第6部分(第5/7 頁)

ole　springs　of　action　—　the　efficient　agents　in　this　scene　of　activity。　Among

these　may；　perhaps；　be　found　aims　of　a　liberal　or　universal　kind　—　benevolence　it　may　be；　or　noble

patriotism；　but　such　virtues　and　general　views　are　but　insignificant　as　pared　with　the　World

and　its　doings。　We　may　perhaps　see　the　Ideal　of　Reason　actualised　in　those　who　adopt　such　aims；

and　within　the　sphere　of　their　influence；　but　they　bear　only　a　trifling　proportion　to　the　mass　of　the

human　race；　and　the　extent　of　that　influence　is　limited　accordingly。　Passions；　private　aims；　and　the

satisfaction　of　selfish　desires；　are　on　the　other　hand；　most　effective　springs　of　action。　Their　power

lies　in　the　fact　that　they　respect　none　of　the　limitations　which　justice　and　morality　would　impose　on

them；　and　that　these　natural　impulses　have　a　more　direct　influence　over　man　than　the　artificial　and

tedious　discipline　that　tends　to　order　and　self…restraint；　law　and　morality。　When　we　look　at　this

display　of　passions；　and　the　consequences　of　their　violence；　the　Unreason　which　is　associated　not

；only　with　them；　but　even　（rather　we　might　say　especially）　with　good　designs　and　righteous　aims；

when　we　see　the　evil；　the　vice；　the　ruin　that　has　befallen　the　most　flourishing　kingdoms　which　the

mind　of　man　ever　created；　we　can　scarce　avoid　being　filled　with　sorrow　at　this　universal　taint　of

corruption：　and；　since　this　decay　is　not　the　work　of　mere　Nature；　but　of　the　Human　Will　—　a　moral

embitterment　—　a　revolt　of　the　Good　Spirit　（if　it　have　a　place　within　us）　may　well　be　the　result　of

our　reflections。　Without　rhetorical　exaggeration；　a　simply　truthful　bination　of　the　miseries　that

have　overwhelmed　the　n