專業(yè)英語閱讀資料

ConcerningtheSpiritualinArt

PART1:ABOUTGENERALAESTHETIC

KANDINSKYSINTRODUCTION

Everyworkofartisthechildofitsageand,inmanycases,the

motherofouremotions.Itfollowsthateachperiodofculture

producesanartofitsownwhichcanneverberepeated.Efforts

torevivetheart-principlesofthepastwillatbestproducean

artthatisstill-born.Itisimpossibleforustoliveandfeel,

asdidtheancientGreeks.Inthesamewaythosewhostriveto

followtheGreekmethodsinsculptureachieveonlyasimilarity

ofform,theworkremainingsoullessforalltime.Suchimitation

ismereaping.Externallythemonkeycompletelyresemblesa

humanbeing;hewillsitholdingabookinfrontofhisnose,and

turnoverthepageswithathoughtfulaspect,buthisactionshave

forhimnorealmeaning.

Thereis,however,inartanotherkindofexternalsimilarity

whichisfoundedonafundamentaltruth.Whenthereisa

similarityofinnertendencyinthewholemoralandspiritual

atmosphere,asimilarityofideals,atfirstcloselypursuedbut

laterlosttosight,asimilarityintheinnerfeelingofanyone

periodtothatofanother,thelogicalresultwillbearevival

oftheexternalformswhichservedtoexpressthoseinner

feelingsinanearlierage.Anexampleofthistodayisour

sympathy,ourspiritualrelationship,withthePrimitives.Like

ourselves,theseartistssoughttoexpressintheirworkonly

internaltruths,renouncinginconsequenceallconsiderationof

externalform.

Thisall-importantsparkofinnerlifetodayisatpresentonlya

spark.Ourminds,whichareevennowonlyjustawakeningafter

yearsofmaterialism,areinfectedwiththedespairofunbelief,

oflackofpurposeandideal.Thenightmareofmaterialism,which

hasturnedthelifeoftheuniverseintoanevil,uselessgame,

isnotyetpast;itholdstheawakeningsoulstillinitsgrip.

Onlyafeeblelightglimmerslikeatinystarinavastgulfof

darkness.Thisfeeblelightisbutapresentiment,andthesoul,

whenitseesit,tremblesindoubtwhetherthelightisnota

dream,andthegulfofdarknessreality.Thisdoubt,andthe

stillharshtyrannyofthematerialisticphilosophy,divideour

soulsharplyfromthatofthePrimitives.Oursoulringscracked

whenweseektoplayuponit,asdoesacostlyvase,longburied

intheearth,whichisfoundtohaveaflawwhenitisdugup

oncemore.Forthisreason,thePrimitivephase,throughwhichwe

arenowpassing,withitstemporarysimilarityofform,canonly

beofshortduration.

Thesetwopossibleresemblancesbetweentheartformsoftoday

andthoseofthepastwillbeatoncerecognizedasdiametrically

opposedtooneanother.Thefirst,beingpurelyexternal,hasno

future.Thesecond,beinginternal,containstheseedofthe

futurewithinitself.Aftertheperiodofmaterialisteffort,

whichheldthesoulincheckuntilitwasshakenoffasevil,the

soulisemerging,purgedbytrialsandsufferings.Shapeless

emotionssuchasfear,joy,grief,etc.,whichbelongedtothis

timeofeffort,willnolongergreatlyattracttheartist.Hewill

endeavortoawakesubtleremotions,asyetunnamed.Living

himselfacomplicatedandcomparativelysubtlelife,hiswork

willgivetothoseobserverscapableoffeelingthemlofty

emotionsbeyondthereachofwords.

