Nay,IdoubtmuchyouarenotlikelyevertomeetthefittestmaterialforaStatesman,orChiefofWorkers,insuchanelementasthat。YourPotentialChiefofWorkers,willhecomethereatall,totrywhetherhecantalk?Yourpoortenpoundfranchisersandelectoralworldgenerally,inlovewitheloquenttalk,aretheythelikeliesttodiscernwhatmanitisthathasworldsofsilentworkinhim?No。Orissuchaman,evenifbornintheduerankforit,thelikeliesttopresenthimself,andcourttheirmostsweetvoices?Again,no。
TheAgethatadmirestalksomuchcanhavelittlediscernmentforinarticulatework,orforanythingthatisdeepandgenuine。
Nobody,orhardlyanybody,havinginhimselfanearnestsensefortruth,howcananybodyrecognizeaninarticulateVeracity,orNature-factofanykind;aHuman_Doer_especially,whoisthemostcomplex,profound,andinarticulateofallNature’sFacts?
Nobodycanrecognizehim:tillonceheispatented,getsomepublicstampofauthenticity,andhasbeenarticulatelyproclaimed,andassertedtobeaDoer。Totheworshipperoftalk,suchaoneisasealedbook。Anexcellenthumansoul,directfromHeaven,——howshallanyexcellenceofmanbecomerecognizabletothisunfortunate?Notexceptbyannouncingandplacardingitselfasexcellent,——which,Ireckon,itaboveotherthingswillprobablybeinnogreathastetodo。
Wisdom,thedivinemessagewhicheverysoulofmanbringsintothisworld;thedivineprophecyofwhatthenewmanhasgotthenewandpeculiarcapabilitytodo,isintrinsicallyofsilentnature。Itcannotatonce,orcompletelyatall,bereadoffinwords;foritiswritteninabstrusefacts,ofendowment,position,desire,opportunity,grantedtotheman;——interpretsitselfinpresentiments,vaguestruggles,passionateendeavorsandisonlylegibleinwholewhenhisworkis_done_。NotbythenoblemonitionsofNature,butbytheignoble,isamanmuchtemptedtopublishthesecretofhissoulinwords。Words,ifhehaveasecret,willbeforeverinadequatetoit。Wordsdobutdisturbtherealansweroffactwhichcouldbegiventoit;
disturb,obstruct,andwillintheendabolish,andrenderimpossible,saidanswer。NograndDoerinthisworldcanbeacopiousspeakerabouthisdoings。WilliamtheSilentspokehimselfbestinacountryliberated;OliverCromwelldidnotshineinrhetoric;Goethe,whenhehadbutabookinview,foundthathemustsaynothingevenofthat,ifitwastosucceedwithhim。
Thenastopoliteness,andbreedingtobusiness。Anofficialmanmustbebredtobusiness;ofcoursehemust:andnotforessenceonly,butevenforthemannersofofficeherequiresbreeding。
Besideshisintrinsicfaculty,whateverthatmaybe,hemustbecautious,vigilant,discreet,——aboveallthings,hemustbereticent,patient,polite。Certainofthesequalitiesarebynatureimposeduponmenofstation;andtheyaretrainedfrombirthtosomeexerciseofthem:thisconstitutestheironeintrinsicqualificationforoffice;——thisistheironeadvantageintheNewDowningStreetprojectedforthisNewEra;anditwillnotgoformuchinthatInstitution。Oneadvantage,ortemporaryadvantage;againstwhichtherearesomanycounterbalances。Itistheindispensablepreliminaryforoffice,butbynomeansthecompleteoutfit,——amiserableoutfitwherethereisnothingfarther。
WillyourLordshipgivemeleavetosaythat,practically,theintrinsicqualitieswillpresupposethesepreliminariestoo,butbynomeans_viceversa_。That,onthewhole,ifyouhavegottheintrinsicqualities,youhavegoteverything,andthepreliminarieswillproveattainable;butthatifyouhavegotonlythepreliminaries,youhaveyetgotnothing。Amanofrealdignitywillnotfinditimpossibletobearhimselfinadignifiedmanner;amanofrealunderstandingandinsightwillgettoknow,asthefruitofhisveryfirststudy,whatthelawsofhissituationare,andwillconformtothese。RougholdSamuelJohnson,blusteringBoreasandruggedArcticBearasheoftenwas,definedhimself,justlywithal,asapoliteman:anoblemanfulattitudeofsoulishis;aclear,trueandloyalsenseofwhatothersare,andwhathehimselfis,shinesthroughtheruggedcoatingofhim;comesoutasgravedeeprhythmuswhenhisKinghonorshim,andhewillnot“bandycomplimentswithhisKing;“——istraceabletooinhisindignanttramplingdownoftheChesterfieldpatronages,tailor-madeinsolences,andcontradictionsofsinners;whichmaybecalledhis_revolutionary_movements,hardandperemptorybythelawofthem;thesecouldnotbesoftlikehis_constitutional_ones,whenmenandkingstookhimforsomewhatlikethethinghewas。
