E S S A Y S A N D

L ETTE R S

L E O T O L S T O Y

TR A N S LATE D BY

A Y L ME R MA U DE
' w
w
w
fi
’ w t “ is

H E N RY FR O W DE
O XFO R D U N I VE R S I TY PR E SS

L ON DO N N E W Y O R K , T O R O NT O AND M ELB O U R N E
 L E O TO L ST O Y

B o r n , Y é sn ay a P o l y é n a , Tul a S e p t e m b e r 1 0, 1 8 2 8
Di e d As t ai p o v o R iaz é n
. , N o v e m ber 2 0 1 9 1 0
,

These E ssa ys an d L etter s w er e p u bl i sh ed bet w een 1 8 8 4 a nd

c o l l ect ed Th e IVo r l d
’
1 9 03. I n the l a tter y ea r th ey wer e in s

Cl a ssi cs
’
.

Fi r s t Im p r essi o n , N o vem ber , 1 9 03

S ec o n d I m p r ess i o n , Ap r i l , 1 9 04
Thi r d I m p r essi on , A p r i l , 1 9 1 1 .

JU L 1 9 1999

iIY OFI

P R I N TE D B Y

B I LL I N G A N D S O N S , L I MI T E D

O
G U I LDF R D
 P R E FA CE

TH E articles i n this volume all belong to th e later part

o f Tolsto y s
’
career Th e s ubj ects with w h i c h they
.

deal are reli g ion an d moral duty what m an should

believe and do and what he should not believe and
,

not do .

Tolstoy s earlier reli g ious works written between the

’

years 1 8 7 8 an d 1 8 8 5 have been frequently reprinted

,

an d wi dely read ; but the maturer views expres s ed i n

the essays on religion contained in this volume
R el igi o n an d Mo r a li ty R easo n a n d R el igi o n A R ep ly to
, ,
’
the S y n o d s E d i c t of E m c o m m n n i c at i o n and Wha t i s
R e lig i o n —written from a di f
,

ferent point of View and

expre s sing his final conclusions on the grea test of life s ’

problems have n o t as yet received the same am ount o f

,

attention .

S om e o f the letters contained in this volume are o f

t h e nature of ro u gh essays or drafts o f essays ; but if
,

less carefu lly fi nished tha n the oth er articles they have ,

the special merit of showing Tolstoy s O pinions in

’

application to certain people and to certai n definite

conditions ; and they thus help to bridge the gul f
betwee n h i s theory and practice .

D u ring th e preparation of these translations I had

th e great ad vantage o f receiving repeated assistance ,

a s well as much kind encouragement from Tolstoy

,

h im self .

Footnotes that occur in the original are marke d

L T Fo r those not so marked I am responsible
. . .

AY LMER M A UDE .

G R E AT B A DDO W , C H E L M SFO R D ,

Ma r c h 2 7, 1911 .
 CO N T E N TS

P R E FA C E
I N DU S TR Y A ND I D LE N E S S
II . W H Y DO ME N S T U P E F Y TH E MS E L V E S ?

III . AN AFT E R W O R D To TH E K R E U T Z E R
.
‘
S O NATA
’

IV . TH E FIR S T S T E P

N O N—A C TIN G
VI . A N AFTER W O R D TO A N A CCO U NT O F R E L I E F
SU P P L I E D T o TH E FA MIN E S TRI C K E N
-

VI I R E L I G I O N A N D MO R A L IT Y
.

VIII R E A S O N AN D R E L I G I O N
.

IX S HAM E
.

X x1
. L E TT E R S TO P E T E R V E R IG I N TH E DO U K
.
,

H O B OR L E A D E R
XI I L E TT E R O N N O N R E S I S TAN C E : T O E H C R O S B Y
.
-
. . 1 77

X III H OW
. T O R E A D T H E GO S P EL S AN D W HAT I s
,

E SS E NTIA L
IN TH E M
XI V A L E T TE R T O R US S IA N
. L I B E RA LS

X V TIMOTH Y B ON DA R E F
.

[ vu
]
 CO N TE NT S

AG E
P

X VI . LE TT E R S ON H E NR Y GE O RGE
X VII . MO D E R N S CI E NC E

X VIII . A N O N C O MMI SS I O N E D O FFIC E R

L E TT E R To -

XI X P A TRI O TI S M AN D G O V E RN ME NT
.

TH O U S H A L T N O T E I L L
‘ ’

X XI To T H E T S A R AN D HI S A SS I S TANT S
.

XX II A R E P L Y T O T H E S Y N OD S E D I C T O F E X CO M
.

MU N I CA T I O N

XX III . W H AT Is RE LI GI O N A N D
,
W H E R E IN LI E S IT S
E SS E NC E ?

XX IV . LE TT E R O N E D U C A TI O N
AN A PP E A L T O TH E C LE RG Y
XX VI TH O U G H TS S E L E CT E D FR O M PRIVAT E L E TTE R s z
.

T w o VI E W S O F L IF E

M A TT E R I s T H E L I MIT O F S PIRIT

TE E S CAFF O L D I N G

TH E LI F E O F TH E S PI R IT

T H E F E A R O F D E A TH

T H E W A Y T O K N O W G O D A N D TH E S O UL

IN D E X
 E S S A Y S A N D LE TTE R S

I N DUS T R Y AN D I DLE N ESS

‘
In t h e sweat o f thy fa c e sh alt th o u e a t br ead till thou ,

r eturn unto t h e gr o und ; fo r o u t O f it wast thou tak e n .

’

G E N iii 1 9
. . .

TH E above are the title and th e epigraph O f a book by

Ti m othy Mih ayl o vit c h B On dar e f* which I have read in
manuscript .

That book seem s to m e very remarkable for its

s tren g th its clearness and the beauty o f its language
, , ,

a s well as for a sincerity o f conviction that is apparent

in every line b ut above all for th e importance truth

, , ,

a n d depth o f i t s fundamental thought .

T M Bé n daref was b o rn a s erf i n 1 8 20 In 1 8 58 h e

. . .

was sen t t o s erv e fo r twenty fi v e y ears i n t h e arm y but -

,

j o i n ing t h e sect of S abb atar ian s (wh o acce pt t h e O l d ’

Tes tam e nt as authoritativ e an d fo llow t h e J e wi sh faith i n

, ,

m an y thin s ) h e was ban i s h e d i n 1 8 6 7 t o U di n a i n S ib e ri a

g ,
.

Th er e as a pl o ughman o f gre at e n ergy h e built up fo r

, ,

hi m self a fairly c o mfo rtabl e p easant h o m e but aga i n im ,

p o v eri sh e d hi m s el f by e ffo rt s to s pr ead hi s d o ctrin e O f

‘
bread lab o ur H i s bo o k co uld n o t b e publi sh e d i n Rus sia
-
.
’
,

b u t h as b e en tran sl at e d i n t o French an d o th e r lan guage s .

A n o th er titl e B On dare f gav e t o hi s b o o k i s Th e Agri

‘

c ulturist s Triu m p h
’ ’
.
2 E S S AY S AN D L E TT E R S
Th e fundamental thou ght o f th e book is th e follow
ing I n all the a ffairs of life the important thing i s t o
know not what is good and necessary but what o f al l
, ,

t h e good and necessary things i n existence comes firs t

i n importance what second what third a nd s o on
, , , .

If that is important in worldly a ffairs yet more is i t ,

important in matters o ffaith which define man s duties,

’
.

Tatian a teacher o f the early Church

,
says tha t ,

men s su fferings come n o t so much from their n o t

’

knowing G o d as from thei r acknowledging a false g o d

,

and esteemin g as G o d th at which is not G o d Th e .

same thou ght applies to the duties men acknowledge .

Misfortune and evil come not so mu ch from men not

,

knowin g their d uties as from th e fact that they ack now

,

led ge false duties and estee m as d uties thin gs that are

not really such while they do not recognise as a d uty
,

that which is really their first d uty B On dare f d eclares .

that t h e misfo rtunes and evil in me n s lives come from ’

re gardin g many empty and harmful re g ulations as

reli gious d u ties while forgetting and hidin g from them
, ,

selves and others that chief primary undoubted d u ty

, , ,

announced at t h e be g innin g o f the H oly S cript u res

’
I n th e sweat of th y face shalt thou eat bread .

Fo r those who believe in the sancti t y and infallibility

of the word O f G o d as expressed i n the Bi ble t h e ,

command there given by God H imself and nowhere ,

revoked i s su ffi cien t proof O f i t s own validity B ut

, .

for those wh o do not acknowledge the Holy S criptures ,

the importance and validity of this commandment (if

only it be considered without prej udice as a simple not ,

supernatural expression of human wisdom ) may be

,

proved by a considerati on o f the conditions o f human

life as is done by B On dar e f in his book
, .

An obstacle to suc h consideration u nfortunately

exists in th e fact that many of us are S O accustomed to
hear from theologians perverted and senseless inter
r e t a t i o n s o f th e words o f Holy S cripture that th e
p ,

mere reminder that a certain principle coincides with

th e teachin gs of S cripture is enou gh to cause som e ,

people to distrust that principle .

 I N DUS T R Y A N D I DLE N ESS 3

IVhat do I care for the Holy S criptures ? W e kno w

t h at anything y o u like can be ded uced from them and ,
’
that th ey are all rubbish .

B u t this i s u nreasonable S urely th e Holy S cripture s

.

are not to blame because people interpret them falsely

and a man who says what is true is not to blame ,

because t h e truth he utters is contained in the Hol y

S crip t ures .

One m ust not forget th at if it be granted that what ,

are called th e S criptures are h uman prod uctions it has ,

still to be explained wh y j ust th ese human writi n gs and ,

not some others have com e to be regarde d by m e n

,

as the words o f God Him self Th ere mus t be some .

reason for it .

And the reason is clear .

S uperstitious people called th e S criptures Divi n e

because th ey were superior to anything else that
,

people knew ; and that is also th e reason wh y these

S criptures though always rej ected by some men hav e
, ,

survived and are still considered Divine These S crip .

tures are called Divine and have come down to u s

because they contain the high est human wisdom And .
,

i n many o f its parts such is really th e character of the

,

S crip tures called t h e B ible .

And s u ch a m ong th ese S cript u res i s that forgotten

, , ,

neglected and mi sunderstood saying which B OI Ida re f

,

has explained and set at th e head O f th e corner .

That saying and the w hole story of Paradise are

, ,

commonly taken i n a literal sense as thou gh every ,

thing actual ly happened as described ; wh ereas t h e

meaning O f the whole narrative is that it figuratively ,

represents the conflicting tenden cies wh ich exist i n

human nature .

Man fears death but is subj ect to it Ma n seem s

,
.

happier while ignorant of good and ev il yet strive s ,

i rresistibly to reach that knowledge Ma n loves idle .

ness and wishes to satisfy his desires without su ffering

, ,
,

yet only by labour and su ffering can h e or his rac e

have life.

Th e se n tence B é nd ar e f quotes is important not ,

A 2
4 ESS A Y S AND LETT E R S
b ecause it is supposed to have been said by God to
Adam but because it is true ; it states one o f the
,

i ndubitable laws of h uman life Th e law o f gravity is .

not true because it was stated by Newton but I k no w

o f Newton and am g ratefu l to him because he Showed
, ,

an eternal law which explains t o me a whole series o f

facts.

It is th e same with the law : I n the s we e t o f thy face

’
shalt thou eat bread That i s a law which explains t o
.

me a whole series o f facts And h aving once known it .

,

I cannot forget it and am gratefu l t o him who revealed

,

i t t o me .

T his l a w seems very simple and familiar but ,

’
that is only apparentl y so and to convince one s self
o f that fact we need only look around u s Not .

o nly do people not acknowledge this law but they ,

’
acknowledge the very reverse o f it People s belief .

leads them (from King to beggar ) to strive not to fulfil ,

that law but to avoid fulfi lling it B On dar e f s book is .

’

d evoted to explaining the permanence and immutability

o f that law and the i nevitable su f
,
ferings that flow from
i t s ne glect .

B On dar e f calls that l a w th e fi r st born and chief of -

a l l laws

B On dar e f demonstrates that sins —i e

.

mistakes false
—
, ,

actions result solely from t h e violation o f this l aw .

Of all the definite duties o f man B On dar e f considers ,

that th e ch ief primary and most imm utable for

, ,

every man is to earn his bread with his o wn hands

, ,

understanding by bread labo ur all heavy rough work -

necessary to save man from death by hunger and cold ,

a n d by bread food drink clothes shelter and fuel

, , , ,
.

B On dar e fs fundamental thought is that this law

’

that to live m an must work —h eretofore acknowledged

as inevitable sh ould be acknowledged as being a b e n e fi
,

c ent law o f life O bligatory o n everyone .

This law Sh ould be acknowledged as a rel i g ious law,

like keepin g the S abbath o r being circ u mcised among the
J ews like receiving the S acrament o r fasting amon g
,

C hurch Christians like praying five ti m es a day among

,
 I N DUS T R Y AN D I DLE N ESS 5

th e Moham m edans B en dar e f says i n one place that if

.
, ,

people but recognised bread labour as a r e l igi o u s obliga -

tion n o private o r Special occupatio n s could prevent

,

th eir d oing i t an y more than special occupation s

,

prevent Church people from keeping thei r holiday s

-
.

Th ere are about eighty h oli days i n th e year * b u t to ,

perform b r e a d d ab o u r according to B On da r e f s cal

‘
,
’ ’

cul ation only forty days are needed

,
.

However strange it may seem at first that such a

simple method intelligible to everyone and involving
, ,

n othing cunnin g o r profound can save huma n ity fro m ,

it s in num erable i lls y e t m ore stra n ge w h en one comes

, ,

to think o f it m ust it seem that we having at hand

,

so clear simple and lo n g familiar a method can

, , , ,

while neglecting it seek a cure for o u r ills in various

,
’

subtleties and profundities Yet consider th e matte r .

w ell and you w ill see th at such is the case .

A m an o m itt in g to fix a bottom to h is tub and then ,

devisi n g all sorts o f cunning means to keep the water

from running away wo uld typify all our e fforts to heal ,

exi stin g ills .

I ndeed from what d o all th e il l s of life ari se if we

, ,

ex cept those th at people cause to one another d irectly ,

by m urders executions im prisonments fights and t h e

, , , ,

many cr uelties in whi ch m e n sin by usin g violence ?

All the ills o f h umanity except those produced by
direct violence —come from h unger from want of all
-

k inds, from being overworked or on th e oth er h and , , ,

from excess an d idleness and the vices they produce ,

.

W hat more sacred duty can m an have than to co

operate i n th e destruction o f this inequality —this want ,

o n the o n e hand an d this temptation of riches o n t h e

,

other ? A n d h o w can man c o operate i n th e des tructio n -

o f these evils but by taking part in work whi ch supplie s

human needs and by liberating himself from super

,
~

fl u it ies and i dleness prod uctive of temptations a n d v i c e s .

S ai n t s day s are n um er o u s i n R u ss i a but o n t h e o th er

’

h an d n o S aturd ay o r o th er w eekly half h o lid ay i s cu st o m ary

,
-
,

s o that t h e t o t al ti m e all o we d f o r h o liday s c o m e s t o m u c h

t h e sam e i n Ru s s i a as in E n gl an d .
G ESS A Y S AN D LETT E R S
h o w, tha t i s but by each m a n doing bread labour
,
-

to feed hi m self with his o wn hands as B On dare f ex ,

presses it P
we have become so entangled have involved our ,

selves i n so many laws religious social a ri d family , ,

have accepted so many precepts — as I saiah says precept

u pon precept here a precept an d there a precept —
,

,
th at
we have completely lost the perception o f what is good
and what is bad .

O n e man performs Mass another collects an army or ,

the taxes to pay for it a third acts as j u d ge a fourth , ,

studies books a fifth heals people a sixth instructs

, ,

them and freein g themselves from bread labour under

,
-

these pretexts they thrust it o n to others and forget

, ,

that men are dying of exha u stion labo ur and h unger , ,

a n d that i n order that there may be people to sing

,

Mass to to defend with an army to j u dge to doctor

, , , ,

o r to instruct it is necessary first o f a ll that they

, , ,

should n o t die of h unger W e fo rget that there may .

be many d uties but that among them all there is a

,

fi rst and a last and that one m ust not fulfil the last
,

before fu l fillin g the first j ust as o n e m ust not harrow ,

before ploughing .

A n d it i s to this fi rst undoubted d uty i n the sphere of

,

practical activity that B On dar e f s t e a c h i n g b r i n gs us ’ '

back B On dar e f shows that the performance o f this

.

d uty hin d ers nothing and presents no obstacles yet ,

saves men from th e misery of want and temptation

Above all th e performance o f this d uty would destroy
,

that terrible separation o f mankind into two Classes

which h ate each other and hide th eir m utual hatred by
caj olery B read labour says B On dar e f e q ualizes all
.
-
, ,

and clips the wings O f luxury and lust .

One cannot plough o r dig wells d ressed in fine

’
C lothes with clean hands and nourishing one s sel f
, ,

on delicate food “ fork at one sacred occupation

.
,

common to all will draw men together B read labour

,
.
-
,

B On da r e f says will restore reason to th ose who have

,

lost it by standin g aside from th e life natural t o man ,

and will give happiness and content to those engaged

 I N DUS T R Y AND I DLE N ESS 7

in work undoubtedly useful and appointed by God ,

Himself and by the laws o f Nature .

Bread labour says BOn dar e f is a m edicine to save

-
, ,

mankind I f men acknowle dged this fi r st born law as

.
-

an unalterable l a w o f God — i f each o n e admitted bread

labour (to feed himself by the work o f his own hands )
t o be his inexorable duty a l l men would unite in belief
-

in one God and in love o n e to another and the su ffer ,

ings which n o w w e igh us down wo u ld be destroyed .

W e are s o accustomed to a way o f life which assumes

th e opposite o f this —namely assumes that riches (means ,

to avoid bread labour ) represent either a blessing from

-

G o d or a higher social st a t u s t h at without analysin g fi

,
’
B OII da r e fs proposition we w ish to consider it narrow
, ,

o n e sided
-
empty and stupid But we m ust examine
, ,
.

hi s position carefully and consider whether it be j ust

,

o r not .

W e weigh all kinds O f religious and political theories .

Let u s weigh B On da r e fs also as a theory Let us con

’
.

sider wh at th e result will be if in accord with h is ,

thou ght, the influence o f religio u s teaching is directed

to th e elucidation o f thi s commandment and all men ,

are brought t o admit this sa cred fi rst born law of ,

-

labour .

All will th en work and eat the fruit of their o wn

,

labours C orn and articles O f primary necessity will

.

cease t o be O bj ects o f purchase o r sale .

W hat wil l be the result ?

Th e result w i ll be that men will n o t perish from want .

I f from unfortunate circum stances o n e m a n fails to g row

e nough foo d for himsel f a n d his family someone else , ,

wh o from fortunate circumstances has g rown too much ,

w ill suppl y the lack and will do so the m ore readily

because there is no other use for his corn it being no ,

longer an article o f commerce Then men will n o t be .

tempted b y want t o get th eir bread by cunning o r by

violence A nd not being s o tempted they will not use
.
,

cunning o r violence the need that now compels them .

w ill n o longer exist .

If a man then still uses cunning o r violence it will ,

8 ESS A Y S AN D LE TTE R S
be because h e loves such ways and not because th ey ,

are necessary to him — as at presen t .

Nor will it be necessary for the weak — th ose who ,

for some reason are unable t o earn their bread or who

, ,

have lost it i n any way— to sell themselves their labour , ,

or sometimes even their souls for bread , .

There will not be the present general striving to free

’
one s self from bread labour and to put it on to others
-

strivin g to crush t h e we a k with overwork and to free

the stron g from all work .

There will not be that tendency which now directs

’
t h e greatest e fforts of men s minds not towards lighten ,

1n
g the labour of the workers but towards lightening ,

and embellishing the idleness of the idlers Th e .

participation of all in bread labour and its recognitio n -

,

as first among human a ffairs will accomplish wha t ,

would be achieved by taking a cart which stupi d ,

people were haulin g along upside down and turnin g it ,

over on to its wheels Th e cart would be saved from

.

breaking and would move easily

,
.

And our life with its contempt fo r and rej ection of

, , ,

bread labour and our attempts at reformin g that false

-
,

life are like a cart drawn along with its wheels i n th e

,

ai r All our reform s are useless till we turn th e cart

.

over and stand it right way up .

’
S u ch i s BOn dar e f s thought with which I fully ,

ag ree Th e matter presents itself to me again as

.

follows There was a time when people ate one another

. .

Th e consciousness of unity am ong men developed until

that becam e impossible and they ceased to eat eac h
,

other Then cam e a time when people seized th e

.

fruits of labour by violence from their fellows and ,

made Slaves of men B ut consciousness developed till

.

that also became impossible Violence , thou gh sti l l .

practised i n h idden ways has been destroyed i n its ,

grosser forms : men n o longer openly seize the fruits

’
of o n e another s labour I n o u r day the form of
.

viol ence practised is that some people take advantag e

,
’
of the needs O f others to exploit t hem In B On dar e f s
opinion t h e time is near when th e re w ill be such a
 I N DUS T R Y AN D I DLE N ESS 9

perception o f human unity that men will feel it

impossible t o take advantage of the need the h unger , ,

and the col d of others to exploit them a n d when m e n ,

acknowledging th e law o f bread labour as bindin g o n -

everyone, will reco gnise it as their b ounden d uty ,

without selling articles of prime necessity to feed , ,

clothe an d warm one anoth er in case of need

,
.

A pproaching th e matter from another side I l ook at ,

this problem of B On da r e fs thus we often hear r e fl e c

’

tions o n the insu ffi ciency of m erely negative laws o r

commandments — te of rules telling us what not to do
. .

People sa y W e need positive laws

,

rules tell i ng us what to do The .

of Christ to consider no one

sane and t o be angry with no o n e (2 ) not t o
,

sexual intercourse as a matter of pleasure nor ,

th e wife o r husband with whom one has once united ,

(8 ) t o take n o oaths to anyone and not to g ive away ,

one s freedom (4 ) to endure inj uries and violen ce a n d

’
,

n o t to resist them by violence ; and

(5) to consider n o
man an enemy but to love enemies a s friends —it is
,
’
said that these five commandments o f Christ s all tell
only what should not be done but that there are n o ,

commandments o r laws telling what Should be done .

’
And indeed it may seem strange that i n Christ s
, ,

teaching there are no equally definite co m mandments

telling us wh at we o ught to d o But this seem s .

’
strange only to those who do not believe Ch rist s real
teachin g which is contained not in five commandments
, , ,

but i n the teachin g o f truth itself .

Th e teaching o f trut h expressed by Christ is not con

t ai n e d in laws and commandments but i n one th in g ,

only — the m eanin g given to life A nd that meaning i s .

,

that life and the blessing of life are not to be found in

personal happiness as people generally suppose but i n
, ,

the service o fG o d and man A n d this is not a command

.

which m ust be obeyed to gain a reward nor is it a ,

mystical expression of something mysterious and unin

t e ll igi b l e but it is the elucidation of a law O f life previ
,

o u sl y concealed ; it is the indication o f the fact tha t

10 ESS A Y S AN D LETTE R S
life can be a blessing only when this t ruth is u nderstood .

And therefore the whole positive teaching of Christ is

, ,

e xpresse d i n this one thing Love God and thy neigh ,

ho u r as thyself . And no expositions of that precept

a r e possible
. It is o n e because it contains all Th e
, .

l a w and co m mandments of Christ like the Jewish and

,

B uddhist laws and commandments are but i ndications ,

o f cases in which the snares of the w orld tur n men

a side from a true understandin g of life And that is .

why there may be many laws and ma n y co m mandments

b u t the positive teaching o f life —o f what sho u ld be
,

done —m ust and can be only o n e .

Th e life of each man is a m ovement somewh ere

whether he will or not he moves he lives Ch rist
, , .

Shows man the road and at the sam e time indicates the
paths leadin g from the right road —paths which lead
,

astray Of such indications there may be many — they

.

a r e the commandments .

Christ g ives five such commandments and those H e ,

gave are such that up to the present not o n e can with

ad vanta ge be added or spared But only o n e direction
.

Showin g the road is g iven for there can be but o n e

straight line sh owing a certai n direction .

Therefore t he idea that in Christ s teaching there are

’

only ne gative commands and no positive ones seems

true only to those who do not know o r do not believe
i n the teaching of truth itse lf—th e direction o f the true
, ,

path of life indicated by Ch rist B elievers in the truth

.

o f t h e path of life show n by Jesus will not seek f or

positive comman dments in His teachin g All positive .

activity flowing from the teachin g of the true path o f

—
life most diverse as that activity may b e — is al w a y s
clearly and ind ubitably defined fo r them .

’
B elievers i n that path O f life are i n Christ s Si m ile , ,

l ike an abundan t spring o f living wa t er All their .

a ctivity is like the course of water which flows every ,

where regardless O f obstacles A man believing in the

.

teach in g of Ch rist can as little ask what positive com

m ands he is to O bey as a stream o f water bursting from ,

the ground could ask the question It flows watering

,
.
,
 I N DUS T R Y AN D I DLE N ESS 11

the earth g rass trees bi rds animals and men And

, , , , ,
.

’
a man wh o believes Christ s teaching o f life does
likewise .

A believer i n the teachin g of Jesus will n ot ask what

h e is to do Love which becomes th e motive force of
.
,
-

his life will surely and i nevitably Show h im where to

,

a c t and what to d o first an d what afterwards

,
.

’
Not to Speak o f indications Christ s teaching is full
o f Sh owing that the first and m ost n ecessary activity o f
,

love is to feed t h e h ungry g ive drink to the thirsty , ,

c l othe the naked and help th e poor and th e p risoners

—o u r reason conscience an d feelings all impel us
, ,

, ,

( be fore undertaking any other service of love t o living

men ) first to sustai n life in o u r breth ren by saving them
from su fferings and death that threaten them in their
t o o ar duous struggles with Nature That is to sa y we .
,

are called on t o share th e labo u r needful fo r th e life of

man —t h e primary rough heavy labour o n the land , , .

As a spri n g cannot question where its waters are to

flow upwards Splashi n g the grass an d th e leaves of
,

the trees o r downwards to the roots o f th e grass and

,

trees — so a believer in the teaching o ftrut h canno t ask

what he m ust d o fi rst — wh ether to teach people defend ,

them amuse them supply them with the pleasures of

, ,

life o r save the m from perishing o f want And j ust as

,
.

w ater from a Spring flows along the surface and fills

ponds and gives drin k t o animal s and men only after it ,

has soaked the g round s o a believer in th e teaching o f ,

truth can serve less urgent human demands only after

h e h as satisfied the primary demand has helped to fee d
men an d to save them from perishing in their struggle
,

agai n st want A man following the teachin g o f tr u th

.

and love not i n words b u t in deeds cannot m istake

, ,

where first to direct h is e fforts A man who sees the .

meaning o f his life in service to others can never make

suc h a bl under as t o begin to serve hungry and naked
humanity by forging cannon manufacturing elegant ,

ornaments o r playing the violi n o r th e piano

, .

L ove cannot be stupid .

A s love for o n e man wo u ld not let u s read no vels to

12 ESS A Y S AN D LETTE R S
him who was starvi n g or han g costly earri n gs o n him ,

who was nak ed S O love for mankind will not let us ,

serve it by a m using t h e well fed W hile we leave the cold -

and hun g ry to die of want .

True love love not m erely in words but i n deeds

cannot be stupid —it is th e one thing giving true per
,

c e p t i o n and wisdom .

And therefore a man penetrated by love will not

, ,

make a mistake but will be sure to do fi rst what lov e ,

of man first req uires : h e will do what maintains th e

life of the h un g ry t h e cold and the heavy laden and , ,
-
,

t ha t is all done by a dir ect strug gle with Nature .

O nly he who wishes to deceive himself an d others ,

can while men are i n danger struggling against want

, , ,

stand aside from helping them and while h e adds t o , ,

their burden assure himself and those who perish

,

be fore his eyes that h e is occupied or i s devising , ,

means to save them .

N O sincere man who sees that the purpose of his life

is to serve oth ers will say that Or if he says it h e .
,

will find in hi s conscience no confirmation o f his de

l u s io n but will have to seek it in th e i nsidious doctrine
,

of the division of labour In all expressions o f true .

hu m an wisdom from Confucius to Mohammed h e will, ,

fi n d o n e and th e sam e truth (and will find it most

forcibly i n the Gospels )— a summons to serve man not
accordin g to t h e theory of the division o f labour but ,

in the simplest most natural and only n ecessary way

, ,

he will find a demand to serve the sick th e prisoners , ,

t h e hungry and the naked ,

A nd help to the sick th e .
,

prisoners t h e hun gry and the naked can be rendered

only by one s o wn immediate direct labour — for th e
, , ,
’

sick hungry an d naked do not wait but die of hunger

, , ,

and cold .

His o wn life which consists o f service to others , ,

will guide a man confessin g th e teaching o f truth to ,

that primary law expressed at the commencement o f

G enesis In the sweat o f thy face shalt th ou eat
,

bread which B On da re f calls fi rst born and puts

,
’
-

forward as a positive command .

 I N DUS T R Y AND I DLE N ESS 13

A nd positive that law really is for those w h o do not ,

acknowledge the meaning o f life which Christ disclosed .

S uch it w as for men before Christ and such it re m ains ,

’
fo r those wh o do not acknowledge Ch rist s teach ing I t .

demands that everyone should — according t o t h e law o f

G o d expressed in the B ible and i n o u r reason — feed
himself by his o wn labour That l a w was positive and.
,

s uch it r emains till th e meaning o f life is revealed to

m an by the teaching o f truth .

But from th e plane o f th e higher consciousness o f

life disclosed by Christ the law of bread labour remain
,
-
,

ing tru e as befo re fi ts into C hrist s o n e positive teach

,
’

ing of service t o man and must be regarded no longer

a s positive but as ne gative That law from the Chris
, .
,

tian point o f view merely indicates an ancient snare

, ,

a n d tells m en what they should avoid in order n o t to

s tray from th e path o f true life .

For a follower o f the Old Testament who does n o t

a ck nowledge this teaching o f truth this law means : ,

Produce t h y bread by th e labour o f thine own hands .

’

B ut for a Chris tian its meaning i s negative To him .

t his law says Do n o t suppose it possi ble to serve men

w hile you consume what others labour t o produce and ,

d o not produce your o wn maintenance with your o wn

’
hands .

This law for a Christian i s an i ndication o f o n e of

, ,

the m ost ancient and terrible of th e temptations from

which mankin d su ffers Against that temptation
.

(terrible in its consequences and so old that it is hard ,

for us to admit that it is not a natural characteristic o f

m an,
but a d eception ) this tea ching o f B on dar e f is
d irected a teach ing equally obligatory o n a believer
-

i n the Old Testament o n a C hristian wh o believes in

,

th e Gospels a n d o n him wh o disbelieves in the B ible

,

a n d follows only comm on sense -

.

There is m uch I could and would write to prove the

truth of this position and overthrow the various and
c omplex arg u ments against it which rise to the lips o f

us all ; we know we are to blame an d are therefore ,

a lwa y s ready with j ustifications B u t however m u ch I .

14 ESS A Y S AN D LE TTE R S
may write however well I may write and howev e r
, ,

logically exact I m ay be I shall not convince m y ,

reader so long as his intellect is pitted against mine

,

and h is heart remains cold .

And that is why I as k you reader to check for , ,

awhile th e activity of your intellect and not to argu e ,

nor to demonstrate but to ask only your heart W h o , .

ever you m ay be h owever gifted however kind to those

, ,

about you however circumstanced can yo u sit u n

, ,

moved over your tea your dinner your political , , ,

artistic scientific medical o r educational a ffairs whil e

, , , ,

yo u hear or see at yo ur door a h ungry cold sick , , ,

su ffering man ? No Yet th ey are always there i f .

,

not at th e door then ten yards o r ten miles away

, .

They are there and you k now it

And you cannot be at peace — cannot have pleasure
,
.

which is not poisoned by this knowled ge Not to se e .

them at your door you have to fence th em o ff or keep ,

them away by your coldness o r go somewhere wher e ,

th ey are not B u t they are everywhere

. .

A n d if a place be found where you cannot see them ,

still you can nowh ere escape fro m the truth \Vh a t
, .
,

then must be done P

,

You know these things and the teaching o f truth ,

tells you them .

Go to the bottom — to wh at seems to you the bottom ,

but is really the top — take your place beside those wh o

produce food for the hun gry an d clothes for the naked ,

and d o not be afrai d : it will not be worse but bette r ,

in all respects Tak e your place in th e ranks set to

.
,

work with your weak unskilled h ands at that primary ,

work w h ich feeds the h un gry an d clothes the naked :

at bread labour the struggle with Nature ; and you
-
,

w ill feel for the fi rst time firm ground beneath you r
, ,

feet will feel that you are at h ome that you are fre e
, ,

and stan d firmly and have reached the end of you r ,

j ourney And you will feel th ose complete unpoisoned

.
,

j oys wh ich can be fo und nowhere else — not secured by

any doors nor screened b y any curtains .

You will know j o y s y o u have never known before ;

 I N DUS T R Y A N D I DLE N ESS 15

y o u will for th e first time know those strong plain

, , ,

men your brothers wh o from a distan ce have fed y o u

, ,

u ntil n o w ; and to your surprise y o u will find in them

such q ualities as yo u have never known such modesty ,

such ki ndness t o yourself as you will feel yo u have n o t

deserved .

I nstead o f th e contempt or scorn you expected yo u ,

will m eet wi th such kindness such g ratitude and ,

respect for having— after livin g on them and despisin g

them all your life— at last recollected yourself and with ,

u nskil l ed hands tried to help them .

Y o u will se e that what seemed to you like an island

o n which yo u were saved from th e sea that threatened
to en gulf you w as a marsh in wh ich yo u were sinkin g ;
,

and the se a yo u feared w as dry land o n which you will

,
'

walk fi rmly quietly and happily as m ust be the case

, , ,

for from a deception (into which y ou did not enter o f

your own wish but into whi ch yo u were led ) yo u will
,

escape to the truth and from the evasion o f God s

,
’

purpose yo u will pass to its performance .

 I VH Y DO ME N S T U P E FY T H E M SELVES ?

I .

W HAT is the explanation o f th e fact that people u se

'

things that stupefy them : v odka, wine beer hashish , , ,

O pium tobacco and other things less common : eth er

, , ,

morphia fl y agaric etc ,

- W h y did the practice beg in ?
,
.

W h y has it spread so rapidly and wh y is it still spread ,

i n g among all sorts of people savage and c ivilized ? ,

H o w is that where there i s no v odka wi ne o r beer , ,

there we find O pium hashish , fl y agaric etc and that ,

-
,
.
,

t obacco is used everywhere ?

W h y do people wish to stupefy themselves ?
Ask anyone why he began d rink ing wine and why h e
n o w drinks it He will reply Oh it s pleasant and ’

, , ,
.

’ ’
e verybody drinks and h e may add it cheers m e up
, , .

S ome — those wh o have never once taken the trouble

to consider whether they do well o r ill to drink wine
may add that wine is g ood for the h ealth and adds to
o ne s strength ; that i s to say will make a statement
’

long since proved baseless .

Ask a smoker why he began to use tobacco and why

h e now smokes and h e also will reply : To while
,
‘

a way time everybody smokes ’

.

S imilar answers would probably be given b y those

w h o use opium hashish morphia or fiy agaric
, , ,
-
.

‘
To while away time to be c heerfu l ; everybody ,
’
does it B ut it mi ght be excusable to twiddle one s
.
’

thumbs to whistle to hum tunes to play a fife o r to

, , ,
’
do something of that sort to wh ile away time, ‘
to
be cheerful o r because everybody does it —that is
[

’ ‘
,

t o say , it might be excusa ble t do something for whic h

[ 16 p
 W H Y DO ME N S T U P E FY T H E M SELVES ? 17

’
o ne need n o t wast e Nature s wealth n o r spend what ,

h as cost great labour t o produce n o r do what brings ,

’
evident harm t o one s self an d to others B u t to produce .

tobacco win e hashish and O pi u m the labour o f

, , , ,

millions of m e n is spent and millions and millions ,

o f acres o f the best land (oft en amid a pop u lation that

is short o f land) are e m p l oyed to grow potatoes hemp , ,

poppi es vines and tobacco Moreover the u se o f

, ,
.
,

these e vidently harmful things produces terrible evils

known and admitted by everyone and destroys more ,

people than all wars and contagious diseases added

togeth er And people know this so that it cannot be
.
,
‘ ’
that they u s e these thi n gs to while away time t o be ,
’
cheerfu l o r because everybody does it
, .
’

There must be some other reason C ontin u ally and .

e verywher e o n e meets people w h o love their child re n

and are ready to make all kinds o f sacrifices for them ,

but wh o yet Spend o n v odka wine and beer or on , ,

opium hashish and even o n tobacco as much as would

, , ,

q uite su f
fi ce to feed their hungry and poverty stricken -

children o r at least as much a s would su ffi ce t o save

,

th em from misery Evidently if a man wh o has to

.
,

choose between the want and su fferings of a family he

loves on the o n e hand and abstinence from stupefying
, ,

things o n th e other chooses the former— h e must be ,

induced thereto by something more potent than the

‘ ’
consideration that everybody does it o r th at it is ,

p leasant E vidently
. it i s done n o t to while awa y ‘

’ ‘
time n o r merely to be cheerful but he i s actuated
, ,
’

by so m e more powerfu l cause

This ca u se —
.

as far as I have detected it by reading

about this subj ect and by observin g other people and ,

particularly by observing my o wn case when I used to

drink wine and smoke tobacco —this cause I think , ,

may be expl ained a s follows

W hen observin g h is o wn life a man may often notice ,

i n himself t w o di f ferent beings : the o n e is blin d and

physical the other sees and i s Spiritual Th e blind
, .

anim al being eats drinks rests sleeps, propagates

, , , ,

and moves like a woun d u p machine The seeing

,
-
.
,

a
18 ESS A Y S AN D LE TTE R S
spiritual being that is bound u p with the anim al does
nothing o f itself but only appraises th e activity o f the
,

animal bein g ; coinciding with i t whe n approvi n g its

activity and diverging from it when di sa pprovin g
,
.

This observing being may be compared to the arrow

of a compass pointing with o n e end to the north and
,

with the other to the south but screened along i ts ,

whole length by somethi ng not noticeable s o lo n g as

it and the arrow both point the same way ; but which
becomes obvious as so on as they point di fferent ways .

I n the same manner the seeing spiritual being , ,

whose manifestation we commonly call conscience ,

al ways points with o n e end to w ards right and with the

other towards wrong and we do n o t notice i t while w e
,

follo w the course it show s : the co u rse from wrong t o

ri ght B u t o n e need only do something contrary t o
.

the indication of conscience to become aware o f this ,

spiritual being which then shows h o w the animal

,

activity has diverged from the direction indicated by

conscience A n d as a navigator conscious that he is
.
,

on the wron g track cannot conti nue to w ork the oars

, ,

en gine o r sails till he h as adj u sted h is course to the

, ,

indications o f the compass o r h as obliterated h is c o n

s c i o u sn e ss o f this divergence —each man who h a s felt
,

the duality of h is animal activity and h is conscience ,

can continue his activity only by adj ustin g that activity

to the demands of conscience o r by hiding from himself ,

the indications conscience gives him o f the wrongness

of his animal life .

All hu m an life we may say consists solely o f th ese

, ,

two activities (1 ) bringin g one s activities into harmony ’

with conscience o r (2 ) hiding fro m one s self th e indica

,
’

tions o f conscience in order to be able to continue to

live as before .

S ome do the first others the second ,

To attain the .

first there i s but o n e means : moral enlightenment

’
the increase o f li ght in one s self and attention to W hat
it shows ; fo r the second —t o hi de from one s self the ’

indications o f conscience—there are two means : o n e

external and t h e other internal Th e external m eans .
 W H Y DO ME N S T U PE FY T H E M SELVES ? 19

’
consists in occ u pa t ions that divert one s attention from
the indications giv e n by conscienc e ; the internal
m ethod consists i n darkening conscience it self .

A s a m an h as t wo ways o f avoiding seeing an obj ect

that is before him : either by diverting h is sight t o
other more striking obj ects o r by obstructing the
si ght o fh is o wn ey e s —j u st s o a man can h ide from him
, ,

s elf t h e indication s o f conscience in two ways : either

by t h e external m e thod o f diverting h is atten t ion to
vario u s o cc u pations cares am u sements o r games ;
, , ,

o r by t h e internal m eth od o f obstructing t h e organ

o f attention itself Fo r people of d ull limited moral
.
,

feeli n g t he extern al diversions are often quite su f

,

fic ie n t t o e nable the m n o t t o perceive t h e indications

conscience gives o f t h e wrongness o f thei r lives But .

for morally sensitiv e peopl e those means are often

insuffi cient .

Th e e xternal m eans d o not quite divert attention

’
from the consciousness o f discord between one s life
and the demands o f conscience This consciousness .

’
ham pers one s life and people in order to be able t o ,

go o n living as before have recourse t o th e reliable in

, ,

ternal method w hich is that o f darkening conscience

,

itself by poisoning the brain with stupefying substances .

One is n o t living a s conscience demands yet lacks ,

the stre n gth to reshape one s life in accord w ith it s ’

demands Th e diversions which migh t distract atten

.

tion from the con s ciousness o f this discord are in s u ffi

cient o r have become stale and s o — i n order t o be able
, ,

to live o n disregardin g the indications conscience

gives o f the wrongness o f their life —
,

people (by poison

ing it temporarily ) stop the activity of the organ
th ro u gh which c onscience manifests itself as a man by ,

covering h is e yes hides fro m himself what he does not

wish t o se e .

Not in th e taste nor in any pleasure, recreation o r

, ,

mirth they a fford lies the ca u se o f the world wide con

,
-

sumption o f hashish opi um wine and to b acco b u t

, , , ,
.

B 2
20 E SS A Y S AN D LE TTE R S
’
simply in man s need to hide from himself th e de m ands
o f conscience .

I w as goin g along the street o n e day and passing ,

some cabmen wh o were talking I heard one o f them ,

’
say : O f course when one s sober one s ashamed to
‘
,
’

do it
W hen one s sober o n e is ashamed of what seems all
’

right when one is drunk I n these words we have the .

essential underlying cause prompting m en to resort ,

to s t u pe fi e rs People resort t o them eith er to escape

.
,

feeling ashamed after having done someth ing contrary

to their consciences or to bring themselves beforehand
, , ,

into a state in which th ey can commit actions contrary

to conscience but to which their animal nature prompts
,

them .

A man when sober is ashamed to g o after a prosti

tute ashamed to steal ashamed to kill O f none of
, ,
.

these thin gs is a drunken man ashamed and therefore ,

if a man wishes to do something h is conscience c o n

dem u s —h e st u p e fie s himself .

I remember being struck by the e vidence of a man

cook who was tried fo r murdering a relation of mine an ,

o l d lady in whose service he lived H e related that .

when he had sent away his paramour the servant girl ,

-
,

and the time had come to act he wished to go into the ,

bedroom wi th a knife but felt that while sober he

,

could not commit the deed h e had planned

H e turned back
’ ’
‘
when one s sober one s ashamed ’

.
,

drank two tumblers o f v é d k a h e had prepared before

hand and only then felt h imself ready and committed
, ,

th e crime .

Nine tenths o f the crimes are committed i n that way

- '

‘ ’
Drink to keep up your courage .

Half the women who fall do so under the influence

of wine Nearly all visits to disorderly houses are paid
.

by men wh o are intoxicated People know this capacity .

o f w m e to stifle the voice o f conscience, and intention

ally use it for that purpose .

Not only do people stupefy themselves to stifle th eir

o wn consciences, but (knowing h o w wine acts ) whe n
 W H Y DO ME N
’
S TU PE FY T H E M SELVES ? 21

they w i sh t o m ake oth ers co m mit actions contrary to

conscience th ey inte ntionally stupefy them —th at is
, ,

arrange t o stupefy people in order t o deprive them o f

conscience I n war soldiers are u s u ally intoxicated
.
,

before a han d t o hand fight All th e French soldiers

- -
.

in the assaults o n S evastopol were drunk .

W hen a fortified place has been captured, but the

s oldiers do n o t sack it and slay th e defenceless old men
and children orders are often given t o m ake them
,
*
d runk and then they do what is expected o f them
, .

E very o n e knows people who have taken t o drink in

conseque n ce o f some wrong doing that has tormented -

thei r conscience An y o n e can notice that those who

.

lead im m oral lives are more attracted than others by

stupefyin g substances Bands o f robbers o r thieves
.
,

and prostitutes cannot live with out intoxicants

, .

E very o n e knows and admits that the u se o f stupefying

substances i s a consequence o f the pangs o f conscience ,

and that in certain immoral ways o f life stupefying

s u bstances are employed to stifle conscience Every .

o n e knows and a dmits also that the use o f st u p e fi e rs

d oes stifle conscience : that a drunken man i s capable
o f deeds o f whi ch when sober he w ould n o t think f or

a moment E very o n e agrees t o this but strange t o

.
, ,

say when the use o f stupe fiers does n o t result in such

,

deeds a s thefts m urders violations and so forth

, ,

when st u pe fie r s are taken n o t after some terrible

crimes but by men following professions which we do
,

not consider criminal and when the substan ces are ,

consumed n o t in large q u antities at once but c o n

t i n u al l y i n m oderate doses —then (for som e reason ) it
is assumed that stupefying substances have n o tendency
t o stifle conscience .

Thus it i s supposed th at a well to do R ussian s gl ass

’
- -
,

o f v odka before each meal and tumbler o f w i ne wi t h ,

’
th e m eal o r a Frenchman s absinthe o r an En glish
o r a Ger m an s lager beer
’ ’
m an s port wine and porter -

S e e t h e allu s i o n t o S k é b el e fs co nduct at G eo k -Te p e i n

’

a pr ef ace by To l s t o y giv en i n Gr an t R ichard s s ixpe n n y ’

e diti o n o f S e vas t o p o l an d o th er S t o ri es
’
.
22 ESS A Y S A N D L E TTE RS

or a well to do Chinaman s moderate dose o f O pium ;

- -
’

and the smoking of tobacco with them —i s done only fo r

pleasure and has no e ffect whatever o n these people s
,
’

consc i ences .

It is supposed that i f after this customary st u p e fac

tion no crime is committed : nor theft nor murder , ,

but only customary bad and stupid actions —then these

actions have occurred of themselves and are not evoked
by the stupefaction I t is supposed tha t if these people
.

have not committed O ffences against the criminal l aw ,

they have no need to stifle the voice O f conscience and ,

that t h e life led by people who habitually stupefy

themselves is q uite a good life and would be precisely ,

the sam e if they did not stupefy themselves It is .

s upposed that the constant use O f s t u p e fi e r s does not

in t h e least darken their consciences .

’
Tho u gh everybody k nows by experience that one s
frame o f mind is altered by the use o f wine o r tobacco ,

that o n e i s not ashamed o f things which but fo r the

stimulant o n e would be asham ed o f that after each ,

twinge of conscience however slight o n e is inclined

, ,

to have recourse to some s t u pe fie r and that under the ,

in fl uence o f s t u p e fie rs it is di ffi c u lt to reflect o n one s ’

life and position and that the constant and regular

,

use o f s t u p e fie rs prod u ces the same physiolo gical e ffect

as its occ a sional immoderate use doe s —yet in Spite ,

o f all th is it seems to men wh o drink and smoke

,

moderately that they use st u p e fie rs not at all to stifle

,

c onscience b u t only for the fl avour o r for pleasure

,
.

B u t one need only think o f the matter seriously and

impar tially —not trying to excuse one s self—t o under ’

s tand ,
first that i f the use o f st u p e fie r s in large
,

O ccasional doses stifles man s conscience their re gular

’

use m ust have a lik e e ffe ct (always first intensifying

and then dulling the activity o f the brain ) whether
they are taken in lar ge o r s mall doses S econdly that .
,

all s t u pe fie r s have the quality o f stifling conscience

—
,

and have thi s always both when under their in fl uence

murders robberies and violations are committed and
, , ,

w hen under their in fl uence words are spoken which

 W H Y DO ME N S TUPEFY THE MS E LVE S ? 23

wo u ld not have been spok en o r things are thought and ,

felt which would not have been thought and felt but
for them and thirdly that i f th e u se O f st u pe fi e rs is
, ,

needed to pacify and sti fle th e consciences o f thieves ,

robbers and prostitutes it is also wanted by peopl e

, ,

engaged in occupations condemned by th ei r o wn con

sciences even though these occupations may by other
,

people be considered proper and hono u rable .

I n a word i t is impossible to avoid unders t anding

,

that the u s e o f st u p e fi e rs in large o r small am ounts

, ,

occasionally o r regularly in t h e hi gher or lower circles

,

o f society i s evoked by o n e and the same ca u se the

, ,

need t o stifle the voice o f conscience in order not t o

be aware o f the discord existing between one s way of ’

’
life and the dem ands o f one s conscience .

In that alone lies th e reason o f the widespread use

o f all stupefying substances and among the rest o f
tobacco —probably the most generally used and most
,

har m fu l .

I t is supposed that tobacco cheers o n e up clears the ,

tho u ghts and attracts o n e merely like any other habit

—without at all producing t h e deadening o f con
,

s cience prod uced by wine B u t yo u need only observe

.

a ttentively the conditions u nder which a special desire

to smoke arises and yo u will be convinced that s tupefy

,

in g with tobacco acts o n the conscience a s wine does ,

an d that people consci ously have recourse t o th is

method o f stupefaction j ust when they require it fo r
that purpose If tobacco merely cleared the thoughts
.

and cheered o n e u p there would not be such a pas

,

s i o n at e craving for it a craving sh ow i ng itself j ust o n

,

certain definite occasions People would not say that

.

they wo u ld rather go with out bread than without

tobacco and would n o t O ften actually prefer tobacco t o
,

food .

That m an cook wh o m u rdered h is mistress said ,

that whe n he entered th e bed roo m and had gashed her

24 E S S AY S A ND L E TTE R S
th roat with his knife and sh e had fallen w ith a rattle ,

in her th roat and th e blood had gush ed o u t in a

torrent—h e lost his courage I could not finish her .

’
Of f he said
,
but I went back from t h e bedroom to
,
‘

the sittin g room and there sat do w n and smoked a

-
,

cigarette Only after stupefying himself w ith tobacco

.
’

was he able to return to th e bedroom finish cutting ,

the O ld lady s th roat and begin examini n g her things

’

, .

Evidently the desire to smoke at that moment w as

evok ed i n him not by a wish to clear h is thoughts o r
, ,

be merry but by the need t o stifle something that

,

prevented him from completing what he had planned

to do .

Any smoker may detect i n himself the same definite

d esire to stupefy himself with tobacco at certain ,
speciall y d ifli c u l t moments I look back at th e days ,
.

when I used to smoke when was it that I felt a Special

need of tobacco ? It was always at m oments when I
did not wish to remember certa in th ings that presented
themselves to my recollection wh en I wished to forget ,
—not to think I sit by m yself doing nothi n g and .

’
know I ought to s e t t o work but don t feel inclined ,

to so I smoke and go o n sitting I have promised

, .

to be at some one s h ouse by five O clock but I have ’ ’

,

stayed too long somewhere else ; I remember that I

have missed the appointment but I do not lik e t o ,

remember it so I smoke I get vexed and say u n

, .
,

pleasant things to some o n e and know I am doing ,

wro n g and se e that I ought to stop but I want t o

give vent to m y irritability —S O I smoke and continue
, ,

to be irritabl e I pl a y at cards and lose more than

I intended to risk —s o I smoke I have placed mysel f
.

i n an awkward position have acted badly have m ade , ,

a mistake and o u ght t o acknowledge the mess I am

,

in and th us escape from it but I do n o t lik e to

it s o I accuse others —and smoke I
~

a cknowledge ,
.

write something and am not quite satisfied with wh at

1 have written I ought to abandon it but I wish t o
finish w hat I have planned t o do —so I sm o k e I
.
,

dispute and se e that my O pponent and I do n o t u nder

,
 W H Y DO ME N S TUPE FY THE MS E LVE S ? 25

stand and cannot understand o n e another but I

w ish to express m y opinion s o I continue to talk —and
, , ,

I sm oke .

