登陆注册
5592200000016

第16章 Chapter 9 Of the Passions of the Mind(2)

9. TRUST is a passion proceeding from belief of him from whom we expect or hope for good, so free from doubt that upon the same we pursue no other way. And distrust, or diffidence, is doubt that maketh him endeavour to provide himself by other means. And that this is the meaning of the words trust and distrust, is manifest from this, that a man never provideth himself by a second way, but when he mistrusteth that the first will not hold.

10. PIty is imagination or fiction of future calamity to ourselves, proceeding from the sense of another man's present calamity; but when it lighteth on such as we think have not deserved the same, the compassion is the greater, because then there appeareth the more probability that the same may happen to us. For the evil that happeneth to an innocent man, may happen to every man. But when we see a man suffer for great crimes, which we cannot easily think will fall upon ourselves, the pity is the less. And therefore men are apt to pity those whom they love: for, whom they love, they think worthy of good, and therefore not worthy of calamity. Thence also it is, that men pity the vices of some they never saw before; and therefore every proper man finds pity amongst women, when he goeth to the gallows. The contrary of pity is HARDNESS of heart, proceeding either from slowness of imagination, or from extreme great opinion of their own exemption of the like calamity, or from hatred of all, or most men.

11. INDIGNATION is that grief which consisteth in the conception of good success happening to them whom they think unworthy thereof. Seeing therefore men think all those unworthy whom they hate, they think them not only unworthy of the good fortune they have, but also of their own virtues. And of all the passions of the mind, these two, indignation and pity, are most easily raised and increased by eloquence; for the aggravation of the calamity, and extenuation of the fault, augmenteth pity. And the extenuation of the worth of the person, together with the magnifying of his success (which are the parts of an orator), are able to turn these two passions into fury.

12. EMULATION is grief arising from seeing one's self exceeded or excelled by his concurrent, together with hope to equal or exceed him in time to come, by his own ability. But, ENVY is the same grief joined with pleasure conceived in the imagination of some ill fortune that may befall him.

13. There is a passion which hath no name, but the sign of it is that distortion of the countenance we call LAUGHTER, which is always joy, but what joy, what we think, and wherein we triumph when we laugh, hath not hitherto been declared by any. That it consisteth in wit, or, as they call it, in the jest, this experience confuteth: for men laugh at mischances and indecencies, therein there lieth no wit or jest at all. And forasmuch as the same thing is no more ridiculous when it groweth stale or usual, whatsoever it be that moveth laughter, it must be new and unexpected. Men laugh often (especially such as are greedy of applause from every thing they do well) at their own actions performed never so little beyond their own expectation; as also at their own jests: and in this case it is manifest, that the passion of laughter proceedeth from a sudden conception of some ability in himself that laugheth. Also men laugh at the infirmities of others, by comparison of which their own abilities are set off and illustrated. Also men laugh at jests, the wit whereof always consisteth in the elegant discovering and conveying to our minds some absurdity or another. And in this case also the passion of laughter proceedeth from the sudden imagination of our own odds and eminence; for what is else the recommending ourselves to our own good opinion, by comparison with another man's infirmities or absurdity? For when a jest is broken upon ourselves, or friends of whose dishonour we participate, we never laugh thereat. I may therefore conclude, that the passion of laughter is nothing else but a sudden glory arising from sudden conception of some eminency in ourselves, by comparison with the infirmities of others, or with our own formerly: for men laugh at the follies of themselves past, when they come suddenly to remembrance, except they bring with them any present dishonour. It is no wonder therefore that men take it heinously to be laughed at or derided, that is, triumphed over.

Laughter without offence, must be at absurdities and infirmities abstracted from persons, and where all the company may laugh together. For laughing to one's self putteth all the rest to a jealousy and examination of themselves; besides, it is vain glory, and an argument of little worth, to think the infirmities of another sufficient matter for his triumph.

14. The passion opposite hereunto, whose signs are another distortion of the face with tears, called WEEPING, is the sudden falling out with ourselves, or sudden conception of defect; and therefore children weep often; for seeing they think every thing ought to be given unto them which they desire, of necessity every repulse must be a sudden check of their expectation, and puts them in mind of their too much weakness to make themselves masters of all they look for. For the same cause women are more apt to weep than men, as being not only more accustomed to have their wills, but also to measure their power by the power and love of others that protect them. Men are apt to weep that prosecute revenge, when the revenge is suddenly stopped or frustrated by the repentance of the adversary; and such are the tears of reconciliation. Also pityful men are subject to this passion upon the beholding of those men they pity, and suddenly remember they cannot help. Other weeping in men proceedeth for the most part from the same cause it proceedeth from in women and children.

