latter-day pamphlets-第37节
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Office； surely this and its kindred Offices exist； if they will think of it； that life and work may continue possible； and may not become impossible； for British men。 If honorable existence； or existence on human terms at all； have become impossible for millions of British men； how can the Home Office or any other Office long exist？ With thirty thousand Needlewomen； a Connaught fallen into potential cannibalism； and the Idle Workhouse everywhere bursting； and declaring itself an inhumanity and stupid ruinous brutality not much longer to be tolerated among rational human creatures； it is time the State were bethinking itself。
So soon as the State attacks that tremendous cloaca of Pauperism； which will choke the world if it be not attacked； the State will find its real functions very different indeed from what it had long supposed them！ The State is a reality； and not a dramaturgy； it exists here to render existence possible； existence desirable and noble； for the State's subjects。 The State； as it gets into the track of its real work； will find that same expand into whole continents of new unexpected； most blessed activity； as its dramatic functions； declared superfluous； more and more fall inert； and go rushing like huge torrents of extinct exuviae； dung and rubbish； down to the Abyss forever。 O Heaven； to see a State that knew a little why it was there； and on what ground； in this Year 1850； it could pretend to exist； in so extremely earnest a world as ours is growing！ The British State； if it will be the crown and keystone of our British Social Existence； must get to recognize； with a veracity very long unknown to it； what the real objects and indispensable necessities of our Social Existence are。 Good Heavens； it is not prevenient grace； or the color of the Bishop's nightmare； that is pinching us； it is the impossibility to get along any farther for mountains of accumulated dung and falsity and horror； the total closing…up of noble aims from every man；of any aim at all； from many men； except that of rotting out in Idle Workhouses an existence below that of beasts！
Suppose the State to have fairly started its 〃Industrial Regiments of the New Era；〃 which alas； are yet only beginning to be talked of；what continents of new real work opened out； for the Home and all other Public Offices among us！ Suppose the Home Office looking out； as for life and salvation； for proper men to command these 〃Regiments。〃 Suppose the announcement were practically made to all British souls that the want of wants； more indispensable than any jewel in the crown； was that of men _able to command men_ in ways of industrial and moral well…doing； that the State would give its very life for such men； that such men _were_ the State； that the quantity of them to be found in England lamentably small at present； was the exact measure of England's worth；what a new dawn of everlasting day for all British souls！ Noble British soul； to whom the gods have given faculty and heroism； what men call genius； here at last is a career for thee。 It will not be needful now to swear fealty to the Incredible； and traitorously cramp thyself into a cowardly canting play…actor in God's Universe； or； solemnly forswearing that； into a mutinous rebel and waste bandit in thy generation： here is an aim that is clear and credible； a course fit for a man。 No need to become a tormenting and self…tormenting mutineer； banded with rebellious souls； if thou wouldst live； no need to rot in suicidal idleness； or take to platform preaching； and writing in Radical Newspapers； to pull asunder the great Falsity in which thou and all of us are choking。 The great Falsity； behold it has become； in the very heart of it； a great Truth of Truths； and invites thee and all brave men to cooperate with it in transforming all the body and the joints into the noble likeness of that heart！ Thrice…blessed change。 The State aims； once more； with a true aim； and has loadstars in the eternal Heaven。 Struggle faithfully for it； noble is _this_ struggle； thou too； according to thy faculty； shalt reap in due time； if thou faint not。 Thou shalt have a wise command of men； thou shalt be wisely commanded by men；the summary of all blessedness for a social creature here below。 The sore struggle； never to be relaxed； and not forgiven to any son of man； is once more a noble one； glory to the Highest； it is now once more a true and noble one； wherein a man can afford to die！ Our path is now again Heavenward。 Forward； with steady pace； with drawn weapons； and unconquerable hearts； in the name of God that made us all！
Wise obedience and wise command； I foresee that the regimenting of Pauper Banditti into Soldiers of Industry is but the beginning of this blessed process； which will extend to the topmost heights of our Society； and； in the course of generations； make us all once more a Governed Commonwealth； and _Civitas Dei_； if it please God！ Waste…land Industrials succeedingt； other kinds of Industry； as cloth…making； shoe…making； plough…making； spade…making； house…building；in the end； all kinds of Industry whatsoever； will be found capable of regimenting。 Mill…operatives； all manner of free operatives； as yet unregimented； nomadic under private masters； they； seeing such example and its blessedness； will say： 〃Masters； you must regiment us a little； make our interests with you permanent a little； instead of temporary and nomadic； we will enlist with the State otherwise！〃 This will go on； on the one hand； while the State…operation goes on； on the other： thus will all Masters of Workmen； private Captains of Industry； be forced to incessantly co…operate with the State and its public Captains； they regimenting in their way； the State in its way； with ever…widening field； till their fields _meet_ （so to speak） and coalesce； and there be no unregimented worker； or such only as are fit to remain unregimented； any more。O my friends； I clearly perceive this horrible cloaca of Pauperism； wearing nearly bottomless now； is the point where we must begin。 Here； in this plainly unendurable portion of the general quagmire； the lowest point of all； and hateful even to M'Croudy； must our main drain begin： steadily prosecuting that； tearing that along with Herculean labor and divine fidelity； we shall gradually drain the entire Stygian swamp； and make it all once more a fruitful field！
For the State； I perceive； looking out with right sacred earnestness for persons able to command； will straightway also come upon the question： 〃What kind of schools and seminaries； and teaching and also preaching establishments have I； for the training of young souls to take command and to yield obedience？ Wise command； wise obedience： the capability of these two is the net measure of culture； and human virtue； in every man； all good lies in the possession of these two capabilities； all evil； wretchedness and ill…success in the want of these。 He is a good man that can command and obey； he that cannot is a bad。 If my teachers and my preachers； with their seminaries； high schools and cathedrals； do train men to these gifts； the thing they are teaching and preaching must be true； if they do not； not true！〃
The State； once brought to its veracities by the thumb…screw in this manner； what will it think of these same seminaries and cathedrals！ I foresee that our Etons and Oxfords with their nonsense…verses； college…logics； and broken crumbs of mere _speech_；which is not even English or Teutonic speech； but old Grecian and Italian speech； dead and buried and much lying out of our way these two thousand years last past；will be found a most astonishing seminary for the training of young English souls to take command in human Industries； and act a valiant part under the sun！ The State does not want vocables； but manly wisdoms and virtues： the State； does it want parliamentary orators； first of all； and men capable of writing books？ What a rag…fair of extinct monkeries； high…piled here in the very shrine of our existence； fit to smite the generations with atrophy and beggarly paralysis；as we see it do！ The Minister of Education will not want for work； I think； in the New Downing Street！
How it will go with Souls'…Overseers； and what the _new_ kind will be； we do not prophesy just now。 Clear it is； however； that the last finish of the State's efforts； in this operation of regimenting； will be to get the _true_ Souls'…Overseers set over men's souls； to regiment； as the consummate flower of all； and constitute into some Sacred Corporation； bearing authority and dignity in their generation； the Chosen of the Wise； of the Spiritual and Devout…minded； the Reverent who deserve reverence； who are as the Salt of the Earth；that not till this is done can the State consider its edifice to have reached the first story； to be safe for a moment； to be other than an arch without the keystones； and supported hitherto on mere wood。 How will this be done？ Ask not； let the second or the third generation after this begin to ask！Alas； wise men do exist； born duly into the world in every current generation； but the getting of _them_ regimented is the highest pitch of human Polity； and the feat of all feats in political engineering：impossible for u