W hat distinguish es tobacco from most other stupe

fie r s besides th e ease with which o n e can stupefy
,
’
one s self w ith it and i t s apparent harmlessness, i s it s
,

p o rtability and the possi b ility o f applying it t o meet

small isolated occurre nc es that disturb o n e Not to
,
.

mention that th e u se o f opium wine and hashish ii i , , ,

volves the use o f certain appliances n o t always at hand ,

w hile o n e can al w ays carry tobacco and paper wi th o n e

an d that the O pium smoker and th e drunkard evoke
-

horror while a tobacco smoker does not seem at all

repulsive —th e advantage o f tobacco over other stupe
,

fie rs i s that the stupefaction o f O pium hashish o r

, , ,

wine extends t o all the sensations and acts received

,

o r produced d uring a cer t ai n somewhat exten ded period

o f time —w hile the stupefaction from tobacco can be

directed t o any separate occurrence Y o u wish to do .

what yo u ought not to so yo u smoke a cigarette an d

,

stupefy yo u rself su ffi ciently to enable yo u to do what

should n o t be done and then yo u are again fresh and
, ,

can think and speak clearl y ; o r y o u feel you have

done what yo u should n o t —again yo u smoke a cigarette
and th e unpleasant consciousness o f t h e wrong o r
awkward action is obliterated and yo u c an occupy ,

yourself with other things and fo rget it .

But apart fro m i n di vi du al cases in w hi ch every

smok er has recourse to sm oking n o t t o satisfy a habit ,

o r while away time but as a means o f stifling his con

,

science with reference t o acts h e is about to commit or

has already committed is it not quite evident that
,
’
th ere i s a strict and definite relation between men s
way o f life and their passion for smoking ?
W hen do lads begin to smoke ? Usually w hen they ,

lose their childish innocence H o w i s it that smokers

.

can abandon smokin g wh en they come among more

moral conditions o f life and again start smokin g as
,

soon as they fall am ong a depraved s e t ? Wh y do

gamblers almost al l smoke ? W h y among women d o
26 E S S AY S A ND L E TT E R S
those who lead a regular life smoke least ? W h y do
prostitutes and madmen a ll smoke ? Habit i s habit ;
but evidently smokin g stands in some definite con
n e c t io n with th e cravin g to sti fl e conscience and ,

ach ieves the e n d required o f it .

One m ay O bserve in the case o f almost every smoker

to what an extent smoking drowns the voice o f con
science E very smok er when yielding to his desire
.

forgets or sets at nau ght the very first demands o f

, ,

social life demands he expects others to observe and

-
,

which he O bserves in all oth er cases until his con

science i s st ifi e d by tobacco E very o n e of average .

education considers it inadmissible ill b red and i n ,

-
,

h u mane to infrin ge the peace comfort and yet more , ,

the health of others fo r his own pleasure No one

,
.

would allow himself to wet a room in which people are

sitting or to make a noise shout let in cold hot o r
, , , , ,

ill smelling air o r commit acts that incommode o r

-
,

harm others B u t o u t of a thousan d smokers n o t one

.

will shrink from prod u cin g unwholesome smoke in a

room where t h e air is breathed b y non smoking women -

and children .

If smokers do usually say to those present You ‘

don t O bj ect ? every o n e knows that the customary

’ ’

answer i s : Not at al l (although it cannot be pleasant ’

t o a non — smoker to breath e tainted air and to find ,

stinking ci gar ends in glasses and cups o r o n plates

-

and candlesticks o r even in ,

But eve n if
non smoking ad u lts did not obj ect t o tobacco smok e it
- -
,

could not be pleasant o r good for the children whose

consent no o n e asks Yet p e O pl e wh o are honourable
’

a n d human e in all other respects smoke in the presence

,

o f children at dinner in small rooms vitiatin g th e air ,

with tobacco smoke without fee ling the slightest twin ge

-
,

o f conscience .

It is usually said (and I used to say) that smoking

I n t h e m a tt e rs allud e d t o t h e R u s sian cu s t o m s are ,

wo rse th an t h e E n gli sh p artly p erhaps b ecau se i n Russi a

, , , ,

o wi n g t o a dri e r c li m at e t h e s m e ll o f s tal e t o ba c c o i n t h e
,

ro o m s i s l e ss o ffe n s iv e th an i n E n glan d .
 W H Y DO ME N STUPEFY TH E MS E LVE S ? 27

facilitates ental w ork And that i s undoubtedly true

m .

if o n e considers only th e quantity O f one s mental out ’

put TO a man wh o smokes and wh o consequently

.
,

ceases strictly t o appraise and weigh his thou ghts it ,

s eems as if he suddenly h ad m any tho u ghts B u t th is .

i s n o t because he really h as many thoughts but only ,

becaus e h e h as lost control o f his thoughts .

W h en a man w ork s h e is always conscious o f two

,

beings in himself : the o n e works the oth er appraises ,

the work Th e stricter the appraisement the s lower

.
,

and the better is the work ; and vi c e ven d wh en the ,

appraiser is under the influence O f something that

st u p e fie s h im more w ork gets done
,
b u t it s quality is ,

lower .

‘
If I do not sm ok e I cannot w rite I cannot get .

’
o n ; I begin and cannot continue is what is usually ,

said and what I u sed t o say

,
W hat does it really
.

m ean ? It means either that yo u have nothing to write ,

o r that what y o u w ish to write h as n o t yet matured in

your consciousness but is only beginning dimly to
,

present itself t o yo u and the appraising criti c within

, ,

when n o t s tu p e fie d with tobacco tells yo u so I f you ,

.

did not smoke yo u would either aban d on what yo u have

begun o r yo u w ould wait until your thou ght h as cleare d
,

itself in your mind ; yo u would try t o penetrate into

what presents itself di m ly t o yo u would co nsider ,

the obj ections th at o ffer th emselves and would turn all ,

your attention to th e el u cidation O f the thought But .

yo u smoke th e critic within yo u is st u p e fie d and the

, ,

hindrance to your work is removed W hat t o yo u .

w hen n o t inebriated by tobacco seemed insignificant ,

again seems important ; what seemed O bscure 11 0 ,

longer seems s o ; th e obj ections that presented them

selves vanish and yo u continue t o write and write
, ,

m uch and rapidly .

But can such a small —s uch a t riflin g —alteration as

the slight intoxication produced by the moderate use
o f wine o r tobacco prod uce important consequences ?
28 E S S AY S AND LE TTE R S
‘
If a m an smokes O pium o r hashish o r intoxicate s ,

him self with wine till he falls do w n and loses h i s senses ,

of c ourse the conse quences may be very serious ; but

fo r 1 man merely to come slightly un der the influence
o f hops o r tobacc o surely cannot have any serious
,
’
con sequences is what is usual l y said
,
It seems t o .

peo ple that a slight stupefac tion a little darkening o f ,

t h e j udgment
. cannot have any important influence
, .

R 1 t to think s o is as if o n e supposed that it may harm

,

a watch t o be struck against a stone but that a little ,

d irt introduced into it cannot do it any harm .

R emember however th at th e chief work actuating

, ,

man s whole life is not work done by h is hands , feet o r

’

back but by his consciousness Fo r a man to do any

,
.

thing with feet o r hands a certain alteration h as first ,

to take place in his conscio u sness And this altera .

tio n defines all the subsequent movements of the man .

Yet th ese alterations are always minute and almost

imperceptible .

B r u ll Of* o n e day corrected a pupil s study Th e

’

pupil having glanced at the altered drawing exclaimed

, ,
W h y yo u only touch ed it a tiny bit but it i s quite
, ,

another thin g B r u ll Of replied :

.
’
Art begins w here
the tiny bit begins .
’

That sayin g i s strikingly true not o f art alone but , ,

o f all life One may say that true life begins where
.

the tiny bit begins where what seem to u s minute and -

i nfinitely small alterations take place True life i s n o t

lived where great external changes take place—w here
.

people move about clash fight and slay o n e another , , ,

but it is lived only where these tiny, tiny i n fin it e sim al l y ,

small chan g es occur .

Ra sk Ol n i k o fI lived h is true life n o t when he mur

‘'

,
dere d the O ld woman o r her sister W hen murdering .

the O ld woman herself and especially when murdering ,

her sister, he did not live h is true life but acted like a
machine doing what he could not help doing—d is
,

K P Bru l l o f a c el ebrate d Ru ss ian pai n ter (1 7 9 9

. .
’

fTh e h e ro o f Do st o y é fsk y s n o v el Cri m e an d Pun i sh

’ ‘
,

m en t
’
.
 W H Y DO ME N S TUPEFY THE MS EL VE S ? 29

charging the cartridge w ith which h e had long been

loaded One old woman was killed another stood
.
,

before him the axe was in h is h a nd

, .

R as k Ol n ik o f lived his tr u e life n o t w hen he met th e ,

O ld wo m an is sister but at the time whe n he had not ,

yet killed any O ld woman nor entered a stranger s ,

’

lodging with intent to kill n o r held the axe in his ,

hand nor h ad the loop in h is overcoat by whi ch the

,

axe hung— at the time when he was lyin g o n the sofa in

h is room deliberating not at all about the old woman
, ,

nor even as to whether it i s o r is not permissible at the , ,

w ill o f o n e man t o wipe from th e face o f the earth

another unn ecessary and harmful man but was de
, , ,

liberating whether he ought to live i n Pe tersburg o r

n o t whether he ought t o accept money from his mother
,

O r n o t and o n other q uestions n o t at all relating to the

And then —i n that region quite inde
,

o l d woman
pendent O f animal activitie s —th e question wh ether he
.

would o r would n o t kill th e O ld woman was decided

That q u estion was decided —n o t when he having killed
.

o n e o l d woman stood before another axe in hand — b u t

, ,

when h e w as doing nothing and was only thinki n g

w hen only h is consciousness was active, and in that
consciousness tiny tiny al terations w ere taking place
,
.

It is at such times that o n e needs the greatest clearness

to decide correctly the questions that have arisen and ,

it is j ust then that o n e glass o f beer or o n e cigarette , ,

m a y prevent th e solution of th e question may postpone ,

the decision stifle th e voice o f conscience prompt a

, ,
’
decision o f the question in favour O f one s lower
animal nature —as wa s th e case with R a sk Ol n i k o f
,

Tiny tiny alterations —but o n them depend th e most

.

immense the most terrible conse q uences Fro m what

, .

happens when a man h as taken a decision and begun t o

act many material changes may r e s u l t houses riches
, , ,
’
and people s bodies may perish but nothin g more i m ,
’
porta nt can happen than what was hidden in th e man s
consciousness Th e limits o f w hat can happen a r e se t
.

by consciousness .

Bu t from most minute alterations O ccurrin g in the

30 E S S AY S A N D L ETTE R S

d omain consciousness boundless results of u n im agin

of ,

able importance may follow .

DO not let it be supposed that what I am sayin g has

anything to do with th e question o f free will o r deter -

m i n i sm . Discussion o n that question i s superfluous for

my purpose or for any other fo r that matter W ithout
, .

deciding the q uestion whether a man can o r cannot , ,

act as he wishes to (a question i n m y O pinion n o t c o r , ,

r e c t l y stated ) I am merely saying that since hum an

,

activity i s conditioned by infinitesimal alterations in

consciousness it follows (no matter whether we admit
, ,

o r do not admit th e existence o f free will ) that we

,
-

must pay particular attention to the condition in which

these minute alterations ta ke place j ust as o n e m ust ,

be specially attentive to the cond i tion of scales on which

other th in gs are to be wei ghed W e must as far as it de .
,

pends o u us try to put ourselves and others in condi

,

tions which will not disturb the clearness and delicacy

o f thought necessary for the correct workin g of c o n

science and must not act in the contrary manner try

,

ing to hinder and confuse th e work o f conscience by the

use O f stupefying substances .

Fo r man is a Spiritual as well as an animal being .

Man may be moved by things that influence his spiritual

nature or may be moved by thin gs that influence his
,

a n im a l nature as a clock may be moved by it s hand s

,

o r by i t s main wheel And j ust as it is best to regulat e

.

the movement of a clock by means o f it s inner mechan

ism so a man — one s self or another — is best regulated
,
’

by means o f his conscio u sness And as with a clock .

one has to take Special care o f the thin g by m eans o f

which o n e can best move the inner mechanism so with ,

a man o n e must attend most O f all t o the cleanness

,

and clearness o f consciousness consciousness bein g

th e thi n g that best moves the whol e m an To doubt .

this is impossible every o n e knows it B u t a need t o .

’
deceive one s self arises People are n o t as anxious that
.

consciousness should work correctly as they are th at it ,

should seem to them that what they are doin g is right .

,

and they knowingly make u se O f substances that d isturb

the proper worki ng o f their consciousness .
 W H Y DO ME N S TUPEFY THE MS E LVE S ? 31

V .

People drink and smoke n o t casuall y n o t from , ,

dulness n o t to cheer themselves u p n o t because it i s

, ,

pleasant, b u t in order to drown the voice o f conscience

in themselves And if that is so h o w terrible must
.
,

be the consequences I ndeed th ink what a buildin g ,

would be like erected by people who di d n o t u se a

,

strai ght plumb r u l e t o get the walls perpendicular n o r

-
,

right angled squares t o get t h e corners correct, but

-

u sed a soft rule whi ch wo u l d b e n d t o suit all i r r e gu '

l ar it i e s in the walls and a square that expanded t o fit

,

any angle a cute o r obtuse

,
.

Yet, than ks t o self stupefaction , that is j ust what is

-

being done in life Life doe s not accord with c o n

.

scienc e so conscience i s made to be nd t o life

,
.

Thi s is done in the life o f individ uals and it is done ,

i n the life O f humanity as a whole which consists o f ,

the lives o f individual s .

TO grasp the full significanc e o f such stupefying of

’
one s conscio u sness let each o n e carefully recall the
,

spiritual conditions he has pas sed th rough at each .

period o f h is life Every o n e will find that at each

.

period o f h is life certain moral questions confronted

him which he o u ght to solve and o n th e solution o f
, ,

which the w hole welfare o f his life depended Fo r .

the solution o f these q uestions g reat concentratio n o f

attention was needful S uch concentration of attention .

is a labo u r I n every labour especially at the c o m

.
,

m en c em en t there i s a time when th e work seems di ffi

,

cult and painful and when human weakness prompts

,

a desire t o abandon it Physical work seems painful .

at first ; m ental work seems yet more painful As .

Lessin g says : people are inclined to cease to think at

the point at w hich thought be gins t o be di fli c u l t but
it is j u st there I would add that thinking begins to
, ,

be fruitful A m an feels that t o decid e the ques

.

tions confronting h im needs labour — often painful

labour and h e wishes to evade this
-
I f h e had no .

means O f stupefying hi s faculties he could n o t expe l

32 E S S AY S A N D LETT E R S

from h i s consciousness th e questions that confront

him and t h e necessity of solvin g them would be forced
,

upon him B u t man finds that there exists a means to

.

drive O ff thes e q uestions whenever they present them

selves — and h e uses it As soon as the questions
.

awaiting solu tion be gin to torment him h e has r e

course t o these means and avoids the disquietude,

evoked by the t roublesome questions Consciousness .

ceases to deman d thei r solution and the unsolved ,

q uestions remain unsolved till h is next period O f e u

l igh t e n m e n t B u t when that period comes th e same
.
,

thing is repeated a n d the man goes o n for months

’

, ,

years o r even for h i s whole life sta ndin g before those

, ,

sam e m oral questions and not moving a step towards

,

their solution Yet i t is in the solution o f moral ques

.

’
tions that life s whole mo vement consists .

W hat occurs is as i f a man who needs to s e e to the

bottom o f some mudd y water to O btain a precious pearl ,

but who dislikes entering the water Sh ould stir it up ,

each time it begins to s ettle and become clear Many .

a man continues to s t upefy himself all his life long ,

and remain s immovable at the same once accepted -

O bscure self—
,

co n tradic t ory view o f life — pressing as

,

, ,

each perio d of enlightenment approaches ever at o n e ,

and th e same wall against which he pressed ten o r

twenty years a go and which he cannot break through
,

because h e intentionall y blunts that Sharp point o f

thought which alone co u l d pierce it .

L e t each man remember himself as he has been

d u ring the years of his dr i nking o r smokin g and let him ,

test the matter in his ex p erience o f other people an d ,

every one will see a defini t e constant line dividin g those

w h o are addicted to st u p e fi e r s from those who are free
from them Th e more a man st u p e fie s himself t h e
.
,

more he i s morally immovable .

Terrible , as they are described to u s, are the co u se

q u e n c e s O f O piu m and hashish o n individuals terrible
a s we know them , are th e consequences o f alcohol t o
 W H Y DO ME N STUPEFY TH E MS EL V E S ? 33

fl agrant drunkards ; but incomparably more terrible

t o o u r wh ole society are the consequences o f what i s
considered the harmless moderate u se o f spirits wine , , ,

beer , and tobacco t o which the maj ority o f m e n and

, ,

especially o u r s o called cultured classes are addi cted

-
, .

Th e consequences must naturally be terrible admit

ting th e fact which must be admitted —that th e gui d
,

ing a c t ivities o f society : politi cal O fficial scientific

literary and artistic —are carried o n fo r th e m ost part
, , ,

, , ,

by peopl e in an abnormal state : by people wh o a r e

drun k .

It i s generally supposed that a man wh o like most ,

people of o u r well t o do classes ta kes alcoholic drink

- -
,

almost every time h e eats is next day during work , , ,

ing hours in a per fectly normal and sober condition

, .

B u t thi s is quite an error A man wh o drank a bottl e .

o f wine a glas s o f spirits o r t w o g lasses o f ale yester

, , ,

day is n o w in th e usual state O f d rowsiness o r de pr e s

,

sion wh ich follows excitem ent , an d is therefore in a

condition o f menta l prostration which is increased by ,

smoking Fo r a man wh o habitually s m okes an d

.

drinks in moderation t o brin g h i s brain into a n o rmal ,

condition w ould require at least a week o r more O f

abstinence from wine and tobacco But that hardly .

*
ever occurs .

Bu t h o w i s it th at p eo pl e wh o d o n o t dri n k or sm o k e
are o ft en m o rally o n an i n co m parably l o wer pl an e than
o th ers wh o dri n k an d sm o k e ? An d wh y d o p eo pl e wh o
dri n k an d sm o k e o ften m an i fest t h e hi gh es t q u aliti es b o th
m e n tally an d m o rally

Th e an swer i s firs t that we d o n o t k n o w t h e h e i ght that

, ,

th o se wh o dri n k an d sm o k e wo uld h av e attai n e d had th e y

n o t dr un k an d s m o k e d A n d se c o n dly fr o m t h e fac t that
.
, ,

m o rally gift e d p eo pl e ach i e v e gre at thi n gs i n s pit e o f t h e

d et eri o rati n g effect o f stup e fy i n g sub stan c es w e c an but ,

co n clude that th e y w o uld h a v e pro duce d y et gr eat er thi n gs

had th ey n o t st u p efied th em se lv es It is v ery pro babl e as .
,

a fri en d rem ark e d t o m e that K a n t s wo rk s wo uld n o t hav e

’

b e en wr itten i n such a curi o u s an d bad sty l e h ad h e n o t

sm o k e d so m uch Lastly t h e l o wer a m an s m en tal an d
’
.
,
34 E S S AY S A N D LETTE R S
SO that m ost of what goes o n amon g us whether ,

done by people who rule and teach others or by those ,

who are ruled and taught is done when the doers are ,

not sober .

And let not this be taken as a j oke or an e xagge ra

tion ; the confusion and above all the imbecility of , , , ,

o u r lives arises chiefly from the constant state o f i n

,

toxication in which mo st people live Could people .

who are not drunk possibly do all that is being done

around u s —from building the Ei ffel Tower to accepting
military service
W ith out any need whatever a company is formed , ,

capital collected m en labour make calculations and

, , ,

draw pl an s millions o f working days and th ousands o f

tons of iron are spent to build a tower ; and millions of
people consider it their duty to climb up it stop awhil e ,

on it and then climb down again ; and the building

,

and visiting o f this tower evoke no other reflection than

a wish and intention to build oth er towers in other ,

places still bigger Could sober people act like that ?

,
.

O r take another case All th e European peoples have .

for dozens o f years past been b u sy devising th e very

best ways of killing people and teaching as many young ,

men as possible as soon as they reach m anhood h o w

, ,

to murder E veryone knows that there can be no

.

invasion by barb a rians but that these preparations ,

made by th e d i fferent civilized an d Christian nations

are directed against one another all know that this i s
burdensome painful inconvenient r u inous immoral
, , , , ,

impious and irrational but all continue t o prepare for

,
-

m utual m urder S ome devise political combinations to

.

decide who with wh at allies is to kill whom oth ers

, ,

m o ar l pl an e t h e l ess d o es h e fe el t h e di sco rd b etween hi s

,

c o n sc i e n ce an d h i s life an d th er efo r e t h e l ess d o es h e feel

, , ,

a cra vi n g t o stup e fy hi m self ; an d o n t h e o th e r han d a , ,

parall el r easo n e xpl a i n s why t h e m o st sen sitiv e n atu r es

th o se wh i c h i m m edi at ely an d m o rbidly feel t h e di sc o rd
b et we en life an d c o n sc i en ce—so o ften i n dulge i n n arco ti c s
an d p eri sh b y th em —
L T . . .
 H Y DO ME N S TUPE FY TH E MS E LVE S ? 35

d irect those wh o are being ta u ght to murder ; and

oth ers a gain yield against th eir wil l against th eir
, , ,

conscience agai nst thei r reason — to these prep a rations

,

for murder C ould sober people d o th ese thi n gs ?

.

O nly drunkards wh o never reach a state o f sobriety

could do them and could live on in t h e horrible state
,

o f d iscord bet w een life an d con science i n whi ch not ,

onl y in this but in all other respects t h e people of

, ,

our soc i ety are n o w living .

Never before I suppose have peopl e lived with th e, ,

demands o f t heir conscience s o evidently i n c o n t rad ic

tion t o their actions .

H umanity to day h as as it were stuck fast It i s a s

-
, ,
.

th ough some external cause hindered i t fro m occ u pying

a position naturally in accord with its percepti ons
.
.

And the cause — if not the only o n e th en certainly t h e

greatest —is this ph ysical condition o f stupefaction to
,

wh ich by wine and tobacco the great maj ority o f

, ,

people in o u r so ciety reduce th emselves .

E mancipation from th is terrible evil will be an epoch

in th e life o f humanity ; and t h at epoch seems t o be at
hand . Th e evil is recogni se d An alterati on has .

al ready tak en place in o u r perception concerning th e

u s e O f st u pefyin g substances People have u nderstood .

t h e terrible harm o f th ese thi ngs an d ar e beginning to ,

point th em o u t an d th is almost u nnoticed alteration in

,

perception will inevitably bring abo u t th e emancipatio n

o f m e n from t h e u s e o f st u pefying things —wi ll enable

them to O pen th ei r eyes to the demands o f th eir con

sciences and they w i l l b e gi n to order th eir lives i n
,
‘

accord with th eir perceptions .

And th is seems t o be already begin n ing But as .

,

always it i s beginning among the u pper classe s o nly

,
.

a fter all the low e r classes have a l r e a d v been infected .

[J un e 1 0, o s
. .
,

Th e b o ve essay was written by Le o To ls to y a s a prefac e

a

t o a b o o k o n Dr u n ken n es s written by m y bro th er i a l aw - -

,

Dr P S Al exéy e f A M
. . . .
- . .
 AN A FTE R W O R D TO TH E K R EUTZ E R ‘

’
S ONA TA

M AN Y letters from stran gers have reached an d still

continu e to reach me asking fo r a clear and simple
explanation of what I meant by th e story called Th e ‘

’
Kreutzer S onata . I will try to the best of my ability
, ,

to do what is asked o f me and explain briefly the ,

essence o f what I wished that story to convey as well ,

as the con clusions which I think m ay be derived , ,

from it .

I n the first place I wished t o say that a strong opinion

h as ta ken root in all classes o f o u r society and i s ,

supported by pseudo science t o the e ffec t that sex ual

-
,

intercourse is indispensable to hea lth and that since , ,

marriage is sometimes o u t o fthe question sexual inter ,

course without marriage and with out i nvolvin g the man

in any obligation beyond a moneta ry payment i s per ,

fe c t l y natural and should therefore be encouraged

, .

To such an extent h a s this O pinion prevailed and s o

firmly is it established that parents o n t h e advice O f
,

doctors actually arrange debauchery fo r their ch ildren

while Governments —whose only purpose should be the
moral well being o f their citizens —organ iz e debauchery
-

by regulating an entire class o f women destined to

perish physically and morally for the satisfaction o f
the supposed needs O f men and unmarried people ,

Th e r egi s trati o n an d m e di c al e xam i n ati o n o f pro s titute s ,

whi c h was l o n g pra c ti se d i n o u r garri so n e d t o wn s i s still ,

g en e r ally,
s y s t e m ati c a lly a n d u n blu shi n ly carri e d o n i n
, g
‘

R uss ian t o wn s o n b e h alf o f t h e c i vil as w e ll as t h e m ilitary

,

p o pulati o n .
 AN A FTE R W O R D 87

with untroubled consciences yield themselves , to de

b au c h e r y .

I intended to say that this is wrong for it cannot be

right that some people should be destroyed body and
soul fo r the health o f oth ers any more than it can be ,
’
ri ght that som e people fo r their health s sake should
d rink the blood o f others .

Th e natural conclusion I would draw i s that we must

n o t yield t o this error and deception And t o with stand .

it we m ust refuse to accept i m m o ral d o c t r in e s no matter ,

what false sciences are q uoted in their su ) port And

we must moreover u nderstan d that sexual intercours e
.

, ,

in which people ei ther abandon th e children who come

as a result o f their actions or th row the w h o l e b u r de n o f
,

them o n t o the woman o r prevent t h e possibility o ftheir

,

birth is a violation o f the plainest claims o f morality

, ,

and i s sham eful And un m arried people w h o d o not

.

wish t o act sham efully shoul d refrain from such cond uct .

Th at they may be able to refrain they must lead a ,

natu ral life : not drink intoxicants n o r overeat nor , ,

eat flesh meat n o r shirk labour (n o t gymnastics o r

-
,

play but real fatiguing labour ) Furth ermore th ey

, .
,

must n o t tolerate even in th o u ght the possibility o f

, ,

intercourse with strange women any m ore than with ,

their own mothers sisters near relatives o r the wives

, , ,

o f their friends .

That self restraint i s n o t only possible but less

-
,
’
dangerous o r harmfu l t o one s health than incontinence ,

is a fact o f w hich any man may find h undreds o f proofs

around h im .

That is th e first thing I wanted t o say

Next —as a result o f th e fact that people regard
.

amatory intercourse as both a necessary condition o f

health and a pleasure and more than that as a poetic , , ,

a n d elevating blessing — conj ugal infidelity h a s i n all

,

classes o f o u r society become extremely common ,

.

(Among the peasants conj ugal infidelity is specially due

t o army service ) .

And this I consider wron g And the conclusion to .

be drawn is— that people should n o t beha ve so .

38 E S SA Y S AN D L E TT E R S
An d in order that t hey may not behave so it is ,

necessary that this view o f sex love should be altered -

.

Me n and women must be trained bot h by their parents ,

and by public O pinion to look on falling in love and

the accompanyin g sexual desire —whet her before o r
,

after marriage — not as the poetic and elevated state

it i s n o w considered to be but as an animal state de ,

g radin g to a human being An d the breac h o f the .

p ro m ise of fidelity g iven at m arriage s h o uld be dealt

with by public O pinion a t least as severely as a breac h

of pec u niary o bli ga tion or a business fraud and should
, ,

on no account be eulo gized as is now done in novels , ,

poems son gs operas etc

, , ,
.

That is my second point .

Thirdl y (in consequence again of the false opinion , ,

h eld in o u r society about physical love ) ch ild bearing ,

-

is not properly re g arded and instead of being th e aim , ,

and the j ustific a tio n of marria ge it has becom e a n ,

impediment to the pleasurable continuance o f amorous

relations and conse q uently both among married and
, ,

unmarried people (instructed by exponents o f medical

science ) the employmen t of means to prevent the
,

birth of children has spread and a practice h as becom e

common which d id not exist formerly and does not ,

now exist in patriarchal peasant families — the continua

tion of conj u gal relations during the m onths o f preg
n a ncy and while t h e woman is still n ursin g .

And I think such conduct as that i s wrong

To use means to prevent child —
.

birth is wrong first ,

because it frees the parents from the anxiety and care

for the ch ildren whi ch are the redeeming feature in
sexual love and secondly because it is an action very
, , ,

near to that which is most shockin g to man s conscience ’

,

namely murder And incontinence at the time of

,
.

pre gnancy and nursin g is wron g because it wastes the ,

physical and above all th e spiritual strength of the

, , , ,

woman .

Th e deduction which follows from this is that such ,

things should be avoided A nd in order to avoid .

,

them it should b e understood that continence which

, ,
 AN A FTE R W O R D 39

is an indispensable con dition o f human dignity to th e

u n m arried is still more o b ligatory on th e married
, .

That is th e third point .

Fourthly in our society A n which children are

,
-

regarded as an impediment to enj oyment or as an ,

unluck y acciden t o r (if only a prearranged number

are born ) as a special kind o f pleasure—what is con
,

s i de r e d i n their traini n g i s not their preparation fo r

the duties of life wh ich await them a s reasonable an d

loving beings but merely th e gratification they may
,

afford t o thei r parents Th e result is that human .

children are bro u ght up like th e young o f animals and ,

the chief care o f th e parents (encouraged by false

medical science ) is not t o prepare them fo r activities
,

worth y o f h uman beings but t o overfeed them to

increase their size and to make them clean w
, ,

,
hite , ,

well conditioned and handsome (If this is not th e

-
.

case among the lower classes it is only because they ,

cannot a fford it They look on th e ma tter j u st as the

.

upper classes do ) .

A n d in these pam pered children (as in all overfed

animals ) an overpowering sexual sensitiveness shows
itself unnaturally early causi n g them terrible distress ,

a s they approach the age o f p u berty All th e surround .

"

ings of t h eir life : clothes books sight seeing music -

dances dainty fare—everything from th e pictures o n

, , , ,

, ,

their boxes o f b o n bons to the stories novels an d -

, ,

poems they read — m ore and more increases this sensi

t i v e n e ss and a s a result , the most terrible sexual
, ,

vices and diseases are frequent incidents in th e life of

children o f both sexes and often retain th eir hold a fter ,

maturity i s reached .

A nd I consider that this i s wrong And the conclu .

sion to be drawn is that human children should n o t be

brought up like the young o f animals but 1 n the educa ,

tion o f human children other results should b e aimed

at than produci n g handsome well kept bodies ,
.

That i s the fourth point .

Fifth l y in o u r society where the falling i n lov e

, ,

o f young m en and women (which still h as ph ysical

40 E S S A Y S AN D LETTE R S
a ttraction as its root ) is extolled a s though it were the
hi ghest and most poetic aim o f human endeavour (as
all o u r art and poetry bears witness ) young people ,

devote the best part o f their lives the men t o spyi n g -

o ut ,
pursuing and obtaining (whether in marriage o r
,

free union ) those best suited to attract the m ; the

,

women and girls to enticing and entrapping men into

free unions or marriages .

I n this way the best powers o f many people run to

waste in activity not merely unproductive but inj urious .

Most of our insensate luxury results from this as well ,

as most o f the idleness o f the men and the shameless

ness of the women who are not above following fashions

a dmittedly borrowed from depraved women and ex ,

p osing parts o f the body that excite sensuality .

And this I think is wrong

, ,
.

It is wrong because however it may be ideal iz ed to

o btain connection —i n marriage o r without marriage
, ,

’
with the obj ect o f one s love i s an a im as unworthy of
a man as is that of securing tasty and abundant food ,

which seems to many people the highest good .

Th e conclusion to be dra wn from this i s that we must

cease to consider se x love as something Specially -

el eva t ed and must understand that n o aim that we

count worthy o f a man —whether it be the service o f
,

h umanity fatherland science or art (not to speak of the

service o f God ) —
, ,

can be attained by m eans o f connec

t ion with t he obj ect of one s love (either with o r with
’

o u t a mar riage rite ) On the contrary falling in love

.
,

a n d connection (h o w ever men may seek to prove the c o n

t ra r y in prose and verse ) never facilitate but always ,

i mpede the attainm ent of any aim worthy o f man

, .

That is t h e fifth point .

That is the substance o f what I wanted to sa y and ,

thought I had said by my story and it seemed to me

,

t hat one might discuss th e question o f how to remedy

the evils indicated but that it was impossible n o t to
,

a gree with the considerations advanced It seem ed .

impossible not to agree first because these considera ,

t ions q u ite coincide with what we know of the progress of

 AN AFTE R W O R D 41

m ankind (which h as ever advanced from dissoluteness to

greater and greater purity) and accord also with the moral ,

perceptions o f the community and with o u r conscience , ,

which always condemns dissoluteness and esteems chas

tity * S econdly because these propositions are merely
.
,

unavoidable conclusions from the Gospel teaching ,

which we either profess o r at least (even if unc e n

s c i o u s l y) admit t o lie at the root o f o u r ideas o f
m orality .

But I was mistaken .

No o n e it is tr u e directl y disputes th e statements

, ,

that o n e sh ould n o t be dissolute either before o r after

marriage should n o t artificially prevent childbirth
, ,
’
should not make toys o f one s children and sh ould not ,

u t amatory intercourse above everything else I n

p .

short no o n e denies that chastity i s better than

,

depravity B u t it is sai d
. I f absti n ence i s better than
marriage people ough t certainly to follow the better
,

course B u t if they do then the h u man race will com e

t o an end and the ideal for the race cannot b e —i t s o w n
.
,

B ut —
,
’
extinction .apart from the fact that the e xt in c
tion o f th e h uman race i s n o t a new idea but is for ,

religious people o n e o f th e dogm as o f th eir faith and ,

for scientists an inevitable con c l usion from observations

o f the cooling of the s u n —there is in that rej oinder a
great wide spread and old misundersta nding I t is
,
-
, .

sai d : If m en act up t o th e ideal o f perfect chastity

they will become extinct ; therefore the ideal is false .

But those who Speak s o inten t ionally o r u n i n t e n t i o n ,

ally confuse t wo di fferent things —a rule o r precept ,

and an ideal .

Chastity is n o t a rule o r precept but an ideal o r , , ,

rather o n e condition o fthe ideal B u t an ideal is an ideal

, .

only wh en i t s accomplishment is only possible in i dea ,

in thought when it appears attainable only in infinity

, ,

and when the possibility o f approaching towards it is

therefore infinite I f the i deal were attained o r if we
.
,

Th e word i s u s e d i n t h e se n se o f c o m pl et e purity of
m m d an d b o dy , such as i s c o m m o n ly attribut e d t o J e s u s .
42 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S

could even picture its attainment by mankind it wo ul d ,

cease to be an ideal .

S uch was Ch rist s ideal — the establishment of the

’

kin gdom of God o n earth —an ideal already foretold by

the prophets of a time when all men will be tau ght o f
,

G o d will beat their swords into ploughshares and their

,

spears into pruning hooks when the lion will lie down
-

with the l a mb and all will be united in love Th e

,
.

wh ole meaning of human life lies in progress towards

tha t ideal and therefore th e striving toward s th e
Christian ide al i n its completeness and towards c ha st it y a s
,

o n e of its conditions is far from rendering life impossible

,
.

O n the contrary th e absence of that ideal would destroy

,

progress and with it the possibility o f real life

,
.

A r guments to the e f fect that the h uman race will

e n d if men strive with all their might towards chastity ,

are lik e the one (sometimes actually used ) to the e ffect

that the race will perish if men try thei r best t o sub
st i t u t e t h e love o f friends o f enemies ,
and o f all ,

that lives for the prevailing struggle for existence

,
.

S uch argu m ents com e from not understanding the

di fference between tw o methods of moral g u idance .

As there are two ways o f telling a traveller his road ,

so there are two methods of moral guidance for seekers

after truth One way consists in poin tin g out the
.

obj ects that will be met on the road by which the ,

traveller can shape his course ; the other way consists

in only giving him the direction by a compass h e carries ,

and on which he sees one invaria ble direction and c o n ,

se q uently is made aware of every diver gence from it .

Th e first method of moral guidance is by externally

defined rules certain definite actions are indicated
which a man must or must not perform , , .

{
1Keep the S abbath B e circumcised Do not
steal Abstain from wine Do n o t destroy life
G ive tithes to the poor W ash and pray five times
’
daily B aptize R eceive t h e E ucharist etc S uch , .

are the ordinances of external religious teachin g

B rahmini cal B uddhist Mohammedan o r Jewish , and of
, ,

E cclesiasticism falsely called Christianity

, .
 AN A FTE R VVO R D 43

Th e other method consists in i ndicati n g a perfection

man can never reach but which h e conscio u sl y desires
-
, .

An ideal is s e t before him b y attending to which he

can al w ays se e to what extent h e deviates from the
right
a
road .

‘
Love G o d with all th y h eart an d with all th y soul ,

and with all thy mind and thy neighbo ur as th yself , .

’
Be perfect as your heavenly Fa ther 1 3 perfect S uch .

i s the teachin g of C hri st .

The test o f fulfilment o f external religious t each ings

is the conformity o f o u r co n d u ct to the inj u n c tions
given and s u ch confor m ity is possible
,
.

Th e test of the fu lfilment o f Christ s teachin g lies in

’

a consciousness o f the extent of one s deviation from the

ideal perfection (Th e degree o f one s approach to it is
’

not seen but the degree of deviation from it is seen ) .

A man w ho accepts an external law is like a man

standin g in th e light thrown b y a lantern fixed to a
post He stands in th e light o f this lantern and it is
.
,

li ght around him but h e h as no place to wards which to

,
’
advance A man who accepts Christ s teaching is like o n e
.

who carries a lantern before him on a pole the light

is al ways before h im and by li g htin g up fresh ground
,

w hich attracts him alwa y s invites him t o advance

,
.

Th e Pharisee thanks God he has fulfilled the wh ole

l aw . Th e ric h youn g man h as also from his childhood
fulfilled all and cannot understand what more can be
,

demanded Nor can they thin k otherwise : they see

.

nothi n g ahead of them towards which they might

aspire Tithes have been pai d ; S abbaths o bserved
.

parents honoured ; they have not committed ad ultery ,

nor stolen nor murdered ,

W hat more can be r e .

?
quired B ut fo r him wh o follows the Christian teach
i n g each step gained towards perfection makes plain
,

the need o f ascen ding anoth er from which he perceives ,

a yet higher and so on W ithout end He who fo l lows

,
.

the law o f Christ i s always in the position o f the

Publican— always conscious of imperfection he does ,

n o t look behind him at the road he has passed but sees ,

always before him the road h e has still to travel .

44 E S S AY S A N D LE TT E R S

’
In this lies th e di fference between Christ s teaching
and all other religious teachings ; a di fference not in
the demands made but in the guidance afforded Jesus
,
.

did not lay d own rules of life He established no .

institutions and did not institute marriage But men

,
.

(not understanding the character o f Christ s teaching ’

and accustomed to external teachings ) wished to feel

themselves j u st i fie d—as the Pharisee felt himself j usti
fi e d — and from the letter o f h is teaching but contrary ,

to its wh ole spirit have constructed an external code o f

,

rules called Church doctrine and with it have sup ,

planted Christ s true teaching o f the ideal

’
.

This h as been done concernin g government law , ,

war the Church and Church worship and it h as also

, ,

been done in relation to marriage .

In Spite of th e fact that Jesus n o t only never i nsti

t u t e d marriage but (if we must seek external regula
,

tions ) rather discountenanced it ( Leave thy wife and ‘

follow me the Church doctrine (called Christian ) has

established marriage as a Christian institution That .

is to say it h as defined certain external conditions

,

under which sexual love i s supposed to be quite right

and lawfu l for a Christian .

As however th e institution o f marriage h as no basis

, ,

whatever in tr u e Christianity th e result h as been that ,

people in our society have quitted o n e shore but have ,

not reach ed the other They do not really believe in .

the ecclesiastical definitions o f marriage for they feel ,

that such an i nstitution h as no foundation in Christ s ’

’
teachin g ; yet as they do not perceive Christ s ideal
( which t h Church doctrine h hidden —
) the ideal o f
s trivin g towards complete chastity —
e a s
they are left in ,

relation t o marriag e q uite without guidance ,

Th is .

explains the fact (which seems so strange at first

si ght) that amon g Jews Mohammedans L amaists and , , ,

others professin g religious doctrines much lower than

the Ch ristian but having stri ct external regulations
,

concerning marriage the family principle and conj ugal

,

fidelity are far firmer than in so called Christian -

s ociety . Those people have their regular systems o f

 AN AFTE R W O R D 45

concubinage o r polygamy o r polyandry confined

, , ,

within certain bounds Among u s wholesale dissolute

.

ness finds place : concubinage polygamy and polyandry , , ,

free from all limitations, and concealed by the pretenc e

of monogamy .

Fo r n o better reason than because th e clergy fo r ,

money perform certain ceremonies (c alled marriage

,

services ) over a certain n umber o f those wh o unite ,

people in o u r society na i vely o r hypocriti cally imagin e

that we are a monogamous people .

Th ere never w a s o r could be such a thing as Christian

, ,

marriage any more than Christian worship Christian

,
*
,

teachers and Fath ers o f th e Church + Christian pro ,

A n d w h en y e pray , y e shall n o t b e a s t h e h y p o c rit e s

fo r th e y l o v e t o stan d an d pray in c o n gre gati o n s an d i n t h e
c o rn ers o f t h e street s , that th ey m ay b e seen o f m en .

Veri ly I s ay unt o y o u , th e y hav e re ce iv e d th e ir r e ward .

B u t th o u , wh en th o u pra y est, en t er i n t o t h i n e i n n e r
c h am b er, an d h avi n g shut thy d o o r , pra y t o thy Fath e r
whi c h i s i n secre t , an d t hy Fa th er which , s e e th i n s e c re t ,
s hall r ec o m p en se th ee A n d i n prayi n g u se n o t vai n r e p e
.

t i t i o n s as t h e Gen til es d o : fo r th e y thi n k th e y shall b e

h eard fo r th e ir m uch sp eaki n g B e n o t th ere fo re l ik e un to
.

th em : fo r y o ur Fath er k n o we th wh at thi n gs ye hav e n e e d

of , b e fo r e y e as k hi m
’
. M A —
TT v i 5-1 2
. . .

‘
W o m an , b eli e v e m e , t h e ho ur c o m e th , wh en n e ith er i n
thi s m o un tai n , n o r i n J eru sal em , sh al l y o u wo rsh ip t h e
Fath e r . Y o u kn o w n o t w h o m y o u w o rship , but we wo rsh i p
h im w h o m we k n o w . B u t t h e h o ur c o m e th , an d n o w i s ,
wh en t h e tru e wo rshipp er s sh all wo rship t h e Fath er i n s piri t
an d b y d ee d s : f o r s u c h d o th t h e Fath e r s e e k to b e h i s

wo rs hipp e rs Go d i s a S pirit , an d m us t b e wo rshipp e d i n

—
.

sp irit an d by d ee d s J O H N i v 2 1 -2 4
’
. . .

1 B u t b e n o t y e ca lle d t e ac h ers fo r o n e i s y o ur Te ac h e r ,
' ‘

an d al l
y e are br e thr en A n d call n o m an y o ur fath e r o n
.

t h e earth : fo r o n e i s y o ur Fat h er , which i s i n h e av e n .

N e ith er b e y e call e d m ast ers : fo r o n e i s y o ur Mas t er , e v en

t h e Ohr i st .
’
— MA TT xxiii 8 -1 0
. . .

(W h ere t he Re vi se d V ers i o n i s n o t fo ll o we d , To l st o y s
’

U n on an d Tr an s l a ti on o f the Fou r Gosp el s h as b een

u seg
46 ES SAYS A N D LE TTE R S

perty armies law courts or Governments and this

, ,
-
, ,

was understood by Ch ristians wh o lived in the first

cent u ries .

Th e Ch ristian ideal is that o f love t o God and to

’
one s fellow man : it is th e ren u nciation o f one s self
’
-

’
fo r th e service o f G o d and one s neigh bour ; w h ereas
sexual love marriage i s a service o f self and con
, , ,

se q u ently in any case an obstacle t o the service o f G o d

and m an and therefore from a Ch ristian point of View
, , ,

a fall a sin ,
.

To get married would not h elp th e servi ce of G o d

and man th ough it were done t o perpetuate t h e h uman
‘

race For tha t p u rpose instead o f getting married and

.
,

producing fresh children it would be much simpler to ,

save a n d rear th ose milli ons of children who are now

perishin g around us for lack of foo d for th eir bodies .

not to mention food for their souls .

O nly if h e were sure a l l existing children were

provided for could a Chri stian enter upon marriag e
without bein g conscious o f a moral fall .

I t may b e possible to rej ect Ch rist s teaching —which ’

perm eates our wh ole life and o n whi ch all o u r m orality

is founded — but once that teaching is accepted we ,

cannot but admit that it points to th e ideal o f complete

chastity .

Fo r in th e Gospels it is said clearly and s o that there ,

i s no possibility o f misinterpretation : First that a ,

m arried man sh ould not d ivorce his wi fe t o take

another b u t should live with her whom he h as once
,
*
taken S econdly that it i s wrong (and it i s said o f
.
,

men generally married o r unmarried ) t o look on a,

It w as said al so VVh o so ev er sh all put away hi s wi fe

‘
,

l e t h i m giv e h er a writi n g o f div o rcem ent : but I say un t o

y o u ,
t h at if a n y o n e putt e th a w a y h i s w ife n o t o n ly i s h e ,

g uilty o f w an t o n n e ss but h e l ea d s h er t o a dult e ry :

, an d

wh o so e v er sh all m arry h er w hen sh e i s put away c o m m itteth

adult ery — MA TT v . 32 . . .

‘
H e sai th un t o th em Mo s e s fo r y o ur c o arsen ess l et y o u
,

divo rce fro m y o ur w i ves : but t h i s fro m t h e first was n o t

ri ght —MA TT xix 8
.
’
. . .
 AN A FTE R W O R D 4-7

woman as an obj ect o f d esire And thirdly, that fo r ,

the u n married it is better not to marry it is

better to be quite chaste st
To most people these thoughts will seem strange and ,

even contradictory And th ey really are contradictory

.

not in th emselves but to the whole manner o f o u r lives :

and the question naturally presents itself : W hich is ‘

right P These th oughts o r the lives l ived by m illions , ,

including m ysel f ? ’

That feeling forced itself upon m e most strongly

w h en I approach e d th e concl u sions I now express I .

n ever anticipated that the development of m thoughts

y
would bring me t o such a conclusion I was startled .

at m y conclusions an d did not wish to bel ieve th em ,

b u t it w as impossible not to believe them A nd h o w .

ever they may run counter to the whole arran ge

m ent o f o u r lives however th ey may contradict ,

what I thought and said previously I had to admit ,

them .

‘
B u t these are all general considerations which may ,

be true but relate to th e teaching o f Jesus and are

, ,

binding only o n those wh o profess it B u t life i s life .

,

an d it will n o t do merely to point to a distant a n d

u nattainable ideal and th en leave m en with no definite
,

g uidance in face o f a burning q uestion , which a ffects

every o n e and causes terrible su fferings A young and .

‘
E v ery on e th at l o o k eth o n a w o m an t o lu st after h er
h ath c o m m itt ed adultery with h er already i n hi s h eart ’

MA TT v . . 28 .

Th e di scipl es say u n t o h i m , If t h e c as e o f a m an i s s o
J ‘
r
w ith h i s wife , it i s n o t e x p e di ent t o m arry , B u t h e s aid
un t o t h em , Al l m en can n o t rec e iv e thi s sayi n g, but th e y t o
wh o m it i s giv en Fo r th ere are m en wh o ar e v irgi n fr o m
.

lu st fro m th e ir m o th er s wo m b ; an d th e r e are s o m e wh o
’

h av e b een d epriv e d o f th e ir d es ire b y m en , an d th ere are

s o m e wh o h a v e b e c o m e pur e f o r t h e kin gd o m o f h ea v en s
’

sak e H e th a t i s abl e t o re c e iv e it , l e t h i m r e c e iv e i t
’
. .

MA TT xix 1 0-1 2
. . .

To l st o y s A U n i on an d Tr a ns l a ti on of th e Fo n s Gosp el s
’

h as b e en fo ll o we d i n th ese q u o tati o n s .
48 E S S AY S AND L E TT E RS

passionate man may at first be attracted by thi s i de al

, , ,

b u t will not hold to it and when once h e has broken ,

down not knowing or acknowled gi n g any fixed rules

, ,

he will lapse into complete depravity .

’

’
S o people g enerally ar g ue : Christ s ideal is u n ‘

attainable therefore it cannot serve as a gui de in

,

practical life it may do to tal k about o r d ream about , ,

b u t it is not applicable to life and must therefore be ,

put aside W e do not want an ideal but a rule— a

.
,

g uidance — suited to our strength an d to the avera ge

level o f the moral forces o f o u r society : honourable
Church marriage o r even a marriage not quite honour
-

able i n wh ic h one party (as occurs with men among

,

us ) has alrea dy known many other women ; o r say , ,

marriage with the possibility o f divorce o r civil ,

marria ge o r even (advancing in th e same direction ) a

marriage Japanese fashion for a certain term —but
,

, ,

why not go as far as brothels ? They are said t o be

preferable to street prostitution "
That is where the trouble comes in Once yo u let .

yourself lower the ideal to suit your weakness there i s ,

no findin g the line at whi ch to stop .

In reality this argu ment is altogether unsound I t

, .

is untrue t h at an ideal o f i n finite perfection cannot be

a guide i n life and that I must eith er throw it away
,

saying It is useless to me since I can never reach it

, ,

or must lower it t o the level at which it suits my weak

nes s to rest .

To arg ue so is as thou gh a mariner said t o himself :

‘
S ince I cannot keep to th e line indicated by th e
compass I must either throw the compass overboard
,

and cease to bother with it must discard th e ’

ideal ) or I must fix th e needle of the compass in th e

position which corresponds to th e direction my vessel
i s n o w following (i e must lower the ideal to suit m y
’
. .

o w n weakness ) .

Th e ideal of perfection Jesus gave is not a fancy ,

o r a theme for rhetorical sermons but is an i n dis e n

p ,

sable and accessible guide to moral life as th e compass ,

i s an indispensable and accessible instrument wh er e

 AFI E R W O R D
’

AN 49

with to gui d e a ship B u t th e one must be believed

.

i n as im p l icitly as the other .

In w hatever position a m a n may find himself t h e ,

teachin g of the ideal that Jesus gave is su fficient to

a fford h im always the best indications as t o what he
sh ould o r should n o t d o B u t he m us t entirely
.

believe this teach i n g and this alone and must n o t

, ,

trust t o any other —j ust as a steers m an guidin g himself

b y t h e compass must not look to either side but must ,

keep his attention fixed on t h e compass .

’
O n e must k now how to g uide one s self b y Christ s
’

teaching as by a compass and for this the chief thing

i s to understand one s o wn position O n e must n o t
’
.

’
fear to define clearly one s own d eviation from the
di rection of t h e ideal W hatever plane a man may be
.

on,
it is always possible for him to move towards t h e
i deal and in no position can he say he h as attained it
,

and can approach n o nearer .

’
S uch is the case in regard to man s aspiration towards
the Christian ideal i n general and it applies to the ,

q uestion o f chastity in particular If we tak e men in

.

the most diverse positions that they can occupy from ,

innocent childhood to marria ge without self restraint -

,

th e teaching o f Jesus and the ideal it holds up will

afford clear and de finite guidance as t o what should and
what sh ould n o t be done at each sta ge .

Wh at should a pure lad o r maid do

Keep themselves pure and free from snares ; and ,

in order to be able to give all their stren gth to the

s ervice o f G o d and man strive after greater and greater
,

purity of thought and desire .

‘
W hat should a youth or a maid do who has fallen
into temptati on i s absorbed by vag ue desire or by love
, ,

o f some particular person and wh o has thereby lost

,

to some extent the power to serve G o d and man

Again the same thin g Not allow themselves to fall
.

(knowing that a fall will not free them from temptation ,

but will only render it stronger) but go o n strivi n g

ever towards greater and greater purity t o b e able ,
m ore fully to serve G o d and man .
50 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

W hat should those do who have not been equal to

the struggle and have fallen
They must look on thei r fall , n o t as on a le gitimate
enj oyment (as is n o w done when it is sanctioned by a
wedding service ) nor as a casual pleasure whi ch may
,

be repeated with someone else nor as a calamity, when ,

th e fall h as been with an inferior and without ritual

but they must look o n this first fall as th e only o n e ,

and regard it as th e entrance t o an actual indissoluble

marriage .

This marriage by the results that follow from it

,

the birth o f child ren — restricts the married couple to a

new and more limited field o f service of G o d and man .

