按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
redoubled ， so that he lifts burdens with ease ， which， in the absence
of excitement ， he could scarcely move ； he who ， under the rage of
an insult ， attacks and puts to flight half a score of his enemies ，
are such persons to be called weak？ My good friend ， if resistance be
strength， how can the highest degree of resistance be a weakness ？〃
Albert looked steadfastly at me ， and said ， 〃Pray forgive me ，
but I do not see that the examples you have adduced bear any relation
to the question。〃 〃Very likely，〃 I answered； 〃for I have often been
told that my style of illustration borders a little on the absurd。 But
let us see if we cannot place the matter in another point of view ， by
inquiring what can be a man's state of mind who resolves to free himself
from the burden of life ，—— a burden often so pleasant to bear ，—
— for we cannot otherwise reason fairly upon the subject。
〃Human nature ，〃 I continued ， 〃has its limits。 It is able to endure
a certain degree of joy ， sorrow ， and pain ， but bees annihilated
as soon as this measure is exceeded。 The question ， therefore， is ，
not whether a man is strong or weak ， but whether he is able to endure
the measure of his sufferings。 The suffering may be moral or physical
； and in my opinion it is just as absurd to call a man a coward who destroys
himself ， as to call a man a coward who dies of a malignant fever。〃
〃Paradox， all paradox！〃 exclaimed Albert。 〃Not so paradoxical as
you imagine ，〃 I replied。 〃You allow that we designate a disease as mortal
when nature is so severely attacked ， and her strength so far exhausted，
that she cannot possibly recover her former condition under any change
that may take place。
〃Now， my good friend ， apply this to the mind ； observe a man in
his natural ， isolated condition ； consider how ideas work， and how
impressions fasten on him ， till at length a violent passion seizes him，
destroying all his powers of calm reflection， and utterly ruining him。
〃It is in vain that a man of sound mind and cool temper understands
the condition of such a wretched being， in vain he counsels him。 He can
no more municate his own wisdom to him than a healthy man can instil
his strength into the invalid ， by whose bedside he is seated。〃
Albert thought this too general。 I reminded him of a girl who had
drowned herself a short time previously ， and I related her history。
She was a good creature ， who had grown up in the narrow sphere of
household industry and weekly appointed labour； one who knew no pleasure
beyond indulging in a walk on Sundays ， arrayed in her best attire ，
acpanied by her friends， or perhaps joining in the dance now and then
at some festival， and chatting away her spare hours with a neighbour ，
discussing the scandal or the quarrels of the village ， trifles sufficient
to occupy her heart。 At length the warmth of her nature is influenced
by certain new and unknown wishes。 Inflamed by the flatteries of men，
her former pleasures bee by degrees insipid， till at length she meets
with a youth to whom she is attracted by an indescribable feeling ； upon
him she now rests all her hopes ； she forgets the world around her ；
she sees， hears， desires nothing but him， and him only。 He alone occupies
all her thoughts。 Uncorrupted by the idle indulgence of an enervating
vanity， her affection moving steadily toward its object， she hopes to
bee his， and to realise ， in an everlasting union with him ， all
that happiness which she sought ， all that bliss for which she longed。
His repeated promises confirm her hopes ： embraces and endearments ，
which increase the ardour of her desires， overmaster her soul。 She floats
in a dim， delusive anticipation of her happiness ； and her feelings
bee excited to their utmost tension。 She stretches out her arms finally
to embrace the object of all her wishes and her lover forsakes her。 Stunned
and bewildered， she stands upon a precipice。 All is darkness around her。
No prospect ， no hope， no consolation —— forsaken by him in whom her
existence was centred ！ She sees nothing of the wide world before her，
thinks nothing of the many individuals who might supply the void in her
heart ； she feels herself deserted ， forsaken by the world； and， blinded
and impelled by the agony which wrings her soul ， she plunges into the
deep， to end her sufferings in the broad embrace of death。 See here，
Albert， the history of thousands ； and tell me， is not this a case
of physical infirmity ？ Nature has no way to escape from the labyrinth
： her powers are exhausted ： she can contend no longer， and the poor
soul must die。
〃Shame upon him who can look on calmly， and exclaim， 'The foolish
girl！ she should have waited ； she should have allowed time to wear
off the impression； her despair would have been softened ， and she would
have found another lover to fort her。' One might as well say ， 'The
fool， to die of a fever！ why did he not wait till his strength was restored，
till his blood became calm？ all would then have gone well， and he would
have been alive now。'〃
Albert， who could not see the justice of the parison， offered
some further objections ， and， amongst others ， urged that I had taken
the case of a mere ignorant girl。 But how any man of sense， of more enlarged
views and experience， could be excused ， he was unable to prehend。
〃My friend！〃 I exclaimed ， 〃man is but man； and， whatever be the extent
of his reasoning powers ， they are of little avail when passion rages
within， and he feels himself confined by the narrow limits of nature。
It were better， then —— but we will talk of this some other time ，
〃 I said， and caught up my hat。 Alas ！ my heart was full； and we parted
without conviction on either side。 How rarely in this world do men understand
each other！
AUGUST 15。 There can be no doubt that in this world nothing is so
indispensable as love。 I observe that Charlotte could not lose me without
a pang， and the very children have but one wish； that is， that I should
visit the