06-worship-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



for　a　little　money；　it　will　appear　to　all　eyes　as　a　cheap　dear　house。

There　is　no　privacy　that　cannot　be　penetrated。　　No　secret　can　be　kept

in　the　civilized　world。　　Society　is　a　masked　ball；　where　every　one

hides　his　real　character；　and　reveals　it　by　hiding。　　If　a　man　wish　to

conceal　anything　he　carries；　those　whom　he　meets　know　that　he

conceals　somewhat；　and　usually　know　what　he　conceals。　　Is　it

otherwise　if　there　be　some　belief　or　some　purpose　he　would　bury　in

his　breast？　　'Tis　as　hard　to　hide　as　fire。　　He　is　a　strong　man　who

can　hold　down　his　opinion。　　A　man　cannot　utter　two　or　three

sentences；　without　disclosing　to　intelligent　ears　precisely　where　he

stands　in　life　and　thought；　namely；　whether　in　the　kingdom　of　the

senses　and　the　understanding；　or；　in　that　of　ideas　and　imagination；

in　the　realm　of　intuitions　and　duty。　　People　seem　not　to　see　that

their　opinion　of　the　world　is　also　a　confession　of　character。　　We　can

only　see　what　we　are；　and　if　we　misbehave　we　suspect　others。　　The

fame　of　Shakspeare　or　of　Voltaire；　of　Thomas　a　Kempis；　or　of

Bonaparte；　characterizes　those　who　give　it。　　As　gas…light　is　found　to

be　the　best　nocturnal　police；　so　the　universe　protects　itself　by

pitiless　publicity。



　　　　　　　　Each　must　be　armed　　not　necessarily　with　musket　and　pike。

Happy；　if；　seeing　these；　he　can　feel　that　he　has　better　muskets　and

pikes　in　his　energy　and　constancy。　　To　every　creature　is　his　own

weapon；　however　skilfully　concealed　from　himself；　a　good　while。　　His

work　is　sword　and　shield。　　Let　him　accuse　none；　let　him　injure　none。

The　way　to　mend　the　bad　world；　is　to　create　the　right　world。　　Here　is

a　low　political　economy　plotting　to　cut　the　throat　of　foreign

competition；　and　establish　our　own；　　excluding　others　by　force；　or

making　war　on　them；　or；　by　cunning　tariffs；　giving　preference　to

worse　wares　of　ours。　　But　the　real　and　lasting　victories　are　those　of

peace；　and　not　of　war。　　The　way　to　conquer　the　foreign　artisan；　is；

not　to　kill　him；　but　to　beat　his　work。　　And　the　Crystal　Palaces　and

World　Fairs；　with　their　committees　and　prizes　on　all　kinds　of

industry；　are　the　result　of　this　feeling。　　The　American　workman　who

strikes　ten　blows　with　his　hammer；　whilst　the　foreign　workman　only

strikes　one；　is　as　really　vanquishing　that　foreigner；　as　if　the　blows

were　aimed　at　and　told　on　his　person。　　I　look　on　that　man　as　happy；

who；　when　there　is　question　of　success；　looks　into　his　work　for　a

reply；　not　into　the　market；　not　into　opinion；　not　into　patronage。　　In

every　variety　of　human　employment；　in　the　mechanical　and　in　the　fine

arts；　in　navigation；　in　farming；　in　legislating；　there　are　among　the

numbers　who　do　their　task　perfunctorily；　as　we　say；　or　just　to　pass；

and　as　badly　as　they　dare；　　there　are　the　working…men；　on　whom　the

burden　of　the　business　falls；　　those　who　love　work；　and　love　to　see

it　rightly　done；　who　finish　their　task　for　its　own　sake；　and　the

state　and　the　world　is　happy；　that　has　the　most　of　such　finishers。

The　world　will　always　do　justice　at　last　to　such　finishers：　it　cannot

otherwise。　　He　who　has　acquired　the　ability；　may　wait　securely　the

occasion　of　making　it　felt　and　appreciated；　and　know　that　it　will　not

loiter。　　Men　talk　as　if　victory　were　something　fortunate。　　Work　is