Before marriage they co u ld serve God and man directl y

and in most varied ways ; but marriage limits their
Sphere of activity and demands from the m the rearing
,

and education of children who may be fu ture servants ,

o f God and man .

W hat must a married man and woman do who ,

‘
,

by rearing and educating children are fulfilling t h e ,

limited service o f G o d and man which corresponds to

their position
A gain the same thing To gether strive to free them
.

selves from temptation , purify themselves and ce a se ,

from s in by s u bstituting for physical love which

, ,

hinders both public and private service o f G o d and

man , the pure relationship o f brother and sister .

And therefore it is n o t true that we cannot guide

, ,

o urselves by the ideal of Jesus , because it i s s o high s o ,

perfect and so inaccessible If we can n ot guide o u r

,
.

selves by i t , that is only because we lie t o ourselves an d

deceive o ursel ves For if we say we require a rule
.

’
more accessible than Christ s ideal o r falling short o f , ,

Christ s ideal we shall become dissolute — what we say

’

,
’
really amounts t o this : n o t that Christ s ideal is t o o
high for u s but that we do not believe in it and do
,

not wis h t o appraise our conduct by it .

To say that wh en once we have fallen we shall have

begun a loose life i s really t o say that we decide in
,

advance that a fall with an inferior is n o t a Sin , but is

 AN A FTE R W O R D 51

an am u sement an in fatuation wh i ch we are not b ound

, ,

t o rectify by the permanent u nion called marriag e .

W h ereas if we realized that a fall is a sin wh ich Shoul d

,

a n d must be redeemed by an inviolate marriage and ,

by all th e activity involved in educating the children

born o f m arria ge —then th e fall would by no means be
a reason for taking to vice .

It -is a s if a husbandman learning to s o w corn did

n o t reckon as sown any field in which th e sowing was

u nsuccessful but went o n sowin g a second and a third

,

field and took into account only the o n e that succeeded

, .

Evidently such a man wou l d waste much land and

m uch seed and would not learn t o so w properl y
,
.

Only acknowledge chastity as th e ideal an d regard ,

e very fall (o f whomsoever with wh omsoever ) a s th e o n e

irrevocable life long marriage and it will be clear that
-
,

th e guidance given by Jesus is su fficient and more , .

than th at is the only p ossible g uidance

, .

‘
Man is weak an d h 1 s ta sk m u st ac cord w ith h is
,

strength is what people say B u t that is as if o n e

,
’
.

s ai d My hand is weak an d I cannot draw a line that ,

shall be quite straigh t (the shortest between two poi n ts ) ,

so t o help matters I will take as m y mo del a crooked

, ,
’
o r broken line In reality , the weaker m y hand the
.
,

more I need a perfect m odel .

Having once recognised the Christian teaching o f t h e

i deal we cannot act as if we were ignorant o f it an d
, ,

replace it by external rules The Christian teach ing o f .

the ideal h as been s e t before us j ust because it can

g uide u s i n o u r present stage o f progress H umanity .

has already outgrown th e stage o f religious e xternal ,

o rdinances and people believe i n them n o more

, .

’
Christ s teaching o f the ideal is th e o n e teaching
that can guide mankind W e must not and cannot .

replace th e ideal o f Jesus by external regulations but

we m u st firmly keep that i deal before u s in all i t s
purity and above all we must believe in i t
, , , .

To th e sailor while h e kept near the coast o n e could

s ay S teer by that cli f
f that cape o r that tower but , ,
a tim e h as com e when the sailor h as left the lan d
11 2
52 E S S AY S A N D LETTE R S
b ehind ,and his only g uide can and must be the
unattainable st a rs a n d the compass showing a dir c o
,

tion .

And the one and th e other are given u s .

[ S e p t em b e r 26, o s
. .
,

Th e a b o v e i s a n ew t ran slati o n , i n pre p ari n g whi c h I

h av e b e e n all o w e d t o m ak e free u se o f o n e th a t app eared
in t h e N ew A ge i n 1 8 9 7 .
 TH E FI R S T S TEP

I .

I F a man is n ot making a pretence o f work , but is work

i n g in order to accomplish th e matter he h as in han d ,
h is actions will necessarily follow one another in a
certain sequence determined by t h e nature o f the work .

If he postpones t o a later time what from the nature of

the work shoul d be done first o r if he altogether om its
,

som e essential part , he is certainly not worki ng seriously ,

but only pretending Th is rule h olds unalterabl y true

.

whether the Work be physi c al o r not As o n e cann ot .

seriously wish t o bake bread u nless o n e first kneads

th e flour and then heats the brick oven sweeps o u t -
,

the ashes and s o o n s o also o n e cannot seriously

, ,

wish to lead a good life without adopting a certai n

order o f succession in the attainment of th e n ecessary
qualities .

W ith reference to r 1gh t l 1 v 1 n g this rule is especially

important ; fo r whereas in the case o f physical work ,

such as making bread it is easy to discover by the

,

result wheth er a man is seriously en gaged in work o r is

only preten ding with reference to goodness o f life no
,

such veri fication is possible I f people without k nead

.
,

i n g t h e d o u gh o r b e at i n g th e oven only pretend to

,

m ake bread — as they do in the theatre —th en from t h e

result (t h e absence o f bread ) it becomes evident that
they were only pretending but when a man pretends
to be leading a good life we have no such direct indica
tions that he is not strivin g seriously but only pretend
53
54 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S
i n g, for n o t only are t h e res u lts of a good life not al ways
evi dent and palpa ble to those around b u t very often ,

such results even appear to them harmful R espect for .

a man s activity and the acknowle dgment of i t s utility

,

and pleasantness by his contemporaries furnish no ,

proof of the real goodness of his life .

Therefore to distin guish th e reality from the m ere

,

a
pp e a1 an c e o f a g ood life the indication g iven by a ,

regula 1 order o f succession in the ac q uirement of th e

essential qualities is especially valuable A n d this .

indication is valuable not so much to enable us to dis

,

cover the seriousness o f other men s strivings after ’

g oodness as to test this sincerit y in ourselves fo r in ,

this respect we are liable to deceive o urselves even more

than we deceive others .

A corre c t order of succession in the atta inm ent o f

virtues is an indispensable condition of advance towards
a good life and consequently the teachers o f mankind
,

have always prescribed a certain invariable order for

their a ttainment .

A l l moral teachin g s s e t up t hat ladder wh ich as the ,

Chinese wisdom h a s it reaches from earth to heaven

, ,

and the ascent o f which can only be accomplished by

starting from th e lowest step A s i n th e teaching of .

the B rahmins B uddhists Confucians so also in the

, , ,

teach in g o f th e G reek sages steps were fixed and a , ,

superior step could not be attained W ithout the lower

o n e havin g been previously taken All the moral .

teachers o f mankind reli g ious and non religious al ike

,
-
,

have admitted the necessity of a definite order o f s u c

cession in the attainment o f the qualities essential to
a ri ghteous life Th e necessity for this sequence lies
.

in th e ver y essence o f thin gs and therefore it would , ,

seem ou ght t o be recognised by e v e 1 y o n e

,
.

B u t strange to say from the time Church Ch rist

, ,
-

ia n it y Sp r ead widely the conscio usness o f this n e c e s

,

sary order appears to have be en more and more lost ,

and is now retained only amon g ascetics and monks .

Among worldl y Christians it i s taken fo r granted that

the higher virtues may be attained not only in the
 TH E FI R ST STEP 55

absence o f t h e lower ones which are a necessary c ondi

,

tion o f the higher but even in company with th e

,

greatest vices ; and consequently th e very conception

o f what it i s that constitutes a good life has reached i n , ,

the minds o f the maj ority o f worldly people t o day, a -

state o f the greatest confusion .

In o u r times people have quite lost t h e consciousness

of the necessity o f a sequence in the q ualities a man
m ust hav e t o enable h im t o live a good life and as a , ,

consequence they have lost the very conception o fWhat

,

constitutes a good life This it seems t o me h as come

.
, ,

about in the following way .

W h en Christianity replaced heathenism it put forth

m oral demands superior to the heath en ones and at the ,

sam e time (a s was also the case with heathen morality)

it necessarily laid down one i ndispensable order fo r th e
attainment o f virtues —certain steps to the attainment
o f a righteous life .

Plato s virtues beginning w ith self control a dvanced

’

,
-
,

th rou gh cour age and wisdom t o j ustice ; the Christ

ian virtues commencing w ith self renunciation , rise
,
-

th rough devotion t o the will o f G o d to love , .

Those wh o accepted Christianity seriously and strov e

t o live righteous Christia n lives thus understood ,

Christianity and always began livin g rightly by r e

,

n o u n c in
g thei r lusts which renunciation incl u ded the
self control o f th e pagans
-
.

B u t let it n o t be supposed that Ch ristianity in this

m atter wa s only echoing the teachin s o f paganism ;
g
let m e n o t be accused of degrading Christianity from
it s lofty place to the level o f heathenism S uch an .

accu sation would be unj ust for I regard the Christian

,

teaching as the highest the world h as known and as ,

quite di fferent from heathenism Christian teaching .

replaced pa gan teachi n g simply because the former was

di fferent from and superior to , the latter B u t both
, .

Ch r istian an d pagan teachi n g alike lead m e n toward ,

56 E S S AY S AN D L ETT E R S

truth and goodness and as these are always the same ,

the way to them must also be th e same and the fi r s t ,

s t ep s on this way must inevitably be the same for
Christian as for heathen .

Th e di f
fere n ce be t ween the Chri stian and pagan
teaching o f goodness lies in this : that th e heathen
teaching is one of final perfection while the Ch ristian ,

is one of infinite perfecting E very heathen non

.
,

Christian teachin g sets before men a model of final

,
.

perfection but the Christian teaching sets before them

a model of infinite perfection Plato for instance
.
, ,

makes j ustice the model o f perfection whereas Christ s ,

’

model is the infinite perfection of love B e y e p erfec t .

,
’
eve n as y o u r Fa the r i n hea ve n i s p erfec t I n this lies .

the di fference and from this results the di fferent rela

,

t ion of pagan and Christian teachin g toward di f ferent

grades of Virtue Accordin g to the former the attain
.
,

m ent of the hi ghest virtue was possible and each step ,

to ward this attainment h a d its comparative merit— the

hi gher the step t h e greater the merit s o that from the
pagan point of view men may be divided into moral and
im m oral into more o r less immoral — whereas accord
, ,

i n g to the Christian teachin g which sets up the i deal

,

o f i nfinite perfection this division is impossible

,
There .

can be neither higher nor lower g rades I n the .

Christian teachin g which Sh ows th e infi nity of p e rfe c

“

tion all steps are equal in relation to the infinite

,

ideal .

Amon g the heathens th e plane of virtue attained by a

man constituted his merit ; in Christianity merit con
sists only in the process o f attainin g in the greater or ,

lesser speed of attainment From the heathen point of

.

view a man who possessed the virtue o f reasonableness

,

stood morally higher than one deficient in that virtue

a man wh o in addition to reasonableness possessed
, ,

courage stood h igher still a man who to reasonableness

and courage added j ustice stood y e t higher B ut one .

C hristian cannot be regarded as morally either hig h er

o r lower than anoth er A man i s more or less o f a
.

Christian only in proportion to the speed with which he

 TH E FI R ST S TEP 57

a d vances towards infinite perfection irrespective of the ,

s tage he m a y have reached at a given moment Hence .

the stationar y ri ghteousness of the Pharisee was worth

less than the progress o f th e repentant thief on the
c ross .

S uch i s the di f
ference between the Ch ristian and t h e
heathen teachings Consequently th e sta ges o f virtue
.
,

as for instance self control and courage which in

, ,
-
,

paganism constitute merit constitute none whatever in ,

Ch ristianity I n this respect the teachings di ffer B u t

. .

with regard to the fact that there can be no advance

toward virtue toward perfection except by mounting
, ,

the lowest steps paga nism and Christianity are alike

,

here there can be no di fference .

Th e Christian like the heathen must commence th e

, ,

work of perfecting himself from th e be ginning at

the step at which the heathen begins it namely self , ,

c ontrol ; j ust as a man who wishes to ascend a f l ight o f

s tairs cannot avoid beginning at th e first step Th e .

o nly di fference is that for the pagan self control itself ,

-

c onstitutes a virtue ; whereas f o r the Christian it is ,

o nly part o f that self abnegation which i s itself but an

-

i ndispensable condition o f all aspiration after perfection .

Therefore the manifestation o f true Christianity could

not bu t follow th e same path that had been indicated
and followed by paganism .

B u t not all men h ave un d erstood Ch ristianity as

a n aspiration towards th e perfection o f th e heavenly

Father Th e maj ority of people have regarded it as a

.

teaching about salvation deliverance from sin by

g race transmitted through the Church according to ,

Cathol ics and Greek Orth odox ; by faith in the R e

demption according to Protestants the R eformed
, ,

Church and Calvinists or according t o some by means

, , ,

o f the t wo combined .

And it is precisely this teaching that h a s destroyed

'

the sincerity and seriousness o f men s relation to the ’

moral teach ing o f Ch ristianity H o wever m uch the .

representatives o f these faith s may preach that these

means o f salvation do n o t hinder man i n h is aspiratio n
58 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S

after a righteous li fe but o n the contrary contribute

toward i t —still from certain assertions certain de du c
,

tions necessarily follow and no arguments can prevent

,

men from making these deductions when once they ,

have acce ted th e assertions fro m whi ch they fl ow I f

a man be lieve th at he can be saved through grace trans
.

m it t e d by th e Church or through t h e sacri fi ce o f the

,

R edemption it is natural for him to think that e f forts

of his own to live a ri g ht life are unnecessary —t h e
,

more so when h e is told that even the hope that his

e fforts will mak e him better is a si n Conse q uently a .

man who believes that there are m eans other than per
sonal e ffort by which he may escape Sin o r i t s results ,

cannot strive with the same energy and seriousness a s

th e man who knows no other means And not striving .

with perfect seriousness and knowing o f other means

,

besides personal e ffort a man will inevitably neglect

,

the unalterable order o f succession fo r the attainment

o f th e g ood qualities necessary to a good life And .

this has happened with the maj ority o f those wh o

profess Christianity .

Th e doctrine that personal e ffort is n o t necessary

for the attai n ment o f spiritual perfection by man but ,

that there are other means for it s acquirement caused a ,

relaxation of e fforts to live a good life and a neglect o f

th e consecutiveness indispensable for such a life .

Th e great mass o f those wh o accepted Ch ristianity ,

accepting i t only externally took advantage o f the su b

,

st i t u t i o n of Ch ristiani t y fo r paganism to rid themselves

o f the demands of the heathen virt u es — no longer m eces

sary for a Christian — and to free th emselves from all

con flict with th eir animal nature .

Th e same thing happens with those who cease t o

believe in the teachin g o f th e C hurch Th ey are like .

the before — mentioned believers only they put forward

,

instead of grace bestowed by the Church o r thro u gh

R edemption —some imaginary good work , approved o f
-
,
 TH E FI R ST STE P 59

by th e maj ority o f men such as the service of science

, ,

art or humanity and in the name o f this imaginary

,

good work they liberate themselves from the c o n se c u

tive attainment of th e qualities necessary for a good
life and are satisfied like men o n the stage with pre
, , ,

tendin g t o live a good life .

Those who fell away from paganism with out e m b r a c

ing Christianity in its true Signi ficance began to preach ,

love for G o d and man apart from self renunciation -

,

and j ustice without self control ; that is to say they -

,

preached the higher virtues om itting the lower ones

i e n o t the virtues themselves but the semblance
. .
,
.

S ome preach love t o God and man without self

ren unciation and others h umaneness the service o f
, ,

humanity without self control And as this tea ching

,
-
.
,

while pretending t o introduce man into higher moral

regions encourages h is animal nature b y liberatin g
,

him fro m the most elementary demands o f morality

—l o n g ago acknowled g ed by th e h eathens and not
l
,

only n o t rej ected but strengthened by true Christ

i an it y —it was readily accepted both by believers and
unbelievers .

*
Only th e other day the Pope s E ncyclical o n ’

S ocialism was published in whi ch after a pretended , ,

refutation o f the S ocialist view o f the wrongfu lness o f

private property it was plainly said
,
N o o n e is c o m
m an d ed t o di s tr ibu te t o o ther s tha t whi c h i s r e qu i r ed fo r
hi s o wn n ec ess i ti es a n d tho se of hi s ho u s eho l d n o r even to

g ive a way wha t i s r eas o n a bly r equ i r ed to k eep up bec o m

i ngly hi s c o n d i ti o n i n l ife for no o n e o u ght to l i ve

his from homas A quinas ho

’
u n bec o m i n l
gy .
(T i s S t T .
,
w
says, N u l l u s en i m i n c o n ven i en ter vi ver e debet ) ‘
But .

’
when n e c ess i ty ha s been fa i r ly s u pp l i ed, a n d o n e s p o s i t i o n
fa i r ly c o n s i der ed, i t i s a du ty to gi ve to the i n digen t o u’ t of
t ha t whi c h i s o ver Tha t whi c h r em a i n eth gi ve a l m s
. .

Th u s n o w preaches the h ead o f the most wide - spread

Church Th u s hav e preached all the Church teachers
.
‘

Thi s r efers t o t h e E n c yc li c al o f P o p e L e o XIII In t h e .

passage q u ot e d t h e o f fi c ial E n gli sh tran s lati o n o f t h e E n cy

c l i c al h as b een fo ll o w e d S ee t h e Ta bl et 1 8 9 1
. .
,
60 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S

who considered salvation by works as insu ffi cient A n d .

together with this teaching o f selfishness whi ch pre ,

scribes that you shall give t o your neighbours only

what you do not want yourself t hey preach love and , ,

recall with pathos the celebrated words of P a ul in th e

thirteenth chapter o f the First E pistle t o the Cori n
t h i a n s a bout love
,
.

Notwithstanding that th e Gospels overflo w with

d emands for self renunciation with indications that ,

s elf renunciation is t h e fi 1 st condition o f Christian per

-

fe c t io n ; notwithstanding such clear expressions as :

t o s o e v e r will not take up his cross W hoso
e ver h ath not forsak en father and mother t o

s oever Sh a l l lose his life people assure them selves

-

a n d others t hat i t i s possible to love men without

renouncin g that to which one is accustomed or even ,
’
what one ple a ses to consider becomin g for one s self .

S o speak the Church people ; and those who rej ect

n o t only the Chu 1 ch but also the Christian teaching

(F r e e t h i n k e rs ) think sp eak write and act in j ust the

, , , ,

s ame way . These men assure th emselves and oth ers

that without in the least diminishing their needs with ,

o ut overcoming their l usts they can serve m ankind ,

lead a good life .

Me n have thrown aside the h eathen sequence of

virt u es ; but not assimilating the Christian teaching in
,

i ts true significance they have not accepted the Christian

,

s eque n ce and are left quite without guidance

,
.

In olden times when there was no Christian teach

,

i n g all the teach ers of life beginning with S ocrates

, , ,

re garded a s the first virtue o flife self control éy xpdr a a ,

-

o r a w¢ po o é vn ; and it was understood that every virtue

must be gin with and pass th rough th is o n e It wa s .

c lear that a man who had no self control wh o h a d -

,

d eveloped an immense number o f desires and had

y ielded himself up to them could not lead a good,
life .

i t was evident that before a man could even th ink o f

 TH E FI R ST S TE P 63

disinterestedness j ustice t o say nothin g o f generosity

,

o r love —h e must learn to exercise control over himsel f

Accordi n g to o u r ideas now nothing o f the sort is ,

necessary .VVe are convinced that a man wh o h as

-

developed h is desires to th e climax reached in o u r

society a man wh o cannot live without satisfying the
,

hundred unnecessary habits that enslave him can yet ,

lead an al t o ge t h e 1 moral and good life L ooked at .

from any point of View : th e lowest utilitarian ; th e ,

h i g her pa gan which demands j ustice ; but especially

from the highest Ch ristian which demands love —it
, ,

, ,

should surely be clear to every o n e that a man who

uses for his o w n pleasure (which he might easily
forego ) the labour often the painful labour of others
, , ,

behaves wrongly and that this is the very first wrong

h e m ust cease to commit if he wish es to live a good life .

From the utilitarian point o f view such conduct is

ba d because as long as he forces oth ers to work fo r
,

him a man is always in an unstable position ; h e

a ccustom s himself t o the satisfaction o f his desires an d

becomes enslaved by th em while those who work fo r ,

him do so with hatred and envy and only await an ,

opportunity to free themselves from the necessity o f

so working Consequently such a man is always i n
.

danger o f being left with deeply rooted habits whi ch

create demands he cannot satisfy .

From the point o f View o f j u stice such conduct is

bad because it is n o t well to employ for one s o wn
,
’

pleasure the labour o f other men wh o them selves

c a n n o t a fl o r d a hundredth p ar t of the pleasures enj oyed
'
‘

by him for whom they labour .

From the point o f View o f Christian love it c a n

hardl y be necessary to prove that a man who loves
others will g ive the m his own labour rather than tak e
from them for his o wn pleas u re the fruit o ftheir labour
, , .

B u t these demands o f utili t y j ustice and love ar e , , ,

altogether ignored by our modern society W ith u s .

the e ffort to limit one s desires is regarded as neithe r

’

th e first n o r even th e last but as an alto gether u n

, ,

n ecessary , condition o f a good life .

62 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

0 11 t he
contrary according t o th e prevailing and
,

most widely Spre a d teaching o f life to day the au gm e n -

,
’
t at i o n o f one s wants is regarded a s a desirable condi
tion as a sign o f development civilization c u lture and , , ,

perfection S o called educated people regard habits

.
-

o fcomfort that i s o f e f feminacy as n o t only harmless

but even good indicating a certain moral elevation —as
, , , ,

a lmost a virtue .

It is thought that th e more the wants and the more ,

refined these wants the better , .

Nothing sh ows this more clearly than the descriptive

poe t ry and especially th e novels, o f the last two
,

c enturies .

How are t h e heroes and h eroines wh o represent the

i deals of virtue portrayed ?
I n most cases the men wh o are meant to represent
s omething noble and lofty —from Childe Harold down
to the latest hero es of F e u ill e t Trollope or Mau passant, ,
-
are simply depraved sluggards consuming in lu xury ,

th e labour of thousands and themselves doin g nothing,

useful for an ybody Th e h eroines are the mistresses

.

who in o n e way or another a fford more o r less delight

to th ese m e n are as idle as they and are equally ready
, ,

to consume th e labour o f others by their luxury .

I do not refer t o the representations o f really

abstemious and industrious people o n e occasionally
meets with in literature I am spea king o f the usual .

type that serves as an ideal to the masses : o f the

c haracter that the maj ority of men and women are
tr y ing to resemble I remember th e di ffi culty (in
.

e xplicable to m e at th e time ) that I experienced whe n

I wrote novels a d i fii c u l t y with which I contended and
,

with whi ch I know all novelists n o w contend wh o have

e ven the dimmest concepti on o f what constitutes real
moral beauty —the di ffi culty o fportrayin g a type taken
from the upper classes as ideally good and ki nd and at ,

the same tim e true to life To be true to life a .

,

d escription o f a man o r woman o f th e upper educated ,

classes must sh ow him in his usual surroundings that -

is in l u xury ph ysical idleness and demanding much

, , , .
 T HE FI R S T S TEP 63

From a m oral point o f view s uch a person is u n

d oubtedly obj ectionable B ut it i s necessary t o .

represent this person in such a way that he may appear

attractive And n ovelists try so to represent him I
. .

also tried And strange to say such a representation

.
, ,

making an immo ral fornicator and murderer (d u ellist or

soldier ) an utterly useless i dly drifting fashionable
, , ,

b u ffoon appear attractive, does n o t requi re much art

,

o r ef fort Th e readers o f novels are fo r the most

.
,

part e xactly such men and therefore readily believe

, ,

that these Childe Harolds On egins Monsieurs de , ,

Camors * etc are very excellent people

, . .

Clear proof th at t h e men o f o u r time really do n o t

admit pagan self control and Christia n self— renuncia
-

tion to be good and desirable qualities but o n the , ,

contrary re gard the augm entation o f wants as good

,

and elevated is to be found in the education given to

,

t h e vast maj ority o f children in o u r society Not only .

are they n o t trained to self control as among th e -

,

pagans o r t o the self renunciation proper to Ch ristians

,
-
,

but they are deliberately inoculated with habits o f

ef feminacy ph ysical idleness and luxury
, , .

I have long wished t o write a fairy tale o f this kind -

A w oman w ishing to revenge herself o n o n e wh o has

,
“ ’
inj ured her carries o fl her enemy s child and going to
, , ,

a sorcerer asks him to teach her h o w sh e can most

,

cruelly wreak her vengeance o n the stolen infant the ,

o nly child o f her enemy Th e sorcerer bids her carry .

the child t o a place he indicates and assures her that a ,

most terrible ven geance will result Th e wicked woman .

follows his advi ce but keeping an eye upon th e child , ,

is astonished to s e e that it is fo und and adopted by a

weal t hy, childless man S h e goes t o the sorcerer and .

O n egi n i s t h e h ero o f a R u ssi an po em by Po ushk i n .

1 d e Cam ors i s t h e h e ro o f a Fr en c h n o v el by O ctav e

£
.

c uil l e t
1
.
64 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S

reproaches h im but he bids her wait Th e child grow s

,
.

up in luxury and e ffe m inacy Th e woman is perplexe d .

,

but again the sorcerer bids her wait And at length .

the time comes when the wicked woman is not only

satisfied but has even to pity her vi ctim H e grows u p
,
.

in the e ffeminacy and dissoluteness o f wealth and ,

owin g to h is go o d nature is ruined Then begins a

'

sequence o f physical su fferings poverty and humilia , ,

tion to which h e is especially sensitive and against

,

which h e knows not how to contend Aspirations .

toward a moral life and the weakness of h is e ffe m i-

nate body accustomed to luxury and idleness ; vain

struggles ; lower and still lower decline ; drunkenness
to drown thought then crime and insa nity o r suicide
,
.

And indeed o n e canno t re gard without terror t h e

, ,

education of the children of the wealth y class in our

day . O nly th e cruellest foe could o n e would th ink , ,

inoculate a ch ild with those defects and vices which are

now instilled into him by his parents especially by ,

mothers One is awestruck at th e si ght and still

.
,

m ore at the results of this if only one knows how t o ,

discern what is taki n g place in the souls of the best o f

these child ren so carefully ruined by their parents
,
.

H abits of e ffeminacy are instilled into them at a tim e

when they do not yet understand their moral sign ifi
cance Not only is the habit o f temperance and self
.

control neglected but contrary to the education a l

, ,

practice of S parta and o f the ancient world in general ,

th is quality is altogeth er atroph ied Not only is man .

not trained to work and to all the qualities essential to

,

fruitful labour — concentration o f mind strenuousness , ,

endurance enthusiasm for work ability t o repair what

, ,

is spoiled familiarity with fatigue j oy in attainment

, ,

but he is habituated to idleness and to contempt for all ,

th e products o flabour is taught to Spoil throw away , ,

and again procure for money a nything he fancies ,

with out a t h o u gh t o f h ow things are made Man is

'

deprived o f the power of acquirin g th e primary virtue

of reasonableness indispensabl e for the attainment o f
,

all the oth ers and is let loose in a world where people
,
 TH E FI R S T S TEP 65

preach and praise the lofty virtu es o f j ustice t h e

, , ,

service o fman an d love ,

.

I t is well if the yo uth be endo w ed with a morally

feeble and obtuse nature wh ich does not detect the ,

di fference between m ak e believe and genuine goodness -

o f life and is s atisfied with the prevailing m utual

,

deception I f this be the case all goes apparently well

.
,

and suc h a man will sometimes quietly live o n with h is

moral consciousness u nawakened till death .

But it is n o t al ways th us especially of late n o w that , ,

t h e consciousness o f the immorality o f such life fills the

air and penetrates t h e heart unsought Freq u ently
, .

and ever more frequently it happens that there ,

awakens a demand fo r real unfeigned morality ; and ,

then begin a painful inner str u ggle and su ffering which

end but rarely in the triumph of the moral sentiment .

A man feels that his life is bad that h e must reform ,

it from the very roots and he tries to do s o but he is

,

th en attacked on all sides by those who have passed

through a similar struggle and have been vanquished .

Th ey endeavour by every means to convince him that

this reform i s quite un necessary : that goodness does
n o t at all depend u pon self control and self renuncia - -

tion that it is possible while addicting himself to

, ,

gluttony personal ad ornment physical idleness and

, , ,

even fornication to be a perfectly good and usefu l man

, .

A nd the str u ggle in most cases terminates lamentably

, , .

Either the man overcome by his weakness yields to

, ,

the general O pinion stifles the voice o f conscience

, ,

distorts his reas on to j ustify himself and continues to ,

lead th e o l d dissipated life assuring himself that it is ,

redeemed by faith i n the R edemptio n or the S acra

ments o r by service t o science t o the S tate o r t o art
, , ,

o r else he stru gles su f fers, and finally becomes insane

g ,

o r sh oots himself .

I t seldom happens amid all the temptations that,

surround him , that a man o f o u r society understands

what was thousands o f years ago and still is, an ,

elementary truth fo r all reasonable p e O pl e : nam ely,

that fo r the attainment o f a go od life it is necessary ,

E
66 E SS AY S A N D LETTE R S

first o f all to cease to live an evil life ; that fo r the

,

attainment o f the hi gher virtues it i s needful first ,

of all to acquire the virtue o f abstinence o r self

control as t h e paga n s called it o r o f self—
,

,
renunciation
'

, ,

a s Christianity has it and therefore it seldom happens ,

that by gradual e fforts he succeeds in attaining th is

, ,

primary virtue .

I have j ust been reading the letters o f o n e o f our

’
highly ed ucated and advanced men o f the forti es the ,

exile O ga ryof to another yet more highly ed ucated

,

and gifted man Herzen I n these letters O garyof ,

.

gives expression to his sincere thoughts a n d highest

aspirations and o n e cannot fail to s e e that—as w as
natural to a young man — h e rather shows o ff before
,

his friend H e talk s o.f —

self perfecting o f sacred ,

friendship love th e service o f science o f humanity

, , , ,

and the like And at the same time he calmly writes

.

that he often irritates the companion o f h i s life by as ,

h e expresses it returnin g home in an unsober state , ,

o r disappearing for many hours with a fallen but dear ,

creature .

E vidently it never even occurred to th is remarkabl y

kind hearted talented and well educated man that
-
, ,
-

there was anything at all obj ectionable i n the fact that

he a married man awaiting the confinement o f h is wife
, ,

(in his next letter h e writes that h i s wife has given

birth t o a child ) returned home intoxicated and d is , ,

appeared with dissolute women It did n o t enter his .

head that until he had commenced the struggle and ,

had at least t o some extent conquered his inclination

, ,

to drunkenness and fornication he could n o t think o f ,

friendship and love and still less o f serving any o n e o r ,

any thing B u t he n o t only did not struggle against

—
.

these vices h e evidently tho u ght there was something

“

v e ry nice in them and that they did not in t h e least

.

hinder the stru ggle fo r perfection ; and therefore , ,

instead o f hiding the m fro m the friend in whose eyes

 THE FI R S T S TEP 67

he w ishes to appear in a good ligh t , he exhibits

them .

Thus it was half a century ago I was contemporary .

with such men I knew O ga r yé f and Herzen them

.

selves and others o f that stamp and men ed ucated in

, ,

the same traditions There was a remarkable absence

.

o f consistency in the lives o f all these men Together .

with a sincere and ardent wish fo r good, there was an

utter looseness o fpersonal desire which they thought , , ,

could not hinder the li ving o f a good life nor the per ,

fo r m an c e o f good and even great deeds

,
They put ,
.

unkneaded loaves into a cold oven and believed that ,

bread woul d be baked And then when with advancing

.
,

years they began t o rem a rk that the bread did n o t bake

that no good cam e o f their lives —they saw in this
something peculiarly tragic .

And the tragedy o f such lives is indeed terrible .

And this same tragedy apparent in th e lives o f H erzen ,

O ga r yé f and others o f their time exists t o day in the

, ,
-

lives o f very many so called educated people wh o hold

-

the same vie w s A man desi res to lead a good life but
.
,

the consecutiveness which i s indispensable for this is

lost in the society in which h e lives As fifty years .

a o O a r of Herzen and others so also the maj ority

g g y , , ,

o f m e n o f the present day are persuaded that t o lead an

e ffe m inate life to eat sweet and fat dish es to delight
, ,
’ ’
one s self in every way and satisfy all one s desires ,

does n o t hinder o n e from livin g a good life B u t as it .

is evident that a good life in their case does not result ,

they give themselves up to pessimism and say S uch , ,

is the tragedy o f h uman life

’
.

W hat i s also strange in the case is that these peopl e

know that the distribution o f pleasures among men is
unequal and regard this inequality as an evil and wish
, ,
to correc t it yet do n o t cease to strive to augment their
o wn pleas ures —22 a
,

t o augment inequality in the dis

,
t ri b u t io n o f pleasures I n acting thus these people are
.
,

like men wh o being the first to enter an o r c har d hast e n ~

t o gather all the fruit they c an lay their hands o n and ,

yet wish to organize a more equal distribution of the

E 2
68 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S
fruit o f the orchard between themselves and later
comers while they continue to pluck all the fruit they
,

can reac h .

Th edelusion that m en while addicting th emselves to

their desires and regarding this life o f desire as good ,

can yet lead a g ood useful j ust and loving life i s so

, , ,

astonishing that men o f later generations will I should

, ,

think simply fail to understand w hat the men o f o u r

,
‘ ’
time meant by the words good life when they said
that the gluttons —the e ffeminate lus tful sluggards —o f
,

our weal thy classes led good lives Indeed one need .
,

only put aside for a m oment the customary view o f the

life of o u r wealthy classes and look at it I do not say , ,

from the Christian point o f View but from the pagan ,

standpoint from the standpoint o f the very lowest

,

demands o fj ustice to be convinced that living amidst

, ,

the violation o f th e plainest laws o f j ustice o r fairness ,

such as even children in their games think it wrong to

violate, we men o f the wealthy classes have no ri ght
, ,

even to tal k about a good life .

Any man o f o u r society who w ould I do not say ,

begin a good life but even begin to make some little

,

approach towards it must first of all cease to lead a bad

,

life must be gin to destro y those conditions o f an evil

,

life with which he finds himself surrounded .

H o w often o n e hears as an excuse for not reforming,

our lives th e ar gument that any act that is contrary

,

to the usual mode of life would be unnatural ludicrous ,

— would look like a desire to show o ff and would ,

therefore n o t be a good action This argument .

seems expressly framed to prevent people from ever

changing their evil lives If all o u r life were good .
,
j u s t kind then and only then would an action in
, ,

conformity with the usual mode of life be good If .

half o u r life were good and the other half bad then ,

there would be as much chance o f an action not in

con formity with the usual mode o flife being good as o f
its being bad B u t when life i s altogether bad an d
.
 TH E FI RST S TEP 69

wrong as is th e case in o u r u pper class e s then a man

, ,

cannot perform a sin gle good action without disturbing

the usual current o f life He can do a bad actio n
.

without disturbing this current but not a good o n e

, .

A man accustom ed to the life o f o u r well —

to do classes -

cannot lead a righteous life with out first coming o u t of

f
those conditions o evil in which he is immersed h e —
cann ot begin to do good until he h as ceased to do evil .

It is i m possible fo r a man living in l u x ury to lead a

righteous life All his e fforts after goodness will be in
.

vain until b e changes h is life until he performs that

,

work whic h stands first in seque n ce before him A .

good life according to the pagan view and still m ore ,

according to the Christian Vie w is and can be , , ,

measured in no other way than by the mathematical

relation between love for self and love for others Th e .

less th ere is o f love fo r self with all the ensuing care

about self and the selfish demands made upon the
labour o f others and the more th ere is of love fo r
,

oth ers with the resultant care for and labour besto w ed
,

upon oth ers th e better is the life

,
.

Th u s has goodness o f life been understood by all the

sages o f the world and by all true Christians and in ,

exactly the same way do all plain m e n understand it

now . The more a man gives t o others and the less he
demands fo r himself, the better he is the less he gives
t o oth ers and the more he demands for h imself t h e ,

worse he is .

And not only does a man becom e morally better the

more love he h as for others and the less for himself ,

but th e less h e loves himself th e easier it becomes for

him to be better an d contrariwise
,
Th e more a man .

loves himself and consequently the m ore he demands

, , ,

labour from oth ers th e less possi bility is th ere fo r him

,

to love an d to work for others and less not only in as

,

many times as h is love for himself h as increase d but ,

in some enormously greater degree less as happens if ,

we move t h e fu lcrum o f a lever from the long end to

the short o n e this w ill not onl y lengthen th e long arm ,

b u t will also shorten the short o n e S o also if a man .

, , ,
70 ES SA YS AN D L ETTE R S

possessing a certain faculty love augment h is love and , ,

care for himself he will thereby diminish h is power o f

,

loving and caring fo r others not only in proportion t o ,

the love he has transferred to himself but in a much ,

g reater d e gree I nstead o f feeding others a man eats

.

too much himself by s o doing he not onl y diminish es

the possibility of givin g away the surplus but by , ,

overeating he deprives himse l f of po wer t o help

,

others .

In order to love others in r e ality and n o t in word

’
only one m us t ceas e to love one s self also in reality
,

and not m erely in word I n most cases it h appens .

thus we think we love others we assure ourselves and ,

others that it is so but we love them only in words

, ,

while ourselves we love in reality Others we forget

to feed and put to bed ourselves —never Therefore
.

,
.
,

in order reall y t o love others in deed we m ust learn ,

not to love ourselves in deed learn to forget to feed ,

ourselves and put ourselves to bed exactly as we forget ,

t o do th ese things for others .

W e say o f a self ind ulgent person accustomed to lead

-

’
a luxurious life that he i s a good man and leads a ‘ ‘

B u t such a person —whether man o r woman

,
’
good life .

althou gh he may possess th e most amiable traits o f

character meekness good nature etc cannot be good
, , ,
.

and lead a good life any more than a knife o f the very
,

best workmansh ip and steel can be sharp and o u t well

unless it is sharpened T0 be good and lead a good .

life m eans to give to others more than o n e takes from

them . But a self indulgent m an accustomed t o a-

luxurious life cannot do this first because h e him self is ,

always in want o f m uch (and this n o t o n account o fh i s

selfishness but because h e is accustomed t o luxury and
,

it is painful for him to be deprived o f that t o which h e

is accustomed ) ; and secondly because by consumin g ,

all that he receives from oth ers he weakens himself and

renders h imself unfit t o labour and therefore unfit t o
serve oth ers A sel f—
,

indulgent man who sleeps long

.

upon a soft bed eats and drinks abundance o f fat

, ,

sweet fo o d wh o i s always dressed cleanly and suitably

,
 TH E FI R ST S TEP 71

to th e temperature wh o h as n e ve r accustomed him self

,

to t h e e ffort o f labori ous work can d o very little ,

.

W e are so acc u stom ed to o u r o wn lies and th e lie s o f

others an d it i s s o convenient fo r u s n o t to se e through
,

the lies o f others that they may not se e thro u gh o u rs

, ,

that we are n o t in the least astonished at and do not ,

doubt the truth o f th e assertion o f the virtuousness

, ,

som etimes even t h e sanctity o f people w h o are l eading ,

a perfectly unrestrained life .

A person man o r woman sleeps o n a spring bed

, ,

w ith t wo m attresses and t wo smooth , clean sheets and

, ,

feather pillows in pillow cases By the bedside i s a -

.

rug th at th e feet may not get c old o n steppi ng o u t o f

,

bed th o u gh slippers also lie near H ere also are t h e

,
.

necessary utensils s o that he need n o t leave t h e h o u se

,
— whatever unclean liness h e may produce wil l be
carried away and all made tidy Th e windows a r e .

covered with curtains that the daylight m a y n o t .

awak en him and h e sleeps a s long as h e is inclined

, .

Besides all this measures a r e taken th at the room may

,

be warm i n winter and cool in summer and that h e ,

may n o t be disturbed by the noise o f flies o r oth er

insects IVh il e he sleeps w ater, h o t and cold for his
.
, ,

ablutions sometimes baths and preparations fo r sb av

,

ing are provided Te a and co ffee are also pre pared

, .
,

stimulating drinks t o be taken imme diately u pon rising .

B oots sh oes galoshes — several pairs dirtied the previous

day—are already being cleaned and made to sh ine like
, ,

glass freed from every speck o f dust S imilarly are .

cleaned various garments soiled o n the preceding day , ,

di ffering in texture t o suit n o t only summer and winter ,

but also Spr i ng autum n rainy damp and warm

, , , ,

weather Clean linen washed starched and i roned

.
, , , ,

is being m ade ready with studs shi rt buttons button , ,

h ole s all carefully inspected b y specially appointed

,

people .

’
I f t h e person b e active h e rises early at s even
o clock still a co u ple o f h ours later than those
who are making all these preparations fo r him Besides .

clothes fo r t h e day and coveri n g fo r the night there is ,

72 E S S AY S AN D LETTE RS

also a costume and foot gear for the time of dressin g -

—dressing gown an d slippers and now he undertakes

-

his washing cleaning b rushin g for which several

, , ,

kinds o f brushes are used as well as soap and a great ,

q uantity of water (Many E nglish men and women .

,

for some reason o r oth er are specially proud of using ,

a great deal o f soap and pouring a larg e quantity of

water over themselves ) Th en he dresses brushes his .
,

hair before a special kind of looking glass (di fferent -

from those that hang in almost every room in the

house ) takes th e things he needs suc h as spectacles
, ,

or eyeglasses and then distributes in di fferent pockets

,

a clean pocket han dkerchief to blow his nose on ; a -

watch with a c hain though in almost every room he ,

goes to th ere will be a clock money of various kinds ,

small change (often in a specially contrived case whi ch

saves him the trouble o f lo o ki n g fo r the req uired coin )
and bank notes also visiting cards on wh ich his name
-

is printed (sa ving him the trouble of saying or writing

it) pocket book and pencil In the case of women
-
.
,

th e toilet is still m ore com l ic at e d : corsets arranging ,

of long hai r adornments aces elastics ribbons ties

, , , , , ,

hai rpins ins brooches , ,

.

B ut at as t all is complete and the day commences ,

generally with eating : tea and co ffee are d runk with a

great quantity o f sugar bread made of the finest white
flour is eaten with large quantities o f bu tter and some ,

times the flesh o f pigs Th e men for the mos t part .

smoke cigars or cigarettes meanwhile and read fresh ,

papers which have j ust been brought Then leaving

,
.
,

to o thers the task of settin g right t h e soiled a n d dis

ordered room they go to their office or business o r
, ,

d rive in carriages produced specially to move such

people about Then comes a luncheon of slain beasts
.
,

birds and fish , followed by a dinner consisting if it b e

, ,

very modest of three courses dessert and co ffee ,

.

—
, ,

Then playing at cards and playing music o r th e

theatre reading and conversation in soft spring arm
, , ,

c h airs by t h e intensi fi ed and shaded light o f candles

, ,

g as o r electricity
,
After this again tea again eating .
, ,
 TH E FI R ST S TE P 73

supper —and again to bed shaken up an d prepared

— ~

with clean line n and with washed utensils t o be again

,

made fo u l .

Thus pass the days o f a man of modest life of whom , ,

if he is good natured and does n ot possess any habi ts

-

Specially obnoxious to those about him it is sai d that ,

he leads a good and virtuous life .

B u t a good life is th e life o f a man who does good to

o thers ; and can a man accustomed t o live thus do
good to others ? B efore h e can d o good to men h e
m ust cease t o do evil R eckon up all th e harm such a
.

man often unconsciously does to others and you will

, , ,

s e e that h e is far in deed from doing good ; he would

have to perform many acts o f h eroism t o redeem the

evil h e commits but he is too much enfeebled by his
,

life full o fdesires t o perform any such acts He might .

sleep with more advantage both ph ysical and m oral , ,

lyin g o n th e floor wrapped in his cloak as Marcus ,

Aurelius di d ; and thus he might save all the labour

a n d tro ubl e involved in the m anufacture o f mattresses ,

Sprin gs and pillows as also the daily labour o f the

, ,

la u ndre ss — o n e o f the weaker se x burdened by th e

beari n g and nursing o f ch ildren — who washes linen for
this strong m an B y going t o bed earlier and getting
.

up earlier he might save window curtains and th e -

e vening lamp H e might Sleep i n the sam e shirt h e

.

wears d u ring t h e day might step barefooted upon the

,

floor and go out into the yard h e might wash at t h e

,

pu m p— i n a word he might live like those wh o work

,

for him , and mi ght thus save all this work that is done
for h im . He m igh t save all th e labour expended upon
his c l o t hin his refined food h is recreation s And h e ,
.

kno ws u n er wh at conditions all these labours are

performed how in performing them men perish su ffer , ,

and often hate those who tak e advantage o f their

poverty to force them t o do it .

H o w the n is such a man t o do good t o others an d

, ,

lead a righteous life with out abandonin g this self

‘

indulgent luxurious life ?

,

B u t we need n o t speak of h o w other people appear

74 E S S AY S AND L E TTE R S

in our eyes — every one m ust s e e and feel this concerning

himself .

I cannot but repeat this same thin g again and a gain ,

notwithstanding the cold and h ostile silence with which

my words are received A moral man living a life o f .
,

comfort a man even o f th e middle class (I will not

,

speak of t h e upper classes wh o daily consume to satisfy ,

their capri ces the results o fhundreds o fworking days ) ,

cannot live quietly knowin g that all that he i s using is

,

produced by the labour and crushed lives o f working

people who are dyi ng without hope — ignorant drunken
dissolute half—
, , ,

savage creatures employed in m ines

, ,

factories and at agricultural labour producing t h e

, ,

articles that h e uses .

At the present moment I who am writing this and

you w h o will read it whoever you may b e — both yo u ,

and I have wholesome su ffi cient perhaps ab undant , ,

and luxurio us food pure warm air to breathe winter

, , ,

and summer clothing various recreations and m ost , , ,

important o f all we have leisure by day and undisturbed

,

repose at night A nd h ere by o u r Side live th e

.
, ,

working people who have neither wh olesome food n o r

, ,

healthy lodgings n o r su ffi cient clothing nor recrea

, ,

tions and who above all are deprived not only o f

, , ,

leisure but even o f rest : o l d men children women , , ,

worn o u t by labour by sleepless nights by disease , , ,

w h o spend their whole lives providin g fo r us those

articles o f comfort and luxury which they do n o t
possess and which are fo r u s n o t necessaries but super
,

fl u i t ie s
. Th erefore a moral man I do not sa y a
, ,

Ch ristian but simply a m an professing humane views

,

or merely esteeming j ustice cannot but wish t o change ,

h is life and t o cease t o u s e articles o f luxury produced

under such conditions .

I f a man really pities those wh o manufacture tobacco ,

then the first thing he will natural l y do will be to

cease sm oking because by continuin g t o bu y and
,

smok e tobacco he encourages the preparation o f

tobacco by which men s health i s destroyed A n d so
,
’
.

with every oth er article o f luxury 1 f a man can still .

 TH E FI R ST S TE P 75

c o ntinue t o eat bread notwithstanding the hard work

by which it i s produced this i s because h e cannot ,

forego what i s indispensable while waiting fo r t h e

present c o n dit io n s o f labour t o be altered B ut with .

regard t o things w hich are not only unnecessary but

are even super fl uous there can be n o oth er concl u sion
,

than this : that if I pity men engaged in the manu

facture of certain articles, then I m ust o n n o account
accustom myself t o req u ire such articles .

But nowadays men argue otherwise They invent .

th e most v a ri ous and intricate arguments but never say ,

what naturally o ccurs t o every plain man Accordin g .

t o them it i s n o t at all necessary to abstain from

,

l uxuries One can sympathize with the condition o f

.

t h e w orki n g men deliver S peeches and write books

,

o n th eir beh alf and at the same time contin u e t o

,

profit by the labour that o n e sees t o be ruinous t o

them .

A ccording t o o n e argum ent I may profit by labour ,

that is harmful t o the workers because if I d o n o t ,

another will W h ich i s something like the argument

.

that I must drink wine that is inj urious t o m e because ,

it h as been bought and if I do not drink it others will

,

do so .

According t o anoth er argument it is even beneficial ,

t o the workers t o be allowed t o prod uce luxuries as i n ,

this way we provide them with m oney— i a with the ,

means o f s ubsistence : a s if we could not provide them

with th e means o f subsistence i n any other way than
by making them produce articles inj urious t o them and
superfluous t o us .

But according to a third argum ent n o w most popular , ,

it seems that since there is such a thing as divi sion o f

,

labour any work u pon wh ich a man i s engaged

,

whether he b e a Government o ffi cial priest landowner, , ,

manufacturer o r m erchant — i s s o useful that it fully

,

compensates fo r the labour o f the working classes by

which he p rofits One serves the S tate another th e
.
,

Church a third sci ence a fourth art and a fifth serves

, , ,

those wh o serve the S ta te sci ence and art ; an d all are

, ,
76 E S S AY S AND LETT E R S
firmly convinced that what they gi ve t o m anki nd cer
t a i n l y compensates for all they tak e A nd it is astonish .

ing how while continually augmenting their luxurious

,

requirements without increasi n g their activity th e se ,

people continue to be certain that their activity c o m

e n s a t e s for all they consume
p .

W’ hereas if you listen to these p eOp l e s j udgment of

,
’

o n e anoth er it appears that each individual is far from

,

being worth what he consumes Government o ffi cials .

say that th e work o f th e landlords is not worth what

they spend landlords say the same about merchants
, ,

and merchants about Government o ffi cials and so o n ,

.

B u t this does not disconcert them and they continue ,

to assure people that they (each o f them ) profit by the

labours o f others exactly in proportion to the service
th ey render to others S o that th e payment is not
.

determined by th e work but the value of the imaginary

,

work is determined by the payment Th us they assure .

o n e another but th ey know perfectly well i n th e depth of

,

their souls that all their arguments do n o t j ustify them ;

that they are not necessary to the working men and ,

that th ey profit by the labour o f these men n o t on ,

a ccount o f any division o f labour but simply because ,

they have t h e power t o do so and because they are s o ,

spoiled that they cannot d o without it .

And all this arises from people imagining that it is

possible to lead a good life without first acquiring the
primary quality necessary fo r a good life .

And this first quality is self control -

.

VI I I .

There never h as been and cann o t be a good life

, ,

without self control Apart from self control no good

-
.
-
,

life is imaginable Th e attain m ent o f goodness m ust

.

begin with th at .

Th ere is a scale of virtues and it is necessary if o n e

, ,

would mount the higher steps to begin with the ,

lo west ; and t h e first virtue a man must acquire if he

wishes to acquire the others is that which the ancients
,
 TH E FI R S T S TEP 77

called ey xpoir a a o r a w¢po a d1 77

’
s elf control
f
or -

m oderation .

,
If in the Christian teaching self control was included ,
-

in the conception o f self renunciation , still the order o f

-

succession remained the same and the acquirement ,

o f no Chri stian vi rt u e is possible w itho u t self control -

and this n o t because such a rule h as been invented by

.

any o ne b u t because such is th e essential nat u r e o f the

,

case .

But even self control the first step i n ever y

-
,

r i gh t eous life i s n o t attainable all at once but only

, ,

by degrees .

S elf control i s the liberation o f man fro m desire s

-

their subordination t o moderation a wgbpo a é vn But a , .

’
man s desires are many and various and in order ,

successfully t o contend with them he must begin

—
with th e fundamental ones th ose upon which the
more complex one s have gro w n u p — and not with
.

those comple x lusts which have grown up upon the

fundamental ones There are complex lusts like that
.
,

o f th e adornment o f the body Sports amusements , , ,

idle talk inquisitiveness and many others and there

, ,

are also fu ndamental l usts — gl u ttony idleness sexual , ,

love And o n e m ust begin t o contend w ith these lusts

.

from the beginning : not with the complex but w ith ,

th e fundame ntal ones and that also in a defi nite order

,
.

And this order is d etermined both by the nature o f

things and by th e tradition o f human wisdom .

A man w h o eats too much cannot strive a gainst lazi

ness wh ile a gluttono us and idle man will never be
,

able to contend with sex u al lust Therefore according .

,

t o all moral teachings t h e e f fort towards self control

,
-

commences with a struggle against the In st of gluttony

—commences with fasting In o u r time however every .
, ,

s erious relation to the attainm ent o f a g ood life has

been s o long and s o completely lost that n o t only is the

— —
very first virt u e self control —without which the others
,

ar e u nattainable regarded as superfluous but th e order

, ,

of succession necessary for t h e attainment of this first

virt u e is also disre g arded and fasting is quite forgotten
, ,
78 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

or is looked upon as a Silly superstition utterly nu ,

n ecessary .

