Heretics

Heretics

Heretics
G. K. Chesterton

Strictly for personal use, do not use this file for commercial purposes. If you like this eBook, would you share it with your friends? Just click here to share it with Facebook and here to share it with Twitter

www.Libri ass.com

Heretics THE AUTHOR Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born in London, England on the 29th of May, 1874. ho!gh he "onsidered hi#self a #ere $rolli"%ing &o!rnalist,' he was a"t!ally a (rolifi" and gifted writer in )irt!ally e)ery area of literat!re. * #an of strong o(inions and enor#o!sly talented at defending the#, his e+!berant (ersonality ne)ertheless allowed hi# to #aintain war# friendshi(s with (eo(le,s!"h as George -ernard .haw and /. G. 0ells,with who# he )ehe#ently disagreed. Chesterton had no diffi"!lty standing !( for what he belie)ed. /e was one of the few &o!rnalists to o((ose the -oer 0ar. /is 1922 $E!geni"s and 1ther E)ils' atta"%ed what was at that ti#e the #ost (rogressi)e of all ideas, the idea that the h!#an ra"e "o!ld and sho!ld breed a s!(erior )ersion of itself. 2n the 3a4i e+(erien"e, history de#onstrated the wisdo# of his on"e $rea"tionary' )iews. /is (oetry r!ns the ga#!t fro# the "o#i" 1958 $1n 6!nning *fter 1ne7s /at' to dar% and serio!s ballads. 8!ring the dar% days of 1945, when -ritain stood )irt!ally alone against the ar#ed #ight of 3a4i Ger#any, these lines fro# his 1911 -allad of the 0hite /orse were often 9!oted: 2 tell yo! na!ght for yo!r "o#fort, ;ea, na!ght for yo!r desire, .a)e that the s%y grows dar%er yet *nd the sea rises higher. ho!gh not written for a s"holarly a!dien"e, his biogra(hies of 3

Heretics a!thors and histori"al fig!res li%e Charles 8i"%ens and .t. <ran"is of *ssisi often "ontain brilliant insights into their s!b&e"ts. /is <ather -rown #ystery stories, written between 1911 and 19=>, are still being read and ada(ted for tele)ision. /is (oliti"s fitted with his dee( distr!st of "on"entrated wealth and (ower of any sort. *long with his friend /ilaire -ello" and in boo%s li%e the 1915 $0hat7s 0rong with the 0orld' he ad)o"ated a )iew "alled $8istrib!tionis#' that was best s!##ed !( by his e+(ression that e)ery #an o!ght to be allowed to own $three a"res and a "ow.' ho!gh not %now as a (oliti"al thin%er, his (oliti"al infl!en"e has "ir"led the world. .o#e see in hi# the father of the $s#all is bea!tif!l' #o)e#ent and a news(a(er arti"le by hi# is "redited with (ro)o%ing Gandhi to see% a $gen!ine' nationalis# for 2ndia rather than one that i#itated the -ritish. /ereti"s belongs to yet another area of literat!re at whi"h Chesterton e+"elled. * f!nlo)ing and gregario!s #an, he was ne)ertheless tro!bled in his adoles"en"e by tho!ghts of s!i"ide. 2n Christianity he fo!nd the answers to the dile##as and (arado+es he saw in life. 1ther boo%s in that sa#e series in"l!de his 1958 1rthodo+y ?written in res(onse to atta"%s on this boo%@ and his 192A he E)erlasting Man. 1rthodo+y is also a)ailable as ele"troni" te+t. Chesterton died on the 14th of B!ne, 19=> in -ea"onsfield, -!"%ingha#shire, England. 8!ring his life he (!blished >9 boo%s and at least another ten based on his writings ha)e been (!blished after his death. Many of those boo%s are still in (rint. 2gnati!s Cress is syste#ati"ally (!blishing his "olle"ted writings.

Heretics

CONTENTS

1. 2ntrod!"tory 6e#ar%s on the 2#(ortan"e of 1thodo+y 2. 1n the 3egati)e .(irit =. 1n Mr. 6!dyard Ki(ling and Ma%ing the 0orld .#all 4. Mr. -ernard .haw A. Mr. /. G. 0ells and the Giants >. Christ#as and the Esthetes 7. 1#ar and the .a"red Dine 8. he Mildness of the ;ellow Cress 9. he Moods of Mr. George Moore 15. 1n .andals and .i#(li"ity 11. ."ien"e and the .a)ages 12. Caganis# and Mr. Lowes 8i"%inson 1=. Celts and Celto(hiles 14. 1n Certain Modern 0riters and the 2nstit!tion of the <a#ily 1A. 1n .#art 3o)elists and the .#art .et 1>. 1n Mr. M"Cabe and a 8i)ine <ri)olity 17. 1n the 0it of 0histler 18. he <alla"y of the ;o!ng 3ation 19. .l!# 3o)elists and the .l!#s 25. Con"l!ding 6e#ar%s on the 2#(ortan"e of 1rthodo+y

Heretics

To My Father

I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ORTHODOXY

3othing #ore strangely indi"ates an enor#o!s and silent e)il of #odern so"iety than the e+traordinary !se whi"h is #ade nowadays of the word $orthodo+.' 2n for#er days the hereti" was (ro!d of not being a hereti". 2t was the %ingdo#s of the world and the (oli"e and the &!dges who were hereti"s. /e was orthodo+. /e had no (ride in ha)ing rebelled against the#E they had rebelled against hi#. he ar#ies with their "r!el se"!rity, the %ings with their "old fa"es, the de"oro!s (ro"esses of .tate, the reasonable (ro"esses of law,all these li%e shee( had gone astray. he #an was (ro!d of being orthodo+, was (ro!d of being right. 2f he stood alone in a howling wilderness he was #ore than a #anE he was a "h!r"h. /e was the "entre of the !ni)erseE it was ro!nd hi# that the stars sw!ng. *ll the tort!res torn o!t of forgotten hells "o!ld not #a%e hi# ad#it that he was hereti"al. -!t a few #odern (hrases ha)e #ade hi# boast of it. /e says, with a "ons"io!s la!gh, $2 s!((ose 2 a# )ery hereti"al,' and loo%s ro!nd for a((la!se. he word $heresy' not only #eans no longer being wrongE it (ra"ti"ally #eans being "learheaded and "o!rageo!s. he word $orthodo+y' not only no longer #eans being rightE it (ra"ti"ally #eans being wrong. *ll this "an #ean one thing, and one thing only. 2t #eans that (eo(le "are less for whether they are (hiloso(hi"ally right. <or ob)io!sly a #an o!ght to "onfess hi#self "ra4y before he "onfesses hi#self hereti"al. he -ohe#ian, with a red tie, o!ght to (i9!e 6

Heretics hi#self on his orthodo+y. he dyna#iter, laying a bo#b, o!ght to feel that, whate)er else he is, at least he is orthodo+. 2t is foolish, generally s(ea%ing, for a (hiloso(her to set fire to another (hiloso(her in .#ithfield Mar%et be"a!se they do not agree in their theory of the !ni)erse. hat was done )ery fre9!ently in the last de"aden"e of the Middle *ges, and it failed altogether in its ob&e"t. -!t there is one thing that is infinitely #ore abs!rd and !n(ra"ti"al than b!rning a #an for his (hiloso(hy. his is the habit of saying that his (hiloso(hy does not #atter, and this is done !ni)ersally in the twentieth "ent!ry, in the de"aden"e of the great re)ol!tionary (eriod. General theories are e)erywhere "onte#nedE the do"trine of the 6ights of Man is dis#issed with the do"trine of the <all of Man. *theis# itself is too theologi"al for !s today. 6e)ol!tion itself is too #!"h of a syste#E liberty itself is too #!"h of a restraint. 0e will ha)e no generali4ations. Mr. -ernard .haw has (!t the )iew in a (erfe"t e(igra#: $ he golden r!le is that there is no golden r!le.' 0e are #ore and #ore to dis"!ss details in art, (oliti"s, literat!re. * #an7s o(inion on tra#"ars #attersE his o(inion on -otti"elli #attersE his o(inion on all things does not #atter. /e #ay t!rn o)er and e+(lore a #illion ob&e"ts, b!t he #!st not find that strange ob&e"t, the !ni)erseE for if he does he will ha)e a religion, and be lost. E)erything #atters,e+"e(t e)erything. E+a#(les are s"ar"ely needed of this total le)ity on the s!b&e"t of "os#i" (hiloso(hy. E+a#(les are s"ar"ely needed to show that, whate)er else we thin% of as affe"ting (ra"ti"al affairs, we do not thin% it #atters whether a #an is a (essi#ist or an o(ti#ist, a Cartesian or a /egelian, a #aterialist or a s(irit!alist. Let #e, howe)er, ta%e a rando# instan"e. *t any inno"ent teatable we #ay easily hear a #an say, $Life is not worth li)ing.' 0e regard it as we regard the state#ent that it is a fine dayE nobody thin%s that it "an 7

