How I Found the Superman G. K. Chesterton Daily News, 1909 !eaders o" #r.

$ernard Shaw and other modern writers may %e interested to &now that the Superman has %een "ound. I "ound him' he li(es in South Croydon. #y su))ess will %e a *reat %low to #r. Shaw, who has %een "ollowin* +uite a "alse s)ent, and is now loo&in* "or the )reature in $la)&pool' and as "or #r. ,ells-s notion o" *eneratin* him out o" *ases in a pri(ate la%oratory I always thou*ht it doomed to "ailure. I assure #r. ,ells that the Superman at Croydon was %orn in the ordinary way, thou*h he himsel", o" )ourse, is anythin* %ut ordinary. Nor are his parents unworthy o" the wonder"ul %ein* whom they ha(e *i(en to the world. .he name o" /ady Hypatia Smythe $rown 0now /ady Hypatia Ha**1 will ne(er %e "or*otten in the 2ast 2nd, where she did su)h splendid so)ial wor&. Her )onstant )ry o" 3Sa(e the )hildren43 re"erred to the )ruel ne*le)t o" )hildren-s eyesi*ht in(ol(ed in allowin* them to play with )rudely painted toys. She +uoted unanswera%le statisti)s to pro(e that )hildren allowed to loo& at (iolet and (ermillion o"ten su""ered "rom "ailin* eyesi*ht in their e5treme old a*e' and it was owin* to her )easeless )rusade that the pestilen)e o" the #on&ey on the Sti)& was almost swept "rom Ho5ton. .he de(oted wor&er would tramp the streets untirin*ly, ta&in* away the toys "rom all the poor )hildren, who were o"ten mo(ed to tears %y her &indness. Her *ood wor& was interrupted, partly %y a new interest in the )reed o" 6oroaster, and partly %y a sa(a*e %low "rom an um%rella. It was in"li)ted %y a dissolute Irish apple woman, who, on returnin* "rom some or*y to her ill &ept apartment, "ound /ady Hypatia in the %edroom ta&in* down some oleo*raph, whi)h, to say the least o" it, )ould not really ele(ate the mind. 7t this the i*norant and partly into5i)ated Celt dealt the so)ial re"ormer a se(ere %low, addin* to it an a%surd a))usation o" the"t. .he lady-s e5+uisitely %alan)ed mind re)ei(ed a sho)&' and it was durin* a short mental illness that she married Dr. Ha**. 8" Dr. Ha** himsel" I hope there is no need to spea&.

7nyone e(en sli*htly a)+uainted with those darin* e5periments in Neo Indi(idualist 2u*eni)s, whi)h are now the one a%sor%in* interest o" the 2n*lish demo)ra)y, must &now his name and o"ten )ommend it to the personal prote)tion o" an impersonal power. 2arly in li"e he %rou*ht to %ear that ruthless insi*ht into the history o" reli*ions that he *ained in %oyhood as an ele)tri)al en*ineer. /ater he %e)ame one o" our *reatest *eolo*ists' and a)hie(ed that %old and %ri*ht outloo& upon the "uture o" So)ialism whi)h only *eolo*y )an *i(e. 7t "irst there seems somethin* li&e a ri"t, a "aint, %ut per)epti%le, "issure, %etween his (iews and those o" his aristo)rati) wi"e. For she was in "a(our 0to use her own power"ul epi*ram1 o" prote)tin* the poor a*ainst themsel(es' while he de)lared pitilessly, in a new and stri&in* metaphor, that the wea&est must *o to the wall. 2(entually, howe(er, the married pair per)ei(ed an essential union in the unmista&a%ly modern )hara)ter o" %oth their (iews' and in this enli*htenin* and )omprehensi(e e5pression their souls "ound pea)e. .he result is that this union o" the two hi*hest types o" our )i(ilisation, the "ashiona%le lady and all %ut (ul*ar medi)al man, has %een %lessed %y the %irth o" the Superman, that %ein* whom all the la%ourers in $attersea are so ea*erly e5pe)tin* ni*ht and day. I "ound the house o" Dr. and /ady Hypatia Ha** without mu)h di""i)ulty' it is situated in one o" the last stra**lin* streets o" Croydon, and o(erloo&ed %y a line o" poplars. I rea)hed the door towards the twili*ht, and it was natural that I should "an)i"ully see somethin* dar& and monstrous in the dim %ul& o" that house whi)h )ontained the )reature who was more mar(ellous than the )hildren o" men. ,hen I entered the house I was re)ei(ed with e5+uisite )ourtesy %y /ady Hyptia and her hus%and' %ut I "ound mu)h *reater di""i)ulty in a)tually seein* the Superman, who is now a%out "i"teen years old, and is &ept %y himsel" in a +uiet room. 2(en my )on(ersation with the "ather and mother did not +uite )lear up the )hara)ter o" the mysterious %ein*. /ady Hypatia, who has a pale and poi*nant "a)e, and is )lad in those impalpa%le and patheti) *reys and *reens with whi)h she has %ri*htened so many homes in Ho5ton, did not appear to tal& o" her o""sprin* with any o" the (ul*ar (anity o" an ordinary human mother. I too& a %old step and as&ed i" the Superman was ni)e loo&in*. -He )reates his own standard, you see,- she replied, with a sli*ht si*h. -9pon that plane he is more than 7pollo. Seen "rom our lower plane, o" )ourse...- 7nd she si*hed a*ain.

I had a horri%le impulse, and said suddenly, -Has he *ot any hair:.here was a lon* and pain"ul silen)e, and then Dr. Ha** said smoothly, -2(erythin* upon that plane is di""erent' what he has *ot is not...well, not, o" )ourse, what we )all hair...%ut...-Don-t you thin&,- said his wi"e, (ery so"tly, -don-t you thin& that really, "or the sa&e o" ar*ument, when tal&in* to the mere pu%li), one mi*ht )all it hair:-;erhaps you are ri*ht,- said the do)tor a"ter a "ew moments- re"le)tion. -In )onne)tion with hair li&e that one must spea& in para%les.-,ell, what on earth is it,- I as&ed in some irritation, -i" it isn-t hair: Is it "eathers:-Not "eathers, as we understand "eathers,- answered Ha** in an aw"ul (oi)e. I *ot up in some irritation. -Can I see him, at any rate:- I as&ed. -I am a <ournalist, and ha(e no earthly moti(es e5)ept )uriosity and personal (anity. I should li&e to say that I had sha&en hands with the Superman..he hus%and and wi"e had %oth *ot hea(ily to their "eet, and stood em%arrassed. -,ell, o" )ourse, you &now,- said /ady Hypatia, with the really )harmin* smile o" the aristo)rati) hostess. -=ou &now he )an-t e5a)tly sha&e hands...not hands, you &now.....he stru)ture, o" )ourse...I %ro&e out o" all so)ial %ounds, and rushed at the door o" the room whi)h I thou*ht to )ontain the in)redi%le )reature. I %urst it open' the room was pit)h dar&. $ut "rom in "ront o" me )ame a small sad yelp, and "rom %ehind me a dou%le shrie&. -=ou ha(e done it, now4- )ried Dr. Ha**, %uryin* his %ald %row in his hands. -=ou ha(e let in a drau*ht on him' and he is dead.7s I wal&ed away "rom Croydon that ni*ht I saw men in %la)& )arryin* out a )o""in that was not o" any human shape. .he wind wailed a%o(e me, whirlin* the poplars, so that they drooped and nodded li&e the plumes o" some )osmi) "uneral.

-It is, indeed,- said Dr. Ha**, -the whole uni(erse weepin* o(er the "rustration o" its most ma*ni"i)ent %irth.- $ut I thou*ht that there was a hoot o" lau*hter in the hi*h wail o" the wind. .han&s to >ohn #or*an "or typin* in this story. /ast modi"ied? @rd >uly, 199A #artin ,ard, So"tware .e)hnolo*y !esear)h /a%, De #ont"ort 9ni(ersity, /ei)ester. 2mail? #artin.,ardBdurham.a).u& 8n 7meri)an #orals %y G.K. Chesterton 7meri)a is sometimes o""ered to us, e(en %y 7meri)ans 0who ou*ht to &now %etter1, as a moral e5ample. .here are indeed (ery real 7meri)an (irtues' %ut this (irtuous attitude is hardly one o" them. 7nd i" anyone wants to &now what a welter o" wea&ness and in)onse+uen)e the moral mind o" 7meri)a )an sometimes %e, he may %e ad(ised to loo&, not so mu)h to the Crime ,a(e or the Charleston, as to the serious idealisti) essays %y hi*h%rows and )ultural )riti)s, su)h as one %y #iss 7(is D. Carlson on 3,anted? 7 Su%stitute "or !i*hteousness.3 $y ri*hteousness she means, o" )ourse, the narrow New 2n*land ta%oos' %ut she does not &now it. For the in"eren)e she draws is that we should re)o*niCe "ran&ly that 3the standard a%stra)t ri*ht and wron* is mori%und.3 .his statement will seem less insane i" we )onsider, somewhat )uriously, what the standard a%stra)t ri*ht and wron* seems to mean at least in her se)tion o" the States. It is a *limpse o" an in)redi%le world. She ta&es the )ase o" a youn* man %rou*ht up 3in a home where there was an attempt to ma&e do*mati) )lea(a*e o" ri*ht and wron*.3 7nd what was the do*mati) )lea(a*e: 7h, what indeed4 His elders told him that some thin*s were ri*ht and some wron*' and "or some time he a))epted this stran*e assertion. $ut when he lea(es home he "inds that, 3apparently per"e)tly ni)e people do the thin*s he has %een tau*ht to thin& e(il.3 .hen "ollows a re(elation. 3.he "lowerli&e *irl he en(elops in a mist o" romanti) idealiCation smo&es li&e an imp "rom the lower re*ions and pets li&e a mo(ie (amp. .he )hum his heart yearns towards )ulti(ates a hip "las&, et).3 7nd this is what the writer )alls a do*mati) )lea(a*e %etween ri*ht and wron*4

.he standard o" a%stra)t ri*ht and wron* apparently is this. .hat a *irl %y smo&in* a )i*arette ma&es hersel" one o" the )ompany o" the "iends o" hell. .hat su)h an a)tion is mu)h the same as that o" a se5ual (ampire. .hat a youn* man who )ontinues to drin& "ermented li+uor must ne)essarily %e 3e(il3 and must deny the (ery e5isten)e o" any di""eren)e %etween ri*ht and wron*. .hat is the 3standard o" a%stra)t ri*ht and wron*3 that is apparently tau*ht in the 7meri)an home. 7nd it is per"e)tly o%(ious, on the "a)e o" it, that it is not a standard o" a%stra)t ri*ht or wron* at all. .hat is e5a)tly what it is not. .hat is the (ery last thin* any )lear headed person would )all it. It is not a standard' it is not a%stra)t' it has not the (a*uest notion o" what is meant %y ri*ht and wron*. It is a )haos o" so)ial and sentimental a))idents and asso)iations, some o" them sno%%ish, all o" them pro(in)ial, %ut, a%o(e all, nearly all o" them )on)rete and )onne)ted with a materialisti) pre<udi)e a*ainst parti)ular materials. .o ha(e a horror o" to%a))o is not to ha(e an a%stra)t standard o" ri*ht' %ut e5a)tly the opposite. It is to ha(e no standard o" ri*ht whate(er' and to ma&e )ertain lo)al li&es and disli&es as a su%stitute. ,e need not %e (ery surprised i" the youn* man repudiates these meanin*less (etoes as soon as he )an' %ut i" he thin&s he is repudiatin* morality, he must %e almost as muddle headed as his "ather. 7nd yet the writer in +uestion )almly proposes that we should a%olish all ideas o" ri*ht and wron*, and a%andon the whole human )on)eption o" a standard o" a%stra)t <usti)e, %e)ause a %oy in $oston )annot %e indu)ed to thin& that a ni)e *irl is a de(il when she smo&es a )i*arette. I" the risin* *eneration were "a)ed with no worse dou%ts and di""i)ulties than this, it would not %e (ery di""i)ult to re)on)ile them to the traditions o" truth and <usti)e. $ut I thin& the episode is worth mentionin*, merely %e)ause it throws a ray o" li*ht on the moral )ondition o" 7meri)an Culture, in the de)ay o" ;uritanism. 7nd when ne5t we are told that the idealism o" 7meri)a is to set a 3standard3 %y whi)h 2n*land must trans"orm hersel", it will %e well to remem%er what is apparently meant %y a standard and an ideal' and that the "ire o" idealism seems %oth to %e*in and end in smo&e. In)identally, I must say I )an %ear witness to this +ueer ta%oo a%out to%a))o. 8" )ourse num%erless 7meri)ans smo&e num%erless )i*ars' a *reat many others eat )i*ars, whi)h seems to me a more o))ult pleasure. $ut there does e5ist an e5traordinary idea that ethi)s are in(ol(ed in some way' and many who smo&e really disappro(e o" smo&in*.

I remem%er on)e re)ei(in* two 7meri)an inter(iewers on the same a"ternoon' there was a %o5 o" )i*ars in "ront o" me and I o""ered one to ea)h in turn. .heir rea)tion 0as they would pro%a%ly )all it1 was (ery )urious to wat)h. .he "irst <ournalist sti""ened suddenly and silently and de)lined in a (ery )old (oi)e. He )ould not ha(e )on(eyed more plainly that I had attempted to )orrupt an honora%le man with a "oul and in"amous indul*en)e' as i" I were the 8ld #an o" the #ountain o""erin* him hashish that would turn him into an assassin. .he se)ond rea)tion was e(en more remar&a%le. .he se)ond <ournalist "irst loo&ed dou%t"ul' then loo&ed sly' then seemed to *lan)e a%out him ner(ously, as i" wonderin* whether we were alone, and then said with a sort o" )rest"allen and )o(ert smile? 3,ell, #r. Chesterton, I-m a"raid I ha(e the ha%it.3 7s I also ha(e the ha%it, and ha(e ne(er %een a%le to ima*ine how it )ould %e )onne)ted with morality or immorality, I )on"ess that I plun*ed with him deeply into an immoral li"e. In the )ourse o" our )on(ersation, I "ound he was otherwise per"e)tly sane. He was +uite intelli*ent a%out e)onomi)s or ar)hite)ture' %ut his moral sense seemed to ha(e entirely disappeared. He really thou*ht it rather wi)&ed to smo&e. He had no 3standard o" a%stra)t ri*ht or wron*3' in him it was not merely mori%und' it was apparently dead. $ut anyhow, that is the point and that is the test. No%ody who has an a%stra)t standard o" ri*ht and wron* )an possi%ly thin& it wron* to smo&e a )i*ar. $ut he had a )on)rete standard o" parti)ular )ut and dried )ustoms o" a parti)ular tri%e. .hose who say 7meri)ans are lar*ely des)ended "rom the 7meri)an Indians mi*ht )ertainly ma&e a )ase out o" the su**estion that this mysti)al horror o" material thin*s is lar*ely a %ar%ari) sentiment. .he !ed Indian is said to ha(e tried and )ondemned a tomahaw& "or )ommittin* a murder. In this )ase he was )ertainly the prototype o" the white man who )urses a %ottle %e)ause too mu)h o" it *oes into a man. ;rohi%ition is sometimes praised "or its simpli)ity' on these lines it may %e e+ually )ondemned "or its sa(a*ery. $ut I mysel" do not say anythin* so a%surd as that 7meri)ans are sa(a*es' nor do I thin& it would matter mu)h i" they were des)ended "rom sa(a*es. It is )ulture that )ounts and not ethnolo*y' and the )ulture that is )on)erned here deri(es indire)tly rather "rom New 2n*land than "rom 8ld 7meri)a. ,hate(er it deri(es "rom, howe(er, this is the thin* to %e noted a%out it? that it really does not seem to understand what is meant %y a standard o" ri*ht and wron*. It is a (a*ue sentimental notion that )ertain ha%its were not suita%le to the old lo* )a%in or the old hometown. It has a (a*ue utilitarian notion that )ertain ha%its are not dire)tly use"ul

in the new amal*amated stores or the new "inan)ial *am%lin* hell. I" his a*ed mother or his e)onomi) master disli&es to see a youn* man han*in* a%out with a pipe in his mouth, the a)tion %e)omes a sin' or the nearest that su)h a moral philosophy )an )ome to the idea o" a sin. 7 man does not )hop wood "or the lo* hut %y smo&in*' and a man does not ma&e di(idends "or the $i* $oss %y smo&in*' and there"ore smo&in* has a smell as o" somethin* sin"ul. 8" what the *reat theolo*ians and moral philosophers ha(e meant %y a sin, these people ha(e no more idea than a )hild drin&in* mil& has o" a *reat to5i)olo*ist analyCin* poisons. It may %e a )redit o" their (irtue to %e thus (a*ue a%out (i)e. .he man who is silly enou*h to say, when o""ered a )i*arette, 3I ha(e no (i)es,3 may not always deser(e the rapier thrust o" the reply *i(en %y the Italian Cardinal, 3It is not a (i)e, or dou%tless you would ha(e it.3 $ut at least the Cardinal &nows it is not a (i)e' whi)h assists the )larity o" his mind. $ut the la)& o" )lear standards amon* those who (a*uely thin& o" it as a (i)e may yet %e the %e*innin* o" mu)h peril and oppression. #y two 7meri)an <ournalists, %etween them, may yet su))eed in addin* the sin"ulness o" )i*ars to the other )urious thin*s now part o" the 7meri)an Constitution. I would there"ore (enture to say to #iss 7(is Carlson that the +uarrel in +uestion does not arise "rom the =an&ee ;uritans ha(in* too mu)h morality, %ut "rom their ha(in* too little. It does not arise "rom their drawin* too hard and "ast a line o" distin)tion %etween ri*ht and wron*, %ut "rom their %ein* mu)h to loose and indistin)t. .hey *o %y asso)iations and not %y a%stra)tions. .here"ore they )lassi"y smo&in* with (ampin* or a "las& in the po)&et with sin in the soul. I hope at least that some o" the Fundamentalists will su))eed in %ein* a little more "undamental than this. .he men o" .ennessee are supposed to %e (ery an5ious to draw the line %etween men and mon&eys. .hey are also supposed %y some to %e rather too an5ious to draw the line %etween %la)& men and white men. #ay I %e allowed to hope that they will su))eed in drawin* a rather more lo*i)al line %etween %ad men and *ood men: Somethin* o" the the di""eren)e and the di""i)ulty may %e seen %y )omparin* the old Ku Klu5 Klan with the new Klu Klu5 Klan. .he old se)ret so)iety may ha(e %een <usti"ied or not' %ut it had a de"inite o%<e)t? it was dire)ted a*ainst some%ody. .he new se)ret so)iety seems to ha(e %een dire)ted a*ainst any%ody' o"ten a*ainst any%ody who dran&' in time, "or all I &now, a*ainst any%ody who smo&ed. It is this sort o" "ormless "anati)ism that is the *reat dan*er o" the 7meri)an .emperament' and it is well to insist that i" men

must perse)ute, they will %e more )lear headed i" they perse)ute "or a )reed. "rom Generally Spea&in*, Dodd D #ead, 19E9. 7 De"en)e o" !ash Fows %y G.K. Chesterton 7n a%rid*ed (ersion o" a )hapter in Chesterton-s %oo& .he De"endant.

I" a prosperous modern man, with a hi*h hat and a "ro)& )oat, were to solemnly pled*e himsel" %e"ore all his )ler&s and "riends to )ount the lea(es on e(ery third tree in Holland ,al&, to hop up to the City on one le* e(ery .hursday, to repeat the whole o" #ill-s G/i%erty- se(enty si5 times, to )olle)t @00 dandelions in "ields %elon*in* to anyone o" the name o" $rown, to remain "or thirty one hours holdin* his le"t ear in his ri*ht hand, to sin* the names o" all his aunts in order o" a*e on the top o" an omni%us, or ma&e any su)h unusual underta&in*, we should immediately )on)lude that the man was mad, or, as it is sometimes e5pressed, was Gan artist in li"e.- =et these (ows are not more e5traordinary than the (ows whi)h in the #iddle 7*es and in similar periods were made, not %y "anati)s merely, %ut %y the *reatest "i*ures in )i(i) and national )i(iliCation %y &in*s, <ud*es, poets, and priests. 8ne man swore to )hain two mountains to*ether, and the *reat )hain hun* there, it was said, "or a*es as a monument o" that mysti)al "olly. 7nother swore that he would "ind his way to >erusalem with a pat)h o(er his eyes, and died loo&in* "or it. It is not easy to see that these two e5ploits, <ud*ed "rom a stri)tly rational standpoint, are any saner than the a)ts a%o(e su**ested. 7 mountain is )ommonly a stationary and relia%le o%<e)t whi)h it is not ne)essary to )hain up at ni*ht li&e a do*. 7nd it is not easy at "irst si*ht to see that a man pays a (ery hi*h )ompliment to the Holy City %y settin* out "or it under )onditions whi)h render it to the last de*ree impro%a%le that he will e(er *et there. $ut a%out this there is one stri&in* thin* to %e noti)ed. I" men %eha(ed in that way in our time, we should, as we ha(e said, re*ard them as sym%ols o" the Gde)aden)e.- $ut the men who did these thin*s were not de)adent' they %elon*ed *enerally to the most ro%ust )lasses o" what is *enerally re*arded as a ro%ust a*e. 7*ain, it will %e ur*ed that i" men essentially sane per"ormed

su)h insanities, it was under the )apri)ious dire)tion o" a superstitious reli*ious system. .his, a*ain, will not hold water' "or in the purely terrestrial and e(en sensual departments o" li"e, su)h as lo(e and lust, the medie(al prin)es show the same mad promises and per"orman)es, the same misshapen ima*ination and the same monstrous sel" sa)ri"i)e. Here we ha(e a )ontradi)tion, to e5plain whi)h it is ne)essary to thin& o" the whole nature o" (ows "rom the %e*innin*. 7nd i" we )onsider seriously and )orre)tly the nature o" (ows, we shall, unless I am mu)h mista&en, )ome to the )on)lusion that it is per"e)tly sane, and e(en sensi%le, to swear to )hain mountains to*ether, and that, i" insanity is in(ol(ed at all, it is a little insane not to do so. .he man who ma&es a (ow ma&es an appointment with himsel" at some distant time or pla)e. .he dan*er o" it is that himsel" should not &eep the appointment. 7nd in modern times this terror o" one-s sel", o" the wea&ness and muta%ility o" one-s sel", has perilously in)reased, and is the real %asis o" the o%<e)tion to (ows o" any &ind. 7 modern man re"rains "rom swearin* to )ount the lea(es on e(ery third tree in Holland ,al&, not %e)ause it is silly to do so 0he does many sillier thin*s1, %ut %e)ause he has a pro"ound )on(i)tion that %e"ore he had *ot to the three hundred and se(enty ninth lea" on the "irst tree he would %e e5)essi(ely tired o" the su%<e)t and want to *o home to tea. In other words, we "ear that %y that time he will %e, in the )ommon %ut hideously si*ni"i)ant phrase, another man. Now, it is this horri%le "airy tale o" a man )onstantly )han*in* into other men that is the soul o" the de)aden)e. .hat >ohn ;aterson should, with apparent )alm, loo& "orward to %ein* a )ertain General $ar&er on #onday, Dr. #a)*re*or on .uesday, Sir ,alter Carstairs on ,ednesday, and Sam Slu** on .hursday, may seem a ni*htmare' %ut to that ni*htmare we *i(e the name o" modern )ulture. 8ne *reat de)adent, who is now dead, pu%lished a poem some time a*o, in whi)h he power"ully summed up the whole spirit o" the mo(ement %y de)larin* that he )ould stand in the prison yard and entirely )omprehend the "eelin*s o" a man a%out to %e han*ed. GFor he that li(es more li(es than one #ore deaths than one must die.7nd the end o" all this is that maddenin* horror o" unreality whi)h des)ends upon the de)adents, and )ompared with whi)h physi)al pain itsel" would ha(e the "reshness o" a youth"ul thin*. .he one hell whi)h ima*ination must )on)ei(e as most hellish is to %e

eternally a)tin* a play without e(en the narrowest and dirtiest *reenroom in whi)h to %e human. 7nd this is the )ondition o" the de)adent, o" the aesthete, o" the "ree lo(er. .o %e e(erlastin*ly passin* throu*h dan*ers whi)h we &now )annot s)are us, to %e ta&in* oaths whi)h we &now )annot %ind us, to de"yin* enemies who we &now )annot )on+uer us this is the *rinnin* tyranny o" de)aden)e whi)h is )alled "reedom. /et us turn, on the other hand, to the ma&er o" (ows. .he man who made a (ow, howe(er wild, *a(e a healthy and natural e5pression to the *reatness o" a *reat moment. He (owed, "or e5ample, to )hain two mountains to*ether, perhaps a sym%ol o" some *reat relie" o" lo(e, or aspiration. Short as the moment o" his resol(e mi*ht %e, it was, li&e all *reat moments, a moment o" immortality, and the desire to say o" it e5e*i monumentum aere perennius was the only sentiment that would satis"y his mind. .he modern aestheti) man would, o" )ourse, easily see the emotional opportunity' he would (ow to )hain two mountains to*ether. $ut, then, he would +uite as )heer"ully (ow to )hain the earth to the moon. 7nd the witherin* )ons)iousness that he did not mean what he said, that he was, in truth, sayin* nothin* o" any *reat import, would ta&e "rom him e5a)tly that sense o" darin* a)tuality whi)h is the e5)itement o" a (ow. .he re(olt a*ainst (ows has %een )arried in our day e(en to the e5tent o" a re(olt a*ainst the typi)al (ow o" marria*e. It is most amusin* to listen to the opponents o" marria*e on this su%<e)t. .hey appear to ima*ine that the ideal o" )onstan)y was a yo&e mysteriously imposed on man&ind %y the de(il, instead o" %ein*, as it is, a yo&e )onsistently imposed %y all lo(ers on themsel(es. .hey ha(e in(ented a phrase, a phrase that is a %la)& and white )ontradi)tion in two words G"ree lo(e- as i" a lo(er e(er had %een, or e(er )ould %e, "ree. It is the nature o" lo(e to %ind itsel", and the institution o" marria*e merely paid the a(era*e man the )ompliment o" ta&in* him at his word. #odern sa*es o""er to the lo(er, with an ill "a(oured *rin, the lar*est li%erties and the "ullest irresponsi%ility' %ut they do not respe)t him as the old Chur)h respe)ted him' they do not write his oath upon the hea(ens, as the re)ord o" his hi*hest moment. .hey *i(e him e(ery li%erty e5)ept the li%erty to sell his li%erty, whi)h is the only one that he wants. It is e5a)tly this %a)&door, this sense o" ha(in* a retreat %ehind us, that is, to our minds, the sterliCin* spirit in modern pleasure. 2(erywhere there is the persistent and insane attempt to o%tain

pleasure without payin* "or it. .hus, in politi)s the modern >in*oes pra)ti)ally say, G/et us ha(e the pleasure o" )on+uerors without the pains o" soldiers? let us sit on so"as and %e a hardy ra)e..hus, in reli*ion and morals, the de)adent mysti)s say? G/et us ha(e the "ra*ran)e o" sa)red purity without the sorrows o" sel" restraint' let us sin* hymns alternately to the Fir*in and ;riapus.- .hus in lo(e the "ree lo(ers say? G/et us ha(e the splendour o" o""erin* oursel(es without the peril o" )ommittin* oursel(es' let us see whether one )annot )ommit sui)ide an unlimited num%er o" times.2mphati)ally it will not wor&. .here are thrillin* moments, dou%tless, "or the spe)tator, the amateur, and the aesthete' %ut there is one thrill that is &nown only to the soldier who "i*hts "or his own "la*, to the aestheti) who star(es himsel" "or his own illumination, to the lo(er who ma&es "inally his own )hoi)e. 7nd it is this trans"i*urin* sel" dis)ipline that ma&es the (ow a truly sane thin*. It must ha(e satis"ied e(en the *iant hun*er o" the soul o" a lo(er or a poet to &now that in )onse+uen)e o" some one instant o" de)ision that stran*e )hain would han* "or )enturies in the 7lps amon* the silen)es o" stars and snows. 7ll around us is the )ity o" small sins, a%oundin* in %a)&ways and retreats, %ut surely, sooner or later, the towerin* "lame will rise "rom the har%our announ)in* that the rei*n o" the )owards is o(er and a man is %urnin* his ships.

Child ;sy)holo*y and Nonsense %y G.K. Chesterton .his essay "irst appeared in the Illustrated /ondon News on 8)to%er 1H, 19E1.

In this a*e o" )hild psy)holo*y no%ody pays any attention to the a)tual psy)holo*y o" the )hild. 7ll that seems to matter is the psy)holo*y o" the psy)holo*ist and the parti)ular theory or train o" thou*ht that he is maintainin* a*ainst another psy)holo*ist. #ost o" the art and literature now ma*ni"i)ently manu"a)tured "or )hildren is not e(en honestly meant to please )hildren. .he artist would hardly )ondes)end to ma&e a %a%y lau*h i" no%ody else lau*hed, or e(en listened. .hese thin*s are not meant to please the )hild.

7t %est they are meant to please the )hild lo(er. 7t the worst they are e5periments in s)ienti"i) edu)ational method. $eauti"ul, wise, and witty lyri)s li&e those o" Ste(enson-s 3Child-s Garden o" Ferses3 will always remain as a pure li(ely "ountain o" pleasure "or *rown up people. $ut the point o" many o" them is not only su)h that a )hild )ould not see it, it is su)h that a )hild ou*ht not to %e allowed to see it .he )hild that is not )lean and neat, ,ith lots o" toys and thin*s to eat, He is a nau*hty )hild, I-m sure, 8r else his dear papa is poor. No )hild ou*ht to understand the appallin* a%yss o" that a"ter thou*ht. No )hild )ould understand, without %ein* a sno% or a so)ial re"ormer or somethin* hideous, the irony o" that illusion to the ine+ualities and ini+uities with whi)h this wi)&ed world has insulted the sa)red di*nity o" "atherhood. .he )hild who )ould really smile at that line would %e )apa%le o" sittin* down immediately to write a Gissin* no(el, and then han*in* himsel" on the nursery %ed post. $ut neither Ste(enson or any Ste(ensonian 0and I will )laim to %e a *ood Ste(ensonian1 e(er really dreamed o" e5pe)tin* a )hild to smile at the poem. It was the poet who smiled at the )hild, whi)h is +uite a di""erent thin*, thou*h possi%ly +uite as %eauti"ul in its way. 7nd that is the )hara)ter o" all this new nursery literature. It has the le*itimate and e(en honoura%le o%<e)t o" edu)atin* the adult in the appre)iation o" %a%ies. It is an e5)ellent thin* to tea)h men and women to ta&e pleasure in )hildren, %ut it is a totally di""erent thin* "rom *i(in* )hildren pleasure. Now the old nursery rhymes were honestly dire)ted to *i(e )hildren pleasure. #any o" them ha(e *enuine elements o" poetry, %ut they are not primarily meant to %e poetry, %e)ause they are simply meant to %e pleasure. In this sense 3Hey Diddle Diddle3 is somethin* mu)h more than an idyll. It is a masterpie)e o" psy)holo*y, a )lassi) and per"e)t model o" edu)ation. .he lilt and <in*le o" it is e5a)tly the sort that a %a%y )an "eel to %e a tune and )an turn into a dan)e. .he ima*ery o" it is e5a)tly what is wanted "or the "irst mo(ements o" ima*ination when it e5periments in in)on*ruity. For it is "ull o" "amiliar o%<e)ts in "antasti) )on<un)tion. .he )hild has seen a )ow and he has seen the moon. $ut the notion o" the one <umpin* o(er the other is pro%a%ly new to him and is, in the no%lest word, nonsensi)al. Cats and do*s and dishes and spoons are all his daily )ompanions and e(en his "riends,

%ut it *i(es him a sort o" "resh surprise and happiness to thin& o" their *oin* on su)h a sin*ular holiday. He would simply learn nothin* at all "rom our attempts to "ind a "ine shade o" humour in the politi)al e)onomy o" the poor papa, e(en i" the poor papa were romanti)ally o))upied, not in <umpin* o(er the moon, %ut at least in shootin* it. 8" )ourse there is mu)h more than this in 3Hey Diddle Diddle.3 .he )ow <umpin* o(er the moon is not only a "an)y (ery suita%le to )hildren, it is a theme (ery worthy o" poets. .he lunar ad(enture may appear to some a lunati) ad(enture, %ut it is one round whi)h the ima*ination o" man has always re(ol(ed, espe)ially the ima*ination o" romanti) "i*ures li&e 7riosto, and Cyrano de $er*era). .he notion that )attle mi*ht "ly has re)ei(ed su%lime ima*inati(e treatment. .he win*ed %ull not only wal&s, as i" sha&in* the earth, amid the ruins o" 7ssyrian s)ulpture, %ut e(en wheeled and "lamed in hea(en as the 7po)alypti) sym%ol o" St. /u&e. .hat whi)h )om%ines ima*inations so instin)ti(e and an)ient, in a sin*le "an)y so simple and so )lear, is )ertainly not without the raw material o" poetry. 7nd the *eneral idea, whi)h is that o" a sort o" )osmi) Saturnalia or season when anythin* may happen, is itsel" an idea that has haunted humanity in a hundred "orms, some o" them e5+uisitely artisti) "orms. It would %e easy to <usti"y a (ast num%er o" the other nursery rhymes, in the same (ein o" a more serious art )riti)ism. I" I were as&ed to +uote "our lines whi)h su""i)ed to illustrate what has %een )alled the ima*inati(e reason, when it rises almost to tou)h an unima*inati(e unreason 0"or that point o" )onta)t is poetry1, I should %e )ontent to +uote "our lines that were in a pi)ture %oo& in my own nursery .he man in the wilderness as&ed o" me, How many straw%erries *row in the sea: I answered him, as I thou*ht *ood? 37s many red herrin*s as *row in the wood.3 2(erythin* in that is poeti)al' "rom the dar& unearthly "i*ure o" the man o" the desert, with his mysterious riddles, to the per"e)t %lend o" lo*i) and (ision whi)h ma&es %eauti"ul pi)tures e(en in pro(in* them impossi%le. $ut this artisti) +uality, thou*h present, is not primary' the primary purpose is the amusement o" )hildren. 7nd we are not amusin* )hildren' we are amusin* oursel(es with )hildren. 8ur "athers added a tou)h o" %eauty to all pra)ti)al thin*s, so they

introdu)ed "ine "antasti) "i*ures and )aperin* and dan)in* rhythms, whi)h mi*ht %e admired e(en %y *rown men, into what they primarily and pra)ti)ally desi*ned to %e en<oyed %y )hildren. $ut they did not always do this and they ne(er thou*ht mainly o" doin* it. ,hat they always did was to ma&e "un "itted "or the youn*' and what they ne(er did was turn it into irony only intelli*i%le to the old. 7 nursery rhyme was li&e a nursery ta%le or a nursery )up%oard a thin* )onstru)ted "or a parti)ular human purpose. .hey saw their aim )learly and they a)hie(ed it. .hey wrote utter nonsense and too& )are to ma&e it utterly nonsensi)al. For there are two ways o" dealin* with nonsense in this world. 8ne way is to put nonsense in the ri*ht pla)e' as when people put nonsense into nursery rhymes. .he other is to put nonsense in the wron* pla)e' as when they put it into edu)ational addresses, psy)holo*i)al )riti)isms, and )omplaints a*ainst nursery rhymes or other normal amusements o" man&ind. ;hilosophy "or the S)hoolroom %y G.K. Chesterton

,hat modern people want to %e made to understand is simply that all ar*ument %e*ins with an assumption' that is, with somethin* that you do not dou%t. =ou )an, o" )ourse, i" you li&e, dou%t the assumption at the %e*innin* o" your ar*ument, %ut in that )ase you are %e*innin* a di""erent ar*ument with another assumption at the %e*innin* o" it. 2(ery ar*ument %e*ins with an in"alli%le do*ma, and that in"alli%le do*ma )an only %e disputed %y "allin* %a)& on some other in"alli%le do*ma' you )an ne(er pro(e your "irst statement or it would not %e your "irst. 7ll this is the alpha%et o" thin&in*. 7nd it has this spe)ial and positi(e point a%out it, that it )an %e tau*ht in a s)hool, li&e the other alpha%et. Not to start an ar*ument without statin* your postulates )ould %e tau*ht in philosophy as it is tau*ht in 2u)lid, in a )ommon s)hoolroom with a %la)&%oard. 7nd I thin& it mi*ht %e tau*ht in some simple and rational de*ree e(en to the youn*, %e"ore they *o out into the streets and are deli(ered o(er entirely to the lo*i) and philosophy o" the Daily #ail. #u)h o" our )haos a%out reli*ion and dou%t arises "rom this that our modern s)epti)s always %e*in %y tellin* us what they do not %elie(e.

$ut e(en in a s)epti) we want to &now "irst what he does %elie(e. $e"ore ar*uin*, we want to &now what we need not ar*ue a%out. 7nd this )on"usion is in"initely in)reased %y the "a)t that all the s)epti)s o" our time are s)epti)s at di""erent de*rees o" the dissolution o" s)epti)ism. Now you and I ha(e, I hope, this ad(anta*e o(er all those )le(er new philosophers, that we happen not to %e mad. 7ll o" us %elie(e in St. ;aul-s Cathedral' most o" us %elie(e in St. ;aul. $ut let us )learly realiCe this "a)t, that we do %elie(e in a num%er o" thin*s whi)h are part o" our e5isten)e, %ut whi)h )annot %e demonstrated. /ea(e reli*ion "or the moment wholly out o" the +uestion. 7ll sane men, I say, %elie(e "irmly and unaltera%ly in a )ertain num%er o" thin*s whi)h are unpro(ed and unpro(a%le. /et us state them rou*hly. 1. 2(ery sane man %elie(es that the world around him and the people in it are real, and not his own delusion or dream. No man starts %urnin* /ondon in the %elie" that his ser(ant will soon wa&e him "or %rea&"ast. $ut that I, at any *i(en moment, am not in a dream, is unpro(ed and unpro(a%le. .hat anythin* e5ists e5)ept mysel" is unpro(ed and unpro(a%le. E. 7ll sane men %elie(e that this world not only e5ists, %ut matters. 2(ery man %elie(es there is a sort o" o%li*ation on us to interest oursel(es in this (ision or panorama o" li"e. He would thin& a man wron* who said, 3I did not as& "or this "ar)e and it %ores me. I am aware that an old lady is %ein* murdered down stairs, %ut I am *oin* to sleep.3 .hat there is any su)h duty to impro(e the thin*s we did not ma&e is a thin* unpro(ed and unpro(a%le. @. 7ll sane men %elie(e that there is su)h a thin* as a sel", or e*o, whi)h is )ontinuous. .here is no in)h o" my %rain matter the same as it was ten years a*o. $ut i" I ha(e sa(ed a man in %attle ten years a*o, I am proud' i" I ha(e run away, I am ashamed. .hat there is su)h a paramount 3I3 is unpro(ed and unpro(a%le. $ut it is more than unpro(ed and unpro(a%le' it is de"initely disputed %y many metaphysi)ians. I. /astly, most sane men %elie(e, and all sane men in pra)ti)e assume, that they ha(e a power o" )hoi)e and responsi%ility "or a)tion. Surely it mi*ht %e possi%le to esta%lish some plain, dull statement su)h as the a%o(e, to ma&e people see where they stand.

