the world i live in-海伦·凯勒自传(英文版)-第8部分

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invention　has　not　existed　in　the　inventor's　mind　long　before　he　gave　it
tangible　shape？

A　more　splendid　example　of　imaginative　knowledge　is　the　unity　with　which
philosophers　start　their　study　of　the　world。　They　can　never　perceive　the
world　in　its　entire　reality。　Yet　their　imagination；　with　its　magnificent
allowance　for　error；　its　power　of　treating　uncertainty　as　negligible；
has　pointed　the　way　for　empirical　knowledge。

In　their　highest　creative　moments　the　great　poet；　the　great　musician
cease　to　use　the　crude　instruments　of　sight　and　hearing。　They　break　away
from　their　sense…moorings；　rise　on　strong；　pelling　wings　of　spirit
far　above　our　misty　hills　and　darkened　valleys　into　the　region　of　light；
music；　intellect。

What　eye　hath　seen　the　glories　of　the　New　Jerusalem？　What　ear　hath　heard
the　music　of　the　spheres；　the　steps　of　time；　the　strokes　of　chance；　the
blows　of　death？　Men　have　not　heard　with　their　physical　sense　the　tumult
of　sweet　voices　above　the　hills　of　Judea　nor　seen　the　heavenly　vision；
but　millions　have　listened　to　that　spiritual　message　through　many　ages。

Our　blindness　changes　not　a　whit　the　course　of　inner　realities。　Of　us　it
is　as　true　as　it　is　of　the　seeing　that　the　most　beautiful　world　is
always　entered　through　the　imagination。　If　you　wish　to　be　something　that
you　are　not；……something　fine；　noble；　good；……you　shut　your　eyes；　and　for
one　dreamy　moment　you　are　that　which　you　long　to　be。




INWARD　VISIONS




IX

INWARD　VISIONS


ACCORDING　to　all　art；　all　nature；　all　coherent　human　thought；　we　know
that　order；　proportion；　form；　are　essential　elements　of　beauty。　Now
order；　proportion；　and　form；　are　palpable　to　the　touch。　But　beauty　and
rhythm　are　deeper　than　sense。　They　are　like　love　and　faith。　They　spring
out　of　a　spiritual　process　only　slightly　dependent　upon　sensations。
Order；　proportion；　form；　cannot　generate　in　the　mind　the　abstract　idea
of　beauty；　unless　there　is　already　a　soul　intelligence　to　breathe　life
into　the　elements。　Many　persons；　having　perfect　eyes；　are　blind　in
their　perceptions。　Many　persons；　having　perfect　ears；　are　emotionally
deaf。　Yet　these　are　the　very　ones　who　dare　to　set　limits　to　the　vision
of　those　who；　lacking　a　sense　or　two；　have　will；　soul；　passion；
imagination。　Faith　is　a　mockery　if　it　teaches　us　not　that　we　may
construct　a　world　unspeakably　more　plete　and　beautiful　than　the
material　world。　And　I；　too；　may　construct　my　better　world；　for　I　am　a
child　of　God；　an　inheritor　of　a　fragment　of　the　Mind　that　created　all
worlds。

There　is　a　consonance　of　all　things；　a　blending　of　all　that　we　know
about　the　material　world　and　the　spiritual。　It　consists　for　me　of　all
the　impressions；　vibrations；　heat；　cold；　taste；　smell；　and　the
sensations　which　these　convey　to　the　mind；　infinitely　bined；
interwoven　with　associated　ideas　and　acquired　knowledge。　No　thoughtful
person　will　believe　that　what　I　said　about　the　meaning　of　footsteps　is
strictly　true　of　mere　jolts　and　jars。　It　is　an　array　of　the　spiritual　in
certain　natural　elements；　tactual　beats；　and　an　acquired　knowledge　of
physical　habits　and　moral　traits　of　highly　organized　human　beings。　What
would　odours　signify　if　they　were　not　associated　with　the　time　of　the
year；　the　place　I　live　in；　and　the　people　I　know？

