essays-1-第19部分

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ered　as　tiresome　and　uninteresting。　But　if　it　be　true；　that　we　are　really　happy　only　in　proportion　as　we　ought　to　be　so；　that　is；　in　proportion　as　we　are　instrumental　in　promoting　the　happiness　of　others；　no　study　surely　can　be　so　interesting；　as　that　which　teaches　us　how　most　　effectually　to　contribute　to　the　well…being　of　our　fellow…creatures。

If　LOVE　be　blind；　SELF…LOVE　is　certainly　very　short…sighted；　and　without　the　assistance　of　reason　and　reflection；　is　but　a　bad　guide　in　the　pursuit　of　happiness。

Those　who　take　pleasure　in　depreciating　all　the　social　virtues　have　represented　pity　as　a　mere　selfish　passion；　and　there　are　some　circumstances　which　appear　to　justify　this　opinion。　It　is　certain　that　the　misfortunes　of　others　affect　us；　not　in　proportion　to　their　greatness；　but　in　proportion　to　their　nearness　to　ourselves；　or　to　the　chances　that　they　may　reach　us　in　our　turns。　　A　rich　man　is　infinitely　more　affected　at　the　misfortune　of　his　neighbour；　who；　by　the　failure　of　a　banker　with　whom　he　had　trusted　the　greater　part　of　his　fortune；by　an　unlucky　run　at　play；or　by　other　losses；　is　reduced　to　a　state　of　affluence；　to　the　necessity　of　laying　down　his　carriage；　leaving　the　town；and　retiring　into　the　country　upon　a　few　hundreds　a…year；than　by　the　total　ruin　of　the　industrious　tradesman　over　the　way；　who　is　dragged　to　prison；　and　his　numerous　family　of　young　and　helpless　children　left　to　starve。

But　however　selfish　pity　may　be；　BENEVOLENCE　certainly　springs　from　a　more　noble　origin。　　It　is　a　good…natured；generous　sentiment；　which　does　not　require　being　put　to　the　torture　in　order　to　be　stimulated　to　action。　　And　it　is　this　sentiment；　not　pity；　or　compassion；　which　I　would　wish　to　excite。

Pity　is　always　attended　with　pain；　and　if　our　sufferings　at　being　witnesses　of　the　distresses　of　others；　sometimes　force　us　to　relieve　them；　we　can　neither　have　much　merit；　nor　any　lasting　satisfaction；　from　such　involuntary　acts　of　charity；　but　the　enjoyments　which　result　from　acts　of　genuine　benevolence　are　as　lasting　as　they　are　exquisitely　delightful；　and　the　more　they　contribute　to　that　inward　peace　of　mind　and　self…approbation；　which　alone　constitute　real　happiness。　　This　is　the　〃soul's　calm　sun…shine；　and　the　heart…felt　joy；〃　which　is　virtue's　prize。

To　induce　mankind　to　engage　in　any　enterprise；　it　is　necessary；　first；　to　show　that　success　will　be　attended　with　real　advantage；　and　secondly；　that　is　may　be　obtained　without　much　difficulty。　The　rewards　attendant　upon　acts　of　benevolence　have　so　often　been　described　and　celebrated；　in　every　country　and　in　every　language；　that　it　would　be　presumption　in　me　to　suppose　I　could　add　any　thing　new　upon　a　subject　already　discussed　by　the　greatest　masters　of　rhetoric；　and　embellished　with　all　the　irresistible　charms　of　eloquence；　but　as　EXAMPLE　OF　SUCCESS　are　sometimes　more　efficacious　in　stimulating　mankind　to　action；　than　the　most　splendid　reasonings　and　admonitions；　it　is　upon　my　SUCCESS　in　the　enterprise　of　which　I　have　undertaken　to　give　an　account；　that　my　hopes　of　engaging　others　to　follow　such　an　example　are　chiefly　founded；　and　hence　it　is；　that　I　so　often　return　to　that　part　of　my　subject；　and　insist　with　so　much　perseverance　upon　the　pleasure　which　this　success　afforded　me。　　I　am　aware　that　I　expose　myself　to　being　suspected　of　ostentation；　particularly　by　those　who　are　not　able　to　enter　fully　into　my　situation　and　feelings；　but　neither　this；　nor　any　other　consideration；　shall　prevent　me　from　treating　the　subject　in　such　a　manner　as　may　appear　best　adapted　to　render　my　labours　of　public　utility。

