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ip^
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Corporation
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DECADENCE
CLAY, Manager.
E.C.
EonDon:
lasfioto:
FETTER LANE,
50,
WELLINGTON STREET.
Itipjio;
fitia
F.
A.
gork
G. P.
JBombOB
nrCa CTaltutta:
MACMILLAN AND
DECADENCE
HENRr SIDGWICK MEMORIAL
LECTURE
by
M.P.
AT NEWNHAM COLLEGE,
25,
JANUARY
1908]
Cambridge
at
1908
Cambrtlige:
AT THE UNIVERSITY
PRESS.
DECADENCE.
I
makes no pretence
trains of thought,
where we allow
any
confident
reply.
some measure
its
admit
perils.
But
it
is
when a
subject, or
group of subjects,
even a
of
it
tentative,
and
may be worth
attempting.
DECADENCE
My
parture,
sort
subject,
is
or at least
I
my
point of de-
Decadence.
phases of
or literary development, in
deemed
to
direct in-
spiration
of
Whether
nomena
be,
whether,
other
well
if
they
they
are
connected
with
forms
of decadence,
may be
questions
worth
am
The decadence
put questions
political
is
respecting which
wish
it
to
is
not literary or
It
is
artistic,
and
national.
is
the
decadence
which attacks, or
communities and
historic
which
DECADENCE
is
to societies of
is
men what
senility,
senility is to
man,
and
often,
like
curious
how
deeply
imbedded
in
that
childhood,
in
maturity,
are stages
the
life.
corporate, as
the individual,
nation,"
tion
"
"A
"a
decrepit
and moribund
phrases
like these,
come
as trip-
they suggested
no
difficulty
and
called
I
for
no explanation.
To
Macaulay (unless
far)
it
am
metaphor too
how
the
drama of
civilisation
DECADENCE
to find
its
ward
loftiest
its final
catastrophe, in the
is
New World.
hopeless,
While
or
dis-
every
man who
talks
weary,
if
illusioned
as
he
civilisations thus
?
wear out
evi-
and what
do?
These
questions, though
conclusive
answers, are of
interest.
a merely theoretic
current
less
granted, with
still
greater confidence do
they speak of
Progress as assured.
Yet
if
be isolated
in speculation.
Though
antiquity.
Pagan and
Christian,
DECADENCE
took a different view,
it
seems
easier,
a priori,
Even
it
is,
by the
human
faculty,
we should
approach,
and we
should
not
it,
once traversed,
would have to be
retraced.
Even
in
familiar
though they
be,
are
phenomena
that
explanation.
And Weismann
comes about
that
how
it
grow
old
and
die,
seeing
and that
when they do
perish,
by accident,
The answer he
gives to his
own
is
question
is
so useful to
lo
DECADENCE
all
but
immortal.
is
One
this in-
it
embodiment of
its
each particular
civilisation, if
and when
free
for
development
is
arrested, should
make room
?
And
the
so
can
we
find
in
Natural
Selection
principle
of decay
in
be so implanted
the
among them
shall
always be main-
tained
To
I
this
The
struggle for
DECADENCE
ii
development.
But
to
extend Weismann's
was the
rule,
and groups
in
which
first,
it
was not
ending
in the
survival of the
second.
periodical decadence
the
fittest to
survive
just as,
on Weismann's
effici-
ency
whom death has .unburdened of the old. Few will say that in the petty fragment
history which alone
is
of
human
is
open
to our in-
spection, there
satisfactory evidence of
any
ask whether
adequate
And
it
affirmative
12
DECADENCE
we must
by
not consider a diminution of
absolute,
Evidently
as
constituting
itself
is
a proof of national
decadence.
Holland
less exalted
than
it
fifty
years ago.
at the
she had exhausted herself in a contest far beyond her resources either in
would,
I
money
even
or in men.
