canterbury pieces-第7部分

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time　with　an　unsteady　step。　　So　when　the　human　race　was　in　its
gorilla…hood　it　generally　carried　a　stick；　from　carrying　a　stick　for
many　million　years　it　became　accustomed　and　modified　to　an　upright
position。　　The　stick　wherewith　it　had　learned　to　walk　would　now　serve
to　beat　its　younger　brothers；　and　then　it　found　out　its　service　as　a
lever。　　Man　would　thus　learn　that　the　limbs　of　his　body　were　not　the
only　limbs　that　he　could　command。　　His　body　was　already　the　most
versatile　in　existence；　but　he　could　render　it　more　versatile　still。
With　the　improvement　in　his　body　his　mind　improved　also。　　He　learnt
to　perceive　the　moral　government　under　which　he　held　the　feudal
tenure　of　his　lifeperceiving　it　he　symbolised　it；　and　to　this　day
our　poets　and　prophets　still　strive　to　symbolise　it　more　and　more
completely。

The　mind　grew　because　the　body　grew；　more　things　were　perceived；　more
things　were　handled；　and　being　handled　became　familiar。　　But　this
came　about　chiefly　because　there　was　a　hand　to　handle　with；　without
the　hand　there　would　be　no　handling；　and　no　method　of　holding　and
examining　is　comparable　to　the　human　hand。　　The　tail　of　an　opossum　is
a　prehensile　thing；　but　it　is　too　far　from　his　eyes；　the　elephant's
trunk　is　better；　and　it　is　probably　to　their　trunks　that　the
elephants　owe　their　sagacity。　　It　is　here　that　the　bee；　in　spite　of
her　wings；　has　failed。　　She　has　a　high　civilisation；　but　it　is　one
whose　equilibrium　appears　to　have　been　already　attained；　the
appearance　is　a　false　one；　for　the　bee　changes；　though　more　slowly
than　man　can　watch　her；　but　the　reason　of　the　very　gradual　nature　of
the　change　is　chiefly　because　the　physical　organisation　of　the　insect
changes；　but　slowly　also。　　She　is　poorly　off　for　hands；　and　has　never
fairly　grasped　the　notion　of　tacking　on　other　limbs　to　the　limbs　of
her　own　body；　and　so　being　short　lived　to　boot　she　remains　from
century　to　century　to　human　eyes　in　statu　quo。　　Her　body　never
becomes　machinate；　whereas　this　new　phase　of　organism　which　has　been
introduced　with　man　into　the　mundane　economy；　has　made　him　a　very
quicksand　for　the　foundation　of　an　unchanging　civilisation；　certain
fundamental　principles　will　always　remain；　but　every　century　the
change　in　man's　physical　status；　as　compared　with　the　elements　around
him；　is　greater　and　greater。　　He　is　a　shifting　basis　on　which　no
equilibrium　of　habit　and　civilisation　can　be　established。　　Were　it
not　for　this　constant　change　in　our　physical　powers；　which　our
mechanical　limbs　have　brought　about；　man　would　have　long　since
apparently　attained　his　limit　of　possibility；　he　would　be　a　creature
of　as　much　fixity　as　the　ants　and　bees；　he　would　still　have　advanced；
but　no　faster　than　other　animals　advance。

If　there　were　a　race　of　men　without　any　mechanical　appliances　we
should　see　this　clearly。　　There　are　none；　nor　have　there　been；　so　far
as　we　can　tell；　for　millions　and　millions　of　years。　　The　lowest
Australian　savage　carries　weapons　for　the　fight　or　the　chase；　and　has
his　cooking　and　drinking　utensils　at　home；　a　race　without　these
things　would　be　completely　ferae　naturae　and　not　men　at　all。　　We　are
unable　to　point　to　any　example　of　a　race　absolutely　devoid　of　extra…
corporaneous　limbs；　but　we　can　see　among　the　Chinese　that　with　the
failure　to　invent　new　limbs　a　civilisation　becomes　as　much　fixed　as
that　of　the　ants；　and　among　savage　tribes　we　observe　that　few
implements　involve　a　state　of　things　scarcely　human　at　all。　　Such
tribes　only　advance　pari　passu　with　the　creatures　upon　which　they
feed。

