latter-day pamphlets-第17章

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Nation　can　be　thought　to　be　concerned。　　Sham…kingship；　now　recognized　and　even　self…recognized　everywhere　to　be　sham；　wrestles　and　struggles　with　mere　ballot…box　Anarchy：　　not　a　pleasant　spectacle　to　British　minds。　　Both　parties　in　the　wrestle　professing　earnest　wishes　of　peace　to　us；　what　have　we　to　do　with　it　except　answer　earnestly；　〃Peace；　yes　certainly；〃　and　mind　our　affairs　elsewhere。　　The　British　Nation　has　no　concern　with　that　indispensable　sorrowful　and　shameful　wrestle　now　going　on　everywhere　in　foreign　parts。　　The　British　Nation　already；　by　self…experience　centuries　old；　understands　all　that；　was　lucky　enough　to　transact　the　greater　part　of　that；　in　noble　ancient　ages；　while　the　wrestle　had　not　yet　become　a　shameful　one；　but　on　both　sides　of　it　there　was　wisdom；　virtue；　heroic　nobleness　fruitful　to　all　time；thrice…lucky　British　Nation！　　The　British　Nation；　I　say；　has　nothing　to　learn　there；　has　now　quite　another　set　of　lessons　to　learn；　far　ahead　of　what　is　going　on　there。　　Sad　example　there；　of　what　the　issue　is；　and　how　inevitable　and　how　imminent；　might　admonish　the　British　Nation　to　be　speedy　with　its　new　lessons；　to　bestir　itself；　as　men　in　peril　of　conflagration　do；　with　the　neighboring　houses　all　on　fire！　To　obtain；　for　its　own　very　pressing　behoof；　if　by　possibility　it　could；　some　real　Captaincy　instead　of　an　imaginary　one：　　to　remove　resolutely；　and　replace　by　a　better　sort；　its　own　peculiar　species　of　teaching　and　guiding　histrios　of　various　name；　who　here　too　are　numerous　exceedingly；　and　much　in　need　of　gentle　removal；　while　the　play　is　still　good；　and　the　comedy　has　not　yet　become　_tragic_；　and　to　be　a　little　swift　about　it　withal；　and　so　to　escape　the　otherwise　inevitable　evil　day！　　This　Britain　might　learn：　but　she　does　not　need　a　protocolling　establishment；　with　much　〃having　the　honor　to　be；〃　to　teach　it　her。

No：she　has　in　fact　certain　cottons；　hardwares　and　such　like　to　sell　in　foreign　parts；　and　certain　wines；　Portugal　oranges；　Baltic　tar　and　other　products　to　buy；　and　does　need；　I　suppose；　some　kind　of　Consul；　or　accredited　agent；　accessible　to　British　voyagers；　here　and　there；　in　the　chief　cities　of　the　Continent：　　through　which　functionary；　or　through　the　penny…post；　if　she　had　any　specific　message　to　foreign　courts；　it　would　be　easy　and　proper　to　transmit　the　same。　　Special　message…carriers；　to　be　still　called　Ambassadors；　if　the　name　gratified　them；　could　be　sent　when　occasion　great　enough　demanded；　not　sent　when　it　did　not。　　But　for　all　purposes　of　a　resident　ambassador；　I　hear　persons　extensively　and　well　acquainted　among　our　foreign　embassies　at　this　date　declare；　That　a　well…selected　_Times_　reporter　or　　〃own　correspondent〃　ordered　to　reside　in　foreign　capitals；　and　keep　his　eyes　open；　and　（though　sparingly）　his　pen　going；　would　in　reality　be　much　more　effective；and　surely　we　see　well；　he　would　come　a　good　deal　cheaper！　　Considerably　cheaper　in　expense　of　money；　and　in　expense　of　falsity　and　grimacing　hypocrisy　（of　which　no　human　arithmetic　can　count　the　ultimate　cost）　incalculably　cheaper！　　If　this　is　the　fact；　why　not　treat　it　as　such？　　If　this　is　so　in　any　measure；　we　had　better　in　that　measure　admit　it　to　be　so！　　The　time；　I　believe；　has　come　for　asking　with　considerable　severity；　How　far　is　it　so？　　Nay　there　are　men　now　current　in　political　society；　men　of　weight　though　also　of　wit；　who　have　been　heard　to　say；　〃That　there　was　but　one　reform　for　the　Foreign　Office；to　set　a　live　coal　under　it；〃　and　with；　of　course；　a　fire…brigade　which　could　prevent　the　undue　spread　of　the　devouring　element　into　neighboring　houses；　let　that　reform　it！　　In　such　odor　is　the　Foreign　Office　too；　if　it　were　not　that　the　Public；　oppressed　and　nearly　stifled　with　a　mere　infinitude　of　bad　odors；　neglects　this　one；in　fact；　being　able　nearly　always　to　avoid　the　street　where　it　is；　_escapes_　this　one；　and　（except　a　passing　curse；　once　in　the　quarter　or　so）　as　good　as　forgets　the　existence　of　it。

