the rhythm of life and other essays(生命的旋律)-第2章
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rhythmic pangs of maternity。
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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
DECIVILISED
The difficulty of dealingin the course of any critical dutywith
decivilised man lies in this： when you accuse him of vulgarity sparing
him no doubt the wordhe defends himself against the charge of
barbarism。 Especially from new soiltransatlantic； colonialhe faces
you； bronzed； with a half conviction of savagery； partly persuaded of his
own youthfulness of race。 He writes； and recites； poems about ranches
and canyons； they are designed to betray the recklessness of his nature and
to reveal the good that lurks in the lawless ways of a young society。 He
is there to explain himself； voluble； with a glossary for his own artless
slang。 But his colonialism is only provincialism very articulate。 The
new air does but make old decadences seem more stale； the young soil
does but set into fresh conditions the ready…made； the uncostly； the refuse
feeling of a race decivilising。 American fancy played long this pattering
part of youth。 The New…Englander hastened to assure you with so self…
denying a face he did not wear war…paint and feathers； that it became
doubly difficult to communicate to him that you had suspected him of
nothing wilder than a second…hand dress coat。 And when it was a
question not of rebuke； but of praise； the American was ill…content with the
word of the judicious who lauded him for some delicate successes in
continuing something of the literature of England； something of the art of
France； he was more eager for the applause that stimulated him to write
romances and to paint panoramic landscape； after brief training in
academies of native inspiration。 Even now English voices； with violent
commonplace； are constantly calling upon America to beginto begin； for
the world is expectant。 Whereas there is no beginning for her； but instead
a continuity which only a constant care can guide into sustained
refinement and can save from decivilisation。
But decivilised man is not peculiar to new soil。 The English town；
too； knows him in all his dailiness。 In England； too； he has a literature；
an art； a music； all his ownderived from many and various things of price。
Trash； in the fulness of its in simplicity and cheapness； is impossible
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without a beautiful past。 Its chief characteristicwhich is futility； not
failurecould not be achieved but by the long abuse； the rotatory
reproduction； the quotidian disgrace； of the utterances of Art； especially
the utterance by words。 Gaiety； vigour； vitality； the organic quality；
purity； simplicity； precisionall these are among the antecedents of trash。
It is after them； it is also； alas； because of them。 And nothing can be
much sadder than such a proof of what may possibly be the failure of
derivation。
Evidently we cannot choose our posterity。 Reversing the steps of
time； we may； indeed； choose backwards。 We may give our thoughts
noble forefathers。 Well begotten； well born our fancies must be； they
shall be also well derived。 We have a voice in decreeing our inheritance；
and not our inheritance only； but our heredity。 Our minds may trace
upwards and follow their ways to the best well…heads of the arts。 The
very habit of our thoughts may be persuaded one way unawares by their
antenatal history。 Their companions must be lovely； but need be no
lovelier than their ancestors； and being so fathered and so husbanded； our
thoughts may be intrusted to keep the counsels of literature。
Such is our confidence in a descent we know。 But； of a sequel which
of us is sure？ Which of us is secured against the dangers of subsequent
depreciation？ And； moreover； which of us shall trace the contemporary
tendencies； the one towards honour； the other towards dishonour？ Or
who shall discover why derivation becomes degeneration； and where and
when and how the bastardy befalls？ The decivilised have every grace as
the antecedent of their vulgarities； every distinction as the precedent of
their mediocrities。 No ballad…concert song； feign it sigh； frolic； or laugh；
but has the excuse that the feint was suggested； was made easy； by some
living sweetness once。 Nor are the decivilised to blame as having in their
own persons possessed civilisation and marred it。 They did not possess it；
they were born into some tendency to derogation； into an inclination for
things mentally inexpensive。 And the tendency can hardly do other than
continue。 Nothing can look duller than the future of this second…hand
and multiplying world。 Men need not be common merely because they
are many； but the infection of commonness once begun in the many； what
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dulness in their future！ To the eye that has reluctantly discovered this
truththat the vulgarised are not UNcivilised； and that there is no growth
for themit does not look like a future at all。 More ballad…concerts； more
quaint English； more robustious barytone songs； more piecemeal pictures；
more anxious decoration； more colonial poetry； more young nations with
withered traditions。 Yet it is before this prospect that the provincial
overseas lifts up his voice in a boast or a promise common enough among
the incapable young； but pardonable only in senility。 He promises the
world a literature； an art； that shall be new because his forest is untracked
and his town just built。 But what the newness is to be he cannot tell。
Certain words were dreadful once in the mouth of desperate old age。
Dreadful and pitiable as the threat of an impotent king； what shall we
name them when they are the promise of an impotent people？ 'I will do
such things： what they are yet I know not。'
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A REMEMBRANCE
When the memories of two or three persons now upon earth shall be
rolled up and sealed with their records within them； there will be no
remembrance left open； except this； of a man whose silence seems better
worth interpreting than the speech of many another。 Of himself he has
left no vestiges。 It was a common reproach against him that he never
acknowledged the obligation to any kind of restlessness。 The kingdom of
heaven suffereth violence； but as he did none there was nothing for it but
that the kingdom of heaven shoul
