07-considerations-第5部分

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

good　in　us　that　does　not　know　itself；　and　that　a　habit　of　union　and

competition　brings　people　up　and　keeps　them　up　to　their　highest

point；　that　life　would　be　twice　or　ten　times　life；　if　spent　with　wise

and　fruitful　companions。　　The　obvious　inference　is；　a　little　useful

deliberation　and　preconcert；　when　one　goes　to　buy　house　and　land。



　　　　　　　　But　we　live　with　people　on　other　platforms；　we　live　with

dependents；　not　only　with　the　young　whom　we　are　to　teach　all　we　know；

and　clothe　with　the　advantages　we　have　earned；　but　also　with　those

who　serve　us　directly；　and　for　money。　　Yet　the　old　rules　hold　good。

Let　not　the　tie　be　mercenary；　though　the　service　is　measured　by

money。　　Make　yourself　necessary　to　somebody。　　Do　not　make　life　hard

to　any。　　This　point　is　acquiring　new　importance　in　American　social

life。　　Our　domestic　service　is　usually　a　foolish　fracas　of

unreasonable　demand　on　one　side；　and　shirking　on　the　other。　　A　man　of

wit　was　asked；　in　the　train；　what　was　his　errand　in　the　city？　　He

replied；　〃I　have　been　sent　to　procure　an　angel　to　do　cooking。〃　A　lady

complained　to　me；　that；　of　her　two　maidens；　one　was　absent…minded；

and　the　other　was　absent…bodied。　　And　the　evil　increases　from　the

ignorance　and　hostility　of　every　ship…load　of　the　immigrant

population　swarming　into　houses　and　farms。　　Few　people　discern　that

it　rests　with　the　master　or　the　mistress　what　service　comes　from　the

man　or　the　maid；　that　this　identical　hussy　was　a　tutelar　spirit　in

one　house；　and　a　haridan　in　the　other。　　All　sensible　people　are

selfish；　and　nature　is　tugging　at　every　contract　to　make　the　terms　of

it　fair。　　If　you　are　proposing　only　your　own；　the　other　party　must

deal　a　little　hardly　by　you。　　If　you　deal　generously；　the　other；

though　selfish　and　unjust；　will　make　an　exception　in　your　favor；　and

deal　truly　with　you。　　When　I　asked　an　iron…master　about　the　slag　and

cinder　in　railroad　iron；　　〃O；〃　he　said；　〃there's　always　good　iron

to　be　had：　if　there's　cinder　in　the　iron；　'tis　because　there　was

cinder　in　the　pay。〃



　　　　　　　　But　why　multiply　these　topics；　and　their　illustrations；　which

are　endless？　　Life　brings　to　each　his　task；　and；　whatever　art　you

select；　algebra；　planting；　architecture；　poems；　commerce；　politics；

　all　are　attainable；　even　to　the　miraculous　triumphs；　on　the　same

terms；　of　selecting　that　for　which　you　are　apt；　　begin　at　the

beginning；　proceed　in　order；　step　by　step。　　'Tis　as　easy　to　twist

iron　anchors；　and　braid　cannons；　as　to　braid　straw；　to　boil　granite

as　to　boil　water；　if　you　take　all　the　steps　in　order。　　Wherever　there

is　failure；　there　is　some　giddiness；　some　superstition　about　luck；

some　step　omitted；　which　Nature　never　pardons。　　The　happy　conditions

of　life　may　be　had　on　the　same　terms。　　Their　attraction　for　you　is

the　pledge　that　they　are　within　your　reach。　　Our　prayers　are

prophets。　　There　must　be　fidelity；　and　there　must　be　adherence。　　How

respectable　the　life　that　clings　to　its　objects！　　Youthful

aspirations　are　fine　things；　your　theories　and　plans　of　life　are　fair

and　commendable：　　but　will　you　stick？　　Not　one；　I　fear；　in　that

Common　full　of　people；　or；　in　a　thousand；　but　one：　and；　when　you　tax

them　with　treachery；　and　remind　them　of　their　high　resolutions；　they

have　forgotten　that　they　made　a　vow。　　The　individuals　are　fugitive；

and　in　the　act　of　becoming　something　else；　and　irresponsible。　　The

race　is　great；　the　ideal　fair；　but　the　men　whiffling　and　unsure。　　The

hero　is　he　who　is　immovably　centred。　　The　main　difference　between

people　seems　to　be；　that　one　man　can　come　under　obligations　on　which

you　can　rely；　　is　obligable；　and　another　is　not。　　As　he　has　not　a

law　within　him；　there's　nothing　to　tie　him　to。



　　　　　　　　'Tis　inevitable　to　name　particulars　of　virtue；　and　of

condition；　and　to　exaggerate　them。　　But　all　rests　at　last　on　that

integrity　which　dwarfs　talent；　and　can　spare　it。　　Sanity　consists　in

not　being　subdued　by　your　means。　　Fancy　prices　are　paid　for　position；

and　for　the　culture　of　talent；　but　to　the　grand　interests；

superficial　success　is　of　no　account。　　The　man；　　it　is　his

attitude；　　not　feats；　but　forces；　　not　on　set　days　and　public

occasions；　but；　at　all　hours；　and　in　repose　alike　as　in　energy；　still

formidable；　and　not　to　be　disposed　of。　　The　populace　says；　with　Horne

Tooke；　〃If　you　would　be　powerful；　pretend　to　be　powerful。〃　I　prefer

to　say；　with　the　old　prophet；　〃Seekest　thou　great　things？　seek　them

not：〃　　or；　what　was　said　of　a　Spanish　prince；　〃The　more　you　took

from　him；　the　greater　he　looked。〃　_Plus　on　lui　ote；　plus　il　est

grand_。



　　　　　　　　The　secret　of　culture　is　to　learn；　that　a　few　great　points

steadily　reappear；　alike　in　the　poverty　of　the　obscurest　farm；　and　in

the　miscellany　of　metropolitan　life；　and　that　these　few　are　alone　to

be　regarded；　　the　escape　from　all　false　ties；　courage　to　be　what　we

are；　and　love　of　what　is　simple　and　beautiful；　independence；　and

cheerful　relation；　these　are　the　essentials；　　these；　and　the　wish

to　serve；　　to　add　somewhat　to　the　well…being　of　men。