第 5 节
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套牢 更新:2021-02-21 16:39 字数:9322
gs_; or men born to rule others; when the voters were real 〃aristocrats〃 and manageable dependents of such;then doubtless voting; and confused jumbling of talk and intrigue; might; without immediate destruction; or the need of a Cavaignac to intervene with cannon and sweep the streets clear of it; go on; and beautiful developments of manhood might be possible beside it; for a season。 Beside it; or even; if you will; by means of it; and in virtue of it; though that is by no means so certain as is often supposed。 Alas; no: the reflective constitutional mind has misgivings as to the origin of old Greek and Roman nobleness; and indeed knows not how this or any other human nobleness could well be 〃originated;〃 or brought to pass; by voting or without voting; in this world; except by the grace of God very mainly;and remembers; with a sigh; that of the Seven Sages themselves no fewer than three were bits of Despotic Kings; 'Gr。' _Turannoi_; 〃Tyrants〃 so called (such being greatly wanted there); and that the other four were very far from Red Republicans; if of any political faith whatever! We may quit the Ancient Classical concern; and leave it to College…clubs and speculative debating…societies; in these late days。
Of the various French Republics that have been tried; or that are still on trial;of these also it is not needful to say any word。 But there is one modern instance of Democracy nearly perfect; the Republic of the United States; which has actually subsisted for threescore years or more; with immense success as is affirmed; to which many still appeal; as to a sign of hope for all nations; and a 〃Model Republic。〃 Is not America an instance in point? Why should not all Nations subsist and flourish on Democracy; as America does?
Of America it would ill beseem any Englishman; and me perhaps as little as another; to speak unkindly; to speak unpatriotically; if any of us even felt so。 Sure enough; America is a great; and in many respects a blessed and hopeful phenomenon。 Sure enough; these hardy millions of Anglo…Saxon men prove themselves worthy of their genealogy; and; with the axe and plough and hammer; if not yet with any much finer kind of implements; are triumphantly clearing out wide spaces; seedfields for the sustenance and refuge of mankind; arenas for the future history of the world; doing; in their day and generation; a creditable and cheering feat under the sun。 But as to a Model Republic; or a model anything; the wise among themselves know too well that there is nothing to be said。 Nay the title hitherto to be a Commonwealth or Nation at all; among the 'Gr。' _ethne_ of the world; is; strictly considered; still a thing they are but striving for; and indeed have not yet done much towards attaining。 Their Constitution; such as it may be; was made here; not there; went over with them from the Old…Puritan English workshop ready…made。 Deduct what they carried with them from England ready…made;their common English Language; and that same Constitution; or rather elixir of constitutions; their inveterate and now; as it were; inborn reverence for the Constable's Staff; two quite immense attainments; which England had to spend much blood; and valiant sweat of brow and brain; for centuries long; in achieving;and what new elements of polity or nationhood; what noble new phasis of human arrangement; or social device worthy of Prometheus or of Epimetheus; yet comes to light in America? Cotton crops and Indian corn and dollars come to light; and half a world of untilled land; where populations that respect the constable can live; for the present _without_ Government: this comes to light; and the profound sorrow of all nobler hearts; here uttering itself as silent patient unspeakable ennui; there coming out as vague elegiac wailings; that there is still next to nothing more。 〃Anarchy _plus_ a street…constable:〃 that also is anarchic to me; and other than quite lovely!
