01-fate-第4章

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　　　　　　　　Thought　dissolves　the　material　universe；　by　carrying　the　mind

up　into　a　sphere　where　all　is　plastic。　　Of　two　men；　each　obeying　his

own　thought；　he　whose　thought　is　deepest　will　be　the　strongest

character。　　Always　one　man　more　than　another　represents　the　will　of

Divine　Providence　to　the　period。



　　　　　　　　2。　If　thought　makes　free；　so　does　the　moral　sentiment。　　The

mixtures　of　spiritual　chemistry　refuse　to　be　analyzed。　　Yet　we　can

see　that　with　the　perception　of　truth　is　joined　the　desire　that　it

shall　prevail。　　That　affection　is　essential　to　will。　　Moreover；　when

a　strong　will　appears；　it　usually　results　from　a　certain　unity　of

organization；　as　if　the　whole　energy　of　body　and　mind　flowed　in　one

direction。　　All　great　force　is　real　and　elemental。　　There　is　no

manufacturing　a　strong　will。　　There　must　be　a　pound　to　balance　a

pound。　　Where　power　is　shown　in　will；　it　must　rest　on　the　universal

force。　　Alaric　and　Bonaparte　must　believe　they　rest　on　a　truth；　or

their　will　can　be　bought　or　bent。　　There　is　a　bribe　possible　for　any

finite　will。　　But　the　pure　sympathy　with　universal　ends　is　an

infinite　force；　and　cannot　be　bribed　or　bent。　　Whoever　has　had

experience　of　the　moral　sentiment　cannot　choose　but　believe　in

unlimited　power。　　Each　pulse　from　that　heart　is　an　oath　from　the　Most

High。　　I　know　not　what　the　word　_sublime_　means；　if　it　be　not　the

intimations　in　this　infant　of　a　terrific　force。　　A　text　of　heroism；　a

name　and　anecdote　of　courage；　are　not　arguments；　but　sallies　of

freedom。　　One　of　these　is　the　verse　of　the　Persian　Hafiz；　〃'Tis

written　on　the　gate　of　Heaven；　‘Wo　unto　him　who　suffers　himself　to　be

betrayed　by　Fate！'〃　Does　the　reading　of　history　make　us　fatalists？

What　courage　does　not　the　opposite　opinion　show！　　A　little　whim　of

will　to　be　free　gallantly　contending　against　the　universe　of

chemistry。



　　　　　　　　But　insight　is　not　will；　nor　is　affection　will。　　Perception　is

cold；　and　goodness　dies　in　wishes；　as　Voltaire　said；　'tis　the

misfortune　of　worthy　people　that　they　are　cowards；　_〃un　des　plus

grands　malheurs　des　honnetes　gens　c'est　qu'ils　sont　des　lafaches。〃_

There　must　be　a　fusion　of　these　two　to　generate　the　energy　of　will。

There　can　be　no　driving　force；　except　through　the　conversion　of　the

man　into　his　will；　making　him　the　will；　and　the　will　him。　　And　one

may　say　boldly；　that　no　man　has　a　right　perception　of　any　truth；　who

has　not　been　reacted　on　by　it；　so　as　to　be　ready　to　be　its　martyr。



　　　　　　　　The　one　serious　and　formidable　thing　in　nature　is　a　will。

Society　is　servile　from　want　of　will；　and　therefore　the　world　wants

saviours　and　religions。　　One　way　is　right　to　go：　the　hero　sees　it；

and　moves　on　that　aim；　and　has　the　world　under　him　for　root　and

support。　　He　is　to　others　as　the　world。　　His　approbation　is　honor；

his　dissent；　infamy。　　The　glance　of　his　eye　has　the　force　of

