sartor resartus-第32章

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e　Seal…emblem；　the　commonest　Truth　stands　out　to　us　proclaimed　with　quite　new　emphasis。

〃For　it　is　here　that　Fantasy　with　her　mystic　wonderland　plays　into　the　small　prose　domain　of　Sense；　and　becomes　incorporated　therewith。　　In　the　Symbol　proper；　what　we　can　call　a　Symbol；　there　is　ever；　more　or　less　distinctly　and　directly；　some　embodiment　and　revelation　of　the　Infinite；　the　Infinite　is　made　to　blend　itself　with　the　Finite；　to　stand　visible；　and　as　it　were；　attainable　there。　　By　Symbols；　accordingly；　is　man　guided　and　commanded；　made　happy；　made　wretched：　　He　everywhere　finds　himself　encompassed　with　Symbols；　recognized　as　such　or　not　recognized：　　the　Universe　is　but　one　vast　Symbol　of　God；　nay　if　thou　wilt　have　it；　what　is　man　himself　but　a　Symbol　of　God；　is　not　all　that　he　does　symbolical；　a　revelation　to　Sense　of　the　mystic　god…given　force　that　is　in　him；　a　'Gospel　of　Freedom；'　which　he；　the　'Messias　of　Nature；'　preaches；　as　he　can；　by　act　and　word？　　Not　a　Hut　he　builds　but　is　the　visible　embodiment　of　a　Thought；　but　bears　visible　record　of　invisible　things；　but　is；　in　the　transcendental　sense；　symbolical　as　well　as　real。〃

〃Man；〃　says　the　Professor　elsewhere；　in　quite　antipodal　contrast　with　these　high…soaring　delineations；　which　we　have　here　cut　short　on　the　verge　of　the　inane；　〃Man　is　by　birth　somewhat　of　an　owl。　　Perhaps；　too；　of　all　the　owleries　that　ever　possessed　him；　the　most　owlish；　if　we　consider　it；　is　that　of　your　actually　existing　Motive…Millwrights。　　Fantastic　tricks　enough　man　has　played；　in　his　time；　has　fancied　himself　to　be　most　things；　down　even　to　an　animated　heap　of　Glass：　　but　to　fancy　himself　a　dead　Iron…Balance　for　weighing　Pains　and　Pleasures　on；　was　reserved　for　this　his　latter　era。　　There　stands　he；　his　Universe　one　huge　Manger；　filled　with　hay　and　thistles　to　be　weighed　against　each　other；　and　looks　long…eared　enough。　Alas；　poor　devil！　　spectres　are　appointed　to　haunt　him：　　one　age　he　is　hag…ridden；　bewitched；　the　next；　priest…ridden；　befooled；　in　all　ages；　bedevilled。　　And　now　the　Genius　of　Mechanism　smothers　him　worse　than　any　Nightmare　did；　till　the　Soul　is　nigh　choked　out　of　him；　and　only　a　kind　of　Digestive；　Mechanic　life　remains。　　In　Earth　and　in　Heaven　he　can　see　nothing　but　Mechanism；　has　fear　for　nothing　else；　hope　in　nothing　else：　the　world　would　indeed　grind　him　to　pieces；　but　cannot　he　fathom　the　Doctrine　of　Motives；　and　cunningly　compute　these；　and　mechanize　them　to　grind　the　other　way？

〃Were　he　not；　as　has　been　said；　purblinded　by　enchantment；　you　had　but　to　bid　him　open　his　eyes　and　look。　　In　which　country；　in　which　time；　was　it　hitherto　that　man's　history；　or　the　history　of　any　man；　went　on　by　calculated　or　calculable　'Motives'？　　What　make　ye　of　your　Christianities；　and　Chivalries；　and　Reformations；　and　Marseillaise　Hymns；　and　Reigns　of　Terror？　　Nay；　has　not　perhaps　the　Motive…grinder　himself　been　in　_Love_？　Did　he　never　stand　so　much　as　a　contested　Election？　　Leave　him　to　Time；　and　the　medicating　virtue　of　Nature。〃