7nd i" the youth o" the "uture must not 0at present1 %e tau*ht any reli*ion, it mi*ht at least %e tau*ht, )learly and "irmly, the three or "our sanities and )ertainties o" human "ree thou*ht.

Go(ernment and the !i*hts o" #an G. K. Chesterton Illustrated /ondon News, >uly @0, 19E1 I )ould ne(er see why a man who is not "ree to open his mouth to drin& should %e "ree to open it to tal&. .al&in* does "ar more dire)t harm to other people. .he (illa*e su""ers less dire)tly "rom the (illa*e drun&ard than it mi*ht "rom the (illa*e tale %earer, or the (illa*e tu% thumper, or the (illa*e (illain who sedu)es the (illa*e maiden. .hese and twenty other types o" e(il are done simply %y tal&in*' it is )ertain that a (ast amount o" e(il would %e pre(ented i" we all wore *a*s. 7nd the answer is not to deny that slander is a so)ial poison, or sedu)tion a spiritual murder. .he answer is that, unless a man is allowed to tal&, he mi*ht as well %e a )himpanCee who is only a%le to )hatter. In other words, i" a man loses the responsi%ility "or these rudimentary "un)tions and "orms o" "reedom, he loses not only his )itiCenship, %ut his manhood. $ut there are other personal li%erties still permitted us, more ela%orate and )i(iliCed than that simple human spee)h whi)h is still )losely a&in to the )hatter o" the )himpanCees. $y some o""i)ial o(ersi*ht, whi)h I am +uite una%le to e5plain, we are still allowed to write pri(ate letters i" we put them in pu%li) pillar %o5es. .he ;ostmaster General does not write all our letters "or us' e(en the lo)al postman has as yet no su)h lo)al powers. I )annot )on)ei(e how it is that re"ormers ha(e "ailed to note the need "or unitin*, reor*aniCin*, )oordinatin*, )odi"yin*, and lin&in* up all this )omple5, )haoti), and waste"ul system, or la)& o" system. .here must %e (ast amounts o" o(erlappin*, with some si5 youn* *entlemen writin* letters to one youn* lady. .here must %e a terri%ly low edu)ational standard, with all sorts o" poor people allowed to put into a pri(ate letter any spellin* or *rammar they li&e. .here must %e a num%er o" %ad psy)holo*i)al ha%its %ein* "ormed, %y "oolish people writin* their sons in the Colonies or their mothers

in the wor&house. 7nd all this anar)hy and deterioration )ould %e stopped %y the simple pro)ess o" standardisation o" all )orresponden)e. I &now i" I use the word 3standardisation,3 #r. H.G. ,ells will wel)ome it and %e*in to thin& o" it seriously Jindeed there opens %e"ore me a (ista o" (ast so)ial re"ormK. 8n the "a)e o" it, the "irst and most o%(ious method would %e "or the Go(ernment to send round o""i)ial "orms "or our "riendly )orresponden)e, to Con)ernin* a Stran*e City G. K. Chesterton From .he Common #an 08ri*inally in .he New ,itness, 11 EH E11 2(eryone has his own pri(ate and almost se)ret sele)tion amon* the e5amples o" the mysterious power o" words, the power whi)h a )ertain (er%al )om%ination has o(er the emotions and e(en the soul. It is )ommonpla)e that literature has a )harm, not merely in the sense o" the )harm o" a woman, %ut o" the )harms o" a wit)h. Histori)al s)holars +uestion how the i*norant ima*ination o" the Dar& 7*es distorted the poet Fir*il into a ma*i)ian. 8ne answer to the +uestion, possi%ly, is that he was one. .heolo*ians and philosophers de%ate a%out the inspiration o" s)ripture, %ut perhaps the most philosophi)al ar*ument, "or sayin* that )ertain s)riptural sayin*s are inspired, is simply that they sound li&e it. .he *reat lines o" the poets are li&e lands)apes or (isions, %ut the same stran*e li*ht )an %e "ound not only in the hi*h pla)es o" poetry %ut also in +uite o%s)ure )orners o" prose. I )an only e5press what I mean %y sayin* that it is the "inite part o" the ima*e that really su**ests in"inity. #ost worthy and serious people, instead o" sayin* the spiritual pla)e, would say the spiritual world. Some dismal and dis*ustin* people, instead o" sayin* the spiritual pla)e, would say the spiritual plane. .he immediate )hill and disen)hantment o" this )han*e is due to a (a*ue %ut (i(id sense that the spiritual thin* has %e)ome less real. 7 world sounds li&e an astronomi)al dia*ram, and a plane sounds li&e a *eometri)al dia*ram. $oth o" these are a%stra)tions, %ut a pla)e is not an a%stra)tion, %ut a reality. .he spiritual thrill is all in the idea that the pla)e is a pla)e, howe(er spiritual, that it is some stran*e )ity where the s&y

tou)hes the earth, or where eternity )ontri(es to li(e on? the %orderland o" time and spa)e. In the mind o" man, i" not in the nature o" thin*s, there seems to %e some )onne)tion %etween )on)entration and reality. ,hen we want to as&, in natural lan*ua*e, whether a thin* really e5ists or not, we as& i" it is really 3there3 or not. ,e say 3there3, e(en i" we do not )learly understand where. 7 man )annot enter a house %y "i(e doors at on)e' he mi*ht do it i" he were in an atmosphere. $ut he does not want to %e in an atmosphere. He has a stu%%orn su% )ons)ious %elie" that an animal is *reater than an atmosphere. 7s a thin* rises in the s)ale o" thin*s, it tends to lo)aliCe and e(en narrow its natural "un)tions. 7 man )annot a%sor% his sustenan)e throu*h all his pores li&e a spon*e or some low sea or*anisms' he )annot ta&e in an atmosphere o" %ee", or an a%stra)t essen)e o" %uns. 7ny %uns thrown at him, as at the %ear at the Coo, must %e pro<e)ted with su)h s&ill as to hit a parti)ular hole in his head. In nature, in a sense, there is )hoi)e e(en %e"ore there is will . .he plant or %ul% narrows itsel" and pier)es at one pla)e rather than at another and all *rowth is a pattern o" su)h *reen wed*es. $ut howe(er it %e with these lower thin*s, there has always %een this spearli&e sele)tion and )on)entration in manLs )on)eption o" hi*her thin*s. Compared with that, there is somethin* not only (a*ue %ut (ul*ar in most o" the tal& a%out in"inity. .he pantheist is ri*ht up to a )ertain point, %ut so is the spon*e. $oth (itally and (er%ally, this in"inity is the enemy o" all that is "ine. Su)h philolo*i)al points are sometimes more than pedantries or mere puns. 7nd it is more than a pedanti) pun to say that most thin*s that are "ine are "inite. ,e testi"y to it when we tal& o" a %eauti"ul thin* ha(in* re"inement or ha(in* "inish. It is %rou*ht to an end li&e the %lade o" a %eauti"ul sword, not only to its end in the sense o" its )essation %ut to its end in the sense o" its aim. 7ll "ine thin*s are in this sense "inished, e(en when they are eternal. ;oetry is )ommitted to this )on)entration "ully as mu)h as reli*ion? "airyland has always %een as lo)al, one mi*ht say as paro)hial, as Hea(en. 7nd i" reli*ion were remo(ed tomorrow the poets would only %e*in to a)t as the pa*ans a)ted. .hey would %e*in to say 3/o, here3, and 3/o, there3, "rom the in)ura%le it)h o" the idea that somethin* must %e somewhere, and not merely anywhere. 2(en i" it were in some sense "ound to %e in e(erythin*, it would still %e in e(erythin* and not merely in all.

Ne*ati(e and ;ositi(e #orality G. K. Chesterton Illustrated /ondon News 0I/N1, >anuary @, 19E0 7 (ast amount o" nonsense is tal&ed a*ainst ne*ati(e and destru)ti(e thin*s. .he silliest sort o" pro*ressi(e )omplains o" ne*ati(e morality, and )ompares it un"a(oura%ly with positi(e morality. .he silliest sort o" )onser(ati(e )omplains o" destru)ti(e re"orm and )ompares it un"a(oura%ly with )onstru)ti(e re"orm. $oth the pro*ressi(e and the )onser(ati(e entirely ne*le)t to )onsider the (ery meanin* o" the words 3yes3 and 3no3. .o *i(e the answer 3yes3 to one +uestion is to imply the answer 3no3 to another +uestion. .o desire the )onstru)tion o" somethin* is to desire the destru)tion o" whate(er pre(ents its )onstru)tion. .his is parti)ularly plain in the "uss a%out the 3ne*ati(e3 morality o" the .en Commandments. .he truth is that the )urtness o" the Commandments is an e(iden)e, not o" the *loom and narrowness o" a reli*ion %ut o" its li%erality and humanity. It is shorter to state the thin*s "or%idden than the thin*s permitted pre)isely %e)ause most thin*s are permitted and only a "ew thin*s are "or%idden. 7n optimist who insisted on a purely positi(e morality would ha(e to %e*in %y tellin* a man that he mi*ht pi)& dandelions on a )ommon and *o on "or months %e"ore he )ame to the "a)t that he mi*ht throw pe%%les into the sea. In )omparison with this positi(e morality the .en Commandments rather shine in that %re(ity whi)h is the soul o" wit. $ut o" )ourse the "alla)y is e(en more "undamental than this. Ne*ati(e morality is positi(e morality, stated in the plainest and there"ore the most positi(e way. I" I am told not to murder #r. !o%inson, i" I am stopped in the (ery a)t o" murderin* #r. !o%inson, it is o%(ious that #r. !o%inson is not only spared, %ut in a sense renewed, and e(en )reated. 7nd those who li&e #r. !o%inson, amon* them my rea)tionary romanti)ism mi*ht su**est the in)lusion o" #rs. !o%inson, will %e well aware that they ha(e re)o(ered a li(in* and )omple5 unity. 7nd similarly, those who li&e 2uropean )i(ilisation, and the )ommon )ode o" what used to %e )alled Christendom, will realiCe that sal(ation is not ne*ati(e, %ut hi*hly positi(e, and e(en hi*hly )omple5.

.hey will re<oi)e at its es)ape, lon* %e"ore they ha(e leisure "or its e5amination. $ut, without e5amination, they will &now that there is a *reat deal to %e e5amined, and a *reat deal that is worth e5amination. Nothin* is ne*ati(e e5)ept nothin*. It is not our res)ue that was ne*ati(e, %ut only the nothin*ness and annihilation "rom whi)h we were res)ued. 8n the other side there is the same "alla)y a%out merely destru)ti(e re"orm. It )ould %e applied <ust as easily to the merely destru)ti(e war. In %oth )ases destru)tion may %e essential to the a(oidan)e o" destru)tion, and also to the (ery possi%ility o" )onstru)tion. #en are not merely destroyin* a ship in order to ha(e a shipwre)&' they may %e merely destroyin* a tree in order to ha(e a ship. .o )omplain that we spent "our years in the Great ,ar in mere destru)tion is to )omplain that we spent them in es)apin* "rom %ein* destroyed. 7nd it is, on)e a*ain, to "or*et the "a)t that the "ailure o" the murderer means the li"e o" a positi(e and not a ne*ati(e #r. !o%inson. I" we ta&e the ima*inary #r. !o%inson as a type o" the a(era*e modern man in ,estern 2urope, and study him "rom head to "oot, we shall "ind de"e)ts as well as merits. 7nd in the whole )i(ilisation we ha(e sa(ed, we shall "ind de"e)ts that amounts to diseases. Its "eet, i" not o" )lay, are )ertainly in )lay, stu)& in the mud o" a materialisti) industrial destitution and despair. .o say it is a positi(e *ood and *lory to ha(e sa(ed #r. !o%inson "rom stran*lin* is to miss the whole meanin* o" human li"e. It is to "or*et e(ery *ood as soon as we ha(e sa(ed it, that is, to lose it as soon as we ha(e *ot it. ;ro*ress o" that &ind is a hope that is the enemy o" "aith, and a "aith that is the enemy o" )harity. ,hen our hopes "or the )omin* time seem distur%ed or dou%t"ul, and pea)e )haoti), let us remem%er that it is really our disappointment that is an illusion. It is our res)ue that is a reality. 8ur *rounds "or *ratitude are really "ar *reater than our powers o" %ein* *rate"ul. It is in the mood o" a no%le sort o" humility, and e(en a no%le sort o" "ear, that new thin*s are really made. ,e adorn thin*s most when we lo(e them most. 7nd we lo(e them most when we ha(e nearly lost them. Demo)ra)y and Industrialism G. K. Chesterton

It *rows plainer, e(ery day, that those o" us who )lin* to )rum%lin*

)reeds and do*mas, and de"end the dyin* traditions o" the Dar& 7*es, will soon %e le"t alone de"endin* the most o%(iously de)ayin* o" all those an)ient do*mas? the idea )alled Demo)ra)y. It has ta&en not +uite a li"etime, rou*hly my own li"etime, to %rin* it "rom the top o" its su))ess, or alle*ed su))ess, to the %ottom o" its "ailure, or reputed "ailure. $y the end o" the nineteenth )entury, millions o" men were a))eptin* demo)ra)y without &nowin* why. $y the end o" the twentieth )entury, it loo&s as i" millions o" people will %e re<e)tin* demo)ra)y, also without &nowin* why. In su)h a strai*ht, stri)tly lo*i)al and unwa(erin* line does the #ind o" #an ad(an)e alon* the *reat ;ath o" ;ro*ress. 7nyhow, at the moment, demo)ra)y is not only %ein* a%used, %ut %ein* (ery un"airly a%used. #en are %lamin* uni(ersal su""ra*e, merely %e)ause they are not enli*htened enou*h to %lame ori*inal sin. .here is one simple test "or de)idin* whether popular politi)al e(ils are due to ori*inal sin. 7nd that is to do what none or (ery "ew o" these modern mal)ontents are doin*' to state any sort o" moral )laim "or any other sort o" politi)al system. .he essen)e o" demo)ra)y is (ery simple and, as >e""erson said, sel" e(ident. I" ten men are wre)&ed to*ether on a desert island, the )ommunity )onsists o" those ten men, their wel"are is the so)ial o%<e)t, and normally their will is the so)ial law. I" they ha(e not a natural )laim to rule themsel(es, whi)h o" them has a natural )laim to rule the rest: .o say that the )le(erest or %oldest will rule is to %e* the moral +uestion. I" his talents are used "or the )ommunity, in plannin* (oya*es or distillin* water, then he is the ser(ant o" the )ommunity' whi)h is, in that sense, his so(erei*n. I" his talents are used a*ainst the )ommunity %y stealin* rum or poisonin* water, why should the )ommunity su%mit to him: 7nd is it in the least li&ely that it will: In su)h a simple )ase as that, e(ery%ody )an see the popular %asis o" the thin*, and the ad(anta*e o" *o(ernment %y )onsent. .he trou%le with demo)ra)y is that it has ne(er, in modern times, had to do with su)h a simple )ase as that. In other words, the trou%le with demo)ra)y is not demo)ra)y. It is )ertain arti"i)ial anti demo)rati) thin*s that ha(e, in "a)t, thrust themsel(es into the modern world to thwart and destroy demo)ra)y. #odernity is not demo)ra)y' ma)hinery is not demo)ra)y' the surrender o" e(erythin* to trade and )ommer)e is not demo)ra)y. Capitalism is not demo)ra)y' and is admittedly, %y trend and sa(our, rather a*ainst demo)ra)y. ;luto)ra)y %y de"inition is not demo)ra)y. $ut all these modern thin*s "or)ed themsel(es into the world at

a%out the time, or shortly a"ter the time, when *reat idealists li&e !ousseau and >e""erson happened to ha(e %een thin&in* a%out the demo)rati) ideal o" demo)ra)y. It is tena%le that the ideal was too idealist to su))eed. It is not tena%le that the ideal that "ailed was the same as the realities that did su))eed. It is one thin* to say that a "ool went into a <un*le and was de(oured %y wild %easts' it is +uite another to say that he himsel" sur(i(es as the one and only wild %east. Demo)ra)y has had e(erythin* a*ainst it in pra)ti)e, and that (ery "a)t may %e somethin* a*ainst it in theory. It may %e ar*ued that it has human li"e a*ainst it. $ut, at any rate, it is +uite )ertain that it has modern li"e a*ainst it. .he industrial and s)ienti"i) world o" the last hundred years has %een mu)h more unsuita%le a settin* "or the e5periment o" the sel" *o(ernment than would ha(e %een "ound in old )onditions o" a*rarian or e(en nomadi) li"e. Feudal manorial li"e was a not a demo)ra)y' %ut it )ould ha(e %een mu)h more easily turned into a demo)ra)y. /ater peasant li"e, as in Fran)e or SwitCerland, a)tually has %een +uite easily turned into a demo)ra)y. $ut it is horri%ly hard to turn what is )alled modern industrial demo)ra)y into a demo)ra)y. .hat is why many men are now %e*innin* to say that the demo)rati) ideal is no lon*er in tou)h with the modern spirit. I stron*ly a*ree' and I naturally pre"er the demo)rati) ideal, whi)h is at least an ideal, and there"ore, an idea, to the modern spirit, whi)h is simply modern, there"ore, already %e)omin* an)ient. I noti)e that the )ran&s, whom it would %e more polite to )all the idealists, are already hastenin* to shed this ideal. 7 well &nown ;a)i"ist, with whom I ar*ued in !adi)al papers in my !adi)al days, and who then passed as a pattern !epu%li)an o" the new !epu%li), went out o" his way the other day to say, -.he (oi)e o" the people is )ommonly the (oi)e o" Satan.- .he truth is that these /i%erals ne(er did really %elie(e in popular *o(ernment, any more than in anythin* else that was popular, su)h as pu%s or the Du%lin Sweepsta&e. .hey did not %elie(e in the demo)ra)y they in(o&ed a*ainst &in*s and priests. $ut I did %elie(e in it' and I do %elie(e in it, thou*h I mu)h pre"erred to in(o&e it a*ainst pri*s and "addists. I still %elie(e it would %e the most human sort o" *o(ernment, i" it )ould %e on)e more attempted in a more human time. 9n"ortunately, humanitarianism has %een the mar& o" an inhuman time. 7nd %y inhumanity I do not mean merely )ruelty' I mean the )ondition in whi)h e(en )ruelty )eases to %e human. I mean the )ondition in whi)h the ri)h man, instead o" han*in* si5 or se(en o" his enemies %e)ause he hates them, merely %e**ars and

star(es to death si5 or se(en thousand people whom he does not hate, and has ne(er seen, %e)ause they li(e at the other side o" the world. I mean the )ondition in whi)h the )ourtier or pander o" the ri)h man, instead o" e5)itedly mi5in* a rare, ori*inal poison "or the $or*ias, or )ar(in* e5+uisite ornamental poi*nard "or the politi)al purposes o" the #edi)i, wor&s monotonously in a "a)tory turnin* out a small type o" s)rew, whi)h will "it into a plate he will ne(er see' to "orm part o" a *un he will ne(er see' to %e used in a %attle he will ne(er see, and a%out the merits o" whi)h he &nows "ar less than the !enaissan)e ras)al &new a%out the purposes o" the poison and the da**er. In short, what is the matter with industrialism is indire)tion' the "a)t that nothin* is strai*ht"orward' that all its ways are )roo&ed e(en when they are meant to %e strai*ht. Into this most indire)t o" all systems we tried to "it the most dire)t o" all ideas. Demo)ra)y, an ideal whi)h is simple to e5)ess, was (ainly applied to a so)iety whi)h was )omple5 to the point o" )raCiness. It is not so (ery surprisin* that su)h a (ision has "aded in su)h an en(ironment. ;ersonally, I li&e the (ision' %ut it ta&es all sorts to ma&e a world, and there a)tually are human %ein*s, wal&in* a%out +uite )almly in the dayli*ht, who appear to li&e the en(ironment. "rom 7ll I Sur(ey. .he ori*inal essay appeared as a )olumn in the Illustrated /ondon News, >uly 1Ath 19@E. .he Ideal o" a /eisure State G. K. Chesterton

7mon* the stran*e and rather sti"" anti)s o" the rather anti+uated art o" party <ournalism is the duty laid upon the *ood party man o" tryin* to disa*ree with his opponents when they ha(e the impuden)e to a*ree with him. He not only has to insist that they are wron*' he has to deny their ri*ht to %e ri*ht. 2(en when you ha(e to admit that your anta*onist is tal&in* sense, e(en when you pride yoursel" on tal&in* e5a)tly the same sense, you ha(e to deny that it is sensi%le o" him to tal& sense. 8r you deny that it is sense in the same sense' or sense in the true sense o" the word. #ore o"ten you simply imply that it is in)onsistent and irrational in him to tal& sense, %e)ause it is his whole duty and hi*h "un)tion in State to tal& nonsense. It is his %usiness to %e wron*' it is his %usiness to %e %eaten' he is the in(isi%le playmate, who sides with the Fren)hman and ne(er

)an win. .hat he should suddenly side with his own )ountry, or win the appro(al o" his own )riti)s, is re*arded as a "orm o" )heatin*. .wi)e lately I ha(e noti)ed a party leader sayin* thin*s that any sensi%le person would say, %ut not allowed %y the 8pposition ;ress to say them, %e)ause he was not supposed to %e a sensi%le person. 8ne o" them was when #r. $aldwin pointed out the appallin* peril o" dire)tly de)larin* war on all .rade 9nionists at the (ery moment when we are supposed to %e persuadin* them not to %e $olshe(ists. .he other was when #r. Geor*e /ans%ury said to the e""e)t that the dole was a deplora%le ne)essity, %e)ause e(ery man in the world ou*ht to *row up e5pe)tin* to wor&. $ut the )on(entional <ournalists, instead o" a*reein* with #r. /ands%ury, sneered at him "or a*reein* with them. ,ell, that way o" wor&in* a*ainst $olshe(ism will ha(e its Nemesis' the Nemesis o" all nonsense, whi)h is ne*le)t. 7 new *eneration will *o strai*ht to the pro%lems and "or*et all a%out the party +uarrels. I" we want to &now what the "uture will %e li&e, as "ar as any%ody )an &now it, we must %e*in at the sprin*s o" thou*ht and theory, the sour)es o" the ri(er, and not merely potter a%out in the swamps where it stra**les away into its last la%yrinthine delta o" lo%%yin* and intri*ue. ,e must )onsider what ideas there are in the world at present, and in what way they are li&ely to mould the "uture. Now #r. Geor*e /ans%ury, whether )ons)iously or not, really tou)hed on one o" the most important o" these intelle)tual )on"li)ts, whi)h so o"ten pre)ede politi)al and e(en military )on"li)ts. 7nd the position whi)h he too& up upon that matter was that o" a )onser(ati(e or a traditionalist' or as some on the otherside would say, o" a .ory. .he )ontro(ersy I mean has nothin* to do with So)ialism or Capitalism. It is a +uestion a%out the nature o" human li"e, e(en o" ideal human li"e, whi)h )uts a)ross all these thin*s and would pro%a%ly di(ide So)ialism into two )amps. It is somethin* whi)h some spe)ulators ha(e already %e*un to dis)uss under the name o" 3.he /eisure State.3 It is somethin* whi)h was su**ested, perhaps, in the title and wor& o" #r. H.G. ,ells )alled 3.he ,orld Set Free.3 It does not mean the world set "ree "rom the s)eptre or the sa%re' it means the world set "ree "rom the spade and the plou*hshare. It means that it mi*ht %e possi%le so to or*aniCe ma)hinery that the whole li"e o" man on the earth should %e one o" leisure and not o" la%our. I will not pretend to dis)uss whether it would %e me)hani)ally possi%le. $ut it is time we %e*an to dis)uss whether it is morally desira%le. I am entirely at one with the So)ialists in wishin* to *i(e most men

less wor& and some men more wor&. $ut the a%stra)t +uestion propounded here is not that +uestion' it is whether, i" we )ould, we would *i(e no%ody any wor&. It assumes "or the sa&e o" ar*ument the dar& and du%ious prin)iple that la%our sa(in* de(i)es will sa(e la%our. It as&s whether, e(en then, we always want to sa(e la%our. ,e tal& o" payin* too mu)h "or la%our' should we or should we not pay too mu)h "or idleness: #any o" the idealists )an only )on)ei(e o" an idle humanity as an ideal humanity. .hey tal& as i" no man )ould e(er rest until he rea)hed 9topia' or as i" a really lon* holiday were somethin* li&e hea(en, utterly distant and di(ine. .heir so)ial philosophy is that o" the hearty and humorous epitaph o" the )harwoman, who had *one on to do nothin* "or e(er and e(er. $ut e(en now it is %y no means )ertain that those who are not )harwomen really %e)ome any more hearty and humorous %y doin* nothin* "or e(er and e(er. 7 (ast amount o" stu""y and sentimental hum%u* has %een uttered in "a(our o" the Gospel o" ,or&. 7s it was said that Carlyle tal&ed a *reat deal in praise o" silen)e, it may also %e respe)t"ully a""irmed that he idled away a *reat deal o" his time meditatin* on the (irtues o" la%our. ,or& is not ne)essarily *ood "or people' o(erwor& is (ery %ad "or people' and %oth o"ten %e*in with a %ad moti(e and )ome to a %ad end. #any a modern industrialist has prided himsel" on %ein* as industrious as he was industrial. 7nd it meant little more than that he was ready to sweat himsel", as well as his nei*h%ors, when he wanted to swindle his nei*h%ors. #any a modern man has li(ed %y the Gospel o" ,or&, when it meant the spirit that will always wor& a*ainst the Gospel. 7 *reat deal o" harm has %een done %y settin* up these oily ma)hines as models "or man&ind. I would not point to these ideal industrious men' I would turn away men-s eyes "rom the pain"ul pi)ture o" the Industrious 7pprenti)e' I would (eil their "a)es lest they should %e distur%ed %y the repulsi(e appearan)e o" the man who 7ttended .hese Classes and Is #a&in* $i* #oney Now. I would hastily remo(e this deplora%le person' %ut would *ently remind the 9topians that he is not the only &ind o" person who is deplora%le. Now, the /eisure State e5ists already. It )an %e represented at any sort o" "un)tion su)h as is )alled a State $an+uet or State $all. .he ,orld Set Free e5ists already. It e5ists in the world that spe)ially )laims to )all itsel" the world. It e5ists in the world whi)h So)ialists and 9topians spe)ially )laim to )all worldly. ,e are in a position e(en now to <ud*e pretty well, in a *eneral "ashion, what is the e""e)t on human %ein*s ha(in* nothin*

parti)ular to do. .he 3world3 is already set "ree, i" that is "reedom' %ut is it e5a)tly what the 9topians want to demand as "reedom: It is undou%tedly an idle so)iety, %ut is it an ideal so)iety: Is 9topia to %e "ound in $el*ra(ia any more than in $ohemia: 7re the ri)h all *ood or %etter than any%ody else: 7re they all )le(er or )le(erer than any%ody else: 7re they e(en all "ree and happy, or all "reer and happier than any%ody else: 7nd thou*h there are *ood and )le(er and "ree and happy people amon* the idle ri)h, as there are amon* the idle poor, not to mention the industrious poor, I thin& it is %roadly true that most o" us ha(e "ound that the most sin)ere and sensi%le people were people who earned their own li(in*. I a*ree there"ore with #r. /and%ury in di""erin* "rom those who would perpetuate eternal unemployment )om%ined with uni(ersal doles, and who )all that i*nominious )om%ination .he ,orld Set Free. $ut there is another stron* o%<e)tion whi)h I, one o" the laCiest o" all the )hildren o" 7dam, ha(e a*ainst the /eisure State. .hose who thin& it )ould %e done ar*ue that a (ast ma)hinery usin* ele)tri)ity, water power, petrol, and so on, mi*ht redu)e the wor& imposed on ea)h o" us to a minimum. It mi*ht, %ut it would also redu)e our )ontrol to a minimum. ,e should oursel(es %e)ome parts o" a ma)hine, e(en i" the ma)hine only used those parts on)e a wee&. .he ma)hine would %e our master' "or the ma)hine would produ)e our "ood, and most o" us )ould ha(e no notion o" how it was really %ein* produ)ed. 7 "ree man would rather %e a peasant risin* at dawn to put more wor& on his own "ield. In other words, in the so)ial "ormula to whi)h we are all a))ustomed, the peasant has )ontrol o(er the means o" produ)tion. .he o))asional ad<un)t to the intermittent ma)hine would ha(e no )ontrol whate(er o(er his own leisure, %ut less o(er his own li"e. #a)hinery or*aniCed in that "ashion would ha(e to %e or*aniCed "rom an o""i)ial )entre' and no more )ontrolled %y its ad<un)ts than the tiniest o" the little wheels )an wind a wat)h. .he leisured persons mi*ht %e many thin*s in their lon* hours o" leisure. It is not impossi%le, %y the parallel o" pluto)ra)y, that they mi*ht %e pro"li*ates, per(erts, dru*ta&ers, dram drin&ers, pessimists, and sui)ides. $ut they mi*ht all %e poets and artists and philosophers. .hey would not %e )itiCens. "rom .he Illustrated /ondon News, #ar)h E1, 19EH .he 2+uality o" Se5lessness G. K. Chesterton

In almost all the modern opinions o" women it is )urious too o%ser(e how many lies ha(e to %e assumed %e"ore a )ase )an %e made. 7 youn* lady "lies "rom 2n*land to 7ustralia' another wins an air ra)e' a Du)hess )reates a speed re)ord in rea)hin* India' others win motorin* trophies' and now the Kin*-s priCe "or mar&smanship has *one to a woman. 7ll o" whi)h is (ery interestin* and possi%ly praiseworthy as means o" spendin* one-s leisure time' and i" it were le"t to that, e(en i" no more were added than the per"e)tly plain "a)t that su)h "eats )ould not ha(e %een a)hie(ed %y their mothers and *randmothers, we would %e )ontent to do"" our hats to the ladies with all )ourtesy and respe)t whi)h )oura*e, enduran)e and a%ility ha(e always ri*htly demanded. $ut it is not le"t to that' and )onsidera%ly more is added. It is su**ested, "or e5ample, that the tas&s were %eyond the mothers and *randmothers, nor "or the (ery o%(ious reason that they had no motor)ars and airplanes in whi)h to amuse their leisure hours, %ut %e)ause women were then ensla(ed %y the )on(ention o" natural in"eriority to man. .hose days, we are told, 3in whi)h women were held in)apa%le o" positi(e so)ial a)hie(ements are *one "ore(er.3 It does not seem to ha(e o))urred to this )riti) that the (ery "a)t o" %ein* a mother or *randmother indi)ates a )ertain positi(e so)ial a)hie(ement' the a)hie(ement o" whi)h, indeed, pro%a%ly le"t little leisure "or tra(ellin* airily a%out the hemispheres. .he same )riti) *oes on to state, with all the solemn emphasis o" pro"ound thou*ht, that 3the important thin* is not that women are the same as men that is a "alla)y %ut that they are <ust as (alua%le to so)iety as men. 2+uality o" )itiCenship means that there are twi)e as many heads to sol(e present day pro%lems as there were to sol(e the pro%lems o" the past. 7nd two heads are %etter than one.3 7nd the dread"ul proo" o" the modern )ollapse o" all that was meant %y man and wi"e and the "amily )oun)il, is that this sort o" im%e)ility )an %e ta&en seriously. .he /ondon .imes, in a studied leadin* arti)le, points out that the "irst eman)ipators o" women 0whoe(er they were1 had no idea what lay in store "or "uture *enerations. 3Could they ha(e "oreseen it they mi*ht ha(e disarmed mu)h opposition %y pointin* to the possi%ilities, not only o" "reedom, %ut o" e+uality and "raternity also.3 7nd we as&, what does it all mean: ,hat in the name o" all that is *ra)e"ul and di*ni"ied does "raternity with women mean:

,hat nonsense, or worse, is indi)ated %y the "reedom and e+uality o" the se5es: ,e mean somethin* +uite de"inite when we spea& o" a man %ein* a little "ree with the ladies. ,hat de"inite "reedom is meant when the "reedom o" women is proposed: I" it merely means the ri*ht to "ree opinions, the ri*ht to (ote independently o" "athers and hus%ands, what possi%le )onne)tion does it ha(e with the "reedom to "ly to 7ustralia or s)ore %ulls eyes at $isley: I" it means, as we "ear it does, "reedom "rom responsi%ility o" mana*in* a home and a "amily, an e+ual ri*ht with men in %usiness and so)ial )areers, at the e5pense o" home and "amily, then su)h pro*ress we )an only )all pro*ressi(e deterioration. 7nd "or men too, there is, a))ordin* to a "amous authoress, a hope o" "reedom. #en are %e*innin* to re(olt, we are told, a*ainst the old tri%al )ustom o" desirin* "atherhood. .he male is )astin* o"" the sha)&les o" %ein* a )reator and a man. ,hen all are se5less there will %e e+uality. .here will %e no women and no men. .here will %e %ut a "raternity, "ree and e+ual. .he only )onsolin* thou*ht is that it will endure %ut "or one *eneration. From GK-s ,ee&ly, >uly EA, 19@0 8n #endin* and 2ndin* .hin*s G. K. Chesterton

7 )ertain politi)ian 0whom I would not dis)uss here on any a))ount1 on)e said o" a )ertain institution 0whi)h wild horses shall not indu)e me to name1 that 3It must %e mended or ended.3 Few people who use this use"ul phrase a%out re"orm noti)e the important thin* a%out it. .he important thin* a%out it is that the two methods des)ri%ed here are not similar %ut opposite' %etween mendin* and endin* that is not a di""eren)e o" de*ree %ut o" (ital anta*onism o" &ind. #endin* is %ased upon the idea that the ori*inal nature o" a thin* is *ood' endin* is %ased upon the idea that the ori*inal nature o" a thin* is %ad or at least, has lost all power o" %ein* *ood. I" I 3mend3 an arm)hair it is %e)ause I want an arm)hair. I mend the arm)hair %e)ause I wish to restore it to a state o" more )omplete arm)hairishness. #y o%<e)tion to the arm)hair in its unmended

state is that its de"e)ts pre(ent it "rom %ein* in the "ullest sense an arm)hair at all. I" 0let us say1 the %a)& has )ome o"" and three o" the le*s ha(e disappeared, I realiCe, in loo&in* at it, not merely that it presents a sense o" *eneral irre*ularity to the eye' I realiCe that in su)h and su)h respe)ts it does de"initely "all short o" the Di(ine and 7r)hetypal 7rm)hair, whi)h, as ;lato would ha(e pointed out, e5ists in hea(en. $ut it is possi%le that I mi*ht possess amon* my drawin* room "urniture some o%<e)t, let us say a ra)& or a thum%s)rew, o" whi)h the nature and raison d-Mtre was repellent to my moral "eelin*s. I" my thum%s)rew "ell into sli*ht disrepair, I should not mend it at all' %e)ause the more I mended my thum%s)rew the more thum%s)rewy it would %e. I" my pri(ate ra)& were out o" order, I should %e in no way distur%ed' "or my pri(ate )ode o" ethi)s pre(ents me "rom ra)&in* anyone, and the more it was out o" order the less li&ely it would %e that any )asual passer %y )ould *et ra)&ed on it. In short, a thin* is either %ad or *ood in its ori*inal aims and "un)tions. I" it is *ood, we are in "a(or o" mendin* it' and %e)ause we are in "a(or o" mendin* it, we are ne)essarily opposed to endin* it. I" it is %ad, we are in "a(or o" endin* it' and %e)ause we are in "a(or o" endin* it, we ou*ht to "ly into a passion at the mere thou*ht o" mendin* it. It is the +uestion o" this "undamental alternati(e, the ri*ht or wron* o" the primary idea, whi)h we ha(e to settle in the )ase o" re)ei(in* money "or )harity "rom mem%ers o" du%ious or disputed trades, "rom a pu%li)an or a pirate. .his is an e5tremely *ood e5ample o" the "a)t I ha(e o"ten enun)iated, the "a)t that there is nothin* so really pra)ti)al and ur*ent as ideal philosophy. I" %ein* a pu%li)an is a %ad thin* in its nature, the +ui)&est way o" *ettin* a *ood settlement is to punish the man "or %ein* a pu%li)an, to suppress him li&e a smu**ler, to treat the man who administers %eer li&e a man who administers poison. $ut i" %ein* a pu%li)an is a *ood thin* in itsel", the +ui)&est way o" *ettin* a *ood pu%li)an is to admire the man %e)ause he is a pu%li)an, to "ollow him in *reat )rowds, and )rown him with laurel %e)ause he is a pu%li)an. It is a pra)ti)al )ourse to destroy a thin*' %ut the only other pra)ti)al )ourse is to idealiCe it. 7 respe)ted despot may sometimes %e *ood' %ut a despi)a%le despot must always %e despi)a%le. I" you are *oin* to end an inn&eeper, it )an %e done +uite easily with a hat)het. $ut i" you are *oin* to mend

an inn&eeper, you must do it tenderly, you must do it re(erently. =ou must nail an e5tra arm or le* on his person, &eepin* always %e"ore you the ;latoni) ima*e o" the per"e)t inn&eeper, to whose shape you see& to restore him. So I would deal with the seller o" whis&ey or o" %attleships, whose )ontri%utions to )harity were spurned "or )ons)ien)esa&e %y #r. $ernard Shaw-s latest dramati) )reation. Certainly #a<or $ar%ara-s re<e)tion o" the alms )annot rationally %e imitated unless we suppress the trades. I" we thin& these tradesmen wron*, it is a%surd merely to re"use their )ontri%utions to )harities. .o do so amounts merely to this? that we tolerate them all the time they are doin* e(il, and only %e*in to insult them when they %e*in to do *ood. Illustrated /ondon News, De)em%er E@, 190H .he Falla)y o" Su))ess G. K. Chesterton 25)erpted "rom 7// .HINGS C8NSID2!2D %y G. K. Chesterton, "rom an edition %y >ohn /ane Company, New =or&, 1909. .here has appeared in our time a parti)ular )lass o" %oo&s and arti)les whi)h I sin)erely and solemnly thin& may %e )alled the silliest e(er &nown amon* men. .hey are mu)h more wild than the wildest roman)es o" )hi(alry and mu)h more dull than the dullest reli*ious tra)t. #oreo(er, the roman)es o" )hi(alry were at least a%out )hi(alry' the reli*ious tra)ts are a%out reli*ion. $ut these thin*s are a%out nothin*' they are a%out what is )alled Su))ess. 8ne e(ery %oo&stall, in e(ery ma*aCine, you may "ind wor&s tellin* people how to su))eed. .hey are %oo&s showin* men how to su))eed in e(erythin*' they are written %y men who )annot e(en su))eed in writin* %oo&s. .o %e*in with, o" )ourse, there is no su)h thin* as Su))ess. 8r, i" you li&e to put it so, there is nothin* that is not su))ess"ul. .hat a thin* is su))ess"ul merely means that it is' a millionaire is su))ess"ul in %ein* a millionaire and a don&ey in %ein* a don&ey. 7ny li(e man has su))eeded in li(in*' any dead man may ha(e su))eeded in )ommittin* sui)ide. $ut, passin* o(er the %ad lo*i) and %ad philosophy in the phrase, we may ta&e it, as these writers do, in the ordinary sense o" su))ess in o%tainin* money or worldly position.

