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mazement enough； like the Lothario in _Wilhelm Meister_； that your 'America is here or nowhere'？ The Situation that has not its Duty； its Ideal； was never yet occupied by man。 Yes here； in this poor； miserable； hampered； despicable Actual； wherein thou even now standest； here or nowhere is thy Ideal： work it out therefrom； and working； believe； live； be free。 Fool！ the Ideal is in thyself； the impediment too is in thyself： thy Condition is but the stuff thou art to shape that same Ideal out of： what matters whether such stuff be of this sort or that； so the Form thou give it be heroic； be poetic？ O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual； and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create； know this of a truth： the thing thou seekest is already with thee； 'here or nowhere；' couldst thou only see！
〃But it is with man's Soul as it was with Nature： the beginning of Creation isLight。 Till the eye have vision； the whole members are in bonds。 Divine moment； when over the tempest…tost Soul； as once over the wild…weltering Chaos； it is spoken： Let there be Light！ Ever to the greatest that has felt such moment； is it not miraculous and God…announcing； even as； under simpler figures； to the simplest and least。 The mad primeval Discord is hushed； the rudely jumbled conflicting elements bind themselves into separate Firmaments： deep silent rock…foundations are built beneath； and the skyey vault with its everlasting Luminaries above： instead of a dark wasteful Chaos； we have a blooming； fertile； heaven…encompassed World。
〃I too could now say to myself： Be no longer a Chaos； but a World； or even Worldkin。 Produce！ Produce！ Were it but the pitifullest infinitesimal fraction of a Product； produce it； in God's name！ 'Tis the utmost thou hast in thee： out with it； then。 Up； up！ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do； do it with thy whole might。 Work while it is called To…day； for the Night cometh； wherein no man can work。〃
CHAPTER X。 PAUSE。
Thus have we； as closely and perhaps satisfactorily as； in such circumstances； might be； followed Teufelsdrockh； through the various successive states and stages of Growth； Entanglement； Unbelief； and almost Reprobation； into a certain clearer state of what he himself seems to consider as Conversion。 〃Blame not the word；〃 says he； 〃rejoice rather that such a word； signifying such a thing； has come to light in our modern Era； though hidden from the wisest Ancients。 The Old World knew nothing of Conversion； instead of an _Ecce Homo_； they had only some _Choice of Hercules_。 It was a new…attained progress in the Moral Development of man： hereby has the Highest come home to the bosoms of the most Limited； what to Plato was but a hallucination； and to Socrates a chimera； is now clear and certain to your Zinzendorfs； your Wesleys； and the poorest of their Pietists and Methodists。〃
It is here； then； that the spiritual majority of Teufelsdrockh commences： we are henceforth to see him 〃work in well…doing；〃 with the spirit and clear aims of a Man。 He has discovered that the Ideal Workshop he so panted for is even this same Actual ill…furnished Workshop he has so long been stumbling in。 He can say to himself： 〃Tools？ Thou hast no Tools？ Why； there is not a Man； or a Thing； now alive but has tools。 The basest of created animalcules； the Spider itself； has a spinning…jenny； and warping…mill； and power…loom within its head： the stupidest of Oysters has a Papin's…Digester； with stone…and…lime house to hold it in： every being that can live can do something： this let him _do_。 Tools？ Hast thou not a Brain； furnished； furnishable with some glimmerings of Light； and three fingers to hold a Pen withal？ Never since Aaron's Rod went out of practice； or even before it； was there such a wonder…working Tool： greater than all recorded miracles have been performed by Pens。 For strangely in this so solid…seeming World； which nevertheless is in continual restless flux； it is appointed that _Sound_； to appearance the most fleeting； should be the most continuing of all things。 The WORD is well said to be omnipotent in this world； man； thereby divine； can create as by a _Fiat_。 Awake； arise！ Speak forth what is in thee； what God has given thee； what the Devil shall not take away。 Higher task than that of Priesthood was allotted to no man： wert thou but the meanest in that sacred Hierarchy； is it not honor enough therein to spend and be spent？