Theobserveroftoday,however,isseldomcapableoffeeling

suchemotions.Heseeksinaworkofartamereimitationof

naturewhichcanservesomedefinitepurpose(forexamplea

portraitintheordinarysense)orapresentmentofnature

accordingtoacertainconvention("impressionist"painting),or

someinnerfeelingexpressedintermsofnaturalform(aswe

say-apicturewithStimmung)[Footnote:Stimmungisalmost

untranslateable.Itisalmost"sentiment"inthebestsense,and

almost"feeling."ManyofCorot'stwilightlandscapesarefullofa

beautiful"Stimmung."Kandinskyusesthewordlaterontomean

the"essentialspirit"ofnature.--M.T.H.S.]Allthosevarietiesof

picture,whentheyarereallyart,fulfiltheirpurposeandfeed

thespirit.Thoughthisappliestothefirstcase,itappliesmore

stronglytothethird,wherethespectatordoesfeela

correspondingthrillinhimself.Suchharmonyorevencontrastof

emotioncannotbesuperficialorworthless;indeedtheStimmung

ofapicturecandeepenandpurifythatofthespectator.Such

worksofartatleastpreservethesoulfromcoarseness;they

"keyitup,"sotospeak,toacertainheight,asatuning-key

thestringsofamusicalinstrument.Butpurification,and

extensionindurationandsizeofthissympathyofsoul,remain

one-sided,andthepossibilitiesoftheinfluenceofartarenot

exertedtotheirutmost.

Imagineabuildingdividedintomanyrooms.Thebuildingmaybe

largeorsmall.Everywallofeveryroomiscoveredwithpictures

ofvarioussizes;perhapstheynumbermanythousands.They

representincolourbitsofnature-animalsinsunlightor

shadow,drinking,standinginwater,lyingonthegrass;nearto,

aCrucifixionbyapainterwhodoesnotbelieveinChrist;

flowers;humanfiguressitting,standing,walking;oftentheyare

naked;manynakedwomen,seenforeshortenedfrombehind;

applesandsilverdishes;portraitofCouncillorSoandSo;sunset;

ladyinred;flyingduck;portraitofLadyX;flyinggeese;ladyin

white;calvesinshadowfleckedwithbrilliantyellowsunlight;

portraitofPrinceY;ladyingreen.Allthisiscarefullyprintedina

book-nameofartist-nameofpicture.Peoplewiththesebooksin

theirhandsgofromwalltowall,turningoverpages,readingthe

names.Thentheygoaway,neitherrichernorpoorerthanwhen

theycame,andareabsorbedatonceintheirbusiness,whichhas

nothingtodowithart.Whydidtheycome?Ineachpictureisa

wholelifetimeimprisoned,awholelifetimeoffears,doubts,

hopes,andjoys.

Whitheristhislifetimetending?Whatisthemessageofthe

competentartist?"Tosendlightintothedarknessofmen's

hearts--suchisthedutyoftheartist,"saidSchumann."An

artistisamanwhocandrawandpainteverything,"saidTolstoi.

Ofthesetwodefinitionsoftheartist'sactivitywemustchoose

thesecond,ifwethinkoftheexhibitionjustdescribed.Onone

canvasisahuddleofobjectspaintedwithvaryingdegreesof

skill,virtuosityandvigour,harshlyorsmoothly.Toharmonize

thewholeisthetaskofart.Withcoldeyesandindifferentmind

thespectatorsregardthework.Connoisseursadmirethe"skill"

(asoneadmiresatightropewalker),enjoythe"qualityof

painting"(asoneenjoysapasty).Buthungrysoulsgohungry

away.

Thevulgarherdstrollthroughtheroomsandpronouncethe

pictures"nice"or"splendid."Thosewhocouldspeakhavesaid

nothing,thosewhocouldhearhaveheardnothing.Thiscondition

ofartiscalled"artforart'ssake."Thisneglectofinnermeanings,

whichisthelifeofcolours,thisvainsquanderingofartisticpower

iscalled"artforart'ssake."

Theartistseeksformaterialrewardforhisdexterity,hispower

ofvisionandexperience.Hispurposebecomesthesatisfaction

ofvanityandgreed.Inplaceofthesteadyco-operationofartists

isascrambleforgoodthings.Therearecomplaintsofexcessive

competition,ofover-production.Hatred,partisanship,cliques,

jealousy,intriguesarethenaturalconsequencesofthisaimless,

materialistart.

