第46章

IsaidabovethattheattributesofAmericanlifewhichweshouldfinditnecessaryforourpurposetosignalizearesimplytheattributesofmodernlifeintheirmostexaggeratedphase。Istherenotacertainsenseinwhichallmodernhandiworkishastilyandimperfectlydone？Tobeginwithcommonhouseholdarts，doesnoteveryoneknowthatoldthingsaremoredurablethannewthings？Ourgrandfathersworebettershoesthanwewear，becausetherewasleisureenoughtocuretheleatherproperly。Inoldtimesachairwasmadeofseasonedwood，anditsjointscarefullyfitted；itsmakerhadleisuretoseethatitwaswellputtogether。Nowathousandareturnedoffatoncebymachinery，outofgreenwood，and，withtheirbacksgluedon，arehurriedofftotheirevilfate，——destinedtodropinpiecesiftheyhappentostandnearthefireplace，andliabletocollapseundertheweightofaheavyman。Someofusstillpreserve，asheirlooms，oldtablesandbedsteadsofCromwelliantimes:inthetwenty-firstcenturywhatwillhavebecomeofourmachine-madebedsteadsandtables？ Perhapsitmayseemoddtotalkabouttanningandjoineryinconnectionwithculture，butindeedthereisasubtlebondofunionholdingtogetherallthesethings。Anyphaseoflifecanbeunderstoodonlybyassociatingwithitsomedifferentphase。 Sokrateshimselfhastaughtushowthehomelythingsillustratethegrandthings。IfweturntotheartofmusicalcompositionandinquireintosomeofthedifferencesbetweenourrecentmusicandthatofHandel’stime，weshallalightupontheverycriticismwhichMr。Millsomewheremakesincomparingancientwithmodernliterature:thesubstancehasimproved，buttheformhasinsomerespectsdeteriorated。Themodernmusicexpressestheresultsofaricherandmorevariedemotionalexperience，andinwealthofharmonicresources，tosaynothingofincreasedskillinorchestration，itisnotablysuperiortotheoldmusic。Alongwiththisadvance，however，thereisaperceptiblefallingoffinsymmetryandcompletenessofdesign，andinwhatIwouldcallspontaneousnessofcomposition。Ibelievethatthisisbecausemoderncomposers，asarule，donotdrudgepatientlyenoughuponcounterpoint。TheydonotgetthatabsolutemasteryovertechnicaldifficultiesoffigurationwhichwasthegreatsecretoftheincrediblefacilityandspontaneityofcompositiondisplayedbyHandelandBach。AmongrecentmusiciansMendelssohnisthemostthoroughlydisciplinedintheelementsofcounterpoint；anditisthisperfectmasteryofthetechniqueofhisartwhichhasenabledhimtooutrankSchubertandSchumann，neitherofwhomwouldoneventuretopronounceinferiortohiminnativewealthofmusicalideas。MaywenotpartlyattributetorudimentarydeficiencyincounterpointtheirregularityofstructurewhichsooftendisfigurestheworksofthegreatWagnerandthelesserLiszt，andwhichthemoreardentadmirersofthesecomposersareinclinedtoregardasasymptomofprogress？ Iamtoldthatasimilarillustrationmightbedrawnfromthemodernhistoryofpainting；that，howevernobletheconceptionsofthegreatpaintersofthepresentcentury，therearenonewhohavegainedsuchacompletemasteryoverthetechnicalitiesofdrawingandthehandlingofthebrushaswasrequiredinthetimesofRaphael，Titian，andRubens。ButonthispointIcanonlyspeakfromhearsay，andamquitewillingtoendheremyseriesofillustrations，fearingthatImayalreadyhavebeenwronglysetdownasalavulatortemporisacti。Nottheidlepraisingoftimesgoneby，butthegettingalessonfromthemwhichmaybeofusetous，hasbeenmyobject。AndIbelieveenoughhasbeensaidtoshowthatthegreatcomplexityofmodernlife，withitsmultiplicityofdemandsuponourenergy，hasgotusintoastateofchronichurry，theresultsofwhichareeverywheretobeseenintheshapeoflessthoroughworkmanshipandlessroundedculture。 