第35章

类别:其他 作者:William James字数:6125更新时间:18/12/21 17:13:49
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,serving(asaneminentauthorwordethit) 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。