on the significance of science and art-第15章

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the　reverse：　　the　more　intense　the　labor；　the　more　nearly　it
approached　what　is　considered　the　coarsest　agricultural　toil；　the
more　enjoyment　and　knowledge　did　I　gain；　and　the　more　did　I　come
into　close　and　loving　communion　with　men；　and　the　more　happiness　did
I　derive　from　life。

In　answer　to　the　question　（which　I　have　so　often　heard　from　persons
not　thoroughly　sincere）；　as　to　what　result　could　flow　from　so
insignificant　a　drop　in　the　sea　of　sympathy　as　my　individual
physical　labor　in　the　sea　of　labor　ingulfing　me；　I　received　also　the
most　satisfactory　and　unexpected　of　answers。　　It　appeared　that　all　I
had　to　do　was　to　make　physical　labor　the　habitual　condition　of　my
life；　and　the　majority　of　my　false；　but　precious；　habits　and　my
demands；　when　physically　idle；　fell　away　from　me　at　once　of　their
own　accord；　without　the　slightest　exertion　on　my　part。　　Not　to
mention　the　habit　of　turning　day　into　night　and　vice　versa；　my
habits　connected　with　my　bed；　with　my　clothing；　with　conventional
cleanliness；which　are　downright　impossible　and　oppressive　with
physical　labor；and　my　demands　as　to　the　quality　of　my　food；　were
entirely　changed。　　In　place　of　the　dainty；　rich；　refined；
complicated；　highly…spiced　food；　to　which　I　had　formerly　inclined；
the　most　simple　viands　became　needful　and　most　pleasing　of　all　to
me；cabbage…soup；　porridge；　black　bread；　and　tea　v　prikusku。　｛3｝
So　that；　not　to　mention　the　influence　upon　me　of　the　example　of　the
simple　working…people；　who　are　content　with　little；　with　whom　I　came
in　contact　in　the　course　of　my　bodily　toil；　my　very　requirements
underwent　a　change　in　consequence　of　my　toilsome　life；　so　that　my
drop　of　physical　labor　in　the　sea　of　universal　labor　became　larger
and　larger；　in　proportion　as　I　accustomed　myself　to；　and
appropriated；　the　habits　of　the　laboring　classes；　in　proportion；
also；　to　the　success　of　my　labor；　my　demands　for　labor　from　others
grew　less　and　less；　and　my　life　naturally；　without　exertion　or
privations；　approached　that　simple　existence　of　which　I　could　not
even　dream　without　fulfilling　the　law　of　labor。

It　proved　that　my　dearest　demands　from　life；　namely；　my　demands　for
vanity；　and　diversion　from　ennui；　arose　directly　from　my　idle　life。
There　was　no　place　for　vanity；　in　connection　with　physical　labor；
and　no　diversions　were　needed；　since　my　time　was　pleasantly
occupied；　and；　after　my　fatigue；　simple　rest　at　tea　over　a　book；　or
in　conversation　with　my　fellows；　was　incomparably　more　agreeable
than　theatres；　cards；　conceits；　or　a　large　company；all　which
things　are　needed　in　physical　idleness；　and　which　cost　a　great　deal。

In　answer　to　the　question；　Would　not　this　unaccustomed　toil　ruin
that　health　which　is　indispensable　in　order　to　render　service　to　the
people　possible？　it　appeared；　in　spite　of　the　positive　assertions　of
noted　physicians；　that　physical　exertion；　especially　at　my　age；
might　have　the　most　injurious　consequences　（but　that　Swedish
gymnastics；　the　massage　treatment；　and　so　on；　and　other　expedients
intended　to　take　the　place　of　the　natural　conditions　of　man's　life；
were　better）；　that　the　more　intense　the　toil；　the　stronger；　more
alert；　more　cheerful；　and　more　kindly　did　I　feel。　　Thus　it
undoubtedly　appeared；　that；　just　as　all　those　cunning　devices　of　the
human　mind；　newspapers；　theatres；　concerts；　visits；　balls；　cards；
journals；　romances；　are　nothing　else　than　expedients　for　maintaining
the　spiritual　life　of　man　outside　his　natural　conditions　of　labor
for　others；just　so　all　the　hygienic　and　medical　devices　of　the
human　mind　for　the　preparation　of　food；　drink；　lodging；　ventilation；
heating；　clothing；　medicine；　water；　massage；　gymnastics；　electric；
and　other　means　of　healing；all　these　clever　devices　are　merely　an
expedient　to　sustain　the　bodily　life　of　man　removed　from　its　natural
conditions　of　labor。　　It　turned　out　that　all　these　devices　of　the
human　mind　for　the　agreeable　arrangement　of　the　physical　existence
of　idle　persons　are　precisely　analogous　to　those　artful　contrivances
which　people　might　invent　for　the　production　in　vessels　hermetically
sealed；　by　means　of　mechanical　arrangements；　of　evaporation；　and
plants；　of　the　air　best　fitted　for　breathing；　when　all　that　is
needed　is　to　open　the　window。　　All　the　inventions　of　medicine　and
hygiene　for　persons　of　our　sphere　are　much　the　same　as　though　a
mechanic　should　hit　upon　the　idea　of　heating　a　steam…boiler　which
was　not　working；　and　should　shut　all　the　valves　so　that　the　boiler
should　not　burst。　　Only　one　thing　is　needed；　instead　of　all　these
extremely　complicated　devices　for　pleasure；　for　comfort；　and　for
medical　and　hygienic　preparations；　intended　to　save　people　from
their　spiritual　and　bodily　ailments；　which　swallow　up　so　much
labor；to　fulfil　the　law　of　life；　to　do　that　which　is　proper　not
only　to　man；　but　to　the　animal；　to　fire　off　the　charge　of　energy
taken　win　in　the　shape　of　food；　by　muscular　exertion；　to　speak　in
plain　language；　to　earn　one's　bread。　　Those　who　do　not　work　should
not　eat；　or　they　should　earn　as　much　as　they　have　eaten。