A n d yet j ust as the first conditi on o f a good life is

,

self con t rol s o the first condition o f a life o f self

-
,

control i s fasti n g .

One may wish to be good o n e may drea m o f good ,

ness without fasting but to be good withou t fasting is

,

as impossible as it is to advance witho ut getting up o n

’
to one s feet .

Fasting is an indispensable condition o f a good life ,

whereas gluttony is and always h as been the fi rs t Sign

o f the opposite—a bad life ; and unfortunately this vice
, ,

, ,

is in the highest degree characteristic o f the li fe o f the

maj ority o f the men o f o u r time .

L ook at the faces and figures o f the men o fo u r circle

and day —o u all those faces with pendent cheeks and
c hins ,
those corpulent limbs and prominent stomachs ,

lies the indelible seal o f a dissol u te life N o r can i t be .

otherwise Consider o u r life and th e actuating motive

.

o f the maj ori t y o f m e n in o u r society and then ask ,

V o u r se l f W hat
,
is th e chief interest of this maj ority ?

An d stran ge as it may appear to u s who are accus

,

to med to hide our real interests and to profess false ,

artificial ones you will find that the chief interest o f

,

their life is the satisfaction o f the palate th e pleasure

o f eating —gluttony
,

From the poorest to the richest

.
,

eating is, I think the chief aim the chief pleasure o f

, , ,

o u r life Poor working people for m an exception but

.
,

only inasmuch as want prevents their addictin g them

selves to thi s passion No sooner have th ey the time .

and the means than i n imitation o fthe higher classes

, , ,

th ey procure what is most tasty and sweet an d eat and ,

drink as m uch as they can Th e more they eat the .

,

more do they deem themselves not only happy but also , ,

s trong a n d heal t hy And in this conviction they are

.

e ncouraged by the upper classes who re gard food i n ,

recisely the sam e way Th e educated classes (follow

p .

ing the medical men who assure them that th e most

e xpensive food flesh is the most wholesom e ) imagine
, ,

that happiness and health consist in t asty nourishing , ,

 THE FI R ST S TEP 79

e asily digested food — in gorgin g ; though they try to

conceal this .

’
L ook at rich people s lives, listen t o their conversa
tion W hat lofty subj ec t s seem t o occupy them :
.

philosoph y science art poetry the distribution o f

, , , ,

wealth the welfare o f the people and th e education of

, ,

the young ; but all this is for the immense maj ority
a sham —all this occupie s them in the intervals o f
, ,

business real business : b etween lunch and dinner

, ,

while the stomach i s fu ll and it is impossible t o eat

more Th e only real living interest o f the m aj ority
.

both o f men and women especially after early youth is , ,

eating— H o w t o eat what t o eat where and w hen to eat ?

, ,

No solemnity n o rej oicing n o consecration , n o

, ,

O pening o f anything can dispense with eating ,

.

W atch people travelling In their case th e thin g is .

specially evident Museums libraries Parliament ‘

, ,

ho w very interesting " But where Shall we dine ?

.

Where is o n e best fed ? L ook at people when they ’

come together fo r dinner dressed up perfumed around

a table decorated with fl e wers —how j oyfully they rub
, , ,

their hands and smile

If we could look into th e hearts o f the maj ority o f
people what should we find they most desire ? A pp e
,

tite for break fast and fo r dinner W hat is the severest .

punishment from infancy upwards ? T0 be put o n

bread and water W hat artisans get the hi ghest .

wages ? Cooks t a t is the ch ief interest o f the

.

mistress o f the h ouse ? To what subj ect does the

conversation o f middle class housewives generally tend ? -

If the conversation o f the members o f th e high er classes

does n o t tend in the same direction it is n o t because ,

they are better educated o r are occupied with higher

interests , but simply because they have a house keeper -

o r a steward who relieves them o f a l l anxiety about

their dinner B u t once deprive them o f this con

.

ve n ie n c e and yo u will s e e what causes them most

,

anxiety It all comes round to t h e subj ect o f eating :

.

the price o f g rouse th e best way o f making co ffee o f

, ,

baking swee t cakes etc People co m e tog e ther , .

80 E S S AY S AND LETTE R S

whatever the occasion : a christening a funeral a ,

wedding the consecration o f a church the departure

, ,

o r arrival o f a friend the consecration o f re gimenta l ,

colours the celebration o f a memorable day the death

, ,

o r birth o f a gr eat scientist philosopher o r teacher of

morality—men come together a s i f occupied by th e

, ,

most lofty interests S o they say ; but it i s only a .

pretence : they all know that there will be eatin g

good tasty food—and drinkin g and it i s chie fl y this ,

that brings them together For several days before .

,

to this end animals have been s l aughtered baskets o f

, ,

provisions brought from gastronomic shops ; cooks and

their helpers kitchen boys and maids specially attired
, ,

in clean starched frocks and caps have been at work

, ,
‘

C hefs receiving £ 50 a month and more have been

, ,

occupied in giving directions Cooks have been chop .

ping k neadin g roasting arranging adorning I Vi t h

, , , ,
.

li ke solemnity and importance a master o f the cere

monies has been working calculating ponderin g , , ,

adj usting with his eye like an artist A gardener h as ,

.

been employed upon the flowers S cullery maids .

-

A n army o f men has been at work the result o f ,

thousands of working days are being swallowed up and ,

all this that people may come together to talk about

some great teacher o f science o r morality o r to recall ,

the memory o f a deceased friend o r to greet a young ,

couple j ust enterin g upon a new life .

I n the middle and lower classes it is perfectly evident

that every festivity every funeral o r wedding means , ,

gluttony There t h e matter i s s o unders t ood

. To .

such an extent is gluttony th e motive o f the assembly

that i n G reek a n d in French the same word means
both wedding and feast
‘
B ut in the u pper classes
’ ‘
.
’

o f the rich especially among th e refined who have

, ,

long possessed wealth great skill is used to conceal ,

this and t o make it appear that eating is a secondary

,

matter necessary only for appearance

,
And thi s .

pretence is easy as in the maj ority o f cases the gu ests

are satiated in the true sense o f t he w ord —they are
,

never hungry .
 TH E FI R S T S TE P 8]

They pretend that dinner eating is n o t necessary t o , ,

them is even a burden ; but this a lie Try giving

them —instead o f the refined dishes th ey expect I do
.
,

n o t s ay bread and w ater but — porridge o r gruel o r ,

s omething o f that kind and se e what a storm it will

,

call forth and h ow evident will become the real truth

, ,

namely that the ch ief interest o f the assembly is n o t ,

the ostensible o n e but — gluttony

,

.
,

L ook at what men sell ; go throu gh a town and s e e

what men buy— articles o f adornment and thin gs to
devour And indeed this m u st be so it cannot be
.
,

otherwise It is only possible not t o think about eat

.

i n g t o keep th is lust under control when a man does

, ,

n o t eat ex cept in obedience t o necessity but if a m an

c eas es to eat only i n obe d ience t o necessity wh en
the stomach is full —then th e state of things cannot
but be what it actually i s I f men love the pleasure o f
.

eating if they allow themselves to love this pleasure

, ,

if they find it good (as i s the case with the vast maj ority
o f m e n in o u r time and with educated men quite as
,

much as with uneducated although they pretend th at ,

it is n o t s o ) there is n o limit t o the a u gmentation o f

,

this pleasure n o limit beyond which it may not grow

,
.

Th e satisfaction o f a n eed h as limits but pleasure has ,

none Fo r th e satisfactio n of o u r needs it is necessary

.

and su ffi cient to eat bread porridge o r rice ; fo r the , ,

augmentation of pleasure there i s no end t o t h e

possible fl av o u r in gs and seasonin g s .

B read is a necessary and su ffi cient food (T his i s .

proved by th e millions of men wh o are strong active , ,

health y and hard working o n rye bread alone ) B u t

,
-
.

it is pleasanter to eat bread with some fl a vo u r in g It .

i s well to soak the bread in wa ter b oiled with meat .

S till better to pu t i nto this water some vegetable or,

better yet several vegetables It is well t o eat flesh
,
. .

And flesh i s be tter not stewed but roasted ; and it is ,

b etter still with butter and u nderdone and ch oosing

, ,

o u t certain special parts o f the meat But add t o t his .

vege tab les and mustard A nd drink wine with it, red
.

wine fo r preference One does not need any more b u t

.
,
82 ES SA Y S AN D L E TT E R S

one can yet eat some fish i f it i s well flavoured with

sauces and swallo wed down with white wine It would .

seem as if o n e could get through nothing more , either

rich o r tasty but a sweet dish can still be managed in
,

summer ices i n winter stewed fruits preserves etc

, , ,
.

A nd thus we have a dinner a m odest dinner Th e ,

.

pleasure of such a dinner can be greatly augmented .

And i t is augmented and there is no limit to this aug

'

,
’
mentation : stimulating snacks ho rs d wu vr es before ,
-

d inner and en tr em ets and desserts and various com

, ,

b i n at io n s of tasty things and flowers and decoratio n s ,

and music d urin g dinner .

And strange to sa y men wh o dail y overeat th em ,

selves at such dinners — i n comparison with which th e

,

feast of B elshazz ar that evoked th e prophetic warning

, ,

was nothing— are nai vely persuaded that they may yet
be leadin g a moral life .

Fasting is an indispensable condition o f a good life

but in fastin g as in self control in general t he ques -

tion arises with what Shall we begin —H o w to fast

, ,

, ,

ho w often to eat what t o eat what t o avoid eating ? A n d

, ,

as we can d o no work seriously with out regarding th e

necessary order o fsequence s o also we cannot fast wi th
out knowing wh ere to begi n —with what to commence
,

s elf control in food

-
.

Fasting " And even an analysis o f h o w to fast and ,

where to be gin Th e notion see m s ridi culous and wild

to the maj ority o f men .

I remember how with pride at h is originality an , ,

E vangelical preach er who w as attackin g m onastic ,

asceticism once said t o me Ours i s n o t a Christianity

, ,
’
o f fasting and privation s but of beefsteaks Christ
i an it y o r virtue in general —and beefsteaks
,
.

During a long period o f darkness an d l ack o f all

guidance Pagan o r Christian s o many wild immoral
, , ,

idea s have made their way into o u r life (especiall y into

that lower re gion o f the first steps toward a good life
o u r relation to food to which no o n e pai d any atten ,
 TH E FI R ST S TEP 83

tion ) that it is diffi c u lt for us even t o understand the

,

a udacity and senselessness o f upholding in o u r days , ,

Christiani t y o r virtue with beefsteaks .

W e are n o t horri fied b this association solely becau se

'

a strange thing h as b e faIl e n u s W e look and se e not

,

listen and hear not There is no bad odour no sound

.
, ,

no monstrosity, t o which man cannot become so accus

t e med that h e ceases to remark what would strik e a
man unaccustomed t o it Precisely so it is in th e moral .

region Christ ianity and morality with beefsteaks

.

A fe w days ago I visited the slaughter h ouse in o u r

town o f To ula It i s built o n the new and improved
.

system practised in large towns with a view to causi n g ,

the animals as little su ffering as possible It was on a .

Friday two days before Trinity S unday There were

,
.

many cattle th ere .

Long before this when readin g that excellent book

, ,

The E thi c s of Di et I had wishe d to visit a slau g hter

,

house in order to se e with my o wn eyes the reality of

,

th e question raised when vegetarianism is discussed .

B u t at f i rst I felt ashamed to do so as one i s always ,

ashamed o f going t o look at su ffering wh ich o n e knows

is about to tak e place but which one cannot avert and ,

so I kept putting o ff m y visit .

B u t a little while ago I m et o n the road a b u tcher

returning t o To ula after a visit to his home He is not .

yet an experienced butcher and his duty is to stab with ,

a knife I asked h im wh ether he did not feel sorry for

.

th e animals that he killed He gave me the usual .

answer W h y sh ould I feel sorry ? It is necessary

’
.
’

B u t wh en I told him that eati n g flesh is not necessary ,

b u t is onl y a luxury he agreed and then he admitted

,

that h e was sorry for the animals B u t what can I .

‘

do ? I must earn my bread he said At first I was ,

’
.
‘

afr a id t o kill My fath er he never even killed a

.
,

chicke n in all h is life Th e maj ority of R ussians .

’

cannot kill they feel pity and express the feeling by ,

the word fea r Th is man h a d also been afraid but

‘ ’ ’
.
,

he was so n o longer H e told me that most of t h e .

F 2
 84 E S S A Y S AN D LE TTE RS
work was done o n Fridays when it continues until the ,

evening .

Not long ago I also had a talk with a retired soldier ,

a butcher and he too was surprised at my assertion
, , ,

that it was a pity to k ill and said the usual things ,

about its being ordained ; but afterwards h e a greed

with me E speciall y wh en they are quiet tam e ,

cattle They come poor things "trustin g you

.
,
It .

is very pitiful
’
.

This is drea dful Not the su ffering and death o f the

animals but that man suppresses in him self u n n e c e s
—
, ,

s ar i l y the highest Spiritual capacity that of sympath y

and pity toward living creatures like h im self—and by
,

violating his own feelings becomes cruel And how .

deeply seated in th e h uman h eart is the inj uncti on not

to take life
Once when walking from Moscow * I was o ffered a
, ,

lift by some carters who were goin g from S é rp o u h o f to

a neighbourin g forest to fetch wood It wa s th e .

Th ursday before Easter I was seated in the first cart .

,

with a strong red coarse carman wh o evidently drank

, , ,
.

On en t ering a Village we saw a well fed naked pink -

, ,

pig bein g dragged out of the first yard to be slaughtered .

I t squealed in a d readful voice resembling the sh riek ,

of a man Just as we were passing they be gan to kill

.

it A man gashed i ts th roat with a k nife Th e p ig

. .

squealed still more loudly and piercin gly broke a way ,

from the men and ran o ff covered with blood B ei n g

, .

near sighted I did not see all the details I saw only
-
.

the human looking pink bod y of the pig and heard its
-

desperate squeal ; but the carter saw all the details

and watched closely They caught the pig knocked .
,

it down and finished cutting its throat

,
W hen i t s .

s q ueals ceased the carter sighed heavily Do men .

‘

really not have to answer fo r such things ? he said

’
.

W h en re turn i n g t o Y asn ay a P o l yan a i n spri n g a ft er his ,

wi n t er s r es id en c e i n Mo sc o w To l s to y r e p eat e dly ch o s e t o
’

walk t h e di s ta n c e (so m e t h i n g o v er 1 30 m il e s ) i n s t e ad o f
go i n g by ra i l S ér p o u h o f i s a to wn h e h ad t o p as s o n t h e
.

way .
 TH E FI R ST STEP 85

So strong i s m an s aversion t o all killin g But b y

’
.

example by encouraging greediness by the assertion

, ,

that G o d h as allowed it and above all, by habit peop l e , , ,

entirel y lose this natural feeling .

0 11 Friday I decided t o go to To ula and meeting a , ,

m eek kind acquaintance of mine I invited h im to

, ,

accompany me .

Y e s I have heard that the arrangements are good

, ,

and have been wishing to go and se e it b u t if they are

’
slau ghterin g I will not go in .

‘
W h y not ? That s j ust w hat I want to se e If w e ’

’
eat flesh it must be killed .

N o no I cannot "
’
‘
, ,

It is w orth remarking that th is man is a Sportsman

a n d himself kills animals and birds .

S o we went to th e slaughter house Even at the -

.

entrance o n e noticed the heavy disgusting fetid smell , , ,

a s o f carpenter s glue o r paint o n glue

’
Th e nearer ,
.

we approached th e stro n ger became the smell Th e

,
.

b uilding i s o f red bri ck very large with vaults and , ,

h igh chim neys W e entered the gates To the right

. .

w as a Spacious enclosed yard three quarters o f an acre -

in extent —
,

twice a week cattle are driven in here fo r

sale — and adj oini n g this enclosure wa s the porter s ’

lodge To th e left were the chambers as the y are

.
,

called — L e rooms w ith arched entrances sloping

, ,

asphalt floors and contrivances fo r moving and hang

,

ing up th e carcasses On a bench against the wall o f .

t h e porter s lod g e were seated half a dozen butchers

’

in aprons covered with blood their tucked u p sleeves ,

-

d isclosing their muscular arm s also besmeared with

blood They had finished their work half an h our
.

before so tha t day we could only s e e th e empty cham

,

bers . Th o u gh these chambers were open o n both

sides there was an oppressive smell of warm blood ;
,

the floor was brown an d shining with congealed black ,

blood in the cavities .

O n e of the butchers described th e process o f sla ugh

tering and sh owed us the p l ace where it was done I
, .

did n o t quite understand h im and formed a wrong , ,

86 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S

bu t very horrible idea o f the way t h e a nimals are

,

slau ghtered ; and I fancied that as i s often the case , ,

the reality would very likely prod u ce u pon me a

we a k e r i m p r e s si o n than the imagi nation
'
But in this .

I was mistaken .

Th e next time I visited the slaughter ho u se I went -

in good time I t was the Friday before Trinity— a

.

warm day in June Th e smell o f glue and blood was .

even stronger and more penetrating than o n my first

visit Th e work was at it s height Th e dusty yard
. .

was full of cattle and animals had been driven into all
,

th e enclosures beside the chambers .

In the street before the entrance stood carts t o

, ,

which oxen calves and cows were tied Other carts

, , .

drawn by good horses and filled with live calves whose ,

heads hung down and swayed about drew up and were ,

unloaded and Similar carts containing t h e carcasses of

oxen with tremblin g le gs sticking out with heads an d
, ,

bright red lun gs and brown livers drove away from ,

the slau ghter house By th e fence stood the cattle

-
.

’
dealers horses Th e dealers themselves in their lon g
.
,

coats with their whips and knouts in their hands were

, ,

walking about the yard either markin g with tar cattle ,

belon gin g to th e same owner o r bargainin g or else , ,

guiding oxen and bulls from the great yard into the
enclosures which lead into the chambers These men .

were evidently all preoccupied with money matters and

calculations and any thou ght as to whether it was ri ght
,

or wrong to kill these animals was as far from thei r

minds as were q uestions about the chemical composition
of the blood that covered the fl oor o f the chambe rs .

No butchers were to be seen in the yard they were

all in the chambers at work That day about a hundred .

head o f ca t tle were slau ghtered I was on the point .

of entering o n e of the chambers but stopped short at ,

the door I stopped both because the chamber w as

.

crowded wi th carcasses wh ich were bein g moved about ,

and also because blood w as fl owin g o n the fl oor and

drippin g from above A l l the butchers present were .

besmea red with bl ood and h ad l entered I too should , , ,

 TH E FI R S T S TE P 87

ertainly have been covered with it One s u spended

'

c .

carcass w as bei n g taken down , another was being .

moved toward the door a third a slaughtered o x was , , ,

lying with it s W hite legs raised while a butcher with ,

stro n g hand was ripping up its tight stretched hide -

.

Through the door opposite the o n e at which I w as

standin g a big red well fed o x was led in Tw o men
, , ,
-
.

w e r e d ra ggin g it and hardly had it entered when I

' ,

s a w a butcher raise a k nife above it s neck and stab it .

Th e ox as if al l four le gs had suddenly given way fell

, ,

heavily upon it s belly immediately turned over o n o n e ,

side and began to work its legs and all its hind
,

quarters A nother butcher at once threw himself u pon

.

the o x from the side O pposite to the twitchin g le gs ,

caught it s horns and twisted its head down to th e

ground while ano ther butch e r cut its throat with a
,

k nife From beneath the head there fl owed a stream

.

o f blackish red blood which a besmeared boy caugh t

-
,

in a tin basin All the time this was going on th e ox

.

kept incessantly twitching it s head as if tryin g to ge t

up and waved it s four legs in the air Th e basin was
, .

q uickly filling but the 0 x still

,
lived and i t s stomach , ,

heavin g heavily both b in d and fore legs worked so

,

violently that the butchers held aloof W hen one .

basin was full th e boy carried it away on h is head to

,

the albumen factory while anoth er b o y placed a fresh ,

basin which also soon began to fill up But still th e

,
.

o x heaved its body and worked its hind legs .

W hen th e blood ceased to flow the butcher raised th e

animal s head and began t o skin it Th e o x continued
’
.

to writhe The head stripped o f i t s skin sh owed red

.
, ,

w ith white veins and kept the position given it by the

,

butcher o n both si des hung the skin S till t h e .

animal did n o t cease t o writhe Th en another butcher .

caught hold o f o n e o f th e legs broke it and cut it o ff , ,

.

In the remaining legs and the stomach the convulsions

still continued Th e other legs were cut o ff and thrown
.

aside together with those o f other oxen belon g i n g to

,

the same owner Then th e carcass was dragged to t h e

.

hoist and hung up and the convulsio n s were over ,

.
88 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

Th us
I looked on from the door at the second third , ,

fo urth o x It was the same with each : the same

.

cutting o ff o f th e head w ith bitten ton gue and the ,

same convulsed members Th e only di fference was .

that the butcher did not always strike at once so as

’
to cause the animal s fall S ometimes he missed his .

aim whereupon the o x leaped up bellowed and

, , , ,

covered with blood tried to escape B u t then his, .

head was pulled u nde r a bar struck a second time and , ,

he fell .

I afterwards entered by the door at which the oxen

were led in Here I saw the same thin g only nearer
.
, ,

and therefore more plainly B u t chiefly I saw here .

,

what I had not seen before h o w the oxen were forced ,

to enter this door Each time an o x was seized in the .

enclosure and pulled forward by a rope tied to it s horns ,

the animal smelling blood refused to advance and

, , ,

sometimes bellowed and drew back It would have .

been beyond the stren gth o f two men to drag it in by

force so one o f th e butchers went round each time
, ,
’
grasped th e animal s ta il and t wisted it so violently
that the gristle crackled and the o x advanced ,
.

W hen they had finished with the cattle of o n e owner ,

t hey brought in those o f another Th e first animal o f

this next lot was n o t an 0 x but a bull —a fine well bred
.

-
, ,

creature black with white spots o n it s l egs young

, , , ,

m uscular full o f energy He w as dragged forward

,
.
,

but b e lowered his head and resisted sturdily Then .

the butcher w h o followed beh ind seized the tail like ,

an engine driver grasping the handle of a whistle

-
,

twisted it the gristle crackled and the bull rushed

, ,

forward upsettin g the men w ho held the rope Then

,
.

it stopped looking sideways with it s black eyes th e

, ,

whites o f which had filled with blood But again the .

tail crackled and the bull sprang forward and reached

,

the required spot Th e striker approached took aim .

, ,

and struck B u t th e blow missed the mark Th e hu l l

. .

leaped u p shook his head bellowed and covered with

, , , ,

blood broke free and rushed back Th e men at the

, .

doorway all sprang aside but the experienc e d butchers ,

 TH E FI R S T STE P 89

with th e dash o f men inured t o danger, quick ly ca u ght

the rope ; again the tail operation was repeated and ,

again the hu l l was in th e chamber wh ere h e was ,

dragged under the bar from which he did not again ,

escape Th e s triker quickly took aim at the spot where

.

the hair divides lik e a star and notwithsta nding the , ,

blood found it struck and the fine animal full o f

, , , ,

life collapsed it s head and legs writh ing while it was

, ,

bled and the head skinned .

’
There the cursed devil hasn t even fallen the right
,

way grumbled the butcher as h e cut the skin from

the head .

Five minutes later the h ead was stuck up red instead ,

o f black without skin ; the eyes that had shone with

, ,

such splendid colour five minutes before fixed and ,

glassy .

Afterwards I went into the compartment wh ere small

animals are slau ghtered —a very large chamber w ith
asphalt floor and tables with backs o n which sheep
, ,

and calves are killed Here the work was already .

finished ; in the long room impregnated with the ,

smell o f blood were only t wo butchers One was , .

blowing into th e leg o f a dead lamb and patting th e

s wollen stomach with his hand ; the other a young ,

fellow in an apron besmeared with blood was sm oking ,

a bent c i garette There w as n o o n e else in th e long

.
,

dark chamber filled with a heavy smell A fter me

, .

there entered a man apparently an ex soldier bringing ,

-
,

i n a young yearling ram black with a white mark on ,

it s neck and its legs tied

,
This animal he placed upon .

o n e o f the tables a s if upon a bed Th e o l d soldier

, .

greeted the b u tchers with whom he was evidently ,

.

acquainted and began t o a sk wh en th eir master allowed

,

them leave Th e fellow with t h e ci garette approached

.

with a knife sharpened it on th e edge o f t he table and

, ,

answered that they were free o n holida ys Th e live .

ram was lying as quietly a s the dead inflated o n e ,

except that it was briskly wagging it s sh ort little tail

a n d i t s sides w ere hea ving more quickly than usual .

The sold ier pressed down it s u plifted head gently ,

90 E S S AY S A N D L ETTE R S

with out e ffort ; the butcher still continuing the con ,

versation grasped with his left hand the head of

,

the ram and cut it s throat Th e ram quivered and .

,

th e little tail sti ffened and ceased to wave Th e .

fellow while waitin g fo r the bl ood to flow began to

, ,

relight h is cigarette which had gone o u t Th e blood ,

.

flowed and the ram be gan to writhe Th e conversation .

continued with out the slightest interruption It was .

horribly revoltin g .

s
a

And how about t h ose hens and c h ickens which daily ,

in thousands o f kitchens with b e a ds cut o ff and stream ,

ing with blood comically dreadfu lly, fl o p about j erkin g

, , ,

thei r win gs
And se e a kind refined lad y will devo ur the car
, ,

cass es o f these animals with full assurance t hat she i s

doing ri ght at the same time asserting two contra
,

di c t o r y propositions
First that she is as her doctor assures her so deli
, , ,

cate that sh e cannot be sustained by ve ge t able food

alone and that for her feeble organism flesh is indis
,
+

pensable ; and secondly that she is so sensitive that

, ,

she is unable n o t only herself to inflict su fferin g on

,
'

animals but even t o bear th e si ght o f su fl e r i n g

,
.

\Vh e r e as the poor lady is weak precisely because she

has been tau ght to live upon food unnatural to m an ;
and sh e cannot avoid causing su fferin g t o animals — for
s h e eats them .

W e cannot pretend that we do not know this \ Ve .

are not ostriches and cannot believe that if we refuse

,

to look at what we do not wish to see it will n o t exist ,

.

This is especially the case when what we do not wish to

see is w hat we wish to eat If it were really i n disp e n s .

able o r if n o t indispensable at least in some wa y

, , ,
*
useful B u t it i s quite unnecessary and only serves ,

th o se wh o d o ubt thi s r ead t h e n um er o u s b o o k s u p o n

L et
t he s ubj ec t writt e n by s c i
,
e n ti s t s a n d d o ct o r s —s uc h a s

Dr A H ai g s littl e b o o k Diet a n d Fo od o r his larger

’
. .
, ,
 TH E FI RS T STEP 91

to develop animal feelings t o excite desire and t o , ,

promote fornication an d drunkenness And this i s .

continually bein g confirmed by the fact that young

kind undepraved peopl e —especially wome n and gi rls
,

—without knowing h o w it lo gically follows feel that

,

vi rtue i s incompatible with beefsteaks and as soon as , ,

th ey w ish t o be good give up eating flesh , .

W hat then do I wi sh t o say ? That in order

, ,

to be moral peopl e must ceas e t o eat meat ? N o t

at al l .

I only wish to say that for a goo d life a certain order

’
o f good actions i s indispensable that if a man s aspira
tions toward right livin g be serious they will inev itably
follow o n e de fi nite sequence and that in this sequence
t h e first virtue a man will strive after wi l l be self
control self restraint A nd in seeking for self control
,
-
.
-

a man will inevitably follow one definite se q uence and ,

in this sequence the first thing will be self control in -

food — fastin g And in fasting i f he be really and

.
,

seriously seeking to live a good life the first thi n g from ,

which h e will abstain will always be the u s e o f animal

food because to say nothin g of th e excitation o f the
, ,

passions caused by s u ch food its use is simply immoral , ,

as it involves the performance of an act w hich is

contrary t o the moral feelin g—k illing ; and i s called
forth only by greediness and the desire fo r tasty
foo d .

Th e precise reason why abstinence from animal food

sc eni tific w o rk o n U r tc A ci d a s a Fa cto r i n the Ca u sa ti o n of

—
Di sea se i n w h i c h it is pr o v e d th a t esh i s n o t n e c essary fo r
fl
t h e n o u ri sh m en t o f m an A n d l e t th em n o t li s t en t o th es e
.

o l d -f ashi o n ed d o cto rs wh o d efen d t h e ass erti on that es h i s fl

n ec essar m e r e ly b e c au se i t h as l o n g b een so re gard e d b y
y ,

th e ir pred e ce sso rs an d by th em selv e s an d wh o d e fen d

th e ir o pi n i o n with t en acity an d m al e v o l en c e , as all that is
o l d an d tr a diti o n a l al wa y s i s d e fe n d e d —L T . .

W hil e thi s v o lum e was in p re parati o n , a l e tt er wa s re

c e i v e d fr o m To l st o y with i n stru c ti o n s t o i n c lud e t h e ab o v e
r efe ren c e t o Dr H a i
g s wo rk s , whi c h h ad n o t b e en m en ti o n e d
’
.

in pre vi o u s e diti o n s o fthi s essay .

92 E S S AY S AND LETTE R S
will be the first act of fasting and o f a moral life is
admirably explained in the book The E thic s of Di et ,

and not b y one man only but by all mankind in the

,

persons o f its best representatives d u ri ng all the c o n

scious life of h umanity .

But why if th e wron gfulness

,
the im m o ral it y m

o f animal food was known to humanity so long ago ,

have people not yet come t o acknowledge this law ?

will be asked by those who are accustomed t o be led by
p ublic O pinion rather than by reason .

Th e answer to this question i s t hat the moral pro

gress o f humanity —which is the fo undation o f ever
,

other kind o f pro g ress as al ways slow ; but that the

-

sign of true not casual progress is its uninterrupted

, ,

ness and its continual acceleration .

And the pro g ress of vegetarianism is o f this kind .

That pro gress is expressed both in the words o f the

,

writers cited in the above mentioned book and in the

-

actual life o f mankind which from many causes is

,

involuntaril y passin g more and more from c arn i v

o r o u s habits to vegetable food and is also deliber ,

ately followin g th e same path i n a movement which

shows evident stren gth and which is growing lar ger
and larger —viz ve getarianism That movement has
,

,
. .

during th e las t ten years advanced more and more

rapidly More and more books and periodicals on this
.

subj ect appear every year ; one meets more and more
people who have given up meat and abroad especially ,

in Germany E ngland and America the number of

, , ,

ve geta rian hotels and restaurants increases year by

year .

This movement should cause especial j o y to those

whose life lies i n the e ffort to bring about the kin gdom
of G o d o n earth not because ve getarianism is in itself
,

an important step towards that kin g dom (all true steps

are both important and unimportant) but because it is ,

a sign that the aspiration of mankind toward moral

perfection is serious and sincere for i t h as taken the o n e
,

unalterable order of succession natural to it beginning ,

with the first ste p ,

 TH E FI R ST S TEP 93

One cannot fail t o rej oice at th is a s people coul d n o t

,

fail to rej oice who after strivi n g t o reach the upper

,

story o f a house by trying vainly and at random to

climb th e walls from di fferent points should at l ast ,

assemble at t h e first step o f the staircase and crowd

towards it, convinced that th ere can be n o way up except
by mounting this first step of th e stairs .

Th e a b o ve e ss a w as writt en as Pr e fac e t o a Ru ssia n

y
tran sl ati o n o f H o ward W i l li am s The E th i cs of Di et
’
.
 NO N - A CTIN G

I .

TH E editor o f a Paris review thinking that the opinions

,

of two celebrated writers on the state o f mind that is

common to — day would interest me has sent me two
extracts from Fren ch newspapers —one containin g
,

’
Z ola s speech delivere d at the banquet of the General
Association of S tudents the other containin g a letter
,

f om Dumas to the editor of th e Ga u l o is

r .

These documents interested me profoundl y both on ,

account of their timeliness and the fame of their

auth ors and also because it would be difficult i n
,

present day literature to find in such concise vigorous

-
, ,

and brilliant form an expression of the two fu nda

,

mental forces the sum o f which moves humanity .

Th e o n e is the force of routine tending to keep ,

h umanity i n i ts accustomed path ; the other is the

force of reaso n and love drawing h umanity towards
,

the light .

’
Th e following is Zola s speech i n exten s o

G E N T LE M E N ,
Y o u hav e paid m e a great h o n o ur an d c o n fe rre d o n
,

m e a gre a t pl ea s ur e ,by ch o o si n g m e t o presid e at thi s

A n n ual B an q u e t . Th ere i s n o b e tt er o r m o re c h arm i n g
so c i e ty tha n t h a t o ft h e y o u n g Th ere i s n o audi en c e m o re
.

s ym p a t h e ti c o r b e fo r e wh o m o n e s h e art o p e n s m o r e fr ee ly
’

with t h e wi sh t o b e l o v e d an d li s t en ed t o .

I alas "h av e r eac h e d an age at whi c h we b egi n t o r egre t

,

o u r d e part e d y o uth a n d t o p ay att en ti o n t o t h e e f

,
fo rt s o f
94 J
 NO N -
u
ACTIN G 95

th e ri s i n g ge n e r ati o n that i s c li m bi n g up b e hi n d u s It i s .

th e y wh o will b o th j ud ge u s an d c arry o n o u r w o rk In .

th em I feel t h e futur e c o m i n g t o birth , an d at ti m es I ask

m s e lf, n o t w i th o ut s om e an xi e ty , W h a t o f al l o u r e ffo rts
y
wi l l th e y r ej ect , an d what wi ll th ey re t ai n Z W hat w ill
'
.

h a ppen t o o u r wo rk wh en it h as passe d i n to th e ir h an d s ?
Fo r it can n o t la st e xc e pt thro ugh th e m , an d it w ill d i s
a pp ear u n l ess th ey a c c e pt i t, t o en large it an d b r i n g it t o
c o m pl eti o n .

Th at i s I eagerly watch t h e m o v em en t o f ideas

W hy
am o n
g t h e y o uth o f t o day an d r e ad t h e advan c e d pap e rs
-
,

a n d r e vi e ws e n d e a v o uri n g t o k e e p i n t o uc h w i t h t h e n e w
,

S pirit that an i m at es o u r sch o o l s an d s tr ivi n g v a i n ly t o

k n o w whith er y o u are all wen di n g y o ur way —yo u wh o
,

r e presen t t h e i n telli gen ce an d t h e will o ft o m o rro w -

.

Certai n ly gentl e m en ego ti sm

,
pl ay s i t s part i n t h e
,

m att e r I d o n o t hid e it I am s o m ewhat lik e a wo rk m an

.

wh o fin i shi n g a h o u se wh ich h e h o p es will sh elt er h i s o l d

,

a e
g ,
i s an xi o u s co n c e rn i n g t h e we ath er h e h as t o e xpe ct .

W ill t h e rai n dam age h i s wall s ? May n o t a sudd e n wi n d

fr o m t h e n o rth t ear t h e ro o f o f f A b o v e al l h as h e built ,

s tr o n gly e n o u gh t o re s i st t h e s t o rm H a s h e sp are d n e ith er

du rabl e m at e ri al n o r i rk so m e lab o ur It i s n o t that I thi n k
_

o u r wo rk e t e rn al o r fi n al Th e gre a t es t m u s t re s i gn th em
.

s elv e s t o t h e th o u ht th a t th e
g y re pr ese n t but a m o m e nt i n
t h e e v er c o n ti n ui n g d e v e l o pm e nt o f t h e hum an s pirit ; it
-

w ill b e m o r e than su f fici en t t o hav e b een fo r o n e h o ur t h e

m o uthpi e c e o f a ge n e rati o n A n d s i n c e o n e can n o t k e e p a
literatur e stati o n ary bu t al l thi n gs c o n ti n ually e v o lv e an d
,

r ec o m m en ce o n e m u st e xp ect t o s ee yo un ger m en bo rn an d
,

gr o w u p wh o will p erhaps i n th e ir turn c au se y o u t o b e

, , ,
?
fo rgo tt en I do n o t say th a t t h e o l d W arri o r i n m e d o e s
.

n o t at ti m e s d e s ir e t o r es i s t w h en h e fee l s h i s wo rk att a ck e d .
,

Bu t i n truth I fac e t h e ap pr o ac hi n g c e n tury with m o re o f

, ,

c uri o s ity than o fr e v o lt an d m o re o f ard e n t s ym pathy th an

,

o fp e rso n al an xi e t y ; l e t m e p eri sh an d l e t al l m en e rati o n

y g ,

p eri s h w ith m e if i n d ee d we ar e go o d fo r n o thi n g but t o fi ll

, , ,

u p t h e dit c h f o r th o se wh o f o ll o w u s i n t h e m arch t o ward s

t he li gh t .

Gen tl e m en I c o n st an tly h e ar it sa id that P o s itivi sm i s at

,

i t s las t gasp th a t N aturali sm i s d ead th at S ci en c e h as

, ,

reac h e d t h e p o i n t o f ban kruptc y h avi n g faile d t o s upply ,

e ith er t h e m o ral p ea c e o r t h e hum an happi n ess it pr o m i s e d .

96 E S S AY S A N D LETTE R S
Y o u will well u n d ers tan d th at I do n o t h er e u n d e rtak e to
so lv e t h e gr e at
p ro bl em s rai se d by th e se q u es ti o n s . I am
an i gn o ram u s , an d hav e n o auth o rity t o sp e ak i n t h e n am e

o f sc i en c e o r phil o so phy I am , if y o u pl ease , s i m ply a

.

n o v e li s t , a writ e r wh o h as at ti m es se e n a littl e wa int o

y
t h e h e art o fthi n gs , an d w h o se c o m p e t en c e c o n s i s ts o n ly i n
h avi n g o b serv e d m u c h a n d wo rk ed m uch An d it i s o n ly
.

as a w it n ess that I all o w m y se lf t o s p e ak o f wh a t m r

yg e n e a
ti o n —t h e m en wh o are n o w fifty y ears o ld , an d wh o m y o ur
—
gen era ti o n w il l s o o n r egard as an c e sto rs h as b een , o r at
l east has wi sh ed t o b e .

I was m u c h s tru c k , a fe w d ays ago , at t h e o pen i n g o f t h e

S a l o n d a Cha m p d e Ma r s , by t h e c harac t eri s ti c a pp earan c e
‘

- -

o f t h e ro o m s . It i s t h o u gh t that t h e pi c tures are al wa ys

m uch t h e sam e . Th a t i s an e rro r . Th e e v o luti o n i s sl o w
b u t h o w as t o n i sh e d o n e w o uld b e t o d ay we re it p o ssibl e t o
re v ert t o t h e S a l o ns o f so m e fo rm er y ears Fo r m y p art , I
well r e m em b er t h e la s t ac ad em i c an d r o m an ti c e xhibiti o n s ,
ab o ut 1 8 6 3 . W o rk i n t h e o p en air (te p l ei n a i r ) h ad n o t
y e t triu m ph e d ; th e r e w as a gen eral t o n e o f bitum en , a
dirtyi n g o f can v a s , a pre v al en c e o f bur n t c o l o urs , t h e sem i
d ark n e s s o f s tu di o s Th e n , so m e fift e e n y e ars l at er , aft e r
.

t h e v i c t o ri o us an d m u c h c o n t e st e d i n fl u en c e o f Man e t , I c an
-

re c all q uite o th er e xhibiti o n s , wh ere t h e cl ear to n e o f fu l l

s un li ght sh o n e it was, as it w ere, an i n u n dati o n o flight , a
c ar e f o r trut h w h i c h m ad e e ac h pi c ture -fram e a w in d o w

o p en e d up o n N a tur e b ath e d i n li ht An d y e s terd ay , afte r

g .

an o th e r fifteen y ears, I c o uld di sc ern , am id t h e fresh

li m pi d ity o f t h e pro ducti o n s, t h e ri si n g o f a ki n d o f m y stic
fo g . Th er e was t h e s am e c ar e fo r c l e ar pa i n ti n g, but t h e
r eality was chan gi n g, t h e figures were m o r e e l o n gat ed , t h e
n eed o f o ri gi n ality a n d n o v e lty c arri e d t h e a rti s t s o v e r i n t o

t h e l an d o fdre am s .

If I h av e d welt o n th ese thre e stages o f c o n t em p o rary

pai n ting I h av e d o n e s o b e cause it se em s t o m e th a t t h e y
,

c o rr es p o n d v ery s triki n gl y t o t h e c o nt em p o rary m o v e m e n t s

o f th o ught . My ge n erati o n , i n d e ed , fo llo wi n g illustri o us

p r e d e c e sso rs o fwh o m w e w er e but t h e s uc c e s s o rs , stro v e t o

o p en t h e w i n d o ws w id e t o N atur e , i n o rd er t o s e e al l an d t o

say al l . In o u r ge n erati o n , e v en am o n g th o s e l ea s t co n sc i o u s
o f it , t h e l o n g e ffo rt s o fp o s itiv e phil o s o phy an d o fan aly ti c al
an d e x p e ri m e n tal sc i en c e c a m e t o fruiti o n . O u r fe alty was
t o S c i en c e , which surro un d e d u s o n al l s id es ; i n h er we
 N O N -A OTIN G 97

l iv ed , breathi n g t h e air o f t h e ep o ch I a m fre e t o c o n fess .

that perso n al l y I wa s e v e n a sect arian wh o liv e d t o trans

, , ,

po rt t h e ri gid m e th o d s o fS c i en ce i n to t h e d o m ai n o f Lite ra
ture Bu t whe re c an t h e m an b e fo u n d wh o i n t h e stres s
.
,
o f s trife d o es n o t e xc ee d w h a t i s n e c essary a n d i s c o n t en t
, ,

t o c o n q u e r with o ut c o m pr o m i s i n g hi s vict o ry ? O n t he
wh o l e I hav e n o thing t o r e gre t an d I c o n ti n u e t o b e li e v e i n
,

t h e p ass i o n whi c h w il l s an d a c t s W hat e nthus iasm what

h 0 p e we r e o ur s " To k n o w al l t o pr e v a il i n a l l a n d t o
.
,

, , ,

c o n u er al l " B y m e an s o f trut h t o m ak e hum an i t y m o re

q
n o b l e an d m o r e h appy

A n d i t i s a t thi s p o i n t gen tl em en th a t y o u t h e y o u n g
, , , ,

a pp ear up o n t h e sc en e I say t h e y o u n g but t h e term i s

.
,

v a gu e di s tan t an d d ee p as t h e sea fo r wh ere are t h e yo un g ?

W h at wil l i t —t h e y o un g gen e rati on —r eally b eco m e
, , ,

W ho
h as a ri ght t o s p e ak i n i t s n am e i I m u s t o f n e c e ss ity d e al
with t h e id ea s a ttr ibut e d t o it but if th e s e id e as are n o t a t
,

al l th o se h e ld by m a n y o f y o u I ask pard o n i n advan c e

, ,

a n d r efe r
y o u t o t h e m en wh o h a v e m i sl e d u s by u n tru s t
’

w o rthy i n fo rm ati o n m o r e i n ac c o rd n o d o ub t with th e ir

, , ,

o wn w i sh e s th an w ith r e al ity .

A t an y rat e gen tl em en w e are assur e d th at y o ur ge n e ra

, ,

ti o n i s parti n g c o m pan y w ith o urs that y o u will n o l o n ger ,

put all y o ur h O pe in S c i en ce th at y o u h a v e p erce iv e d s o

,

great a s o cial an d m o ral d an ger i n tr u s ti n g fully t o h er ,

t hat y o u a re d e t e rm i n e d t o thro w y o urse lv es b ac k up o n t h e

past i n o rd er t o c o nstruc t fro m t h e d ébri s o f d ead faith s a
, , ,

livi n g faith .

O fc o u rs e th ere i s n o q u es ti o n o fa c o m pl e t e div o r c e fro m

,

S c i en c e ; it i s u n d ers t o o d t h at y o u acc e pt h er lat e s t c o n

q u e s ts an d m ean t o e xt e n d th em It i s agree d tha t y o u .

w ill ad m it d em o n strat e d truth s an d e f fo rts are e v en b e i n g

,

m a d e t o fit th e m t o an ci e n t d o gm as B u t at b o tt o m
S ci en c e i s t o s tan d o u t o ft h e ro ad o ffaith —i t i s thrus t b ac k
.
, ,

t o i t s a n ci en t ran k as a s i m pl e e x e rci se o f t h e i n t e lli gen c e -

,

a n i n uiry p e rm itt e d s o l o n as i t d o es n o t i n fri n e o n t h e

q g g
s up e rn atur al an d t h e h e re aft er It i s said that t h e e xperi
.

m en t h as b e en m a d e a n d th a t S ci e n c e c a n n e ith e r re p e o pl e
,

t h e h eav en s sh e h as e m pti e d n o r r es t o r e h a p pi n es s t o so ul s
w h o s e n ai v e p e ac e sh e h as d e stro y e d Th e day o f h e r .
‘

m en da c i o u s trium p h i s ov er sh e m u s t b e m o d es t s i n c e s h e
c a n n o t i m m e di a t e ly k n o w e v erythi n g e n ri c h e v erythi n
g , ,

he al e ve ryt h i n g A n d if th e y d are n o t y e t bid i n t e lli ge n t

.

G
98 E S S AY S A N D LETTE R S

y o uth t o thro w away i t s b o o k s an d d esert i ts m aste rs th ere ,

ar e alre ady sai n t s a n d pro ph e t s t o b e fo u n d go i n g ab o ut t o

e xalt t h e virtu e o fi gn o ran c e t h e ser en ity o fs i m p l icity an d

, ,

t o pro c laim t h e n ee d a t o o l earn e d an d d e cre pit hu m an ity

-

s h o uld e xp e ri en c e o f re cup e ra ti n g its e lf i n t h e d e pth s o f a

prehi st o ri c vill age am o n g an cesto rs hardly d e tac h e d fro m

,

t h e e arth an t e c e ding al l so ci e ty an d all k n o wl e d ge

, .

I do n o t at al l d en y t he c ri s i s we are pass i n g thro ugh

thi s l assitud e an d r e vo lt at t h e e n d o f t h e c en tu ry after ,

su c h f e v eri s h an d c o l o ssal lab o ur w h o se am biti o n it w a s t o ,

kn o w al l an d t o say al l It se em e d th at Sci en c e w hi c h had

.
,

j u st o v erthro wn t h e o l d o rd er w o uld pro m ptly rec o ns truc t

,

it in ac c o rd w i t h o u r id eal o f j u stice a n d o f happi n e ss .

Tw en ty fifty e v e n a hu n dre d y ears pa ss e d

, ,
An d th e n .
,

w h en it was s e en that j u s ti c e did n o t r e i gn th at h ap p i ,

n e ss d i d n o t c o m e m an y p e o pl e y i e l d e d t o a gr o w i n g
,

i m pati en c e falli n g i n t o d es pair an d d en yi n g th at by k n o w

, ,

l e dge o n e c an e v er r e a c h t h e h appy l a n d It i s a c o m m o n .

o c c urr e n c e ; t h e re c an b e n o a c ti o n w it h o ut re a c ti o n an d ,

we are witn e ss i n g t h e fa ti gu e i n e vita bly i n c id en tal t o l o n g

j o urn e s p e o ple si t d o wn by t h e ro ads id e—see i n g t h e i n te r
m i n a b e plai n o f an o th er c e n tury s tre tc h b e fo r e th em th ey ,

d e spair o f e v e r re a c hi n g th e ir d esti n ati o n an d th ey fi n i s h ,

by e v en d o u bti n g t h e r o ad th e y h av e tra v e ll ed an d ,

re gretti n g n o t t o h av e r ep o se d i n a fi eld t o sl e e p fo r e v er ,

u n d er t h e stars W h a t i s t h e go o d o f advan c i n g if t h e
.
,

go al i s e v e r furth e r r e m o v e d ? W h at i s t h e u s e o f k n o w
i n g if o n e m ay n o t k n o w e v erythi n g ? A s w ell l e t u s
,

ke e p o u r un sulli e d si m plicity t h e i gn o ran t h appi n ess o f a

,

c hild .

A n d thu s it see m e d th at S c i e n ce whi c h was supp o s e d t o ,

h a v e pro m i se d happi n ess h ad re ach e d ban kruptcy

,
.

Bu t did S c i en c e pro m i s e happi n ess ? I do n o t b eli e v e i t .

S h e pro m i se d tru th an d t h e q u es ti o n i s wh e th er o n e w ill

, ,

e v er r e a c h h a ppi n ess by wa y o f tru th In o rd er t o c o n t e n t .

o n e s se lf w ith w h a t t ruth giv es m uch s t o i c i sm w ill c ertai n ly

’

b e n e e d e d : ab so lut e s elf ab n egati o n an d a seren ity o f t h e

-

s a ti s fi e d i n t e lli gen c e whi c h seem s t o b e di s c o v erab l e o n ly

am o n g t h e c h o sen f ew B u t m ean whil e wh at a cry o f

.
, ,

d esp a ir ri ses fro m su ffe ri n g hum an ity " H o w c an life b e

liv e d w ith o ut li es an d illusi o n s If th e re i s n o o th er w o rl d
—wh ere j us tice rei gn s wh ere t h e wick e d are pun i sh e d an d
t h e go o d are r ec o m p e n s e d —h o w are we t o liv e th r ou g h thi s
,
 NON-A CTING 99

ab o m i nabl e hum an life witho ut re v o lti n g 4 N ature is u nj u st ‘

an d c ru el S c i en c e seem s t o l e ad u s t o t h e m o n s tro u s law o f

t h e s tr o n ge s t—
,

so th a t al l m o rality crum bl es away an d e v ery

so c i e ty m ak e s f o r d es p o ti sm A n d i n t h e reacti o n whi c h
resu l ts—in th at l ass itud e fro m t o o m u c h k n o wl e dge o f
.

whi c h I hav e sp o k en —th e re c o m e s a r e c o il fr o m t h e truth

whi c h i s as y e t but p o o rly e xpl a i n e d an d s e em s cru e l t o o u r ,

fe ebl e e ye s that are un a b l e t o pen etrat e i n to an d t o se iz e al l

i t s l aws N o n o " Le ad u s bac k t o t h e p e a c e ful slu m b e r
“

.
,

o f i gn o ran c e R eality i s a sc ho o l o f p e rv e rs i o n whi c h m u st

b e kill e d an d d en i e d s i n c e i t will l ead t o n o thi n g but ugli
,

n e ss a n d cri m e S o o n e plun ge s i n t o dre am l an d as t h e o n ly

.

sa lv a ti o n t h e o n ly way t o es cap e fro m t h e earth t o fe e l

, ,

co nfid en c e i n t he h ereaft er an d h o p e th at th ere at l as t we , ,

s hall fin d happi n ess an d t h e sati s f acti o n o f o u r d es ire fo r

frat ern ity an d j u sti c e .

Th at i s t h e d es p airi n g c ry fo r happi n es s whi c h we h e ar

to d ay It t o uch e s m e e xce edi n gly A n d n o tice th a t it
. .

ri ses fro m al l s id es lik e a c ry o f lam en tati o n am id t h e

re ec h o i n g o f adv an c i n g S c i en c e w h o c h e c k s n o t t h e m arc h
-
,

o fh er waggo n s an d h er e n gi n e s E n o ugh o ftrut h ; giv e u s

.

chi m eras " W e shall fin d r es t o n ly in dream s o f t he N o n

e x i s t e nt o n ly by l o s i n g o urs elv e s i n t h e U n k n o wn
, Th er e .

o n ly ,
bl o o m t h e m ys ti c fl o w ers wh o se perfu m e lull s o u r
suff eri n gs t o sl e e p Mu si c h as alre ady re s po n d e d t o t h e
.

c all ,
lite ratur e s triv es t o sati sfy thi s n ew thirst an d ,

pai n ti n g fo ll o ws th e sam e way I h a v e sp o k en t o yo u o f

t h e e xhi b iti o n at t h e Cha m p —
.

de Mars ; t h er e y o u m ay s e e
-

t h e bl o o m o f a l l thi s fl o r a o f o u r an c i en t wi n d o ws —l an k ,

em ac i at e d v irgi n s app ariti o n s i n twili ht t i n t s s ti f f fi u res

, g g ,

with t h e ri gid ges tur es o f t h e P ri m itivi s ts It is a reac ti o n .

aga i n s t N atur ali sm w h i c h we are t o ld i s d ead an d buri e d

, .

