heretics-第29章
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with the quality of greatness。 That is embodied in the satirist whose
passions are released and let go by some intolerable sense of wrong。
He is maddened by the sense of men being maddened； his tongue
becomes an unruly member； and testifies against all mankind。
Such a man was Swift； in whom the saeva indignatio was a bitterness
to others； because it was a bitterness to himself。 Such a satirist
Whistler was not。 He did not laugh because he was happy； like Rabelais。
But neither did he laugh because he was unhappy； like Swift。
The third type of great satire is that in which he satirist is enabled
to rise superior to his victim in the only serious sense which
superiority can bear； in that of pitying the sinner and respecting
the man even while he satirises both。 Such an achievement can be
found in a thing like Pope's 〃Atticus〃 a poem in which the satirist
feels that he is satirising the weaknesses which belong specially
to literary genius。 Consequently he takes a pleasure in pointing
out his enemy's strength before he points out his weakness。
That is； perhaps； the highest and most honourable form of satire。
That is not the satire of Whistler。 He is not full of a great sorrow
for the wrong done to human nature； for him the wrong is altogether
done to himself。
He was not a great personality； because he thought so much
about himself。 And the case is stronger even than that。
He was sometimes not even a great artist； because he thought
so much about art。 Any man with a vital knowledge of the human
psychology ought to have the most profound suspicion of anybody
who claims to be an artist； and talks a great deal about art。
Art is a right and human thing； like walking or saying one's prayers；
but the moment it begins to be talked about very solemnly； a man
may be fairly certain that the thing has come into a congestion
and a kind of difficulty。
The artistic temperament is a disease that afflicts amateurs。
It is a disease which arises from men not having sufficient power of
expression to utter and get rid of the element of art in their being。
It is healthful to every sane man to utter the art within him；
it is essential to every sane man to get rid of the art within him
at all costs。 Artists of a large and wholesome vitality get rid
of their art easily； as they breathe easily； or perspire easily。
But in artists of less force； the thing becomes a pressure；
and produces a definite pain； which is called the artistic temperament。
Thus； very great artists are able to be ordinary men
men like Shakespeare or Browning。 There are many real tragedies
of the artistic temperament； tragedies of vanity or violence or fear。
But the great tragedy of the artistic temperament is that it cannot
produce any art。
Whistler could produce art； and in so far he was a great man。
But he could not forget art； and in so far he was only a man with
the artistic temperament。 There can be no stronger manifestation
of the man who is a really great artist than the fact that he can
dismiss the subject of art； that he can； upon due occasion；
wish art at the bottom of the sea。 Similarly； we should always
be much more inclined to trust a solicitor who did not talk about
conveyancing over the nuts and wine。 What we really desire of any
man conducting any business is that the full force of an ordinary
man should be put into that particular study。 We do not desire
that the full force of that study should be put into an ordinary man。
We do not in the least wish that our particular law…suit should
pour its energy into our barrister's games with his children；
or rides on his bicycle； or meditations on the morning star。
But we do； as a matter of fact； desire that his games with his children；
and his rides on his bicycle； and his meditations on the morning star
should pour something of their energy into our law…suit。 We do desire
that if he has gained any especial lung development from the bicycle；
or any bright and pleasing metaphors from the morning star； that the should
be placed at our disposal in that particular forensic controversy。
In a word； we are very glad that he is an ordinary man； since that
may help him to be an exceptional lawyer。
Whistler never ceased to be an artist。 As Mr。 Max Beerbohm pointed
out in one of his extraordinarily sensible and sincere critiques；
Whistler really regarded Whistler as his greatest work of art。
The white lock； the single eyeglass； the remarkable hat
these were much dearer to him than any nocturnes or arrangements
that he ever threw off。 He could throw off the nocturnes；
for some mysterious reason he could not throw off the hat。
He never threw off from himself that disproportionate accumulation
of aestheticism which is the burden of the amateur。
It need hardly be said that this is the real explanation of the thing
which has puzzled so many dilettante critics； the problem of the extreme
ordinariness of the behaviour of so many great geniuses in history。
Their behaviour was so ordinary that it was not recorded；
hence it was so ordinary that it seemed mysterious。 Hence people say
