沃尔特·惠特曼/WalterWhitman
ItisnotonlytruethatmostpeopleentirelymisunderstandFreedom, —andeventotoomanyothers—thethoughtoffreedomisathoughtofescapingfromlaw—which, ofcourse, —freedomfromthepainfulconstipationandpoornarrownessofecclesiasticism—freedominmanners, habiliments, furniture, fromthesillinessandtyrannyoflocalfashions—entirefreedomfrompartyringsandmereconventionsinPolitics—andbetterthanall, ageneralfreedomofoneselffromthetyrannicdominationofvices, habits, appetites, underwhichnearlyeverymanofus, (oftenthegreatestbrawlerforfreedom), —thetrueDemocracy, andtheheightofit? Whilewearefrombirthtodeaththesubjectsofirresistiblelaw, enclosingeverymovementandminute, weyetescape, byaparadox, , weonlyattaintofreedombyaknowledgeof, —unspeakablygreat—istheWill! ThefreeSoulofman! Atitsgreatest, understandingandobeyingthelaws, itcanthen, andthenonly, , thatlawasabsoluteasany—moreabsolutethanany—, asintimated, considerlibertyareleasefromalllaw, , onthecontrary, thepotentlawofLaws, namely, thefusionandcombinationoftheconsciouswill, orpartialindividuallaw, withthoseuniversal, eternal, unconsciousones, whichrunthroughallTime, pervadehistory, proveimmortality, givemoralpurposetotheentireobjectiveworld, andthelastdignitytohumanlife.
