lay morals-第16章
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eed； on the ground of Irish obstruction … a bitter trial； which it supports with notable good humour。 But the excuse is merely local； it cannot apply to similar bodies in America and France； and what are we to say of these？ President Cleveland's letter may serve as a picture of the one； a glance at almost any paper will convince us of the weakness of the other。 Decay appears to have seized on the organ of popular government in every land； and this just at the moment when we begin to bring to it； as to an oracle of justice； the whole skein of our private affairs to be unravelled； and ask it； like a new Messiah； to take upon itself our frailties and play for us the part that should be played by our own virtues。 For that； in few words； is the case。 We cannot trust ourselves to behave with decency； we cannot trust our consciences； and the remedy proposed is to elect a round number of our neighbours； pretty much at random； and say to these： 'Be ye our conscience； make laws so wise； and continue from year to year to administer them so wisely； that they shall save us from ourselves and make us righteous and happy； world without end。 Amen。' And who can look twice at the British Parliament and then seriously bring it such a task？ I am not advancing this as an argument against Socialism： once again； nothing is further from my mind。 There are great truths in Socialism； or no one； not even Mr。 Hyndman； would be found to hold it； and if it came； and did one…tenth part of what it offers； I for one should make it welcome。 But if it is to come； we may as well have some notion of what it will be like； and the first thing to grasp is that our new polity will be designed and administered （to put it courteously） with something short of inspiration。 It will be made； or will grow； in a human parliament； and the one thing that will not very hugely change is human nature。 The Anarchists think otherwise； from which it is only plain that they have not carried to the study of history the lamp of human sympathy。
Given； then； our new polity； with its new waggon…load of laws； what headmarks must we look for in the life？ We chafe a good deal at that excellent thing； the income…tax； because it brings into our affairs the prying fingers； and exposes us to the tart words； of the official。 The official； in all degrees； is already something of a terror to many of us。 I would not willingly have to do with even a police…constable in any other spirit than that of kindness。 I still remember in my dreams the eye…glass of a certain ATTACHE at a certain embassy … an eyeglass that was a standing indignity to all on whom it looked； and my next most disagreeable remembrance is of a bracing； Republican postman in the city of San Francisco。 I lived in that city among working folk； and what my neighbours accepted at the postman's hands … nay； what I took from him myself … it is still distasteful to recall。 The bourgeois； residing in the upper parts of society； has but few opportunities of tasting this peculiar bowl； but about the income…tax； as I have said； or perhaps about a patent； or in the halls of an embassy at the hands of my friend of the eye…glass； he occasionally sets his lips to it； and he may thus imagine （if he has that faculty of imagination； without which most faculties are void） how it tastes to his poorer neighbours； who must drain it to the dregs。 In every contact with authority； with their employer； with the police； with the School Board officer； in the hospital； or in the workhouse； they have equally the occasion to appreciate the light…hearted civility of the man in office； and as an experimentalist in several out…of…the…way provinces of life； I may say it has but to be felt to be appreciated。 Well； this golden age of which we are speaking will be the golden age of officials。 In all our concerns it will be their beloved duty to meddle； with what tact； with what obliging words； analogy will aid us to imagine。 It is likely these gentlemen will be periodically elected； they will therefore have their turn of being underneath； which does not always sweeten men's conditions。 The laws they will have to administer will be no clearer than those we know to… day； and the body which is to regulate their administration no wiser than the British Parliament。 So that upon all hands we may look for a form of servitude most galling to the blood … servitude to many and changing masters； and for all the slights that accompany the rule of jack…in…office。 And if the Socialistic programme be carried out with the least fulness； we shall have lost a thing； in most respects not much to be regretted； but as a moderator of oppression； a thing nearly invaluable … the newspaper。 For the independent journal is a creature of capital and competition； it stands and falls with millionaires and railway bonds and all the abuses and glories of to…day； and as soon as the State has fairly taken its bent to authority and philanthropy； and laid the least touch on private property； the days of the independent journal are numbered。 State railways may be good things and so may State bakeries； but a State newspaper will never be a very trenchant critic of the State officials。
