07-considerations-第4部分

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each　town。



　　　　　　　　Genial　manners　are　good；　and　power　of　accommodation　to　any

circumstance；　but　the　high　prize　of　life；　the　crowning　fortune　of　a

man　is　to　be　born　with　a　bias　to　some　pursuit；　which　finds　him　in

employment　and　happiness；　　whether　it　be　to　make　baskets；　or

broadswords；　or　canals；　or　statutes；　or　songs。　　I　doubt　not　this　was

the　meaning　of　Socrates；　when　he　pronounced　artists　the　only　truly

wise；　as　being　actually；　not　apparently　so。



　　　　　　　　In　childhood；　we　fancied　ourselves　walled　in　by　the　horizon；　as

by　a　glass　bell；　and　doubted　not；　by　distant　travel；　we　should　reach

the　baths　of　the　descending　sun　and　stars。　　On　experiment；　the

horizon　flies　before　us；　and　leaves　us　on　an　endless　common；

sheltered　by　no　glass　bell。　　Yet　'tis　strange　how　tenaciously　we

cling　to　that　bell…astronomy；　of　a　protecting　domestic　horizon。　　I

find　the　same　illusion　in　the　search　after　happiness；　which　I

observe；　every　summer；　recommenced　in　this　neighborhood；　soon　after

the　pairing　of　the　birds。　　The　young　people　do　not　like　the　town；　do

not　like　the　sea…shore；　they　will　go　inland；　find　a　dear　cottage　deep

in　the　mountains；　secret　as　their　hearts。　　They　set　forth　on　their

travels　in　search　of　a　home：　they　reach　Berkshire；　they　reach

Vermont；　they　look　at　the　farms；　　good　farms；　high　mountain…sides：

but　where　is　the　seclusion？　　The　farm　is　near　this；　'tis　near　that；

they　have　got　far　from　Boston；　but　'tis　near　Albany；　or　near

Burlington；　or　near　Montreal。　　They　explore　a　farm；　but　the　house　is

small；　old；　thin；　discontented　people　lived　there；　and　are　gone：　

there's　too　much　sky；　too　much　out…doors；　too　public。　　The　youth

aches　for　solitude。　　When　he　comes　to　the　house；　he　passes　through

the　house。　　That　does　not　make　the　deep　recess　he　sought。　　‘Ah！　now；

I　perceive；'　he　says；　‘it　must　be　deep　with　persons；　friends　only　can

give　depth。'　Yes；　but　there　is　a　great　dearth；　this　year；　of　friends；

hard　to　find；　and　hard　to　have　when　found：　they　are　just　going　away：

they　too　are　in　the　whirl　of　the　flitting　world；　and　have　engagements

and　necessities。　　They　are　just　starting　for　Wisconsin；　have　letters

from　Bremen：　　see　you　again；　soon。　　Slow；　slow　to　learn　the　lesson；

that　there　is　but　one　depth；　but　one　interior；　and　that　is　　his

purpose。　　When　joy　or　calamity　or　genius　shall　show　him　it；　then

woods；　then　farms；　then　city　shopmen　and　cab…drivers；　indifferently

with　prophet　or　friend；　will　mirror　back　to　him　its　unfathomable

heaven；　its　populous　solitude。



　　　　　　　　The　uses　of　travel　are　occasional；　and　short；　but　the　best

fruit　it　finds；　when　it　finds　it；　is　conversation；　and　this　is　a　main

function　of　life。　　What　a　difference　in　the　hospitality　of　minds！

Inestimable　is　he　to　whom　we　can　say　what　we　cannot　say　to　ourselves。

Others　are　involuntarily　hurtful　to　us；　and　bereave　us　of　the　power

of　thought；　impound　and　imprison　us。　　As；　when　there　is　sympathy；

there　needs　but　one　wise　man　in　a　company；　and　all　are　wise；　　so；　a

blockhead　makes　a　blockhead　of　his　companion。　　Wonderful　power　to

benumb　possesses　this　brother。　　When　he　comes　into　the　office　or

public　room；　the　society　dissolves；　one　after　another　slips　out；　and

the　apartment　is　at　his　disposal。　　What　is　incurable　but　a　frivolous

