thoughts on man-第13部分

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be　one　of　the　characteristic　distinctions　of　our　species　to　erect　monuments　which　outlast　the　existence　of　the　persons　that　produced　them。　　This　at　first　was　accidental；　and　did　not　enter　the　design　of　the　operator。　　The　man　who　built　himself　a　shed　to　protect　him　from　the　inclemency　of　the　seasons；　and　afterwards　exchanged　that　shed　for　a　somewhat　more　commodious　dwelling；　did　not　at　first　advert　to　the　circumstance　that　the　accommodation　might　last；　when　he　was　no　longer　capable　to　partake　of　it。

In　this　way　perhaps　the　wish　to　extend　the　memory　of　ourselves　beyond　the　term　of　our　mortal　existence；　and　the　idea　of　its　being　practicable　to　gratify　that　wish；　descended　upon　us　together。　　In　contemplating　the　brief　duration　and　the　uncertainty　of　human　life；　the　idea　must　necessarily　have　occurred；　that　we　might　survive　those　we　loved；　or　that　they　might　survive　us。　　In　the　first　case　we　inevitably　wish　more　or　less　to　cherish　the　memory　of　the　being　who　once　was　an　object　of　affection　to　us；　but　of　whose　society　death　has　deprived　us。　　In　the　second　case　it　can　scarcely　happen　but　that　we　desire　ourselves　to　be　kindly　recollected　by　those　we　leave　behind　us。　　So　simple　is　the　first　germ　of　that　longing　after　posthumous　honour；　which　presents　us　with　so　memorable　effects　in　the　page　of　history。

But；　previously　to　the　further　consideration　of　posthumous　fame；　let　us　turn　our　attention　for　a　moment　to　the　fame；　or；　as　in　that　sense　it　is　more　usually　styled；　popularity；　which　is　the　lot　of　a　few　favoured　individuals　while　they　live。　　The　attending　to　the　subject　in　this　point　of　view；　will　be　found　to　throw　light　upon　the　more　extensive　prospect　of　the　question　to　which　we　will　immediately　afterwards　proceed。

Popularity　is　an　acquisition　more　level　to　the　most　ordinary　capacities；　and　therefore　is　a　subject　of　more　general　ambition；　than　posthumous　fame。　　It　addresses　itself　to　the　senses。　　Applause　is　a　species　of　good　fortune　to　which　perhaps　no　mortal　ear　is　indifferent。　　The　persons　who　constitute　the　circle　in　which　we　are　applauded；　receive　us　with　smiles　of　approbation　and　sympathy。　　They　pay　their　court　to　us；　seem　to　be　made　happy　by　our　bare　presence　among　them；　and　welcome　us　to　their　houses　with　congratulation　and　joy。　　The　vulgar　portion　of　mankind　scarcely　understand　the　question　of　posthumous　fame；　they　cannot　comprehend　how　panegyric　and　honour　can　〃soothe　the　dull；　cold　ear　of　death：〃　　but　they　can　all　conceive　the　gratification　to　be　derived　from　applauding　multitudes　and　loud　huzzas。

One　of　the　most　obvious　features　however　that　attends　upon　popularity；　is　its　fugitive　nature。　　No　man　has　once　been　popular；　and　has　lived　long；　without　experiencing　neglect　at　least；　if　he　were　not　also　at　some　time　subjected　to　the　very　intelligible　disapprobation　and　censure　of　his　fellows。　　The　good　will　and　kindness　of　the　multitude　has　a　devouring　appetite；　and　is　like　a　wild　beast　that　you　should　stable　under　your　roof；　which；　if　you　do　not　feed　with　a　continual　supply；　will　turn　about　and　attack　its　protector。　　　　　　

One　touch　of　nature　makes　the　whole　world　kin；　That　all；　with　one　consent；　praise　new…born　gauds；　And　give　to　dust；　that　is　a　little　gilt；　More　laud　than　they　will　give　to　gold　o'erdusted。

Cromwel　well　understood　the　nature　of　this　topic；　when　he　said；　as　we　are　told；　to　one　of　his　military　companions；　who　called　his　attention　to　the　rapturous　approbation　with　which　they　were　received　by　the　crowd　on　their　return　from　a　successful　expedition；　〃Ah；　my　friend；　they　would　accompany　us　with　equal　demonstrations　of　delight；　if；　upon　no　distant　occasion；　they　were　to　see　us　going　to　be　hanged！〃

The　same　thing　which　happens　to　the　popularity　attendant　on　the　real　or　imaginary　hero　of　the　multitude；　happens　also　in　the　race　after　posthumous　fame。

As　has　already　been　said；　the　number　of　men　is　exceedingly　great　in　every　civilised　state　of　society；　who　make　the　sciences　and　arts　engendered　by　the　human　mind；　the　sole　or　the　principal　objects　of　their　occupation。

This　will　perhaps　be　most　strikingly　illustrated　by　a　retrospect　of　the　state　of　European　society　in　the　middle；　or；　as　they　are　frequently　styled；　the　dark　ages。

It　has　been　a　vulgar　error　to　imagine；　that　the　mind　of　man；　so　far　as　relates　to　its　active　and　inventive　powers；　was　sunk　into　a　profound　sleep；　from　which　it　gradually　recovered　itself　at　the　period　when　Constantinople　was　taken　by　the　Turks；　and　the　books　and　the　teachers　of　the　ancient　Greek　language　were　dispersed　through　Europe。　　The　epoch　from　which　modern　invention　took　its　rise；　commenced　much　earlier。　　The　feudal　system；　one　of　the　most　interesting　contrivances　of　man　in　society；　was　introduced　in　the　ninth　century；　and　chivalry；　the　offspring　of　that　system；　an　institution　to　which　we　are　mainly　indebted　for　refinement　of　sentiment；　and　humane　and　generous　demeanour；　in　the　eleventh。　　Out　of　these　grew　the　originality　and　the　poetry　of　romance。