[Footnote:Thefewsolitaryexceptionsdonotdestroythetruth

ofthissadandominouspicture,andeventheseexceptionsare

chieflybelieversinthedoctrineofartforart'ssake.They

serve,therefore,ahigherideal,butonewhichisultimatelya

uselesswasteoftheirstrength.Externalbeautyisoneelement

ofaspiritualatmosphere.Butbeyondthispositivefact(that

whatisbeautifulisgood)ithastheweaknessofatalentnot

usedtothefull.(Thewordtalentisemployedinthebiblical

sense.)]

Theonlookerturnsawayfromtheartistwhohashigheridealsand

whocannotseehislifepurposeinanartwithoutaims.

Sympathyistheeducationofthespectatorfromthepointofview

oftheartist.Ithasbeensaidabovethatartisthechildof

itsage.Suchanartcanonlycreateanartisticfeelingwhichis

alreadyclearlyfelt.Thisart,whichhasnopowerforthe

future,whichisonlyachildoftheageandcannotbecomea

motherofthefuture,isabarrenart.Sheistransitoryandto

allintentdiesthemomenttheatmospherealterswhichnourished

her.

Theotherart,thatwhichiscapableofeducatingfurther,

springsequallyfromcontemporaryfeeling,butisatthesame

timenotonlyechoandmirrorofit,butalsohasadeepand

powerfulpropheticstrength.

Thespirituallife,towhichartbelongsandofwhichsheisone

ofthemightiestelements,isacomplicatedbutdefiniteand

easilydefinablemovementforwardsandupwards.This

movementisthemovementofexperience.Itmaytakedifferent

forms,butitholdsatbottomtothesameinnerthoughtand

purpose.

Veiledinobscurityarethecausesofthisneedtomoveever

upwardsandforwards,bysweatofthebrow,throughsufferings

andfears.Whenonestagehasbeenaccomplished,andmany

evilstonesclearedfromtheroad,someunseenandwickedhand

scattersnewobstaclesintheway,sothatthepathoftenseems

blockedandtotallyobliterated.Butthereneverfailstocometo

therescuesomehumanbeing,likeourselvesineverythingexcept

thathehasinhimasecretpowerofvision.

Heseesandpointstheway.Thepowertodothishewould

sometimesfainlayaside,foritisabittercrosstobear.But

hecannotdoso.Scornedandhated,hedragsafterhimoverthe

stonestheheavychariotofadividedhumanity,everforwardsand

upwards.

Often,manyyearsafterhisbodyhasvanishedfromtheearth,men

trybyeverymeanstorecreatethisbodyinmarble,iron,bronze,

orstone,onanenormousscale.Asiftherewereanyintrinsic

valueinthebodilyexistenceofsuchdivinemartyrsandservants

ofhumanity,whodespisedthefleshandlivedonlyforthe

spirit!Butatleastsuchsettingupofmarbleisaproofthata

greatnumberofmenhavereachedthepointwhereoncethe

beingtheywouldnowhonour,stoodalone.

II.THEMOVEMENTOFTHETRIANGLE

Thelifeofthespiritmaybefairlyrepresentedindiagramasa

largeacute-angledtriangledividedhorizontallyintounequal

partswiththenarrowestsegmentuppermost.Thelowerthe

segmentthegreateritisinbreadth,depth,andarea.

Thewholetriangleismovingslowly,almostinvisiblyforwards

andupwards.Wheretheapexwastodaythesecondsegmentis

tomorrow;whattodaycanbeunderstoodonlybytheapexandto

therestofthetriangleisanincomprehensiblegibberish,forms

tomorrowthetruethoughtandfeelingofthesecondsegment.

Attheapexofthetopsegmentstandsoftenoneman,andonly

one.Hisjoyfulvisioncloaksavastsorrow.Eventhosewhoare

nearesttohiminsympathydonotunderstandhim.Angrilythey

abusehimascharlatanormadman.Soinhislifetimestood

Beethoven,solitaryandinsulted.

[Footnote:Weber,composerofDerFreischutz,saidof

Beethoven'sSeventhSymphony:"Theextravagancesofgenius

havereachedthelimit;Beethovenisnowripeforanasylum."Of

theopeningphrase,onareiterated"e,"theAbbeStadlersaidto

hisneighbour,whenfirstheheardit:"Alwaysthatmiserable'e';he

seemstobedeaftoithimself,theidiot!"]