It
think, be rash
at
to say that
Venice
was decadent
routes,
had
in the
sphere of
And what we
in
are con-
cerned to
know
is
is
whether
the sphere of
sociology there
DECADENCE
to the decay of old age
ij
certainly to
However
the cases
I
this question
should be answered
sufficient to
shew
lies.
difficulty of the
if
it
enquiry
be a
reality,
never acts
It is
more obvious
causes.
to
more
subtle
collectively described as
the
is
decline
and
fall
of
great
communities
really due.
historic tragedies
which
(as
to
in
vain
to,
14
DECADENCE
Civil dissensions, mili-
gatherers,
the
gloomy catalogue
eyes, yet
somehow
:
it
does not
wholly
satisfy us
we
feel that
some of these
diseases
and that
the
full
in neither case
explanations of which
we
are in search.
of
Roman
Imperialism in the
we have
historic record.
It
imagination of mankind,
of great historians,
it
it
has been
yet
much explained
by
political
philosophers,
who
feels
that
drama
Rome
fell,
DECADENCE
and great was the
what secret mines
fall
15
of
it.
But why
it fell,
by
its
its
Or,
still
better,
imagine
an observer
political
wisdom, transported to
Rome
in the reign
of
in
What would
his forecast
be
We
in
the
i6
DECADENCE
place, the military position of the State, its
its
first
probable enemies,
He
eastern boundary
military
Power capable
Rome
on anything
and
common
For the
rest
he would
dis-
its
northern
Warlike
:
tribes indeed
he would find
difficult to
may be
in
raid,
means of
military con-
centration
dangerous.
legions,
lost
in
of a few thousand
men
surprised at a distance
DECADENCE
from
a
their
17
base
difficult
cir-
purposes of
home
defence.
But
(it
merely
strictly
tribal
assaults,
though
of view,
easy from
military
to
point
might prove
too
heavy
be
long
endured.
Yet
the
military
forces
scattered
through the
Roman
in
the
to
her greatness
ideas,
would,
according
modern
seem hardly
let
poses of police,
alone defence.
An army
to preserve
internal
if
deemed enough
And
we
compare with
the
way of money
territories subject to
Rome
before the
Empire
DECADENCE
into being, or at
it
came
history since
must surely be
Empire.
measured
ability
by
area,
may be heavy
if
measured by
ability
to pay.
to
pay been
Roman Empire?
nation,
Travel round
in
imagi-
eastward from
till
the Atlantic
coast
of
Morocco
have
region,
filled
still
of
immense
cities,
natural
fertile
wealth, once
with great
and
Empire than
(at least
till
among
its
Roman
DECADENCE
no international
jealousies, oppressed
19
by no
fear
Remember
much
land, Belgium,
military strength
that a far-spreadirig
Empire
like
that of
differing
liable to
and
religion,
would be
One
of the
first
questions,
in perpetual
20
DECADENCE
would learn probably, with a strong feeling
He
con-
the Empire, but could scarcely imagine themselves doing anything else
:
and
their loyalty
that Gaul,
Greek
of
;
Athens or
and that
the
but
Howsoever
DECADENCE
21
all
its
shortcomings,
its
abso-
than
equally satisfied
West
which
local
feelings,
enCelt,
couraged
the
government
the
in
which the
Iberian,
Berber, the
Egyptian, the
the
Italian
Asiatic,
the
at
Greek,
the
Illyrian,
were
all
detect behind
terior
The
diminution of population
(rightly
it
I
the
and
is
to
its
resist
the
fact,
or of
disastrous
22
DECADENCE
I
consequences.
hesitate
indeed
to
accept
Empire
in the
West
of
and
the dearth
it
men was
made good
(in so far as
for three
of modern
European
culture,
as
it
emerged
by
such
collateral
issues,
however,
and
both
admitting
real
it
depopulation
serious,
to
have
well
been
ask
de-
and
we may
result of
whether
Roman
not
cause,
the
symptom
its
some deep-seated
social
malady,
origin.
We
are
not
concerned
here
with
DECADENCE
the aristocracy of
23
people
of
Italy.
We
are
concerned
with
the Empire.
