Part 21 (1/2)
Not on Ilion's or Latium's plains; on far other plains and places henceforth can n.o.ble deeds be now done. Not on Ilion's plains; how much less in Mayfair's drawingrooms! Not in victory over poor brother French or Phrygians; but in victory over Frost-jotuns, Marsh-giants, over demons of Discord, Idleness, Injustice, Unreason, and Chaos come again. None of the old Epics is longer possible. The Epic of French and Phrygians was comparatively a small Epic: but that of Flirts and Fribbles, what is that? A thing that vanishes at c.o.c.k-crowing,--that already begins to scent the morning air! Game-preserving Aristocracies, let them 'bush' never so effectually, cannot escape the Subtle Fowler. Game seasons will be excellent, and again will be indifferent, and by and by they will not be at all. The Last Partridge of England, of an England where millions of men can get no corn to eat, will be shot and ended. Aristocracies with beards on their chins will find other work to do than amuse themselves with trundling-hoops.
But it is to you, ye Workers, who do already work, and are as grown men, n.o.ble and honourable in a sort, that the whole world calls for new work and n.o.bleness. Subdue mutiny, discord, wide-spread despair, by manfulness, justice, mercy and wisdom. Chaos is dark, deep as h.e.l.l; let light be, and there is instead a green flowery World. Oh, it is great, and there is no other greatness. To make some nook of G.o.d's Creation a little fruitfuller, better, more worthy of G.o.d; to make some human hearts a little wiser, manfuler, happier,--more blessed, less accursed! It is work for a G.o.d. Sooty h.e.l.l of mutiny and savagery and despair can, by man's energy, be made a kind of Heaven; cleared of its soot, of its mutiny, of its need to mutiny; the everlasting arch of Heaven's azure overspanning _it_ too, and its cunning mechanisms and tall chimney-steeples, as a birth of Heaven; G.o.d and all men looking on it well pleased.
Unstained by wasteful deformities, by wasted tears or heart's-blood of men, or any defacement of the Pit, n.o.ble fruitful Labour, growing ever n.o.bler, will come forth,--the grand sole miracle of Man; whereby Man has risen from the low places of this Earth, very literally, into divine Heavens. Ploughers, Spinners, Builders; Prophets, Poets, Kings; Brindleys and Goethes, Odins and Arkwrights; all martyrs, and n.o.ble men, and G.o.ds are of one grand Host; immeasurable; marching ever forward since the beginnings of the World. The enormous, all-conquering, flame-crowned Host, n.o.ble every soldier in it; sacred, and alone n.o.ble. Let him who is not of it hide himself; let him tremble for himself. Stars at every b.u.t.ton cannot make him n.o.ble; sheaves of Bath-garters, nor bushels of Georges; nor any other contrivance but manfully enlisting in it, valiantly taking place and step in it. O Heavens, will he not bethink himself; he too is so needed in the Host! It were so blessed, thrice-blessed, for himself and for us all! In hope of the Last Partridge, and some Duke of Weimar among our English Dukes, we will be patient yet a while.
'The Future hides in it Gladness and sorrow; We press still thorow, Nought that abides in it Daunting us,--onward.'
SUMMARY AND INDEX.
SUMMARY.
BOOK I.--PROEM.
Chap. I. _Midas._
The condition of England one of the most ominous ever seen in this world: Full of wealth in every kind, yet dying of inanition.
Workhouses, in which no work can be done. Dest.i.tution in Scotland.
Stockport a.s.sizes. (p. 3.)--England's unprofitable success: Human faces glooming discordantly on one another. Midas longed for gold, and the G.o.ds gave it him. (7.)
Chap. II. _The Sphinx._
The grand unnamable Sphinx-riddle, which each man is called upon to solve. Notions of the foolish concerning justice and judgment. Courts of Westminster, and the general High Court of the Universe. The one strong thing, the just thing, the true thing. (p. 10.)--A n.o.ble Conservatism, as well as an ign.o.ble. In all battles of men each fighter, in the end, prospers according to his right: Wallace of Scotland. (15.)--Fact and Semblance. What is Justice? As many men as there are in a Nation who can _see_ Heaven's Justice, so many are there who stand between it and perdition. (17.)
Chap. III. _Manchester Insurrection._
Peterloo not an unsuccessful Insurrection. Governors who wait for Insurrection to instruct them, getting into the fatalest courses.
Unspeakable County Yeomanry. Poor Manchester operatives, and their huge inarticulate question: Unhappy Workers, unhappier Idlers, of this actual England! (p. 19.)--Fair day's-wages for fair day's-work: Milton's 'wages,' Cromwell's. Pay to each man what he has earned and done and deserved; what more have we to ask?--Some not _in_supportable approximation indispensable and inevitable. (24.)
Chap. IV. _Morrisons Pill._
A state of mind worth reflecting on. No Morrison's Pill for curing the maladies of Society: Universal alteration of regimen and way of life: Vain jargon giving place to some genuine Speech again. (p. 29.)--If we walk according to the Law of this Universe, the Law-Maker will befriend us; if not, not. Quacks, sham heroes, the one bane of the world. Quack and Dupe, upper side and under of the selfsame substance.
(31.)
Chap. V. _Aristocracy of Talent._
All misery the fruit of unwisdom: Neither with individuals nor with Nations is it fundamentally otherwise. Nature in late centuries universally supposed to be dead; but now everywhere a.s.serting herself to be alive and miraculous. The guidance of this country not sufficiently wise. (p. 34.)--Aristocracy of talent, or government by the Wisest, a dreadfully difficult affair to get started. The true _eye_ for talent; and the flunky eye for respectabilities, warm garnitures and larders dropping fatness: Bobus and Bobissimus. (37.)
Chap VI. _Hero-wors.h.i.+p._