the unseen world and other essays-第65章
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hey were not burdened with a sense of sinfulness。 Their aspirations were decidedly finite； and they believed in securing the maximum completeness of this terrestrial life。 Consequently they never set the physical below the intellectual。 To return to our author； they never； in their statues； subordinated symmetry to expression； the body to the head。 They were interested not only in the prominence of the brows； the width of the forehead； and the curvature of the lips； but quite as much in the massiveness of the chest； the compactness of the thighs； and the solidity of the arms and legs。 Not only the face； but the whole body； had for them its physiognomy。 They left picturesqueness to the painter； and dramatic fervour to the poet； and keeping strictly before their eyes the narrow but exalted problem of representing the beauty of symmetry； they filled their sanctuaries and public places with those grand motionless people of brass； gold； ivory； copper； and marble； in whom humanity recognizes its highest artistic types。 Statuary was the central art of Greece。 No other art was so popular； or so completely expressed the national life。 The number of statues was enormous。 In later days； when Rome had spoiled the Greek world of its treasures； the Imperial City possessed a population of statues almost equal in number to its population of human beings。 And at the present day； after all the destructive accidents of so many intervening centuries； it is estimated that more than sixty thousand statues have been obtained from Rome and its suburbs alone。
In citing this admirable exposition as a specimen of M。 Taine's method of dealing with his subject； we have refrained from disturbing the pellucid current of thought by criticisms of our own。 We think the foregoing explanation correct enough； so far as it goes； though it deals with the merest rudiments of the subject； and really does nothing toward elucidating the deeper mysteries of artistic production。 For this there is needed a profounder psychology than M。 Taine's。 But whether his theory of art be adequate or not； there can be but one opinion as to the brilliant eloquence with which it is set forth。 June； 1868。
XIV。
ATHENIAN AND AMERICAN LIFE。
IN a very interesting essay on British and Foreign Characteristics； published a few years ago； Mr。 W。 R。 Greg quotes the famous letter of the Turkish cadi to Mr。 Layard； with the comment that 〃it contains the germ and element of a wisdom to which our busy and bustling existence is a stranger〃； and he uses it as a text for an instructive sermon on the 〃gospel of leisure。〃 He urges； with justice； that the too eager and restless modern man； absorbed in problems of industrial development； may learn a wholesome lesson from the contemplation of his Oriental brother； who cares not to say； 〃Behold； this star spinneth round that star； and this other star with a tail cometh and goeth in so many years〃； who aspires not after a 〃double stomach；〃 nor hopes to attain to Paradise by 〃seeking with his eyes。〃 If any one may be thought to stand in need of some such lesson； it is the American of to…day。 Just as far as the Turk carries his apathy to excess； does the American carry to excess his restlessness。 But just because the incurious idleness of the Turk is excessive； so as to be detrimental to completeness of living； it is unfit to supply us with the hints we need concerning the causes； character； and effects of our over…activity。 A sermon of leisure； if it is to be of practical use to us； must not be a sermon of laziness。 The Oriental state of mind is incompatible with progressive improvement of any sort； physical； intellectual； or moral。 It is one of the phenomena attendant upon the arrival of a community at a stationary condition before it has acquired a complex civilization。 And it appears serviceable rather as a background upon which to exhibit in relief our modern turmoil； than by reason of any lesson which it is itself likely to convey。 Let us in preference study one of the most eminently progressive of all the communities that have existed。 Let us take an example quite different from any that can be drawn from Oriental life； but almost equally contrasted with any that can be found among ourselves； and let us； with the aid of it； examine the respective effects of leisure and of hurry upon the culture of the community。
What do modern critics mean by the 〃healthy completeness〃 of ancient life； which they are so fond of contrasting with the 〃heated；〃 〃discontented；〃 or imperfect and one…sided existence of modern communities？ Is this a mere set of phrases； suited to some imaginary want of the literary critic； but answering to nothing real？ Are they to be summarily disposed of as resting upon some tacit assumption of that old…grannyism which delights in asseverating that times are not what they used to be？ Is the contrast an imaginary one； due to the softened； cheerful light with which we are wont to contemplate classic antiquity through the charmed medium of its incomparable literature？ Or is it a real contrast； worthy of the attention and analysis of the historical inquirer？ The answer to these queries will lead us far into the discussion of the subject which we have propounded； and we shall best reach it by considering some aspects of the social condition of ancient Greece。 The lessons to be learned from that wonderful country are not yet exhausted Each time that we return to that richest of historic mines； and delve faithfully and carefully； we shall be sure to dig up some jewel worth carrying away。
And in considering ancient Greece； we shall do well to confine our attention； for the sake of definiteness of conception； to a single city。 Comparatively homogeneous as Greek civilization was； there was nevertheless a great deal of difference between the social circumstances of sundry of its civic communities。 What was true of Athens was frequently not true of Sparta or Thebes； and general assertions about ancient Greece are often likely to be collect only in a loose and general way。 In speaking； therefore； of Greece； I must be understood in the main as referring to Athens； the eye and light of Greece； the nucleus and centre of Hellenic culture。
Let us note first that Athens was a large city surrounded by pleasant village…suburbs；the demes of Attika；very much as Boston is closely girdled by rural places like Brookline； Jamaica Plain； and the rest； village after village rather thickly covering a circuit of from ten to twenty miles' radius。 The population of Athens with its suburbs may perhaps have exceeded half a million； but the number of adult freemen bearing arms did not exceed twenty…five thousand。＇67＇ For every one of these freemen there were four or five slaves； not ignorant； degraded labourers； belonging to an inferior type of humanity； and bearing the marks of a lower caste in their very personal formation and in the colour of their skin； like our lately…enslaved negroes； but intelligent； skilled labourers； belonging usually to the Hellenic； and at any rate to the Aryan race； as fair and perhaps as handsome as their masters； and not subjected to especial ignominy or hardship。 These slaves； of whom there were at least one hundred thousand adult males； relieved the twenty…five thousand freemen of nearly all the severe drudgery of life； and the result was an amount of leisure perhaps never since known on an equal scale in history。
＇67＇ See Herod。 V。 97； Aristoph。 Ekkl。 432； Thukyd。 II。 13； Plutarch； Perikl。 37。
The relations of master and slave in ancient Athens constituted； of course； a very different phenomenon from anything which the history of our own Southern States has to offer us。 Our Southern slaveholders lived in an age of industrial development； they were money…makers： they had their full share of business in managing the operations for which their labourers supplied the crude physical force。 It was not so in Athens。 The era of civilization founded upon organized industry had not begun； money…making had not come to be； with the Greeks； the one all…important end of life； and mere subsistence； which is now difficult； was then easy。 The Athenian lived in a mild； genial； healthy climate； in a country which has always been not
