pagan and christian creeds-第30章
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towards the solution of this whole puzzling question is the discussion； of theory （2）and to this theory； as illustrated by the world…wide myth of the Golden Age； I will now turn。
IX。 MYTH OF THE GOLDEN AGE
The tradition of a 〃Golden Age〃 is widespread over the world； and it is not necessary to go at any length into the story of the Garden of Eden and the other legends which in almost every country illustrate this tradition。 Without indulging in sentiment on the subject we may hold it not unlikely that the tradition is justified by the remembrance； among the people of every race； of a pre…civilization period of comparative harmony and happiness when two things； which to…day we perceive to be the prolific causes of discord and misery； were absent or only weakly developednamely； PROPERTY and SELF…CONSCIOUSNESS。＇1＇
＇1＇ For a fuller working out of this； see Civilisation： its Cause and Cure； by E。 Carpenter； ch。 i。
During the first century B。C。 there was a great spread of Messianic Ideas over the Roman world； and Virgil's 4th Eclogue； commonly called the Messianic Eclogue； reflects very clearly this state of the public mind。 The expected babe in the poem was to be the son of Octavian （Augustus） the first Roman emperor； and a messianic halo surrounded it in Virgil's verse。 Unfortunately it turned out to be a GIRL！ However there is little doubt that Virgil did in that very sad age of the world； an age of 〃misery and massacre；〃 and in common with thousands of others look for the coming of a great 'redeemer。' It was only a few years earlierabout B。C。 70that the great revolt of the shamefully maltreated Roman slaves occurred； and that in revenge six thousand prisoners from Spartacus' army were nailed on crosses all the way from Rome to Capua （150 miles）。 But long before this Hesiod had recorded a past Golden Age when life had been gracious in communal fraternity and joyful in peace； when human beings and animals spoke the same language； when death had followed on sleep； without old age or disease； and after death men had moved as good daimones or genii over the lands。 Pindar； three hundred years after Hesiod； had confirmed the existence of the Islands of the Blest； where the good led a blameless； tearless； life。 Plato the same；＇1＇ with further references to the fabled island of Atlantis； the Egyptians believed in a former golden age under the god R to which they looked back with regret and envy； the Persians had a garden of Eden similar to that of the Hebrews； the Greeks a garden of the Hesperides； in which dwelt the serpent whose head was ultimately crushed beneath the heel of Hercules； and so on。 The references to a supposed far…back state of peace and happiness are indeed numerous。
＇1＇ See arts。 by Margaret Scholes； Socialist Review； Nov。 and Dec。 1912。
So much so that latterly； and partly to explain their prevalence； a theory has been advanced which may be worth while mentioning。 It is called the 〃Theory of intra…uterine Blessedness；〃 and； remote as it may at first appear； it certainly has some claim for attention。 The theory is that in the minds of mature people there still remain certain vague memories of their pre…natal days in the maternal wombmemories of a life which； though full of growing vigor and vitality； was yet at that time one of absolute harmony with the surroundings； and of perfect peace and contentment； spent within the body of the motherthe embryo indeed standing in the same relation to the mother as St。 Paul says WE stand to God； 〃IN whom we live and move and have our being〃； and that these vague memories of the intra…uterine life in the individual are referred back by the mature mind to a past age in the life of the RACE。 Though it would not be easy at present to positively confirm this theory； yet one may say that it is neither improbable nor unworthy of consideration； also that it bears a certain likeness to the former ones about the Eden…gardens； etc。 The well…known parallelism of the Individual history with the Race…history； the 〃recapitulation〃 by the embryo of the development of the race； does in fact afford an additional argument for its favorable reception。
These considerations； and what we have said so often in the foregoing chapters about the unity of the Animals （and Early Man） with Nature； and their instinctive and age…long adjustment to the conditions of the world around them； bring us up hard and fast against the following conclusions； which I think we shall find difficult to avoid。
We all recognize the extraordinary grace and beauty； in their different ways； of the （wild） animals； and not only their beauty but the extreme fitness of their actions and habits to their surroundingstheir subtle and penetrating Intelligence in fact。 Only we do not generally use the word 〃Intelligence。〃 We use another word （Instinct） and rightly perhaps； because their actions are plainly not the result of definite self…conscious reasoning； such as we use； carried out by each individual； but are （as has been abundantly proved by Samuel Butler and others） the systematic expression of experiences gathered up and sorted out and handed down from generation to generation in the bosom of the racean Intelligence in fact； or Insight； of larger subtler scope than the other； and belonging to the tribal or racial Being rather than to the isolated individuala super…consciousness in fact； ramifying afar in space and time。
But if we allow （as we must） this unity and perfection of nature； and this somewhat cosmic character of the mind； to exist among the Animals； we can hardly refuse to believe that there must have been a period when Man； too； hardly as yet differentiated from them； did himself possess these same qualitiesperhaps even in greater degree than the animalsof grace and beauty of body； perfection of movement and action； instinctive perception and knowledge （of course in limited spheres）； and a period when he possessed above all a sense of unity with his fellows and with surrounding Nature which became the ground of a common consciousness between himself and his tribe； similar to that which Maeterlinck； in the case of the Bees； calls the Spirit of the Hive。＇1＇ It would be difficult； nay impossible； to suppose that human beings on their first appearance formed an entire exception in the process of evolution； or that they were completely lacking in the very graces and faculties which we so admire in the animalsonly of course we see that （LIKE the animals） they would not be SELF…conscious in these matters； and what perception they had of their relations to each other or to the world around them would be largely inarticulate and SUB…consciousthough none the less real for that。
＇1＇ See The Life of the Bee by Maurice Maeterlinck； and for numerous similar cases among other animals； P。 Kropotkin's Mutual Aid： a factor in Evolution。
Let us then grant this preliminary assumptionand it clearly is not a large or hazardous oneand what follows？ It followssince to…day discord is the rule； and Man has certainly lost the grace； both physical and mental； of the animalsthat at some period a break must have occurred in the evolution…process； a discontinuity similar perhaps to that which occurs in the life of a child at the moment when it is born into the world。 Humanity took a new departure； but a departure which for the moment was signalized as a LOSSthe loss of its former harmony and self…adjustment。 And the cause or accompaniment of this change was the growth of Self…consciousness。 Into the general consciousness of the tribe （in relation to its environment） which in fact had constituted the mentality of the animals and of man up to this stage； there now was intruded another kind of consciousness； a consciousness centering round each little individual self and concerned almost entirely with the interests of the latter。 Here was evidently a threat to the continuance of the former happy conditions。 It was like the appearance of innumerable little ulcers in a human bodya menace which if continued would inevitably lead to the break…up of the body。 It meant loss of tribal harmony and nature…adjustment。 It meant instead of unity a myriad conflicting centres； it meant alienation from the spirit of the tribe； the s