Why　should　I　not　mention　even　the　marks　of　affectionate　regard　and　respect　which　I　received　from　the　poor　people　for　those　happiness　I　interested　myself；　and　the　testimonies　of　the　public　esteem　with　which　I　was　honored？Will　it　be　reckoned　vanity；　if　I　mention　the　concern　which　the　Poor　of　Munich　expressed　in　so　affecting　a　manner　when　I　was　dangerously　ill？that　they　went　publicly　in　a　body　in　procession　to　the　cathedral　church；　where　they　had　divine　service　performed；　and　put　up　public　prayers　for　my　recovery？that　four　years　afterwards；　on　hearing　that　I　was　again　dangerously　ill　at　Naples。　　they；　of　their　own　accord；　set　apart　an　hour　each　evening；　after　they　had　finished　their　work　in　the　Military　Work…house；　to　pray　for　me？

Will　it　be　thought　improper　to　mention　the　affecting　reception　I　met　with　from　them；　at　my　first　visit　to　the　Military　Work…house　upon　my　return　to　Munich　last　summer；　after　an　absence　of　fifteen　months；　a　scene　which　drew　tears　from　all　who　were　present？and　must　I　refute　myself　the　satisfaction　of　describing　the　fete　I　gave　them　in　return；　in　the　English　Garden；　at　which　1800　poor　people　of　all　ages；　and　above　30；000　of　the　inhabitants　of　Munich；　assisted？　and　all　this　pleasure　I　must　forego；　merely　that　I　may　not　be　thought　vain　and　ostentatious？Be　it　so　then；　but　I　would　just　beg　leave　to　call　the　reader's　attention　to　my　feelings　upon　the　occasion；　and　then　let　him　ask　himself；　if　any　earthly　reward　can　possibly　be　supposed　greater；any　enjoyments　more　complete；　than　those　I　received。　　Let　him　figure　to　himself；　if　he　can；　my　situation；　sick　in　bed；　worn　out　by　intense　application；　and　dying；　as　every　body　thought；　a　martyr　in　the　cause　to　which　I　had　devoted　myself；let　him　imagine；　I　say；　my　feelings；　upon　hearing　the　confused　noise　of　the　prayers　of　a　multitude　of　people；　who　were　passing　by　in　the　streets；　upon　being　told；　that　it　was　the　Poor　of　Munich；　many　hundreds　in　number；　who　were　going　in　procession　to　the　church　to　put　up　public　prayers　for　me：public　prayers　for　me！for　a　private　person！a　stranger！a　protestant！I　believe　it　is　the　first　instance　of　the　kind　that　ever　happened；and　I　dare　venture　to　affirm　that　no　proof　could　well　be　stronger　than　this；　that　the　measures　adopted　for　making　these　poor　people　happy；　were　really　successful；and　let　it　be　remembered；　that　this　fact　is　what　I　am　most　anxious　to　make　appear；　IN　THE　CLEAREST　AND　MOST　SATISFACTORY　MANNER。


CHAPTER。　VIII。

　Of　the　means　used　for　the　relief　of　those　poor　persons　who　were　　　　not　beggars。　　Of　the　large　sums　of　money　distributed　to　the　poor　in　alms。　　Of　the　means　used　for　rendering　those　who　received　alms　industrious。　　Of　the　general　utility　of　the　house　of　industry　to　the　poor；　　　　and　the　distressed　of　all　denominations。　　Of　public　kitchens　for　feeding　the　poor；　united　with　establishments　　　　for　giving　them　employment；　and　of　the　great　advantages　which　　　　would　be　derived　from　forming　them　in　every　parish。　　Of　the　manner　in　which　the　poor　of　Munich　are　lodged。

In　giving　an　account　of　the　Poor　of　Munich。　　I　have　hitherto　confined　myself　chiefly　to　one　class　of　them；the　beggars；　but　I　shall　now　proceed　to　mention　briefly　the　measures　which　were　adopted　to　relieve　others；　who　never　were　beggars；　from　those　distresses　and　difficulties　in　which　poverty　and　the　inability　to　provide　the　necessaries　of　life　had　involved　them。

An　establishment　for　the　Poor　should　not　only　provide　for　the　relief　and　support　of　those　who　are　most　forward　and　clamorous　in　calling　out　for　assistance；humanity　and　justice　require　that　peculiar　attention　should　be　paid　to　those　who　are　bash