sartor resartus-第28章

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infinitely；　and　fill　every　wish　as　fast　as　it　rose。　　Oceans　of　Hochheimer；　a　Throat　like　that　of　Ophiuchus：　speak　not　of　them；　to　the　infinite　Shoeblack　they　are　as　nothing。　　No　sooner　is　your　ocean　filled；　than　he　grumbles　that　it　might　have　been　of　better　vintage。　　Try　him　with　half　of　a　Universe；　of　an　Omnipotence；　he　sets　to　quarrelling　with　the　proprietor　of　the　other　half；　and　declares　himself　the　most　maltreated　of　men。Always　there　is　a　black　spot　in　our　sunshine：　　it　is　even；　as　I　said；　the　_Shadow　of　Ourselves_。

〃But　the　whim　we　have　of　Happiness　is　somewhat　thus。　　By　certain　valuations；　and　averages；　of　our　own　striking；　we　come　upon　some　sort　of　average　terrestrial　lot；　this　we　fancy　belongs　to　us　by　nature；　and　of　indefeasible　right。　　It　is　simple　payment　of　our　wages；　of　our　deserts；　requires　neither　thanks　nor　complaint；　only　such　_overplus_　as　there　may　be　do　we　account　Happiness；　any　_deficit_　again　is　Misery。　　Now　consider　that　we　have　the　valuation　of　our　own　deserts　ourselves；　and　what　a　fund　of　Self…conceit　there　is　in　each　of　us；do　you　wonder　that　the　balance　should　so　often　dip　the　wrong　way；　and　many　a　Blockhead　cry：　　See　there；　what　a　payment；　was　ever　worthy　gentleman　so　used！I　tell　thee；　Blockhead；　it　all　comes　of　thy　Vanity；　of　what　thou　_fanciest_　those　same　deserts　of　thine　to　be。　　Fancy　that　thou　deservest　to　be　hanged　（as　is　most　likely）；　thou　wilt　feel　it　happiness　to　be　only　shot：　　fancy　that　thou　deservest　to　be　hanged　in　a　hair…halter；　it　will　be　a　luxury　to　die　in　hemp。

〃So　true　is　it；　what　I　then　said；　that　_the　Fraction　of　Life　can　be　increased　in　value　not　so　much　by　increasing　your　Numerator　as　by　lessening　your　Denominator_。　　Nay；　unless　my　Algebra　deceive　me；　_Unity_　itself　divided　by　_Zero_　will　give　_Infinity_。　　Make　thy　claim　of　wages　a　zero；　then；　thou　hast　the　world　under　thy　feet。　　Well　did　the　Wisest　of　our　time　write：　　'It　is　only　with　Renunciation　（_Entsagen_）　that　Life；　properly　speaking；　can　be　said　to　begin。'

〃I　asked　myself：　　What　is　this　that；　ever　since　earliest　years；　thou　hast　been　fretting　and　fuming；　and　lamenting　and　self…tormenting；　on　account　of？　Say　it　in　a　word：　　is　it　not　because　thou　art　not　HAPPY？　　Because　the　THOU　（sweet　gentleman）　is　not　sufficiently　honored；　nourished；　soft…bedded；　and　lovingly　cared　for？　　Foolish　soul！　　What　Act　of　Legislature　was　there　that　_thou_　shouldst　be　Happy？　　A　little　while　ago　thou　hadst　no　right　to　_be_　at　all。　　What　if　thou　wert　born　and　predestined　not　to　be　Happy；　but　to　be　Unhappy！　　Art　thou　nothing　other　than　a　Vulture；　then；　that　fliest　through　the　Universe　seeking　after　somewhat　to　_eat_；　and　shrieking　dolefully　because　carrion　enough　is　not　given　thee？　　Close　thy　_Byron_；　open　thy　_Goethe_。〃

〃_Es　leuchtet　mir　ein_；　I　see　a　glimpse　of　it！〃　cries　he　elsewhere：　　〃there　is　in　man　a　HIGHER　than　Love　of　Happiness：　　he　can　do　without　Happiness；　and　instead　thereof　find　Blessedness！　　Was　it　not　to　preach　forth　this　same　HIGHER　that　sages　and　martyrs；　the　Poet　and　the　Priest；　in　all　times；　have　spoken　and　suffered；　bearing　testimony；　through　life　and　through　death；　of　the　Godlike　that　is　in　Man；　and　how　in　the　Godlike　only　has　he　Strength　and　Freedom？　　Which　God…inspiredd　Doctrine　art　thou　also　honored　to　be　taught；　O　Heavens！　and　broken　with　manifold　merciful　Afflictions；　even　till　thou　become　contrite　and　learn　it！　　Oh；　thank　thy　Destiny　for　these；　thankfully　bear　what　yet　remain：　　thou　hadst　need　of　them；　the　Self　in　thee　needed　to　be　annihilated。　　By　benignant　fever…paroxysms　is　Life　rooting　out　the　deep…seated　chronic　Disease；　and　triumphs　over　Death。　　On　the　roaring　billows　of　Time；　thou　art　not　engulfed；　but　borne　aloft　into　the　azure　of　Eternity。　　Love　not　Pleasure；　love　God。　　This　is　the　EVERLASTING　YEA；　wherein　all　contradiction　is　solved：　　wherein　whoso　walks　and　works；　it　is　well　with　him。〃

