evolution and ethics and other essays- 第27部分

If　self…knowledge　is　the　highest　aim　of　man；　I　ought　by　this　time　to
have　little　to　learn。　And　yet；　if　I　am　awake；　some　of　my
teachersunable；　perhaps；　to　control　the　divine　fire　of　the　poetic
imagination　which　is　so　closely　akin　to；　if　not　a　part　of；　the
mythopoeic　facultyhave　surely　dreamed　dreams。　So　far　as　my　humbler
and　essentially　prosaic　faculties　of　observation　and　comparison　go；
plain　facts　are　against　them。　But；　as　I　may　be　mistaken；　I　have
thought　it　well　to　prefix　to　the　letters　（by　way　of　〃Prolegomena〃）　an
essay　which　appeared　in　the　〃Nineteenth　Century〃　for　January；　1888；　in
which　the　principles　that；　to　my　mind；　lie　at　the　bottom　of　the
〃social　question〃　are　stated。　So　far　as　Individualism　and　Regimental
Socialism　are　concerned；　this　paper　simply　emphasizes　and　expands　the
opinions　expressed　in　an　address　to　the　members　of　the　Midland
Institute；　delivered　seventeen　years　earlier；　＇190＇　and　still　more
fully　developed　in　several　essays　published　in　the　〃Nineteenth
Century〃　in　1889；　which　I　hope；　before　long；　to　republish。*

　　　　*　See　Collected　Essays；　vol。　i。　p。　290　to　end；　and　this　volume；
　　　　p。　147。

The　fundamental　proposition　which　runs　through　the　writings；　which
thus　extend　over　a。　of　twenty　years；　is；　that　the　common　a　priori
doctrines　and　methods　of　reasoning　about　political　and　social
questions　are　essentially　vicious；　and　that　argumentation　on　this
basis　leads；　with　equal　logical　force；　to　two　contradictory　and
extremely　mischievous　systems；　the　one　that　of　Anarchaic
Individualism；　the　other　that　of　despotic　or　Regimental　Socialism。
Whether　I　am　right　or　wrong；　I　am　at　least　consistent　in　opposing　both
to　the　best　of　my　ability。　Mr。　Booth's　system　appears　to　me；　and；　as　I
have　shown；　is　regarded　by　Socialists　themselves；　to　be　mere
autocratic　Socialism；　masked　by　its　theological　exterior。　That　the
〃fantastic〃　religious　skin　will　wear　away；　and　the　Socialistic　reality
it　covers　will　show　its　real　nature；　is　the　expressed　hope　of　one
candid　Socialist；　and　may　be　fairly　conceived　to　be　the　unexpressed
belief　of　the　despotic　leader　of　the　new　Trades　Union；　who　has　shown
his　zeal；　if　not　his　discretion；　in　championing　Mr。　Booth's　projects。
＇See　Letter　VIII。＇

Yet　another　word　to　commentators　upon　my　letters。　There　are　some　who
rather　chuckle；　and　＇191＇　some　who　sneer；　at　what　they　seem　to
consider　the　dexterity　of　an　〃old　controversial　hand；〃　exhibited　by
the　contrast　which　I　have　drawn　between　the　methods　of　conversion
depicted　in　the　New　Testament　and　those　pursued　by　fanatics　of　the
Salvationist　type；　whether　they　be　such　as　are　now　exploited　by　Mr。
Booth；　or　such　as　those　who；　from　the　time　of　the　Anabaptists；　to　go
no　further　back；　have　worked　upon　similar　lines。

Whether　such　observations　were　intended　to　be　flattering　or　sarcastic；
I　must　respectfully　decline　to　accept　the　compliment；　or　to　apply　the
sarcasm　to　myself。　I　object　to　obliquity　of　procedure　and　ambiguity　of
speech　in　all　shapes。　And　I　confess　that　I　find　it　difficult　to
understand　the　state　of　mind　which　leads　any　one　to　suppose；　that　deep
respect　for　single…minded　devotion　to　high　aims　is　incompatible　with
the　unhesitating　conviction　that　those　aims　include　the　propagation　of
doctrines　which　are　devoid　of　foundationperhaps　even　mischievous。

The　most　degrading　feature　of　the　narrower　forms　of　Christianity　（of
which　that　professed　by　Mr。　Booth　is　a　notable　example）　is　their
insistence　that　the　noblest　virtues；　if　displayed　by　those　who　reject
their　pitiable　formulae；　are；　as　their　pet　phrase　goes；　〃splendid
sins。〃　But　there　is；　perhaps；　one　step　lower；　and　that　is　that　men；
who　profess　freedom　of　thought；　should　fail　to　see　and　＇192＇
appreciate　that　large　soul　of　goodness　which　often　animates　even　the
fanatical　adherents　of　such　tenets。　I　am　sorry　for　any　man　who　can
read　the　epistles　to　the　Galatians　and　the　Corinthians　without
yielding　a　large　meed　of　admiration　to　the　fervent　humanity　of　Paul　of
Tarsus；　who　can　study　the　lives　of　Francis　of　Assisi；　or　of　Catherine
of　Siena；　without　wishing　that；　for　the　furtherance　of　his　own　ideals；
he　might　be　even　as　they；　or　who　can　contemplate　unmoved　the　steadfast
veracity　and　true　heroism　which　loom　through　the　fogs　of　mystical
utterance　in　George　Fox。　In　all　these　great　men　and　women　there　lay
the　root　of　the　matter；　a　burning　desire　to　amend　the　condition　of
their　fellow…men；　and　to　put　aside　all　other　things　for　that　end。　If；
in　spite　of　all　the　dogmatic　helps　or　hindrances　in　which　they　were
entangled；　these　people　are　not　to　be　held　in　high　honour；　who　are？

