heretics-第20章
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is even more obvious； their only Christian and their only beautiful
quality is that they have humbled themselves to be exalted。
All this aspect of humility； however； as connected with the matter
of effort and striving for a standard set above us； I dismiss as having
been sufficiently pointed out by almost all idealistic writers。
It may be worth while； however； to point out the interesting disparity
in the matter of humility between the modern notion of the strong
man and the actual records of strong men。 Carlyle objected
to the statement that no man could be a hero to his valet。
Every sympathy can be extended towards him in the matter if he merely
or mainly meant that the phrase was a disparagement of hero…worship。
Hero…worship is certainly a generous and human impulse； the hero may
be faulty； but the worship can hardly be。 It may be that no man would
be a hero to his valet。 But any man would be a valet to his hero。
But in truth both the proverb itself and Carlyle's stricture
upon it ignore the most essential matter at issue。 The ultimate
psychological truth is not that no man is a hero to his valet。
The ultimate psychological truth； the foundation of Christianity；
is that no man is a hero to himself。 Cromwell； according to Carlyle；
was a strong man。 According to Cromwell； he was a weak one。
The weak point in the whole of Carlyle's case for
aristocracy lies； indeed； in his most celebrated phrase。
Carlyle said that men were mostly fools。 Christianity； with a
surer and more reverent realism； says that they are all fools。
This doctrine is sometimes called the doctrine of original sin。
It may also be described as the doctrine of the equality of men。
But the essential point of it is merely this； that whatever primary
and far…reaching moral dangers affect any man； affect all men。
All men can be criminals； if tempted； all men can be heroes； if inspired。
And this doctrine does away altogether with Carlyle's pathetic belief
（or any one else's pathetic belief） in 〃the wise few。〃
There are no wise few。 Every aristocracy that has ever existed
has behaved； in all essential points； exactly like a small mob。
Every oligarchy is merely a knot of men in the streetthat is to say；
it is very jolly； but not infallible。 And no oligarchies in the world's
history have ever come off so badly in practical affairs as the very
proud oligarchiesthe oligarchy of Poland； the oligarchy of Venice。
And the armies that have most swiftly and suddenly broken their
enemies in pieces have been the religious armiesthe Moslem Armies；
for instance； or the Puritan Armies。 And a religious army may；
by its nature； be defined as an army in which every man is taught
not to exalt but to abase himself。 Many modern Englishmen talk of
themselves as the sturdy descendants of their sturdy Puritan fathers。
As a fact； they would run away from a cow。 If you asked one
of their Puritan fathers； if you asked Bunyan； for instance；
whether he was sturdy； he would have answered； with tears； that he was
as weak as water。 And because of this he would have borne tortures。
And this virtue of humility； while being practical enough to
win battles； will always be paradoxical enough to puzzle pedants。
It is at one with the virtue of charity in this respect。
Every generous person will admit that the one kind of sin which charity
should cover is the sin which is inexcusable。 And every generous
person will equally agree that the one kind of pride which is wholly
damnable is the pride of the man who has something to be proud of。
The pride which； proportionally speaking； does not hurt the character；
is the pride in things which reflect no credit on the person at all。
Thus it does a man no harm to be proud of his country；
and comparatively little harm to be proud of his remote ancestors。
It does him more harm to be proud of having made money；
because in that he has a little more reason for pride。
It does him more harm still to be proud of what is nobler
than moneyintellect。 And it does him most harm of all to value
himself for the most valuable thing on earthgoodness。 The man
who is proud of what is really creditable to him is the Pharisee；
the man whom Christ Himself could not forbear to strike。
My objection to Mr。 Lowes Dickinson and the reassertors of the pagan
ideal is； then； this。 I accuse them of ignoring definite human
discoveries in the moral world； discoveries as definite； though not
as material； as the discovery of the circulation of the blood。
We cannot go back to an ideal of reason and sanity。
For mankind has discovered that reason does not lead to sanity。
We cannot go back to an ideal of pride and enjoyment。 For mankind
has discovered that pride does not lead to enjoyment。 I do not know
by what extraordinary mental accident modern writers so constantly
connect the idea of progress with the idea of independent thinking。
Progress is obviously the antithesis of independent thinking。
For under independent or individualistic thinking； every man starts
at the beginning； and goes； in all probability； just as far as his
