the story of my heart-第13章

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which　were　deemed　fables；　may　be　fables　historically；　but　search　has　shown
that　they　are　not　intrinsically　fables。　　Man　of　flesh　and　blood　is　capable
of　all　that　Ajax；　all　that　Hercules　did。　Feats　in　modern　days　have　surpassed
these；　as　when　Webb　swam　the　Channel；　mythology　contains　nothing　equal　to
that。　　The　difference　does　not　end　here。　Animals　think　to　a　certain　extent；
but　if　their　conceptions　be　ever　so　clever；　not　having　hands　they　cannot
execute　them。

I　myself　maintain　that　the　mind　of　man　is　practically　infinite。
It　can　understand　anything　brought　before　it。　It　has　not　the
power　of　its　own　motion　to　bring　everything　before　it；　but　when
anything　is　brought　it　is　understood。　It　is　like　sitting　in　a
room　with　one　window；　you　cannot　compel　everything　to　pass　the
window；　but　whatever　does　pass　is　seen。　It　is　like　a　magnifying　glass；　which
magnifies　and　explains　everything　brought　into　its　focus。　The　mind　of　man　is
infinite。　Beyond　this；　man　has　a　soul。　I　do　not　use　this　word　in　the　common
sense　which　circumstances　have　given　to　it。　I　use　it　as　the　only　term　to
express　that　inner　consciousness　which　aspires。　　These　brief　reasons　show
that　the　analogy　is　imperfect；　and　that　therefore；　although　an　ideal
animala　horse；　a　dog；　a　lionmust　die；　it　does　not　follow　that　an　ideal
man　must。　He　has　a　body　possessed　of　exceptional　recuperative　powers；　which；
under　proper　conditions；　continually　repairs　itself。　He　has　a　mind　by　which
he　can　select　remedies；　and　select　his　course　and　carefully　restore　the
waste　of　tissue。　He　has　a　soul；　as　yet；　it　seems　to　me；　lying　in　abeyance；
by　the　aid　of　which　he　may　yet　discover　things　now　deemed　supernatural。

Considering　these　things　I　am　obliged　by　facts　and　incontrovert…ible
argument　to　conclude　that　death　is　not　inevitable　to　the　ideal　man。　He　is
shaped　for　a　species　of　physical　immortality。　The　beauty　of　form　of　the
ideal　human　being　indicates　immortalitythe　contour；　the　curve；　the　outline
answer　to　the　idea　of　life。　In　the　course　of　ages　united　effort　long
continued　may　eliminate　those　causes　of　decay　which　have　grown　up　in　ages
past；　and　after　that　has　been　done　advance　farther　and　improve　the　natural
state。　As　a　river　brings　down　suspended　particles　of　sand；　and　depositing
them　at　its　mouth　forms　a　delta　and　a　new　country；　as　the　air　and　the　rain
and　the　heat　of　the　sun　desiccate　the　rocks　and　slowly　wear　down　mountains
into　sand；　so　the　united　action　of　the　human　race；　continued　through
centuries；　may　build　up　the　ideal　man　and　woman。
Each　individual　labouring　in　his　day　through　geological　time　in　front　must
produce　an　effect。　　The　instance　of　Sparta；　where　so　much　was　done　in　a　few
centuries；　is　almost　proof　of　it。

The　truth　is；　we　die　through　our　ancestors；　we　are　murdered　by　our
ancestors。　Their　dead　hands　stretch　forth　from　the　tomb　and　drag　us　down　to
their　mouldering　bones。　We　in　our　turn　are　now　at　this　moment　preparing
death　for　our　unborn　posterity。　This　day　those　that　die　do　not　die　in　the
sense　of　old　age；　they　are　slain。　Nothing　has　been　accumulated　for　our
benefit　in　ages　past。　All　the　labour　and　the　toil　of　so　many　millions
continued　through　such　vistas　of　time；　down　to　those　millions　who　at　this
hour　are　rushing　to　and　fro　in　London；　has
accumulated　nothing　for　us。　Nothing　for　our　good。　The　only　things　that　have
been　stored　up　have　been　for　our　evil　and　destruction；　diseases　and
weaknesses　crossed　and　cultivated　and　rendered　almost　part　and　parcel　of　our
very　bones。　Now　let　us　begin　to　roll　back　the　tide　of　death；　and　to　set　our
faces
steadily　to　a　future　of　life。　It　should　be　the　sacred　and　sworn　duty　of
every　one；　once　at　least　during　lifetime；　to　do　something　in　person　towards
this　end。　It　would　be　a　delight　and　pleasure　to　me　to　do　something　every
day；　were　it　ever　so　minute。　To　reflect　that　another　human　being；　if　at　a
distance　of　ten　thousand　years　from　the　year　1883；　would　enjoy　one　hour's
more　life；　in　the　sense　of　fulness　of　life；　in　consequence　of　anything　I　had
done　in　my　little　span；　would　be　to　me　a　peace　of　soul。

