首页 >出版文学> The Varieties of Religious Experience>第35章
  Isubjoin,omittingthecapitals,Derham’s“VindicationofGodbytheInstitutionofHillsandValleys。”andWolff’saltogetherculinaryaccountoftheinstitutionofWater:——
  “Theuses。”saysWolff,“whichwaterservesinhumanlifeareplaintoseeandneednotbedescribedatlength。Waterisauniversaldrinkofmanandbeasts。Eventhoughmenhavemadethemselvesdrinksthatareartificial,theycouldnotdothiswithoutwater。Beerisbrewedofwaterandmalt,anditisthewaterinitwhichquenchesthirst。Wineispreparedfromgrapes,whichcouldneverhavegrownwithoutthehelpofwater;andthesameistrueofthosedrinkswhichinEnglandandotherplacestheyproducefromfruit……ThereforesinceGodsoplannedtheworldthatmenandbeastsshouldliveuponitandfindthereeverythingrequiredfortheirnecessityandconvenience,healsomadewaterasonemeanswherebytomaketheearthintosoexcellentadwelling。Andthisisallthemoremanifestwhenweconsidertheadvantageswhichweobtainfromthissamewaterforthecleaningofourhouseholdutensils,ofourclothing,andofothermatters……Whenonegoesintoagrinding-milloneseesthatthegrindstonemustalwaysbekeptwetandthenonewillgetastillgreaterideaoftheuseofwater。”
  Ofthehillsandvalleys,Derham,afterpraisingtheirbeauty,discoursesasfollows:“Someconstitutionsareindeedofsohappyastrength,andsoconfirmedanhealth,astobeindifferenttoalmostanyplaceortemperatureoftheair。Butthenothersaresoweaklyandfeeble,asnottobeabletobearone,butcanlivecomfortablyinanotherplace。Withsomethemoresubtleandfinerairofthehillsdothbestagree,whoarelanguishinganddyinginthefeculentandgrosserairofgreattowns,oreventhewarmerandvaporousairofthevalleysandwaters。Butcontrariwise,otherslanguishonthehills,andgrowlustyandstronginthewarmerairofthevalleys。
  “Sothatthisopportunityofshiftingourabodefromthehillstothevales,isanadmirableeasement,refreshment,andgreatbenefittothevaletudinarian,feeblepartofmankind;affordingthoseaneasyandcomfortablelife,whowouldotherwiselivemiserably,languish,andpineaway。
  “Tothissalutaryconformationoftheearthwemayaddanothergreatconvenienceofthehills,andthatisaffordingcommodiousplacesforhabitation,servingasaneminentauthorwordethit
  asscreenstokeepoffthecoldandnippingblastsofthenorthernandeasterlywinds,andreflectingthebenignandcherishingsunbeamsandsorenderingourhabitationsbothmorecomfortableandmorecheerlyinwinter。
  “Lastly,itistothehillsthatthefountainsowetheirriseandtheriverstheirconveyance,andconsequentlythosevastmassesandloftypilesarenot,astheyarechargedsuchrudeanduselessexcrescencesofourill-formedglobe;buttheadmirabletoolsofnature,contrivedandorderedbytheinfiniteCreator,todooneofitsmostusefulworks。For,wasthesurfaceoftheearthevenandlevel,andthemiddlepartsofitsislandsandcontinentsnotmountainousandhighasnowitis,itismostcertaintherecouldbenodescentfortherivers,noconveyanceforthewaters;but,insteadofglidingalongthosegentledeclivitieswhichthehigherlandsnowaffordthemquitedowntothesea,theywouldstagnateandperhapsstink,andalsodrownlargetractsofland。
  “[Thus]thehillsandvales,thoughtoapeevishandwearytravelertheymayseemincommodiousandtroublesome,yetareanobleworkofthegreatCreator,andwiselyappointedbyhimforthegoodofoursublunaryworld。”
  Youseehownaturalitis,fromthispointofview,totreatreligionasameresurvival,forreligiondoesinfactperpetuatethetraditionsofthemostprimevalthought。Tocoercethespiritualpowers,ortosquarethemandgetthemonourside,was,duringenormoustractsoftime,theonegreatobjectinourdealingswiththenaturalworld。Forourancestors,dreams,hallucinations,revelations,andcock-and-bullstorieswereinextricablymixedwithfacts。Uptoacomparativelyrecentdatesuchdistinctionsasthosebetweenwhathasbeenverifiedandwhatisonlyconjectured,betweentheimpersonalandthepersonalaspectsofexistence,werehardlysuspectedorconceived。
  Whateveryouimaginedinalivelymanner,whateveryouthoughtfittobetrue,youaffirmedconfidently;andwhateveryouaffirmed,yourcomradesbelieved。Truthwaswhathadnotyetbeencontradicted,mostthingsweretakenintothemindfromthepointofviewoftheirhumansuggestiveness,andtheattentionconfineditselfexclusivelytotheaestheticanddramaticaspectsofevents。[335]
  [335]Untiltheseventeenthcenturythismodeofthoughtprevailed。OneneedonlyrecallthedramatictreatmentevenofmechanicalquestionsbyAristotle,as,forexample,hisexplanationofthepowerofthelevertomakeasmallweightraisealargerone。Thisisdue,accordingtoAristotle,tothegenerallymiraculouscharacterofthecircleandofallcircularmovement。Thecircleisbothconvexandconcave;itismadebyafixedpointandamovingline,whichcontradicteachother;andwhatevermovesinacirclemovesinoppositedirections。