Howmanyyearswillitbebeforeagreatersegmentofthe

trianglereachesthespotwhereheoncestoodalone?Despite

memorialsandstatues,aretheyreallymanywhohaverisentohis

level?[Footnote2:Arenotmanymonumentsinthemselves

answerstothatquestion?]

Ineverysegmentofthetriangleareartists.Eachoneofthem

whocanseebeyondthelimitsofhissegmentisaprophetto

thoseabouthim,andhelpstheadvanceoftheobstinatewhole.

Butthosewhoareblind,orthosewhoretardthemovementofthe

triangleforbaserreasons,arefullyunderstoodbytheirfellows

andacclaimedfortheirgenius.Thegreaterthesegment(whichis

thesameassayingtheloweritliesinthetriangle)sothe

greaterthenumberwhounderstandthewordsoftheartist.Every

segmenthungersconsciouslyor,muchmoreoften,unconsciously

fortheircorrespondingspiritualfood.Thisfoodisofferedby

theartists,andforthisfoodthesegmentimmediatelybelowwill

tomorrowbestretchingouteagerhands.

Thissimileofthetrianglecannotbesaidtoexpressevery

aspectofthespirituallife.Forinstance,thereisneveran

absoluteshadow-sidetothepicture,neverapieceofunrelieved

gloom.Eventoooftenithappensthatonelevelofspiritualfood

sufficesforthenourishmentofthosewhoarealreadyinahigher

segment.Butforthemthisfoodispoison;insmallquantitiesit

depressestheirsoulsgraduallyintoalowersegment;inlarge

quantitiesithurlsthemsuddenlyintothedepthseverlowerand

lower.Sienkiewicz,inoneofhisnovels,comparesthespiritual

lifetoswimming;forthemanwhodoesnotstrivetirelessly,who

doesnotfightcontinuallyagainstsinking,willmentallyand

morallygounder.Inthisstraitaman'stalent(againinthe

biblicalsense)becomesacurse-andnotonlythetalentofthe

artist,butalsoofthosewhoeatthispoisonedfood.Theartist

useshisstrengthtoflatterhislowerneeds;inanostensibly

artisticformhepresentswhatisimpure,drawstheweaker

elementstohim,mixesthemwithevil,betraysmenandhelps

themtobetraythemselves,whiletheyconvincethemselvesand

othersthattheyarespirituallythirsty,andthatfromthispurespring

theymayquenchtheirthirst.Suchartdoesnothelptheforward

movement,buthindersit,draggingbackthosewhoarestrivingto

pressonward,andspreadingpestilenceabroad.

Suchperiods,duringwhicharthasnonoblechampion,during

whichthetruespiritualfoodiswanting,areperiodsof

retrogressioninthespiritualworld.Ceaselesslysoulsfallfrom

thehighertothelowersegmentsofthetriangle,andthewhole

seemsmotionless,oreventomovedownandbackwards.Men

attributetotheseblindanddumbperiodsaspecialvalue,for

theyjudgethembyoutwardresults,thinkingonlyofmaterial

well-being.Theyhailsometechnicaladvance,whichcanhelp

nothingbutthebody,asagreatachievement.Realspiritual

gainsareatbestunder-valued,atworstentirelyignored.

Thesolitaryvisionariesaredespisedorregardedasabnormal

andeccentric.Thosewhoarenotwrappedinlethargyandwho

feelvaguelongingsforspirituallifeandknowledgeandprogress,

cryinharshchorus,withoutanytocomfortthem.Thenightofthe

spiritfallsmoreandmoredarkly.Deeperbecomesthemiseryof

theseblindandterrifiedguides,andtheirfollowers,tormented

andunnervedbyfearanddoubt,prefertothisgradualdarkening

thefinalsuddenleapintotheblackness.

Atsuchatimeartministerstolowerneeds,andisusedfor

materialends.Sheseekshersubstanceinhardrealitiesbecause

sheknowsofnothingnobler.Objects,thereproductionofwhich

isconsideredhersoleaim,remainmonotonouslythesame.The

question"what?"disappearsfromart;onlythequestion"how?"

remains.Bywhatmethodarethesematerialobjectstobe

reproduced?Thewordbecomesacreed.Arthaslosthersoul.

