erewhon-第34章

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the　parents　indemnity　from　all　responsibility　on　the　score　of　its
birth；　and　asserting　its　own　pre…existence。　　They　have　therefore
devised　something　which　they　call　a　birth　formulaa　document　which
varies　in　words　according　to　the　caution　of　parents；　but　is　much
the　same　practically　in　all　cases；　for　it　has　been　the　business　of
the　Erewhonian　lawyers　during　many　ages　to　exercise　their　skill　in
perfecting　it　and　providing　for　every　contingency。

These　formulae　are　printed　on　common　paper　at　a　moderate　cost　for
the　poor；　but　the　rich　have　them　written　on　parchment　and
handsomely　bound；　so　that　the　getting　up　of　a　person's　birth
formula　is　a　test　of　his　social　position。　　They　commence　by　setting
forth；　That　whereas　A。　B。　was　a　member　of　the　kingdom　of　the
unborn；　where　he　was　well　provided　for　in　every　way；　and　had　no
cause　of　discontent；　&c。；　&c。；　he　did　of　his　own　wanton　depravity
and　restlessness　conceive　a　desire　to　enter　into　this　present
world；　that　thereon　having　taken　the　necessary　steps　as　set　forth
in　laws　of　the　unborn　kingdom；　he　did　with　malice　aforethought　set
himself　to　plague　and　pester　two　unfortunate　people　who　had　never
wronged　him；　and　who　were　quite　contented　and　happy　until　he
conceived　this　base　design　against　their　peace；　for　which　wrong　he
now　humbly　entreats　their　pardon。

He　acknowledges　that　he　is　responsible　for　all　physical　blemishes
and　deficiencies　which　may　render　him　answerable　to　the　laws　of　his
country；　that　his　parents　have　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　any　of
these　things；　and　that　they　have　a　right　to　kill　him　at　once　if
they　be　so　minded；　though　he　entreats　them　to　show　their　marvellous
goodness　and　clemency　by　sparing　his　life。　　If　they　will　do　this；
he　promises　to　be　their　most　obedient　and　abject　creature　during
his　earlier　years；　and　indeed　all　his　life；　unless　they　should　see
fit　in　their　abundant　generosity　to　remit　some　portion　of　his
service　hereafter。　　And　so　the　formula　continues；　going　sometimes
into　very　minute　details；　according　to　the　fancies　of　family
lawyers；　who　will　not　make　it　any　shorter　than　they　can　help。

The　deed　being　thus　prepared；　on　the　third　or　fourth　day　after　the
birth　of　the　child；　or　as　they　call　it；　the　〃final　importunity；〃
the　friends　gather　together；　and　there　is　a　feast　held；　where　they
are　all　very　melancholyas　a　general　rule；　I　believe；　quite　truly
soand　make　presents　to　the　father　and　mother　of　the　child　in
order　to　console　them　for　the　injury　which　has　just　been　done　them
by　the　unborn。

By…and…by　the　child　himself　is　brought　down　by　his　nurse；　and　the
company　begin　to　rail　upon　him；　upbraiding　him　for　his
impertinence；　and　asking　him　what　amends　he　proposes　to　make　for
the　wrong　that　he　has　committed；　and　how　he　can　look　for　care　and
nourishment　from　those　who　have　perhaps　already　been　injured　by　the
unborn　on　some　ten　or　twelve　occasions；　for　they　say　of　people　with
large　families；　that　they　have　suffered　terrible　injuries　from　the
unborn；　till　at　last；　when　this　has　been　carried　far　enough；　some
one　suggests　the　formula；　which　is　brought　out　and　solemnly　read　to
the　child　by　the　family　straightener。　　This　gentleman　is　always
invited　on　these　occasions；　for　the　very　fact　of　intrusion　into　a
peaceful　family　shows　a　depravity　on　the　part　of　the　child　which
requires　his　professional　services。

On　being　teased　by　the　reading　and　tweaked　by　the　nurse；　the　child
will　commonly　begin　to　cry；　which　is　reckoned　a　good　sign；　as
showing　a　consciousness　of　guilt。　　He　is　thereon　asked；　Does　he
assent　to　the　formula？　on　which；　as　he　still　continues　crying　and
can　obviously　make　no　answer；　some　one　of　the　friends　comes　forward
and　undertakes　to　sign　the　document　on　his　behalf；　feeling　sure　（so
he　says）　that　the　child　would　do　it　if　he　only　knew　how；　and　that
he　will　release　the　present　signer　from　his　engagement　on　arriving
at　maturity。　　The　friend　then　inscribes　the　signature　of　the　child
at　the　foot　of　the　parchment；　which　is　held　to　bind　the　child　as
much　as　though　he　had　signed　it　himself。