〃By this Art； which whoso will may sacrilegiously degrade into a handicraft；〃 adds Teufelsdrockh； 〃have I thenceforth abidden。 Writings of mine； not indeed known as mine （for what am I？）； have fallen； perhaps not altogether void； into the mighty seedfield of Opinion； fruits of my unseen sowing gratifyingly meet me here and there。 I thank the Heavens that I have now found my Calling； wherein； with or without perceptible result； I am minded diligently to persevere。
〃Nay how knowest thou；〃 cries he； 〃but this and the other pregnant Device； now grown to be a world…renowned far…working Institution； like a grain of right mustard…seed once cast into the right soil； and now stretching out strong boughs to the four winds； for the birds of the air to lodge in；may have been properly my doing？ Some one's doing； it without doubt was； from some Idea； in some single Head； it did first of all take beginning： why not from some Idea in mine？〃 Does Teufelsdrockh； here glance at that 〃SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF PROPERTY （_Eigenthums…conservirende Gesellschaft_）；〃 of which so many ambiguous notices glide spectra…like through these inexpressible Paper…bags？ 〃An Institution；〃 hints he； 〃not unsuitable to the wants of the time； as indeed such sudden extension proves： for already can the Society number； among its office…bearers or corresponding members； the highest Names； if not the highest Persons； in Germany； England； France； and contributions； both of money and of meditation pour in from all quarters； to； if possible； enlist the remaining Integrity of the world； and； defensively and with forethought； marshal it round this Palladium。〃 Does Teufelsdrockh mean； then； to give himself out as the originator of that so notable _Eigenthums…conservirende_ （〃Owndom…conserving〃） _Gesellschaft_； and if so； what； in the Devil's name； is it？ He again hints： 〃At a time when the divine Commandment； _Thou shalt not steal_； wherein truly； if well understood； is comprised the whole Hebrew Decalogue； with Solon's and Lycurgrus's Constitutions； Justinian's Pandects； the Code Napoleon； and all Codes； Catechisms； Divinities； Moralities whatsoever； that man has hitherto devised （and enforced with Altar…fire and Gallows…ropes） for his social guidance： at a time； I say； when this divine Commandment has all but faded away from the general remembrance； and； with little disguise； a new opposite Commandment； _Thou shalt steal_； is everywhere promulgated；it perhaps behooved； in this universal dotage and deliration； the sound portion of mankind to bestir themselves and rally。 When the widest and wildest violations of that divine right of Property； the only divine right now extant or conceivable； are sanctioned and recommended by a vicious Press； and the world has lived to hear it asserted that _we have no Property in our very Bodies； but only an accidental Possession and Life…rent_； what is the issue to be looked for？ Hangmen and Catchpoles may； by their noose…gins and baited fall…traps； keep down the smaller sort of vermin； but what； except perhaps some such Universal Association； can protect us against whole meat…devouring and man…devouring hosts of Boa…constrictors。 If； therefore； the more sequestered Thinker have wondered； in his privacy； from what hand that perhaps not ill…written _Program_ in the Public Journals； with its high _Prize…Questions_ and so liberal _Prizes_； could have proceeded；let him now cease such wonder； and； with undivided faculty； betake himself to the _Concurrenz_ （Competition）。〃
We ask： Has this same 〃perhaps not ill…written _Program_；〃 or any other authentic Transaction of that Property…conserving Society； fallen under the eye of the British Reader； in any Journal foreign or domestic？ If so； what are those _Prize…Questions_； what are the terms of Competition； and when and where？ No printed Newspaper…leaf； no farther light of any sort； to be met with in these Paper…bags！ Or is the whole business one other of those whimsicalities and perverse inexplicabilities； whereby Herr Teufelsdrockh； meaning much or nothing； is pleased so often to play fast…and…loose with us？
Here； indeed； at length； must the Editor give utterance to a painful suspicion； which； through late Chapters； has begun to haunt him； paralyzing any little enthusiasm that might still have rendered his thorny Biographical task a labor of love。 It is a suspicion grounded perhaps on trifles； yet confirmed almost into certainty by the more and more discernible humoristico…satirical tendency of Teufelsdrockh； in whom underground humors and intricate sardonic rogueries； wheel within wheel； defy all reckoning： a suspicion； in one word； that these Autobiographical Documents are partly a mystification！ What if many a so…called Fact were little better than a Fiction；