latter-day pamphlets-第49章
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Much has been said of Parliament's breeding men to business； of
the training an Official Man gets in this school of argument and talk。 He is here inured to patience； tolerance； sees what is what in the Nation and in the Nation's Government attains official knowledge； official courtesy and mannersin short； is polished at all points into official articulation； and here better than elsewhere qualifies himself to be a Governor of men。 So it is said。Doubtless； I think； he will see and suffer much in Parliament； and inure himself to several things；he will； with what eyes he has； gradually _see_ Parliament itself； for one thing； what a high…soaring； helplessly floundering； ever…babbling yet inarticulate dark dumb Entity it is （certainly one of the strangest under the sun just now）： which doubtless； if he have in view to get measures voted there one day； will be an important acquisition for him。 But as to breeding himself for a Doer of Work； much more for a King； or Chief of Doers； here in this element of talk； as to that I confess the fatalest doubts； or rather； alas； I have no doubt！ Alas； it is our fatalest misery just now； not easily alterable； and yet urgently requiring to be altered； That no British man can attain to be a Statesman； or Chief of _Workers_； till he has first proved himself a Chief of _Talkers_： which mode of trial for a Worker； is it not precisely； of all the trials you could set him upon； the falsest and unfairest？
Nay； I doubt much you are not likely ever to meet the fittest material for a Statesman； or Chief of Workers； in such an element as that。 Your Potential Chief of Workers； will he come there at all； to try whether he can talk？ Your poor tenpound franchisers and electoral world generally； in love with eloquent talk； are they the likeliest to discern what man it is that has worlds of silent work in him？ No。 Or is such a man； even if born in the due rank for it； the likeliest to present himself； and court their most sweet voices？ Again； no。
The Age that admires talk so much can have little discernment for inarticulate work； or for anything that is deep and genuine。 Nobody； or hardly anybody； having in himself an earnest sense for truth； how can anybody recognize an inarticulate Veracity； or Nature…fact of any kind； a Human _Doer_ especially； who is the most complex； profound； and inarticulate of all Nature's Facts？ Nobody can recognize him： till once he is patented； get some public stamp of authenticity； and has been articulately proclaimed； and asserted to be a Doer。 To the worshipper of talk； such a one is a sealed book。 An excellent human soul； direct from Heaven；how shall any excellence of man become recognizable to this unfortunate？ Not except by announcing and placarding itself as excellent；which； I reckon； it above other things will probably be in no great haste to do。
Wisdom； the divine message which every soul of man brings into this world； the divine prophecy of what the new man has got the new and peculiar capability to do； is intrinsically of silent nature。 It cannot at once； or completely at all； be read off in words； for it is written in abstruse facts； of endowment； position； desire； opportunity； granted to the man；interprets itself in presentiments； vague struggles； passionate endeavors and is only legible in whole when his work is _done_。 Not by the noble monitions of Nature； but by the ignoble； is a man much tempted to publish the secret of his soul in words。 Words； if he have a secret； will be forever inadequate to it。 Words do but disturb the real answer of fact which could be given to it； disturb； obstruct； and will in the end abolish； and render impossible； said answer。 No grand Doer in this world can be a copious speaker about his doings。 William the Silent spoke himself best in a country liberated； Oliver Cromwell did not shine in rhetoric； Goethe； when he had but a book in view； found that he must say nothing even of that； if it was to succeed with him。
Then as to politeness； and breeding to business。 An official man must be bred to business； of course he must： and not for essence only； but even for the manners of office he requires breeding。 Besides his intrinsic faculty； whatever that may be； he must be cautious； vigilant； discreet；above all things； he must be reticent； patient； polite。 Certain of these qualities are by nature imposed upon men of station； and they are trained from birth to some exercise of them： this constitutes their one intrinsic qualification for office；this is their one advantage in the New Downing Street projected for this New Era； and it will not go for much in that Institution。 One advantage； or temporary advantage； against which there are so many counterbalances。 It is the indispensable preliminary for office； but by no means the complete outfit；a miserable outfit where there is nothing farther。
Will your Lordship give me leave to say that； practically； the intrinsic qualities will presuppose these preliminaries too； but by no means _vice versa_。 That； on the whole； if you have got the intrinsic qualities； you have got everything； and the preliminaries will prove attainable； but that if you have got only the preliminaries； you have yet got nothing。 A man of real dignity will not find it impossible to bear himself in a dignified manner； a man of real understanding and insight will get to know； as the fruit of his very first study； what the laws of his situation are； and will conform to these。 Rough old Samuel Johnson； blustering Boreas and rugged Arctic Bear as he often was； defined himself； justly withal； as a polite man： a noble manful attitude of soul is his； a clear； true and loyal sense of what others are； and what he himself is； shines through the rugged coating of him； comes out as grave deep rhythmus when his King honors him； and he will not 〃bandy compliments with his King；〃is traceable too in his indignant trampling down of the Chesterfield patronages； tailor…made insolences； and contradictions of sinners； which may be called his _revolutionary_ movements； hard and peremptory by the law of them； these could not be soft like his _constitutional_ ones； when men and kings took him for somewhat like the thing he was。 Given a noble man； I think your Lordship may expect by and by a polite man。 No 〃politer〃 man was to be found in Britain than the rustic Robert Burns： high duchesses were captivated with the chivalrous ways of the man； recognized that here was the true chivalry； and divine nobleness of bearing；as indeed they well might； now when the Peasant God and Norse Thor had come down among them again！ Chivalry this； if not as they do chivalry in Drury Lane or West…End drawing…rooms； yet as they do it in Valhalla and the General Assembly of the Gods。
For indeed； who _invented_ chivalry； politeness； or anything that is noble and melodious and beautiful among us； except precisely the like of Johnson and of Burns？ The select few who in the generations of this world were wise and valiant； they； in spite of all the tremendous majority of blockheads and slothful belly…worshippers； and noisy ugly persons； have devised whatsoever is noble in the manners of man to man。 I expect they will learn to be polite； your Lordship； when you give them a chance！Nor is it as a school of human culture； for this or for any other grace or gift； that Parliament will be found first…rate or indispensable。 As experience in the river is indispensable to the ferryman； so is knowledge of his Parliament to the British Peel or Chatham；so was knowledge of the OEil…de…Boeuf to the French Choiseul。 Where and how said river； whether Parliament with Wilkeses； or OEil…de…Boeuf with Pompadours； can be waded； boated； swum； how the miscellaneous cargoes； 〃measures〃 so called； can be got across it； according to their kinds； and landed alive on the hither side as facts：we have all of us our _ferries_ in this world； and must know the river and its ways； or get drowned some day！ In that sense； practice in Parliament is indispensable to the British Statesman； but not in any other sense。
A school； too； of manners and of several other things； the Parliament will doubtless be to the aspirant Statesman； a school better or worse；as the OEil…d
