lay morals-第20节
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s the ant； but generations of advisers have in vain recommended him the ant's example。 Of those who are found truly indefatigable in business； some are misers； some are the practisers of delightful industries； like gardening； some are students； artists； inventors； or discoverers； men lured forward by successive hopes； and the rest are those who live by games of skill or hazard … financiers； billiard…players； gamblers； and the like。 But in unloved toils； even under the prick of necessity； no man is continually sedulous。 Once eliminate the fear of starvation； once eliminate or bound the hope of riches； and we shall see plenty of skulking and malingering。 Society will then be something not wholly unlike a cotton plantation in the old days； with cheerful； careless； demoralised slaves； with elected overseers； and； instead of the planter； a chaotic popular assembly。 If the blood be purposeful and the soil strong； such a plantation may succeed； and be； indeed； a busy ant…heap； with full granaries and long hours of leisure。 But even then I think the whip will be in the overseer's hands； and not in vain。 For； when it comes to be a question of each man doing his own share or the rest doing more； prettiness of sentiment will be forgotten。 To dock the skulker's food is not enough； many will rather eat haws and starve on petty pilferings than put their shoulder to the wheel for one hour daily。 For such as these； then； the whip will be in the overseer's hand； and his own sense of justice and the superintendence of a chaotic popular assembly will be the only checks on its employment。 Now； you may be an industrious man and a good citizen； and yet not love； nor yet be loved by； Dr。 Fell the inspector。 It is admitted by private soldiers that the disfavour of a sergeant is an evil not to be combated； offend the sergeant； they say； and in a brief while you will either be disgraced or have deserted。 And the sergeant can no longer appeal to the lash。 But if these things go on； we shall see； or our sons shall see； what it is to have offended an inspector。
This for the unfortunate。 But with the fortunate also； even those whom the inspector loves； it may not be altogether well。 It is concluded that in such a state of society； supposing it to be financially sound； the level of comfort will be high。 It does not follow： there are strange depths of idleness in man； a too…easily…got sufficiency； as in the case of the sago…eaters； often quenching the desire for all besides； and it is possible that the men of the richest ant… heaps may sink even into squalor。 But suppose they do not； suppose our tricksy instrument of human nature； when we play upon it this new tune； should respond kindly； suppose no one to be damped and none exasperated by the new conditions； the whole enterprise to be financially sound … a vaulting supposition … and all the inhabitants to dwell together in a golden mean of comfort： we have yet to ask ourselves if this be what man desire； or if it be what man will even deign to accept for a continuance。 It is certain that man loves to eat； it is not certain that he loves that only or that best。 He is supposed to love comfort； it is not a love； at least； that he is faithful to。 He is supposed to love happiness； it is my contention that he rather loves excitement。 Danger； enterprise； hope； the novel； the aleatory； are dearer to man than regular meals。 He does not think so when he is hungry； but he thinks so again as soon as he is fed； and on the hypothesis of a successful ant…heap； he would never go hungry。 It would be always after dinner in that society； as； in the land of the Lotos…eaters； it was always afternoon； and food； which； when we have it not； seems all…important； drops in our esteem； as soon as we have it； to a mere prerequisite of living。
That for which man lives is not the same thing for all individuals nor in all ages； yet it has a common base； what he seeks and what he must have is that which will seize and hold his attention。 Regular meals and weatherproof lodgings will not do this long。 Play in its wide sense； as the artificial induction of sensation； including all games and all arts； will； indeed； go far to keep him conscious of himself； but in the end he wearies for realities。 Study or experiment； to some rare natures； is the unbroken pastime of a life。 These are enviable natures； people shut in the house by sickness often bitterly envy them； but the commoner man cannot continue to exist upon such altitudes： his feet itch for physical adventure； his blood boils for physical dangers； pleasures； and triumphs； his fancy； the looker after new things； cannot continue to look for them in books and crucibles； but must seek them on the breathing stage of life。 Pinches； buffets； the glow of hope； the shock of disappointment； furious contention with obstacles： these are the true elixir for all vital spirits； these are what they seek alike in their romantic enterprises and their unromantic dissipations。 When they are taken in some pinch closer than the common； they cry； 'Catch me here again！' and sure enough you catch them there again … perhaps before the week is out。 It is as old as ROBINSON CRUSOE； as old as man。 Our race has not been strained for all these ages through that sieve of dangers that we call Natural Selection； to sit down with patience in the tedium of safety； the voices of its fathers call it forth。 Already in our society as it exists； the bourgeois is too much cottoned about for any zest in living； he sits in his parlour out of reach of any danger； often out of reach of any vicissitude but one of health； and there he yawns。 If the people in the next villa took pot…shots at him； he might be killed indeed； but so long as he escaped he would find his blood oxygenated and his views of the world brighter。 If Mr。 Mallock； on his way to the publishers； should have his skirts pinned to a wall by a javelin； it would not occur to him … at least for several hours … to ask if life were worth living； and if such peril were a daily matter； he would ask it never more； he would have other things to think about； he would be living indeed … not lying in a box with cotton； safe； but immeasurably dull。 The aleatory； whether it touch life； or fortune； or renown … whether we explore Africa or only toss for halfpence … that is what I conceive men to love best； and that is what we are seeking to exclude from men's existences。 Of all forms of the aleatory； that which most commonly attends our working men … the danger of misery from want of work … is the least inspiriting： it does not whip the blood； it does not evoke the glory of contest； it is tragic； but it is passive； and yet； in so far as it is aleatory； and a peril sensibly touching them； it does truly season the men's lives。 Of those who fail； I do not speak … despair should be sacred； but to those who even modestly succeed； the changes of their life bring interest： a job found； a shilling saved； a dainty earned； all these are wells of pleasure springing afresh for the successful poor； and it is not from these but from the villa…dweller that we hear complaints of the unworthiness of life。 Much； then； as the average of the proletariat would gain in this new state of life； they would also lose a certain something； which would not be missed in the beginning； but would be missed progressively and progressively lamented。 Soon there would be a looking back： there would be tales of the old world humming in young men's ears； tales of the tramp and the pedlar； and the hopeful emigrant。 And in the stall…fed life of the successful ant… heap … with its regular meals； regular duties； regular pleasures； an even course of life； and fear excluded … the vicissitudes； delights； and havens of to…day will seem of epic breadth。 This may seem a shallow observation； but the springs by which men are moved lie much on the surface。 Bread； I believe； has always been considered first； but the circus comes close upon its heels。 Bread we suppose to be given amply； the cry for circuses will be the louder； and if the life of our descendants be such as we have conceived； there are two beloved pleasures on which they will be likely to fall back： the pleasures of intrigue and of sedition。
In all this I have supposed the ant…heap to be financially sound。 I am no economist； only a writer of fiction； but even as such； I know one thing that bears on the economic question … I know the imperfection of man's faculty for business。 The Anarchists； who count some rugged elements of common sense among what seem to me their tragic errors； have said upon this matter all that I could wish to say； and condemned beforehand great economical polities。 So far it is obvious that they are right； they may be right also in predicting a period of communal independence； and they may even be right in thinking that desirable。 But the rise of communes is none the less the end of economic equality； just when we were told it was beginning。 Communes will not be all equal in extent； nor in quality of soil； nor in growth of population； nor will the surplus produ
