the ancien regime(古兵团)-第19章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
angry surprisewhat progress has the human mind made since 1815？
71
… Page 72…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
If the thought be startling； do me the great honour of taking it home；
and verifying for yourselves its truth or its falsehood。 I do not say that it
is altogether true。 No proposition concerning human things； stated so
broadly； can be。 But see for yourselves； whether it is not at least more
true than false； whether the ideas； the discoveries； of which we boast most
in the nineteenth century； are not really due to the end of the eighteenth。
Whether other men did not labour； and we have only entered into their
labours。 Whether our positivist spirit； our content with the collecting of
facts； our dread of vast theories； is not a symptomwholesome； prudent；
modest； but still a symptomof our consciousness that we are not as our
grandfathers were； that we can no longer conceive great ideas； which
illumine； for good or evil； the whole mind and heart of man； and drive him
on to dare and suffer desperately。
Railroads？ Electric telegraphs？ All honour to them in their place：
but they are not progress； they are only the fruits of past progress。 No
outward and material thing is progress； no machinery causes progress； it
merely spreads and makes popular the results of progress。 Progress is
inward； of the soul。 And； therefore； improved constitutions； and
improved book instructionnow miscalled educationare not progress：
they are at best only fruits and signs thereof。 For they are outward；
material； and progress； I say； is inward。 The self…help and self…
determination of the independent soulthat is the root of progress； and the
more human beings who have that； the more progress there is in the world。
Give me a man who； though he can neither read nor write； yet dares think
for himself； and do the thing he believes： that man will help forward the
human race more than any thousand men who have read； or written either；
a thousand books apiece； but have not dared to think for themselves。
And better for his race； and better； I believe； in the sight of God； the
confusions and mistakes of that one sincere brave man； than the second…
hand and cowardly correctness of all the thousand。
As for the 〃triumphs of science；〃 let us honour； with astonishment and
awe； the genius of those who invented them； but let us remember that the
things themselves are as a gun or a sword； with which we can kill our
enemy； but with which also our enemy can kill us。 Like all outward and
72
… Page 73…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
material things； they are equally fit for good and for evil。 In England
herethey have been as yet； as far as I can see； nothing but blessings：
but I have my very serious doubts whether they are likely to be blessings
to the whole human race； for many an age to come。 I can conceive them…
…may God avert the omen！ the instruments of a more crushing executive
centralisation； of a more utter oppression of the bodies and souls of men；
than the world has yet seen。 I can conceivemay God avert the omen！
centuries hence； some future world…ruler sitting at the junction of all
railroads； at the centre of all telegraph…wiresa world…spider in the
omphalos of his world…wide web； and smiting from thence everything that
dared to lift its head； or utter a cry of pain； with a swiftness and surety to
which the craft of a Justinian or a Philip II。 were but clumsy and impotent。
All； all outward things； be sure of it； are good or evil； exactly as far as
they are in the hands of good men or of bad。
Moreover； paradoxical as it may seem； railroads and telegraphs；
instead of inaugurating an era of progress； may possibly only retard it。
〃Rester sur un grand succes；〃 which was Rossini's advice to a young
singer who had achieved a triumph； is a maxim which the world often
follows； not only from prudence； but from necessity。 They have done so
much that it seems neither prudent nor possible to do more。 They will
rest and be thankful。
Thus； gunpowder and printing made rapid changes enough； but those
changes had no farther development。 The new art of war； the new art of
literature； remained stationary； or rather receded and degenerated； till the
end of the eighteenth century。
And so it may be with our means of locomotion and intercommunion；
and what depends on them。 The vast and unprecedented amount of
capital； of social interest； of actual human intellect investedI may say
locked upin these railroads； and telegraphs； and other triumphs of
industry and science； will not enter into competition against themselves。
They will not set themselves free to seek new discoveries in directions
which are often actually opposed to their own； always foreign to it。 If the
money of thousands are locked up in these great works； the brains of
hundreds of thousands； and of the very shrewdest too； are equally locked
73
… Page 74…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
up therein likewise； and are to be subtracted from the gross material of
social development； and added （without personal fault of their owners；
who may be very good men） to the dead weight of vested selfishness；
ignorance； and dislike of change。
Yes。 A Byzantine and stationary age is possible yet。 Perhaps we are
now entering upon it； an age in which mankind shall be satisfied with the
〃triumphs of science；〃 and shall look merely to the greatest comfort （call it
not happiness） of the greatest number； and like the debased Jews of old；
〃having found the life of their hand； be therewith content；〃 no matter in
what mud…hole of slavery and superstition。
But one hope there is； and more than a hopeone certainty； that
however satisfied enlightened public opinion may become with the results
of science； and the progress of the human race； there will be always a
more enlightened private opinion or opinions； which will not be satisfied
therewith at all； a few men of genius； a few children of light； it may be a
few persecuted； and a few martyrs for new truths； who will wish the world
not to rest and be thankful； but to be discontented with itself； ashamed of
itself； striving and toiling upward； without present hope of gain； till it has
reached that unknown goal which Bacon saw afar off； and like all other
heroes； died in faith； not having received the promises； but seeking still a
polity which has foundations； whose builder and maker is God。
These will be the men of science； whether physical or spiritual。 Not
merely the men who utilise and apply that which is known （useful as they
plainly are）； but the men who themselves discover that which was
unknown； and are generally deemed useless； if not hurtful； to their race。
They will keep the sacred lamp burning unobserved in quiet studies； while
all the world is gazing only at the gaslights flaring in the street。 They
will pass that lamp on from hand to hand； modestly； almost stealthily； till
the day comes round again； when the obscure student shall be discovered
once more to be； as he has always been； the strongest man on earth。 For
they follow a mistress whose footsteps may often slip； yet never fall； for
she walks forward on the eternal facts of Nature； which are the acted will
of God。 A giantess she is； young indeed； but humble as yet： cautious and
modest beyond her years。 She is accused of trying to scale Olympus； by
74
… Page 75…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
some who fancy that they have already scaled it themselves； and will； of
course； brook no rival in their fancied monopoly of wisdom。
The accusation； I believe； is unjust。 And yet science may scale
Olympus after all。 Without intending it； almost without knowing it； she
may find herself hereafter upon a summit of which she never dreamed；
surveying the universe of God in the light of Him who made it and her；
and remakes them both for ever and ever。 On that summit she may stand
hereafter； if only she goes on； as she goes now； in humility and in patience；
doing the duty which lies nearest her； lured along the upward road； not by
ambition； vanity； or greed； but by reverent curiosity for every new pebble；
and flower； and child； and savage； around her feet。
75
