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have those accents overborne by a living tongue； however wele its sound at another time？ Jealously I guard my Christmas solitude。
XX
Is it true that the English are deeply branded with the vice of hypocrisy？ The accusation； of course； dates from the time of the Round…heads； before that； nothing in the national character could have suggested it。 The England of Chaucer； the England of Shakespeare； assuredly was not hypocrite。 The change wrought by Puritanism introduced into the life of the people that new element which ever since； more or less notably； has suggested to the observer a habit of double…dealing in morality and religion。 The scorn of the Cavalier is easily understood； it created a traditional Cromwell； who； till Carlyle arose； figured before the world as our arch…dissembler。 With the decline of genuine Puritanism came that peculiarly English manifestation of piety and virtue which is represented by Mr。 Pecksniff……a being so utterly different from Tartufe； and perhaps impossible to be understood save by Englishmen themselves。 But it is in our own time that the familiar reproach has been persistently levelled at us。 It often sounds upon the lips of our emancipated youth； it is stereotyped for daily impression in the offices of Continental newspapers。 And for the reason one has not far to look。 When Napoleon called us a 〃nation of shop… keepers；〃 we were nothing of the kind； since his day we have bee so； in the strictest sense of the word； and consider the spectacle of a flourishing tradesman； anything but scrupulous in his methods of business； who loses no opportunity of bidding all mankind to regard him as a religious and moral exemplar。 This is the actual show of things with us； this is the England seen by our bitterest censors。 There is an excuse for those who charge us with 〃hypocrisy。〃
But the word is ill…chosen； and indicates a misconception。 The characteristic of your true hypocrite is the assumption of a virtue which not only he has not； but which he is incapable of possessing； and in which he does not believe。 The hypocrite may have； most likely has； （for he is a man of brains；） a conscious rule of life； but it is never that of the person to whom his hypocrisy is directed。 Tartufe incarnates him once for all。 Tartufe is by conviction an atheist and a sensualist； he despises all who regard life from the contrasted point of view。 But among Englishmen such an attitude of mind has always been extremely rare； to presume it in our typical money…maker who has edifying sentiments on his lips is to fall into a grotesque error of judgment。 No doubt that error is mitted by the ordinary foreign journalist； a man who knows less than little of English civilization。 More enlightened critics； if they use the word at all； do so carelessly； when speaking with more precision； they call the English 〃pharisaic〃……and e nearer the truth。
Our vice is self…righteousness。 We are essentially an Old Testament people； Christianity has never entered into our soul we see ourselves as the Chosen； and by no effort of spiritual aspiration can attain unto humility。 In this there is nothing hypocritic。 The blatant upstart who builds a church； lays out his money in that way not merely to win social consideration； in his curious little soul he believes （so far as he can believe anything） that what he has done is pleasing to God and beneficial to mankind。 He may have lied and cheated for every sovereign he possesses； he may have polluted his life with uncleanness； he may have perpetrated many kinds of cruelty and baseness……but all these things has he done against his conscience； and； as soon as the opportunity es； he will make atonement for them in the way suggested by such faith as he has； the way approved by public opinion。 His religion； strictly defined； is AN INERADICABLE BELIEF IN HIS OWN RELIGIOUSNESS。 As an Englishman； he holds as birthright the true Piety； the true Morals。 That he has 〃gone wrong〃 is； alas； undeniable； but never……even when leering most satirically……did he deny his creed。 When； at public dinners and elsewhere； he tuned his voice to the note of edification； this man did not utter the lie of the hypocrite he MEANT EVERY WORD HE SAID。 Uttering high sentiments； he spoke； not as an individual； but as an Englishman； and most thoroughly did he believe that all who heard him owed in their hearts allegiance to the same faith。 He is； if you like； a Pharisee……but do not misunderstand； his Pharisaism has nothing personal。 That would be quite another kind of man； existing； to be sure； in England； but not as a national type。 No； he is a Pharisee in the minor degree with regard to those of his countrymen who differ from him in dogma； he is Pharisee absolute with regard to the foreigner。 And there he stands； representing an Empire。
The word hypocrisy is perhaps most of all applied to our behaviour in matters of sexual morality； and here with specially flagrant misuse。 Multitudes of Englishmen have thrown aside the national religious dogma； but very few indeed have abandoned the conviction that the rules of morality publicly upheld in England are the best known in the world。 Any one interested in doing so can but too easily demonstrate that English social life is no purer than that of most other countries。 Scandals of peculiar grossness； at no long intervals； give rich opportunity to the scoffer。 The streets of our great towns nightly present an exhibition the like of which cannot be seen elsewhere in the world。 Despite all this； your average Englishman takes for granted his country's moral superiority； and loses no chance of proclaiming it at the expense of other peoples。 To call him hypocrite； is simply not to know the man。 He may； for his own part； be gross…minded and lax of life； that has nothing to do with the matter； HE BELIEVES IN VIRTUE。 Tell him that English morality is mere lip…service； and he will blaze with as honest anger as man ever felt。 He is a monument of self…righteousness； again not personal but national。
XXI
I make use of the present tense； but am I speaking truly of present England？ Such powerful agencies of change have been at work during the last thirty years； and it is difficult； nay impossible； to ascertain in what degree they have affected the national character； thus far。 One notes the obvious： decline of conventional religion； free discussion of the old moral standards； therewith； a growth of materialism which favours every anarchic tendency。 Is it to be feared that self…righteousness may be degenerating into the darker vice of true hypocrisy？ For the English to lose belief in themselves……not merely in their potential goodness； but in their pre…eminence as examples and agents of good……would mean as hopeless a national corruption as any recorded in history。 To doubt their genuine worship； in the past； of a very high （though not； of course； the highest） ethical ideal； is impossible for any one born and bred in England； no less impossible to deny that those who are rightly deemed 〃best〃 among us； the men and women of gentle or humble birth who are not infected by the evils of the new spirit； still lead； in a very true sense； 〃honest； sober； and godly〃 lives。 Such folk； one knows； were never in a majority； but of old they had a power which made them veritable representatives of the English ETHOS。 If they thought highly of themselves； why； the fact justified them； if they spoke； at times； as Pharisees； it was a fault of temper which carried with it no grave condemnation。 Hypocrisy was； of all forms of baseness； that which they most abhorred。 So is it still with their descendants。 Whether these continue to speak among us with authority； no man can certainly say。 If their power is lost； and those who talk of English hypocrisy no longer use the word amiss； we shall soon know it。
XXII
It is time that we gave a second thought to Puritanism。 In the heyday of release from forms which had lost their meaning； it was natural to look back on that period of our history with eyes that saw in it nothing but fanatical excess； we approved the picturesque phrase which showed the English mind going into prison and having the key turned upon it。 Now； when the peril of emancipation bees as manifest as was the hardship of restraint； we shall do well to remember all the good that lay in that stern Puritan discipline； how it renewed the spiritual vitality of our race； and made for the civic freedom which is our highest national privilege。 An age of intellectual glory is wont to be paid for in the general decline of that which follows。 Imagine England under Stuart rule； with no faith but the Protestantism of the Tudor。 Imagine （not to think of worse） English literature represented by Cowley； and the name of Milton unknown。 The Puritan came as the physician； he brought his tonic at the moment when lassitude and supineness would naturally have followed upon a supreme display of racial vitality。 Regret； if you will； that England turned for her religion to the books of Israel； this suddenly revealed sympathy of our race with a fierce Oriental theocracy is perhaps not difficult to explain； but one cannot help wishing that its piety had taken another form； later； there had to e the 〃exodus from Houndsditch；〃 with how much conflict and misery！ Such； h