the soul of man-第9部分

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variance　with　his；　and　to　find　the　presentation　of　the　real　Christ

we　must　go　to　mediaeval　art。　　There　he　is　one　maimed　and　marred；

one　who　is　not　comely　to　look　on；　because　Beauty　is　a　joy；　one　who

is　not　in　fair　raiment；　because　that　may　be　a　joy　also：　　he　is　a

beggar　who　has　a　marvellous　soul；　he　is　a　leper　whose　soul　is

divine；　he　needs　neither　property　nor　health；　he　is　a　God　realising

his　perfection　through　pain。



The　evolution　of　man　is　slow。　　The　injustice　of　men　is　great。　　It

was　necessary　that　pain　should　be　put　forward　as　a　mode　of　self…

realisation。　　Even　now；　in　some　places　in　the　world；　the　message　of

Christ　is　necessary。　　No　one　who　lived　in　modern　Russia　could

possibly　realise　his　perfection　except　by　pain。　　A　few　Russian

artists　have　realised　themselves　in　Art；　in　a　fiction　that　is

mediaeval　in　character；　because　its　dominant　note　is　the

realisation　of　men　through　suffering。　　But　for　those　who　are　not

artists；　and　to　whom　there　is　no　mode　of　life　but　the　actual　life

of　fact；　pain　is　the　only　door　to　perfection。　　A　Russian　who　lives

happily　under　the　present　system　of　government　in　Russia　must

either　believe　that　man　has　no　soul；　or　that；　if　he　has；　it　is　not

worth　developing。　　A　Nihilist　who　rejects　all　authority；　because　he

knows　authority　to　be　evil；　and　welcomes　all　pain；　because　through

that　he　realises　his　personality；　is　a　real　Christian。　　To　him　the

Christian　ideal　is　a　true　thing。



And　yet；　Christ　did　not　revolt　against　authority。　　He　accepted　the

imperial　authority　of　the　Roman　Empire　and　paid　tribute。　　He

endured　the　ecclesiastical　authority　of　the　Jewish　Church；　and

would　not　repel　its　violence　by　any　violence　of　his　own。　　He　had；

as　I　said　before；　no　scheme　for　the　reconstruction　of　society。　　But

the　modern　world　has　schemes。　　It　proposes　to　do　away　with　poverty

and　the　suffering　that　it　entails。　　It　desires　to　get　rid　of　pain；

and　the　suffering　that　pain　entails。　　It　trusts　to　Socialism　and　to

Science　as　its　methods。　　What　it　aims　at　is　an　Individualism

expressing　itself　through　joy。　　This　Individualism　will　be　larger；

fuller；　lovelier　than　any　Individualism　has　ever　been。　　Pain　is　not

the　ultimate　mode　of　perfection。　　It　is　merely　provisional　and　a

protest。　　It　has　reference　to　wrong；　unhealthy；　unjust

surroundings。　　When　the　wrong；　and　the　disease；　and　the　injustice

are　removed；　it　will　have　no　further　place。　　It　will　have　done　its

work。　　It　was　a　great　work；　but　it　is　almost　over。　　Its　sphere

lessens　every　day。



Nor　will　man　miss　it。　　For　what　man　has　sought　for　is；　indeed；

neither　pain　nor　pleasure；　but　simply　Life。　　Man　has　sought　to　live

intensely；　fully；　perfectly。　　When　he　can　do　so　without　exercising

restraint　on　others；　or　suffering　it　ever；　and　his　activities　are

all　pleasurable　to　him；　he　will　be　saner；　healthier；　more

civilised；　more　himself。　　Pleasure　is　Nature's　test；　her　sign　of

approval。　　When　man　is　happy；　he　is　in　harmony　with　himself　and　his

environment。　　The　new　Individualism；　for　whose　service　Socialism；

whether　it　wills　it　or　not；　is　working；　will　be　perfect　harmony。

It　will　be　what　the　Greeks　sought　for；　but　could　not；　except　in

Thought；　realise　completely；　because　they　had　slaves；　and　fed　them；

it　will　be　what　the　Renaissance　sought　for；　but　could　not　realise

completely　except　in　Art；　because　they　had　slaves；　and　starved

them。　　It　will　be　complete；　and　through　it　each　man　will　attain　to

his　perfection。　　The　new　Individualism　is　the　new　Hellenism。










End