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！
and of God as the King of that state。
〃But /I/ say that；〃 cried Mr。 Lubin； 〃I have put my name to that。 Andit is /here！/〃
He struggled up； seized an Old Testament that lay upon a side
table。 He stood over it and rapped its cover。 〃It is
/here/；〃 he said； looking more like Gladstone than ever； 〃in
the Prophets。〃
4
That is all I mean to tell at present of that conversation。
We talked of religion for two hours。 Mr。 Lubin sees things in
terms of Israel and I do not。 For all that we see things very
much after the same fashion。 That talk was only one of a number
of talks about religion that I have had with hard and practical
men who want to get the world straighter than it is； and who
perceive that they must have a leadership and reference outside
themselves。 That is why I assert so confidently that there is a
real deep religious movement afoot in the world。 But not one of
those conversations could have gone on； it would have ceased
instantly； if anyone bearing the uniform and brand of any
organised religious body； any clergyman； priest； mollah； of
suchlike advocate of the ten thousand patented religions in the
world； had come in。 He would have brought in his sectarian
spites； his propaganda of church…going； his persecution of the
heretic and the illegitimate； his ecclesiastical politics； his
taboos； and his doctrinal touchiness。。。。 That is why； though I
perceive there is a great wave of religious revival in the world
to…day； I doubt whether it bodes well for the professional
religions。。。。
The other day I was talking to an eminent Anglican among various
other people and someone with an eye to him propounded this
remarkable view。
〃There are four stages between belief and utter unbelief。 There
are those who believe in God； those who doubt like Huxley the
Agnostic； those who deny him like the Atheists but who do at
least keep his place vacant； and lastly those who have set up a
Church in his place。 That is the last outrage of unbelief。〃
IV。 THE RIDDLE OF THE BRITISH
All the French people I met in France seemed to be thinking and
talking about the English。 The English bring their own
atmosphere with them； to begin with they are not so talkative；
and I did not find among them anything like the same vigour of
examination； the same resolve to understand the Anglo…French
reaction； that I found among the French。 In intellectual
processes I will confess that my sympathies are undisguisedly
with the French； the English will never think nor talk clearly
until the get clerical 〃Greek〃 and sham 〃humanities〃 out of their
public schools and sincere study and genuine humanities in； our
disingenuous Anglican compromise is like a cold in the English
head； and the higher education in England is a training in
evasion。 This is an always lamentable state of affairs； but just
now it is particularly lamentable because quite tremendous
opportunities for the good of mankind turn on the possibility of
a thorough and entirely frank mutual understanding between
French； Italians； and English。 For years there has been a
considerable amount of systematic study in France of English
thought and English developments。 Upon almost any question of
current English opinion and upon most current English social
questions； the best studies are in French。 But there has been
little or no reciprocal activity。 The English in France seem to
confine their French studies to /La Vie Parisienne。/ It is
what they have been led to expect of French literature。
There can be no doubt in any reasonable mind that this war is
binding France and England very closely together。 They dare not
quarrel for the next fifty years。 They are bound to play a
central part in the World League for the Preservation of Peace
that must follow this struggle。 There is no question of their
practical union。 It is a thing that must be。 But it is
remarkable that while the French mind is agog to apprehend every
fact and detail it can about the British； to make the wisest and
fullest use of our binding necessities； that strange English
〃incuria〃to use the new slangattains to its most monumental
in this matter。
So there is not much to say about how the British think about the
French。 They do not think。 They feel。 At the outbreak of the
war； when the performance of France seemed doubtful； there was an
enormous feeling for France in Great Britain； it was like the
formless feeling one has for a brother。 It was as if Britain had
discovered a new instinct。 If France had crumpled up like paper；
the English would have fought on passionately to restore her。
That is ancient history now。 Now the English still feel
fraternal and fraternally proud； but in a mute way they are
dazzled。 Since the German attack on Verdun began； the French
have achieved a crescendo。 None of us could have imagined it。
It did not seem possible to very many of us at the end of 1915
that either France or Germany could hold on for another year。
There was much secret anxiety for France。 It has given place now
to unstinted confidence and admiration。 In their astonishment
the British are apt to forget the impressive magnitude of their
own effort； the millions of soldiers； the innumerable guns； the
endless torrent of supplies that pour into France to avenge the
little army of Mons。 It seems natural to us that we should so
exert ourselves under the circumstances。 I suppose it is
wonderful； but； as a sample Englishman； I do not feel that it is
at all wonderful。 I did not feel it wonderful even when I saw
the British aeroplanes lording it in the air over Martinpuich；
and not a German to be seen。 Since Michael would have it so；
there； at last； they were。
There was a good deal of doubt in France about the vigour of the
British effort； until the Somme offensive。 All that had been
dispelled in August when I reached Paris。 There was not the
shadow of a doubt remaining anywhere of the power and loyalty of
the British。 These preliminary assurances have to be made；
because it is in the nature of the French mind to criticise； and
it must not be supposed that criticisms of detail and method
affect the fraternity and complete mutual confidence which is the
stuff of the Anglo…French relationship。
2
Now first the French have been enormously astonished by the
quality of the ordinary British soldiers in our new armies。 One
Colonial colonel said something almost incredible to mealmost
incredible as coming as from a Frenchman； it was a matter to
solemn for any compliments or polite exaggerations； he said in
tones of wonder and conviction； 〃/They are as good as
ours。/〃 It was his acme of all possible praise。
That means any sort of British soldier。 Unless he is assisted by
a kilt the ordinary Frenchman is unable to distinguish between
one sort of British soldier and another。 He cannot telllet the
ardent nationalist mark the fact！a Cockney from an Irishman or
the Cardiff from the Essex note。 He finds them all extravagantly
and unquenchably cheerful and with a generosity〃like good
children。〃 There his praise is a little tinged by doubt。 The
British are recklessrecklessness in battle a Frenc