Such；　from　sad　personal　experience　and　credited　prevailing　rumor；　is　the　exoteric　public　conviction　about　these　sublime　establishments　in　Downing　Street　and　the　neighborhood；　the　esoteric　mysteries　of　which　are　indeed　still　held　sacred　by　the　initiated；　but　believed　by　the　world　to　be　mere　Dalai…Lama　pills；　manufactured　let　not　refined　lips　hint　how；　and　quite　_un_salvatory　to　mankind。　　Every　one　may　remark　what　a　hope　animates　the　eyes　of　any　circle；　when　it　is　reported　or　even　confidently　asserted；　that　Sir　Robert　Peel　has　in　his　mind　privately　resolved　to　go；　one　day；　into　that　stable　of　King　Augeas；　which　appalls　human　hearts；　so　rich　is　it；　high…piled　with　the　droppings　of　two　hundred　years；　and　Hercules…like　to　load　a　thousand　night…wagons　from　it；　and　turn　running　water　into　it；　and　swash　and　shovel　at　it；　and　never　leave　it　till　the　antique　pavement；　and　real　basis　of　the　matter；　show　itself　clean　again！　　In　any　intelligent　circle　such　a　rumor；　like　the　first　break　of　day　to　men　in　darkness；　enlightens　all　eyes；　and　each　says　devoutly；　〃_Faxitis_；　O　ye　righteous　Powers　that　have　pity　on　us！　　All　England　grateful；　with　kindling　looks；　will　rise　in　the　rear　of　him；　and　from　its　deepest　heart　bid　him　good　speed！〃

For　it　is　universally　felt　that　some　_esoteric_　man；　well　acquainted　with　the　mysteries　and　properties　good　and　evil　of　the　administrative　stable；　is　the　fittest　to　reform　it；　nay　can　alone　reform　it　otherwise　than　by　sheer　violence　and　destruction；　which　is　a　way　we　would　avoid；　that　in　fact　Sir　Robert　Peel　is；　at　present；　the　one　likely　or　possible　man　to　reform　it。　And　secondly　it　is　felt　that　〃reform〃　in　that　Downing…Street　department　of　affairs　is　precisely　the　reform　which　were　worth　all　others；　that　those　administrative　establishments　in　Downing　Street　are　really　the　Government　of　this　huge　ungoverned　Empire；　that　to　clean　out　the　dead　pedantries；　unveracities；　indolent　somnolent　impotences；　and　accumulated　dung…mountains　there；　is　the　beginning　of　all　practical　good　whatsoever。　　Yes；　get　down　once　again　to　the　actual　_pavement_　of　that；　ascertain　what　the　thing　is；　and　was　before　dung　accumulated　in　it；　and　what　it　should　and　may；　and　must；　for　the　life's　sake　of　this　Empire；　henceforth　become：　　here　clearly　lies　the　heart　of　the　whole　matter。　　Political　reform；　if　this　be　not　reformed；　is　naught　and　a　mere　mockery。

What　England　wants；　and　will　require　to　have；　or　sink　in　nameless　anarchies；　is　not　a　Reformed　Parliament；　meaning　thereby　a　Parliament　elected　according　to　the　six　or　the　four　or　any　other　number　of　〃points〃　and　cunningly　devised　improvements　in　hustings　mechanism；　but　a　Reformed　Executive　or　Sovereign　Body　of　Rulers　and　Administrators；some　improved　method；　innumerable　improvements　in　our　poor　blind　methods；　of　getting　hold　of　these。　　Not　a　better　Talking…Apparatus；　the　best　conceivable　Talking…Apparatus　would　do　very　little　for　us　at　present；but　an　infinitely　better　Acting…Apparatus；　the　benefits　of　which　would　be　invaluable　now　and　henceforth。　　The　practical　question　puts　itself　with　ever…increasing　stringency　to　all　English　minds：　　Can　we；　by　no　industry；　energy；　utmost　expenditure　of　human　ingenuity；　and　passionate　invocation　of　the　Heavens　and　Earth；　get　to　attain　some　twelve　or　ten　or　six　men　to　manage　the　affairs　of　this　nation　in　Downing　Street　and　the　chief　posts　elsewhere；　who　are　abler　for　the　work　than　those　we　have　been　used　to；　this　long　while？　　For　it　is　really　a　heroic　work；　and　cannot　be　done　by　histrios；　and　dexterous　talkers　having　the　honor　to　be：　　it　is　a　heavy　and　appalling　work；　and；　at　the　starting　of　it　especially；　will　require　Herculean　men；　such　mountains　of　pedant　exuviae　and　obscene　owl…droppings　have　accumulated　in　those　regions；　long　the　habitation　of　doleful　creatures；　the　old　_pavements_；　the　natural　facts　and　real　essential　functions　of　those　establishments；　have　not　been　seen　by　eyes　for　these　two　hundred　years　last　past！　　Herculean　men　acquainted　with　the　virtues　of　running　water；　and　with　the　divine　necessity　of　getting　down　to　the　clear　pavements　and　old　veracities；　who　tremble　before　no　amount　of　pedant　exuviae；　no　loudest　shrieking　of　doleful　creatures；　who　tremble　only　to　live；　themselves；　like　inane　phantasms；　and　to　leave　their　life　as　a　paltry　_contribution_　to　the　guano　mountains；　and　not　as　a　divine　eternal　protest　against　them！

