第 13 节
作者:乐乐陶陶      更新:2021-08-28 17:12      字数:9322
  exploit。
  CHAPTER XXX。
  OF A MONSTROUS CHILD
  This story shall go by itself; for I will leave it to physicians to
  discourse of。  Two days ago I saw a child that two men and a nurse; who
  said they were the father; the uncle; and the aunt of it; carried about
  to get money by showing it; by reason it was so strange a creature。  It
  was; as to all the rest; of a common form; and could stand upon its feet;
  could go and gabble much like other children of the same age; it had
  never as yet taken any other nourishment but from the nurse's breasts;
  and what; in my presence; they tried to put into the mouth of it; it only
  chewed a little and spat it out again without swallowing; the cry of it
  seemed indeed a little odd and particular; and it was just fourteen
  months old。  Under the breast it was joined to another child; but without
  a head; and which had the spine of the back without motion; the rest
  entire; for though it had one arm shorter than the other; it had been
  broken by accident at their birth; they were joined breast to breast; and
  as if a lesser child sought to throw its arms about the neck of one
  something bigger。  The juncture and thickness of the place where they
  were conjoined was not above four fingers; or thereabouts; so that if you
  thrust up the imperfect child you might see the navel of the other below
  it; and the joining was betwixt the paps and the navel。  The navel of the
  imperfect child could not be seen; but all the rest of the belly; so that
  all that was not joined of the imperfect one; as arms; buttocks; thighs;
  and legs; hung dangling upon the other; and might reach to the mid…leg。
  The nurse; moreover; told us that it urined at both bodies; and that the
  members of the other were nourished; sensible; and in the same plight
  with that she gave suck to; excepting that they were shorter and less。
  This double body and several limbs relating to one head might be
  interpreted a favourable prognostic to the king;'Henry III。' of
  maintaining these various parts of our state under the union of his laws;
  but lest the event should prove otherwise; 'tis better to let it alone;
  for in things already past there needs no divination;
  〃Ut quum facts sunt; tum ad conjecturam
  aliqui interpretatione revocentur;〃
  '〃So as when they are come to pass; they may then by some
  interpretation be recalled to conjecture〃
  Cicero; De Divin。; ii。 31。'
  as 'tis said of Epimenides; that he always prophesied backward。
  I have just seen a herdsman in Medoc; of about thirty years of age; who
  has no sign of any genital parts; he has three holes by which he
  incessantly voids his water; he is bearded; has desire; and seeks contact
  with women。
  Those that we call monsters are not so to God; who sees in the immensity
  of His work the infinite forms that He has comprehended therein; and it
  is to be believed that this figure which astonishes us has relation to
  some other figure of the same kind unknown to man。  From His all wisdom
  nothing but good; common; and regular proceeds; but we do not discern the
  disposition and relation:
  〃Quod crebro videt; non miratur; etiamsi;
  cur fiat; nescit。  Quod ante non vidit; id;
  si evenerit; ostentum esse censet。〃
  '〃What he often sees he does not admire; though he be ignorant how
  it comes to pass。  When a thing happens he never saw before; he
  thinks that it is a portent。〃Cicero; De Divin。; ii。  22。'
  Whatever falls out contrary to custom we say is contrary to nature; but
  nothing; whatever it be; is contrary to her。  Let; therefore; this
  universal and natural reason expel the error and astonishment that
  novelty brings along with it。
  CHAPTER XXXI
  OF ANGER
  Plutarch is admirable throughout; but especially where he judges of human
  actions。  What fine things does he say in the comparison of Lycurgus and
  Numa upon the subject of our great folly in abandoning children to the
  care and government of their fathers?  The most of our civil governments;
  as Aristotle says;〃 leave; after the manner of the Cyclopes; to every one
  the ordering of their wives and children; according to their own foolish
  and indiscreet fancy; and the Lacedaemonian and Cretan are almost the
  only governments that have committed the education of children to the
  laws。  Who does not see that in a state all depends upon their nurture
  and bringing up? and yet they are left to the mercy of parents; let them
  be as foolish and ill…conditioned as they may; without any manner of
  discretion。