In an y ca se t h e m o v e m en t i s u n d en i abl e fo r it m an i fes ts ,

i t s e lf i n all m o d e s o f expr e ssi o n an d o n e m u s t p ay gr e a t ,

att en ti o n t o t h e s tudy an d t h e e xpl an ati o n o f it if o n e d o es ,

n o t wi sh t o d e s a ir o f t o m o rr o w
p
-
.

Fo r m y p art gen tl e m en I w h o am an o l d an d h ard en e d

, , ,

P o s itivi st see in it but an i n e vit a bl e h alt in t he fo rward

,

m arc h . I t i s n o t really e v e n a halt fo r o u r librari es 0 , ,

l ab o rat o ri es o u r l ec ture hall s an d o u r sch o o l s are n o t

,
-
,

d esert ed W hat al so reass ures m e is that t h e so ci al so il has

.

u n d e rgo n e n o c han e ; it i s still t h e d e m o c ra tic s o il fro m

g
which o ur c en tury spran g That a n e w art sh o uld fl o uri sh
.
,

G 2
 1 00 E S SA Y S AN D L ETTE R S
or a faith cha n ge t he dire c ti o n i n whi c h hu m an ity i s
n ew

tra v elli n g—t h at fa ith wo uld n ee d a n e w s o il whi c h wo u l d

a ll o w it t o
ge rm i n a t e an d gr o w : fo r t h ere c an b e n o n e w
s o c i e ty w it h o u t a n e w so il Faith d o e s n o t ri se fr o m t he .

d e ad a n d o n e c an m ak e n o thin g but m yth o l o gi es o u t o f

,

d ea d r e l i gi o n s Th erefo re t h e c o m i n g cen tury wil l b u t c o n

.

ti n n e o u r o wn i n t h e d e m o c rati c an d s c i en ti fic rush fo r ward

whi c h h as s we pt u s al o n g an d w h ich s till co n tin u e s W h at ,
.

I can c o n c e d e i s t h at i n lit era ture w e li m it e d o u r h o ri z o n

,

t o o m uc h P e rso n a lly I h a v e alr e a dy r egr e tt e d th at I was

.
,

a s e c t ari an i n that I wi s h e d a rt t o c o n fi n e i t s e lf t o pr o v e n
,

v e riti es Lat er c o m e rs h a v e e xt en d e d t h e h o ri z o n by r ec o n
.

q u e ri n
g t h e r e i o n o f t h e u n k n o wn an d t h e m y s t e ri o u s
g e
an d

t h ey hav e d o n e well B e tw e en t h e truth s fix e d by s c i en c e

.
,

whi c h ar e h e n c e fo rt h i m m o v ab l e an d t h e truth s S c i e n c e ,

w il l t o m o rro w s e i z e fro m t h e r e gi o n o f t h e un k n o wn t o fix
-

i n th e ir tur n t h ere li e s an u n d e fi n e d b o rd erl an d o f d o u bt

,

a n d i n q uiry w hi c h it s e e m s t o m e b e l o n gs t o lit e rature a s

, , ,

m u c h as t o sc i en c e It i s th ere we m ay go as pi o n eers d o i n g
.
,

o u r wo rk a s fo r e ru n n er s an d i n t e rpr e ti n g a c c o rdi n
g to o u r
,

c h arac t e rs an d m i n d s t h e ac ti o n o f u n k n o w n fo rc es Th e
i d e al —w h at i s it but t h e u n e xplai n e d : th o se fo r c es o f t h e
.

i n fi n ite w o rld i n wh i c h we are plu n ge d with o ut kn o wi n g

t hem ? B u t if it b e p e r m i ssibl e t o i n v en t s o luti o n s o f wh at
i s u n k n o wn d ar e we th er e fo re c all i n q u esti o n a s c e rt ai n e d
, , ,

l aws i m agi n i n g th e m o th er than th e y are an d th ereby

‘

, ,

d en yi n g t h em ? A s s c i en c e a dvan c es i t i s c ertain th at t h e
i d eal re c e d es a n d i t se em s t o m e that t h e o n ly m ean i n g o f
life t h e o n ly j o y we o ught t o attribute t o life l i e s i n thi s
, ,

g r a du al c o n u e s t e v en if o n e h a s t h e m e l an c h o ly a ssuran c e
q ,

t h at w e n e v er sh al l kn o w e v erythi n g
I n t h e u n q u i e t ti m e s i n whi c h we liv e gen tl em en —
.

in o u r ~

d ay s o s a ti at e d an d s o irr e s o lut e —sh e ph erd s o f t h e s o ul h a v e

, ,

a ri s e n wh o are tr o ubl e d i n m i n d an d ard e ntly o f fer a faith

t o t h e ri si n g ge n e rati o n Th e o ffer i s gen ero u s but u n fo r
.
, ,

t u n a t e l y t h e faith ch a n ges an d d e t e ri o rate s ac c o rdi n g t o

.

t h e p e rs o n ality o f t h e p ro ph e t w h o suppli e s it Th er e a re .

s e v e ra l ki n d s but n o n e o f t h em , app ear t o m e t o b e v e ry

c l e a r o r v ery w e ll d e fi n e d
,
.

Y o u ar e a sk e d t o b eli e v e but are n o t t o ld pre ci sely i n ,

what y o u sh o uld b eli e v e P e rhap s it can n o t b e t o ld o r .

,

erh a s th e y dare n o t t e ll it
p
g p .

Y o u a re t o b eli e v e fo r t h e p l easur e o f b eli e vi n g a n d , ,

 N O N -ACTIN G 1 01

es
p ec ially that yo u m ay l earn t o b eli e v e Th e advi c e i s n o t
,
.

b ad i n its elf it i s c ertai nly a gr eat h appi n e s s t o r e s t i n t h e

certai n ty of a fait h —n o m att er what it m ay b e ; b u t t h e
wo rs t o f it i s that o n e i s n o t m as te r o f thi s vi rtu e it
bl o we th wh ere it li steth .

I th ere fo r e am al so go i n g t o fin i sh b y pr o p o si n g t o y o u a
, ,

fa ith an d by b e se echi n g y o u t o h av e faith i n wo rk

,
W o rk .
,

yo u n g p e o pl e I wel l k n o w h o w trivi al suc h ad v ic e a pp e ars

n o s p eech day p ass es at whi c h it i s n o t r e p e at e d a m id t h e
-

g en e r a l i n di f
fe r e n c e o f t h e s ch o l ar s B u t I ask y o u t o re fl e ct
o n it a n d I—wh o hav e b ee n n o thin e r—
.

, g but a w o rk w ill
p erm it m y self t o sp eak o f all t h e b en e fit I hav e d eriv e d
fro m t h e l o n g task th at h as fill e d m y life I had n o easy .

s tart i n life I hav e k n o wn wan t an d d espair Later o n I

liv e d in strife an d I liv e i n it still—di sc usse d d en i e d
.

, , ,

co v er e d wit h abu se W ell I hav e had b u t o n e faith o n e

.
, ,

stren g t h wo rk -
What has su stai n e d m e was t h e en o rm o u s
l ab o ur I set m yself B efo re m e st o o d always in t h e di stan ce
.

t h e go al t o ward whic h I was m archi n g an d that s u f fi ced t o ,

se t m e o n m
y fee t an d t o giv e m e c o urage t o adv an c e i n spite
o f all wh en life s h ardship s had c ast m e d o wn Th e w o rk
’
.
,

o f whi c h I sp e ak t o you i s th e r egular w o rk t h e daily tas k , ,

t h e duty o n e h as u n d ertak en t o a dvan c e o n e s t e p e ac h day

to ward t h e fulfil m en t o f o n e s en gage m en t H o w o ften in
t h e m o rn i n g hav e I sat d o wn t o m y tabl e—m y h ead i n c o n
.

fu si o n —a bitt er tast e i n m y m o uth —to rture d by s o m e gre at

s o rr o w phy s i c al o r m o ral A n d e ac h ti m e —in s pit e o f t h e
re v o lt m y su fferi n g h as c au se d—aft er t h e first m o m en ts o f
,

ago n y m y task h as b e en t o m e an all e viati o n an d a c o m fo rt

I ha v e alway s c o m e fro m m y daily tas k co n so l e d—with a
.

bro ken h eart p er haps but erect an d abl e t o live o n till t h e

, ,

m o rro w .

W o rk 1 R em em b er gen tl em en that it i s t h e so l e law o fth e

, ,

wo rld t h e r egulato r bri n gi n g o rga n ic m att e r t o i t s u n k n o wn

,

go al Life h as n o o th e r m ean i n g n o o th er r a i son d étr e ;

’ ‘

we eac h o f u s app ea r but t o p erfo rm o u r all o tt e d tas k an d

, ,

t o di sapp ear O n e can n o t d e fin e life o th e rwi se than by t h e

.

m o v em en t it r e c e iv e s an d b e u eath s an d whi c h i s i n r eality

q , , ,

n o thi n
g but wo rk wo rk at t h e fi n al achi e v em en t a ec o m
,

l
p i sh ed by all t h e ages A n d th erefo r e h o w c an we b e
.
, ,

o t h er th an m o d e st how ca n we d o o th e r than acc e t t h e

, p
i n dividual task giv en to eac h o f u s an d acce p t it with o ut ,
,

r e b e lli o n an d w ith o ut y i eldi n g t o t h e pri d e o fo n e s pe rso n al ’

1 02 E S S AY S A N D LE TTE R S

‘
I wh i c h co n sid ers its el f a c en tre a n d d o es n o t wi sh t o
,
’

tak e i t s pl ac e i n t h e rank s
Fr o m t h e ti m e o n e acc e pt s that ta sk an d fr o m t h e ti m e ,

o n e b e i n s t o fulfil it it s ee m s t o m e t ra n uillity s h o uld

g , q
c o m e e v e n t o th o se m o s t t o rm e n t e d I k n o w that th ere a re
.

m i n d s t o rtur e d by th o ught s o f t h e I n fi n ite m i n d s th at ,

s uff e r fr o m t h e pr es en c e o f m y s t ery an d it i s t o th em I
,

a ddr ess m y self a s a br o th e r advi s i n g th e m, t o o cc upy th e ir

liv es with so m e im m en se l ab o ur o f whi c h it were e v e n wel l
,

th at th ey sh o uld n e v er s e e t h e c o m pl e ti o n It will b e t h e .

b alan c e e n abli n g t h em t o m ar c h s tr ai ght it wil l b e a c o n

t in u al div e r si o n —gr ai n thr o wn t o th e ir i n t elli ge n c e that it ,

m ay gri n d an d c o n v e rt it i n t o d a ily bre ad w ith t h e sa ti s ,

fac ti o n th at c o m es o fdu t y ac c o m pli sh ed .

It i s tru e thi s so lv es n o m etaph y s i c al pro bl em s i t i s '

but an e m piri cal re c ipe en abli n g o n e t o liv e o n e s life

h o n e s tly an d m o r e o r l e ss tran q ui l l y ; b u t i s it a sm all
t h i n g t o o btai n a so un d s ta te o f m o ral an d ph y s i c al h ealth ,

an d t o e sc ap e t h e d an e r o f dr ea m s whi l e s o lvi n
g , g by w o rk
t h e q u esti o n o f fi n di n g t h e gre a t es t h ap p in ess p o s si bl e o n
t hi s e art h
I hav e alway s I ad m it di s trust e d c h i m eras N o thi n g is
, , .

l ess wh o l eso m e fo r m e n an d n a ti o n s than illus i o n it sti fl es

e ffo rt it b l i n d s it i s t h e van ity o ft h e weak To rep o se o n
, , .

l egen d s t o b e mi s t a k e n ab o ut al l r e aliti es t o b eli e v e t h a t

it i s e n o u gh t o dream o f fo rc e i n o rd er t o b e s tro n g —w e
, ,

h av e se e n well en o ugh t o what t erribl e di sast ers such thi n gs

l ead Th e pe o pl e are to ld t o l o o k o n hi gh t o b eli e ve i n a
.
,

H i gh er P o we r an d t o e x a lt th em s e lv e s t o t h e id eal
,
No .
,

no Th at i s l an gu age whi c h a t ti m es s e e m s t o m e i m pi o u s .

Th e o n ly s tro n g p eo pl e are th o s e w h o wo rk an d it i s o n ly ,

wo rk th a t giv e s c o urage a n d fa ith To c o n q u e r it i s n e ce s

.

sary th a t t h e arse n al s s h o uld b e fu ll th a t o n e s h o uld h a v e

,

t h e s tr o n ges t an d t h e m o s t p erfe ct arm am en t that t h e a rm y ,

s h o uld b e tr a i n e d s h o uld h av e c o n fid e n c e i n i t s chi e fs a n d

,

i n itself A l l thi s c a n b e a c q uire d ; it n e e d s but t h e w il l

.

an d t h e ri ght m e t h o d Y o u m ay b e w e ll a ssure d th at t h e
.

co m i n g cen tury an d t h e illi m itabl e future b el o n g t o wo rk .

An d i n t h e ri s in g fo rc e o f S o ci a li sm d o e s o n e n o t alre ady
, ,

see t h e r o u gh sk e t c h o f t h e so c i al l a w o f t o m o rr o w t h e law -
,

o fwo rk f o r al l fi
l i b erat i n g an d p ac ifyi n g wo rk 2
Yo un g m en yo un g m en tak e up y o ur d u ti es
, , Le t eac h
o n e a c c e pt hi s ta s k a t as k wh ich s h o uld fil l h i s life
,
It .
 NON-AC TING 1 03

b e v ery h um bl e ; it will n o t b e t h e l e ss u se ful N ever

m a
y .

m i n d what it i s, so l o n g as it e xi s ts an d k e e p s
y o u e re ct "
Wh en y o u have regulate d it with o ut ex c ess —j u s t t h e
o acc o m pli sh e ach da —i t w ill c au s e
,

q u an tity y o u ar e abl e t y
y o u t o liv e i n h e alth an d i n j o y it wil l sav e y o u fro m t he
t o r m e nt s o ft h e I n fin it e W hat a h e althy an d gr eat so c i ety
that wi l l b e —
.

a s o c i e ty e ach m e m b e r o f which will b e ar h i s

rea so n abl e sh are o f wo rk A m an wh o w o rk s i s alway s

kind S o I am co n v i n ced that t h e o nly faith th at c an save
.

u s i s a b e li ef i n t h e e f fica c y o fa c co m pli s h e d t o il Certai n ly .

it i s ple asan t t o dream o f e ternity Bu t fo r an h o n est m an .

i t i s en o ugh t o h av e liv e d h i s life d o i n g h i s wo rk ,

E M I LE Z O LA .

M Zola does
. approve o f this faith in something
n ot

vague and ill de fin e d which is recommended t o French

-
,

youth by it s new guides ; yet he himself advises belief

in something which is neither clearer nor better defined
namely in science and in work
, .

A little k nown Chinese philosopher named La o

-
,

Teze wh o founded a religion (the fi rst and best t ra n sl a

,

tion o f his book Of the W a y o f Virtue is that by

,
‘
,
’

S tanislaus J u l i e n ) t ak e s as the foundation o f his do c

trine the Tao —a word that is translated as reason
,
‘
,
’
way and vi rtue
,
I f men follow the law of Tao they
.

will be happy But the Ta o accordin g to M Jul ien s

.
,
.
’

translation can only be reached by n o n a c t i ng

,
-
.

Th e ills o f humanity arise according t o La o Ts z e ,

-
,

n o t because men neglect t o do thin s t hat are n e ce s

g
sary but because they do things that are unnecessary
,
.

If men wo u ld as he says but practise n o n a c ti ng they

, ,
-
,

wo u ld n o t merely be relieved from their personal

calamities but also from those inherent in all forms of
,

government which is th e subj ect specially dealt with

,

by the Chinese philosopher .

M Zola tells u s that all should work persistently ;

.

work will make their life healthy and j oyous and will ,

save them fro m the tor m ent o f the Infinite W ork 1 .

But what are we to work at ? Th e manufacturers o f

and the dealers in, O pium , o r tobacco o r brandy—all
,

the speculators o n the S tock Exchan ge t h e inventors ,

1 04 E S S AY S A N D LETTE R S

and manufacturers o f weapons o f destruction all t he ,

military the gaolers and executioners — all work : but

,

it is obvi ous that mankind would be better o ff were

these workers to cease working .

B u t perhaps M Zola s advice refers only to those

’
.

whose work is inspired by science Th e greater part .

of his speech is i n fact designed to 11 hold science

, , ,

which h e thinks is being attacked W e l it so happens .

that I am continually receiving from various u n appr e

c ia t e d au t h o r s
p am
p h l e t s manuscripts treatises and
printed books —the outcome of their scientific labours
~

, , ,

One o f them has finally solved so he says the ques , ,

tion o f Chris tian g nosiology ; another h as wr it t en a

book on the cosmic ether ; a third has settled the
social question a fifth is editing a theosophical review ;
a sixth (in a t h i c k volume ) has solved the problem o f
’
the Knight s tour at chess .

All these people work assiduously and work i n the ,

name of science but I do not think I am mistaken in

,
’
sayin g that my correspondents time an d work and the ,

time an d work o f many other such people have been ,

spent in a way not merely useless but even harmful ,

for thousands o f men are engaged making the paper ,

casting the type and manufacturing the presses needed

,

to print their books and to feed clothe an d house all

, , ,

these scientific workers .

W ork for science ? B u t the word science has so ’

lar ge and so ill de fin e d a meaning that what some con

-

si der science others consider futile folly and this is so ,

not merely among the profane, but even among men

who are themselves priests o f science W hile o n e se t .

o f the learned esteem j urisprudence philosophy and , ,

even theology to be the most necessary and importa nt

,

o f sciences ,
the Positivists consi der j ust those very
sciences to be childish twad dl e devoi d of scientific
value And vic e ti er e d what the Positivists hold to be
.
, ,

the science o f sciences so ciology is regarded by the

, ,

theologians th e philosophers and the spiritualists, as a

, ,

collection o f a rbitrary and useless observations and

assertions More than this even i n o n e and the same
.
,
 N U N -A CTIN G 1 05

branch , whether it be philosophy o r natural science ,

each sy stem h as its ardent defenders and opponents ,

j ust as ardent e qually competent though maintaining

, ,

diametrically O pposi t e views .

Lastly does not each year produce it s new scientific

,

discoveries which after astonishing the boobies of the

, ,

whole world and brin gi ng fame an d fortune to the

,

invent ors are eventually admitted to be ri diculous m is

,

takes even by th ose wh o promulgated them P

,

W e al l know that what the R omans valued as the

greatest science and the most important occupation
that which distin guished them from th e barbarians
was rhetoric whi ch n o w does n o t even rank as a sc ie n c e
,

at all E qually di ffi cult i s it to day to understand the

.
-

sta te o f mind o f the learned men of the Middle Ages ,

w h o were fully convinced that all science was coneen

t r at e d in scholasticism .

Unless then o u r century forms an except ion (which

, ,

i s a supposition we have n o right to make ) it needs no ,

great boldness t o conclude by analogy that among , ,

the kinds O f knowledge occupying the attention o f o u r

learned men and called science there must necessaril y
, ,

be some which will be regarded by o u r descendants

much as we n o w regard the rhetoric o f the ancients an d
the scholasti cism o f the Middle Ages .

M Zola s speech
.
’
is
chiefly directed against certa in
leaders w h o are persuading the young generation to
return t o reli gious beliefs ; fo r M Zola as champion .
,

of science considers himself an a dversary o f theirs

, .

R eally he is nothing o f the sort fo r h is reasoning rests ,

o n the same basis as that o f h i s O pponents name l y as

( ,

he himself a dm its) o n faith , .

It i s a generally accepted O pinion that religion and

science are opposed t o one another And they really .

ar e so but only in point o f time ; that i s t o sa y t hat

, ,
‘

wh at i s considered science by o n e generation O ften

becomes religion fo r their descendants W hat is .
1 06 E S S AY S A N D L ETT E RS

u sually spoken o f as religion is generally the science

of the past while what i s called science is to a g reat
, ,

extent the religion O f the present

, .

W e say that the assertions O f the Hebrews that the

world was created in si x days ; that sons would be
’
punished fo r their father s sins ; that certain diseases
could be cured by the sight O f a serpent were religious ,

sta tements while the assertions o f o u r contemporaries

that the world created itself by turning round a centre
which is everywhere that all the di fferent species arose
,

from the struggle for existence that criminals are the ,

product of heredity that micro o rganisms shaped lik -

commas exist which cause certain diseases —we call

, ,

, ,

scientific statements B y reverting in imagination to .

the s t ate of mind o f an ancient Hebrew it becomes ,

easy to se e that for him the creation o f the world in six

days the serpent that cured diseases etc were state
, ,
.

ments o f science in accord with its highest stage o f

development j ust as the Darwinian law Koch s commas ,
, ,
’

heredity etc are for a man o f o u r day

,
.
-
.

And j ust as the H ebrew believed n o t so much in the

creation o f the worl d in si x days in the se r n t th at ,

healed certain diseases etc as in the i n fe l ib il it y o f ,

.
,

his priests and therefore in all that they t old him

, , ,

so to —day t h e great maj ority o f cultured people belie ve ,

not in the formation o f the world by rotation nor ,

in heredity nor in the comma bacilli b u t in the

, ,

infallibility o f the secular priests called scientist w ho ,

s
, ,

with an assurance equal to that o f the Hebrew priests ,

assert whatever they pretend to kno w .

I will even go so far as to say that if the ancient

p riests controlled
,
by none but their o wn colleagues ,

allowed themselves at times to diverge from the path of

truth merely for the pleasure o f astonishin g and m yst i
fyin g their public o u r modern priests O f science do
,

much the same thing and do it with equal e fi r o n t e ry

'

.
,

Th e g reater part o f what is called religion is simply

the su e rst it i o n o f past ages the greater part O f what
is cal ed science is nothing but the superstition of
to d ay And I suppose that the proportion o f error
.
 NO N -ACTIN G 1 07

and o f truth is m u ch about the sam e in the o n e as in

the other Consequently t o work in t h e name o f a
.
,

faith whether religious o r scientific i s n o t merely a

, ,

doubtful method o f helping humanity but is a ,

dangerous method w hich may do more harm than g ood .

’
To consecrate one s life to the fulfilment o f d u ties
imposed by religion —prayers communions ai ms —o r , , ,

o n t h e other hand t o devote it as M Zola a dvises to, , .

,

some scientific work , i s t o run t o o great a risk for o n

the brink o f death o n e may find that the religious o r
scientific r in c ipl e to whose service o n e h as consecrated
o n e s whole life was all a ridiculous error 1
’

E ven before reading the speech in which M Z o l a .

extols work o f any kind as a merit I was always s u r ,

prised by the O pinion especially prevalent in W estern ,

Europe that work i s a kind o f virtue It always

,
.

seemed t o me that only an irrational being such a s the ,

ant o f the fable co ul d be excused for exalting work to

,

the rank o f a virtue and boasting o f it M Z ola ,

. .

assures us that work makes men k ind I have always

observed the contrary N o t t o speak o f selfish w ork .
,

aiming at the profit o r fame o f the worker which is ,

always bad ; self conscio u s work the pride o f work

-
, ,

makes not only ants but men cruel W h o does not , , .

know those men inaccessible to truth o r t o kindliness

, ,

wh o are always so busy that they never have time

ei ther to do good o r even t o ask themselves whether
their work is not harmful ? You sa y to such people ,
‘
Y o u r work is useless perhaps even harmfu l Here ,
.

are t he reasons ; ) ause awhile ; l e t us examine the

ma tter Th ey wil l n o t listen to you but scornfully
.
’
,
’
reply It s all very well fo r yo u who have nothing to
, ,

do to ar g ue but have I time for discussions ? I have

, ,

worked al l my life an d work does n o t wait I have to

,

edit a daily paper with half a million subscribers ; I

,

have t o organize the army ; I have to build the Ei ffel

Tower t o arrange the Chicag o Exhibi tion t o pierce the
, ,

Isthmus O f Panama t o investi gate the problem of ,

heredity o r o f telepathy o r o f h o w many times thi s

, ,
’
classical author h as use d such and such words .
1 08 E S S A Y S A N D LE TTE R S

Th e most cruel o f men — the Neros the Peter the ,

Greats — were constantly occupied never remaining ,

for a momen t at their own disposal without activity

or amusement .

E ven if work be n o t a Vice it can from no point ,

o f View be considered a virtue .

W ork can no more be considered a virtue than

nutrition W ork is a necessity to be deprived of
.
,

which involves su ffering and to raise it to the rank o f ,

a merit i s as monstrous as it would be t o d o the same

for nutrition Th e strange value our society attaches to
.

w ork can only be explained as a reaction from the view

held by our ancestors who thought idleness an attribute ,

o f nobility and almost a merit as indeed it is still

, ,

re ga rded by some rich and uneducated people to day -

.

W ork the exercise of our or gans cannot be a merit

, , ,

because it is a necessity for every man and every animal

—as is shown alike by the capers o f a tethered calf an d
by the silly exercises to which rich and well fed people -

among ourselves are addicted wh o find no more reason ,

able o r useful employment for their mental faculties

than reading newspapers an d novels o r playing chess ,

or cards nor for their muscles than gymnastics

, ,

fencing lawn tennis and racing

,
-
,
.

In my opinion n o t only is work n o t a virtue but in

, ,

our ill organi z ed society it is often a moral an aesthetic

-
,

like tobacco wine and other means o f stupefying and

, ,
’
blinding one s self to the disorder and emptiness of o u r
lives ; and it is j ust as such that M Zola recommends .

it to young people .

Dumas says something quite di fferent .

Th e following is t h e letter he sent to the editor of

the G a u l o zs
‘

DE A R S I R ,

You y pi
ask n i o n o f t h e as pira ti o n s whi c h se em
m o

t o b e a ri s i n g am o n g t h e s tu d e n ts i n t h e sch o o l s an d o f t h e ,

po l em i c s whi c h pre cede d an d fo ll o wed t h e i n c id en ts at t h e

S o rb o n n e .
 N ON-ACT I N G 1 09

I uld pre fer

s ho y pi
not n i o n furth er o n an
to e xpr ess
y m o

m at t e r w hat e v er Th o s e wh o w e re o f o u r o pi n i o n wi ll c o n
.

t i n u e t o b e s o fo r so m e tim e y e t ; th o se wh o h e ld o t h e r
vi e ws wi ll cli n g t o th em m o re an d m o re t en aci o us ly It .

wo uld b e b e tt er t o h av e n o di s c u s s i o n s O pi n i o n s are l i k e .

n a il s s aid a m o rali s t a fri end o f m i n e : t h e m o re o n e

’ ‘
, ,

h it s th e m t h e m o re o n e driv e s th e m i n
’
.

It i s n o t th at I hav e n o o pini o n o n what o n e c all s t h e '

gre a t q u es t i o n s o f life an d o n t h e div ers e fo r m s i n whi c h

‘

t h e m ind o fm an m o m en t arily cl o th e s t h e subj e c ts o f w hi c h

it treats Rath er th at o pini o n i s so co rre c t an d ab so lute
.
, ,

that I pre fer t o k eep it fo r m y o wn guidan c e h avi n g n o ,

a m biti o n t o c r e a te a n y thi n g o r t o d estro y a n ythi n g I, .

s h o u l d hav e t o go b ack t o gre at p o l itical s o c ial phil o , ,

so phical a n d r e li gi o u s pro bl e m s a n d th at w o uld tak e u s t o o ,

far we r e I t o fo ll o w y o u i n t h e s tudy y o u are c o m m en ci n g

,

o f t h e s m al l e xt e ri o r o c curre n c e s th e y h av e l a t ely ar o u se d ,

an d th a t t h e y arou s e i n e a c h n e w gen e rati o n E ac h n ew .

ge n erati o n i n d ee d co m e s w ith id eas an d pa ssi o n s o l d a s

, ,

life it self which e ach gen erati o n b eli e v e s n o o n e h as e ve r

,
‘

h ad b e fo re fo r it fo r t h e firs t ti m e find s it self s ubj e c t

, , ,

t o t h e ir i n fl u en c e an d i s c o nvi n c ed it i s ab o ut t o c han ge t h e
a sp e c t o fe v eryth i n g .

H um an ity fo r th o usan d s o fy e ars h as b e e n tryi n g t o so lv e

th at gre at pro bl em o f cau se an d e ffe ct whi c h w ill p e rhaps , , ,

tak e t h o usan ds o f years y et t o se ttl e if i n d ee d (as I thi n k , ,

it s h o ul d b e ) it i s e v er se ttl e d O f t h i s pro bl em childre n

, .

o f t w en ty d e cl are that th e y hav e a n ir re fut a bl e s o luti o n i n

th e ir q u ite y o un g h eads An d a s a first argu m en t at t h e .

,

first di scuss i o n o n e se es th em hitti n g th o se wh o do n o t

,

s hare th e ir o pi n i o n s Ar e w e t o c o n clud e th at thi s i s a s i gn

.

that a wh o l e so c i e ty i s r ead o pti ng t h e reli gi o us id eal which ,

h as b een t e m p o rarily o b sc ure d an d ab an d o n e d ? O r i s it

n ot ,
with al l th e se y o un g apo s tl es s i m pl y a physi o l o gical ,

q u e sti o n o fwarm bl o o d an d vi go ro us m u sc l es suc h as thr e w ,

t h e y o u n g gen e ra ti o n o ft we n ty y e ars ago i n t o t h e o pp o s it e

m o v e m en t ? I i n cli n e t o t h e l a tt e r s upp o s iti o n .

H e wo uld i n de e d b e fo o li s h w ho i n th ese m an ifes tati o n s ,

o f a n e xub e ran t p eri o d o f l ife fo und pr o o f o f d e v e l o pm e n t

that was fin al o r e v en durabl e Th e re i s i n it n o thing

,
.

m o re than an att ac k o f ro wi n g fe v e r
g Wha te ver t he id eas .

m ay b e f o r t h e sak e o fwhich t h e s e y o un g p eo pl e h a ve b e e n
,

h itti n g o n e an o th e r we m ay sa fely wager th at t h e y w ill ,

110 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S
r e s i st th em at so m e future day if th e ir o wn c hildren repro ,

duc e th e m Age an d e x p eri en c e will h a v e c o m e by that

.

ti m e .

S o o n er o r l at er m an y o f th e s e co m ba tan ts an d adv ersari es

o f t o d ay w ill m e e t o n t h e c r o ss r o ads o f li f e so m ewh a t -
,

we ari e d so m e what di s pirit e d by th e ir s tru ggl e with re alit ie s

, ,

an d h an d i n ha n d w ill fin d th e ir way b a c k t o t h e m ai n r o ad
- -
,

r egre tfully ack n o wl ed gi n g t hat i n spite o f al l t h eir early ,

co n vi c ti o n s t he wo rld r em ai n s r o und an d c o n ti n ues al ways

, ,

turn i n g i n o n e an d t h e sam e direc ti o n an d t hat t h e sam e ,

h o ri zo n s e v er reappear un d er t h e sam e infi n ite an d fix ed

A ft e r havin g di s pute d an d fo u ght t o th e ir h earts
’
sk y .

co n t en t so m e in t h e n am e o f faith o t hers i n t h e n am e o f
, ,

sci e n c e b o th t o pr o v e th e re i s a Go d an d t o pr o v e th ere i s
, ,

n o Go d
(t w o pr o p o s iti o n s ab o u t which o n e m i gh t fi ght f or

e v er sh o uld it b e d e c id e d n o t t o di sarm till t h e c ase was

pr o v en ) th e y will fin ally di sco v er that t he o n e k n o ws n o
,

m o r e ab o ut it than t h e o t h er but that wh a t th e y m ay all ,

b e sur e o fi s th at m an n ee d s h o p e as m uch if n o t m o r e than

h e n ee d s k n o wl e d ge—th at h e su f
,

fers ab o m i n ably fro m t h e

un c ertai n ty h e i s i n c o n c ern i n g t h e t h i n gs o f m o s t i n terest
t o h i m th at h e i s e v er i n q u e s t o f a b ett er stat e th an that
,

in w hi c h h e n o w exis t s an d th at h e sh o uld b e l e ft at fu ll
,

lib erty esp ecially in t h e real m s o f ph il o so phy t o seek thi s

, ,

h ap pi er c o n diti o n .

H e se es aro und him a u n iv ers e whi c h e xi st e d b e fo r e h e

d i d an d will l as t afte r h e i s go n e ; h e fee l s an d kn o w s it
,

t o b e e t ern al an d i n i t s d u ra ti o n h e wo uld lik e t o sh ar e

,
.

Fr o m t h e m o m e n t h e was c all e d t o life h e d em an d ed hi s

s h ar e o f t h e p erm an ent life th a t surr o u n d s h im rai se s him , ,

m o c k s him an d d es tro y s h i m
,
N o w that h e h as b egu n h e
.

do es n o t wi sh t o en d H e l o udly d em an d s an d in l o w to n e s
pl e ad s fo r a c erta i n ty wh ich e v er e vades h im —fo rtu n at e ly
.
,

, ,

s i n c e c e rta i n k n o wl e d ge wo uld m ean fo r h im im m o bility

an d d eath fo r t h e m o st p o w erful m o t o r o f h u m an e n ergy i s
,

un c ertai n ty An d a s h e can n o t reach c ertai n ty h e wand ers

.
,

t o an d fro i n t h e v agu e id ea l a n d wh a t e v e r e xcurs i o n s h e

m ay m ak e i n t o sc e p ti c i sm an d n egati o n wh e th er fro m prid e , ,

c uri o s ity an ger o r f a shi o n s s ak e h e e v e r re turn s t o t h e

’

,
or f , ,

h o pe h e c ert ai n ly c an n o t fo rego Lik e l o v ers q uarr el s .

’

it i s n o t fo r l o n g .

S o th ere are at ti m es o b scu rati o n s but n e v er an y c o m

, , ,

p l e t e o blit e r ati o n o f t h e hu m an id eal P hil o so phi c a l m i st s .

 NON AC TING - 11]

pass o v er it l ik e c loud s that pass b efo re t h e m o o n but t h e

,

white o rb co nti n ui n g i t s co urs e sudd en ly reappears fro m

, ,

b e hi n d t h em i n tact an d shi n i n g Man s irres i s tibl e n ee d o f .

’

an id e al e xpl a i n s wh y h e h as a c c e pt e d wit h su c h c o n fid enc e ,

su c h rapture an d with o ut r ea so n s c o n tro l t h e v ari o u s

’
, ,

r eli gi o u s fo rm ulas which whil e pro m i s i n g him t h e In fin i t e

,

hav e pr es en t ed it t o hi m co n fo rm ably with h is n atur e ,

en c l o s i n g it i n t h e li m its al way s n e c essary e v en t o t h e id eal .

B u t fo r c en turi e s pa st an d e sp eci ally d u ri n g t h e last ,

hu n dred y ears at eac h n ew stage n ew m en m o re an d m o re

, , ,

n u m e r o u s e m e rge fro m
,
t h e dark n e s s an d i n t h e n am e o f ,

reas o n sci en c e o r o bservati o n di sput e t h e o l d truth s

, , , ,

d ec lare th em to b e relativ e an d w i sh t o d es tr o y t h e fo rm ul as ,

w hi c h c o n t ai n th em .

W h o i s i n t he right in thi s di sput e Al l are ri ght whil e

th e y s eek ; n o n e are ri gh t w h en t h ey begin t o threat en .

B e tween trut h whi c h i s t h e aim a n d fre e i n q uiry to which

, , ,

all hav e a ri ght fo rc e i s q uite o u t o fpl ac e n o twith s tan din g

, ,

cel e brat e d e xam pl es t o t he co n trary Fo rce m ere ly driv es .

furth er ba c k tha t at which we aim It i s n o t m erely cru el

‘

.
,

it i s al so u sel ess an d th at i s t he wo rst o f faults in all th a t

,
.

co n c ern s civi l i z ati o n N o b l o ws h o we v e r fo rcibly d eliv ere d

.
, ,

will e v e r pr o v e t h e e xi s t en c e o r t h e n o n exi st en c e o fGo d -

.

To c o nclud e o r rat h er t o co m e t o an en d
, ,
s ee i n g tha t
, ,
-

t h e Po we r wh at e v e r it b e that c reat e d t h e w o rld (wh i c h I

, , ,

thi n k certai n ly can n o t hav e cr eat e d itse lf) has fo r t h e

, ,

pr esen t whil e u si n g u s as i t s i n s tru m en ts reserv e d t o itse l f

, ,

t h e privil ege o fk n o win g wh y it h a s m ad e u s a n d w hith er it

i s l eadi n g u s s ee i n g th a t thi s P o we r (i n s pit e o f all i n t e n
m

ti o n s attribut e d t o it in s pite o fall t h e d em an d s m ad e upo n

,

it) app ears e ver m o re an d m o r e d e te rm i n e d t o gu ard it s o wn

s ec r e t—I b e li e v e if I m ay say all I thi n k that m an ki n d i s
, ,

b egi n n ing t o c ea se t o try t o p en e trat e that e t ern al m yst ery .

Man ki n d wen t t o r eli gi o n s whi c h pro v ed n o thi n g fo r th e y , ,

dif fer e d am o n g th e m se lv es ; it w en t t o phil o s o phi e s which ,

rev e al ed n o m o re for th ey co n tradi c te d o n e an o th er an d it

,

will n o w try t o fi n d i t s way o u t o f t h e diffi c ulty b itse lf ,

tru sti n g t o i t s o wn i n sti n ct an d i t s o wn s i m pl e go o c s en s e

an d sinc e m an kind find s it se lfh e r e o n eart h with o ut k n o w i n
g
wh y o r h o w it i s go i n g t o try t o b e as happy as it c an with
,

j ust th o se m ean s th e earth suppli es .

Z o la rec en tly in a r em arkabl e a ddress t o stud en ts rec o m

, ,

m e n d e d t o th e m wo rk as a r em e dy an d e v en as a pan acea ,
,
 112 E S S AY S A ND LE TTE R S
fo r al l ill s o f life L a bor i m p r o bas om n ia vi nozt Th e
t he .
'

re m e dy is fam ili ar n o r i s it l ess go o d o n tha t a cc o u n t but i t

,

is no t n e v er h a s b e e n an d n e v e r w ill b e su f
, fi c i e n t W h e th e r
, , .

h e wo rk s with li m b s o r bra i n m an m u st hav e s o m e o th e r ,

ai m than th a t o f gai n in g his bread m aki n g a fo rtun e o r , ,

be c o m i n g fam o us Th o s e wh o co n fin e th e m se lves t o s uc h
.

ai m s feel e v en wh en th ey hav e ga i n e d th e ir o bj e ct th at
, ,

s o m e thi n g i s still l a c ki n g f o r n o m att e r what we m a

y s ay , ,

o r wh a t we m ay b e t o ld m an h as n o t o n ly a b o d
y to be ,

n o uri s h e d a n i n t elli ge n c e t o b e cultiv a t e d a n d d e v e l o p e d

, ,

b u t al s o assur e dly a so ul t o b e sati s fi e d

, Th a t s o ul t o o i s
, .
, ,

i n c e ss an tly at wo rk e v er e v o lvi n g to ward li gh t an d truth, .

A n d s o l o n g as it h as n o t r e a c h e d full li ght a n d c o n q u e r e d
t h e w h o l e truth it w ill c o n ti n u e t o t o rm en t m an
, .

W e ll "Th e s o ul n e v e r so harasse d m an n e v er s o d o m i n at e d ,

h i m a s i t d o es to d ay
,
It i s as th o ugh i t we re in t h e a i r w e
.

al l bre a t h e Th e fe w i s o l at e d s o ul s th at h ad se pa ra t e ly d e
.

sire d t h e re gen e rati o n o f so c i e ty hav e littl e by littl e so u ght , ,

o n e a n o t h e r o u t b e c k o n e d o n e an o t h er dra wn n eare r un it e d
, , , ,

c o m pre h en de d o n e an o th er an d fo rm ed a gro up a c en tre o f , ,

a ttra c ti o n to ward whi c h o th ers n o w fl y fro m t h e fo ur

,

q uart e r s o f t h e gl o b e l ik e lark s t o ward a m irro r Th e y

, .

h a v e as it we re fo rm e d o n e c o l l e c tiv e s o ul so th a t m en i n
, , , ,

future m ay r eali z e t o ge th er c o n sci o usly an d irresi stibly

, , ,

t h e appro a c hi n g u n i o n a n d s teady pro gr es s o f n ati o n s th a t

w e re but re c en tly h o s til e o n e t o an o th er Thi s n e w so ul I .

fi n d an d r ec o gn i se i n e v e n ts s eem i n gly m o s t c alcul a t e d t o

d en y it .

Th e se arm am en t s o f all n ati o n s th ese thr eat s th e ir r epre ,

se n t at i ves addre ss t o o n e a n o th e r thi s re c rudesc en ce o f ,

rac e p e rsec uti o n s th ese h o s tiliti e s am o n g co m patri o ts an d

, ,

e v e n th es e y o uthful e s capad e s a t t h e S o rb o n n e are all thi n gs ,

o fe vil a s p e c t but n o t o f e vil au gury

,
Th ey are t h e l as t c o n .

v u l s i o n s o f th a t whi c h i s ab o ut t o di s app ear Th e s o c ial .

b o dy i s lik e t h e hum an b o dy Di se as e i s but a vi o l en t .

ef fo r t o f t h e o rga n i sm t o thro w o f f a m o rbid an d h arm ful

e lem e n t .

Th o se w h o h av e pr o fit e d an d e xp e c t fo r l o n g o r fo r e v e r ,

t o c o n ti n u e t o pro fit by t h e m i s tak es o f t h e pas t are u n iti n g ,

t o pre v en t an y m o di ficati o n o f exi s ti n g c o n diti o n s H en c e .

th e se arm a m en t s an d th reats a n d p erse cuti o n s ; but

, ,

l o o k c are fully an d y o u will se e th at al l thi s i s q uit e sup er

fic i al . It i s c o l o ssal but h o ll o w Th ere i s n o l o n ger an y , .
 N O N ACTIN G -
113

so ul i n i t —t h e so ul h as go n e el s ewh ere ; th ese m illi o ns o f

arm e d m en wh o are d aily drill e d t o pr epar e fo r a gen eral
war o f e xt erm i n ati o n n o l o n ge r hate t h e m en th e y are
,

e xp e ct e d t o fi ght an d n o n e o f th eir l ead e rs d ar es t o pro clai m

,

thi s war As fo r t h e app eals an d e ven t h e threat en i n g

t h e su fferi n g a n d t h e o ppr esse d —a
.
,

c lai m s th a t ri s e fr o m
,

gre at an d s in c ere pity r e c o gn i s i n g th eir j u stic e b egi n s at

, ,

las t t o r esp o n d fr o m ab o v e .

Agr eem en t i s i n e vitabl e an d will c o m e at an a pp o i n t e d

,

ti m e n ear er th an i s e xp ect e d I k n o w no t i f it b e b e cau se

,
.
_

I shall so o n l e av e thi s e arth an d t h e ray s t h a t are alr e ady

reac h i n g m e fro m b el o w t h e h o r izo n h av e di st u r b e d m y
s i gh t b u t l b e li e v e o ur w o rld i s ab o ut t o b e i n t o r eal i ze
, g
t h e wo rds Lo v e o n e an o th er with o ut h o we v er b e i n g
’

, , , ,

co n cer n e d wh e th er a m an o r a Go d utt ere d th em .

Th e s piritual m o v em e n t o n e r e c o gn i ses o n all s id es a n d ,

wh i c h so m an y n ai v e an d am biti o u s m e n e xp e ct t o b e abl e
t o dir ec t wil l b e ab so lut e ly hu m an it arian
, Man ki n d which .
,

d o es n o thi n g m o d erat ely i s ab o ut t o b e se i z e d with a fren z y

, ,

a m adn e ss o fl o v e Th i s will n o t o fc o urse happ e n s m o o thly

o r al l at on c e ; it wil l i n vo lv e m i su n d e r st an di n gs —e v en
.
, , ,

s an gui n ary o n es p er c h an c e — se trai n e d a n d so accu s t o m e d

h av e we b een t o hatre d e v en by th o se s o m etim es wh o se
, , ,

m i ss i o n it was t o t ea c h u s to l o v e o n e an o th e r B u t it i s .

e vid en t th at thi s gr ea t l aw o f bro th erh o o d m ust b e a c c o m

pl i sh e d so m e day an d I am c o n vi n c e d t h at t h e ti m e i s
,

c o m m en c i n g wh en o u r d esire fo r i t s acco m pli shm en t will

b ec o m e irr es is tibl e .

A DU M A S . .

J u ne 1 , 1 8 9 3 .

Ther e i sa great di fference between Dumas letter and ’

’
Zola s speech n o t to mention the external fact that
,

Zola seems t o court the approval o f the youths he

addr esses w h e reas Du mas letter does n o t flatter them
,
’
,

n o r te l l t hem they are i mportant people and that

e verything depends o n them (which they sh ould never

b e li eve if they wish t o be good fo r an ything) ; o n the

contrary it points o u t t o the m their habitual faults
,

their presumption and their levity Th e chief di ffer ence .

between these t w o writings consists in the fact that

’
Zola s speech aims at keepi ng men in the path they are
H
 114 E S S AY S AND LETTE RS
travelling by m aking them believe th at wh at they
,
"

know i s j ust what they need t o know and that what ,

they are doing i s j ust what the o u ght to be doing

whereas Dumas letter sho w s t e m that they i gnore
’

what it is essenti al for them t o know and do n o t live as ,

they ought to live .

Th e more fully men believ e that h u manity can b e

led in spite o f itself by some external s elf acting force
, , ,
-
,

(whether religio n o r science ) t o a beneficial change in

its existe nce — and that they ne e d only work in the
established order o f things —t h e m ore d ifli c u l t will it
be to accomplish any beneficial change and it is in this ,
’
respect chiefly that Zola s speech e rrs .

On the contrary the more fully men believe that it

,

depends o n themselves to modify their mutual relations ,

and that they can do this when they like by loving ,

each other instead o f tearing o n e another to pieces as

they do at present—the m ore will a change become
possible Th e more fully m e n let themselves be i n
.
-

fl u e n c e d by this suggestion the more will they be ,

drawn to realize Dumas prediction That i s t h e great

’
.

merit o f his letter .

Dumas belongs t o n o party an d t o n o reli gion : he

has as little faith in the superstition s o f the past as i n
those o f to day an d that is why he observes and thinks
-

and sees not only the present but also the future —as
, ,

those did wh o in ancient times were called seers It .

’
will seem strange t o th ose who in reading a writer s
works see only the contents o f the book and n o t the
soul o f the writer that Dumas —the author o f L a
,

Da m e au x Ca m é li as and o f L Afi a i re Cl é m en c ea u ’ ’

é
,

th at this same Dumas should s e e into the future an d

sh ould prophesy B u t however stran ge it may seem
prophecy makin g itself heard—n o t in the desert o r o n
.
, ,

the banks o f the Jordan from the mouth o f a herm it

clothed in skins o f beasts —but published in a daily paper
,

o n the banks o fthe S eine remains none the less prophecy

,
.

And the words o f Dumas have all the characteristics

o f prophecy : First like all proph ecy it runs quite
, ,

counter t o the general disposition o f the people amon g

 N O N -A C TIN G 116

wh o m it mak es itself heard se condly those wh o hear ,

it feel it s truth they k no w n o t wh y and thirdly and

, ,

chie fly it moves men t o the realization o fwhat it foretells

, .

Du mas predicts that after having tried everything

,

else men will serio u sly appl y t o life the law o f brotherly
,

l ove and that this change w ill ta ke place much s ooner

,

than we expect O n e may qu e stion the nearness o f

.

this change o r e ven its possibility but it i s plain that

,

should it ta ke place it will solve all contradictions and

all di fficulties an d will divert all the evils w ith w hich
,

the end of the century sees us threatened .

Th e only obj ection o r rather the only question o n e

, ,

can put to Dumas is this I f the love o f one s neigh ’

bo u r is possible an d i s inherent in h u man nature wh y

, ,

have s o many thousand years elapsed (fo r the command

to l ove G o d an d one s neighbour did n o t begin with
’

Christ b u t had been given already by Moses ) without

,

men wh o knew this means o f happiness having pra e

, ,

t ise d it ? W hat prevents the manifestation o f a senti

m ent s o natural and s o helpful t o humanity ? It is
’
e vidently n o t enough to say L ove o n e another
, That .

h as been said for three th ousand years past : it i s in

cessantly repeated from all pulpits religious o r even ,

secular yet men contin u e none the less exterminating

instead o f l oving o n e another as they have been bi dden
t o do fo r s o many centuries I n o u r day n o o n e any
.

longer do u bts that if instead o f tearing o n e another to

,

pieces (each seeking h is o wn welfare that o f h is famil y , ,

o r that o f h i s country ) men would help o n e another

,

if they would replace egotism b y love if they would ,

organi z e th e ir life o n collectivist instead o f o n indi

(
v i d u al i st principles as the S ocialists express it in their

wretched j argon ) if they loved o n e another as they

,

love themselves o r if at least they did n o t do t o others

, , ,

what t hey do n o t wish t o have done t o themselves as ,

h as been well expressed fo r t wo th ousand years past

the share of personal happiness gained by each man
would be greater and human life in general would be
,

reasonable an d happy instead o f being what it now is , ,

a succession o f contra di ctions and su fferin gs .

 E S S AY S AN D L E TTE R S

No o n e doub t s that if men continue to snatch from

o n e another the ownership of the soil an d the pro
ducts o f their labour the revenge o f those who are ,

deprived o f the right to till the so il will n o t much

longer be delayed but the oppressed will reta ke with
,

violence an d vengeance all that o f which they have

been robbed No o n e doubts that the arming o f th e
.

nations will lead to terrible massacres and to the ruin ,

and degeneration o f all the p e O pl e s enchained in the

circle of armaments No one doubts that the present .

order of things if it continues for some do zens of years

,

longer will lead to a general breakdown W e have

, .

but to O pen o u r eyes to se e the abyss toward which we

,

are advancing But the prophecy cited by Jesus seems

.

reali z ed among the men of to day they have ears that -

hear not eyes that se e not and an intelligence that

, ,

does not understa nd .

Me n of o u r day continue to live as they have lived ,

and do not cease to do things that must inevita bl y

lead to their destruction Moreover men o f our world .
,

recognise if not the religious law o f love at least the

, ,

moral rule o f that Christian principle : n o t to do to

’
others what one does not wish done to one s self ; but
they do not practise it E vidently some greater reason .

exists preventing their doing what is to their advantage ,

what would save them from menaci n g dangers and ,

what is dictated by the law of their God and by their

conscience Must it be said that love applied to life is
‘

a chimera ? If s o how is it that for so many centuries

,

men have allowed themselves to be deceived by this

unrealizable dream ? It were time to se e th rough it .

B u t mankind can neither decide to follow the law of

love in daily life nor to abandon the idea H ow i s
,
.

this to be explained ? W hat i s the reason o f this c o n

t r a di c ti o n lasting through centuries ? It is not that the
men o f o u r time neither wish n o r are able to do what
is dictated alike by their good sense by the dan gers of ,

their situation and above all by the law o f him whom

they call God and by their conscience—but it i s becaus e
,

they act j ust as M Zola advises : t hey are busy they

.
,
 N O N -ACTIN G 117

al l labour at some work commenced long and i n a

g o

wh ich it is impossible t o pause to concentrate thei r

th oughts o r t o consider what they ought t o be All
, .

the great revolutions i n men s lives are made in thought ’

.

W hen a change takes plac e in man s thought, action ’

foll o ws the direction o f thought as inevita bly as a ship

follows t h e direction given by it s rudder .

W hen he first preached Jesus did n o t sa y L ove , ,

‘

(he taught love later o n to his disciples

’
o n e another
to men wh o had understood h is teaching) but he said ,

what John the Baptist had preached before repentance ,

y e DO La — that is t o say a change in the conception o flife

,
.

Mem vo ei r e— change your view o f life o r yo u will all

‘

perish said he Th e meaning of your life cannot c o n

, .

sist in the pursuit o f your personal well being o r in -

,

that o f your family o r o f your nation fo r such happi ,

ness can be obtained only at the expense o f others .

R ealize that the meanin g of your life can consist only

in accomplishing the will o f h im that sent you into this
life and who demands o f yo u , not the pursuit o f your
,

personal interests but the accomplishment of h is aims

,
-
the establishment o f t h e Kingdom o f Heaven as ,

J es us said
Mer a v o eir e—change your way o f understanding life or
.

yo u will al l perish said b e , years ago ; and he

,

continues to repeat the same to day by all the contra -

,

dictions and w oes o f o u r time which all come from t h e ,

fact that men have n o t listened to him and have n o t ,

accepted the understandin g o f life he o ffered them .

