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the procession of life-第4部分

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to whatever right thing is too evident to be mistaken。 Then

again; though the heart be large; yet the mind is often of such

moderate dimensions as to be exclusively filled up with one idea。

When a good man has long devoted himself to a particular kind of

beneficenceto one species of reformhe is apt to become

narrowed into the limits of the path wherein he treads; and to

fancy that there is no other good to be done on earth but that

self…same good to which he has put his hand; and in the very mode

that best suits his own conceptions。 All else is worthless。 His

scheme must be wrought out by the united strength of the whole

world's stock of love; or the world is no longer worthy of a

position in the universe。 Moreover; powerful Truth; being the

rich grape juice expressed from the vineyard of the ages; has an

intoxicating quality; when imbibed by any save a powerful

intellect; and often; as it were; impels the quaffer to quarrel

in his cups。 For such reasons; strange to say; it is harder to

contrive a friendly arrangement of these brethren of love and

righteousness; in the procession of life。 than to unite even the

wicked; who; indeed; are chained together by their crimes。 The

fact is too preposterous for tears; too lugubrious for laughter。



But; let good men push and elbow one another as they may during

their earthly march; all will be peace among them when the

honorable array or their procession shall tread on heavenly

ground。 There they will doubtless find that they have been

working each for the other's cause; and that every well…delivered

stroke; which; with an honest purpose any mortal struck; even for

a narrow object; was indeed stricken for the universal cause of

good。 Their own view may be bounded by country; creed;

profession; the diversities of individual characterbut above

them all is the breadth of Providence。 How many who have deemed

themselves antagonists will smile hereafter; when they look back

upon the world's wide harvest field; and perceive that; in

unconscious brotherhood; they were helping to bind the selfsame

sheaf!



But; come! The sun is hastening westward; while the march of

human life; that never paused before; is delayed by our attempt

to rearrange its order。 It is desirable to find some

comprehensive principle; that shall render our task easier by

bringing thousands into the ranks where hitherto we have brought

one。 Therefore let the trumpet; if possible; split its brazen

throat with a louder note than ever; and the herald summon all

mortals; who; from whatever cause; have lost; or never found;

their proper places in the wold。



Obedient to this call; a great multitude come together; most of

them with a listless gait; betokening weariness of soul; yet with

a gleam of satisfaction in their faces; at a prospect of at

length reaching those positions which; hitherto; they have vainly

sought。 But here will be another disappointment; for we can

attempt no more than merely to associate in one fraternity all

who are afflicted with the same vague trouble。 Some great mistake

in life is the chief condition of admittance into this class。

Here are members of the learned professions; whom Providence

endowed with special gifts for the plough; the forge; and the

wheelbarrow; or for the routine of unintellectual business。 We

will assign to them; as partners in the march; those lowly

laborers and handicraftsmen; who have pined; as with a dying

thirst; after the unattainable fountains of knowledge。 The latter

have lost less than their companions; yet more; because they deem

it infinite。 Perchance the two species of unfortunates may

comfort one another。 Here are Quakers with the instinct of battle

in them; and men of war who should have worn the broad brim。

Authors shall be ranked here whom some freak of Nature; making

game of her poor children; had imbued with the confidence of

genius and strong desire of fame; but has favored with no

corresponding power; and others; whose lofty gifts were

unaccompanied with the faculty of expression; or any of that

earthly machinery by which ethereal endowments must be manifested

to mankind。 All these; therefore; are melancholy laughing…stocks。

Next; here are honest and well intentioned persons; who by a want

of tactby inaccurate perceptionsby a distorting

imaginationhave been kept continually at cross purposes with

the world and bewildered upon the path of life。 Let us see if

they can confine themselves within the line of our procession。 In

this class; likewise; we must assign places to those who have

encountered that worst of ill success; a higher fortune than

their abilities could vindicate; writers; actors; painters; the

pets of a day; but whose laurels wither unrenewed amid their

hoary hair; politicians; whom some malicious contingency of

affairs has thrust into conspicuous station; where; while the

world stands gazing at them; the dreary consciousness of

imbecility makes them curse their birth hour。 To such men; we

give for a companion him whose rare talents; which perhaps

require a Revolution for their exercise; are buried in the tomb

of sluggish circumstances。



Not far from these; we must find room for one whose success has

been of the wrong kind; the man who should have lingered in the

cloisters of a university; digging new treasures out of the

Herculaneum of antique lore; diffusing depth and accuracy of

literature throughout his country; and thus making for himself a

great and quiet fame。 But the outward tendencies around him have

proved too powerful for his inward nature; and have drawn him

into the arena of political tumult; there to contend at

disadvantage; whether front to front; or side by side; with the

brawny giants of actual life。 He becomes; it may be; a name for

brawling parties to bandy to and fro; a legislator of the Union;

a governor of his native state; an ambassador to the courts of

kings or queens; and the world may deem him a man of happy stars。

But not so the wise; and not so himself; when he looks through

his experience; and sighs to miss that fitness; the one

invaluable touch which makes all things true and real。 So much

achieved; yet how abortive is his life! Whom shall we choose for

his companion? Some weak framed blacksmith; perhaps; whose

delicacy of muscle might have suited a tailor's shopboard better

than the anvil。



Shall we bid the trumpet sound again? It is hardly worth the

while。 There remain a few idle men of fortune; tavern and

grog…shop loungers; lazzaroni; old bachelors; decaying maidens;

and people of crooked intellect or temper; all of whom may find

their like; or some tolerable approach to it; in the plentiful

diversity of our latter class。 There too; as his ultimate

destiny; must we rank the dreamer; who; all his life long; has

cherished the idea that he was peculiarly apt for something; but

never could determine what it was; and there the most unfortunate

of men; whose purpose it has been to enj
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