  Nevertheless,movementinacircleisthemost“natural“
  movement;andthelongarmofthelever,moving,asitdoes,inthelargercircle,hasthegreateramountofthisnaturalmotion,andconsequentlyrequiresthelesserforce。OrrecalltheexplanationbyHerodotusofthepositionofthesuninwinter:
  ItmovestothesouthbecauseofthecoldwhichdrivesitintothewarmpartsoftheheavensoverLibya。OrlistentoSaintAugustine’sspeculations:“Whogavetochaffsuchpowertofreezethatitpreservessnowburiedunderit,andsuchpowertowarmthatitripensgreenfruit?Whocanexplainthestrangepropertiesoffireitself,whichblackensallthatitburns,thoughitselfbright,andwhich,thoughofthemostbeautifulcolors,discolorsalmostallthatittouchesandfeedsupon,andturnsblazingfuelintogrimycinders?……Thenwhatwonderfulpropertiesdowefindincharcoal,whichissobrittlethatalighttapbreaksit,andaslightpressurepulverizesit,andyetissostrongthatnomoisturerotsit,noranytimecausesittodecay。”CityofGod,bookxxi,ch。iv。
  Suchaspectsofthingsasthese,theirnaturalnessandunnaturalnessthesympathiesandantipathiesoftheirsuperficialqualities,theireccentricities,theirbrightnessandstrengthanddestructiveness,wereinevitablythewaysinwhichtheyoriginallyfastenedourattention。
  Ifyouopenearlymedicalbooks,youwillfindsympatheticmagicinvokedoneverypage。Take,forexample,thefamousvulneraryointmentattributedtoParacelsus。Forthistherewereavarietyofreceipts,includingusuallyhumanfat,thefatofeitherabull,awildboar,orabear,powderedearthworms,theusnia,ormossygrowthontheweatheredskullofahangedcriminal,andothermaterialsequallyunpleasant——thewholepreparedundertheplanetVenusifpossible,butneverunderMarsorSaturn。Then,ifasplinterofwood,dippedinthepatient’sblood,orthebloodstainedweaponthatwoundedhim,beimmersedinthisointment,thewounditselfbeingtightlyboundup,thelatterinfalliblygetswell——IquotenowVanHelmont’saccount——forthebloodontheweaponorsplinter,containinginitthespiritofthewoundedman,isrousedtoactiveexcitementbythecontactoftheointment,whencethereresultstoitafullcommissionorpowertocureitscousin-germanthebloodinthepatient’sbody。
  Thisitdoesbysuckingoutthedolorousandexoticimpressionfromthewoundedpart。Buttodothisithastoimploretheaidofthebull’sfat,andotherportionsoftheunguent。Thereasonwhybull’sfatissopowerfulisthatthebullatthetimeofslaughterisfullofsecretreluctancyandvindictivemurmurs,andthereforedieswithahigherflameofrevengeabouthimthananyotheranimal。Andthuswehavemadeitout,saysthisauthor,thattheadmirableefficacyoftheointmentoughttobeimputed,nottoanyauxiliaryconcurrenceofSatan,butsimplytotheenergyoftheposthumouscharacterofRevengeremainingfirmlyimpresseduponthebloodandconcretedfatintheunguent。
  J。B。VanHelmont:ATernaryofParadoxes,translatedbyWalterCharleton,London,1650——Imuchabridgetheoriginalinmycitations。
  Theauthorgoesontoprovebytheanalogyofmanyothernaturalfactsthatthissympatheticactionbetweenthingsatadistanceisthetruerationaleofthecase。“If。”hesays,“theheartofahorseslainbyawitch,takenoutoftheyetreekingcarcase,beimpaleduponanarrowandroasted,immediatelythewholewitchbecomestormentedwiththeinsufferablepainsandcrueltyofthefire,whichcouldbynomeanshappenunlessthereprecededaconjunctionofthespiritofthewitchwiththespiritofthehorse。Inthereekingandyetpantingheart,thespiritofthewitchiskeptcaptive,andtheretreatofitpreventedbythearrowtransfixed。Similarlyhathnotmanyamurderedcarcaseatthecoroner’sinquestsufferedafreshhaemorrhageorcruentationatthepresenceoftheassassin?——thebloodbeing,asinafuriousfitofanger,enragedandagitatedbytheimpressofrevengeconceivedagainstthemurderer,attheinstantofthesoul’scompulsiveexilefromthebody。So,ifyouhavedropsy,gout,orjaundice,byincludingsomeofyourwarmbloodintheshellandwhiteofanegg,which,exposedtoagentleheat,andmixedwithabaitofflesh,youshallgivetoahungrydogorhog,thediseaseshallinstantlypassfromyouintotheanimal,andleaveyouentirely。Andsimilarlyagain,ifyouburnsomeofthemilkeitherofacoworofawoman,theglandfromwhichitissuedwilldryup。AgentlemanatBrusselshadhisnosemowedoffinacombat,butthecelebratedsurgeonTagliacozzusdiggedanewnoseforhimoutoftheskinofthearmofaporteratBologna。Aboutthirteenmonthsafterhisreturntohisowncountry,theengraftednosegrewcold,putrefied,andinafewdaysdroppedoff,anditwasthendiscoveredthattheporterhadexpired,nearaboutthesamepunctiliooftime。TherearestillatBrusselseye-witnessesofthisoccurrence。”saysVanHelmont;
  andadds,“Ipraywhatisthereinthisofsuperstitionorofexaltedimagination?”
