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cture was quite other； so neither was our result altogether the same： unhappily； we were not in Crim Tartary； but in a corrupt European city； full of smoke and sin； moreover； in the middle of a Public； which； without far costlier apparatus than that of the Square Enclosure； and Declaration aloud； you could not be sure of gulling。
〃Gullible； however； by fit apparatus； all Publics are； and gulled； with the most surprising profit。 Towards anything like a _Statistics of Imposture_； indeed； little as yet has been done： with a strange indifference； our Economists； nigh buried under Tables for minor Branches of Industry； have altogether overlooked the grand all…overtopping Hypocrisy Branch； as if our whole arts of Puffery； of Quackery； Priestcraft； Kingcraft； and the innumerable other crafts and mysteries of that genus； had not ranked in Productive Industry at all！ Can any one； for example； so much as say； What moneys； in Literature and Shoeblacking； are realized by actual Instruction and actual jet Polish； what by fictitious…persuasive Proclamation of such； specifying； in distinct items； the distributions； circulations； disbursements； incomings of said moneys； with the smallest approach to accuracy？ But to ask； How far； in all the several infinitely complected departments of social business； in government； education； in manual； commercial； intellectual fabrication of every sort； man's Want is supplied by true Ware； how far by the mere Appearance of true Ware：in other words； To what extent； by what methods； with what effects； in various times and countries； Deception takes the place of wages of Performance： here truly is an Inquiry big with results for the future time； but to which hitherto only the vaguest answer can be given。 If for the present； in our Europe； we estimate the ratio of Ware to Appearance of Ware so high even as at One to a Hundred （which； considering the Wages of a Pope； Russian Autocrat； or English Game…Preserver； is probably not far from the mark）；what almost prodigious saving may there not be anticipated； as the _Statistics of Imposture_ advances； and so the manufacturing of Shams （that of Realities rising into clearer and clearer distinction therefrom） gradually declines； and at length becomes all but wholly unnecessary！
〃This for the coming golden ages。 What I had to remark； for the present brazen one； is； that in several provinces； as in Education； Polity； Religion； where so much is wanted and indispensable； and so little can as yet be furnished； probably Imposture is of sanative； anodyne nature； and man's Gullibility not his worst blessing。 Suppose your sinews of war quite broken； I mean your military chest insolvent； forage all but exhausted； and that the whole army is about to mutiny； disband； and cut your and each other's throat；then were it not well could you； as if by miracle； pay them in any sort of fairy…money； feed them on coagulated water； or mere imagination of meat； whereby； till the real supply came up； they might be kept together and quiet？ Such perhaps was the aim of Nature； who does nothing without aim； in furnishing her favorite； Man； with this his so omnipotent or rather omnipatient Talent of being Gulled。
〃How beautifully it works； with a little mechanism； nay； almost makes mechanism for itself！ These Professors in the Nameless lived with ease； with safety； by a mere Reputation； constructed in past times； and then too with no great effort； by quite another class of persons。 Which Reputation； like a strong brisk…going undershot wheel； sunk into the general current； bade fair； with only a little annual re…painting on their part； to hold long together； and of its own accord assiduously grind for them。 Happy that it was so； for the Millers！ They themselves needed not to work； their attempts at working； at what they called Educating； now when I look back on it； fill me with a certain mute admiration。
〃Besides all this； we boasted ourselves a Rational University； in the highest degree hostile to Mysticism； thus was the young vacant mind furnished with much talk about Progress of the Species； Dark Ages； Prejudice； and the like； so that all were quickly enough blown out into a state of windy argumentativeness； whereby the better sort had soon to end in sick； impotent Scepticism； the worser sort explode （_erepiren_） in finished Self…conceit； and to all spiritual intents become dead。But this too is portion of mankind's lot。 If our era is the Era of Unbelief； why murmur under it； is there not a better coming； nay come？ As in long…drawn systole and long…drawn diastole； must the period of Faith alternate with the period of Denial； must the vernal growth； the summer luxuriance of all Opinions； Spiritual Representations and Creations； be followed by； and again follow； the autumnal decay； the winter dissolution。 For man lives in Time； has his whole earthly being； endeavor and destiny shaped for him by Time： only in the transitory Time…Symbol is the ever…motionless Eternity we stand on made manifest。 And yet； in such winter…seasons of Denial； it is for the nobler…minded perhaps a comparative misery to have been born； and to be awake and work； and for the duller a felicity； if； like hibernating animals； safe…lodged in some Salamanca University or Sybaris City； or other superstitious or voluptuous Castle of Indolence； they can slumber through； in stupid dreams； and only awaken when the loud…roaring hailstorms have all alone their work； and to our prayers and martyrdoms the new Spring has been vouchsafed。〃
That in the environment； here mysteriously enough shadowed forth； Teufelsdrockh must have felt ill at ease； cannot be doubtful。 〃The hungry young；〃 he says； 〃looked up to their spiritual Nurses； and； for food； were bidden eat the east…wind。 What vain jargon of controversial Metaphysic； Etymology； and mechanical Manipulation falsely named Science； was current there； I indeed learned； better perhaps than the most。 Among eleven hundred Christian youths； there will not be wanting some eleven eager to learn。 By collision with such； a certain warmth； a certain polish was communicated； by instinct and happy accident； I took less to rioting （_renommiren_）； than to thinking and reading； which latter also I was free to do。 Nay from the chaos of that Library； I succeeded in fishing up more books perhaps than had been known to the very keepers thereof。 The foundation of a Literary Life was hereby laid： I learned； on my own strength； to read fluently in almost all cultivated languages； on almost all subjects and sciences； farther； as man is ever the prime object to man； already it was my favorite employment to read character in speculation； and from the Writing to construe the Writer。 A certain groundplan of Human Nature and Life began to fashion itself in me； wondrous enough； now when I look back on it； for my whole Universe； physical and spiritual； was as yet a Machine！ However； such a conscious； recognized groundplan； the truest I had； _was_ beginning to be there； and by additional experiments might be corrected and indefinitely extended。〃
Thus from poverty does the strong educe nobler wealth； thus in the destitution of the wild desert does our young Ishmael acquire for himself the highest of all possessions； that of Self…help。 Nevertheless a desert this was； waste； and howling with savage monsters。 Teufelsdrockh gives us long details of his 〃fever…paroxysms of Doubt；〃 his Inquiries concerning Miracles； and the Evidences of religious Faith； and how 〃in the silent night…watches； still darker in his heart than over sky and earth； he has cast himself before the All…seeing； and with audible prayers cried vehemently for Light； for deliverance from Death and the Grave。 Not till after long years； and unspeakable agonies； did the believing heart surrender； sink into spell…bound sleep； under the nightmare； Unbelief； and； in this hag…ridden dream； mistake God's fair living world for a pallid； vacant Hades and extinct Pandemonium。 But through such Purgatory pain；〃 continues he； 〃it is appointed us to pass； first must the dead Letter of Religion own itself dead； and drop piecemeal into dust； if the living Spirit of Religion； freed from this its charnel…house； is to arise on us； new…born of Heaven； and with new healing under its wings。〃
To which Purgatory pains； seemingly severe enough； if we add a liberal measure of Earthly distresses； want of practical guidance； want of sympathy； want of money； want of hope； and all this in the fervid season of youth； so exaggerated in imagining； so boundless in desires； yet here so poor in means；do we not see a strong incipient spirit oppressed and overloaded from without and from within； the fire of genius struggling up among fuel…wood of the greenest； and as yet with more of bitter vapor than of clear flame？
From various fragments of Letters and other documentary scraps； it is to be inferred that Teufelsdrockh； isolated； shy； retiring as he was； had not altogether escaped notice： certain established men are aware of his existence； and； if stretching out no helpful hand； have at least their eyes on him。 He appears； though in dreary enough humor； to be addressing himself to the Profession of Law；whereof； indeed； the world has since seen him a public g