A Commonplace Book of Thoughts, Memories, and Fancies Part 22

31.

"When reflection has become too one-sided and too domineering over a deeply feeling heart, it is apt to lead us into errors in our treatment of others."

And all that follows-very wise! for the want of this reflection leaves us stranded and wrecked through feeling and perception merely.

32.

Very curious and interesting, as a trait of character and feeling, is the pa.s.sage in which he represents himself, in the dangerous confinement of his second wife, as praying to his first wife for succour. "In my terrible anxiety," he says, "I prayed most earnestly, and entreated my Milly, too, for help. I comforted Gretchen by telling her that Milly would send help. When she was at the worst, she sighed out, 'Ah, cannot your Amelia send me a blessing?'"

This is curious from a Protestant and a philosopher. It shows that there may be something nearly allied to our common nature in the Roman Catholic invocation to the saints, and to the souls of the dead.

33.

Niebuhr, speaking of a lady (Madame von der Recke, I think,-the "Elise"

of Goethe) who had patronised him, says, "I will receive roses and myrtles from female hands, but no laurels."

This makes one smile; for most of the laurels which Niebuhr will receive in this country will be through female hands-through the admirable translation and arrangement of his life and letters by Susanna Winkworth.

34.

The following I read with cordial agreement:-"While I am ready to adopt any well-grounded opinion" (regarding, I suppose, mere facts, or speculations as to things), "my inmost soul revolts against receiving the judgment of others respecting persons; and whenever I have done so I have bitterly repented of it."

35.

He says, "I cannot wors.h.i.+p the abstraction of Virtue. She only charms me when she addresses herself to my heart, and speaks thus the love from which she springs. I really love nothing but what actually exists."

What _does_ actually exist to us but that which we believe in? and where we strongly love do we not believe sometimes in the _unreal_? is it not _then_ the existing and the actual to us?

36.

"A faculty of a quite peculiar kind, and for which we have no word, is the recognition of the incomprehensible. It is something which distinguishes the seer from the ordinary learned man."

But in religion this is _faith_. Does Niebuhr admit this kind of faith, "the recognition of the incomprehensible," in philosophy, and not in religion? for he often complains of the want in himself of any faith but an historic faith.

37.

"In times of good fortune it is easy to appear great-nay, even to act greatly; but in misfortune very difficult. The greatest man will commit blunders in misfortune, because the want of proportion between his means and his ends progressively increases, and his inward strength is exhausted in fruitless efforts."

This is true; but under all extremes of good or evil fortune we are apt to commit mistakes, because the tide of the mind does not flow equally, but rushes along impetuously in a flood, or brokenly and distractedly in a rocky channel, where its strength is exhausted in conflict and pain.

The extreme pressure of circ.u.mstances will produce extremes of feeling in minds of a sensitive rather than a firm cast.

38.

This next pa.s.sage is curious as a scholar's opinion of "free trade" in the year 1810; though I believe the phrase "free trade" was not even invented at that time-certainly not in use in the statesman's vocabulary.

"I presume you will admit that commerce is a good thing, and the first requisite in the life of any nation. It appears to me, that this much has now been palpably demonstrated, namely, that an advanced and complicated social condition like this in which we live can only be maintained by establis.h.i.+ng mutual relations.h.i.+ps between the most remote nations; and that the limitation of commerce would, like the sapping of a main pillar, inevitably occasion the fall of the whole edifice; and also that commerce is so essentially beneficial and in accordance with man's nature, that the well-being of each nation is an advantage to all the nations that stand in connection with it."

It is strange how long we have been (forty years, and more) in recognising these simple principles; and in Germany, where they were first enunciated, they are not recognised yet.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHARACTER OF DEMADES.

(FROM NIEBUHR's LECTURES.)

39.

"By his wit and his talent, and more especially by his gift as an improvisatore, he rose so high that he exercised a great influence upon the people, and sometimes was more popular even than Demosthenes. With a shamelessness amounting to honesty, he bluntly told the people everything he felt and what all the populace felt with him. When hearing such a man the populace felt at their ease: he gave them the feeling that they might be wicked without being disgraced, and this excites with such people a feeling of grat.i.tude. There is a remarkable pa.s.sage in Plato, where he shows that those who deliver hollow speeches, without being in earnest, have no power or influence; whereas others, who are devoid of mental culture, but say in a straightforward manner what they think and feel, exercise great power. It was this which in the eighteenth century gave the materialist philosophy in France such enormous influence with the higher cla.s.ses; for they were told there was no need to be ashamed of the vulgarest sensuality; formerly people had been ashamed, but now a man learned that he might be a brutal sensualist, provided he did not offend against elegant manners and social conventionalism. People rejoiced at hearing a man openly and honestly say what they themselves felt. Demades was a remarkable character. He was not a bad man; and I like him much better than Eschines."

What an excuse, what a sanction is here for the demagogues who direct the worst pa.s.sions of men to the worst and the most selfish purposes, and the most debasing consequences! Demades "not a bad man?" then what _is_ a bad man?

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

LORD BACON.

(1849.)

40.

"It was not the pure knowledge of nature and universality, but it was the proud knowledge of good and evil, with an intent in man to give the law unto himself, which was the form of the first temptation."

But, in this sense, the first temptation is only the type of the perpetual and ever-present temptation-the temptation into which we are to fall through necessity, that we may rise through love.

41.

Here is an excellent pa.s.sage-a severe commentary on the unsound, un-christian, unphilosophical distinction between morals and politics in government:-

"Although men bred in learning are perhaps to seek in points of convenience and reasons of state and accommodations for the present, yet, on the other hand, to recompense this they are perfect in those same plain grounds of religion, justice, honour, and moral virtue which, if they be well and watchfully pursued, there will be seldom use of those other expedients, no more than of physic in a sound, well-directed body."

42.

"Now (in the time of Lord Bacon, that is,) now sciences are delivered to be believed and accepted, and not to be farther discovered; and therefore, sciences stand at a clog, and have done for many ages."

In the present time, this is true only, or especially, of theology as an art, and divinity as a science; so made by the schoolmen of former ages, and not yet emanc.i.p.ated.