Heretics (ossibly ha)e any serio!s effe"t on the #an or on the world. *nd yet if that !tteran"e were really belie)ed, the world wo!ld stand on its head. M!rderers wo!ld be gi)en #edals for sa)ing #en fro# lifeE fire#en wo!ld be deno!n"ed for %ee(ing #en fro# deathE (oisons wo!ld be !sed as #edi"inesE do"tors wo!ld be "alled in when (eo(le were wellE the 6oyal /!#ane .o"iety wo!ld be rooted o!t li%e a horde of assassins. ;et we ne)er s(e"!late as to whether the "on)ersational (essi#ist will strengthen or disorgani4e so"ietyE for we are "on)in"ed that theories do not #atter. his was "ertainly not the idea of those who introd!"ed o!r freedo#. 0hen the old Liberals re#o)ed the gags fro# all the heresies, their idea was that religio!s and (hiloso(hi"al dis"o)eries #ight th!s be #ade. heir )iew was that "os#i" tr!th was so i#(ortant that e)ery one o!ght to bear inde(endent testi#ony. he #odern idea is that "os#i" tr!th is so !ni#(ortant that it "annot #atter what any one says. he for#er freed in9!iry as #en loose a noble ho!ndE the latter frees in9!iry as #en fling ba"% into the sea a fish !nfit for eating. 3e)er has there been so little dis"!ssion abo!t the nat!re of #en as now, when, for the first ti#e, any one "an dis"!ss it. he old restri"tion #eant that only the orthodo+ were allowed to dis"!ss religion. Modern liberty #eans that nobody is allowed to dis"!ss it. Good taste, the last and )ilest of h!#an s!(erstitions, has s!""eeded in silen"ing !s where all the rest ha)e failed. .i+ty years ago it was bad taste to be an a)owed atheist. hen "a#e the -radla!ghites, the last religio!s #en, the last #en who "ared abo!t GodE b!t they "o!ld not alter it. 2t is still bad taste to be an a)owed atheist. -!t their agony has a"hie)ed &!st this, that now it is e9!ally bad taste to be an a)owed Christian. E#an"i(ation has only lo"%ed the saint in the sa#e tower of silen"e as the heresiar"h. hen we tal% abo!t Lord *nglesey and the weather, and "all it the "o#(lete liberty of all the "reeds. 8

Heretics

-!t there are so#e (eo(le, ne)ertheless,and 2 a# one of the#, who thin% that the #ost (ra"ti"al and i#(ortant thing abo!t a #an is still his )iew of the !ni)erse. 0e thin% that for a landlady "onsidering a lodger, it is i#(ortant to %now his in"o#e, b!t still #ore i#(ortant to %now his (hiloso(hy. 0e thin% that for a general abo!t to fight an ene#y, it is i#(ortant to %now the ene#y7s n!#bers, b!t still #ore i#(ortant to %now the ene#y7s (hiloso(hy. 0e thin% the 9!estion is not whether the theory of the "os#os affe"ts #atters, b!t whether in the long r!n, anything else affe"ts the#. 2n the fifteenth "ent!ry #en "rosse+a#ined and tor#ented a #an be"a!se he (rea"hed so#e i##oral attit!deE in the nineteenth "ent!ry we feted and flattered 1s"ar 0ilde be"a!se he (rea"hed s!"h an attit!de, and then bro%e his heart in (enal ser)it!de be"a!se he "arried it o!t. 2t #ay be a 9!estion whi"h of the two #ethods was the #ore "r!elE there "an be no %ind of 9!estion whi"h was the #ore l!di"ro!s. he age of the 2n9!isition has not at least the disgra"e of ha)ing (rod!"ed a so"iety whi"h #ade an idol of the )ery sa#e #an for (rea"hing the )ery sa#e things whi"h it #ade hi# a "on)i"t for (ra"tising. 3ow, in o!r ti#e, (hiloso(hy or religion, o!r theory, that is, abo!t !lti#ate things, has been dri)en o!t, #ore or less si#!ltaneo!sly, fro# two fields whi"h it !sed to o""!(y. General ideals !sed to do#inate literat!re. hey ha)e been dri)en o!t by the "ry of $art for art7s sa%e.' General ideals !sed to do#inate (oliti"s. hey ha)e been dri)en o!t by the "ry of $effi"ien"y,' whi"h #ay ro!ghly be translated as $(oliti"s for (oliti"sF sa%e.' Cersistently for the last twenty years the ideals of order or liberty ha)e dwindled in o!r boo%sE the a#bitions of wit and elo9!en"e ha)e dwindled in o!r (arlia#ents. Literat!re has (!r(osely be"o#e less (oliti"alE (oliti"s 9

Heretics ha)e (!r(osely be"o#e less literary. General theories of the relation of things ha)e th!s been e+tr!ded fro# bothE and we are in a (osition to as%, $0hat ha)e we gained or lost by this e+tr!sionG 2s literat!re better, is (oliti"s better, for ha)ing dis"arded the #oralist and the (hiloso(herG' 0hen e)erything abo!t a (eo(le is for the ti#e growing wea% and ineffe"ti)e, it begins to tal% abo!t effi"ien"y. .o it is that when a #an7s body is a wre"% he begins, for the first ti#e, to tal% abo!t health. Digoro!s organis#s tal% not abo!t their (ro"esses, b!t abo!t their ai#s. here "annot be any better (roof of the (hysi"al effi"ien"y of a #an than that he tal%s "heerf!lly of a &o!rney to the end of the world. *nd there "annot be any better (roof of the (ra"ti"al effi"ien"y of a nation than that it tal%s "onstantly of a &o!rney to the end of the world, a &o!rney to the B!dg#ent 8ay and the 3ew Ber!sale#. here "an be no stronger sign of a "oarse #aterial health than the tenden"y to r!n after high and wild idealsE it is in the first e+!beran"e of infan"y that we "ry for the #oon. 3one of the strong #en in the strong ages wo!ld ha)e !nderstood what yo! #eant by wor%ing for effi"ien"y. /ildebrand wo!ld ha)e said that he was wor%ing not for effi"ien"y, b!t for the Catholi" Ch!r"h. 8anton wo!ld ha)e said that he was wor%ing not for effi"ien"y, b!t for liberty, e9!ality, and fraternity. E)en if the ideal of s!"h #en were si#(ly the ideal of %i"%ing a #an downstairs, they tho!ght of the end li%e #en, not of the (ro"ess li%e (aralyti"s. hey did not say, $Effi"iently ele)ating #y right leg, !sing, yo! will noti"e, the #!s"les of the thigh and "alf, whi"h are in e+"ellent order, 2,' heir feeling was 9!ite different. hey were so filled with the bea!tif!l )ision of the #an lying flat at the foot of the stair"ase that in that e"stasy the rest followed in a flash. 2n (ra"ti"e, the habit of generali4ing and ideali4ing did not by any #eans #ean 10