Foronemomentletmestoptonoteafurthersourceoftherelativeimperfectionofmodernculture，whichisbestillustratedinthecaseofliterature。Ialludetotheimmense，unorganizedmassofliteratureinalldepartments，representingtheaccumulatedacquisitionsofpastages，whichmustformthebasisofourownachievement，butwithwhichourpresentmethodsofeducationseeminadequatetodealproperly。Speakingroughly，modernliteraturemaybesaidtobegettingintothestatewhichRomanjurisprudencewasinbeforeitwasreformedbyJustinian。 Philosophiccriticismhasnotyetreachedthepointatwhichitmayserveasanaturalcodifier。Wemustreadlaboriouslyandexpendadisproportionateamountoftimeandpainsinwinnowingthechafffromthewheat。Thistendstomakeus“digs“orliterarydrudges；butIdoubtifthe“dig“isathoroughlydevelopedman。Goethe，withallhisboundlessknowledge，hisuniversalcuriosity，andhisadmirablecapacityforwork，wasnota“dig。“Butthismattercanonlybehintedat:itistoolargetobewelldiscussedatthefagendofanessaywhileotherpointsarepressingforconsideration。 Astateofchronichurrynotonlydirectlyhinderstheperformanceofthoroughwork，butithasanindirecttendencytoblunttheenjoymentoflife。Letusconsiderforamomentoneofthepsychologicalconsequencesentailedbythestrainofatoocomplexandrapidactivity。Everyonemusthaveobservedthatingoingoffforavacationoftwoorthreeweeks，oringettingfreedinanywayfromtherutsofevery-daylife，timeslackensitsgaitsomewhat，andtheeventswhichoccurareaptafewyearslatertocoveradisproportionatelylargeareainourrecollections。Thisisbecausethehumanorganismisanaturaltimepieceinwhichtheticksareconscioussensations。Thegreaterthenumberofsensationswhichoccupytheforegroundofconsciousnessduringtheday，thelongerthedayseemsintheretrospect。Butthevariousgroupsofsensationswhichaccompanyourdailyworktendtobecomeautomaticfromcontinualrepetition，andtosinkintothebackgroundofconsciousness；andinaverycomplexandbusiedlifethenumberofsensationsorstatesofconsciousnesswhichcanstruggleuptothefrontandgetattendedto，iscomparativelysmallItisthusthatthedaysseemsoshortwhenwearebusyaboutevery-daymatters，andthattheygetblurredtogether，andasitwereindividuallyannihilatedinrecollection。Whenwetravel，acomparativelylargenumberoffreshsensationsoccupyattention，thereisamaximumofconsciousness，andadistinctimageislefttoloomupinmemory。Forthesamereasontheweeksandyearsaremuchlongertothechildthantothegrownman。Thelifeissimplerandlesshurried，sothatthereistimetoattendtoagreatmanysensations。Nowthisfactliesatthebottomofthatkeenenjoymentofexistencewhichistheprerogativeofchildhoodandearlyyouth。Thedayisnotrushedthroughbytheautomaticdischargeofcertainpsychicalfunctions，buteachsensationstayslongenoughtomakeitselfrecognized。Nowwhenonceweunderstandthepsychologyofthismatter，itbecomesevidentthatthesamecontrastthatholdsbetweenthechildandthemanmustholdalsobetweentheancientandthemodern。Thenumberofelementsenteringintoancientlifeweresofewrelatively，thattheremusthavebeenfarmorethanthereisnowofthatintenserealizationoflifewhichwecanobserveinchildrenandrememberofourownchildhood。Spacepermitting，itwouldbeeasytoshowfromGreekliteraturehowintensewasthisrealizationoflife。 Butmypointwillalreadyhavebeensufficientlyapprehended。 Alreadywecannotfailtoseehowdifficultitistogetmorethanaminimumofconsciousfruitionoutofatoocomplexandrapidactivity。 Oneotherpointisworthnoticingbeforeweclose。