DIARIO 13 DE AGOSTO DE 1840 (29-08-2011)

DIARIO 13 DE AGOSTO DE 1840

Un hombre debería ser contenido y decidido en su actitud, moviéndose como uno y no como varios, como una flecha con una pluma por timón- y no como un manojo de plumas atado a una cuerda-o como un carruaje desordenado que no se mueve unánimemente. Addison dice algo a este propósito: “Por tanto propongo una regla: que el hombre enteramente se mueva al unísono”- en otro caso, él dice, el hombre “está saltando en vez de caminar, no está en su propio e íntegro movimiento”.

Una lombriz es tan buen viajero como un saltamontes o grillo; con toda su actividad no saltan alejándose de la sequía ni dirigiéndose hacia el verano. Ningún animal que salta emigra.

HDT

(Traducción Guillermo Ruiz)

Esta es la cita completa de Addison:

“I lay it down therefore for a Rule, That the whole Man is to move together; that every Action of any Importance, is to have a Prospect of publick Good; and that the general Tendency of our indifserent Actions, ought to be agreeable to the Dictates of Reason, of Religion, of good Breeding; without this, a Man, as I before have hinted, is hopping instead of walking, he is not in his entire and proper Motion.”

"Some scholars have identified the inspiration for several famous quotations from the American Revolution in Cato (Addison). These include:

• Patrick Henry's famous ultimatum: "Give me Liberty or give me death!"

(Supposed reference to Act II, Scene 4: "It is not now time to talk of aught/But chains or conquest, liberty or death.").

• Nathan Hale's valediction: "I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

(Supposed reference to Act IV, Scene 4: "What a pity it is/That we can die but once to serve our country.").

• Washington's praise for Benedict Arnold in a letter to him: "It is not in the power of any man to command success; but you have done more — you have deserved it."

(Clear reference to Act I, Scene 2: "'Tis not in mortals to command success; but we'll do more, Sempronius, we'll deserve it.").