lay morals-第9部分

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ociety　and　your　own　convenient　situation　in　　its　upper　and　more　ornamental　stories。　　Neither　is　it　enough　　to　buy　the　loaf　with　a　sixpence；　for　then　you　are　only　　changing　the　point　of　the　inquiry；　and　you　must　first　have　　BOUGHT　THE　SIXPENCE。　　Service　for　service：　how　have　you　　bought　your　sixpences？　　A　man　of　spirit　desires　certainty　in　　a　thing　of　such　a　nature；　he　must　see　to　it　that　there　is　　some　reciprocity　between　him　and　mankind；　that　he　pays　his　　expenditure　in　service；　that　he　has　not　a　lion's　share　in　　profit　and　a　drone's　in　labour；　and　is　not　a　sleeping　partner　　and　mere　costly　incubus　on　the　great　mercantile　concern　of　　mankind。

Services　differ　so　widely　with　different　gifts；　and　some　are　　so　inappreciable　to　external　tests；　that　this　is　not　only　a　　matter　for　the　private　conscience；　but　one　which　even　there　　must　be　leniently　and　trustfully　considered。　　For　remember　　how　many　serve　mankind　who　do　no　more　than　meditate；　and　how　　many　are　precious　to　their　friends　for　no　more　than　a　sweet　　and　joyous　temper。　　To　perform　the　function　of　a　man　of　　letters　it　is　not　necessary　to　write；　nay；　it　is　perhaps　　better　to　be　a　living　book。　　So　long　as　we　love　we　serve；　so　　long　as　we　are　loved　by　others；　I　would　almost　say　that　we　　are　indispensable；　and　no　man　is　useless　while　he　has　a　　friend。　　The　true　services　of　life　are　inestimable　in　money；　　and　are　never　paid。　　Kind　words　and　caresses；　high　and　wise　　thoughts；　humane　designs；　tender　behaviour　to　the　weak　and　　suffering；　and　all　the　charities　of　man's　existence；　are　　neither　bought　nor　sold。

Yet　the　dearest　and　readiest；　if　not　the　most　just；　criterion　　of　a　man's　services；　is　the　wage　that　mankind　pays　him　or；　　briefly；　what　he　earns。　　There　at　least　there　can　be　no　　ambiguity。　　St。　Paul　is　fully　and　freely　entitled　to　his　　earnings　as　a　tentmaker；　and　Socrates　fully　and　freely　　entitled　to　his　earnings　as　a　sculptor；　although　the　true　　business　of　each　was　not　only　something　different；　but　　something　which　remained　unpaid。　　A　man　cannot　forget　that　he　　is　not　superintended；　and　serves　mankind　on　parole。　　He　would　　like；　when　challenged　by　his　own　conscience；　to　reply：　'I　　have　done　so　much　work；　and　no　less；　with　my　own　hands　and　　brain；　and　taken　so　much　profit；　and　no　more；　for　my　own　　personal　delight。'　　And　though　St。　Paul；　if　he　had　possessed　　a　private　fortune；　would　probably　have　scorned　to　waste　his　　time　in　making　tents；　yet　of　all　sacrifices　to　public　opinion　　none　can　be　more　easily　pardoned　than　that　by　which　a　man；　　already　spiritually　useful　to　the　world；　should　restrict　the　　field　of　his　chief　usefulness　to　perform　services　more　　apparent；　and　possess　a　livelihood　that　neither　stupidity　nor　　malice　could　call　in　question。　　Like　all　sacrifices　to　public　　opinion　and　mere　external　decency；　this　would　certainly　be　　wrong；　for　the　soul　should　rest　contented　with　its　own　　approval　and　indissuadably　pursue　its　own　calling。　　Yet；　so　　grave　and　delicate　is　the　question；　that　a　man　may　well　　hesitate　before　he　decides　it　for　himself；　he　may　well　fear　　that　he　sets　too　high　a　valuation　on　his　own　endeavours　after　　good；　he　may　well　condescend　upon　a　humbler　duty；　where　　others　than　himself　shall　judge　the　service　and　proportion　　the　wage。

And　yet　it　is　to　this　very　responsibility　that　the　rich　are　　born。　　They　can　shuffle　off　the　duty　on　no　other；　they　are　　their　own　paymasters　on　parole；　and　must　pay　themselves　fair　　wages　and　no　more。　　For　I　suppose　that　in　the　course　of　ages；　　and　through　reform　and　civil　war　and　invasion；　mankind　was　　pursuing　some　other　and　more　general　design　than　to　set　one　　or　two　Englishmen　of　the　nineteenth　century　beyond　the　reach　　of　needs　and　duties。　　Society　was　scarce　put　together；　and　　defended　with　so　much　eloquence　and　blood；　for　the　　convenience　of　two　or　three　millionaires　and　a　few　hundred　　other　persons　of　wealth　and　position。　　It　is　plain　that　if　　mankind　thus　acted　and　suffered　during　all　these　generations；　　they　hoped　some　benefit；　some　ease；　some　wellbeing；　for　　themselves　and　their　descendants；　that　if　they　supported　law　　and　order；　it　was　to　secure　fair…play　for　all；　that　if　they　　denied　themselves　in　the　present；　they　must　have　had　some　　designs　upon　the　future。　　Now；　a　great　hereditary　fortune　is　　a　miracle　of　man's　wisdom　and　mankind's　forbearance；　it　has　　not　only　been　amassed　and　handed　down；　it　has　been　suffered　　to　be　amassed　and　handed　down；　and　surely　in　such　a　　consideration　as　this；　its　possessor　should　find　only　a　new　　spur　to　activity　and　honour；　that　with　all　this　power　of　　service　he　should　not　prove　unserviceable；　and　that　this　mass　　of　treasure　should　return　in　benefits　upon　the　race。　　If　he　　had　twenty；　or　thirty；　or　a　hundred　thousand　at　his　banker's；　　or　if　all　Yorkshire　or　all　California　were　his　to　manage　or　　to　sell；　he　would　still　be　morally　penniless；　and　have　the　　world　to　begin　like　Whittington；　until　he　had　found　some　way　　of　serving　mankind。　　His　wage　is　physically　in　his　own　hand；　　but；　in　honour；　that　wage　must　still　be　earned。　　He　is　only　　steward　on　parole　of　what　is　called　his　fortune。　　He　must　　honourably　perform　his　stewardship。　　He　must　estimate　his　own　　services　and　allow　himself　a　salary　in　proportion；　for　that　　will　be　one　among　his　functions。　　And　while　he　will　then　be　　free　to　spend　that　salary；　great　or　little；　on　his　own　　private　pleasures；　the　rest　of　his　fortune　he　but　holds　and　　disposes　under　trust　for　mankind；　it　is　not　his；　because　he　　has　not　earned　it；　it　cannot　be　his；　because　his　services　　have　already　been　paid；　but　year　by　year　it　is　his　to　　distribute；　whether　to　help　individuals　whose　birthright　and　　outfit　have　been　swallowed　up　in　his；　or　to　further　public　　works　and　institutions。

