latter-day pamphlets-第8章

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earful　to　think；　every　new　unit　that　falls　is　_loading_　so　much　more　the　chain　that　drags　the　others　over。　　On　the　edge　of　the　precipice　hang　uncounted　millions；　increasing；　I　am　told；　at　the　rate　of　1200　a　day。　　They　hang　there　on　the　giddy　edge；　poor　souls；　cramping　themselves　down；　holding　on　with　all　their　strength；　but　falling；　falling　one　after　another；　and　the　chain　is　getting　_heavy_；　so　that　ever　more　fall；　and　who　at　last　will　stand？　　What　to　do　with　you？　　The　question；　What　to　do　with　you？　especially　since　the　potato　died；　is　like　to　break　my　heart！

〃One　thing；　after　much　meditating；　I　have　at　last　discovered；　and　now　know　for　some　time　back：　　That　you　cannot　be　left　to　roam　abroad　in　this　unguided　manner；　stumbling　over　the　precipices；　and　loading　ever　heavier　the　fatal　_chain_　upon　those　who　might　be　able　to　stand；　that　this　of　locking　you　up　in　temporary　Idle　Workhouses；　when　you　stumble；　and　subsisting　you　on　Indian　meal；　till　you　can　sally　forth　again　on　fresh　roamings；　and　fresh　stumblings；　and　ultimate　descent　to　the　devil；that　this　is　_not_　the　plan；　and　that　it　never　was；　or　could　out　of　England　have　been　supposed　to　be；　much　as　I　have　prided　myself　upon　it！

〃Vagrant　Lackalls；　I　at　last　perceive；　all　this　that　has　been　sung　and　spoken；　for　a　long　while；　about　enfranchisement；　emancipation；　freedom；　suffrage；　civil　and　religious　liberty　over　the　world；　is　little　other　than　sad　temporary　jargon；　brought　upon　us　by　a　stern　necessity；but　now　ordered　by　a　sterner　to　take　itself　away　again　a　little。　　Sad　temporary　jargon；　I　say：　　made　up　of　sense　and　nonsense；sense　in　small　quantities；　and　nonsense　in　very　large；and；　if　taken　for　the　whole　or　permanent　truth　of　human　things；　it　is　no　better　than　fatal　infinite　nonsense　eternally　_untrue_。　　All　men；　I　think；　will　soon　have　to　quit　this；　to　consider　this　as　a　thing　pretty　well　achieved；　and　to　look　out　towards　another　thing　much　more　needing　achievement　at　the　time　that　now　is。

〃All　men　will　have　to　quit　it；　I　believe。　　But　to　you；　my　indigent　friends；　the　time　for　quitting　it　has　palpably　arrived！　　To　talk　of　glorious　self…government；　of　suffrages　and　hustings；　and　the　fight　of　freedom　and　such　like；　is　a　vain　thing　in　your　case。　　By　all　human　definitions　and　conceptions　of　the　said　fight　of　freedom；　you　for　your　part　have　lost　it；　and　can　fight　no　more。　　Glorious　self…government　is　a　glory　not　for　you；　not　for　Hodge's　emancipated　horses；　nor　you。　　No；　I　say；　No。　　You；　for　your　part；　have　tried　it；　and　_failed_。　　Left　to　walk　your　own　road；　the　will…o'…wisps　beguiled　you；　your　short　sight　could　not　descry　the　pitfalls；　the　deadly　tumult　and　press　has　whirled　you　hither　and　thither；　regardless　of　your　struggles　and　your　shrieks；　and　here　at　last　you　lie；　fallen　flat　into　the　ditch；　drowning　there　and　dying；　unless　the　others　that　are　still　standing　please　to　pick　you　up。　　The　others　that　still　stand　have　their　own　difficulties；　I　can　tell　you！But　you；　by　imperfect　energy　and　redundant　appetite；　by　doing　too　little　work　and　drinking　too　much　beer；　you　（I　bid　you　observe）　have　proved　that　you　cannot　do　it！　　You　lie　there　plainly　in　the　ditch。　　And　I　am　to　pick　you　up　again；　on　these　mad　terms；　help　you　ever　again；　as　with　our　best　heart's…blood；　to　do　what；　once　for　all；　the　gods　have　made　impossible？　　To　load　the　fatal　_chain_　with　your　perpetual　staggerings　and　sprawlings；　and　ever　again　load　it；　till　we　all　lie　sprawling？　　My　indigent　incompetent　friends；　I　will　not！　　Know　that；　whoever　may　be　'sons　of　freedom；'　you　for　your　part　are　not　and　cannot　be　such。　　Not　'free'　you；　I　think；　whoever　may　be　free。　　You　palpably　are　fallen　captive；_caitiff_；　as　they　once　named　it：you　do；　silently　but　eloquently；　demand；　in　the　name　of　mercy　itself；　that　some　genuine　command　be　taken　of　you。