  Modernmind-cureliterature——theworksofPrenticeMulford,forexample——isfullofsympatheticmagic。
  Howindeedcoulditbeotherwise?Theextraordinaryvalue,forexplanationandprevision,ofthosemathematicalandmechanicalmodesofconceptionwhichscienceuses,wasaresultthatcouldnotpossiblyhavebeenexpectedinadvance。Weight,movement,velocity,direction,position,whatthin,pallid,uninterestingideas!HowcouldthericheranimisticaspectsofNature,thepeculiaritiesandodditiesthatmakephenomenapicturesquelystrikingorexpressive,failtohavebeenfirstsingledoutandfollowedbyphilosophyasthemorepromisingavenuetotheknowledgeofNature’slife?Well,itisstillinthesericheranimisticanddramaticaspectsthatreligiondelightstodwell。
  Itistheterrorandbeautyofphenomena,the“promise“ofthedawnandoftherainbow,the“voice“ofthethunder,the“gentleness“ofthesummerrain,the“sublimity“ofthestars,andnotthephysicallawswhichthesethingsfollow,bywhichthereligiousmindstillcontinuestobemostimpressed;andjustasofyore,thedevoutmantellsyouthatinthesolitudeofhisroomorofthefieldshestillfeelsthedivinepresence,thatinflowingsofhelpcomeinreplytohisprayers,andthatsacrificestothisunseenrealityfillhimwithsecurityandpeace。
  Pureanachronism!saysthesurvival-theory;——anachronismforwhichdeanthropomorphizationoftheimaginationistheremedyrequired。Thelesswemixtheprivatewiththecosmic,themorewedwellinuniversalandimpersonalterms,thetruerheirsofSciencewebecome。
  Inspiteoftheappealwhichthisimpersonalityofthescientificattitudemakestoacertainmagnanimityoftemper,Ibelieveittobeshallow,andIcannowstatemyreasonincomparativelyfewwords。Thatreasonisthat,solongaswedealwiththecosmicandthegeneral,wedealonlywiththesymbolsofreality,butassoonaswedealwithprivateandpersonalphenomenaassuch,wedealwithrealitiesinthecompletestsenseoftheterm。IthinkIcaneasilymakeclearwhatImeanbythesewords。
  Theworldofourexperienceconsistsatalltimesoftwoparts,anobjectiveandasubjectivepart,ofwhichtheformermaybeincalculablymoreextensivethanthelatter,andyetthelattercanneverbeomittedorsuppressed。Theobjectivepartisthesumtotalofwhatsoeveratanygiventimewemaybethinkingof,thesubjectivepartistheinner“state“inwhichthethinkingcomestopass。Whatwethinkofmaybeenormous——thecosmictimesandspaces,forexample——whereastheinnerstatemaybethemostfugitiveandpaltryactivityofmind。Yetthecosmicobjects,sofarastheexperienceyieldsthem,arebutidealpicturesofsomethingwhoseexistencewedonotinwardlypossessbutonlypointatoutwardly,whiletheinnerstateisourveryexperienceitself;itsrealityandthatofourexperienceareone。AconsciousfieldPLUSitsobjectasfeltorthoughtofPLUSanattitudetowardstheobjectPLUSthesenseofaselftowhomtheattitudebelongs——suchaconcretebitofpersonalexperiencemaybeasmallbit,butitisasolidbitaslongasitlasts;nothollow,notamereabstractelementofexperience,suchasthe“object“iswhentakenallalone。ItisaFULLfact,eventhoughitbeaninsignificantfact;itisoftheKINDtowhichallrealitieswhatsoevermustbelong;themotorcurrentsoftheworldrunthroughthelikeofit;itisonthelineconnectingrealeventswithrealevents。Thatunsharablefeelingwhicheachoneofushasofthepinchofhisindividualdestinyasheprivatelyfeelsitrollingoutonfortune’swheelmaybedisparagedforitsegotism,maybesneeredatasunscientific,butitistheonethingthatfillsupthemeasureofourconcreteactuality,andanywould-beexistentthatshouldlacksuchafeeling,oritsanalogue,wouldbeapieceofrealityonlyhalfmadeup。