victory。　　Wherever　work　is　done；　victory　is　obtained。　　There　is　no

chance；　and　no　blanks。　　You　want　but　one　verdict：　if　you　have　your

own；　you　are　secure　of　the　rest。　　And　yet；　if　witnesses　are　wanted；

witnesses　are　near。　　There　was　never　a　man　born　so　wise　or　good；　but

one　or　more　companions　came　into　the　world　with　him；　who　delight　in

his　faculty；　and　report　it。　　I　cannot　see　without　awe；　that　no　man

thinks　alone；　and　no　man　acts　alone；　but　the　divine　assessors　who

came　up　with　him　into　life；　　now　under　one　disguise；　now　under

another；　　like　a　police　in　citizens'　clothes；　walk　with　him；　step

for　step；　through　all　the　kingdom　of　time。



　　　　　　　　This　reaction；　this　sincerity　is　the　property　of　all　things。

To　make　our　word　or　act　sublime；　we　must　make　it　real。　　It　is　our

system　that　counts；　not　the　single　word　or　unsupported　action。　　Use

what　language　you　will；　you　can　never　say　anything　but　what　you　are。

What　I　am；　and　what　I　think；　is　conveyed　to　you；　in　spite　of　my

efforts　to　hold　it　back。　　What　I　am　has　been　secretly　conveyed　from

me　to　another；　whilst　I　was　vainly　making　up　my　mind　to　tell　him　it。

He　has　heard　from　me　what　I　never　spoke。



　　　　　　　　As　men　get　on　in　life；　they　acquire　a　love　for　sincerity；　and

somewhat　less　solicitude　to　be　lulled　or　amused。　　In　the　progress　of

the　character；　there　is　an　increasing　faith　in　the　moral　sentiment；

and　a　decreasing　faith　in　propositions。　　Young　people　admire　talents；

and　particular　excellences。　　As　we　grow　older；　we　value　total　powers

and　effects；　as　the　spirit；　or　quality　of　the　man。　　We　have　another

sight；　and　a　new　standard；　an　insight　which　disregards　what　is　done

_for_　the　eye；　and　pierces　to　the　doer；　an　ear　which　hears　not　what

men　say；　but　hears　what　they　do　not　say。



　　　　　　　　There　was　a　wise；　devout　man　who　is　called；　in　the　Catholic

Church；　St。　Philip　Neri；　of　whom　many　anecdotes　touching　his

discernment　and　benevolence　are　told　at　Naples　and　Rome。　　Among　the

nuns　in　a　convent　not　far　from　Rome；　one　had　appeared；　who　laid　claim

to　certain　rare　gifts　of　inspiration　and　prophecy；　and　the　abbess

advised　the　Holy　Father；　at　Rome；　of　the　wonderful　powers　shown　by

her　novice。　　The　Pope　did　not　well　know　what　to　make　of　these　new

claims；　and　Philip　coming　in　from　a　journey；　one　day；　he　consulted

him。　　Philip　undertook　to　visit　the　nun；　and　ascertain　her　character。

He　threw　himself　on　his　mule；　all　travel…soiled　as　he　was；　and

hastened　through　the　mud　and　mire　to　the　distant　convent。　　He　told

the　abbess　the　wishes　of　his　Holiness；　and　begged　her　to　summon　the

nun　without　delay。　　The　nun　was　sent　for；　and；　as　soon　as　she　came

into　the　apartment；　Philip　stretched　out　his　leg　all　bespattered　with

mud；　and　desired　her　to　draw　off　his　boots。　　The　young　nun；　who　had

become　the　object　of　much　attention　and　respect；　drew　back　with

anger；　and　refused　the　office：　Philip　ran　out　of　doors；　mounted　his

mule；　and　returned　instantly　to　the　Pope；　〃Give　yourself　no

uneasiness；　Holy　Father；　any　longer：　here　is　no　miracle；　for　here　is

no　humility。〃



　　　　　　　　We　need　not　much　mind　what　people　please　to　say；　but　what　they

must　say；　what　their　natures　say；　though　their　busy；　artful；　Yankee

understandings　try　to　hold　back；　and　choke　that　word；　and　to

articulate　something　different。　　If　we　will　sit　quietly；　　what　they

