第 8 节
作者:交通工具类:沧海一叶舟      更新:2024-04-09 19:51      字数:9322
  yield and not venture to reprove thee openly; and so long as they
  dare not; all will be well。  Nevertheless I would have thee keep
  within certain bounds; lest men turn upon thee if thy rule is too
  oppressive to be borne。  And under this head I would class also the
  care and tending of the sick; for in the first place the sick have
  many delicacies which those who are sound have not; so that if thou
  lay the matter well; thou mayest obtain the lion's share of these
  things also。  But more particularly the minds of men being weak and
  easily overpowered when they are in sickness; thou shalt obtain much
  hold over them; and when they are well (whether thou didst really
  comfort them or not) they will fear to say aught against thee; lest
  men shall accuse them of ingratitude。  But above all see thou do
  this openly and in the sight of men; who thinking in consequence
  that thy heart is very soft and amiable notwithstanding a few
  outward defects; will not fail to commend thee and submit to thee
  the more readily; and so on all counts thou art the gainer; and it
  will serve thee as an excuse with the authorities for the neglect or
  breach of duty。  But all this is the work of an exceedingly refined
  and clever power and not absolutely necessary; but I have named it
  as a means of making thy yoke really the lighter but nevertheless
  the more firmly settled upon the neck of thy fellows。  So much then
  for the love of self。
  As for the love of show this is to display itself in thy dress; in
  the trimming or in the growth of thy whiskers; in thy walk and
  carriage; in the company thou keepest; seeing that thou go with none
  but powers or men of wealth or men of title; and caring not so much
  for men of parts; since these commonly deal less in the exterior and
  are not fit associates; for thou canst have nothing in common with
  them。  When thou goest to thy dinner let a time elapse; so that
  thine entry may cause a noise and a disturbance; and when after much
  bustling thou hast taken thy seat; say not:  〃Waiter; will you order
  me green peas and a glass of college;〃 but say:  〃Waiter (and then a
  pause); peas;〃 and then suffer him to depart; and when he hath gone
  some little way recall him with a loud voice; which shall reach even
  unto the ears of the fellows; say; 〃and; waiter; college〃; and when
  they are brought unto thee complain bitterly of the same。  When thou
  goest to chapel talk much during the service; or pray much; do not
  the thing by halves; thou must either be the very religious power;
  which kind though the less remarked yet on the whole hath the
  greater advantage; or the thoughtless power; but above all see thou
  combine not the two; at least not in the same company; but let thy
  religion be the same to the same men。  Always; if thou be a careless
  power; come in late to chapel and hurriedly; sit with the other
  powers and converse with them on the behaviour of others or any
  other light and agreeable topic。  And; as I said above; under this
  love of show thou must include the choice of thine acquaintance; and
  as it is not possible for thee to order it so as not to have
  knowledge of certain men whom it will not be convenient for thee to
  know at all times and in all places; see thou cultivate those two
  excellent defects of both sight and hearing which will enable thee
  to pass one thou wouldst not meet; without seeing him or hearing his
  salutation。  If thou hast a cousin or schoolfellow who is somewhat
  rustic or uncouth in his manner but nevertheless hath an excellent
  heart; know him in private in thine individual capacity; but when
  thou art abroad or in the company of other powers shun him as if he
  were a venomous thing and deadly。  Again; if thou sittest at table
  with a man at the house of a friend and laughest and talkest with
  him and playest pleasant; if he be not perfect in respect of
  externals see thou pass him the next day without a smile; even
  though he may have prepared his countenance for a thousand grins;
  but if in the house of the same friend or another thou shouldst
  happen to stumble upon him; deal with him as though thy previous
  conversation had broken off but five minutes previously; but should
  he be proud and have all nothing to say unto thee; forthwith
  calumniate him to thine acquaintance as a sorry…spirited fellow and
  mean。
  And with regard to smoking; though that; too; is advantageous; it is
  not necessary so much for the power as for the fast man; for the
  power is a more calculating and thoughtful being than this one; but
  if thou smokest; see that others know it; smoke cigars if thou canst