Me t a l 0 6 27 6 said he o r yo u will all perish Th e alterna

/
, ,
.

tive remains the same t o day Th e only di fference is -

,

that n o w it i s more pressing I f it were possible .

years ago in the time o f the R oman E mpire in the

, ,

days o f Charles V o r even before the R evolution and

th e Napoleonic wars not to se e th e vanity—I will even
.
,

say t h e absurdity —o f attempts made to

,

obta in per
sonal h appiness family happiness o r national happi
, ,
118 E SS AY S AND LE TTE R S

ness b y struggling against all thos e who sought

,

the same personal family o r national happiness , ,

that illusion has become quite impossible in o u r time

fo r anyone who will pause —wer e it but for a moment
his occupations and will re flect o n w hat he i s o n , ,

what the world around him is and on what he ought to ,

be S o that were I called on to give o n e single piece

of advice —the o n e I considered most useful for men of
.

o u r century —I should sa y but this to them : Fo r

’
God s sake pau se a moment cease your work look
, , ,

around yo u think o f what you are and of what you

ought to b e —think o f the i deal
, ,
’
.

M Zola says that people should not look o n hi gh

.
,

n o r believe i n a Higher Power n o r exalt themselves to ,

the ideal Probably M Zola understands by the word

ideal either the supernatural —that is to s ay the
. .

‘ ’

theological r u bbish about the Trinity the Church the

Pope etc —o r else the u n exp l a i n ed as h e cal ls the forces
, ,

.
, ,

o f the vast w orld in which we are plunged And in .

that case men would do well to follow M Zola s advice .

’
.

But the fact is that the ideal is neither supernat u ral

nor unexplained Th e ideal o n the contrary is the
.
’
, ,

most natural of things ; I will n o t say it i s the most

explained but it is that of which man is m ost sure
,
.

An ideal in geometry is the ) e r fe c t l y straigh t line

o r the circle whose radii are a ll e q ual ; i n science it
is exact truth in morals it is perfect virtue Though
these things—the straight line exact tru th and perfect
.

virtue —have never existed they are not o n l more

, ,

natura l to u s more known and more e xpl ic ab lb than

,

all our other knowledge but they are the only things ,

we kno w truly and with complete certainty .

It is commonly said that reality i s that which e xists

o r that only what exists i s real
,
Ju st the contrary is .

the case : true reality that whic h we really k now is , ,

what h as never existed Th e ideal is the only thing .

we know with certainty an d it h as never existed It ,

.

is only thanks to the ideal that w e know anyt hing at

all and that is why the ideal alone can guide u s in our
l iv e s either individually or collectively Th e Christian
,
.
 NON-AC TIN G 1 12

i deal h as stood b e fo re u s fo r e ighteen c e nturies ; it

shines to day with such intensity that it needs great
, ,

e ffor t to avoid seeing that all o u r w oes aris e fro m the

fact that we do n o t accept i t s guidance But the .

m ore di f ficult it becomes t o avoi d seeing this the more ,

some peopl e increas e their e fforts to persuade u s to do

as they d o : t o clos e o u r eyes in order not to se e To .

b e quite sur e t o reach port o n e must above all thro w , ,

the compass overboard say they and forge ahead

, ,
.

Me n o f o u r Christian w orld are like people who strain

themselves with e fforts to get rid o f some obj ect tha t
spoils life fo r them b u t wh o i n their hurry have no
, , ,

ti m e t o agre e an d all pu ll in di fferent directions It

, .

w o u ld be enough fo r man t o day to pause in h is activity

-

an d t o r e fl e c t —comparing the demands o f his reason

an d o f h i s h e art with the actual conditions o f life —i n

order t o perceive th at h is w hole life and all h is actions

ar e in incessant an d glaring contradiction t o h is reason
an d h is heart .A sk e ach man o f o u r t ime separately
w hat are the moral b ases o f h is conduc t and they will ,

almost all tell yo u that they are the principles o f

Christianity o r at least tho se o fj ustice And in saying
,
.

this they will be sincere According to their c o n

.

s ciences all m e n should live as Christians ; but se e

,

h o w they behave : they behave lik e wild beasts So .

that for t he great maj ority o f men in o u r Christian

world the organi z ation o f their life corresponds not
, ,

t o their way o f perceiving o r feeling but t o certa in ,

forms once necessary fo r other people with quite dif

fe r e n t perceptions o f life but existi n g n o w merely
,

b ecause the constant b u stle m e n l iv e i n allo w s them

n o time f o r r e flection .

V.

If in former times (when the evils r e d u ce d b y pagan

life were n o t so evident an d especia l y when Christian
,

principle s we r e n o t yet so generally accepted) men

we re abl e conscientio u sly t o uphold the servitude o f the
w orkers the O pp r e ss ion o f man by man penal law
, , ,
1 20 E S S AY S AND L E TT E RS

and above all war — it h as now becom e qui t e im po s

, ,
’ ‘
sible to explain the m iso n d ét re o f such institutions .

In o u r time men may continu e t o live a pagan life but ,

they cannot excuse it .

That men may change their way o f living and feeling ,

they must first o f all change their way o f thinkin g ;

and th at such a change may take place they must ,

pause and attend to the th ings they ought t o u nder

,

stand To hear what is shouted to them by those wh o

.

wish to save them men wh o run singing towards a

,

precipice must cease their clamour and must stop .

Le t men o f our Christian worl d but stop their work

and re fl ect fo r a moment o n their condition and they ,

wil l involuntarily be led t o accept the conception o f life

g iven by Christianity —a conception so natu ral s o simple , ,

and responding so completely to the needs o f the mind

and the heart o f humanity that it will arise almost o f ,

itself i n the understan ding o f anyone w h o h as freed

,

himself were it but for a moment from the entangle

, ,

ments in which he i s hel d by the complications o f work

— his o w n and that o f others .

Th e feast has been ready fo r eighteen centuries ;

but o n e will not come because he has j ust bought some
land another because he has married a third because
, ,

he has t o try h is oxen a fourth because he i s building

,

a railway a factory i s engaged o n m issionary service

, , ,

is busy in Parliament i n a bank o r o n some scienti fic

, , ,

artistic or literary work During

,
year s no o n e
.

has had leisure to do what Jesus advised at the begin

ning o f his ministry to look round him think o f the ,

results o f his work and a sk himself : W hat am I ?

,

Fo r what do I exist ? Is it poss ible that the power

that h as produced me with my reason and my desire ,

to love and be loved has done this only to deceive me

—
, ,

so that having ima g ined the aim o f life t o be my

,

personal well being— that my life belonged t o m e an d

-
,

I had the right t o dispose o f it as well as o f the lives o f

others a s seemed best to me —I come at last to t h e
,

conviction that this well being (pe rsonal famil y or -

, ,

national ) that I aimed at ca n not b e attained and that , ,

 NON-AC TIN G 121

t he more I strive t o reach it t h e m ore I find myself in,

conflict wi th m y reason and with m y wish to love and

b e loved and t h e mor e I experience disenchantment
,

and su ffering ?
I s it n o t mor e p r obab l e that not having come in t o ,

the worl d by m y o wn will but by the w ill o f him wh o

,

sent me m y reason and my wish t o love and be l ove d

,

were give n t o guide me in doing that w ill

Once this Me t o t a is accomplished in men s th ought
/
’
,

and the pagan an d e g otistic conception of life has been

’
replaced by the Christian conception the love o f one s ,

neighbo u r will becom e m ore natural than struggle and

’
egotism n o w ar e And once the love o f one s neigh
.

bour becomes natural to man the ne w conditions o f ,

Christian life will come about sponta neousl y j ust as in , ,

a liquid saturated w ith salt the crystals begin to for m

,

as soon as o n e ceases t o stir it .

An d in order that this m ay result and that men m a y ,

organi ze their life in conform ity with their consciences ,

they need expend n o positive e ffort ; they need onl y

pau se in e fforts they are n o w making I f men spent .

but a hundredth part of the energy they now devote t o

material activities —disapproved o f by their o wn con
sciences —to el u cidating as completel y as possible the
demands o f th at conscience expressing them clearly , ,

Spreading the m ab road and above all putting them

, , ,

in practice t h e change which M Dumas and all the

, .

prophets have foretold would b e accomplished among

u s much sooner and more eas i ly than we suppose and ,

men would acquire the good that Jesus promised them

in h i s gla d ti dings S eek the Kingdom of Heaven and ,
’
all these things shall be adde d unto you .

[ Au gu st 9 o s,
. .
,

Thi s y was writt en firs t i n Ru ssian an d th en (aft e r

’

e ssa ,

a m i s l ea di n t ra s l ti had pp e are d i n Fran c e ) i n Fr en c h

g n a o n a

al so by To l st o y The sec o n d v ersi o n di ffe r e d i n arran ge

, .

m e n t fr o m t h e firs t an d h as at To lst o y s o wn r e q u es t
’
.
, ,

b een reli e d up o n i n pre pari n g t he pre sen t tran slati o n

In a few places howe v er—
.

,
an d es p e cially by i n cl u di n g
1 22 E S S AY S AND LETT E RS
Z o l a s sp eec h an d Dum l etter ful l t he arli er vers i o n
’ ’
as in e
has b een fo ll o we d .

Grat e fu l a c k n o wl edgm en t is du e t o t h e Ga u l o i s fo r per

m i s si o n t o r e pr o du c e Dum a s
’
l ett e r ; t o M E Fasq u e ll e o f
. .
,

t h e B ibli o th eq u e Charp e nti e r fo r p erm i ss i o n t o r e pr o duc e

,

Z o la s speec h a n d t o Mr E J W Warr en fo r all o wi n g his

’
. . . .

e x c ell en t tra n sl a ti o n o fTo l s t o y s Fr en ch e ssay t o b e fo ll o we d

’

in a n um b e r o fpas sage s i n t h e pr e s e nt tran slati o n .

AN A FTE R W O R D TO AN A CCO U NT R ENDE R E D
o r R E LI E F S U PP L I E D TO TH E FA MIN E
STR ICKEN IN TH E,
GO VE R N M E N T o r
TO U LA IN 1 8 9 1 A N D 1 8 9 2
,

’
O U R t wo ye ars experience in distributing among a
s u ffering population contributions that passed through
o u r hands h a Ve quite confirmed o u r long-
established
convicti on that most o f the wa n t an d destitution — and
,

the su fferi n g and grief that go with th em —whic h we ,

almost i n vain hav e tried to counteract by external
,

means in o n e small corner o f R ussia has arisen not , ,

from some exceptional temporary cause independent of

,

u s but from general permanent causes quite dependent

,

o n us and consisting entirely i n the antichristian n u

, ,

broth erly relations maintained by u s educated people

towards th e poor simpl e labourers wh o constantly
,

endure distress and want and the accompanying bitter

ness and su ffering— things that have merely been more
conspicuous than usual during t h e past two years If .

this year we do not hear o f want cold and hunger — o f , ,

the dying o ff by hundreds o f thousands o f adults w orn

-
, ,

o u t with overwork and o f underfed o l d people and

children — thi s i s n o t because these things will n o t
occur but only because we shall n o t se e them —shal l
,

forget about them s hall assure ourselves that th ey do

,

not exist or that, if they do they are inevitable a n d

, ,

cannot be helped .

But such assurances are untrue : n o t only is it po s

sible fo r these things n o t t o exist—but they ought not
.

1 23
 ES S AY S A N D LETTE R S

to exist and the time is coming when they will not

exist— and that time is near
,

However well the wine cup may seem t o u s to be

hidden from th e labouring classes — however artful ,

ancient and generally accepted may be the excus e s

,

wherewith we j ustify o u r life o f luxury amid a working

folk who crushed with toil and underfed supply o u r
,

luxury— the li ght is penetrating more and more into

,

o u r relations w ith the people and we shall soon appear ,

in t h e shameful and dan gerous p o sit io n o f a criminal '

wh om the unexpected dawn o f day exposes on the scene

o f his crime I f a dealer disposi n g o f harmful o r
.

worthless goods among the working folk and trying to

charge as much as possible—o r disposin g even o f good
,

and needfu l bread but bread which he had bough t ,

cheap and was selling dear— could formerly have said

he was servin g the needs o f the people by honest trade
o r if a manufacturer o f cotton prints looking glasses ,
-
,

cigarettes spirits o r beer could say that he was feed

, , ,

i n g his workmen by giving them employment o r if an

o fli c i a l receivin g hundreds o f pounds a year salary
,

collected in taxes from the people s last pence could ’

,
’
assure himself that he was serving for the people s good
or (a thing specially noticeable th e se last years in the
famine stricken districts ) if formerly a landlord could
-

sa y— to peasants who worked his land for less pay th an

would buy them bread o r to th ose wh o hired land o f
him at rack rents — that by introducing improved
,
-

meth ods o f a griculture he was promoting the prosperity

o f th e rural population if all this were formerly pos
sible now at least when people are dying o f hunger
, , ,

for lack o f bread amid wide acres belonging to land ,

lords and planted with potatoes intended fo r distilling

spirits o r making starch — th ese things can n o longer be
said It has becom e impossible surrounded by people
.
,

wh o are dyin g out for want of food and fr o m excess of

-

work n o t to se e that all we consume o f the product o f

,

their work o n the o n e hand deprives them o f what

,

they need for food and o n the other h a n d increases the ,

work which already taxes their streng th to the utmost .

 AN AFTE R W O R D 1 25

Not t o speak o f t h e insensate lu xury parks c o n of ,

se r v at o r i e s and hunting , every glass o f

wine every bit ,

o f sugar butter o r meat i s s o much food taken from

, , ,

th e people and s o much labour added to their ta sk

,
.

W e R u ssians are Specially wel l situated fo r seeing

o u r position clearly I remember long before these
.
,

famine years h ow a young and morally sensitive savant

,

from Prague wh o visited me in t h e country in winter

,

o n coming o u t o f the hut o f a c omparatively well to do - -

peasant at which we had cal led and in which as every , ,

where there was ah overworked prematurely aged

, ,

woman in rags a sick child wh o had ruptured itself

,

while screaming and as everywhere in spring a

, , ,

tethered calf a n d a ewe that had lambed and dirt and ,

damp and foul air and a dejected careworn peasant

, , ,

I remember how o n coming out o f the hut my young

, ,

acquaintance began to say something to me when ,

suddenly h is v oice broke and h e wept For the first .

time after some months spent in Moscow and Peters

burg—where he had walked along asphalted pavements
,

p ast lux u rious shops from o n e rich house to another

, ,

a n d from o n e rich museum library o r palace t o other , , ,

lar gran d buildings — h e saw for the first time thos e

whose labour supplies all that luxury an d he was ,

amazed and horrified To him in rich and educated .

,

Bohemia (as to every man o f W estern Europe especially ,

to a S wede a S wiss , or a B elgian ) it might seem

, ,

(though incorrectly) that where comparative liberty

exists —where education i s general w here everyone has ,

a chance t o enter the ranks o f the e du c at e d l u xu r y is fi

a legitimate reward o f labour and does n o t destroy ,

human li fe He might manage to forget the successive

.

generations o f men wh o mine the coal by the u se o f

which most o f the articles o f o u r luxury are produced
he might forge t—since they are o u t o f sight—the men
,

o f other races in th e colonies w h o die o u t working to , ,

satisfy o u r whim s but we R ussians cannot share such

t houghts the connection between o u r luxury and the
su f ferings and deprivations o f men o f the same race as
o urselves i s t o o evident W e cannot avoid seeing the .
1 26 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S

rice paid in human lives for comfort and

p
our our
u xu r
y .
_

Fo r us the su n has risen and we cannot hide what i s

,

obvious W e can no longer hi de behind Government

.
,

behind the necessity o f ruling the people behind

science o r art—said to be necessary for the people —o r
,

behind the sacred rights o f property o r the necessity ,

o f uph olding the traditions o f o u r forefath e rs etc ,

.

Th e s u n has risen and these transparent veils n o

,

longer hide anything from anyone Everyone sees .

and knows that those wh o serve the Government do it ,

not for the welfare o f the people (wh o never asked

them to serve ) but simply because they want their
,

salaries ; and that people engaged o n science and art

are s o engaged n o t to enlighten t h e people but fo r
, ,

pay and pensions : and tha t th ose wh o withhold land

from the people a n d raise it s price do this not to
, ,

maintain any sacred rights but to increase the incomes

,

they require to satisfy their o w n caprices To hide .

this and t o lie is no longer possible .

Only t w o paths are open t o the governing c l asses

th e rich and the non workers o n e way is to repudiate
-

not only Christianity in i ts t rue meaning but humani ,

t a r ian ism j ustice and everything like them and to

, , ,

s ay :
‘
I hold these privileges and advantages and , ,

come what may I mean to kee them,

t o e ve r .

wish es to tak e them from m e wil have me to reckon

with Th e power is in my hands : the soldiers the
.
,
’
gallows the prisons th e scourge and the co u rts
, , , .

Th e other way i s to confess our fault to cease t o lie , ,

to repent and to go t o the assistance o f the people not

with words only nor —as h as been done during these
, ,

last two years — with pence that have fi rst been wrung
from t h e people at the cost of pain and su ffering but ,

by breaking down the artifi cial barrier existing between

us and the working people and not in words but i n ,

deeds acknowled ging them t o be our brothers altering

our way o f life renouncing the advantages and
,

privileges we possess an d having renounced them, , ,

standing o n an e qual footing with the people an d ,

 AN A FTE R W O R D 1 27

togeth e r w ith th em obtai n ing th ose blessings o f

governm e nt science an d civili z ation which we n o w
, , , ,
with out consulting th ei r wish seek to supply them ,

with from outside .

W e stand at the parting o f the ways and a choice ,

must be made .

Th e first at h i n volves condemning one s self to per

’

e t u al false c o d to continual fear that o u r lies may be

p ,

exposed and t o the consciousness that sooner o r la ter

, , ,

we shall inevitably be o u sted from the position to which

we have s o obstinately clung .

Th e se cond path involves the voluntary acceptance

and practice o f what we already profess and o f what
i s demanded by o u r heart and o u r re ason —o f wh at
sooner o r later will be accomplished if not by u s , ,

then by oth e r s for i n this renunciation o f their power

-

by the powerful lies the only possible escape from the

ills o u r pse u do Chris tian world is enduri ng Esca e
-
.

lie s only through the ren u nciation o f a false and t e

co n fe ssion o f a true Christianity .

[ Octo b er 2 8 o s
,
. .
,

Thi s After ward , writt en by To l st o y as a c o n clu si o n t o

hi s A ccou n t r elati n g t o t h e fam in e o f 1 8 9 1 an d 1 8 9 2 , was
suppresse d in R u ss i a , an d i s n o t c o n tai n e d i n t h e Mo sc o w
'

e diti o n s o f hi s wo rk s, W h er e t h e r es t o f t h e A ccou n t i s

gi ve n .
 R E LI G I O N A N D MO R ALI TY *
Y o u ask me ( )
1 W hat I understand by the word
r e ligi o n , and , (2 ) I s it possible to have a morality i nde

pendent o f r eligi o n , in the sense in which I understand

that word ?
I will do my best to answer these most importa nt and
excellently put questions
-
.

Three di f ferent meanings are commonly g iven to the

word r eligio n .

Th e first is that reli gi on i s a special and true revela

,

tion given by G o d to man and i s a worship o f God in

,

accord with that revelation T h is meaning is given t o

.

religion by people who believe in o n e o r other o f the

‘

existing religions and who conse quently consider tha t

,

particular religion to be the only true o n e .

Th e second meaning i s that religion i s a collectio n

,

o f certain superstitious beliefs as well as a superstitiou s,

form of worship that accords with such beliefs Th is is .

the meaning given to religion by unbelievers in general ,

o r by such as do not accept the particular religion they

are defining .

The third meaning is that rel i g i on i s a collection o f

,

propositions and laws devised by wis e m e n and needed ,

t o console the common people to restrain their pas ,

sions and to make the masses man ageable

, This .

meaning is given to religion by those who are i n

di fferent to religion as religion but consider it a usefu l ,

i n strument fo r G overnmen ts .

A r eply t o q u es ti o n s put t o To l s t o y by a Germ an

E t h i c al S o c i e ty.

1 28
 R ELIGION AN D MO R ALI TY 1 29

R eligion according t o the first definition is a sure an d

certain truth which it is desirable and even nec o s
,

sary for human welfare t o promulgate by all possible

m eans .

According t o t he second definition religion i s a ,

collection o f superstitions from which it is desirable

,

and even necessary fo r human welfare that man should

be emancipated by all possible means .

According t o the third definition , religion is a certain

useful appliance n o t necessary fo r men o f high c u l t u re 1
, , ,

but indispensable fo r the consola tion and control o f

the common pe o ple, and w hich m u st therefore be
maintained .

Th e first i s like the definition a man might give o f

m u sic, wh o said that m u sic is a particular tune —the
one h e knows best and i s fondest of ; and that it ought
to be ta ught t o as many people as possible .

Th e second i s lik e a definition given by a man who

does n o t understa nd and consequently dislikes music
, , ,

and wh o says that music i s the production of sounds

’ ’
with one s throat o r mouth or by applying one s hands
,

t o certain instruments ; and that it is a useless and

even harmful oc o n ation from w hich people ought to
be weaned a s quick y as possible .

Th e third is like the definition o f m usic by a man

who says it is a thing useful for the purpose o f teachin g
dancing and also fo r marching ; and that it sho ul d be
,

m aintained f o r those purposes .

Th e diversity and incompleteness o f all these de fin i

tions arise from the fact that they fail t o grasp the
essential character o fmusic and only define some o f i t s
,
’
traits from the de fin e r s point o f View Th e same is
, .

true o f the thre e definitions given of religion .

According to t h e first o f them religion is something ,

in w hich the de fin e r rightly believes .

Ac cording t o the second it is s omethin g i n whic h

, ,
’
according t o the de fin e r s ob servation , other pe o pl e
mistakenl y believe .

According t o the third it is something the defin e r

,

thinks it u sefu l t o get other peopl e t o b eli eve in .

1 30 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S
In all three cases the thing defined i s not the real
essence of religion but something people believe in
,

and consider to be religion .

Th e first definition substitutes fo r the conception of

religion a faith held by t h e de fin e r ; the second d e fin i
tion substitutes a faith h eld by other people something
they take to be religion— while the third definition su b
’
s t it u t e s people s faith in something s u pplied to the m a s
reli gion .

B u t what is faith ? And wh y do people hold the

faith they do hold ? W hat is faith and how did it ,

arise ?
Among the great mass of the cultured crowd of t o
day it is considered a settled question that the essence
o f every religion consists in superstitious fear aroused ,

by the not understood phenomena o f Nature and in

-
,

the personification and de i fic at io n o f these natural

forces and the worship o f them
,
.

This O pinion is credulously accepted witho u t eriti ,

c i sm ,
by the cultured crowd o f to day ; and not only -

is it not refuted by the scientists b u t among them it ,

generally finds its strongest supporters I f voices are .

n o w and then heard (such as that of Max Muller and

others ) attributing to religion another origin and mean

ing they pass almost unheard and u nnoticed among
,

the common and unanimous acknowled gment o f religion

i n general as a manifesta tion of ignoranc e and super
st i t i o n N o t lon g ago at the commencement o f the
nineteenth century the most advanced men —if (like
.
,

the E ncyclop aedists o f the later part o f the eighteen th

century ) they rej ected Catholicism Protestantism and
R usso Greek Orthodoxy—never denied that reli gion in
, ,
-

g eneral has been and ,

i s an indispen sa ble condition o f
,

life fo r every man Not to mention the Deists (s u ch

.

as Bernardin de S aint Pierre Diderot and R ousseau )

-
, , ,

Voltaire erected a monument to God and R obespierre ,

insti tuted a fete of the S upreme B eing B u t in o u r

time—thanks to the frivolous and superficial teaching
.

o f Auguste Comte (who like most Frenchmen , really,

believe d Christianity to b e the sam e thing as Cat h o

 R E LIGI O N AND MO R ALITY 1 31

l ic i sm , and saw in Ca tholi cismthe co m plete realization

o f Christianity ) — it h a s been
deci ded and ta ken for
granted by the cultu red crowd (always eager and
prompt to accept the lowest View) that religion is only
o n e special long — outlived phase in the development of
,

h umanity and a hindrance to it s further progress I t

,
.

is ta ken for grante d that humani t y h as passed through

two s tages the religious an d the metaphysic al and has
now entered on a third and highest o n e —the scientific
, ,

and that all reli gi ous manifestati ons among men are mere
s urvivals of humanity s spiritual organ which like the
’

, ,

fi fth toe nail o f the horse has long lost all meaning or
-
,

importance .

It i s taken for granted that the essence o f religion

lies in fear evoked b y the unknown forces of Nature ,

in belief in imaginary beings and in worship of them , ,

a s in ancient times Democritus supposed an d as the ,

latest philosophers and historians o f religion assert .

B ut apart from t h e consi deration that belief in in

,

visible supernatural beings o r in o n e such being does

, , ,

not always proceed from fear of the unknown forces o f

nature—as we se e in the case o f hundreds o f the most
advanced and highly— e ducated men o f former times

(S ocrates Descart es Newt on ) as wel l as of o u r own

, ,

day whose recognition o f the existence o f a supreme

, ,

s upernatural being certainly did not proceed from

fear of the unknown forces o f Nature —the assertion
,

that reli gi on arose from men s superstitious fear o f the ’

mysterious force s of Nature really a ffords no answer t o

the main question W ha t was it in men that gave
,
‘

them the conception o f unseen supernatural beings ,

If men feared thunder and lightning they feared ,

them as thunder and lightning ; but why sh oul d they

invent some invisible supernatural being Jupiter who
, , ,

lives somewher e o r other and sometimes throws arrows ,

a t people ?

Me n struck by the sight of death would fear death

but why should they invent souls of the dead with
whom they entered into imaginary intercourse ? From
t hunder men might hide Fear o f death might make
.

I 2
1 32 E S S AY S AND LETTE R S

them try t o esc ape death B u t if they invented an .

eternal and po werful being o n whom they supposed

themselves to depend and if they invented live souls ,

for dead people they did this n o t simply fro m fear

, ,

b u t for some other reasons And in those reasons .

,

evidently lay the essence o f the thing we call religion

, .

Moreover every man wh o h as ever even in child

, ,

hood experienced religi ous feeling k no w s by personal

, ,

experience that it w as evoked in him not b y external , ,

terrifying material phenomena but by an inner c o n

, ,

sc i o u sn e ss whi ch had nothing to do with fear o f the

,

unknown forces o f Nature — a consciousness of his own

i n si gn ifi c an c e loneliness and guilt
, And therefore ,
.
,

both by e xternal observation and by personal e xp e r i

ence man may know that religion is not the worship
,

o f g ods evoked by superstitious fear o f the inv i sible

,

forces of Nature proper to men onl y at a certain period

,

of their development ; but is something quite inde

pendent either o f fear o r o f their degree o f education
—a something that cannot be destroyed by any develop
’
ment of culture For man s conscio u sness o f his fi n it e
.

ness ami d an infinite universe and o f h is sinfulness ,

of his n o t having done all he might and should

have done) has alwa y s existed and will exist as long as
man remains man .

Indeed everyone o n emergin g from the animal con

,

dit io n s o f infancy and earliest childhood when he lives ,

guided only by the demands o f his animal nature

everyone o n awakening t o rational consciousness can ,

not but notice that all around him lives renewing ,

itself undestroyed and infallibly conforming to o n e

, , ,

definite e ternal law : and that he alone recognising

, ,

himself as a bein g separate from the rest of the universe ,

i s sentenced t o die to disappear into infini te Space and

,

endless time and to su ffe r the tormenting conscious

,

ness o f responsibility for h is actions the con

s c i o u sn e ss that having acted badly he could ha ve
, ,

done better And understanding this n o reasonable

.
,

can help pausing t o ask himself IVhat is the ,

m e an ing o f my momenta ry, uncerta in and unstabl e ,

 R ELIGION AN D MO R A LI TY 1 33

existence am i d thi s eternal firm l y defined and a nend

, ,
’
ing universe ? E n tering o n truly human life a man ,

c annot evade that question .

That question faces e very man and in one way o r , ,

other every man answers it And in the reply t o that

, .

question lies the essence o f every religion Th e essence .

o f religi on consists solely in the answer t o the question ,

W h y do I live, and what i s my relation to the infinite

*
u niverse aro u nd me
All the metaphysic s o f religion all the doctrines ,

about dei t ies and abo u t t h e origin o f the world and

all external worship —w hich are usually supposed to be
, ,

religion — are but indications (di ffering according t o

geographical ethnographical an d historical circ u m
, ,

stances) o f the existence o f religion There is n o .

religion from the most elevated to the coarsest that

, ,

has n o t at its root this establishing o f man s relatio n ’

to the surrounding universe or to its first cau se There .

is n o religious rite however coarse nor any cult how

, , ,

ever refined that has not this at its root Every reli
, .

gio n s teaching i s the expression which the founder of

that religi on has given of th e relation he considered
,

himself as a man (and conse q uently all other people

al so ) to occupy towards the u niverse and i t s origin and
first cause .

Th e expressions of these relations are very numerous ,

corresponding t o the di fferent ethnographical an d h i s

t o r i c a l conditi ons of the founders o f these religions ,

and the nations that adopted them Moreover all .

,

these expressions are variously interpreted and per

verted by the followers of teachers who were usually
hundreds and sometimes thousands o f years ahead o f
, ,

th e comprehension o f the masses And so these rela

.

tions of man t o the universe to reli gion — appear

to be very numerous though in reality there are only
, , ,

three fundamental relations i n which men sta nd towards

the univers e and it s author They are (1 ) The primi .

U n i v erse i s u s e d here an d e l sewh ere i n i t s pri m ary

‘

s i gn ifi c a n c e em bra c i n t t ality o f exi s ti n

, g t h e o
g thi n gs ,
sp iritu al o r m at e rial .
1 34 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

tive personal relation (2 ) the pagan social o r family

, , ,

S tate relation (3) the Christian o r divine relation .

S tri ctly speaking there are only t wo fundamenta l

relations in which man can s ta nd towards the worl d
the P e r so n a l which sees the meanin g o f life i n personal
,

well bein g obta i ned separately o r in union with other

-
, ,

individuals and the Chr is ti a n which sees the meaning ,

o f life to consist in service of him who sent man into

the w orld Th e second of t h e three divisions men
t i o n e d in the first c l a ssifi c a t i o n — the social —is really
.

onl y an extensi on of the fi rst .

Th e first o f these perceptions the oldest— now found ,

among people o n the lowest plane o f moral develop

ment —consists in man considering himself to be a self
motived being living in the world to obta in the greatest
,

possible personal happiness regardless o f the su ffering

,

such atta inment may cause t o others .

From this very primitive relation to the world (a

rel a tion in which every i nfant lives o n first entering the
world in which humanity lived during the first pag an , ,

period o f its development ; and in which many o f the

morally coarsest i ndividuals and savage tribes still live )
-

flowed t h e ancient pagan religions as well as the lowest ,

forms o the later religions

f B uddhism *
Taoism , ,

Mohammedanism and Ch ristianity in their perverted

, ,

forms From this relation to th e world comes also

.

modern S piritualism which h as at it s root a desire

, , ,
’
for the pres ervation and well being of one s personality
- .

All t h e pagan cults divinations ; the dei fication of

beings who enj oy themselves like man ; S aints wh o
intercede for man ; all sacrifices and prayers o ffered
9‘
Buddhi sm th o ugh d em an di n g fro m i t s fo ll o wers t h e
,

r en un c iati o n o f wo rldly bl ess i n gs an d e v en o f life itself i s

, ,

b ase d o n t h e sam e relati o n o f a self m o tiv e d p erso n al ity -

(pre d es ti n e d t o p ers o n al w el Lb ei n g) t o t h e s urr o u n di n g

un iv er se ; but with thi s di ffer en c e —th at s i m pl e pa an i sm
c o n s id e rs m an t o h a v e a ri ght t o h a p pi n e s s whil e B u d h i s m ,

co n sid ers th at t h e wo rld ought t o di sapp ear b ecause it pr o

du c es sufferi n g t o t h e p erso n ality B uddhi sm i s n egativ e.

a a n i sm
p g .
 R ELIGION AN D MO R ALI TY 1 35

’
fo r man s earthl y welfare and fo r deliverance from
calami t ies —come from this conception o f life
,

Th e seco n d form o f the pagan relation of m a n t o the

world the social which he adopts at the next stage of de
v e l o m e n t —a relation natural chiefly to adults —consists
, ,

p
in seeing the mea ni n g o f life n o t in the welfare o f one ,

separate indivi dual but in the welfare of a group o f indi

v i du al s : a famil y clan nation empire or even o f all
, , , ,

h umanity (as in the Positivist s attempt to found a ’

religion ) .

In this relation o f man t o the worl d the meaning o f ,

life i s tran sferred from the individual to a family clan

nation o r empire —to a certa in association o findividuals
, ,

, ,

whose welfare i s cons i dered to be the aim o f existence .

From this View come all religions o f a certa in type

the patriarchal and social : t h e Chinese and Japanese
religions the religions o f a chosen people — the
Jewish the R oman S tate religion o u r Church and
,
-
,

S tate religi on (improperly called Christian but ,

degraded t o this lev el by Augustine) and the proposed ,

Positivist religion o f Humanity .

All the ceremonies of ancestor worship in China and -

Japan ; the worship o f Em e r o r s in R ome ; the mul

t it u din o u s Jewish cer e monia s aiming at the 3reservation
o f an agreement between the chosen peop le an d God ;
all family social and Ch u rch Ch ristian prayers for the
, ,
-

welfare o f the S tate o r fo r success in war— rest on that

,
’
understanding o f man s relation t o th e universe .

T he third conception o f this relation the Christian ,

o f which all o l d men are involuntarily conscious and ,

into which in my opinion h u m an it y is now entering

, ,

consists in the meaning o f life no l o n ge r appearing t o

lie i n the attainment o f personal aims o r the aims o f ,

any association o f individuals but solely in serving that ,

W ill which h as produced man and the en t i re un iverse ,

’
not for man s aims but fo r its o wn .

From t his relation t o the world c omes the highest

religious teaching k nown t o u s germs o f which existed ,

already among the P ythagoreans Th e rap e u t ae Essenes , , ,

and among the Egyptians, Persians the Brahmins , ,

1 36 ES S A Y S AN D LETT E R S
Bu ddhists , and Taoists in their best representatives , ,

but which received it s complete and final expression

only in Christianity in its true and u n e rve rt e d mean
,

ing All the ritual o f those ancient re igi o n s that p r o

.

c e e de d from this understanding o f life and in o u r time

, , ,

all the external forms of worship among the Unitarians ,

Universalists Q uakers S ervian Nazarenes R ussian

, , ,

Do u khob ors an d all the s o called rationalistic sects their

,
-

sermons hym ns conferences and books are religious

, , ,

manifesta tions of this relation o f man to the universe .

All possible reli gi ons o f whatever kind can by t he ,

nature of the case be classed according to these three

,

ways of re garding the universe .

E very man who has emerged from the animal state

inevitably adopts the first or the second o r the third , , ,

o f these relations and that is what constitutes each

,
’
man s true reli gion no matter to what faith he may ,

nominally belon g .

E very man necessarily conceives some relation b e

tween himself and the universe for an i ntelligent bein g ,

cannot live in the universe that surrounds him without ,

having some relation to it And since man has as yet .

devised but three relations that we know o f to the

u niverse it follows that every man inevitably holds o n e
-
“

of these th ree and whether he wishes to o r not belongs

, , ,

to one o f the three fundamental reli gions among which

the human race is divided .

Therefore the assertion very common among the ,

cultured crowd o f Christendom that they have risen ,

to such a height o f development that they no longer

need o r possess any religion only amounts to th is
, , ,

that repudiating the Christian religion which is the ,

only o n e natural to o u r time t hey hold to the lower , ,

social family S tate religion o r to the primitive pagan

, , ,

religion without being aware o f the fac t A man

,
.

with out a religion without any relation to the

universe —i s as impossible as a man without a heart .

He may not know he h as a religion j ust as a man may ,

not k now he has a heart but he can n o m ore exist ,

with out a religion than without a heart .

 RELIGION AN D MO R ALI TY 1 37

R el igi on is the r e lati o n in which a m an acknowledges

himself t o stand towards t h e infinite universe around
him o r towa rds it s source and first cause a n d a rational
,

man m u st have some relation to them .

’
B u t yo u will perhaps say that t o define man s rela
, ,

tion t o the universe i s n o t the a ffair o f religion but of ,

philosophy o r o f s cience in general if o n e includes

, ,

philosophy a s par t o f science I do not think so .On .

the contrary I think that the supposition that science

,

in it s wi dest sense including philosophy as part o f it

, ,
’
can define man s relation t o the universe is quite
erroneous and is the chief cau se o f the confusion c o n
,

cerning reli gion science and morality w hich prevails

, , ,

among the c u ltured classes o f our society .

’
S cience including philosoph y cannot define man s
, ,

relation to the infinite universe o r its source were it

only fo r this reason —that before any philosoph y o r
,

science could arise tha t m u st already have existed

, “

wi thout which n o activity o f thought n o r relation ,

o f any kind between man and the universe is ,

possible
A s a m an cannot by any possible motion discover in
which direction he ou ght t o move yet every movement ,

i s necessarily performed in some direction s o also is it ,

impossible by mental e ffort at philosophy o r science t o

discover the direction in which such e fforts should be
performed ; b u t all mental e ffort is necessarily per
fo rmed i n some direction that h as been predetermi ne d
fo r it . And it is religion that always indicates this
direc tio n fo r all mental work All known philosophers .
,

from Plato t o S chopenhau e r have always and inevitably

,

followed a direction given them by religion Th e .

philosoph y o f Plato and h is followers w as a paga n

philosophy which examined the means o f obta ining the
,

greatest possible well being for separate individuals and

-
,

fo r an as soc i ation of individuals in a S ta te Th e Church .

Christian philosophy o f t h e Middle A ges proceeding ,

from a similar pagan conception of life investigated

ways o f obta ining salvation for the individual —that is
,

ways o f obtaining the greatest personal welfare in a

1 38 E S S AY S AN D L E TT E R S

future life ; and only in its theocratic at tempts did it

treat of arran gements for the welfare o f society .

Modern philosophy both He gel s and Comte s has ’ ’

at its root the S tate —

, ,

social religious conception of life .

Th e pessimistic philosophy of S chopenhauer and Hart

mann wishing to free itself from J u daeo religious
,
-

cosmology involuntarily adopted the religious basis of

,

Buddhism .

Philosoph y has always been and will always be , ,

simply the investigation o f the consequences that result

from the relation reli gion esta blishes between man and
th e universe for until that relation is settled there is
,

nothin g on which philosophy can work .

S o also with positive science in the restricted mean ,

i n g of the word S uch science h as always been and
.
,

w ill always be merely the investigation and study o f

,

a ll such obj ects an d phenomena a s i n consequence of ,

a certain relation religion has set up between man and

the universe appear to demand investigation
, .

S cience always h as been and will be not the study , ,

o f everyth ing as scientists n ow na i vely suppose (that

,
’

i s impossible for there are an incalculable q uantity of

,

obj ects that might be studied ) but only o f such things ,

as religion selects in due order and according to their

de gree o f importa nce from among the incalculable,

quantity o f obj ects phenomena and conditions await

, , ,

ing examination And therefore science i s not one

.
, ,

and indivisible but there are a s many sciences as there

,

are reli gions Each reli gion selects a range o f objects

.

for investigation and therefore the science o f each

,

di fferent time and people inevitably bears the character

o f the religion from whose point o f view it sees its

obj ects
Thus pagan science r e —
.

esta blish ed at the R enaissance

,

and now fl ourishing in o u r society under the title o f

Christian always was and continues to be merel y an
, , ,

investi gation o f all those conditions from w hich man

may obta in the g reatest welfare and o f all such ,

phenomena as can be made to promote tha t end Brah .

man and Buddhist philosophic science was always merel y

 R E L IGI ON AN D MO R ALI TY 1 39

the investigation o f those conditions under which man

escapes from the su fferings that O ppress him Hebrew .

sci e nce (the Talmud ) w as always merely the study an d

explanation o f the conditions which man had to observe
in order to fulfil his contract with God and t o keep th e ,

ch osen people at the height o f their voca t ion Church .

Ch ristian science h as been and is an investigation of , ,

the c onditions under which salvation can be obtained by

man True Christian science such as is only n o w being
.
,

born is an investigation o f the conditions enabling

,

man t o know th e demands o f the S upreme W ill from

h e n c e he came and h o w to apply those demands to
pife
,

’
Neither philosoph y n o r science can establish man s r e
lati on t o the universe for that relation m ust be estab ,

l ish e d before any philosophy o r science can begin They .

cannot do it fo r this further reason — that science includ ,

ing ph il o s o h y as part o f it i nvestigates phenomena ,

’
intellectual y independently o f the investigator s
“

’
position o r the feelings he experiences But man s .

relation t o the world is defined n o t by i ntellect alone ,

but also by feeling and by the whole combinati on o f ,

his spiritual forces H owever m uch you may assure a

.

man and explain t o him that al l that truly exists is

,

only idea— o r that everything consists o f atoms— o r

,

that the essence o f life is s u b st a n c e o r will — o r that

'

, ,

heat light movement and electricity are di fferent

, ,

manifestations o f o n e and the same energy— t o a bein g

that feels su ffers rej oices fears and hopes it will all
, , , ,

fail t o explain h is place in the universe .

That place and consequently his relation to th e

,

universe is shown t o him by religion which says to

, ,

him : Th e world exists fo r y o u therefore tak e from

‘
,
’
life all y o u can ge t from it o r : Y o u are a member ,
‘

o f a chosen nation loved by G o d therefore serve tha t ,

nation do all that G o d ha s demanded and yo u to

, ,

gether with your nation will receive the greatest wel

fare obtainable o r z Y o u are an i nstrument of the
,
’ ‘

S upreme W il l which h a s sent y o u into the world to

,

perform an appointed task ; learn that IVill and fulfi l

1 40 E S S AY S AND LETT E R S

it and you will do for yourself the best it is possible

,

for you to do .
’

To unders tand the statements o f philosophy and

sci ence preparation and study are necessary but for
, ,

religious comprehension they are not necessa ry : it is

given to everyone even to the most limited and i gnorant
,

o f men .

For a man to know h is relation to the world around

him or to its source he needs neither philosoph ic nor ,

s cientific knowledge (an abundance of knowledge bur

dening the consciousness is rather a hindrance ) but he ,

needs if but for a time t o renounce the cares of th e

, ,

world t o have a consciousness of his material in s ig

,

n ific a n c e and to have sincerity — conditions most often

,

met with (as is said in the Gospels ) among chil dren and
a mong the plainest unlearned folk Th at is why we often
,
.

s e e that the plainest least learned and least educated ,

-
,
-

people quite clearly consciously an d e as ily assimilate , , ,

the hi ghest Christian understa nding o f life while very ,

learned and cultured men continue t o stagnate in crude

paganism S o for insta nce there are most refined and
.
, ,

hi ghly educated people who se e the meaning o f life in

personal enj o yment o r in avoidance o f su ffering as did ,

the very wise and highly educated S chopenhauer or in ,

the salvati on of the soul by S acraments and means o f

grace as highly educated B ishops have done ; while
,

a n almost illiterate R ussian peasant sectarian sees the

meaning of life without any mental e ffort as it was
, ,

s e e n by the greatest sages of the world (E pictetus

Marcus Aurelius S eneca)—in acknowledging one s self

,
’
,

a n i nstrument of God s will a so n of God ’

.
,

B u t yo u will ask me : W hat is the essence of this

non ph il o sO ph i c non sc ie n t ific kind o f knowled e ? If
it is nei ther h il o s0 ph i c nor scientific what is it g How
- -
,

.
,

is it de fin a b e ? To these questions I can onl y reply

’

that as religious knowledge is th at on which all other

,

knowledge rests and as it precedes all o ther know

,

ledge we cannot define it fo r we have n o means

, ,

e nabling us t o do so I n theological language this .

knowled ge is called revelation and if o n e does n o t ,

 R ELIGI ON AND MO R ALI TY 1 4]

’
attach a m ystic me aning t o t h e word revelation th at ,

term is q u i te correct ; fo r thi s knowledge is n o t o h

t ain e d by study n o r by t h e e f,
forts o f o n e man o r o f
many m e n but only by o n e m an o r many men accep t
,

i n g that manifestation o f infinite wisdom , w hich i s

gradually revealing itself t o mankind .

W hy ,
years ago w ere peopl e u nable to ,

unde rstand that the m eaning of life i s n o t limi ted to

the w elfare o f one s personality and why did a time
’

come when a higher understa nding o f life —the family

,

social national S tate understanding o f life —was r e

,

, ,

vealed t o them ? I Vh y within historic memory w as , ,

the Christian View o f life disclosed to men ? And why

was it disclosed t o this man o r that people in particular
and why preci se ly at such a time in o n e and not in
, ,

ano ther form ? To try t o answer these questions by

seeking fo r reaso n s in the historic conditions o f the
time life and character and special qualities o f those
, ,

who first made this view o f life their o wn and first ,

e xpressed it i s like trying t o answer the q uestion

, ,

W h y does the rising su n light up some obj ec ts before

reachi n g others ? Th e s u n o f truth rising higher and
’
,

higher over the world ligh t s up more and more o f it , ,

and is reflected first by those obj ects which are first

reached by it s illuminating rays and which are best ,

fitted t o reflect the m B u t the quali ties which make

.

some men more suited to receive the rising truth are

not any special active q u alities o f mind but o n the
, , ,

contrary are passive qualities o f heart rarely coin

, ,

ciding with great and inquisitive intellect : renuncia tion

o f the cares o f the world consciousness o f one s o wn
’
,

m aterial i n sign ifi c an c e and great sincerity a s w e se e ex

, ,

e m p l ifie d by all the founders o f religion w ho were ne v er ,

remarkable either fo r ph il o s0 ph i c o r scientific erudition .

I n my O pinion the chief mistake and the o n e which ,

more than any other hinders the true progress o f o u r

Christian branch o f hum anity lies in the fac t that th e
scientists (wh o n o w occupy the seat o fMoses) —guiding
,

themselves by the pagan vie w of life r e — established at

the time o f the R en ai ssance and acceptin g as the ,
1 42 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

essence of Christianity someth ing that is really a rude

perversion o f it — have decided that Christianity is a
condition humanity has outlived a n d that the ancient , ,

pagan S tate social view of life held by them (o n e that

,
-

is really worn o u t ) is the very hi ghest understanding

of life and the one h umanity should e rs ist e n t l y cling
,

to Holding this view they n o t on y do not under

stand Christianity—that highest view of life humanity
.
,

is approaching—but they do not even try to under

stand it .

Th e chief source o f this misunderstandin g lies in

the fact that the scientists parting compan y with ,

Ch ristiani t y and recognisin g that their science does

not accord with it have decided that t h e fault lies with
,

Christianity and not with their science That is to say .

,

they are pleased to believe n o t what is really the case , ,

that their science is years behind Christianity ,

which already in fl u ences a large part of contemporary

society but that Christianity has lagged
,
years
behind science .

From this reversal of r oles come the astonishing fact ,

that no people have a more confused conception of the

essence and true importance of religion o f morality or , ,

o f life than scientists ; and the yet more astonishing

fact that the science o f to day— while accomplishin g
,
-

really great succe ss in investigatin g the phenomena of

the material world —turns o u t to be o f no use for the
direction of human life or even does actual harm ,
.

And therefore I think that certainly it is neither

, ,
’
philosoph y nor science that de t ermines man s relation
to the universe but it is a l ways r el igi o n
,
.

S o to your first q uestion What do I u ndersta nd b y

,

the word r el igi o n I reply : Re l igi o n is a r el at i o n m a n

,
’

s ets u p be t ween hi m s elf a n d the en dl es s a n d i nfi n i t e

u n i ve r s e o r i ts s o u r c e a n d fi r s t c a u s e
, ,
.

From this answer to the first question the answer to ,

the second follows naturally .

If reli gion is a relation man establishes towards the

universe — a relation which determines the meaning of
life — the n m o ra l ity is the indication and explanation of
 R E L IGION AN D MO R ALI TY 143

s uch human activity as naturally results from m e n

holding this o r that relation towards the u niverse .

A n d as onl y t wo such fundamental relations are known

to us if we consider the pagan social relation as an
, ,

enlargement o f the personal o r three if we count the

social pagan relation as a separate o n e —it follows that
,

but three moral teachi n gs exist the primitive savage , ,

perso nal ; the pagan family S tate or social and the , , ,

Christian or divine teaching o f service to man o r to ,

God .

From the first o f these relations o f man to the

universe fl ows the teaching o f morality common to all
pagan religions that have at their base the striving
after welfare for the separate in dividual and that there ,

fore define all t h e conditions yielding most welfare to

the individual and indicate means to obtain such
,

welfare From this relation to the worl d fl ow the

.

pagan teachings : the E picurean in it s lowest form ;

the Mohammedan teaching o f morality which promises ,

coarse personal welfare in this and the next world ;

,

the Church C hristian te achin g o f morality aimin g at

-

salvation —that is at the welfare of one s personali ty

,
’
, ,

especiall y in the other world ; and also the worldly

utili ta rian morality aiming at the welfare o f the indi
,

vidual only in this world .

From the same teaching which places the aim of life ,

i n personal welfare and therefore in freedom from , , ,

personal su ffering fl ow the moral teachin g o fB uddhism

,

in it s crude form and the worl dly doctrine o f the

,

pessimist .

From the second pagan relation o f man to the ,

universe which sees the aim of life in securing welfare

,

fo r a group of individuals fl ow the moral teachings ,

which deman d that man should serve the group whose

welfare i s regarded as the aim o f life According to .

that te achi n g personal welfare is only allowable to the

,

e xtent t o which it can be obtained f o r the whole group

o f people wh o form the reli g ious basis o f life From .

t h at relatio n t o the universe fl o w the w ell known -

R oman and G reek moral teachings in whi ch person ,

1 44 E S S AY S AND LE TT E R S

ality always sacrifices itself for society an d also the ,

C hinese morality From this relation flows also the
.

Je wish morality— the subordination of one s o wn We l ’

fare to that o f the chosen people —and also the Church

and S tate morality of o u r own tim es which demands ,

the sacrifice of the individ u al for the goo d o f the S tate .

From this relation to the universe flows also the

morality of most women who sacrifice their whole ,

personality for the benefit of their family and espe ,

c ia l l y for their children .

All ancient history and to some extent medieval and

,

modern history teems with descriptions o f deeds o f

,

j ust this famil y social o r S ta te morality And the

,

maj ority o f people to — day — though they think their

.
,

morality is Christian because they profess Christianity

really hold this family S tate pagan morality and , , ,

hold it up as an ideal when educating th e young

generation .

Fro m the third the Christian relation t o the

, ,

universe— which consists in man s considering himself ’

to be an instrument o f the S upreme W ill for the ,

accomplishment o f its ends — fl o w the moral teachings

which correspond to that understanding of life elucida ,

ting man s dependence o n the S upreme W ill and

’
,

definin g its demands From that relation o f man to

.

the universe flow all the highest moral teachin gs known

to man the Pyt hagorean the S toic the B uddhist the , , ,

B rahminical and the Taoist in their highest manifesta

, ,

tions and the Christian teaching in it s real meaning ,

demandin g renunciation o f one s pe rsonal will — and

,
’

’ ’
not only of one s own welfare but even of that of one s ,

family society and country— for th e sak e of fulfilling

the will of h im who sent us into life — a will revealed
, ,

by our conscience From the first the second o r the

.
, ,

third of thes e relations t o the infinite universe o r to its

’
source flows each man s real unfeigned morality n o
, , ,

matter w hat he may profess o r preach as morality o r ,

in what light he may wish t o appear .

S o tha t a man who consi ders the reality of his rela

tion t o the universe t o lie in obtaining the greatest
 R E L IGION AN D MO R A L I TY 1 45

welfare fo r himself — however much he may say he c o n

si ders it moral to live for h is family fo r society fo r , ,

the S tate fo r humanity o r fo r the performance o f

G od s will —and however artfully he may pretend and
, ,
’

may deceive men will still always have as h is real

,

motive of action simply h is individual welfare s o that ,

when a choice has to be made he will not sacrifice his

,

own personality fo r h is family or S tate n o r to do the ,

will of God but will sacrifice them all for his o wn sake
, .