These　are　the　kind　of　men　we　want；　these；　the　nearest　possible　approximation　to　these；　are　the　men　we　must　find　and　have；　or　go　bankrupt　altogether；　for　the　concern　as　it　is　will　evidently　not　hold　long　together。　How　true　is　this　of　Crabbe：　　〃Men　sit　in　Parliament　eighty…three　hours　per　week；　debating　about　many　things。　　Men　sit　in　Downing　Street；　doing　protocols；　Syrian　treaties；　Greek　questions；　Portuguese；　Spanish；　French；　Egyptian　and　AEthiopian　questions；　dexterously　writing　despatches；　and　having　the　honor　to　be。　　Not　a　question　of　them　is　at　all　pressing　in　comparison　with　the　English　question。　　Pacifico　the　miraculous　Gibraltar　Jew　has　been　hustled　by　some　populace　in　Greece：upon　him　let　the　British　Lion　drop；　very　rapidly　indeed；　a　constitutional　tear。　　Radetzky　is　said　to　be　advancing　upon　Milan；I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；　and　perhaps　it　does　deserve　a　despatch；　or　friendly　letter；　once　and　away：　　but　the　Irish　Giant；　named　of　Despair；　is　advancing　upon　London　itself；　laying　waste　all　English　cities；　towns　and　villages；　that　is　the　interesting　Government　despatch　of　the　day！　　I　notice　him　in　Piccadilly；　blue…visaged；　thatched　in　rags；　a　blue　child　on　each　arm；　hunger…driven；　wide…mouthed；　seeking　whom　he　may　devour：　　he；　missioned　by　the　just　Heavens；　too　truly　and　too　sadly　their　'divine　missionary'　come　at　last　in　this　authoritative　manner；　will　throw　us　all　into　Doubting　Castle；　I　perceive！　　That　is　the　phenomenon　worth　protocolling　about；　and　writing　despatches　upon；　and　thinking　of　with　all　one's　faculty　day　and　night；　if　one　wishes　to　have　the　honor　to　beanything　but　a　Phantasm　Governor　of　England　just　now！　　I　entreat　your　Lordship's　all　but　undivided　attention　to　that　Domestic　Irish　Giant；　named　of　Despair；　for　a　great　many　years　to　come。　　Prophecy　of　him　there　has　long　been；　but　now　by　the　rot　of　the　potato　（blessed　be　the　just　gods；　who　send　us　either　swift　death　or　some　beginning　of　cure　at　last！）；　he　is　here　in　person；　and　there　is　no　denying　him；　or　disregarding　him　any　more；　and　woe　to　the　public　watchman　that　ignores　him；　and　sees　Pacifico　the　Gibraltar　Jew　instead！〃


What　these　strange　Entities　in　Downing　Street　intrinsically　are；　who　made　them；　why　they　were　made；　how　they　do　their　function；　and　what　their　function；　so　huge　in　appearance；　may　in　net…result　amount　to；is　probably　known　to　no　mortal。　　The　unofficial　mind　passes　by　in　dark　wonder；　not　pretending　to　know。　　The　official　mind　must　not　blab；the　official　mind；　restricted　to　its　own　square　foot　of　territory　in　the　vast　labyrinth；　is　probably　itself　dark；　and　unable　to　blab。　　We　see　the　outcome；　the　mechanism　we　do　not　see。　　How　the　tailors　clip　and　sew；　in　that　sublime　sweating　establishment　of　theirs；　we　know　not：　　that　the　coat　they　bring　us　out　is　the　sorrowfulest　fantastic　mockery　of　a　coat；　a　mere　intricate　artistic　network　of　traditions　and　formalities；　an　embroiled　reticulation　made　of　web…listings　and　superannuated　thrums　and　tatters；