Heretics worldly wea%ness. he ti#e of big theories was the ti#e of big res!lts. 2n the era of senti#ent and fine words, at the end of the eighteenth "ent!ry, #en were really rob!st and effe"ti)e. he senti#entalists "on9!ered 3a(oleon. he "yni"s "o!ld not "at"h 8e 0et. * h!ndred years ago o!r affairs for good or e)il were wielded tri!#(hantly by rhetori"ians. 3ow o!r affairs are ho(elessly #!ddled by strong, silent #en. *nd &!st as this re(!diation of big words and big )isions has bro!ght forth a ra"e of s#all #en in (oliti"s, so it has bro!ght forth a ra"e of s#all #en in the arts. 1!r #odern (oliti"ians "lai# the "olossal li"ense of Caesar and the .!(er#an, "lai# that they are too (ra"ti"al to be (!re and too (atrioti" to be #oralE b!t the !(shot of it all is that a #edio"rity is Chan"ellor of the E+"he9!er. 1!r new artisti" (hiloso(hers "all for the sa#e #oral li"ense, for a freedo# to wre"% hea)en and earth with their energyE b!t the !(shot of it all is that a #edio"rity is Coet La!reate. 2 do not say that there are no stronger #en than theseE b!t will any one say that there are any #en stronger than those #en of old who were do#inated by their (hiloso(hy and stee(ed in their religionG 0hether bondage be better than freedo# #ay be dis"!ssed. -!t that their bondage "a#e to #ore than o!r freedo# it will be diffi"!lt for any one to deny. he theory of the !n#orality of art has established itself fir#ly in the stri"tly artisti" "lasses. hey are free to (rod!"e anything they li%e. hey are free to write a $Caradise Lost' in whi"h .atan shall "on9!er God. hey are free to write a $8i)ine Co#edy' in whi"h hea)en shall be !nder the floor of hell. *nd what ha)e they doneG /a)e they (rod!"ed in their !ni)ersality anything grander or #ore bea!tif!l than the things !ttered by the fier"e Ghibbeline Catholi", by the rigid C!ritan s"hool#asterG 0e %now that they ha)e (rod!"ed only a few ro!ndels. Milton does not #erely beat the# at his (iety, he beats the# at their own irre)eren"e. 2n all their little 11

Heretics boo%s of )erse yo! will not find a finer defian"e of God than .atan7s. 3or will yo! find the grande!r of (aganis# felt as that fiery Christian felt it who des"ribed <aranata lifting his head as in disdain of hell. *nd the reason is )ery ob)io!s. -las(he#y is an artisti" effe"t, be"a!se blas(he#y de(ends !(on a (hiloso(hi"al "on)i"tion. -las(he#y de(ends !(on belief and is fading with it. 2f any one do!bts this, let hi# sit down serio!sly and try to thin% blas(he#o!s tho!ghts abo!t hor. 2 thin% his fa#ily will find hi# at the end of the day in a state of so#e e+ha!stion. 3either in the world of (oliti"s nor that of literat!re, then, has the re&e"tion of general theories (ro)ed a s!""ess. 2t #ay be that there ha)e been #any #oonstr!"% and #isleading ideals that ha)e fro# ti#e to ti#e (er(le+ed #an%ind. -!t ass!redly there has been no ideal in (ra"ti"e so #oonstr!"% and #isleading as the ideal of (ra"ti"ality. 3othing has lost so #any o((ort!nities as the o((ort!nis# of Lord 6osebery. /e is, indeed, a standing sy#bol of this e(o"h,the #an who is theoreti"ally a (ra"ti"al #an, and (ra"ti"ally #ore !n(ra"ti"al than any theorist. 3othing in this !ni)erse is so !nwise as that %ind of worshi( of worldly wisdo#. * #an who is (er(et!ally thin%ing of whether this ra"e or that ra"e is strong, of whether this "a!se or that "a!se is (ro#ising, is the #an who will ne)er belie)e in anything long eno!gh to #a%e it s!""eed. he o((ort!nist (oliti"ian is li%e a #an who sho!ld abandon billiards be"a!se he was beaten at billiards, and abandon golf be"a!se he was beaten at golf. here is nothing whi"h is so wea% for wor%ing (!r(oses as this enor#o!s i#(ortan"e atta"hed to i##ediate )i"tory. here is nothing that fails li%e s!""ess. *nd ha)ing dis"o)ered that o((ort!nis# does fail, 2 ha)e been ind!"ed to loo% at it #ore largely, and in "onse9!en"e to see that it #!st fail. 2 (er"ei)e that it is far #ore (ra"ti"al to begin at the beginning and 12

Heretics dis"!ss theories. 2 see that the #en who %illed ea"h other abo!t the orthodo+y of the /o#oo!sion were far #ore sensible than the (eo(le who are 9!arrelling abo!t the Ed!"ation *"t. <or the Christian dog#atists were trying to establish a reign of holiness, and trying to get defined, first of all, what was really holy. -!t o!r #odern ed!"ationists are trying to bring abo!t a religio!s liberty witho!t atte#(ting to settle what is religion or what is liberty. 2f the old (riests for"ed a state#ent on #an%ind, at least they (re)io!sly too% so#e tro!ble to #a%e it l!"id. 2t has been left for the #odern #obs of *ngli"ans and 3on"onfor#ists to (erse"!te for a do"trine witho!t e)en stating it. <or these reasons, and for #any #ore, 2 for one ha)e "o#e to belie)e in going ba"% to f!nda#entals. .!"h is the general idea of this boo%. 2 wish to deal with #y #ost disting!ished "onte#(oraries, not (ersonally or in a #erely literary #anner, b!t in relation to the real body of do"trine whi"h they tea"h. 2 a# not "on"erned with Mr. 6!dyard Ki(ling as a )i)id artist or a )igoro!s (ersonalityE 2 a# "on"erned with hi# as a /ereti", that is to say, a #an whose )iew of things has the hardihood to differ fro# #ine. 2 a# not "on"erned with Mr. -ernard .haw as one of the #ost brilliant and one of the #ost honest #en ali)eE 2 a# "on"erned with hi# as a /ereti",that is to say, a #an whose (hiloso(hy is 9!ite solid, 9!ite "oherent, and 9!ite wrong. 2 re)ert to the do"trinal #ethods of the thirteenth "ent!ry, ins(ired by the general ho(e of getting so#ething done. .!((ose that a great "o##otion arises in the street abo!t so#ething, let !s say a la#((ost, whi"h #any infl!ential (ersons desire to (!ll down. * grey"lad #on%, who is the s(irit of the Middle *ges, is a((roa"hed !(on the #atter, and begins to say, in the arid #anner of the ."hool#en, $Let !s first of all "onsider, #y brethren, the )al!e of Light. 2f Light be in itself good,' *t this 13

Heretics (oint he is so#ewhat e+"!sably %no"%ed down. *ll the (eo(le #a%e a r!sh for the la#( (ost, the la#((ost is down in ten #in!tes, and they go abo!t "ongrat!lating ea"h other on their !n#ediae)al (ra"ti"ality. -!t as things go on they do not wor% o!t so easily. .o#e (eo(le ha)e (!lled the la#((ost down be"a!se they wanted the ele"tri" lightE so#e be"a!se they wanted old ironE so#e be"a!se they wanted dar%ness, be"a!se their deeds were e)il. .o#e tho!ght it not eno!gh of a la#((ost, so#e too #!"hE so#e a"ted be"a!se they wanted to s#ash #!ni"i(al #a"hineryE so#e be"a!se they wanted to s#ash so#ething. *nd there is war in the night, no #an %nowing who# he stri%es. .o, grad!ally and ine)itably, today, to#orrow, or the ne+t day, there "o#es ba"% the "on)i"tion that the #on% was right after all, and that all de(ends on what is the (hiloso(hy of Light. 1nly what we #ight ha)e dis"!ssed !nder the gasla#(, we now #!st dis"!ss in the dar%.

