首页 >出版文学> The Tinker’s Wedding>第6章
  Butthoughwefeelnopropersympathywithanattachmentofthiskind,thoughweneverapproacheveninimaginationtowardsconceivingapassionforthatparticularperson,yetasweeitherhaveconceived,ormaybedisposedtoconceive,passionsofthesamekind,wereadilyenterintothosehighhopesofhappinesswhichareproposedfromitsgratification,aswellasintothatexquisitedistresswhichisfearedfromitsdisappointment。Itinterestsusnotasapassion,butasasituationthatgivesoccasiontootherpassionswhichinterestus;tohope,tofear,andtodistressofeverykind:inthesamemannerasinadescriptionofaseavoyage,itisnotthehungerwhichinterestsus,butthedistresswhichthathungeroccasions。Thoughwedonotproperlyenterintotheattachmentofthelover,wereadilygoalongwiththoseexpectationsofromantichappinesswhichhederivesfromit。Wefeelhownaturalitisforthemind,inacertainsituation,relaxedwithindolence,andfatiguedwiththeviolenceofdesire,tolongforserenityandquiet,tohopetofindtheminthegratificationofthatpassionwhichdistractsit,andtoframetoitselftheideaofthatlifeofpastoraltranquillityandretirementwhichtheelegant,thetender,andthepassionateTibullustakessomuchpleasureindescribing;alifelikewhatthepoetsdescribeintheFortunateIslands,alifeoffriendship,liberty,andrepose;freefromlabour,andfromcare,andfromalltheturbulentpassionswhichattendthem。
  Evenscenesofthiskindinterestusmost,whentheyarepaintedratheraswhatishoped,thanaswhatisenjoyed。Thegrossnessofthatpassion,whichmixeswith,andis,perhaps,thefoundationoflove,disappearswhenitsgratificationisfaroffandatadistance;butrendersthewholeoffensive,whendescribedaswhatisimmediatelypossessed。Thehappypassion,uponthisaccount,interestsusmuchlessthanthefearfulandthemelancholy。Wetrembleforwhatevercandisappointsuchnaturalandagreeablehopes:andthusenterintoalltheanxiety,andconcern,anddistressofthelover。
  Henceitis,that,insomemoderntragediesandromances,thispassionappearssowonderfullyinteresting。ItisnotsomuchtheloveofCastalioandMonimiawhichattachesusintheOrphan,asthedistresswhichthatloveoccasions。Theauthorwhoshouldintroducetwolovers,inasceneofperfectsecurity,expressingtheirmutualfondnessforoneanother,wouldexcitelaughter,andnotsympathy。Ifasceneofthiskindiseveradmittedintoatragedy,itisalways,insomemeasure,improper,andisendured,notfromanysympathywiththepassionthatisexpressedinit,butfromconcernforthedangersanddifficultieswithwhichtheaudienceforeseethatitsgratificationislikelytobeattended。
  Thereservewhichthelawsofsocietyimposeuponthefairsex,withregardtothisweakness,rendersitmorepeculiarlydistressfulinthem,and,uponthatveryaccount,moredeeplyinteresting。WearecharmedwiththeloveofPhaedra,asitisexpressedintheFrenchtragedyofthatname,notwithstandingalltheextravaganceandguiltwhichattendit。Thatveryextravaganceandguiltmaybesaid,insomemeasure,torecommendittous。Herfear,hershame,herremorse,herhorror,herdespair,becometherebymorenaturalandinteresting。Allthesecondarypassions,ifImaybeallowedtocallthemso,whicharisefromthesituationoflove,becomenecessarilymorefuriousandviolent;anditiswiththesesecondarypassionsonlythatwecanproperlybesaidtosympathize。
  Ofallthepassions,however,whicharesoextravagantlydisproportionedtothevalueoftheirobjects,loveistheonlyonethatappears,eventotheweakestminds,tohaveanythinginitthatiseithergracefuloragreeable。Initself,firstofall,thoughitmayberidiculous,itisnotnaturallyodious;andthoughitsconsequencesareoftenfatalanddreadful,itsintentionsareseldommischievous。Andthen,thoughthereislittleproprietyinthepassionitself,thereisagooddealinsomeofthosewhichalwaysaccompanyit。Thereisinloveastrongmixtureofhumanity,generosity,kindness,friendship,esteem;passionswithwhich,ofallothers,forreasonswhichshallbeexplainedimmediately,wehavethegreatestpropensitytosympathize,evennotwithstandingwearesensiblethattheyare,insomemeasure,excessive。Thesympathywhichwefeelwiththem,rendersthepassionwhichtheyaccompanylessdisagreeable,andsupportsitinourimagination,notwithstandingalltheviceswhichcommonlygoalongwithit;thoughintheonesexitnecessarilyleadstothelastruinandinfamy;andthoughintheother,whereitisapprehendedtobeleastfatal,itisalmostalwaysattendedwithanincapacityforlabour,aneglectofduty,acontemptoffame,andevenofcommonreputation。