CHAPTER　X

UNITED　effort　through　geological　time　in　front　is　but　the　beginning　of　an
idea。　I　am　convinced　that　much　more　can　be　done；　and　that　the　length　of　time
may　be　almost　immeasurably　shortened。　The　general　principles　that　are　now　in
operation　are　of　the　simplest　and　most　elementary　character；　yet　they　have
already　made　considerable　difference。　I　am　not　content　with　these。　There
must　be　much　morethere　must　be　things　which　are　at　present　unknown　by
whose　aid　advance　may　be　made。　Research　proceeds　upon　the　same　old　lines　and
runs　in　the　ancient　grooves。　Further；　it　is　restricted　by　the
ultra…practical　views　which　are　alone　deemed　reasonable。　But　there　should　be
no　limit　placed　on　the　mind。　The　purely　ideal　is　as　worthy　of　pursuit　as　the
practical；　and　the　mind　is　not　to　be　pinned　to　dogmas　of　science　any　more
than　to　dogmas　of　superstition。　Most　injurious
of　all　is　the　continuous　circling　on　the　same　path；　and　it　is
from　this　that　I　wish　to　free　my　mind。

The　pursuit　of　theorythe　organon　of　pure　thoughthas　led
incidentally　to　great　discoveries；　and　for　myself　I　am　convinced
it　is　of　the　highest　value。　The　process　of　experiment　has　produced　much；　and
has　applied　what　was　previously　found。
Empiricism　is　worthy　of　careful　re…working　out；　for　it　is　a　fact
that　most　things　are　more　or　less　empirical；　especially　in
medicine。　Denial　may　be　given　to　this　statement；　nevertheless
it　is　true；　and　I　have　had　practical　exemplification　of　it　in　my
own　experience。　Observation　is　perhaps　more　powerful　an　organon
than　either　experiment　or　empiricism。　　If　the　eye　is　always　watching；　and
the　mind　on　the　alert；　ultimately　chance　supplies　the　solution。

The　difficulties　I　have　encountered　have　generally　been　solved
by　chance　in　this　way。　When　I　took　an　interest　in
archaeological　mattersan　interest　long　since　extinctI
considered　that　a　part　of　an　army　known　to　have　marched　in　a
certain　direction　during　the　Civil　War　must　have　visited　a　town
in　which　I　was　interested。　But　I　exhausted　every　mode　of
research　in　vain；　there　was　no　evidence　of　it。　If　the　knowledge
had　ever　existed　it　had　dropped　again。　Some　years　afterwards；
when　my　interest　had　ceased；　and　I　had　put　such　inquiries　for
ever　aside　（being　useless；　like　the　Egyptian　papyri）；　I　was
reading　in　the　British　Museum。　Presently　I　returned　my　book　to
the　shelf；　and　then　slowly　walked　along　the　curving　wall　lined　with　volumes；
looking　to　see　if　I　could　light　on　anything　to　amuse　me。　I　took　out　a　volume
for　a　glance；　it　opened　of　itself　at　a　certain　page；　and　there　was　the
information　I　had　so　long　soughta　reprint　of　an　old　pamphlet　describing
the　visit　of　the　army　to　the　town　in　the　Civil　War。　So　chance　answered　the
question　in　the　course　of　time。

And　I　think　that；　seeing　how　great　a　part　chance　plays　in　human　affairs；　it
is　essential　that　study　should　be　made　of　chance；　it　seems　to　me　that　an
organon　from　experiment。　Then　there　is　the　inner　consciousnessthe
psychethat　has　never　yet　been　brought　to　bear　upon　life　and　its　questions。
Besides　which　there　is　a　super…sensuous　reason。　Often　I　have　argued　with
myself　that　such　and　such　a　course　was　the　right　one　to　follow；　while　in　the
intervals　of　thinking　about　it　an　undercurrent　of　unconscious　impulse　has
desired　me　to　do　the　reverse　or　to　remain　inactive。
Sometimes　it　has　happened　that　the　supersensuous　reasoning　has　been　correct；
and　the　most　faultless　argument　wrong。　I　presume　this　supersensuous
reasoning；　preceeding　independently　in　the　mind；　arises　from　preceptions　too
delicate　for　analysis。　From　these　considerations　alone　I　am　convinced　that；
by　the　aid　of　ideas　yet　to　be　discovered；　the　geological　time　in　front　may
be　immeasurably　shortened。　　These　modes　of　research　are　not　all。　The
psychethe　soul　in　metells　me　that　there　is　much　more；　that　these　are
merely　beginnings　of　the　crudest　kind。