that Bacon wrote Shakespeare。 The modern artistic temperament cannot
understand how a man who could write such lyrics as Shakespeare wrote；
could be as keen as Shakespeare was on business transactions in a
little town in Warwickshire。 The explanation is simple enough；
it is that Shakespeare had a real lyrical impulse； wrote a real lyric；
and so got rid of the impulse and went about his business。
Being an artist did not prevent him from being an ordinary man；
any more than being a sleeper at night or being a diner at dinner
prevented him from being an ordinary man。
All very great teachers and leaders have had this habit
of assuming their point of view to be one which was human
and casual； one which would readily appeal to every passing man。
If a man is genuinely superior to his fellows the first thing
that he believes in is the equality of man。 We can see this；
for instance； in that strange and innocent rationality with which
Christ addressed any motley crowd that happened to stand about Him。
〃What man of you having a hundred sheep； and losing one； would not leave
the ninety and nine in the wilderness； and go after that which was lost？〃
Or； again； 〃What man of you if his son ask for bread will he give
him a stone； or if he ask for a fish will he give him a serpent？〃
This plainness； this almost prosaic camaraderie； is the note of all
very great minds。
To very great minds the things on which men agree are so immeasurably
more important than the things on which they differ； that the latter；
for all practical purposes； disappear。 They have too much in them
of an ancient laughter even to endure to discuss the difference
between the hats of two men who were both born of a woman；
or between the subtly varied cultures of two men who have both to die。
The first…rate great man is equal with other men； like Shakespeare。
The second…rate great man is on his knees to other men； like Whitman。
The third…rate great man is superior to other men； like Whistler。
XVIII The Fallacy of the Young Nation
To say that a man is an idealist is merely to say that he is
a man； but； nevertheless； it might be possible to effect some
valid distinction between one kind of idealist and another。
One possible distinction； for instance； could be effected by saying that
humanity is divided into conscious idealists and unconscious idealists。
In a similar way； humanity is divided into conscious ritualists and。
unconscious ritualists。 The curious thing is； in that example as
in others； that it is the conscious ritualism which is comparatively
simple； the unconscious ritual which is really heavy and complicated。
The ritual which is comparatively rude and straightforward is
the ritual which people call 〃ritualistic。〃 It consists of plain
things like bread and wine and fire； and men falling on their faces。
But the ritual which is really complex； and many coloured； and elaborate；
and needlessly formal； is the ritual which people enact without
knowing it。 It consists not of plain things like wine and fire；
but of really peculiar； and local； and exceptional； and ingenious things
things like door…mats； and door…knockers； and electric bells；
and silk hats； and white ties； and shiny cards； and confetti。
The truth is that the modern man scarcely ever gets back to very old
and simple things except when he is performing some religious mummery。
The modern man can hardly get away from ritual except by entering
a ritualistic church。 In the case of these old and mystical
formalities we can at least say that the ritual is not mere ritual；
that the symbols employed are in most cases symbols which belong to a
primary human poetry。 The most ferocious opponent of the Christian
ceremonials must admit that if Catholicism had not instituted
the bread and wine； somebody else would most probably have done so。
Any one with a poetical instinct will admit that to the ordinary
human instinct bread symbolizes something which cannot very easily
be symbolized otherwise； that wine； to the ordinary human instinct；
symbolizes something which cannot very easily be symbolized otherwise。
But white ties in the evening are ritual； and nothing else but ritual。
No one would pretend that white ties in the evening are primary
and poetical。 Nobody would maintain that the ordinary human instinct
would in any age or country tend to symbolize the idea of evening
by a white necktie。 Rather； the ordinary human instinct would；
I imagine； tend to symbolize evening by cravats with some of the colours
of the sunset； not white neckties； but tawny or crimson neckties
neckties of purple or olive； or some darkened gold。 Mr。 J。 A。 Kensit；
for example； is under the impression that he is not a ritualist。
But the daily life of Mr。 J。 A。 Kensit； like that of any ordinary
modern man； is； as a matter of fact； one continual and compressed
catalogue of mystical mummery and flummery。 To take one instance
out of an inevitable hundred： I imagine that Mr。 Kensit takes
off his hat to a lady； and what can be more solemn and absurd；
considered in the abstract； than； symbolizing the existence
