登陆注册
5362600000396

第396章

But let us proceed. What greater victory do you expect than to make your enemy see and know that he is not able to encounter you? When you get the better of your argument; 'tis truth that wins; when you get the advantage of form and method,'tis then you who win. I am of opinion that in, Plato and Xenophon Socrates disputes more in favour of the disputants than in favour of the dispute, and more to instruct Euthydemus and Protagoras in the, knowledge of their impertinence, than in the impertinence of their art. He takes hold of the first subject like one who has a more profitable end than to explain it--namely, to clear the understandings that he takes upon him to instruct and exercise. To hunt after truth is properly our business, and we are inexcusable if we carry on the chase impertinently and ill; to fail of seizing it is another thing, for we are born to inquire after truth: it belongs to a greater power to possess it. It is not, as Democritus said, hid in the bottom of the deeps, but rather elevated to an infinite height in the divine knowledge. The world is but a school of inquisition: it is not who shall enter the ring, but who shall run the best courses. He may as well play the fool who speaks true, as he who speaks false, for we are upon the manner, not the matter, of speaking. 'Tis my humour as much to regard the form as the substance, and the advocate as much as the cause, as Alcibiades ordered we should: and every day pass away my time in reading authors without any consideration of their learning; their manner is what I look after, not their subject: And just so do I hunt after the conversation of any eminent wit, not that he may teach me, but that I may know him, and that knowing him, if I think him worthy of imitation, I may imitate him. Every man may speak truly, but to speak methodically, prudently, and fully, is a talent that few men have. The falsity that proceeds from ignorance does not offend me, but the foppery of it. I have broken off several treaties that would have been of advantage to me, by reason of the impertinent contestations of those with whom I treated. I am not moved once in a year at the faults of those over whom I have authority, but upon the account of the ridiculous obstinacy of their allegations, denials, excuses, we are every day going together by the ears; they neither understand what is said, nor why, and answer accordingly; 'tis enough to drive a man mad. I never feel any hurt upon my head but when 'tis knocked against another, and more easily forgive the vices of my servants than their boldness, importunity, and folly; let them do less, provided they understand what they do: you live in hope to warm their affection to your service, but there is nothing to be had or to be expected from a stock.

But what, if I take things otherwise than they are? Perhaps I do; and therefore it is that I accuse my own impatience, and hold, in the first place, that it is equally vicious both in him that is in the right, and in him that is in the wrong; for 'tis always a tyrannic sourness not to endure a form contrary to one's own: and, besides, there cannot, in truth, be a greater, more constant, nor more irregular folly than to be moved and angry at the follies of the world, for it principally makes us quarrel with ourselves; and the old philosopher never wanted an occasion for his tears whilst he considered himself. Miso, one of the seven sages, of a Timonian and Democritic humour, being asked, "what he laughed at, being alone?"--"That I do laugh alone," answered he. How many ridiculous things, in my own opinion, do I say and answer every day that comes over my head? and then how many more, according to the opinion of others? If I bite my own lips, what ought others to do? In fine, we must live amongst the living, and let the river run under the bridge without our care, or, at least, without our interference. In truth, why do we meet a man with a hunch-back, or any other deformity, without being moved, and cannot endure the encounter of a deformed mind without being angry? this vicious sourness sticks more to the judge than to the crime. Let us always have this saying of Plato in our mouths: "Do not I think things unsound, because I am not sound in myself? Am I not myself in fault? may not my observations reflect upon myself?"--a wise and divine saying, that lashes the most universal and common error of mankind. Not only the reproaches that we throw in the face of one another, but our reasons also, our arguments and controversies, are reboundable upon us, and we wound ourselves with our own weapons: of which antiquity. has left me enough grave examples. It was ingeniously and home-said by him, who was the inventor of this sentence:

"Stercus cuique suum bene olet."