.hese writers pro"ess to tell the ordinary man how he may su))eed in his trade or spe)ulation how, i" he is a %uilder, he may su))eed as a %uilder' how, i" he is a sto)&%ro&er, how he may su))eed as a sto)&%ro&er. .hey pro"ess to show him how, i" he is a *ro)er, he may %e)ome a sportin* ya)htsman' how, i" he is a tenth rate <ournalist, he may %e)ome a peer' and how, i" he is a German >ew, he may %e)ome an 7n*lo Sa5on. .his is a de"inite and %usiness li&e proposal, and I really thin& that the people who %uy these %oo&s 0i" any people do %uy them1 ha(e a moral, i" not a le*al, ri*ht to as& "or their money %a)&. No%ody would dare to pu%lish a %oo& a%out ele)tri)ity whi)h literally told one nothin* a%out ele)tri)ity' no one would dare pu%lish an arti)le on %otany whi)h showed that the writer did not &now whi)h end o" a plant *rew in the earth. =et our modern world is "ull o" %oo&s a%out Su))ess and su))ess"ul people whi)h literally )ontain no &ind o" idea, and s)ar)ely and &ind o" (er%al sense. It is per"e)tly o%(ious that in any de)ent o))upation 0su)h as %ri)&layin* or writin* %oo&s1 there are only two ways 0in any spe)ial sense1 o" su))eedin*. 8ne is %y doin* (ery *ood wor&, the other is %y )heatin*. $oth are mu)h too simple to re+uire any literary e5planation. I" you are in "or the hi*h <ump, either <ump hi*her than any one else, or mana*e somehow to pretend that you ha(e done so. I" you want to su))eed at whist, either %e a *ood whist player, or play with mar&ed )ards. =ou may want a %oo& a%out <umpin*' you may want a %oo& a%out whist' you may want a %oo& a%out )heatin* at whist. $ut you )annot want a %oo& a%out Su))ess. 2spe)ially you )annot want a %oo& a%out Su))ess su)h as those whi)h you )an now "ind s)attered %y the hundred a%out the %oo& mar&et. =ou may want to <ump or to play )ards' %ut you do not want to read wanderin* statements to the e""e)t that <umpin* is <umpin*, or that *ames are won %y winners. I" these writers, "or instan)e, said anythin* a%out su))ess in <umpin* it would %e somethin* li&e this? 3.he <umper must ha(e a )lear aim %e"ore him. He must desire de"initely to <ump hi*her than the other men who are in "or the same )ompetition. He must let no "ee%le "eelin*s o" mer)y 0snea&ed "rom the si)&enin* /ittle 2n*landers and ;ro $oers1 pre(ent him "rom tryin* to do his %est. He must remem%er that a )ompetition in <umpin* is distin)tly )ompetiti(e, and that, as Darwin has *loriously demonstrated, .H2 ,27K2S. G8 .8 .H2 ,7//.3 .hat is the &ind o" thin* the %oo& would say, and (ery use"ul it would %e, no dou%t, i" read out in a low and tense (oi)e to a youn* man <ust a%out to ta&e the hi*h <ump. 8r suppose that in the )ourse o" his intelle)tual ram%les the philosopher o" Su))ess dropped upon our other )ase, that o" playin* )ards, his %ra)in*

ad(i)e would run 3In playin* )ards it is (ery ne)essary to a(oid the mista&e 0)ommonly made %y maudlin humanitarians and Free .raders1 o" permittin* your opponent to win the *ame. =ou must ha(e *rit and snap and *o in to win. .he days o" idealism and superstition are o(er. ,e li(e in a time o" s)ien)e and hard )ommon sense, and it has now %een de"initely pro(ed that in any *ame where two are playin* IF 8N2 D82S N8. ,IN .H2 8.H2! ,I//.3 It is all (ery stirrin*, o" )ourse' %ut I )on"ess that i" I were playin* )ards I would rather ha(e some de)ent little %oo& whi)h told me the rules o" the *ame. $eyond the rules o" the *ame it is all a +uestion either o" talent or dishonesty' and I will underta&e to pro(ide either one or the other whi)h, it is not "or me to say. .urnin* o(er a popular ma*aCine, I "ind a +ueer and amusin* e5ample. .here is an arti)le )alled 3.he Instin)t that #a&es ;eople !i)h.3 It is de)orated in "ront with a "ormida%le portrait o" /ord !oths)hild. .here are many de"inite methods, honest and dishonest, whi)h ma&e people ri)h' the only 3instin)t3 I &now o" whi)h does it is that instin)t whi)h theolo*i)al Christianity )rudely des)ri%es as 3the sin o" a(ari)e.3 .hat, howe(er, is %eside the present point. I wish to +uote the "ollowin* e5+uisite para*raphs as a pie)e o" typi)al ad(i)e as to how to su))eed. It is so pra)ti)al' it lea(es so little dou%t a%out what should %e our ne5t step .he name o" Fander%ilt is synonymous with wealth *ained %y modern enterprise. -Cornelius,- the "ounder o" the "amily, was the "irst o" the *reat 7meri)an ma*nates o" )ommer)e. He started as the son o" a poor "armer' he ended as a millionaire twenty times o(er. He had the money ma&in* instin)t. He seiCed his opportunities, the opportunities that were *i(en %y the appli)ation o" the steam en*ine to o)ean tra""i), and %y the %irth o" railway lo)omotion in the wealthy %ut underde(eloped 9nited States o" 7meri)a, and )onse+uently he amassed an immense "ortune. Now it is, o" )ourse, o%(ious that we )annot all "ollow e5a)tly in the "ootsteps o" this *reat railway monar)h. .he pre)ise opportunities that "ell to him do not o))ur to us. Cir)umstan)es ha(e )han*ed. $ut, althou*h this is so, still, in our own sphere and in our own )ir)umstan)es, we )an "ollow his *eneral methods' we )an seiCe those opportunities that are *i(en us, and *i(e oursel(es a (ery "air )han)e o" attainin* ri)hes.

In su)h stran*e utteran)es we see +uite )learly what is really at the %ottom o" all these arti)les and %oo&s. It is not mere %usiness' it is not e(en mere )yni)ism. It is mysti)ism' the horri%le mysti)ism o" money. .he writer o" that passa*e did not really ha(e the remotest notion o" how Fander%ilt made his money, or o" how any%ody else is to ma&e his. He does, indeed, )on)lude his remar&s %y ad(o)atin* some s)heme' %ut it has nothin* in the world to do with Fander%ilt. He merely wished to prostrate himsel" %e"ore the mystery o" a millionaire. For when we really worship anythin*, we lo(e not only its )learness %ut its o%s)urity. ,e e5ult in its (ery in(isi%ility. .hus, "or instan)e, when a man is in lo(e with a woman he ta&es spe)ial pleasure in the "a)t that a woman is unreasona%le. .hus, a*ain, the (ery pious poet, )ele%ratin* his Creator, ta&es pleasure in sayin* that God mo(es in a mysterious way. Now, the writer o" the para*raph whi)h I ha(e +uoted does not seem to ha(e had anythin* to do with a *od and I should not thin& 0<ud*in* %y his e5treme unpra)ti)ality1 that he had e(er %een really in lo(e with a woman. $ut the thin* he does worship Fander%ilt he treats in e5a)tly this mysti)al manner. He really re(els in the "a)t his deity Fander%ilt is &eepin* a se)ret "rom him. 7nd it "ills his soul with a sort o" transport o" )unnin*, an e)stasy o" priest)ra"t, that he should pretend to %e tellin* to the multitude that terri%le se)ret whi)h he does not &now. Spea&in* a%out the instin)t that ma&es people ri)h, the same writer remar&s In the olden days its e5isten)e was "ully understood. .he Gree&s enshrined it in the story o" #idas, o" the -Golden .ou)h.- Here was a man who turned e(erythin* he laid his hands upon into *old. His li"e was a pro*ress amidst ri)hes. 8ut o" e(erythin* that )ame in his way he )reated the pre)ious metal. -7 "oolish le*end,- said the wisea)res i" the Fi)torian a*e. -7 truth,- say we o" to day. ,e all &now o" su)h men. ,e are e(er meetin* or readin* a%out su)h persons who turn e(erythin* they tou)h into *old. Su))ess do*s their (ery "ootsteps. .heir li"e-s pathway leads unerrin*ly upwards. .hey )annot "ail. 9n"ortunately, howe(er, #idas )ould "ail' he did. His path did not lead unerrin*ly upward. He star(ed %e)ause whene(er he tou)hed a %is)uit or a ham sandwi)h it turned to *old. .hat was the whole point o" the story, thou*h the writer has to suppress it deli)ately, writin* so near to a portrait o" /ord !oths)hild. .he old "a%les

o" man&ind are, indeed, un"athoma%ly wise' %ut we must not ha(e them e5pur*ated in the interests o" #r. Fander%ilt. ,e must not ha(e Kin* #idas represented as an e5ample o" su))ess' he was a "ailure o" an unusually pain"ul &ind. 7lso, he had the ears o" an ass. 7lso 0li&e most other prominent and wealthy persons1 he endea(oured to )on)eal the "a)t. It was his %ar%er 0i" I remem%er ri*ht1 who had to %e treated on a )on"idential "ootin* with re*ard to this pe)uliarity' and his %ar%er, instead o" %eha(in* li&e a *o ahead person o" the Su))eed at all )osts s)hool and tryin* to %la)&mail Kin* #idas, went away and whispered this splendid pie)e o" so)iety s)andal to the reeds, who en<oyed it enormously. It is said that they also whispered it as the winds swayed them to and "ro. I loo& re(erently at the portrait o" /ord !oths)hild' I read re(erently a%out the e5ploits o" #r. Fander%ilt. I &now that I )annot turn e(erythin* I tou)h to *old' %ut then I also &now that I ha(e ne(er tried, ha(in* a pre"eren)e "or other su%stan)es, su)h as *rass, and *ood wine. I &now that these people ha(e )ertainly su))eeded in somethin*' that they ha(e )ertainly o(er)ome some%ody' I &now that they are &in*s in a sense that no men were e(er &in*s %e"ore' that they )reate mar&ets and %estride )ontinents. =et it always seems to me that there is some small domesti) "a)t that they are hidin*, and I ha(e sometimes thou*ht I heard upon the wind the lau*hter and whisper o" the reeds. 7t least, let us hope that we shall all li(e to see these a%surd %oo&s a%out Su))ess )o(ered with a proper derision and ne*le)t. .hey do not tea)h people to %e su))ess"ul, %ut they do tea)h people to %e sno%%ish' they do spread a sort o" e(il poetry o" worldliness. .he ;uritans are always denoun)in* %oo&s that in"lame lust' what shall we say o" %oo&s that in"lame the (iler passions o" a(ari)e and pride: 7 hundred years a*o we had the ideal o" the Industrious 7pprenti)e' %oys were told that %y thri"t and wor& they would all %e)ome /ord #ayors. .his was "alla)ious, %ut it was manly, and had a minimum o" moral truth. In our so)iety, temperan)e will not help a poor man to enri)h himsel", %ut it may help him to respe)t himsel". Good wor& will not ma&e him a ri)h man, %ut *ood wor& may ma&e him a *ood wor&man. .he Industrious 7pprenti)e rose %y (irtues "ew and narrow indeed, %ut still (irtues. $ut what shall we say o" the *ospel prea)hed to the new Industrious 7pprenti)e' the 7pprenti)e who rises not %y his (irtues, %ut a(owedly %y his (i)es:

.he Great Shipwre)& as 7nalo*y

G.K.Chesterton #ay 11, 191E

.he Illustrated /ondon News .he tra*edy o" the *reat shipwre)& is too terri"i) "or any analo*ies o" mere "an)y. $ut the analo*y whi)h sprin*s to the mind %etween the *reat modern ship and our *reat modern so)iety that sent it "orth this analo*y is not a "an)y. It is a "a)t' a "a)t perhaps too lar*e and plain "or the eyes easily to ta&e in. 8ur whole )i(iliCation is indeed (ery li&e the .I.7NIC' ali&e in its power and its impoten)e, it se)urity and its inse)urity. .e)hni)ally )onsidered, the su""i)ien)y o" the pre)autions are a matter "or te)hni)al in+uiry. $ut psy)holo*i)ally )onsidered, there )an %e no dou%t that su)h (ast ela%oration and system indu)e a "rame o" mind whi)h is ine""i)ient rather than e""i)ient. Nuite apart "rom the +uestion o" whether anyone was to %lame, the %i* outstandin* "a)t remains? that there was no sort o" sane proportion %etween the pro(ision "or lu5ury and le(ity, and the e5tent o" the pro(ision "or need and desperation. .he s)heme did "ar too mu)h "or prosperity and "ar too little "or distress <ust li&e the modern State. #r. Feneerin*, it will %e remem%ered, in his ele)toral address, 3instituted a new and stri&in* )omparison %etween the State and a ship3' the )omparison, i" not new, is %e)omin* a little too stri&in*. $y the time you ha(e made your ship as %i* as a )ommonwealth it does %e)ome (ery li&e a ship rather li&e a sin&in* ship. For there is a real )onne)tion %etween su)h )atastrophes and a )ertain "rame o" mind whi)h re"uses to e5pe)t them. 7 rou*h man *oin* a%out the sea in a small %oat may ma&e e(ery other &ind o" mista&e? he may o%ey superstitions' he may ta&e too mu)h rum' he may *et drun&' he may *et drowned. $ut, )autious or re)&less, drun& or so%er, he )annot "or*et that he is in a %oat and that a %oat is as dan*erous a %east as a wild horse. .he (ery lines o" the %oat ha(e the swi"t poetry o" peril' the (ery )arria*e and *estures o" the %oat are those o" a thin* assailed. $ut i" you ma&e your %oat so lar*e that it does not e(en loo& li&e a %oat, %ut li&e a sort o" waterin* pla)e, it must, %y the deepest

ha%it o" human nature, indu)e a less (i*ilant attitude o" the mind. 7n aristo)rat on %oard ship who tra(els with a *ara*e "or his motor almost "eels as i" he were tra(ellin* with the trees o" his par&. ;eople li(in* in open air )a"es sprin&led with li+ueurs and i)es *et as "ar "rom the thou*ht o" any re(olt o" the elements as they are "rom that o" an earth+ua&e under the Hotel Ce)il. .he mental pro)ess is +uite illo*i)al, %ut it is +uite ine(ita%le. 8" )ourse, %oth sailors and passen*ers are intelle)tually aware that motors at sea are o"ten less use"ul than li"e %oats, and that i)es are no antidote to i)e%er*s. $ut man is not only *o(erned %y what he thin&s %ut %y what he )hooses to thin& a%out' and the si*hts that sin& into us day %y day )olour our minds with e(ery tint %etween insolen)e and terror. .his is one o" the worst e(ils in that e5treme separation o" so)ial )lasses whi)h mar&s the modern ship and State. $ut whether or no our unhappy "ellow )reatures on the .I.7NIC su""ered more than they need "rom this unreality o" ori*inal outloo&, they )annot ha(e had less instin)t o" a)tuality than we ha(e who are le"t ali(e on land? and now that they are dead they are mu)h more real than we. .hey ha(e &nown what papers and politi)ians ne(er &now o" what man is really made, and what manner o" thin* is our nature at its %est and worst. It is this )urious, )old, "limsy in)apa)ity to )on)ei(e what a .HING is li&e that appears in so many pla)es, e(en in the )omments on this astoundin* sorrow. It appears in the displeasin* in)ident o" #iss Syl(ia ;an&hurst, who, immediately a"ter the disaster, seems to ha(e hastened to assure the pu%li) that men must *et no )redit "or *i(in* the %oats up to women, %e)ause it was the 3rule3 at sea. ,hether this was a *ra)e"ul thin* "or a *ay spinster to say to ei*ht hundred widows in the (ery hour o" doom is not worth in+uiry here, /i&e )anni%alism, it is a matter o" taste. $ut what )hie"ly astonishes me in the remar& is the utter a%sen)e whi)h it re(eals o" the rudiments o" politi)al thou*ht. ,hat does #iss ;an&hurst ima*ine a 3rule3 is a sort o" %asilis&: Some hundreds o" men are, in the e5a)t and literal sense o" the pro(er%, %etween the de(il and the deep sea. It is their %usiness, i" they )an ma&e up their minds to it, to a))ept the deep sea and resist the de(il. ,hat does #iss ;an&hurst suppose a 3rule3 )ould do to them in su)h e5tremities: Does she thin& the )aptain would "ine e(ery man si5pen)e who e5pressed a pre"eren)e "or his li"e: Has it o))urred to her that a hundredth part o" the ship-s population )ould ha(e thrown the )aptain and all the authorities into the sea: $ut #iss ;an&hurst-s remar& althou*h im%e)ile, is in"ormin*. Now I see the a%<e)t and idolatrous way in whi)h she uses the word 3rule,3 I %e*in to understand the a%<e)t and idolatrous way in whi)h she uses

the word 3(ote.3 She )annot see that wills and not words )ontrol e(ents. I" e(er she is in a "ire or shipwre)& with men %elow a )ertain standard o" 2uropean morals, she will soon "ind out that the e5isten)e o" a rule depends on whether people )an %e indu)ed to o%ey it. 7nd i" she e(er has a (ote in the (ery low state o" 2uropean politi)s, she will (ery soon "ind out that its importan)e depends on whether you )an indu)e the man you (ote "or to o%ey his mandate or any o" his promises. It is (ain to rule i" your su%<e)ts )an and do diso%ey you. It is (ain to (ote i" your dele*ates )an and do diso%ey you. $ut, indeed, a real rule )an do without su)h e5)eptions as the Su""ra*ettes' de minimis non )urat le5. 7nd i" the word 3rule3 %e used in the wider sense o" an attempt to maintain a )ertain standard o" pri(ate )ondu)t out o" respe)t "or pu%li) opinion, we )an only say that not only is this a real moral triumph, %ut it is, in our present )ondition, rather a surprisin* and reassurin* one. It is e5a)tly this )orporate )ons)ien)e that the modern State has dan*erously ne*le)ted. .here was pro%a%ly more instin)ti(e "raternity and sense o" identi)al interests, I will say, not on an old s&ipper-s (essel, %ut on an old pirate-s, than there was %etween the emi*rants, the aristo)rats, the <ournalists, or the millionaires who set out to die to*ether on the *reat ship. .hat they "ound in so )ruel a way their %rotherhood and the need o" man "or the respe)t o" his nei*h%our, this is a dread"ul "a)t, %ut )ertainly the re(erse o" a de*radin* one. .he )ase o" #r. Stead, whi)h I "eel with rather spe)ial emotions, %oth o" sympathy and di""eren)e, is (ery typi)al o" the whole tra*edy. #r. Stead was "ar too *reat and %ra(e a man to re+uire any )on)ealment o" his e5a**erations or his more un%alan)ed moods' his stren*th was in a "lamin* )ertainty, whi)h one only wea&ens %y )allin* sin)erity, and a hun*er and thirst "or human sympathy. His e5)ess, we may say, with real respe)t, was in the dire)tion o" me*alomania' a )hildli&e %elie" in %i* empires, %i* newspapers, %i* allian)es %i* ships. He toiled li&e a .itan "or that 7n*lo 7meri)an )om%ination o" whi)h the ship that has *one down may well %e )alled the em%lem. 7nd at the last all these %i* thin*s %ro&e a%out him, and somewhat %i**er thin*s remained? a )oura*e that was entirely indi(idual' a &indness that was entirely uni(ersal. His death may well %e)ome a le*end. G. K. Chesterton /eo .olstoy Chesterton, G. K.' ;erris, G. H.' Garnett, 2dward

Hodder and Stou*hton 190@ http?OOete5t.li%.(ir*inia.eduOmoden*Omoden*0.%rowse.html

.8/S.8= IF any one wishes to "orm the "ullest estimate o" the real )hara)ter and in"luen)e o" the *reat man whose name is pre"i5ed to these remar&s, he will not "ind it in his no(els, splendid as they are, or in his ethi)al (iews, )learly and "inely as they are )on)ei(ed and e5panded. He will "ind it %est e5pressed in the news that has re)ently )ome "rom Canada, that a se)t o" !ussian Christian anar)hists has turned all its animals loose, on the *round that it is immoral to possess them or )ontrol them. 7%out su)h an in)ident as this there is a +uality alto*ether independent o" the ri*htness or wron*ness, the sanity or insanity, o" the (iew. It is "irst and "oremost a reminder that the world is still youn*. .here are still theories o" li"e as insanely reasona%le as those whi)h were disputed under the )lear %lue s&ies o" 7thens. .here are still e5amples o" a "aith as "ier)e and pra)ti)al as that o" the #ahometans, who swept a)ross 7"ri)a and 2urope, shoutin* a sin*le word. .o the lan*uid )ontemporary politi)ian and philosopher it seems dou%tless li&e somethin* out o" a dream, that in this iron %ound, homo*eneous, and )lo)&wor& a*e, a )ompany o" 2uropean men in %oots and waist)oats should %e*in to insist on ta&in* the horse out o" the sha"ts o" the omni%us, and li"t the pi* out o" his pi* sty, and the do* out o" his &ennel, %e)ause o" a moral s)ruple or theory. It is li&e a pa*e "rom some "airy "ar)e to ima*ine the Dou&ha%or solemnly es)ortin* a hen to the door o" the yard and %iddin* it a %ene(olent "arewell as it sets out on its tra(els. 7ll this, as I say, seems mere muddle headed a%surdity to the typi)al leader o" human so)iety in this de)ade, to a man li&e #r. $al"our, or #r. ,yndham. $ut there is ne(ertheless a "urther thin* to %e said, and that is that, i" #r. $al"our )ould %e )on(erted to a reli*ion whi)h tau*ht him that he was morally %ound to wal& into the House o" Commons on his hands, and he did wal& on his hands, i" #r. ,yndham )ould a))ept a )reed whi)h tau*ht that he ou*ht to dye his hair %lue, and he did dye his hair %lue, they would %oth o" them %e, almost %eyond des)ription, %etter and happier men than they are. For there is only one happiness possi%le or )on)ei(a%le under the sun,

and that is enthusiasm that stran*e and splendid word that has passed throu*h so many (i)issitudes, whi)h meant, in the ei*hteenth )entury the )ondition o" a lunati), and in an)ient Gree)e the presen)e o" a *od. .his *reat a)t o" heroi) )onsisten)y whi)h has ta&en pla)e in Canada is the %est e5ample o" the wor& o" .olstoy. It is true 0as I %elie(e1 that the Dou&ha%ors ha(e an ori*in +uite independent o" the *reat !ussian moralist, %ut there )an surely %e little dou%t that their emer*en)e into importan)e and the *rowth and mental distin)tion o" their se)t, is due to his admira%le summary and <usti"i)ation o" their s)heme o" ethi)s. .olstoy, %esides %ein* a ma*ni"i)ent no(elist, is one o" the (ery "ew men ali(e who ha(e a real, solid, and serious (iew o" li"e. He is a Catholi) )hur)h, o" whi)h he is the only mem%er, the somewhat arro*ant ;ope and the somewhat su%missi(e layman. He is one o" the two or three men in 2urope, who ha(e an attitude towards thin*s so entirely their own, that we )ould supply their ine(ita%le (iew on anythin* a sil& hat, a Home !ule $ill, an Indian poem, or a pound o" to%a))o. .here are three men in e5isten)e who ha(e su)h an attitude? .olstoy, #r. $ernard Shaw, and my "riend #r. Hilaire $ello). .hey are all diametri)ally opposed to ea)h other, %ut they all ha(e this essential resem%lan)e, that, *i(en their %asis o" thou*ht, their soil o" )on(i)tion, their opinions on e(ery earthly su%<e)t *row there naturally, li&e "lowers in a "ield. .here are )ertain (iews o" )ertain thin*s that they must ta&e' they do not "orm opinions, the opinions "orm themsel(es. .a&e, "or instan)e, in the )ase o" .olstoy, the mere list o" mis)ellaneous o%<e)ts whi)h I wrote down at random a%o(e, a sil& hat, a Home !ule $ill, an Indian poem, and a pound o" to%a))o. .olstoy would say? 3I %elie(e in the utmost possi%le simpli"i)ation o" li"e' there"ore, this sil& hat is a %la)& a%ortion.3 He would say? 3I %elie(e in the utmost possi%le simpli"i)ation o" li"e' there"ore, this Home !ule $ill is a mere peddlin* )ompromise' it is no *ood to %rea& up a )entralised empire into nations, you must %rea& the nation up into indi(iduals.3 He would say? 3I %elie(e in the utmost possi%le simpli"i)ation o" li"e' there"ore, I am interested in this Indian poem, "or 2astern ethi)s, under all their apparent *or*eousness, are "ar simpler and more .olstoyan than ,estern.3 He would say? 3I %elie(e in the utmost possi%le simpli"i)ation o" li"e' there"ore, this pound o" to%a))o is a thin* o" e(il' ta&e it away.3 2(erythin* in the world. "rom the $i%le to a %oot<a)&,

)an %e, and is, redu)ed %y .olstoy to this *reat "undamental .olstoyan prin)iple, the simpli"i)ation o" li"e. ,hen we deal with a %ody o" opinion li&e this we are dealin* with an in)ident in the history o" 2urope in"initely more important than the appearan)e o" Napoleon $uonaparte. .his emer*en)e o" .olstoy, with his aw"ul and simple ethi)s, is important in more ways than one. 7mon* other thin*s it is a (ery interestin* )ommentary on an attitude whi)h has %een ta&en up "or the matter o" hal" a )entury %y all the a(owed opponents o" reli*ion. .he se)ularist and the s)epti) ha(e denoun)ed Christianity "irst and "oremost, %e)ause o" its en)oura*ement o" "anati)ism' %e)ause reli*ious e5)itement led men to %urn their nei*h%ours and to dan)e na&ed down the street. How +ueer it all sounds now. !eli*ion )an %e swept out o" the matter alto*ether, and still there are philosophi)al and ethi)al theories whi)h )an produ)e "anati)ism enou*h to "ill the world. Fanati)ism has nothin* at all to do with reli*ion. .here are *ra(e s)ienti"i) theories whi)h, i" )arried out lo*i)ally, would result in the same "ires in the mar&et pla)e and the same na&edness in the street. .here are modern esthetes who would e5pose themsel(es li&e the 7damites i" they )ould do it in ele*ant attitudes. .here are modern s)ienti"i) moralists who would %urn their opponents ali(e, and would %e +uite )ontented i" they were %urnt %y some new )hemi)al pro)ess. 7nd i" any one dou%ts this proposition that "anati)ism has nothin* to do with reli*ion, %ut has only to do with human nature let him ta&e this )ase o" .olstoy and the Dou&ha%ors. 7 se)t o" men start with no theolo*y at all, %ut with the simple do)trine that we ou*ht to lo(e our nei*h%our and use no "or)e a*ainst him, and they end in thin&in* it wi)&ed to )arry a leather hand%a*, or to ride in a )art. 7 *reat modern writer who erases theolo*y alto*ether, denies the (alidity o" the S)riptures and the Chur)hes ali&e, "orms a purely ethi)al theory that lo(e should %e the instrument o" re"orm, and ends %y maintainin* that we ha(e no ri*ht to stri&e a man i" he is torturin* a )hild %e"ore our eyes. He *oes on, he de(elops a theory o" the mind and the emotions, whi)h mi*ht %e held %y the most ri*id atheist, and he ends %y maintainin* that the se5ual relation out o" whi)h all humanity has )ome, is not only not moral, %ut is positi(ely not natural. .his is "anati)ism as it has %een and as it will always %e. Destroy the last )opy o" he $i%le, and perse)ution and insane or*ies will %e "ounded on #r. Her%ert Spen)er-s 3Syntheti) ;hilosophy.3 Some o" the %roadest thin&ers o" the #iddle 7*es %elie(ed in "a**ots,

and some o" the %roadest thin&ers in the nineteenth )entury %elie(e in dynamite. .he truth is that .olstoy, with his immense *enius, with his )olossal "aith, with his (ast "earlessness and (ast &nowled*e o" li"e, is de"i)ient in one "a)ulty and one "a)ulty alone. He is not a mysti)? and there"ore he has a tenden)y to *o mad. #en tal& o" the e5tra(a*an)es and "renCies that ha(e %een produ)ed %y mysti)ism? they are a mere drop in the %u)&et. In the main, and "rom the %e*innin* o" time, mysti)isrn has &ept men sane. .he thin* that has dri(en them mad was lo*i). It is si*ni"i)ant that, with all that has %een said a%out the e5)ita%ility o" poets, only one 2n*lish poet e(er went mad, and he went mad "rom a lo*i)al system o" theolo*y. He was Cowper, and his poetry retarded his insanity "or many years. So poetry, in whi)h .olstoy is de"i)ient, has always %een a toni) and sanati(e thin*. .he only thin* that has &ept the ra)e o" men "rom the mad e5tremes o" the )on(ent and the pirate *alley, the ni*ht )lu% and the lethal )ham%er, has %een mysti)ism the %elie" that lo*i) is misleadin*, and that thin*s are not what they seem. G. K. CH2S.2!.8N. /28 .8/S.8= 7S ,!I.2! H7/F the i*noran)e or misunderstandin* o" this *reatest li(in* "i*ure in literature )omes o" the attempt to <ud*e him as we <ud*e the spe)ialised ,estern no(elist an utterly "utile method o" approa)h. He is a !ussian, in the "irst pla)e. Had he )ome to ;aris with .ur*uenie"", he mi*ht ha(e %een similarly re nationalised, mi*ht possi%ly ha(e de(eloped into a writer pure and simple' the world mi*ht so ha(e *ained a "ew *reat roman)es it would ha(e lost in"initely in other dire)tions. .ur*uenie"" wished it so. 3#y "riend,3 he wrote to .olstoy "rom his death%ed, 3return to literature4 !e"le)t that that *i"t )omes to you when)e e(erythin* )omes to us. 7h4 how happy I should %e i" I )ould thin& that my prayers )ould in"luen)e you.... #y "riend, *reat writer o" our !ussian land, hear my entreaty43 For on)e, the se)ond *reatest o" modern !ussians too& a narrow (iew o" )hara)ter and destiny. Genius must wor& itsel" out on its own lines. .olstoy remained a !ussian "rom tip to toe that is one o" his supreme (alues "or us' and he remained an indi(isi%le personality. .he artist and the moralist are insepara%le in his wor&s.

3,e are not to ta&e - 7nna Karenina - as a wor& o" art,3 said #atthew 7rnold' 3we are to ta&e it as a pie)e o" li"e.3 .he distin)tion is not (ery satis"a)torily stated, %ut the meanin* is )lear. So, too, ,. D. Howells, in his introdu)tion to an 7meri)an edition o" the 3Se%astopol S&et)hes3? 3I do not &now how it is with others to whom these %oo&s o" .olstoy-s ha(e )ome, %ut "or my part I )annot thin& o" them as literature in the artisti) sense at all. Some people )omplain to me when I praise them that they are too lon*, too di""use, too )on"used, that the )hara)ters- names are hard to pronoun)e, and that the li"e they portray is (ery sad and not amusin*. In the presen)e o" these )riti)isms I )an only say that I "ind them nothin* o" the &ind, %ut that ea)h history o" .olstoy-s is as )lear, as orderly, as %rie", as somethin* I ha(e li(ed throu*h mysel". I )annot thin& o" any ser(i)e whi)h ima*inati(e literature has done the ra)e so *reat as that whi)h .olstoy has done in his )on)eption o" Karenina at that )ru)ial moment when the )ruelly outra*ed man sees that he )annot %e *ood with di*nity. .his lea(es all tri)&s o" "an)y, all e""e)ts o" art, immeasura%ly %ehind.3 So mu)h %ein* said, howe(er, we may %e allowed to emphasise in this +ualities and a)hie(ements o" .olstoy as artist, rather than the e5positions o" Christian 7nar)hism and the so)ial philippi)s under whi)h those a)hie(ements ha(e %een somewhat hidden in re)ent years. #or%id introspe)ti(eness and the spirit o" re(olt ine(ita%ly )olour what is %est in nineteenth )entury !ussia. $orn at =asnaya ;olyana 03Clear Field31, .ula, in 1PEP, and early orphaned, .olstoy-s youth syn)hronised with the period o" rea)tion that %rou*ht the 2mpire to the humiliatin* disasters o" the Crimean ,ar. No hope was le"t in the thin layer o" so)iety lyin* %etween the two mill stones o" the Court and the ser"s' none in the little sphere o" art where $yroni) romanti)ism was ready to e5pire. .he %oy saw "rom the "irst the rottenness o" the patriar)hal aristo)ra)y in whi)h his lot seemed to %e )ast. ;re)o)ious, a%normally sensiti(e and o%ser(ant, impatient o" dis)ipline and "ormal learnin*, aw&ward and %ash"ul, always %roodin*, not a little )on)eited, he was a s)epti) at "i"teen, and le"t the 9ni(ersity o" KaCan in dis*ust at the stupid )on(entions o" the time and pla)e, without ta&in* his de*ree. 3Childhood, $oyhood, and =outh3 whi)h appeared in three se)tions %etween 1PHE and 1PHQ tells the story o" this period, thou*h the "i*ure o" Irtenie"" is pro%a%ly a pro<e)tion rather than a portrait o" himsel", to whom he is always less "air, not to say mer)i"ul, than to others. .his %oo& is a most

un)ompromisin* e5er)ise in sel" analysis. It o" *reat len*th, there is no plot, and "ew outer e(ents are re)orded. .he realism is *enerally mor%id, %ut is (aried %y some passa*es o" *reat des)ripti(e power, su)h as the a))ount o" the storm, and o))asionally with tender pathos, as in the story o" the soldier-s death, as well as %y *rimly (i(id pa*es, su)h as the narrati(e o" the mother-s death. In this earliest wor& will %e "ound the seeds %oth o" .olstoy-s artisti) *enius and o" his ethi)al *ospel. 7"ter "i(e years o" mildly %ene(olent e""orts amon* his ser"s at =asnaya ;olyana 0the disappointments o" whi)h he related a "ew years later in 37 /andlord-s #ornin*,3 intended to ha(e %een part o" a "ull no(el )alled 37 !ussian ;roprietor31, his elder %rother Ni)holas persuaded him to <oin the army, and in 1PH1 he was dra"ted to the Cau)asus as an artillery o""i)er. 8n this "a(ourite sta*e o" !ussian roman)e, where "or the "irst time he saw the towerin* mountains and the tropi)al sun, and met the ru**ed ad(enturous hi*hlanders, .olstoy "elt his ima*ination stirred as $yron amon* the isles o" Gree)e, and his early re(ulsion a*ainst )ity li"e )on"irmed as ,ordsworth amid the /a&es, as .horeau at ,alden, %y a dire)t )all "rom Nature to his own heart. .he lar*est result o" this e5perien)e was 3.he Cossa)&s3 01PHE1. .ur*uenie"" des)ri%ed this "ine prose epi) o" the )onta)t o" )i(ilised and sa(a*e man as 3the %est no(el written in our lan*ua*e.3 3.he !aid3 0or 3.he In(aders,3 as #r. Dole-s translation is entitled1, same year, 3.he ,ood Cuttin* 25pedition3 01PHH1, 3#eetin* an 8ld 7)+uaintan)e3 01PHA1, and 37 ;risoner in the Cau)asus3 01PAE1 are also drawn "rom re)olle)tions o" this so<ourn, and show the same des)ripti(e and romanti) power. 9pon the out%rea& o" the Crimean ,ar the Count was )alled to Se%astopol, where he had )ommand o" a %attery, and too& part in the de"en)e o" the )itadel. .he immediate produ)t o" these dar& months o" %loodshed was the thrillin* series o" impressions reprinted "rom one o" the leadin* !ussian re(iews as 3Se%astopol S&et)hes3 01PHA1. From that day onward .olstoy &new and hate"ul truth a%out war and the thou*htless pseudo patriotism whi)h hurries nations into "ratri)idal slau*hter. From that there was e5pun*ed "rom his mind all the )heap romanti)ism whi)h depends upon the *lori"i)ation o" the sa(a*e nature. .hese wonder"ul pi)tures o" the routine o" the %attle"ield esta%lished his position in !ussia as a writer, and later on )reated in ,estern )ountries an impression li&e that o" the )an(ases o" Ferest)ha*in.

