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第49章

sartor resartus-第49章

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; thou findest a like sequence and perseverance: for Luther it was as yet hot enough to stand by that burning of the Pope's Bull; Voltaire could not warm himself at the glimmering ashes; but required quite other fuel。  Thus likewise; I note; the English Whig has; in the second generation; become an English Radical; who; in the third again; it is to be hoped; will become an English Rebuilder。  Find Mankind where thou wilt; thou findest it in living movement; in progress faster or slower: the Phoenix soars aloft; hovers with outstretched wings; filling Earth with her music; or; as now; she sinks; and with spheral swan…song immolates herself in flame; that she may soar the higher and sing the clearer。〃

Let the friends of social order; in such a disastrous period; lay this to heart; and derive from it any little comfort they can。  We subjoin another passage; concerning Titles:

〃Remark; not without surprise;〃 says Teufelsdrockh; 〃how all high Titles of Honor come hitherto from Fighting。  Your _Herzog_ (Duke; _Dux_) is Leader of Armies; your Earl (_Jarl_) is Strong Man; your Marshal cavalry Horse…shoer。  A Millennium; or reign of Peace and Wisdom; having from of old been prophesied; and becoming now daily more and more indubitable; may it not be apprehended that such Fighting titles will cease to be palatable; and new and higher need to be devised?

〃The only Title wherein I; with confidence; trace eternity is that of King。 _Konig_ (King); anciently _Konning_; means Ken…ning (Cunning); or which is the same thing; Can…ning。  Ever must the Sovereign of Mankind be fitly entitled King。〃

〃Well; also;〃 says he elsewhere; 〃was it written by Theologians:  a King rules by divine right。  He carries in him an authority from God; or man will never give it him。  Can I choose my own King?  I can choose my own King Popinjay; and play what farce or tragedy I may with him:  but he who is to be my Ruler; whose will is to be higher than my will; was chosen for me in Heaven。  Neither except in such Obedience to the Heaven…chosen is Freedom so much as conceivable。〃


The Editor will here admit that; among all the wondrous provinces of Teufelsdrockh's spiritual world; there is none he walks in with such astonishment; hesitation; and even pain; as in the Political。  How; with our English love of Ministry and Opposition; and that generous conflict of Parties; mind warming itself against mind in their mutual wrestle for the Public Good; by which wrestle; indeed; is our invaluable Constitution kept warm and alive; how shall we domesticate ourselves in this spectral Necropolis; or rather City both of the Dead and of the Unborn; where the Present seems little other than an inconsiderable Film dividing the Past and the Future?  In those dim long…drawn expanses; all is so immeasurable; much so disastrous; ghastly; your very radiances and straggling light…beams have a supernatural character。  And then with such an indifference; such a prophetic peacefulness (accounting the inevitably coming as already here; to him all one whether it be distant by centuries or only by days); does he sit;and live; you would say; rather in any other age than in his own!  It is our painful duty to announce; or repeat; that; looking into this man; we discern a deep; silent; slow…burning; inextinguishable Radicalism; such as fills us with shuddering admiration。

Thus; for example; he appears to make little even of the Elective Franchise; at least so we interpret the following:  〃Satisfy yourselves;〃 he says; 〃by universal; indubitable experiment; even as ye are now doing or will do; whether FREEDOM; heaven…born and leading heavenward; and so vitally essential for us all; cannot peradventure be mechanically hatched and brought to light in that same Ballot…Box of yours; or at worst; in some other discoverable or devisable Box; Edifice; or Steam…mechanism。  It were a mighty convenience; and beyond all feats of manufacture witnessed hitherto。〃  Is Teufelsdrockh acquainted with the British constitution; even slightly?He says; under another figure:  〃But after all; were the problem; as indeed it now everywhere is; To rebuild your old House from the top downwards (since you must live in it the while); what better; what other; than the Representative Machine will serve your turn?  Meanwhile; however; mock me not with the name of Free; 'when you have but knit up my chains into ornamental festoons。'〃Or what will any member of the Peace Society make of such an assertion as this:  〃The lower people everywhere desire War。  Not so unwisely; there is then a demand for lower peopleto be shot!〃

Gladly; therefore; do we emerge from those soul…confusing labyrinths of speculative Radicalism; into somewhat clearer regions。  Here; looking round; as was our hest; for 〃organic filaments;〃 we ask; may not this; touching 〃Hero…worship;〃 be of the number?  It seems of a cheerful character; yet so quaint; so mystical; one knows not what; or how little; may lie under it。  Our readers shall look with their own eyes:

〃True is it that; in these days; man can do almost all things; only not obey。  True likewise that whoso cannot obey cannot be free; still less bear rule; he that is the inferior of nothing; can be the superior of nothing; the equal of nothing。  Nevertheless; believe not that man has lost his faculty of Reverence; that if it slumber in him; it has gone dead。  Painful for man is that same rebellious Independence; when it has become inevitable; only in loving companionship with his fellows does he feel safe; only in reverently bowing down before the Higher does he feel himself exalted。

〃Or what if the character of our so troublous Era lay even in this:  that man had forever cast away Fear; which is the lower; but not yet risen into perennial Reverence; which is the higher and highest?

〃Meanwhile; observe with joy; so cunningly has Nature ordered it; that whatsoever man ought to obey; he cannot but obey。  Before no faintest revelation of the Godlike did he ever stand irreverent; least of all; when the Godlike showed itself revealed in his fellow…man。  Thus is there a true religious Loyalty forever rooted in his heart; nay in all ages; even in ours; it manifests itself as a more or less orthodox _Hero…worship_。  In which fact; that Hero…worship exists; has existed; and will forever exist; universally among Mankind; mayest thou discern the corner…stone of living rock; whereon all Polities for the remotest time may stand secure。〃

Do our readers discern any such corner…stone; or even so much as what Teufelsdrockh; is looking at?  He exclaims; 〃Or hast thou forgotten Paris and Voltaire?  How the aged; withered man; though but a Sceptic; Mocker; and millinery Court…poet; yet because even he seemed the Wisest; Best; could drag mankind at his chariot…wheels; so that princes coveted a smile from him; and the loveliest of France would have laid their hair beneath his feet!  All Paris was one vast Temple of Hero…worship; though their Divinity; moreover; was of feature too apish。

〃But if such things;〃 continues he; 〃were done in the dry tree; what will be done in the green?  If; in the most parched season of Man's History; in the most parched spot of Europe; when Parisian life was at best but a scientific _Hortus Siccus_; bedizened with some Italian Gumflowers; such virtue could come out of it; what is to be looked for when Life again waves leafy and bloomy; and your Hero…Divinity shall have nothing apelike; but be wholly human?  Know that there is in man a quite indestructible Reverence for whatsoever holds of Heaven; or even plausibly counterfeits such holding。  Show the dullest clodpoll; show the haughtiest featherhead; that a soul higher than himself is actually here; were his knees stiffened into brass; he must down and worship。〃

Organic filaments; of a more authentic sort; mysteriously spinning themselves; some will perhaps discover in the following passage:

〃There is no Church; sayest thou?  The voice of Prophecy has gone dumb? This is even what I dispute:  but in any case; hast thou not still Preaching enough?  A Preaching Friar settles himself in every village; and builds a pulpit; which he calls Newspaper。  Therefrom he preaches what most momentous doctrine is in him; for man's

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