Inthesearchformethodtheartistgoesstillfurther.Artbecomes

sospecializedastobecomprehensibleonlytoartists,andthey

complainbitterlyofpublicindifferencetotheirwork.Forsincethe

artistinsuchtimeshasnoneedtosaymuch,butonlytobe

notoriousforsomesmalloriginalityandconsequentlylaudedbya

smallgroupofpatronsandconnoisseurs(whichincidentallyis

alsoaveryprofitablebusinessforhim),thereariseacrowdof

giftedandskilfulpainters,soeasydoestheconquestofart

appear.Ineachartisticcirclearethousandsofsuchartists,of

whomthemajorityseekonlyforsomenewtechnicalmanner,and

whoproducemillionsofworksofartwithoutenthusiasm,withcold

heartsandsoulsasleep.

Competitionarises.Thewildbattleforsuccessbecomesmore

andmorematerial.Smallgroupswhohavefoughttheirwaytothe

topofthechaoticworldofartandpicture-makingentrench

themselvesintheterritorytheyhavewon.Thepublic,leftfar

behind,looksonbewildered,losesinterestandturnsaway.

Butdespiteallthisconfusion,thischaos,thiswildhuntfor

notoriety,thespiritualtriangle,slowlybutsurely,withirresistible

strength,movesonwardsandupwards.

TheinvisibleMosesdescendsfromthemountainandseesthe

danceroundthegoldencalf.Buthebringswithhimfreshstoresof

wisdomtoman.

Firstbytheartistisheardhisvoice,thevoicethatisinaudibleto

thecrowd.Almostunknowinglytheartistfollowsthecall.Alreadyin

thatveryquestion"how?"liesahiddenseedofrenaissance.For

whenthis"how?"remainswithoutanyfruitfulanswer,thereis

alwaysapossibilitythatthesame"something"(whichwecall

personalitytoday)maybeabletoseeintheobjectsaboutitnot

onlywhatispurelymaterialbutalsosomethinglesssolid;

somethingless"bodily"thanwasseenintheperiodofrealism,

whentheuniversalaimwastoreproduceanything"asitreallyis"

andwithoutfantasticimagination.

[Footnote:Frequentuseismadehereoftheterms"material"and

"non-material,"andoftheintermediatephrases"more"or"less

material."Iseverythingmaterial?orisEVERYTHINGspiritual?

Canthedistinctionswemakebetweenmatterandspiritbe

nothingbutrelativemodificationsofoneortheother?Thought

which,althoughaproductofthespirit,canbedefinedwith

positivescience,ismatter,butoffineandnotcoarsesubstance.

Iswhatevercannotbetouchedwiththehand,spiritual?The

discussionliesbeyondthescopeofthislittlebook;allthatmatters

hereisthattheboundariesdrawnshouldnotbetoodefinite.]

Iftheemotionalpoweroftheartistcanoverwhelmthe"how?"and

cangivefreescopetohisfinerfeelings,thenartisonthecrestof

theroadbywhichshewillnotfaillaterontofindthe"what"she

haslost,the"what"whichwillshowthewaytothespiritualfoodof

thenewlyawakenedspirituallife.This"what?"willnolongerbe

thematerial,objective"what"oftheformerperiod,buttheinternal

truthofart,thesoulwithoutwhichthebody(i.e.the"how")can

neverbehealthy,whetherinanindividualorinawholepeople.

THIS"WHAT"ISTHEINTERNALTRUTHWHICHONLYART

CANDIVINE,WHICHONLYARTCANEXPRESSBYTHOSE

MEANSOFEXPRESSIONWHICHAREHERSALONE.

III.SPIRITUALREVOLUTION

Thespiritualtrianglemovesslowlyonwardsandupwards.Today

oneofthelargestofthelowersegmentshasreachedthepointof

usingthefirstbattlecryofthematerialistcreed.Thedwellersin

thissegmentgroupthemselvesroundvariousbannersinreligion.