For a %rie" time .olstoy %e)ame a "i*ure in the old and new )apitals o" !ussia %y ri*ht o" talent as well as %irth. His (ery )he+uered "riendship with .ur*uenie"", one o" the oddest )hapters in literary history, )an only %e mentioned here. In 1PHQ he tra(elled in Germany, Fran)e, and Italy. lt was o" these years that he de)lared in 3#y Con"ession3 that he )ould not thin& o" them without horror, dis*ust, and pain o" heart. .he )atalo*ue o" )rime whi)h he )har*ed a*ainst himsel" in his sal(ationist )risis o" twenty years later must not %e ta&en literally' %ut that there was some *round "or it we may *uess "rom the s)eni) and in)idental realism o" the 3!e)olle)tions o" a $illiard #ar&er3 01PHA1, and o" many a later pa*e. Se(eral other power"ul short no(els date "rom a%out this time, in)ludin* 37l%ert3 and 3/u)erne,3 %oth o" whi)h remind us o" the Count-s sus)epti%ility to musi)' 3;oli&ush&a,3 a tale o" peasant li"e' and 3Family Happiness,3 the story o" a marria*e that "ailed, a most )lear, )onsistent, "or)e"ul, and in parts %eauti"ul pie)e o" wor&, anti)ipatin* in essentials 3.he KreutCer Sonata3 that was to s)andalise the world thirty years a"terward. 7"ter all, it was "amily happiness that sa(ed /eo .olstoy. For the third time the hand o" death had snat)hed away one o" the nearest to him his %rother Ni)holas. .wo years later, in 1PAE, he married #iss $ehrs, dau*hter o" the army sur*eon in .ula the most "ortunate thin* that has happened to him in his whole li"e, I should thin&. Family responsi%ilities, those no(el and darin* e5periments in peasant edu)ation whi)h are re)orded in se(eral (olumes o" the hi*hest interest, the super(ision o" the estate, ma*isterial wor&, and last, %ut not least, the prolon*ed la%ours upon 3,ar and ;ea)e3 and 37nna Karenina3 "ill up the ne5t "i"teen years. 3,ar and ;ea)e3 01PAI 91 is a hu*e panorama o" the Napoleoni) )ampai*n o" 1P1E, with pre)edin* and su))eedin* episodes in !ussian so)iety. .hese "our (olumes display in their superlati(e de*ree .olstoy-s indi""eren)e to plot and his a%sorption in indi(idual )hara)ter' they are rather a series o" s)enes threaded upon the "ortunes o" se(eral "amilies than a set no(el' %ut they )ontain passa*es o" penetratin* psy)holo*y and (i(id des)ription, as well as a )ertain amount o" anar)hist theorisin*. 8" this wor&, %y whi)h its author %e)ame &nown in the ,est, Flau%ert 0how the name )arries us %a)&ward41 wrote? 3It is o" the "irst order. ,hat a painter and what a psy)holo*ist4 .he two "irst (olumes are su%lime, %ut the third dra*s "ri*ht"ully. .here are some +uite Sha&espearean thin*s in it.3 .he artist-s hand was now stren*thenin* "or his hi*hest attainment. In 1PQA appeared 37nna Karenina,3 his *reatest, and as he intended

at the time 0%ut 7rt is not so easily <ilted1, his last no(el. .he "ine +ualities o" this %oo&, whi)h, thou*h lon*, is dramati)ally uni"ied and (itally )oherent, ha(e %een so "ully re)o*nised that I need not attempt to des)ri%e them. #r. Geor*e #eredith has des)ri%ed 7nna as 3the most per"e)tly depi)ted "emale )hara)ter in all "i)tion,3 whi)h, "rom the author o" 3Diana,3 is praise indeed. ;arallel with the main su%<e)t o" the illi)it lo(e o" 7nna and Frons&y there is a minor su%<e)t in the "ortunes o" /e(in and Kitty, wherein the reader will dis)o(er many o" .olstoy-s own e5perien)es. #atthew 7rnold )omplained that the %oo& )ontained too many )hara)ters and a %urdensome multipli)ity o" a)tions, %ut praised its author-s e5traordinarily "ine per)eption and no less e5traordinary truth"ulness, and "ran&ly re(elled in 7nna-s 3lar*e, "resh, ri)h, *enerous, deli*ht"ul nature.3 3,hen I had ended my wor& -7nna Karenina,-3 said .olstoy in 3#y Con"ession3 01PQ9 PE1, 3my despair rea)hed su)h a hei*ht that I )ould do nothin* %ut thin& o" the horri%le )ondition in whi)h I "ound mysel".... I saw only one thin* Death. 2(erythin* else was a lie.3 8" that spiritual )risis nothin* need %e said here e5)ept that it only intensi"ied, and did not really, as it seemed to do, (itally )han*e, prin)iples and instin)ts whi)h had possessed .olstoy "rom the %e*innin*. His su%se+uent ethi)al and reli*ious de(elopment may %e tra)ed in a lon* series o" %oo&s and pamphlets, o" whi)h the most important are 3.he Gospels .ranslated, Compared, and Harmonised3 01PP0 E1, 3,hat I $elie(e3 J3#y !eli*ion3K, produ)ed a%road in 1PPI, 3,hat is to %e Done:3 01PPI H1, 3/i"e3 01PPQ1, 3,or&3 01PPP1, 3.he Kin*dom o" God is ,ithin =ou3 01P9@1, 3Non 7)tion3 01P9I1, 3;atriotism and Christianity3 01P9A1 )rusade, in the "orei*n and the )landestine presses at least, a*ainst all Imperial authority and so)ial malad<ustments. #r. .)hert&o"", #r. 7ylmer #aude< the 3$rotherhood ;u%lishin* Co.,3 and the 3Free 7*e ;ress3 deser(e praise "or their e""orts to popularise these and other wor&s o" the Count in thorou*hly *ood translations. In 3,hat is 7rt:3 01P9P1, not )ontent with the %are utilitarian ar*ument that it is merely a means o" so)ial union, he laun)hed a <ehad a*ainst all modern ideas o" 7rt whi)h rely upon a )on)eption o" %eauty and all ideas o" %eauty into whi)h pleasure enters as a leadin* )onstituent. 7 short %ut luminous essay on 3Guy de #aupassant and the 7rt o" Fi)tion3 is a s)athin* atta)& upon militarism in *eneral and the Fran)o !ussian 7llian)e in parti)ular 3.he Christian .ea)hin*3 01P9P1, and 3.he Sla(ery o" our .imes3 019001. Farious letters on the su))essi(e "amines and on the reli*ious perse)utions in !ussia deser(e separate mention' they remind us that sin)e the "ailure o" the re(olutionary mo(ement mis)alled 3Nihilism3 .olstoy has

*radually risen to the position o" the one man who )an )ontinue with impunity a pu%li) more satis"a)tory )ontri%ution to the su%<e)t. It is more to our purpose to note that in this (ol)ani) and "e)und i" "undamentally simple personality the artist has do**ed the steps o" the e(an*elist to the last. 3#aster and #an3 01P9H1 is one o" the most e5+uisite short stories e(er written. 3.he Death o" I(an Ilyit)h3 01PPI1 and 3!esurre)tion3 01P991 are in some ways the most power"ul o" all his wor&s. .he mu)h )ondemned 3Dominion o" Dar&ness3 01PPA1 and 3KreutCer Sonata3 01PP91 will %e more "airly <ud*ed when the a(era*e 2n*lishman has learned the supreme merit o" that un)ompromisin* truth"ulness whi)h *i(es no%ility to e(ery line the *rand !ussian e(er wrote. .o su%mit a wor& li&e 3!esurre)tion3 to the summary treatment whi)h the ordinary no(el re)ei(es and merits is a%surd. It is a lar*e pi)ture o" the "all and rise o" man done %y the swi"t and restless hand o" a master who stands in a )ate*ory apart, with an eye that sees e5ternals and essentials with li&e a))ura)y and rapidity. $e)ause the dramati) +uality o" these li(in* pi)tures lies, not in their or*anisation into a )on(entionally limited plot, %ut "irst in the )hallen*in* idea upon whi)h they are "ounded, then the ine5ora%le de(elopment o" indi(idual )hara)ters, and e(er and anon in the *rip o" parti)ular episodes, the little )riti)s s)o"". .he idea, the )hara)ters, the episodes are all too real and pre)ious $ritish sel" )ompla)en)y. .he *randmotherly 7thenoeum permits some person to des)ri%e this ;romethean "i*ure as 3a pre)ious (ase that has %een %ro&en,3 and )an now only %e pie)ed to*ether to ma&e 3the ornament o" a museum,3 whi)h reminds me that I heard a le)turer %e"ore a well &nown literary so)iety in /ondon des)ri%e him lately as a 3s)a(en*er,3 and that a )ity %oo&seller assured me the other day that there was somethin* almost amountin* to a %oy)ott a*ainst his "i)tion in the shops. .he pu%lisher who is preparin* a )omplete edition o" .olstoy enormous wor&4 &nows %etter, &nows that .olstoy is one o" the world spirits whose ad(an)e out o" the o%s)urity o" a %eni*hted land into the lar*est )ontemporary )ir)ulation is %ut a "oretaste o" an in"luen)e that will soon %e )o e5tensi(e with the )ommonwealth o" thin&in* men and women. His ser(i)e to literature is pre)isely the same as his ser(i)e to morals. /i&e $unyan and $urns, Di)&ens and ,hitman, he throws down in a world o" de)adent )on(entions the *au*e o" the demo)rati) ideal. 7s he )alls the politi)ian and the so)ial re"ormer %a)& to the land and the )ommon people, so he )alls the artist %a)& to the elemental

"or)es e(er at wor& %eneath the sur"a)e show o" nature and humanity. ,ith an e5traordinary penetration into the hidden re)esses o" )hara)ter, he <oins a terri%le truth"ulness, and that a%solute simpli)ity o" manner whi)h we *enerally asso)iate with *enius. He is a realist, not merely o" the outer, %ut more espe)ially o" the inner li"e. .here is no sta*iness, no sentimentality, in his wor&. He has no heroes in our ,estern sense, none, e(en, o" those sensational types o" personality whi)h *lori"y the name o" his Northern )ontemporary, I%sen. His style is always natural, dire)t, irresisti%le as a physi)al pro)ess. He has rarely strayed %eyond the )hannel o" his own e5perien)e, and the reader who pre"ers %readth to depth o" &nowled*e must see& elsewhere. He has little humour, %ut a *rimly satiri) note has sometimes )rept into his writin*, as 7r)hdea)on Farrar will remem%er. 8" arti"i)e desi*ned "or (ul*ar entertainment he &nows nothin*' in the world o" true art, whi)h is the wine press o" the soul o" man, he stands, a prin)ely "i*ure. .heories, pres)riptions, and dis)ussions are "or*otten, and we thin& only with lo(e and re(eren)e o" this modern patriar)h, so lonely amid the daily enlar*in* )on*re*ation o" the hearts he has awa&ened to a sense o" the mystery, the terror, the <oy, the splendour o" human destinies. G. H. ;2!!IS. .olstoy-s ;la)e in 2uropean /iterature .he <ustness o" the word *reat applied to a nation-s writers is perhaps %est tested %y simply ta&in* ea)h writer in turn "rom out his 7*e, and seein* how "ar our )on)eption o" his 7*e remains una""e)ted. ,e may ta&e away hundreds o" )le(er writers, s)ores o" distin*uished )reators, and the 7*e remains %e"ore our eyes, solidly una""e)ted %y their a%sen)e' %ut tou)h one or two )entral "i*ures, and lo4 the whole "ramewor& o" the 7*e *i(es in your hands, and you realise that the ,orld-s insi*ht into, and understandin* o" that 7*e-s li"e has %een supplied us %y the spe)ial interpretation o""ered %y two or three *reat minds. In "a)t, e(ery 7*e seems dwar"ed, )haoti), "ull o" )on"used tenden)ies and *eneral )ontradi)tion till the "ew *reat men ha(e arisen, and sym%olised in themsel(es what their nation-s *rowth or stri"e si*ni"ies. How many dum% a*es are there in whi)h no *reat writer has appeared, a*es to whose inner li"e in )onse+uen)e we ha(e no &ey4 .olstoy-s si*ni"i)an)e as the *reat writer o" modern !ussia )an s)ar)ely %e au*mented in !ussian eyes %y his e5)eedin* si*ni"i)an)e to 2urope as sym%olisin* the spiritual unrest o" the modern world.

=et so ine(ita%ly must the main stream o" ea)h a*e-s tenden)y and the main mo(ement o" the world-s thou*ht %e dis)o(ered "or us %y the *reat writers, whene(er they appear, that !ussia )an no more &eep .olstoy-s si*ni"i)an)e to hersel" than )ould Germany &eep Goethe-s to hersel". .rue it is that .olstoy, as *reat no(elist, has %een a%sor%ed in mirrorin* the pe)uliar world o" hal" "eudal, modern !ussia, a world stran*e to ,estern 2urope, %ut the spirit o" analysis with whi)h the )reator o" 7nna Karenina and ,ar and ;ea)e has )on"ronted the modern world is more truly representati(e o" our 7*e-s outloo& than is the spirit o" any other o" his *reat )ontemporaries. $etween the days o" ,ilhelm #eister and o" !esurre)tion what an e5traordinary (olume o" the rushin* tide o" modern li"e has swept %y4 7 )entury o" that 3li%eration o" modern 2urope "rom the old routine3 has passed sin)e Goethe stood "orth "or 3the awa&enin* o" the modern spirit.3 7 )entury o" eman)ipation, o" S)ien)e, o" un%elie", o" in)essant sho)&, )han*e, and ;ro*ress all o(er the "a)e o" 2urope, and e(en as Goethe a hundred years a*o typi"ied the triumph o" the new intelli*en)e o" 2urope o(er the sha)&les o" its old institutions, routine, and do*ma 0as #atthew 7rnold a""irms1, so .olstoy today stands "or the triumph o" the 2uropean soul a*ainst )i(ilisation-s routine and do*ma. .he pe)uliar modernness o" .olstoy-s attitude, howe(er, as we shall presently show, is that he is inspired lar*ely %y the modern s)ienti"i) spirit in his sear)hin* analysis o" modern li"e. 7pparently at war with S)ien)e and ;ro*ress, his e5traordinary "as)ination "or the mind o" 2urope lies in the "a)t that he o" all *reat )ontemporary writers has )ome nearest to demonstratin*, to realisin* what the li"e o" the modern man is. He o" all the analysts o" the )i(ilised man-s thou*hts, emotions, and a)tions has least idealiCed, least %eauti"ied, and least distorted the )omple5 daily li"e o" the 2uropean world. ,ith a mar&ed moral %ias, dri(en onward in his sear)h "or truth %y his passionate reli*ious temperament, .olstoy, in his pi)tures o" li"e, has )onstru)ted a truer whole, a human world less %ounded %y the artist-s indi(idual limitations, more mysteriously li(in* in its (ast "lu5 and "low than is the world o" any writer o" the )entury. ,ar and ;ea)e and 7nna Karenina, those *reat worlds where the physi)al en(ironment, mental outloo&, emotional aspiration, and moral )ode o" the whole )ommunity o" !ussia are reprodu)ed %y his art, as some mi*hty )unnin* phantasma*oria o" )han*in* li"e, are superior in the sense o" )ontainin* a whole nation-s li"e, to the world o" Goethe, $yron, S)ott, Fi)tor Hu*o, $alCa), Di)&ens, .ha)&eray, #aupassant, or any latter day )reator we )an name. 7nd not only so, %ut .olstoy-s analysis o" li"e throws more li*ht on the main )urrents o" thou*ht in our 7*e, raises deeper pro%lems,

and e5plores more untou)hed territories o" the mind than does any )orrespondin* analysis %y his 2uropean )ontemporaries. It is %y .olstoy-s passionate see&in* o" the li"e o" the soul that the *reat !ussian writer towers a%o(e the men o" our day, and it is %e)ause his hun*er "or spiritual truth has led him to pro%e )ontemporary li"e, to e5amine all modern "ormulas and appearan)es, to penetrate into the se)ret thou*ht and emotion o" men o" all *rades in our )omple5 so)iety, that his wor& is )har*ed with the essen)e o" nearly all that modernity thin&s and "eels, %elie(es and su""ers, hopes and "ears as it e(ol(es in more and more )omple5 "orms o" our terri%ly )omple5 )i(ilisation. .he soul o" humanity is, howe(er, always the appeal o" men "rom the li"e that en(irons, moulds, and %urdens them, to instin)ts that *o %eyond and trans)end their present li"e. .olstoy is the appeal o" the modern world, the )ry o" the modern )ons)ien)e a*ainst the %linded "ate o" its own pro*ress. .o the eye o" s)ien)e e(erythin* is possi%le in human li"e, the sa)ri"i)e o" the inno)ent "or the sa&e o" the pro*ress o" the *uilty, the )rushin* and de"ormin* o" the wea& so that the stron* may triumph o(er them, the e(olution o" new ser" )lasses at the di)tates o" a rulin* )lass. 7ll this the nineteenth )entury has seen a))omplished, and not seen alone in !ussia. It is .olstoy-s distin)tion to ha(e )om%ined in his li"e wor& more than any other *reat artist two main )on"li)tin* points o" (iew. He has "used %y his art the s)ien)e that de"ines the way Humanity is "or)ed "orward %lindly and irresponsi%ly "rom )entury to )entury %y the mere pressure o" e(ents, he has "used with this s)ien)e o" our modern world the soul-s protest a*ainst the earthly "ate o" man whi)h leads the *enerations into ta&in* the )easeless roads o" e(il whi)h e(ery a*e unwinds. /et us )ite .olstoy-s treatment o" ,ar as an instan)e o" how this *reat artist sym%olises the 7*e "or us and so mar&s the ad(an)e in sel" )ons)iousness o" the modern mind, and as a nearer appro5imation to a realisation o" what li"e is. ,e ha(e only *ot to )ompare .olstoy-s 3Se%astopol3 01PHA1 with any other do)ument on war %y other 2uropean writers to per)ei(e that .olstoy alone amon* artists has realised war, his "ellows ha(e idealised it. .o +uote a passa*e "rom a "ormer arti)le let us say that? 3Se%astopol3 *i(es us war under all aspe)ts war as a s+ualid, honoura%le, daily a""air o" mud and *lory, o" (anity, disease, hard wor&, stupidity, patriotism, and inhuman a*ony. .olstoy *ets

the )omple5 e""e)ts o" 3Se%astopol3 %y &eenly analysin* the e""e)t o" the si*hts and sounds, dan*ers and pleasures, o" war on the %rains o" a (ariety o" typi)al men, and %y pla)in* a spe)ial (aluation o" his own on these men-s a)tions, thou*hts, and emotions, on their )oura*e, altruism, and show o" indi""eren)e in the "a)e o" death. he li"ts up, in "a)t, the (eil o" appearan)es )on(entionally drawn %y so)iety o(er the a)tualities o" the *lorious trade o" &illin* men, and he does this )hie"ly %y analysin* &eenly the insensiti(eness and indi""eren)e o" the a(era*e mind, whi)h says o" the worst o" war-s realities, 3I "elt so and so, and did so and so? %ut as to what those other thousands may ha(e "elt in their a*ony, that I did not enter into at all.3 3Se%astopol,3 there"ore, thou*h an e5)eedin*ly short and e5)eedin*ly simple narrati(e, is a psy)holo*i)al do)ument on modern war o" e5traordinary (alue, "or it simply rele*ates to the lum%er room, as unli"e li&e and hopelessly limited, all those theatri)al *lori"i)ations o" war whi)h men o" letters, romanti) poets, and *ra(e historians ali&e ha(e %een %usily pilin* up on humanity-s shel(es "rom *eneration to *eneration. 7nd more? we "eel that in 3Se%astopol3 we ha(e at last the s&epti)al modern spirit, a%sor%ed in a)tual li"e, demonstratin* what war is, and e5pressin* at len*th the )on"used sensations o" )ountless men, who ha(e hereto"ore, re)o*nisin* this man .olstoy as the most ad(an)ed produ)t o" our )i(ilisation, and li&enin* him to a *reat sur*eon, who, not de)ei(ed %y the world-s presentation o" its own li"e, penetrates into the essential <oy and su""erin*, health and disease o" multitudes o" men' a sur*eon who, "a)e to "a)e with the stran*est o" Nature-s laws in the )onstitution o" human so)iety, puCCled %y all the illusions, "atuities, and )on(entions o" the human mind, resolutely sets himsel" to lay %are the roots o" all its passions, appetites, and in)enti(es in the stru**le "or li"e, so that at least human reason may ad(an)e "arther alon* the path o" sel" &nowled*e in ad(an)in* towards a *eneral so)iolo*i)al study o" man. .olstoy-s pla)e in nineteenth )entury literature is, there"ore, in our (iew, no less "i5ed and )ertain than is Foltaire-s pla)e in the ei*hteenth )entury. $oth o" these writers "o)us "or us in a mar(elously )omplete manner the respe)ti(e methods o" analysin* li"e %y whi)h the rationalism o" the se(enteenth and ei*hteenth )enturies, and the s)ien)e and humanitarianism o" the nineteenth )entury ha(e moulded "or us the modern world. 7ll the mo(ements, all the pro%lems, all the spe)ulation, all the a*itations o" the world o" today in )ontrast with the immense materialisti) )i(ilisation that s)ien)e has hastily %uilt up "or us in three or "our *enerations, all the spirit o" modern li"e is )ondensed in the pa*es o" .olstoy-s writin*s,

%e)ause, as we ha(e said, he typi"ies the soul o" the modern man *aCin*, now undaunted, and now in alarm, at the "ormida%le array o" the newly ta%ulated )ause and e""e)t o" humanity-s pro*ress, at the appallin* )heapness and waste o" human li"e in Nature-s hands. .olstoy thus stands "or the modern soul-s alarm in )onta)t with s)ien)e. 7nd <ust as s)ien)e-s wor& a"ter its "irst destru)tion o" the past a*es"ormalism, superstition, and do*ma is dire)ted more and more to the e5amination and amelioration o" human li"e, so .olstoy-s wor& has %een throu*hout inspired %y a passionate lo(e o" humanity, and %y his )easeless stru**le a*ainst )on(entional reli*ion, do*mati) s)ien)e, and so)iety-s me)hani)al in"luen)e on the minds o" its mem%ers. .o ma&e man more )ons)ious o" his a)ts, to show so)iety its real moti(es and what it is "eelin*, and not )ry out in admiration at what it pretends to "eel this has %een the *reat no(elist-s aim in his delineation o" !ussia-s li"e. 2(er see&in* the one truth to arri(e at men-s thou*hts and sensations under the daily pressure o" li"e ne(er "lin)hin* "rom his e5ploration o" the dar& world o" man-s animalism and in)essant sel" de)eption, .olstoy-s realism in art is sym%oli)al o" our a%sorption in the world o" "a)t, in the modern study o" natural law, a study o" ultimately without loss o" spirituality, nay, resultin* in immense *ain to the spiritual li"e. .he realism o" the *reat !ussian-s no(els is, there"ore, more in line with the modern tenden)y and outloo& than is the *eneral tenden)y o" other s)hools o" Continental literature. 7nd .olstoy must %e "inally loo&ed on, not merely as the )ons)ien)e o" the !ussian world re(oltin* a*ainst the too hea(y %urden whi)h the !ussian people ha(e now to %ear in Holy !ussia-s onward mar)h towards the %uildin* up o" her *reat 7siati) 2mpire, %ut also as the soul o" the modern world see&in* to repla)e in its lo(e o" humanity the li"e o" those old reli*ions whi)h s)ien)e is destroyin* day %y day. In this sense .olstoy will stand in 2uropean literature as the )ons)ien)e o" the modern world. Introdu)tion to .H2 $88K 8F >8$ 3#an is most )om"orted %y parado5es.3 %y G.K. Chesterton

.he %oo& o" >o% is amon* the other 8ld .estament %oo&s %oth a philosophi)al riddle and a histori)al riddle. It is the philosophi)al riddle that )on)erns us in su)h

an introdu)tion as this' so we may dismiss "irst the "ew words o" *eneral e5planation or warnin* whi)h should %e said a%out the histori)al aspe)t. Contro(ersy has lon* ra*ed a%out whi)h parts o" this epi) %elon* to its ori*inal s)heme and whi)h are interpolations o" )onsidera%ly later date. .he do)tors disa*ree, as it is the %usiness o" do)tors to do' %ut upon the whole the trend o" in(esti*ation has always %een in the dire)tion o" maintainin* that the parts interpolated, i" any, were the prose prolo*ue and epilo*ue, and possi%ly the spee)h o" the youn* man who )omes in with an apolo*y at the end. I do not pro"ess to %e )ompetent to de)ide su)h +uestions. $ut whate(er de)ision the reader may )ome to )on)ernin* them, there is a *eneral truth to %e remem%ered in this )onne)tion. ,hen you deal with any an)ient artisti) )reation, do not suppose that it is anythin* a*ainst it that it *rew *radually. .he %oo& o" >o% may ha(e *rown *radually <ust as ,estminster 7%%ey *rew *radually. $ut the people who made the old "ol& poetry, li&e the people who made ,estminster 7%%ey, did not atta)h that importan)e to the a)tual date and the a)tual author, that importan)e whi)h is entirely the )reation o" the almost insane indi(idualism o" modern times. ,e may put aside the )ase o" >o%, as one )ompli)ated with reli*ious di""i)ulties, and ta&e any other, say the )ase o" the Iliad. #any people ha(e maintained the )hara)teristi) "ormula o" modern s&epti)ism, that Homer was not written %y Homer, %ut %y another person o" the same name. >ust in the same way many ha(e maintained that #oses was not #oses %ut another person )alled #oses. $ut the thin* really to %e remem%ered in the matter o" the Iliad is that i" other people did interpolate the passa*es, the thin* did not )reate the same sense o" sho)& as would %e )reated %y su)h pro)eedin*s in these indi(idualisti) times. .he )reation o" the tri%al epi) was to some e5tent re*arded as a tri%al wor&, li&e the %uildin* o" the tri%al temple. $elie(e then, i" you will, that the prolo*ue o" >o% and the epilo*ue and the spee)h o" 2lihu are thin*s inserted a"ter the ori*inal wor& was )omposed. $ut do not suppose that su)h insertions ha(e that o%(ious and spurious )hara)ter whi)h would %elon* to any insertions in a modern, indi(idualisti) %oo& . . . ,ithout *oin* into +uestions o" unity as understood %y the s)holars, we may say o" the s)holarly riddle that the %oo& has unity in the sense that all *reat traditional )reations ha(e unity' in the sense that Canter%ury Cathedral has unity. 7nd the same is %roadly true o" what I ha(e )alled the philosophi)al riddle. .here is a real sense in whi)h the %oo& o" >o% stands apart "rom most

o" the %oo&s in)luded in the )anon o" the 8ld .estament. $ut here a*ain those are wron* who insist on the entire a%sen)e o" unity. .hose are wron* who maintain that the 8ld .estament is a mere loose li%rary' that it has no )onsisten)y or aim. ,hether the result was a)hie(ed %y some supernal sprirtual truth, or %y a steady national tradition, or merely %y an in*enious sele)tion in a"tertimes, the %oo&s o" the 8ld .estament ha(e a +uite per)epti%le unity. . . .he )entral idea o" the *reat part o" the 8ld .estament may %e )alled the idea o" the loneliness o" God. God is not the only )hie" )hara)ter o" the 8ld .estament' God is properly the only )hara)ter in the 8ld .estament. Compared with His )learness o" purpose, all the other wills are hea(y and automati), li&e those o" animals' )ompared with His a)tuality, all the sons o" "lesh are shadows. 7*ain and a*ain the note is stru)&, 3,ith whom hath He ta&en )ounsel:3 0Isa. I0?1I1. 3I ha(e trodden the winepress alone, and o" the peoples there was no man with me3 0Isa. A@?@1. 7ll the patriar)hs and prophets are merely His tools or weapons' "or the /ord is a man o" war. He uses >oshua li&e an a5e or #oses li&e a measurin* rod. For Him, Samson, is only a sword and Isaiah a trumpet. .he saints o" Christianity are supposed to %e li&e God, to %e, as it were, little statuettes o" Him. .he 8ld .estament hero is no more supposed to %e o" the same nature as God than a saw or a hammer is supposed to %e o" the same shape as the )arpenter. .his is the main &ey and )hara)teristi) o" He%rew s)riptures as a whole. .here are, indeed, in those s)riptures innumera%le instan)es o" the sort o" ru**ed humor, &een emotion, and power"ul indi(iduality whi)h is ne(er wantin* in *reat primiti(e prose and poetry. Ne(ertheless the main )hara)teristi) remains? the sense not merely that God is stron*er than man, not merely that God is more se)ret than man, %ut that He means more, that He &nows %etter what He is doin*, that )ompared with Him we ha(e somethin* o" the (a*ueness, the unreason, and the (a*ran)y o" the %easts that perish. 3It is He that sitteth a%o(e the earth, and the inha%itants thereo" are as *rasshoppers3 0Isa. I0?EE1. ,e mi*ht almost put it thus. .he %oo& is so intent upon assertin* the personality o" God that it almost asserts the impersonality o" man. 9nless this *i*anti) )osmi) %rain has )on)ei(ed a thin*, that thin* is inse)ure and (oid' man has not enou*h tena)ity to ensure its )ontinuan)e. 325)ept the /ord %uild the house, they la%or in (ain that %uild it. 25)ept the /ord &eep the )ity, the wat)hman wa&eth %ut in (ain3 0;s. 1EQ?11.

2(erywhere else, then, the 8ld .estament positi(ely re<oi)es in the o%literation o" man in )omparison with the di(ine purpose. .he %oo& o" >o% stands de"initely alone %e)ause the %oo& o" >o% de"initely as&s, 3$ut what is the purpose o" God: Is it worth the sa)ri"i)e e(en o" our misera%le humanity: 8" )ourse, it is easy enou*h to wipe out our own paltry wills "or the sa&e o" a will that is *rander and &inder. $ut is it *rander and &inder: /et God use His tools' let God %rea& His tools. $ut what is He doin*, and what are they %ein* %ro&en "or:3 It is %e)ause o" this +uestion that we ha(e to atta)& as a philosophi)al riddle the riddle o" the %oo& o" >o%. .he present importan)e o" the %oo& o" >o% )annot %e e5pressed ade+uately e(en %y sayin* that it is the most interestin* o" an)ient %oo&s. ,e may almost say o" the %oo& o" >o% that it is the most interestin* o" modern %oo&s. In truth, o" )ourse, neither o" the two phrases )o(ers the matter, %e)ause "undamental human reli*ion and "undamental human irreli*ion are %oth at on)e old and new' philosophy is either eternal or it is not philosophy. .he modern ha%it o" sayin* 3.his is my opinion, %ut I may %e wron*3 is entirely irrational. I" I say that it may %e wron*, I say that is not my opinion. .he modern ha%it o" sayin* 32(ery man has a di""erent philosophy' this is my philosophy and it suits me3 the ha%it o" sayin* this is mere wea& mindedness. 7 )osmi) philosophy is not )onstru)ted to "it a man' a )osmi) philosophy is )onstru)ted to "it a )osmos. 7 man )an no more possess a pri(ate reli*ion than he )an possess a pri(ate sun and moon. .he "irst o" the intelle)tual %eauties o" the %oo& o" >o% is that it is all )on)erned with this desire to &now the a)tuality' the desire to &now what is, and not merely what seems. I" moderns were writin* the %oo&, we should pro%a%ly "ind that >o% and his )om"orters *ot on +uite well to*ether %y the simple operation o" re"errin* their di""eren)es to what is )alled the temperament, sayin* that the )om"orters were %y nature 3optimists3 and >o% %y nature a 3pessimist.3 7nd they would %e +uite )om"orta%le, as people )an o"ten %e, "or some time at least, %y a*reein* to say what is o%(iously untrue. For i" the word 3pessimist3 means anythin* at all, then emphati)ally >o% is not a pessimist. His )ase alone is su""i)ient to re"ute the modern a%surdity o" re"errin* e(erythin* to physi)al temperament. >o% does not in any sense loo& at li"e in a *loomy way. I" wishin* to %e happy and %ein* +uite ready to %e happy )onstitutes an optimist, >o% is an optimist. He is a perple5ed optimist'

he is an e5asperated optimist' he is an outra*ed and insulted optimist. He wishes the uni(erse to <usti"y itsel", not %e)ause he wishes it %e )au*ht out, %ut %e)ause he really wishes it %e <usti"ied. He demands an e5planation "rom God, %ut he does not do it at all in the spirit in whi)h J>ohnK Hampden mi*ht demand an e5planation "rom Charles I. He does it in the spirit in whi)h a wi"e mi*ht demand an e5planation "rom her hus%and whom she really respe)ted. He remonstrates with his #a&er %e)ause he is proud o" his #a&er. He e(en spea&s o" the 7lmi*hty as his enemy, %ut he ne(er dou%ts, at the %a)& o" his mind, that his enemy has some &ind o" a )ase whi)h he does not understand. In a "ine and "amous %lasphemy he says, 38h, that mine ad(ersary had written a %oo&43 0@1?@H1. It ne(er really o))urs to him that it )ould possi%ly %e a %ad %oo&. He is an5ious to %e )on(in)ed, that is, he thin&s that God )ould )on(in)e him. In short, we may say a*ain that i" the word optimist means anythin* 0whi)h I dou%t1, >o% is an optimist. He sha&es the pillars o" the world and stri&es insanely at the hea(ens' he lashes the stars, %ut it is not to silen)e them' it is to ma&e them spea&. In the same way we may spea& o" the o""i)ial optimists, the )om"orters o" >o%. 7*ain, i" the word pessimist means anythin* 0whi)h I dou%t1, the )om"orters o" >o% may %e )alled pessimists rather than optimists. 7ll that they really %elie(e is not that God is *ood %ut that God is so stron* that it is mu)h more <udi)ious to )all Him *ood. It would %e the e5a**eration o" )ensure to )all them e(olutionists' %ut they ha(e somethin* o" the (ital error o" the e(olutionary optimist. .hey will &eep on sayin* that e(erythin* in the uni(erse "its into e(erythin* else' as i" there were anythin* )om"ortin* a%out a num%er o" nasty thin*s all "ittin* into ea)h other. ,e shall see later how God in the *reat )lima5 o" the poem turns this parti)ular ar*ument alto*ether upside down. ,hen, at the end o" the poem, God enters 0somewhat a%ruptly1, is stru)& the sudden and splendid note whi)h ma&es the thin* as *reat as it is. 7ll the human %ein*s throu*h the story, and >o% espe)ially, ha(e %een as&in* +uestions o" God. 7 more tri(ial poet would ha(e made God enter in some sense or other in order to answer the +uestions. $y a tou)h truly to %e )alled inspired, when God enters, it is to as& a num%er more +uestion on His own a))ount. In this drama o" s&epti)ism God Himsel" ta&es up the role o" s&epti). He does what all the *reat (oi)es de"endin* reli*ion ha(e always done. He does, "or instan)e, what So)rates did. He turns rationalism a*ainst itsel". He seems to say that i" it

)omes to as&in* +uestions, He )an as& some +uestion whi)h will "lin* down and "latten out all )on)ei(a%le human +uestioners. .he poet %y an e5+uisite intuition has made God ironi)ally a))ept a &ind o" )ontro(ersial e+uality with His a))users. He is willin* to re*ard it as i" it were a "air intelle)tual duel? 3Gird up now thy loins li&e man' "or I will demand o" thee, and answer thou me3 0@P?@1. .he e(erlastin* adopts an enormous and sardoni) humility. He is +uite willin* to %e prose)uted. He only as&s "or the ri*ht whi)h e(ery prose)uted person possesses' he as&s to %e allowed to )ross e5amine the witness "or the prose)ution. 7nd He )arries yet "urther the )orre)tions o" the le*al parallel. For the "irst +uestion, essentially spea&in*, whi)h He as&s o" >o% is the +uestion that any )riminal a))used %y >o% would %e most entitled to as&. He as&s >o% who he is. 7nd >o%, %ein* a man o" )andid intelle)t, ta&es a little time to )onsider, and )omes to the )on)lusion that he does not &now. .his is the "irst *reat "a)t to noti)e a%out the spee)h o" God, whi)h is the )ulmination o" the in+uiry. It represents all human s&epti)s routed %y a hi*her s&epti)ism. It is this method, used sometimes %y supreme and sometimes %y medio)re minds, that has e(er sin)e %een the lo*i)al weapon o" the true mysti). So)rates, as I ha(e said, used it when he showed that i" you only allowed him enou*h sophistry he )ould destroy all sophists. >esus Christ used it when he reminded the Saddu)ees, who )ould not ima*ine the nature o" marria*e in hea(en, that i" it )ame to that they had not really ima*ined the nature o" marria*e at all. In the %rea& up o" Christian theolo*y in the ei*hteenth )entury, J>osephK $utler used it, when he pointed out that rationalisti) ar*uments )ould %e used as mu)h a*ainst (a*ue reli*ions as a*ainst do)trinal reli*ion, as mu)h a*ainst rationalist ethi)s as a*ainst Christian ethi)s. It is the root and reason o" the "a)t that men who ha(e reli*ious "aith ha(e also philosophi) dou%t. .hese are the small streams o" the delta' the %oo& o" >o% is the "irst *reat )atara)t that )reates the ri(er. In dealin* with the arro*ant asserter o" dou%t, it is not the ri*ht method to tell him to stop dou%tin*. It is rather the ri*ht method to tell him to *o on dou%tin*, to dou%t a little more, to dou%t e(ery day newer and wilder thin*s in the uni(erse, until at last, %y some stran*e enli*htenment, he may %e*in to dou%t himsel". .his, I say, is the "irst "a)t tou)hin* the spee)h' the "ine inspiration %y whi)h God )omes in at the end, not to answer riddles,

%ut to propound them. .he other *reat "a)t whi)h, ta&en to*ether with this one, ma&es the whole wor& reli*ious instead o" merely philosophi)al is that other *reat surprise whi)h ma&es >o% suddenly satis"ied with the mere presentation o" somethin* impenetra%le. Fer%ally spea&in* the eni*mas o" >eho(ah seem dar&er and more desolate than the eni*mas o" >o%' yet >o% was )om"ortless %e"ore the spee)h o" >eho(ah and is )om"orted a"ter it. He has %een told nothin*, %ut he "eels the terri%le and tin*lin* atmosphere o" somethin* whi)h is too *ood to %e told. .he re"usal o" God to e5plain His desi*n is itsel" a %urnin* hint o" His desi*n. .he riddles o" God are more satis"yin* than the solutions o" man. .hirdly, o" )ourse, it is one o" the splendid stro&es that God re%u&es ali&e the man who a))used and the men who de"ended Him' that He &no)&s down pessimists and optimists with the same hammer. 7nd it is in )onne)tion with the me)hani)al and super)ilious )om"orters o" >o% that there o))urs the still deeper and "iner in(ersion o" whi)h I ha(e spo&en. .he me)hani)al optimist endea(ors to <usti"y the uni(erse a(owedly upon the *round that it is a rational and )onse)uti(e pattern. He points out that the "ine thin* a%out the world is that it )an all %e e5plained. .hat is the one point, i" I may put it so, on whi)h God, in return, is e5pli)it to the point o" (iolen)e. God says, in e""e)t, that i" there is one "ine thin* a%out the world, as "ar as men are )on)erned, it is that it )annot %e e5plained. He insists on the ine5pli)a%leness o" e(erythin*. 3Hath the rain a "ather:. . .8ut o" whose wom% )ame the i)e:3 0@P?EP"1. He *oes "arther, and insists on the positi(e and palpa%le unreason o" thin*s' 3Hast thou sent the rain upon the desert where no man is, and upon the wilderness wherein there is no man:3 0@P?EA1. God will ma&e man see thin*s, i" it is only a*ainst the %la)& %a)&*round o" nonentity. God will ma&e >o% see a startlin* uni(erse i" He )an only do it %y ma&in* >o% see an idioti) uni(erse. .o startle man, God %e)omes "or an instant a %lasphemer' one mi*ht almost say that God %e)omes "or an instant an atheist. He unrolls %e"ore >o% a lon* panorama o" )reated thin*s, the horse, the ea*le, the ra(en, the wild ass, the pea)o)&, the ostri)h, the )ro)odile. He so des)ri%es ea)h o" them that it sounds li&e a monster wal&in* in the sun. .he whole is a sort o" psalm or rhapsody o" the sense o" wonder. .he ma&er o" all thin*s is astonished at the thin*s he has Himsel" made. .his we may )all the third point. >o% puts "orward a note

o" interro*ation' God answers with a note o" e5)lamation. Instead o" pro(in* to >o% that it is an e5pli)a%le world, He insists that it is a mu)h stran*er world than >o% e(er thou*ht it was. /astly, the poet has a)hie(ed in this spee)h, with that un)ons)ious artisti) a))ura)y "ound in so many o" the simpler epi)s, another and mu)h more deli)ate thin*. ,ithout on)e rela5in* the ri*id impenetra%ility o" >eho(ah in His deli%erate de)laration, he has )ontri(ed to let "all here and there in the metaphors, in the parentheti)al ima*ery, sudden and splendid su**estions that the se)ret o" God is a %ri*ht and not a sad one semi a))idental su**estions, li&e li*ht seen "or an instant throu*h the )ra)& o" a )losed door. It would %e di""i)ult to praise too hi*hly, in a purely poeti)al sense, the instin)ti(e e5a)titude and ease with whi)h these more optimisti) insinuations are let "all in other )onne)tions, as i" the 7lmi*hty Himsel" were s)ar)ely aware that He was lettin* them out. For instan)e, there is that "amous passa*e where >eho(ah, with de(astatin* sar)asm, as&s >o% where he was when the "oundations o" the world were laid, and then 0as i" merely "i5in* a date1 mentions the time when the sons o" God shouted "or <oy 0@P?I Q1. 8ne )annot help "eelin*, e(en upon this mea*er in"ormation, that they must ha(e had somethin* to shout a%out. 8r a*ain, when God is spea&in* o" snow and hail in the mere )atalo*ue o" the physi)al )osmos, he spea&s o" them as a treasury that He has laid up a*ainst the day o" %attle a hint o" some hu*e 7rma*eddon in whi)h e(il shall %e at last o(erthrown. Nothin* )ould %e %etter, artisti)ally spea&in*, than this optimism %rea&in* thou*h a*nosti)ism li&e "iery *old round the ed*es o" a %la)& )loud. .hose who loo& super"i)ially at the %ar%ari) ori*in o" the epi) may thin& it "an)i"ul to read so mu)h artisti) si*ni"i)an)e into its )asual similes or a))idental phrases. $ut no one who is well a)+uainted with *reat e5amples o" semi %ar%ari) poetry, as in .he Son* o" !oland or the old %allads, will "all into this mista&e. No one who &nows what primiti(e poetry is )an "ail to realiCe that while its )ons)ious "orm is simple some o" its "iner e""e)ts are su%tle. .he Iliad )ontri(es to e5press the idea that He)tor and Sarpedon ha(e a )ertain tone or tint o" sad and )hi(alrous resi*nation, not %itter enou*h to %e )alled pessimism and not <o(ial enou*h to %e )alled optimism' Homer )ould ne(er ha(e said this in ela%orate words. $ut somehow he )ontri(es to say it in simple words. .he Son* o" !oland )ontri(es to e5press the idea that Christianity imposes upon its heroes a parado5' a parado5 o" *reat humility in the matter o" their sins )om%ined with *reat "ero)ity in the matter o" their ideas.

