners　were　truly　regal。　　I　should　have　done　better　had　I　called　on

him。

　　　　How　long　shall　we　sit　in　our　porticoes　practising　idle　and　musty

virtues；　which　any　work　would　make　impertinent？　　As　if　one　were　to

begin　the　day　with　long…suffering；　and　hire　a　man　to　hoe　his

potatoes；　and　in　the　afternoon　go　forth　to　practise　Christian

meekness　and　charity　with　goodness　aforethought！　　Consider　the　China

pride　and　stagnant　self…complacency　of　mankind。　　This　generation

inclines　a　little　to　congratulate　itself　on　being　the　last　of　an

illustrious　line；　and　in　Boston　and　London　and　Paris　and　Rome；

thinking　of　its　long　descent；　it　speaks　of　its　progress　in　art　and

science　and　literature　with　satisfaction。　　There　are　the　Records　of

the　Philosophical　Societies；　and　the　public　Eulogies　of　Great　Men！

It　is　the　good　Adam　contemplating　his　own　virtue。　　〃Yes；　we　have

done　great　deeds；　and　sung　divine　songs；　which　shall　never　die〃　

that　is；　as　long　as　we　can　remember　them。　　The　learned　societies　and

great　men　of　Assyria　　where　are　they？　　What　youthful　philosophers

and　experimentalists　we　are！　　There　is　not　one　of　my　readers　who　has

yet　lived　a　whole　human　life。　　These　may　be　but　the　spring　months　in

the　life　of　the　race。　　If　we　have　had　the　seven…years'　itch；　we　have

not　seen　the　seventeen…year　locust　yet　in　Concord。　　We　are

acquainted　with　a　mere　pellicle　of　the　globe　on　which　we　live。　　Most

have　not　delved　six　feet　beneath　the　surface；　nor　leaped　as　many

above　it。　　We　know　not　where　we　are。　　Beside；　we　are　sound　asleep

nearly　half　our　time。　　Yet　we　esteem　ourselves　wise；　and　have　an

established　order　on　the　surface。　　Truly；　we　are　deep　thinkers；　we

are　ambitious　spirits！　　As　I　stand　over　the　insect　crawling　amid　the

pine　needles　on　the　forest　floor；　and　endeavoring　to　conceal　itself

from　my　sight；　and　ask　myself　why　it　will　cherish　those　humble

thoughts；　and　bide　its　head　from　me　who　might；　perhaps；　be　its

benefactor；　and　impart　to　its　race　some　cheering　information；　I　am

reminded　of　the　greater　Benefactor　and　Intelligence　that　stands　over

me　the　human　insect。

　　　　There　is　an　incessant　influx　of　novelty　into　the　world；　and　yet

we　tolerate　incredible　dulness。　　I　need　only　suggest　what　kind　of

sermons　are　still　listened　to　in　the　most　enlightened　countries。

There　are　such　words　as　joy　and　sorrow；　but　they　are　only　the　burden

of　a　psalm；　sung　with　a　nasal　twang；　while　we　believe　in　the

ordinary　and　mean。　　We　think　that　we　can　change　our　clothes　only。

It　is　said　that　the　British　Empire　is　very　large　and　respectable；

and　that　the　United　States　are　a　first…rate　power。　　We　do　not

believe　that　a　tide　rises　and　falls　behind　every　man　which　can　float

the　British　Empire　like　a　chip；　if　he　should　ever　harbor　it　in　his

mind。　　Who　knows　what　sort　of　seventeen…year　locust　will　next　come

out　of　the　grou