And　when　I　clearly　comprehended　all　this；　it　struck　me　as
ridiculous。　　Through　a　whole　series　of　doubts　and　searchings；　I　had
arrived；　by　a　long　course　of　thought；　at　this　remarkable　truth：　　if
a　man　has　eyes；　it　is　that　he　may　see　with　them；　if　he　has　ears；
that　he　may　hear；　and　feet；　that　he　may　walk；　and　hands　and　back；
that　he　may　labor；　and　that　if　a　man　will　not　employ　those　members
for　that　purpose　for　which　they　are　intended；　it　will　be　the　worse
for　him。

I　came　to　this　conclusion；　that；　with　us　privileged　people；　the　same
thing　has　happened　which　happened　with　the　horses　of　a　friend　of
mine。　　His　steward；　who　was　not　a　lover　of　horses；　nor　well　versed
in　them；　on　receiving　his　master's　orders　to　place　the　best　horses
in　the　stable；　selected　them　from　the　stud；　placed　them　in　stalls；
and　fed　and　watered　them；　but　fearing　for　the　valuable　steeds；　he
could　not　bring　himself　to　trust　them　to　any　one；　and　he　neither
rode　nor　drove　them；　nor　did　he　even　take　them　out。　　The　horses
stood　there　until　they　were　good　for　nothing。　　The　same　thing　has
happened　with　us；　but　with　this　difference：　　that　it　was　impossible
to　deceive　the　horses　in　any　way；　and　they　were　kept　in　bonds　to
prevent　their　getting　out；　but　we　are　kept　in　an　unnatural　position
that　is　equally　injurious　to　us；　by　deceits　which　have　entangled　us；
and　which　hold　us　like　chains。

We　have　arranged　for　ourselves　a　life　that　is　repugnant　both　to　the
moral　and　the　physical　nature　of　man；　and　all　the　powers　of　our
intelligence　we　concentrate　upon　assuring　man　that　this　is　the　most
natural　life　possible。　　Every　thing　which　we　call　culture；our
sciences；　art；　and　the　perfection　of　the　pleasant　thing's　of　life；
all　these　are　attempts　to　deceive　the　moral　requirements　of　man；
every　thing　that　is　called　hygiene　and　medicine；　is　an　attempt　to
deceive　the　natural　physical　demands　of　human　nature。　　But　these
deceits　have　their　bounds；　and　we　advance　to　them。　　〃If　such　be　the
real　human　life；　then　it　is　better　not　to　live　at　all；〃　says　the
reigning　and　extremely　fashionable　philosophy　of　Schopenhauer　and
Hartmann。　　If　such　is　life；　'tis　better　for　the　coming　generation
not　to　live；〃　say　corrupt　medical　science　and　its　newly　devised
means　to　that　end。

In　the　Bible；　it　is　laid　down　as　the　law　of　man：　　〃In　the　sweat　of
thy　face　shalt　thou　eat　bread；　and　in　sorrow　thou　shalt　bring　forth
children；〃　but　〃nous　avons　change　tout　ca；〃　as　Moliere's　character
says；　when　expressing　himself　with　regard　to　medicine；　and　asserting
that　the　liver　was　on　the　left　side。　　We　have　changed　all　that。　　Men
need　not　work　in　order　to　eat；　and　women　need　not　bear　children。

A　ragged　peasant　roams　the　Krapivensky　district。　　During　the　war　he
was　an　agent　for　the　purchase　of　grain；　under　an　official　of　the
commissary　department。　　On　being　brought　in　contact　with　the
official；　and　seeing　his　luxurious　life；　the　peasant　lost　his　mind；
and　thought　that　he　might　get　along　without　work；　like　gentlemen；
and　receive　proper　support　from　the　Emperor。　　This　peasant　now　calls
himself　〃the　Most　Serene　Warrior；　Prince　Blokhin；　purveyor　of　war
supplie