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gether； a passable Bridge be effected： this； as heretofore； continues our only method。 Among such light…spots； the following； floating in much wild matter about _Perfectibility_； has seemed worth clutching at：
〃Perhaps the most remarkable incident in Modern History；〃 says Teufelsdrockh； 〃is not the Diet of Worms； still less the Battle of Austerlitz； Waterloo； Peterloo； or any other Battle； but an incident passed carelessly over by most Historians； and treated with some degree of ridicule by others： namely； George Fox's making to himself a suit of Leather。 This man； the first of the Quakers； and by trade a Shoemaker； was one of those； to whom； under ruder or purer form； the Divine Idea of the Universe is pleased to manifest itself； and； across all the hulls of Ignorance and earthly Degradation； shine through； in unspeakable Awfulness； unspeakable Beauty； on their souls： who therefore are rightly accounted Prophets； God…possessed； or even Gods； as in some periods it has chanced。 Sitting in his stall； working on tanned hides； amid pincers； paste…horns； rosin； swine…bristles； and a nameless flood of rubbish； this youth had； nevertheless； a Living Spirit belonging to him； also an antique Inspired Volume； through which； as through a window； it could look upwards； and discern its celestial Home。 The task of a daily pair of shoes； coupled even with some prospect of victuals； and an honorable Mastership in Cordwainery； and perhaps the post of Thirdborough in his hundred； as the crown of long faithful sewing；was nowise satisfaction enough to such a mind： but ever amid the boring and hammering came tones from that far country； came Splendors and Terrors； for this poor Cordwainer； as we said； was a Man； and the Temple of Immensity； wherein as Man he had been sent to minister； was full of holy mystery to him。
〃The Clergy of the neighborhood； the ordained Watchers and Interpreters of that same holy mystery； listened with un…affected tedium to his consultations； and advised him； as the solution of such doubts； to 'drink beer； and dance with the girls。' Blind leaders of the blind！ For what end were their tithes levied and eaten； for what were their shovel…hats scooped out； and their surplices and cassock…aprons girt on； and such a church…repairing； and chaffering； and organing； and other racketing； held over that spot of God's Earth；if Man were but a Patent Digester； and the Belly with its adjuncts the grand Reality？ Fox turned from them； with tears and a sacred scorn； back to his Leather…parings and his Bible。 Mountains of encumbrance； higher than AEtna； had been heaped over that Spirit： but it was a Spirit； and would not lie buried there。 Through long days and nights of silent agony； it struggled and wrestled； with a man's force； to be free： how its prison…mountains heaved and swayed tumultuously； as the giant spirit shook them to this hand and that； and emerged into the light of Heaven！ That Leicester shoe…shop； had men known it； was a holier place than any Vatican or Loretto…shrine。'So bandaged； and hampered； and hemmed in；' groaned he； 'with thousand requisitions； obligations； straps； tatters； and tagrags； I can neither see nor move： not my own am I； but the World's； and Time flies fast； and Heaven is high； and Hell is deep： Man！ bethink thee； if thou hast power of Thought！ Why not； what binds me here？ Want； want！Ha； of what？ Will all the shoe…wages under the Moon ferry me across into that far Land of Light？ Only Meditation can； and devout Prayer to God。 I will to the woods： the hollow of a tree will lodge me； wild berries feed me； and for Clothes； cannot I stitch myself one perennial suit of Leather！'
〃Historical Oil…painting；〃 continues Teufelsdrockh； 〃is one of the Arts I never practiced； therefore shall I not decide whether this subject were easy of execution on the canvas。 Yet often has it seemed to me as if such first outflashing of man's Freewill； to lighten； more and more into Day； the Chaotic Night that threatened to engulf him in its hindrances and its horrors； were properly the only grandeur there is in History。 Let some living Angelo or Rosa； with seeing eye and understanding heart； picture George Fox on that morning； when he spreads out his cutting…board for the last time； and cuts cowhides by unwonted patterns； and stitches them together into one continuous all…including Case； the farewell service of his awl！ Stitch away； thou noble Fox： every prick of that little instrument is pricking into the heart of Slavery； and World…worship； and the Mammon…god。 Thy elbows jerk； as in strong swimmer…strokes； and every stroke is bearing thee across the Prison…ditch； within which Vanity holds her Workhouse and Ragfair； into lands of true Liberty； were the work done； there is in broad Europe one Free Man； and thou art he！