These　were　no　mean　advancements。　　But　perhaps　the　greatest　debt　which　after　ages　have　contracted　to　this　remote　period；　arose　out　of　the　system　of　monasteries　and　ecclesiastical　celibacy。　　Owing　to　these　a　numerous　race　of　men　succeeded　to　each　other　perpetually；　who　were　separated　from　the　world；　cut　off　from　the　endearments　of　conjugal　and　parental　affection；　and　who　had　a　plenitude　of　leisure　for　solitary　application。　　To　these　men　we　are　indebted　for　the　preservation　of　the　literature　of　Rome；　and　the　multiplied　copies　of　the　works　of　the　ancients。　　Nor　were　they　contented　only　with　the　praise　of　never…ending　industry。　　They　forged　many　works；　that　afterwards　passed　for　classical；　and　which　have　demanded　all　the　perspicacity　of　comparative　criticism　to　refute。　　And　in　these　pursuits　the　indefatigable　men　who　were　dedicated　to　them；　were　not　even　goaded　by　the　love　of　fame。　　They　were　satisfied　with　the　consciousness　of　their　own　perseverance　and　ingenuity。

But　the　most　memorable　body　of　men　that　adorned　these　ages；　were　the　Schoolmen。　　They　may　be　considered　as　the　discoverers　of　the　art　of　logic。　　The　ancients　possessed　in　an　eminent　degree　the　gift　of　genius；　but　they　have　little　to　boast　on　the　score　of　arrangement；　and　discover　little　skill　in　the　strictness　of　an　accurate　deduction。　　They　rather　arrive　at　truth　by　means　of　a　felicity　of　impulse；　than　in　consequence　of　having　regularly　gone　through　the　process　which　leads　to　it。　　The　schools　of　the　middle　ages　gave　birth　to　the　Irrefragable　and　the　Seraphic　doctors；　the　subtlety　of　whose　distinctions；　and　the　perseverance　of　whose　investigations；　are　among　the　most　wonderful　monuments　of　the　intellectual　power　of　man。　　The　thirteenth　century　produced　Thomas　Aquinas；　and　Johannes　Duns　Scotus；　and　William　Occam；　and　Roger　Bacon。　　In　the　century　before；　Thomas　a　Becket　drew　around　him　a　circle　of　literary　men；　whose　correspondence　has　been　handed　down　to　us；　and　who　deemed　it　their　proudest　distinction　that　they　called　each　other　philosophers。　　The　Schoolmen　often　bewildered　themselves　in　their　subtleties；　and　often　delivered　dogmas　and　systems　that　may　astonish　the　common　sense　of　unsophisticated　understandings。　　But　such　is　man。　　So　great　is　his　persevering　labour；　his　invincible　industry；　and　the　resolution　with　which　he　sets　himself；　year　after　year；　and　lustre　after　lustre；　to　accomplish　the　task　which　his　judgment　and　his　zeal　have　commanded　him　to　pursue。

But　I　return　to　the　question　of　literary　fame。　　All　these　men；　and　men　of　a　hundred　other　classes；　who　laboured　most　commendably　and　gallantly　in　their　day；　may　be　considered　as　swept　away　into　the　gulph　of　oblivion。　　As　Swift　humorously　says　in　his　Dedication　to　Prince　Posterity；　〃I　had　prepared　a　copious　list　of　Titles　to　present　to　your　highness；　as　an　undisputed　argument　of　the　prolificness　of　human　genius　in　my　own　time：　　the　originals　were　posted　upon　all　gates　and　corner's　of　streets：　　but；　returning　in　a　very　few　hours　to　take　a　review；　they　were　all　torn　down；　and　fresh　ones　put　in　their　places。　　I　enquired　after　them　among　readers　and　booksellers；　but　in　vain：　　the　memorial　of　them　was　lost　among　men；　their　place　was　no　more　to　be　found。〃

It　is　a　just　remark　that　had　been　made　by　Hume＇5＇：　　〃Theories　of　abstract　philosophy；　systems　of　profound　theology；　have　prevailed　during　one　age。　　In　a　successive　period　these　have　been　universally　exploded；　their　absurdity　has　been　detected；　other　theories　and　systems　have　supplied　their　place；　which　again　gave　way　to　their　successors；　and　nothing　has　been　experienced　more　liable　to　the　revolutions　of　chance　and　fashion　than　these　pretended　decisions　of　science。　　The　case　is　not　the　same　with　the　beauties　of　eloquence　and　poetry。　　Just　expressions　of　passion　and　nature　are　sure；　after　a　little　time；　to　gain　public　applause；　which　they　maintain　for　ever。　　Aristotle　and　Plato　and　Epicurus　and　Descartes　may　successively　yield　to　each　other：　　but　Terence　and　Virgil　maintain　an　universal；　undisputed　empire　over　the　minds　of　men。　　The　abstract　philosophy　of　Cicero　has　lost　its　credit：　　the　vehemence　of　his　oratory　is　still　the　object　of　our　admiration。〃

＇5＇　Essays；　Part　1；　Essay　xxiii。


A　few　examples　of　the　instability　of　fame　will　place　this　question　in　the　cl