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less sanguine of united effort through geological time ahead； unless some
idea can be formed to give a stronger impulse even than selfishness； or
unless the selfishness can be utilised。 The complacency with which the mass
of people go about their daily task； absolutely
indifferent to all other considerations； is appalling in its
concentrated stolidity。 They do not intend wrongthey intend rightly： in
truth； they work against the entire human race。
So wedded and so confirmed is the world in its narrow groove of self； so
stolid and so complacent under the immense weight of misery； so callous to
its own possibilities； and so grown to its chains； that I almost despair to
see it awakened。 Cemeteries are often placed on hillsides； and the white
stones are visible far off。 If the whole of the dead in a hillside cemetery
were called up alive from their tombs； and walked forth down into the
valley； it would not rouse the mass of people from the dense pyramid of
stolidity which presses on them。
There would be gaping and marvelling and rushing about； and what then？ In a
week or two the ploughman would settle down to his plough； the carpenter to
his bench； the smith to his anvil； the
merchant to his money； and the dead come to life would be
utterly forgotten。 No matter in what manner the possibilities
of human life are put before the world； the crowd continues as stolid as
before。 Therefore nothing hitherto done； or suggested； or thought of；is of
much avail； but this fact in no degree
stays me from the search。 On the contrary；the less there has been
accomplished the more anxious I am； the truth it teaches is
that the mind must be lifted out of its old grooves before anything will be
certainly begun。 Erase the past from the mindstand face to face with the
real nowand work out all anew。 Call the soul to our assistance； the soul
tells me that outside all the ideas that have yet occurred there are others；
whole circles of others。
I remember a cameo of Augustus Caesarthe head of the emperor is graven in
delicate lines； and shows the most exquisite proportions。 It is a balanced
head； a head adjusted to the calmest intellect。 That head when it was living
contained a circle of ideas； the largest； the widest； the most profound
current in his time。 All that philosophy had taught； all that practice；
experiment； and empiricism had discovered； was familiar to him。 There was no
knowledge in the ancient world but what was accessible to the Emperor of
Rome。 Now at this day there are amongst us heads as finely proportioned as
that cut out in the cameo。 Though these living men do not possess arbitrary
power； the advantages of arbitrary poweras far as knowledge is
concernedare secured to them by education； by the printing…press； and the
facilities of our era。 It is reasonable to imagine a head of our time filled
with the largest； the widest； the most profound ideas current in the age。
Augustus Caesar； however great his intellect； could not in that balanced
head have possessed the ideas familiar enough to the living head of this
day。 As we have a circle of ideas unknown to Augustus Caesar； so I argue
there are whole circles of ideas unknown to us。 It is these that I am so
earnestly desirous of discovering。
For nothing has as yet been of any value； however good its intent。 There is
no virtue； or reputed virtue； which has not
been rigidly pursued； and things have remained as before。 Men
and women have practised self…denial； and to what end？ They
have compelled themselves to suffer hunger and thirst； in
vain。 They have clothed themselves in sack cloth and lacerated the flesh。
They have mutilated themselves。 Some have been scrupulous to bathe； and some
have been scrupulous to cake their bodies with the foulness of years。 Many
have devoted their lives to assist others in sickness or poverty。 Chastity
has been faithfully observed； chastity both of body and mind。
Self…examination has been pursued till it ended in a species of sacred
insanity； and all these have been of no more value than the tortures
undergone by the Indian mendicant who hangs himself up by a hook through his
back。 All these are pure folly。
Asceticism has not improved the form； or the physical well…being； or the
heart of any human being。 On the contrary； the hetaira is often the warmest
hearted and the most generous。 Casuistry and self…examination are perhaps
the most injurious of all the virtues； utterly destroying independence of
mind。 Self…denial has had no result； and all the self…torture of centuries
has been thrown away。 Lives spent in doing good have been lives nobly
wasted。 Everything is in vain。 The circle of ideas we possess is too
limited to aid us。 We need ideas as far outside our circle as ours are
outside those that were pondered over by Augustus Caesar。
The most extraordinary spectacle； as it seems to me； is the vast
expenditure of labour and time wasted in obtaining mere subsistence。 As a
man； in his lifetime； works hard and saves money； that his children may be
free from the cares of penury and may at least have sufficient to eat；
drink； clothe； and roof them； so the generations that preceded us might； had
they so chosen； have provided for our subsistence。 The labour and time of
ten generations； properly directed； would sustain a hundred generations
succeeding to them； and that； too； with so little self…denial on the part of
the providers as to be scarcely felt。 So men now； in this generation； ought
clearly to be laying up a store； or； what is still more powerful； arranging
and organising that the generations which follow may enjoy comparative
freedom from useless labour。 Instead of which； with transcendent
improvidence； the world works only for to…day； as the world worked twelve
thousand years ago； and our children's children will still have to toil and
slave for the bare necessities of life。 This is； indeed an extraordinary
spectacle。
That twelve thousand written years should have elapsed； and the
human raceable to reason and to think； and easily capable of
combination in immense armies for its own destructionshould still live
from hand to mouth； like cattle and sheep； like the animals of the field and
the birds of the woods； that there should not even be roofs to cover the
children born； unless those children labour and expend their time to pay for
them； that there should not be clothes； unless； again；time and labour are
expended to procure them； that there should not be even food for the
children of the human race； except they labour as their fathers did twelve
thousand years ago； that even water should scarce be accessible to them；
unless paid for by labour！ In twelve thousand written years the world has
not yet built itself a House； nor filled a Granary； nor organised itself for
its own
comfort。 It is so marvellous I cannot express the wonder with which it fills
me。 And more wonderful still； if that could be；
there are people so infatuated； or； rather； so limited of view；
that they glory in this state of things； declaring that work
is the main object of man's existencework for subsistence
and glorying in their wasted time。 To argue with such is impossible； to
leav