character-第16章

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a　husbandman　graced　with　triumphs：　〃IPSORUM　TUNC　MANIBUS

IMPERATORUM　COLEBANTUR　AGRI：　UT　FAS　EST　CREDERE；　GAUDENTE　TERRA

VOMERE　LAUREATO　ET　TRIUMPHALI　ARATORE。〃　（1）　　It　was　only　after

slaves　became　extensively　employed　in　all　departments　of　industry

that　labour　came　to　be　regarded　as　dishonourable　and　servile。　　And

so　soon　as　indolence　and　luxury　became　the　characteristics　of　the

ruling　classes　of　Rome；　the　downfall　of　the　empire；　sooner　or

later；　was　inevitable。



There　is；　perhaps；　no　tendency　of　our　nature　that　has　to　be　more

carefully　guarded　against　than　indolence。　　When　Mr。　Gurney　asked

an　intelligent　foreigner　who　had　travelled　over　the　greater　part

of　the　world；　whether　he　had　observed　any　one　quality　which；　more

than　another；　could　be　regarded　as　a　universal　characteristic　of

our　species；　his　answer　was；　in　broken　English；　〃Me　tink　dat　all

men　LOVE　LAZY。〃　　It　is　characteristic　of　the　savage　as　of　the

despot。　　It　is　natural　to　men　to　endeavour　to　enjoy　the　products

of　labour　without　its　toils。　　Indeed；　so　universal　is　this　desire；

that　James　Mill　has　argued　that　it　was　to　prevent　its　indulgence

at　the　expense　of　society　at　large；　that　the　expedient　of

Government　was　originally　invented。　（2）



Indolence　is　equally　degrading　to　individuals　as　to　nations。

Sloth　never　made　its　mark　in　the　world；　and　never　will。　　Sloth

never　climbed　a　hill；　nor　overcame　a　difficulty　that　it　could

avoid。　　Indolence　always　failed　in　life；　and　always　will。　　It　is

in　the　nature　of　things　that　it　should　not　succeed　in　anything。

It　is　a　burden；　an　incumbrance；　and　a　nuisancealways　useless；

complaining；　melancholy；　and　miserable。



Burton；　in　his　quaint　and　curious；　bookthe　only　one；　Johnson

says；　that　ever　took　him　out　of　bed　two　hours　sooner　than　he

wished　to　risedescribes　the　causes　of　Melancholy　as　hingeing

mainly　on　Idleness。　　〃Idleness；〃　he　says；　〃is　the　bane　of　body　and

mind；　the　nurse　of　naughtiness；　the　chief　mother　of　all　mischief；

one　of　the　seven　deadly　sins；　the　devil's　cushion；　his　pillow　and

chief　reposal。。。。　　An　idle　dog　will　be　mangy；　and　how　shall　an

idle　person　escape？　Idleness　of　the　mind　is　much　worse　than　that

of　the　body：　wit；　without　employment；　is　a　diseasethe　rust　of

the　soul；　a　plague；　a　hell　itself。　　As　in　a　standing　pool；　worms

and　filthy　creepers　increase；　so　do　evil　and　corrupt　thoughts　in

an　idle　person；　the　soul　is　contaminated。。。。　　Thus　much　I　dare

boldly　say：　he　or　she　that　is　idle；　be　they　of　what　condition　they

will；　never　so　rich；　so　well　allied；　fortunate；　happylet　them

have　all　things　in　abundance　and　felicity　that　heart　can　wish　and

desire；　all　contentmentso　long　as　he；　or　she；　or　they；　are

idle；　they　shall　never　be　pleased；　never　well　in　body　or　mind；　but

weary　still；　sickly　still；　vexed　still；　loathing　still；　weeping；

sighing；　grieving；　suspecting；　offended　with　the　world；　with　every

object；　wishing　themselves　gone　or　dead；　or　else　carried　away　with

some　foolish　phantasie　or　other。〃　（3）



Burton　says　a　great　deal　more　to　the　same　effect；　the　burden　and

lesson　of　his　book　being　embodied　in　the　pregnant　sentence　with

which　it　winds　up：…　〃Only　take　this　for　a　corollary　and

conclusion；　as　thou　tenderest　thine　own　welfare　in　this；　and　all

other　melancholy；　thy　good　health　of　body　and　mind；　observe　this

short　precept；　Give　not　way　to　solitariness　and　idleness。　　BE　NOT

SOLITARYBE　NOT　IDLE。〃　（4）



The　indolent；　however；　are　not　wholly　indolent。　　Though　the　body

may　shirk　labour；　the　brain　is　not　idle。　　If　it　do　not　grow　corn；

it　will　grow　thistles；　which　will　be　found　springing　up　all　along

