第 3 节
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疯狂热线 更新:2021-02-20 18:03 字数:9322
Aristotelian; that his most usual thesis was: 〃That the touchstone and
square of all solid imagination; and of all truth; was an absolute
conformity to Aristotle's doctrine; and that all besides was nothing but
inanity and chimera; for that he had seen all; and said all。〃 A position;
that for having been a little too injuriously and broadly interpreted;
brought him once and long kept him in great danger of the Inquisition at
Rome。
Let him make him examine and thoroughly sift everything he reads; and
lodge nothing in his fancy upon simple authority and upon trust。
Aristotle's principles will then be no more principles to him; than those
of Epicurus and the Stoics: let this diversity of opinions be propounded
to; and laid before him; he will himself choose; if he be able; if not;
he will remain in doubt。
〃Che non men the saver; dubbiar m' aggrata。〃
'〃I love to doubt; as well as to know。〃Dante; Inferno; xi。 93'
for; if he embrace the opinions of Xenophon and Plato; by his own reason;
they will no more be theirs; but become his own。 Who follows another;
follows nothing; finds nothing; nay; is inquisitive after nothing。
〃Non sumus sub rege; sibi quisque se vindicet。〃
'〃We are under no king; let each vindicate himself。〃
Seneca; Ep。;33'
Let him; at least; know that he knows。 It will be necessary that he
imbibe their knowledge; not that he be corrupted with their precepts;
and no matter if he forget where he had his learning; provided he know
how to apply it to his own use。 Truth and reason are common to every
one; and are no more his who spake them first; than his who speaks them
after: 'tis no more according to Plato; than according to me; since both
he and I equally see and understand them。 Bees cull their several sweets
from this flower and that blossom; here and there where they find them;
but themselves afterwards make the honey; which is all and purely their
own; and no more thyme and marjoram: so the several fragments he borrows
from others; he will transform and shuffle together to compile a work
that shall be absolutely his own; that is to say; his judgment:
his instruction; labour and study; tend to nothing else but to form that。
He is not obliged to discover whence he got the materials that have
assisted him; but only to produce what he has himself done with them。
Men that live upon pillage and borrowing; expose their purchases and
buildings to every one's view: but do not proclaim how they came by the
money。 We do not see the fees and perquisites of a gentleman of the long
robe; but we see the alliances wherewith he fortifies himself and his
family; and the titles and honours he has obtained for him and his。 No
man divulges his revenue; or; at least; which way it comes in but every
one publishes his acquisitions。 The advantages of our study are to
become better and more wise。 'Tis; says Epicharmus; the understanding
that sees and hears; 'tis the understanding that improves everything;
that orders everything; and that acts; rules; and reigns: all other
faculties are blind; and deaf; and without soul。 And certainly we render
it timorous and servile; in not allowing it the liberty and privilege to
do anything of itself。 Whoever asked his pupil what he thought of
grammar and rhetoric; or of such and such a sentence of Cicero? Our
masters stick them; full feathered; in our memories; and there establish
them like oracles; of which the letters and syllables are of the
substance of the thing。 To know by rote; is no knowledge; and signifies
no more but only to retain what one has intrusted to our memory。 That
which a man rightly knows and understands; he is the free disposer of at
his own full liberty; without any regard to the author from whence he had
it; or fumbling over the leaves of his book。 A mere bookish learning is
a poor; paltry learning; it may serve for ornament; but there is yet no
foundation for any superstructure to be built upon it; according to the
opinion of Plato; who says; that constancy; faith; and sincerity; are the
true philosophy; and the other sciences; that are directed to other ends;
mere adulterate paint。 I could wish that Paluel or Pompey; those two
noted dancers of my time; could have taught us to cut capers; by only
seeing them do it; without stirring from our places; as these men pretend
to inform the understanding without ever setting it to work; or that we
could learn to ride; handle a pike; touch a lute; or sing without the