We
local disease
might
have a
be due
one might
to a
chance coincidence.
we
extensive
in
area,
in duration.-*
selfish
find
it
was common
tian circles,
in Chrisin
the
result
was
Europe
the
second
and
third
24
DECADENCE
must have greatly aggravated
they
are
centuries, they
the
evil,
but
hardly
sufficient
to
account for it
planation of
it
Nor
yet can
we
find
an ex-
of impending doom,
by which men's
spirits
one of the
does
itself
which,
if
historically
true,
may be however
would
be
too
that
our wandering
politician
well
grounded
in
itself
an overwhelming
to
And
weak
he
were pressed
de-
spots in the
Empire of the
I
think, to
sides of social
say, as in effect
life.
He
would be inclined
does say, that
to
Mr Lecky
in the
DECADENCE
institution of slavery,
25
first
weakened and
confess that
As
shows,
more rankly as
its
power
declined,
should
still
to
such
while
cause.
The
Romans were
brutal
:
they
were con-
its
but
we must
not
measure the
tastes
ill
nor
and
fitting
26
DECADENCE
As
for the public distributions of corn,
one
its
fully
accepting
Roman
historian,
who
ditions of transport,
in Antiquity,
if
no very large
its
the supply of
food were
left
to private enterprise,
this practice,
we cannot
it
seriously regard
to us, as
strange as
seems
an
Granting
argument that
it
it
demoralised
the
mob
of
Rome,
Rome was not the Empire, nor did the mob of Rome govern the Empire, as once it had
governed the Republic.
Slavery
is
The magnitude
societies,
difficult
effects
on
ancient
can
we
find
in
the
cause of
DECADENCE
Rome's
comitant
decline,
27
seeing that
its
it
also
of
rise
How
which
in
Antiquity was
common
to every state,
have
this exceptional
It
one?
would not
becomes
when we bear
effected
improvement
in the
as were
less ruinous as
Who
custom could,
tion,
destroy a civilisait
which, in
?
vigour,
had helped to
create
Of
much
in
pernicious.
But the
real
question
28
DECADENCE
*
good
And
getting better,'
his
Many
come under
notice fitted to
less qualified
move
his admiration in a
much
have
manner.
Few governments
to
foster
Greek
In so far as
it
Rome
carried
inherited
objects.
in
which assomutual
aid
every
purpose
of
military
monarchy
There never
was an age
DECADENCE
advance
in
39
humanitarian
ideals,
or a
more
There
from
was much
politics,
discussion, there
little
was, apart
but
intolerance.
its
Education was
well endowed,
and
esteem.
Law
was
becoming
forgotten.
What more
to
be reasonably
expected
According
analysis
it
our
ordinary
methods
of
is
be reasonably expected.
was required.
time of which
its
I
am
barbaric elements.
became too
:
feeble either
to absorb or to expel
them
who
in
the hour of
its
decline,
a weakness and a
30
DECADENCE
Poverty grew
office,
peril.
as
population shrank.
Municipal
came
began by
freely
for
members subjected
due per-
and
in property.
Thus while
Christianity,
forces that
made
for
to
of the
free.
It
commonwealth
he
if it
this
duty he should be
performance,
labour
to
the
DECADENCE
31
and family
this
Through
system of universal
caste,
imposed by no im-
on an unwilling people by
severally
and
collectively
in the
West
And
But they
and
If
answer as
feel dis-
posed to answer
perly
Decadence you
the receiving a name.
will
proless
ask
how
unknown becomes
I
unknown merely by
that
if
reply
social
32
DECADENCE
by which
all
a step in advance.
*
We
but
life
'
consists
in,
to abstain
from
we should
if
we
and
could translate
be obliged to
movements which
constitute
not.
life
or exhibit
it,
In like
manner we
But should
we be
we
DECADENCE
the term
'
33
decadence
'
is
less precise
than
old
age
'
as sociology
less definite
than biology.
it
explains nothing.
all,
If its use is to
be
justified at
it
which are
And
this
may be a
facile
some importance.
The
gene-
ralisations with
we
from the
falling state,
more
fate of empires.
National character
is
subtle
and elusive
nor measured
And
3
34
DECADENCE
ancient
when through an
and
still
powerful
mood
of deep discourageills
grows
feebler,
rises less
buoyantly
when
learning lan-
away, then, as
think, there
present
some
we must
may
name
conveniently
be
dis-
tinguished by the
I
of 'decadence.'