Howisthisturmoilofmodernexistenceimpressingitselfuponthephysicalconstitutionsofmodernmenandwomen？Whenanindividualmanengagesinfuriousproductiveactivity，hisfriendswarnhimthathewillbreakdown。Doesthecollectivemanofourtimeneedsomesuchfriendlywarning？Letusfirstgetahintfromwhatforeignersthinkofusultra-modernizedAmericans。Wanderingjournalists，ofanethnologicalturnofmind，whovisittheseshores，professtobestruckwiththeslenderness，theapparentlackoftoughness，thedyspepticlook，oftheAmericanphysique。 AndfromsuchobservationsithasbeenseriouslyarguedthatthestalwartEnglishraceissufferinginevitabledegeneracyinthisforeignclimate。Ihaveevenseenitdoubtedwhetheraraceofmencaneverbecomethoroughlynaturalizedinalocalitytowhichitisnotindigenous。TosuchvagariesitisasufficientanswerthattheEnglisharenomoreindigenoustoEnglandthantoAmerica。TheyareindigenoustoCentralAsia，andastheyhavesurvivedthefirsttransplantation，theymaybesafelycountedontosurvivethesecond。Amorecarefulsurveywillteachusthattheslowalterationofphysiquewhichisgoingoninthiscountryisonlyanexaggerationofthatwhichmoderncivilizationistendingtobringabouteverywhere。Itiscausedbytheprematureandexcessivestrainuponthementalpowersrequisitetomeettheemergenciesofourcomplexlife。Theprogressofeventshasthrowntheworkofsustaininglifesolargelyuponthebrainthatwearebeginningtosacrificethephysicaltotheintellectual。 Wearegrowingspirituelleinappearanceattheexpenseofrobustness。CompareanytypicalGreekface，withitsfirmmuscles，itssymmetryoffeature，anditsserenityofexpression，toatypicalmodernportrait，withitsmoredelicatecontour，itsexaggeratedforehead，itsthoughtful，perhapsjadedlook。OrconsiderinwhatrespectsthegrandfacesofthePlantagenetmonarchsdifferfromtherefinedcountenancesoftheleadingEnglishstatesmenofto-day。Oragain，considerthefamiliarpicturesoftheOxfordandHarvardcrewswhichrowedaraceontheThamesin1869，andobservehowmuchlessyouthfularethefacesoftheAmericans。Bycontrasttheyalmostlookcareworn。 Thesummingupofcountlesssuchfactsisthatmoderncivilizationismakingusnervous。Ourmostformidablediseasesareofnervousorigin。Weseemtohavegotridofthemediaevalplagueandmanyofitstyphoidcongeners；butinsteadwehaveanincreasedamountofinsanity，methomania，consumption，dyspepsia，andparalysis。Inthisfactitisplainlywrittenthatwearesufferingphysicallyfromtheover-workandover-excitemententailedbyexcessivehurry。 Inviewofthesevariousbutnearlyrelatedpointsofdifferencebetweenancientandmodernlifeasstudiedintheirextrememanifestations，itcannotbedeniedthatwhilewehavegainedmuch，wehavealsolostagooddealthatisvaluable，inourprogress。Wecannotbutsuspectthatwearenotinallpointsmorehighlyfavouredthantheancients。AnditbecomesprobablethatAthens，atallevents，whichIhavechosenasmyexample，mayhaveexhibitedanadumbrationofastateofthingswhich，fortheworldatlarge，isstillinthefuture，——stilltoberemotelyhopedfor。Therichcomplexityofmodernsocialachievementisattainedatthecostofindividualmany-sidedness。AsTennysonputsit，“Theindividualwithersandtheworldismoreandmore。“ Yettheindividualdoesnotexistforthesakeofsociety，asthepositivistswouldhaveusbelieve，butsocietyexistsforthesakeoftheindividual。Andthetestofcompletesociallifeistheopportunitywhichitaffordsforcompleteindividuallife。 Triedbythistest，ourcontemporarycivilizationwillappearseriouslydefective，——excellentonlyasapreparationforsomethingbetter。 Thisisthetruelightinwhichtoregardit。