heretics-第28节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Romance is the deepest thing in life； romance is deeper even
than reality。 For even if reality could be proved to be misleading；
it still could not be proved to be unimportant or unimpressive。
Even if the facts are false； they are still very strange。
And this strangeness of life； this unexpected and even perverse
element of things as they fall out； remains incurably interesting。
The circumstances we can regulate may become tame or pessimistic；
but the 〃circumstances over which we have no control〃 remain god…like
to those who； like Mr。 Micawber； can call on them and renew
their strength。 People wonder why the novel is the most popular
form of literature； people wonder why it is read more than books
of science or books of metaphysics。 The reason is very simple；
it is merely that the novel is more true than they are。
Life may sometimes legitimately appear as a book of science。
Life may sometimes appear； and with a much greater legitimacy；
as a book of metaphysics。 But life is always a novel。 Our existence
may cease to be a song； it may cease even to be a beautiful lament。
Our existence may not be an intelligible justice； or even a
recognizable wrong。 But our existence is still a story。 In the fiery
alphabet of every sunset is written； 〃to be continued in our next。〃
If we have sufficient intellect； we can finish a philosophical
and exact deduction； and be certain that we are finishing it right。
With the adequate brain…power we could finish any scientific
discovery； and be certain that we were finishing it right。
But not with the most gigantic intellect could we finish the simplest
or silliest story； and be certain that we were finishing it right。
That is because a story has behind it； not merely intellect which
is partly mechanical； but will； which is in its essence divine。
The narrative writer can send his hero to the gallows if he likes
in the last chapter but one。 He can do it by the same divine
caprice whereby he； the author； can go to the gallows himself；
and to hell afterwards if he chooses。 And the same civilization；
the chivalric European civilization which asserted freewill in the
thirteenth century； produced the thing called 〃fiction〃 in the eighteenth。
When Thomas Aquinas asserted the spiritual liberty of man；
he created all the bad novels in the circulating libraries。
But in order that life should be a story or romance to us；
it is necessary that a great part of it； at any rate； should be
settled for us without our permission。 If we wish life to be
a system； this may be a nuisance； but if we wish it to be a drama；
it is an essential。 It may often happen； no doubt； that a drama
may be written by somebody else which we like very little。
But we should like it still less if the author came before the curtain
every hour or so； and forced on us the whole trouble of inventing
the next act。 A man has control over many things in his life；
he has control over enough things to be the hero of a novel。
But if he had control over everything； there would be so much
hero that there would be no novel。 And the reason why the lives
of the rich are at bottom so tame and uneventful is simply that they
can choose the events。 They are dull because they are omnipotent。
They fail to feel adventures because they can make the adventures。
The thing which keeps life romantic and full of fiery possibilities
is the existence of these great plain limitations which force all of us
to meet the things we do not like or do not expect。 It is vain for
the supercilious moderns to talk of being in uncongenial surroundings。
To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings。
To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings；
hence to be born into a romance。 Of all these great limitations
and frameworks which fashion and create the poetry and variety
of life； the family is the most definite and important。
Hence it is misunderstood by the moderns； who imagine that romance would
exist most perfectly in a complete state of what they call liberty。
They think that if a man makes a gesture it would be a startling
and romantic matter that the sun should fall from the sky。
But the startling and romantic thing about the sun is that it does
not fall from the sky。 They are seeking under every shape and form
a world where there are no limitationsthat is； a world where there
are no outlines； that is； a world where there are no shapes。
There is nothing baser than that infinity。 They say they wish to be；
as strong as the universe； but they really wish the whole universe
as weak as themselves。
XV On Smart Novelists and the Smart Set
In one sense； at any rate； it is more valuable to read bad literature
than good literature。 Good literature may tell us the mind
of one man； but bad literature may tell us the mind of many men。
A good novel tells us the truth about its hero； but a bad novel
tells us the truth about its author。 It does much more than that；
it tells us the truth about its readers； and； oddly enough；
it tells us this all the more the more cynical and immoral
be the motive of its manufacture。 The more dishonest a book
is as a book the more honest it is as a public document。
A sincere novel exhibits the simplicity of one particular man；
an insincere novel exhibits the simplicity of mankind。
The pedantic decisions and definable readjustments of man
may be found in scrolls and statute books and scriptures；
but men's basic assumptions and everlasting energies are to be
found in penny dreadfuls and halfpenny novelettes。 Thus a man；
like many men of real culture in our day； might learn from good
literature nothing except the power to appreciate good literature。
But from bad literature he might learn to govern empires and look
over the map of mankind。
There is one rather interesting example of this state of things
in which the weaker literature is really the stronger and the stronger
the weaker。 It is the case of what may be called； for the sake
of an approximate description； the literature of aristocracy；
or； if you prefer the description； the literature of snobbishness。
Now if any one wishes to find a really effective and comprehensible
and permanent case for aristocracy well and sincerely stated；
let him read； not the modern philosophical conservatives；
not even Nietzsche； let him read the Bow Bells Novelettes。
Of the case of Nietzsche I am confessedly more doubtful。
Nietzsche and the Bow Bells Novelettes have both obviously
the same fundamental character； they both worship the tall man
with curling moustaches and herculean bodily power； and they both
worship him in a manner which is somewhat feminine and hysterical。
Even here； however； the Novelette easily maintains its
philosophical superiority； because it does attribute to the strong
man those virtues which do commonly belong to him； such virtues
as laziness and kindliness and a rather reckless benevolence；
and a great dislike of hurting the weak。 Nietzsche； on the other hand；
attributes to the strong man that scorn against weakness which
only exists among invalids。 It is not； however； of the secondary
merits of the great German philosopher； but of the primary merits
of the Bow Bells Novelettes； that it is my present affair to speak。
The picture of aristocracy in the popular sentimental novelette seems
to me very satisfactory as a permanent political and philosophical guide。
It may be inaccurate about details such as the title by which a baronet
is addressed or the width of a mountain chasm which a baronet can
conveniently leap； but it is not a bad description of the general
idea and intention of aristocracy as they exist in human affairs。
The essential dream of aristocracy is magnificence and valour；
and if the Family Herald Supplement sometimes distorts or exaggerates
these things； at least； it does not fall short in them。
It never errs by making the mountain chasm too narrow or the title
of the baronet insufficiently impressive。 But above this
sane reliable old literature of snobbishness there has arisen
in our time another kind of literature of snobbishness which；
with its much higher pretensions； seems to me worthy of very much
less respect。 Incidentally （if that matters）； it is much
better literature。 But it is immeasurably worse philosophy；
immeasurably worse ethics and politics； immeasurably worse vital
render