TheycallthemselvesJews,Catholics,Protestants,etc.Butthey

arereallyatheists,andthisafeweitheroftheboldestorthe

narrowestopenlyavow."Heavenisempty,""Godisdead."In

politicsthesepeoplearedemocratsandrepublicans.Thefear,

horrorandhatredwhichyesterdaytheyfeltforthesepolitical

creedstheynowdirectagainstanarchism,ofwhichtheyknow

nothingbutitsmuchdreadedname.

IneconomicsthesepeopleareSocialists.Theymakesharpthe

swordofjusticewithwhichtoslaythehydraofcapitalismandto

hewofftheheadofevil.

Becausetheinhabitantsofthisgreatsegmentofthetrianglehave

neversolvedanyproblemindependently,butaredraggedasit

wereinacartbythosethenoblestoftheirfellowmenwhohave

sacrificedthemselves,theyknownothingofthevitalimpulseoflife

whichtheyregardalwaysvaguelyfromagreatdistance.Theyrate

thisimpulselightly,puttingtheirtrustinpurposelesstheoryandin

theworkingofsomelogicalmethod.

Themenofthesegmentnextbelowaredraggedslowlyhigher,

blindly,bythosejustdescribed.Buttheyclingtotheiroldposition,

fullofdreadoftheunknownandofbetrayal.Thehighersegments

arenotonlyblindatheistsbutcanjustifytheirgodlessnesswith

strangewords;forexample,thoseofVirchow-sounworthyofa

learnedman-"lhavedissectedmanycorpses,butneveryet

discoveredasoulinanyofthem."

Inpoliticstheyaregenerallyrepublican,withaknowledgeof

differentparliamentaryprocedures;theyreadthepoliticalleading

articlesinthenewspapers.Ineconomicstheyaresocialistsof

variousgrades,andcansupporttheir"principles"withnumerous

quotations,passingfromSchweitzer'sEMMAviaLasalle'sIRON

LAWOFWAGES,toMarx'sCAPITAL,andstillfurther.

Intheseloftiersegmentsothercategoriesofideas,absentin

thesejustdescribed,begingraduallytoappear-scienceandart,

towhichlastbelongalsoliteratureandmusic.

Insciencethesemenarepositivists,onlyrecognizingthosethings

thatcanbeweighedandmeasured.Anythingbeyondthatthey

considerasratherdiscreditablenonsense,thatsamenonsense

aboutwhichtheyheldyesterdaythetheoriesthattodayare

proven.

Inarttheyarenaturalists,whichmeansthattheyrecognizeand

valuethepersonality,individualityandtemperamentoftheartist

uptoacertaindefinitepoint.Thispointhasbeenfixedbyothers,

andinittheybelieveunflinchingly.

Butdespitetheirpatentandwell-orderedsecurity,despitetheir

infallibleprinciples,therelurksinthesehighersegmentsahidden

fear,anervoustrembling,asenseofinsecurity.Andthisisdueto

theirupbringing.Theyknowthatthesages,statesmenandartists

whomtodaytheyrevere,wereyesterdayspurnedasswindlers

andcharlatans.Andthehigherthesegmentinthetriangle,the

betterdefinedisthisfear,thismodernsenseofinsecurity.Here

andtherearepeoplewitheyeswhichcansee,mindswhichcan

correlate.Theysaytothemselves:"Ifthescienceofthedaybefore

yesterdayisrejectedbythepeopleofyesterday,andthatof

yesterdaybyusoftoday,isitnotpossiblethatwhatwecall

sciencenowwillberejectedbythemenoftomorrow?"Andthe

bravestofthemanswer,"Itispossible."

Thenpeopleappearwhocandistinguishthoseproblemsthatthe

scienceoftodayhasnotyetexplained.Andtheyaskthemselves:

"Willscience,ifitcontinuesontheroadithasfollowedforso

long,everattaintothesolutionoftheseproblems?Andifitdoes

soattain,willmenbeabletorelyonitssolution?"Inthese

segmentsarealsoprofessionalmenoflearningwhocan

rememberthetimewhenfactsnowrecognizedbytheAcademies

asfirmlyestablished,werescornedbythosesameAcademies.

