lay morals-第7章

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o　keep　an　eye　on　profit。　　For　the　soul　　adopts　all　affections　and　appetites　without　exception；　and　　cares　only　to　combine　them　for　some　common　purpose　which　　shall　interest　all。　　Now；　respect　for　the　opinion　of　others；　　the　study　of　consequences；　and　the　desire　of　power　and　　comfort；　are　all　undeniably　factors　in　the　nature　of　man；　and　　the　more　undeniably　since　we　find　that；　in　our　current　　doctrines；　they　have　swallowed　up　the　others　and　are　thought　　to　conclude　in　themselves　all　the　worthy　parts　of　man。　　　These；　then；　must　also　be　suffered　to　affect　conduct　in　the　　practical　domain；　much　or　little　according　as　they　are　　forcibly　or　feebly　present　to　the　mind　of　each。

Now；　a　man's　view　of　the　universe　is　mostly　a　view　of　the　　civilised　society　in　which　he　lives。　　Other　men　and　women　are　　so　much　more　grossly　and　so　much　more　intimately　palpable　to　　his　perceptions；　that　they　stand　between　him　and　all　the　　rest；　they　are　larger　to　his　eye　than　the　sun；　he　hears　them　　more　plainly　than　thunder；　with　them；　by　them；　and　for　them；　　he　must　live　and　die。　　And　hence　the　laws　that　affect　his　　intercourse　with　his　fellow…men；　although　merely　customary　　and　the　creatures　of　a　generation；　are　more　clearly　and　　continually　before　his　mind　than　those　which　bind　him　into　　the　eternal　system　of　things；　support　him　in　his　upright　　progress　on　this　whirling　ball；　or　keep　up　the　fire　of　his　　bodily　life。　　And　hence　it　is　that　money　stands　in　the　first　　rank　of　considerations　and　so　powerfully　affects　the　choice。　　　For　our　society　is　built　with　money　for　mortar；　money　is　　present　in　every　joint　of　circumstance；　it　might　be　named　the　　social　atmosphere；　since；　in　society；　it　is　by　that　alone　　that　men　continue　to　live；　and　only　through　that　or　chance　　that　they　can　reach　or　affect　one　another。　　Money　gives　us　　food；　shelter；　and　privacy；　it　permits　us　to　be　clean　in　　person；　opens　for　us　the　doors　of　the　theatre；　gains　us　books　　for　study　or　pleasure；　enables　us　to　help　the　distresses　of　　others；　and　puts　us　above　necessity　so　that　we　can　choose　the　　best　in　life。　　If　we　love；　it　enables　us　to　meet　and　live　　with　the　loved　one；　or　even　to　prolong　her　health　and　life；　　if　we　have　scruples；　it　gives　us　an　opportunity　to　be　honest；　　if　we　have　any　bright　designs；　here　is　what　will　smooth　the　　way　to　their　accomplishment。　　Penury　is　the　worst　slavery；　　and　will　soon　lead　to　death。