But again； these officials would have no sinecure。 Crime would perhaps be less； for some of the motives of crime we may suppose would pass away。 But if Socialism were carried out with any fulness； there would be more contraventions。 We see already new sins ringing up like mustard … School Board sins； factory sins； Merchant Shipping Act sins … none of which I would be thought to except against in particular； but all of which； taken together； show us that Socialism can be a hard master even in the beginning。 If it go on to such heights as we hear proposed and lauded； if it come actually to its ideal of the ant…heap； ruled with iron justice； the number of new contraventions will be out of all proportion multiplied。 Take the case of work alone。 Man is an idle animal。 He is at least as intelligent as the ant； but generations of advisers have in vain recommended him the ant's example。 Of those who are found truly indefatigable in business； some are misers； some are the practisers of delightful industries； like gardening； some are students； artists； inventors； or discoverers； men lured forward by successive hopes； and the rest are those who live by games of skill or hazard … financiers； billiard…players； gamblers； and the like。 But in unloved toils； even under the prick of necessity； no man is continually sedulous。 Once eliminate the fear of starvation； once eliminate or bound the hope of riches； and we shall see plenty of skulking and malingering。 Society will then be something not wholly unlike a cotton plantation in the old days； with cheerful； careless； demoralised slaves； with elected overseers； and； instead of the planter； a chaotic popular assembly。 If the blood be purposeful and the soil strong； such a plantation may succeed； and be； indeed； a busy ant…heap； with full granaries and long hours of leisure。 But even then I think the whip will be in the overseer's hands； and not in vain。 For； when it comes to be a question of each man doing his own share or the rest doing more； prettiness of sentiment will be forgotten。 To dock the skulker's food is not enough； many will rather eat haws and starve on petty pilferings than put their shoulder to the wheel for one hour daily。 For such as these； then； the whip will be in the overseer's hand； and his own sense of justice and the superintendence of a chaotic popular assembly will be the only checks on its employment。 Now； you may be an industrious man and a good citizen； and yet not love； nor yet be loved by； Dr。 Fell the inspector。 It is admitted by private soldiers that the disfavour of a sergeant is an evil not to be combated； offend the sergeant； they say； and in a brief while you will either be disgraced or have deserted。 And the sergeant can no longer appeal to the lash。 But if these things go on； we shall see； or our sons shall see； what it is to have offended an inspector。
This for the unfortunate。 But with the fortunate also； even those whom the inspector loves； it may not be altogether well。 It is concluded that in such a state of society； supposing it to be financially sound； the level of comfort will be high。 It does not follow： there are strange depths of idleness in man； a too…easily…got sufficiency； as in the case of the sago…eaters； often quenching the desire for all besides； and it is possible that the men of the richest ant… heaps may sink even into squalor。 But suppose they do not； suppose our tricksy instrument of human nature； when we play upon it this new tune； should respond kindly； suppose no one to be damped and none exasperated by the new conditions； the whole enterprise to be financially sound … a vaulting supposition … and all the inhabitants to dwell together in a golden mean of comfort： we have yet to ask ourselves if this be what man desire； or if it be what man will even deign to accept for a continuance。 It is certain that man loves to eat； it is not certain that he loves that only or that best。 He is supposed to love comfort； it is not a love； at least； that he is faithful to。 He is supposed to love happiness； it is my contention that he rather loves excitement。 Danger； enterprise； hope； the novel； the aleatory； are dearer to man than regular meals。 He does not think so when he is hungry； but he thinks so again as soon as he is fed； and on the hypothesis of a successful ant…heap； he would never go hungry。 It would be always after dinner in that society； as； in the land of the Lotos…eaters； it was always afternoon； and food； which； when we have it not； seems all…important； drops in our esteem； as soon as we have it； to a mere prerequisite of living。
That for which man lives is not the same thing for all individuals nor in all ages； yet it has a common base； what he seeks and what he must have is that which will seize and hold his attention。 Regular meals and weatherproof lodgings will not do this long。 Play in its wide sense； as the artificial induction of sensation； including all games and all arts； will； indeed； go far to keep him conscious of himself； but in the end he wearies for realities。 Study or experiment； to some rare natures； is the unbroken pastime of a life。 These are enviable natures； people shut in the house by sickness often bitterly envy them； but the commoner man cannot continue to exist upon such altitudes： his feet itch for physical adventure； his blood boils for physical dangers； pleasures； and triumphs； his fancy； the looker after new things； cannot continue to look for them in books and crucibles； but must seek them on the breathing stage of life。 Pinches； buffets； the glow of hope； the shock of disappointment； furious contention with obstacles： these are the true elixir for all vital spirits； these are what they seek alike in their romantic enterprises and their unromantic dissipations。 When they are taken in some pinch closer than the common； they cry； 'Catch me here again！' and sure enough you c