〃Thus from the lowest depth there is a path to the loftiest height； and for the Poor also a Gospel has been published。 Surely if； as D'Alembert asserts； my illustrious namesake； Diogenes； was the greatest man of Antiquity； only that he wanted Decency； then by stronger reason is George Fox the greatest of the Moderns； and greater than Diogenes himself： for he too stands on the adamantine basis of his Manhood； casting aside all props and shoars； yet not； in half…savage Pride； undervaluing the Earth； valuing it rather； as a place to yield him warmth and food； he looks Heavenward from his Earth； and dwells in an element of Mercy and Worship； with a still Strength； such as the Cynic's Tub did nowise witness。 Great； truly； was that Tub； a temple from which man's dignity and divinity was scornfully preached abroad： but greater is the Leather Hull； for the same sermon was preached there； and not in Scorn but in Love。〃
George Fox's 〃perennial suit；〃 with all that it held； has been worn quite into ashes for nigh two centuries： why； in a discussion on the _Perfectibility of Society_； reproduce it now？ Not out of blind sectarian partisanship： Teufelsdrockh； himself is no Quaker； with all his pacific tendencies； did not we see him； in that scene at the North Cape； with the Archangel Smuggler； exhibit fire…arms？
For us； aware of his deep Sansculottism； there is more meant in this passage than meets the ear。 At the same time； who can avoid smiling at the earnestness and Boeotian simplicity （if indeed there be not an underhand satire in it）； with which that 〃Incident〃 is here brought forward； and； in the Professor's ambiguous way； as clearly perhaps as he durst in Weissnichtwo； recommended to imitation！ Does Teufelsdrockh anticipate that； in this age of refinement； any considerable class of the community； by way of testifying against the 〃Mammon…god；〃 and escaping from what he calls 〃Vanity's Workhouse and Ragfair；〃 where doubtless some of them are toiled and whipped and hoodwinked sufficiently；will sheathe themselves in close…fitting cases of Leather？ The idea is ridiculous in the extreme。 Will Majesty lay aside its robes of state； and Beauty its frills and train…gowns； for a second skin of tanned hide？ By which change Huddersfield and Manchester； and Coventry and Paisley； and the Fancy…Bazaar； were reduced to hungry solitudes； and only Day and Martin could profit。 For neither would Teufelsdrockh's mad daydream； here as we presume covertly intended； of levelling Society （_levelling_ it indeed with a vengeance； into one huge drowned marsh！）； and so attaining the political effects of Nudity without its frigorific or other consequences；be thereby realized。 Would not the rich man purchase a waterproof suit of Russia Leather； and the high…born Belle step forth in red or azure morocco； lined with shamoy： the black cowhide being left to the Drudges and Gibeonites of the world； and so all the old Distinctions be re…established？
Or has the Professor his own deeper intention； and laughs in his sleeve at our strictures and glosses； which indeed are but a part thereof？
CHAPTER II。 CHURCH…CLOTHES。
Not less questionable is his Chapter on _Church…Clothes_； which has the farther distinction of being the shortest in the Volume。 We here translate it entire：
〃By Church…Clothes； it need not be premised that I mean infinitely more than Cassocks and Surplices； and do not at all mean the mere haberdasher Sunday Clothes that men go to Church in。 Far from it！ Church…Clothes are； in our vocabulary； the Forms； the _Vestures_； under which men have at various periods embodied and represented for themselves the Religious Principle； that is to say； invested the Divine Idea of the World with a sensible and practically active Body； so that it might dwell among them as a living and life…giving WORD。
〃These are unspeakably the most important of all the vestures and garnitures of Human Existence。 They are first spun and woven； I may say； by that wonder of wonders； SOCIETY； for it is still only when 'two or three are gathered together；' that Religion； spiritually existent； and indeed indestructible； however latent； in each； first outwardly manifests itself （as with 'cloven tongues of fire'）； and seeks to be embodied in a visible Communion and Church Militant。 Mystical； more than magical； is that Communing of Soul with Soul； both looking heavenward： here properly Soul first speaks with Soul； for only i