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can, for love. We receive but little advantage from repeated protestations of gratitude, but they cost him very much from whom we exact them in return; exacting a grateful acknowledgment is demanding a debt by which the creditor is not advantaged, and the debtor pays with reluctance.

As Mencius the Philosopher was travelling in pursuit of wisdom, night overtook him at the foot of a gloomy mountain, remote from the habitations of men. Here as he was straying, while rain and thunder conspired to make solitude still more hideous, he perceived a hermit's cell, and approaching, asked for shelter: Enter, cries the hermit, in a severe tone, men deserve not to be obliged, but it would be imitating their ingratitude to treat them as they deserve. Come in: examples of vice may sometimes strengthen us in the ways of virtue.

After a frugal meal which consisted of roots and tea, Mencius could not repress his curiosity to know why the hermit had retired from mankind, the actions of whom taught the truest lessons of wisdom. Mention not the name of man, cries the hermit, with indignation; here let me live retired from a base ungrateful world, here among the beasts of the forest I shall find no flatterers; the lion is a generous enemy, and the dog a faithful friend, but man, base man can poison the bowl, and smile while he presents it. You have been used ill by mankind? interrupted the philosopher shrewdly. Yes, returned the hermit, on mankind I have exhausted my whole fortune, and this staff, and that cup, and those roots are all that I have in return. Did you bestow your fortune, or did you only lend it? returned Mencius. I bestowed it, undoubtedly, replied the other, for where were the merit of being a money lender? Did they ever own that they received it? still adds the philosopeer. A thousand times, cries the

hermit, they every day loaded me with professions of gratitude for obligations received and solicitatations for future favours. If then, says Mencius smiling, you did not lend your fortune, in order to have it returned, it is unjust to accuse them of ingra titude; they owned themselves obliged, you expected no more, and they certainly earned each favour by frequently acknowledging the obligation. The hermit was struck with the reply, and surveying his guest with emotion, I have heard of the great Mencius, and you certainly are the man: I am now fourscore years old, but still a child in wisdom, take me back to the school of man, and educate me as one of the most ignorant and the youngest of your disciples!

Indeed, my son, it is better to have friends in our passage through life than grateful dependants; and as love is a more willing, so it is a more lasting tribute than extorted obligation. As we are uneasy when greatly obliged, gratitude once refused can never after be recovered: the mind that is base enough to disallow the just return, instead of feeling any uneasiness upon recollection, triumphs in its new acquired freedom, and in some measure is pleased with conscious baseness.

Very diferent is the situation of disagreeing friends, their separation produces mutual uneasiness: like that divided being in fabulous creation, their sympathetic souls once more desire their former union; the joys of both are imperfect, their gravest moments tinctured with uneasiness; each seeks for the smallest concessions to clear the way to a wished for explanation; the mest trifling acknowledgment, the slightest accident serves to effect a mutual reconciliation.

But instead of pursuing the thought, permit me to soften the severity of advice, by an European story which will fully illustrate my meaning.

A fidler

A fidler and his wife, who had rubbed through life, as most couples usually do, sometimes good friends, at others not quite so well, one day happened to have a dispute, which was conducted with becoming spirit on both sides. The wife was sure he was right, and her husband was resolved to have his own way. What was to be done in such a case? the quarrel grew worse by explanations, and at last the fury of both rose to such a pitch, that they made a vow never to sleep together in the same bed for the future. This was the most rash vow that could be imagined, for they still were friends at bottom, and besides they had but one bed in the house; however, resolved they were to go through with it, and at night the fiddle-case was laid in bed between them, in order to make a separation. In this manner they continued for three weeks; every night the fiddle-case being placed as a barrier to divide them.

By this time, however, each heartily repented of their vow, their resentment was at an end, and their love began to return; they wished the fiddle-case away, but both had too much spirit to begin. One night, however, as they were both lying awake with the detested fiddle-case between them, the husband happened to sneeze; to which the wife as is usual in such cases, bid God bless him; Ay but, returns the husband, woman do you say that from your heart? Indeed, I do, my poor Nicholas, cried his wife, I say it with all my heart. If so then, says the husband, we had as good remove the fiddle-case、

LETTER

LETTER LXVI.

FROM THE SAME.

BOOKS, my son, while they teach us to respect the interest of others, often make us unmind of our own; while they instruct the youthful reader to grasp at social happiness, he grows miserable in detail, and attentive to universal harmony, often forgets that he himself has a part to sustain in the concert. I dislike therefore the philosopher who describes the inconveniences of life in such pleasing colours that the pupil grows enamoured of distress, longs to try the charms of poverty, meets it without dread, nor fears its inconveniences till he severely feels them.

A youth, who has thus spent his life among books. new to the world, and unacquainted with man. but by philosophic information, may be considered as a being, whose mind is filled with the vulgar errors of the wise; utterly unqualified for a jour ney through life, yet confident of his own skill in the direction, he sets out with confidence, blunders on with vanity, and finds himself at last undone.

He first has learned from books, and then lays it down as a maxim, that all mankind are virtuous or vicious in excess; and he has been long taught to detest vice and love virtue: warm therefore in attachments, and steadfast in enmity, he treats every creature as a friend or foe; expects from those he loves unerring integrity, and consigns his enemies to the reproach of wanting every virtue. On this priciple he proceeds; and here begin his disappointments: upon a closer inspection of human nature, he perceives, that he should have moderated his friendship, and softened his severity; for he often finds the excellences of one part of mankind clouded

with

with vice, and the faults of the other brightened with virtue; he finds no character so sanctified that has not its failings, none so infamous but has somewhat to attract our esteem; he beholds impiety in lawn, and fidelity in fetters.

He now therefore, but too late, perceives that his regards should have been more cool, and his hatred less violent; that the truly wise seldom court romantic friendships with the good, and avoid, if possible, the resentment even of the wicked: every moment gives him fresh instances that the bonds of friendship are broken if drawn too closely, and that those whom he has treated with disrespect more than retafiate the injury at length therefore he is obliged to confess, that he has declared war upon the vicious half of mankind, without being able to form an alliance among the virtuous to espouse his quarrel.

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Our book-taught philosopher, however, is now too far advanced to recede; and though poverty be the just consequence of the many enemies his conduct has created, yet he is resolved to meet it without shrinking: philosophers have described poverty in most charming colours; and even his vanity is touched, in thinking, that he shall show the world in himself one more example of patience, fortitude, and resignation. Come then, O Poverty! for what is there in thee dreadful to the WISE; Temperance, Health, and Frugality walk in thy train; Cheerfulness and Liberty are ever thy companions. Shall any be ashamed of thee of whom Cincinnatus was not ashamed? The running brook, the herbs of the field can amply satisfy nature; man wants but little, nor that little long*;

*Our author has repeated this thought, nearly in the same words, in his HERMIT:

Then, pilgrim turn, thy cares forego,

All earth born cares are wrong;

Man wants but little here below,

Nor wants that little long.

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