heretics-第14部分
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of truly worthy things； of brotherhood and garrulity； and the brief
and kindly leisure of the poor。 Of course； the great part of
the more stolid reproaches directed against the Omarite morality
are as false and babyish as such reproaches usually are。 One critic；
whose work I have read； had the incredible foolishness to call Omar
an atheist and a materialist。 It is almost impossible for an Oriental
to be either； the East understands metaphysics too well for that。
Of course； the real objection which a philosophical Christian
would bring against the religion of Omar； is not that he gives
no place to God； it is that he gives too much place to God。
His is that terrible theism which can imagine nothing else but deity；
and which denies altogether the outlines of human personality
and human will。
〃The ball no question makes of Ayes or Noes；
But Here or There as strikes the Player goes；
And He that tossed you down into the field；
He knows about it allhe knowshe knows。〃
A Christian thinker such as Augustine or Dante would object to this
because it ignores free…will； which is the valour and dignity of the soul。
The quarrel of the highest Christianity with this scepticism is
not in the least that the scepticism denies the existence of God；
it is that it denies the existence of man。
In this cult of the pessimistic pleasure…seeker the Rubaiyat
stands first in our time； but it does not stand alone。
Many of the most brilliant intellects of our time have urged
us to the same self…conscious snatching at a rare delight。
Walter Pater said that we were all under sentence of death；
and the only course was to enjoy exquisite moments simply
for those moments' sake。 The same lesson was taught by the
very powerful and very desolate philosophy of Oscar Wilde。
It is the carpe diem religion； but the carpe diem religion is
not the religion of happy people； but of very unhappy people。
Great joy does； not gather the rosebuds while it may；
its eyes are fixed on the immortal rose which Dante saw。
Great joy has in it the sense of immortality； the very splendour
of youth is the sense that it has all space to stretch its legs in。
In all great comic literature； in 〃Tristram Shandy〃
or 〃Pickwick〃； there is this sense of space and incorruptibility；
we feel the characters are deathless people in an endless tale。
It is true enough； of course； that a pungent happiness comes chiefly
in certain passing moments； but it is not true that we should think
of them as passing； or enjoy them simply 〃for those moments' sake。〃
To do this is to rationalize the happiness； and therefore to destroy it。
Happiness is a mystery like religion； and should never be rationalized。
Suppose a man experiences a really splendid moment of pleasure。
I do not mean something connected with a bit of enamel； I mean
something with a violent happiness in itan almost painful happiness。
A man may have； for instance； a moment of ecstasy in first love；
or a moment of victory in battle。 The lover enjoys the moment；
but precisely not for the moment's sake。 He enjoys it for the
woman's sake； or his own sake。 The warrior enjoys the moment； but not
for the sake of the moment； he enjoys it for the sake of the flag。
The cause which the flag stands for may be foolish and fleeting；
the love may be calf…love； and last a week。 But the patriot thinks
of the flag as eternal； the lover thinks of his love as something
that cannot end。 These moments are filled with eternity；
these moments are joyful because they do not seem momentary。
Once look at them as moments after Pater's manner； and they become
as cold as Pater and his style。 Man cannot love mortal things。
He can only love immortal things for an instant。
Pater's mistake is revealed in his most famous phrase。
He asks us to burn with a hard； gem…like flame。 Flames are never
hard and never gem…likethey cannot be handled or arranged。
So human emotions are never hard and never gem…like； they are
always dangerous； like flames； to touch or even to examine。
There is only one way in which our passions can become hard
and gem…like； and that is by becoming as cold as gems。
No blow then has ever been struck at the natural loves and laughter
of men so sterilizing as this carpe diem of the aesthetes。
For any kind of pleasure a totally different spirit is required；
a certain shyness； a certain indeterminate hope； a certain
boyish expectation。 Purity and simplicity are essential to passions
yes even to evil passions。 Even vice demands a sort of virginity。
Omar's （or Fitzgerald's） effect upon the other world we may let go；
