rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第15章

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an　in　the　world；　and　which；　as　　they　are　horrid；　are　ordained　to　be　rare。　　Let　us　not　imagine　evils　　which　we　do　not　feel；　nor　injure　life　by　misrepresentations。　　I　　cannot　bear　that　querulous　eloquence　which　threatens　every　city　　with　a　siege　like　that　of　Jerusalem；　that　makes　famine　attend　on　　every　flight　of　locust；　and　suspends　pestilence　on　the　wing　of　　every　blast　that　issues　from　the　south。
〃On　necessary　and　inevitable　evils　which　overwhelm　kingdoms　at　once　　all　disputation　is　vain；　when　they　happen　they　must　be　endured。　　　But　it　is　evident　that　these　bursts　of　universal　distress　are　more　　dreaded　than　felt；　thousands　and　tens　of　thousands　flourish　in　　youth　and　wither　in　age；　without　the　knowledge　of　any　other　than　　domestic　evils；　and　share　the　same　pleasures　and　vexations；　whether　　their　kings　are　mild　or　cruel；　whether　the　armies　of　their　country　　pursue　their　enemies　or　retreat　before　them。　　While　Courts　are　　disturbed　with　intestine　competitions　and　ambassadors　are　　negotiating　in　foreign　countries；　the　smith　still　plies　his　anvil　　and　the　husbandman　drives　his　plough　forward；　the　necessaries　of　　life　are　required　and　obtained；　and　the　successive　business　of　the　　season　continues　to　make　its　wonted　revolutions。
〃Let　us　cease　to　consider　what　perhaps　may　never　happen；　and　what；　　when　it　shall　happen；　will　laugh　at　human　speculation。　　We　will　not　　endeavour　to　modify　the　motions　of　the　elements　or　to　fix　the　　destiny　of　kingdoms。　　It　is　our　business　to　consider　what　beings　　like　us　may　perform；　each　labouring　for　his　own　happiness　by　　promoting　within　his　circle；　however　narrow；　the　happiness　of　　others。
〃Marriage　is　evidently　the　dictate　of　Nature；　men　and　women　were　　made　to　be　the　companions　of　each　other；　and　therefore　I　cannot　be　　persuaded　but　that　marriage　is　one　of　the　means　of　happiness。〃
〃I　know　not；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃whether　marriage　be　more　than　one　　of　the　innumerable　modes　of　human　misery。　　When　I　see　and　reckon　　the　various　forms　of　connubial　infelicity；　the　unexpected　causes　of　　lasting　discord；　the　diversities　of　temper；　the　oppositions　of　　opinion；　the　rude　collisions　of　contrary　desire　where　both　are　　urged　by　violent　impulses；　the　obstinate　contest　of　disagreeing　　virtues　where　both　are　supported　by　consciousness　of　good　　intention；　I　am　sometimes　disposed　to　think；　with　the　severer　　casuists　of　most　nations；　that　marriage　is　rather　permitted　than　　approved；　and　that　none；　but　by　the　instigation　of　a　passion　too　　much　indulged；　entangle　themselves　with　indissoluble　compact。〃
〃You　seem　to　forget；〃　replied　Rasselas；　〃that　you　have；　even　now　　represented　celibacy　as　less　happy　than　marriage。　　Both　conditions　　may　be　bad；　but　they　cannot　both　be　worse。　　Thus　it　happens；　when　　wrong　opinions　are　entertained；　that　they　mutually　destroy　each　　other　and　leave　the　mind　open　to　truth。〃
〃I　did　not　expect；〃　answered；　the　Princess；　〃to　hear　that　imputed　　to　falsehood　which　is　the　consequence　only　of　frailty。　　To　the　　mind；　as　to　the　eye；　it　is　difficult　to　compare　with　exactness　　objects　vast　in　their　extent　and　various　in　their　parts。　　When　we　　see　or　conceive　the　whole　at　once；　we　readily　note　the　　discriminations　and　decide　the　preference；　but　of　two　systems；　of　　which　neither　can　be　surveyed　by　any　human　being　in　its　full　　compass　of　magnitude　and　multiplicity　of　complication；　where　is　the　　wonder　that；　judging　of　the　whole　by　parts；　I　am　alternately　　affected　by　one　and　the　other　as　either　presses　on　my　memory　or　　fancy？　　We　differ　from　ourselves　just　as　we　differ　from　each　other　　when　we　see　only　part　of　the　question；　as　in　the　multifarious　　relations　of　politics　and　morality；　but　when　we　perceive　the　whole　　at　once；　as　in　numerical　computations；　all　agree　in　one　judgment；　　and　none　ever　varies　in　his　opinion。〃
〃Let　us　not　add；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃to　the　other　evils　of　life　the　　bitterness　of　controversy；　nor　endeavour　to　vie　with　each　other　in　　subtilties　of　argument。　　We　are　employed　in　a　search　of　which　both　　are　equally　to　enjoy　the　success　or　suffer　by　the　miscarriage；　it　　is　therefore　fit　that　we　assist　each　other。　　You　surely　conclude　　too　hastily　from　the　infelicity　of　marriage　against　its　　institution；　will　not　the　misery　of　life　prove　equally　that　life　　cannot　be　the　gift　of　Heaven？　　The　world　must　be　peopled　by　　marriage　or　peopled　without　it。〃
〃How　the　world　is　to　be　peopled；〃　returned　Nekayah；　〃is　not　my　care　　and　need　not　be　yours。　　I　see　no　danger　that　the　present　generation　　should　omit　to　leave　successors　behind　them；　we　are　not　now　　inquiring　for　the　world；　but　for　ourselves。〃

