按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
nd inefficiency； the incentives to dishonourable conduct are overpowering。 The result in our own political life is that the best men are driven in disgust from politics； and thus one of the noblest fields for the culture of the whole man is given over to be worked by swindlers and charlatans。 To an Athenian such a severance of the highest culture from political life would have been utterly inconceivable。 Obviously the deepest explanation of all this lies in our lack of belief in the necessity for high and thorough training。 We do not value culture enough to keep it in our employ or to pay it for its services； and what is this short…sighted negligence but the outcome of the universal shiftlessness begotten of the habit of doing everything in a hurry？ On every hand we may see the fruits of this shiftlessness； from buildings that tumble in； switches that are misplaced； furnaces that are ill…protected； fire…brigades that are without discipline； up to unauthorized meddlings with the currency； and revenue laws which defeat their own purpose。
I said above that the attributes of American life which we should find it necessary for our purpose to signalize are simply the attributes of modern life in their most exaggerated phase。 Is there not a certain sense in which all modern handiwork is hastily and imperfectly done？ To begin with common household arts； does not every one know that old things are more durable than new things？ Our grandfathers wore better shoes than we wear； because there was leisure enough to cure the leather properly。 In old times a chair was made of seasoned wood； and its joints carefully fitted； its maker had leisure to see that it was well put together。 Now a thousand are turned off at once by machinery； out of green wood； and； with their backs glued on； are hurried off to their evil fate；destined to drop in pieces if they happen to stand near the fireplace； and liable to collapse under the weight of a heavy man。 Some of us still preserve； as heirlooms； old tables and bedsteads of Cromwellian times： in the twenty…first century what will have become of our machine…made bedsteads and tables？
Perhaps it may seem odd to talk about tanning and joinery in connection with culture； but indeed there is a subtle bond of union holding together all these things。 Any phase of life can be understood only by associating with it some different phase。 Sokrates himself has taught us how the homely things illustrate the grand things。 If we turn to the art of musical composition and inquire into some of the differences between our recent music and that of Handel's time； we shall alight upon the very criticism which Mr。 Mill somewhere makes in comparing ancient with modern literature： the substance has improved； but the form has in some respects deteriorated。 The modern music expresses the results of a richer and more varied emotional experience； and in wealth of harmonic resources； to say nothing of increased skill in orchestration； it is notably superior to the old music。 Along with this advance； however； there is a perceptible falling off in symmetry and completeness of design； and in what I would call spontaneousness of composition。 I believe that this is because modern composers； as a rule； do not drudge patiently enough upon counterpoint。 They do not get that absolute mastery over technical difficulties of figuration which was the great secret of the incredible facility and spontaneity of composition displayed by Handel and Bach。 Among recent musicians Mendelssohn is the most thoroughly disciplined in the elements of counterpoint； and it is this perfect mastery of the technique of his art which has enabled him to outrank Schubert and Schumann； neither of whom would one venture to pronounce inferior to him in native wealth of musical ideas。 May we not partly attribute to rudimentary deficiency in counterpoint the irregularity of structure which so often disfigures the works of the great Wagner and the lesser Liszt； and which the more ardent admirers of these composers are inclined to regard as a symptom of progress？
I am told that a similar illustration might be drawn from the modern history of painting； that； however noble the conceptions of the great painters of the present century； there are none who have gained such a complete mastery over the technicalities of drawing and the handling of the brush as was required in the times of Raphael； Titian； and Rubens。 But on this point I can only speak from hearsay； and am quite willing to end here my series of illustrations； fearing that I may already have been wrongly set down as a lavulator temporis acti。 Not the idle praising of times gone by； but the getting a lesson from them which may be of use to us； has been my object。 And I believe enough has been said to show that the great complexity of modern life； with its multiplicity of demands upon our energy； has got us into a state of chronic hurry； the results of which are everywhere to be seen in the shape of less thorough workmanship and less rounded culture。
For one moment let me stop to note a further source of the relative imperfection of modern culture； which is best illustrated in the case of literature。 I allude to the immense； unorganized mass of literature in all departments； representing the accumulated acquisitions of past ages； which must form the basis of our own achievement； but with which our present methods of education seem inadequate to deal properly。 Speaking roughly； modern literature may be said to be getting into the state which Roman jurisprudence was in before it was reformed by Justinian。 Philosophic criticism has not yet reached the point at which it may serve as a natural codifier。 We must read laboriously and expend a disproportionate amount of time and pains in winnowing the chaff from the wheat。 This tends to make us 〃digs〃 or literary drudges； but I doubt if the 〃dig〃 is a thoroughly developed man。 Goethe； with all his boundless knowledge； his universal curiosity； and his admirable capacity for work； was not a 〃dig。〃 But this matter can only be hinted at： it is too large to be well discussed at the fag end of an essay while other points are pressing for consideration。
A state of chronic hurry not only directly hinders the performance of thorough work； but it has an indirect tendency to blunt the enjoyment of life。 Let us consider for a moment one of the psychological consequences entailed by the strain of a too complex and rapid activity。 Every one must have observed that in going off for a vacation of two or three weeks； or in getting freed in any way from the ruts of every…day life； time slackens its gait somewhat； and the events which occur are apt a few years later to cover a disproportionately large area in our recollections。 This is because the human organism is a natural timepiece in which the ticks are conscious sensations。 The greater the number of sensations which occupy the foreground of consciousness during the day； the longer the day seems in the retrospect。 But the various groups of sensations which accompany our daily work tend to become automatic from continual repetition； and to sink into the background of consciousness； and in a very complex and busied life the number of s