I　have　never　expressed　a　doubtfor　I　have　nonethat；　when　Mr。　Booth
left　the　Methodist　connection；　and　started　that　organisation　of　the
Salvation　Army　upon　which；　comparatively　recently；　such　ambitious
schemes　of　social　reform　have　been　grafted；　he　may　have　deserved　some
share　of　such　honour。　I　do　not　say　that；　so　far　as　his　personal
desires　and　intentions　go；　he　may　not　still　deserve　it。　But　the
correlate　of　despotic　authority　is　unlimited　responsibility。　If　Mr。
Booth　is　to　take　＇193＇　credit　for　any　good　that　the　Army　system　has
effected；　he　must　be　prepared　to　bear　blame　for　its　inherent　evils。　As
it　seems　to　me；　that　has　happened　to　him　which　sooner　or　later　happens
to　all　despots：　he　has　become　the　slave　of　his　own　creationthe
prosperity　and　glory　of　the　soul…saving　machine　have　become　the　end；
instead　of　a　means；　of　soul…saving；　and　to　maintain　these　at　the
proper　pitch；　the　〃General〃　is　led　to　do　things　which　the　Mr。　Booth　of
twenty　years　ago　would　probably　have　scorned。

And　those　who　desire；　as　I　most　emphatically　desire；　to　be　just　to　Mr。
Booth；　however　badly　they　may　think　of　the　working　of　the　organization
he　has　founded；　will　bear　in　mind　that　some　astute　backers　of　his
probably　care　little　enough　for　Salvationist　religion；　and；　perhaps；
are　not　very　keen　about　many　of　Mr。　Booth's　projects。　I　have　referred
to　the　rubbing　of　the　hands　of　the　Socialists　over　Mr。　Booth's
success；*　but；　unless　I　err　greatly；　there　are　politicians　of　a
certain　school　to　whom　it　affords　still　greater　satisfaction。　Consider
what　electioneering　agents　the　captains　of　the　Salvation　Army；
scattered　through　all　our　towns；　and　directed　from　a　political
〃bureau〃　in　London；　would　make！　Think　how　political　adversaries　could
be　harassed　by　our　local　attorney〃tribune　of　the　people；〃　I　mean；
and　how　a　troublesome　man；　on　the　other　side；　could　be　〃hunted　＇194＇
down〃　upon　any　convenient　charge；　whether　true　or　false；　brought　by
our　Vigilance…familiar！**

　　　　*　See　Letter　VIII。
　　　　**　See　Letter　II。

I　entirely　acquit　Mr。　Booth　of　any　complicity　in　far…reaching　schemes
of　this　kind；　but　I　did　not　write　idly　when；　in　my　first　letter；　I
gave　no　vague　warning　of　what　might　grow　out　of　the　organised　force；
drilled　in　the　habit　of　unhesitating　obedience；　which　he　has　created。

＇195＇


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　INTRODUCTORY　ESSAY。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　STRUGGLE　FOR　EXISTENCE　IN　HUMAN　SOCIETY。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇1888＇。

The　vast　and　varied　procession　of　events；　which　we　call　Nature；　affords
a　sublime　spectacle　and　an　inexhaustible　wealth　of　attractive　problems
to　the　speculative　observer。　If　we　confine　our　attention　to　that
aspect　which　engages　the　attention　of　the　intellect；　nature　appears　a
beautiful　and　harmonious　whole；　the　incarnation　of　a　faultless　logical
process；　from　certain　premises　in　the　past　to　an　inevitable　conclusion
in　the　future。　But　if　it　be　regarded　from　a　less　elevated；　though　more
human；　point　of　view；　if　our　moral　sympathies　are　allowed　to　influence
our　judgment；　and　we　permit　ourselves　to　criticise　our　great　mother　as
we　criticise　one　another；　then　our　verdict；　at　least　so　far　as
sentient　nature　is　concerned；　can　hardly　be　so　favourable。

In　sober　truth；　to　those　who　have　made　a　study　of　the　phenomena　of　life
as　they　exhibited　by　the　higher　forms　of　the　animal　world；　＇196＇　the
optimistic　dogma；　that　this　is　the　best　of　all　possible　worlds；　will
seem　little　better　than　a　libel　upon　possibility。　It　is　really　only
another　instance　to　be　added　to　the　many　extant；　of　the　audacity　of　a
priori　speculators　who；　having　created　God　in　their　own　image；　find　no
difficulty　in　assuming　that　the　Almighty　must　have　been　actuated　by
the　same　motives　as　themselves。　They　are　quite　sure　that；　had　any
other　course　been　practicable；　He　would　no　more　have　made　infinite
suffering　a　necessary　ingredient　of　His　handiwork　than　a　respectable
philosopher　would　have　done　the　like。

But　even　the　modified　optimism　of　the　time…honoured　thesis　of
physico…theology；　that　the　sentient　world　is；　on　the　whole；　regulated
by　principles　of　benevolence；　does　but　ill　stand　the　test　of　impartial
confrontation　with　the　facts　of　the　case。　No　doubt　it　is　quite　true
that　sentient　nature　affords　hosts　of　examples　of　subtle　contrivances
directed　towards　the　production　of　pleasure　or　the　avoidance　of　pain；
and　it　may　be　proper　to　say　that　these　are　evidences　of　benevolence。
But　if　so；　why　is　it　not　equally　proper　to　say　of　the　equally　numerous
arrangements；　the　no　less　necessary　result　of　which　is　the　production
of　pain；　that　they　are　evidences　of