Solongasthewoman’splaceisconsistentlythatofadrudge,sheis,intheaverageofcases,fairlycontentedwithherlot。Shenotonlyhassomethingtangibleandpurposefultodo,butshehasalsonotimeorthoughttospareforarebelliousassertionofsuchhumanpropensitytoself-directionasshehasinherited。Andafterthestageofuniversalfemaledrudgeryispassed,andavicariousleisurewithoutstrenuousapplicationbecomestheaccreditedemploymentofthewomenofthewell-to-doclasses,theprescriptiveforceofthecanonofpecuniarydecency,whichrequirestheobservanceofceremonialfutilityontheirpart,willlongpreservehigh-mindedwomenfromanysentimentalleaningtoself-directionanda“sphereofusefulness。“Thisisespeciallytrueduringtheearlierphasesofthepecuniaryculture,whiletheleisureoftheleisureclassisstillingreatmeasureapredatoryactivity,anactiveassertionofmasteryinwhichthereisenoughoftangiblepurposeofaninvidiouskindtoadmitofitsbeingtakenseriouslyasanemploymenttowhichonemaywithoutshameputone’shand。Thisconditionofthingshasobviouslylastedwelldownintothepresentinsomecommunities。Itcontinuestoholdtoadifferentextentfordifferentindividuals,varyingwiththevividnessofthesenseofstatusandwiththefeeblenessoftheimpulsetoworkmanshipwithwhichtheindividualisendowed。Butwheretheeconomicstructureofthecommunityhassofaroutgrowntheschemeoflifebasedonstatusthattherelationofpersonalsubservienceisnolongerfelttobethesole“natural“humanrelation;theretheancienthabitofpurposefulactivitywillbegintoassertitselfinthelessconformableindividualsagainstthemorerecent,relativelysuperficial,relativelyephemeralhabitsandviewswhichthepredatoryandthepecuniaryculturehavecontributedtoourschemeoflife。Thesehabitsandviewsbegintolosetheircoerciveforceforthecommunityortheclassinquestionsosoonasthehabitofmindandtheviewsoflifeduetothepredatoryandthequasi-peaceabledisciplineceasetobeinfairlycloseaccordwiththelater-developedeconomicsituation。Thisisevidentinthecaseoftheindustriousclassesofmoderncommunities;forthemtheleisure-classschemeoflifehaslostmuchofitsbindingforce,especiallyasregardstheelementofstatus。Butitisalsovisiblybeingverifiedinthecaseoftheupperclasses,thoughnotinthesamemanner。
  Thehabitsderivedfromthepredatoryandquasi-peaceableculturearerelativelyephemeralvariantsofcertainunderlyingpropensitiesandmentalcharacteristicsoftherace;whichitowestotheprotracteddisciplineoftheearlier,proto-anthropoidculturalstageofpeaceable,relativelyundifferentiatedeconomiclifecarriedonincontactwitharelativelysimpleandinvariablematerialenvironment。Whenthehabitssuperinducedbytheemulativemethodoflifehaveceasedtoenjoythesectionofexistingeconomicexigencies,aprocessofdisintegrationsetsinwherebythehabitsofthoughtofmorerecentgrowthandofalessgenericcharactertosomeextentyieldthegroundbeforethemoreancientandmorepervadingspiritualcharacteristicsoftherace。
  Inasense,then,thenew-womanmovementmarksareversiontoamoregenerictypeofhumancharacter,ortoalessdifferentiatedexpressionofhumannature。Itisatypeofhumannaturewhichistobecharacterizedasproto-anthropoid,and,asregardsthesubstanceifnottheformofitsdominanttraits,itbelongstoaculturalstagethatmaybeclassedaspossiblysub-human。Theparticularmovementorevolutionalfeatureinquestionofcoursesharesthischaracterizationwiththerestofthelatersocialdevelopment,insofarasthissocialdevelopmentshowsevidenceofareversiontothespiritualattitudethatcharacterizestheearlier,undifferentiatedstageofeconomicrevolution。Suchevidenceofageneraltendencytoreversionfromthedominanceoftheinvidiousinterestisnotentirelywanting,althoughitisneitherplentifulnorunquestionablyconvincing。Thegeneraldecayofthesenseofstatusinmodernindustrialcommunitiesgoessomewayasevidenceinthisdirection;andtheperceptiblereturntoadisapprovaloffutilityinhumanlife,andadisapprovalofsuchactivitiesasserveonlytheindividualgainatthecostofthecollectivityoratthecostofothersocialgroups,isevidencetoalikeeffect。
  Thereisaperceptibletendencytodeprecatetheinflictionofpain,aswellastodiscreditallmaraudingenterprises,evenwheretheseexpressionsoftheinvidiousinterestdonottangiblyworktothematerialdetrimentofthecommunityoroftheindividualwhopassesanopiniononthem。Itmayevenbesaidthatinthemodernindustrialcommunitiestheaverage,dispassionatesenseofmensaysthattheidealcharacterisacharacterwhichmakesforpeace,good-will,andeconomicefficiency,ratherthanforalifeofself-seeking,force,fraud,andmastery。