〃Yes；　Friends；〃　elsewhere　observes　the　Professor；　〃not　our　Logical；　Mensurative　faculty；　but　our　Imaginative　one　is　King　over　us；　I　might　say；　Priest　and　Prophet　to　lead　us　heavenward；　or　Magician　and　Wizard　to　lead　us　hellward。　　Nay；　even　for　the　basest　Sensualist；　what　is　Sense　but　the　implement　of　Fantasy；　the　vessel　it　drinks　out　of？　　Ever　in　the　dullest　existence　there　is　a　sheen　either　of　Inspiration　or　of　Madness　（thou　partly　hast　it　in　thy　choice；　which　of　the　two）；　that　gleams　in　from　the　circumambient　Eternity；　and　colors　with　its　own　hues　our　little　islet　of　Time。　　The　Understanding　is　indeed　thy　window；　too　clear　thou　canst　not　make　it；　but　Fantasy　is　thy　eye；　with　its　color…giving　retina；　healthy　or　diseased。　　Have　not　I　myself　known　five　hundred　living　soldiers　sabred　into　crows'…meat　for　a　piece　of　glazed　cotton；　which　they　called　their　Flag；　which；　had　you　sold　it　at　any　market…cross；　would　not　have　brought　above　three　groschen？　　Did　not　the　whole　Hungarian　Nation　rise；　like　some　tumultuous　moon…stirred　Atlantic；　when　Kaiser　Joseph　pocketed　their　Iron　Crown；　an　implement；　as　was　sagaciously　observed；　in　size　and　commercial　value　little　differing　from　a　horse…shoe？　　It　is　in　and　through　_Symbols_　that　man；　consciously　or　unconsciously；　lives；　works；　and　has　his　being：　those　ages；　moreover；　are　accounted　the　noblest　which　can　the　best　recognize　symbolical　worth；　and　prize　it　the　highest。　　For　is　not　a　Symbol　ever；　to　him　who　has　eyes　for　it；　some　dimmer　or　clearer　revelation　of　the　Godlike？

〃Of　Symbols；　however；　I　remark　farther；　that　they　have　both　an　extrinsic　and　intrinsic　value；　oftenest　the　former　only。　　What；　for　instance；　was　in　that　clouted　Shoe；　which　the　Peasants　bore　aloft　with　them　as　ensign　in　their　_Bauernkrieg_　（Peasants'　War）？　　Or　in　the　Wallet…and…staff　round　which　the　Netherland　_Gueux_；　glorying　in　that　nickname　of　Beggars；　heroically　rallied　and　prevailed；　though　against　King　Philip　himself？　Intrinsic　significance　these　had　none：　　only　extrinsic；　as　the　accidental　Standards　of　multitudes　more　or　less　sacredly　uniting　together；　in　which　union　itself；　as　above　noted；　there　is　ever　something　mystical　and　borrowing　of　the　Godlike。　　Under　a　like　category；　too；　stand；　or　stood；　the　stupidest　heraldic　Coats…of…arms；　military　Banners　everywhere；　and　generally　all　national　or　other　sectarian　Costumes　and　Customs：　　they　have　no　intrinsic；　necessary　divineness；　or　even　worth；　but　have　acquired　an　extrinsic　one。　　Nevertheless　through　all　these　there　glimmers　something　of　a　Divine　Idea；　as　through　military　Banners　themselves；　the　Divine　Idea　of　Duty；　of　heroic　Daring；　in　some　instances　of　Freedom；　of　Right。　　Nay　the　highest　ensign　that　men　ever　met　and　embraced　under；　the　Cross　itself；　had　no　meaning　save　an　accidental　extrinsic　one。

〃Another　matter　it　is；　however；　when　your　Symbol　has　intrinsic　meaning；　and　is　of　itself　_fit_　that　men　should　unite　round　it。　　Let　but　the　Godlike　manifest　itself　to　Sense；　let　but　Eternity　look；　more　or　less　visibly；　through　the　Time…Figure　（_Zeitbild_）！　　Then　is　it　fit　that　men　unite　there；　and　worship　together　before　such　Symbol；　and　so　from　day　to　day；　and　from　age　to　age；　superadd　to　it　new　divineness。

〃Of　this　latter　sort　are　all　true　Works　of　Art：　　in　them　（if　thou　know　a　Work　of　Art　from　a　Daub　of　Artifice）　wilt　thou　discern　Eternity　looking　through　Time；　the　Godlike　rendered　visible。　　Here　too　may　an　extrinsic　value　gradually　superadd　itself：　　thus　certain　_Iliads_；　and　the　like；　have；　in　three　thousand　years；　attained　quite　new　significance。　　But　nobler　than　all　in　this　kind　are　the　Lives　of　heroic　god…inspired　Men；　for　what　other　Work　of　Art　is　so　divine？　　In　Death　too；　in　the　Death　of　the　Just；　as　the　last　perfection　of　a　Work　of　Art；　may　we　not　discern　symbolic　meaning？　In　that　divinely　transfigured　Sleep；　as　of　Victory；　resting　over　the　beloved　face　which　now　knows　thee　no　more；　read　（if　thou　canst　for　tears）　the　confluence　of　Time　with　Eternity；　and　some　gleam　of　the　latter　peering　through。

〃Highest　of　all　Symbols　are　those　wherein　the　Artist　or　Poet　has　risen　into　Prophet；　and　all　men　can　recognize　a　present　God；　and　worship　the　Same：　　I　mean　religious　Symbols。　　Various　enough　have　been　such　religious　Symbols；　what　we　call　_Religions_；　as　men　stood　in　this　stage　of　culture　or　the　other；　and　could　worse　or　better　body　forth　the　Godlike：　　some　Symbols　with　a　transient　intrinsic　worth；　many　with　only　an　extrinsic。　　If　thou　ask　to　what　height　man　has　carried　it　in　this　manner；　look　on　our　divinest　Symbol：　on　Jesus　of　Nazareth；　and　his　Life；　and　his　Biography；　and　what　followed　therefrom。　　Higher　has　the　human　Thought　not　yet　reached：　　this　is　Christianity　and　Christendom；　a　Symbol　of　quite　perennial；　infinite　character；　whose　significance　will　ever　demand　to　be　anew　inquired　into；　and　anew　made　manifest。