II. ON THE NEGATIVE SPIRIT

M!"h has been said, and said tr!ly, of the #on%ish #orbidity, of the hysteria whi"h as often gone with the )isions of her#its or n!ns. -!t let !s ne)er forget that this )isionary religion is, in one sense, ne"essarily #ore wholeso#e than o!r #odern and reasonable #orality. 2t is #ore wholeso#e for this reason, that it "an "onte#(late the idea of s!""ess or tri!#(h in the ho(eless fight towards the ethi"al ideal, in what .te)enson "alled, with his !s!al startling feli"ity, $the lost fight of )irt!e.' * #odern #orality, on the other hand, "an only (oint with absol!te "on)i"tion to the horrors that follow brea"hes of lawE its only "ertainty is a "ertainty of ill. 2t "an only (oint to i#(erfe"tion. 2t has no (erfe"tion to (oint to. -!t the #on% #editating !(on Christ or -!ddha has in his #ind an i#age of (erfe"t health, a thing of "lear "olo!rs and "lean 14

Heretics air. /e #ay "onte#(late this ideal wholeness and ha((iness far #ore than he o!ghtE he #ay "onte#(late it to the negle"t of e+"l!sion of essential /23G. he #ay "onte#(late it !ntil he has be"o#e a drea#er or a dri)ellerE b!t still it is wholeness and ha((iness that he is "onte#(lating. /e #ay e)en go #adE b!t he is going #ad for the lo)e of sanity. -!t the #odern st!dent of ethi"s, e)en if he re#ains sane, re#ains sane fro# an insane dread of insanity. he an"horite rolling on the stones in a fren4y of s!b#ission is a healthier (erson f!nda#entally than #any a sober #an in a sil% hat who is wal%ing down Chea(side. <or #any s!"h are good only thro!gh a withering %nowledge of e)il. 2 a# not at this #o#ent "lai#ing for the de)otee anything #ore than this (ri#ary ad)antage, that tho!gh he #ay be #a%ing hi#self (ersonally wea% and #iserable, he is still fi+ing his tho!ghts largely on giganti" strength and ha((iness, on a strength that has no li#its, and a ha((iness that has no end. 8o!btless there are other ob&e"tions whi"h "an be !rged witho!t !nreason against the infl!en"e of gods and )isions in #orality, whether in the "ell or street. -!t this ad)antage the #ysti" #orality #!st always ha)e,it is always &ollier. * yo!ng #an #ay %ee( hi#self fro# )i"e by "ontin!ally thin%ing of disease. /e #ay %ee( hi#self fro# it also by "ontin!ally thin%ing of the Dirgin Mary. here #ay be 9!estion abo!t whi"h #ethod is the #ore reasonable, or e)en abo!t whi"h is the #ore effi"ient. -!t s!rely there "an be no 9!estion abo!t whi"h is the #ore wholeso#e. 2 re#e#ber a (a#(hlet by that able and sin"ere se"!larist, Mr. G. 0. <oote, whi"h "ontained a (hrase shar(ly sy#boli4ing and di)iding these two #ethods. he (a#(hlet was "alled -EE6 *38 -2-LE, those two )ery noble things, all the nobler for a "on&!n"tion 15

Heretics whi"h Mr. <oote, in his stern old C!ritan way, see#ed to thin% sardoni", b!t whi"h 2 "onfess to thin%ing a((ro(riate and "har#ing. 2 ha)e not the wor% by #e, b!t 2 re#e#ber that Mr. <oote dis#issed )ery "onte#(t!o!sly any atte#(ts to deal with the (roble# of strong drin% by religio!s offi"es or inter"essions, and said that a (i"t!re of a dr!n%ard7s li)er wo!ld be #ore effi"a"io!s in the #atter of te#(eran"e than any (rayer or (raise. 2n that (i"t!res9!e e+(ression, it see#s to #e, is (erfe"tly e#bodied the in"!rable #orbidity of #odern ethi"s. 2n that te#(le the lights are low, the "rowds %neel, the sole#n anthe#s are !(lifted. -!t that !(on the altar to whi"h all #en %neel is no longer the (erfe"t flesh, the body and s!bstan"e of the (erfe"t #anE it is still flesh, b!t it is diseased. 2t is the dr!n%ard7s li)er of the 3ew esta#ent that is #arred for !s, whi"h whi"h we ta%e in re#e#bran"e of hi#. 3ow, it is this great ga( in #odern ethi"s, the absen"e of )i)id (i"t!res of (!rity and s(irit!al tri!#(h, whi"h lies at the ba"% of the real ob&e"tion felt by so #any sane #en to the realisti" literat!re of the nineteenth "ent!ry. 2f any ordinary #an e)er said that he was horrified by the s!b&e"ts dis"!ssed in 2bsen or Ma!(assant, or by the (lain lang!age in whi"h they are s(o%en of, that ordinary #an was lying. he a)erage "on)ersation of a)erage #en thro!gho!t the whole of #odern "i)ili4ation in e)ery "lass or trade is s!"h as Hola wo!ld ne)er drea# of (rinting. 3or is the habit of writing th!s of these things a new habit. 1n the "ontrary, it is the Di"torian (r!dery and silen"e whi"h is new still, tho!gh it is already dying. he tradition of "alling a s(ade a s(ade starts )ery early in o!r literat!re and "o#es down )ery late. -!t the tr!th is that the ordinary honest #an, whate)er )ag!e a""o!nt he #ay ha)e gi)en of his feelings, was not either disg!sted or e)en annoyed at the "ando!r of the #oderns. 0hat disg!sted hi#, and )ery &!stly, was not the (resen"e of a "lear realis#, b!t the absen"e of a "lear 16

Heretics idealis#. .trong and gen!ine religio!s senti#ent has ne)er had any ob&e"tion to realis#E on the "ontrary, religion was the realisti" thing, the br!tal thing, the thing that "alled na#es. his is the great differen"e between so#e re"ent de)elo(#ents of 3on"onfor#ity and the great C!ritanis# of the se)enteenth "ent!ry. 2t was the whole (oint of the C!ritans that they "ared nothing for de"en"y. Modern 3on"onfor#ist news(a(ers disting!ish the#sel)es by s!((ressing (re"isely those no!ns and ad&e"ti)es whi"h the fo!nders of 3on"onfor#ity disting!ished the#sel)es by flinging at %ings and 9!eens. -!t if it was a "hief "lai# of religion that it s(o%e (lainly abo!t e)il, it was the "hief "lai# of all that it s(o%e (lainly abo!t good. he thing whi"h is resented, and, as 2 thin%, rightly resented, in that great #odern literat!re of whi"h 2bsen is ty(i"al, is that while the eye that "an (er"ei)e what are the wrong things in"reases in an !n"anny and de)o!ring "larity, the eye whi"h sees what things are right is growing #istier and #istier e)ery #o#ent, till it goes al#ost blind with do!bt. 2f we "o#(are, let !s say, the #orality of the 82D23E C1ME8; with the #orality of 2bsen7s G/1. ., we shall see all that #odern ethi"s ha)e really done. 3o one, 2 i#agine, will a""!se the a!thor of the 23<E631 of an Early Di"torian (r!dishness or a Codsna(ian o(ti#is#. -!t 8ante des"ribes three #oral instr!#ents,/ea)en, C!rgatory, and /ell, the )ision of (erfe"tion, the )ision of i#(ro)e#ent, and the )ision of fail!re. 2bsen has only one,/ell. 2t is often said, and with (erfe"t tr!th, that no one "o!ld read a (lay li%e G/1. . and re#ain indifferent to the ne"essity of an ethi"al self"o##and. hat is 9!ite tr!e, and the sa#e is to be said of the #ost #onstro!s and #aterial des"ri(tions of the eternal fire. 2t is 9!ite "ertain the realists li%e Hola do in one sense (ro#ote #orality,they (ro#ote it in the sense in whi"h the hang#an (ro#otes it, in the sense in whi"h the de)il (ro#otes it. -!t they only affe"t that s#all #inority whi"h will a""e(t any )irt!e of "o!rage. Most healthy 17