Therearealsophilosophersofaestheticwhowriteprofound

booksaboutanartwhichwasyesterdaycondemnedas

nonsense.Inwritingthesebookstheyremovethebarriersover

whicharthasmostrecentlysteppedandsetupnewoneswhich

aretoremainforeverintheplacestheyhavechosen.Theydonot

noticethattheyarebusyerectingbarriers,notinfrontofart,but

behindit.Andiftheydonoticethis,onthemorrowtheymerely

writefreshbooksandhastilysettheirbarriersalittlefurtheron.

Thisperformancewillgoonunaltereduntilitisrealizedthatthe

mostextremeprincipleofaestheticcanneverbeofvaluetothe

future,butonlytothepast.Nosuchtheoryofprinciplecanbe

laiddownforthosethingswhichliebeyond,intherealmofthe

immaterial.Thatwhichhasnomaterialexistencecannotbe

subjectedtoamaterialclassification.Thatwhichbelongstothe

spiritofthefuturecanonlyberealizedinfeeling,andtothis

feelingthetalentoftheartististheonlyroad.Theoryisthelamp

whichshedslightonthepetrifiedideasofyesterdayandofthe

moredistantpast.[Footnote:Cf.ChapterVII.]Andaswerise

higherinthetrianglewefindthattheuneasinessincreases,asa

citybuiltonthemostcorrectarchitecturalplanmaybeshaken

suddenlybytheuncontrollableforceofnature.Humanityislivingin

suchaspiritualcity,subjecttothesesuddendisturbancesfor

whichneitherarchitectsnormathematicianshavemade

allowance.Inoneplaceliesagreatwallcrumbledtopieceslikea

cardhouse,inanotheraretheruinsofahugetowerwhichonce

stretchedtoheaven,builtonmanypresumablyimmortalspiritual

pillars.Theabandonedchurchyardquakesandforgottengraves

openandfromthemriseforgottenghosts.Spotsappearonthe

sunandthesungrowsdark,andwhattheorycanfightwith

darkness?Andinthiscitylivealsomendeafenedbyfalse

wisdomwhohearnocrash,andblindedbyfalsewisdom,sothat

theysay"oursunwillshinemorebrightlythaneverandsoonthe

lastspotswilldisappear."Butsometimeeventhesemenwillhear

andsee.

Butwhenwegetstillhigherthereisnolongerthisbewilderment.

Thereworkisgoingonwhichboldlyattacksthosepillarswhich

menhavesetup.Therewefindotherprofessionalmenoflearning

whotestmatteragainandagain,whotremblebeforenoproblem,

andwhofinallycastdoubtonthatverymatterwhichwasyesterday

thefoundationofeverything,sothatthewholeuniverseisshaken.

Everydayanotherscientifictheoryfindsbolddiscovererswho

oversteptheboundariesofprophecyand,forgetfulofthemselves,

jointheothersoldiersintheconquestofsomenewsummitandin

thehopelessattackonsomestubbornfortress.But"thereisno

fortressthatmancannotovercome."

Ontheonehand,FACTSarebeingestablishedwhichthe

scienceofyesterdaydubbedswindles.Evennewspapers,which

areforthemostpartthemostobsequiousservantsofworldly

successandofthemob,andwhichtrimtheirsailstoeverywind,

findthemselvescompelledtomodifytheirironicaljudgementson

the"marvels"ofscienceandeventoabandonthemaltogether.

Variouslearnedmen,amongthemultra-materialists,dedicate

theirstrengthtothescientificresearchofdoubtfulproblems,

whichcannolongerbeliedaboutorpassedoverinsilence.

[FOOTNOTE:Zoller,Wagner,Butleroff(St.Petersburg),Crookes

(London),etc.;lateron,C.H.Richet,C.Flammarion.The

ParisianpaperLeMatin,publishedabouttwoyearsagothe

discoveriesofthetwolastnamedunderthetitle"Jeleconstate,

maisjeneI'expliquepas."FinallythereareC.Lombroso,the

inventoroftheanthropologicalmethodofdiagnosingcrime,and

EusapioPalladino.]

Ontheotherhand,thenumberisincreasingofthosemenwhoput

notrustinthemethodsofmaterialisticsciencewhenitdealswith

thosequestionswhichhavetodowith"non-matter,"ormatte