按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
g of Soul with Soul； both looking heavenward： here properly Soul first speaks with Soul； for only in looking heavenward； take it in what sense you may； not in looking earthward； does what we can call Union； mutual Love； Society； begin to be possible。 How true is that of Novalis： 'It is certain； my Belief gains quite _infinitely_ the moment I can convince another mind thereof'！ Gaze thou in the face of thy Brother； in those eyes where plays the lambent fire of Kindness； or in those where rages the lurid conflagration of Anger； feel how thy own so quiet Soul is straightway involuntarily kindled with the like； and ye blaze and reverberate on each other； till it is all one limitless confluent flame （of embracing Love； or of deadly…grappling Hate）； and then say what miraculous virtue goes out of man into man。 But if so； through all the thick…plied hulls of our Earthly Life； how much more when it is of the Divine Life we speak； and inmost ME is； as it were； brought into contact with inmost ME！
〃Thus was it that I said； the Church Clothes are first spun and woven by Society； outward Religion originates by Society； Society becomes possible by Religion。 Nay； perhaps； every conceivable Society； past and present； may well be figured as properly and wholly a Church； in one or other of these three predicaments： an audibly preaching and prophesying Church； which is the best； second； a Church that struggles to preach and prophesy； but cannot as yet； till its Pentecost come； and third and worst； a Church gone dumb with old age； or which only mumbles delirium prior to dissolution。 Whoso fancies that by Church is here meant Chapter…houses and Cathedrals； or by preaching and prophesying； mere speech and chanting； let him；〃 says the oracular Professor； 〃read on； light of heart （_getrosten Muthes_）。
〃But with regard to your Church proper； and the Church…Clothes specially recognized as Church…Clothes； I remark； fearlessly enough； that without such Vestures and sacred Tissues Society has not existed； and will not exist。 For if Government is； so to speak； the outward SKIN of the Body Politic； holding the whole together and protecting it； and all your Craft…Guilds； and Associations for Industry； of hand or of head； are the Fleshly Clothes； the muscular and osseous Tissues （lying _under_ such SKIN）； whereby Society stands and works；then is Religion the inmost Pericardial and Nervous Tissue； which ministers Life and warm Circulation to the whole。 Without which Pericardial Tissue the Bones and Muscles （of Industry） were inert； or animated only by a Galvanic vitality； the SKIN would become a shrivelled pelt； or fast…rotting rawhide； and Society itself a dead carcass；deserving to be buried。 Men were no longer Social； but Gregarious； which latter state also could not continue； but must gradually issue in universal selfish discord； hatred； savage isolation； and dispersion；whereby； as we might continue to say； the very dust and dead body of Society would have evaporated and become abolished。 Such； and so all…important； all…sustaining； are the Church…Clothes to civilized or even to rational men。
〃Meanwhile； in our era of the World； those same Church…Clothes have gone sorrowfully out…at…elbows； nay； far worse； many of them have become mere hollow Shapes； or Masks； under which no living Figure or Spirit any longer dwells； but only spiders and unclean beetles； in horrid accumulation； drive their trade； and the mask still glares on you with its glass eyes； in ghastly affectation of Life；some generation…and…half after Religion has quite withdrawn from it； and in unnoticed nooks is weaving for herself new Vestures； wherewith to reappear； and bless us； or our sons or grandsons。 As a Priest； or Interpreter of the Holy； is the noblest and highest of all men； so is a Sham…priest （_Schein…priester_） the falsest and basest； neither is it doubtful that his Canonicals； were they Popes' Tiaras； will one day be torn from him； to make bandages for the wounds of mankind； or even to burn into tinder； for general scientific or culinary purposes。
〃All which； as out of place here； falls to be handled in my Second Volume； _On the Palingenesia； or Newbirth of Society_； which volume； as treating practically of the Wear； Destruction； and Retexture of Spiritual Tissues； or Garments； forms； properly speaking； the Transcendental or ultimate Portion of this my work on _Clothes_； and is already in a state of forwardness。〃
And herewith； no farther exposition； note； or commentary being added； does Teufelsdrockh； and must his Editor now； terminate the singular chapter on Church…Clothes！
