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sartor resartus-第40章

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off everywhere; to hoodwink; to halter; to tether you; nay; if you shake them not aside; threatening to accumulate; and perhaps produce suffocation?〃

*That of George IV。ED。


CHAPTER IV。 HELOTAGE。

At this point we determine on adverting shortly; or rather reverting; to a certain Tract of Hofrath Heuschrecke's; entitled _Institute for the Repression of Population_; which lies; dishonorably enough (with torn leaves; and a perceptible smell of aloetic drugs); stuffed into the Bag _Pisces_。  Not indeed for the sake of the tract itself; which we admire little; but of the marginal Notes; evidently in Teufelsdrockh's hand; which rather copiously fringe it。  A few of these may be in their right place here。

Into the Hofrath's _Institute_; with its extraordinary schemes; and machinery of Corresponding Boards and the like; we shall not so much as glance。  Enough for us to understand that Heuschrecke is a disciple of Malthus; and so zealous for the doctrine; that his zeal almost literally eats him up。  A deadly fear of Population possesses the Hofrath; something like a fixed idea; undoubtedly akin to the more diluted forms of Madness。 Nowhere; in that quarter of his intellectual world; is there light; nothing but a grim shadow of Hunger; open mouths opening wider and wider; a world to terminate by the frightfullest consummation:  by its too dense inhabitants; famished into delirium; universally eating one another。  To make air for himself in which strangulation; choking enough to a benevolent heart; the Hofrath founds; or proposes to found; this _Institute_ of his; as the best he can do。  It is only with our Professor's comments thereon that we concern ourselves。

First; then; remark that Teufelsdrockh; as a speculative Radical; has his own notions about human dignity; that the Zahdarm palaces and courtesies have not made him forgetful of the Futteral cottages。  On the blank cover of Heuschrecke's Tract we find the following indistinctly engrossed:

〃Two men I honor; and no third。  First; the toilworn Craftsman that with earth…made Implement laboriously conquers the Earth; and makes her man's。 Venerable to me is the hard Hand; crooked; coarse; wherein notwithstanding lies a cunning virtue; indefeasibly royal; as of the Sceptre of this Planet。  Venerable too is the rugged face; all weather…tanned; besoiled; with its rude intelligence; for it is the face of a Man living manlike。 Oh; but the more venerable for thy rudeness; and even because we must pity as well as love thee!  Hardly…entreated Brother!  For us was thy back so bent; for us were thy straight limbs and fingers so deformed:  thou wert our Conscript; on whom the lot fell; and fighting our battles wert so marred。  For in thee too lay a god…created Form; but it was not to be unfolded; encrusted must it stand with the thick adhesions and defacements of Labor:  and thy body; like thy soul; was not to know freedom。  Yet toil on; toil on:  _thou_ art in thy duty; be out of it who may; thou toilest for the altogether indispensable; for daily bread。

〃A second man I honor; and still more highly:  Him who is seen toiling for the spiritually indispensable; not daily bread; but the bread of Life。  Is not he too in his duty; endeavoring towards inward Harmony; revealing this; by act or by word; through all his outward endeavors; be they high or low? Highest of all; when his outward and his inward endeavor are one:  when we can name him Artist; not earthly Craftsman only; but inspired Thinker; who with heaven…made Implement conquers Heaven for us!  If the poor and humble toil that we have Food; must not the high and glorious toil for him in return; that he have Light; have Guidance; Freedom; Immortality?These two; in all their degrees; I honor:  all else is chaff and dust; which let the wind blow whither it listeth。

〃Unspeakably touching is it; however; when I find both dignities united; and he that must toil outwardly for the lowest of man's wants; is also toiling inwardly for the highest。  Sublimer in this world know I nothing than a Peasant Saint; could such now anywhere be met with。  Such a one will take thee back to Nazareth itself; thou wilt see the splendor of Heaven spring forth from the humblest depths of Earth; like a light shining in great darkness。〃