sunbeams。　　A　personal　influence　towers　up　in　memory　only　worthy；　and

we　gladly　forget　numbers；　money；　climate；　gravitation；　and　the　rest

of　Fate。



　　　　　　　　We　can　afford　to　allow　the　limitation；　if　we　know　it　is　the

meter　of　the　growing　man。　　We　stand　against　Fate；　as　children　stand

up　against　the　wall　in　their　father's　house；　and　notch　their　height

from　year　to　year。　　But　when　the　boy　grows　to　man；　and　is　master　of

the　house；　he　pulls　down　that　wall；　and　builds　a　new　and　bigger。

'Tis　only　a　question　of　time。　　Every　brave　youth　is　in　training　to

ride　and　rule　this　dragon。　　His　science　is　to　make　weapons　and　wings

of　these　passions　and　retarding　forces。　　Now　whether；　seeing　these

two　things；　fate　and　power；　we　are　permitted　to　believe　in　unity？

The　bulk　of　mankind　believe　in　two　gods。　　They　are　under　one　dominion

here　in　the　house；　as　friend　and　parent；　in　social　circles；　in

letters；　in　art；　in　love；　in　religion：　but　in　mechanics；　in　dealing

with　steam　and　climate；　in　trade；　in　politics；　they　think　they　come

under　another；　and　that　it　would　be　a　practical　blunder　to　transfer

the　method　and　way　of　working　of　one　sphere；　into　the　other。　　What

good；　honest；　generous　men　at　home；　will　be　wolves　and　foxes　on

change！　　What　pious　men　in　the　parlor　will　vote　for　what　reprobates

at　the　polls！　　To　a　certain　point；　they　believe　themselves　the　care

of　a　Providence。　　But；　in　a　steamboat；　in　an　epidemic；　in　war；　they

believe　a　malignant　energy　rules。



　　　　　　　　But　relation　and　connection　are　not　somewhere　and　sometimes；

but　everywhere　and　always。　　The　divine　order　does　not　stop　where

their　sight　stops。　　The　friendly　power　works　on　the　same　rules；　in

the　next　farm；　and　the　next　planet。　　But；　where　they　have　not

experience；　they　run　against　it；　and　hurt　themselves。　　Fate；　then；　is

a　name　for　facts　not　yet　passed　under　the　fire　of　thought；　　for

causes　which　are　unpenetrated。



　　　　　　　　But　every　jet　of　chaos　which　threatens　to　exterminate　us；　is

convertible　by　intellect　into　wholesome　force。　　Fate　is　unpenetrated

causes。　　The　water　drowns　ship　and　sailor；　like　a　grain　of　dust。　　But

learn　to　swim；　trim　your　bark；　and　the　wave　which　drowned　it；　will　be

cloven　by　it；　and　carry　it；　like　its　own　foam；　a　plume　and　a　power。

The　cold　is　inconsiderate　of　persons；　tingles　your　blood；　freezes　a

man　like　a　dew…drop。　　But　learn　to　skate；　and　the　ice　will　give　you　a

graceful；　sweet；　and　poetic　motion。　　The　cold　will　brace　your　limbs

and　brain　to　genius；　and　make　you　foremost　men　of　time。　　Cold　and　sea

will　train　an　imperial　Saxon　race；　which　nature　cannot　bear　to　lose；

and；　after　cooping　it　up　for　a　thousand　years　in　yonder　England；

gives　a　hundred　Englands；　a　hundred　Mexicos。　　All　the　bloods　it　shall

absorb　and　domineer：　and　more　than　Mexicos；　　the　secrets　of　water

and　steam；　the　spasms　of　electricity；　the　ductility　of　metals；　the

chariot　of　the　air；　the　ruddered　balloon　are　awaiting　you。



　