同类推荐
  • 玉箓资度设醮仪

    玉箓资度设醮仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 乙丙之际塾议三

    乙丙之际塾议三

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 百花弹词

    百花弹词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大乘造像功德经

    大乘造像功德经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 白雨斋词话

    白雨斋词话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 濯泪两欢

    濯泪两欢

    她亦正亦邪,随性而为。他痴心不悔,生死相随。世间最大的深情莫过于,她在闹,他在笑。当千帆过尽,世故看清……景湛依旧笑容宠溺:我要的从始至终就只有她。洛青禾恍然大悟:原来,我要的,只有他。球球群:491899754
  • 人心至上:杜月笙传

    人心至上:杜月笙传

    本书以杜月笙为人处世原则及智慧为切入点,以其生平为线索,通过对其一生历程的娓娓道来,涵盖了发生在其人生每一阶段的大事要事,以及其应对这些事的技巧、心态、解决方法等,展示了杜月笙高超的为人处世智慧,亦体现了其性格、心理,以及其在特殊境遇下表现出的爱国主义精神、救世情怀,堪称迄今为止杜月笙传记的上佳之选。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 独家婚宠:牧先生,说爱我

    独家婚宠:牧先生,说爱我

    【遇见你是地狱的开始,是黑暗的救赎】秦蔓大一开学的时候,作为哥哥和学长双重身份的秦暮年携高冷舍友牧云寒来接她。在瞧见牧云寒的那一眼,秦蔓明显听到自己心跳加快的声音。男人灿若星辰的眼眸像是璀璨的宝石一下子撞进她心中。只是后来,秦蔓才意识到,这一场相遇注定两败俱伤。
  • 路还长我们山顶见

    路还长我们山顶见

    这本书讲述的是女主米子勒高中时期的青春故事:她的亲情、爱情、友情之间的情感交织。年少不更事的她从幼稚到成熟的转变,从情感小白到懂得人情世故的经历。在挥洒过努力的汗水之后,同朋友们一起考上理想的大学......
  • 文史探微

    文史探微

    《文史探微》主要包括:试谈《国语》记言的特点;孔子删诗说考辨;孔子倡导的伦理道德规范及其局限性;墨子宋人考辨——兼驳墨子为鲁国人、鲁阳人、印度人三说;关于庄周故里的争论述评;从《庄子》寓言看其美学思想;试论《庄子》中人物形象的塑造等。
  • 找心

    找心

    本书是著名情感专家辛唐米娜关于疗伤、治愈、唤醒的开解当代都市男女心灵之作。本书直面“自卑”、“内向”、“抑郁”、“失落”、“忧伤”、“孤独”等心理状态,分“人际之门”、“性格之门”、“情感之门”、“思想之门”四大类型进行解剖,给迷失的心灵找到归宿和开解。本书更附录了一篇辛唐米娜成长的“关健词”,让人们更加深入了解作者是如何一步一步走向成才的。毫无疑问,这是一本在睡前阅读能使你对第二天充满期待的书;也是一本在独处时阅读能使你感觉安适自在的书;还是帮你诊疗“都市症候群”的自助手册,你的信心之书。
  • 带着老爸混异界

    带着老爸混异界

    穿越了,周晨正沉浸在思念亲人的痛苦中。叮,老爹养成系统上线,请把老爸培养成这个世界星空下最闪耀的传说吧!周成愕然,转头,看着一旁有一“点”胖,又有点谢顶的老爸,陷入了沉思。
  • 一生只准爱我:错恋情深

    一生只准爱我:错恋情深

    她为爱成奴,用一颗真心小心的爱着她的少爷,只为有一天他能有所回应,就算他醉后将她错看成了他心爱的女人,她亦或是笑着承受,然而一朝分娩,他竟残忍的说,“我说过,生下了孩子,你就给我滚。”
  • 靠着修仙小说学修仙

    靠着修仙小说学修仙

    造遗迹,研丹药,种灵植,创阵法...偶然间获得灵气的云风,看着修仙小说中的只言片语,开始了前无古人的修炼之旅!只是为了力量不断前行的他,在反派的道路上越走越远...