the　idle　man's　course　in　life。　　The　ghosts　of　indolence　rise

up　in　the　dark；　ever　staring　the　recreant　in　the　face；　and

tormenting　him：



　　　　　　〃The　gods　are　just；　and　of　our　pleasant　vices；

　　　　　　　Make　instrument　to　scourge　us。〃



True　happiness　is　never　found　in　torpor　of　the　faculties；　（5）　but　in

their　action　and　useful　employment。　　It　is　indolence　that

exhausts；　not　action；　in　which　there　is　life；　health；　and

pleasure。　　The　spirits　may　be　exhausted　and　wearied　by　employment；

but　they　are　utterly　wasted　by　idleness。　　Hense　a　wise　physician

was　accustomed　to　regard　occupation　as　one　of　his　most　valuable

remedial　measures。　　〃Nothing　is　so　injurious；〃　said　Dr。　Marshall

Hall；　〃as　unoccupied　time。〃　　An　archbishop　of　Mayence　used　to　say

that　〃the　human　heart　is　like　a　millstone：　if　you　put　wheat　under

it；　it　grinds　the　wheat　into　flour；　if　you　put　no　wheat；　it　grinds

on；　but　then　'tis　itself　it　wears　away。〃



Indolence　is　usually　full　of　excuses；　and　the　sluggard；　though

unwilling　to　work；　is　often　an　active　sophist。　〃There　is　a　lion　in

the　path　；〃　or　〃The　hill　is　hard　to　climb；〃　or　〃There　is　no　use

tryingI　have　tried；　and　failed；　and　cannot　do　it。〃　　To　the

sophistries　of　such　an　excuser；　Sir　Samuel　Romilly　once　wrote　to　a

young　man：…　〃My　attack　upon　your　indolence；　loss　of　time；　&c。；　was

most　serious；　and　I　really　think　that　it　can　be　to　nothing　but

your　habitual　want　of　exertion　that　can　be　ascribed　your　using

such　curious　arguments　as　you　do　in　your　defence。　　Your　theory　is


this：　Every　man　does　all　the　good　that　he　can。　　If　a　particular

individual　does　no　good；　it　is　a　proof　that　he　is　incapable　of

doing　it。　　That　you　don't　write　proves　that　you　can't；　and　your

want　of　inclination　demonstrates　your　want　of　talents。　　What　an

admirable　system！and　what　beneficial　effects　would　it　be

attended　with；　if　it　were　but　universally　received！〃



It　has　been　truly　said；　that　to　desire　to　possess；　without　being

burdened　with　the　trouble　of　acquiring；　is　as　much　a　sign　of

weakness；　as　to　recognise　that　everything　worth　having　is　only　to

be　got　by　paying　its　price；　is　the　prime　secret　of　practical

strength。　　Even　leisure　cannot　be　enjoyed　unless　it　is　won　by

effort。　　If　it　have　not　been　earned　by　work；　the　price　has　not

been　paid　for　it。　（6）



There　must　be　work　before　and　work　behind；　with　leisure　to　fall

back　upon；　but　the　leisure；　without　the　work；　can　no　more　be

enjoyed　than　a　surfeit。　　Life　must　needs　be　disgusting　alike　to

the　idle　rich　man　as　to　the　idle　poor　man；　who　has　no　work　to　do；

or；　having　work；　will　not　do　it。　　The　words　found　tattooed　on　the

right　arm　of　a　sentimental　beggar　of　forty；　undergoing　his　eighth

imprisonment　in　the　gaol　of　Bourges　in　France；　might　be　adopted　as

the　motto　of　all　idlers：　〃LE　PASSE　M'A　TROMPE；　LE　PRESENT　ME

TOURMENTE；　L'AVENIR　M'EPOUVANTE；〃（The　past　has　deceived　me；　the

present　torments　me；　the　future　terrifies　me）



The　duty　of　industry　applies　to　all　classes　and　conditions　of

society。　　All　have　their　work　to　do　in　the　irrespective　conditions

of　lifethe　rich　as　well　as　the　poor。　（7）　　The　gentleman　by

birth　and　education；　however　richly　he　may　be　endowed　with　worldly

possessions；　cannot　but　feel　that　he　is　in　duty　bound　to

contribute　his　quota　of　endeavour　towards　the　general　wellbeing　in

which　he　shares。　　He　cannot　be　satisfied　with　being　fed；　clad；　and

maintained　by　the　labour　of　others；　without　making　some　suitable

return　to　the　society　that　upholds　him。　　An　honest　highminded　man

would　revolt　at　the　idea　of　sitting　down　to　and　enjoying　a　feast；

and　then　going　away　without　paying　his　share　of　the　reckoning。　　To