And again:  〃It is not because of his toils that I lament for the poor:  we must all toil; or steal (howsoever we name our stealing); which is worse; no faithful workman finds his task a pastime。  The poor is hungry and athirst; but for him also there is food and drink:  he is heavy…laden and weary; but for him also the Heavens send Sleep; and of the deepest; in his smoky cribs; a clear dewy heaven of Rest envelops him; and fitful glitterings of cloud…skirted Dreams。  But what I do mourn over is; that the lamp of his soul should go out; that no ray of heavenly; or even of earthly knowledge; should visit him; but only; in the haggard darkness; like two spectres; Fear and Indignation bear him company。  Alas; while the Body stands so broad and brawny; must the Soul lie blinded; dwarfed; stupefied; almost annihilated!  Alas; was this too a Breath of God; bestowed in Heaven; but on earth never to be unfolded!That there should one Man die ignorant who had capacity for Knowledge; this I call a tragedy; were it to happen more than twenty times in the minute; as by some computations it does。  The miserable fraction of Science which our united Mankind; in a wide Universe of Nescience; has acquired; why is not this; with all diligence; imparted to all?〃

Quite in an opposite strain is the following:  〃The old Spartans had a wiser method; and went out and hunted down their Helots; and speared and spitted them; when they grew too numerous。  With our improved fashions of hunting; Herr Hofrath; now after the invention of fire…arms; and standing armies; how much easier were such a hunt!  Perhaps in the most thickly peopled country; some three days annually might suffice to shoot all the able…bodied Paupers that had accumulated within the year。  Let Governments think of this。  The expense were trifling:  nay the very carcasses would pay it。  Have them salted and barrelled; could not you victual therewith; if not Army and Navy; yet richly such infirm Paupers; in workhouses and elsewhere; as enlightened Charity; dreading no evil of them; might see good to keep alive?〃

〃And yet;〃 writes he farther on; 〃there must be something wrong。  A full…formed Horse will; in any market; bring from twenty to as high as two hundred Friedrichs d'or:  such is his worth to the world。  A full…formed Man is not only worth nothing to the world; but the world could afford him a round sum would he simply engage to go and hang himself。  Nevertheless; which of the two was the more cunningly devised article; even as an Engine? Good Heavens!  A white European Man; standing on his two Legs; with his two five…fingered Hands at his shackle…bones; and miraculous Head on his shoulders; is worth; I should say; from fifty to a hundred Horses!〃

〃True; thou Gold…Hofrath;〃 cries the Professor elsewhere:  〃too crowded indeed!  Meanwhile; what portion of this inconsiderable terraqueous Globe have ye actually tilled and delved; till it will grow no more?  How thick stands your Population in the Pampas and Savannas of America; round ancient Carthage; and in the interior of Africa; on both slopes of the Altaic chain; in the central Platform of Asia; in Spain; Greece; Turkey; Crim Tartary; the Curragh of Kildare?  One man; in one year; as I have understood it; if you lend him Earth; will feed himself and nine others。 Alas; where now are the Hengsts and Alarics of our still…glowing; still…expanding Europe; who; when their home is grown too narrow; will enlist; and; like Fire…pillars; guide onwards those superfluous masses of indomitable living Valor; equipped; not now with the battle…axe and war…chariot; but with the steam engine and ploughshare?  Where are they?Preserving their Game!〃


CHAPTER V。

THE PHOENIX。

Putting which four singular Chapters together; and alongside of them numerous hints; and even direct utterances; scattered over these Writings of his; we come upon the startling yet not quite unlooked…for conclusion; that Teufelsdrockh is one of those who consider Society; properly so called; to be as good as extinct; and that only the gregarious feelings; and old inherited habitudes; at this juncture; hold us from Dispersion; and universal national; civil; domestic and personal war!  He says expressly: 〃For the last three centuries; above all for the last three quarters of a century; that same Pericardial Nervous Tissue (as we named it) of Religion; where lies the Life…essence of Society; has been smote at and perforated; needfully and needlessly; till now it is quite rent into shreds; and Society; long pining; diabetic; consumptive; can be regarded as defunct; for those spasmodic; galvanic sprawlings are not life; neither indeed will they endure; galvanize as you may; beyond two days。〃

〃Call ye that a Society;〃 cries he again; 〃where there is no longer any Social Idea extant; not so much as the Idea of a common Home; but only of a common over…crowded Lodging…house?  Where each; isolated; regardless of his neighbor; turned against his neighbor; clutches what h
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