ought　to　say　is　said；　with　their　will；　or　against　their　will。　　We　do

not　care　for　you；　let　us　pretend　what　we　will：　　we　are　always

looking　through　you　to　the　dim　dictator　behind　you。　　Whilst　your

habit　or　whim　chatters；　we　civilly　and　impatiently　wait　until　that

wise　superior　shall　speak　again。　　Even　children　are　not　deceived　by

the　false　reasons　which　their　parents　give　in　answer　to　their

questions；　whether　touching　natural　facts；　or　religion；　or　persons。

When　the　parent；　instead　of　thinking　how　it　really　is；　puts　them　off

with　a　traditional　or　a　hypocritical　answer；　the　children　perceive

that　it　is　traditional　or　hypocritical。　　To　a　sound　constitution　the

defect　of　another　is　at　once　manifest：　and　the　marks　of　it　are　only

concealed　from　us　by　our　own　dislocation。　　An　anatomical　observer

remarks；　that　the　sympathies　of　the　chest；　abdomen；　and　pelvis；　tell

at　last　on　the　face；　and　on　all　its　features。　　Not　only　does　our

beauty　waste；　but　it　leaves　word　how　it　went　to　waste。　　Physiognomy

and　phrenology　are　not　new　sciences；　but　declarations　of　the　soul

that　it　is　aware　of　certain　new　sources　of　information。　　And　now

sciences　of　broader　scope　are　starting　up　behind　these。　　And　so　for

ourselves；　it　is　really　of　little　importance　what　blunders　in

statement　we　make；　so　only　we　make　no　wilful　departures　from　the

truth。　　How　a　man's　truth　comes　to　mind；　long　after　we　have　forgotten

all　his　words！　　How　it　comes　to　us　in　silent　hours；　that　truth　is　our

only　armor　in　all　passages　of　life　and　death！　　Wit　is　cheap；　and

anger　is　cheap；　but　if　you　cannot　argue　or　explain　yourself　to　the

other　party；　cleave　to　the　truth　against　me；　against　thee；　and　you

gain　a　station　from　which　you　cannot　be　dislodged。　　The　other　party

will　forget　the　words　that　you　spoke；　but　the　part　you　took　continues

to　plead　for　you。



　　　　　　　　Why　should　I　hasten　to　solve　every　riddle　which　life　offers　me？

I　am　well　assured　that　the　Questioner；　who　brings　me　so　many

problems；　will　bring　the　answers　also　in　due　time。　　Very　rich；　very

potent；　very　cheerful　Giver　that　he　is；　he　shall　have　it　all　his　own

way；　for　me。　　Why　should　I　give　up　my　thought；　because　I　cannot

answer　an　objection　to　it？　　Consider　only；　whether　it　remains　in　my

life　the　same　it　was。　　That　only　which　we　have　within；　can　we　see

without。　　If　we　meet　no　gods；　it　is　because　we　harbor　none。　　If　there

is　grandeur　in　you；　you　will　find　grandeur　in　porters　and　sweeps。　　He

only　is　rightly　immortal；　to　whom　all　things　are　immortal。　　I　have

read　somewhere；　that　none　is　accomplished；　so　long　as　any　are

incomplete；　that　the　happiness　of　one　cannot　consist　with　the　misery

of　any　other。



　　　　　　　　The　Buddhists　say；　〃No　seed　will　die：〃　every　seed　will　grow。

Where　is　the　service　which　can　escape　its　remuneration？　　What　is

vulgar；　and　the　essence　of　all　vulgarity；　but　the　avarice　of　reward？

'Tis　the　difference　of　artisan　and　artist；　of　talent　and　genius；　of

sinner　and　saint。　　The　man　whose　eyes　are　nailed　not　on　the　nature　of

his　act；　but　on　the　wages；　whether　it　be　money；　or　office；　or　fame；

　is　almost　equally　low。　　He　is　great；　whose　eyes　are　opened　to　see

that　the　reward　of　actions　cannot　be　escaped；　because　he　is

transformed　into　his　action；　and　taketh　its　nature；　which　bears　its

own　fruit；　like　every　other　tree。　　A　great　man　cannot　be　hindered　of

th