S ince he sees the meaning o f life only i n personal wel

fare he cannot do otherwise until such time as he
,

alters his relation t o the universe .

And similarly o n e whose relation t o life consists in

, ,

the service o f his o wn famil y (as is the case with most

w omen ) o r o f h is clan o r nation (as among m embers o f
,

the oppressed nationalities and among men politically

active in times o f strife ) —n o matter h o w m uch he may
,

declare himself t o be a Christian —his morality will

always be family o r national but not Christian and , ,

when an inevitable confl ict arises between family o r

social we fare o n o n e side and that of his personality
, ,

or the fulfilment o f the will o f God o n the other he , ,

will inevita bly choose the service of the roup fo r

whom in his View o f life he exists for o n y in such
, ,

service does he se e the meaning o f his life And in .

the same way a man who regards h is relation t o t h e

world as consisting in fulfilling the will of Him who
sent him hither—however much you may impress upon
him that he sh ould (in accord with the demands o f his
personality o r o fh is family his nation empire or all
, , , ,

humanity) commit acts contrary t o the S upreme W ill

of which the operation o f the reason and lo ve where
with he is endowed makes him aware —will always
sacrifice all human ties rather than fail t o comply with
the W ill that h as sent him here for only in such com
p l i a n c e does he discern a meaning fo r his life .

Morality cannot be independent o f religion fo r n o t ,

only is it a consequence o f religion — that is a co u se ,

qu ance o f the relation in which a man feels that h e

stan ds towards the universe — but it i s implied (i m
x
1 46 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S
’

as the French sa y) in religion Every religion

p l i qu e e, .

is an answer to the question W hat is the meaning of

m y life And the religiou s answer involves a certain
moral demand which may follow o r may precede the
,

explanation of the meaning o f life To the question .

,

Wh at i s the meaning of life ? the reply may be Th e

’

meaning of life lies in the welfare of the individual ,

therefore make u se o f all the advantages within your

r each or Th e meaning of life lies in the welfare o f
‘
,

a certain group of people therefore serve that group ,

’
with all your strength ; o r Th e m e aning o f life lies ,
‘

i n fu lfilling t h e will o f Him that sent yo u therefore try ,

with all your stren gth to know that wi ll and to fulfil i t .

’

O r the same question may be answered in this way :

Th e meaning o f your life lies in your personal enj oy
’
m ent for that is the obj ect o f man s exis tence o r
, ,

Th e meaning o f your life lies in serving the group o f

w hich yo u consider yourself a member for that is your ,
’
d estiny ; o r Th e meanin g of your life lies i n the ser
,
‘

’
vice of God for that is your destiny
,
.

Morality is in cluded in the explanation o f the mean

i n g o f life that religi on g ives and can therefore in no ,

way be separa ted from religion This truth is pa r t ic u .

l ar l y e vident in the attempts o f non Christian philo -

s o phers to deduce a doctrine o f the highest morality

from their philosophy S uch h il o s o p h e r s se e that

.

C hristian morality is in disp e n sa b e that we ca n not live ,

without it they even se e that it is an already existin g

fact and they want to find some way to attach it to
,

t heir non Christian philosophy and even to put things

-
,

i n such a way t hat Christian morality may s ee m t o

result from their pagan social philosophy That is .

what they attemp t but their very e ffor ts show more

, ,

c le a rly than an ything else that Christian morality is ,

n ot merely independent of pagan philosophy but that ,

it stands in complete contradiction to that philosophy

o f individual welfare o r o f liberation from individual
,

su fferin g or o f social wel fare

, .

Th e Chris tian ethics which in accord with our , ,

r eligious conce p tion of life we acknowledge demand , ,

 R ELIGION A N D MO R AL I TY 1 47

’
n ot only the sacrifice o f one s personality for the group ,
’
b u t the renunciation alike o f one s personality and o f .
‘

’
one s group for the service of G o d ; but pagan philo
Soph y only investigates means o f obtaining the greatest
welfare fo r the i n dividual o r fo r the group o f indi ,

v i du al s and therefore a contrast i s inevitable And

there i s onl y o n e w ay o f hiding this con t rast—v iz
,
.

by p i ling up abstract conditional conceptions o n e o n

the top o f another, and keeping t o the misty domain of
meta physics .

That is what most o f the post R enaissa n ce philo -

sophers have done and to this circumsta nce —the

,

impossibility o f m aking the demands o f Christian

morality (which have been admitted in advance ) accord
with a philosophy built o n pagan foundations — must be
attrib u ted the terrible u nreality obscurity u n i n t e l l igi , ,

b il it y and estrangement from life that characterizes

, ,

modern philosophy W ith the exception o f S pino z a

.

(whose ph il o so b y in Spite o f the fact that he did not

,

consider b imse f a Christian develops from truly Chris ,

tian roots) and Kant (a man of genius who admittedly ,

treate d his system o f ethics as not dependent on his

meta ph ysics ) all the other h il o so ph e r s even the
, ,

brilliant S chope nhauer evi dent y devised artifi cial c o n

,

n e c t i o n s between thei r ethics and their metaphysics .

I t i s felt that Christian ethics are s o m e t h in that

must be accepted in advance standing quite fir m Tn o t ,
'
,

dependent o n philosophy and in no need o f the fi c ,

t it i o u s props put to support them ; and it is felt that

Philosoph y merely devises certain propositions in order
that ethi c s may not contradict her but may rather be ,

boun d t o her and appear to fl o w from her All such .

propositions however only appear to j ustify Chris t ian

, ,

ethics while they are considered in the abstract As .

soon a s they are applied to questions o f practical life ,

the non correspondence and more than that the

-
, , ,

evident contradiction between the philosophi c basis

and what we consider morality appears in full strength ,
.

Th e unfortunat e Nietzsche who h as latterly become ,

so celebrated rendered a valuable service b y h is

,
148 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S

exposure o f this contr adi ction He i s incontrovertible .

when he says that all rules of m orality from the point ,

of view of the current non Christian philosophy are -

,

mere lies and h ypocrisy and that it is much more ,

profitable pleasanter a n d more reasonable for a m a n

to devise his own S uper —
, ,

men (U e b e rm e n sc h ) and b e o n e
of them than to be o n e of the mass which h as t o serve
,

as the sca ffold for these S uper men No philosophical -

.

constructions founded o n the pagan religious view o f -

life can prove to anyone that it is more profitable o r

wiser for him to live not for a welfare he desires com, ,

prehends and sees to be possible fo r himself or for his

,

family or his society but for another s welfare — u m ,

’

desired not understood and unatta inable by h is puny

, ,

h uman power Philosoph y founded on an understand

.

ing of life limited to the welfare of man will never be ,

able to prove to a rational man wh o knows that he may ,

die at any moment that it is good for him and that he

, ,

ought t o fore g o his own desired understood and u n

—
, , ,

doubted welfare n o t even for any certa in welfare to

others (for h e can never know what will result from his
'

sacrifices ) but —m erely because it is right o r good to do

,

so that it is a categorical imperative .

To prove this from the point o f view o f pagan philo

s ophy is impossible To prove that people are all
.

equal — that it is better for a man to sacrifice his life in

the service of others than to trample o n the lives of
—
others making them serve him one must redefine
,

one s relation to the universe : one must prove that

’

man s position is such that he has no option since the

’
,

meanin g of h is life lies only in the execution o fthe will

of H im that sent him and the will o f Him that sent
him is that he should give h is life to the service of
,
’
men And such a change in man s relation to the
.

u niverse comes only from reli g ion .

Th us it is wi th the attempts to deduce Christian

morality from and to reconcile it with the funda
, ,

mental positions o f pagan science No sophistries or .

sub tleties o f thought can destroy this simple and clear

position that the law o f evolution which lies at the
, ,
 R E LIGION AN D MO R ALI TY 1 49

base of all the science o f to day is founded on a general -

eternal and unalterable law —

, ,

,
o u the law o f the struggle
for existence and the survival o f the fittest and that
, ,

therefore each man to attain his o w n and his group s

,
’

’
welfare should try to be that fit t e st and to make his ,

group such in order that n o t he or hi s group should

,

perish but some other less fit

, ,
.

H oweve r much some naturalists frightened by the ,

lo gical consequences o f this law and by their applica

tion t o human life may try to perplex the matter with
words and to exorcise this law—their e fforts onl y make
,

still more evident the irresistibility o f that l aw which ,

rules the life of the whole organic world and there , ,

fore that of man regarded as an animal

,
.

S ince I be g an writin g this article a R ussian t r an sl a ,

tion has appeared o f an article by Mr Huxley com .

,
*
posed o f a speech o n Evolution and thics delivered E
by him to some E nglish S ociety In this article the
learned Professor —like our well known Profes sor
.

B e k é t o f and many others w h o have written o n the

s ame subj ect and with as little success as his p r e de c e s
s ors —tries to prove that the strug gle for existence does
,

not infrin ge morality and that side by side with the ,

acknowledgement o f the struggle for existence as a

fundamental law o flife morality m ay not merel exist
but even progress Mr H uxley s article is ful l of all
,
, ,
’
. .

kinds of j okes verses and general views on ancient

, ,

religion and philosophy and is conse q uently so florid ,

a n d complicate d that it is only with great e f fort that
o n e i s able to reach it s fundamental thought That .

thought however is as follows : Th e law of evolution

, ,

runs counte r t o the moral law this was known to the

a ncient Greeks and H indus Th e philosophy and .

reli gion o f both those peoples brou ght them to the

doctrine o f self renunciation That doctrine
-
the .
,

author thinks is n o t correct ; the correct o n e is this

,

A law exists which the author calls the cosmic law in

, ,

H ux l e y s Ro m an es Le c tur e d eliv ere d in 1 8 9 4 a n d

’

, ,

c o n tai n e d in Evo l u ti on a n d E t h ics is sue d by Mac m illa n ,

and 00 .
1 50 E S S AY S A N D L ETT E R S

accord with which all beings struggle against one

another and onl y the fittest survive Man also is su b
,
.

j e c t to this law and thanks only t o it h as man become

what he now is B u t th is law runs counter to morality
. .

H o w then can it be reconciled with morality ? That

, ,

can be accomplished in this way : A law o f social pro

gress exists which seeks to check the cosmi c process ,
,

and to replace it by another an ethical, process the , ,

obj ect of which is the survival n o t of the fittest but of , ,

the best in an eth ical sense W here this ethical process .

spran g from Mr Huxley does not explain but in his

,
.
,

2 0t h foot note he says that the basis o f this process i s,

-

on the one hand that people like animals prefer to be

, , ,

in company and therefore suppress i n themselves quali

,

ties harmful to societies and on th e other hand that , ,

t h e members o f a society forcibly suppres s actions con

t ra r y to social welfare I t seems to Mr H uxley that . .

this process obli gin g men t o curb their pass ions for th e
,

sake o f preserving the group of which they are members ,

and for fear of being punished if they disturbed the

order of thei r group supplies that ethical law the ,

existence o f which he wishes to demonstrate It seems .

to Mr H uxley in the na 1 vet e o f h is soul that in

.
, ,

En glish society as it exists to day— with its I rish

‘

-
,

problem the poverty of its lowest classes the insen

, ,

sat e luxury o f the rich its trade in opium and spirits , ,

its executions its slau ghter o r extermination of tribes

,

for the sake o f trade and politi cs it s secret vice and it s ,

hypocrisy— the man wh o does not infrin ge the o l i c e

re g ulations 1 s a moral man g uided by the e t h i c a law , .

H e for gets that the q ualities needful to maintain the

society in which a man lives may be useful fo r that
—
society as the qualities o f the members of a band o f
robbers may be useful to that band and as in o u r o wn ,

society we find a use for the qualities o f executioners ,

gaolers j ud ges soldiers and hypocrite priests etc

-
, , , , .

but that these qualities have nothing in common with

morality .

Morality is something continually developing and

g rowing a n d therefore
,
c onformity ,to the existi n g ,
 RE L I G I ON AN D MO RA LI TY 1 51

ru l es o f a certain society and their preservation b y

,

means o f the axe o r the sca ffol d (t o which Mr Huxley .

alludes as t o instruments o f morality ) wil l n o t only n o t ,

be the maintenance but will be the infringement o f

,

morality And o n the contrary every infringement

.
, ,

of the existing order such as were n o t only the i n

-

fr in ge m e n t s committed by Jesus and his disciple s

of the regulati ons of a R oman province , but the in
fri n ge m e n t s o f present - day re gulations by one wh o
should refuse to take part in legal proceed ings in ,

mili ta ry service in the ) aym e n t of ta xes levied fo r

warlike preparations—will n o t only not be an infringe
,

ment of morali t y but will be an inevitable condition o f

,

the manifestation o f moralit y .

E very cannibal wh o perceives that he sh o uld not e a t

his fellow men and w h o acts accordingly infringes t h e
-
, ,

order of h is society And therefore thou gh actio n

.
, ,

infrin ging the order of any society m ay be imm oral ,

every truly m oral action which pushes forward t h e

limits o f morality will always be su r e to be an infri n ge
ment of the or der of society If therefore a law h as .
, ,

appeared in society in accord with which people sacri

fl e e thei r personal advantages for the preservation o f
the integrity o f their group—that law i s not the ethi cal
l a w but o n the contrary will generally be a law c o n
, , ,

t ra r y t o all et hics — that same law of the struggle fo r

existence only in a hi dden latent form It is t h e
, , .

same struggle for existence but carried over from t he ,

indivi dual t o a group o f individuals It i s not t h e .

cessation o f the fight but only a backward swinging o f

,

th e arm t o strike a harder blow

,
.

If the law o f the struggle for existence and the su r

v iv a l of the fittest i s the eternal law o f all life
( and i t
cannot but be admitted to be so when we regard m an
a s an animal
) —then no tangled discussions about socia l
progr ess an d an ethi cal law supposed t o flow from it o r ,

to spring up from n o o n e knows where j ust wh en w e ,

happen to need it (like a den s ex m a c hi n a ) can disturb ,

that law .

I f social progress as Mr H uxley assure s u s collects

,
.
,
1 52 E S S A Y S A N D LE T TE R S

people into groups t hen the struggle an d the survival

,

will continue amon g those families clans and nations , , ,

and the struggle will not only not be more moral but ,

it will be even more cruel and more immoral than that

between individuals as we s e e in actual life E ven if
, .

we admit the impossible and suppose that in another

,

thousand years all humanity will by social progress ,

alone be united into one whole and will form a single

nation and a single S tate —e ven then (not to mention
, ,

th at the strug gle abolished between nations and S ta tes

will continue between man and the animal world and ,

will always remain a struggle— that is will remain an ,

activity quite excluding the possibility of the Christian

morality we confess )— even then the struggle between
individuals forming this union and between the groups ,

of families clans and nationalities will n o t be dimin

, ,

i sh e d but will continue in a new form as we se e in all

, ,

a g r e ga t i ci n s of individuals families races and S tates

g , ,
.

Th e members of a family quarrel and fight with one

another as well as with outsiders and often to a gr e at e r ,

degree and with more venom It is j ust the same thing .

in the S tate ; amon g people living in one S ta te a ,

struggle continues j ust as with people outside the

S ta te only it is carried on under other forms
,
In the .

one case the slaughter is done with arrows and knives ,

in the other it is done by hunger And if both in the .

family and in the S ta te the weak are saved that is not ,

done by the social union but occurs because among the

,

people united in families and in S tates love and self ,

sa c r i fi c e exist
. If outside the family of two children
, ,
’
only the fittest survives while in a good mother s family
,

both remain alive this does n o t result from union into

,

families but from the fact that the mother possesses

,

love and self sa c r ific e An d neither self sa c r i fi c e nor

-
.
-

love can result from a social process .

To assert that a social process produces morality

is li ke asserting that the construction of stoves pro
duces heat .

Heat comes from the su n and stoves produce heat ,

only when fuel (the result of the su n s work ) is put into ’

 REL I G I O N A N D MO R AL ITY 1 58

t hem . Just so morality comes fro m religio n S pecial .

fo r m s of social life produce morality only whe n the

resul t s of religious i n fl u e n c e —w h ic h is morality — are
w

put into them .

S toves may be heated and g ive warmth or may not ,

be heated and may remain cold ; j ust as social forms

may contain morality and may then have a moral i n fl u
,

ence on society or may not conta in morality and will

, ,

then remain with out influence on society .

Christian morality cannot be based on a pa gan or

s ocial conception of life and cannot be deduced either
,

fron1 philosophy or from non Christian science ; and

_
-

not only can it not be deduce d from them but it can ,

not even be recon ciled with them .

That is how the m atter h as always been understood

by every serious and strictly consistent philosophy a n d
science which said quite reasonably
, ,
If our proposi ~

tions do not tally wi th morality so much the worse for ,

’
morality and continued their investigati ons
, .

E thi cal treatises not founded on religion and even ,

secular catechism s are written and tau ght and people

, ,

may suppose that humanity is guided by them ; but

that only seem s to be the case because people are really
,

guided not by those treatises and catechisms but by t h e ,

religions which they have always possessed an d still

possess ; whereas these treatises and catechisms only
counterfeit what fl ows naturally from religion .

Th e di ctates o f secular morality n o t based on a

religious teaching are j ust like the action of a man
who though ignorant of music should take the con
, ,
’
d u c t o r s seat and begin to wave his arms before t h e
experienced musicians who were performi n g Th e .

music would continue for awhile by its own momen tu m ,

and because of what the musicians had learned from

former conductors but evidently the waving o f a stick
by a man ignorant o f musi c would n o t merely be use
less but it would in course of time certa inly confuse
,

the musicians an d disorganize the orchestra A sim i .

‘

lar confusion be gins t o take place in people s mi nds at ’

the present time in con s eq u e n ce of attempts made b y

,
1 54 E S SA Y S AN D L E TT E R S

leading men to teach people a morality not founded o n

that h ighest reli gion which begins to be assimilated ,

and has already been partly assimilated by Christian ,

humanity .

It is indeed desirable to have m oral teaching unmixe d

with superstition but the fact is that moral teaching is
,

a result of a certain relation man holds towards the

universe or towards God If that relation is expresse d .

in forms which seem t o us superstitious we should , ,

to ri ght the matter try to express that relation more ,

reasonably clearly and exactly o r even to destroy the

, , ,

former relation (now become inadequate ) of man to the

universe and to substitute fo r it one that is higher
,

clearer and more reasonable ; but we should in no

,

case devise a s o called secular non religious m orality

-
,
-

founded on sophistry o r simply founded on nothi n g ,

at all .

Th e atte mpts to found a morality apart from religion ,

are like what children do when wishing to transplant

a flower that pleases them —they pluck it from the roots
,

that do not please and seem to them superfluous and

, ,

stick it rootless into the ground i Vit h o u t religi ous .

roots there can be no real sincere morality j ust as , ,

without roots there can be no real fl ower .

S o in answer to your t w o questions I say R el igi o n ,

‘

is a ce r t a i n r el a t i o n e s t a bl i s he d by m an betwee n his
sep a r a t ep e r so n a l i ty a n d the u n i vers e or i nfi n i t e i ts
S o u r ce A n d m o r a l i ty i s t he ever -p r es en t gu i de to
. l ife
’
whi c h r es u l ts fr o m tha t r el a t i o n .

[ De c em b er 28 , o s
. .
,
 R EA S ON A N D R ELI GION

A LE TT E R TO AN I NQ U IR ER

You ask me
1 S hould men o f n o special intellectual gifts seek to
.

express in words truths they have reached relating to

th e inner life ?
2 I s it worth while to try t o attain full an d clear
.

’
understanding o f one s inner life
3 How in moments o f struggle o r doubt are we to
.

know whether it is conscience that speaks to us or ,

whe ther it is intelle ct bribed by o u r in fi r m it ie s P (Thi s

third question for brevity s sake I have resta ted in my
,
’

o wn words without I hope ,

altering your meaning )
,
.

These three questions it see m s to me are all summed

, ,

up i n o n e — the second ; for if we shoul d not try to

attain full an d clear understanding of o u r inner life ,

then also we shoul d n o t an d cannot expres s in words

, ,

the truths we have reached an d in moments of doubt

we shall have nothing to guide us i n distinguishing
between conscience and false reasonin g But if it is .

right to seek the greate st clearness one s mental power s ’

can reach (whether those powers be great o r smal l ) ,

then we shoul d also express in words t h e truths we

have reached and by those truths elucidated to the
, ,

utmost and expressed in words we must be guided in ,

moments o f struggle o r doubt And therefore l an sw e r

.

your root question in the a ffi rmative ; namely that ,

every man i n order t o accomplish the purpose fo r

,

w hich he was sent here, and to attain true well being -

1 55
1 56 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S

( the two a l ways accord) should exert the whole strengt h

,

of his mind to elucidate for himself the religi ous fo u n da

tions on which he rests t hat is to sa y he should clear ,

up the purpose of his life .

Among uneducated navvies whose work is paid for

,

by the cubic fathom I have often met with a prevalent

,

conviction that mathematical cal culations are de c e p

tive and should not be trusted W hether this is
.

b ecause they do not know mathematics or because ,

those who calculate the ea rth they have dug up often

intentionally or unintentionally chea t them the fact ,

remains that disbelief in the su ffi ciency or applicability

of mathematics to estimate quantities has firmly esta b ,

l ish e d itself amon g these uneducated labourers an d for ,

most o f them has become an unquestioned verity whic h ,

they do not even consider it necessary to prove A .

similar O pinion has established itself among people

whom I may safely call i r r el igi o u s—a n O pinion to the
e ffect that reason cannot solve reli gious qu es tions that
the application o f rea son to these questions is the chief
source o f errors an d that to solve reli gious questions
,

by reason is an act o f wicked pride .

I mention this because the doubt expressed in your

q uesti ons as to whether one should try to attain full
and clear understa nding can only arise from the su p
,

position that reason cannot be applied to the solution

of religious questions . Yet that suppo sition is as
stran ge and as obviously false as the supposition that
calculation cannot solve mathematical q uestions .

Man has received direct from God only one instrument

wherewith to know himself and to know his relation to
the universe — he h as no other — and that instrument is
reason but suddenly he is told that h is r ea son may be
u sed t o elucidate his home family business political
, , , ,

scient ific or artistic problems but may not be used to

,

clear up the very thing for which it was chiefly granted

h im . I t wo u l d seem that t o clear up the most important
truths those on which his whole life depends m a n
, ,

must on no account u se his reason but must recognise

,

such truths apart fro m his re as on thou gh apart fro m

,
 R E A S ON AN D R E LIGI ON 1 57

his reason man can know nothing People say R ecog .

nise by inspiration by faith b u t the fact is that man

, ,

cannot eve n believe apart from hi s reason I f a man .

believes o n e thi n g and not another he does this only ,

because h i s reason tells him he should not believe this ,

but sh ould be lieve that To sa y a man should n o t be

.

guided b y reason is the same as to say t o a man carry

,

ing a lamp in a dark cata comb that to find the wa y , ,

o ut
,
he must extinguish his lamp and be guided, n o t by
light but by something else
, .

But perhaps it w ill be said (as you say in your letter )

that not all men are gifted with great intellect and ,

especially n o t wi th c apacity to express their thoughts

and by an unskilful expression o f their thoughts about
religion they may therefore occasion error To that
, ,
.

I will reply in the words o f the Gospel that what i s ,

hidden from the wise i s revealed to babes And this .

saying is n o t an ex ag geration or a paradox (as we are

accustomed to consi der sayi ngs in the Gosp els that do
n o t please us ) but i s a statement of the simplest and
,

m ost undo u bte d truth namely that to every bei n g in

, ,

the world a law is given which that bein should follow,

and that to enable him to perceive this aw every being ,

has received suita ble organs And therefore every man

.
, ,

i s gifted with reason and by that reas o n the law he

,

should follow is revealed t o each man That law i s .

hidden only from those w h o d o not w ish t o follow it ,

and wh o in order n o t to obey the law rej ect reason

, , ,

and instead o f usin g the reason given to them where

,

with t o discern truth accept o n faith the guidance o f

,

others wh o have also rej ected reason .

Th e law man should follow i s so simple that it is

accessible t o every child : especially as man need not
.

rediscover thi s law o f his life Th ose who lived before .

us discovered and expressed i t and a man need only ,

verify the propositions he finds expressed in tradition ,

by h is o wn reason — accepting o r rej ecting them But .

he m ust n o t do as people advise who prefer n o t to o b e v

the law : he must n o t check h is reason by tradition ,

b u t contrariwise m ust check tradition by reason

, ,
.
1 58 E S S AY S AN D LETT E RS

Traditions may come from man and be false but reason ,

certa inly comes from God and cann ot be false And .

,

therefore no specially great capacities are neede d to

,

know and express the truth but we need only believe ,

that reason not only is the highest the divine quality ,

in man but that it is the only instrument he po ssesses

,

for the atta inment o f truth .

S pecial ta lents and intellectual g ifts are needed not ,

for the knowledge and statement of truth but for the ,

invention and sta tement o f falsehood Once they .

abandon the indications o f reason and instead o f , ,

believing them , credulously accept what i s o ffere d to

them as truth people pile up and credulously accept
,

(usually in the guise o f laws revelations and dogmas) , ,

such complex unnatural and contradictory propositions

, ,

that to express them and connect them with any truth

really needs great subtlety of min d and exceptional
’
gifts One need only imagine to one s self a man o f our
.

world educated in the religious beliefs o f any o n e o f

,

the Christ ian Churches — Catholic R usso Greek Ortho -

do x o r Prote stant—wh o should wish to elucidate the

,

religious principles with which he has been inoculate d

in childhood and to connect them with real life—what
,

a complex intellectual labour he would have to perform

i n order t o adj ust all the contradictions cont ained in
th e faith with whi ch his educatio n had inoculated him
a G o d wh o is the Creator and is good—c reates evil
, ,

c ondemns people and demands a ransom , etc ,

and .

we ourselves profess a law o f love and forgiveness yet ,

we execute , make war take their produce from the ,

poor etc ,
.

For the disenta nglement o f these insoluble contra

’
dictions or rather in order to hide them from one s
, , ,

self great ability and special menta l endowments are

,
’
necessary ; but to know the law o f one s life o r as , ,

you express it to attain full and clear understa nding

,
’
o f one s belief no special menta l gifts are required
—we only need be careful not to accept anything c o n
,

t rar y to reason , not to deny o u r reason religiously to ,

g uard o u r reason and believe in it alone If the mean .

 R EA S ON A N D R ELIGI O N 1 59

ing o f h is life seems obscure to a man this does n o t ,

prove that h i s reason i s incompetent to e xplain that

meani n g ; i t o n l y indicates that he has credulously
accepted t o o much t ha t i s irrational and that what ,

has n o t been verified b y reason must be se t as ide .

And therefore my answer to your root question as

, , ,

to whether we must strive to attain a clear understand

ing o f o u r inner life i s that that i s the m ost necessary
, ,

and importa nt thing we can do in life It is necessary .

and im o rt a n t because the only reasonable meaning

o f our ife consists in fulfilment o f the will of G o d ,

who h as sent u s here But the will o f God is known

.
,

n o t by some extraordinary m iracle the writing o f the ,

law by the finger o f the Deity on stone tablets the ,

compila t ion by the aid o f the H oly Gh ost o f an i n fal

l ib l e book o r by the infallibility of any holy man or
,

collection o f men but only by the use o f reason by

,

all men transmitting both by deed and by word o n e

, ,

to another the consciousness o f truth that i s ever more

,

and more elucidating itself t o them That knowledge .

never has b ee n , n o r ever will be complete but it ever

, ,

increases as humanity advances the longer we live the

’
more clearly we k now God s will and conse quently , , ,

the more we know what we should do t o fu l fil it And .

s o I think the clearing up by each man (h owever small

he may seem t o hi m self o r t o others—the least are
the gr eate s t) o f all r e ligious truth access ible t o him ,

and it s expression in words (for expression in wor ds is

one sure si g n o f complete clea rness in thought) , is o n e
o f the chief and m o s t h oly duties o f m an .

I shall b e very glad if my reply in any degree

satisfies y o u .

[Nov . 2 6,
 S HA ME

TH E R E was a time between 1 8 20 and 1 8 30 when the

, ,

o ffi cers of the S e m é n o f R egiment the fl ower of the ,

you n g generati on o f that time men wh o were fo r the ,

most part Freemasons and subsequently Decembrists * , ,

decided not to use corporal punishment in their re gi

ment and notwithsta n din g the strin gent discip l ine
, ,

then required without using corporal punishment

, ,

theirs continued to be a model regiment .

Th e o ffi cer in charge o f o n e o f the companies of

this same S e m e n o f R e giment meeting S ergius Iv ano
’

v i t c h Mo u rav of
y
— o n e of the be s t men of h is o r indeed

of any time — spoke o f a certain soldier a thief and a

,

, ,

dr u nkard sayin g that such a man could only be tamed

,

with rods S ergius Mo u rav yof did n o t ag ree with

.

him and proposed transferrin g the man into his own

,

company .

Th e trans fer was made and almost th e next day the ,

’
soldier stole a comrade s boots sold them for drink , ,

and made a disturbance S ergius Iv anovitch mustered .

the company called the soldier out and said to him

, ,

You know that in my re giment we neither strike men

nor flog them and I am n o t going t o punish you I
,
.

shall pay with my own money fo r the boots yo u stole

, , ,

but 1 ask you not for my sake but for your own to
, ,

think over your way of life and to amend it And ’

.

Mem b ers o f t h e party whi c h atte m pt e d but fail ed t o , ,

s e c ur e b y fo r c e a lib e ral c o n s t ituti o n fo r R u ssia i n 1 8 2 5 , ,

wh en N i c h o las I asc en d e d t h e thr o n e

. .

[ 1 60 ]
 S HA ME I 161

after givin g the m an '

s ome friendly counsel ,

S ergius
Iv anovitch let him go .

Th e m an .drunk and fought and again he

agai n g t
o ,

was not punished but only exhorted : Y o u are doi n g

yourself g reat harm I f yo u will amend yo u will your .
,

self be the better for it S o I ask yo u n o t to do t hese .

’
things any more .

Th e man was s o struck by this new kind o f treat

ment that he completely altered and became a model
, ,

s oldier .

This incident was told me by S ergius Ivan o vit c h s

’

brother Ma tthew Iv anovi tch who like his brother

,

, , ,

and all the best men o f his day consi dered corporal ,

punishmen t a shameful relic o f barbarism disgraceful ,

t o those wh o inflict it rather than to those who endure

it W hen te lling this story he could never refrain
.

from t ears of emotion and pleasure And indeed for .

those who heard him tell it it was hard n ot to follow ,

his example
That is how seventy —
.

five years ago educated R ussians

, ,

regarded corporal punishment And in o u r day seventy .

,

fi v e years later the grandsons o f these men ta ke their

,

places as magistrate s at sessions and calmly d is cuss ,

whether such and such a full grown man (often the -

father o f a family o r sometimes even a grandfather) ,

should o r sho u l d n o t be flogged and how many strokes

, , ,

o f the r o d he ought to receive .

Th e most advanced o f these grandsons me et ing in ,

committees and Local Government Councils draw up ,

declarations addresses and petitions to the e ffect that

, , , ,
*
o n certain hygieni c o r pedagogic grounds it would be ,

better n o t to fl o g all t h e m o u z h ik s (people o f the peasant

pe titi o n i n g o p en ly fo r t h e rep eal o f laws s uc h as

By , ,

that em p o wer in g t he l o cal m agi strat es t o h a v e pe asan ts

fl o gged t h e petiti o n ers w o uld ri s k b e i n g lo o k e d at askan c e
,

b y th o se i n po wer B u t m em b ers o f l o cal H e a lth Co m

.

m i t t e e s o r E duc a ti o n a l Co m m itt ee s so m e ti m es fi n d o p o r
, p
t u n i t s t o ut te r v e il e d pr o tes ts wit h a m i n i m um am o u n t
o fri sl ip
1 62 E S S A YS AN D LETT E R S

class ) but only those who have not passed all the classes
,

o f the National S chools .

Evidently a grea t change has taken place in what

we call the educa ted u pper classes Th e men o f the .

’
twenties who considered the infliction o f corporal
,

punishment disgraceful to themselves wer e able to ge t ,

ri d o f it even in the military service w here it was ,

deemed indispensable but the men o f o u r day calmly

apply it not to soldiers only but to any man o f o n e
, ,

special class of the R ussian people and cautiously , ,

diplomati c ally in their committees and assemblies

, ,

draw up addresses and petitions t o the G overnment ,

with all sorts o f reservations and circumlocutions sa y ,

ing that there are h ygienic obj ections to punishment

by fl ogging and therefore i ts use should be l imited ;
,

or that it would be desirable o n l y to flog those peasants

who have not gone through a certa in school co u rse o r ,

not to fl o g peasants referred to in the Manifesto issued

‘

’
o n the occasion of the Tsar s m arriage .

Evidently a terrible change h as taken place amon g

the s o called upper classes o f R ussian society And
-
.

what i s most astonishing is that it h as come about j ust

while (during these same seventy-five years and e spe c i
ally during the last thirty five since the emancipation -
,

o f the serfs ) in the very class which it is considered

,

necessary to expose to this revolting coarse and stupi d , ,

torture by flogging an equally importa nt change has

,

taken place in the contrary direction .

W hile the upper governing classes have sunk to a

,

lane so coarse an d morally degraded that they have

pe gal ize d fl ogging and can calmly discuss it the mental ,

and moral plane o f the peasant cl ass has s o risen that

corporal punishment has become for them not only a
physical but also a moral torture
, ,
.

1 have h e ard and read o f cases o f suicide committed

by p easants sentenced to be fl ogged and 1 cannot doubt ,

that such cases occur for I have myself seen a most ,

ordinary young peasant turn white as a sheet and lose

control of his voice at the mere mention in the District ,

Court, o f the possibility of it being inflicted o n him .

 S HA ME 1 63

I have se e n h o w another peasant o f forty wh o had ,

been condemned t o corporal punishment wept when , ,

in reply to my inquiry whether t he sentence had been

executed he had to reply that it had been
, .

1 know t o o the case of a respected elderly peasant

, , ,

o f my acquaintanc e wh o w as sentenced to be flogged ,

because he had quarrelled with t h e Overseer not ,

noticing that the latter was wearing h is badge o f o ffi c e .

Th e man was brought to the District Court and from ,

there t o the shed in which the punishment is usually

inflicted Th e watchman cam e with the rods and the
.
,

peasant was told to strip .

P ar m é n E r m il it c h yo u know I have a s o n wh o is ,
’
married said the peasant addressing the Elder and
, , ,
’
trembling all ov e r Can t thi s b e avoided ? Y o u.

’ ’
know it s a sin .

’
I t s the authorities Petr ovitch
‘
I shoul d be glad ,
.

’ ’
enough myself but there s no help for it repli e d t h e, ,

E lder abashed .

Petr ovitch undressed and lay do w n .

Christ su f fered and told us to said he

’

Th e clerk an eye —
.
, ,

witness told me the story and

, , ,
’
said that every man s hand trembled and none o f thos e
present could look o n e another in the face —feeling
that they w ere doing something dreadful And thes e .

are the people whom it is consi dered necessary and ,

probably for some reason advan t age o u s t o beat with

'

rods like animals though it is forbi dden t o tor ture

, ,

even animals .

For t h e benefi t o f o u r Christian and enlightened

country it is necessary t o subj ect t o this most stupid
, ,

most indecent and most degrading u n ish m e n t n o t all

, ,

members o f this Christian and en ight e n e d country ,

but o n ly that class which i s the most industrio u s use ,

ful moral and numerous

, ,
.

To prevent violations o f the law t h e highest au t h o r i ,

ties o f an enormous Christian empire nineteen centurie s ,

after Christ can devise nothing wiser and more moral

than t o ta k e the t ransgressors —gro w n —
,

u
p and som e
L 2
1 64 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

times elderly people —u ndress them lay the m o n the ,

*
floor and whip their bottoms with birches
,
.

A n d people who consi der themselves most advanced ,

a n d who are grandsons o f those who s eventy f ive years -

ag o g o t rid of corporal punishment n o w in our day , , ,

most respectfully and q u ite seriously petition his ,

Excellency the Minister o r whoever it may b e not to

, ,

allow so much flogging o f grown -u p R ussians because ,

the doctors are of opinion that it is unhealth y ; o r beg

that those who have a school diploma should not be
whipped ; o r that those who were to be flogged at the
time o f the E mperor s marriage should be let o ff A nd
’
.

the wise Government meets such frivolous peti tions

with profound silence o r even prohibits them
, .

Can one seriously pe tition on this matter ? Is there

really any q uestion ? S urely there are some deeds
which whether perpetrated by private in dividuals or
,

by Governments o n e cannot calmly discuss and con

, ,

d e m n onl y under certain circumsta nces And th e

.

flogging o f adult members of o n e particular class of

R ussian cople in o u r time and among our mild and
,

Christian y enlightened folk is such a deed To hinder

-
, .

s uch crimes against all law human and divine one

, ,

cannot diplomatically approach the Government un der

cover of hygienic or educational o r l o yal i st i c considera
tions O f such deeds we must either n o t speak at all
.
, ,

o r we must speak straight to the point and always with

d etestation and abhorrence To ask that only those
.

peasants who are literate should be exempt from being

beaten o n their bare buttocks i s as though in a land ,

w here the law decreed that unfaithful wives should b e

punished by being stripped and exposed in the streets ,

people were to petition that this punishment should

'

o nly be inflicte d o n such as could not knit stockings ,

o r do something of that kind .

A n d wh y ch o o s e j u s t th i s s tu p id an d bruta l m e t ho d o f
c ausi n g pa i n an d n o t so m e o t h er ? W hy n o t s tick n e edl es
i n t o p eo pl e s s h o uld e rs o r o th er p arts ZZ—o r sq u e e z e th e ir
’

h an d s an d fee t i n vic es— o r d o so m e thi n g o f t h at ki n d

L T
. .
 S HA ME 1 65

About s u ch deeds o n e cannot most h u mbly pray ‘

,
’

‘
n or lay o u r petition at the foot o f the th rone etc ,
’
.

such deeds must only and can only be denounced , ,

.

And such deeds should be denounced because when an ,

appearance o f legality is given to them they disgrace

u s all who live in the country in which they are com
m i tt e d . Fo r if it i s legal to flog a peasant this has ,

bee n enacte d fo r my benefit also to secure m y tran ,

quillity and well being And th at is intolerable

-
. .

I will n o t and I cannot acknowledge a law which

i nfringe s all law human and divine and I cannot
imagine m yself confederate with those who enact an d
confirm su ch legali ze d crimes .

If such abomi nations must b e discussed there is but

o n e thing t o s a y—viz
,

that n o su ch law can exist that

.

no u k az e n o r insignia n o r seals n o r Imperial com

, , ,

mands can make a law o u t of a crime but that o n the

, ,

contrary t h e dre s sing u p in l egal form o f such cri m es

—
-

—
,

( as that the grown men o f o n e only o n e class may

at the will o f anothe r a w orse cl as s —the nobles and
, ,

the o ffi c ial s—b e subj ected t o an i ndecent savage a n d

, ,

, ,

revolting punishment) show s better than anything

, ,

else that where such sham legali z ation o f cri m e is pos

,

sible n o laws at all exist but merely the savage lice n ce

, ,

o f br u te force .

I f o n e h as t o speak o f corporal pun i shment infl icted

o n the pea sa nt class alone the needful thing i s not to
,
-

defend the rights o f the Local Government o r appeal ,

from a Governor (wh o h as vetoed a petition t o exempt

literate peasa nts from flogging) t o a Minister and fro m ,

the Minister t o the S enate and from the S enate t o the ,

Empero r (as was proposed by the Tam b of L ocal

Assembly) but unceasi n gly t o proclaim and cry alou d
,

that s u ch applications o f a bruta l punishment (al r e a dv

abandoned for children ) to o n e —and that the best
cl ass o f R u ssians i s disgraceful t o all wh o dir e ctly o r
, ,

indirectly, art ic ipate i n it

P e t r ovit cli wh o lay do w n t o b e beat e n after cr ossing
.

,
’
hi m self an d saying : Christ su ffered and told us to
‘
,

forgave h is torm e ntors , and remained after the fl ogging

166 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S
the man he was before Th e only result o fthe torture .

inflicted upon him was to make him scorn the authority

wh ich decrees such punishments But to many young .

people not only the punish m ent i t self but often even
,

the knowledge that it is possible acts debasingly on ,

their moral feelin gs brutalizing some and maki n ot h ers,

d esperate Yet even that is not the chief e v i

. Th e .

g reatest evil i s in the mental condition of those who

arrange sanction and decree these abominations of
, , ,

those who employ them as threats and of all who li ve ,

in the conviction that such violations of j us tice and

humanity are needful conditions of a good and orderl y
life W hat te rrible moral perversion must exist in the
minds and hearts of those —often young men — who
.

with an air o f profo u nd practical wisdom sa y (as I have ,

’
myself heard said ) that it won t do n o t to fl o g peasants ,

an d that it is better for the p eas ants themselves to be

fl ogged .

These are the people most t o be pitied for t h e debase

ment into which they have sunk , and in which they are
stag nating .

Therefore the emancipation of the R ussian peop l e

,

from the degradi n g influence o f a legalized crime is ,

from every aspect a matter o f enormous importance ,

.

And this emancipation will be accomplished not when ,

exemption from corpor a l punishment is obtained by

those who have a school diploma o r b y any other se t ,

of peasants nor even when all the peasants but one are
,

e xempted but it will only be accomplished when the

,

g overning classes confess their s i n an d humbly

r epent .

{De c em b er 1 4, o s
. .
,
 LE TTE R PE TE R VE R i G IN
TO ,
TH E
DO U K H O BOR L E A DE R —I

D EA R B R OT H ER ,

I M Tr ego ub o f has sent on to me your letter to

him and I was much pleased to read it —pleased to get
. .

t o kno w about yo u and as it were t o hear your voice

, , ,

and to know what yo u are thinking about and how you ,

think and what is vital t o you I se e by your letter

, .

that you live in a spiritual world and are occupied

’
with spiritual questions Fo r a man s welfare that is .
,

the chief thing : fo r only i n Spirit is man free and ,

’
only by the sp i rit is Go d s work done and onl y in ,

spirit does man fe e l himself at o n e with God fo r God ,

’
is a spirit .

Th e though ts expresse d in yo u r letter about the

advantage o f living intercourse over intercourse by
mean s o f dead books pleased me much and I share, ,

them I wr it e books, and therefore know all the evil

.

they produce I know h o w people wh o do not wish t o

.

receive the truth can avoid reading books o r under

,

standing what goes against the grain and exposes them

an d I know h o w they can misinterpret and pervert—as
,

they have do n e with the G ospels All this I kno w but .

,

yet I consi der book s t o be in o u r time ine v itable I , ,

.

‘ ’
say in o u r tim e in contradistinction t o the Gospel
times, when there wer e n o printing presses and books -

were not used and the means o f communication were

,
vocal . Then it was possible t o do without books ,

fo r the enemies o f truth had none But n o w o n e .

cannot leave this powerful e n gine entirely for the

167
1 68 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

enemies o f truth to use for deception b u t m u st also ,

see that it is u sed o n the side o f truth .

To refuse to make use o f a book or a letter to

’
convey one s thoughts o r get at the thoughts o f
’
others would be like refusing to u se one s strength
,

of voice to convey to many people at once what one

’
has to say ; or to use one s ears to understan d what
some one is saying in a loud voice I t would be .

like refusing to acknowledge the possibility o f con

y eying t hought except tét a d—
te te o r when conveyed
’
-
,

in a whisper W ri t ing and printing have but multi

.

plied a thousand a hundred thousand times the

, ,

number of people b y whom the thoughts expressed may

be heard but the relation between him who expresses
and him who receives the thoughts remains as before
as in conversation the hearer may grasp and understa nd
what is said or may let it go in at o n e ear and out at
,

the other so it is with printed matter As the reader

,
.

o f a book may twist it this way or that s o may he also ,

do who hears spoken words A s in books (and we .

constantly see this ) much may be written that is

superfluous and empty j ust so i s it with speech A
,
.

di fference exists but it is a di fference that is sometimes

,

t o the advanta ge o f vocal sometimes o f printed c o m

,

m u n i c at i o n s
. Th e advantage o f vocal communication
is that the b e ar e r feels the spirit o f the speaker but ,

the disadvantage i s that very often empty ta lkers (for

instance advocates ) having a gi ft o f words sway men ,

not by their re as onableness but by their mastery o f ,

oratorical art which i s not the case with books

, .

Another advantage o f verbal communication is that a

hearer wh o has n o t understood a matt er can ask ques
tions but there is the acc ompanying disadvanta ge th at
,

those who have failed t o understand (oft en purposely

failed) can put questions which are n o t t o the point,
and can thus divert the stream o f thought which i s n o t ,

the case with books Th e disadvanta ges o f books are

.

First that paper can endure all things and people can
, ,

have any nonsense printed causing enormous labour ,

to be wasted in papermaking and typesetting which is

 L ETTER To P E TE R VE R IG I N —I 1 69

n ot the cas e with vocal co m munication for people ,

can refuse to listen to nonsense S econdly that books .

,

are multiplying enormously s o th at the good o n es ,

get lost in the s e a o f empty and harmful ones B u t .

then again the advantages o f the press are very great

an d consist chiefly in the fact that the circle o f hearers
i s extended a hundredfold o r a thousandfold as com , ,

pared to the hearers o f the Spoken word An d this in .

crease o f the circle o f readers is important not because

there are many readers but because among the mill ions ,

o f people o f di f
ferent nations and stations to wh om a
book becomes accessible those who share similar ,

thoughts discover o n e another and while living ,

thousands o f miles apart n ot knowing o n e another are , ,

yet united and live by o n e spirit having the spiritual ,

j o y and encoura ement o f feeling that they are n o t

g

alone S uch communication 1 now have with you and

with many many men o f other nations —men wh o hav e
.

never seen me but wh o yet are nearer t o me than sons

o r brothers o f m y o wn blood Th e chief consideration .

in favo u r o f books is tha t since men reached a certain

,

stage in development o f the external conditions o f

li fe—books and printi n g in general have become a
, ,

means o f communication among m e n and m ust there , ,

fore n o t be neglect ed
,
S o many harmful books .

have been written and circulated that the evil can only ,

be met by oth er books One wedge drives o u t another

. .

Christ said : W h at I tell yo u in the ear proclaim

‘
,

u pon the ho u setops Printing i s j ust that proclamation

’

from the housetops Th e printed word is a tongue —a

.

tongue that reaches very far ; and for this reason all
that is said o f the tongue relates also t o the printed
word : Th ere wi th b less we G o d and therewith c u rse
‘
,
’
we men made afte r the likeness o f God
,
Therefore .

o n e cannot be t o o careful what o n e says and listens t o ,

nor what o n e prints and reads I write all this n o t .

that I think yo u understand the m atter di fferently

(from your letter I conclude that yo u understand the
matter as I do ) but because these thoughts have come
into my head and I w ish t o share them with yo u
,
In .
 E SS AY S AND LETT E RS
your letter I was ) articularly pleased by your sayin g
If we observed al l that has already been given us from
above we should be q uite happy W hat is necessary
, .

and right must certainly exist in everyone and comes

, ,
’
directly from above o r i s found in one s self That i s
,
’
.

’
q uite true and is j ust how I understand man s nature
, .

E very man can undoubtedly know the truth o f God

all he need know t o fulfil what G o d demands o f him in
this life —if only this truth revea le d t o man be not
darkened by false human i nterpretations Therefore to .

’
know God s truth man should first of all discard all
,

false interpretations an d all the snares o f the w orld,

tempting him to accept those interpreta tions and then ,

truth alone will remain and will be accessible to little ,

children for it is native to the soul of man Th e chief

,
.

di fficulty is when discardin g falsehood not to throw

, ,

away with it some part o f the truth and when explain ,

ing truth n o t to introduce new errors .

Thank you dear brother for the greetings yo u sen t

, ,

me W rite to me in Moscow if there is n o obsta cle

.
,

to your doing s o Cannot I be of any service to yo u ?

.

You would please me very m uch if yo u would give me

some commission to execute .

l embrace you as a brother .

LE o To rs r o v .

[ N o v em b er 2 1 , o s . .
,

Thi s l e tt er an d t h e o n e that fo ll o ws were writt en t o Pe t e r

Ver igi n w hil e h e was at O b d orsk , a sm all se ttl em en t n e a r
t h e m o uth o f t h e riv er O bi i n N o rth e rn S ib eri a , u n d ergo i n g
hi s fift e e n y ears e xil e H e was rel eas e d i n 1 9 02 , an d re
’
.

j o i n ed h is sec t in Can ada .

 LETTE R To PE T E R VE R i G IN , THE
DO U K H O B OR LEA DE R—n

D EA R FR I E N D ,

I received your letter yesterday and hasten to ,

repl y Letters from yo u and t o yo u are long on the

.

road an d I have n o t long to live

,
.

In your arguments against books there is very much

that is j ust and ingenious (fo r instance the comparison ,

to a medical assista nt and a doct or ) but the argumen t s

themselves are invali d chiefly because yo u contrast ,

books with living intercourse as though a book ex ,

In reality t he o n e does
'

clude d living intercourse .

,

n o t exclude but helps the other

, , .

To speak frankly your stubborn contention against

,

books see m s t o me a peculiarly sectarian meth od o f

defending a once accepted and e xpressed opinion .

And such peculiarity does n o t accord wi th the c o n c e p

tion I had formed o f your intellect and especially of ,

your candour and sincerity God leads men to H imself .

,

and t o the performance o f His wi ll by all pat h s the y ,

mov e conscio u sly when they try to do Hi s wi l l and ,

unconscio u sly wh e n , as they s u ppose they are doi n g ,

their o wn will
To a c c o m pl ish God s will —
.

t o establish H i s kingdom
’

o n earth —u nion am ong men is needed t h at all may be ,

o n e as Jesus felt himself t o be o n e with the Father

, .

Fo r this union w e need (1 ) an internal means : the

,

recognition and clear expression o f tr u th such as ,

Jesus achieved and such as unites all men ; and (2 )

,

an external m eans : the di ffusio n o f this e xpression of

1 71
1 72 E S S AY S AND LETTE R S

truth a -
di ffusion accomplished by very div e rse
methods by trade and conquest and travel and , , ,

books and railroads an d telegraphs and in many

, , ,

other ways some o f which s u ch as conques t I have

, , ,

to repudiate but others such as books and means o f

, ,

rapid communication I have no cause t o repudiate , ,

an d cannot (unless I wish to deprive myself o f a c o n

)
v e n i e n t means of serving G o d refuse to utili z e As to .

your argument that to produce books an d railroads

people have to burrow undergro u nd for o r e an d t o
work at a furnace why— all th at has to be done before
,

one can have even a ploughshare o r spade o r a , ,

scythe And there i s nothing bad in burrowing un der

.

ground for o r e o r working at a furnace ; and when I

,

was young I would willin gly have burrowed under

ground o r worked at a furnace to show m y spirit an d , ,

s o would an y good young fellow to day provided the -

,

work were not compulsory n o r fo r life an d were su r , ,

rounded by all the conveniences which will certainly

b e devised as soon as everyone is expected to work and ,

the labour i s not put o n wage slaves only -

.

B u t let u s not pursue this subj ect ; only believe me

that if I write to yo u thus I do it neither because I
have written many books and still write them —I most
,

heartily agree with you that the ve r y simplest good ,

life is more precious than the most beautiful o f books

—nor because thanks to books I come into touch with
other men — as happened this autumn with a H indu
wh o fully shares our Christian outlook (and who h as
sent me an E nglish book by a lady h is compatriot , ,

explaining the teachings o f the Brahmans in conformity

with the essentials o f Christ s teaching) and again with ’
,

some Japs who profess and teach a quite Christian

m o ra l it a n d t w o o f whom visited me a few days ag o
y , _
.

Not by these things am I w ithheld from agreeing with

you and from condemning book printing railroads -

teleph ones and other such things —but because when

, , ,

I s e e an ant hill in the meadow I cannot admit that the

-

ants have been mista ken in constructing that hill and ,

doing all t hey are doin g in it And in the same w ay, .

 L ETTER TO P ETER VE R IG IN —I I 1 73

l ooking at al l the material labours mankin d has a e com

p l i sh e dI cannot admit that they have done i t all by
,

mistake A s a man an d n o t an ant I se e defects in

.
,

the human ant hill a n d cannot but wish t o rectify

-

them —i n that lies my share o f the common work —but

,

I do not wish to destroy the whole hill o f human labour ,

b u t only to arrange better what i s ill arranged in it -

.

And in the human ant hill there is very much that is -

ill arrang ed concerning which I have written and yet

-
,

write have su ffered and yet su ffe r an d which as far

, ,

as I have strength I try to alter .