I　fully　recognise　the　practical　difficulty　arising　from　the　ingrained；
hereditary；　and　unconscious　selfishness　which　began　before　history；　and　has
been　crossed　and　cultivated　for　twelve　thousand　years　since。　This　renders　me
less　sanguine　of　united　effort　through　geological　time　ahead；　unless　some
idea　can　be　formed　to　give　a　stronger　impulse　even　than　selfishness；　or
unless　the　selfishness　can　be　utilised。　The　complacency　with　which　the　mass
of　people　go　about　their　daily　task；　absolutely
indifferent　to　all　other　considerations；　is　appalling　in　its
concentrated　stolidity。　They　do　not　intend　wrongthey　intend　rightly：　in
truth；　they　work　against　the　entire　human　race。
So　wedded　and　so　confirmed　is　the　world　in　its　narrow　groove　of　self；　so
stolid　and　so　complacent　under　the　immense　weight　of　misery；　so　callous　to
its　own　possibilities；　and　so　grown　to　its　chains；　that　I　almost　despair　to
see　it　awakened。　Cemeteries　are　often　placed　on　hillsides；　and　the　white
stones　are　visible　far　off。　If　the　whole　of　the　dead　in　a　hillside　cemetery
were　called　up　alive　from　their　tombs；　and　walked　forth　down　into　the
valley；　it　would　not　rouse　the　mass　of　people　from　the　dense　pyramid　of
stolidity　which　presses　on　them。

There　would　be　gaping　and　marvelling　and　rushing　about；　and　what　then？　In　a
week　or　two　the　ploughman　would　settle　down　to　his　plough；　the　carpenter　to
his　bench；　the　smith　to　his　anvil；　the
merchant　to　his　money；　and　the　dead　come　to　life　would　be
utterly　forgotten。　No　matter　in　what　manner　the　possibilities
of　human　life　are　put　before　the　world；　the　crowd　continues　as　stolid　as
before。　Therefore　nothing　hitherto　done；　or　suggested；　or　thought　of；is　of
much　avail；　but　this　fact　in　no　degree
stays　me　from　the　search。　On　the　contrary；the　less　there　has　been
accomplished　the　more　anxious　I　am；　the　truth　it　teaches　is
that　the　mind　must　be　lifted　out　of　its　old　grooves　before　anything　will　be
certainly　begun。　Erase　the　past　from　the　mindstand　face　to　face　with　the
real　nowand　work　out　all　anew。　Call　the　soul　to　our　assistance；　the　soul
tells　me　that　outside　all　the　ideas　that　have　yet　occurred　there　are　others；
whole　circles　of　others。

I　remember　a　cameo　of　Augustus　Caesarthe　head　of　the　emperor　is　graven　in
delicate　lines；　and　shows　the　most　exquisite　proportions。　It　is　a　balanced
head；　a　head　adjusted　to　the　calmest　intellect。　That　head　when　it　was　living
contained　a　circle　of　ideas；　the　largest；　the　widest；　the　most　profound
current　in　his　time。　All　that　philosophy　had　taught；　all　that　practice；
experiment；　and　empiricism　had　discovered；　was　familiar　to　him。　There　was　no
knowledge　in　the　ancient　world　but　what　was　accessible　to　the　Emperor　of
Rome。　Now　at　this　day　there　are　amongst　us　heads　as　finely　proportioned　as
that　cut　out　in　the　cameo。　Though　these　living　men　do　not　possess　arbitrary
power；　the　advantages　of　arbitrary　poweras　far　as　knowledge　is
concernedare　secured　to　them　by　education；　by　the　printing…press；　and　the
facilities　of　our　era。　It　is　reasonable　to　imagine　a　head　of　our　time　filled
with　the　largest；　the　widest；　the　most　profound　ideas　current　in　the　age。
Augustus　Caesar；　however　great　his　intellect；　could　not　in　that　balanced
head　have　possessed　the　ideas　familiar　enough　to　the　living　head　of　this
day。