man and superman-第4章

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stumbling　hither　and　thither　in　the　line　of　least　resistance。
Hence　there　is　a　driving　towards　truth　in　all　books　on　matters
where　the　writer；　though　exceptionally　gifted　is　normally
constituted；　and　has　no　private　axe　to　grind。　Copernicus　had　no
motive　for　misleading　his　fellowmen　as　to　the　place　of　the　sun　in
the　solar　system：　he　looked　for　it　as　honestly　as　a　shepherd
seeks　his　path　in　a　mist。　But　Copernicus　would　not　have　written
love　stories　scientifically。　When　it　comes　to　sex　relations；　the
man　of　genius　does　not　share　the　common　man's　danger　of　capture；
nor　the　woman　of　genius　the　common　woman's　overwhelming
specialization。　And　that　is　why　our　scriptures　and　other　art
works；　when　they　deal　with　love；　turn　from　honest　attempts　at
science　in　physics　to　romantic　nonsense；　erotic　ecstasy；　or　the
stern　asceticism　of　satiety　（〃the　road　of　excess　leads　to　the
palace　of　wisdom〃　said　William　Blake；　for　〃you　never　know　what　is
enough　unless　you　know　what　is　more　than　enough〃）。

There　is　a　political　aspect　of　this　sex　question　which　is　too　big
for　my　comedy；　and　too　momentous　to　be　passed　over　without
culpable　frivolity。　It　is　impossible　to　demonstrate　that　the
initiative　in　sex　transactions　remains　with　Woman；　and　has　been
confirmed　to　her；　so　far；　more　and　more　by　the　suppression　of
rapine　and　discouragement　of　importunity；　without　being　driven　to
very　serious　reflections　on　the　fact　that　this　initiative　is
politically　the　most　important　of　all　the　initiatives；　because
our　political　experiment　of　democracy；　the　last　refuge　of　cheap
misgovernment；　will　ruin　us　if　our　citizens　are　ill　bred。

When　we　two　were　born；　this　country　was　still　dominated　by　a
selected　class　bred　by　political　marriages。　The　commercial　class
had　not　then　completed　the　first　twenty…five　years　of　its　new
share　of　political　power；　and　it　was　itself　selected　by　money
qualification；　and　bred；　if　not　by　political　marriage；　at　least
by　a　pretty　rigorous　class　marriage。　Aristocracy　and　plutocracy
still　furnish　the　figureheads　of　politics；　but　they　are　now
dependent　on　the　votes　of　the　promiscuously　bred　masses。　And
this；　if　you　please；　at　the　very　moment　when　the　political
problem；　having　suddenly　ceased　to　mean　a　very　limited　and
occasional　interference；　mostly　by　way　of　jobbing　public
appointments；　in　the　mismanagement　of　a　tight　but　parochial
little　island；　with　occasional　meaningless　prosecution　of
dynastic　wars；　has　become　the　industrial　reorganization　of
Britain；　the　construction　of　a　practically　international
Commonwealth；　and　the　partition　of　the　whole　of　Africa　and
perhaps　the　whole　of　Asia　by　the　civilized　Powers。　Can　you
believe　that　the　people　whose　conceptions　of　society　and　conduct；
whose　power　of　attention　and　scope　of　interest；　are　measured　by
the　British　theatre　as　you　know　it　to…day；　can　either　handle　this
colossal　task　themselves；　or　understand　and　support　the　sort　of
mind　and　character　that　is　（at　least　comparatively）　capable　of
handling　it？　For　remember：　what　our　voters　are　in　the　pit　and
gallery　they　are　also　in　the　polling　booth。　We　are　all　now　under
what　Burke　called　〃the　hoofs　of　the　swinish　multitude。〃　Burke's
language　gave　great　offence　because　the　implied　exceptions　to　its
universal　application　made　it　a　class　insult；　and　it　certainly
was　not　for　the　pot　to　call　the　kettle　black。　The　aristocracy　he
defended；　in　spite　of　the　political　marriages　by　which　it　tried
to　secure　breeding　for　itself；　had　its　mind　undertrained　by　silly
schoolmasters　and　governesses；　its　character　corrupted　by
gratuitous　luxury；　its　self…respect　adulterated　to　complete
spuriousness　by　flattery　and　flunkeyism。　It　is　no　better　to…day
and　never　will　be　any　better：　our　very　peasants　have　something
morally　hardier　in　them　that　culminates　occasionally　in　a　Bunyan；
a　Burns；　or　a　Carlyle。　But　observe；　this　aristocracy；　which　was
overpowered　from　1832　to　1885　by　the　middle　class；　has　come　back
to　power　by　the　votes　of　〃the　swinish　multitude。〃　Tom　Paine　has
triumphed　over　Edmund　Burke；　and　the　swine　are　now　courted
electors。　How　many　of　their　own　class　have　these　electors　sent　to
parliament？　Hardly　a　dozen　out　of　670；　and　these　only　under　the
persuasion　of　conspicuous　personal　qualifications　and　popular
eloquence。　The　multitude　thus　pronounces　judgment　on　its　own
units：　it　admits　itself　unfit　to　govern；　and　will　vote　only　for　a
man　morphologically　and　generically　transfigured　by　palatial
residence　and　equipage；　by　transcendent　tailoring；　by　the　glamor
of　aristocratic　kinship。　Well；　we　two　know　these　transfigured
persons；　these　college　passmen；　these　well　groomed　monocular
Algys　and　Bobbies；　these　cricketers　to　whom　age　brings　golf
instead　of　wisdom；　these　plutocratic　products　of　〃the　nail　and
sarspan　business　as　he　got　his　money　by。〃　Do　you　know　whether　to
laugh　or　cry　at　the　notion　that　they；　poor　devils！　will　drive　a
team　of　continents　as　they　drive　a　four…in…hand；　turn　a　jostling
anarchy　of　casual　trade　and　speculation　into　an　ordered
productivity；　and　federate　our　colonies　into　a　world…Power　of　the
first　magnitude？　Give　these　people　the　most　perfect　political
constitution　and　the　soundest　political　program　that　benevolent
omniscience　can　devise　for　them；　and　they　will　interpret　it　into
mere　fashionable　folly　or　canting　charity　as　infallibly　as　a
savage　converts　the　philosophical　theology　of　a　Scotch　missionary
into　crude　African　idolatry。