Heretics (eo(le dis#iss these #oral dangers as they dis#iss the (ossibility of bo#bs or #i"robes. Modern realists are indeed errorists, li%e the dyna#itersE and they fail &!st as #!"h in their effort to "reate a thrill. -oth realists and dyna#iters are well #eaning (eo(le engaged in the tas%, so ob)io!sly !lti#ately ho(eless, of !sing s"ien"e to (ro#ote #orality. 2 do not wish the reader to "onf!se #e for a #o#ent with those )ag!e (ersons who i#agine that 2bsen is what they "all a (essi#ist. here are (lenty of wholeso#e (eo(le in 2bsen, (lenty of good (eo(le, (lenty of ha((y (eo(le, (lenty of e+a#(les of #en a"ting wisely and things ending well. hat is not #y #eaning. My #eaning is that 2bsen has thro!gho!t, and does not disg!ise, a "ertain )ag!eness and a "hanging attit!de as well as a do!bting attit!de towards what is really wisdo# and )irt!e in this life, a )ag!eness whi"h "ontrasts )ery re#ar%ably with the de"isi)eness with whi"h he (o!n"es on so#ething whi"h he (er"ei)es to be a root of e)il, so#e "on)ention, so#e de"e(tion, so#e ignoran"e. 0e %now that the hero of G/1. . is #ad, and we %now why he is #ad. 0e do also %now that 8r. .to"%#an is saneE b!t we do not %now why he is sane. 2bsen does not (rofess to %now how )irt!e and ha((iness are bro!ght abo!t, in the sense that he (rofesses to %now how o!r #odern se+!al tragedies are bro!ght abo!t. <alsehood wor%s r!in in /E C2LL*6. 1< .1C2E ;, b!t tr!th wor%s e9!al r!in in /E 02L8 8ICK. here are no "ardinal )irt!es of 2bsenis#. here is no ideal #an of 2bsen. *ll this is not only ad#itted, b!t )a!nted in the #ost )al!able and tho!ghtf!l of all the e!logies !(on 2bsen, Mr. -ernard .haw7s JI23 E..E3CE 1< 2-.E32.M. Mr. .haw s!#s !( 2bsen7s tea"hing in the (hrase, $ he golden r!le is that there is no golden r!le.' 2n his eyes this absen"e of an end!ring and (ositi)e ideal, this absen"e of a (er#anent %ey to )irt!e, is the one great 2bsen #erit. 2 a# not 18

Heretics dis"!ssing now with any f!llness whether this is so or not. *ll 2 )ent!re to (oint o!t, with an in"reased fir#ness, is that this o#ission, good or bad, does lea)e !s fa"e to fa"e with the (roble# of a h!#an "ons"io!sness filled with )ery definite i#ages of e)il, and with no definite i#age of good. o !s light #!st be hen"eforward the dar% thing,the thing of whi"h we "annot s(ea%. o !s, as to Milton7s de)ils in Cande#oni!#, it is dar%ness that is )isible. he h!#an ra"e, a""ording to religion, fell on"e, and in falling gained %nowledge of good and of e)il. 3ow we ha)e fallen a se"ond ti#e, and only the %nowledge of e)il re#ains to !s. * great silent "olla(se, an enor#o!s !ns(o%en disa((oint#ent, has in o!r ti#e fallen on o!r 3orthern "i)ili4ation. *ll (re)io!s ages ha)e sweated and been "r!"ified in an atte#(t to reali4e what is really the right life, what was really the good #an. * definite (art of the #odern world has "o#e beyond 9!estion to the "on"l!sion that there is no answer to these 9!estions, that the #ost that we "an do is to set !( a few noti"eboards at (la"es of ob)io!s danger, to warn #en, for instan"e, against drin%ing the#sel)es to death, or ignoring the #ere e+isten"e of their neighbo!rs. 2bsen is the first to ret!rn fro# the baffled h!nt to bring !s the tidings of great fail!re. E)ery one of the (o(!lar #odern (hrases and ideals is a dodge in order to shir% the (roble# of what is good. 0e are fond of tal%ing abo!t $liberty'E that, as we tal% of it, is a dodge to a)oid dis"!ssing what is good. 0e are fond of tal%ing abo!t $(rogress'E that is a dodge to a)oid dis"!ssing what is good. 0e are fond of tal%ing abo!t $ed!"ation'E that is a dodge to a)oid dis"!ssing what is good. he #odern #an says, $Let !s lea)e all these arbitrary standards and e#bra"e liberty.' his is, logi"ally rendered, $Let !s not de"ide what is good, b!t let it be "onsidered good not to de"ide it.' /e says, $*way with yo!r old #oral for#!laeE 2 a# for (rogress.' his, logi"ally stated, #eans, $Let !s not settle what is goodE b!t let !s settle whether we are getting #ore of it.' /e says, 19

Heretics $3either in religion nor #orality, #y friend, lie the ho(es of the ra"e, b!t in ed!"ation.' his, "learly e+(ressed, #eans, $0e "annot de"ide what is good, b!t let !s gi)e it to o!r "hildren.' Mr. /.G. 0ells, that e+"eedingly "learsighted #an, has (ointed o!t in a re"ent wor% that this has ha((ened in "onne"tion with e"ono#i" 9!estions. he old e"ono#ists, he says, #ade generali4ations, and they were ?in Mr. 0ells7s )iew@ #ostly wrong. -!t the new e"ono#ists, he says, see# to ha)e lost the (ower of #a%ing any generali4ations at all. *nd they "o)er this in"a(a"ity with a general "lai# to be, in s(e"ifi" "ases, regarded as $e+(erts', a "lai# $(ro(er eno!gh in a hairdresser or a fashionable (hysi"ian, b!t inde"ent in a (hiloso(her or a #an of s"ien"e.' -!t in s(ite of the refreshing rationality with whi"h Mr. 0ells has indi"ated this, it #!st also be said that he hi#self has fallen into the sa#e enor#o!s #odern error. 2n the o(ening (ages of that e+"ellent boo% M*3K238 23 /E M*K23G, he dis#isses the ideals of art, religion, abstra"t #orality, and the rest, and says that he is going to "onsider #en in their "hief f!n"tion, the f!n"tion of (arenthood. /e is going to dis"!ss life as a $tiss!e of births.' /e is not going to as% what will (rod!"e satisfa"tory saints or satisfa"tory heroes, b!t what will (rod!"e satisfa"tory fathers and #others. he whole is set forward so sensibly that it is a few #o#ents at least before the reader realises that it is another e+a#(le of !n"ons"io!s shir%ing. 0hat is the good of begetting a #an !ntil we ha)e settled what is the good of being a #anG ;o! are #erely handing on to hi# a (roble# yo! dare not settle yo!rself. 2t is as if a #an were as%ed, $0hat is the !se of a ha##erG' and answered, $ o #a%e ha##ers'E and when as%ed, $*nd of those ha##ers, what is the !seG' answered, $ o #a%e ha##ers again'. B!st as s!"h a #an wo!ld be (er(et!ally (!tting off the 9!estion of the !lti#ate !se of "ar(entry, so Mr. 0ells and all the rest of !s are by these (hrases 20

Heretics s!""essf!lly (!tting off the 9!estion of the !lti#ate )al!e of the h!#an life. he "ase of the general tal% of $(rogress' is, indeed, an e+tre#e one. *s en!n"iated today, $(rogress' is si#(ly a "o#(arati)e of whi"h we ha)e not settled the s!(erlati)e. 0e #eet e)ery ideal of religion, (atriotis#, bea!ty, or br!te (leas!re with the alternati)e ideal of (rogress,that is to say, we #eet e)ery (ro(osal of getting so#ething that we %now abo!t, with an alternati)e (ro(osal of getting a great deal #ore of nobody %nows what. Crogress, (ro(erly !nderstood, has, indeed, a #ost dignified and legiti#ate #eaning. -!t as !sed in o((osition to (re"ise #oral ideals, it is l!di"ro!s. .o far fro# it being the tr!th that the ideal of (rogress is to be set against that of ethi"al or religio!s finality, the re)erse is the tr!th. 3obody has any b!siness to !se the word $(rogress' !nless he has a definite "reed and a "astiron "ode of #orals. 3obody "an be (rogressi)e witho!t being do"trinalE 2 #ight al#ost say that nobody "an be (rogressi)e witho!t being infallible ,at any rate, witho!t belie)ing in so#e infallibility. <or (rogress by its )ery na#e indi"ates a dire"tionE and the #o#ent we are in the least do!btf!l abo!t the dire"tion, we be"o#e in the sa#e degree do!btf!l abo!t the (rogress. 3e)er (erha(s sin"e the beginning of the world has there been an age that had less right to !se the word $(rogress' than we. 2n the Catholi" twelfth "ent!ry, in the (hiloso(hi" eighteenth "ent!ry, the dire"tion #ay ha)e been a good or a bad one, #en #ay ha)e differed #ore or less abo!t how far they went, and in what dire"tion, b!t abo!t the dire"tion they did in the #ain agree, and "onse9!ently they had the gen!ine sensation of (rogress. -!t it is (re"isely abo!t the dire"tion that we disagree. 0hether the f!t!re e+"ellen"e lies in #ore law or less law, in #ore liberty or less libertyE whether (ro(erty will be finally "on"entrated or finally "!t !(E whether se+!al (assion will rea"h its sanest in an 21

