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has ever enlisted。 To put shortly what seems the essential matter；
he has a loyalty long before he has any admiration。
In the last chapter it has been said that the primary feeling
that this world is strange and yet attractive is best expressed
in fairy tales。 The reader may； if he likes； put down the next
stage to that bellicose and even jingo literature which commonly
comes next in the history of a boy。 We all owe much sound morality
to the penny dreadfuls。 Whatever the reason； it seemed and still
seems to me that our attitude towards life can be better expressed
in terms of a kind of military loyalty than in terms of criticism
and approval。 My acceptance of the universe is not optimism；
it is more like patriotism。 It is a matter of primary loyalty。
The world is not a lodging…house at Brighton； which we are to
leave because it is miserable。 It is the fortress of our family；
with the flag flying on the turret； and the more miserable it
is the less we should leave it。 The point is not that this world
is too sad to love or too glad not to love； the point is that
when you do love a thing； its gladness is a reason for loving it；
and its sadness a reason for loving it more。 All optimistic thoughts
about England and all pessimistic thoughts about her are alike
reasons for the English patriot。 Similarly； optimism and pessimism
are alike arguments for the cosmic patriot。
Let us suppose we are confronted with a desperate thing
say Pimlico。 If we think what is really best for Pimlico we shall
find the thread of thought leads to the throne or the mystic and
the arbitrary。 It is not enough for a man to disapprove of Pimlico：
in that case he will merely cut his throat or move to Chelsea。
Nor； certainly； is it enough for a man to approve of Pimlico：
for then it will remain Pimlico； which would be awful。
The only way out of it seems to be for somebody to love Pimlico：
to love it with a transcendental tie and without any earthly reason。
If there arose a man who loved Pimlico； then Pimlico would rise
into ivory towers and golden pinnacles； Pimlico would attire herself
as a woman does when she is loved。 For decoration is not given
to hide horrible things： but to decorate things already adorable。
A mother does not give her child a blue bow because he is so ugly
without it。 A lover does not give a girl a necklace to hide her neck。
If men loved Pimlico as mothers love children； arbitrarily； because it
is THEIRS； Pimlico in a year or two might be fairer than Florence。
Some readers will say that this is a mere fantasy。 I answer that this
is the actual history of mankind。 This； as a fact； is how cities did
grow great。 Go back to the darkest roots of civilization and you
will find them knotted round some sacred stone or encircling some
sacred well。 People first paid honour to a spot and afterwards
gained glory for it。 Men did not love Rome because she was great。
She was great because they had loved her。
The eighteenth…century theories of the social contract have
been exposed to much clumsy criticism in our time； in so far
as they meant that there is at the back of all historic government
an idea of content and co…operation； they were demonstrably right。
But they really were wrong； in so far as they suggested that men
had ever aimed at order or ethics directly by a conscious exchange
of interests。 Morality did not begin by one man saying to another；
〃I will not hit you if you do not hit me〃； there is no trace
of such a transaction。 There IS a trace of both men having said；
〃We must not hit each other in the holy place。〃 They gained their
morality by guarding their religion。 They did not cultivate courage。
They fought for the shrine； and found they had become courageous。
They did not cultivate cleanliness。 They purified themselves for
the altar； and found that they were clean。 The history of the Jews
is the only early document known to most Englishmen； and the facts can
be judged sufficiently from that。 The Ten Commandments which have been
found substantially common to mankind were merely military commands；
a code of regimental orders； issued to protect a certain ark across
a certain desert。 Anarchy was evil because it endangered the sanctity。
And only when they made a holy day for God did they find they had made
a holiday for men。
If it be granted that this primary devotion to a place or thing
is a source of creative energy； we can pass on to a very peculiar fact。
Let us reiterate for an instant that the only right optimism is a sort
of universal patriotism。 What is the matter with the pessimist？
I think it can be stated by saying that he is the cosmic anti…patriot。
And what is the matter with the anti…patriot？ I think it can be stated；
without undue bitterness； by saying that he is the candid friend。
And what is the matter with the candid friend？ There we strike
the rock of real life and immutable human nature。
I venture to say that what is bad in the candid friend
is simply that he is not candid。 He is keeping something back
his own gloomy pleasure in saying unpleasant things。 He has
a secret desire to hurt； not merely to help。 This is certainly；
I think； what makes a certain sort of anti…patriot irritating to
healthy citizens。 I do not speak （of course） of the anti…patriotism
which only irritates feverish stockbrokers and gushing actresses；
that is only patriotism speaking plainly。 A man who says that
no patriot should attack the Boer War until it is over is not
worth answering intelligently； he is saying that no good son
should warn his mother off a cliff until she has fallen over it。
But there is an anti…patriot who honestly angers honest men；
and the explanation of him is； I think； what I have suggested：
he is the uncandid candid friend； the man who says； 〃I am sorry
to say we are ruined；〃 and is not sorry at all。 And he may be said；
without rhetoric； to be a traitor； for he is using that ugly knowledge
which was allowed him to strengthen the army； to discourage people
from joining it。 Because he is allowed to be pessimistic as a
military adviser he is being pessimistic as a recruiting sergeant。
Just in the same way the pessimist （who is the cosmic anti…patriot）
uses the freedom that life allows to her counsellors to lure away
the people from her flag。 Granted that he states only facts； it is
still essential to know what are his emotions； what is his motive。
It may be that twelve hundred men in Tottenham are down with smallpox；
but we