heretics-第13章
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It is the carpe diem religion； but the carpe diem religion is
not the religion of happy people； but of very unhappy people。
Great joy does； not gather the rosebuds while it may；
its eyes are fixed on the immortal rose which Dante saw。
Great joy has in it the sense of immortality； the very splendour
of youth is the sense that it has all space to stretch its legs in。
In all great comic literature； in 〃Tristram Shandy〃
or 〃Pickwick〃； there is this sense of space and incorruptibility；
we feel the characters are deathless people in an endless tale。
It is true enough； of course； that a pungent happiness comes chiefly
in certain passing moments； but it is not true that we should think
of them as passing； or enjoy them simply 〃for those moments' sake。〃
To do this is to rationalize the happiness； and therefore to destroy it。
Happiness is a mystery like religion； and should never be rationalized。
Suppose a man experiences a really splendid moment of pleasure。
I do not mean something connected with a bit of enamel； I mean
something with a violent happiness in itan almost painful happiness。
A man may have； for instance； a moment of ecstasy in first love；
or a moment of victory in battle。 The lover enjoys the moment；
but precisely not for the moment's sake。 He enjoys it for the
woman's sake； or his own sake。 The warrior enjoys the moment； but not
for the sake of the moment； he enjoys it for the sake of the flag。
The cause which the flag stands for may be foolish and fleeting；
the love may be calf…love； and last a week。 But the patriot thinks
of the flag as eternal； the lover thinks of his love as something
that cannot end。 These moments are filled with eternity；
these moments are joyful because they do not seem momentary。
Once look at them as moments after Pater's manner； and they become
as cold as Pater and his style。 Man cannot love mortal things。
He can only love immortal things for an instant。
Pater's mistake is revealed in his most famous phrase。
He asks us to burn with a hard； gem…like flame。 Flames are never
hard and never gem…likethey cannot be handled or arranged。
So human emotions are never hard and never gem…like； they are
always dangerous； like flames； to touch or even to examine。
There is only one way in which our passions can become hard
and gem…like； and that is by becoming as cold as gems。
No blow then has ever been struck at the natural loves and laughter
of men so sterilizing as this carpe diem of the aesthetes。
For any kind of pleasure a totally different spirit is required；
a certain shyness； a certain indeterminate hope； a certain
boyish expectation。 Purity and simplicity are essential to passions
yes even to evil passions。 Even vice demands a sort of virginity。
Omar's （or Fitzgerald's） effect upon the other world we may let go；
his hand upon this world has been heavy and paralyzing。
The Puritans； as I have said； are far jollier than he。
The new ascetics who follow Thoreau or Tolstoy are much livelier company；
for； though the surrender of strong drink and such luxuries may
strike us as an idle negation； it may leave a man with innumerable
natural pleasures； and； above all； with man's natural power of happiness。
Thoreau could enjoy the sunrise without a cup of coffee。 If Tolstoy
cannot admire marriage； at least he is healthy enough to admire mud。
Nature can be enjoyed without even the most natural luxuries。
A good bush needs no wine。 But neither nature nor wine nor anything
else can be enjoyed if we have the wrong attitude towards happiness；
and Omar （or Fitzgerald） did have the wrong attitude towards happiness。
He and those he has influenced do not see that if we are to be truly gay；
we must believe that there is some eternal gaiety in the nature of things。
We cannot enjoy thoroughly even a pas…de…quatre at a subscription dance
unless we believe that the stars are dancing to the same tune。 No one can
be really hilarious but the serious man。 〃Wine；〃 says the Scripture；
〃maketh glad the heart of man；〃 but only of the man who has a heart。
The thing called high spirits is possible only to the spiritual。
Ultimately a man cannot rejoice in anything except the nature of things。
Ultimately a man can enjoy nothing except religion。 Once in the world's
history men did believe that the stars were dancing to the tune
of their temples； and they danced as men have never danced since。
With this old pagan eudaemonism the sage of the Rubaiyat has
quite as little to do as he has with any Christian variety。
He is no more a Bacchanal than he is a saint。 Dionysus and his church
was grounded on a serious joie…de…vivre like that of Walt Whitman。
Dionysus made wine； not a medicine； but a sacrament。
Jesus Christ also made wine； not a medicine； but a sacrament。
But Omar makes it； not a sacrament； but a medicine。 He feasts
because life is not joyful； he revels because he is not glad。
〃Drink；〃 he says； 〃for you know not whence you come nor why。
Drink； for you know not when you go nor where。 Drink； because the
stars are cruel and the world as idle as a humming…top。 Drink；