　　　　　　　　The　annual　slaughter　from　typhus　far　exceeds　that　of　war；　but

right　drainage　destroys　typhus。　　The　plague　in　the　sea…service　from

scurvy　is　healed　by　lemon　juice　and　other　diets　portable　or

procurable：　the　depopulation　by　cholera　and　small…pox　is　ended　by

drainage　and　vaccination；　and　every　other　pest　is　not　less　in　the

chain　of　cause　and　effect；　and　may　be　fought　off。　　And；　whilst　art

draws　out　the　venom；　it　commonly　extorts　some　benefit　from　the

vanquished　enemy。　　The　mischievous　torrent　is　taught　to　drudge　for

man：　the　wild　beasts　he　makes　useful　for　food；　or　dress；　or　labor；

the　chemic　explosions　are　controlled　like　his　watch。　　These　are　now

the　steeds　on　which　he　rides。　　Man　moves　in　all　modes；　by　legs　of

horses；　by　wings　of　wind；　by　steam；　by　gas　of　balloon；　by

electricity；　and　stands　on　tiptoe　threatening　to　hunt　the　eagle　in

his　own　element。　　There's　nothing　he　will　not　make　his　carrier。



　　　　　　　　Steam　was；　till　the　other　day；　the　devil　which　we　dreaded。

Every　pot　made　by　any　human　potter　or　brazier　had　a　hole　in　its

cover；　to　let　off　the　enemy；　lest　he　should　lift　pot　and　roof；　and

carry　the　house　away。　　But　the　Marquis　of　Worcester；　Watt；　and　Fulton

bethought　themselves；　that；　where　was　power；　was　not　devil；　but　was

God；　that　it　must　be　availed　of；　and　not　by　any　means　let　off　and

wasted。　　Could　he　lift　pots　and　roofs　and　houses　so　handily？　he　was

the　workman　they　were　in　search　of。　　He　could　be　used　to　lift　away；

chain；　and　compel　other　devils；　far　more　reluctant　and　dangerous；

namely；　cubic　miles　of　earth；　mountains；　weight　or　resistance　of

water；　machinery；　and　the　labors　of　all　men　in　the　world；　and　time　he

shall　lengthen；　and　shorten　space。



　　　　　　　　It　has　not　fared　much　otherwise　with　higher　kinds　of　steam。

The　opinion　of　the　million　was　the　terror　of　the　world；　and　it　was

attempted；　either　to　dissipate　it；　by　amusing　nations；　or　to　pile　it

over　with　strata　of　society；　　a　layer　of　soldiers；　over　that；　a

layer　of　lords；　and　a　king　on　the　top；　with　clamps　and　hoops　of

castles；　garrisons；　and　police。　　But；　sometimes；　the　religious

principle　would　get　in；　and　burst　the　hoops；　and　rive　every　mountain

laid　on　top　of　it。　　The　Fultons　and　Watts　of　politics；　believing　in

unity；　saw　that　it　was　a　power；　and；　by　satisfying　it；　（as　justice

satisfies　everybody；）　through　a　different　disposition　of　society；　

grouping　it　on　a　level；　instead　of　piling　it　into　a　mountain；　　they

have　contrived　to　make　of　his　terror　the　most　harmless　and　energetic

form　of　a　State。



　　　　　　　　Very　odious；　I　confess；　are　the　lessons　of　Fate。　　Who　likes　to

have　a　dapper　phrenologist　pronouncing　on　his　fortunes？　　Who　likes　to

believe　that　he　has　hidden　in　his　skull；　spine；　and　pelvis；　all　the

vices　of　a　Saxon　or　Celtic　race；　which　will　be　sure　to　pull　him　down；

　with　what　grandeur　of　hope　and　resolve　he　is　fired；　　into　a

selfish；　huckstering；　servile；　dodging　animal？　　A　learned　physician

tells　us；　the　fact　is　invariable　with　the　Neapolitan；　that；　when

mature；　he　assumes　the　forms　of　the　unmistakable　scoundrel。　　That　is

a　little　overstated；　　but　may　pass。



　　　　　　　　But　these　are　magazines　and　arsenals。　　A　man　must　thank　his

defects；　and　stand　in　some　terror　of　his　talents。　　A　transcendent

talent　draws　so　largely　on　his　forces；　as　to　lame　him；　a　defect　pays

him　revenues　on　the　other　side。　　The　sufferance；　which　is　the　badge

of　the　Jew；　has　made　him；　in　these　days；　the　ruler　of　the　rulers　of

the　earth。　　If　Fate　is　ore　and　quarry；　if　evil　is　good　in　the　making；

if　limitation　is　power　that　shall　be；　if　calamities；　oppositions；　and

weights　are　wings　and　means；　　we　are　reconciled。



　　　　　　　　Fate　involves　the　melioration。　　No　statement　of　the　Universe

can　have　any　soundness；　which　does　not　admit　its　ascending　effort。

The　direction　of　the　whole；　and　of　the　parts；　is　toward　benefit；　and

in　proportion　to　the　health。　　Behind　every　individual；　closes

organization：　before　him；　opens　liberty；　　the　Better；　the　Best。

The　first　and　worst　races　are　dead。　　The　second　and　imperfect　races

are　dying　out；　or　remain　for　the　maturing　of　higher。　　In　the　latest

race；　in　man；　every　generosity；　every　new　perception；　the　love　and

praise　he　extorts　from　his　fellows；　are　certificates　of　advance　out

of　fate　into　freedom。　　Liberation　of　the　will　from　the　sheaths　and

clogs　of　organization　which　he　has　outgrown；　is　the　end　and　aim　of

this　world。　　Every　calamity　is　a　spur　and　valuable　hint；　and　where

his　endeavors　do　not　yet　fully　avail；　they　tell　as　tendency。　　The

whole　circle　of　animal　life；　　tooth　against　tooth；　　devouring

war；　war　for　food；　a　yelp　of　pain　and　a　grunt　of　triumph；　until；　at

last；　the　whole　menagerie；　the　whole　chemical　mass　is　mellowed　and

refined　for　higher　use；　　pleases　at　a　sufficient　perspective。



　　　　　　　　But　to　see　how　fate　slides　into　freedom；　and　freedom　into　fate；

observe　how　far　the　roots　of　every　creature　run；　or　find；　if　you　can；

a　point　where　there　is　no　thread　of　connection。　　Our　life　is

consentaneous　and　far…related。　　This　knot　of　nature　is　so　well　tied；

that　nobody　was　ever　cunning　enough　to　find　t