It　is　a　mistake；　then；　to　take　the　view　adopted　by　a　previous
correspondent　of　this　paper；　to　consider　the　machines　as　identities；
to　animalise　them　and　to　anticipate　their　final　triumph　over　mankind。
They　are　to　be　regarded　as　the　mode　of　development　by　which　human
organism　is　most　especially　advancing；　and　every　fresh　invention　is
to　be　considered　as　an　additional　member　of　the　resources　of　the
human　body。　　Herein　lies　the　fundamental　difference　between　man　and
his　inferiors。　　As　regard　his　flesh　and　blood；　his　senses；　appetites；
and　affections；　the　difference　is　one　of　degree　rather　than　of　kind；
but　in　the　deliberate　invention　of　such　unity　of　limbs　as　is
exemplified　by　the　railway　trainthat　seven…leagued　foot　which　five
hundred　may　own　at　oncehe　stands　quite　alone。

In　confirmation　of　the　views　concerning　mechanism　which　we　have　been
advocating　above；　it　must　be　remembered　that　men　are　not　merely　the
children　of　their　parents；　but　they　are　begotten　of　the　institutions
of　the　state　of　the　mechanical　sciences　under　which　they　are　born　and
bred。　　These　things　have　made　us　what　we　are。　　We　are　children　of　the
plough；　the　spade；　and　the　ship；　we　are　children　of　the　extended
liberty　and　knowledge　which　the　printing　press　has　diffused。　　Our
ancestors　added　these　things　to　their　previously　existing　members；
the　new　limbs　were　preserved　by　natural　selection　and　incorporated
into　human　society；　they　descended　with　modifications；　and　hence
proceeds　the　difference　between　our　ancestors　and　ourselves。　　By　the
institutions　and　state　of　science　under　which　a　man　is　born　it　is
determined　whether　he　shall　have　the　limbs　of　an　Australian　savage　or
those　of　a　nineteenth…century　Englishman。　　The　former　is　supplemented
with　little　save　a　rug　and　a　javelin；　the　latter　varies　his　physique
with　the　changes　of　the　season；　with　age　and　with　advancing　or
decreasing　wealth。　　If　it　is　wet　he　is　furnished　with　an　organ　which
is　called　an　umbrella　and　which　seems　designed　for　the　purpose　of
protecting　either　his　clothes　or　his　lungs　from　the　injurious　effects
of　rain。　　His　watch　is　of　more　importance　to　him　than　a　good　deal　of
his　hair；　at　any　rate　than　of　his　whiskers；　besides　this　he　carries　a
knife　and　generally　a　pencil　case。　　His　memory　goes　in　a　pocket…book。
He　grows　more　complex　as　he　becomes　older　and　he　will　then　be　seen
with　a　pair　of　spectacles；　perhaps　also　with　false　teeth　and　a　wig；
but；　if　he　be　a　really　well…developed　specimen　of　the　race；　he　will
be　furnished　with　a　large　box　upon　wheels；　two　horses；　and　a
coachman。

Let　the　reader　ponder　over　these　last　remarks　and　he　will　see　that
the　principal　varieties　and　sub…varieties　of　the　human　race　are　not
now　to　be　looked　for　among　the　negroes；　the　Circassians；　the　Malays；
or　the　American　aborigines；　but　among　the　rich　and　the　poor。　　The
difference　in　physical　organisation　between　these　two　species　of　man
is　far　greater　than　that　between　the　so…called　types　of　humanity。
The　rich　man　can　go　from　here　to　England　whenever　he　feels　inclined；
the　legs　of　the　other　are　by　an　invisible　fatality　prevented　from
carrying　him　beyond　certain　narrow　limits。　　Neither　rich　nor　poor　as
yet　see　the　philosophy　of　the　thing；　or　admit　that　he　who　can　tack　a
portion　of　one　of　the　P。　and　O。　boats　on　to　his　identity　is　a　much
more　highly　organised　being　than　one　who　cannot。　　Yet　the　fact　is
patent　enough；　if　we　once　think　it　over；　from　the　mere　consideration
of　the　respect　with　which　we　so　often　treat　those　who　are　richer　than
ourselves。　　We　observe　men　for　the　most　part　（admitting；　however；
some　few　abnormal　exceptions）　to　be　deeply　impressed　by　the　superior
organisation　of　those　who　have　money。　　It　is　wrong　to　attribute　this
respect　to　any　unworthy　motive；　for　the　feeling　is　strictly
legitimate　and　springs　from　some　of　the　very　highest　impulses　of　our
nature。　　It　is　the　same　sort　of　affectionate　reverence　which　a　dog
feels　for　man；　and　is　not　infrequently　manifested　in　a　similar
manner。