Heretics al#ost )irgin intelle"t!alis# or in a f!ll ani#al freedo#E whether we sho!ld lo)e e)erybody with olstoy, or s(are nobody with 3iet4s"heE,these are the things abo!t whi"h we are a"t!ally fighting #ost. 2t is not #erely tr!e that the age whi"h has settled least what is (rogress is this $(rogressi)e' age. 2t is, #oreo)er, tr!e that the (eo(le who ha)e settled least what is (rogress are the #ost $(rogressi)e' (eo(le in it. he ordinary #ass, the #en who ha)e ne)er tro!bled abo!t (rogress, #ight be tr!sted (erha(s to (rogress. he (arti"!lar indi)id!als who tal% abo!t (rogress wo!ld "ertainly fly to the fo!r winds of hea)en when the (istolshot started the ra"e. 2 do not, therefore, say that the word $(rogress' is !n#eaningE 2 say it is !n#eaning witho!t the (re)io!s definition of a #oral do"trine, and that it "an only be a((lied to gro!(s of (ersons who hold that do"trine in "o##on. Crogress is not an illegiti#ate word, b!t it is logi"ally e)ident that it is illegiti#ate for !s. 2t is a sa"red word, a word whi"h "o!ld only rightly be !sed by rigid belie)ers and in the ages of faith.

III. ON MR. RUDYARD KIPLING AND MAKING THE WORLD SMALL

here is no s!"h thing on earth as an !ninteresting s!b&e"tE the only thing that "an e+ist is an !ninterested (erson. 3othing is #ore %eenly re9!ired than a defen"e of bores. 0hen -yron di)ided h!#anity into the bores and bored, he o#itted to noti"e that the higher 9!alities e+ist entirely in the bores, the lower 9!alities in the bored, a#ong who# he "o!nted hi#self. he bore, by his starry enth!sias#, his sole#n ha((iness, #ay, in so#e sense, ha)e (ro)ed hi#self (oeti"al. he bored has "ertainly (ro)ed hi#self (rosai".

22

Heretics

0e #ight, no do!bt, find it a n!isan"e to "o!nt all the blades of grass or all the lea)es of the treesE b!t this wo!ld not be be"a!se of o!r boldness or gaiety, b!t be"a!se of o!r la"% of boldness and gaiety. he bore wo!ld go onward, bold and gay, and find the blades of grass as s(lendid as the swords of an ar#y. he bore is stronger and #ore &oyo!s than we areE he is a de#igod,nay, he is a god. <or it is the gods who do not tire of the iteration of thingsE to the# the nightfall is always new, and the last rose as red as the first. he sense that e)erything is (oeti"al is a thing solid and absol!teE it is not a #ere #atter of (hraseology or (ers!asion. 2t is not #erely tr!e, it is as"ertainable. Men #ay be "hallenged to deny itE #en #ay be "hallenged to #ention anything that is not a #atter of (oetry. 2 re#e#ber a long ti#e ago a sensible s!beditor "o#ing !( to #e with a boo% in his hand, "alled $Mr. .#ith,' or $ he .#ith <a#ily,' or so#e s!"h thing. /e said, $0ell, yo! won7t get any of yo!r da#ned #ysti"is# o!t of this,' or words to that effe"t. 2 a# ha((y to say that 2 !nde"ei)ed hi#E b!t the )i"tory was too ob)io!s and easy. 2n #ost "ases the na#e is !n(oeti"al, altho!gh the fa"t is (oeti"al. 2n the "ase of .#ith, the na#e is so (oeti"al that it #!st be an ard!o!s and heroi" #atter for the #an to li)e !( to it. he na#e of .#ith is the na#e of the one trade that e)en %ings res(e"ted, it "o!ld "lai# half the glory of that ar#a )ir!#9!e whi"h all e(i"s a""lai#ed. he s(irit of the s#ithy is so "lose to the s(irit of song that it has #i+ed in a #illion (oe#s, and e)ery bla"%s#ith is a har#onio!s bla"%s#ith. E)en the )illage "hildren feel that in so#e di# way the s#ith is (oeti", as the gro"er and the "obbler are not (oeti", when they feast on the dan"ing s(ar%s and deafening blows in the "a)ern of that 23

Heretics "reati)e )iolen"e. he br!te re(ose of 3at!re, the (assionate "!nning of #an, the strongest of earthly #etals, the wierdest of earthly ele#ents, the !n"on9!erable iron s!bd!ed by its only "on9!eror, the wheel and the (lo!ghshare, the sword and the stea#ha##er, the arraying of ar#ies and the whole legend of ar#s, all these things are written, briefly indeed, b!t 9!ite legibly, on the )isiting"ard of Mr. .#ith. ;et o!r no)elists "all their hero $*yl#er Dalen"e,' whi"h #eans nothing, or $Dernon 6ay#ond,' whi"h #eans nothing, when it is in their (ower to gi)e hi# this sa"red na#e of .#ith,this na#e #ade of iron and fla#e. 2t wo!ld be )ery nat!ral if a "ertain ha!te!r, a "ertain "arriage of the head, a "ertain "!rl of the li(, disting!ished e)ery one whose na#e is .#ith. Cerha(s it doesE 2 tr!st so. 0hoe)er else are (ar)en!s, the .#iths are not (ar)en!s. <ro# the dar%est dawn of history this "lan has gone forth to battleE its tro(hies are on e)ery handE its na#e is e)erywhereE it is older than the nations, and its sign is the /a##er of hor. -!t as 2 also re#ar%ed, it is not 9!ite the !s!al "ase. 2t is "o##on eno!gh that "o##on things sho!ld be (oeti"alE it is not so "o##on that "o##on na#es sho!ld be (oeti"al. 2n #ost "ases it is the na#e that is the obsta"le. * great #any (eo(le tal% as if this "lai# of o!rs, that all things are (oeti"al, were a #ere literary ingen!ity, a (lay on words. Cre"isely the "ontrary is tr!e. 2t is the idea that so#e things are not (oeti"al whi"h is literary, whi"h is a #ere (rod!"t of words. he word $signalbo+' is !n(oeti"al. -!t the thing signalbo+ is not !n(oeti"alE it is a (la"e where #en, in an agony of )igilan"e, light bloodred and seagreen fires to %ee( other #en fro# death. hat is the (lain, gen!ine des"ri(tion of what it isE the (rose only "o#es in with what it is "alled. he word $(illarbo+' is !n(oeti"al. -!t the thing (illarbo+ is not !n(oeti"alE it is the (la"e to whi"h friends and lo)ers "o##it their #essages, "ons"io!s that when they ha)e done so they are sa"red, and not to be to!"hed, not only by others, b!t e)en ?religio!s to!"hK@ by 24

Heretics the#sel)es. hat red t!rret is one of the last of the te#(les. Costing a letter and getting #arried are a#ong the few things left that are entirely ro#anti"E for to be entirely ro#anti" a thing #!st be irre)o"able. 0e thin% a (illar bo+ (rosai", be"a!se there is no rhy#e to it. 0e thin% a (illarbo+ !n(oeti"al, be"a!se we ha)e ne)er seen it in a (oe#. -!t the bold fa"t is entirely on the side of (oetry. * signalbo+ is only "alled a signalbo+E it is a ho!se of life and death. * (illarbo+ is only "alled a (illarbo+E it is a san"t!ary of h!#an words. 2f yo! thin% the na#e of $.#ith' (rosai", it is not be"a!se yo! are (ra"ti"al and sensibleE it is be"a!se yo! are too #!"h affe"ted with literary refine#ents. he na#e sho!ts (oetry at yo!. 2f yo! thin% of it otherwise, it is be"a!se yo! are stee(ed and sodden with )erbal re#inis"en"es, be"a!se yo! re#e#ber e)erything in C!n"h or Co#i" C!ts abo!t Mr. .#ith being dr!n% or Mr. .#ith being hen(e"%ed. *ll these things were gi)en to yo! (oeti"al. 2t is only by a long and elaborate (ro"ess of literary effort that yo! ha)e #ade the# (rosai". 3ow, the first and fairest thing to say abo!t 6!dyard Ki(ling is that he has borne a brilliant (art in th!s re"o)ering the lost (ro)in"es of (oetry. /e has not been frightened by that br!tal #aterialisti" air whi"h "lings only to wordsE he has (ier"ed thro!gh to the ro#anti", i#aginati)e #atter of the things the#sel)es. /e has (er"ei)ed the signifi"an"e and (hiloso(hy of stea# and of slang. .tea# #ay be, if yo! li%e, a dirty by(rod!"t of s"ien"e. .lang #ay be, if yo! li%e, a dirty by(rod!"t of lang!age. -!t at least he has been a#ong the few who saw the di)ine (arentage of these things, and %new that where there is s#o%e there is fire,that is, that where)er there is the fo!lest of things, there also is the (!rest. *bo)e all, he has had so#ething to say, a definite )iew of things to !tter, and that always #eans that a #an is fearless and fa"es e)erything. <or the #o#ent 25

Heretics we ha)e a )iew of the !ni)erse, we (ossess it.

