the ancien regime(古兵团)-第25章
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really with considerable excuses for their severity； fell upon these poor
foolish Illuminati in 1784 throughout Bavaria； and had them exiled or
imprisoned；of all this you may read in the pages of Dr。 Findel； and in
many another book。 For； forgotten as they are now； they made noise
enough in their time。
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And so it befell； that this eighteenth century； which is usually held to
be the most 〃materialistic〃 of epochs； was； in fact； a most 〃spiritualistic〃
one； in which ghosts； demons； quacks； philosophers' stones； enchanters'
wands； mysteries and mummeries； were as fashionableas they will
probably be again some day。
You have all heard of Cagliostro〃pupil of the sage Althotas； foster…
child of the Scheriff of Mecca； probable son of the last king of Trebizond；
named also Acharat； and 'Unfortunate child of Nature；' by profession
healer of diseases； abolisher of wrinkles； friend of the poor and impotent；
grand…master of the Egyptian Mason…lodge of High Science； spirit…
summoner； gold…cook； Grand…Cophta； prophet； priest； Thaumaturgic
moralist； and swindler〃born Giuseppe Balsamo of Palermo；of him； and
of his lovely Countess Seraphinanee Lorenza Feliciani？ You have read
what Goetheand still more important； what Mr。 Carlyle has written on
him； as on one of the most significant personages of the age？ Remember；
then； that Cagliostro was no isolated phenomenon； that his successnay；
his having even conceived the possibility of success in the brain that lay
within that 〃brass…faced； bull…necked； thick…lipped〃 headwas made
possible by public opinion。 Had Cagliostro lived in our time； public
opinion would have pointed out to him other roads to honour on which
he would doubtless have fared as well。 For when the silly dace try to be
caught and hope to be caught； he is a foolish pike who cannot gorge them。
But the method most easy for a pike…nature like Cagliostro's； was in the
eighteenth century； as it may be in the latter half of the nineteenth； to trade；
in a materialist age； on the unsatisfied spiritual cravings of mankind。 For
what do all these phantasms betoken； but a generation ashamed of its own
materialism； sensuality； insincerity； ignorance； and striving to escape
therefrom by any and every mad superstition which seemed likely to give
an answer to the awful questionsWhat are we； and where？ and to lay to
rest those instincts of the unseen and infinite around it； which tormented it
like ghosts by day and night： a sight ludicrous or pathetic； according as it
is looked on by a cynical or a human spirit。
It is easy to call such a phenomenon absurd； improbable。 It is rather
rational； probable； say certain to happen。 Rational； I say； for the reason
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of man tells him； and has always told him； that he is a supernatural being；
if by nature is meant that which is cognisable by his five senses： that his
coming into this world； his relation to it； his exit from itwhich are the
three most important facts about himare supernatural； not to be explained
by any deductions from the impressions of his senses。 And I make bold
to say； that the recent discoveries of physical sciencenotably those of
embryologygo only to justify that old and general belief of man。 If man
be told that the microscope and scalpel show no difference； in the first
stage of visible existence； between him and the lower mammals； then he
has a right to answeras he will answerSo much the worse for the
microscope and scalpel： so much the better for my old belief； that there
is beneath my birth； life； death； a substratum of supernatural causes；
imponderable； invisible； unknowable by any physical science whatsoever。
If you cannot render me a reason how I came hither； and what I am； I must
go to those who will render me one。 And if that craving be not satisfied
by a rational theory of life； it will demand satisfaction from some magical
theory； as did the mind of the eighteenth century when； revolting from
materialism； it fled to magic； to explain the ever… astounding miracle of
life。
The old Regime。 Will our age； in its turn； ever be spoken of as an old
Regime？ Will it ever be spoken of as a Regime at all； as an organised；
orderly system of society and polity； and not merely as a chaos； an
anarchy； a transitory struggle； of which the money…lender has been the real
guide and lord？
But at least it will be spoken of as an age of progress； of rapid
developments； of astonishing discoveries。
Are you so sure of that？ There was an age of progress once。 But
what is our agewhat is all which has befallen since 1815save after…
swells of that great storm； which are weakening and lulling into heavy
calm？ Are we on the eve of stagnation？ Of a long check to the human
intellect？ Of a new Byzantine era； in which little men will discuss； and
ape； the deeds which great men did in their forefathers' days？
What progressit is a question which some will receive with almost
angry surprisewhat progress has the human mind made since 1815？
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If the thought be startling； do me the great honour of taking it home；
and verifying for yourselves its truth or its falsehood。 I do not say that it
is altogether true。 No proposition concerning human things； stated so
broadly； can be。 But see for yourselves； whether it is not at least more
true than false； whether the ideas； the discoveries； of which we boast most
in the nineteenth century； are not really due to the end of the eighteenth。
Whether other men did not labour； and we have only entered into their
labours。 Whether our positivist spirit； our content with the collecting of
facts； our dread of vast theories； is not a symptomwholesome； prudent；
modest； but still a symptomof our consciousness that we are not as our
grandfathers were； that we can no longer conceive great ideas； which
illumine； for good or evil； the whole mind and heart of man； and drive him
on to dare and suffer desperately。
Railroads？ Electric telegraphs？ All honour to them in their place：
but they are not progress； they are only the fruits of past progress。 No
outward and material thing is progress； no machinery causes progress； it
merely spreads and makes popular the results of progress。 Progress is
inward； of the soul。 And； therefore； improved constitutions； and
improved book instructionnow miscalled educationare not progress：
they are at best only fruits and signs thereof。 For they are outward；
material； and progress； I say； is inward。 The self…help and self…
determination of the independent soulthat is the root of progress； and the
more h