8" )ourse .he Son* o" !oland )ould not say this' %ut it )on(eys this. In the same way, the %oo& o" >o% must %e )redited with many su%tle e""e)ts whi)h were in the author-s soul without %ein*, perhaps, in the author-s mind. 7nd o" these %y "ar the most important remains to %e stated. I do not &now, and I dou%t whether e(en s)holars &now, i" the %oo& o" >o% had a *reat e""e)t or had any e""e)t upon the a"ter de(elopment o" >ewish thou*ht. $ut i" it did ha(e any e""e)t it may ha(e sa(ed them "rom an enormous )ollapse and de)ay. Here in this %oo& the +uestion is really as&ed whether God in(aria%ly punishes (i)e with terrestrial punishment and rewards (irtue with terrestrial prosperity. I" the >ews had answered that +uestion wron*ly they mi*ht ha(e lost all their a"ter in"luen)e in human history. .hey mi*ht ha(e sun& e(en down to the le(el o" modern well edu)ated so)iety. For when on)e people ha(e %e*un to %elie(e that prosperity is the reward o" (irtue, their ne5t )alamity is o%(ious. I" prosperity is re*arded as the reward o" (irtue it will %e re*arded as the symptom o" (irtue. #en will lea(e o"" the hea(y tas& o" ma&in* *ood men su))ess"ul. .he will adopt the easier tas& o" ma&in* out su))ess"ul men *ood. .his, whi)h has happened throu*hout modern )ommer)e and <ournalism, is the ultimate Nemesis o" the wi)&ed optimism o" the )om"orters o" >o%. I" the >ews )ould %e sa(ed "rom it, the %oo& o" >o% sa(ed them. .he %oo& o" >o% is )hie"ly remar&a%le, as I ha(e insisted throu*hout, "or the "a)t that it does not end in a way that is )on(entionally satis"a)tory. >o% is not told that his mis"ortunes were due to his sins or a part o" any plan "or his impro(ement. $ut in the prolo*ue we see >o% tormented not %e)ause he was the worst o" men, %ut %e)ause he was the %est. It is the lesson o" the whole wor& that man is most )om"orted %y parado5es. Here is the (ery dar&est and stran*est o" the parado5es' and it is %y all human testimony the most reassurin*. I need not su**est what hi*h and stran*e history awaited this parado5 o" the %est man in the worst "ortune. I need not say that in the "reest and most philosophi)al sense there is one 8ld .estament "i*ure who is truly a type' or say what is pre"i*ured in the wounds o" >o%. S&epti)ism and Spiritualism %y G.K. Chesterton 0From an essay whi)h ori*inally appeared in the I//9S.!7.2D /8ND8N N2,S,

7pril 1I, 190A1

Glan)in* o(er se(eral papers o" late, I see su)h headin*s as 37nother #edium 25posed,3 and 37nother Spiritualisti) Fraud.3 .he easy and )on(entional )omments made upon the matter %y the <ournalists seem to me to %e sin*ularly la)&in* in a lo*i)al sense, and there seems to %e an underlyin* assumption in all su)h )omments that the more o"ten you dis)o(er a dishonest medium or a "raudulent sean)e, the more you ha(e diminished the )redit or pro%a%ility o" spiritualism. I ha(e ne(er %een at a sean)e in my li"e, and I ne(er had, and pro%a%ly ne(er shall ha(e, anythin* to do with the spe)i"i) set o" people who )all themsel(es spiritualists. $ut as a mere matter o" intelle)tual <usti)e or mental lu)idity, it is desira%le to protest a*ainst this )on"used ar*ument whi)h )onne)ts the pro(ed "alsity o" &na(es with the pro%a%le "alsity o" psy)hi) phenomena. .he two thin*s ha(e no lo*i)al )onne)tion whate(er. No )on)ei(a%le num%er o" "alse mediums a""e)ts the pro%a%ility o" the e5isten)e o" real mediums one way or the other. .his is surely o%(ious enou*h. No )on)ei(a%le num%er o" "or*ed %an& notes )an dispro(e the e5isten)e o" the $an& o" 2n*land. I" anythin*, the ar*ument mi*ht as well %e turned the other way,' we mi*ht say with rather more reason that as all hypo)risies are the e(il "ruits o" pu%li) (irtue, so in the same way the more real spiritualism there is in the world the more "alse spiritualism there is li&ely to %e. In "a)t, the mere a%stra)t rationality o" this pro%lem is (ery wron*ly dis)ussed. For instan)e, it is always )onsidered ludi)rous and a si*nal "or a %urst o" lau*hter i" the spiritualists say that a sean)e has %een spoiled %y the presen)e o" a s&epti), or that an attitude o" "aith is ne)essary to en)oura*e the psy)hi) )ommuni)ations. $ut there is nothin* at all unreasona%le or unli&ely a%out the idea that dou%t mi*ht dis)oura*e and "aith en)oura*e spiritual )ommuni)ations, i" there are any. .he su**estion does not ma&e spiritualism in a%stra)t lo*i) any more impro%a%le. 7ll that it does ma&e it is more di""i)ult. .here is nothin* "oolish or "antasti) a%out the supposition that a dispassionate person a)ts as a deterrent to passionate truths. 8nly it happens to ma&e it mu)h harder "or any dispassionate person to "ind out what is true. .here are a thousand pra)ti)al parallels. 7n impartial psy)holo*ist studyin* the pro%lem o" human nature )ould, no dou%t, learn a *reat deal "rom a man and woman ma&in* lo(e to ea)h other in his presen)e. None the less, it is un"ortunately the "a)t that no man and woman would ma&e lo(e to ea)h other in the presen)e

o" an impartial psy)holo*ist. Students o" physiolo*y and sur*ery mi*ht learn somethin* "rom a man suddenly sta%%in* another man on a plat"orm in a le)ture theater. $ut no man would sta% another man on a plat"orm in a le)ture theater. 7 s)hoolmaster would learn mu)h i" the %oys would %e %oys in his presen)e' %ut they ne(er are %oys in his presen)e. 7n edu)ationalist studyin* in"an)y mi*ht ma&e important dis)o(eries i" he )ould hear the thin*s said %y a %a%y when a%solutely alone and at his ease with his mother. $ut it is +uite o%(ious that the mere entran)e o" a *reat u*ly edu)ationalist 0they are an u*ly lot1 would set the )hild s)reamin* with terror. .he pro%lem, then, o" s&epti)ism and spiritual e)sta)ies is a per"e)tly human and intelli*i%le pro%lem to state, thou*h it may %e a di""i)ult pro%lem to sol(e. It is e5a)tly as i" a man pointed at some lady 0you )an )hoose the lady out o" your own a)+uaintan)e at your own dis)retion1 and said with mar&ed emphasis, 39nder no )ir)umstan)e )ould I address a sonnet to that lady.3 ,e mi*ht reply, 38h, yes' i" you "ell in lo(e with her you mi*ht "eel in)lined to do so.3 He would %e "ully <usti"ied in replyin* 0with tears in his eyes1, 3$ut I )annot "all in lo(e with her %y any ima*ina%le pro)ess.3 $ut he would not %e lo*i)ally <usti"ied in replyin* 38h, that is all nonsense. =ou want me to *i(e up my <ud*ment, and %e)ome a silly partisan.3 .he whole +uestion under dis)ussion is what would happen i" he did %e)ome a partisan. In the same way, the s&epti) who is e5pelled with %ashed hat and tattered )oat tails "rom a spiritualisti) sean)e has a per"e)t ri*ht to say 0with or without tears in his eyes1 3$ut why %lame me "or un%elie": I )annot mana*e to %elie(e in su)h thin*s %y any ima*ina%le pro)ess.3 $ut he has no lo*i)al ri*ht to say that it )ould not ha(e %een his s&epti)ism that spoilt the sean)e, or that there was anythin* at all unphilosophi)al in supposin* that it was. 7n impartial person is a *ood <ud*e o" many thin*s, %ut not o" all. He is not 0"or instan)e1 a *ood <ud*e o" what it "eels li&e to %e partial. For my own part, what little I resent in what little I ha(e seen o" spiritualism is alto*ether the opposite element. I do not mind spiritualism, in so "ar as it is "ier)e and )redulous. In that it seems to me to %e a&in to se5, to son*, to the *reat epi)s and the *reat reli*ions, to all that has made humanity heroi). I do not o%<e)t to spiritualism in so "ar as it is spiritualisti). I do o%<e)t to it in so "ar as it is s)ienti"i). Con(i)tion and )uriosity are %oth (ery *ood thin*s.

$ut they ou*ht to ha(e two di""erent houses. .here ha(e %een many "ranti) and %lasphemous %elie"s in this old %ar%ari) earth o" ours' men ha(e ser(ed their deities with o%s)ene dan)es, with )anni%alism, and the %lood o" in"ants. $ut no reli*ion was +uite so %lasphemous as to pretend that it was s)ienti"i)ally in(esti*atin* its *od to see what he was made o". $a))hanals did not say, 3/et us dis)o(er whether there is a *od o" wine.3 .hey en<oyed wine so mu)h that they )ried out naturally to the *od o" it. Christians did not say, 37 "ew e5periments will show us whether there is a *od o" *oodness.3 .hey lo(ed *ood so mu)h that they &new that it was a *od. #oreo(er, all the *reat reli*ions always lo(ed passionately and poeti)ally the sym%ols and ma)hinery %y whi)h they wor&ed the temple, the )olored ro%es, the altar, the sym%oli) "lowers, or the sa)ri"i)ial "ire. It made these thin*s %eauti"ul? it laid itsel" open to the )har*e o" idolatry. 7nd into these *reat ritual reli*ions there has des)ended, whate(er the meanin* o" it, the thin* o" whi)h Sopho)les spo&e, 3.he power o" the *ods, whi)h is mi*hty and *roweth not old.3 ,hen I hear that the spiritualists ha(e %e*un to )ar(e *reat *olden win*s upon their "lyin* ta%les, I shall re)o*niCe the atmosphere o" a "aith. ,hen I hear them a))used o" worshippin* a plan)het made o" i(ory and sardony5 0whate(er that is1 I shall &now that they ha(e %e)ome a *reat reli*ion. #eanwhile, I "ear I shall remain one o" those who %elie(e in spirits mu)h too easily e(er to %e)ome a spiritualist. #odern people thin& the supernatural so impro%a%le that they want to see it. I thin& it so pro%a%le that I lea(e it alone. Spirits are not worth all this "uss' I &now that, "or I am one mysel". . . 08ri*inally appeared in 3.he Daily News3, 8)t. 1A, 1909, and in 37larms and Dis)ursions3, N=? Dodd, #ead. 19111 .he Ni*htmare 7 S9NS2. o" )opper and *old had <ust %ro&en down and *one to pie)es in the west, and *rey )olours were )rawlin* o(er e(erythin* in earth and hea(en' also a wind was *rowin*, a wind that laid a )old "in*er upon "lesh and spirit. .he %ushes at the %a)& o" my *arden %e*an to whisper li&e )onspirators' and then to wa(e li&e wild hands in si*nal. I was tryin* to read %y the last li*ht that died on the lawn

a lon* poem o" the de)adent period, a poem a%out the old *ods o" $a%ylon and 2*ypt, a%out their %laCin* and o%s)ene temples, their )ruel and )olossal "a)es. 38r didst thou lo(e the God o" Flies who pla*ued the He%rews and was splashed ,ith wine unto the waist, or ;asht who had *reen %eryls "or her eyes:3 I read this poem %e)ause I had to re(iew it "or the Daily News' still it was *enuine poetry o" its &ind. It really *a(e out an atmosphere, a "ra*rant and su""o)atin* smo&e that seemed really to )ome "rom the $onda*e o" 2*ypt or the $urden o" .yre. .here is not mu)h in )ommon 0than& God1 %etween my *arden with the *rey *reen 2n*lish s&y line %eyond it, and these mad (isions o" painted pala)es, hu*e, headless idols and monstrous solitudes o" red or *olden sand. Ne(ertheless 0as I )on"essed to mysel"1 I )an "an)y in su)h a stormy twili*ht some su)h smell o" death and "ear. .he ruined sunset really loo&s li&e one o" their ruined temples? a shattered heap o" *old and *reen mar%le. 7 %la)& "lappin* thin* deta)hes itsel" "rom one o" the som%re trees and "lutters to another. I &now not i" it is owl or "littermouse' I )ould "an)y it was a %la)& )heru%, an in"ernal )heru% o" dar&ness, not with the win*s o" a %ird and the head o" a %a%y, %ut with the head o" a *o%lin and the win*s o" a %at. I thin&, i" there were li*ht enou*h, I )ould sit here and write some (ery )redita%le )reepy tale, a%out how I went up the )roo&ed road %eyond the )hur)h and met Somethin* say a do*, a do* with one eye. .hen I should meet a horse, perhaps, a horse without a rider' the horse also would ha(e one eye. .hen the inhuman silen)e would %e %ro&en' I should meet a man 0need I say, a one eyed man:1 who would as& me the way to my own house. 8r perhaps tell me that it was %urnt to the *round. I thin& I )ould tell a (ery )osy little tale alon* some su)h lines. 8r I mi*ht dream o" )lim%in* "or e(er the tall dar& trees a%o(e me. .hey are so tall that I "eel as i" I should "ind at their tops the nests o" the an*els' %ut in this mood they would %e dar& and dread"ul an*els' an*els o" death. RRRR 8nly, you see, this mood is all %osh. I do not %elie(e it in the least. .hat one eyed uni(erse, with its one eyed men and %easts, was only )reated with one uni(ersal win&. 7t the top o" the tra*i) trees I should not "ind the 7n*el-s Nest. I should only "ind the #are-s Nest' the dreamy and di(ine nest is not there.

In the #are-s Nest I shall dis)o(er that dim, enormous opales)ent e** "rom whi)h is hat)hed the Ni*htmare. For there is nothin* so deli*ht"ul as a ni*htmare when you &now it is a ni*htmare. .hat is the essential. .hat is the stern )ondition laid upon all artists tou)hin* this lu5ury o" "ear. .he terror must %e "undamentally "ri(olous. Sanity may play with insanity' %ut insanity must not %e allowed to play with sanity. /et su)h poets as the one I was readin* in the *arden, %y all means, %e "ree to ima*ine what outra*eous deities and (iolent lands)apes they li&e. $y all means let them wander "reely amid their opium pinna)les and perspe)ti(es. $ut these hu*e *ods, these hi*h )ities, are toys' they must ne(er "or an instant %e allowed to %e anythin* else. #an, a *i*anti) )hild, must play with $a%ylon and Nine(eh, with Isis and with 7shtaroth. $y all means let him dream o" the $onda*e o" 2*ypt, so lon* as he is "ree "rom it. $y all means let him ta&e up the $urden o" .yre, so lon* as he )an ta&e it li*htly. $ut the old *ods must %e his dolls, not his idols. His )entral san)tities, his true possessions, should %e Christian and simple. 7nd <ust as a )hild would )herish most a wooden horse or a sword that is a mere )ross o" wood, so man, the *reat )hild, must )herish most the old plain thin*s o" poetry and piety' that horse o" wood that was the epi) end o" Ilium, or that )ross o" wood that redeemed and )on+uered the world. RRRR In one o" Ste(enson-s letters there is a )hara)teristi)ally humorous remar& a%out the appallin* impression produ)ed on him in )hildhood %y the %easts with many eyes in the $oo& o" !e(elations? 3I" that was hea(en, what in the name o" Da(y >ones was hell li&e:3 Now in so%er truth there is a ma*ni"i)ent idea in these monsters o" the 7po)alypse. It is, I suppose, the idea that %ein*s really more %eauti"ul or more uni(ersal than we are mi*ht appear to us "ri*ht"ul and e(en )on"used. 2spe)ially they mi*ht seem to ha(e senses at on)e more multiple5 and more starin*' an idea (ery ima*inati(ely seiCed in the multitude o" eyes. I li&e those monsters %eneath the throne (ery mu)h. It is when one o" them *oes wanderin* in deserts and "inds a throne "or himsel" that e(il "aiths %e*in, and there is 0literally1 the de(il to pay to pay in dan)in* *irls or human sa)ri"i)e. 7s lon* as those misshapen elemental powers are around the throne, remem%er that the thin* that they worship is the li&eness

o" the appearan)e o" a man. .hat is, I "an)y, the true do)trine on the su%<e)t o" .ales o" .error and su)h thin*s, whi)h unless a man o" letters do well and truly %elie(e, without dou%t he will end %y %lowin* his %rains out or %y writin* %adly. #an, the )entral pillar o" the world must %e upri*ht and strai*ht' around him all the trees and %easts and elements and de(ils may )roo& and )url li&e smo&e i" they )hoose. 7ll really ima*inati(e literature is only the )ontrast %etween the weird )ur(es o" Nature and the strai*htness o" the soul. #an may %ehold what u*liness he li&es i" he is sure that he will not worship it' %ut there are some so wea& that they will worship a thin* only %e)ause it is u*ly. .hese must %e )hained to the %eauti"ul. It is not always wron* e(en to *o, li&e Dante, to the %rin& o" the lowest promontory and loo& down at hell. It is when you loo& up at hell that a serious mis)al)ulation has pro%a%ly %een made. RRRR .here"ore I see no wron* in ridin* with the Ni*htmare to ni*ht' she whinnies to me "rom the ro)&in* tree tops and the roarin* wind' I will )at)h her and ride her throu*h the aw"ul air. ,oods and weeds are ali&e tu**in* at the roots in the risin* tempest, as i" all wished to "ly with us o(er the moon, li&e that wild, amorous )ow whose )hild was the #oon Cal". ,e will rise to that mad in"inite where there is neither up nor down, the hi*h topsy tur(eydom o" the hea(ens. I will ride on the Ni*htmare' %ut she shall not ride on me. G.K.Chesterton ,H7. IS 7#2!IC7: G.K. Chesterton From? ,hat I Saw in 7meri)a 019EE1 I ha(e ne(er mana*ed to lose my old )on(i)tion that tra(el narrows the mind. 7t least a man must ma&e a dou%le e""ort o" moral humility and ima*inati(e ener*y to pre(ent it "rom narrowin* his mind. Indeed there is somethin* tou)hin* and e(en tra*i) a%out the thou*ht o" the thou*htless tourist, who mi*ht ha(e stayed at home lo(in* /aplanders, em%ra)in* Chinamen, and )laspin* ;ata*onians to his heart in Hampstead

or Sur%iton, %ut "or his %lind and sui)idal impulse to *o and see what they loo&ed li&e. .his is not meant "or nonsense' still less is it meant "or the silliest sort o" nonsense, whi)h is )yni)ism. .he human %ond that he "eels at home is not an illusion. 8n the )ontrary, it is rather an inner reality. #an is inside all men. In a real sense any man may %e inside any men. $ut to tra(el is to lea(e the inside and draw dan*erously near the outside. So lon* as he thou*ht o" men in the a%stra)t, li&e na&ed toilin* "i*ures in some )lassi) "rieCe, merely as those who la%or and lo(e their )hildren and die, he was thin&in* the "undamental truth a%out them. $y *oin* to loo& at their un"amiliar manners and )ustoms he is in(itin* them to dis*uise themsel(es in "antasti) mas&s and )ostumes. #any modern internationalists tal& as i" men o" di""erent nationalities had only to meet and mi5 and understand ea)h other. In reality that is the moment o" supreme dan*er the moment when they meet. ,e mi*ht shi(er, as at the old euphemism %y whi)h a meetin* meant a duel. .ra(el ou*ht to )om%ine amusement with instru)tion' %ut most tra(elers are so mu)h amused that they re"use to %e instru)ted. I do not %lame them "or %ein* amused' it is per"e)tly natural to %e amused at a Dut)hman "or %ein* Dut)h or a Chinaman "or %ein* Chinese. ,here they are wron* is that they ta&e their own amusement seriously. .hey %ase on it their serious ideas o" international instru)tion. It was said that the 2n*lishman ta&es his pleasures sadly' and the pleasure o" despisin* "orei*ners is one whi)h he ta&es most sadly o" all. He )omes to s)o"" and does not remain to pray, %ut rather to e5)ommuni)ate. Hen)e in international relations there is "ar too little lau*hin*, and "ar too mu)h sneerin*. $ut I %elie(e that there is a %etter way whi)h lar*ely )onsists o" lau*hter' a "orm o" "riendship %etween nations whi)h is a)tually "ounded on di""eren)es. /et me %e*in my 7meri)an impressions with two impressions I had %e"ore I went to 7meri)a. 8ne was an in)ident and the other an idea' and when ta&en to*ether they illustrate the attitude I mean. .he "irst prin)iple is that no%ody should %e ashamed o" thin&in* a thin* "unny %e)ause it is "orei*n' the se)ond is that he should %e ashamed o" thin&in* it wron* %e)ause it is "unny. .he rea)tion o" his senses and super"i)ial ha%its o" mind a*ainst somethin* new, and to him a%normal, is a per"e)tly healthy rea)tion. $ut the mind whi)h ima*ines that mere un"amiliarity )an possi%ly pro(e anythin* a%out in"eriority is a (ery inade+uate mind. It is inade+uate e(en in )riti)iCin* thin*s that may really %e

in"erior to the thin*s in(ol(ed here. It is "ar %etter to lau*h at a Ne*ro "or ha(in* a %la)& "a)e than to sneer at him "or ha(in* a slopin* s&ull. It is proportionally e(en more pre"era%le to lau*h rather than <ud*e in dealin* with hi*hly )i(iliCed peoples. .here"ore I put at the %e*innin* two wor&in* e5amples o" what I "elt a%out 7meri)a %e"ore I saw it' the sort o" thin* that a man has a ri*ht to en<oy as a <o&e, and the sort o" thin* he has a duty to understand and respe)t, %e)ause it is the e5planation o" the <o&e. ,hen I went to the 7meri)an )onsulate to re*ulariCe my passports, I was )apa%le o" e5pe)tin* the 7meri)an )onsulate to %e 7meri)an. 2m%assies and )onsulates are %y tradition li&e islands o" the soil "or whi)h they stand' and I ha(e o"ten "ound the tradition )orrespondin* to a truth. I ha(e seen the unmista&a%le Fren)h o""i)ial li(in* on omelettes and a little wine and ser(in* his sa)red a%stra)tions under the last palm trees "ryin* in a desert. In the heat and noise o" +uarrelin* .ur&s and 2*yptians, I ha(e )ome suddenly, as with the )ool sho)& o" his own shower %ath, on the listless amia%ility o" the 2n*lish *entleman. .he o""i)ials I inter(iewed were (ery 7meri)an, espe)ially in %ein* (ery polite' "or whate(er may ha(e %een the mood or meanin* o" #artin ChuCClewit, I ha(e always "ound 7meri)ans %y "ar the politest people in the world. .hey put in my hands a "orm to %e "illed up, to all appearan)es li&e other "orms I had "illed up in other passport o""i)es. $ut in reality it was (ery di""erent "rom any "orm I had e(er "illed up in my li"e. 7t least it was a little li&e a "reer "orm o" the *ame )alled 3Con"essions3 whi)h my "riends and I in(ented in our youth' an e5amination paper )ontainin* +uestions li&e, 3I" you saw a rhino)eros in the "ront *arden, what would you do:3 8ne o" my "riends, I remem%er, wrote, 3.a&e the pled*e.3 $ut that is another story, and mi*ht %rin* #r. ;ussy"oot >ohnson on the s)ene %e"ore his time. 8ne o" the +uestions on the paper was, 37re you an anar)hist:3 .o whi)h a deta)hed philosopher would naturally "eel in)lined to answer, 3,hat the de(il has that to do with you: 7re you an atheist3 alon* with some play"ul e""orts to )ross e5amine the o""i)ial a%out what )onstitutes atheist. .hen there was the +uestion, 37re you in "a(or o" su%(ertin* the *o(ernment o" the 9nited States %y "or)e:3 7*ainst this I should write, 3I pre"er to answer that +uestion at the end o" my tour and not the %e*innin*.3 .he in+uisitor, in his more than mor%id )uriosity, had then written down,

37re you a poly*amist:3 .he answer to this is, 3No su)h lu)&3 or 3Not su)h a "ool,3 a))ordin* to our e5perien)e o" the other se5. $ut perhaps a %etter answer would %e that *i(en to ,. .. Stead when he )ir)ulated the rhetori)al +uestion, 3Shall I slay my %rother $oer3 the answer that ran, 3Ne(er inter"ere in "amily matters.3 $ut amon* many thin*s that amused me almost to the point o" treatin* the "orm thus disrespe)t"ully, the most amusin* was the thou*ht o" the ruthless outlaw who should "eel )ompelled to treat it respe)t"ully. I li&e to thin& o" the "orei*n desperado, see&in* to slip into 7meri)a with o""i)ial papers under o""i)ial prote)tion, and sittin* down to write with a %eauti"ul *ra(ity, 3I am an anar)hist. I hate you all and wish to destroy you.3 8r, 3I intend to su%(ert %y "or)e the *o(ernment o" the 9nited States as soon as possi%le, sti)&in* the lon* sheath &ni"e in my le"t trouser po)&et into your ;resident at the earliest opportunity.3 8r a*ain, 3=es, I am a poly*amist all ri*ht, and my "orty se(en wi(es are a))ompanyin* me on the (oya*e dis*uised as se)retaries.3 .here seems to %e a )ertain simpli)ity o" mind a%out these answers' and it is reassurin* to &now that anar)hists and poly*amists are so pure and *ood that the poli)e ha(e only to as& them +uestions and they are )ertain to tell no lies. Now that is the model o" the sort o" "orei*n pra)ti)e, "ounded on "orei*n pro%lems, at whi)h a man-s "irst impulse is naturally to lau*h. Nor ha(e I any intention o" apolo*iCin* "or my lau*hter. 7 man is per"e)tly entitled to lau*h at a thin* %e)ause he happens to "ind it in)omprehensi%le. ,hat he has no ri*ht to do is to lau*h at it as in)omprehensi%le, and then )riti)ise it as i" he )omprehended it. .he (ery "a)t o" its un"amiliarity and mystery ou*ht to set him thin&in* a%out the deeper )auses that ma&e people so di""erent "rom himsel", and that without merely assumin* that they must %e in"erior to himsel". Super"i)ially this is rather a +ueer %usiness. It would %e easy enou*h to su**est that in this 7meri)a has introdu)ed a +uite a%normal spirit o" in+uisition' an inter"eren)e with li%erty un&nown amon* all the an)ient despotisms and aristo)ra)ies. 7%out that there will %e somethin* to %e said later' %ut super"i)ially it is true that this de*ree o" o""i)ialism is )omparati(ely uni+ue. In a <ourney whi)h I too& only the year %e"ore I had o))asion to ha(e my papers passed %y *o(ernments whi)h many worthy people in the ,est would (a*uely identi"y with )orsairs and assassins' I ha(e stood on the other side o" >ordan, in the land ruled %y a rude 7ra% )hie", where the poli)e loo&ed so li&e %ri*ands that one wondered what the %ri*ands loo&ed li&e. $ut they did

not as& me whether I had )ome to su%(ert the power o" the Sheree"' and they did not e5hi%it the "aintest )uriosity a%out my personal (iews on the ethi)al %asis o" )i(il authority. .hese ministers o" an)ient #oslem despotism did not )are a%out whether I was an anar)hist' and naturally would not ha(e minded i" I had %een a poly*amist. .he 7ra% )hie" was pro%a%ly a poly*amist himsel". .hese sla(es o" 7siati) auto)ra)y were )ontent, in the old li%eral "ashion, to <ud*e me %y my a)tions' they did not in+uire into my thou*hts. .hey held their power as limited to the limitation o" pra)ti)e' they did not "or%id me to hold a theory. It would %e easy to ar*ue here that ,estern demo)ra)y perse)utes where e(en 2astern despotism tolerates or eman)ipates. It would %e easy to de(elop the "an)y that, as )ompared with the sultans o" .ur&ey or 2*ypt, the 7meri)an Constitution is a thin* li&e the Spanish In+uisition. 8nly the tra(eler who stops at that point is totally wron*' and the tra(eler only too o"ten does stop at that point. He has "ound somethin* to ma&e him lau*h, and he will not su""er it to ma&e him thin&. 7nd the remedy is not to unsay what he has said, not e(en, so to spea&, to unlau*h what he has lau*hed, not to deny that there is somethin* uni+ue and )urious a%out this 7meri)an in+uisition into our a%stra)t opinions, %ut rather to )ontinue the train o" thou*ht, and "ollow the admira%le ad(i)e o" #r. H. G. ,ells, who said, 3It is not mu)h *ood thin&in* o" a thin* unless you thin& it out.3 It is not to deny that 7meri)an o""i)ialism is rather pe)uliar on this point, %ut to in+uire what it really is whi)h ma&es 7meri)a pe)uliar, or whi)h is pe)uliar to 7meri)a. In short, it is to *et some ultimate idea o" what 7meri)a is' and the answer to that +uestion will re(eal somethin* mu)h deeper and *rander and more worthy o" our intelli*ent interest. It may ha(e seemed somethin* less than a )ompliment to )ompare the 7meri)an Constitution to the Spanish In+uisition. $ut oddly enou*h, it does in(ol(e a truth, and still more oddly perhaps, it does in(ol(e a )ompliment. .he 7meri)an Constitution does resem%le the Spanish In+uisition in this? that it is "ounded on a )reed. 7meri)a is the only nation in the world that is "ounded on )reed. .hat )reed is set "orth with do*mati) and e(en theolo*i)al lu)idity in the De)laration o" Independen)e' perhaps the only pie)e o" pra)ti)al politi)s that is also theoreti)al politi)s and also *reat literature. It enun)iates that all men are e+ual in their )laim to <usti)e, that *o(ernments e5ist to *i(e them that <usti)e, and that their authority is "or that reason <ust. It )ertainly does )ondemn anar)hism.

and it does also %y in"eren)e )ondemn atheism, sin)e it )learly names the Creator as the ultimate authority "rom whom these e+ual ri*hts are deri(ed. No%ody e5pe)ts a modern politi)al system to pro)eed lo*i)ally in the appli)ation o" su)h do*mas, and in the matter o" God and Go(ernment it is naturally God whose )laim is ta&en more li*htly. .he point is that there is a )reed, i" not a%out di(ine, at least a%out human thin*s. Now a )reed is at on)e the %roadest and the narrowest thin* in the world. In its nature it is as %road as its s)heme "or a %rotherhood o" all men. In its nature it is limited %y its de"inition o" the nature o" all men. .his was true o" the Christian Chur)h, whi)h was truly said to e5)lude neither >ew nor Gree&, %ut whi)h did de"initely su%stitute somethin* else "or >ewish reli*ion or Gree& philosophy. It was truly said to %e a net drawin* in o" all &inds' %ut a net o" a )ertain pattern, the pattern o" ;eter the Fisherman. 7nd this is true e(en o" the most disastrous distortions or de*radations o" that )reed' and true amon* others o" the Spanish In+uisition. It may ha(e %een narrow a%out theolo*y, it )ould not )on"ess to %ein* narrow a%out nationality or ethnolo*y. .he Spanish In+uisition mi*ht %e admittedly In+uisitorial' %ut the Spanish In+uisition )ould not %e merely Spanish. Su)h a Spaniard, e(en when he was narrower than his own )reed, had to %e %roader than his own empire. He mi*ht %urn a philosopher %e)ause he was heterodo5' %ut he must a))ept a %ar%arian %e)ause he was orthodo5. 7nd we see, e(en in modern times, that the same Chur)h whi)h is %lamed "or ma&in* sa*es hereti)s is also %lamed "or ma&in* sa(a*es priests. Now in a mu)h (a*uer and more e(olutionary "ashion, there is somethin* o" the same idea at the %a)& o" the *reat 7meri)an e5periment' the e5periment o" a demo)ra)y o" di(erse ra)es whi)h has %een )ompared to a meltin* pot. $ut e(en that metaphor implies that the pot itsel" is o" a )ertain shape and a )ertain su%stan)e' a pretty solid su%stan)e. .he meltin* pot must not melt. .he ori*inal shape was tra)ed on the lines o" >e""ersonian demo)ra)y' and it will remain in that shape until it %e)omes shapeless. 7meri)a in(ites all men to %e)ome )itiCens' %ut it implies the do*ma that there is su)h a thin* as )itiCenship. 8nly, so "ar as its primary ideal is )on)erned, its e5)lusi(eness is reli*ious %e)ause it is not ra)ial. .he missionary )an )ondemn a )anni%al, pre)isely %e)ause he )annot )ondemn a Sandwi)h Islander. 7nd in somethin* o" the same spirit the 7meri)an may e5)lude a poly*amist, pre)isely %e)ause he )annot e5)lude a .ur&. Now in 7meri)a this is no idle theory. It may ha(e %een theoreti)al, thou*h it was thorou*hly sin)ere, when that *reat Fir*inian *entleman

de)lared it in surroundin*s that still had somethin* o" the )hara)ter o" an 2n*lish )ountryside. It is not merely theoreti)al now. .here is nothin* to pre(ent 7meri)a %ein* literally in(aded %y .ur&s, as she is in(aded %y >ews or $ul*ars. In the most e5+uisitely in)onse+uent o" the $a% $allads, we are told )on)ernin* ;asha $ailey $en? 8ne mornin* &no)&ed at hal" past ei*ht 7 tall !ed Indian at his *ate. In .ur&ey, as you-r- p-raps aware, !ed Indians are e5tremely rare. $ut the )on(erse need %y no means %e true. .here is nothin* in the nature o" thin*s to pre(ent an emi*ration o" .ur&s in)reasin* and multiplyin* on the plains where the !ed Indians wandered' there is nothin* to ne)essitate the .ur&s %ein* e5tremely rare. .he !ed Indians, alas, are li&ely to %e rarer. 7nd as I mu)h pre"er !ed Indians to .ur&s, I spea& without pre<udi)e' %ut the point here is that 7meri)a, partly %y ori*inal theory and partly %y histori)al a))ident, does lie open to ra)ial admi5tures whi)h most )ountries would thin& in)on*ruous or )omi). .hat is why it is only "air to read any 7meri)an de"initions or rules in a )ertain li*ht, and relati(ely to a rather uni+ue position. It is not "air to )ompare the position o" those who may meet .ur&s in the %a)& street with that o" those who ha(e ne(er met .ur&s e5)ept in the $a% $allads. It is not "air simply to )ompare 7meri)a with 2n*land in its re*ulations a%out the .ur&. In short, it is not "air to do what almost e(ery 2n*lishman pro%a%ly does' to loo& at the 7meri)an international e5amination paper, and lau*h and %e satis"ied with sayin*, 3,e don-t ha(e any o" that nonsense in 2n*land.3 ,e do not ha(e any o" that nonsense in 2n*land %e)ause we ha(e ne(er attempted to ha(e any o" that philosophy in 2n*land. 7nd, a%o(e all, %e)ause we ha(e the enormous ad(anta*e o" "eelin* it natural to %e national, %e)ause there is nothin* else to %e. 2n*land in these days is not well *o(erned' 2n*land is not well edu)ated' 2n*land su""ers "rom wealth and po(erty that are not well distri%uted. $ut 2n*land is 2n*lish esto perpetua. 2n*land is 2n*lish as Fran)e is Fren)h or Ireland is Irish' the *reat mass o" men ta&in* )ertain national traditions "or *ranted. Now this *i(es us a totally di""erent and a (ery mu)h easier tas&. ,e ha(e not *ot an in+uisition, %e)ause we ha(e not *ot a )reed' %ut it is ar*ua%le that we do not need a )reed, %e)ause we ha(e *ot a )hara)ter. In any o" the old nations the national unity is preser(ed %y the national type. $e)ause we ha(e a type we do not need to ha(e a test.

