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！
drag of all things into an easy solemnity。 One 〃settles down〃
into a sort of selfish seriousness； but one has to rise to a gay
self…forgetfulness。 A man 〃falls〃 into a brown study； he reaches up
at a blue sky。 Seriousness is not a virtue。 It would be a heresy；
but a much more sensible heresy； to say that seriousness is a vice。
It is really a natural trend or lapse into taking one's self gravely；
because it is the easiest thing to do。 It is much easier to
write a good TIMES leading article than a good joke in PUNCH。
For solemnity flows out of men naturally； but laughter is a leap。
It is easy to be heavy： hard to be light。 Satan fell by the force of
gravity。
Now； it is the peculiar honour of Europe since it has been Christian
that while it has had aristocracy it has always at the back of its heart
treated aristocracy as a weaknessgenerally as a weakness that must
be allowed for。 If any one wishes to appreciate this point； let him
go outside Christianity into some other philosophical atmosphere。
Let him； for instance； compare the classes of Europe with the castes
of India。 There aristocracy is far more awful； because it is far
more intellectual。 It is seriously felt that the scale of classes
is a scale of spiritual values； that the baker is better than the
butcher in an invisible and sacred sense。 But no Christianity；
not even the most ignorant or perverse； ever suggested that a baronet
was better than a butcher in that sacred sense。 No Christianity；
however ignorant or extravagant； ever suggested that a duke would
not be damned。 In pagan society there may have been （I do not know）
some such serious division between the free man and the slave。
But in Christian society we have always thought the gentleman
a sort of joke； though I admit that in some great crusades
and councils he earned the right to be called a practical joke。
But we in Europe never really and at the root of our souls took
aristocracy seriously。 It is only an occasional non…European
alien （such as Dr。 Oscar Levy； the only intelligent Nietzscheite）
who can even manage for a moment to take aristocracy seriously。
It may be a mere patriotic bias； though I do not think so； but it
seems to me that the English aristocracy is not only the type；
but is the crown and flower of all actual aristocracies； it has all
the oligarchical virtues as well as all the defects。 It is casual；
it is kind； it is courageous in obvious matters； but it has one
great merit that overlaps even these。 The great and very obvious
merit of the English aristocracy is that nobody could possibly take
it seriously。
In short； I had spelled out slowly； as usual； the need for
an equal law in Utopia； and； as usual； I found that Christianity
had been there before me。 The whole history of my Utopia has the
same amusing sadness。 I was always rushing out of my architectural
study with plans for a new turret only to find it sitting up there
in the sunlight； shining； and a thousand years old。 For me； in the
ancient and partly in the modern sense； God answered the prayer；
〃Prevent us； O Lord； in all our doings。〃 Without vanity； I really
think there was a moment when I could have invented the marriage
vow （as an institution） out of my own head； but I discovered；
with a sigh； that it had been invented already。 But； since it would
be too long a business to show how； fact by fact and inch by inch；
my own conception of Utopia was only answered in the New Jerusalem；
I will take this one case of the matter of marriage as indicating
the converging drift； I may say the converging crash of all the rest。
When the ordinary opponents of Socialism talk about
impossibilities and alterations in human nature they always miss
an important distinction。 In modern ideal conceptions of society
there are some desires that are possibly not attainable： but there
are some desires that are not desirable。 That all men should live
in equally beautiful houses is a dream that may or may not be attained。
But that all men should live in the same beautiful house is not
a dream at all； it is a nightmare。 That a man should love all old
women is an ideal that may not be attainable。 But that a man should
regard all old women exactly as he regards his mother is not only
an unattainable ideal； but an ideal which ought not to be attained。
I do not know if the reader agrees with me in these examples；
but I will add the example which has always affected me most。
I could never conceive or tolerate any Utopia which did not leave to me
the liberty for which I chiefly care； the liberty to bind myself。
Complete anarchy would not merely make it impossible to have
any discipline or fidelity； it would also make it impossible
to have any fun。 To take an obvious instance； it would not be
worth while to bet if a bet were not binding。 The dissolution
of all contracts would not only ruin morality but spoil sport。
Now betting and such sports are only the stunted and twisted
shapes of the original instinct of man for adventure and romance；
of which much has been said in these pages。 And the perils； rewards；
punishments； and fulfilments of an adventure must be real； or
the adventure is only a shifting and heartless nightmare。 If I bet
I must be made to pay； or there is no poetry in betting。 If I challenge
I must be made to fight； or there is no poetry in challenging。
If I vow to be faithful I must be cursed when I am unfaithful；
or there is no fun in vowing。 You could not even make a fairy tale
from the experiences of a man who； when he was swallowed by a whale；
might find himself at the top of the Eiffel Tower； or when he
was turned into a frog might begin to behave like a flamingo。
For the purpose even of the wildest romance results must be real；
results must be irrevocable。 Christian marriage is the great
example of a real and irrevocable result； and that is why it
is the chief subject and centre of all our romantic writing。
And this is my last instance of the things that I should ask；
and ask imperatively； of any social paradise； I should ask to be kept
to my bargain； to have my oaths and engagements taken seriously；
I should ask Utopia to avenge my honour on myself。
All my modern Utopian friends look at each other rather doubtfully；
for their ultimate hope is the dissolution of all special ties。
But again I seem to hear； like a kind of echo； an answer from beyond
the world。 〃You will have real obligations； and therefore real
adventures when you get to my Utopia。 But the hardest o