3ow, the #essage of 6!dyard Ki(ling, that !(on whi"h he has really "on"entrated, is the only thing worth worrying abo!t in hi# or in any other #an. /e has often written bad (oetry, li%e 0ordsworth. /e has often said silly things, li%e Clato. /e has often gi)en way to #ere (oliti"al hysteria, li%e Gladstone. -!t no one "an reasonably do!bt that he #eans steadily and sin"erely to say so#ething, and the only serio!s 9!estion is, 0hat is that whi"h he has tried to sayG Cerha(s the best way of stating this fairly will be to begin with that ele#ent whi"h has been #ost insisted by hi#self and by his o((onents,2 #ean his interest in #ilitaris#. -!t when we are see%ing for the real #erits of a #an it is !nwise to go to his ene#ies, and #!"h #ore foolish to go to hi#self. 3ow, Mr. Ki(ling is "ertainly wrong in his worshi( of #ilitaris#, b!t his o((onents are, generally s(ea%ing, 9!ite as wrong as he. he e)il of #ilitaris# is not that it shows "ertain #en to be fier"e and ha!ghty and e+"essi)ely warli%e. he e)il of #ilitaris# is that it shows #ost #en to be ta#e and ti#id and e+"essi)ely (ea"eable. he (rofessional soldier gains #ore and #ore (ower as the general "o!rage of a "o##!nity de"lines. h!s the Cretorian g!ard be"a#e #ore and #ore i#(ortant in 6o#e as 6o#e be"a#e #ore and #ore l!+!rio!s and feeble. he #ilitary #an gains the "i)il (ower in (ro(ortion as the "i)ilian loses the #ilitary )irt!es. *nd as it was in an"ient 6o#e so it is in "onte#(orary E!ro(e. here ne)er was a ti#e when nations were #ore #ilitarist. here ne)er was a ti#e when #en were less bra)e. *ll ages and all e(i"s ha)e s!ng of ar#s and the #anE b!t we ha)e effe"ted si#!ltaneo!sly the deterioration of the #an and the fantasti" (erfe"tion of the ar#s. Militaris# de#onstrated the de"aden"e of 6o#e, and it de#onstrates the 26

Heretics de"aden"e of Cr!ssia. *nd !n"ons"io!sly Mr. Ki(ling has (ro)ed this, and (ro)ed it ad#irably. <or in so far as his wor% is earnestly !nderstood the #ilitary trade does not by any #eans e#erge as the #ost i#(ortant or attra"ti)e. /e has not written so well abo!t soldiers as he has abo!t railway #en or bridge b!ilders, or e)en &o!rnalists. he fa"t is that what attra"ts Mr. Ki(ling to #ilitaris# is not the idea of "o!rage, b!t the idea of dis"i(line. here was far #ore "o!rage to the s9!are #ile in the Middle *ges, when no %ing had a standing ar#y, b!t e)ery #an had a bow or sword. -!t the fas"ination of the standing ar#y !(on Mr. Ki(ling is not "o!rage, whi"h s"ar"ely interests hi#, b!t dis"i(line, whi"h is, when all is said and done, his (ri#ary the#e. he #odern ar#y is not a #ira"le of "o!rageE it has not eno!gh o((ort!nities, owing to the "owardi"e of e)erybody else. -!t it is really a #ira"le of organi4ation, and that is the tr!ly Ki(lingite ideal. Ki(ling7s s!b&e"t is not that )alo!r whi"h (ro(erly belongs to war, b!t that interde(enden"e and effi"ien"y whi"h belongs 9!ite as #!"h to engineers, or sailors, or #!les, or railway engines. *nd th!s it is that when he writes of engineers, or sailors, or #!les, or stea#engines, he writes at his best. he real (oetry, the $tr!e ro#an"e' whi"h Mr. Ki(ling has ta!ght, is the ro#an"e of the di)ision of labo!r and the dis"i(line of all the trades. /e sings the arts of (ea"e #!"h #ore a""!rately than the arts of war. *nd his #ain "ontention is )ital and )al!able. E)ery thing is #ilitary in the sense that e)erything de(ends !(on obedien"e. here is no (erfe"tly e(i"!rean "ornerE there is no (erfe"tly irres(onsible (la"e. E)erywhere #en ha)e #ade the way for !s with sweat and s!b#ission. 0e #ay fling o!rsel)es into a ha##o"% in a fit of di)ine "arelessness. -!t we are glad that the net#a%er did not #a%e the ha##o"% in a fit of di)ine "arelessness. 0e #ay &!#( !(on a "hild7s ro"%inghorse for a &o%e. -!t we are 27

Heretics glad that the "ar(enter did not lea)e the legs of it !ngl!ed for a &o%e. .o far fro# ha)ing #erely (rea"hed that a soldier "leaning his sidear# is to be adored be"a!se he is #ilitary, Ki(ling at his best and "learest has (rea"hed that the ba%er ba%ing loa)es and the tailor "!tting "oats is as #ilitary as anybody. -eing de)oted to this #!ltit!dino!s )ision of d!ty, Mr. Ki(ling is nat!rally a "os#o(olitan. /e ha((ens to find his e+a#(les in the -ritish E#(ire, b!t al#ost any other e#(ire wo!ld do as well, or, indeed, any other highly "i)ili4ed "o!ntry. hat whi"h he ad#ires in the -ritish ar#y he wo!ld find e)en #ore a((arent in the Ger#an ar#yE that whi"h he desires in the -ritish (oli"e he wo!ld find flo!rishing, in the <ren"h (oli"e. he ideal of dis"i(line is not the whole of life, b!t it is s(read o)er the whole of the world. *nd the worshi( of it tends to "onfir# in Mr. Ki(ling a "ertain note of worldly wisdo#, of the e+(erien"e of the wanderer, whi"h is one of the gen!ine "har#s of his best wor%. he great ga( in his #ind is what #ay be ro!ghly "alled the la"% of (atriotis#,that is to say, he la"%s altogether the fa"!lty of atta"hing hi#self to any "a!se or "o##!nity finally and tragi"allyE for all finality #!st be tragi". /e ad#ires England, b!t he does not lo)e herE for we ad#ire things with reasons, b!t lo)e the# witho!t reasons. /e ad#ires England be"a!se she is strong, not be"a!se she is English. here is no harshness in saying this, for, to do hi# &!sti"e, he a)ows it with his !s!al (i"t!res9!e "ando!r. 2n a )ery interesting (oe#, he says that, $2f England was what England see#s' ,that is, wea% and ineffi"ientE if England were not what ?as he belie)es@ she is,that is, (owerf!l and (ra"ti"al, $/ow 9!i"% we7d "h!"% 7erK -!t she ain7tK' 28

Heretics /e ad#its, that is, that his de)otion is the res!lt of a "riti"is#, and this is 9!ite eno!gh to (!t it in another "ategory altogether fro# the (atriotis# of the -oers, who# he ho!nded down in .o!th *fri"a. 2n s(ea%ing of the really (atrioti" (eo(les, s!"h as the 2rish, he has so#e diffi"!lty in %ee(ing a shrill irritation o!t of his lang!age. he fra#e of #ind whi"h he really des"ribes with bea!ty and nobility is the fra#e of #ind of the "os#o(olitan #an who has seen #en and "ities. $<or to ad#ire and for to see, <or to be7old this world so wide.'

