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against him； you cannot dispute it except by saying that all the men
deny that they are conspirators； which is exactly what conspirators
would do。 His explanation covers the facts as much as yours。
Or if a man says that he is the rightful King of England； it is no
complete answer to say that the existing authorities call him mad；
for if he were King of England that might be the wisest thing for the
existing authorities to do。 Or if a man says that he is Jesus Christ；
it is no answer to tell him that the world denies his divinity；
for the world denied Christ's。
Nevertheless he is wrong。 But if we attempt to trace his error
in exact terms； we shall not find it quite so easy as we had supposed。
Perhaps the nearest we can get to expressing it is to say this：
that his mind moves in a perfect but narrow circle。 A small circle
is quite as infinite as a large circle； but； though it is quite
as infinite； it is not so large。 In the same way the insane explanation
is quite as complete as the sane one； but it is not so large。
A bullet is quite as round as the world； but it is not the world。
There is such a thing as a narrow universality； there is such
a thing as a small and cramped eternity； you may see it in many
modern religions。 Now； speaking quite externally and empirically；
we may say that the strongest and most unmistakable MARK of madness
is this combination between a logical completeness and a spiritual
contraction。 The lunatic's theory explains a large number of things；
but it does not explain them in a large way。 I mean that if you
or I were dealing with a mind that was growing morbid； we should be
chiefly concerned not so much to give it arguments as to give it air；
to convince it that there was something cleaner and cooler outside
the suffocation of a single argument。 Suppose； for instance；
it were the first case that I took as typical； suppose it were
the case of a man who accused everybody of conspiring against him。
If we could express our deepest feelings of protest and appeal
against this obsession； I suppose we should say something like this：
〃Oh； I admit that you have your case and have it by heart；
and that many things do fit into other things as you say。 I admit
that your explanation explains a great deal； but what a great deal it
leaves out！ Are there no other stories in the world except yours；
and are all men busy with your business？ Suppose we grant the details；
perhaps when the man in the street did not seem to see you it was
only his cunning； perhaps when the policeman asked you your name it
was only because he knew it already。 But how much happier you would
be if you only knew that these people cared nothing about you！
How much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller
in it； if you could really look at other men with common curiosity
and pleasure； if you could see them walking as they are in their
sunny selfishness and their virile indifference！ You would begin
to be interested in them； because they were not interested in you。
You would break out of this tiny and tawdry theatre in which your
own little plot is always being played； and you would find yourself
under a freer sky； in a street full of splendid strangers。〃
Or suppose it were the second case of madness； that of a man who
claims the crown； your impulse would be to answer； 〃All right！
Perhaps you know that you are the King of England； but why do you care？
Make one magnificent effort and you will be a human being and look
down on all the kings of the earth。〃 Or it might be the third case；
of the madman who called himself Christ。 If we said what we felt；
we should say； 〃So you are the Creator and Redeemer of the world：
but what a small world it must be！ What a little heaven you must inhabit；
with angels no bigger than butterflies！ How sad it must be to be God；
and an inadequate God！ Is there really no life fuller and no love
more marvellous than yours； and is it really in your small and painful
pity that all flesh must put its faith？ How much happier you would be；
how much more of you there would be； if the hammer of a higher God
could smash your small cosmos； scattering the stars like spangles；
and leave you in the open； free like other men to look up as well
as down！〃
And it must be remembered that the most purely practical science
does take this view of mental evil； it does not seek to argue with it
like a heresy but simply to snap it like a spell。 Neither modern
science nor ancient religion believes in complete free thought。
Theology rebukes certain thoughts by calling them blasphemous。
Science rebukes certain thoughts by calling them morbid。 For example；
some religious societies discouraged men more or less from thinking
about sex。 The new scientific society definitely discourages men from
thinking about death； it is a fact； but it is considered a morbid fact。
And in dealing with those whose morbidity has a touch of mania；
modern science cares far less for pure logic than a dancing Dervish。
In these cases it is not enough that the unhappy man should desire truth；
he must desire health。 Nothing can save him but a blind hunger
for normality； like that of a beast。 A man cannot think himself
out of mental evil； for it is actually the organ of thought that has
become diseased； ungovernable； and； as it were； independent。 He can
only be saved by will or faith。 The moment his mere reason moves；
it moves in the old circular rut； he will go round and round his
logical circle； just as a man in a third…class carriage on the Inner
Circle will go round and round the Inner Circle unless he performs
the voluntary； vigorous； and mystical act of getting out at Gower Street。
Decision is the whole business here； a door must be shut for ever。
Every remedy is a desperate remedy。 Every cure is a miraculous cure。
Curing a madman is not arguing with a philosopher； it is casting
out a devil。 And however quietly doctors and psychologists may go
to work in the matter； their attitude is profoundly intolerant
as intolerant as Bloody Mary。 Their attitude is really this：
that the man must stop thinking； if he is to go on living。
Their counsel is one of intellectual amputation。 If thy HEAD
offend thee； cut it off； for it is better； not merely to enter
the Kingdom of Heaven as a child； but to enter it as an imbecile；
rather than with your whole intellect to be cast into hell
or into Hanwell。
Such is the madman of experience； he is commonly a reasoner；
frequently a successful reasoner。 Doubtless