But　money　is　only　a　means；　it　presupposes　a　man　to　use　it。　　　The　rich　can　go　where　he　pleases；　but　perhaps　please　himself　　nowhere。　　He　can　buy　a　library　or　visit　the　whole　world；　but　　perhaps　has　neither　patience　to　read　nor　intelligence　to　see。　　　The　table　may　be　loaded　and　the　appetite　wanting；　the　purse　　may　be　full；　and　the　heart　empty。　　He　may　have　gained　the　　world　and　lost　himself；　and　with　all　his　wealth　around　him；　　in　a　great　house　and　spacious　and　beautiful　demesne；　he　may　　live　as　blank　a　life　as　any　tattered　ditcher。　　Without　an　　appetite；　without　an　aspiration；　void　of　appreciation；　　bankrupt　of　desire　and　hope；　there；　in　his　great　house；　let　　him　sit　and　look　upon　his　fingers。　　It　is　perhaps　a　more　　fortunate　destiny　to　have　a　taste　for　collecting　shells　than　　to　be　born　a　millionaire。　　Although　neither　is　to　be　　despised；　it　is　always　better　policy　to　learn　an　interest　　than　to　make　a　thousand　pounds；　for　the　money　will　soon　be　　spent；　or　perhaps　you　may　feel　no　joy　in　spending　it；　but　the　　interest　remains　imperishable　and　ever　new。　　To　become　a　　botanist；　a　geologist；　a　social　philosopher；　an　antiquary；　or　　an　artist；　is　to　enlarge　one's　possessions　in　the　universe　by　　an　incalculably　higher　degree；　and　by　a　far　surer　sort　of　　property；　than　to　purchase　a　farm　of　many　acres。　　You　had　　perhaps　two　thousand　a　year　before　the　transaction；　perhaps　　you　have　two　thousand　five　hundred　after　it。　　That　represents　　your　gain　in　the　one　case。　　But　in　the　other；　you　have　thrown　　down　a　barrier　which　concealed　significance　and　beauty。　　The　　blind　man　has　learned　to　see。　　The　prisoner　has　opened　up　a　　window　in　his　cell　and　beholds　enchanting　prospects；　he　will　　never　again　be　a　prisoner　as　he　was；　he　can　watch　clouds　and　　changing　seasons；　ships　on　the　river；　travellers　on　the　road；　　and　the　stars　at　night；　happy　prisoner！　his　eyes　have　broken　　jail！　　And　again　he　who　has　learned　to　love　an　art　or　science　　has　wisely　laid　up　riches　against　the　day　of　riches；　if　　prosperity　come；　he　will　not　enter　poor　into　his　inheritance；　　he　will　not　slumber　and　forget　himself　in　the　lap　of　money；　　or　spend　his　hours　in　counting　idle　treasures；　but　be　up　and　　briskly　doing；　he　will　have　the　true　alchemic　touch；　which　is　　not　that　of　Midas；　but　which　transmutes　dead　money　into　　living　delight　and　satisfaction。　　ETRE　ET　PAS　AVOIR　…　to　be；　　not　to　possess　…　that　is　the　problem　of　life。　　To　be　wealthy；　　a　rich　nature　is　the　first　requisite　and　money　but　the　　second。　　To　be　of　a　quick　and　healthy　blood；　to　share　in　all　　honourable　curiosities；　to　be　rich　in　admiration　and　free　　from　envy；　to　rejoice　greatly　in　the　good　of　others；　to　love　　with　such　generosity　of　heart　that　your　love　is　still　a　dear　　possession　in　absence　or　unkindness　…　these　are　the　gifts　of　　fortune　which　money　cannot　buy　and　without　which　money　can　　buy　nothing。　　For　what　can　a　man　possess；　or　what　can　he　　enjoy；　except　himself？　　If　he　enlarge　his　nature；　it　is　then　　that　he　enlarges　his　estates。　　If　his　nature　be　happy　and　　valiant；　he　will　enjoy　the　universe　as　if　it　were　his　park　　and　orchard。

But　money　is　not　only　to　be　spent；　it　has　also　to　be　earned。　　　It　is　not　merely　a　convenience　or　a　necessary　in　social　life；　　but　it　is　the　coin　in　which　mankind　pays　his　wages　to　the　　individual　man。　　And　from　this　side；　the　question　of　money　　has　a　very　different　scope　and　application。　　For　no　man　can　　be　honest　who　does　not　work。　　Service　for　service。　　If　the　　farmer　buys　corn；　and　the　labourer　ploughs　and　reaps；　and　the　　baker　sweats　in　his　hot　bakery；　plainly　you　who　eat　must　do　　something　in　your　turn。　　It　is　not　enough　to　take　off　your　　hat；　or　to　thank　God　upon　your　knees　for　the　admirable　　constitution　of　society　and　your　own　convenient　situation　in　　its　upper　and　more　ornamental　stories。　　Neither　is　it　enough　　to　buy　the　loaf　with　a　sixpence；　for　then　you　are　only　　changing　the　point　of　the　inquiry；　and　you　must　first　have　　BOUGHT　THE　SIXPENCE。　　Service　for　service：　how　have　you　　bought　your　sixpences？　　A　man　of　spirit　desires　certainty　in　　a　thing　of　such　a　nature；　he　must　see　to　it　that　there　is　　some　reciprocity　between　him　and　mankind；　that　he　pays　his　　expenditure　in　service；　that　he　has　not　a　lion's　share　in　　profit　and　a　drone's　in　labour；　and　is　not　a　sleeping　partner　　and　mere　costly　incubus　on　the　great　mercantile　concern　of　　mankind。

Services　differ　so　widely　with　different　gifts；　and　some　are　　so　inappreciable　to　external　tests；　that　this　is　not　only　a　　matter　for　the　private　conscience；　but　one　which　even　there　　must　be　leniently　and　trustfully　considered。　　For　remember　　how　many　serve　mankind　who　do　no　more　than　meditate；　and　how　　many　are　precious　to　their　friends　for　no　more　than　a　sweet　　and　joyous　temper。　　To　perform　the　function　of　a　man　of　　letters　it　is　not　necessary　to　write；　nay；　it　is　perhaps　　better　to　be　a　living　book。　　So　long　as　we　love　we　serve；　so　　long　as　we　are　loved　by　others；　I　would　almost　say　that　we　　are　indispensable；　and　no　man　is　useless　while　he　has　a　　friend。　　The　true　services　of　life　are　inestimable　in　money；　　and　are　never　paid。　　Kind　words　and　caresses；　high　and　wise　　thoughts；　humane　designs；　tender　behaviour　to　the　weak　and　　suffering；　and　all　the　charities　of　man's　existence；　are　　neither　bought　nor　sold。

