latter-day pamphlets-第33章
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higher than Downing Street； and the Laws of Nature are tougher than red…tape； with entire victory over them and entire ruin to them。 If there is one thinking man among the Politicians of England； I consider these things extremely well worth his attention just now。
Who are available to your Offices in Downing Street？ All the gifted souls； of every rank； who are born to you in this generation。 These are appointed； by the true eternal 〃divine right〃 which will never become obsolete； to be your governors and administrators； and precisely as you employ them； or neglect to employ them； will your State be favored of Heaven or disfavored。 This noble young soul； you can have him on either of two conditions； and on one of them； since he is here in the world； you must have him。 As your ally and coadjutor； or failing that； as your natural enemy： which shall it be？ I consider that every Government convicts itself of infatuation and futility； or absolves and justifies itself before God and man； according as it answers this question。 With all sublunary entities； this is the question of questions。 What talent is born to you？ How do you employ that？ The crop of spiritual talent that is born to you； of human nobleness and intellect and heroic faculty； this is infinitely more important than your crops of cotton or corn； or wine or herrings or whale…oil； which the Newspapers record with such anxiety every season。 This is not quite counted by seasons； therefore the Newspapers are silent： but by generations and centuries； I assure you it becomes amazingly sensible； and surpasses； as Heaven does Earth； all the corn and wine； and whale…oil and California bullion； or any other crop you grow。 If that crop cease； the other cropsplease to take them also； if you are anxious about them。 That once ceasing； we may shut shop； for no other crop whatever will stay with us； nor is worth having if it would。
To promote men of talent； to search and sift the whole society in every class for men of talent； and joyfully promote them； has not always been found impossible。 In many forms of polity they have done it； and still do it； to a certain degree。 The degree to which they succeed in doing it marks； as I have said； with very great accuracy the degree of divine and human worth that is in them； the degree of success or real ultimate victory they can expect to have in this world。Think； for example； of the old Catholic Church； in its merely terrestrial relations to the State； and see if your reflections； and contrasts with what now is； are of an exulting character。 Progress of the species has gone on as with seven…league boots； and in various directions has shot ahead amazingly； with three cheers from all the world； but in this direction； the most vital and indispensable； it has lagged terribly； and has even moved backward； till now it is quite gone out of sight in clouds of cotton…fuzz and railway…scrip； and has fallen fairly over the horizon to rearward！
In those most benighted Feudal societies； full of mere tyrannous steel Barons； and totally destitute of Tenpound Franchises and Ballot…boxes； there did nevertheless authentically preach itself everywhere this grandest of gospels； without which no other gospel can avail us much； to all souls of men； 〃Awake ye noble souls； here is a noble career for you！〃 I say； everywhere a road towards promotion； for human nobleness； lay wide open to all men。 The pious soul；which； if you reflect； will mean the ingenuous and ingenious； the gifted； intelligent and nobly…aspiring soul；such a soul； in whatever rank of life it were born； had one path inviting it； a generous career； whereon； by human worth and valor； all earthly heights and Heaven itself were attainable。 In the lowest stratum of social thraldom； nowhere was the noble soul doomed quite to choke； and die ignobly。 The Church； poor old benighted creature； had at least taken care of that： the noble aspiring soul； not doomed to choke ignobly in its penuries； could at least run into the neighboring Convent； and there take refuge。 Education awaited it there； strict training not only to whatever useful knowledge could be had from writing and reading； but to obedience； to pious reverence； self…restraint； annihilation of self；really to human nobleness in many most essential respects。 No questions asked about your birth； genealogy； quantity of money…capital or the like； the one question was； 〃Is there some human nobleness in you； or is there not？〃 The poor neat…herd's son； if he were a Noble of Nature； might rise to Priesthood； to High…priesthood； to the top of this world；and best of all； he had still high Heaven lying high enough above him； to keep his head steady； on whatever height or in whatever depth his way might lie！
A thrice…glorious arrangement； when I reflect on it； most salutary to all high and low interests； a truly human arrangement。 You made the born noble yours； welcoming him as what he was； the Sent of Heaven： you did not force him either to die or become your enemy； idly neglecting or suppressing him as what he was not； a thing of no worth。 You accepted the blessed _light_； and in the shape of infernal _lightning_ it needed not to visit you。 How； like an immense mine…shaft through the dim oppressed strata of society； this Institution of the Priesthood ran； opening； from the lowest depths towards all heights and towards Heaven itself； a free road of egress and emergence towards virtuous nobleness； heroism and well…doing； for every born man。 This we may call the living lungs and blood…circulation of those old Feudalisms。 When I think of that immeasurable all…pervading lungs； present in every corner of human society； every meanest hut a _cell_ of said lungs； inviting whatsoever noble pious soul was born there to the path that was noble for him； and leading thereby sometimes； if he were worthy； to be the Papa of Christendom； and Commander of all Kings；I perceive how the old Christian society continued healthy； vital； and was strong and heroic。 When I contrast this with the noble aims now held out to noble souls born in remote huts； or beyond the verge of Palace…Yard； and think of what your Lordship has done in the way of making priests and papas；I see a society without lungs； fast wheezing itself to death； in horrid convulsions； and deserving to die。
Over Europe generally in these years； I consider that the State has died； has fairly coughed its last in street musketry； and fallen down dead； incapable of any but _galvanic_ life henceforth；owing to this same fatal want of _lungs_； which includes all other wants for a State。 And furthermore that it will never come alive again； till it contrive to get such indispensable vital apparatus； the outlook toward which consummation is very distant in most communities of Europe。 If you let it come to death or suspended animation in States； the case is very bad！ Vain to call in universal…suffrage parliaments at that stage： the universal…suffrage parliaments cannot give you any breath of life； cannot find any _wisdom_ for you； by long impiety； you have let the supply of noble human wisdom die out； and the wisdom that now courts your universal suffrages is beggarly human _attorneyism_ or sham…wisdom； which is _not_ an insight into the Laws of God's Universe； but into the laws of hungry Egoism and the Devil's Chicane； and can in the end profit no community or man。
No； the kind of heroes that come mounted on the shoulders of the universal suffrage； and install themselves as Prime Ministers and healing Statesmen by force of able editorship； do not bid very fair to bring Nations back to the ways of God。 Eloquent high…lacquered _pinchbeck_ specimens these； expert in the arts of Belial mainly；fitter to be markers at some exceedingly expensive billiard…table than sacred chief…priests of men！ 〃Greeks of the Lower Empire；〃 with a varnish of parliamentary rhetoric； and； I suppose； this other great gift； toughness of character；proof that they have _persevered_ in their Master's service。 Poor wretches； their industry is mob…worship； place…worship； parliamentary intrigue； and the multiplex art of tongue…fence： flung into that bad element； there they swim for decades long； throttling and wrestling one
