子浪小说

第9部分（第1页）

shut　the　window。　But　that　was　not　thought　in　any　sense。　It　was　the　same

kind　of　association　that　makes　animals　take　shelter　from　the　rain。　From

the　same　instinct　of　aping　others；　I　folded　the　clothes　that　came　from

the　laundry；　and　put　mine　away；　fed　the　turkeys；　sewed　bead…eyes　on　my

dolls　face；　and　did　many　other　things　of　which　I　have　the　tactual

remembrance。　When　I　wanted　anything　I　liked；……ice…cream；　for　instance；

of　which　I　was　very　fond；……I　had　a　delicious　taste　on　my　tongue　（which；

by　the　way；　I　never　have　now）；　and　in　my　hand　I　felt　the　turning　of　the

freezer。　I　made　the　sign；　and　my　mother　knew　I　wanted　ice…cream。　I

〃thought〃　and　desired　in　my　fingers。　If　I　had　made　a　man；　I　should

certainly　have　put　the　brain　and　soul　in　his　finger…tips。　From

reminiscences　like　these　I　conclude　that　it　is　the　opening　of　the　two

faculties；　freedom　of　will；　or　choice；　and　rationality；　or　the　power　of

thinking　from　one　thing　to　another；　which　makes　it　possible　to　e　into

being　first　as　a　child；　afterwards　as　a　man。

Since　I　had　no　power　of　thought；　I　did　not　pare　one　mental　state　with

another。　So　I　was　not　conscious　of　any　change　or　process　going　on　in　my

brain　when　my　teacher　began　to　instruct　me。　I　merely　felt　keen　delight

in　obtaining　more　easily　what　I　wanted　by　means　of　the　finger　motions

she　taught　me。　I　thought　only　of　objects；　and　only　objects　I　wanted。　It

was　the　turning　of　the　freezer　on　a　larger　scale。　When　I　learned　the

meaning　of　〃I〃　and　〃me〃　and　found　that　I　was　something；　I　began　to

think。　Then　consciousness　first　existed　for　me。　Thus　it　was　not　the

sense　of　touch　that　brought　me　knowledge。　It　was　the　awakening　of　my

soul　that　first　rendered　my　senses　their　value；　their　cognizance　of

objects；　names；　qualities；　and　properties。　Thought　made　me　conscious　of

love；　joy；　and　all　the　emotions。　I　was　eager　to　know；　then　to

understand；　afterward　to　reflect　on　what　I　knew　and　understood；　and　the

blind　impetus；　which　had　before　driven　me　hither　and　thither　at　the

dictates　of　my　sensations；　vanished　forever。

I　cannot　represent　more　clearly　than　any　one　else　the　gradual　and　subtle

changes　from　first　impressions　to　abstract　ideas。　But　I　know　that　my

physical　ideas；　that　is；　ideas　derived　from　material　objects；　appear　to

me　first　an　idea　similar　to　those　of　touch。　Instantly　they　pass　into

https://www.cwzww.com https://www.du8.org https://www.shuhuangxs.com www.baquge.cc