trouble of practice; as these attempt to make us judge and speak well;
without exercising us in judging or speaking。 Now in this initiation of
our studies in their progress; whatsoever presents itself before us is
book sufficient; a roguish trick of a page; a sottish mistake of a
servant; a jest at the table; are so many new subjects。
And for this reason; conversation with men is of very great use and
travel into foreign countries; not to bring back (as most of our young
monsieurs do) an account only of how many paces Santa Rotonda 'The
Pantheon of Agrippa。' is in circuit; or of the richness of Signora
Livia's petticoats; or; as some others; how much Nero's face; in a statue
in such an old ruin; is longer and broader than that made for him on some
medal; but to be able chiefly to give an account of the humours; manners;
customs; and laws of those nations where he has been; and that we may
whet and sharpen our wits by rubbing them against those of others。 I
would that a boy should be sent abroad very young; and first; so as to
kill two birds with one stone; into those neighbouring nations whose
language is most differing from our own; and to which; if it be not
formed betimes; the tongue will grow too stiff to bend。
And also 'tis the general opinion of all; that a child should not be
brought up in his mother's lap。 Mothers are too tender; and their
natural affection is apt to make the most discreet of them all so
overfond; that they can neither find in their hearts to give them due
correction for the faults they may commit; nor suffer them to be inured
to hardships and hazards; as they ought to be。 They will not endure to
see them return all dust and sweat from their exercise; to drink cold
drink when they are hot; nor see them mount an unruly horse; nor take a
foil in hand against a rude fencer; or so much as to discharge a carbine。
And yet there is no remedy; whoever will breed a boy to be good for
anything when he comes to be a man; must by no means spare him when
young; and must very often transgress the rules of physic:
〃Vitamque sub dio; et trepidis agat
In rebus。〃
'〃Let him live in open air; and ever in movement about something。〃
Horace; Od。 ii。; 3; 5。'
It is not enough to fortify his soul; you are also to make his sinews
strong; for the soul will be oppressed if not assisted by the members;
and would have too hard a task to discharge two offices alone。 I know
very well to my cost; how much mine groans under the burden; from being
accommodated with a body so tender and indisposed; as eternally leans and
presses upon her; and often in my reading perceive that our masters; in
their writings; make examples pass for magnanimity and fortitude of mind;
which really are rather toughness of skin and hardness of bones; for I
have seen men; women; and children; naturally born of so hard and
insensible a constitution of body; that a sound cudgelling has been less
to them than a flirt with a finger would have been to me; and that would
neither cry out; wince; nor shrink; for a good swinging beating; and when
wrestlers counterfeit the philosophers in patience; 'tis rather strength
of nerves than stoutness of heart。 Now to be inured to undergo labour;
is to be accustomed to endure pain:
〃Labor callum obducit dolori。〃
'〃Labour hardens us against pain。〃Cicero; Tusc。 Quaes。; ii。 15。'
A boy is to be broken in to the toil and roughness of exercise; so as to
be trained up to the pain and suffering of dislocations; cholics;
cauteries; and even imprisonment and the rack itself; for he may come by
misfortune to be reduced to the worst of these; which (as this world
goes) is sometimes inflicted on the good as well as the bad。 As for
proof; in our present civil war whoever draws his sword against the laws;
threatens the honestest men with the whip and the halter。
And; moreover; by living at home; the authority of this governor; which
ought to be sovereign over the boy he has received into his charge; is
often checked and hindered by the presence of parents; to which may also
be added; that the respect the whole family pay him; as their master's
son; and the knowledge he has of the estate and greatness he is heir to;
are; in my opinion; no small inconveniences in these tender years。
And yet; even in this conversing with men I spoke of but now; I have
observed this vice; that instead of gathering observations from others;
we make it our whole business to lay ourselves open to them; and are more
concerned how to expose and set out our own commodities; than how to
increase our stock by acquiring new。 Silence; th