  afford them; if not; say thou wonderest at such as do; for to thy
  liking a pipe is better。  And with regard to all men except thine
  own favoured and pre…eminent clique; designate them as 〃cheerful;〃
  〃lively;〃 or use some other ironical term with regard to them。  So
  much then for the love of show。
  And of the love of sound I would have thee observe that it is but a
  portion of the love of show; but so necessary for him who would be
  admired without being at the same time excellent and worthy of
  admiration as to deserve a separate heading to itself。  At meal…
  times talk loudly; laugh loudly; condemn loudly; if thou sneezest
  sneeze loudly; if thou call the waiter do so with a noise and; if
  thou canst; while he is speaking to another and receiving orders
  from him; it will be a convenient test of thine advance to see
  whether he will at once quit the other in the midst of his speech
  with him and come to thee; or will wait until the other hath done;
  if thou handle it well he will come to thee at once。  When others
  are in their rooms; as thou passeth underneath their windows; sing
  loudly and all men will know that a power goeth by and will hush
  accordingly; if thou hast a good voice it will profit thee much; if
  a bad one; care not so long as it be a loud one; but above all be it
  remembered that it is to be loud at all times and not low when with
  powers greater than thyself; for this damneth mucheven powers
  being susceptible of awe; when they shall behold one resolutely bent
  to out…top them; and thinking it advisable to lend such an one a
  helping hand lest he overthrow thembut if thy voice be not a loud
  one; thou hadst better give up at once the hope of rising to a
  height by thine own skill; but must cling to and flatter those who
  have; and if thou dost this well thou wilt succeed。
  And of personal strength and prowess in bodily accomplishment;
  though of great help in the origin; yet are they not necessary; but
  the more thou lackest physical and mental powers the more must thou
  cling to the powerful and rise with them; the more careful must thou
  be of thy dress; and the more money will it cost thee; for thou must
  fill well the bladders that keep thee on the surface; else wilt thou
  sink。
  And of reserve; let no man know anything about thee。  If thy father
  is a greengrocer; as I dare say is the case with some of the most
  mighty powers in the land; what matter so long as another knoweth it
  not?  See that thou quell all inquisitive attempts to discover
  anything about thine habits; thy country; thy parentage; and; in a
  word; let no one know anything of thee beyond the exterior; for if
  thou dost let them within thy soul; they will find but little; but
  if it be barred and locked; men will think that by reason of thy
  strong keeping of the same; it must contain much; and they will
  admire thee upon credit。
  And of openness; be reserved in the particular; open in the general;
  talk of debts; of women; of money; but say not what debts; what
  women; or what money; be most open when thou doest a shabby thing;
  which thou knowest will not escape detection。  If thy coat is bad;
  laugh and boast concerning it; call attention to it and say thou
  hast had it for ten years; which will be a lie; but men will
  nevertheless think thee frank; but run not the risk of wearing a bad
  coat; save only in vacation time or in the country。  But when thou
  doest a shabby thing which will not reach the general light; breathe
  not a word of it; but bury it deeply in some corner of thine own
  knowledge only; if it come out; glory in it; if not; let it sleep;
  for it is an unprofitable thing to turn over bad ground。
  And of distrust; distrust all men; most of all thine own friends;
  they will know thee best; and thou them; thy real worth cannot
  escape them; think not then that thou wilt get service out of them
  in thy need; think not that they will deny themselves that thou
  mayest be saved from want; that they will in after life put out a
  finger to save thee; when thou canst be of no more use to them; the
  clique having been broken up by time。  Nay; but be in thyself
  sufficient; distrust; and lean not so much as an ounce…weight upon
  another。
  These things keep and thou shalt do well; keep them all and thou
  wilt be perfect; the more thou keep; the more nearly wilt thou
  arrive at the end I proposed to thee at the commencement; and even
  if thou doest but one of these things thoroughly; trust me thou wilt
  still have much power over thy fellows。
  A SKIT ON EXAMINATIONS
  'It should be explained that Tom Bridges was a gyp at St。 John's
  College; during Butler's residence at Cam