At　this　rate；　short　of　inspiration；　it　seems　hardly　possible　　to　be　both　rich　and　honest；　and　the　millionaire　is　under　a　　far　more　continuous　temptation　to　thieve　than　the　labourer　　who　gets　his　shilling　daily　for　despicable　toils。　　Are　you　　surprised？　　It　is　even　so。　　And　you　repeat　it　every　Sunday　in　　your　churches。　　'It　is　easier　for　a　camel　to　pass　through　the　　eye　of　a　needle　than　for　a　rich　man　to　enter　the　kingdom　of　　God。'　　I　have　heard　this　and　similar　texts　ingeniously　　explained　away　and　brushed　from　the　path　of　the　aspiring　　Christian　by　the　tender　Great…heart　of　the　parish。　　One　　excellent　clergyman　told　us　that　the　'eye　of　a　needle'　meant　　a　low；　Oriental　postern　through　which　camels　could　not　pass　　till　they　were　unloaded　…　which　is　very　likely　just；　and　then　　went　on；　bravely　confounding　the　'kingdom　of　God'　with　　heaven；　the　future　paradise；　to　show　that　of　course　no　rich　　person　could　expect　to　carry　his　riches　beyond　the　grave　…　　which；　of　course；　he　could　not　and　never　did。　　Various　greedy　　sinners　of　the　congregation　drank　in　the　comfortable　doctrine　　with　relief。　　It　was　worth　the　while　having　come　to　church　　that　Sunday　morning！　　All　was　plain。　　The　Bible；　as　usual；　　meant　nothing　in　particular；　it　was　merely　an　obscure　and　　figurative　school…copybook；　and　if　a　man　were　only　　respectable；　he　was　a　man　after　God's　own　heart。

Alas！　I　fear　not。　　And　though　this　matter　of　a　man's　services　　is　one　for　his　own　conscience；　there　are　some　cases　in　which　　it　is　difficult　to　restrain　the　mind　from　judging。　　Thus　I　　shall　be　very　easily　persuaded　that　a　man　has　earned　his　　daily　bread；　and　if　he　has　but　a　friend　or　two　to　whom　his　　company　is　delightful　at　heart；　I　am　more　than　persuaded　at　　once。　　But　it　will　be　very　hard　to　persuade　me　that　any　one　　has　earned　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand。　　What　he　is　to　　his　friends；　he　still　would　be　if　he　were　made　penniless　to…　morrow；　for　as　to　the　courtiers　of　luxury　and　power；　I　will　　neither　consider　them　friends；　nor　indeed　consider　them　at　　all。　　What　he　does　for　mankind　there　are　most　likely　hundreds　　who　would　do　the　same；　as　effectually　for　the　race　and　as　　pleasurably　to　themselves；　for　the　merest　fraction　of　this　　monstrous　wage。　　Why　it　is　paid；　I　am；　therefore；　unable　to　　conceive；　and　as　the　man　pays　it　himself；　out　of　funds　in　his　　detention；　I　have　a　certain　backwardness　to　think　him　honest。

At　least；　we　have　gained　a　very　obvious　point：　that　WHAT　A　　MAN　SPENDS　UPON　HIMSELF；　HE　SHALL　HAVE　EARNED　BY　SERVICES　TO　　THE　RACE。　　Thence　flows　a　principle　for　the　outset　of　life；　　which　is　a　little　different　from　that　taught　in　the　present　　day。　　I　am　addressing　the　middle　and　the　upper　classes；　those　　who　have　already　been　fostered　and　prepared　for　life　at　some　　expense；　those　who　have　some　choice　before　them；　and　can　pick　　professions；　and　above　all；　those　who　are　what　is　called　　independent；　and　need　do　nothing　unless　pushed　by　honour　or　　ambition。　　In　this　particular　the　poor　are　happy；　among　them；　　when　a　lad　comes　to　his　strength；　he　must　take　the　work　that　　offers；　and　can　take　it　with　an　easy　conscience。　　But　in　the　　richer　classes　the　question　is　complicated　by　the　number　of　　opportunities　and　a　variety　of　considerations。　　Here；　then；　　this　principle　of　ours　comes　in　helpfully。　　The　young　man　has　　to　seek；　not　a　road　to　wealth；　but　an　opportunity　of　service；　　not　money；　but　honest　work。　　If　he　has　some　strong　　propensity；　some　calling　of　nature；　some　over…weening　　interest　in　any　special　field　of　industry