I　do　not　know　whether　you　have　any　illusions　left　on　the　subject
of　education；　progress；　and　so　forth。　I　have　none。　Any
pamphleteer　can　show　the　way　to　better　things；　but　when　there　is
no　will　there　is　no　way。　My　nurse　was　fond　of　remarking　that　you
cannot　make　a　silk　purse　out　of　a　sow's　ear；　and　the　more　I　see
of　the　efforts　of　our　churches　and　universities　and　literary
sages　to　raise　the　mass　above　its　own　level；　the　more　convinced　I
am　that　my　nurse　was　right。　Progress　can　do　nothing　but　make　the
most　of　us　all　as　we　are；　and　that　most　would　clearly　not　be
enough　even　if　those　who　are　already　raised　out　of　the　lowest
abysses　would　allow　the　others　a　chance。　The　bubble　of　Heredity
has　been　pricked：　the　certainty　that　acquirements　are　negligible
as　elements　in　practical　heredity　has　demolished　the　hopes　of　the
educationists　as　well　as　the　terrors　of　the　degeneracy　mongers；
and　we　know　now　that　there　is　no　hereditary　〃governing　class〃　any
more　than　a　hereditary　hooliganism。　We　must　either　breed
political　capacity　or　be　ruined　by　Democracy；　which　was　forced　on
us　by　the　failure　of　the　older　alternatives。　Yet　if　Despotism
failed　only　for　want　of　a　capable　benevolent　despot；　what　chance
has　Democracy；　which　requires　a　whole　population　of　capable
voters：　that　is；　of　political　critics　who；　if　they　cannot　govern
in　person　for　lack　of　spare　energy　or　specific　talent　for
administration；　can　at　least　recognize　and　appreciate　capacity
and　benevolence　in　others；　and　so　govern　through　capably
benevolent　representatives？　Where　are　such　voters　to　be　found
to…day？　Nowhere。　Promiscuous　breeding　has　produced　a　weakness　of
character　that　is　too　timid　to　face　the　full　stringency　of　a
thoroughly　competitive　struggle　for　existence　and　too　lazy　and
petty　to　organize　the　commonwealth　co…operatively。　Being　cowards；
we　defeat　natural　selection　under　cover　of　philanthropy：　being
sluggards；　we　neglect　artificial　selection　under　cover　of
delicacy　and　morality。