["To every man his own excrements smell well."--Erasmus]

We see nothing behind us; we mock ourselves an hundred times a day; when we deride our neighbours; and we detest in others the defects which are more manifest in us, and which we admire with marvellous inadvertency and impudence. It was but yesterday that I heard a man of understanding and of good rank, as pleasantly as justly scoffing at the folly of another, who did nothing but torment everybody with the catalogue of his genealogy and alliances, above half of them false (for they are most apt to fall into such ridiculous discourses, whose qualities are most dubious and least sure), and yet, would he have looked into himself, he would have discerned himself to be no less intemperate arid wearisome in extolling his wife's pedigree. O importunate presumption, with which the wife sees herself armed by the hands of her own husband. Did he understand Latin, we should say to him:

"Age, si hic non insanit satis sua sponte, instiga."

["Come! if of himself he is not mad enough, urge him on."--Terence, And., iv. 2, 9.]

同类推荐
  • 第一香笔记

    第一香笔记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上太清天童护命妙经

    太上太清天童护命妙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 清宫词

    清宫词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 胜军不动明王四十八使者秘密成就仪轨

    胜军不动明王四十八使者秘密成就仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Epic of Kings

    The Epic of Kings

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 搞鬼:废柴道士的爆笑生活2

    搞鬼:废柴道士的爆笑生活2

    史上最废柴的道士——马力术,是一个以贴小广告为生的“文化工作者”。他出生在一个历代都有一个有通灵能力传人的道士世家,而这一代的通灵能力又刚好遗传到了马力术身上,于是他继承了他爷爷的二叔的大爷的曾孙子留给他的一座二层小楼,开始了他的道士生活。这座二层小楼位于极阴之地,里面住着一个大舌头吊死鬼、一个男人头、一个没舌头的小鬼、一个狐狸精、一个画皮妖,还有一个神兽——貔貅,这些鬼和妖各自都有一段既纠结又爆笑的故事,请听马力术为您娓娓道来……
  • 注华严法界观门

    注华严法界观门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 那人无邪

    那人无邪

    林珊作为一个21世纪的高材生,一朝偷坠楼竟然穿越到了墨族废柴嫡女墨玉影的身上,父亲不疼,兄长不爱,阿姊处处刁难,学个阵法炸死老师?没关系,依照本小姐看废柴流小说的经验本小姐绝对会有很流弊的金手指。什么?金手指也没有?没关系,本小姐可以凭借高超的智商碾压他们!什么?你说本小姐智商仅仅大于弱智?信不信本小姐打死你?没错,本小姐打不过你,不过……不过腹诽你总没问题吧。
  • 凌叔华文集:女人

    凌叔华文集:女人

    《女人》集中向读者展现了传统文化与都市文明畸形结合背景下女性的道德丧失与人性沦落。其中,《小刘》写的是一个受过新式教育的新女性的沉沦。《送车》中的旧太太们在时髦的现代交际中暴露了她们的虚荣心和寄生心理。凌叔华不加掩饰地表现了她们的丑态和不堪的内里以及她们的枯燥的灵魂,塑造血肉丰满的女性形象。她不仅书写新旧更替时代的女性生活,也镌刻一代女性的历史印痕。
  • 彪悍俏媳山里汉

    彪悍俏媳山里汉

    (包月免费)山沟沟里最穷的萧家花了所有积蓄买了个满脸疮疤、又黑又瘦的哑巴媳妇,被耻笑为十里八乡第一丑媳。丑媳妇还受不住穷,逃跑落入恶人手里,给活活打死了。再次睁眼,当黑瘦的身体拥有杀手的灵魂,治好满脸疮疤,晒黑的皮肤日渐白皙,哑巴居然还会说话了,成了最漂亮的媳妇儿。村里人都说萧家不祥,避之唯恐不及。相公家穷得叮当响不说,家徒四壁,负担那个重啊,好在山里汉子宠妻无度。媳妇儿带领相公赚钱,买田买地,辛勤播种,养儿育女,靠着汗水智慧发家致富。(本书1V1,男女主身心干净)另外,力荐我的完结文《娇妻萌宝超大牌》《杀手弃妃毒逆天》。新书《重生娇妻逆袭了》即将完结,亲们去看看哦。
  • 总有一次心痛,让你瞬间长大