.a&e that inno)ent +uestion, 37re you an anar)hist:3 whi)h is intrinsi)ally +uite as impudent as 37re you an optimist:3 or 37re you a philanthropist3 I am not dis)ussin* here whether these thin*s are ri*ht, %ut whether most o" us are in a position to &now them ri*htly. Now it is +uite true that most 2n*lishmen do not "ind it ne)essary to *o a%out all day as&in* ea)h other whether they are anar)hists. It is +uite true that the phrase o))urs on no $ritish "orms that I ha(e seen. $ut this is not only %e)ause most o" the 2n*lishmen are not anar)hists. It is e(en more %e)ause e(en the anar)hists are 2n*lishmen. For instan)e, it would %e easy to ma&e "un o" the 7meri)an "ormula %y notin* that the )ap would "it all sorts o" %ald a)ademi) heads. It mi*ht well %e maintained that Her%ert Spen)er was an anar)hist. It is pra)ti)ally )ertain that 7u%eron Her%ert was an anar)hist. $ut Her%ert Spen)er was an e5traordinary typi)al 2n*lishman o" the Non)on"ormist middle )lass. 7nd 7u%eron Her%ert was an e5traordinarily typi)al 2n*lish aristo)rat o" the old and *enuine aristo)ra)y. 2(eryone &new in his head that the s+uire would not throw a %om% at the Nueen, and the Non)on"ormist would not throw a %om% at any%ody. 2(ery one &new that there was somethin* su%)ons)ious in a man li&e 7u%eron Her%ert, whi)h would ha(e )ome out only in throwin* %om%s at the enemies o" 2n*land' as it did )ome out in his son and namesa&e, the *enerous and un"or*otten. who "ell "lin*in* %om%s "rom the s&y "ar %eyond the German line. 2(ery one &nows that normally, in the last resort, the 2n*lish *entleman is patrioti). 2(ery one &nows that the 2n*lish Non)on"ormist is national e(en when he denies that he is patrioti). Nothin* is more nota%le indeed than the "a)t that no%ody is more stamped with the mar& o" his own nation than the man who says that there ou*ht to %e no nations. Some%ody )alled Co%den the International #an' %ut no man )ould %e more 2n*lish than Co%den. 2(ery%ody re)o*nises .olstoy as the i)ono)last o" all patriotism' %ut no%ody )ould %e more !ussian than .olstoy. In the old )ountries where there are these national types, the types may %e allowed to hold any theories. 2(en i" they hold )ertain theories they are unli&ely to do )ertain thin*s. So the )ons)ientious o%<e)tor, in the 2n*lish sense, may %e and is one o" the pe)uliar %y produ)ts o" 2n*land. $ut the )ons)ientious o%<e)tor will pro%a%ly ha(e a )ons)ientious o%<e)tion to throwin* %om%s. Now I am (ery "ar "rom intendin* to imply that these 7meri)an tests are *ood tests or that there is no dan*er o" tyranny %e)omin* the temptation o" 7meri)a. I shall ha(e somethin* to say later on a%out that temptation or tenden)y. Nor do I say that they

apply )onsistently this )on)eption o" a nation with the soul o" a )hur)h, prote)ted %y reli*ious and not ra)ial sele)tion. I" they did apply that prin)iple )onsistently, they would ha(e to e5)lude pessimists and ri)h )yni)s who deny the demo)rati) ideal' an e5)ellent thin* %ut a rather impro%a%le one. ,hat I say is that when we realise that this prin)iple e5ists at all, we see the whole position in a totally di""erent perspe)ti(e. ,e say that the 7meri)ans are doin* somethin* heroi) or doin* somethin* insane, or doin* it in an unwor&a%le or unworthy "ashion, instead o" simply wonderin* what the de(il they are doin*. 7 Somewhat Impro%a%le Story %y G. K. Chesterton "rom .remendous .ri"les 019091 I )annot remem%er whether this tale is true or not. I" I read it throu*h (ery )are"ully I ha(e a suspi)ion that I should )ome to the )on)lusion that it is not. $ut, un"ortunately, I )annot read it throu*h (ery )are"ully, %e)ause, you see, it is not written yet. .he ima*e and the idea o" it )lun* to me throu*h a *reat part o" my %oyhood' I may ha(e dreamt it %e"ore I )ould tal&' or told it to mysel" %e"ore I )ould read' or read it %e"ore I )ould remem%er. 8n the whole, howe(er, I am )ertain that I did not read it, "or )hildren ha(e (ery )lear memories a%out thin*s li&e that' and o" the %oo&s whi)h I was really "ond I )an still remem%er, not only the shape and %ul& and %indin*, %ut e(en the position o" the printed words on many o" the pa*es. 8n the whole, I in)line to the opinion that it happened to me %e"ore I was %orn. RRRRR 7t any rate, let us tell the story now with all the ad(anta*es o" the atmosphere that has )lun* to it. =ou may suppose me, "or the sa&e o" ar*ument, sittin* at lun)h in one o" those +ui)& lun)h restaurants in the City where men ta&e their "ood so "ast that it has none o" the +uality o" "ood, and ta&e their hal" hour-s (a)ation so "ast that it has none o" the +ualities o" leisure' to hurry throu*h one-s leisure is the most un%usiness li&e o" a)tions. .hey all wore tall shiny hats as i" they )ould not lose an instant e(en to han* them on a pe*, and they all had one eye a little o"", hypnotiCed %y the hu*e eye o" the )lo)&. In short, they were the sla(es o" the modern %onda*e, you )ould hear their "etters )lan&in*. 2a)h was, in "a)t, %ound %y a )hain' the hea(iest )hain e(er tied

to a man it is )alled a wat)h )hain. Now, amon* these there entered and sat down opposite to me a man who almost immediately opened an uninterrupted monolo*ue. He was li&e all the other men in dress, yet he was startlin*ly opposite to them in all manner. He wore a hi*h shiny hat and a lon* "ro)& )oat, %ut he wore them as su)h solemn thin*s were meant to %e worn' he wore the sil& hat as i" it were a mitre, and the "ro)& )oat as i" it were the ephod o" a hi*h priest. He not only hun* his hat up on the pe*, %ut he seemed 0su)h was his stateliness1 almost to as& permission o" the hat "or doin* so, and to apolo*iCe to the pe* "or ma&in* use o" it. ,hen he had sat down on a wooden )hair with the air o" one )onsiderin* its "eelin*s and *i(en a sort o" sli*ht stoop or %ow to the wooden ta%le itsel", as i" it were an altar, I )ould not help some )omment sprin*in* to my lips. For the man was a %i*, san*uine "a)ed, prosperous loo&in* man, and yet he treated e(erythin* with a )are that almost amounted to ner(ousness. For the sa&e o" sayin* somethin* to e5press my interest I said, 3.his "urniture is "airly solid' %ut, o" )ourse, people do treat it mu)h too )arelessly.3 7s I loo&ed up dou%t"ully my eye )au*ht his, and was "i5ed as his was "i5ed in an apo)alypti) stare. I had thou*ht him ordinary as he entered, sa(e "or his stran*e, )autious manner' %ut i" the other people had seen him then they would ha(e )reamed and emptied the room. .hey did not see him, and they went on ma&in* a )latter with their "or&s, and a murmur with their )on(ersation. $ut the man-s "a)e was the "a)e o" a mania). 3Did you mean anythin* parti)ular %y that remar&:3 he as&ed at least, and the %lood )rawled %a)& slowly into his "a)e. 3Nothin* whate(er,3 I answered. 3one does not mean anythin* here' it spoils people-s di*estions.3 He limped %a)& and wiped his %road "orehead with a %i* hand&er)hie"' and yet there seemed to %e a sort o" re*ret in his relie". 3I thou*h perhaps,3 he said in a low (oi)e, 3that another o" them had *one wron*.3

3I" you mean another di*estion *one wron*,3 I said, 3I ne(er heard o" one here that went ri*ht. .his is the heart o" the 2mpire, and the other or*ans are in an e+ually %ad way.3 3No, I mean another street *one wron*,3 and he said hea(ily and +uietly, 3%ut as I suppose that doesn-t e5plain mu)h to you, I thin& I shall ha(e to tell you the story. I do so with all the less responsi%ility, %e)ause I &now you won-t %elie(e it. For "orty years o" my li"e I in(aria%ly le"t my o""i)e, whi)h is in /eadenhall Street, at hal" past "i(e in the a"ternoon, ta&in* with me an um%rella in the ri*ht hand an a %a* in the le"t hand. For "orty years two months and "our days I passed out o" the side o""i)e door, wal&ed down the street on the le"t hand side, too& the "irst turnin* to the le"t and the third to the ri*ht, "rom where I %ou*ht and e(enin* paper, "ollowed the road on the ri*ht hand side round two o%tuse an*les, and )ame out <ust outside a #etropolitan station, where I too& a train home. For "orty years two months and "our days I "ul"illed this )ourse %y a))umulated ha%it? it was not a lon* street that I tra(ersed, and it too& me a%out "or and a hal" minutes to do it. 7"ter "orty years two months and "our days, on the "i"th day I went out in the same manner, with my um%rella in the ri*ht hand and my %a* in the le"t, and I %e*an to noti)e that wal&in* alon* the "amiliar street tired me somewhat more than usual' and when I turned it I was )on(in)ed that I had turned down the wron* one. For now the street shot up +uite a steep slant, su)h as one only sees in the hilly parts o" /ondon, and in this part there were no hills at all. yet it was not the wron* street' the name written on it was the same' the shuttered shops were the same' the lamp posts and the whole loo& o" the perspe)ti(e was the same' only it was tilted upwards li&e a lit. For*ettin* any trou%le a%out %reathlessness or "ati*ue I ran "uriously "orward, and rea)hed the se)ond o" my a))ustomed turnin*s, whi)h ou*ht to %rin* me almost within si*ht o" the station. 7nd as I turned that )orner I nearly "ell on the pa(ement. For now the street went up strai*ht in "ront o" my "a)e li&e a steep stair)ase or the side o" a pyramid. .here was not "or miles round that pla)e so mu)h as a slope li&e that o" /ud*ate Hill. 7nd this was a slope li&e that o" the #atterhorn. .he whole street had li"ted itsel" li&e a sin*le wa(e, and yet e(ery spe)& and detail o" it was the same, and I saw in the hi*h distan)e, as at the top o" an 7lpine pass, pi)&ed out in pin& letters the name o(er my paper shop.

3I ran on and on %lindly now, passin* all the shops and )omin* to a part o" the road where there was a lon* *rey row o" pri(ate houses. I had, I &now not why, and irrational "eelin* that I was a lon* iron %rid*e in empty spa)e. 7n impulse seiCed me, and I pulled up the iron trap o" a )oal hole. /oo&in* down throu*h it I saw empty spa)e and the stairs. 3,hen I loo&ed up a*ain a man was standin* in his "ront *arden, ha(in* apparently )ome out o" his house' he was leanin* o(er the railin*s and *aCin* at me. ,e were all alone on that ni*htmare road' his "a)e was in shadow' his dress was dar& and ordinary' %ut when I saw him standin* so per"e)tly still I &new somehow that he was not o" this world. 7nd the stars %ehind his head were lar*er and "ier)er than ou*ht to %e endured %y the eyes o" men. 3GI" you are a &ind an*el,- I said, Gor a wise de(il, or ha(e anythin* in )ommon with man&ind, tell me what is this street possessed o" de(ils.37"ter a lon* silen)e he said, G,hat do you say that it is:3GIt is $umpton Street, o" )ourse,- I snapped. GIt *oes to 8ld*ate Station.3G=es, he admitted *ra(ely' Git *oes there sometimes. >ust now, howe(er, it is *oin* to hea(en.3G.o hea(en:- I said. G,hy:3GIt is *oin* to hea(en "or <usti)e,- he replied. -=ou must ha(e treated it %adly. !emem%er always that there is one thin* that )annot %e endured %y any%ody or anythin*. .hat one unendura%le thin* is to %e o(erwor&ed and also ne*le)ted. For instan)e, you )an o(erwor& women e(ery%ody does. $ut you )an-t ne*le)t women I de"y you to. 7t the same time, you )an ne*le)t tramps and *ypsies and all the apparent re"use o" the State so lon* as you do not o(erwor& it. $ut no %east o" the "ield, no horse, no do* )an endure lon* to %e as&ed to do more than his wor& and yet ha(e less than his honour. It is the same with streets. =ou ha(e wor&ed this street to death, and yet you ha(e ne(er remem%ered its e5isten)e. I" you had a healthy demo)ra)y, e(en o" pa*ans, they would ha(e hun* this street with *arlands and *i(en it the name o" a *od.

.hen it would ha(e *one +uietly. %ut at least the street has *rown tired o" your tireless insolen)e' and it is %u)&in* and rearin* its head to hea(en. Ha(e you ne(er sat on a %u)&in* horse:3I loo&ed at the lon* *rey street, and "or a moment it seemed to me to %e e5a)tly li&e the lon* *rey ne)& o" a horse "lun* up to hea(en. $ut in a moment my sanity returned, and I said, G$ut this is all nonsense. Streets *o to the pla)e they ha(e to *o. 7 street must always *o to its end.3G,hy do you thin& so o" a street:- he as&ed, standin* (ery still. 3G$e)ause I ha(e always seen it do the same thin*,- I replied, in reasona%le an*er. GDay a"ter day, year a"ter year, it has always *one to 8ld*ate Station' day a"ter . . .3I stopped, "or he had "lun* up his head with the "ury o" the road in re(olt. 3G7nd you:- he )ried terri%ly. G,hat do you thin& the road thin&s o" you: Does the road thin& you are ali(e: 7re you ali(e: Day a"ter day, year a"ter year, you ha(e *one to 8ld*ate Station . . .- Sin)e then I ha(e respe)ted the thin*s )alled inanimate.3 7nd %owin* sli*htly to the mustard pot, the man in the restaurant withdrew. .H2 .,2/F2 #2N G.K. Chesterton From 3.remendous .ri"les3 019091 .he other day, while I was meditatin* on morality and #r. H. ;itt, I was, so to spea&, snat)hed up and put into a <ury %o5 to try people. .he snat)hin* too& some wee&s, %ut to me it seemed somethin* sudden and ar%itrary. I was put into this %o5 %e)ause I li(ed in $attersea, and my name %e*an with a C. /oo&in* round me, I saw that there were also summoned and in attendan)e in the )ourt whole )rowds and pro)essions o" men, all o" whom li(ed in $attersea, and all o" whose names %e*an with a C.

It seems that they always summon <urymen in this sweepin* alpha%eti)al way. 7t one o""i)ial %low, so to spea&, $attersea is denuded o" all its C-s, and le"t to *et on as %est it )an with the rest o" the alpha%et. 7 Cum%erpat)h is missin* "rom one street a ChiCColpop "rom another three Chu)&ster"ields "rom Chu)&ster"ield House' the )hildren are )ryin* out "or an a%sent Cad*er%oy' the woman at the street )orner is weepin* "or her Co""intop, and will not %e )om"orted. ,e settle down with a rolli)&in* ease into our seats 0"or we are a %old, de(il may )are ra)e, the C-s o" $attersea1, and an oath is administered to us in a totally inaudi%le manner %y an indi(idual resem%lin* an 7rmy sur*eon in his se)ond )hildhood. ,e understand, howe(er, that we are to well and truly try the )ase %etween our so(erei*n lord the Kin* and the prisoner at the %ar, neither o" whom has put in an appearan)e as yet. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR >ust when I was wonderin* whether the Kin* and the prisoner were, perhaps, )omin* to an ami)a%le understandin* in some ad<oinin* pu%li) house, the prisoner-s head appears a%o(e the %arrier o" the do)&' he is a))used o" stealin* %i)y)les, and he is the li(in* ima*e o" a *reat "riend o" mine. ,e *o into the matter o" the stealin* o" the %i)y)les. ,e do well and truly try the )ase %etween the Kin* and the prisoner in the a""air o" the %i)y)les. 7nd we )ome to the )on)lusion, a"ter a %rie" %ut reasona%le dis)ussion, that the Kin* is not in any way impli)ated. .hen we pass on to a woman who ne*le)ted her )hildren, and who loo&s as i" some%ody or somethin* had ne*le)ted her. 7nd I am one o" those who "an)y that somethin* had. 7ll the time that the eye too& in these li*ht appearan)es and the %rain passed these li*ht )riti)isms, there was in the heart a %ar%ari) pity and "ear whi)h men ha(e ne(er %een a%le to utter "rom the %e*innin*, %ut whi)h is the power %ehind hal" the poems o" the world. .he mood )annot e(en ade+uately %e su**ested, e5)ept "aintly %y this statement that tra*edy is the hi*hest e5pression o" the in"inite (alue o" human li"e. Ne(er had I stood so )lose to pain' and ne(er so "ar away "rom pessimism. 8rdinarily, I should not ha(e spo&en o" these dar& emotions at all, "or spee)h a%out them is too di""i)ult' %ut I mention then now "or a spe)i"i) and parti)ular reason to the statement o" whi)h I will pro)eed at on)e. I spea& these "eelin*s %e)ause out o" the "urna)e o" them there )ame a )urious realiCation o" a politi)al or so)ial truth. I saw with a +ueer and indes)ri%a%le &ind o" )learness what a <ury really is, and why we must ne(er let it *o.

.he trend o" our epo)h up to this time has %een )onsistently towards spe)ialism and pro"essionalism. ,e tend to ha(e trained soldiers %e)ause they "i*ht %etter, trained sin*ers %e)ause they sin* %etter, trained dan)ers %e)ause they dan)e %etter, spe)ially instru)ted lau*hers %e)ause they lau*h %etter, and so on and so on. .he prin)iple has %een applied to law and politi)s %y innumera%le modern writers. #any Fa%ians ha(e insisted that a *reater part o" our politi)al wor& should %e per"ormed %y e5perts. #any le*alists ha(e de)lared that the untrained <ury should %e alto*ether supplanted %y the trained <ud*e. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Now, i" this world o" ours were really what is )alled reasona%le, I do not &now that there would %e any "ault to "ind with this. $ut the true result o" all e5perien)e and the true "oundation o" all reli*ion is this. .hat the "our or "i(e thin*s that it is most pra)ti)ally essential that a man should &now, are all o" them what people )all parado5es. .hat is to say, that thou*h we all "ind them in li"e to %e mere plain truths, yet we )annot easily state them in words without %ein* *uilty o" seemin* (er%al )ontradi)tions. 8ne o" them, "or instan)e, is the unimpea)ha%le platitude that the man who "inds most pleasure "or himsel" is o"ten the man who least hunts "or it. 7nother is the parado5 o" )oura*e' the "a)t that the way to a(oid death is not to ha(e too mu)h a(ersion to it. ,hoe(er is )areless enou*h o" his %ones to )lim% some hope"ul )li"" a%o(e the tide may sa(e his %ones %y that )arelessness. ,hoe(er will lose his li"e, the same shall sa(e it' an entirely pra)ti)al and prosai) statement. Now, one o" these "our or "i(e parado5es whi)h should %e tau*ht to e(ery in"ant prattlin* at his mother-s &nee is the "ollowin*? .hat the more a man loo&s at a thin*, the less he )an see it, and the more a man learns a thin* the less he &nows it. .he Fa%ian ar*ument o" the e5pert, that the man who is trained should %e the man who is trusted would %e a%solutely unanswera%le i" it were really true that a man who studied a thin* and pra)tised it e(ery day went on seein* more and more o" its si*ni"i)an)e. $ut he does not. He *oes on seein* less and less o" its si*ni"i)an)e. In the same way, alas4 we all *o on e(ery day, unless we are )ontinually *oadin* oursel(es into *ratitude and humility, seein* less and less o" the si*ni"i)an)e o" the s&y or the stones.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Now it is a terri%le %usiness to mar& a man out "or the (en*ean)e o" men. $ut it is a thin* to whi)h a man )an *row a))ustomed, as he )an to other terri%le thin*s' he )an e(en *row a))ustomed to the sun. 7nd the horri%le thin* a%out all le*al o""i)ials, e(en the %est, a%out all <ud*es, ma*istrates, %arristers, dete)ti(es, and poli)emen, is not that they are wi)&ed 0some o" them are *ood1, not that they are stupid 0se(eral o" them are +uite intelli*ent1, it is simply that they ha(e *ot used to it. Stri)tly they do not see the prisoner in the do)&' all they see is the usual man in the usual pla)e. .hey do not see the aw"ul )ourt o" <ud*ment' they only see their own wor&shop. .here"ore, the instin)t o" Christian )i(iliCation has most wisely de)lared that into their <ud*ments there shall upon e(ery o))asion %e in"used "resh %lood and "resh thou*hts "rom the streets. #en shall )ome in who )an see the )ourt and the )rowd, and )oarse "a)es o" the poli)eman and the pro"essional )riminals, the wasted "a)es o" the wastrels, the unreal "a)es o" the *esti)ulatin* )ounsel, and see it all as one sees a new pi)ture or a play hitherto un(isited. 8ur )i(iliCation has de)ided, and (ery <ustly de)ided, that determinin* the *uilt or inno)en)e o" men is a thin* too important to %e trusted to trained men. It wishes "or li*ht upon that aw"ul matter, it as&s men who &now no more law than I &now, %ut who )an "eel the thin*s that I "elt in the <ury %o5. ,hen it wants a li%rary )atalo*ued, or the solar system dis)o(ered, or any tri"le o" that &ind, it uses up spe)ialists. $ut when it wishes anythin* done whi)h is really serious, it )olle)ts twel(e o" the ordinary men standin* round. .he same thin* was done, i" I remem%er ri*ht, %y the Founder o" Christianity. 3Fren)h 7nd 2n*lish3 $y G. K. Chesterton It is o%(ious that there is a *reat deal o" di""eren)e %etween %ein* international and %ein* )osmopolitan. 7ll *ood men are international. Nearly all %ad men are )osmopolitan. I" we are to %e international we must %e national. 7nd it is lar*ely %e)ause those who )all themsel(es the "riends o" pea)e ha(e not dwelt su""i)iently on this distin)tion that they do not impress the %ul& o" any o" the nations to whi)h they %elon*. International pea)e means a pea)e

%etween nations, not a pea)e a"ter the destru)tion o" nations, li&e the $uddhist pea)e a"ter the destru)tion o" personality. .he *olden a*e o" the *ood 2uropean is li&e the hea(en o" the Christian? it is a pla)e where people will lo(e ea)h other' not li&e the hea(en o" the Hindu, a pla)e where they will %e ea)h other. 7nd in the )ase o" national )hara)ter this )an %e seen in a )urious way. It will *enerally %e "ound, I thin&, that the more a man really appre)iates and admires the soul o" another people the less he will attempt to imitate it' he will %e )ons)ious that there is somethin* in it too deep and too unmana*ea%le to imitate. .he 2n*lishman who has a "an)y "or Fran)e will try to %e Fren)h' the 2n*lishman who admires Fran)e will remain o%stinately 2n*lish. .his is to %e parti)ularly noti)ed in the )ase o" our relations with the Fren)h, %e)ause it is one o" the outstandin* pe)uliarities o" the Fren)h that their (i)es are all on the sur"a)e, and their e5traordinary (irtues )on)ealed. 8ne mi*ht almost say that their (i)es are the "lower o" their (irtues. .hus their o%s)enity is the e5pression o" their passionate lo(e o" dra**in* all thin*s into the li*ht. .he a(ari)e o" their peasants means the independen)e o" their peasants. ,hat the 2n*lish )all their rudeness in the streets is a phase o" their so)ial e+uality. .he worried loo& o" their women is )onne)ted with the responsi%ility o" their women' and a )ertain un)ons)ious %rutality o" hurry and *esture in the men is related to their ine5hausti%le and e5traordinary military )oura*e. 8" all )ountries, there"ore, Fran)e is the worst )ountry "or a super"i)ial "ool to admire. /et a "ool hate Fran)e? i" the "ool lo(es it he will soon %e a &na(e. He will )ertainly admire it, not only "or the thin*s that are not )redita%le, %ut a)tually "or the thin*s that are not there. He will admire the *ra)e and indolen)e o" the most industrious people in the world. He will admire the roman)e and "antasy o" the most determinedly respe)ta%le and )ommon pla)e people in the world. .his mista&e the 2n*lishman will ma&e i" he admires Fran)e too hastily' %ut the mista&e that he ma&es a%out Fran)e will %e sli*ht )ompared with the mista&e that he ma&es a%out himsel". 7n 2n*lishman who pro"esses really to li&e Fren)h realisti) no(els, really to %e at home in a Fren)h modern theatre, really to e5perien)e no sho)& on "irst seein* the sa(a*e Fren)h )ari)atures, is ma&in* a mista&e (ery dan*erous "or his own sin)erity. He is admirin* somethin* he does not understand. He is reapin* where he has not sown, and ta&in* up where he has not laid down' he is tryin* to taste the "ruit when he has ne(er toiled o(er the tree. He is tryin* to plu)& the e5+uisite "ruit o" Fren)h )yni)ism, when he has ne(er tilled the rude %ut ri)h soil o" Fren)h (irtue.

.he thin* )an only %e made )lear to 2n*lishmen %y turnin* it round. Suppose a Fren)hman )ame out o" demo)rati) Fran)e to li(e in 2n*land, where the shadow o" the *reat houses still "alls e(erywhere, and where e(en "reedom was, in its ori*in, aristo)rati). I" the Fren)hman saw our aristo)ra)y and li&ed it, i" he saw our sno%%ishness and li&ed it, i" he set himsel" to imitate it, we all &now what we should "eel. ,e all &now that we should "eel that that parti)ular Fren)hman was a repulsi(e little *nat. He would %e imitatin* 2n*lish aristo)ra)y' he would %e imitatin* the 2n*lish (i)e. $ut he would not e(en understand the (i)e he pla*iarised? espe)ially he would not understand that the (i)e is partly a (irtue. He would not understand those elements in the 2n*lish whi)h %alan)e sno%%ishness and ma&e it human? the *reat &indness o" the 2n*lish, their hospitality, their un)ons)ious poetry, their sentimental )onser(atism, whi)h really admires the *entry. .he Fren)h !oyalist sees that the 2n*lish li&e their Kin*. $ut he does not *rasp that while it is %ase to worship a Kin*, it is almost no%le to worship a powerless Kin*. .he impoten)e o" the Hano(erian So(erei*ns has raised the 2n*lish loyal su%<e)t almost to the )hi(alry and di*nity o" a >a)o%ite. .he Fren)hman sees that the 2n*lish ser(ant is respe)t"ul? he does not realise that he is also disrespe)t"ul' that there is an 2n*lish le*end o" the humorous and "aith"ul ser(ant, who is as mu)h a personality as his master' the Cale% $alderstone, the Sam ,eller. He sees that the 2n*lish do admire a no%leman' he does not allow "or the "a)t that they admire a no%leman most when he does not %eha(e li&e one. .hey li&e a no%le to %e un)ons)ious and amia%le? the sla(e may %e hum%le, %ut the master must not %e proud. .he master is /i"e, as they would li&e to en<oy it' and amon* the <oys they desire in him there is none whi)h they desire more sin)erely than that o" *enerosity, o" throwin* money a%out amon* man&ind, or, to use the no%le mediae(al word, lar*esse the <oy o" lar*eness. .hat is why a )a%man tells you you are no *entleman i" you *i(e him his )orre)t "are. Not only his po)&et, %ut his soul is hurt. =ou ha(e wounded his ideal. =ou ha(e de"a)ed his (ision o" the per"e)t aristo)rat. 7ll this is really (ery su%tle and elusi(e' it is (ery di""i)ult to separate what is mere sla(ishness "rom what is a sort o" (i)arious no%ility in the 2n*lish lo(e o" a lord. 7nd no Fren)hman )ould easily *rasp it at all. He would thin& it was mere sla(ishness' and i" he li&ed it, he would %e a sla(e. So e(ery 2n*lishman must 0at "irst1 "eel Fren)h )andour to %e mere %rutality. 7nd i" he li&es it, he is a %rute. .hese national merits must not %e understood so easily. It re+uires lon* years o" plentitude and +uiet, the slow *rowth

o" *reat par&s, the seasonin* o" oa&en %eams, the dar& enri)hment o" red wine in )ellars and in inns, all the leisure and the li"e o" 2n*land throu*h many )enturies, to produ)e at last the *enerous and *enial "ruit o" 2n*lish sno%%ishness. 7nd it re+uires %attery and %arri)ade, son*s in the streets, and ra**ed men dead "or an idea, to produ)e and <usti"y the terri%le "lower o" Fren)h inde)en)y. ,hen I was in ;aris a short time a*o, I went with an 2n*lish "riend o" mine to an e5tremely %rilliant and rapid su))ession o" Fren)h plays, ea)h o))upyin* a%out twenty minutes. .hey were all astonishin*ly e""e)ti(e' %ut there was one o" them whi)h was so e""e)ti(e that my "riend and I "ou*ht a%out it outside, and had almost to %e separated %y the poli)e. It was intended to indi)ate how men really %eha(ed in a wre)& or na(al disaster, how they %rea& down, how they s)ream, how they "i*ht ea)h other without o%<e)t and in a mere hatred o" e(erythin*. 7nd then there was added, with all that horri%le irony whi)h Foltaire %e*an, a s)ene in whi)h a *reat statesman made a spee)h o(er their %odies, sayin* that they were all heroes and had died in a "raternal em%ra)e. #y "riend and I )ame out o" this theatre, and as he had li(ed lon* in ;aris, he said, li&e a Fren)hman? 3,hat admira%le artisti) arran*ement4 Is it not e5+uisite:3 3No,3 I replied, assumin* as "ar as possi%le the traditional attitude o" >ohn $ull in the pi)tures in ;un)h 3No, it is not e5+uisite. ;erhaps it is unmeanin*' i" it is unmeanin* I do not mind. $ut i" it has a meanin* I &now what the meanin* is' it is that under all their pa*eant o" )hi(alry men are not only %easts, %ut e(en hunted %easts. I do not &now mu)h o" humanity, espe)ially when humanity tal&s in Fren)h. $ut I &now when a thin* is meant to upli"t the human soul, and when it is meant to depress it. I &now that Cyrano de $er*era) 0where the a)tors tal&ed e(en +ui)&er1 was meant to en)oura*e man. 7nd I &now that this was meant to dis)oura*e him.3 3.hese sentimental and moral (iews o" art,3 %e*an my "riend, %ut I %ro&e into his words as a li*ht %ro&e into my mind. 3/et me say to you,3 I said, 3what >aurSs said to /ie%&ne)ht at the So)ialist Con"eren)e? G=ou ha(e not died on the %arri)ades.=ou are an 2n*lishman, as I am, and you ou*ht to %e as amia%le as I am. .hese people ha(e some ri*ht to %e terri%le in art, "or they ha(e %een terri%le in politi)s. .hey may endure mo)& tortures on the sta*e' they ha(e seen real tortures in the streets. .hey ha(e %een hurt "or the idea o" Demo)ra)y. .hey ha(e %een hurt "or the idea o" Catholi)ism. It is not so utterly unnatural to them that they should %e hurt "or the idea o" literature. $ut, %y %laCes, it is alto*ether unnatural to me4

7nd the worst thin* o" all is that I, who am an 2n*lishman, lo(in* )om"ort, should "ind )om"ort in su)h thin*s as this. .he Fren)h do not see& )om"ort here, %ut rather unrest. .his restless people see&s to &eep itsel" in a perpetual a*ony o" the re(olutionary mood. Fren)hmen, see&in* re(olution, may "ind the humiliation o" humanity inspirin*. $ut God "or%id that two pleasure see&in* 2n*lishmen should e(er "ind it pleasant43 G. K. Chesterton. di(or)e (s. demo)ra)y 191A TTT ;!2F7C2 I ha(e %een as&ed to put "orward in pamphlet "orm this rather hasty essay as it appeared in 3Nash-s #a*aCine3' and I do so %y the &ind permission o" the editor. .he rather )haoti) +uality o" its <ournalism it is now impossi%le to alter. .he )on(i)tions upon whi)h it is %ased are unaltered and unaltera%le. Indeed, in so "ar as )ir)umstan)es ha(e sin)e a""e)ted them, they are *reatly stren*thened. In so "ar as there was somethin* sporadi) and seemin*ly irrele(ant in the writin*, it was partly %e)ause I was )ontendin* a*ainst an e(il that was di""used and inde"ina%le, at on)e tentati(e and u%i+uitous. Sin)e then that disease has )ome to a head and %urst' primarily in the North o" 2urope. $y that histori) ha%it whi)h *enerally ma&es one 2uropean people the standard %earer o" a so)ial tenden)y, whi)h made the 2mpire a !oman 2mpire and the !e(olution a Fren)h !e(olution, the North Germans ha(e %e)ome the pe)uliar )hampions o" that modern )han*e whi)h would ma&e the State in"initely superior to the Family. It is e(en asserted that ;russian politi)al authority is now en)oura*in* the a%andonment o" )ommon morality "or the support o" population' and e(en i" this horri%le thin* %e untrue, it is hi*hly si*ni"i)ant that it )an %e plausi%ly said o" ;russia and )ertainly o" no other Christian State. 7nd in the new li*ht o" a)tion it is possi%le to tra)e more )learly the trend towards di(or)e, as also that trend towards the other pa*an institution o" sla(ery, whi)h would )ertainly ha(e a))ompanied it. $ut the ensla(in* "or)e in 2urope stru)& too early' and the whole mo(ement has %een %rou*ht to a standstill. .he same )ir)umstan)es ha(e *i(en an importan)e to a

"ormula o" my own whi)h I still thin& rather important. It may %e summarised as the patriotism o" the household. In the e5perien)e o" nationality we do not admit that any e5)ess o" despair )an )ome into the same lo*i)al world as desertion. No amount o" tra*edy need amount to treason. .he Christian (iew o" marria*e )on)ei(es o" the home as sel" *o(ernin* in a manner analo*ous to an independent state' that is, that it may in)lude internal re"orm and e(en internal re%ellion' %ut %e)ause o" the %ond, not a*ainst it. In this way it is itsel" a sort o" standin* re"ormer o" the State' "or the State is <ud*ed %y whether its arran*ements %ear help"ully or %ear hardly on the human "ullness and "ertility o" the "ree "amily. .hus the ,i)&ed .en in !ome were )ondemned and )ast down %e)ause their pu%li) powers permitted a wron* a*ainst the purity o" a pri(ate "amily. .hus the mediae(al re(olt a*ainst the ;oll .a5 %e*an %y the authority o" an o""i)ial insultin* the authority o" a "ather. #en do not now, any more than then, %e)ome sinless %y re)ei(in* a post in a %ureau)ra)y' and i" the domesti) a""airs o" the poor were on)e put into the hands o" mere lawyers and inspe)tors, the poor would soon "ind themsel(es in positions "rom whi)h there is no e5it sa(e %y the sword o" Fir*inius and the hammer o" ,at .yler. 7s "or the se)tion o" the ri)h who are still see&in* a ser(ile solution, they, o" )ourse, are still see&in* the e5tension o" di(or)e. It is only -3di(ide et impera3' and they want the di(ision o" se5 "or the di(ision o" la%our. .he (ery same e)onomi) )al)ulation whi)h ma&es them en)oura*e tyranny in the shop ma&es them en)oura*e li)en)e in the "amily. $ut now the "ree "amilies o" "i(e *reat nations ha(e risen a*ainst them' and their plot has "ailed. TTT DIF8!C2 F2!S9S D2#8C!7C= 8n this +uestion o" di(or)e I do not pro"ess to %e impartial, "or I ha(e ne(er per)ei(ed any intelli*ent meanin* in the word. I merely 0and most modestly1 pro"ess to %e ri*ht. I also pro"ess to %e representati(e? that is, demo)rati). Now, one may %elie(e in demo)ra)y or dis%elie(e in it. It would %e *rossly un"air to )on)eal the "a)t that there are di""i)ulties on %oth sides. .he di""i)ulty o" %elie(in* in demo)ra)y is that it is so hard to %elie(e li&e God and most other *ood thin*s. .he di""i)ulty o" dis%elie(in* in demo)ra)y is that there is nothin* else to %elie(e in. I mean there is nothin* else on earth or in earthly politi)s. 9nless an aristo)ra)y is sele)ted %y *ods, it must %e sele)ted %y men.

It may %e ne*ati(ely and passi(ely permitted, %ut either hea(en or humanity must permit it' otherwise it has no more moral authority than a lu)&y pi)&po)&et. It is %a%ytal& to tal& a%out 3Supermen3 or 3Nature-s 7risto)ra)y3 or 3.he ,ise Few.3 3.he ,ise Few3 must %e either those whom others thin& wise who are o"ten "ools' or those who thin& themsel(es wise who are always "ools. ,ell, i" one happens to %elie(e in demo)ra)y as I do, as a lar*e trust in the a)ti(e and passi(e <ud*ment o" the human )ons)ien)e, one )an ha(e no hesitation, no 3impartiality,3 a%out one-s (iew o" di(or)e' and espe)ially a%out one-s (iew o" the e5tension o" di(or)e amon* the demo)ra)y. 7 demo)rat in any sense must re*ard that e5tension as the last and (ilest o" the insults o""ered %y the modern ri)h to the modern poor. .he ri)h do lar*ely %elie(e in di(or)e' the poor do mainly %elie(e in "idelity. $ut the modern ri)h are power"ul and the modem poor are powerless. .here"ore "or years and de)ades past the ri)h ha(e %een prea)hin* their own (irtues. Now that they ha(e %e*un to prea)h their (i)es too, I thin& it is time to &i)&. .here is one enormous and elementary o%<e)tion to the popularisin* o" di(or)e, whi)h )omes %e"ore any )onsideration o" the nature o" marria*e. It is li&e an alpha%et in letters too lar*e to %e seen. It is this? .hat e(en i" the demo)ra)y appro(ed o" di(or)e as stron*ly and deeply as the demo)ra)y does 0in "a)t disappro(e o" it any man o" )ommon sense must &now that nowadays the thin* will %e wor&ed pro%a%ly a*ainst the demo)ra)y, %ut +uite )ertainly %y the pluto)ra)y. ;eople seem to "or*et that in a so)iety where power *oes with wealth and where wealth is in an e5treme state o" ine+uality, e5tendin* the powers o" the law means somethin* entirely di""erent "rom e5tendin* the powers o" the pu%li). .hey seem to "or*et that there is a *reat deal o" di""eren)e %etween what laws de"ine and what laws do. 7 poor woman in a poor pu%li) house was %ro&en with a ruinous "ine "or *i(in* a )hild a sip o" shandy *a"". No%ody supposed that the law (er%ally sti*matised the a)tion "or %ein* done %y a poor person in a poor pu%li) house. $ut most )ertainly no%ody will dare to pretend that a ri)h man *i(in* a %oy a sip o" )hampa*ne would ha(e %een punished so hea(ily or punished at all. I ha(e seen the thin* done "re+uently in )ountry houses' and my host and hostess would ha(e %een (ery mu)h surprised i" I had *one outside and telephoned "or the poli)e. .he law theoreti)ally )ondemns any one who tries to "rustrate the poli)e or e(en "ails to assist them. =et the ri)h motorists are allowed to &eep up an or*anised ser(i)e o" anti poli)e dete)ti(es wearin* a )onspi)uous uni"orm

"or the a(owed purpose o" showin* motorists how to a(oid )apture. No one supposes a*ain that the law says in so many words that the ri*ht to or*anise "or the e(asion o" laws is a pri(ile*e o" the ri)h %ut not o" the poor. $ut ta&e the same pra)ti)al test. ,hat would the poli)e say, what would the world say, i" men stood a%out the streets in *reen and yellow uni"orms, notoriously "or the purpose o" warnin* pi)&po)&ets o" the presen)e o" a plain )lothes o""i)er: ,hat would the world say i" re)o*nised o""i)ials in pea&ed )aps wat)hed %y ni*ht to warn a %ur*lar that the poli)e were waitin* "or him: =et there is no distin)tion o" prin)iple %etween the e(asion o" that poli)e trap and the other poli)e trap the poli)e trap whi)h pre(ents a motorist "rom &illin* a )hild li&e a )hi)&en' whi)h pre(ents the most "ri(olous &ind o" murder, the most piteous &ind o" sudden death. ,ell, the ;oor #an-s Di(or)e /aw will %e applied e5a)tly as all these others are applied. 2(ery%ody must &now that it would mean in pra)ti)e that well dressed men, do)tors, ma*istrates, and inspe)tors, would ha(e rnore power o(er the "amily li(es o" the ill dressed men, na((ies, plum%ers, and potmen. No%ody )an ha(e the impuden)e to pretend that it would mean that na((ies, plum%ers, and pot men would 0either indi(idually or )olle)ti(ely1 ha(e more power o(er the "amily li(es o" do)tors, ma*istrates, and inspe)tors. No%ody dare assert that %e)ause di(or)e is a State a""air, there"ore the poor )itiCen will ha(e any power, dire)t or indire)t, to di(or)e a du)hess "rom a du&e or a %an&er "rom a %an&er-s wi"e. $ut no one will )all it in)on)ei(a%le that the power o" ri)h "amilies o(er poor "amilies, whi)h is already *reat, the power o" the du&e as landlord, the power o" the %an&er as money lender, mi*ht %e )onsidera%ly in)reased %y armin* ma*istrates with more powers o" inter"eren)e in pri(ate li"e. For the du&es and %an&ers o"ten are ma*istrates, always the "riends and relati(es o" ma*istrates. .he na((ies are not. .he na((y will %e the su%<e)t o" the new e5periments' )ertainly ne(er the e5perimentalist. It is the poor man who will show to the ima*inati(e eye o" s)ien)e all those horrors whi)h, a))ordin* to newspaper )orrespondents, )ry aloud "or di(or)e drun&enness, madness, )ruelty, in)ura%le disease. I" he is slow in wor&in* "or his master, he will %e 3de"e)ti(e.3 I" he is worn out %y wor&in* "or his master, he will %e 3de*enerate.3 I" he, at some parti)ular opportunity, pre"ers to wor& "or himsel" to wor&in* "or his master, he will %e o%(iously insane. I" he ne(er has any opportunity o" wor&in* "or any master he will %e 3unemploya%le.3 7ll the %itter em%arrassments and entan*lements in)idental to e5treme po(erty will %e used to %rea& )on<u*al happiness,

as they are already used to %rea& parental authority. #arria*e will %e )alled a "ailure where(er it is a stru**le, <ust as parents in modern 2n*land are sent to prison "or ne*le)tin* the )hildren whom they )annot a""ord to "eed. I will ta&e %ut one instan)e o" the enormity and silliness whi)h is really implied in these proposals "or the e5tension o" di(or)e. .a&e the )ase +uoted %y many )ontri%utors to the dis)ussion in the papers the )ase o" what is )alled 3)ruelty.3 Now what is the real meanin* o" this as re*ards the prosperous and as re*ards the stru**lin* )lasses o" the )ommunity: /et us ta&e the prosperous )lasses "irst. 2(ery one &nows that those who are really to %e des)ri%ed as *entlemen all pro"ess a parti)ular tradition, partly )hi(alrous, partly merely modern and re"ined a tradition a*ainst 3layin* hands upon a woman, sa(e in a way o" &indness.3 I do not mean that a *entleman hates the )owin* o" a woman %y %rute "or)e? any one must hate that. I mean he has a ritual, ta%oo &ind o" "eelin* a%out the layin* on o" a "in*er. I" a *entle man 0real or imitation1 has stru)& his wi"e e(er so li*htly, he "eels he has done one o" those thin*s that thrill the thou*hts with the notion o" a %order line, somethin* li&e sayin* the /ord-s ;rayer %a)&wards, tou)hin* a hot &ettle, re(ersin* the )ru)i"i5, or 3%rea&in* the pled*e.3 .he wi"e may "or*i(e the hus%and more easily "or this than "or many thin*s' %ut the hus%and will "ind it hard to "or*i(e himsel". It is a purely )lass sentiment, li&e the poor "ol&sdisli&e o" hospitals. ,hat is the e""e)t o" this )lass sentiment on di(or)e amon* the hi*her )lasses: .he "irst e""e)t, o" )ourse, is *reatly to assist those "a&ed di(or)es so )ommon amon* the "ashiona%le. I mean that where there is a )ollusion, a small pat or push )an %e remem%ered, e5a**erated, or in(ented' and yet seem to the solemn <ud*es a (ery solemn thin* in people o" their own so)ial )lass. $ut outside these )ases, the test is not wholly inappropriate as applied to the ri)her )lasses. For all Gentlemen "eelin* or a""e)tin* this spe)ial horror, it does really loo& %ad i" a *entleman has %ro&en throu*h it, it does loo& li&e madness or a personal hatred and perse)ution. It may e(en loo& li&e worse thin*s. I" a man with lu5urious ha%its, in artisti) surroundin*s, is )ruel to his wi"e, it may %e )onne)ted with some per(ersion o" se5 )ruelty, su)h as was alle*ed 0I &now not how truly1 in the )ase o" the millionaire .haw. ,e need not deny that su)h )ases are )ases "or separation, i" not "or di(or)e.