〃But；　on　the　whole；　as　Time　adds　much　to　the　sacredness　of　Symbols；　so　likewise　in　his　progress　he　at　length　defaces；　or　even　desecrates　them；　and　Symbols；　like　all　terrestrial　Garments；　wax　old。　　Homer's　Epos　has　not　ceased　to　be　true；　yet　it　is　no　longer　our　Epos；　but　shines　in　the　distance；　if　clearer　and　clearer；　yet　also　smaller　and　smaller；　like　a　receding　Star。　　It　needs　a　scientific　telescope；　it　needs　to　be　reinterpreted　and　artificially　brought　near　us；　before　we　can　so　much　as　know　that　it　_was_　a　Sun。　　So　likewise　a　day　comes　when　the　Runic　Thor；　with　his　Eddas；　must　withdraw　into　dimness；　and　many　an　African　Mumbo…Jumbo　and　Indian　Pawaw　be　utterly　abolished。　　For　all　things；　even　Celestial　Luminaries；　much　more　atmospheric　meteors；　have　their　rise；　their　culmination；　their　decline。

〃Small　is　this　which　thou　tellest　me；　that　the　Royal　Sceptre　is　but　a　piece　of　gilt　wood；　that　the　Pyx　has　become　a　most　foolish　box；　and　truly；　as　Ancient　Pistol　thought；　'of　little　price。'　　A　right　Conjurer　might　I　name　thee；　couldst　thou　conjure　back　into　these　wooden　tools　the　divine　virtue　they　once　held。

〃Of　this　thing；　however；　be　certain：　　wouldst　thou　plant　for　Eternity；　then　plant　into　the　deep　infinite　faculties　of　man；　his　Fantasy　and　Heart；　wouldst　thou　plant　for　Year　and　Day；　then　plant　into　his　shallow　superficial　faculties；　his　Self…love　and　Arithmetical　Understanding；　what　will　grow　there。　　A　Hierarch；　therefore；　and　Pontiff　of　the　World　will　we　call　him；　the　Poet　and　inspired　Maker；　who；　Prometheus…like；　can　shape　new　Symbols；　and　bring　new　Fire　from　Heaven　to　fix　it　there。　　Such　too　will　not　always　be　wanting；　neither　perhaps　now　are。　　Meanwhile；　as　the　average　of　matters　goes；　we　account　him　Legislator　and　wise　who　can　so　much　as　tell　when　a　Symbol　has　grown　old；　and　gently　remove　it。

〃When；　as　the　last　English　Coronation*　I　was　preparing；〃　concludes　this　wonderful　Professor；　〃I　read　in　their　Newspapers　that　the　'Champion　of　England；'　he　who　has　to　offer　battle　to　the　Universe　for　his　new　King；　had　brought　it　so　far　that　he　could　now　'mount　his　horse　with　little　assistance；'　I　said　to　myself：　　Here　also　we　have　a　Symbol　well…nigh　superannuated。　　Alas；　move　whithersoever　you　may；　are　not　the　tatters　and　rags　of　superannuated　worn…out　Symbols　（in　this　Ragfair　of　a　World）　dropping　off　everywhere；　to　hoodwink；　to　halter；　to　tether　you；　nay；　if　you　shake　them　not　aside；　threatening　to　accumulate；　and　perhaps　produce　suffocation？〃

*That　of　George　IV。ED。


CHAPTER　IV。　HELOTAGE。

At　this　point　we　determine　on　adverting　shortly；　or　rather　reverting；　to　a　certain　Tract　of　Hofrath　Heuschrecke's；　entitled　_Institute　for　the　Repression　of　Population_；　which　lies；　dishonorably　enough　（with　torn　leaves；　and　a　perceptible　smell　of　aloetic　drugs）；　stuffed　into　the　Bag　_Pisces_。　　Not　indeed　for　the　sake　of　the　tract　itself；　which　we　admire　little；　but　of　the　marginal　Notes；　evidently　in　Teufelsdrockh's　hand；　which　rather　copiously　fringe　it。　　A　few　of　these　may　be　in　their　right　place　here。

Into　the　Hofrath's　_Institute_；　with　its　extraordinary　schemes；　and　machinery　of　Corresponding　Boards　and　the　like；　we　shall　not　so　much　as　glance。　　Enough　for　us　to　understand　that　Heuschrecke　is　a　disciple　of　Malthus；　and　so　zealous　for　the　doctrine；　that　his　zeal　almost　literally　eats　him　up。　　A　deadly　fear　of　Population　possesses　the　Hofrath；　something　like　a　fixed　idea；　undoubtedly　akin　to　the　mo