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The objection is that if you merely bear it； you do not grin。
Greek heroes do not grin： but gargoyles dobecause they are Christian。
And when a Christian is pleased； he is （in the most exact sense）
frightfully pleased； his pleasure is frightful。 Christ prophesied
the whole of Gothic architecture in that hour when nervous and
respectable people （such people as now object to barrel organs）
objected to the shouting of the gutter…snipes of Jerusalem。
He said； 〃If these were silent； the very stones would cry out。〃
Under the impulse of His spirit arose like a clamorous chorus the
facades of the mediaeval cathedrals； thronged with shouting faces
and open mouths。 The prophecy has fulfilled itself： the very stones
cry out。
If these things be conceded； though only for argument；
we may take up where we left it the thread of the thought of the
natural man； called by the Scotch （with regrettable familiarity）；
〃The Old Man。〃 We can ask the next question so obviously in front
of us。 Some satisfaction is needed even to make things better。
But what do we mean by making things better？ Most modern talk on
this matter is a mere argument in a circlethat circle which we
have already made the symbol of madness and of mere rationalism。
Evolution is only good if it produces good； good is only good if it
helps evolution。 The elephant stands on the tortoise； and the tortoise
on the elephant。
Obviously； it will not do to take our ideal from the principle
in nature； for the simple reason that （except for some human
or divine theory）； there is no principle in nature。 For instance；
the cheap anti…democrat of to…day will tell you solemnly that
there is no equality in nature。 He is right； but he does not see
the logical addendum。 There is no equality in nature； also there
is no inequality in nature。 Inequality； as much as equality；
implies a standard of value。 To read aristocracy into the anarchy
of animals is just as sentimental as to read democracy into it。
Both aristocracy and democracy are human ideals： the one saying
that all men are valuable； the other that some men are more valuable。
But nature does not say that cats are more valuable than mice；
nature makes no remark on the subject。 She does not even say
that the cat is enviable or the mouse pitiable。 We think the cat
superior because we have （or most of us have） a particular philosophy
to the effect that life is better than death。 But if the mouse
were a German pessimist mouse； he might not think that the cat
had beaten him at all。 He might think he had beaten the cat by
getting to the grave first。 Or he might feel that he had actually
inflicted frightful punishment on the cat by keeping him alive。
Just as a microbe might feel proud of spreading a pestilence；
so the pessimistic mouse might exult to think that he was renewing
in the cat the torture of conscious existence。 It all depends
on the philosophy of the mouse。 You cannot even say that there
is victory or superiority in nature unless you have some doctrine
about what things are superior。 You cannot even say that the cat
scores unless there is a system of scoring。 You cannot even say
that the cat gets the best of it unless there is some best to
be got。
We cannot； then； get the ideal itself from nature；
and as we follow here the first and natural speculation； we will
leave out （for the present） the idea of getting it from God。
We must have our own vision。 But the attempts of most moderns
to express it are highly vague。
Some fall back simply on the clock： they talk as if mere
passage through time brought some superiority； so that even a man
of the first mental calibre carelessly uses the phrase that human
morality is never up to date。 How can anything be up to date？
a date has no character。 How can one say that Christmas
celebrations are not suitable to the twenty…fifth of a month？
What the writer meant； of course； was that the majority is behind
his favourite minorityor in front of it。 Other vague modern
people take refuge in material metaphors； in fact； this is the chief
mark of vague modern people。 Not daring to define their doctrine
of what is good； they use physical figures of speech without stint
or shame； and； what is worst of all； seem to think these cheap
analogies are exquisitely spiritual and superior to the old morality。
Thus they think it intellectual to talk about things being 〃high。〃
It is at least the reverse of intellectual； it is a mere phrase
from a steeple or a weathercock。 〃Tommy was a good boy〃 is a pure
philosophical statement； worthy of Plato or Aquinas。 〃Tommy lived
the higher life〃 is a gross metaphor from a ten…foot rule。
This； incidentally； is almost the whole weakness of Nietzsche；
whom some are representing as a bold and strong thinker。
No one will deny that he was a poetical and suggestive thinker；
but he was quite the reverse of strong。 He was not at all bold。
He never put his own meaning before himself in bald abstract words：
as did Aristotle and Calvin； and even Karl Marx； the hard；
fearless men of thought。 Nietzsche always escaped a question
by a physical metaphor； like a cheery minor poet。 He said；
〃beyond good and evil；〃 because he had not the courage to say；
〃more good than good and evil；〃 or； 〃more evil than good and evil。〃
Had he faced his thought without metaphors； he would have seen that it
was nonsense。 So； when he describes his hero； he does not dare to say；
〃the purer man；〃 or 〃the happier man；〃 or 〃the sadder man；〃 for all
these are ideas； and ideas are alarming。 He says 〃the upper man；〃
or 〃over man；〃 a physical metaphor from acrobats or alpine climbers。
Nietzsche is truly a very timid thinker。 He does not really know
in the least what sort of man he wants evolution to produce。
And if he does not know； certainly the ordinary evolutionists；
who talk about things being 〃higher；〃 do not know either。
Then again； some people fall back on sheer submission
and sitting still。 Nature is going to do something some day；
nobody knows what； and nobody knows when。 We have no reason for acting；
and no reason for not acting。 If anything happens it is right：
if anything is prevented it was wrong。 Again； some people try
to anticipate nature by doing something； by doing anything。
Because we may possibly grow wings they cut off their legs。
Yet nature may be trying to make them centipedes for all they know。
Lastly； there is a fourth class of people who take whatever