$ut this test o" te)hni)al )ruelty, whi)h is rou*h and ready as applied to the ri)h, is a%solutely mad and meanin*less as applied to the poor. 7 poor woman does not <ud*e her hus%and as a %ully %y whether he has e(er hit out. 8ne mi*ht as well say that a s)hool %oy <ud*es whether another s)hool%oy is a %ully %y whether he has e(er hit out. .he poor wi"e, li&e the s)hool%oy, <ud*es him as a %ully %y whether he is a %ully. She &nows that while wi"e %eatin* may really %e a )rime, wi"e hittin* is sometimes (ery li&e <ust sel" de"en)e. No one &nows %etter than she does that her hus%and o"ten has a *reat deal to put up with' sometimes she means him to' sometimes she is <usti"ied. She )omes and tells this to ma*istrates a*ain and a*ain' in poli)e )ourt a"ter poli)e )ourt women with %la)& eyes try to e5plain the thin* to <ud*es with no eyes. In street a"ter street women turn in an*er on the hapless &ni*ht errant who has interrupted an instantaneous misunderstandin*. In these people-s li(es the rooms are )rowded, the tempers are torn to ra*s, the natural e5its are "or%idden. In su)h so)ieties it is as a%omina%le to punish or di(or)e people "or a %low as it would %e to punish or di(or)e a *entleman "or slammin* a door. =et who )an dou%t, i" e(er di(or)e is applied to the popula)e, it would %e applied in the spirit whi)h ta&es the %low +uite seriously: I" any one dou%ts it, he does not &now what world he is li(in* in. It is )ommon to meet nowadays men who tal& o" what they )all Free /o(e as i" it were somethin* li&e Free Sil(er a new and in*enious politi)al s)heme. .hey seem to "or*et that it is as easy to <ud*e what it would %e li&e as to <ud*e o" what le*al marria*e would %e li&e. 3Free /o(e3 has %een *oin* on in e(ery town and (illa*e sin)e the %e*innin* o" the world' and the "irst "a)t that e(ery man o" the world &nows a%out it is plain enou*h. It ne(er does produ)e any o" the wild purity and per"e)t "reedom its "riends attri%ute to it. I" any paper had the plu)& to head a )olumn 3Is Con)u%ina*e a Failure:3 instead o" 3Is #arria*e a Failure:3 the answer 3=es3 would %e *i(en %y the personal memory o" all. #odern people perpetually +uote some wild e5pression o" mon&s in the wilderness 0when a whole )i(ilisation was maddened %y remorse1 a%out the perilous +uality o" ,oman, a%out how she was a spe)tre and a serpent and a destroyin* "ire. ;ro%a%ly the esta%lishment o" nuns, situated a "ew miles o"", des)ri%ed #an also as a serpent and a spe)tre' %ut their wor&s ha(e not )ome down to us. Now all this old world wit a*ainst $enedi)& the married man was sensi%le enou*h. $ut so was the %a)helorhood o" the old mon&s, who said it, sensi%le enou*h. It is per"e)tly true that to entan*le

yoursel" with another soul in the most tender and tra*i) de*ree is to ma&e, in all rational possi%ility, a martyr or a "ool o" yoursel". #ost o" the modern denun)iations o" marria*e mi*ht ha(e %een )opied dire)t "rom the maddest o" the mon&ish diaries. .he atta)& on marria*e is an ar*ument "or )eli%a)y. It is not an ar*ument "or di(or)e. For that entan*lement whi)h )eli%a)y a(owedly a(oids, di(or)e merely redupli)ates and repeats. It may ha(e %een a sort o" solemn )om"ort to a *entleman o" 7"ri)a to re"le)t that he had no wi"e. It )annot %e anythin* %ut a dis)om"ort to a *entleman o" 7meri)a to wonder whi)h wi"e he really has. I" pro*ress means, as in the ludi)rous de"inition o" Her%ert Spen)er, 3an ad(an)e "rom the simple to the )omple5,3 then )ertainly di(or)e is a part o" pro*ress. Nothin* )an %e )on)ei(ed more )omple5 than the )ondition o" a man who has settled down "inally "our or "i(e times. Nothin* )an %e )on)ei(ed more )omple5 than the position o" a pro"li*ate who has not only had ten liaisons, %ut ten le*al liaisons. .here is a real sense in whi)h "ree lo(e mi*ht "ree men. $ut "reer di(or)e would )at)h them in the most )ompli)ated net e(er wo(en in this wi)&ed world. .he tra*edy o" lo(e is in lo(e, not in marria*e. .here is not unhappy marria*e that mi*ht not %e an e+ually unhappy )on)u%ina*e, or a "ar more unhappy sedu)tion. ,hether the tie %e le*al or no, matters somethin* to the "aithless party' it matters nothin* to the "aith"ul one. .he pathos reposes upon the per"e)tly simple "a)t that i" any one deli%erately pro(o&es either passions or a""e)tions, he is responsi%le "or them as lon* as they *o on, as the man is responsi%le "or lettin* loose a "lood or settin* "ire to a )ity. His remedy is not to pro(o&e them, li&e the hermit. His punishment, when he deser(es punishment, is to spend the rest o" his li"e in tryin* to undo any ill he has done. His es)ape is despair whi)h is )alled, in this )onne)tion, di(or)e. For e(ery healthy man "eels one "undamental "a)t in his soul. He "eels that he must ha(e a li"e, and not a series o" li(es. He would rather the human drama were a tra*edy than that it were a series o" #usi) hall .urns and ;otted ;lays. 7 man wishes to sa(e the souls o" all the men he has %een? o" the dirty little s)hool%oy' o" the dou%t"ul and mor%id youth' o" the lo(er' o" the hus%and. !e in)arnation has always seemed to me a )old )reed' %e)ause ea)h in)arnation must "or*et the other. It would %e worse still i" this short human li"e were %ro&en up into yet shorter li(es, ea)h o" whi)h was in its turn "or*otten. I" you are a demo)rat who li&es also to %e an honest man

i" 0in other words1 you want to &now what the people want and not merely what you )an somehow indu)e them to as& "or then there is no dou%t at all that this is what they want. =ou )an only realise it %y loo&in* "or human nature elsewhere than in ele)tion reports, %ut when you ha(e on)e loo&ed "or it you see it and you ne(er "or*et it. From the "a)t that e(ery one thin&s it natural that youn* men and women should )ar(e names on trees, to the "a)t that e(ery one thin&s it unnatural that old men and women should %e separated in wor& houses, millions and millions o" daily details pro(e that people do re*ard the relation as normally permanent' not a (ision, %ut as a (ow. Now "or the e5)eptions, true or "alse. I would note a stran*e and e(en silly o(ersi*ht in the dis)ussion o" su)h e5)eptions, whi)h has haunted most ar*uments "or "urther di(or)e. .he ordinary eman)ipated pri* or poet who ur*es this side o" the +uestion always tal&s to one tune. 3#arria*e may %e the %est "or most men,3 he says, 3%ut there are e5)eptional natures that demand a more undulatin* e5perien)e' )onstan)y will do "or the )ommon herd, %ut there are )omple5 natures and )omple5 )ases where no one )ould re)ommend )onstan)y. 1 do not as& 0at the present Sta*e o" ;ro*ress1 "or the a%olition o" marria*e' I here%y as& that it may %e remitted in su)h indi(idual and e5treme e5amples.3 Now it is per"e)tly astoundin* to me that any one who has wal&ed a%out this world should ma&e su)h a %lunder a%out the %reed we )all man&ind. Surely it is plain enou*h that i" you as& "or dread"ul e5)eptions, you will *et them too many o" them. /et me ta&e on)e a*ain a rou*h para%le. Suppose I ad(ertised in the papers that I had a pla)e "or any one who was too stupid to %e a )ler&. ;ro%a%ly I should re)ei(e no replies' possi%ly one. ;ossi%ly also 0nay, pro%a%ly1 it would %e "rom the one man who was not stupid at all. $ut suppose I had ad(ertised that I had a pla)e "or any one who was too )le(er to %e a )ler&. #y o""i)e would %e instantly %esie*ed %y all the most hopeless "ools in the "our &in*doms. .o ad(ertise "or e5)eptions is simply to ad(ertise "or e*oists. .o ad(ertise "or e*oists is to ad(ertise "or idiots. It is e5a)tly the %ore who does thin& that his )ase is interestin*. It is pre)isely the really )ommon person who does thin& that his )ase is un)ommon. It is always the dull man who does thin& himsel" rather wild. .o as& solely "or stran*e e5perien)es o" the soul is simply to let loose all the im%e)ile asylums a%out one-s ears. ,hate(er other theory is ri*ht, this theory o" the e5)eptions is o%(iously wron* or 0what matters more to our modern atheists1 is o%(iously un%usinessli&e.

It is, moreo(er, to any one with popular politi)al sympathies, a (ery deep and su%tle sort o" treason. $y thus puttin* a premium on the e5)eptional we *rossly de)ei(e the un)ons)iousness o" the normal. It seems stran*ely "or*otten that the indi""eren)e o" a nation is sa)red as well as its di""eren)es. 2(en pu%li) apathy is a &ind o" pu%li) opinion and in many )ases a (ery sensi%le &ind. I" I as& e(ery %ody to (ote a%out #ineral #eals and do not *et a sin*le %allot paper returned, I may say that the )itiCens ha(e not (oted. $ut they ha(e. .he prin)iple held %y the popula)e, a*ainst whi)h this pluto)rati) )onspira)y is %ein* en*ineered, is simply the prin)iple e5pressed in the ;rayer $oo& in the words 3"or %etter, "or worse.3 It is the prin)iple that all no%le thin*s ha(e to %e paid "or, e(en i" you only pay "or them with a promise. 8ne does not ta&e one-s interest out o" 2n*land as one ta&es it out o" Consols. 7 man is not an 2n*lishman unless he )an endure e(en the de)ay and death o" 2n*land. 7nd <ust as e(ery )itiCen is a potential soldier, so e(ery wi"e or hus%and is a potential hospital nurse or e(en asylum attendant. For thou*h we should all appro(e o" )ertain tra*edies %ein* miti*ated %y a )eli%ate separation yet the more real lo(e and honour there has %een in the marria*e, the less real miti*ation there will %e in the partin*. $ut this sound pu%li) instin)t %oth a%out patriotism and marria*e also insists that the "irst (ow or o%li*ation shall %e miti*ated, not merely erased and "or*otten. #any a *ood woman has lo(ed and re"used a dou%t"ul man, with the pro(iso that she would marry no one else' the old institution o" marria*e has the same "eelin* a%out the tra*edy that is post matrimonial. .he thin* remains real' it %inds one to somethin*. I" I am e5iled "rom 2n*land I will *o and li(e on an island somewhere and %e as <olly as I )an. I will not %e)ome a patriot o" any other land. So)ial !e"orm (ersus $irth Control 19EQ .he real history o" the world is "ull o" the +ueerest )ases o" notions that ha(e turned )lean head o(er heels and )ompletely )ontradi)ted themsel(es. .he last e5ample is an e5traordinary notion that what is )alled $irth Control is a so)ial re"orm that *oes alon* with other so)ial re"orms "a(oured %y pro*ressi(e people. It is rather li&e sayin* that )uttin* o"" Kin* Charles- head was one o" the most ele*ant o" the Ca(alier "ashions in hair dressin*.

It is li&e sayin* that de)apitation is an ad(an)e on dentistry. It may or may not %e ri*ht to )ut o"" the Kin*-s head' it may or may not %e ri*ht to )ut o"" your own head when you ha(e the tootha)he. $ut any%ody ou*ht to %e a%le to see that i" we on)e simpli"y thin*s %y head )uttin* we )an do without hair )uttin*' that it will %e needless to pra)tise dentistry on the dead or philanthropy on the un%orn or the un%e*otten. So it is not a pro(ision "or our des)endants to say that the destru)tion o" our des)endants will render it unne)essary to pro(ide them with anythin*. It may %e that it is only destru)tion in the sense o" ne*ation' and it may %e that "ew o" our des)endants may %e allowed to sur(i(e. $ut it is o%(ious that the ne*ation is a pie)e o" mere pessimism, opposin* itsel" to the more optimisti) notion that somethin* )an %e done "or the whole "amily o" man. Nor is it surprisin* to any%ody who )an thin&, to dis)o(er that this is e5a)tly what really happened. .he story %e*an with Godwin, the "riend o" Shelley, and the "ounder o" so many o" the so)ial hopes that are )alled re(olutionary. ,hate(er we thin& o" his theory in detail, he )ertainly "illed the more *enerous youth o" his time with that thirst "or so)ial <usti)e and e+uality whi)h is the inspiration o" So)ialism and other ideals. ,hat is e(en more *rati"yin*, he "illed the wealthy old men o" his time with pressin* and endurin* terror, and a%out three +uarters o" the tal& o" .ories and ,hi*s o" that time )onsists o" sophistries and e5)uses in(ented to pat)h up a )orrupt )ompromise o" oli*ar)hy a*ainst the appeal to "raternity and "undamental humanity made %y men li&e Godwin and Shelley. #althus? 7n answer to Godwin .he old oli*ar)hs would use any tool a*ainst the new demo)rats' and one day it was their dismal *ood lu)& to *et hold o" a tool )alled #althus. #althus wrote a(owedly and admittedly an answer to Godwin. His whole dreary %oo& was only intended to %e an answer to Godwin. ,hereas Godwin was tryin* to show that humanity mi*ht %e made happier and more humane, #althus was tryin* to show that humanity )ould ne(er %y any possi%ility %e made happier or more humane. .he ar*ument he used was this? that i" the star(in* man were made tolera%ly "ree or "airly prosperous, he would marry and ha(e a num%er o" )hildren, and there would not %e "ood "or all. .he in"eren)e was, e(idently, that he must %e le"t to star(e. .he point a%out the in)rease o" )hildren he "orti"ied %y a "antasti)ally mathemati)al "ormula a%out *eometri)al pro*ression, whi)h any li(in* human %ein* )an dearly see is inappli)a%le to any li(in* thin*.

Nothin* dependin* on the human will )an pro)eed %y *eometri)al pro*ression, and population )ertainly does not pro)eed %y anythin* o" the sort. $ut the point is here, that #althus meant his ar*ument as an ar*ument a*ainst all so)ial re"orm. He ne(er thou*ht o" usin* it as anythin* else, e5)ept an ar*ument a*ainst all so)ial re"orm. No%ody else e(er thou*ht in those more lo*i)al days o" usin* it as anythin* %ut an ar*ument a*ainst so)ial re"orm. #althus e(en used it as an ar*ument a*ainst the an)ient ha%it o" human )harity. He warned people a*ainst any *enerosity in the *i(in* o" alms. His theory was always thrown as )old water on any proposal to *i(e the poor man property or a %etter status. Su)h is the no%le story o" the %irth o" $irth Control. .he only di""eren)e is this? that the old )apitalists were more sin)ere and more s)ienti"i), while the modem )apitalists are more hypo)riti)al and more haCy. .he ri)h man o" lPH0 used it in theory "or the oppression o" the poor. .he ri)h man o" 19EQ will only use it in pra)ti)e "or the oppression o" the poor. $ein* in)apa%le o" theory, %ein* indeed in)apa%le o" thou*ht, he )an only deal in two thin*s? what he )alls pra)ti)ality and what I )all sentimentality. Not %ein* so mu)h o" a man as #althus, he )annot %ear to %e a pessimist, so he %e)omes a sentimentalist. He mi5es up this old plain %rutal idea 0that the poor must %e "or%idden to %reed1 with a lot o" slipshod and si)&ly so)ial ideals and promises whi)h are "latly in)ompati%le with it. $ut he is a"ter all a pra)ti)al man, and he will %e +uite as %rutal as his "or%ears when it )omes to pra)ti)e. 7nd the pra)ti)al upshot o" the whole thin* is plain enou*h. I" he )an pre(ent his ser(ants "rom ha(in* "amilies, he need not support those "amilies ,hy the de(il should he: 7 Simple .est I" any%ody dou%ts that this is the (ery simple moti(e, let him test it %y the (ery simple statements made %y the (arious $irth Controllers li&e the Dean o" St. ;aul-s. .hey ne(er do say that we su""er "rom a too %ounti"ul supply o" %an&ers or that )osmopolitan "inan)iers must not ha(e su)h lar*e "amilies. .hey do not say that the "ashiona%le thron* at 7s)ot wants thinnin*, or that it is desira%le to de)imate the people dinin* at the !itC or the Sa(oy. .hou*h, /ord &nows, i" e(er a thin* human )ould loo& li&e a su% human <un*le, with tropi)al "lowers and (ery poisonous weeds, it is the ri)h )rowd that assem%les in a modern 7meri)aniCed hotel.

$ut the $irth Controllers ha(e not the smallest desire to )ontrol that <un*le. It is mu)h too dan*erous a <un*le to tou)h. It )ontains ti*ers. .hey ne(er do tal& a%out a dan*er "rom the )om"orta%le )lasses, e(en "rom a more respe)ta%le se)tion o" the )om"orta%le )lasses. .he Gloomy Dean is not *loomy a%out there %ein* too many Du&es' and naturally not a%out there %ein* too many Deans. He is not primarily annoyed with a politi)ian "or ha(in* a whole population o" poor relations, thou*h pla)es and pu%li) salaries ha(e to %e "ound "or all the relations. ;oliti)al 2)onomy means that e(ery%ody e5)ept politi)ians must %e e)onomi)al. .he $irth Controller does not %other a%out all these thin*s, "or the per"e)tly simple reason that it is not su)h people that he wants to )ontrol. ,hat he wants to )ontrol is the popula)e, and he pra)ti)ally says so. He always insists that a wor&man has no ri*ht to ha(e so many )hildren, or that a slum is perilous %e)ause it is produ)in* so many )hildren. .he +uestion he dreads is 3,hy has not the wor&man a %etter wa*e: ,hy has not the slum "amily a %etter house:3 His way o" es)apin* "rom it is to su**est, not a lar*er house %ut a smaller "amily. .he landlord or the employer says in his hearty and handsome "ashion? 3=ou really )annot e5pe)t me to depri(e mysel" o" my money. $ut I will ma&e a sa)ri"i)e, I will depri(e mysel" o" your )hildren.3 8ne o" a Class #eanwhile, as the #althusian atta)& on demo)rati) hopes slowly sti""ened and stren*thened all the rea)tionary resistan)e to re"orm in this )ountry, other "or)es were already in the "ield. I may remar& in passin* that #althus, and his sophistry a*ainst all so)ial re"orm, did not stand alone. It was one o" a whole )lass o" s)ienti"i) e5)uses in(ented %y the ri)h as reasons "or denyin* <usti)e to the poor, espe)ially when the old superstitious *lamour a%out &in*s and no%les had "aded in the nineteenth )entury. 8ne was tal&in* a%out the Iron /aws o" ;oliti)al 2)onomy, and pretendin* that some%ody had pro(ed somewhere, with "i*ures on a slate, that in<usti)e is in)ura%le. 7nother was a mass o" %rutal nonsense a%out Darwinism and a stru**le "or li"e, in whi)h the de(il must )at)h the hindmost. 7s a "a)t it was stru**le "or wealth, in whi)h the de(il *enerally )at)hes the "oremost. .hey all had the )hara)ter o" an attempt to twist the new tool o" s)ien)e to ma&e it a weapon "or the old tyranny o" money.

$ut these "or)es, thou*h power"ul in a diseased industrial pluto)ra)y. were not the only "or)es e(en in the nineteenth )entury. .owards the end o" that )entury, espe)ially on the Continent, there was another mo(ement *oin* on, nota%ly amon* Christian So)ialists and those )alled Catholi) Demo)rats and others. .here is no spa)e to des)ri%e it here' its interest lies in %ein* the e5a)t re(ersal o" the order o" ar*ument used %y the #althusian and the $irth Controller. .his mo(ement was not )ontent with the test o" what is )alled a /i(in* ,a*e. It insisted spe)ially on what it pre"erred to )all a Family ,a*e. In other words, it maintained that no wa*e is <ust or ade+uate unless it does en(isa*e and )o(er the man, not only )onsidered as an indi(idual, %ut as the "ather o" a normal and reasona%ly numerous "amily. .his sort o" mo(ement is the true )ontrary o" $irth Control and %oth will pro%a%ly *row until they )ome into some tremendous )ontro(ersial )ollision. It amuses me to re"le)t on that %i* )omin* %attle, and to remem%er that the more my opponents pra)tise $irth Control, the "ewer there will %e o" them to "i*ht us on that day. .he Con"li)t ,hat I )annot *et my opponents in this matter to see, in the stran*e mental )on"usion that )o(ers the +uestion, is the per"e)tly simple "a)t that these two )laims, whate(er else they are, are )ontrary )laims. 7t the (ery %e*innin* o" the whole dis)ussion stands the elementary "a)t that limitin* "amilies is a reason "or lowerin* wa*es and not a reason "or raisin* them. =ou may li&e the limitation "or other reasons, as you may disli&e it "or other reasons. =ou may dra* the dis)ussion o"" to entirely di""erent +uestions, su)h as, whether wi(es in normal homes are sla(es. =ou may )ompromise out o" )onsideration "or the employer or "or some other reason, and meet him hal" way %y ta&in* hal" a loa" or ha(in* hal" a "amily. $ut the )laims are in prin)iple opposite. It is the whole truth in that theory o" the )lass war a%out whi)h the newspapers tal& su)h nonsense. .he "ull )laim o" the poor would %e to ha(e what they )onsidered a "ull siCed "amily. I" you )ut this down to suit wa*es you ma&e a )on)ession to "it the )apitalist )onditions. .he pra)ti)al appli)ation I shall mention in a moment' I am tal&in* now a%out the primary lo*i)al )ontradi)tion. I" the two methods )an %e )arried out, they )an %e )arried out so as to )ontradi)t and e5)lude ea)h other. 8ne has no need o" the other' one )an dispense with or destroy the other. I" you )an ma&e the wa*e lar*er, there is no need to ma&e the "amily smaller. I" you )an ma&e the "amily small, there is no need to ma&e the wa*e lar*er. 7nyone may <ud*e whi)h the rulin* )apitalist will pro%a%ly pre"er to do.

$ut i" he does one, he need not do the other. .here is o" )ourse a *reat deal more to %e said. I ha(e dealt with only one "eature o" $irth Control its e5)eedin*ly unpleasant ori*in. I said it was purely )apitalist and rea)tionary' I (enture to say I ha(e pro(ed it was entirely )apitalist and rea)tionary. $ut there are many other aspe)ts o" this e(il thin*. It is un)lean in the li*ht o" the instin)ts' it is unnatural in relation to the a""e)tions' it is part o" a *eneral attempt to run the popula)e on a routine o" +ua)& medi)ine and smelly s)ien)e' it is mi5ed up with a muddled idea that women are "ree when they ser(e their employers %ut sla(es when they help their hus%ands' it is i*norant o" the (ery e5isten)e o" real households where pruden)e )omes %y "ree will and a*reement. It has all those aspe)ts, and many o" them would %e e5traordinarily interestin* to dis)uss. $ut in order not to o))upy too mu)h spa)e, I will ta&e as a te5t nothin* more than the title. 7 ;ie)e o" Hum%u* .he (ery name o" 3$irth Control3 is a pie)e o" pure hum%u*. It is one o" those %latant euphemisms used in the headlines o" the .rust ;ress. It is li&e 3.ari"" !e"orm.3 It is li&e 3Free /a%our.3 It is meant to mean nothin*, that it may mean anythin*, and espe)ially some thin* totally di""erent "rom what it says. 2(ery%ody %elie(es in %irth )ontrol, and nearly e(ery%ody has e5er)ised some )ontrol o(er the )onditions o" %irth. ;eople do not *et married as somnam%ulists or ha(e )hildren in their sleep. $ut throu*hout num%erless a*es and nations, the normal and real %irth )ontrol is )alled sel" )ontrol. I" any%ody says it )annot is possi%ly wor&, I say it does. In many )lasses, in many )ountries where these +ua)& nostrums are un&nown, populations o" "ree men ha(e remained within reasona%le limits %y sound traditions o" thri"t and responsi%ility. In so "ar as there is a lo)al e(il o" e5)ess, it )omes with all other e(ils "rom the s+ualor and despair o" our de)ayin* industrialism. $ut the thin* the )apitalist newspapers )all %irth )ontrol is not )ontrol at all. It is the idea that people should %e, in one respe)t, )ompletely and utterly un)ontrolled, so lon* as they )an e(ade e(erythin* in the "un)tion that is positi(e and )reati(e, and intelli*ent and worthy o" a "ree man. It is a name *i(en to a su))ession o" di""erent e5pedients, 0the one that was used last is always des)ri%ed as ha(in* %een dread"ully dan*erous1 %y whi)h it is possi%le to "il)h the pleasure

%elon*in* to a natural pro)ess while (iolently and unnaturally thwartin* the pro)ess itsel". .he nearest and most respe)ta%le parallel would %e that o" the !oman epi)ure, who too& emeti)s at inter(als all day so that he mi*ht eat "i(e or si5 lu5urious dinners daily. Now any man-s )ommon sense, un)louded %y newspaper s)ien)e and lon* words, will tell him at on)e that an operation li&e that o" the epi)ures is li&ely in the lon* run e(en to %e %ad "or his di*estion and pretty )ertain to %e %ad "or his )hara)ter. #en le"t to themsel(es *a(e sense enou*h to &now when a ha%it o%(iously sa(ours o" per(ersion and peril. 7nd i" it were the "ashion in "ashiona%le )ir)les to )all the !oman e5pedient %y the name o" 3Diet Control,3 and to tal& a%out it in a lo"ty "ashion as merely 3the impro(ement o" li"e and the ser(i)e o" li"e3 0as i" it meant no more than the mastery o" man o(er his meals1, we should ta&e the li%erty o" )allin* it )ant and sayin* that it had no relation to the reality in de%ate. .he #ista&e .he "a)t is, I thin&, that I am in re(olt a*ainst the )onditions o" industrial )apitalism and the ad(o)ates o" $irth Control are in re(olt a*ainst the )onditions o" human li"e. ,hat their spo&esmen )an possi%ly mean %y sayin* that I wa*e a 3)lass war a*ainst mothers3 must remain a matter o" spe)ulation. I" they mean that I do the unpardona%le wron* to mothers o" thin&in* they will wish to )ontinue to %e mothers, e(en in a so)iety o" *reater e)onomi) <usti)e and )i(i) e+uality, then I thin& they are per"e)tly ri*ht. I dou%t whether mothers )ould es)ape "rom motherhood into So)ialism. $ut the ad(o)ates o" $irth Control seem to want some o" them to es)ape "rom it into )apitalism. .hey seem to e5press a sympathy with those who pre"er 3the ri*ht to earn outside the home3 or 0in other words1 the ri*ht to %e a wa*e sla(e and wor& under the orders o" a total stran*er %e)ause he happens to %e a ri)her man. $y what )on)ei(a%le )ontortions o" twisted thou*ht this e(er )ame to %e )onsidered a "reer )ondition than that o" )ompanionship with the man she has hersel" "reely a))epted, I ne(er )ould "or the li"e o" me ma&e out. .he only sense I )an ma&e o" it is that the proletarian wor&, thou*h o%(iously more senile and su%ordinate than the parental, is so "ar sa"er and more irresponsi%le %e)ause it is not parental. I )an easily %elie(e that there are some people who do pre"er wor&in* in a "a)tory to wor&in* in a "amily' "or there are always some people who pre"er sla(ery to "reedom, and who espe)ially pre"er %ein* *o(erned to *o(ernin* someone else.

$ut I thin& their +uarrel with motherhood is not li&e mine, a +uarrel with inhuman )onditions, %ut simply a +uarrel with li"e. Gi(en an attempt to es)ape "rom the nature o" thin*s, and I )an well %elie(e that it mi*ht lead at last to somethin* li&e 3the nursery s)hool "or our )hildren sta""ed %y other mothers and sin*le women o" e5pert trainin*.3 I will add nothin* to that *hastly pi)ture, %eyond spe)ulatin* pleasantly a%out the world in whi)h women )annot mana*e their own )hildren %ut )an mana*e ea)h other-s. $ut I thin& it indi)ates an a%yss %etween natural and unnatural arran*ements whi)h would ha(e to %e %rid*ed %e"ore we approa)hed what is supposed to %e the su%<e)t o" dis)ussion. 7nti !eli*ious .hou*ht In .he 2i*hteenth Century $y G.K. Chesterton 8ri*inally a )ontri%ution to 37n 8utline o" Christianity' the Story o" our Ci(iliCation3. Fol. IF. Christianity and #odern .hou*ht, 19EA. .he ,a(erley $oo& Co., /ondon !eprinted in 3.he Spi)e o" /i"e3 .he e)lipse o" Christian theolo*y durin* the rationalist ad(an)e o" the ei*hteenth )entury is one o" the most interestin* o" histori)al episodes. In order to see it )learly, we must "irst realiCe that it was an episode and that it is now histori)al. It may %e statin* it too stron*ly to say that it is now dead' it is perhaps enou*h to say that it is now distant and yet distin)t' that it is di(ided "rom our own time as mu)h as any period o" the past. Neither reason nor "aith will e(er die' "or men would die i" depri(ed o" either. .he wildest mysti) uses his reason at some sta*e' i" it %e only %y reasonin* a*ainst reason. .he most in)isi(e s)epti) has do*mas o" his own' thou*h when he is a (ery in)isi(e s)epti), he has o"ten "or*otten what they are. Faith and reason are in this sense )o eternal' %ut as the words are popularly used, as loose la%els "or parti)ular periods, the one is now almost as remote as the other. ,hat was )alled the 7*e o" !eason has (anished as )ompletely as what are )alled the 7*es o" Faith. It is essential to see this "a)t "irst, %e)ause i" we do not see its limitations we do not see its outline. It has nothin*

to do with whi)h period we pre"er, or e(en whi)h we thin& ri*ht. 7 rationalist is +uite entitled to loo& %a)& to the ei*hteenth )entury as a *olden a*e o" *ood sense, as the medie(alist loo&s %a)& to the thirteenth )entury as a *olden a*e o" *ood "aith. $ut he must loo& %a)&, and loo& %a)& a)ross an a%yss. ,e may li&e or disli&e the atmosphere o" the modern world, with its intense interest in anythin* that is )alled psy)holo*i)al, and in mu)h that is )alled psy)hi)al. ,e may thin& that spe)ulation has *one more deep or that it has *rown more mor%id. ,e may li&e or disli&e the reli*ions o" "aith healin* or spirit rappin*' or a hundred other mani"estations o" the same mood, in "ields +uite remote "rom the supernatural or e(en the spiritual. ,e may li&e or disli&e, "or instan)e, that (ast modern %elie" in 3the power o" su**estion3 e5pressed in ad(ertisin* or pu%li)ity and edu)ational methods o" all sorts. ,e may li&e or disli&e the appeal to the non rational element' the perpetual tal& a%out the Su% )ons)ious #ind or the !a)e #emory or the Herd Instin)t. ,e may deplore or we may admire all these de(elopments. $ut we must "i5 it in our minds as a histori)al "a)t that to any one o" the *reat -In"idels- or Freethin&ers o" the ei*hteenth )entury, this whole modern world o" ours would seem a mere madhouse. He mi*ht almost %e dri(en, in pursuit o" the reasona%le, to ta&e re"u*e in a monastery. ,e are dealin* there"ore with an episode and e(en an interlude' thou*h the man who li&es it has as mu)h ri*ht to say that it was an hour o" happy dayli*ht %etween the storms as a Christian has to say it o" primiti(e Christianity or medie(al Christendom. From a%out the time that Dryden died a Catholi) to a%out the time that Newman %e*an to write a little less li&e a ;rotestant, there was a period durin* whi)h the spirit o" philosophy "illin* men-s minds was not positi(ely ;rotestant any more than it was positi(ely Catholi). It was rationalist e(en in ;rotestants and Catholi)s' in a Catholi) li&e ;ope or a ;rotestant li&e ;aley. $ut it )an %e seen at the )learest when the last )lin*in* traditions or presen)es were dropped' when the most stolid spe)imen o" the ;rotestant middle )lasses is "ound %usily s)ri%%lin* sneers in the "ootnotes and e(en the inde5 o" a *reat history o" the Fall o" !ome' when a %rilliant pupil *oin* "orth out o" the >esuit seminary turns %a)& o(er his shoulder the terri%le "a)e o" Foltaire. In order to e5hi%it the essential +uality, let us "irst )ompare the period with that whi)h pre)eded it. .ou)hin* its histori)al )auses, no man with a sense o" human )omple5ity will o""er anythin* %ut

)ontri%utory )auses. $ut I thin& there are )ontri%utory )auses that ha(e %een stran*ely o(erloo&ed. 8n the "a)e o" it, it re"ers %a)& to the !enaissan)e, whi)h re"ers %a)& to the old pa*an world. 8n the "a)e o" it, it also re"ers %a)& to the !e"ormation, thou*h )hie"ly in its ne*ati(e aspe)t or %ran)h in the old Christian world. $ut %oth these thin*s are )onne)ted with a third, that has not, I thin&, %een ade+uately realiCed. 7nd that is a "eelin* whi)h )an only %e )alled "utility. It arose out o" the disproportion %etween the dan*ers and a*onies o" the reli*ious wars and the really unreasona%le )ompromise in whi)h they ended' U)uius re*io e<us reli*ioV? whi)h may %e translated, 3/et e(ery State esta%lish its State Chur)h3, %ut whi)h did mean in the !enaissan)e epo)h, 3/et the ;rin)e do what he li&es.3 .he se(enteenth )entury ended with a note o" interro*ation. ;ope, the poet o" reason, whom some thou*ht too reasona%le to %e poeti)al, was on)e )ompared to a +uestion mar&, %e)ause he was a )roo&ed little thin* that as&ed +uestions. .he se(enteenth )entury was not little, %ut it was in some ways )roo&ed, in the sense o" )ra%%ed. $ut anyhow it %e*an with the "ero)ious )ontro(ersies o" the ;uritans and it ended with a +uestion. It was an open +uestion, %ut it was also an open wound. It was not only that the end o" the se(enteenth )entury was o" all epo)hs the most in)on)lusi(e. It was also, it must %e remem%ered, in)on)lusi(e upon a point whi)h people had always hoped to see )on)luded. .o use the literal sense o" the word -)on)lude-, they e5pe)ted the wound to )lose. ,e naturally tend to miss this point today. ,e ha(e had nearly "our hundred years o" di(ided Christianity and ha(e *rown used to it' and it is the !eunion o" Christendom that we thin& o" as the e5traordinary e(ent. $ut they still thou*ht the Disunion o" Christendom an e5traordinary e(ent. Neither side had e(er really e5pe)ted it to remain in a state o" Disunion. 7ll their traditions "or a thousand years were o" some sort o" union )omin* out o" )ontro(ersy, e(er sin)e a united reli*ion had spread all o(er a united !oman 2mpire. From a ;rotestant standpoint, the natural thin* was "or ;rotestantism to )on+uer 2urope as Christianity had )on+uered 2urope. In that )ase the su))ess o" the )ounter !e"ormation would %e only the last leap o" a dyin* "lame li&e the last stand o" >ulian the 7postate. From a Catholi) standpoint the natural thin* was "or Catholi)ism to re)on+uer 2urope, as it had more than on)e re)on+uered 2urope' in that )ase the ;rotestant would %e li&e the 7l%i*ensians? a passin* element ultimately rea%sor%ed. $ut neither o" these natural thin*s happened. ;russia and the other ;rotestant prin)ipalities