CHAPTER　XXIX　…　THE　DEBATE　ON　MARRIAGE　（CONTINUED）。

〃THE　good　of　the　whole；〃　says　Rasselas；　〃is　the　same　with　the　good　　of　all　its　parts。　　If　marriage　be　best　for　mankind；　it　must　be　　evidently　best　for　individuals；　or　a　permanent　and　necessary　duty　　must　be　the　cause　of　evil；　and　some　must　be　inevitably　sacrificed　　to　the　convenience　of　others。　　In　the　estimate　which　you　have　made　　of　the　two　states；　it　appears　that　the　incommodities　of　a　single　　life　are　in　a　great　measure　necessary　and　certain；　but　those　of　the　　conjugal　state　accidental　and　avoidable。　　I　cannot　forbear　to　　flatter　myself　that　prudence　and　benevolence　will　make　marriage　　happy。　　The　general　folly　of　mankind　is　the　cause　of　general　　complaint。　　What　can　be　expected　but　disappointment　and　repentance　　from　a　choice　made　in　the　immaturity　of　youth；　in　the　ardour　of　　desire；　without　judgment；　without　foresight；　without　inquiry　after　　conformity　of　opinions；　similarity　of　manners；　rectitude　of　　judgment；　or　purity　of　sentiment？
〃Such　is　the　common　process　of　marriage。　　A　youth　and　maiden；　　meeting　by　chance　or　brought　together　by　artifice；　exchange　　glances；　reciprocate　civilities；　go　home　and　dream　of　one　another。　　　Having　little　to　divert　attention　or　diversify　thought；　they　find　　themselves　uneasy　when　they　are　apart；　and　therefore　conclude　that　　they　shall　be　happy　together。　　They　marry；　and　discover　what　　nothing　but　voluntary　blindness　before　had　concealed；　they　wear　out　　life　in　altercations；　and　charge　Nature　with　cruelty。
〃From　those　early　marriages　proceeds　likewise　the　rivalry　of　　parents　and　children：　　the　son　is　eager　to　enjoy　the　world　before　　the　father　is　willing　to　forsake　it；　and　there　is　hardly　room　at　　once　for　two　generations。　　The　daughter　begins　to　bloom　before　the　　mother　can　be　content　to　fade；　and　neither　can　forbear　to　wish　for　　the　absence　of　the　other。
〃Surely　all　these　evils　may　be　avoided　by　that　deliberation　and　　delay　which　prudence　prescribes　to　irrevocable　choice。　　In　the　　variety　and　jollity　of　youthful　pleasures；　life　may　be　well　enough　　supported　without　the　help　of　a　partner。　　Longer　time　will　increase　　experience；　and　wider　views　will　allow　better　opportunities　of　　inquiry　and　selection；　one　advantage　at　least　will　be　certain；　the　　parents　will　be　visibly　older　than　their　children。〃
〃What　reason　cannot　collect；〃　and　Nekayah；　〃and　what　experiment　has　　not　yet　taught；　can　be　known　only　from　the　report　of　others。　　I　　have　been　told　that　late　marriages　are　not　eminently　happy。　　This　　is　a　question　too　important　to　be　neglected；　and　I　have　often　　proposed　it　to　those　whose　accuracy　of　remark　and　comprehensiveness　　of　knowledge　made　their　suffrages　worthy　of　regard。　　They　have　　generally　determined　that　it　is　dangerous　for　a　man　and　woman　to　　suspend　their　fate　upon　each　other　at　a　time　when　opinions　are　　fixed　and　habits　are　established；　when　friendships　have　been　　contracted　on　both　sides；　when　life　has　been　planned　into　method；　　and　the　mind　has　long　enjoyed　the　contemplation　of　its　own　　prospects。
〃It　is　scarcely　possible　that　two　travelling　through　the　world　　under　the　conduct　of　chance　should　have　been　both　directed　to　the　　same　path；　and　it　will　not　often　happen　that　either　will　quit　the　　track　which　custom　has　made　pleasing。　　When　the　desultory　levity　of　　youth　has　settled　into　regularity；　it　is　soon　succeeded　by　pride　　ashamed　to　yield；　or　obstinacy　delighting　to　contend。　　And　even　　though　mutual　esteem　produces　mutual　desire　to　please；　time　itself；　　as　it　modifies　unchangeably　the　external　mien；　determines　likewise　　the　direction　of　the　passions；　and　gives　an　inflexible　rigidity　to　　the　manners