because there is nothing worth trusting； nothing worth fighting for。
Drink； because all things are lapsed in a base equality and an
evil peace。〃 So he stands offering us the cup in his hand。
And at the high altar of Christianity stands another figure； in whose
hand also is the cup of the vine。 〃Drink〃 he says 〃for the whole
world is as red as this wine； with the crimson of the love and wrath
of God。 Drink； for the trumpets are blowing for battle and this
is the stirrup…cup。 Drink； for this my blood of the new testament
that is shed for you。 Drink； for I know of whence you come and why。
Drink； for I know of when you go and where。〃
VIII。 The Mildness of the Yellow Press
There is a great deal of protest made from one quarter or another
nowadays against the influence of that new journalism which is
associated with the names of Sir Alfred Harmsworth and Mr。 Pearson。
But almost everybody who attacks it attacks on the ground that it
is very sensational； very violent and vulgar and startling。
I am speaking in no affected contrariety； but in the simplicity
of a genuine personal impression； when I say that this journalism
offends as being not sensational or violent enough。 The real vice
is not that it is startling； but that it is quite insupportably tame。
The whole object is to keep carefully along a certain level of the
expected and the commonplace； it may be low； but it must take care
also to be flat。 Never by any chance in it is there any of that real
plebeian pungency which can be heard from the ordinary cabman in
the ordinary street。 We have heard of a certain standard of decorum
which demands that things should be funny without being vulgar；
but the standard of this decorum demands that if things are vulgar
they shall be vulgar without being funny。 This journalism does
not merely fail to exaggerate lifeit positively underrates it；
and it has to do so because it is intended for the faint and languid
recreation of men whom the fierceness of modern life has fatigued。
This press is not the yellow press at all； it is the drab press。
Sir Alfred Harmsworth must not address to the tired clerk
any observation more witty than the tired clerk might be able
to address to Sir Alfred Harmsworth。 It must not expose anybody
（anybody who is powerful； that is）； it must not offend anybody；
it must not even please anybody； too much。 A general vague idea
that in spite of all this； our yellow press is sensational；
arises from such external accidents as large type or lurid headlines。
It is quite true that these editors print everything they possibly
can in large capital letters。 But they do this； not because it
is startling； but because it is soothing。 To people wholly weary
or partly drunk in a dimly lighted train； it is a simplification and
a comfort to have things presented in this vast and obvious manner。
The editors use this gigantic alphabet in dealing with their readers；
for exactly the same reason that parents and governesses use
a similar gigantic alphabet in teaching children to spell。
The nursery authorities do not use an A as big as a horseshoe
in order to make the child jump； on the contrary； they use it to put
the child at his ease； to make things smoother and more evident。
Of the same character is the dim and quiet dame school which
Sir Alfred Harmsworth and Mr。 Pearson keep。 All their sentiments
are spelling…book sentimentsthat is to say； they are sentiments
with which the pupil is already respectfully familiar。
All their wildest posters are leaves torn from a copy…book。
Of real sensational journalism； as it exists in France；
in Ireland； and in America； we have no trace in this country。
When a journalist in Ireland wishes to create a thrill；
he creates a thrill worth talking about。 He denounces a leading
Irish member for corruption； or he charges the whole police system
with a wicked and definite conspiracy。 When a French journalist
desires a frisson there is a frisson； he discovers； let us say；
that the President of the Republic has murdered three wives。
Our yellow journalists invent quite as unscrupulously as this；
their moral condition is； as regards careful veracity； about the same。
But it is their mental calibre which happens to be such
that they can only invent calm and even reassuring things。
The fictitious version of the massacre of the envoys of Pekin
was mendacious； but it was not interesting； except to those who
had private reasons for terror or sorrow。 It was not connected
with any bold and suggestive view of the Chinese situation。
It revealed only a vague idea that nothing could be impressive
except a great deal of blood。 Real sensationalism； of which I
happen to be very fond； may be either moral or immoral。
But even when it is most immoral； it requires moral courage。
For it is one of the most dangerous things on earth genuinely
to surprise anybody。 If you make any sentient creature jump；
you render it by no means improbable that it will jump on you。
But the leaders of this movement have no moral courage or immoral courage；
their whole method consists in saying； with large and elaborate emphasis；
the t
