essays on life, art and science-第1章

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Essays　on　Life；　Art　and　Science


by　Samuel　Butler






Contents：

Introduction
Quis　Desiderio？
Ramblings　in　Cheapside
The　Aunt；　The　Nieces；　and　the　Dog
How　to　make　the　best　of　life
The　Sanctuary　of　Montrigone
A　Medieval　Girl　School
Art　in　the　Valley　of　Saas
Thought　and　Language
The　Deadlock　in　Darwinism







INTRODUCTION



It　is　hardly　necessary　to　apologise　for　the　miscellaneous　character
of　the　following　collection　of　essays。　　Samuel　Butler　was　a　man　of
such　unusual　versatility；　and　his　interests　were　so　many　and　so
various　that　his　literary　remains　were　bound　to　cover　a　wide　field。
Nevertheless　it　will　be　found　that　several　of　the　subjects　to　which
he　devoted　much　time　and　labour　are　not　represented　in　these　pages。
I　have　not　thought　it　necessary　to　reprint　any　of　the　numerous
pamphlets　and　articles　which　he　wrote　upon　the　Iliad　and　Odyssey；
since　these　were　all　merged　in　〃The　Authoress　of　the　Odyssey；〃　which
gives　his　matured　views　upon　everything　relating　to　the　Homeric
poems。　　For　a　similar　reason　I　have　not　included　an　essay　on　the
evidence　for　the　Resurrection　of　Jesus　Christ；　which　he　printed　in
1865　for　private　circulation；　since　he　subsequently　made　extensive
use　of　it　in　〃The　Fair　Haven。〃

Two　of　the　essays　in　this　collection　were　originally　delivered　as
lectures；　the　remainder　were　published　in　The　Universal　Review
during　1888；　1889；　and　1890。

I　should　perhaps　explain　why　two　other　essays　of　his；　which　also
appeared　in　The　Universal　Review；　have　been　omitted。

The　first　of　these；　entitled　〃L'Affaire　Holbein…Rippel；〃　relates　to
a　drawing　of　Holbein's　〃Danse　des　Paysans；〃　in　the　Basle　Museum；
which　is　usually　described　as　a　copy；　but　which　Butler　believed　to
be　the　work　of　Holbein　himself。　　This　essay　requires　to　be
illustrated　in　so　elaborate　a　manner　that　it　was　impossible　to
include　it　in　a　book　of　this　size。

The　second　essay；　which　is　a　sketch　of　the　career　of　the　sculptor
Tabachetti；　was　published　as　the　first　section　of　an　article
entitled　〃A　Sculptor　and　a　Shrine；〃　of　which　the　second　section　is
here　given　under　the　title；　〃The　Sanctuary　of　Montrigone。〃　　The
section　devoted　to　the　sculptor　represents　all　that　Butler　then　knew
about　Tabachetti；　but　since　it　was　written　various　documents　have
come　to　light；　principally　owing　to　the　investigations　of　Cavaliere
Francesco　Negri；　of　Casale　Monferrato；　which　negative　some　of
Butler's　most　cherished　conclusions。　　Had　Butler　lived　he　would
either　have　rewritten　his　essay　in　accordance　with　Cavaliere　Negri's
discoveries；　of　which　he　fully　recognised　the　value；　or　incorporated
them　into　the　revised　edition　of　〃Ex　Voto；〃　which　he　intended　to
publish。　　As　it　stands；　the　essay　requires　so　much　revision　that　I
have　decided　to　omit　it　altogether；　and　to　postpone　giving　English
readers　a　full　account　of　Tabachetti's　career　until　a　second　edition
of　〃Ex　Voto〃　is　required。　　Meanwhile　I　have　given　a　brief　summary　of
the　main　facts　of　Tabachetti's　life　in　a　note　（page　154）　to　the
essay　on　〃Art　in　the　Valley　of　Saas。〃　　Any　one　who　wishes　for
further　details　of　the　sculptor　and　his　work　will　find　them　in
Cavaliere　Negri's　pamphlet；　〃Il　Santuario　di　Crea〃　（Alessandria；
1902）。