I
am
well
the illustration
is
of
my
all
out of
unconvincing.
distinguished
from misfortune,
may
many
DECADENCE
cases that level
35
may
shew
no tendency
is
to rise.
decadence be unknown,
?
not
progress
exceptional
Consider
the
Is
changing
it
politics of the
unchanging East^.
community, as soon as
tribal
very generality
call
in
Eastern lands,
'
we
habitually
an
oriental despotism
We
may
crys-
tallise
and
as
we
please,
the
new
crystals
will
always
indeed,
The
crystals,
may be
*
*
of different sizes,
their
component
It
The East'
is
The
32
36
DECADENCE
may occupy
different positions within
itself
is,
molecules
So
it
or
seems
They
rise, in turn,
their predecessors,
fate.
and no differences
of
race,
of
creed, or of language
seem
sufficient to
vary
the violent
monotony of
In the eighteenth century theorists were content to attribute the political servitude of the
And
such expla-
good
But
this,
not very
Intrigue, assassina-
whole machinery
They do
DECADENCE
37
They
tell
you how
obtained
absolute power.
They do
not
tell
I
you why
furnish the
every ruler
answer.
is
absolute.
fact
Nor can
The
government
sense that
is
profoundly unpopular,
in
the
it is
no natural or spontaneous
social
growth.
dom
is
the
familiar
weed
of
the
country.
:
and
by Greek
India,
or by British rule in
it
the type
modified,
may
well
be
moment when
its
sustaining cause
was withdrawn.
Now
where
it
if
in
lands
this political
same
in
each
38
DECADENCE
If
more obscure,
left
this
limit has
sometimes been
decadence set
Many
people indeed, as
this
as a matter
natural
seems
to
thing in the
of
the
Moors
in
Morocco should
lose
by the Moors
in Spain.
it
it
To me
be easy
be
true,
seems mysterious.
But whether
difficult, if
of comprehension or
only
does
it
not furnish
}
flexion
If there are
capable on their
own
a certain
measure of
civilisation,
if
of no more, and
DECADENCE
(as
I
39
who seem
incapable
right
do we
Those
may
not
But
that
does
not
somewhere
approach
It
}
dim
may be
I
Rome,
on which
arrested
dwelt a
moment
progress,
So
am
is is
the
There
no
40
DECADENCE
all
spectacle indeed in
history
more impressive
down over
but a faint
culture,
Western Europe,
blotting
out
all
slowly
rises,
and
I
rich
But
unique
phenomenon support
theory.
I
weighty a load of
it
that
when
some wave of
its
force,
we have
a right to regard
with-
we
should
find,
among
other
dis-
some obscure
who
suffered
from
it.
That system,
greatness
DECADENCE
it
41
brought
its
civilisation,
in
train,
among
and
Iberians
be,
the
qualities,
whatever these
may
It
on which
sustained
oriental
progress depends.
for the Occident,
and
certainly
became more
it
oriental as time
went on.
In the East
successful.
;
was,
comparatively speaking,
If there
and but
it
did,
and what
failed
do,
with
militant
Mahommedanism,
still
be
an Empire
lation.
popu-
Roman by
Had
much
this
portions of
better
43
DECADENCE
Progress
is
'
progressive.'
with the
West with
:
And
if
some day
to
re-
can
be renewed
competent
Where
are the
untried
races
to
construct
out
of
the
ruined
man
They do not
and
if
the world
flood,
is
it
it
again to be buried
not be like that
destroyed, the
under a barbaric
will
which
fertilised,
though
first
last traces
of
Hellenic culture.
We
I
put a few
moments
since.
What grounds
escape the
?
we can
measured on the
historic
DECADENCE
scale, are
43
civilisations
wear
out,
effete,
why
why
should
we expect
is
to progress indefinitely,
for us alone
?
the
doom
of
man
to be reversed
I
To
these questions
have no very
satis-
do
believe that
sufficient
to
make a
satisfactory
answer
possible.
Some
factors
which combine
it
to
is life
at
the
moment
are in
The one
44
DECADENCE
effected
is
by the
other.