The　result　of　such　a　blending　is　sometimes　a　discordant　trying　of
strings　far　removed　from　a　melody；　very　far　from　a　symphony。　（For　the
benefit　of　those　who　must　be　reassured；　I　will　say　that　I　have　felt　a
musician　tuning　his　violin；　that　I　have　read　about　a　symphony；　and　so
have　a　fair　intellectual　perception　of　my　metaphor。）　But　with　training
and　experience　the　faculties　gather　up　the　stray　notes　and　bine　them
into　a　full；　harmonious　whole。　If　the　person　who　acplishes　this　task
is　peculiarly　gifted；　we　call　him　a　poet。　The　blind　and　the　deaf　are　not
great　poets；　it　is　true。　Yet　now　and　again　you　find　one　deaf　and　blind
who　has　attained　to　his　royal　kingdom　of　beauty。

I　have　a　little　volume　of　poems　by　a　deaf…blind　lady；　Madame　Bertha
Galeron。　Her　poetry　has　versatility　of　thought。　Now　it　is　tender　and
sweet；　now　full　of　tragic　passion　and　the　sternness　of　destiny。　Victor
Hugo　called　her　〃La　Grande　Voyante。〃　She　has　written　several　plays；　two
of　which　have　been　acted　in　Paris。　The　French　Academy　has　crowned　her
work。

The　infinite　wonders　of　the　universe　are　revealed　to　us　in　exact　measure
as　we　are　capable　of　receiving　them。　The　keenness　of　our　vision　depends
not　on　how　much　we　can　see；　but　on　how　much　we　feel。　Nor　yet　does　mere
knowledge　create　beauty。　Nature　sings　her　most　exquisite　songs　to　those
who　love　her。　She　does　not　unfold　her　secrets　to　those　who　e　only　to
gratify　their　desire　of　analysis；　to　gather　facts；　but　to　those　who　see
in　her　manifold　phenomena　suggestions　of　lofty；　delicate　sentiments。

＇Illustration：　Copyright；　1907；　by　The　Whitman　Studio

The　Little　Boy　Next　Door

To　face　page　120＇

Am　I　to　be　denied　the　use　of　such　adjectives　as　〃freshness〃　and
〃sparkle；〃　〃dark〃　and　〃gloomy〃？　I　have　walked　in　the　fields　at　early
morning。　I　have　felt　a　rose…bush　laden　with　dew　and　fragrance。　I　have
felt　the　curves　and　graces　of　my　kitten　at　play。　I　have　known　the
sweet；　shy　ways　of　little　children。　I　have　known　the　sad　opposites　of
all　these；　a　ghastly　touch　picture。　Remember；　I　have　sometimes　travelled
over　a　dusty　road　as　far　as　my　feet　could　go。　At　a　sudden　turn　I　have
stepped　upon　starved；　ignoble　weeds；　and　reaching　out　my　hands；　I　have
touched　a　fair　tree　out　of　which　a　parasite　had　taken　the　life　like　a
vampire。　I　have　touched　a　pretty　bird　whose　soft　wings　hung　limp；　whose
little　heart　beat　no　more。　I　have　wept　over　the　feebleness　and　deformity
of　a　child；　lame；　or　born　blind；　or；　worse　still；　mindless。　If　I　had　the
genius　of　Thomson；　I；　too；　could　depict　a　〃City　of　Dreadful　Night〃　from
mere　touch　sensations。　From　contrasts　so　irreconcilable　can　we　fail　to
form　an　idea　of　beauty　and　know　surely　when　we　meet　with　loveliness？

Here　is　a　son　eloquent　of　a　blind　man's　power　of　vision：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MOUNTAIN　TO　THE　PINE

　　　　　　　　　　Thou　tall；　majestic　monarch　of　the　wood；
　　　　　　　　　　　　That　standest　where　no　wild　vines　dare　to　creep；
　　　　　　　　　　Men　call　thee　old；　and　say　that　thou　hast　stood
　　　　　　　　　　　　A　century　upon　my　rugged　steep；
　　　　　　　　　　Yet　unto　me　thy　life　is　but　a　day；
　　　　　　　　　　　　When　I　recall　the　things　that　I　have　seen；……
　　　　　　　　　　The　forest　monarchs　that　have　passed　away
　　　　　　　　　　　　Upon　the　spot　where　first　I　saw　thy　green；
　　　　　　　　　　For　I　am　older　than　the　age　of　man；
　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　all　the　living　things　that　crawl　or　creep；
　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　birds　of　air；　or　creatures　of　the　deep；
　　　　　　　　　　I　was　the　first　dim　outline　of　God's　plan：
　　　　　　　　　　　　Only　the　waters　of　the　restless　sea
　　　　　　　　　　　　And　the　infinite　stars　in　heaven　are　old　to　me。