habit？　　A　fly　is　as　untamable　as　a　hyena。　　Yet　folly　in　the　sense　of

fun；　fooling；　or　dawdling　can　easily　be　borne；　as　Talleyrand　said；　〃I

find　nonsense　singularly　refreshing；〃　but　a　virulent；　aggressive　fool

taints　the　reason　of　a　household。　　I　have　seen　a　whole　family　of

quiet；　sensible　people　unhinged　and　beside　themselves；　victims　of

such　a　rogue。　　For　the　steady　wrongheadedness　of　one　perverse　person

irritates　the　best：　since　we　must　withstand　absurdity。　　But

resistance　only　exasperates　the　acrid　fool；　who　believes　that　Nature

and　gravitation　are　quite　wrong；　and　he　only　is　right。　　Hence　all　the

dozen　inmates　are　soon　perverted；　with　whatever　virtues　and

industries　they　have；　into　contradictors；　accusers；　explainers；　and

repairers　of　this　one　malefactor；　like　a　boat　about　to　be　overset；　or

a　carriage　run　away　with；　　not　only　the　foolish　pilot　or　driver；

but　everybody　on　board　is　forced　to　assume　strange　and　ridiculous

attitudes；　to　balance　the　vehicle　and　prevent　the　upsetting。　　For

remedy；　whilst　the　case　is　yet　mild；　I　recommend　phlegm　and　truth：

let　all　the　truth　that　is　spoken　or　done　be　at　the　zero　of

indifferency；　or　truth　itself　will　be　folly。　　But；　when　the　case　is

seated　and　malignant；　the　only　safety　is　in　amputation；　as　seamen

say；　you　shall　cut　and　run。　　How　to　live　with　unfit　companions？　

for；　with　such；　life　is　for　the　most　part　spent：　and　experience

teaches　little　better　than　our　earliest　instinct　of　self…defence；

namely；　not　to　engage；　not　to　mix　yourself　in　any　manner　with　them；

but　let　their　madness　spend　itself　unopposed；　　you　are　you；　and　I

am　I。



　　　　　　　　Conversation　is　an　art　in　which　a　man　has　all　mankind　for　his

competitors；　for　it　is　that　which　all　are　practising　every　day　while

they　live。　　Our　habit　of　thought；　　take　men　as　they　rise；　　is　not

satisfying；　in　the　common　experience；　I　fear；　it　is　poor　and　squalid。

The　success　which　will　content　them；　is；　a　bargain；　a　lucrative

employment；　an　advantage　gained　over　a　competitor；　a　marriage；　a

patrimony；　a　legacy；　and　the　like。　　With　these　objects；　their

conversation　deals　with　surfaces：　politics；　trade；　personal　defects；

exaggerated　bad　news；　and　the　rain。　　This　is　forlorn；　and　they　feel

sore　and　sensitive。　　Now；　if　one　comes　who　can　illuminate　this　dark

house　with　thoughts；　show　them　their　native　riches；　what　gifts　they

have；　how　indispensable　each　is；　what　magical　powers　over　nature　and

men；　what　access　to　poetry；　religion；　and　the　powers　which　constitute

character；　he　wakes　in　them　the　feeling　of　worth；　his　suggestions

require　new　ways　of　living；　new　books；　new　men；　new　arts　and

sciences；　　then　we　come　out　of　our　egg…shell　existence　into　the

great　dome；　and　see　the　zenith　over　and　the　nadir　under　us。　　Instead

of　the　tanks　and　buckets　of　knowledge　to　which　we　are　daily　confined；

we　come　down　to　the　shore　of　the　sea；　and　dip　our　hands　in　its

miraculous　waves。　　'Tis　wonderful　the　effect　on　the　company。　　They

are　not　the　men　they　were。　　They　have　all　been　to　California；　and　all

have　come　back　millionnaires。　　There　is　no　book　and　no　pleasure　in

life　comparable　to　it。　　Ask　what　is　best　in　our　experience；　and　we

shall　say；　a　few　pieces　of　plain…dealing　with　wise　people。　　Our

conversation　once　and　again　has　apprised　us　that　we　belong　to　better

circles　than　we　have　yet　beheld；　that　a　mental　power　invites　us；