The
is
first
is
physio-
second
the inheritance
life,
partly of
and organisation
surroundings
I
in
respectively
in pro-
Nor
are
we
likely to
till,
two communities of
different blood
and
to
exchange
by a universal
in the
But even
it
seems safe
possible
makes
resides
progress or decadence,
rather
in the causes
than
in
the physiological
*
on which
DECADENCE
education,
in
45
the
widest
sense of
to
that
If,
amas
biguous
I
term,
has
got
work.
the
only
causes
which
could
fundamentally
community are
its
intermixture
with
alien
or im-
migration
the
or else
new
relative
proportion
which
different
to
its
numbers.
If,
more
suc-
cessful
smaller
medical
were specially
liable
or
if
one
strain
in
46
DECADENCE
I
suppose, to be considerable,
new
countries
whose
and
The
which
is
flexible
element
in
any
society, that
rather
in
the
of
its
component
This
units,
constitution.
to variations than
vary
though from
is
view
find
its
it
im-
portance
capital.
at
least
quite
environment,
religious,
educational,
alike.
what you
will,
can ever
make them
DECADENCE
They have been
history
different
47
began
different
comparable duration.
thus limited by
its
inherited aptitudes,
do
reached by
its
unaided
efforts.
In the cases
ment
in the
in the variable,
or
make
make
its
the com-
munity resigns
itself to
a contented, or perhaps
;
a discontented, stagnation
or
it
shatters itself
other and
48
DECADENCE
its
endeavours, and
Now
am
to
hindrances
progress
are
produced or
re-
moved
But
it
my
question.
may be worth
new
in
magnitude
if
not
which
force
them.
This
the
modern
alliance
That on
we must mainly
improvement
my
would conjecture
from a
historic
survey of
effects
political controversy.
Its direct
moral
many most
people
who would
altogether deny
DECADENCE
their existence.
49
To
regard
it
as a force fitted
to
for
this
would
most deeply
munities,
exertions,
have urged
them
to
the greatest
effectually
merely personal
with
religion, patriotism,
and
inspiration, so far
this,
is
in
their
at
best,
at
but a
new
the
source
prolific
of
material
well-being,
worst
many
cities,
forms,
polluted
machine
rivers,
made
wares,
smoky
so
DECADENCE
characteristics.
have spoken
Are we
to ignore
it
what
religion has
done
for the
world because
fruitful
excuse for
Are we
to underrate the
worth of
because
politics
exchange of one
another?
its
Is patriotism to
be despised because
sometimes
criminal
?
sometimes
brutal,
sometimes
me
worse
than useless.
great
social
forces
constantly perverted.
from our
social system,
that goes
DECADENCE
on beyond the
decadence
advanced.
I
51
limits of his
own cabbage
garden,
far
take
it,
But
if
the proposition
criticised,
it
am
still
defending
may
be wrongly
is
more
it
likely to
be wrongly praised.
itself
To some
will
commend
guished
from
military
civilisation
as
that
which of
itself
may
constitute a
true,
This may be
but
is
not
my
contention.
In talking of the
alliance
my em-
phasis
is
much on
I
as on the
word
industry.
am
of
not concerned
population
now
the
It
is
on the
effects
which
in
yet
measure
to
follow,
52
DECADENCE
between
scientific
intimate relation
discovery
and
industrial
efficiency,
that
most desire
to insist.
Do
you then,
it
will
Is
it
seriously to
what
it
is
small, personal,
and self-centred
Does
into a
new
'growing materialism of
the age
I
'
this
age
is
either
spiritual
I
or
its
predecessors.
reverse.
But however
if
may
be,
is
it
not
plain that
a society
to
be moved by the
it
can
DECADENCE
only be on condition that their isolation
is
53
not
complete
Some
which they
live,
and
their influence
is
to
be based on widespread
in
a region where
not
full
mutual comprehension,
practical
at least a large
measure of
agreement
the
mass
of
men
except
through
parallel is not
com-
practical applications.
for
purposes of
education, they
may be
illustrated
by arresting
imagination
intellectual furni-
men
Critics
54
DECADENCE
man
as the
of the
universe,
and
entertainment.
But there
is
it
possible to
it
fall.