I　am　glad　my　friend　Mr。　Stedman　knew　that　poem　while　he　was　making　his
Anthology；　for　knowing　it；　so　fine　a　poet　and　critic　could　not　fail　to
give　it　a　place　in　his　treasure…house　of　American　poetry。　The　poet；　Mr。
Clarence　Hawkes；　has　been　blind　since　childhood；　yet　he　finds　in　nature
hints　of　binations　for　his　mental　pictures。　Out　of　the　knowledge　and
impressions　that　e　to　him　he　constructs　a　masterpiece　which　hangs
upon　the　walls　of　his　thought。　And　into　the　poet's　house　e　all　the
true　spirits　of　the　world。

It　was　a　rare　poet　who　thought　of　the　mountain　as　〃the　first　dim　outline
of　God's　plan。〃　That　is　the　real　wonder　of　the　poem；　and　not　that　a
blind　man　should　speak　so　confidently　of　sky　and　sea。　Our　ideas　of　the
sky　are　an　accumulation　of　touch…glimpses；　literary　allusions；　and　the
observations　of　others；　with　an　emotional　blending　of　all。　My　face　feels
only　a　tiny　portion　of　the　atmosphere；　but　I　go　through　continuous　space
and　feel　the　air　at　every　point；　every　instant。　I　have　been　told　about
the　distances　from　our　earth　to　the　sun；　to　the　other　plas；　and　to
the　fixed　stars。　I　multiply　a　thousand　times　the　utmost　height　and　width
that　my　touch　passes；　and　thus　I　gain　a　deep　sense　of　the　sky's
immensity。

Move　me　along　constantly　over　water；　water；　nothing　but　water；　and　you
give　me　the　solitude；　the　vastness　of　ocean　which　fills　the　eye。　I　have
been　in　a　little　sail…boat　on　the　sea；　when　the　rising　tide　swept　it
toward　the　shore。　May　I　not　understand　the　poet's　figure：　〃The　green　of
spring　overflows　the　earth　like　a　tide〃？　I　have　felt　the　flame　of　a
candle　blow　and　flutter　in　the　breeze。　May　I　not；　then；　say：　〃Myriads　of
fireflies　flit　hither　and　thither　in　the　dew…wet　grass　like　little
fluttering　tapers〃？

bine　the　endless　space　of　air；　the　sun's　warmth；　the　clouds　that　are
described　to　my　understanding　spirit；　the　frequent　breaking　through　the
soil　of　a　brook　or　the　expanse　of　the　wind…ruffled　lake；　the　tactual
undulation　of　the　hills；　which　I　recall　when　I　am　far　away　from　them；
the　towering　trees　upon　trees　as　I　walk　by　them；　the　bearings　that　I　try
to　keep　while　others　tell　me　the　directions　of　the　various　points　of　the
scenery；　and　you　will　begin　to　feel　surer　of　my　mental　landscape。　The
utmost　bound　to　which　my　thought　will　go　with　clearness　is　the　horizon
of　my　mind。　From　this　horizon　I　imagine　the　one　which　the　eye　marks。

Touch　cannot　bridge　distance；……it　is　fit　only　for　the　contact　of
surfaces；……but　thought　leaps　the　chasm。　For　this　reason　I　am　able　to　use
words　descriptive　of　objects　distant　from　my　senses。　I　have　felt　the
rondure　of　the　infant's　tender　form。　I　can　apply　this　perception　to　the
landscape　and　to　the　far…off　hills。




ANALOGIES　IN　SENSE　PERCEPTION




X

ANALOGIES　IN　SENSE　PERCEPTION


I　HAVE　not　touched　the　outline　of　a　star　nor　the　glory　of　the　moon；　but
I　believe　that　God　has　set　two　lights　in　mind；　the　greater　to　rule　by
day　and　the　lesser　by　night；　and　by　them　I　know　that　I　am　able　to
navigate　my　life…bark；　as　certain　of　reaching　the　haven　as　he　who　steers
by　the　North　Star。　Perhaps　my　sun　shines　not　as　yours。　The　colours　that
glorify　my　world；　the　blue　of　the　sky；　the　green　of　the　fields；　may　not
correspond　exactly　with　those　you　delight　in；　but　they　are　none　the　less
colour　to　me。　The　sun　does　not　shine　for　my　physical　eyes；　nor　does　the
lightning　flash