〃Yes；　my　indigent　incompetent　friends；　some　genuine　practical　command。　Such；if　I　rightly　interpret　those　mad　Chartisms；　Repeal　Agitations；　Red　Republics；　and　other　delirious　inarticulate　howlings　and　bellowings　which　all　the　populations　of　the　world　now　utter；　evidently　cries　of　pain　on　their　and　your　part；is　the　demand　which　you；　Captives；　make　of　all　men　that　are　not　Captive；　but　are　still　Free。　　Free　men；alas；　had　you　ever　any　notion　who　the　free　men　were；　who　the　not…free；　the　incapable　of　freedom！　　The　free　men；　if　you　could　have　understood　it；　they　are　the　wise　men；　the　patient；　self…denying；　valiant；　the　Nobles　of　the　World；　who　can　discern　the　Law　of　this　Universe；　what　it　is；　and　piously　_obey_　it；　these；　in　late　sad　times；　having　cast　you　loose；　you　are　fallen　captive　to　greedy　sons　of　profit…and…loss；　to　bad　and　ever　to　worse；　and　at　length　to　Beer　and　the　Devil。　　Algiers；　Brazil　or　Dahomey　hold　nothing　in　them　so　authentically　_slave_　as　you　are；　my　indigent　incompetent　friends！

〃Good　Heavens；　and　I　have　to　raise　some　eight　or　nine　millions　annually；　six　for　England　itself；　and　to　wreck　the　morals　of　my　working　population　beyond　all　money's　worth；　to　keep　the　life　from　going　out　of　you：　　a　small　service　to　you；　as　I　many　times　bitterly　repeat！　　Alas；　yes；　before　high　Heaven　I　must　declare　it　such。　　I　think　the　old　Spartans；　who　would　have　killed　you　instead；　had　shown　more　'humanity；'　more　of　manhood；　than　I　thus　do！　　More　humanity；　I　say；　more　of　manhood；　and　of　sense　for　what　the　dignity　of　man　demands　imperatively　of　you　and　of　me　and　of　us　all。　　We　call　it　charity；　beneficence；　and　other　fine　names；　this　brutish　Workhouse　Scheme　of　ours；　and　it　is　but　sluggish　heartlessness；　and　insincerity；　and　cowardly　lowness　of　soul。　　Not　'humanity'　or　manhood；　I　think；　perhaps　_ape_hood　rather；paltry　imitancy；　from　the　teeth　outward；　of　what　our　heart　never　felt　nor　our　understanding　ever　saw；　dim　indolent　adherence　to　extraneous　and　extinct　traditions；　traditions　now　really　about　extinct；　not　living　now　to　almost　any　of　us；　and　still　haunting　with　their　spectralities　and　gibbering　_ghosts_　（in　a　truly　baleful　manner）　almost　all　of　us！　Making　this　our　struggling　'Twelfth　Hour　of　the　Night'　inexpressibly　hideous！…

〃But　as　for　you；　my　indigent　incompetent　friends；　I　have　to　repeat　with　sorrow；　but　with　perfect　clearness；　what　is　plainly　undeniable；　and　is　even　clamorous　to　get　itself　admitted；　that　you　are　of　the　nature　of　slaves；or　if　you　prefer　the　word；　of　_nomadic；　and　now　even　vagrant　and　vagabond；　servants　that　can　find　no　master　on　those　terms_；　which　seems　to　me　a　much　uglier　word。　　Emancipation？　　You　have　been　'emancipated'　with　a　vengeance！　Foolish　souls；　I　say　the　whole　world　cannot　emancipate　you。　　Fealty　to　ignorant　Unruliness；　to　gluttonous　sluggish　Improvidence；　to　the　Beer…pot　and　the　Devil；　who　is　there　that　can　emancipate　a　man　in　that　predicament？　Not　a　whole　Reform　Bill；　a　whole　French　Revolution　executed　for　his　behoof　alone：　　nothing　but　God　the　Maker　can　emancipate　him；　by　making　him　anew。

〃To　forward　which　glorious　consummation；　will　it　not　be　well；　O　indigent　friends；　that　you；　fallen　flat　there；　shall　henceforth　learn　to　take　advice　of　others　as　to　the　methods　of　standing？　　Plainly　I　let　you　know；　and　all　the　world　and　the　worlds　know；　that　I　for　my　part　mean　it　so。　　Not　as　glorious　unfortunate　sons　of　freedom；　but　as　recognized　captives；　as　unfortunate　fallen　brothers　requiring　that　I　should　command　you；　and　if　need　were；　control　and　compel　you；　can　there　henceforth　be　a　relation　between　us。　　Ask　me　not　for　Indian　meal；　you　shall　be　compelled　to　earn　it　first；　know　that　on　other　terms　I　will　not　give　you　any。　　Before　Heaven　and　Earth；　and　God　the　Maker　of　us　all；　I　declare　it　is　a　scandal　to　see　_such_　a　life　kept　in　you；　by　the　sweat　and　heart's…blood　of　your　brothers；　and　that；　if　we　cannot

