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54 THIRD PERIOD. I. PRIDE OF SCIENCE.
also the capacity of devotion. And let him,—if, after thus
dealing with his own heart, he can say that his knowledge
has indeed been fruitful to him,—yet consider how many there
are who have been forced by the inevitable laws of modern
education into toil utterly repugnant to their natures, and that
in the extreme, until the whole strength of the young soul
was sapped away; and then pronounce with fearfulness how
far, and in how many senses, it may indeed be true that the
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
§ xxx. Now all this possibility of evil, observe, attaches to
knowledge pursued for the noblest ends, if it be pursued imprudently. I have assumed, in speaking of its effect both o™,
men generally and on the artist especially, that it was sought
in the true love of it, and with all honesty and directness of
purpose. But this is granting far too much in its favor.
Of knowledge in general, and without qualification, it is said
by the Apostle that " it puffeth up;" and the father of all
modern science, writing directly in its praise, yet asserts this
danger even in more absolute terms, calling it a " venomous-
ness" in the very nature of knowledge itself.
§ xxxi. There is, indeed, much difference in this respect
between the tendencies of different branches of knowledge; it
being a sure rule that exactly in proportion as they are interior,
nugatory, or limited in scope, their power of feeding pride is
greater. Thus philology, logic, rhetoric, and the other sciences
of the schools, being for the most part ridiculous anol trifling,
have so pestilent an effect upon those who are devoted to them,
that their students cannot conceive of any higher sciences than
these, but fancy that all education ends in the knowledge of
words : but the true and great sciences, more especially natural
(ristory, make men gentle and modest in proportion to the
/argeness of their apprehension, and just perception of the in-
/initeness of the things they can never know. And this, it
tseems to me, is the principal lesson we are intended to be
taught by the book of Job; for there God has thrown open to
as the heart of a man most just and holy, and apparently perfect in all things possible to human nature except humility.
| Title | The stones of Venice - 3 |
| Creator | Ruskin, John |
| Publisher | J. Wiley |
| Place of Publication | New York |
| Date | 1889 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000068 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 54 THIRD PERIOD. I. PRIDE OF SCIENCE. also the capacity of devotion. And let him,—if, after thus dealing with his own heart, he can say that his knowledge has indeed been fruitful to him,—yet consider how many there are who have been forced by the inevitable laws of modern education into toil utterly repugnant to their natures, and that in the extreme, until the whole strength of the young soul was sapped away; and then pronounce with fearfulness how far, and in how many senses, it may indeed be true that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. § xxx. Now all this possibility of evil, observe, attaches to knowledge pursued for the noblest ends, if it be pursued imprudently. I have assumed, in speaking of its effect both o™, men generally and on the artist especially, that it was sought in the true love of it, and with all honesty and directness of purpose. But this is granting far too much in its favor. Of knowledge in general, and without qualification, it is said by the Apostle that " it puffeth up;" and the father of all modern science, writing directly in its praise, yet asserts this danger even in more absolute terms, calling it a " venomous- ness" in the very nature of knowledge itself. § xxxi. There is, indeed, much difference in this respect between the tendencies of different branches of knowledge; it being a sure rule that exactly in proportion as they are interior, nugatory, or limited in scope, their power of feeding pride is greater. Thus philology, logic, rhetoric, and the other sciences of the schools, being for the most part ridiculous anol trifling, have so pestilent an effect upon those who are devoted to them, that their students cannot conceive of any higher sciences than these, but fancy that all education ends in the knowledge of words : but the true and great sciences, more especially natural (ristory, make men gentle and modest in proportion to the /argeness of their apprehension, and just perception of the in- /initeness of the things they can never know. And this, it tseems to me, is the principal lesson we are intended to be taught by the book of Job; for there God has thrown open to as the heart of a man most just and holy, and apparently perfect in all things possible to human nature except humility. |
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