  Amongst other things; how often have I; as I have passed along our
  streets; had a good mind to get up a farce; to revenge the poor boys whom
  I have seen hided; knocked down; and miserably beaten by some father or
  mother; when in their fury and mad with rage?  You shall see them come
  out with fire and fury sparkling in their eyes:
  〃Rabie jecur incendente; feruntur;
  Praecipites; ut saxa jugis abrupta; quibus mons
  Subtrahitur; clivoque latus pendente recedit;〃
  '〃They are headlong borne with burning fury as great stones torn
  from the mountains; by which the steep sides are left naked and
  bare。〃Juvenal; Sat。; vi。 647。'
  (and according to Hippocrates; the most dangerous maladies are they that
  disfigure the countenance); with a roaring and terrible voice; very often
  against those that are but newly come from nurse; and there they are
  lamed and spoiled with blows; whilst our justice takes no cognisance of
  it; as if these maims and dislocations were not executed upon members of
  our commonwealth:
  〃Gratum est; quod patria; civem populoque dedisti;
  Si facis; ut patrix sit idoneus; utilis agris;
  Utilis et bellorum et pacis rebus agendis。〃
  '〃It is well when to thy country and the people thou hast given a
  citizen; provided thou make fit for his country's service; useful to
  till the earth; useful in affairs of war and peace〃
  Juvenal; Sat。; xiv。 70。'
  There is no passion that so much transports men from their right judgment
  as anger。  No one would demur upon punishing a judge with death who
  should condemn a criminal on the account of his own choler; why; then;
  should fathers and pedagogues be any more allowed to whip and chastise
  children in their anger?  'Tis then no longer correction; but revenge。
  Chastisement is instead of physic to children; and would we endure a
  physician who should be animated against and enraged at his patient?
  We ourselves; to do well; should never lay a hand upon our servants
  whilst our anger lasts。  When the pulse beats; and we feel emotion in
  ourselves; let us defer the business; things will indeed appear otherwise
  to us when we are calm and cool。  'Tis passion that then commands; 'tis
  passion that speaks; and not we。  Faults seen through passion appear much
  greater to us than they really are; as bodies do when seen through a
  mist。  He who is hungry uses meat; but he who will make use of
  chastisement should have neither hunger nor thirst to it。  And; moreover;
  chastisements that are inflicted with weight and discretion are much
  better received and with greater benefit by him who suffers; otherwise;
  he will not think himself justly condemned by a man transported with
  anger and fury; and will allege his master's excessive passion; his
  inflamed countenance; his unwonted oaths; his emotion and precipitous
  rashness; for his own justification:
  〃Ora tument ira; nigrescunt sanguine venae;
  Lumina Gorgoneo saevius igne micant。〃
  '〃Their faces swell; their veins grow black with rage; and their
  eyes sparkle with Gorgonian fire。〃Ovid; De Art。 Amandi; iii。 503。'
  Suetonius reports that Caius Rabirius having been condemned by Caesar;
  the thing that most prevailed upon the people (to whom he had appealed)
  to determine the cause in his favour; was the animosity and vehemence
  that Caesar had manifested in that sentence。
  Saying is a different thing from doing; we are to consider the sermon
  apart and the preacher apart。  These men lent themselves to a pretty
  business who in our times have attempted to shake the truth of our Church
  by the vices of her ministers; she extracts her testimony elsewhere; 'tis
  a foolish way of arguing and that would throw all things into confusion。
  A man whose morals are good may have false opinions; and a wicked man may
  preach truth; even though he believe it not himself。  'Tis doubtless a
  fine harmony when doing and saying go together; and I will not deny but
  that saying; when the actions follow; is not of greater authority and
  efficacy; as Eudamidas said; hearing a philosopher talk of military
  affairs: 〃These things are finely said; but he who speaks them is not to
  be believed for his ears have never been used to the sound of the
  trumpet。〃  And Cleomenes; hearing an orator declaiming upon valour; burst
  out into laughter; at which the other being angry; 〃I should;〃 said he to
  him; 〃do the same if it were a swallow that spoke of this subject; but if
  it were an eagle I should willingly hear him。〃  I perceive; methinks; in
  the writings of the ancients; that he who speaks w