Givenanobleman,IthinkyourLordshipmayexpectbyandbyapoliteman。No“politer“manwastobefoundinBritainthantherusticRobertBurns:highduchesseswerecaptivatedwiththechivalrouswaysoftheman;recognizedthatherewasthetruechivalry,anddivinenoblenessofbearing,——asindeedtheywellmight,nowwhenthePeasantGodandNorseThorhadcomedownamongthemagain!Chivalrythis,ifnotastheydochivalryinDruryLaneorWest-Enddrawing-rooms,yetastheydoitinValhallaandtheGeneralAssemblyoftheGods。
Forindeed,who_invented_chivalry,politeness,oranythingthatisnobleandmelodiousandbeautifulamongus,exceptpreciselythelikeofJohnsonandofBurns?Theselectfewwhointhegenerationsofthisworldwerewiseandvaliant,they,inspiteofallthetremendousmajorityofblockheadsandslothfulbelly-worshippers,andnoisyuglypersons,havedevisedwhatsoeverisnobleinthemannersofmantoman。Iexpecttheywilllearntobepolite,yourLordship,whenyougivethemachance!——Norisitasaschoolofhumanculture,forthisorforanyothergraceorgift,thatParliamentwillbefoundfirst-rateorindispensable。Asexperienceintheriverisindispensabletotheferryman,soisknowledgeofhisParliamenttotheBritishPeelorChatham;——sowasknowledgeoftheOEil-de-BoeuftotheFrenchChoiseul。Whereandhowsaidriver,whetherParliamentwithWilkeses,orOEil-de-BoeufwithPompadours,canbewaded,boated,swum;howthemiscellaneouscargoes,“measures“socalled,canbegotacrossit,accordingtotheirkinds,andlandedaliveonthehithersideasfacts:——wehaveallofusour_ferries_inthisworld;andmustknowtheriveranditsways,orgetdrownedsomeday!Inthatsense,practiceinParliamentisindispensabletotheBritishStatesman;butnotinanyothersense。
Aschool,too,ofmannersandofseveralotherthings,theParliamentwilldoubtlessbetotheaspirantStatesman;aschoolbetterorworse;——astheOEil-de-Boeuflikewisewas,andasallsceneswheremenworkorlivearesuretobe。Especiallywheremanymenworktogether,theveryrubbingagainstoneanotherwillgrindandpolishofftheirangularitiesintoroundness,into“politeness“afterasort;andtheofficialman,placehimhowyoumay,willneverwantforschooling,ofextremelyvariouskinds。Afirst-rateschoolonecannotcallthisParliamentforhim;——Ifeartosaywhatrateatpresent!Insofarasitteacheshimvigilance,patience,courage,toughnessoflungsorofsoul,andskillinanykindofswimming,itisagoodschool。
InsofarasitforceshimtospeakwhereNatureorderssilence;
andeven,lestalltheworldshouldlearnhissecretwhichoftenenoughwouldkillhissecret,andlittleprofittheworld,forceshimtospeakfalsities,vagueambiguities,andthefroth-dialectusualinParliamentsinthesetimes,itmaybeconsideredoneoftheworstschoolseverdevisedbyman;and,I
think,mayalmostchallengetheOEil-de-Boeuftomatchitinbadness。
Parliamentwilltrainyourmentothemannersrequiredofastatesman;butinamuchlessdegreetotheintrinsicfunctionsofone。Totheselatter,itiscapableofmistrainingasnothingelsecan。Parliamentwilltrainyoutotalk;andaboveallthingstohear,withpatience,unlimitedquantitiesoffoolishtalk。Totellagoodstoryforyourself,andtomakeit_appear_
thatyouhavedoneyourwork:this,especiallyinconstitutionalcountries,issomething;——andyetinallcountries,constitutionalonestoo,itisintrinsicallynothing,probablyevenless。Foritisnotthefunctionofanymortal,inDowningStreetorelsewhereherebelow,towagthetongueofhim,andmakeitappearthathehasdonework;buttowagsomequiteotherorgansofhim,andtodowork;thereisnodangerofhiswork’sappearingbyandby。Suchanaccomplishment,eveninconstitutionalcountries,Igrievetosay,maybecomemuchlessthannothing。Haveyouatallcomputedhowmuchless?Thehumancreaturewhohasoncegivenwaytosatisfyinghimselfwith“appearances,“toseekinghissalvationin“appearances,“themorallifeofsuchhumancreatureisrapidlybleedingoutofhim。
Dependuponit,Beelzebub,Satan,orhoweveryoumaynamethetooauthenticGeniusofEternalDeath,hasgotthathumancreatureinhisclaws。Byandbyyouwillhaveadeadparliamentarybagpipe,andyourlivingmanfledawaywithoutreturn!
