heretics-第19节
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who； as he informs us； has 〃brushed Stevenson aside。〃 I do not know
where he has been brushed to； but wherever it is I fancy he is having
a good time； because he had the wisdom to be vain； and not proud。
Stevenson had a windy vanity； Mr。 Moore has a dusty egoism。
Hence Stevenson could amuse himself as well as us with his vanity；
while the richest effects of Mr。 Moore's absurdity are hidden
from his eyes。
If we compare this solemn folly with the happy folly with which
Stevenson belauds his own books and berates his own critics；
we shall not find it difficult to guess why it is that Stevenson
at least found a final philosophy of some sort to live by；
while Mr。 Moore is always walking the world looking for a new one。
Stevenson had found that the secret of life lies in laughter and humility。
Self is the gorgon。 Vanity sees it in the mirror of other men and lives。
Pride studies it for itself and is turned to stone。
It is necessary to dwell on this defect in Mr。 Moore； because it
is really the weakness of work which is not without its strength。
Mr。 Moore's egoism is not merely a moral weakness； it is
a very constant and influential aesthetic weakness as well。
We should really be much more interested in Mr。 Moore if he were
not quite so interested in himself。 We feel as if we were being
shown through a gallery of really fine pictures； into each of which；
by some useless and discordant convention； the artist had represented
the same figure in the same attitude。 〃The Grand Canal with a distant
view of Mr。 Moore；〃 〃Effect of Mr。 Moore through a Scotch Mist；〃
〃Mr。 Moore by Firelight；〃 〃Ruins of Mr。 Moore by Moonlight；〃
and so on； seems to be the endless series。 He would no doubt
reply that in such a book as this he intended to reveal himself。
But the answer is that in such a book as this he does not succeed。
One of the thousand objections to the sin of pride lies
precisely in this； that self…consciousness of necessity destroys
self…revelation。 A man who thinks a great deal about himself
will try to be many…sided； attempt a theatrical excellence at
all points； will try to be an encyclopaedia of culture； and his
own real personality will be lost in that false universalism。
Thinking about himself will lead to trying to be the universe；
trying to be the universe will lead to ceasing to be anything。
If； on the other hand； a man is sensible enough to think only about
the universe； he will think about it in his own individual way。
He will keep virgin the secret of God； he will see the grass as no
other man can see it； and look at a sun that no man has ever known。
This fact is very practically brought out in Mr。 Moore's 〃Confessions。〃
In reading them we do not feel the presence of a clean…cut
personality like that of Thackeray and Matthew Arnold。
We only read a number of quite clever and largely conflicting opinions
which might be uttered by any clever person； but which we are called
upon to admire specifically； because they are uttered by Mr。 Moore。
He is the only thread that connects Catholicism and Protestantism；
realism and mysticismhe or rather his name。 He is profoundly
absorbed even in views he no longer holds； and he expects us to be。
And he intrudes the capital 〃I〃 even where it need not be intruded
even where it weakens the force of a plain statement。
Where another man would say； 〃It is a fine day；〃 Mr。 Moore says；
〃Seen through my temperament； the day appeared fine。〃
Where another man would say 〃Milton has obviously a fine style；〃
Mr。 Moore would say； 〃As a stylist Milton had always impressed me。〃
The Nemesis of this self…centred spirit is that of being
totally ineffectual。 Mr。 Moore has started many interesting crusades；
but he has abandoned them before his disciples could begin。
Even when he is on the side of the truth he is as fickle as the children
of falsehood。 Even when he has found reality he cannot find rest。
One Irish quality he has which no Irishman was ever withoutpugnacity；
and that is certainly a great virtue； especially in the present age。
But he has not the tenacity of conviction which goes with the fighting
spirit in a man like Bernard Shaw。 His weakness of introspection
and selfishness in all their glory cannot prevent him fighting；
but they will always prevent him winning。
X。 On Sandals and Simplicity
The great misfortune of the modern English is not at all
that they are more boastful than other people （they are not）；
it is that they are boastful about those particular things which
nobody can boast of without losing them。 A Frenchman can be proud
of being bold and logical； and still remain bold and logical。
A German can be proud of being reflective and orderly； and still
remain reflective and orderly。 But an Englishman cannot be proud
of being simple and direct； and still remain simple and direct。
In the matter of these strange virtues； to know them is to kill them。
A man may be conscious of being heroic or conscious of being divine；
but he cannot （in spite of all the Anglo…Saxon poets） be conscious
of being unconscious。
Now； I do not think that it can be honestly denied that some portion
of this impossibility attaches to a class very different in their
own opinion； at least； to the school of Anglo…Saxonism。 I mean
that school of the simple life； commonly associated with Tolstoy。
If a perpetual talk about one's own robustness leads to being
less robust； it is even more true that a perpetual talking
about one's own simplicity leads to being less simple。
One great complaint； I think； must stand against the modern upholders
of the simple lifethe simple life in all its varied forms；
from vegetarianism to the honourable consistency of the Doukhobors。
This complaint against them stands； that they would make us simple
in the unimportant things； but complex in the important things。
They would make us simple in the things that do not matter
that is； in diet； in costume； in etiquette； in economic system。
But they would make us complex in the things that do matterin philosophy；
in loyalty； in spiritual acceptance； and spiritual rejection。
It does not so very much matter whether a man eats a grilled tomato
or a plain tomato； it does very much matter whether he eats a plain
tomato with a grilled mind。 The only kind of simplicity worth preserving
is the simplicity of the heart； the simplicity which accepts and enjoys。
There may be a reasonable doubt as to what system preserves this；
there can surely be no doubt that a system of simplicity destroys it。
There is more simplicity in the man who eats caviar on
impulse than in the man who eats grape…nuts on principle。
The chief error of these people is to be found in the very phrase
to which they are most attached〃plain living and high thinking。〃
These people do not stand in need of； will not be improved by；
plain living and high thinking。 They stand in need of the contrary。
They would be improved by high living and plain thinking。
A little high living （I say； having a full sense of responsibility；
a little high living） would teach them the force and meaning
of the human festivities； of the banquet that has gone on from
the beginning of the world。 It would teach them the historic fact
that the artificial is； if anything； older than the natural。
It would teach them that the loving…cup is as old as any hunger。
It would teach them that ritualism is older than any religion。
And a little plain thinking would teach them how harsh and fanciful
are the mass of their own ethics； how very civilized and very
complicated must be the brain of the Tolstoyan who really believes
it to be evil to love one's country and wicked to strike a blow。
A man approaches； wearing sandals and simple raiment； a raw
tomato held firmly in his right hand； and says； 〃The affections
of family and country alike are hindrances to the fuller development
of human love；〃 but the plain thinker will only answer him；
with a wonder not untinged with admiration； 〃What a great deal
of trouble you must have taken in order to feel like that。〃
High living will reject the tomato。 Plain thinking will equally
decisively reject the idea of the invariable sinfulness of war。
High living will convince us that nothing is more materialistic
than to despise a pleasure as purely material。 And plain thinking
will convince us that nothing is more materialistic than to reserv