  Notwithstandingallthis,thedegreeofsensibilityandgenerositywithwhichitissupposedtobeaccompanied,rendersittomanytheobjectofvanity。andtheyarefondofappearingcapableoffeelingwhatwoulddothemnohonouriftheyhadreallyfeltit。
  Itisforareasonofthesamekind,thatacertainreserveisnecessarywhenwetalkofourownfriends,ourownstudies,ourownprofessions。Alltheseareobjectswhichwecannotexpectshouldinterestourcompanionsinthesamedegreeinwhichtheyinterestus。Anditisforwantofthisreserve,thattheonehalfofmankindmakebadcompanytotheother。Aphilosopheriscompanytoaphilosopher,only。thememberofaclub,tohisownlittleknotofcompanions。
  OftheunsocialPassionsThereisanothersetofpassions,which,thoughderivedfromtheimagination,yetbeforewecanenterintothem,orregardthemasgracefulorbecoming,mustalwaysbebroughtdowntoapitchmuchlowerthanthattowhichundisciplinednaturewouldraisethem。Theseare,hatredandresentment,withalltheirdifferentmodifications。Withregardtoallsuchpassions,oursympathyisdividedbetweenthepersonwhofeelsthem,andthepersonwhoistheobjectofthem。Theinterestsofthesetwoaredirectlyopposite。Whatoursympathywiththepersonwhofeelsthemwouldpromptustowishfor,ourfellow-feelingwiththeotherwouldleadustofear。Astheyarebothmen,weareconcernedforboth,andourfearforwhattheonemaysuffer,dampsourresentmentforwhattheotherhassuffered。Oursympathy,therefore,withthemanwhohasreceivedtheprovocation,necessarilyfallsshortofthepassionwhichnaturallyanimateshim,notonlyuponaccountofthosegeneralcauseswhichrenderallsympatheticpassionsinferiortotheoriginalones,butuponaccountofthatparticularcausewhichispeculiartoitself,ouroppositesympathywithanotherperson。
  Beforeresentment,therefore,canbecomegracefulandagreeable,itmustbemorehumbledandbroughtdownbelowthatpitchtowhichitwouldnaturallyrise,thanalmostanyotherpassion。
  Mankind,atthesametime,haveaverystrongsenseoftheinjuriesthataredonetoanother。Thevillain,inatragedyorromance,isasmuchtheobjectofourindignation,astheheroisthatofoursympathyandaffection。WedetestIagoasmuchasweesteemOthello;anddelightasmuchinthepunishmentoftheone,aswearegrievedatthedistressoftheother。Butthoughmankindhavesostrongafellow-feelingwiththeinjuriesthataredonetotheirbrethren,theydonotalwaysresentthemthemorethatthesuffererappearstoresentthem。Uponmostoccasions,thegreaterhispatience,hismildness,hishumanity,provideditdoesnotappearthathewantsspirit,orthatfearwasthemotiveofhisforbearance,thehighertheirresentmentagainstthepersonwhoinjuredhim。Theamiablenessofthecharacterexasperatestheirsenseoftheatrocityoftheinjury。
  Thosepassions,however,areregardedasnecessarypartsofthecharacterofhumannature。Apersonbecomescontemptiblewhotamelysitsstill,andsubmitstoinsults,withoutattemptingeithertorepelortorevengethem。Wecannotenterintohisindifferenceandinsensibility。wecallhisbehaviourmean-spiritedness,andareasreallyprovokedbyitasbytheinsolenceofhisadversary。Eventhemobareenragedtoseeanymansubmitpatientlytoaffrontsandillusage。Theydesiretoseethisinsolenceresented,andresentedbythepersonwhosuffersfromit。Theycrytohimwithfury,todefend,ortorevengehimself。Ifhisindignationrousesatlast,theyheartilyapplaud,andsympathizewithit。Itenlivenstheirownindignationagainsthisenemy,whomtheyrejoicetoseehimattackinhisturn,andareasreallygratifiedbyhisrevenge,provideditisnotimmoderate,asiftheinjuryhadbeendonetothemselves。