Even　this；　however；　does　not　fully　content　them；　for　they　feel　a
little　uneasy　until　they　have　got　the　child's　own　signature　after
all。　　So　when　he　is　about　fourteen；　these　good　people　partly　bribe
him　by　promises　of　greater　liberty　and　good　things；　and　partly
intimidate　him　through　their　great　power　of　making　themselves
actively　unpleasant　to　him；　so　that　though　there　is　a　show　of
freedom　made；　there　is　really　none；　they　also　use　the　offices　of
the　teachers　in　the　Colleges　of　Unreason；　till　at　last；　in　one　way
or　another；　they　take　very　good　care　that　he　shall　sign　the　paper
by　which　he　professes　to　have　been　a　free　agent　in　coming　into　the
world；　and　to　take　all　the　responsibility　of　having　done　so　on　to
his　own　shoulders。　　And　yet；　though　this　document　is　obviously　the
most　important　which　any　one　can　sign　in　his　whole　life；　they　will
have　him　do　so　at　an　age　when　neither　they　nor　the　law　will　for
many　a　year　allow　any　one　else　to　bind　him　to　the　smallest
obligation；　no　matter　how　righteously　he　may　owe　it；　because　they
hold　him　too　young　to　know　what　he　is　about；　and　do　not　consider　it
fair　that　he　should　commit　himself　to　anything　that　may　prejudice
him　in　after　years。

I　own　that　all　this　seemed　rather　hard；　and　not　of　a　piece　with　the
many　admirable　institutions　existing　among　them。　　I　once　ventured
to　say　a　part　of　what　I　thought　about　it　to　one　of　the　Professors
of　Unreason。　　I　did　it　very　tenderly；　but　his　justification　of　the
system　was　quite　out　of　my　comprehension。　　I　remember　asking　him
whether　he　did　not　think　it　would　do　harm　to　a　lad's　principles；　by
weakening　his　sense　of　the　sanctity　of　his　word　and　of　truth
generally；　that　he　should　be　led　into　entering　upon　a　solemn
declaration　as　to　the　truth　of　things　about　which　all　that　he　can
certainly　know　is　that　he　knows　nothingwhether；　in　fact；　the
teachers　who　so　led　him；　or　who　taught　anything　as　a　certainty　of
which　they　were　themselves　uncertain；　were　not　earning　their　living
by　impairing　the　truth…sense　of　their　pupils　（a　delicate
organisation　mostly）；　and　by　vitiating　one　of　their　most　sacred
instincts。

The　Professor；　who　was　a　delightful　person；　seemed　greatly
surprised　at　the　view　which　I　took；　but　it　had　no　influence　with
him　whatsoever。　　No　one；　he　answered；　expected　that　the　boy　either
would　or　could　know　all　that　he　said　he　knew；　but　the　world　was
full　of　compromises；　and　there　was　hardly　any　affirmation　which
would　bear　being　interpreted　literally。　　Human　language　was　too
gross　a　vehicle　of　thoughtthought　being　incapable　of　absolute
translation。　　He　added；　that　as　there　can　be　no　translation　from
one　language　into　another　which　shall　not　scant　the　meaning
somewhat；　or　enlarge　upon　it；　so　there　is　no　language　which　can
render　thought　without　a　jarring　and　a　harshness　somewhereand　so
forth；　all　of　which　seemed　to　come　to　this　in　the　end；　that　it　was
the　custom　of　the　country；　and　that　the　Erewhonians　were　a
conservative　people；　that　the　boy　would　have　to　begin　compromising
sooner　or　later；　and　this　was　part　of　his　education　in　the　art。　　It
was　perhaps　to　be　regretted　that　compromise　should　be　as　necessary
as　it　was；　still　it　was　necessary；　and　the　sooner　the　boy　got　to
understand　it　the　better　for　himself。　　But　they　never　tell　this　to
the　boy。

From　the　book　of　their　mythology　about　the　unborn　I　made　the
extracts　which　will　form　the　following　chapter。



CHAPTER　XIX：　　THE　WORLD　OF　THE　UNBORN



The　Erewhonians　say　that　we　are　drawn　through　life　backwards；　or
again；　that　we　go　onwards　into　the　future　as　into　a　dark　corridor。
Time　walks　beside　us　and　flings　back　shutters　as　we　advance；　but
the　light　thus　given　often　dazzles　us；　and　deepens　the　darkness
which　is　in　front。　　We　can　see　but　little　at　a　time；　and　heed　that
little　far　less　than　our　apprehension　of　what　we　shall　see　next；
ever　peering　curiously　through　the　glare　of　the　present　into　the
gloom　of　the　future；　we　presage　the　leading　lines　of　that　which　is
before　us；　by　faintly　reflected　lights　from　dull　mirrors　that　are
behind；　and　stumble　on　as　we　may　till　the　trap…door　opens　beneath
us　and　we　are　gone。

They　s