heretics-第6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！
We think a pillar…box unpoetical； because we have never seen it
in a poem。 But the bold fact is entirely on the side of poetry。
A signal…box is only called a signal…box； it is a house of life and death。
A pillar…box is only called a pillar…box； it is a sanctuary of
human words。 If you think the name of 〃Smith〃 prosaic； it is not
because you are practical and sensible； it is because you are too much
affected with literary refinements。 The name shouts poetry at you。
If you think of it otherwise； it is because you are steeped and
sodden with verbal reminiscences； because you remember everything
in Punch or Comic Cuts about Mr。 Smith being drunk or Mr。 Smith
being henpecked。 All these things were given to you poetical。
It is only by a long and elaborate process of literary effort
that you have made them prosaic。
Now； the first and fairest thing to say about Rudyard Kipling
is that he has borne a brilliant part in thus recovering the lost
provinces of poetry。 He has not been frightened by that brutal
materialistic air which clings only to words； he has pierced through
to the romantic； imaginative matter of the things themselves。
He has perceived the significance and philosophy of steam and of slang。
Steam may be； if you like； a dirty by…product of science。
Slang may be； if you like； a dirty by…product of language。
But at least he has been among the few who saw the divine parentage of
these things； and knew that where there is smoke there is firethat is；
that wherever there is the foulest of things； there also is the purest。
Above all； he has had something to say； a definite view of things to utter；
and that always means that a man is fearless and faces everything。
For the moment we have a view of the universe； we possess it。
Now； the message of Rudyard Kipling； that upon which he has
really concentrated； is the only thing worth worrying about
in him or in any other man。 He has often written bad poetry；
like Wordsworth。 He has often said silly things； like Plato。
He has often given way to mere political hysteria； like Gladstone。
But no one can reasonably doubt that he means steadily and sincerely
to say something； and the only serious question is； What is that
which he has tried to say？ Perhaps the best way of stating this
fairly will be to begin with that element which has been most insisted
by himself and by his opponentsI mean his interest in militarism。
But when we are seeking for the real merits of a man it is unwise
to go to his enemies； and much more foolish to go to himself。
Now； Mr。 Kipling is certainly wrong in his worship of militarism；
but his opponents are； generally speaking； quite as wrong as he。
The evil of militarism is not that it shows certain men to be fierce
and haughty and excessively warlike。 The evil of militarism is that it
shows most men to be tame and timid and excessively peaceable。
The professional soldier gains more and more power as the general
courage of a community declines。 Thus the Pretorian guard became
more and more important in Rome as Rome became more and more
luxurious and feeble。 The military man gains the civil power
in proportion as the civilian loses the military virtues。
And as it was in ancient Rome so it is in contemporary Europe。
There never was a time when nations were more militarist。
There never was a time when men were less brave。 All ages and all epics
have sung of arms and the man； but we have effected simultaneously
the deterioration of the man and the fantastic perfection of the arms。
Militarism demonstrated the decadence of Rome； and it demonstrates
the decadence of Prussia。
And unconsciously Mr。 Kipling has proved this； and proved it admirably。
For in so far as his work is earnestly understood the military trade
does not by any means emerge as the most important or attractive。
He has not written so well about soldiers as he has about
railway men or bridge builders； or even journalists。
The fact is that what attracts Mr。 Kipling to militarism
is not the idea of courage； but the idea of discipline。
There was far more courage to the square mile in the Middle Ages；
when no king had a standing army； but every man had a bow or sword。
But the fascination of the standing army upon Mr。 Kipling is
not courage； which scarcely interests him； but discipline； which is；
when all is said and done； his primary theme。 The modern army
is not a miracle of courage； it has not enough opportunities；
owing to the cowardice of everybody else。 But it is really
a miracle of organization； and that is the truly Kiplingite ideal。
Kipling's subject is not that valour which properly belongs to war；
but that interdependence and efficiency which belongs quite
as much to engineers； or sailors； or mules； or railway engines。
And thus it is that when he writes of engineers； or sailors；
or mules； or steam…engines； he writes at his best。 The real poetry；
the 〃true romance〃 which Mr。 Kipling has taught； is the romance
of the division of labour and the discipline of all the trades。
He sings the arts of peace much more accurately than the arts of war。
And his main contention is vital and valuable。 Every thing is military
in the sense that everything depends upon obedience。 There is no
perfectly epicurean corner； there is no perfectly irresponsible place。
Everywhere men have made the way for us with sweat and submission。
We may fling ourselves into a hammock in a fit of divine carelessness。
But we are glad that the net…maker did not make the hammock in a fit of
divine carelessness。 We may jump upon a child's rocking…horse for a joke。
But we are glad that the carpenter did not leave the legs of it
unglued for a joke。 So far from having merely preached that a soldier
cleaning his side…arm is to be adored because he is military；
Kipling at his best and clearest has preached that the baker baking
loaves and the tailor cutting coats is as military as anybody。
Being devoted to this multitudinous vision of duty； Mr。 Kipling
is naturally a cosmopolitan。 He happens to find his examples
in the British Empire； but almost any other empire would
do as well； or； indeed； any other highly civilized country。
That which he admires in the British army he would find even more
apparent in the German army； that which he desires in the British
police he would find flourishing； in the French police。
The ideal of discipline is not the whole of life； but it is spread
over the whole of the world。 And the worship of it tends to confirm
in Mr。 Kipling a certain note of worldly wisdom； of the experience
of the wanderer； which is one of the genuine charms of his best work。
The great gap in his mind is what may be roughly called the lack
of patriotismthat is to say； he lacks altogether the faculty of attaching
himself to any cause or community finally and tragically； for all
finality must be tragic。 He admires England； but he does not love her；
for we admire things with reasons； but love them without reasons。
He admires England because she is strong； not because she is English。
There is no harshness in saying this； for； to do him justice； he avows
it with his usual picturesque candour。 In a very interesting poem；
he says that
〃If England was what England seems〃
that is； weak and inefficient； if England were not what （as he believes）
she isthat is； powerful and practical
〃How quick we'd chuck 'er！ But she ain't！〃
He admits； that is； that his devotion is the result of a criticism；
and this is quite enough to put it in another category altogether from
the patriotism of the Boers； whom he hounded down in South Africa。
In speaking of the really patriotic peoples； such as the Irish； he has
some difficulty in keeping a shrill irritation out of his language。
The frame of mind which he really describes with beauty and
nobility is the frame of mind of the cosmopolitan man who has seen
men and cities。
〃For to admire and for to see；
For to be'old this world so wide。〃
He is a perfect master of that light melancholy with which a man
looks back on having been the citizen of many communities；
of that light melancholy with which a man looks back on having been
the lover of many women。 He is the philanderer of the nations。
But a man may have learnt much about women in flirtations；
and still be ignorant of first love； a man may have known as many
la