his hand upon this world has been heavy and paralyzing。
The Puritans； as I have said； are far jollier than he。
The new ascetics who follow Thoreau or Tolstoy are much livelier company；
for； though the surrender of strong drink and such luxuries may
strike us as an idle negation； it may leave a man with innumerable
natural pleasures； and； above all； with man's natural power of happiness。
Thoreau could enjoy the sunrise without a cup of coffee。 If Tolstoy
cannot admire marriage； at least he is healthy enough to admire mud。
Nature can be enjoyed without even the most natural luxuries。
A good bush needs no wine。 But neither nature nor wine nor anything
else can be enjoyed if we have the wrong attitude towards happiness；
and Omar （or Fitzgerald） did have the wrong attitude towards happiness。
He and those he has influenced do not see that if we are to be truly gay；
we must believe that there is some eternal gaiety in the nature of things。
We cannot enjoy thoroughly even a pas…de…quatre at a subscription dance
unless we believe that the stars are dancing to the same tune。 No one can
be really hilarious but the serious man。 〃Wine；〃 says the Scripture；
〃maketh glad the heart of man；〃 but only of the man who has a heart。
The thing called high spirits is possible only to the spiritual。
Ultimately a man cannot rejoice in anything except the nature of things。
Ultimately a man can enjoy nothing except religion。 Once in the world's
history men did believe that the stars were dancing to the tune
of their temples； and they danced as men have never danced since。
With this old pagan eudaemonism the sage of the Rubaiyat has
quite as little to do as he has with any Christian variety。
He is no more a Bacchanal than he is a saint。 Dionysus and his church
was grounded on a serious joie…de…vivre like that of Walt Whitman。
Dionysus made wine； not a medicine； but a sacrament。
Jesus Christ also made wine； not a medicine； but a sacrament。
But Omar makes it； not a sacrament； but a medicine。 He feasts
because life is not joyful； he revels because he is not glad。
〃Drink；〃 he says； 〃for you know not whence you come nor why。
Drink； for you know not when you go nor where。 Drink； because the
stars are cruel and the world as idle as a humming…top。 Drink；
because there is nothing worth trusting； nothing worth fighting for。
Drink； because all things are lapsed in a base equality and an
evil peace。〃 So he stands offering us the cup in his hand。
And at the high altar of Christianity stands another figure； in whose
hand also is the cup of the vine。 〃Drink〃 he says 〃for the whole
world is as red as this wine； with the crimson of the love and wrath
of God。 Drink； for the trumpets are blowing for battle and this
is the stirrup…cup。 Drink； for this my blood of the new testament
that is shed for you。 Drink； for I know of whence you come and why。
Drink； for I know of when you go and where。〃
VIII。 The Mildness of the Yellow Press
There is a great deal of protest made from one quarter or another
nowadays against the influence of that new journalism which is
associated with the names of Sir Alfred Harmsworth and Mr。 Pearson。
But almost everybody who attacks it attacks on the ground that it
is very sensational； very violent and vulgar and startling。
I am speaking in no affected contrariety； but in the simplicity
of a genuine personal impression； when I say that this journalism
offends as being not sensational or violent enough。 The real vice
is not that it is startling； but that it is quite insupportably tame。
The whole object is to keep carefully along a certain level of the
expected and the commonplace； it may be low； but it must take care
also to be flat。 Never by any chance in it is there any of that real
plebeian pungency which can be heard from the ordinary cabman in
the ordinary street。 We have heard of a certain standard of decorum
which demands that things should be funny without being vulgar；
but the standard of this decorum demands that if things are vulgar
they shall be vulgar without being funny。 This journalism does
not merely fail to exaggerate lifeit positively underrates it；
and it has to do so because it is intended for the faint and languid
recreation of men whom the fierceness of modern life has fatigued。
This press is not the yellow press at all； it is the drab press。
Sir Alfred Harmsworth must not address to the tired clerk
any observation more witty than the tired clerk might be able
to address to Sir Alfred Harmsworth。 It must not expose anybody
（anybody who is powerful； that is）； it must not offend anybody；
it must not even please anybody； too much。 A general vague idea
that in