father before him。 But if there really be anything of the nature
of progress； it must mean； above all things； the careful study
and assumption of the whole of the past。 I accuse Mr。 Lowes
Dickinson and his school of reaction in the only real sense。
If he likes； let him ignore these great historic mysteries
the mystery of charity； the mystery of chivalry； the mystery of faith。
If he likes； let him ignore the plough or the printing…press。
But if we do revive and pursue the pagan ideal of a simple and
rational self…completion we shall endwhere Paganism ended。
I do not mean that we shall end in destruction。 I mean that we
shall end in Christianity。
XIII。 Celts and Celtophiles
Science in the modern world has many uses； its chief use； however；
is to provide long words to cover the errors of the rich。
The word 〃kleptomania〃 is a vulgar example of what I mean。
It is on a par with that strange theory； always advanced when a wealthy
or prominent person is in the dock； that exposure is more of a punishment
for the rich than for the poor。 Of course； the very reverse is the truth。
Exposure is more of a punishment for the poor than for the rich。
The richer a man is the easier it is for him to be a tramp。
The richer a man is the easier it is for him to be popular and generally
respected in the Cannibal Islands。 But the poorer a man is the more
likely it is that he will have to use his past life whenever he wants
to get a bed for the night。 Honour is a luxury for aristocrats；
but it is a necessity for hall…porters。 This is a secondary matter；
but it is an example of the general proposition I offer
the proposition that an enormous amount of modern ingenuity is expended
on finding defences for the indefensible conduct of the powerful。
As I have said above； these defences generally exhibit themselves
most emphatically in the form of appeals to physical science。
And of all the forms in which science； or pseudo…science； has come
to the rescue of the rich and stupid； there is none so singular
as the singular invention of the theory of races。
When a wealthy nation like the English discovers the perfectly patent
fact that it is making a ludicrous mess of the government of a poorer
nation like the Irish； it pauses for a moment in consternation；
and then begins to talk about Celts and Teutons。 As far as I can
understand the theory； the Irish are Celts and the English are Teutons。
Of course； the Irish are not Celts any more than the English are Teutons。
I have not followed the ethnological discussion with much energy；
but the last scientific conclusion which I read inclined on the whole
to the summary that the English were mainly Celtic and the Irish
mainly Teutonic。 But no man alive； with even the glimmering of a real
scientific sense； would ever dream of applying the terms 〃Celtic〃
or 〃Teutonic〃 to either of them in any positive or useful sense。
That sort of thing must be left to people who talk about
the Anglo…Saxon race； and extend the expression to America。
How much of the blood of the Angles and Saxons （whoever they were）
there remains in our mixed British； Roman； German； Dane； Norman；
and Picard stock is a matter only interesting to wild antiquaries。
And how much of that diluted blood can possibly remain in that
roaring whirlpool of America into which a cataract of Swedes；
Jews； Germans； Irishmen； and Italians is perpetually pouring；
is a matter only interesting to lunatics。 It would have been wiser
for the English governing class to have called upon some other god。
All other gods； however weak and warring； at least boast of
being constant。 But science boasts of being in a flux for ever；
boasts of being unstable as water。
And England and the English governing class never did call on this
absurd deity of race until it seemed； for an instant； that they had
no other god to call on。 All the most genuine Englishmen in history
would have yawned or laughed in your face if you had begun to talk
about Anglo…Saxons。 If you had attempted to substitute the ideal
of race for the ideal of nationality； I really do not like to think
what they would have said。 I certainly should not like to have
been the officer of Nelson who suddenly discovered his French
blood on the eve of Trafalgar。 I should not like to have been
the Norfolk or Suffolk gentleman who had to expound to Admiral
Blake by what demonstrable ties of genealogy he was irrevocably
bound to the Dutch。 The truth of the whole matter is very simple。
Nationality exists； and has nothing in the world to do with race。
Nationality is a thing like a church or a secret society； it is
a product of the human soul and will； it is a spiritual product。
And there are men in the modern world who would think anything and do
anything rather than admit that anything could be a spiritual product。
A nation； however； as it confronts the modern world； is a purely
spiritual product。 Sometimes it has been born in independence；
like Scotland。 Sometimes it has been born in dependence；
in subjugation； like Ireland。 Sometimes it is a large thing
cohering out of many smaller things； like Italy