Yet　the　dearest　and　readiest；　if　not　the　most　just；　criterion　　of　a　man's　services；　is　the　wage　that　mankind　pays　him　or；　　briefly；　what　he　earns。　　There　at　least　there　can　be　no　　ambiguity。　　St。　Paul　is　fully　and　freely　entitled　to　his　　earnings　as　a　tentmaker；　and　Socrates　fully　and　freely　　entitled　to　his　earnings　as　a　sculptor；　although　the　true　　business　of　each　was　not　only　something　different；　but　　something　which　remained　unpaid。　　A　man　cannot　forget　that　he　　is　not　superintended；　and　serves　mankind　on　parole。　　He　would　　like；　when　challenged　by　his　own　conscience；　to　reply：　'I　　have　done　so　much　work；　and　no　less；　with　my　own　hands　and　　brain；　and　taken　so　much　profit；　and　no　more；　for　my　own　　personal　delight。'　　And　though　St。　Paul；　if　he　had　possessed　　a　private　fortune；　would　probably　have　scorned　to　waste　his　　time　in　making　tents；　yet　of　all　sacrifices　to　public　opinion　　none　can　be　more　easily　pardoned　than　that　by　which　a　man；　　already　spiritually　useful　to　the　world；　should　restrict　the　　field　of　his　chief　usefulness　to　perform　services　more　　apparent；　and　possess　a　livelihood　that　neither　stupidity　nor　　malice　could　call　in　question。　　Like　all　sacrifices　to　public　　opinion　and　mere　external　decency；　this　would　certainly　be　　wrong；　for　the　soul　should　rest　contented　with　its　own　　approval　and　indissuadably　pursue　its　own　calling。　　Yet；　so　　grave　and　delicate　is　the　question；　that　a　man　may　well　　hesitate　before　he　decides　it　for　himself；　he　may　well　fear　　that　he　sets　too　high　a　valuation　on　his　own　endeavours　after　　good；　he　may　well　condescend　upon　a　humbler　duty；　where　　others　than　himself　shall　judge　the　service　and　proportion　　the　wage。

And　yet　it　is　to　this　very　responsibility　that　the　rich　are　　born。　　They　can　shuffle　off　the　duty　on　no　other；　they　are　　their　own　paymasters　on　parole；　and　must　pay　themselves　fair　　wages　and　no　more。　　For　I　suppose　that　in　the　course　of　ages；　　and　through　reform　and　civil　war　and　invasion；　mankind　was　　pursuing　some　other　and　more　general　design　than　to　set　one　　or　two　Englishmen　of　the　nineteenth　century　beyond　the　reach　　of　needs　and　duties。　　Society　was　scarce　put　together；　and　　defended　with　so　much　eloquence　and　blood；　for　the　　convenience　of　two　or　three　millionaires　and　a　few　hundred　　other　persons　of　wealth　and　position。　　It　is　plain　that　if　　mankind　thus　acted　and　suffered　during　all　these　generations；　　they　hoped　some　benefit；　some　ease；　some　wellbeing；　for　　themselves　and　their　descendants；　that　if　they　supported　law　　and　order；　it　was　to　secure　fair…play　for　all；　that　if　they　　denied　themselves　in　the　present；　they　must　have　had　some　　designs　upon　the　future。　　Now；　a　great　hereditary　fortune　is　　a　miracle　of　man's　wisdom　and　mankind's　forbearance；　it　has　　not　only　been　amassed　and　handed　down；　it　has　been　suffered　　to　be　amassed　and　handed　down；　and　surely　in　such　a　　consideration　as　this；　its　possessor　should　find　only　a　new　　spur　to　activity　and　honour；　that　with　all　this　power　of　　service　he　should　not　prove　unserviceable；　and　that　this　mass　　of　treasure　should　return　in　benefits　upon　the　race。　　If　he　　had　twenty；　or　thirty；　or　a　hundred　thousand　at　his　banker's；　　or　if　all　Yorkshire　or　all　California　were　his　to　manage　or　　to　sell；　he　would　still　be　morally　penniless；　and　have　the　　world　to　begin　like　Whittington；　until　he　had　found　some　way　　of　serving　mankind。　　His　wage　is　physically　in　his　own　hand；　　but；　in　honour；　that　wage　must　still　be　earned。　　He　is　only　　steward　on　parole　of　what　is　called　his　fortune。　　He　must　　honourably　perform　his　stewardship。　　He　must　estimate　his　own　　services　an