  Theinfluenceoftheleisureclassisnotconsistentlyfororagainsttherehabilitationofthisproto-anthropoidhumannature。Sofarasconcernsthechanceofsurvivalofindividualsendowedwithanexceptionallylargeshareoftheprimitivetraits,theshelteredpositionoftheclassfavorsitsmembersdirectlybywithdrawingthemfromthepecuniarystruggle;butindirectly,throughtheleisure-classcanonsofconspicuouswasteofgoodsandeffort,theinstitutionofaleisureclasslessensthechanceofsurvivalofsuchindividualsintheentirebodyofthepopulation。Thedecentrequirementsofwasteabsorbthesurplusenergyofthepopulationinaninvidiousstruggleandleavenomarginforthenon-invidiousexpressionoflife。Theremoter,lesstangible,spiritualeffectsofthedisciplineofdecencygointhesamedirectionandworkperhapsmoreeffectuallytothesameend。Thecanonsofdecentlifeareanelaborationoftheprincipleofinvidiouscomparison,andtheyaccordinglyactconsistentlytoinhibitallnon-invidiouseffortandtoinculcatetheself-regardingattitude。
  Chapter14
  TheHigherLearningasanExpressionofthePecuniaryCultureTotheendthatsuitablehabitsofthoughtoncertainheadsmaybeconservedintheincominggeneration,ascholasticdisciplineissanctionedbythecommonsenseofthecommunityandincorporatedintotheaccreditedschemeoflife。Thehabitsofthoughtwhicharesoformedundertheguidanceofteachersandscholastictraditionshaveaneconomicvalue——avalueasaffectingtheserviceabilityoftheindividual——nolessrealthanthesimilareconomicvalueofthehabitsofthoughtformedwithoutsuchguidanceunderthedisciplineofeverydaylife。
  Whatevercharacteristicsoftheaccreditedscholasticschemeanddisciplinearetraceabletothepredilectionsoftheleisureclassortotheguidanceofthecanonsofpecuniarymeritaretobesetdowntotheaccountofthatinstitution,andwhatevereconomicvaluethesefeaturesoftheeducationalschemepossessaretheexpressionindetailofthevalueofthatinstitution。Itwillbeinplace,therefore,topointoutanypeculiarfeaturesoftheeducationalsystemwhicharetraceabletotheleisure-classschemeoflife,whetherasregardstheaimandmethodofthediscipline,orasregardsthecompassandcharacterofthebodyofknowledgeinculcated。Itisinlearningproper,andmoreparticularlyinthehigherlearning,thattheinfluenceofleisure-classidealsismostpatent;andsincethepurposehereisnottomakeanexhaustivecollationofdatashowingtheeffectofthepecuniarycultureuponeducation,butrathertoillustratethemethodandtrendoftheleisure-classinfluenceineducation,asurveyofcertainsalientfeaturesofthehigherlearning,suchasmayservethispurpose,isallthatwillbeattempted。
  Inpointofderivationandearlydevelopment,learningissomewhatcloselyrelatedtothedevotionalfunctionofthecommunity,particularlytothebodyofobservancesinwhichtheservicerenderedthesupernaturalleisureclassexpressesitself。
  Theservicebywhichitissoughttoconciliatesupernaturalagenciesintheprimitivecultsisnotanindustriallyprofitableemploymentofthecommunity’stimeandeffort。Itis,therefore,ingreatpart,tobeclassedasavicariousleisureperformedforthesupernaturalpowerswithwhomnegotiationsarecarriedonandwhosegood-willtheserviceandtheprofessionsofsubservienceareconceivedtoprocure。Ingreatpart,theearlylearningconsistedinanacquisitionofknowledgeandfacilityintheserviceofasupernaturalagent。Itwasthereforecloselyanalogousincharactertothetrainingrequiredforthedomesticserviceofatemporalmaster。Toagreatextent,theknowledgeacquiredunderthepriestlyteachersoftheprimitivecommunitywasknowledgeofritualandceremonial;thatistosay,aknowledgeofthemostproper,mosteffective,ormostacceptablemannerofapproachingandofservingthepreternaturalagents。
  Whatwaslearnedwashowtomakeoneselfindispensabletothesepowers,andsotoputoneselfinapositiontoask,oreventorequire,theirintercessioninthecourseofeventsortheirabstentionfrominterferenceinanygivenenterprise。
  Propitiationwastheend,andthisendwassought,ingreatpart,byacquiringfacilityinsubservience。Itappearstohavebeenonlygraduallythatotherelementsthanthoseofefficientserviceofthemasterfoundtheirwayintothestockofpriestlyorshamanisticinstruction。
  Thepriestlyservitoroftheinscrutablepowersthatmoveintheexternalworldcametostandinthepositionofamediatorbetweenthesepowersandthecommonrunofunrestrictedhumanity;