  Butthoughtheutilityofthosepassionstotheindividual,byrenderingitdangeroustoinsultorinjurehim,beacknowledged;andthoughtheirutilitytothepublic,astheguardiansofjustice,andoftheequalityofitsadministration,benotlessconsiderable,asshallbeshewnhereafter;yetthereisstillsomethingdisagreeableinthepassionsthemselves,whichmakestheappearanceoftheminothermenthenaturalobjectofouraversion。Theexpressionofangertowardsanybodypresent,ifitexceedsabareintimationthatwearesensibleofhisillusage,isregardednotonlyasaninsulttothatparticularperson,butasarudenesstothewholecompany。Respectforthemoughttohaverestrainedusfromgivingwaytosoboisterousandoffensiveanemotion。Itistheremoteeffectsofthesepassionswhichareagreeable;theimmediateeffectsaremischieftothepersonagainstwhomtheyaredirected。Butitistheimmediate,andnottheremoteeffectsofobjectswhichrenderthemagreeableordisagreeabletotheimagination。Aprisoniscertainlymoreusefultothepublicthanapalace;andthepersonwhofoundstheoneisgenerallydirectedbyamuchjusterspiritofpatriotism,thanhewhobuildstheother。Buttheimmediateeffectsofaprison,theconfinementofthewretchesshutupinit,aredisagreeable;andtheimaginationeitherdoesnottaketimetotraceouttheremoteones,orseesthemattoogreatadistancetobemuchaffectedbythem。Aprison,therefore,willalwaysbeadisagreeableobject;andthefitteritisforthepurposeforwhichitwasintended,itwillbethemoreso。Apalace,onthecontrary,willalwaysbeagreeable;yetitsremoteeffectsmayoftenbeinconvenienttothepublic。Itmayservetopromoteluxury,andsettheexampleofthedissolutionofmanners。Itsimmediateeffects,however,theconveniency,thepleasure,andthegaietyofthepeoplewholiveinit,beingallagreeable,andsuggestingtotheimaginationathousandagreeableideas,thatfacultygenerallyrestsuponthem,andseldomgoesfurtherintracingitsmoredistantconsequences。Trophiesoftheinstrumentsofmusicorofagriculture,imitatedinpaintingorinstucco,makeacommonandanagreeableornamentofourhallsanddining-rooms。Atrophyofthesamekind,composedoftheinstrumentsofsurgery,ofdissectingandamputation-knives,ofsawsforcuttingthebones,oftrepanninginstruments,etc。wouldbeabsurdandshocking。Instrumentsofsurgery,however,arealwaysmorefinelypolished,andgenerallymorenicelyadaptedtothepurposesforwhichtheyareintended,thaninstrumentsofagriculture。Theremoteeffectsofthemtoo,thehealthofthepatient,isagreeable;yetastheimmediateeffectofthemispainandsuffering,thesightofthemalwaysdispleasesus。
  Instrumentsofwarareagreeable,thoughtheirimmediateeffectmayseemtobeinthesamemannerpainandsuffering。Butthenitisthepainandsufferingofourenemies,withwhomwehavenosympathy。Withregardtous,theyareimmediatelyconnectedwiththeagreeableideasofcourage,victory,andhonour。Theyarethemselves,therefore,supposedtomakeoneofthenoblestpartsofdress,andtheimitationofthemoneofthefinestornamentsofarchitecture。Itisthesamecasewiththequalitiesofthemind。Theancientstoicswereofopinion,thatastheworldwasgovernedbytheall-rulingprovidenceofawise,powerful,andgoodGod,everysingleeventoughttoberegarded,asmakinganecessarypartoftheplanoftheuniverse,andastendingtopromotethegeneralorderandhappinessofthewhole:thatthevicesandfolliesofmankind,therefore,madeasnecessaryapartofthisplanastheirwisdomortheirvirtue;andbythateternalartwhicheducesgoodfromill,weremadetotendequallytotheprosperityandperfectionofthegreatsystemofnature。Nospeculationofthiskind,however,howdeeplysoeveritmightberootedinthemind,coulddiminishournaturalabhorrenceforvice,whoseimmediateeffectsaresodestructive,andwhoseremoteonesaretoodistanttobetracedbytheimagination。