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！
less popular； is still all human and earthly； a fallen brotherand
at the same time that nobly dressed and nobly dreaming writer at the
desk。
That vision of the strengthened and perfected state is protagonist
in my story。 But as I re…read 〃The Prince〃 and thought out the
manner of my now abandoned project； I came to perceive how that stir
and whirl of human thought one calls by way of embodiment the French
Revolution； has altered absolutely the approach to such a question。
Machiavelli； like Plato and Pythagoras and Confucius two hundred odd
decades before him； saw only one method by which a thinking man；
himself not powerful； might do the work of state building； and that
was by seizing the imagination of a Prince。 Directly these men
turned their thoughts towards realisation； their attitudes became
what shall I call it？secretarial。 Machiavelli； it is true； had
some little doubts about the particular Prince he wanted； whether it
was Caesar Borgia of Giuliano or Lorenzo； but a Prince it had to be。
Before I saw clearly the differences of our own time I searched my
mind for the modern equivalent of a Prince。 At various times I
redrafted a parallel dedication to the Prince of Wales； to the
Emperor William； to Mr。 Evesham； to a certain newspaper proprietor
who was once my schoolfellow at City Merchants'； to Mr。 J。 D。
Rockefellerall of them men in their several ways and circumstances
and possibilities； princely。 Yet in every case my pen bent of its
own accord towards irony becausebecause； although at first I did
not realise it； I myself am just as free to be a prince。 The appeal
was unfair。 The old sort of Prince； the old little principality has
vanished from the world。 The commonweal is one man's absolute
estate and responsibility no more。 In Machiavelli's time it was
indeed to an extreme degree one man's affair。 But the days of the
Prince who planned and directed and was the source and centre of all
power are ended。 We are in a condition of affairs infinitely more
complex； in which every prince and statesman is something of a
servant and every intelligent human being something of a Prince。 No
magnificent pensive Lorenzos remain any more in this world for
secretarial hopes。
In a sense it is wonderful how power has vanished； in a sense
wonderful how it has increased。 I sit here； an unarmed discredited
man； at a small writing…table in a little defenceless dwelling among
the vines； and no human being can stop my pen except by the
deliberate self…immolation of murdering me； nor destroy its fruits
except by theft and crime。 No King； no council； can seize and
torture me； no Church； no nation silence me。 Such powers of
ruthless and complete suppression have vanished。 But that is not
because power has diminished； but because it has increased and
become multitudinous； because it has dispersed itself and
specialised。 It is no longer a negative power we have； but
positive； we cannot prevent； but we can do。 This age； far beyond
all previous ages； is full of powerful men； men who might； if they
had the will for it； achieve stupendous things。
The things that might be done to…day！ The things indeed that are
being done！ It is the latter that give one so vast a sense of the
former。 When I think of the progress of physical and mechanical
science； of medicine and sanitation during the last century； when I
measure the increase in general education and average efficiency；
the power now available for human service； the merely physical
increment； and compare it with anything that has ever been at man's
disposal before； and when I think of what a little straggling；
incidental； undisciplined and uncoordinated minority of inventors；
experimenters； educators； writers and organisers has achieved this
development of human possibilities； achieved it in spite of the
disregard and aimlessness of the huge majority； and the passionate
resistance of the active dull； my imagination grows giddy with
dazzling intimations of the human splendours the justly organised
state may yet attain。 I glimpse for a bewildering instant the
heights that may be scaled； the splendid enterprises made possible。
But the appeal goes out now in other forms； in a book that catches
at thousands of readers for the eye of a Prince diffused。 It is the
old appeal indeed for the unification of human effort； the ending of
confusions； but instead of the Machiavellian deference to a
flattered lord； a man cries out of his heart to the unseen
fellowship about him。 The last written dedication of all those I
burnt last night； was to no single man； but to the socially
constructive passionin any man。 。 。 。
There is； moreover； a second great difference in kind between my
world and Machiavelli's。 We are discovering women。 It is as if
they had come across a vast interval since his time； into the very
chamber of the statesman。
2
In Machiavelli's outlook the interest of womanhood was in a region
of life almost infinitely remote from his statecraft。 They were the
vehicle of children； but only Imperial Rome and the new world of to…
day have ever had an inkling of the significance that might give
them in the state。 They did their work； he thought； as the ploughed
earth bears its crops。 Apart from their function of fertility they
gave a humorous twist to life； stimulated worthy men to toil； and
wasted the hours of Princes。 He left the thought of women outside
with his other dusty things when he went into his study to write；
dismissed them from his mind。 But our modern world is burthened
with its sense of the immense； now half articulate； significance of
women。 They stand now； as it were； close beside the silver
candlesticks； speaking as Machiavelli writes； until he stays his pen
and turns to discuss his writing with them。
It is this gradual discovery of sex as a thing collectively
portentous that I have to mingle with my statecraft if my picture is
to be true which has turned me at length from a treatise to the
telling of my own story。 In my life I have paralleled very closely
the slow realisations that are going on in the world about me。 I
began life ignoring women； they came to me at first perplexing and
dishonouring； only very slowly and very late in my life and after
misadventure； did I gauge the power and beauty of the love of man
and woman and learnt how it must needs frame a justifiable vision of
the ordered world。 Love has brought me to disaster； because my
career had been planned regardless of its possibility and value。
But Machiavelli； it seems to me； when he went into his study； left
not only the earth of life outside but its unsuspected soul。
3
Like Machiavelli at San Casciano； if I may take this analogy one
step further； I too am an exile。 Office and leading are closed to
me。 The political career that promise