mend　it；　death　were　preferable！　　Go　to；　we　must　get　out　of　thisunutterable　coil　of　nonsenses；　constitutional；　philanthropical；　&c。；　in　which　（surely　without　mutual　hatred；　if　with　less　of　'love'　than　is　supposed）　we　are　all　strangling　one　another！　　Your　want　of　wants；　I　say；　is　that　you　be　_commanded_　in　this　world；　not　being　able　to　command　yourselves。　　Know　therefore　that　it　shall　be　so　with　you。　　Nomadism；　I　give　you　notice；　has　ended；　needful　permanency；　soldier…like　obedience；　and　the　opportunity　and　the　necessity　of　hard　steady　labor　for　your　living；　have　begun。　　Know　that　the　Idle　Workhouse　is　shut　against　you　henceforth；　you　cannot　enter　there　at　will；　nor　leave　at　will；　you　shall　enter　a　quite　other　Refuge；　under　conditions　strict　as　soldiering；　and　not　leave　till　I　have　done　with　you。　　He　that　prefers　the　glorious　（or　perhaps　even　the　rebellious　_in_glorious）　'career　of　freedom；'　let　him　prove　that　he　can　travel　there；　and　be　the　master　of　himself；　and　right　good　speed　to　him。　He　who　has　proved　that　he　cannot　travel　there　or　be　the　master　of　himself；let　him；　in　the　name　of　all　the　gods；　become　a　servant；　and　accept　the　just　rules　of　servitude！

〃Arise；　enlist　in　my　Irish；　my　Scotch　and　English　'Regiments　of　the　New　Era；'which　I　have　been　concocting；　day　and　night；　during　these　three　Grouse…seasons　（taking　earnest　incessant　counsel；　with　all　manner　of　Industrial　Notabilities　and　men　of　insight；　on　the　matter）；　and　have　now　brought　to　a　kind　of　preparation　for　incipiency；　thank　Heaven！　　Enlist　there；　ye　poor　wandering　banditti；　obey；　work；　suffer；　abstain；　as　all　of　us　have　had　to　do：　　so　shall　you　be　useful　in　God's　creation；　so　shall　you　be　helped　to　gain　a　manful　living　for　yourselves；　not　otherwise　than　so。　Industrial　Regiments　＇_Here　numerous　persons；　with　big　wigs　many　of　them；　and　austere　aspect；　whom　I　take　to　be　Professors　of　the　Dismal　Science；　start　up　in　an　agitated　vehement　manner：　　but　the　Premier　resolutely　beckons　them　down　again_＇Regiments　not　to　fight　the　French　or　others；　who　are　peaceable　enough　towards　us；　but　to　fight　the　Bogs　and　Wildernesses　at　home　and　abroad；　and　to　chain　the　Devils　of　the　Pit　which　are　walking　too　openly　among　us。

〃Work；　for　you？　　Work；　surely；　is　not　quite　undiscoverable　in　an　Earth　so　wide　as　ours；　if　we　will　take　the　right　methods　for　it！　　Indigent　friends；　we　will　adopt　this　new　relation　（which　is　_old_　as　the　world）；　this　will　lead　us　towards　such。　　Rigorous　conditions；　not　to　be　violated　on　either　side；　lie　in　this　relation；　conditions　planted　there　by　God　Himself；　which　woe　will　betide　us　if　we　do　not　discover；　gradually　more　and　more　discover；　and　conform　to！　　Industrial　Colonels；　Workmasters；　Task…masters；　Life…commanders；　equitable　as　Rhadamanthus　and　inflexible　as　he：　　such；　I　perceive；　you　do　need；　and　such；　you　being　once　put　under　law　as　soldiers　are；　will　be　discoverable　for　you。　　I　perceive；　with　boundless　alarm；　that　I　shall　have　to　set　about　discovering　such；I；　since　I　am　at　the　top　of　affairs；　with　all　men　looking　to　me。　　Alas；　it　is　my　new　task　in　this　New　Era；　and　God　knows；　I　too；　little　other　than　a　red…tape　Talking…machine；　and　unhappy　Bag　of　Parliamentary　Eloquence　hitherto；　am　far　behind　with　it！　But　street…barricades　rise　everywhere：　　the　hour　of　Fate　has　come。　　In　Connemara　there　has　sprung　a　leak；　since　the　potato　died；　Connaught；　if　it　were　not　for　Treasury…grants　and　rates…in…aid；　would　have　to　recur　to　Cannibalism　even　now；　and　Human　Society　would　cease　to　pretend　that　it　existed　there。　　Done　this　thing　must　be。　　Alas；　I　perceive　that　if　I　cannot　do　it；　then　surely　I　shall　die；　and