I foresee; too; that; long before the waste lands are full; the very street…constable; on these poor terms; will have become impossible: without the waste lands; as here in our Europe; I do not see how he could continue possible many weeks。 Cease to brag to me of America; and its model institutions and constitutions。 To men in their sleep there is nothing granted in this world: nothing; or as good as nothing; to men that sit idly caucusing and ballot…boxing on the graves of their heroic ancestors; saying; 〃It is well; it is well!〃 Corn and bacon are granted: not a very sublime boon; on such conditions; a boon moreover which; on such conditions; cannot last!No: America too will have to strain its energies; in quite other fashion than this; to crack its sinews; and all but break its heart; as the rest of us have had to do; in thousand…fold wrestle with the Pythons and mud…demons; before it can become a habitation for the gods。 America's battle is yet to fight; and we; sorrowful though nothing doubting; will wish her strength for it。 New Spiritual Pythons; plenty of them; enormous Megatherions; as ugly as were ever born of mud; loom huge and hideous out of the twilight Future on America; and she will have her own agony; and her own victory; but on other terms than she is yet quite aware of。 Hitherto she but ploughs and hammers; in a very successful manner; hitherto; in spite of her 〃roast…goose with apple…sauce;〃 she is not much。 〃Roast…goose with apple…sauce for the poorest workingman:〃 well; surely that is something; thanks to your respect for the street…constable; and to your continents of fertile waste land;but that; even if it could continue; is by no means enough; that is not even an instalment towards what will be required of you。 My friend; brag not yet of our American cousins! Their quantity of cotton; dollars; industry and resources; I believe to be almost unspeakable; but I can by no means worship the like of these。 What great human soul; what great thought; what great noble thing that one could worship; or loyally admire; has yet been produced there? None: the American cousins have yet done none of these things。 〃What they have done?〃 growls Smelfungus; tired of the subject: 〃They have doubled their population every twenty years。 They have begotten; with a rapidity beyond recorded example; Eighteen Millions of the greatest _bores_ ever seen in this world before;that hitherto is their feat in History!〃And so we leave them; for the present; and cannot predict the success of Democracy; on this side of the Atlantic; from their example。
Alas; on this side of the Atlantic and on that; Democracy; we apprehend; is forever impossible! So much; with certainty of loud astonished contradiction from all manner of men at present; but with sure appeal to the Law of Nature and the ever…abiding Fact; may be suggested and asserted once more。 The Universe itself is a Monarchy and Hierarchy; large liberty of 〃voting〃 there; all manner of choice; utmost free…will; but with conditions inexorable and immeasurable annexed to every exercise of the same。 A most free commonwealth of 〃voters;〃 but with Eternal Justice to preside over it; Eternal Justice enforced by Almighty Power! This is the model of 〃constitutions;〃 this: nor in any Nation where there has not yet (in some supportable and withal some constantly increasing degree) been confided to the _Noblest_; with his select series of _Nobler_; the divine everlasting duty of directing and controlling the Ignoble; has the 〃Kingdom of God;〃 which we all pray for; 〃come;〃 nor can 〃His will〃 even _tend_ to be 〃done on Earth as it is in Heaven〃 till then。 My Christian friends; and indeed my Sham…Christian and Anti…Christian; and all manner of men; are invited to reflect on this。 They will find it to be the truth of the case。 The Noble in the high place; the Ignoble in the low; that is; in all times and in all countries; the Almighty Maker's Law。
To raise the Sham…Noblest; and solemnly consecrate him by whatever method; new…devised; or slavishly adhered to from old wont; this; little as we may regard it; is; in all times and countries; a practical blasphemy; and Nature will in nowise forget it。 Alas; there lies the origin; the fatal necessity; of modern Democracy everywhere。 It is the Noblest; not the Sham…Noblest; it is God…Almighty's Noble; not the Court…Tailor's Noble; nor the Able…Editor's Noble; that must; in some approximate degree; be raised to the supreme place; he and not a counterfeit;under penalties! Penalties deep as death; and at length terrible as hell…on…earth; my constitutional friend!Will the ballot…box raise the Noblest to the chief place; does any sane man deliberately believe such a thing? That nevertheless is the indispensable result; attain it how we may: if that is attained; all is attained; if not that; nothing。 He that cannot believe the ballot…box to be attaining it; will be comparatively indifferent to the ballot…box。 Excellent for keeping the ship's crew at peace under their Phantasm Captain; but unserviceable; under such; for getting round Cape Horn。 Alas; that there should be human beings requiring to have these things argued of; at this late time of day!
I say; it is the everlasting privilege of the foolish to be governed by the wise; to be guided in the right pa