/e is a (erfe"t #aster of that light #elan"holy with whi"h a #an loo%s ba"% on ha)ing been the "iti4en of #any "o##!nities, of that light #elan"holy with whi"h a #an loo%s ba"% on ha)ing been the lo)er of #any wo#en. /e is the (hilanderer of the nations. -!t a #an #ay ha)e learnt #!"h abo!t wo#en in flirtations, and still be ignorant of first lo)eE a #an #ay ha)e %nown as #any lands as Ilysses, and still be ignorant of (atriotis#. Mr. 6!dyard Ki(ling has as%ed in a "elebrated e(igra# what they "an %now of England who %now England only. 2t is a far dee(er and shar(er 9!estion to as%, $0hat "an they %now of England who %now only the worldG' for the world does not in"l!de England any #ore than it in"l!des the Ch!r"h. he #o#ent we "are for anything dee(ly, the world, that is, all the other #is"ellaneo!s interests, be"o#es o!r ene#y. Christians showed it when they tal%ed of %ee(ing one7s self $!ns(otted fro# the worldE' b!t lo)ers tal% of it &!st as #!"h when they tal% of the $world well lost.' *strono#i"ally s(ea%ing, 2 !nderstand that England is sit!ated on 29

Heretics the worldE si#ilarly, 2 s!((ose that the Ch!r"h was a (art of the world, and e)en the lo)ers inhabitants of that orb. -!t they all felt a "ertain tr!th, the tr!th that the #o#ent yo! lo)e anything the world be"o#es yo!r foe. h!s Mr. Ki(ling does "ertainly %now the worldE he is a #an of the world, with all the narrowness that belongs to those i#(risoned in that (lanet. /e %nows England as an intelligent English gentle#an %nows Deni"e. /e has been to England a great #any ti#esE he has sto((ed there for long )isits. -!t he does not belong to it, or to any (la"eE and the (roof of it is this, that he thin%s of England as a (la"e. he #o#ent we are rooted in a (la"e, the (la"e )anishes. 0e li)e li%e a tree with the whole strength of the !ni)erse. he globetrotter li)es in a s#aller world than the (easant. /e is always breathing, an air of lo"ality. London is a (la"e, to be "o#(ared to Chi"agoE Chi"ago is a (la"e, to be "o#(ared to i#b!"too. -!t i#b!"too is not a (la"e, sin"e there, at least, li)e #en who regard it as the !ni)erse, and breathe, not an air of lo"ality, b!t the winds of the world. he #an in the saloon stea#er has seen all the ra"es of #en, and he is thin%ing of the things that di)ide #en,diet, dress, de"or!#, rings in the nose as in *fri"a, or in the ears as in E!ro(e, bl!e (aint a#ong the an"ients, or red (aint a#ong the #odern -ritons. he #an in the "abbage field has seen nothing at allE b!t he is thin%ing of the things that !nite #en, h!nger and babies, and the bea!ty of wo#en, and the (ro#ise or #ena"e of the s%y. Mr. Ki(ling, with all his #erits, is the globeL trotterE he has not the (atien"e to be"o#e (art of anything. .o great and gen!ine a #an is not to be a""!sed of a #erely "yni"al "os#o(olitanis#E still, his "os#o(olitanis# is his wea%ness. hat wea%ness is s(lendidly e+(ressed in one of his finest (oe#s, $ he .estina of the ra#( 6oyal,' in whi"h a #an de"lares that he "an 30

Heretics end!re anything in the way of h!nger or horror, b!t not (er#anent (resen"e in one (la"e. 2n this there is "ertainly danger. he #ore dead and dry and d!sty a thing is the #ore it tra)els abo!tE d!st is li%e this and the thistle down and the /igh Co##issioner in .o!th *fri"a. <ertile things are so#ewhat hea)ier, li%e the hea)y fr!it trees on the (regnant #!d of the 3ile. 2n the heated idleness of yo!th we were all rather in"lined to 9!arrel with the i#(li"ation of that (ro)erb whi"h says that a rolling stone gathers no #oss. 0e were in"lined to as%, $0ho wants to gather #oss, e+"e(t silly old ladiesG' -!t for all that we begin to (er"ei)e that the (ro)erb is right. he rolling stone rolls e"hoing fro# ro"% to ro"%E b!t the rolling stone is dead. he #oss is silent be"a!se the #oss is ali)e. he tr!th is that e+(loration and enlarge#ent #a%e the world s#aller. he telegra(h and the stea#boat #a%e the world s#aller. he teles"o(e #a%es the world s#allerE it is only the #i"ros"o(e that #a%es it larger. -efore long the world will be "lo)en with a war between the teles"o(ists and the #i"ros"o(ists. he first st!dy large things and li)e in a s#all worldE the se"ond st!dy s#all things and li)e in a large world. 2t is ins(iriting witho!t do!bt to whi44 in a #otor"ar ro!nd the earth, to feel *rabia as a whirl of sand or China as a flash of ri"efields. -!t *rabia is not a whirl of sand and China is not a flash of ri"efields. hey are an"ient "i)ili4ations with strange )irt!es b!ried li%e treas!res. 2f we wish to !nderstand the# it #!st not be as to!rists or in9!irers, it #!st be with the loyalty of "hildren and the great (atien"e of (oets. o "on9!er these (la"es is to lose the#. he #an standing in his own %it"hengarden, with fairyland o(ening at the gate, is the #an with large ideas. /is #ind "reates distan"eE the #otor"ar st!(idly destroys it. Moderns thin% of the earth as a globe, as so#ething one "an easily get ro!nd, the s(irit of a s"hool#istress. his is shown in the odd #ista%e (er(et!ally #ade abo!t Ce"il 6hodes. /is ene#ies say that he #ay 31

Heretics ha)e had large ideas, b!t he was a bad #an. /is friends say that he #ay ha)e been a bad #an, b!t he "ertainly had large ideas. he tr!th is that he was not a #an essentially bad, he was a #an of #!"h geniality and #any good intentions, b!t a #an with sing!larly s#all )iews. here is nothing large abo!t (ainting the #a( redE it is an inno"ent ga#e for "hildren. 2t is &!st as easy to thin% in "ontinents as to thin% in "obble stones. he diffi"!lty "o#es in when we see% to %now the s!bstan"e of either of the#. 6hodesF (ro(he"ies abo!t the -oer resistan"e are an ad#irable "o##ent on how the $large ideas' (ros(er when it is not a 9!estion of thin%ing in "ontinents b!t of !nderstanding a few twolegged #en. *nd !nder all this )ast ill!sion of the "os#o(olitan (lanet, with its e#(ires and its 6e!ter7s agen"y, the real life of #an goes on "on"erned with this tree or that te#(le, with this har)est or that drin%ingsong, totally !n"o#(rehended, totally !nto!"hed. *nd it wat"hes fro# its s(lendid (aro"hialis#, (ossibly with a s#ile of a#!se#ent, #otor"ar "i)ili4ation going its tri!#(hant way, o!tstri((ing ti#e, "ons!#ing s(a"e, seeing all and seeing nothing, roaring on at last to the "a(t!re of the solar syste#, only to find the s!n "o"%ney and the stars s!b!rban.

32

Heretics

To Read More You can Download the Full Collection

Click Here
The Christianity eBook Collection This Collection Includes 36 eBooks
The Holy Bible, A Treatise on Good Works, A Comparative View of Religions, Con erning Christian !iberty, "avid# $ive %ermons, &viden es of Christianity, Hereti s, How To Be ome !ike Christ, How to !ive a Holy !ife, 'oy And (ower, !eaves )f !ife $or "aily *nspiration, !essons *n Tr+th, !ittle $olded Hands, ,en, Women, and God, ,other %tories $rom The -ew Testament, )rthodo.y, )+r !ady %aint ,ary, %hort %tories )ld and -ew, %pirit+al !ife And The Word )f God, The &.isten e of God, The Good -ews of God, The Good %hepherd, The Holy War, The ,ira les )f )+r !ord, The (ra ti e of the (resen e of God the Best R+le of a Holy !ife, The (rophet, The %pirit )f Christmas, The Tea hing )f 'es+s, The Way )f (ea e, The Wonder Book )f Bible %tories, The Words of 'es+s, &aston/s Bible "i tionary0

*f yo+ like this eBook, wo+ld yo+ share it with yo+r friends1 '+st li k here to share it with $a ebook and here to share it with Twitter www0libripass0 om

33