"ou*ht a*ainst 7ustria as the heir o" the Holy !oman 2mpire in the .hirty =ears ,ar. .hey "ou*ht ea)h other to a standstill. It was utterly and o%(iously hopeless to ma&e 7ustria ;rotestant or ;russia !oman Catholi). 7nd "rom the moment when that "a)t was realiCed the nature o" the whole world was )han*ed. .he ro)& had %een )lo(en and would not )lose up a*ain, and in the )ra)& or )hasm a new sort o" stran*e and pri)&ly weed %e*an to *row. .he open wound "estered. ,e ha(e all heard it said that the !enaissan)e was produ)ed or pre)ipitated %y the Fall o" Constantinople. It is true in a sense perhaps more su%tle than is meant. It was not merely that it let loose the s)holars "rom the $yCantine Court. It was also that it let loose the s)epti)al thou*hts o" the s)holars, and o" a *ood many other people when they saw this last turn o" the tide in the intermina%le stri"e %etween Christ and #ahomet. .he war %etween Islam and Christendom had %een in)on)lusi(e. .he war %etween the !e"ormation and the )ounter !e"ormation was in)on)lusi(e. 7nd I "or one "an)y that the "ormer "a)t had a *ood deal to do with the "ull s)epti)al e5pansion o" the ei*hteenth )entury. ,hen men saw the Cres)ent and the Cross tossed up alternately as a <u**ler tosses %alls, it was di""i)ult "or many not to thin& that one mi*ht %e a%out as *ood or %ad as the other when they saw the ;rotestant and the Catholi) *o up and down on the seesaw o" the .hirty =ears ,ar. #any were disposed to suspe)t that it was si5 to one and hal" a doCen to the other. .his addition in(ol(ed an immense su%tra)tion' and two reli*ions )ame to mu)h less than one. #any %e*an to thin& that, as they )ould not %oth %e true, they mi*ht %oth %e "alse. ,hen that thou*ht had )rossed the mind the rei*n o" the rationalist had %e*un. .he thou*ht, as an indi(idual thou*ht, had o" )ourse %e*un lon* %e"ore. It is, in "a)t, as old as the world' and it is +uite o%(iously as old as the !enaissan)e. In that sense the "ather o" the modern world is #ontai*ne' that deta)hed and distin*uished intelli*en)e whi)h, as Ste(enson said, saw that men would soon "ind as mu)h to +uarrel with in the $i%le as they had in the Chur)h. 2rasmus and !a%elais and e(en Cer(antes had their part' %ut in these *iants there was still a *reat *usto o" su%)ons)ious )on(i)tion, still Christian' they mo)&ed at the li(es o" men, %ut not at the li"e o" man. $ut #ontai*ne was somethin* more re(olutionary than a re(olutionist' he was a relati(ist. He would ha(e told Cer(antes that his &ni*ht was not "ar wron* in thin&in* puppets were men, sin)e men are really puppets. He would ha(e said that windmills were as mu)h *iants as anythin* else'

and that *iants would %e dwar"s i" set %eside taller *iants. .his dou%t, some would say this poison in its ori*inal purity, did %e*in to wor& under the sur"a)e o" so)iety "rom the time o" #ontai*ne onwards and wor&ed more and more towards the sur"a)e as the war o" reli*ions *rew more and more in)on)lusi(e. .here went with it a spirit that may truly %e )alled humane. $ut we must always remem%er that e(en its re"reshin* humanity had a ne*ati(e as well as a positi(e side. ,hen people are no lon*er in the mood to %e heroi), a"ter all, it is only human to %e humane. Some men were really tolerant, %ut others were merely tired. ,hen people are tired o" the su%<e)t, they *enerally a*ree to di""er. $ut a*ainst this )lear mood, as a*ainst a +uiet e(enin* s&y, there stood up the star& and dread"ul outlines o" the old do*mati) and militant institutions. Institutions are ma)hines' they *o on wor&in* under any s&y and a*ainst any mood. 7nd the )lue to the ne5t phase is the re(olt a*ainst their re(oltin* in)on*ruity. .he en*ines o" war, the en*ines o" torture, that had %elon*ed to the (iolent )rises o" the old )reeds, remained ri*id and repellent' all the more mysterious "or %ein* old and sometimes e(en all the more hideous "or %ein* idle. #en in that mellow mood o" dou%t had no way o" understandin* the "anati)ism and the martyrdom o" their "athers. .hey &new nothin* o" medie(al history or o" what a united Christendon had on)e meant to men. .hey were li&e )hildren horri"ied at the si*ht o" a %attle"ield. .a&e the determinin* e5ample o" the Spanish In+uisition. .he Spanish In+uisition was Spy Fe(er. It produ)ed the sort o" horrors su)h "e(ers produ)e' to some e5tent e(en in modern wars. .he Spaniards had re)on+uered Spain "rom Islam with a *lowin* enduran)e and de"ian)e as *reat as any (irtue e(er shown %y man' %ut they had the dar&er side o" su)h war"are' they were always stru**lin* to dera)inate a >ewish plot whi)h they %elie(ed to %e always sellin* them to the enemy. 8" this dar& tale o" per(erted patriotism the humanitarians &new nothin*. 7ll they &new was that the In+uisition was still *oin* on. 7nd suddenly the *reat Foltaire rose up and shattered it with a hammer o" sa(a*e lau*hter. It may seem stran*e to )ompare Foltaire to a )hild. $ut it is true that thou*h he was ri*ht in hatin* and destroyin* it, he ne(er &new what it was that he had destroyed. .here was %orn in that hour a )ertain spirit, whi)h the Christian spirit should %e lar*e enou*h to )o(er and understand. In relation to many thin*s it was healthy, thou*h in relation

to some thin*s it was shallow. ,e may %e allowed to asso)iate it with the <olly un)le who does not %elie(e in *hosts. It had an honoura%le e5pression in the s+uires and parsons who put down the perse)ution o" wit)hes. .he un)le is not always <ust to Spiritualists' %ut he is rather a )om"ort on a dar& ni*ht. .he s+uire did not &now all there is to &now a%out dia%olism, %ut he did stop many dia%oli)al "ears o" dia%olism. 7nd i" we are to understand history, that is humanity, we must sympathiCe with this %reeCy interlude in whi)h it seemed natural "or humanity to %e humane. .he mention o" the s+uire is not irrele(ant' there was in that humanity somethin* o" un)ons)ious aristo)ra)y. 8ne o" the respe)ts in whi)h the rational epo)h was immeasura%ly superior to our own was in the radiant patien)e with whi)h it would "ollow a train o" thou*ht. $ut it is only "air to say that in this lo*i) there was somethin* o" leisure, and indeed we must not "or*et how mu)h o" the "irst rational re"orm o" the a*e )ame "rom a%o(e. It was a time o" despots who were also deists or e(en, li&e Frederi)& the Great, pra)ti)ally atheists. $ut Frederi)& was sometimes humanitarian i" he was ne(er human. >oseph o" 7ustria, o""endin* his people %y renoun)in* reli*ious perse)ution, was (ery li&e a s+uire o""endin* the (illa*e %y repressin* wit)h %urnin*. $ut in )onsiderin* the (irtues o" the a*e, we must not "or*et that it had a (ery "ine ideal o" honoura%le po(erty' the Stoi) idea o" >e""erson and !o%espierre. It also %elie(ed in hard wor&, and wor&ed (ery hard in the details o" re"orm. 7 man li&e $entham toiled with )easeless tena)ity in atta)&in* a%use a"ter a%use. $ut people hardly realiCed that his utilitarianism was )reatin* the new trou%les o" Capitalism, any more than that Frederi)& o" ;russia was ma&in* the pro%lem o" modern militarism. ;erhaps the per"e)t moment o" e(ery mortal thin* is short, e(en o" mortal thin*s dealin* with immortal, as was the %est moment o" the 2arly Chur)h or the #iddle 7*es. 7nyhow the %est moment o" rationalism was (ery short. .hin*s always o(erlap, and $entham and >e""erson inherited "rom somethin* that had already passed its prime. Not "or lon* did man remain in that state o" really sane and sunny ne*ation. For instan)e, ha(in* )o(ered the period with the *reat name o" Foltaire, I may well %e e5pe)ted to add the name o" !ousseau. $ut e(en in passin* "rom one name to the other, we "eel a "ine shade o" )han*e whi)h is not mere pro*ression. .he rationalist mo(ement is tin*ed with the romanti) mo(ement, whi)h is to lead men %a)& as well as "orward. .hey are as&ed to %elie(e in the General ,ill, that is the soul o" the people'

a mystery. $y the time the Fren)h !e(olution is passed, it is elemental that thin*s are loose that ha(e not %een rationaliCed. Danton has said, 3It is treason to the people to ta&e away the dream3. Napoleon has %een )rowned, li&e Charlema*ne, %y a ;ope. 7nd when the dre*s o" Diderot-s %itterness were rea)hed' when they dra**ed the Goddess o" !eason in triumph throu*h Notre Dame, the smoulderin* Gothi) ima*es )ould loo& down on that or*y more serenely then than when Foltaire %e*an to write' awaitin* their hour. .he a*e was ended when these men thou*ht it was %e*innin*. .heir own mysti)al maenad "renCy was enou*h to pro(e it? the *oddess o" !eason was dead. 8ne word may %e added, to lin& up the a*e with many other a*es. It will %e noted that it is not true, as many suppose, that the rational atta)& on Christianity )ame "rom the modern dis)o(eries in material s)ien)e. It had already )ome, in a sense it had already )ome and *one, %e"ore these dis)o(eries really %e*an. .hey were pursued persistently partly throu*h a tradition that already e5isted. $ut men were not rationalisti) %e)ause they were s)ientists. !ather they %e)ame s)ientists %e)ause they were rationalists. Here as e(erywhere the soul o" man went "irst, e(en when it denied itsel". ,hat is !i*ht ,ith the ,orld .he a%o(e e5)ellent title is not o" my own in(ention. It was su**ested to me %y the 2ditor o" this paper 0..;.-s ,ee&ly1, and I )onsented to "ill up the %ill, partly %e)ause o" the pleasure I ha(e always had "rom the paper itsel", and partly %e)ause it *i(es me an opportunity o" tellin* an e*otisti)al story, a story whi)h may enli*hten the pu%li) a%out the *eneral ori*in o" su)h titles. I ha(e always heard o" the %rutality o" pu%lishers and how they )rush and o%s)ure the author' %ut my )omplaint has always %een that they push him "orward "ar too mu)h. I will not say that, so "ar "rom ma&in* too little o" the author, they ma&e too mu)h o" him' that this phrase is )apa%le o" a dar& "inan)ial interpretation whi)h I do not intend. $ut I do say that the prominent personalities o" the literary world are (ery lar*ely the )reations o" their pu%lishers, in so "ar as they are not solely the )reations o" their wi(es. Here is a small in)ident out o" my own e5isten)e. I desi*ned to write a sort o" essay, di(ided into se)tions, on one parti)ular point o" politi)al error. .his "alla)y, thou*h small and s)holasti) at "irst si*ht, seemed to me to %e the real mista&e in most modern so)iolo*i)al wor&s. It was, %rie"ly, the idea that thin*s that ha(e %een tried ha(e %een "ound wantin*. It was my purpose to point out that in the entan*lements

o" pra)ti)e this is untrue' that an old e5pedient may %e the %est thin* "or a new situation' that its prin)iple may %e use"ul thou*h its pra)ti)e was a%andoned' and so on. .here"ore, I )laimed, we should loo& "or the %est method, the ideal, whether it is in the "uture or the past. I ima*ined this %oo& as a dra% )oloured, de)orous little philosophi)al treatise, with no )hapters, %ut the pa*e o))asionally %ro&en %y se)tion headin*s at the side. I proposed to )all my analysis o" a radi)al error -,hat is wron*-, meanin* where the mista&e is in our lo*i)al )al)ulation. $ut I had hi*hly )apa%le and sympatheti) pu%lishers, whose only wea&ness was that they thou*ht my unhappy monolo*ue mu)h more important than I did. $y some )on"usion o" e)stasy 0whi)h entirely throu*h my own "ault I "ailed to )he)&1 the title was )han*ed into the apo)alypti) trumpet %last -,hat-s ,ron* ,ith the ,orld-. It was di(ided up into three short, "ier)e )hapters, li&e pro)lamations in a Fren)h riot. 8utside there was an enormous portrait o" mysel" loo&in* li&e a depressed hairdresser, and the whole pu%li)ation had somehow *ot the (iolen)e and instan)y o" a %om%shell. /et it %e understood that I do not %lame the pu%lishers in the least "or this. I )ould ha(e stopped it i" I had minded my own a""airs, and )ame out o" their %eauti"ul and ardent souls. I merely mention it as an instan)e o" the error a%out pu%lishers. .hey are always represented as )old and s)orn"ul mer)hants, see&in* to &eep your writers in the %a)&*round. 7las 0as ,ordsworth so "inely says1, alas4 the enthusiasm o" pu%lishers has o"tener le"t me mournin*. 9pon the whole, I am rather in)lined to appro(e o" this method o" the pu%lisher or editor ma&in* up the title, while the author ma&es up the remar&s a%out it. 7ny man with a lar*e mind ou*ht to %e a%le to write a%out anythin*. 7ny really "ree man ou*ht to %e a%le to write to order. Some o" the *reatest %oo&s in the world ;i)&wi)&, "or instan)e were written to "ul"il a s)heme partly s&et)hed out %y a pu%lisher. $ut I only %rou*ht to*ether these two )ases o" title that )ame to me "rom outside %e)ause they do illustrate the ne)essity o" some restatement in su)h a )ase. For these two titles are, when it )omes to the "ul"ilment, at on)e too )omple5 and too simple. I would ne(er ha(e dreamed o" announ)in*, li&e some dis)o(ery o" my own, what is wron* with the world. ,hat is wron* with the world is the de(il, and what is ri*ht with it is God' the human ra)e will tra(el "or a "ew more million years in all sorts o" muddle and re"orm, and when it perishes o" the last )old or heat it will still %e within the limits o" that (ery simple de"inition. $ut in a*e that has )on"used itsel" with su)h phrases as -optimist- and -pessimist-,

it is ne)essary to distin*uish alon* more deli)ate lines. 8ne o" the stran*est thin*s a%out the use o" the word -optimistis that it is now so )onstantly used a%out the "uture. .he house o" man is )riti)ised not as a house, %ut as a &ind o" )ara(an' not %y what it is, %ut %y where it is *oin*. None are more (itally and re)&lessly otherworldly than those modern pro*ressi(es who do not %elie(e in another world. Now, "or the matter o" that, I do not thin& the world is *ettin* mu)h %etter in (ery many (ital respe)ts. In some o" them, I thin&, the "a)t )ould hardly %e disputed. .he one per"e)tly satis"a)tory element at the present )risis is that all the prophe)ies ha(e "ailed. 7t least the people who ha(e %een )learly pro(ed to %e wron* are the people who were +uite sure they were ri*ht. .hat is always a *rati"yin* )ir)umstan)e. Now why is it that all these prophe)ies o" the wise ha(e %een )on"ounded and why has the destiny o" men ta&en so de)isi(e and di""erent a )ourse: It is %e)ause o" the (ery simple "a)t that the human ra)e )onsists o" many millions o" two le**ed and tolera%ly )heer"ul, reasona%ly unhappy %ein*s who ne(er read any %oo&s at all and )ertainly ne(er hear o" any s)ienti"i) predi)tions. I" they a)t in opposition to the s)heme whi)h s)ien)e has "oreseen "or them, they must %e e5)used. .hey sin in i*noran)e. .hey ha(e no notion that they are a(oidin* what was really una(oida%le. $ut, indeed, the phrases loosely used o" that o%s)ure mass o" man&ind are a little misleadin*. .o say o" the %ul& o" human %ein*s that they are unedu)ated is li&e sayin* o" a !ed Indian hunter that he has not yet ta&en his de*ree. He has ta&en many other thin*s. 7nd so, sin)erely spea&in*, there are no unedu)ated men. .hey may es)ape the tri(ial e5aminations, %ut not the tremendous e5aminations o" e5isten)e. .he dependen)e o" in"an)y, the en<oyment o" animals, the lo(e o" woman and the "ear o" death these are more "ri*ht"ul and more "i5ed than all )on)ei(a%le "orms o" the )ulti(ation o" the mind. It is idle to )omplain o" s)hools and )olle*es %ein* tri(ial. In no )ase will a )olle*e e(er tea)h the important thin*s. He has learnt them ri*ht or wron*, and he has learnt them all alone. ,e there"ore )ome %a)& to the primary truth, that what is ri*ht with the world has nothin* to do with "uture )han*es, %ut is rooted in ori*inal realities. I" *roups or peoples show an une5pe)ted independen)e or )reati(e power' i" they do thin*s no one had dreamed o" their doin*' i" they pro(e more "ero)ious or more sel" sa)ri"i)in* than the wisdom o" the world had e(er *i(en them )redit "or, then su)h ine5pli)a%le out%ursts )an always

%e re"erred %a)& to some elementary and a%solute do)trine a%out the nature o" men. No traditions in this world are so an)ient as the traditions that lead to modern uphea(al and inno(ation. Nothin* nowadays is so )onser(ati(e as a re(olution. .he men who )all themsel(es !epu%li)ans are men wal&in* the streets o" deserted and tiny )ity states, and di**in* up the *reat %ones o" pa*ans. 7nd when we as& on what repu%li)anism really rests, we )ome %a)& to that *reat indemonstra%le do*ma o" the nati(e di*nity o" man. 7nd when we )ome %a)& to the lord o" )reation, we )ome %a)& o" ne)essity to )reation' and we as& oursel(es that ultimate +uestion whi)h St .homas 7+uinas 0an e5treme optimist1 answered in the a""irmati(e? 7re these thin*s ultimately o" (alue at all: ,hat is ri*ht with the world is the world. In "a)t, nearly e(erythin* else is wron* with it. .his is that *reat truth in the tremendous tale o" Creation, a truth that our people must remem%er or perish. It is at the %e*innin* that thin*s are *ood, and not 0as the more pallid pro*ressi(es say1 only at the end. .he primordial thin*s e5isten)e, ener*y, "ruition are *ood so "ar as they *o. =ou )annot ha(e e(il li"e, thou*h you )an ha(e notorious e(il li(ers. #anhood and womanhood are *ood thin*s, thou*h men and women are o"ten per"e)tly pestilent. =ou )an use poppies to dru* people, or %ir)h trees to %eat them, stone to ma&e an idol, or )orn to ma&e a )orner' %ut it remains true that, in the a%stra)t, %e"ore you ha(e done anythin*, ea)h o" these "our thin*s is in stri)t truth a *lory, a %ene"i)ent spe)iality and (ariety. ,e do praise the /ord that there are %ir)h trees *rowin* amon*st the ro)&s and poppies amon*st the )orn' we do praise the /ord, e(en i" we do not %elie(e in Him. ,e do admire and applaud the pro<e)t o" a world, <ust as i" we had %een )alled to )oun)il in the primal dar&ness and seen the "irst starry plan o" the s&ies. ,e are, as a matter o" "a)t, "ar more )ertain that this li"e o" ours is a ma*ni"i)ent and amaCin* enterprise than we are that it will su))eed. .hese e(olutionary optimists who )alled themsel(es #eliorists 0a patient and poor spirited lot they are1 always tal& as i" we were )ertain o" the end, thou*h not o" the %e*innin*. In other words, they don-t &now what li"e is aimin* at, %ut they are +uire sure it will *et there. ,hy any%ody who has a(owedly "or*otten where he )ame "rom should %e +uite so )ertain o" where he is *oin* to I ha(e ne(er %een a%le to ma&e out' %ut #eliorists are li&e that. .hey are ready to tal& o" e5isten)e itsel" as the produ)t o" purely e(il "or)es. .hey ne(er mention animals e5)ept as perpetually tearin* ea)h other to pie)es' %ut a month in the )ountry would )ure that. .hey ha(e a real *iddy horror o" stars and seas, as a man has on

the ed*e o" a hopelessly hi*h pre)ipi)e. .hey sometimes instin)ti(ely shrin& "rom )lay, "un*oids, and the "resh youn* o" animals with a +ui(erin* *esture that re(eals the "undamental pessimist. /i"e itsel", )rude, un)ulti(ated li"e, is horri%le to them. .hey %elon* (ery lar*ely to the same so)ial )lass and )reed as the lady who o%<e)ted that the mil& )ame to her "rom a dirty )ow, and not "rom a ni)e )lean shop. $ut they are sure how e(erythin* will end. I am in pre)isely the opposite position. I am mu)h more sure that e(erythin* is *ood at the %e*innin* than I am that e(erythin* will %e *ood at the end. .hat all this "rame o" thin*s, this "lesh, these stones, are *ood thin*s, o" that I am more %rutally )ertain than I )an say. $ut as "or what will happen to them, that is to ta&e a step into do*ma and prophe)y. I spea& here, o" )ourse, solely o" my personal "eelin*s, not e(en o" my reasoned )reed. $ut on my instin)ts alone I should ha(e no notion what would ultimately happen to this material world I thin& so ma*ni"i)ent. For all I &now it may %e literally and not "i*urati(ely true that the tares are tied into %undles "or %urnin*, and that as the tree "alleth so shall it lie. I am an a*nosti), li&e most people with a positi(e theolo*y. $ut I do a""irm, with the "ull wei*ht o" sin)erity, that trees and "lowers are *ood at the %e*innin*, whate(er happens to them at the end' that human li(es were *ood at the %e*innin*, whate(er happens to them in the end. .he ordinary modern pro*ressi(e position is that this is a %ad uni(erse, %ut will )ertainly *et %etter. I say it is )ertainly a *ood uni(erse, e(en i" it *ets worse. I say that these trees and "lowers, stars and se5es, are primarily, not merely ultimately, *ood. In the $e*innin* the power %eyond words )reated hea(en and earth. In the $e*innin* He loo&ed on them and saw that they were *ood. 7ll this una(oida%le theory 0"or theory is always una(oida%le1 may %e popularly pulled to*ether thus. ,e are to re*ard e5isten)e as a raid or *reat ad(enture' it is to %e <ud*ed, there"ore, not %y what )alamities it en)ounters, %ut %y what "la* it "ollows and what hi*h town it assaults. .he most dan*erous thin* in the world is to %e ali(e' one is always in dan*er o" one-s li"e. $ut anyone who shrin&s "rom this is a traitor to the *reat s)heme and e5periment o" %ein*. .he pessimist o" the ordinary type, the pessimist who thin&s he would %e %etter dead, is %lasted with the )rime o" Is)ariot. Spiritually spea&in*, we should %e <usti"ied in punishin* him with death. 8nly, out o" polite de"eren)e to his own philosophy, we punish him with li"e.

$ut this "aith 0that e5isten)e was "undamentally and purposely *ood1 is not atta)&ed only %y the %la)&, )onsistent pessimist. .he man who says that he would sooner die is %est answered %y a sudden %low with the po&er, "or the reply is ri*htly lo*i)al, as well as physi)ally (ery e""e)ti(e. $ut there has )rept throu*h the )ulture o" modern 2urope another notion that is e+ually in its own way an atta)& on the essential ri*htness o" the world. It is not a(owedly pessimisti), thou*h the sour)e "rom whi)h it )omes 0whi)h is $uddhism1 is pessimisti) "or those who really understand it. It )an o""er itsel" as it does amon* some o" the hi*h minded and distin*uished .heosophists with an air o" somethin* hi*hly optimisti). $ut this dis*uised pessimism is what is really wron* with the world at least, espe)ially with the modern world. It is essential to arrest and to e5amine it. .here has )rept into our thou*hts, throu*h a thousand small openin*s, a )urious and unnatural idea. I mean the idea that unity is itsel" a *ood thin*' that there is somethin* hi*h and spiritual a%out thin*s %ein* %lended and a%sor%ed into ea)h other. .hat all ri(ers should run into one ri(er, that all (e*eta%les should *o into one pot that is spo&en o" as the last and %est "ul"ilment o" %ein*. $oys are to %e -at one- with *irls' all se)ts are to %e -at onein the New .heolo*y' %easts "ade into men and men "ade into God' union in itsel" is a no%le thin*. Now union in itsel" is not a no%le thin*. /o(e is a no%le thin*' %ut lo(e is not union. Nay, it is rather a (i(id sense o" separation and identity. #audlin, in"erior lo(e poetry does, indeed, tal& o" lo(ers %ein* -one soul-, <ust as maudlin, in"erior reli*ious poetry tal&s o" %ein* lost in God' %ut the %est poetry does not. ,hen Dante meets $eatri)e, he "eels his distan)e "rom her, not his pro5imity' and all the *reatest saints ha(e "elt their lowness, not their hi*hness, in the moment o" e)stasy. 7nd what is true o" these *ra(e and heroi) matters 0I do not say, o" )ourse, that saints and lo(ers ha(e ne(er used the lan*ua*e o" union too, true enou*h in its own pla)e and proper limitation o" meanin*1 what is true o" these is e+ually true o" all the li*hter and less essential "orms o" appre)iation o" surprise. Di(ision and (ariety are essential to praise' di(ision and (ariety are what is ri*ht with the world. .here is nothin* spe)ially ri*ht a%out mere )onta)t and )oales)en)e. In short, this (ast, (a*ue idea o" unity is the one -rea)tionarythin* in the world. It is perhaps the only )onne)tion in whi)h that "oolish word -rea)tionary- )an %e used with si*ni"i)an)e and truth.

For this %lendin* o" men and women, nations and nations, is truly a return to the )haos and un)ons)iousness that were %e"ore the world was made. .here is o" )ourse, another &ind o" unity o" whi)h I do not spea& here' unity in the possession o" truth and the per)eption o" the need "or these (arieties. $ut the (arieties themsel(es' the re"le)tion o" man and woman in ea)h other, as in two distin)t mirrors' the wonder o" man at nature as a stran*e thin* at on)e a%o(e and %elow him' the +uaint and solitary &in*dom o" )hildhood' the lo)al a""e)tions and the )olour o" )ertain lands)apes these a)tually are the thin*s that are the *ra)e and honour o" the earth' these are the thin*s that ma&e li"e worth li(in* and the whole "ramewor& o" thin*s well worthy to %e sustained. 7nd the %est thin* remains' that this (iew, whether )ons)ious or not, always has %een and still is the (iew o" the li(in* and la%ourin* millions. ,hile a "ew pri*s on plat"orms are tal&in* a%out -onenessand a%sorption in -.he 7ll-, the "ol& that dwell in all the (alleys o" this an)ient earth are renewin* the (arieties "or e(er. ,ith them a woman is lo(ed "or %ein* unmanly, and a man lo(ed "or %ein* un womanly. ,ith them the )hur)h and the home are %oth %eauti"ul, %e)ause they are %oth di""erent' with them "ields are personal and "la*s are sa)red' they are the (irtue o" e5isten)e, "or they are not man&ind %ut men. .he rooted hope o" the modern world is that all these dim demo)ra)ies do still %elie(e in that roman)e o" li"e, that (ariation o" man, woman and )hild upon whi)h all poetry has hitherto %een %uilt. .he dan*er o" the modern world is that these dim demo)ra)ies are so (ery dim, and that they are espe)ially dim where they are ri*ht. .he dan*er is that the world may "all under a new oli*ar)hy the oli*ar)hy o" pri*s. 7nd i" anyone should promptly as& 0in the manner o" the de%atin* )lu%s1 "or the de"inition o" a pri*, I )an only reply that a pri* is an oli*ar)h who does not e(en &now he is an oli*ar)h. 7 )ir)le o" small pedants sit on an upper plat"orm, and pass unanimously 0in a meetin* o" none1 that there is no di""eren)e %etween the so)ial duties o" men and o" women, the so)ial instru)tion o" men or o" )hildren. $elow them %oils that multitudinous sea o" millions that thin& di""erently, that ha(e always thou*ht di""erently, that will always thin& di""erently. In spite o" the o(erwhelmin* ma<ority that maintains the old theory o" li"e, I am in some real dou%t a%out whi)h will win. 8win* to the de)ay o" theolo*y and all the other )lear systems o" thou*ht, men ha(e %een thrown %a)& (ery mu)h upon their instin)ts, as with animals. 7s with animals, their instin)ts are ri*ht' %ut, as with animals, they )an %e )owed. $etween the a*ile s)holars and

the sta*nant mo%, I am really dou%t"ul a%out whi)h will %e triumphant. I ha(e no dou%t at all a%out whi)h ou*ht to %e. 2urope at present e5hi%its a )on)entration upon politi)s whi)h is partly the un"ortunate result o" our loss o" reli*ion, partly the <ust and need"ul result o" our loss o" our so)ial ine+uality and ini+uity. .hese )auses, howe(er, will not remain in operation "or e(er. !eli*ion is returnin* "rom her e5ile' it is more li&ely that the "uture will %e )raCily and )orruptly superstitious than that it will %e merely rationalist. 8n the other hand, our attempts to ri*ht the e5treme ill %alan)e o" wealth must soon ha(e some issue' somethin* will %e done to lessen the perpetual torture o" in)ompetent )ompassion' some s)heme will %e su%stituted "or our male(olent anar)hy, i" it %e only one o" %ene(olent ser(itude. 7nd as these two spe)ial unrests a%out the uni(erse and the State settle down into more silent and endurin* system, there will emer*e more and more those primary and ar)hai) truths whi)h the dust o" these two )on"li)ts has (eiled. .he se)ondary +uestions relati(ely sol(ed, we shall "ind oursel(es all the more in the presen)e o" the primary +uestions o" #an. For at present we all tend to one mista&e' we tend to ma&e politi)s too important. ,e tend to "or*et how hu*e a part o" a man-s li"e is the same under a Sultan and a Senate, under Nero or St /ouis. Day%rea& is a ne(er endin* *lory, *ettin* out o" %ed is a ne(er endin* nuisan)e' "ood and "riends will %e wel)omed' wor& and stran*ers must %e a))epted and endured' %irds will *o %edwards and )hildren won-t, to the end o" the last e(enin*. 7nd the worst peril is that in our <ust modern re(olt a*ainst intolera%le a))idents we may ha(e unsettled those thin*s that alone ma&e daily li"e tolera%le. It will %e an ironi) tra*edy i", when we ha(e toiled to "ind rest, we "ind we are in)ura%ly restless. It will %e sad i", when we ha(e wor&ed "or our holiday, we "ind we ha(e unlearnt e(erythin* %ut wor&. .he typi)al modern man is the insane millionaire who has drud*ed to *et money, and then "inds he )annot en<oy e(en money. .here is dan*er that the so)ial re"ormer may silently and o))ultly de(elop some o" the madness o" the millionaire whom he denoun)es. He may "ind that he has learnt how to %uild play*rounds %ut "or*otten how to play. He may a*itate "or pea)e and +uiet, %ut only propa*ate his own mental a*itation. In his lon* "i*ht to *et a sla(e a hal" holiday he may an*rily deny those an)ient and natural thin*s, the Cest o" %ein*, the di(inity o" man, the sa)redness o" simple thin*s, the health and humour o" the earth,

whi)h alone ma&e a hal" holiday e(en hal" a holiday or a sla(e e(en hal" a man. .here is dan*er in that modern phrase -di(ine dis)ontent-. .here is truth in it also, o" )ourse' %ut it is only truth o" a spe)ial and se)ondary &ind. #u)h o" the +uarrel %etween Christianity and the world has %een due to this "a)t' that there are *enerally two truths, as it were, at any *i(en moment o" re(olt or rea)tion, and the an)ient underlyin* truism whi)h is ne(ertheless true all the time. It is sometimes worth while to point out that %la)& is not so %la)& as it is painted' %ut %la)& is still %la)&, and not white. So with the merits o" )ontent and dis)ontent. It is true that in )ertain a)ute and pain"ul )rises o" oppression or dis*ra)e, dis)ontent is a duty and shame )ould )all us li&e a trumpet. $ut it is not true that man should loo& at li"e with an eye o" dis)ontent, howe(er hi*h minded. It is not true that in his primary, na&ed relation to the world, in his relation to se5, to pain, to )omradeship, to the *ra(e or to the weather, man ou*ht to ma&e dis)ontent his ideal' it is %la)& luna)y. Hal" his poor little hopes o" happiness han* on his thin&in* a small house pretty, a plain wi"e )harmin*, a lame "oot not un%eara%le, and %ad )ards not so %ad. .he (oi)e o" the spe)ial re%els and prophets, re)ommendin* dis)ontent, should, as I ha(e said, sound now and then suddenly, li&e a trumpet. $ut the (oi)es o" the saints and sa*es, re)ommendin*, )ontentment, should sound un)easin*ly, li&e the sea. 8N 2FI/ 29;H2#IS#S G. K. Chesterton ;u%lished in 3G. K. Chesterton? Stories, 2ssays, D ;oems3, 02(eryman-s /i%rary 91@1, >. #. Dent D Sons /td., /ondon, 19IA reprint o" 19@H edition, pE0P E11. 8ri*inally appeared in 3Come to thin& o" It3, 19@0. Some%ody has sent me a %oo& on Companionate #arria*e' so )alled %e)ause the people in(ol(ed are not married and will (ery rapidly )ease to %e )ompanions. I ha(e no intention o" dis)ussin* here that somewhat )rude )olonial pro<e)t. I will merely say that it is here a))ompanied with su% titles and other statements a%out the risin* *eneration and the re(olt o" youth. 7nd it seems to me e5)eedin*ly "unny that, <ust when the risin* *eneration %oasts o" not %ein* sentimental, when it tal&s o" %ein* (ery s)ienti"i) and so)iolo*i)al at that (ery moment e(ery%ody

seems to ha(e "or*otten alto*ether what was the so)ial use o" marria*e and to %e thin&in* wholly and solely o" the sentimental. .he pra)ti)al purposes mentioned as the "irst two reasons "or marria*e, in the 7n*li)an marria*e ser(i)e, seem to ha(e *one )ompletely out o" si*ht "or some people, who tal& as i" there were nothin* %ut a rather wild (ersion o" the third, whi)h may relati(ely %e )alled romanti). 7nd this, i" you please, is supposed to %e an eman)ipation "rom Fi)torian sentiment and roman)e. $ut I only mention this matter as one o" many, and one whi)h illustrates a still more )urious )ontradi)tion in this modern )laim. ,e are perpetually %ein* told that this risin* *eneration is (ery "ran& and "ree, and that its whole so)ial ideal is "ran&ness and "reedom. Now I am not at all a"raid o" "ran&ness. ,hat I am a"raid o" is "i)&leness. 7nd there is a truth in the old pro(er%ial )onne)tion %etween what is "i)&le and what is "alse. .here is in the (ery titles and terminolo*y o" all this sort o" thin* a per(adin* element o" "alsehood. 2(erythin* is to %e )alled somethin* that it is not' as in the )hara)teristi) e5ample o" Companionate #arria*e. 2(erythin* is to %e re)ommended to the pu%li) %y some sort o" synonym whi)h is really a pseudonym. It is a talent that *oes with the time o" ele)tioneerin* and ad(ertisement and newspaper headlines' %ut whate(er else su)h a time may %e, it )ertainly is not spe)ially a time o" truth. In short, these "riends o" "ran&ness depend almost entirely on 2uphemism. .hey introdu)e their horri%le heresies under new and )are"ully )omplimentary names' as the Furies were )alled the 2umenides. .he names are always "lattery' the names are also nonsense. .he name o" $irth Control, "or instan)e, is sheer nonsense. 2(ery%ody has always e5er)ised %irth )ontrol' e(en when they were so parado5i)al as to permit the pro)ess to end in a %irth. 2(ery%ody has always &nown a%out %irth )ontrol, e(en i" it too& the wild and unthin&a%le "orm o" sel" )ontrol. .he +uestion at issue )on)erns di""erent "orms o" %irth pre(ention' and I am not *oin* to de%ate it here. $ut i" I did de%ate it, I would )all it %y its name. .he same is true o" an older pie)e o" sentiment indul*ed in %y the "ran& and "ree? the e5pression -Free /o(e.- .hat also is a 2uphemism' that is, it is a re"usal o" people to say what they mean. In that sense, it is impossi%le to pre(ent /8F2 %ein* "ree, %ut the moral pro%lem )hallen*ed )on)erns not the passions, %ut the will. .here are a *reat many other e5amples o" this sort o" polite "i)tion' these respe)ta%le dis*uises adopted %y those who are always railin* a*ainst respe)ta%ility. In the immediate "uture there will pro%a%ly

%e more still. .here really seems no ne)essary limit to the pro)ess' and howe(er "ar the anar)hy o" ethi)s may *o, it may always %e a))ompanied with this )urious and pompous )eremonial. .he sensiti(e youth o" the "uture will ne(er %e )alled upon to a))ept For*ery as For*ery. It will %e easy enou*h to )all it Homoeo*raphy or S)ript 7ssimilation or somethin* else that would su**est, to the simple or the super"i)ial, that nothin* was in(ol(ed %ut a sort o" so)ialiCin* or uni"i)ation o" indi(idual handwritin*. ,e should not, li&e the more honest #r. Fa*in, tea)h little %oys to pi)& po)&ets' "or #r. Fa*in %e)omes "ar less honest when he %e)omes ;ro"essor Fa*ins&i, the *reat so)iolo*ist, o" the 9ni(ersity o" >ena. $ut we should )all it %y some name implyin* the trans"eren)e o" somethin*' I )annot at the moment remem%er the Gree& either "or po)&et or po)&et hand&er)hie". 7s "or the so)ial <usti"i)ation o" murder, that has already %e*un' and earnest thin&ers had %etter %e*in at on)e to thin& a%out a ni)e ino""ensi(e name "or it. .he )ase "or murder, on modern relati(e and e(olutionary ethi)s, is +uite o(erwhelmin*. .here is hardly one o" us who does not, in loo&in* round his or her so)ial )ir)le, re)o*niCe some )hatty person or ener*eti) so)ial )hara)ter whose disappearan)e, without undue "uss or "arewell, would %e a %ri*ht e(ent "or us all. Nor is it true that su)h a person is dan*erous only %e)ause he wields un<ust le*al or so)ial powers. .he pro%lem is o"ten purely psy)holo*i)al, and not in the least le*al' and no le*al eman)ipations would sol(e it. Nothin* would sol(e it %ut the introdu)tion o" that new "orm o" li%erty whi)h we may a*ree to )all, perhaps, the pra)ti)e o" So)ial Su%tra)tion. 8r, i" we li&e, we )an model the new name on the other names I ha(e mentioned. ,e may )all it /i"e Control or Free Death' or anythin* else that has as little to do with the point o" it as Companionate #arria*e has to do with either marria*e or )ompanionship. 7nyhow, I respe)t"ully re"use to %e impressed %y the )laim to )andour and realism put "orward <ust now "or men, women, and mo(ements. It seems to me o%(ious that this is not really the a*e o" auda)ity %ut merely o" ad(ertisement' whi)h may rather %e des)ri%ed as )aution &i)&in* up a "uss. #u)h o" the mista&e arises "rom the dou%le sense o" the word pu%li)ity. For pu%li)ity also is a thorou*hly typi)al euphemism or e(asi(e term. ;u%li)ity does not mean re(ealin* pu%li) li"e in the interests o" pu%li) spirit. It means merely "latterin* pri(ate enterprises in the interests o" pri(ate persons. It means payin* )ompliments in pu%li)' %ut not o""erin* )riti)isms in pu%li). ,e should all %e (ery mu)h surprised i" we wal&ed out o" the "ront door one mornin* and saw a hoardin* on one side o" the road sayin*? G9se #i**le-s #il&' It Is 7ll Cream,- and a hoardin* on the other side

o" the road ins)ri%ed? GDon-t 9se #i**le-s #il&' It-s Nearly 7ll ,ater..he modern world would %e mu)h upset i" I were allowed to set up a "lamin* s&y si*n pro)laimin* my pre)ise opinion o" the Colonial ;ort ,ine praised in the "lamin* si*n opposite. 7ll this ad(ertisement may ha(e somethin* to do with the "reedom o" trade' %ut it has nothin* to with the "reedom o" truth. ;u%li)ity must %e praise and praise must to some e5tent %e euphemism. It must put the matter in a milder and more ino""ensi(e "orm that it mi*ht %e put, howe(er mu)h that mildness may seem to shout throu*h me*aphones or "lare in headlines. 7nd <ust as this sort o" loud e(asion is used in "a(our o" %ad wine and %ad mil&, so it is used in "a(our o" %ad morals. ,hen some%ody wishes to wa*e a so)ial war a*ainst what all normal people ha(e re*arded as a so)ial de)en)y, the (ery "irst thin* he does is to "ind some arti"i)ial term that shall sound relati(ely de)ent. He has no more o" the real )oura*e that would pit (i)e a*ainst (irtue than the ordinary ad(ertiser has the )oura*e to ad(ertise ale as arseni). His intelli*en)e, su)h as it is, is entirely a )ommer)ial intelli*en)e and to that e5tent entirely )on(entional. He is a shop &eeper who dresses the shop window' he is )ertainly the (ery re(erse o" a re%el or a rioter who %rea&s the shop window. I" only "or this reason, I remain )old and de)line the due re(eren)e to Companionate #arria*e and the %oo& whi)h spea&s so re(erentially a%out the !e(olt o" =outh. For this sort o" re(olt stri&es me as nothin* e5)ept re(oltin*' and )ertainly not parti)ularly realisti). ,ith the passions whi)h are natural to youth we all sympathiCe' with the pain that o"ten arises "rom loyalty and duty we all sympathiCe still more' %ut no%ody need sympathiCe with pu%li)ity e5perts pi)&in* pleasant e5pressions "or unpleasant thin*s' and I "or one pre"er the )oarse lan*ua*e o" our "athers.

J.rans)ri%ed %y 7nthony CaetanoK