the coming race(一个即临种族)-第24节
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block of metal does to be made into one of your engines。〃
〃And doubtless your poets have some incentive to bestow all those
pains upon such verbal prettinesses？〃
〃Well； I presume their instinct of song would make them sing as the
bird does； but to cultivate the song into verbal or artificial prettiness；
probably does need an inducement from without； and our poets find it in
the love of fame… perhaps； now and then； in the want of money。〃
〃Precisely so。 But in our society we attach fame to nothing which
man； in that moment of his duration which is called 'life；' can perform。
We should soon lose that equality which constitutes the felicitous essence
of our commonwealth if we selected any individual for pre…eminent praise：
pre…eminent praise would confer pre…eminent power； and the moment it
were given； evil passions； now dormant； would awake： other men would
immediately covet praise； then would arise envy； and with envy hate； and
with hate calumny and persecution。 Our history tells us that most of the
poets and most of the writers who； in the old time； were favoured with the
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greatest praise； were also assailed by the greatest vituperation； and even；
on the whole； 87rendered very unhappy； partly by the attacks of jealous
rivals； partly by the diseased mental constitution which an acquired
sensitiveness to praise and to blame tends to engender。 As for the
stimulus of want； in the first place； no man in our community knows the
goad of poverty； and； secondly； if he did； almost every occupation would
be more lucrative than writing。
〃Our public libraries contain all the books of the past which time has
preserved； those books； for the reasons above stated； are infinitely better
than any can write nowadays； and they are open to all to read without cost。
We are not such fools as to pay for reading inferior books； when we can
read superior books for nothing。〃
〃With us； novelty has an attraction； and a new book； if bad； is read
when an old book； though good； is neglected。〃
〃Novelty； to barbarous states of society struggling in despair for
something better； has no doubt an attraction； denied to us； who see nothing
to gain in novelties； but after all； it is observed by one of our great authors
four thousand years ago； that 'he who studies old books will always find in
them something new； and he who reads new books will always find in
them something old。' But to return to the question you have raised； there
being then amongst us no stimulus to painstaking labour； whether in desire
of fame or in pressure of want； such as have the poetic temperament； no
doubt vent it in song； as you say the bird sings； but for lack of elaborate
culture it fails of an audience； and； failing of an audience； dies out； of itself；
amidst the ordinary avocations of life。〃
〃But how is it that these discouragements to the cultivation of
literature do not operate against that of science？〃
〃Your question amazes me。 The motive to science is the love of truth
apart from all consideration of fame； and science with us too is devoted
almost solely to practical uses； essential to our social conversation and the
comforts of our daily life。 No 88fame is asked by the inventor； and none
is given to him； he enjoys an occupation congenial to his tastes； and
needing no wear and tear of the passions。 Man must have exercise for
his mind as well as body； and continuous exercise； rather than violent； is
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best for both。 Our most ingenious cultivators of science are； as a general
rule； the longest lived and the most free from disease。 Painting is an
amusement to many； but the art is not what it was in former times； when
the great painters in our various communities vied with each other for the
prize of a golden crown； which gave them a social rank equal to that of the
kings under whom they lived。 You will thus doubtless have observed in
our archaeological department how superior in point of art the pictures
were several thousand years ago。 Perhaps it is because music is； in
reality； more allied to science than it is to poetry； that； of all the
pleasurable arts； music is that which flourishes the most amongst us。
Still； even in music the absence of stimulus in praise or fame has served to
prevent any great superiority of one individual over another； and we rather
excel in choral music； with the aid of our vast mechanical instruments； in
which we make great use of the agency of water；* than in single
performers。〃 * This may remind the student of Nero's invention of a
musical machine； by which water was made to perform the part of an
orchestra； and on which he was employed when the conspiracy against
him broke out。
〃We have had scarcely any original composer for some ages。 Our
favorite airs are very ancient in substance； but have admitted many
complicated variations by inferior； though ingenious； musicians。〃
〃Are there no political societies among the Ana which are animated by
those passions； subjected to those crimes； and admitting those disparities
in condition； in intellect； and in morality； which the state of your tribe； or
indeed of the Vril…ya generally； has left behind in its progress to perfection？
If so； among such societies perhaps Poetry and her sister arts still continue
to be honoured and to improve？〃 89 〃There are such societies in remote
regions； but we do not admit them within the pale of civilised
communities； we scarcely even give them the name of Ana； and certainly
not that of Vril…ya。 They are savages； living chiefly in that low stage of
being； Koom…Posh； tending necessarily to its own hideous dissolution in
Glek…Nas。 Their wretched existence is passed in perpetual contest and
perpetual change。 When they do not fight with their neighbours； they
fight among themselves。 They are divided into sections； which abuse；
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plunder； and sometimes murder each other； and on the most frivolous
points of difference that would be unintelligible to us if we had not read
history； and seen that we too have passed through the same early state of
ignorance and barbarism。 Any trifle is sufficient to set them together by
the ears。 They pretend to be all equals； and the more they have struggled
to be so； by removing old distinctions； and starting afresh； the more
glaring and intolerable the disparity becomes； because nothing in
hereditary affections and associations is left to soften the one naked
distinction between the many who have nothing and the few who have
much。 Of course the many hate the few； but without the few they could
not live。 The many are always assailing the few； sometimes they
exterminate the few； but as soon as they have done so； a new few starts out
of the many； and is harder to deal with than the old few。 For where
societies are large； and competition to have something is the predominant
fever； there must be always many losers and few gainers。 In short； they
are savages groping their way in the dark towards some gleam of light；
and would demand our commiseration for their infirmities； if； like all
savages； they did not provoke their own destruction by their arrogance and
cruelty。 Can you imagine that creatures of this kind； armed only with
such miserable weapons as you may see in our museum of antiquities；
clumsy iron tubes charged with saltpetre； have more than once threatened
with destruction a tribe of the 90Vril…ya； which dwells nearest to them；
because
