latter-day pamphlets-第4章
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et lingers； and let it learn never to return； if possible！ The eternal voices； very audibly again； are speaking to proclaim this message； from side to side of the world。 Not a very cheering message； but a very indispensable one。
Alas； it is sad enough that Anarchy is here； that we are not permitted to regret its being here；for who that had； for this divine Universe； an eye which was human at all； could wish that Shams of any kind； especially that Sham…Kings should continue？ No： at all costs； it is to be prayed by all men that Shams may _cease_。 Good Heavens； to what depths have we got； when this to many a man seems strange！ Yet strange to many a man it does seem； and to many a solid Englishman； wholesomely digesting his pudding among what are called the cultivated classes； it seems strange exceedingly； a mad ignorant notion； quite heterodox； and big with mere ruin。 He has been used to decent forms long since fallen empty of meaning； to plausible modes； solemnities grown ceremonial；what you in your iconoclast humor call shams； all his life long； never heard that there was any harm in them； that there was any getting on without them。 Did not cotton spin itself； beef grow； and groceries and spiceries come in from the East and the West； quite comfortably by the side of shams？ Kings reigned； what they were pleased to call reigning； lawyers pleaded； bishops preached； and honorable members perorated； and to crown the whole； as if it were all real and no sham there； did not scrip continue salable； and the banker pay in bullion； or paper with a metallic basis？ 〃The greatest sham； I have always thought； is he that would destroy shams。〃
Even so。 To such depth have _I_； the poor knowing person of this epoch； got；almost below the level of lowest humanity； and down towards the state of apehood and oxhood！ For never till in quite recent generations was such a scandalous blasphemy quietly set forth among the sons of Adam； never before did the creature called man believe generally in his heart that lies were the rule in this Earth； that in deliberate long…established lying could there be help or salvation for him； could there be at length other than hindrance and destruction for him。 O Heavyside； my solid friend； this is the sorrow of sorrows： what on earth can become of us till this accursed enchantment； the general summary and consecration of delusions； be cast forth from the heart and life of one and all！ Cast forth it will be； it must； or we are tending； at all moments； whitherward I do not like to name。 Alas； and the casting of it out； to what heights and what depths will it lead us； in the sad universe mostly of lies and shams and hollow phantasms （grown very ghastly now）； in which； as in a safe home； we have lived this century or two！ To heights and depths of social and individual _divorce_ from delusions；of 〃reform〃 in right sacred earnest； of indispensable amendment； and stern sorrowful abrogation and order to depart；such as cannot well be spoken at present； as dare scarcely be thought at present； which nevertheless are very inevitable； and perhaps rather imminent several of them！ Truly we have a heavy task of work before us； and there is a pressing call that we should seriously begin upon it； before it tumble into an inextricable mass； in which there will be no working； but only suffering and hopelessly perishing！
Or perhaps Democracy； which we announce as now come； will itself manage it？ Democracy； once modelled into suffrages； furnished with ballot…boxes and such like； will itself accomplish the salutary universal change from Delusive to Real； and make a new blessed world of us by and by？To the great mass of men； I am aware； the matter presents itself quite on this hopeful side。 Democracy they consider to _be_ a kind of 〃Government。〃 The old model； formed long since； and brought to perfection in England now two hundred years ago； has proclaimed itself to all Nations as the new healing for every woe： 〃Set up a Parliament；〃 the Nations everywhere say； when the old King is detected to be a Sham…King； and hunted out or not； 〃set up a Parliament； let us have suffrages； universal suffrages； and all either at once or by due degrees will be right； and a real Millennium come！〃 Such is their way of construing the matter。
Such； alas； is by no means my way of construing the matter； if it were； I should have had the happiness of remaining silent； and been without call to speak here。 It is because the contrary of all this is deeply manifest to me； and appears to be forgotten by multitudes of my contemporaries； that I have had to undertake addressing a word to them。 The contrary of all this；and the farther I look into the roots of all this； the more hateful； ruinous and dismal does the state of mind all this could have originated in appear to me。 To examine this recipe of a Parliament； how fit it is for governing Nations； nay how fit it may now be； in these new times； for governing England itself where we are used to it so long： this； too； is an alarming inquiry； to which all thinking men； and good citizens of their country； who have an ear for the small still voices and eternal
intimations； across the temporary clamors and loud blaring proclamations； are now solemnly invited。 Invited by the rigorous fact itself； which will one day； and that perhaps soon； demand practical decision or redecision of it from us；with enormous penalty if we decide it wrong！ I think we shall all have to consider this question； one day； better perhaps now than later； when the leisure may be less。 If a Parliament； with suffrages and universal or any conceivable kind of suffrages； is the method； then certainly let us set about discovering the kind of suffrages； and rest no moment till we have got them。 But it is possible a Parliament may not be the method！ Possible the inveterate notions of the English People may have settled it as the method； and the Everlasting Laws of Nature may have settled it as not the method！ Not the whole method； nor the method at all； if taken as the whole？ If a Parliament with never such suffrages is not the method settled by this latter authority； then it will urgently behoove us to become aware of that fact； and to quit such method；we may depend upon it； however unanimous we be； every step taken in that direction will； by the Eternal Law of things； be a step _from_ improvement； not towards it。
Not towards it； I say； if so！ Unanimity of voting；that will do nothing for us if so。 Your ship cannot double Cape Horn by its excellent plans of voting。 The ship may vote this and that； above decks and below； in the most harmonious exquisitely constitutional manner： the ship； to get round Cape Horn； will find a set of conditions already voted for； and fixed with adamantine rigor by the ancient Elemental Powers； who are entirely careless how you vote。 If you can； by voting or without voting； ascertain these conditions； and valiantly conform to them； you will get round the Cape： if you cannot； the ruffian Winds will blow you ever back again； the inexorable Icebergs； dumb privy…councillors from Chaos； will nudge you with most chaotic 〃admonition；〃 you will be flung half frozen on the Patagonian cliffs； or admonished into shivers by your iceberg councillors； and sent sheer down to Davy Jones； and will never get round Cape Horn at all！ Unanimity on board ship；yes indeed； the ship's crew may be very unanimous； which doubtless； for the time being； will be very comfortable to the ship's crew； and to their Phantasm Captain if they have one： but if the tack they unanimously steer upon is guiding them into the belly of the Abyss； it will not profit them much！Ships accordingly do not use the ballot…box at all； and they reject the Phantasm species of Captains： one wishes much some other Entitiessince all entities lie under the same rigorous set of lawscould be brought to show as much wisdom； and sense at least of self…preservation； the first command of Nature。 Phantasm Captains with unanimous votings： this is considered to be all the law and all the prophets； at present。
If a man could shake out of his mind the universal noise of political doctors in this generation and in the last generation or two； and consid
