第10部分(第5/7 頁)

y　two　persons　brought　into　more　than　casual　contact；　and　think　how　much　self…subdual　is　implicit　whenever；　for　more　than　an　hour　or　two；　they　co…exist　in　seeming　harmony。　Man　is　not　made　for　peaceful　intercourse　with　his　fellows；　he　is　by　nature　self…assertive；　monly　aggressive；　always　critical　in　a　more　or　less　hostile　spirit　of　any　characteristic　which　seems　strange　to　him。　That　he　is　capable　of　profound　affections　merely　modifies　here　and　there　his　natural　contentiousness；　and　subdues　its　expression。　Even　love；　in　the　largest　and　purest　sense　of　the　word；　is　no　safeguard　against　perilous　irritation　and　sensibilities　inborn。　And　what　were　the　durability　of　love　without　the　powerful　alliance　of　habit？

Suppose　yourself　endowed　with　such　power　of　hearing　that　all　the　talk　going　on　at　any　moment　beneath　the　domestic　roofs　of　any　town　became　clearly　audible　to　you；　the　dominant　note　would　be　that　of　moods；　tempers；　opinions　at　jar。　Who　but　the　most　amiable　dreamer　can　doubt　it？　This；　mind　you；　is　not　the　same　thing　as　saying　that　angry　emotion　is　the　ruling　force　in　human　life；　the　facts　of　our　civilization　prove　the　contrary。　Just　because；　and　only　because；　the　natural　spirit　of　conflict　finds　such　frequent　scope；　does　human　society　hold　together；　and；　on　the　whole；　present　a　pacific　aspect。　In　the　course　of　ages　（one　would　like　to　know　how　many）　man　has　attained　a　remarkable　degree　of　self…control；　dire　experience　has　forced　upon　him　the　necessity　of　promise；　and　habit　has　inclined　him　（the　individual）　to　prefer　a　quiet；　orderly　life。　But　by　instinct　he　is　still　a　quarrelsome　creature；　and　he　gives　vent　to　the　impulse　as　far　as　it　is　patible　with　his　reasoned　interests……　often；　to　be　sure；　without　regard　for　that　limit。　The　average　man　or　woman　is　always　at　open　d