  forhewaspossessedofaknowledgeofthesupernaturaletiquettewhichwouldadmithimintothepresence。Andascommonlyhappenswithmediatorsbetweenthevulgarandtheirmasters,whetherthemastersbenaturalorpreternatural,hefounditexpedienttohavethemeansathandtangiblytoimpressuponthevulgarthefactthattheseinscrutablepowerswoulddowhathemightaskofthem。Hence,presently,aknowledgeofcertainnaturalprocesseswhichcouldbeturnedtoaccountforspectaculareffect,togetherwithsomesleightofhand,cametobeanintegralpartofpriestlylore。Knowledgeofthiskindpassesforknowledgeofthe“unknowable“,anditowesitsserviceabilityforthesacerdotalpurposetoitsreconditecharacter。Itappearstohavebeenfromthissourcethatlearning,asaninstitution,arose,anditsdifferentiationfromthisitsparentstockofmagicritualandshamanisticfraudhasbeenslowandtedious,andisscarcelyyetcompleteeveninthemostadvancedofthehigherseminariesoflearning。
  Thereconditeelementinlearningisstill,asithasbeeninallages,averyattractiveandeffectiveelementforthepurposeofimpressing,orevenimposingupon,theunlearned;andthestandingofthesavantinthemindofthealtogetherunletteredisingreatmeasureratedintermsofintimacywiththeoccultforces。So,forinstance,asatypicalcase,evensolateasthemiddleofthiscentury,theNorwegianpeasantshaveinstinctivelyformulatedtheirsenseofthesuperioreruditionofsuchdoctorsofdivinityasLuther,Malanchthon,PederDass,andevensolateascholarindivinityasGrundtvig,intermsoftheBlackArt。These,togetherwithaverycomprehensivelistofminorcelebrities,bothlivinganddead,havebeenreputedmastersinallmagicalarts;andahighpositionintheecclesiasticalpersonnelhascarriedwithit,intheapprehensionofthesegoodpeople,animplicationofprofoundfamiliaritywithmagicalpracticeandtheoccultsciences。Thereisaparallelfactnearerhome,similarlygoingtoshowthecloserelationship,inpopularapprehension,betweeneruditionandtheunknowable;
  anditwillatthesametimeservetoillustrate,insomewhatcoarseoutline,thebentwhichleisure-classlifegivestothecognitiveinterest。Whilethebeliefisbynomeansconfinedtotheleisureclass,thatclasstodaycomprisesadisproportionatelylargenumberofbelieversinoccultsciencesofallkindsandshades。Bythosewhosehabitsofthoughtarenotshapedbycontactwithmodernindustry,theknowledgeoftheunknowableisstillfelttotheultimateifnottheonlytrueknowledge。
  Learning,then,setoutbybeinginsomesenseaby-productofthepriestlyvicariousleisureclass;and,atleastuntilarecentdate,thehigherlearninghassinceremainedinsomesenseaby-productorby-occupationofthepriestlyclasses。Asthebodyofsystematizedknowledgeincreased,therepresentlyaroseadistinction,traceableveryfarbackinthehistoryofeducation,betweenesotericandexotericknowledge,theformer——sofarasthereisasubstantialdifferencebetweenthetwo——comprisingsuchknowledgeasisprimarilyofnoeconomicorindustrialeffect,andthelattercomprisingchieflyknowledgeofindustrialprocessesandofnaturalphenomenawhichwerehabituallyturnedtoaccountforthematerialpurposesoflife。Thislineofdemarcationhasintimebecome,atleastinpopularapprehension,thenormallinebetweenthehigherlearningandthelower。
  Itissignificant,notonlyasanevidenceoftheircloseaffiliationwiththepriestlycraft,butalsoasindicatingthattheiractivitytoagoodextentfallsunderthatcategoryofconspicuousleisureknownasmannersandbreeding,thatthelearnedclassinallprimitivecommunitiesaregreatsticklersforform,precedent,gradationsofrank,ritual,ceremonialvestments,andlearnedparaphernaliagenerally。Thisisofcoursetobeexpected,anditgoestosaythatthehigherlearning,initsincipientphase,isaleisure-classoccupation——morespecificallyanoccupationofthevicariousleisureclassemployedintheserviceofthesupernaturalleisureclass。Butthispredilectionfortheparaphernaliaoflearninggoesalsotoindicateafurtherpointofcontactorofcontinuitybetweenthepriestlyofficeandtheofficeofthesavant。Inpointofderivation,learning,aswellasthepriestlyoffice,islargelyanoutgrowthofsympatheticmagic;andthismagicalapparatusofformandritualthereforefindsitsplacewiththelearnedclassoftheprimitivecommunityasamatterofcourse。Theritualandparaphernaliahaveanoccultefficacyforthemagicalpurpose;sothattheirpresenceasanintegralfactorintheearlierphasesofthedevelopmentofmagicandscienceisamatterofexpediency,quiteasmuchasofaffectionateregardforsymbolismsimply。