And　again：　　〃Small　is　it　that　thou　canst　trample　the　Earth　with　its　injuries　under　thy　feet；　as　old　Greek　Zeno　trained　thee：　　thou　canst　love　the　Earth　while　it　injures　thee；　and　even　because　it　injures　thee；　for　this　a　Greater　than　Zeno　was　needed；　and　he　too　was　sent。　　Knowest　thou　that　'_Worship　of　Sorrow_'？　　The　Temple　thereof；　founded　some　eighteen　centuries　ago；　now　lies　in　ruins；　overgrown　with　jungle；　the　habitation　of　doleful　creatures：　　nevertheless；　venture　forward；　in　a　low　crypt；　arched　out　of　falling　fragments；　thou　findest　the　Altar　still　there；　and　its　sacred　Lamp　perennially　burning。〃

Without　pretending　to　comment　on　which　strange　utterances；　the　Editor　will　only　remark；　that　there　lies　beside　them　much　of　a　still　more　questionable　character；　unsuited　to　the　general　apprehension；　nay　wherein　he　himself　does　not　see　his　way。　　Nebulous　disquisitions　on　Religion；　yet　not　without　bursts　of　splendor；　on　the　〃perennial　continuance　of　Inspiration；〃　on　Prophecy；　that　there　are　〃true　Priests；　as　well　as　Baal…Priests；　in　our　own　day：〃　　with　more　of　the　like　sort。　　We　select　some　fractions；　by　way　of　finish　to　this　farrago。

〃Cease；　my　much…respected　Herr　von　Voltaire；〃　thus　apostrophizes　the　Professor：　　〃shut　thy　sweet　voice；　for　the　task　appointed　thee　seems　finished。　　Sufficiently　hast　thou　demonstrated　this　proposition；　considerable　or　otherwise：　　That　the　Mythus　of　the　Christian　Religion　looks　not　in　the　eighteenth　century　as　it　did　in　the　eighth。　　Alas；　were　thy　six…and…thirty　quartos；　and　the　six…and…thirty　thousand　other　quartos　and　folios；　and　flying　sheets　or　reams；　printed　before　and　since　on　the　same　subject；　all　needed　to　convince　us　of　so　little！　　But　what　next？　　Wilt　thou　help　us　to　embody　the　divine　Spirit　of　that　Religion　in　a　new　Mythus；　in　a　new　vehicle　and　vesture；　that　our　Souls；　otherwise　too　like　perishing；　may　live？　　What！　thou　hast　no　faculty　in　that　kind？　　Only　a　torch　for　burning；　no　hammer　for　building？　　Take　our　thanks；　then；　andthyself　away。

〃Meanwhile　what　are　antiquated　Mythuses　to　me？　　Or　is　the　God　present；　felt　in　my　own　heart；　a　thing　which　Herr　von　Voltaire　will　dispute　out　of　me；　or　dispute　into　me？　　To　the　'_Worship　of　Sorrow_'　ascribe　what　origin　and　genesis　thou　pleasest；　_has_　not　that　Worship　originated；　and　been　generated；　is　it　not　_here_？　　Feel　it　in　thy　heart；　and　then　say　whether　it　is　of　God！　　This　is　Belief；　all　else　is　Opinion；for　which　latter　whoso　will；　let　him　worry　and　be　worried。〃

〃Neither；〃　observes　he　elsewhere；　〃shall　ye　tear　out　one　another's　eyes；　struggling　over　'Plenary　Inspiration；'　and　such　like：　　try　rather　to　get　a　little　even　Partial　Inspiration；　each　of　you　for　himself。　　One　BIBLE　I　know；　of　whose　Plenary　Inspiration　doubt　is　not　so　much　as　possible；　nay　with　my　own　eyes　I　saw　the　God's…Hand　writing　it：　　thereof　all　other　Bibles　are　but　Leaves；say；　in　Picture…Writing　to　assist　the　weaker　faculty。〃

Or；　to　give　the　wearied　reader　relief；　and　bring　it　to　an　end；　let　him　take　the　following　perhaps　more　intelligible　passage：