We　admit　that　these　last　sentences　are　open　to　question；　and　we
should　hardly　like　to　commit　ourselves　irrecoverably　to　the
sentiments　they　express；　but　we　will　say　this　much　for　certain；
namely；　that　the　rich　man　is　the　true　hundred…handed　Gyges　of　the
poets。　　He　alone　possesses　the　full　complement　of　limbs　who　stands　at
the　summit　of　opulence；　and　we　may　assert　with　strictly　scientific
accuracy　that　the　Rothschilds　are　the　most　astonishing　organisms　that
the　world　has　ever　yet　seen。　　For　to　the　nerves　or　tissues；　or
whatever　it　be　that　answers　to　the　helm　of　a　rich　man's　desires；
there　is　a　whole　army　of　limbs　seen　and　unseen　attachable；　he　may　be
reckoned　by　his　horse…power；　by　the　number　of　foot…pounds　which　he
has　money　enough　to　set　in　motion。　　Who；　then；　will　deny　that　a　man
whose　will　represents　the　motive　power　of　a　thousand　horses　is　a
being　very　different　from　the　one　who　is　equivalent　but　to　the　power
of　a　single　one？

Henceforward；　then；　instead　of　saying　that　a　man　is　hard　up；　let　us
say　that　his　organisation　is　at　a　low　ebb；　or；　if　we　wish　him　well；
let　us　hope　that　he　will　grow　plenty　of　limbs。　　It　must　be　remembered
that　we　are　dealing　with　physical　organisations　only。　　We　do　not　say
that　the　thousand…horse　man　is　better　than　a　one…horse　man；　we　only
say　that　he　is　more　highly　organised　and　should　be　recognised　as
being　so　by　the　scientific　leaders　of　the　period。　　A　man's　will；
truth；　endurance；　are　part　of　him　also；　and　may；　as　in　the　case　of
the　late　Mr。　Cobden；　have　in　themselves　a　power　equivalent　to　all　the
horse…power　which　they　can　influence；　but　were　we　to　go　into　this
part　of　the　question　we　should　never　have　done；　and　we　are　compelled
reluctantly　to　leave　our　dream　in　its　present　fragmentary　condition。


A　NOTE　ON　〃THE　TEMPEST〃
Act　III；　Scene　I



The　following　brief　essay　was　contributed　by　Butler　to　a　small
miscellany　entitled　LITERARY　FOUNDLINGS：　　VERSE　AND　PROSE；　COLLECTED
IN　CANTERBURY；　N。Z。；　which　was　published　at　Christ　Church　on　the
occasion　of　a　bazaar　held　there　in　March；　1864；　in　aid　of　the　funds
of　the　Christ　Church　Orphan　Asylum；　and　offered　for　sale　during　the
progress　of　the　bazaar。　　The　miscellany　consisted　entirely　of　the
productions　of　Canterbury　writers；　and　among　the　contributors　were
Dean　Jacobs；　Canon　Cottrell；　and　James　Edward　FitzGerald；　the　founder
of　the　PRESS。

When　Prince　Ferdinand　was　wrecked　on　the　island　Miranda　was　fifteen
years　old。　　We　can　hardly　suppose　that　she　had　ever　seen　Ariel；　and
Caliban　was　a　detestable　object　whom　her　father　took　good　care　to
keep　as　much　out　of　her　way　as　possible。　　Caliban　was　like　the　man
cook　on　a　back…country　run。