be　idle　and　useless　is　neither　an　honour　nor　a　privilege；　and

though　persons　of　small　natures　may　be　content　merely　to　consume

FRUGES　CONSUMERE　NATImen　of　average　endowment；　of　manly

aspirations；　and　of　honest　purpose；　will　feel　such　a　condition　to

be　incompatible　with　real　honour　and　true　dignity。



〃I　don't　believe；〃　said　Lord　Stanley　（now　Earl　of　Derby）　at

Glasgow；　〃that　an　unemployed　man；　however　amiable　and　otherwise

respectable；　ever　was；　or　ever　can　be；　really　happy。　　As　work　is

our　life；　show　me　what　you　can　do；　and　I　will　show　you　what　you

are。　　I　have　spoken　of　love　of　one's　work　as　the　best　preventive

of　merely　low　and　vicious　tastes。　　I　will　go　further；　and　say　that

it　is　the　best　preservative　against　petty　anxieties；　and　the

annoyances　that　arise　out　of　indulged　self…love。　　Men　have　thought

before　now　that　they　could　take　refuge　from　trouble　and　vexation

by　sheltering　themselves　as　it　were　in　a　world　of　their　own。　　The

experiment　has；　often　been　tried；　and　always　with　one　result。　　You

cannot　escape　from　anxiety　and　labourit　is　the　destiny　of

humanity。。。。　　Those　who　shirk　from　facing　trouble；　find　that

trouble　comes　to　them。　　The　indolent　may　contrive　that　he　shall

have　less　than　his　share　of　the　world's　work　to　do；　but　Nature

proportioning　the　instinct　to　the　work；　contrives　that　the　little

shall　be　much　and　hard　to　him。　　The　man　who　has　only　himself　to

please　finds；　sooner　or　later；　and　probably　sooner　than　later；

that　he　has　got　a　very　hard　master；　and　the　excessive　weakness

which　shrinks　from　responsibility　has　its　own　punishment　too；　for

where　great　interests　are　excluded　little　matters　become　great；

and　the　same　wear　and　tear　of　mind　that　might　have　been　at　least

usefully　and　healthfully　expended　on　the　real　business　of　life　is

often　wasted　in　petty　and　imaginary　vexations；　such　as　breed　and

multiply　in　the　unoccupied　brain。〃　（8）



Even　on　the　lowest　groundthat　of　personal　enjoymentconstant

useful　occupation　is　necessary。　　He　who　labours　not；　cannot

enjoy　the　reward　of　labour。　　〃We　sleep　sound；〃　said　Sir　Walter

Scott；　〃and　our　waking　hours　are　happy；　when　they　are　employed；

and　a　little　sense　of　toil　is　necessary　to　the　enjoyment　of

leisure；　even　when　earned　by　study　and　sanctioned　by　the

discharge　of　duty。〃



It　is　true；　there　are　men　who　die　of　overwork；　but　many　more　die

of　selfishness；　indulgence；　and　idleness。　　Where　men　break　down　by

overwork；　it　is　most　commonly　from　want　of　duly　ordering　their

lives；　and　neglect　of　the　ordinary　conditions　of　physical　health。

Lord　Stanley　was　probably　right　when　he　said；　in　his　address　to

the　Glasgow　students　above　mentioned；　that　he　doubted　whether

〃hard　work；　steadily　and　regularly　carried　on；　ever　yet　hurt

anybody。〃



Then；　again；　length　of　YEARS　is　no　proper　test　of　length　of　LIFE。

A　man's　life　is　to　be　measured　by　what　he　does　in　it；　and　what　he

feels　in　it。　　The　more　useful　work　the　man　does；　and　the　more　he

thinks　and　feels；　the　more　he　really　lives。　　The　idle　useless　man；

no　matter　to　what　extent　his　life　may　be　prolonged；　merely

vegetates。



The　early　teachers　of　Christianity　ennobled　the　lot　of　toil　by

their　example。　　〃He　that　will　not　work；〃　said　Saint　Paul；　〃neither

shall　he　eat；〃　and　he　glorified　himself　in　that　he　had　laboured

with　his　hands；　and　had　not　been　chargeable　to　any　man。　　When　St。

Boniface　landed　in　Britain；　he　came　with　a　gospel　in　one　hand　and

a　carpenter's　rule　in　the　other；　and　from　England　he　afterwards

passed　over　into　Germany；　carrying　thither　the　art　of　building。

Luther　also；　in　the　midst　of　a　multitude　of　other　employments；

worked　diligently　for　a　living；　earning　his