LEVIATHAN

第91章

FROMthecontrarietyofsomeofthenaturalfacultiesofthemind,onetoanother,asalsoofonepassiontoanother,andfromtheirreferencetoconversation,therehasbeenanargumenttakentoinferanimpossibilitythatanyonemanshouldbesufficientlydisposedtoallsortsofcivilduty。Theseverityofjudgement,theysay,makesmencensoriousandunapttopardontheerrorsandinfirmitiesofothermen:andontheotherside,celerityoffancymakesthethoughtslesssteadythanisnecessarytodiscernexactlybetweenrightandwrong。Again,inalldeliberations,andinallpleadings,thefacultyofsolidreasoningisnecessary:forwithoutit,theresolutionsofmenarerash,andtheirsentencesunjust:andyetiftherebenotpowerfuleloquence,whichprocurethattentionandconsent,theeffectofreasonwillbelittle。Butthesearecontraryfaculties;theformerbeinggroundeduponprinciplesoftruth;theotheruponopinionsalreadyreceived,trueorfalse;anduponthepassionsandinterestsofmen,whicharedifferentandmutable。

Andamongstthepassions,courage(bywhichImeanthecontemptofwoundsandviolentdeath)inclinethmentoprivaterevenges,andsometimestoendeavourtheunsettlingofthepublicpeace:andtimorousnessmanytimesdisposethtothedesertionofthepublicdefence。Boththese,theysay,cannotstandtogetherinthesameperson。

Andtoconsiderthecontrarietyofmen’sopinionsandmannersingeneral,itis,theysay,impossibletoentertainaconstantcivilamitywithallthosewithwhomthebusinessoftheworldconstrainsustoconverse:whichbusinessconsistethalmostinnothingelsebutaperpetualcontentionforhonour,riches,andauthority。

TowhichIanswerthattheseareindeedgreatdifficulties,butnotimpossibilities:forbyeducationanddiscipline,theymaybe,andaresometimes,reconciled。Judgementandfancymayhaveplaceinthesameman;butbyturns;astheendwhichheaimethatrequireth。AstheIsraelitesinEgyptweresometimesfastenedtotheirlabourofmakingbricks,andothertimeswererangingabroadtogatherstraw:soalsomaythejudgementsometimesbefixedupononecertainconsideration,andthefancyatanothertimewanderingabouttheworld。Soalsoreasonandeloquence(thoughnotperhapsinthenaturalsciences,yetinthemoral)maystandverywelltogether。Forwheresoeverthereisplaceforadorningandpreferringoferror,thereismuchmoreplaceforadorningandpreferringoftruth,iftheyhaveittoadorn。Noristhereanyrepugnancybetweenfearingthelaws,andnotfearingapublicenemy;norbetweenabstainingfrominjury,andpardoningitinothers。Thereisthereforenosuchinconsistenceofhumannaturewithcivilduties,assomethink。Ihaveknownclearnessofjudgement,andlargenessoffancy;strengthofreason,andgracefulelocution;acourageforthewar,andafearforthelaws,andalleminentlyinoneman;andthatwasmymostnobleandhonouredfriend,Mr。SidneyGodolphin;who,hatingnoman,norhatedofany,wasunfortunatelyslaininthebeginningofthelatecivilwar,inthepublicquarrel,byanundiscernedandanundiscerninghand。

TotheLawsofNaturedeclaredinthefifteenthChapter,Iwouldhavethisadded:thateverymanisboundbynature,asmuchasinhimlieth,toprotectinwartheauthoritybywhichheishimselfprotectedintimeofpeace。Forhethatpretendetharightofnaturetopreservehisownbody,cannotpretendarightofnaturetodestroyhimbywhosestrengthheispreserved:itisamanifestcontradictionofhimself。Andthoughthislawmaybedrawnbyconsequencefromsomeofthosethataretherealreadymentioned,yetthetimesrequiretohaveitinculcatedandremembered。

AndbecauseIfindbydiverseEnglishbookslatelyprintedthatthecivilwarshavenotyetsufficientlytaughtmeninwhatpointoftimeitisthatasubjectbecomesobligedtotheconqueror;norwhatisconquest;norhowitcomesaboutthatitobligesmentoobeyhislaws:thereforeforfurthersatisfactionofmentherein,Isay,thepointoftimewhereinamanbecomessubjecttoaconqueroristhatpointwherein,havinglibertytosubmittohim,heconsenteth,eitherbye

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