The
material world,
how-
soever
in sublimity, has,
lost (so to
it
speak) in
Except where
life,
affects the
it
may seem
that in the
men
majority
it
will
rouse
no
curiosity,
its
while
of
those
who
are fascinated by
marvels, not a
few
will
be
chilled
by
its
impersonal
and
indifferent immensity.
For
this
latter
mood
a cure.
But
is
for
the
former,
the appropriate
remedy
the
perpetual
stimulus
which
the
influence
of
DECADENCE
science on the business of
their
55
mankind
offers
to
I
sluggish
this
curiosity.
believe
in
influence
to
If
setting of civilised
has altered,
we owe
it
We
owe
it
to the
combined
science
efforts
of those
If
our outlook
upon the
to
men
of science
we owe
it,
They have
to
harmonise
and
to coordinate,
to prevent
the
new from
old.
But science
all
is
object
is
56
DECADENCE
its
and
silent appropriation
of this dominant
function,
strife, is
political
all
and
religious
the revolutions
may seem
of this
aspect
revolution
an influence which
in its
appeals
the
higher side of
ordinary characters
especially since
we
conveniences of
But
if
it
be
remembered
of every industrial community into admiring relation with the highest intellectual achievement,
for truth
those
who
live
by ministering
to
the
common wants
support on those
who
search
among
the deepest
DECADENCE
mysteries of Nature
;
57
that their
;
dependence
that
is
success
turn
an incentive to individual
effort in
expectation
that
aroused
may
the
whole
of
endeavour through
fields
it
this
be borne
in
mind
to
do not
whatever
original
be
its
worth,
It
as
is
an answer to
my
question.
a reply to pessimism.
and has
risen
above
See note
at the
58
DECADENCE
view which,
in this
for
want of a better,
have adopted
address.
No
the
present, or
seems
likely
soon to be created.
In
its
absence
conclusions at
which
we cannot
regard
less
normal
in
progress
exhausted
different
(if,
and when
and
it is
reached) varies
:
in
races
civilisations
is
that
the
internal causes
by which progress
lie
encouraged,
hindered, or reversed,
to
a great extent
beyond the
sion,
field
political
terminology
which a
may have
in
advancing
is
an
inferior one,
not
will
likely to
be self supporting
its
withdrawal
DECADENCE
59
to accept
still
it
which
advance
new causes
of disquiet,
;
and
movement which
for
of Western civilisation.
NOTE TO PAGE
This remark
57.
thought suggested
and
(2)
If so, can
to
which
such
men
are produced ?
6o
DECADENCE
I
entertain
no doubt myself
but,
first
Democracy
is
an exit
value
is
regulative not
dynamic
and
meant
(as
it
we should become
fossilised at once.
;
Movement may be controlled or checked by the many it If (for the is initiated and made effective by the few. in all its mental capacity illustration) we suppose sake of many forms to be mensurable and commensurable, and
then imagine two societies possessing the same average
capacity
but
an average made up
in
and a minority much above it, few could doubt that the second, not the first, would show, the greatest aptitude for
movement.
It
it
would
go.
its
The second
is
how
its
is
this
originality (in
not so simple.
Excluding education in
narrowest sense
to
community
it
may breed
breeds
a minority of
men
six.
There may be an
is
though
number
is
likely to
be smaller.
DECADENCE
But
if
6i
this
be
the
sole
why does
the
Why
of
sterility ?
many openings
is
to genius, in
some periods
it
few.
The
truth.
genius
constantly
produced
but
is
A mob
orator in
leaves un-
some
Athens in the
fifteenth
and fourth
and
Holland
in the later
sixteenth
and seventeenth
diplomatists,
and
specially frequent.
\Vhat peculiar
had
The
only explanation,
we
mere
the exceptional
stir
life
evokes or
may evoke qualities which in ordinary times lie dormant, unknown even to their possessors. The potential Miltons
62
DECADENCE
'
are
mute
'
and
inglorious
'
They
on
this
where great
things,
it
is
not
without
its
difficulties)
one would
like
to
know whether
the
these un-
doubted outbursts of
originality in
the
number
ordinary type.
community
to extract
it
by
m
SMC
111
.B2 1908
Decadence
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