Yet　we　must　get　an　electorate　of　capable　critics　or　collapse　as
Rome　and　Egypt　collapsed。　At　this　moment　the　Roman　decadent　phase
of　panem　et　circenses　is　being　inaugurated　under　our　eyes。　Our
newspapers　and　melodramas　are　blustering　about　our　imperial
destiny；　but　our　eyes　and　hearts　turn　eagerly　to　the　American
millionaire。　As　his　hand　goes　down　to　his　pocket；　our　fingers　go
up　to　the　brims　of　our　hats　by　instinct。　Our　ideal　prosperity　is
not　the　prosperity　of　the　industrial　north；　but　the　prosperity　of
the　Isle　of　Wight；　of　Folkestone　and　Ramsgate；　of　Nice　and　Monte
Carlo。　That　is　the　only　prosperity　you　see　on　the　stage；　where
the　workers　are　all　footmen；　parlourmaids；　comic　lodging…letters
and　fashionable　professional　men；　whilst　the　heroes　and　heroines
are　miraculously　provided　with　unlimited　dividends；　and　eat
gratuitously；　like　the　knights　in　Don　Quixote's　books　of
chivalry。

The　city　papers　prate　of　the　competition　of　Bombay　with
Manchester　and　the　like。　The　real　competition　is　the　competition
of　Regent　Street　with　the　Rue　de　Rivoli；　of　Brighton　and　the
south　coast　with　the　Riviera；　for　the　spending　money　of　the
American　Trusts。　What　is　all　this　growing　love　of　pageantry；　this
effusive　loyalty；　this　officious　rising　and　uncovering　at　a　wave
from　a　flag　or　a　blast　from　a　brass　band？　Imperialism：　Not　a　bit
of　it。　Obsequiousness；　servility；　cupidity　roused　by　the
prevailing　smell　of　money。　When　Mr　Carnegie　rattled　his　millions
in　his　pockets　all　England　became　one　rapacious　cringe。　Only；
when　Rhodes　（who　had　probably　been　reading　my　Socialism　for
Millionaires）　left　word　that　no　idler　was　to　inherit　his　estate；
the　bent　backs　straightened　mistrustfully　for　a　moment。　Could　it
be　that　the　Diamond　King　was　no　gentleman　after　all？　However；　it
was　easy　to　ignore　a　rich　man's　solecism。　The　ungentlemanly
clause　was　not　mentioned　again；　and　the　backs　soon　bowed
themselves　back　into　their　natural　shape。

But　I　hear　you　asking　me　in　alarm　whether　I　have　actually　put　all
this　tub　thumping　into　a　Don　Juan　comedy。　I　have　not。　I　have　only
made　my　Don　Juan　a　political　pamphleteer；　and　given　you　his
pamphlet　in　full　by　way　of　appendix。　You　will　find　it　at　the　end
of　the　book。　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　it　is　a　common　practice　with
romancers　to　announce　their　hero　as　a　man　of　extraordinary
genius；　and　to　leave　his　works　entirely　to　the　reader's
imagination；　so　that　at　the　end　of　the　book　you　whisper　to
yourself　ruefully　that　but　for　the　author's　solemn　preliminary
assurance　you　should　hardly　have　given　the　gentleman　credit　for
ordinary　good　sense。　You　cannot　accuse　me　of　this　pitiable
barrenness；　this　feeble　evasion。　I　not　only　tell　you　that　my　hero
wrote　a　revolutionists'　handbook：　I　give　you　the　handbook　at　full
length　for　your　edification　if　you　care　to　read　it。　And　in　that
handbook　you　will　find　the　politics　of　the　sex　question　as　I
conceive　Don　Juan's　descendant　to　understand　them。　Not　that　I
disclaim　the　fullest　responsibility　for　his　opinions　and　for
those　of　all　my　characters；　pleasant　and　unpleasant。　They　are　all
right　from　their　several　points　of　view；　and　their　points　of　view
are；　for　the　dramatic　moment；　mine　also。　This　may　puzzle　the
people　who　believe　that　there　is　such　a　thing　as　an　absolutely
right　point　of　view；　usually　their　own。　It　may　seem　to　them　that
nobody　who　doubts　this　can　be　in　a　state　of　grace。　However　that
may　be；　it　is　certainly　true　that　nobody　who　agrees　with　them　can
possibly　be　a　dramatist；　or　indeed　anything　else　that　turns　upon
a　knowledge　of　mankind。　Hence　it　has　been　pointed　out　that
Shakespear　had　no　conscience。　Neither　have　I；　in　that　sense。

You　may；　however；　remind　me　that　this　digression　of　mine　into
politics　was　preceded　by　a　very　convincing　demonstration　that　the
artist　never　catches　the　point　of　view　of　the　com