CHAPTER III。 SYMBOLS。
Probably it will elucidate the drift of these foregoing obscure utterances； if we here insert somewhat of our Professor's speculations on _Symbols_。 To state his whole doctrine； indeed； were beyond our compass： nowhere is he more mysterious； impalpable； than in this of 〃Fantasy being the organ of the Godlike；〃 and how 〃Man thereby； though based； to all seeming； on the small Visible； does nevertheless extend down into the infinite deeps of the Invisible； of which Invisible； indeed； his Life is properly the bodying forth。〃 Let us； omitting these high transcendental aspects of the matter； study to glean （whether from the Paper…bags or the Printed Volume） what little seems logical and practical； and cunningly arrange it into such degree of coherence as it will assume。 By way of proem； take the following not injudicious remarks：
〃The benignant efficacies of Concealment；〃 cries our Professor； 〃who shall speak or sing？ SILENCE and SECRECY！ Altars might still be raised to them （were this an altar…building time） for universal worship。 Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together； that at length they may emerge； full…formed and majestic； into the daylight of Life； which they are thenceforth to rule。 Not William the Silent only； but all the considerable men I have known； and the most undiplomatic and unstrategic of these； forbore to babble of what they were creating and projecting。 Nay； in thy own mean perplexities； do thou thyself but _hold thy tongue for one day_： on the morrow； how much clearer are thy purposes and duties； what wreck and rubbish have those mute workmen within thee swept away； when intrusive noises were shut out！ Speech is too often not； as the Frenchman defined it； the art of concealing Thought； but of quite stifling and suspending Thought； so that there is none to conceal。 Speech too is great； but not the greatest。 As the Swiss Inscription says： _Sprechen ist silbern； Schweigen ist golden_ （Speech is silvern； Silence is golden）； or as I might rather express it： Speech is of Time； Silence is of Eternity。
〃Bees will not work except in darkness； Thought will not work except in Silence： neither will Virtue work except in Secrecy。 Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth！ Neither shalt thou prate even to thy own heart of 'those secrets known to all。' Is not Shame （_Schaam_） the soil of all Virtue； of all good manners and good morals？ Like other plants； Virtue will not grow unless its root be hidden； buried from the eye of the sun。 Let the sun shine on it； nay do but look at it privily thyself； the root withers； and no flower will glad thee。 O my Friends； when we view the fair clustering flowers that overwreathe； for example； the Marriage…bower； and encircle man's life with the fragrance and hues of Heaven； what hand will not smite the foul plunderer that grubs them up by the roots； and； with grinning； grunting satisfaction； shows us the dung they flourish in！ Men speak much of the Printing Press with its Newspapers： _du Himmel_！ what are these to Clothes and the Tailor's Goose？
〃Of kin to the so incalculable influences of Concealment； and connected with still greater things； is the wondrous agency of _Symbols_。 In a Symbol there is concealment and yet revelation； here therefore； by Silence and by Speech acting together； comes a double significance。 And if both the Speech be itself high； and the Silence fit and noble； how expressive will their union be！ Thus in many a painted Device； or simple Seal…emblem； the commonest Truth stands out to us proclaimed with quite new emphasis。
〃For it is here that Fantasy with her mystic wonderland plays into the small prose domain of Sense； and becomes incorporated therewith。 In the Symbol proper； what we can call a Symbol； there is ever； more or less distinctly and directly； some embodiment and revelation of the Infinite； the Infinite is made to blend itself with the Finite； to stand visible； and as it were； attainable there。 By Symbols； accordingly； is man guided and commanded； made happy； made wretched： He everywhere finds himself encompassed with Symbols； recognized as such or not recognized： the Universe is but one vast Symbol of God； nay if thou wilt have it； what is man himself but a Symbol of God； is not all that he does symbolical； a revelation to Sense of the mystic god…given force that is in him； a 'Gospel of Freedom；' which he； the 'Messias of Nature；' preaches； as he can； by act and word？ Not a Hut he builds but is the visible embodiment of a Thought； but bears visible record of invisible things； but is； in the transcendental sense； symbo