Thisincessantturmoil，thisrageforaccumulationofwealth，thiscrowding，jostling，andtramplingupononeanother，cannotberegardedaspermanent，orasanythingmorethantheaccompanimentofatransitionalstageofcivilization。Theremustbealimittotheextenttowhichthestandardofcomfortablelivingcanberaised。 Theindustrialorganizationofsociety，whichisnowbutbeginning，mustculminateinastateofthingsinwhichthemeansofexpensewillexceedthedemandforexpense，inwhichthehumanracewillhavesomesurpluscapital。Theincessantmanuallabourwhichtheancientsrelegatedtoslaveswillincourseoftimebemoreandmorelargelyperformedbyinanimatemachinery。Unskilledlabourwillforthemostpartdisappear。Skilledlabourwillconsistintheguidingofimplementscontrivedwithversatilecunningforthereliefofhumannerveandmuscle。Ultimatelytherewillbenounsettledlandtofill，nofrontierlife，nosavageracestobeassimilatedorextirpated，noextensivemigration。Thuslifewillagainbecomecomparativelystationary。 Thechancesformakinggreatfortunesquicklywillbediminished，whilethefacilitiesforacquiringacompetencebysteadylabourwillbeincreased。Wheneveryoneisabletoreachthenormalstandardofcomfortableliving，wemustsupposethattheexaggeratedappetiteforwealthanddisplaywillgraduallydisappear。Weshallbemoreeasilysatisfied，andthusenjoymoreleisure。Itmaybethattherewillultimatelyexist，overthecivilizedworld，conditionsasfavourabletothecompletefruitionoflifeasthosewhichformerlyexistedwithinthenarrowcircuitofAttika；savethatthepartonceplayedbyenslavedhumanbrainandmusclewillfinallybeplayedbytheenslavedforcesofinsentientnature。Societywillatlastbearthetestofprovidingforthecompletedevelopmentofitsindividualmembers。 So，atleast，wemayhope；suchistheprobabilitywhichtheprogressofevents，whencarefullyquestioned，sketchesoutforus。“Needwefear，“asksMr。Greg，“thattheworldwouldstagnateundersuchachange？Needweguardourselvesagainstthemisconstructionofbeingheldtorecommendalifeofcomplacentandingloriousinaction？Wethinknot。Wewouldonlysubstituteanoblerforameanerstrife，——arationalforanexcessivetoil，——anenjoymentthatspringsfromserenity，foronethatspringsfromexcitementonly……Toeachtimeitsownpreacher，toeachexcessitsowncounteraction。Inanageofdissipation，languor，andstagnation，weshouldjoinwithMr。 Carlyleinpreachingthe’EvangelofWork，’andsaywithhim，’Blessedisthemanwhohasfoundhiswork，——lethimasknootherblessedness。’Inanageofstrenuous，frenzied，……andoftenutterlyirrationalandobjectlessexertion，wejoinMr。Millinpreachingthemilderandmoreneeded’EvangelofLeisure。’“ Bearingallthesethingsinmind，wemayunderstandtheremarkofthesupremelycultivatedGoethe，whenaskedwhowerehismasters: DieGriechen，dieGriechen，undimmerdieGriechen。WemayappreciatethesignificanceofMr。Mill’sargumentinfavourofthestudyofantiquity，thatitpreservesthetraditionofaneraofindividualcompleteness。Thereisadispositiongrowingamongustoremodelourmethodsofeducationinconformitywiththetemporaryrequirementsoftheageinwhichwelive。Inthisendeavourthereismuchthatiswiseandpractical；butinsofarasittendstotheneglectofantiquity，Icannotthinkitwell-timed。Oureducationshouldnotonlyenhancethevalueofwhatwepossess；isshouldalsosupplytheconsciousnessofwhatwelack。Andwhile，forgenerationstocome，wepasstoilfullythroughaneraofexorbitantindustrialism，somefragmentofourtimewillnotbemisspentinkeepingalivethetraditionofastateofthingswhichwasoncebrieflyenjoyedbyalittlecommunity，butwhich，inthedistantfuture，will，asitishoped，becomethepermanentpossessionofallmankind。 End