〃To　me；　in　this　our　life；〃　says　the　Professor；　〃which　is　an　internecine　warfare　with　the　Time…spirit；　other　warfare　seems　questionable。　　Hast　thou　in　any　way　a　contention　with　thy　brother；　I　advise　thee；　think　well　what　the　meaning　thereof　is。　　If　thou　gauge　it　to　the　bottom；　it　is　simply　this：　'Fellow；　see！　thou　art　taking　more　than　thy　share　of　Happiness　in　the　world；　something　from　my　share：　　which；　by　the　Heavens；　thou　shalt　not；　nay　I　will　fight　thee　rather。'Alas；　and　the　whole　lot　to　be　divided　is　such　a　beggarly　matter；　truly　a　'feast　of　shells；'　for　the　substance　has　been　spilled　out：　　not　enough　to　quench　one　Appetite；　and　the　collective　human　species　clutching　at　them！Can　we　not；　in　all　such　cases；　rather　say：　'Take　it；　thou　too…ravenous　individual；　take　that　pitiful　additional　fraction　of　a　share；　which　I　reckoned　mine；　but　which　thou　so　wantest；　take　it　with　a　blessing：　　would　to　Heaven　I　had　enough　for　thee！'If　Fichte's　_Wissenschaftslehre_　be；　'to　a　certain　extent；　Applied　Christianity；'　surely　to　a　still　greater　extent；　so　is　this。　　We　have　here　not　a　Whole　Duty　of　Man；　yet　a　Half　Duty；　namely　the　Passive　half：　　could　we　but　do　it；　as　we　can　demonstrate　it！

〃But　indeed　Conviction；　were　it　never　so　excellent；　is　worthless　till　it　convert　itself　into　Conduct。　　Nay　properly　Conviction　is　not　possible　till　then；　inasmuch　as　all　Speculation　is　by　nature　endless；　formless；　a　vortex　amid　vortices；　only　by　a　felt　indubitable　certainty　of　Experience　does　it　find　any　centre　to　revolve　round；　and　so　fashion　itself　into　a　system。　Most　true　is　it；　as　a　wise　man　teaches　us；　that　'Doubt　of　any　sort　cannot　be　removed　except　by　Action。'　On　which　ground；　too；　let　him　who　gropes　painfully　in　darkness　or　uncertain　light；　and　prays　vehemently　that　the　dawn　may　ripen　into　day；　lay　this　other　precept　well　to　heart；　which　to　me　was　of　invaluable　service：　　'_Do　the　Duty　which　lies　nearest　thee_；'　which　thou　knowest　to　be　a　Duty！　　Thy　second　Duty　will　already　have　become　clearer。

〃May　we　not　say；　however；　that　the　hour　of　Spiritual　Enfranchisement　is　even　this：　　When　your　Ideal　World；　wherein　the　whole　man　has　been　dimly　struggling　and　inexpressibly　languishing　to　work；　becomes　revealed；　and　thrown　open；　and　you　discover；　with　amazement　enough；　like　the　Lothario　in　_Wilhelm　Meister_；　that　your　'America　is　here　or　nowhere'？　　The　Situation　that　has　not　its　Duty；　its　Ideal；　was　never　yet　occupied　by　man。　　Yes　here；　in　this　poor；　miserable；　hampered；　despicable　Actual；　wherein　thou　even　now　standest；　here　or　nowhere　is　thy　Ideal：　　work　it　out　therefrom；　and　working；　believe；　live；　be　free。　　Fool！　the　Ideal　is　in　thyself；　the　impediment　too　is　in　thyself：　　thy　Condition　is　but　the　stuff　thou　art　to　shape　that　same　Ideal　out　of：　　what　matters　whether　such　stuff　be　of　this　sort　or　that；　so　the　Form　thou　give　it　be　heroic；　be　poetic？　O　thou　that　pinest　in　the　imprisonment　of　the　Actual；　and　criest　bitterly　to　the　gods　for　a　kingdom　wherein　to　rule　and　create；　know　this　of　a　truth：　　the　thing　thou　seekest　is　already　with　thee；　'here　or　nowhere；'　couldst　thou　only　see！

〃But　it　is　with　man's　Soul　as　it　was　with　Nature：　　the　beginning　of　Creation　isLight。　　Till　the　eye　have　vision；　the　whole　members　are　in　bonds。　　Divine　moment；　when　over　the　tempest…tost　Soul；　as　once　over　the　wild…weltering　Chaos；　it　is　spoken：　　Let　there　be　Light！　　Ever　to　the　greatest　that　has　felt　such　moment；　is　it　not　miraculous　and　God…announcing；　even　as；　under　simpler　figures；　to　the　simplest　and　least。　The　mad　primeval　Discord　is　hushed；　the　rudely　jumbled　conflicting　elements　bind　themselves　into　separate　Firmaments：　　deep　silent　rock…foundations　are　built　beneath；　and　the　skyey　vault　with　its　everlasting　Luminaries　above：　instead　of　a　dark　wasteful　Chaos；　we　have　a　blooming；　fertile；　heaven…encompassed　World。

〃I　too　could　now　say　to　myself：　　Be　no　longer　a　Chaos；　but　a　World；　or　even　Worldkin。　　Produce！　　Produce！　　Were　it　but　the　pitifullest　infinitesimal　fraction　of　a　Product；　produce　it；　in　God's　name！　　'Tis　the　utmost　thou　hast　in　thee：　　out　with　it；　then。　　Up；　up！　　Whatsoever　thy　hand　findeth　to　do；　do　it　with　thy　whole　might。　　Work　while　it　is　called　To…day；　for　the　Night　cometh；　wherein　no　man　can　work。〃


CHAPTER　X。　PAUSE。

Thus　have　we；　as　closely　and　perhaps　satisfactorily　as；　in　such　circumstances；　might　be；　followed　Teufelsdrockh；　through　the　va