SuchparliamentarybagpipesImyselfhaveheardplaytunes,muchtothesatisfactionofthepeople。Everytunelieswithintheircompass;andtheirmindfortheystillcallit_mind_isreadyasahurdy-gurdyonturningofthehandle:“MyLords,thisquestionnowbeforetheHouse“——YeHeavens,OyedivineSilences,wasthereinthewombofChaos,then,suchaproduct,liabletobeevokedbyhumanart,asthatsame?Whilethegallerieswereallapplausiveofheart,andtheFourthEstatelookedwitheyesenlightened,asifyouhadtoucheditslipswithastaffdippedinhoney,——Ihavesatwithreflectionstooghastlytobeuttered。
Apoorhumancreatureandlearnedfriend,oncepossessedofmanyfinegifts,possessedofintellect,veracity,andmanfulconvictiononavarietyofobjects,hashenowlostallthat;——convertedallthatintoaglisteringphosphorescencewhichcanshowitselfontheoutside;whilewithin,allisdead,chaotic,dark;apaintedsepulchrefullofdead-men’sbones!
Discernment,knowledge,intellect,inthehumansenseofthewords,thismanhasnownone。Hisopinionyoudonotaskonanymatter:onthe_matter_hehasnoopinion,judgment,orinsight;
onlyonwhatmaybesaidaboutthematter,howitmaybearguedof,whattunemaybeplayeduponittoenlightentheeyesoftheFourthEstate。
Suchasoul,thoughtotheeyehestillkeepstumblingaboutintheParliamentaryelement,andmakes“motions,“andpassesbills,foraughtIknow,——arewetodefinehimasa_living_one,orasadead?PartridgetheAlmanac-Maker,whose“Publications“stillregularlyappear,isknowntobedead!Thedogthatwasdrownedlastsummer,andthatfloatsupanddowntheThameswithebbandfloodeversince,——isitnotdead?Alas,inthehotmonths,youmeethereandtheresuchafloatingdog;andatlength,ifyouoftenusetheriversteamers,gettoknowhimbysight。“Thereheisagain,stillastirthereinhisquasi-stygianelement!“youdejectedlyexclaimperhapsreadingyourMorningNewspaperatthemoment;andreflect,withapainfuloppressionofnoseandimagination,oncertaincompletedprofessorsofparliamentaryeloquenceinmoderntimes。Deadlongsince,but_not_resting;
dailydoingmotionsinthatWestminsterregionstill,——dailyfromVauxhalltoBlackfriars,andbackagain;andcannotgetawayatall!DailyfromNewspaperorriversteameryoumayseehimatsomepointofhisfatedcourse,hoveringintheeddies,strandedintheooze,orrapidlyprogressingwithfloodorebb;anddailytheodorofhimisgettingmoreintolerable:dailytheconditionofhimappealsmoretragicallytogodsandmen。
Natureadmitsnolie;mostmenprofesstobeawareofthis,butfewinanymeasurelayittoheart。Exceptinthedepartmentsofmerematerialmanipulation,itseemstobetakenpracticallyasifthisgrandtruthweremerelyapoliteflourishofrhetoric。
Whatisalie?Thequestionisworthasking,onceandaway,bythepracticalEnglishmind。
Avoluntaryspokendivergencefromthefactasitstands,asithasoccurredandwillproceedtodevelopitself:thisclearly,ifadoptedbyanyman,willsofarforthmisleadhiminallpracticaldealingwiththefact;tillhecastthatstatementoutofhim,andrejectitasanuncleanpoisonousthing,hecanhavenosuccessindealingwiththefact。Ifsuchspokendivergencefromthetruthbeinvoluntary,welamentitasamisfortune;andareentitled,atleastthespeakerofitis,tolamentitextremelyasthemostpalpableofallmisfortunes,astheindubitablestlosingofhisway,andturningasidefromthegoalinsteadofpressingtowardsit,intheracesetbeforehim。Ifthedivergenceisvoluntary,——theresuperaddsitselftooursorrowajustindignation:wecallthevoluntaryspokendivergencealie,andjustlyabhoritastheessenceofhumantreasonandbaseness,thedesertionofamantotheEnemyofmenagainsthimselfandhisbrethren。Alostdeserter;whohasgoneovertotheEnemy,calledSatan;andcannot_but_belostintheadventure!Suchiseveryliarwiththetongue;andsuchinallnationsishe,atallepochs,considered。Menpullhisnose,andkickhimoutofdoors;andbyperemptoryexpressivemethodssignifythattheycanandwillhavenotradewithhim。Suchisspokendivergencefromthefact;sofaresitwiththepractiserofthatsadart。
Buthavewewellconsideredadivergence_inthought_fromwhatisthefact?Haveweconsideredthemanwhoseverythoughtisalietohimandtous!Hetooisafrightfulman;repeatingaboutthisUniverseoneveryhandwhatisnot,anddriventorepeatit;
thesureheraldofruintoallthatfollowhim,thatknowwith_his_knowledge!Andwouldyoulearnhowtogetamendaciousthought,thereisnosurerrecipethancarryingaloosetongue。