    总有一次心痛,让你瞬间长大

    本书围绕如何正确面对人生和成长中遇到的问题展开,从十一个方面深入浅出地指出了,如何调整心态,以一种积极平和的心态,迎接人生中的痛苦与挫折,并找到幸福的途径与方法。书中这些睿智明理、温暖感人的小故事,能够让人获得人生感悟,更深刻地理解和把握人生,使我们的内心更加强大。无论是谁,无论正在经历着什么,坚持住,定会看见最坚强的自己。
  • 蒙台梭利儿童教育手册

    蒙台梭利儿童教育手册

    本书是一部系统阐述蒙台梭利方法和“儿童之家”教具使用的操作手册。蒙台梭利在美国传授教育方法期间,应无数对她的教育方法感兴趣的家长和老师的要求,写下了这本操作性手册。让老师和家长更易理解蒙氏教育方法的精髓,并指导儿童自由、健康地成长。这本手册提供了“儿童之家”运用得十分有效的教学用具,以及相应的教育原理与方法,堪称家长和教育者的必备手册。它曾被称为“20世纪西方最卓越、最科学、最完美的育儿经典”。
  • 凤谕:倾城医女

    凤谕:倾城医女

    她是战场外救世的名医,他是战场上无所不能的将军。一针在手,天下我有,哪怕是敌国的战神,惹毛了她,她也要他吃不了兜着走!
  • 天才魔音师

    天才魔音师

    女主乐观强大,重情又腹黑。人生信条:人不犯我,我不犯人。人若犯我,必百倍千倍还之。◆凤璃音,与相依为命的母亲生活在社会的最底层,受尽百般凌辱。一朝身死,来自异世的凤璃音的灵魂以此重生。本想着代替原主好好活下去。可惜,别人却不愿给她活路。母亲意外身死,小小年纪的她改投母亲的家族--凤族。却不曾想,命运却在此转变。凤族——古老神兽凤凰的守护家族,千年前唯一一个出现过魔音师的家族。何为魔音师,嘿嘿,就是用音乐施展魔法的暗黑魔法师咯!人说魔法师身体羸弱,可她本体为神兽凤凰,身体强悍哪个敢拼?人说魔法师也不是那么稀有啊!她感知五系的元素,全系的魔法师哪个能比?人们还说魔音师不是传说吗?恩恩,她就是那个传说,并且还是五系的魔音师,不服的上来。更更重要的是,她还有一只黑猫作魔兽。黑猫啊,谁有?◆某女摸着自己的嘴,瞪大了眼睛……别人的魔兽都是高大威猛的,为什么到了她这里就成了一只看似什么都不会的黑猫呢??而且……貌似她还被这只黑猫吻了……天理啊…………◆“我是你爹。”男人看着站在对面一脸冷漠的少女,眉头紧皱。“我命令你放了他们。”女子挑眉:“爹?那是什么?我只有娘没有爹。人不犯我我不犯人,人若犯我,我必百倍还之。这只是开始,你带给我和我朋友的伤害,我会一点一点的讨回来。”……◆魔兽纵横的大森林,险象环生的风沙大漠,波涛暗涌的海底大世界,神器绚丽的地底溶洞,不一样的魔域,这是神奇的世界。让我们,一起走过。此文的主题,并不止是爱情,还有感人的友情,励志成长永不放弃的心。美男多多,结局一对一~文风轻松但不小白,有背叛有仇恨但不黑暗,有生死大爱但没有虐,有单打独斗但更多的是组队打怪。请喜欢小白、喜欢暗黑、喜欢虐文的饶道儿!谢谢!
  • 离天堂最近的地方

    离天堂最近的地方

    他是一个江湖混混,为人正义,她是富家千金,从小生活在象牙塔中,她和他的相遇是一个偶然,因为一次英雄救美的开始,可是爱情终究不能抵挡门第的悬殊,她为了和他在一起,和父母反目,他为了得到她父母的认可,愿意为爱人脱离江湖,一次受伤,差一点阴阳相隔,以为风雨之后就会看到彩虹,可是死神再一次无情的拆散了他和她的爱情,她得了脑癌,三个月的生命,为了能让他坚强的活下去,故意制定了五年的契约,伊人带着满满的爱踏上了异国他乡,她以为成全了他,没有想到,他被人算计死亡,有情人在天堂见面,离天堂最近的地方是哪里?