The　three　essays　grouped　together　under　the　title　of　〃The　Deadlock
in　Darwinism〃　may　be　regarded　as　a　postscript　to　Butler's　four　books
on　evolution；　viz。；　〃Life　and　Habit；〃　〃Evolution；　Old　and　New；〃
〃Unconscious　Memory〃　and　〃Luck　or　Cunning。〃　　An　occasion　for　the
publication　of　these　essays　seemed　to　be　afforded　by　the　appearance
in　1889　of　Mr。　Alfred　Russel　Wallace's　〃Darwinism〃；　and　although
nearly　fourteen　years　have　elapsed　since　they　were　published　in　the
Universal　Review；　I　have　no　fear　that　they　will　be　found　to　be　out
of　date。　　How　far；　indeed；　the　problem　embodied　in　the　deadlock　of
which　Butler　speaks　is　from　solution　was　conclusively　shown　by　the
correspondence　which　appeared　in　the　Times　in　May　1903；　occasioned
by　some　remarks　made　at　University　College　by　Lord　Kelvin　in　moving
a　vote　of　thanks　to　Professor　Henslow　after　his　lecture　on　〃Present
Day　Rationalism。〃　　Lord　Kelvin's　claim　for　a　recognition　of　the　fact
that　in　organic　nature　scientific　thought　is　compelled　to　accept　the
idea　of　some　kind　of　directive　power；　and　his　statement　that
biologists　are　coming　once　more　to　a　firm　acceptance　of　a　vital
principle；　drew　from　several　distinguished　men　of　science　retorts
heated　enough　to　prove　beyond　a　doubt　that　the　gulf　between　the　two
main　divisions　of　evolutionists　is　as　wide　to…day　as　it　was　when
Butler　wrote。　　It　will　be　well；　perhaps；　for　the　benefit　of　readers
who　have　not　followed　the　history　of　the　theory　of　evolution　during
its　later　developments；　to　state　in　a　few　words　what　these　two　main
divisions　are。　　All　evolutionists　agree　that　the　differences　between
species　are　caused　by　the　accumulation　and　transmission　of
variations；　but　they　do　not　agree　as　to　the　causes　to　which　the
variations　are　due。　　The　view　held　by　the　older　evolutionists；
Buffon；　Erasmus　Darwin　and　Lamarck；　who　have　been　followed　by　many
modern　thinkers；　including　Herbert　Spencer　and　Butler；　is　that　the
variations　occur　mainly　as　the　result　of　effort　and　design；　the
opposite　view；　which　is　that　advocated　by　Mr。　Wallace　in
〃Darwinism；〃　is　that　the　variations　occur　merely　as　the　result　of
chance。　　The　former　is　sometimes　called　the　theological　view；
because　it　recognises　the　presence　in　organic　nature　of　design；
whether　it　be　called　creative　power；　directive　force；　directivity；
or　vital　principle；　the　latter　view；　in　which　the　existence　of
design　is　absolutely　negatived；　is　now　usually　described　as
Weismannism；　from　the　name　of　the　writer　who　has　been　its　principal
advocate　in　recent　years。

In　conclusion；　I　must　thank　my　friend　Mr。　Henry　Festing　Jones　most
warmly　for　the　invaluable　assistance　which　he　has　given　me　in
preparing　these　essays　for　publication；　in　correcting　the　proofs；
and　in　compiling　the　introduction　and　notes。

R。　A。　STREATFEILD。




QUIS　DESIDERIO　。　。　。　？　｛1｝



Like　Mr。　Wilkie　Collins；　I；　too；　have　been　asked　to　lay　some　of　my
literary　experiences　before　the　readers　of　the　Universal　Review。　　It
occurred　to　me　that　the　Review　must　be　indeed　universal　before　it
could　open　its　pages　to　one　so　obscure　as　myself；　but；　nothing
daunted　by　the　distinguished　company　among　which　I　was　for　the　first
time　asked　to　move；　I　resolved　to　do　as　I　was　told；　and　went　to　the
British　Museum　to　see　what　books　I　had　written。　　Having　refreshed　my
memory　by　a　glance　at　the　catalogue；　I　was　about　to　try　and　diminish
the　large　and　ever…increasing　circle　of　my　non…readers　when　I　became
aware　of　a　calamity　that　brought　me　to　a　standstill；　and　indeed　bids
fair；　so　far　as　I　can　see　at　present；　to　put　an　end　to　my　literary
existence　altogether。

I　should　explain　that　I　cannot　write　unless　I　have　a　sloping　desk；
and　the　reading…room　of　the　British　Museum；　where　alone　I　can
compose　freely；　is　unprovided　with　sloping　desks。　　Like　every　other
organism；　if　I　cannot　get　exactly　what　I　want　I　make　shift　with　the
next　thing　to　it；　true；　there　are　no　desks　in　the　reading…room；　but；
as　I　once　heard　a　visitor　from　the　country　say；　〃it　contains　a　large
number　of　very　interesting　works。〃　　I　know　it　was　not　right；　and
hope　the　Museum　authorities　will　not　be　severe　upon　me　if　any　of
them　reads　this　confession；　but　I　wanted　a　desk；　and　set　myself　to
consider　which　of　the　many　very　interesting　works　which　a　grateful
nation　places　at　the　disposal　of　its　would…be　authors　was　best
suited　for　my　purpose。

