第23章
加入书架 A- A+

  Howgaydidthefaceofnatureappear!Hills,valleys,chateaux,gardens,rivers,everyobjectworeit’sliveliesthue!Whencedidtheyborrowit?Fromthepresenceofourcharmingcompanion。Theywerepleasing,becausesheseemedpleased。Alone,thescenewouldhavebeendull&insipid:theparticipationofitwithhergaveitrelish。Letthegloomymonk,sequesteredfromtheworld,seekunsocialpleasuresinthebottomofhiscell!Letthesublimatedphilosophergraspvisionaryhappinesswhilepursuingphantomsdressedinthegarboftruth!Theirsupremewisdomissupremefolly;&theymistakeforhappinessthemereabsenceofpain。Hadtheyeverfeltthesolidpleasureofonegenerousspasmoftheheart,theywouldexchangeforitallthefrigidspeculationsoftheirlives,whichyouhavebeenvauntinginsuchelevatedterms。Believemethenmyfriend,thatthatisamiserablearithmeticwhichcouldestimatefriendshipatnothing,oratlessthannothing。Respectforyouhasinducedmetoenterintothisdiscussion,&tohearprinciplesutteredwhichIdetest&abjure。Respectformyselfnowobligesmetorecallyouintotheproperlimitsofyouroffice。Whennatureassignedusthesamehabitation,shegaveusoveritadividedempire。Toyousheallottedthefieldofscience;tomethatofmorals。Whenthecircleistobesquared,ortheorbitofacomettobetraced;whenthearchofgreateststrength,orthesolidofleastresistanceistobeinvestigated,takeuptheproblem;itisyours;

  naturehasgivenmenocognizanceofit。Inlikemanner,indenyingtoyouthefeelingsofsympathy,ofbenevolence,ofgratitude,ofjustice,oflove,offriendship,shehasexcludedyoufromtheircontroul。Totheseshehasadaptedthemechanismoftheheart。

  Moralsweretooessentialtothehappinessofmantoberiskedontheincertaincombinationsofthehead。Shelaidtheirfoundationthereforeinsentiment,notinscience。Thatshegavetoall,asnecessarytoall:thistoafewonly,assufficingwithafew。I

  knowindeedthatyoupretendauthoritytothesovereigncontroulofourconductinallitsparts:&arespectforyourgravesaws&

  maxims,adesiretodowhatisright,hassometimesinducedmetoconformtoyourcounsels。AfewfactshoweverwhichIcanreadilyrecalltoyourmemory,willsufficetoprovetoyouthatnaturehasnotorganizedyouforourmoraldirection。WhenthepoorweariedsouldierwhomweovertookatChickahomonywithhispackonhisback,beggedustolethimgetupbehindourchariot,youbegantocalculatethattheroadwasfullofsouldiers,&thatifallshouldbetakenupourhorseswouldfailintheirjourney。Wedroveontherefore。Butsoonbecomingsensibleyouhadmademedowrong,thatthowecannotrelieveallthedistressedweshouldrelieveasmanyaswecan,Iturnedabouttotakeupthesouldier;buthehadenteredabyepath,&wasnomoretobefound;&fromthatmomenttothisI

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