whose　generalizations　are　more　worth　for　joy　and　for　effect　than

anything　that　is　now　called　philosophy　or　literature。　　In　excited

conversation；　we　have　glimpses　of　the　Universe；　hints　of　power　native

to　the　soul；　far…darting　lights　and　shadows　of　an　Andes　landscape；

such　as　we　can　hardly　attain　in　lone　meditation。　　Here　are　oracles

sometimes　profusely　given；　to　which　the　memory　goes　back　in　barren

hours。



　　　　　　　　Add　the　consent　of　will　and　temperament；　and　there　exists　the

covenant　of　friendship。　　Our　chief　want　in　life；　is；　somebody　who

shall　make　us　do　what　we　can。　　This　is　the　service　of　a　friend。　　With

him　we　are　easily　great。　　There　is　a　sublime　attraction　in　him　to

whatever　virtue　is　in　us。　　How　he　flings　wide　the　doors　of　existence！

What　questions　we　ask　of　him！　what　an　understanding　we　have！　how　few

words　are　needed！　　It　is　the　only　real　society。　　An　Eastern　poet；　Ali

Ben　Abu　Taleb；　writes　with　sad　truth；　



　　　　　　　　〃He　who　has　a　thousand　friends　has　not　a　friend　to　spare；

　　　　　　　　And　he　who　has　one　enemy　shall　meet　him　everywhere。〃



　　　　　　　　But　few　writers　have　said　anything　better　to　this　point　than

Hafiz；　who　indicates　this　relation　as　the　test　of　mental　health：

〃Thou　learnest　no　secret　until　thou　knowest　friendship；　since　to　the

unsound　no　heavenly　knowledge　enters。〃　Neither　is　life　long　enough

for　friendship。　　That　is　a　serious　and　majestic　affair；　like　a　royal

presence；　or　a　religion；　and　not　a　postilion's　dinner　to　be　eaten　on

the　run。　　There　is　a　pudency　about　friendship；　as　about　love；　and

though　fine　souls　never　lose　sight　of　it；　yet　they　do　not　name　it。

With　the　first　class　of　men　our　friendship　or　good　understanding　goes

quite　behind　all　accidents　of　estrangement；　of　condition；　of

reputation。　　And　yet　we　do　not　provide　for　the　greatest　good　of　life。

We　take　care　of　our　health；　we　lay　up　money；　we　make　our　roof　tight；

and　our　clothing　sufficient；　but　who　provides　wisely　that　he　shall

not　be　wanting　in　the　best　property　of　all；　　friends？　　We　know　that

all　our　training　is　to　fit　us　for　this；　and　we　do　not　take　the　step

towards　it。　　How　long　shall　we　sit　and　wait　for　these　benefactors？



　　　　　　　　It　makes　no　difference；　in　looking　back　five　years；　how　you

have　been　dieted　or　dressed；　whether　you　have　been　lodged　on　the

first　floor　or　the　attic；　whether　you　have　had　gardens　and　baths；

good　cattle　and　horses；　have　been　carried　in　a　neat　equipage；　or　in　a

ridiculous　truck：　these　things　are　forgotten　so　quickly；　and　leave　no

effect。　　But　it　counts　much　whether　we　have　had　good　companions；　in

that　time；　　almost　as　much　as　what　we　have　been　doing。　　And　see　the

overpowering　importance　of　neighborhood　in　all　association。　　As　it　is

marriage；　fit　or　unfit；　that　makes　our　home；　so　it　is　who　lives　near

us　of　equal　social　degree；　　a　few　people　at　convenient　distance；　no

matter　how　bad　company；　　these；　and　these　only；　shall　be　your

life's　companions：　and　all　those　who　are　native；　congenial；　and　by

many　an　oath　of　the　heart；　sacramented　to　you；　are　gradually　and

totally　lost。　　You　cannot　deal　systematically　with　this　fine　element

of　society；　and　one　may　take　a　good　deal　of　pains　to　bring　people

together；　and　to　organize　clubs　and　debating　societies；　and　yet　no

result　come　of　it。　　But　it　is　certain　that　there　is　a　great　deal　of