For　mere　reading　I　suppose　one　book　is　pretty　much　as　good　as
another；　but　the　choice　of　a　desk…book　is　a　more　serious　matter。　　It
must　be　neither　too　thick　nor　too　thin；　it　must　be　large　enough　to
make　a　substantial　support；　it　must　be　strongly　bound　so　as　not　to
yield　or　give；　it　must　not　be　too　troublesome　to　carry　backwards　and
forwards；　and　it　must　live　on　shelf　C；　D；　or　E；　so　that　there　need
be　no　stooping　or　reaching　too　high。　　These　are　the　conditions　which
a　really　good　book　must　fulfil；　simple；　however；　as　they　are；　it　is
surprising　how　few　volumes　comply　with　them　satisfactorily；
moreover；　being　perhaps　too　sensitively　conscientious；　I　allowed
another　consideration　to　influence　me；　and　was　sincerely　anxious　not
to　take　a　book　which　would　be　in　constant　use　for　reference　by
readers；　more　especially　as；　if　I　did　this；　I　might　find　myself
disturbed　by　the　officials。

For　weeks　I　made　experiments　upon　sundry　poetical　and　philosophical
works；　whose　names　I　have　forgotten；　but　could　not　succeed　in
finding　my　ideal　desk；　until　at　length；　more　by　luck　than　cunning；　I
happened　to　light　upon　Frost's　〃Lives　of　Eminent　Christians；〃　which
I　had　no　sooner　tried　than　I　discovered　it　to　be　the　very　perfection
and　ne　plus　ultra　of　everything　that　a　book　should　be。　　It　lived　in
Case　No。　2008；　and　I　accordingly　took　at　once　to　sitting　in　Row　B；
where　for　the　last　dozen　years　or　so　I　have　sat　ever　since。

The　first　thing　I　have　done　whenever　I　went　to　the　Museum　has　been
to　take　down　Frost's　〃Lives　of　Eminent　Christians〃　and　carry　it　to
my　seat。　　It　is　not　the　custom　of　modern　writers　to　refer　to　the
works　to　which　they　are　most　deeply　indebted；　and　I　have　never；　that
I　remember；　mentioned　it　by　name　before；　but　it　is　to　this　book
alone　that　I　have　looked　for　support　during　many　years　of　literary
labour；　and　it　is　round　this　to　me　invaluable　volume　that　all　my　own
have　page　by　page　grown　up。　　There　is　none　in　the　Museum　to　which　I
have　been　under　anything　like　such　constant　obligation；　none　which　I
can　so　ill　spare；　and　none　which　I　would　choose　so　readily　if　I　were
allowed　to　select　one　single　volume　and　keep　it　for　my　own。

On　finding　myself　asked　for　a　contribution　to　the　Universal　Review；
I　went；　as　I　have　explained；　to　the　Museum；　and　presently　repaired
to　bookcase　No。　2008　to　get　my　favourite　volume。　　Alas！　it　was　in
the　room　no　longer。　　It　was　not　in　use；　for　its　place　was　filled　up
already；　besides；　no　one　ever　used　it　but　myself。　　Whether　the　ghost
of　the　late　Mr。　Frost　has　been　so　eminently　unchristian　as　to
interfere；　or　whether　the　authorities　have　removed　the　book　in
ignorance　of　the　steady　demand　which　there　has　been　for　it　on　the
part　of　at　least　one　reader；　are　points　I　cannot　determine。　　All　I
know　is　that　the　book　is　gone；　and　I　feel　as　Wordsworth　is　generally
supposed　to　have　felt　when　he　became　aware　that　Lucy　was　in　her
grave；　and　exclaimed　so　emphatically　that　this　would　make　a
considerable　difference　to　him；　or　words　to　that　effect。

Now　I　think　of　it；　Frost's　〃Lives　of　Eminent　Christians〃　was　very
like　Lucy。　　The　one　resided　at　Dovedale　in　Derbyshire；　the　other　in
Great　Russell　Street；　Bloomsbury。　　I　admit　that　I　do　not　see　the
resemblance　here　at　this　moment；　but　if　I　try　to　develop　my
perception　I　shall　doubtless　ere　long　find　a　marvellously　striking
one。　　In　other　respects；　however；　than　mere　local　habitat　the
likeness　is　obvious。　　Lucy　was　not　particularly　attractive　either
inside　or　outno　more　was　Frost's　〃Lives　of　Eminent　Christians〃；
there　were　few　to　praise　her；　and　of　those　few　still　fewer　could
bring　themselves　to　like