W hat i s wrong in o u r life i s first and foremost the , ,

fact that the means are put in place of the aim and wha t ,

should be the aim (the welfare o fo u r fe l low men ) is sacri -

fic e d to the means Th e welfare o f man even his life

.
,

its elf is sacrificed to produce things o f which only some

,

a r e wanted by everyone b u t some o f which are only good

,

to serve the caprice o f a single man S o that human .

lives are sacri fi ced to produce articles wanted only by a

few or w ante d by n o o n e , o r that are even simply
,

harmfu l .

W hat is wro n g is that people forget have forgotten , ,

o r do n o t know that (not to speak o f the production o f

,

such things as looking glasses ) n o t even to produce the

-

most i m portant an d necessa ry things — such as plough

s hares o r scythes —i s it permiss ible o r j u stifiable to
s acri f
ice a single life o r t o destroy the happiness o f a
s ingle man —even the most apparen tly insignificant ;
,

fo r the mea ning of human li fe lies solely in the welfare

o f all men To infringe the life and welfare o f any
.

m an for the welfare o f mankind in general is the same ,

’
a s if for an animal s welfar e w e were t o cut o f f one o f
his li m bs .

That is w here the terrible mistake o f o u r tim es is t o

be found ; not in the fact that printing o f
‘

fi ces rail -
,

roads and other such things exist but in the fact that
, ,

m e n consider it all owable to sacrifice the welfare were

,
i t only of a single man for the accomplishment o f any
,

b u siness however great A s soon a s people lose sigh t.

o f t he m eaning and a im o f their activity and th e r e is

(
1 74 E S S AY S A N D LE TTE R S

only o n e aim —the welfare

o f one s neighbour ) as soon
’
,

as they d ecide that for busi ness purposes it is permis

sible to sacrifice the life and welfare o f a single o l d
man burdensome to everyone o r even o f an idiot then
, , ,

it becomes permissible to sacrifice those who are less

o l d and less s t upid and no limit can any longer be
found —all may be sacrificed for the sake o f business
,

That is what is wrong and agains t that we m u st fight

, .

It should be understood that however useful and ,

important book printi n g railroads loughs and scythes

-

may seem to us it were bette r to p

, ,

, e t them all perish

and to do without them until we c an learn to get them
,

without destroying the happines s and life of men .

That is the whole q uestion ; and it is here people

generally get confused trying to go round the point o n
,

one side o r the other S ome say Y o u want to destroy

all that humanity has achieved by it s labour —yo u wish
.

to return to barbarism for the sake o f some moral ,

principle or other Moral principles are wrong if they

.

hinder the well bein g humanity achieves in the course

-

of its progress . Others say (and I fear yo u hold this

’

O pinion and it is an O pinion people attribute to me )

,

that since in the process o f attaining all the material

,

ameliorations of life moral principles have been violated

, ,

therefore all these ameliorations m u st, in themselves ,

be bad and should be abandoned .

To the upholders of the first view I reply that w hat ,

i s needed is not to destroy an y thing but only to ,

remember that the aim o f humanity is the welfare o f

a ll and that consequently as soon as any amelioration
,

deprives even a single man of welfare that amelioration ,

should be abandoned and n o t introduced until means

,

are found to produce it and to use it without in fr in g ,

ing the welfare o f any single man And I think that .

with such a View o f life , very many empt and har m ful
productions would be abandoned wh iy e we should ,

very quickly find means t o produce what is really

useful without infringing the welfare of any man .

To the upholders o f the second view I reply that ,

h umanity in passing from t h e stone age t o t h e bronz e o r

 L E TT ER To P E TE R VE R IGIN —II 1 75

iron age and progressing t o it s pr e s e nt material condi

,

tion cannot have made a mista ke but h as followed an

, ,

unalterable law o f progress an d t o turn back i s I will , ,

n o t sa
y undesirable but i s as impossible as it is for u s,

again t o become monkeys and that the problem for a

man o f to day i s n o t to dream about what people used
-

to be like and h o w t o revert t o what they were but it

, ,

i s to serve the welfare o f men n o w living

-
And what
i s necessary fo r the welfare o f men n o w livin g i s —that
.

some men should not torment others o r O ppress them ,

should n o t deprive them o f the products o f their labour

“

n o r compel them to work at thin g s they do n o t need o r

may n o t have ; an d chiefl y that it should n o t be con

s i de r e d possible o r right for the sake of any practical ,

advanta ge o r material success to sacrifice the life o r ,

’
welfare o f one s nei ghbour o r what i s the same thin g , ,

di fferently expressed t o infringe the law o f love ,

.

I f p e ople only knew that the aim o f humanity i s not

material progress but that that pro gress is an inevita ble
,

gro w th and that the aim is simply the welfare o f all

,

men , and that this aim i s superior to any material aim

people can set themselves then everything would fall ,

into its proper place And it i s to this people o f o u r

'

,
.

time should devote all their strength .

But t o weep because men cannot now live without

implements like wild beasts feeding themselves o n
, ,

fruits i s a s if I an o l d man were to weep for lack

, , ,

of teeth and black hair and the strength I had in my

youth W hat 1 have t o do is not to insert false teeth
.
, ,

dye my hair and do gym nasti cs but to try to live in

, ,

the way natural fo r an o l d man putting fi r st — not ,

worldly a ffairs b u t the a ffairs o f G o d— union and love

,
.

and admitting worldly a ffairs only in s o far as they do

n o t infringe God s work Th e same should b e done by
’
.

humanity in its present stage o f existence .

B u t t o sa y that railroads gas electri city and book , ,

printing are harmful because fo r their sake human ,

lives are sacrificed is like saying that plou ghing and

sowing are harmful —merely because I ploughed a field
,

a t t h e wrong time let it get overgrown with weeds, ,

176 E SS AY S AND LETT E R S

and then so w ed seed without re pl o u ghi n g—that i s to

s a y did things o u t of turn and at the wron g time
, .

I was very glad to se e what you write about your own

life ; and that even in the di ffi c u lt circumsta nces in
which you are placed y o u practise what you preach
earnin g your bread by your o wn work In nothin g .

’
else can a man s sincerity be s o well seen I ha ve n o w .

become very faulty in that respect surrounded as I am

b y all kinds o f luxury which I hate b u t from which
, ,

I have not the strength t o escape Your example .

encourages me and I do not cease to make e fforts

,
.

Thanks fo r sending the extract from your diary .

Concerning thoughts there expressed by you I should ,

like to share with yo u certa in observations that tend in

the same direction I will do s o another time
. .

Farewell meanwhile ; please do not let yourself feel

any il l will towards me for my reply to the opinions
expressed not only in yo u r letter to me but also in the ,

letter to E I You are very dear to me and I try to

. .
,

deal as strai ghtforwardly as possible like a brother in

, ,

r elation t o
yo u .

Yours lovingly ,

LE O TO L ST O Y .

{O c t o b er 1 4, o .s .
,
1 896 ]
LETT E R ON N O N -R E S I STANC E TO E R NE ST H .

C R O S BY , OF N E W YO R K
D E A R MR C R O SB Y , .

I am very glad t o have news o f your activity and ,

to h ear that your work begins t o attract attention .

Fifty years ago L loy d Garrison s Declaration o f N o n ’

R esista nce * only estranged people from him ; and

B al l o u S l fifty years labour in the same direction was
’ ' ' ’

consta ntly met by a conspiracy of silence I now read .

with great pleasure in the Vo i ce admirable th o u ghts by

American write r s o n this question o f Non R esista nce -
.

I need only demur t o t h e notion expressed by Mr .

Bemis It i s an o l d b u t unfounded libel u pon Christ

.

t o suppose that t h e e xpul sion o f the cattle from the

temple indicates that Jesus beat peopl e with a whip
and advised h is disciples t o behave in the same way 1 .

Th e O pinion s e xpressed by these writers especially ,

by Heber Newt on and G D Herron are quite correct

. .
, ,

bu t u nfort u nately th ey do n o t reply to the question

Christ put to m e n , b u t t o another question which has
b ee n su bsti tute d fo r it by those chief and most dangerou s

Th e Declarati on ofN o n R es i stan c e drawn up by

W illiam Ll o yd Garri so n was ad o pt e d at a Peac e Co n v e n ti o n
h e ld i n Bo s to n S e pt em b e r 1 8 2 0 1 8 38
, ,
.

"

l Ad in Ballo u (1 8 03 a Massac hu setts Resto rati o n i s t

m i n i st er fo un d e r o f H o p e dal e Co m m u n ity (1 8 42
, an d

auth o r o f Chri sti an N on R esi stan ce

-
.

I Chri st s u s e o fa sc o u rge i s m en ti o n e d o n ly in S t J o h n s
’ ’
.

Gospel . O u r Re vi se d Ve rs ion fo ll o wi n g t h e Greek i n di

, ,

cates that t h e sc o urge was for t h e sh ee p an d t h e ox en .

’

1 77 M
1 78 E S S AY S A N D LE TT E R S

opponents o f Christianity—the
so called orth odox -
‘ ’

ecclesiastical authorities .

Mr H igginson says I do not believe Non R esist

.
,
‘ -

’
ance admissible as a universal rule Heber Newton .

’
says that People s opinion as t o the practical results of
the application o f Christ s teaching will depend o n the ’

’ ’
extent of people s belief in his authority Carlos .

Martyn considers Th e transition sta ge in which we ‘

live not suited for the application o f the doctrine o f

Non R esistance
-
G D H erron holds That to obey
.
’
. .
‘

the law of Non R esistance we m ust learn how to apply

-

it to life Mr s Livermore thinkin g that the law of

.
’
.
,

Non R esistance can be fully obeyed only in the future

-
,

says the same .

All these views refer to the question W hat would ,

‘

happen if people were all obliged to obey the law of

N o n R esis tance P B u t in the first place it is im
’
-
, ,

possible to oblige everyone to accept this law S econdly .

,

if it were possible to do S o such compulsion would in ,

itself be a direct negation of the very principle set up .

Oblige all men to refrain from violence ' Wh o th en

would enforce the decision ? Thirdly and this is the ,

chief point the q uestion as put by Christ is not at all

, ,

Ca n Non R esistance become a general law for h u

-

manity ? but H o w must each man act to fulfil his

,

allotted task to save his soul and to do the will

of G o d P—which are all really one and th e same
, ,

thing .

Ch ristian teaching does not lay down laws for every

body an d does not say to people You all for fear of
, ,
‘
,

punish m ent must obey such and such rules, an d then

,
’
you will all be happy ; but it explains to each indi
vidual his position in relation to the world and lets ,

him see what results for him individually inevitably , ,

flow from that relation Christianity says to man (and .

to each man separately ) that his personal life can have

no rational mean ing if he counts it as belon gin g to him
self o r as havin g fo r its aim worldly happiness fo r
,

himself o r for other people This is so because the .

happiness he seeks is unatta inable (1 ) b ecause , as all

 LE TT E R ON N O N - R E S I STAN CE 1 79

beings strive a fter worldl y advanta ges the gain of one ,

is the loss of others and it is most probable that each

,

in dividual will in cur m uch s u perfluous s u ffering in the

course of his vain e fforts to seize unattainable blessin g s
( ) because even if a man ge t worldly advanta ges the
2 , ,

m ore he obtains the less they satisfy him and the more
h e hankers after fresh ones ; (3) and chiefly because
the longer a man lives the more inevitable beco m es ,

th e approach of o l d age sickness and of death de s troy

, , ,
i n g all p ossibility o f worldly advantages .

S o that if a man considers his life his own to b e ,

Spent in seeking worldly happiness for himself as well

as for others then that life can have no rational
,

explanation fo r him .

Life h as a rational meaning only when o n e under

stands that to consider o u r life o u r own o r to see its ,

aim in worldly happiness for ourselves o r for other

people is a delusion that a man s life does not belong
,
’ “

to him who has received it but to H i m who has given ,

it and its O bj ect should therefore be n ot the attain , , ,

~

m ent of worldly happiness either for one s self or for

’

other individ u als but solely the ful fi lment o f the will
,

o f Him w h o created this life .

This conception alone g ives life a r at i o n al m e a n i n g ,

and makes its aim (which is to fulfil the will of God )

attainable An d most important of all only when
.
, ,

enlightened by this conception does man see clearly the

ri ght direction for his o w n acti v ity Man is then n o .

longer destined to su ffer and to despair as was i n e v it ,

able under the former conception .

‘ ’
Th e universe and I in it says to himself a man ,
‘
with this conception exist by the will of G o d I
,
.

cannot know the wh ole o f the universe (for in it s

immensity it transcends my comprehension ) nor can ,

I know my o wn position in it but I do know with cer ,

tainty what G o d who has sent me into the world

,

(infinite in time an d space and therefore i n c o m pr e h e n ,

sible t o me ) demands from me This is revealed t o m e

, .

(I ) by t h e collective wisdom of the best men wh o h av e

gone before me i e , b y tradition, (2 ) by m y o wn
, . .

M
180 E S S AY S AN D L E TT E R S

reason and (3) by my heart i e , by the highest aspira

, , . .

tion of my nature .

Tradition (the collective wisdom of our greatest fore

runners ) tells m e that I should do unto others as I
would that they shoul d do unto me .

My reason Shows me that only by all men actin g

thus is the highest happiness for all men atta inable .

Only when I yield m yself to that intuition of love

which demands obedience to this law i s m y o w n heart ,

happy and at rest And n o t only can I then know how

.

to act but I can and do discern the work to c o operate

,
-

i n which my activity was designed and i s required .

’
I cannot fathom God s wh ole design fo r the sake of ,

which the universe exists and lives ; but the Divine

work which is being accomplished in this world and
in which I participate by living is comprehensible
to me .

This work is the annih ilation o f discord and strife

among men an d among all creatures and the establish ,

men t of the hi ghest unity and concord and love .

It is the fu lfilment o f the promises o f the Hebrew

prophet who foretold a time when all men should be
tau ght by truth when Spears should be turned into
,

reapin g hooks swords be beaten to ploughshares and

-
, ,

the lion lie down with the l amb .

S o that a man o f Christian intelli g ence n o t only

knows what he has to do but he al s o understands the ,

work he i s doing .

H e has to act so as to c o O perate towards the estab -

l ish m e n t o f the kingdom o f G o d on earth Fo r this a .

’
man must obey his i ntuition o f G od s will i e must ,
.
.
,

act lovingly towards others as he would tha t others ,

should act towards h im .

’
Thus the int u itive demands o f man s soul coincide
with the ex ternal aim o f life which he sees before
him .

According t o Christian teaching man in this world ,

’
is God s labourer A labourer does n o t know h is
.

master s whole design but he does know the immediate

’

obj ect which he is set to work at H e receives definite .

 LE TT E R ON NON-R E S I STANCE 181

instructions w hat to do and especially what n o t t o do

, ,

lest he hinder the attainment o f the very aims towards

which h i s labour sho u l d tend Fo r the rest he has full .

liberty given him And ther e fore fo r a man who h as

.
, ,

grasped the Christian conception o f l ife the m eani n g ,

o f his life i s perfectly plain and reasonable n o r can h e ,

have a moment s hesitation as to ho w he should act or

’

wha t he Should do to fulfil the obj ect fo r which he

l i ve s .

An d yet in spite o f such a twofold indication (clear

and indubita ble to a man o f Christian understandin g) o f
what is the real aim and meaning of human life and o f ,

what men shoul d do and sh oul d not do we find people ,

(and people calling the m selves Christians) wh o decide

that in such and such circumstances men ought to
, ,
’ ’
abandon G o d s law and reason s guidance and to act in
opposition to them because (according t o their c o n c e p
,

tion ) the e ffects o f actions performed in submission to

God s law may be detrimental o r inconvenient
’
.

According to the law contained alike in tradition in ,

our reason and in o u r hearts man sh ould always do

, ,

unto others as he would that they Sho u ld d o unto him

he Should always c o ope rate i n the development o f love
-

and union among created beings B u t in the j udg .

,

ment o f these far sighted people o n the contrary as

-
, ,

long as in their O pinion it i s premature to obey this

law man sh ould do violence —imprison o r kill people
,

and thereby evoke anger and venom instead o f lovin g

u nion in the hearts o f men I t is as tho u gh a brick
.

layer se t t o do a particular ta sk an d knowing that he

,
'

was c o operating with others t o build a house after

-
,

receiving clear and recise instructions from th e master

himself how to bui d a certa in wall accepted orders ,

from some fellow bricklayers (wh o like himself knew

-

neith er the plan o f t he h ouse n o r wh at would fit in ,

with it) to cease building his wall and instead t o pull , , ,

down a wall that other workmen had erected .

Astonishing delusion A being wh o breathes t o day -

and h as vanish ed t o morrow receives o n e definite

-

indubitable law t o guide him through the brief term

182 E S S A Y S AN D L ETTE R S

o f his
life ; but instead of obeying that law he prefers
, ,

to fanc y that he kno ws what 1 5 necess ary advantageous ,

and well timed for men and for all the world — th is
,

—
wo r ld which continually chan ges and evolves and for
the sake of some advanta ge (whic h each man pictures
after his own fancy) he decides that he and other p e O pl
should temporarily abandon the indubitable law given
, ,

to him and to all men and should act not as he would

, ,

that others should act towards him nor to bring love ,

into the world — but should do violence imprison kill , , ,

and bring into the world enmity w henever it seems to

him advisable to do so And he decides to act th u s .
,

thou gh he knows that the most horrible cruelties

martyrdoms and murders — from th e I nquisitio n and
,

, ,

the murders and horrors of all the revol utions down to ,

the brutalities of contemporary Anarchists and their

Slau ghter by the established a u t h o r it i e s4 h av e onl y
occurred because people will imagine that they know
what is necessary for mankind and for the world B u t .

are there not always at any gi ven moment two O ppo

, ,

site parties each of which declares that it is necessary

to use force against the other ? Th e law — and —
,

o rder
party against th e A narchist the Anarch ist against the
law and —
,
-
order men E n glish against Americans and ,

A mericans a gainst E nglish G ermans against English ,

and E n glish against G ermans and so forth in all ,

possible combinations and rearra n gements .

A man enli ghtened by Christianity sees that he has

no reason to abandon th e law of G o d given to enable ,

h im to walk sure fo o t e dl y throu gh life in order to

-
,

follow the chance i nconstant and often contradictory

, ,

de m ands of men B u t besides this if he h as lived a

.
,

C hristian life for some time and has developed in him

s elf a moral Christian sensibility he li t erally cannot act ,

as people demand o f him Not his reason alone but .

his feeling also makes it impossible .

To many people of our society it wo u l d be impossible

to tort u re or kill a baby even if they were told that ,

by so doing they co u l d save hundreds of other people .

And in the same way a man who h as developed a ,

 LE TTE R ON NON -
R E S I STANC E 183

Christian sensibility o f heart finds a whole series of

actions become impossible fo r him Fo r instance a .
,

Christian who is obliged to take pa rt in j udicial pro

c e e di n gs in which a man may be sentence d t o death ,

o r who i s obliged to take part in evictions or in debating

a proposal leading to war o r t o participate in prepara
,

tions for war (not t o mention war itself) is i n a position ,

paral l el t o that o f a kindly man cal led o n t o torture or

to kill a baby It is not reason alone that forbids him
.

to do wha t is demanded o f him he feels instinctively

that he c a n n Ot do it Fo r certain actions are morally
.

impossible j ust as others are physically impossible As

, .

a man cannot lift a m ounta i n an d as a kindly man ,

cannot kill an infant so a man living a Christian life

,

cannot take par t in deeds o f violence Of what value .

to him , then , are arguments about th e imaginary

advantages o f doing what it is morally impossible for
him to do ?
B u t h o w is a man t o act when he sees clearly the evil
o f following the law o f love and it s corollary law o f

Non R esistance ? How (t o u se the stock example ) is

-

a man to act when he sees a robber killin g or outraging

a child and h e can only save the child by killing the
,

robber ?
W hen such a case i s put , it is generally assumed that
the only possible reply is that o n e should kill the robber
t o save the child B u t this answer is given s o quickly
.

and decidedly only because we are all s o accustomed to

the use o f vi o l e n c c n o t only t o sa ve a child but even
g
,

to prevent a neighbouring Government alterin g its

frontier at the expense o f ours or someone from ,
‘

s m uggling lace across that frontier o r even t o defend ,

o u r garden fruit from a passer b -

y .

It is ass umed that to save the child the robber should

be killed .B u t it is only n ecessary to consider the
question o n what grounds a man (whether he be or be
,

not a Christian ) ought to act s o i n order t o come to the

,

conclusion that such action h as no reasonable fo u n da

tion an d only seems t o us necessary because up to two
,

thousand years ago s uch conduct was considered right ,

184 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S

and a habit o f acting s o was formed W h y sh ould a

non—
.

Christian — not acknowledging God n o r regarding ,

the fulfilment o f H i s will as the aim o f life — decide t o

kill the robber in order to defend the child B y kill ing
the robber he certainly kills whereas he cannot know
,

positively whether the robber would have killed the

child o r n o t B u t letting that pass who shall say
.
,
’
whether the child s life was more needed, was better ,
than the robber s life ?
’

S urely if the n o n Christian knows not G o d n o r sees

,
-

li fe s meaning in the performance o f H is w ill the only

’

rule for h is actions must be a reckoning a conception , ,

o f what i s more profitable f o r him and for al l men a

’ ’
continuation o f the robber s life o r o f the child s To .

decide that he needs to know what would become o f

the child whom he saves and what— h ad he not killed
,

him — would have been the future o f the robber he kills .

And as he cannot know this the non Christian h as n o ,

-

s u fli c i e n t rational ground for killing a robber to save

a child .

I f a man is a Christian an d consequently acknow ,

ledges God and sees the meaning o f life in fulfilling

H is will , then however ferocious the robber however
, ,

innocent and lovely the child he has even less ground ,

to abandon the G o d given law an d to do to the robber

-

what the robber wishes to do to the chil d He may .

plead with the robber may interpose h is o wn body ,

between the robber and the victim but there i s o n e ,

thing he cannot do : he cannot deliberately abandon

the law he has received from G o d the fulfilment o f ,

which alone gives meaning to h is life Very probably .

bad education o r his animal nature may cause a man

, ,

( C hristian or non C hristian ) to ki l l-the robber n ot ,

only to save the child but even t o save himself o r his ,

purse but it does n o t follow that he i s right in acting

,

thus nor that he should accustom himself o r others t o

,

think such conduct right .

W hat it does show is that notwithsta nding a coating ,

o f education and o f C hristianity the habits o f the ,

S tone Age are yet so strong in man , that he still c o m

 LE TTE R ON NON - R E S I S TANCE 185

mits actions long since condemned by h is reas onable

conscience .

I se e a robber killing a child an d I can save the

child by killing the robber —therefore in certain cases
,

’
violence must be used to resist evil A man s life is in
danger and can be s aved only by my te l ling a lie —
.

L
,

therefore in ce r ta in cases o n e must lie A man is

starving and o n e can save him only by ste aling—there
.

fore in certain cases o n e must steal .

I lately read a story by Co pp e e in which an orderly

'

kills h is o ffi cer whose life w a s insured and thereby

, ,

saves the honour and the family o f the o fficer There .

fore in certa in cases o n e must kill .

S uch inventions and the deductions from them only

, ,

prove that there are men who know that it is not well
t o steal to lie o r to kill but who are still s o u nwilling
, , ,

that e o pl e should cease to do these things that they ,

u s e a 1 their mental powers to invent excuses f o r such

conduct There i s n o moral law concerning which we

.

may not devise a case in which it i s difli c u l t to decide

what i s m ore m oral to disobey the law o r to obey it ?
B u t all such inventions fail to prove that the laws,
’
‘
thou shalt not lie steal or kill are invalid , , ,
.

It is the same with reference to the law o f N o n

R esistance People know it i s wrong to use violence
.
,

but they are so anxious t o continue t o live a life secured

by the strong arm o f the law that— instead o f devot ,
’

ing their intellec t s to the elucidation o f the evils which

have flowed and are still fl owing from admitting that
man h as a right t o u se violence to his fellow— men
they prefer t o exert their menta l powers in defence o f
that error .

‘
Do what s
’ ’
Fa i s c c qu c dais a dvi en n e qu c p ou r m
,

right come what may ) i s an expression o f profound

,
’

wisdom ‘Ve each can know indubitably what we

.

ought to do but what results will follow from o u r

,

actions n one of u s either knows o r can know There .

fore it follows that besides feeling the call o f d uty

,
‘

,
we are further driven t o act as d u ty bids u s by the ,

consideration that we have no other guidance but ,

186 E S S AY S A N D LETTE R S

are totally i gnorant o f what will res u lt from our

actions .

C hristian teaching indicates what a man Should do to

perform the will o f Him who sent him into life ; but
discussion as to what results we anticipate from such
or such h uman actions have no th ing to do with
Christianity but are j u st an example of the error
,

Christianity eliminates .

None of us has ever yet met the imaginary robber

with the imag inary child but all the horrors which fill
,

the annals of history and of o u r own times came and

come from this one thing— that people will believe that
they can foresee the results o f hyp othetical fu t u re
actions .

T he case is th is : People once lived an animal life ,

and violated or killed whom they thou ght well to violate

or to kill . They even ate each other ; and public
O pinion approved of it Thousands o f years a go as far
.
,

back as the times of Moses a day came when people

,

realized that to Violate or kill each other is bad B u t .

there were people for whom the rei gn of force was

advanta geous and these did not approve of the change
, ,

but assured themselves and others that to do deeds of

violence and to kill people is not always bad but that ,

there are circumstances when it is necess ary and e ven

moral And violence and even Slaughter thou gh not
so fre q uent o r so cruel as before continued —only with
.
,

this di fference that those who committed or commen ded

,

such acts excused themselves by pleading that they did

it for t h e benefit of humanity .

It was j ust this sophistical j u stification o f violence

that Christ denounced W hen two enemies fight each
.
,

may think his own conduct j u s tified by the circum

stances Excuses can be made for every u se of violence ;
.

and no infall ible standard has ever been discovered by

which to measure the worth o f these excuses There .

fore Christ taught us to believe in no excuse for

violence , and (contrary to what had been ta ught by
them of o l d time ) never to use violence .

One would have thought that those who professed

 LETT E R ON NON -
R E S I STANCE 187

Christianity would have been indefatigable in exposing

deception in this matter for such an exposure forms ,

o n e of the chief features o f Christianity W hat really .

happened was j ust the reverse People who profited b y .

violence and who did not wish to give up their a dvan

,

tages took on themselves a monopoly o f Christian

,

preaching and declared that as cases can be found in

,

which Non R esistance ca uses more harm than the use

-

o f violence (the ima ginary robber killing the ima gi nary

child) therefore Christ s doctrine of N o n R esistance

,
’
-

need not always be followed and tha t o n e may deviate ,

’
from his teaching t o defend one s life or the life of others ,

to defend one s country to save society from lunatics or

’
,

c riminals and in many other cases Th e decision o f

,
.

’
the q uestion I n what cases should Christ s teaching be
,

set asi de ? was left to the very people wh o employed

’
violence S o that it ended by Christ s teaching o n the
.
,

subj ect of not resisting evil by violence being c o m ,

p l e t e l y annulled And worst of all

. the very people
, ,

C hrist denounced came to consider themselves the sole

preachers and expositors of his doctrines But the light .

shines through t he darkness and Christ s teaching is ,

’

again exposin g the pseudo teachers of Christianity -

.

W e may think about rearranging the world to suit

o u r own taste — n o one can prevent that— an d we may
try to do what seems t o us pleasant or profitable ,

and with that obj ect treat o u r fellow creatures with -

violence o n the pretext that we are doing good B u t .

a cting thus we cannot pretend to follow Christ s teach

’

ing for Christ denounce d j ust th is deception Truth

,
.

sooner or later reappears and the false teachers are ,

unmasked which is j ust what is happening to day

,
-
.

’
Only let the question of man s life be rightly put as ,

Christ put it and not as it has been perversely p u t by

,

the Churches and the whole structure of falsehood

,

which the Churches have built over Ch rist s teaching ’

will collapse o f itself .

Th e real q uestion is not whether it would be good or

bad for a certain human society that people should
follow the law o fL ove and the consequent law o f Non
188 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S

but it is thi s Do you wh o to day live an d

R esista nce , , ,
-

to— morrow will die — who are indeed tendin g deathward

every moment— do you wish now immediately and ,

entirely to obey the law o f H im who sent you into life

, ,

and who clearly showed you H i s will alike in tradition

and in your mind and hea r t o r do yo u prefer to resist
hi s will ? And as soon as the question i s put thus
only o n e reply is possible —I wish now this moment
,

, ,

without delay o r hesitation to t h e very utmost o f my ,

strength neither waiting for anyone n o r counting the

,

cost to do that which alone is clearl y demanded by

,

Him who sent me into the world and on n o account ,

and under no conditions do I wish to o r can I , , ,

act otherwise for herein lies my onl y possibility o f a

,

rational and unharassed life .

[J an uary 1 2, o s
. .
, 1 896 ]
H O W TO R EA D TH E GO S P E L S AN D W HAT ,
IS
E S S ENTIAL IN THE M

TH E R E i s much that is strange impro b ab le unin

so , ,

telli gible and even contradictory in what professes to

, ,

be Christ s te aching that people do not know h o w to

’

understa nd it .

It is very di fferently understood b y di fferent people .

S ome s ay R edemption is the a ll important matter ; -

others s ay t h e all important thing is grace obta inable

-
,

through the S acraments others again , that s u bmission ,

to the Church i s what is really essential B u t the .

Churches themselves disagree and interpret the teach ,

ing variously Th e R oman Catholic Church holds that

.

the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the S o n ,

that the Pope is infallible and that salvation i s obtain ,

able chiefly through works Th e Lutheran Church .

disagrees an d considers that faith is what is chiefl y

,

needed fo r salvation Th e Orthodox R usso Greek.

-

Church considers that the H oly Ghost proceeds from

the Father o n l and that both works and fai th are
necessary t o saf iat io n And the Anglican and other
f
.

Episcopalian Church es the P resb yterian and the ,

Methodist n o t t o mention hundreds o f others each

, ,
’
interpret Christ s teaching i n their o wn way .

Young men and men of the people doubting the ,

truth o f the Church teaching in which they have been

brought up often come to me and ask what m y teach
,
’
ing i s and h o w I understand Christ s teaching ? S uch
,

questions always grieve and even shock me .

Christ wh o the Churches say was God came o n

, ,

1 1 89
1 90 E S S AY S A N D L ETT E R S

earth to reveal divine truth to men for their guidance

in life A man — even a plain stupi d man — i f he wants
.
,

to gi ve people guidance of importance to them will ,

manage to impart it so that they can make o u t what he '

means And is it possible that God havin g come on

.
,

earth specially to save people was not able to say what ,

he wanted to say clearly enough to prevent people

misinterpreting h is words an d from disagreeing with ,

each other about them

This could not be so if Christ were Go d ; nor even
if Christ were not God but were merely a great ,

teacher is it possible that he failed to express himself

,

clearly For a great te acher is great j ust be c ause he is

.

able to express the truth so that it can neither be

hidden nor obscured but i s as plain as dayli ght
, .

I n either case therefore the G ospels which transmit

, ,

Christ s teaching must conta in truth And indeed

’
.
, ,

the truth is there for all who will read the Gospels
with a sincere wish to know the truth without pre ,

j udice and above all without supposing that th ey

, ,

contain some special sort of wisdom beyond human

reason .

T h at 1 8 how I read t h e Gospels and I found i n them ,

truth plain enou gh fo r little children to u n de i stand as ,

indeed i s said l n the Gospels S o that when I am asked .

what m y teaching cons i sts in and how I understand ,

’
Christ s teaching I reply I have no teachin g but I
, ,
’
understa nd Christ s teaching as it is explained in the
’
G ospels If I have written books about Christ s teach
.

ing 1 have done s o only to Show the falseness of inter

,
’
pr e t a t i o n s given by commentators on the Gospels ’
.

To understa nd Christ s real teaching the chief thing ,

is not to interpret the Gospels but to understand them ,

as they are written And therefore to the question

.
,
’
h ow Christ s teaching sh ould be understood I reply ,

If you wish to understand it read the G ospels R ead ,

.

them ,
putting as ide all foregone conclusions read
them with the sole desire to understand what is there
said B u t j ust because the Gospels are holy books
.
,

read them considerately reasonably, and with discern ,

 H O W TO R EA D TH E GO S PE LS 191

ment and not haphazard or mechanically as th ough

, ,
’
all t h e w ords were of equal wei ght .

To understand any book o n e must choose o u t the

parts that are quite clear divi ding them from what is ,

obscure o r confused And from what is clear we .

must form o u r idea o f the drift and Spirit o f th e

wh ole work Then o n the basis o f what we have
.
,

understood we may proceed to make o u t what is con

,

fuse d o r n o t quite intelligible That is h ow we read .

all kinds o f books And it is particular ly necessary .

thus to read the Gospels which have passed through a ,

multiplicity o f compilations translations and t ran sc r ip , ,

tions and wer e composed eighteen centuries ago by

, ,

men wh o were not highly educated, and who were

superstitious .

Therefore in order t o understand the Gospels we

, ,

m ust first o f all separate what is quite simple and i n

t e l l i gib l e fro m what i s confused and unintelligible and ,

must afterwards read this clear and intelligible part

several times over trying fully to assimilate it Then
,
.
,

helped by t h e com prehension of the general meanin g ,

we can try to explain to ourselves the d ri ft of the parts

which seemed i nvolved and obscure That was how I .

’
read the Gospels an d the meaning of Christ s teach ing
,

became so clear to me that it was impossible to have

any doubts about it And I advise everyone who wishes .

Th e Go spel s k n o wn t o all wh o hav e st udi e d th eir

,
as is
o ri i n far fr o m b e i n i n fallibl e e xpr es s i o n s o f divi n e truth
g ,
g ,

are t h e work o f i n n u m er abl e m i n d s an d h an d s a n d ar e full ,

o f err o r s Th ere fo re t h e Go sp e l s c an i n n o c as e b e tak en

.

as a pro du c ti o n o f t h e H o ly Gh o s t a s Churc h m en as s ert ,

.

W er e th at s o Go d wo ul d h av e r e v e al e d t h e Go s p el s as H e
,

i s said t o hav e r e v eal e d t h e Co m m a n d m en t s o n Mo u n t

S i n ai pr H e w o uld hav e tran sm itt e d t h e c o m pl e te b o o k t o
m en ,
as t h e Mo rm o n s d e cl are w a s t h e c a se w ith th e ir H o ly

S cr i p tures B u t we kn o w h o w th ese w o rk s w ere wr itt en

.

an d c o ll ec t e d an d h o w th e y w er e c o rr e ct e d a n d tra n s lat e d
,

an d th erefo r e n o t o n ly c an w e n o t acc e pt t h em a s i n f alli b l e

re v elati o n s but w e m u s t if we r espe c t truth c o rrect erro rs

that w e fin d i n th em —
, , ,

L T . . .
1 92 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S
’
to understand the true meaning of Christ s teaching to
follow the same plan .

L e t each man in reading the Gospels select all that

, ,

seems to him quite plain clear and comprehensible , ,

and let him score it down the margin —say with a blue
,

pencil —and then taking the marke d passages first let

, ,
’
him Separate Christ s words from those o f the Evan
’
ge l ist s by marking Christ s words a second time wi t h ,

say a red pencil

,
Then let him read over these doubly
.

scored passages several times Only after he has

.

thoroughly assimilated these let him again read the ,

words attributed to Christ which he did n o t understa nd

whe n he first read them and let him score in red
, , ,

those which have become plain to him Let him leave .

unscore d the words of Christ which remain quite unin

t e l l igib l e and also unintelligible words by the writers
,

o f the G os pels Th e passages marked in r e d will

.

’
supply the reader with the essence o f Christ s teaching .

They will give what all men need and what Christ ,

therefore said in a way that all can u nderstand Th e .

places marked only in blue will give what the au thors

o f the Gospels said that is intelligible .

Very likely in selecting what i s from w hat i s n o t , ,

fully comprehensible people will not all choose the

,

same passages W hat is comprehensible t o o n e may

.

seem obscure to another But all will certa inly agre e

.

in what i s most importa nt and these are things which

,

will be found quite intelligible to everyone It i s j ust .

this —j ust what is fully comprehensible t o all men

’
t hat constitutes the essence of Christ s teaching .

[ J uly 22 ,
 R U SS IAN R S *
A LE TTE R TO LIBE AL
I S H O U LD b e very g l ad to j oin yo u an d your associates
whose work I know and appreciate —i n standing up
fo r the rights o f the L iterature Committee and O pposing
the enemies o f popular education But in the sphere .

in which y o u are w orking I se e n o way t o resist them .

My only c onsolation is that I too am constantly, ,

engaged in struggling against the same ene m ies of

enlighten m ent though in another manner
, .

Th o u gh publi sh e d as A L etter to R u ssi a n L i ber a l s, this

l etter was , i n th e firs t in stan c e , addresse d t o a Russian lady
wh o wro t e to To l s t o y aski n g hi s advic e or a ss i s tan ce wh en
t h e L it eratur e Co m m itt ee (K om itet Gram o t n o st i ) wa s
cl o se d Th e circu m stan ces were as fo ll o ws : A Vo lun tary
.
‘

E c o n o m ic S o ci e ty (fo un d ed i n t h e re i gn o f Cath erin e t h e

’

Gr eat ) e xi ste d , an d was all o we d t o d ebat e e c o n o m i c pr o bl em s

within c ertai n li m it s It s exi st en c e was san cti o n e d by , an d
.

it was un d er t h e c o n tro l o f, t he Mi n i stry o ft h e I n teri o r A

.

bran ch o f thi s s o c i e ty was fo rm e d , call e d t he Literatu r e

Co m m itt ee Thi s bran c h ai m e d at spreadi n g go o d an d
’
.

wh o l eso m e l it erature am o n g t h e p e o pl e an d i n t h e s ch o o l s ,
b y est abli shi n g librari es o r i n o th e r way s Th e ir vi e ws as
.

t o wh at b o o k s it i s go o d for p eo pl e t o r ead did n o t , h o w

e v er , tally w ith th o se o f t h e Go v er n m e n t , a n d i n 1 8 9 6 i t
was d ecr e e d th a t t h e Vo lun tary E c o n o m ic S o c i e ty sh o uld
b e tran sferr e d fr o m t h e sup ervi si o n o f t h e Mi n i stry o f t h e
I n t eri o r t o that o f t h e Mi n i s try o f E ducati o n Thi s , tran s
.

lat ed i n to un o ffi cial lan guage , m eant that t h e activity o f

t h e Co m m itt ee was to t e rm i n a t e , an d t h e pro c e edi n gs o f t h e
s o ci e ty t o b e re d u c e d t o a fo rm ality
.

193
194 E S S A Y S AND LETTE R S

Concerning the special question with which you are

preoccupied I think t hat in place of the Literature
,

Committee which has been prohibited a n u mber of ,

other L iterature Associations t o p u rs u e the same obj ects

should be forme d without consulting the Government ,

and without asking permission from any censor Let .

Govern m ent if it likes prosecute these Literature

, ,

Associations punish the members banish them etc

, , ,
.

I f the Government does that it will merely cause ,

peo le to attach special importance to good books an d

to p ib r ar ie s and it will strengthen the trend towar ds
,

enlightenment .

It seems t o me that it is n o w specially important

to do what is right quietly and persistently not only ,

without asking permission from Government but con ,

sc i o u sl y avoidin g i t s participation Th e strength of .

the G overnment lies in the people s ignorance and the ’

Government knows this and will therefore always ,

oppose true enlightenment It is time we re a lized .

that fact And it i s most undesirable to let the

.

Government while it is spreading darkness pretend

, ,

to be busy with the enlightenment of the people It is .

doing this n o w by means of all sorts o f pseudo educa -

t i o n al establishments whi ch it controls : schools high ,

sch ools universities academies and all kinds of

, , ,

committees and congresses B u t good is good and .

,

enli ghtenment i s enli ghtenment only when it is quite ,

good and quite enlightened and not when it i s toned ,

down to meet the requirements o fDe l yan o fs o r Dour * ’

’
nov o s circulars And I am extremely sorry when I s e e
.

valuable disinterested and self sac r ific in g e fforts Spe n t

, ,
-

u n r o fit ab l y It i s strange to se e good wi s e people

p .
,

spending their strength in a struggle against the Govern

ment but carrying o n that struggle o n the bas i s of
,

whatever laws the Government itself likes to make .

This is h o w the matter appears to me

There are people (we ourselves are such ) w h o realize
Del yan o fwas Mi n i s ter o fE du c ati o n an d Do u rn o v é was
Mi n i s t er o f t h e I n teri o r wh en t h e Co m m itt ee was su p
p re sse d .
 A LETTE R TO R U S S I AN LIBE R AL S 1 95

that o u r Government is very bad and who struggle ,

against it From before the days o f R adist c h e f* and

.

the Decembrists there have been t wo ways of carryin g

o n the str n gle One way is that o f S t enka R éz in d ‘

%
.

P o u gat c h e f the Decembrists the R evolutionary party

’

o f the Sixties , "

, ,

the Terrorists o f March

’
and others .

The other way is that which is preached and practised

’
by you the method o fthe Gradualists which consists in
, ,

carrying o n the struggle without Violence and within

the limits of the law conquering constitutional rights ,

bit by bit
'

W ithin my memory both these methods have been

employe d unremitti n gly for more than half a century ,

Radi st c he f, t h e auth o r o fA J o u rn ey fr o m P eter sbu rg to

Mosco w, wa s a L iberal wh o se e ffo rts t o wards t h e abo liti o n o f
se rf d o m l ed t o his b ei n g ban i sh e d t o S ib eria R e c all e d t o .

P et ersburg aft er fi ve y ears , h e r e c o m m e n c e d his activity as a

re fo rm er, was r epro v ed an d threat e n ed by t h e Go v e rn m ent ,
b ecam e h yp o c h o n driac , an d c o m m itt ed suicid e i n
A s t o t h e Dec e m bri st s , se e fo o t n o t e o n p 1 60 . .

j S ten k a R azi n was a Co s sac k wh o rai se d a fo rm id abl e

‘

i n surrec ti o n in t h e se ven t ee n t h c e n t u ry H e was e v en t u all y .

d efeate d an d capture d , an d was e xe c ute d i n Mo sc o w in

1 6 71 .

I Po u ga t c hé f h ead e d t h e m o s t fo rm id abl e R u ss i an i n su r
rec ti o n o f t h e e i ghtee n th cen tury H e was e x e c ut e d i n .

Mo sc ow i n 1 7 75 .

Th e s eri es o f re fo rm s, i n c ludi n g t h e ab o liti o n o f s erf

do m , whi c h fo ll o we d t h e Cri m ean W ar an d t h e d e a th o f
N i c h o l as I , w ere , fro m t h e firs t , ad o pt e d h alf-h eart e dly ,
.

an d si n c e t h e tim e o f t h e P o li s h i n s urre cti o n (1 8 6 3) t h e

c o n tro l o f t h e Go v ern m en t has b een i n reacti o n ary h an d s .

Th e m o re v e h em en t m em b ers o f t h e L ib e ral p arty , l o s i n g

h o p e o fc o n s tituti o n al re fo rm , fo rm ed a R e v o luti o n ary party
i n t h e S ixti e s , an d lat e r o n t h e Te rr o ri s t p arty was s tart e d ,
’

whi c h rgan i z e d assass i n ati o n s as a m ean s to ward s lib erty

o ,

e q u ality an d f ratern ity

, .

ll Al ex a n d er II was kill e d by a b o m b thro wn at h im in

.

th e str ee ts o f P et er sburg o n Marc h 1 (Marc h 1 3 , ,

1881 Thi s assassi n ati o n was o rgan i ze d by t h e Terro ri s t

.

party .
196 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S

and yet the sta te o f things grows wor s e and worse

E ven such si gn s of improvement as do show themselves
have come not from either o f these kinds o f activity
, ,

but from causes of which I will speak later o n and i n ,

spite o f the har m done by these two kinds o f activity .

Meanwhile the power against whi ch we struggle gro ws

,

ever greater stronger and more insolent The last

gleams o f self government—L ocal Government publi c
, .
,

trial your L iterature Committee etc e t c —are all

,

,
.
,

being done away with .

Now that both methods have been tried without e ffect

for so long a time we may it seems to me s e e clearly
, , ,

that neither the one nor t h e other will do and see also ,

why this is so T0 me at least who have always dis

.
, ,

liked our G overnment but have never adopted eith er of

,

the above methods of resisting it the defects of both ,

methods are apparent .

Th e first method is unsatisfactory because even co u l d ,

an attempt to alter the existing re g ime by violent means

’

succeed there w ould be no guarantee that the new

,

organization would be durable and that the enemies of ,

that new order would n o t at some convenient O pp e r ,

t u n it y triumph by using violence such as had been

,

used against them as has happened over and over again

,

in France and wherever else there have been r e v o l u

t ions .And so the new order o f things esta blished by ,

violence would have continually to be supported by

,

violence by wrong doin g And consequently -

.
, ,

it would inevitably and very quickly be vitiated , , ,

like the order it replaced And in case o f failure the .

violence o f the R evolutionists only stren gthens the

order of things they strive against (as has always been
the case in our R ussian experience from P o u gat c h é fs
, ,
’

rebellion to the attempt of March for it drives th e

whole crowd of undecided people — wh o stand waverin g
between the two parties —i nto the camp of the conserva
tive and retro grade party S o I thi nk that guided .
,

both by reason and experience we may boldly say that ,

this means besides being immoral , is irrational and

,

ine ffectual .
 A LE TT E R TO R U S S IAN LIBE R ALS 1 97

Th e other method is in m y O pinion even less e ffe c , ,

v

t u al o r rational It is ine ffectual and irrational because

Government—holding i n its grasp the whole power (t he
.

army the adm inistration , the Church the sch ools and
, , ,

the police ) and framing what are called the laws 0 11

the basis o f which the Liberals wish to resist it —this
,

Government knows very well what i s really da n gerous

to it and will never let people wh o subm it to it and act
,

under its guidance d o anything th at will undermine its

authority Fo r insta nce take the case before us : a
.
,

Go vernmen t such as ours o r any other w h ich rests o n ,

the ignorance o f the people will never consent to their ,

being really enlightened I t will san ction all kinds o f .

pseudo educational organizations controlled by itself

“

schools high schools universities academies and all

, , , ,

k inds o f committees and congresses and publications

sanctioned by the censor — so lo n g as these or ganiza
tions and publications Serve its purpose —that is stupefy ,

the people o r at least do not hinder their stupefaction

,
.

B ut as soon as those organizations o r publications

attempt to cure that o n w hi ch the power o f G overn
ment rests (nam ely the blindness of th e people ) the
, ,

Government will sim ply and with out rendering any ,

account to anyone o r saying why it a cts so and not

,

otherwise pronounce it s veto and will rearrange o r

, ,

close the establishments and organizations and forbid ,

t h e publications And therefore a s both reason and

.
,

experience clearly show such an illusory gradual con , ,

quest o f rights i s a self deception which suits th e -

Government admirably and w hich it therefore i s , , ,

even ready to encourage .

B u t not only is this activity irrational and ine f

fectual ,

it is also harmful It is harmful because enlightened

.
,

good and h onest people by entering the ranks o f the

,

Govern m ent give it a moral auth ority which but for

them it would not possess If the Government were
made up entirel y o f that coarse element—the men o f
.

violence self seekers and fl at t e re rs—wh o form its core

,
-
, ,

it could not continue t o exist Th e fact that honest .

and enlightened people are found participatin g in the

1 98 E S S AY S AN D L E TT E RS

a ffairs of the Government gives G overnment whatever

m oral prestige it possesses .

That is o n e evil resulting from the activity o f Liberals

who participate in the a ffairs o f Government o r wh o ,

come to terms with it Another evil of such activity i s .

that to secure O pportunities to carry o n their work ,

these highly enli ghtened and honest people have to

-

begin to compromise and so little by little come to , , ,

consider that for a good end one may swerve somewhat

from truth in word a n d deed Fo r instance that one .
,

may though not believing in the established Church

, ,

t ake part in its ceremonies ; may ta ke oaths ; may ,

when necessary for the success o f some a ffair present ,

petitions couched in la nguage which i s untr u thful and

’
derogatory to man s natural dignity ; may enter the _

army may take part in a L ocal G overnment whi ch h as

been strip ped of all it s powers may serve a s a master o r
a professor teachin g not w h at one considers necessary
,
’
one s self but what one i s told to teach by t h e Govern
,

ment that o n e may even become a Z é m aky N a tc hdl n zk*

’

submitting to Governmental demands and instructions

’
which violate one s conscience ; may edit newspapers
and periodicals remaining silent abo u t what ou ght t o
,

be mentioned and printing what o n e i s ordered to print

and entering into these compromises —the limits o f
,

which cannot be foreseen — enlightened and honest

people who alone could form some barrier t o the
,

infringements o f human libert y by the Government ,

Du ri n g t h e R e fo rm p e ri o d i n t h e re i gn o fAl ex an d er IL
, ,

m an y i n i q uiti e s o f t h e o l d j udi c i al sy stem were a b o li sh e d .

Am o n g o th er i n n o v ati o n s J udges o f t h e Peac e w er e

‘ ’

ap p o i n t e d t o ac t as m agi s tra te s Th ey were el ec t e d (i n di

.

re c t l y ) ; if p o ssesse d o f a c ertai n pr o perty q ualificati o n ,

m en o f an y c l ass w e r e e li gibl e a n d t h e r egul a ti o n s u n d e r

,

whi c h th ey a c te d wer e draw n up i n a c o m p arativ el y lib eral

s p irit U n d e r Al e xan d er III t h e o f fi c e o f J ud ge o f t h e
‘
. .

P e ac e was ab o li sh ed an d was r e pl ace d by Z é m slcy N a

’
,

tchd l n tks O n l y m e m b er s o f t h e ari st o crac y wer e eli gibl e

.

th ey w ere n o t e l ec t ed but ap po i n t e d by G o v ern m en t an d

, ,

th ey wer e arm e d with auth o rity t o h a ve peasan ts fl o gge d .

 A LE TT E R TO R U SS IA N LIB E R A L S 1 99

retreating little by little fu rther and further from

, ,

the demands of conscience fall at last into a position ,

o f complete dependency o n t h e Government They .

receiv e rewards and salaries from it and continuing t o , ,

imagine that they are forwarding L iberal ideas become ,

th e h umble servan ts and s u pporters o f t h e very order

agai nst which they se t o u t t o fi ght .

[ t is t rue that th ere are also better sincere people ,

i n th e Liberal camp whom th e Government cannot ,

bribe and who remain unbought and free from salaries

,

an d position B u t even these people having been e n

.
,

snared in the nets spread by Government beat their ,

wings i n their cages (as you are n o w doing in y our

Co m m ittee ) u na b le t o advance from the spot they
,

are o n Or else becoming enra ged they go over to

.
, ,

the revolutionary camp ; o r they shoot themselves ; o r

ta ke t o drink ; or they abandon the whole struggle
in despair and oftenest o f all retire into literary
, , ,

activity in which yielding to the demands o f the

, ,

censor they s ay only what they are allowed t o say and

, ,

by that very silence about what i s most important

convey t o th e public distorted views which j ust s u it the ,

Govern m ent But they continue to i m agine that they

.

ar e serving society by t h e w riting s which giv e them

m eans o f subsisten ce .

Thus reflection and experience alike show m e that

,

both the means o f combating Government used hereto

fore are not only ine ffectual b u t actu ally tend to
, ,

stre n gthen t h e pow e r and irre sponsibility o f th e

Government .

W hat is t o be done ? E vidently not what for seventy

years past h as proved fr u itless and has only produced ,

r e verse results W hat is t o be done ? J u st what those

.

have done t o whos e activity we o we t he progress

,

towards light and good that h as been achieved since

the world began and that is still being achieved t o day
,
-
.

That is what must be done And what i s it ?

Merely the simple quiet truthful carrying o n o f , ,

what yo u consider good a n d needful quite inde ,

pendently o ft h e Gover n ment o r o f whether it likes it ,

2 00 E S S AY S AND LETT E RS
or not I n other words standing u p fo r one s rights
.
’
,
’
not as a member o f the L iterature Committee nor as ,

a deputy nor as a land owner n o r as a merchant nor

,
-
, ,

even as a Member o f Parliament but sta nding up for

’
o ne s rights as a rational and free man and defending
them —
,

not as the ri ghts o f Local B oards o r Committees

are defended with concessions and compromises
but without any concessions o r compromises —ia the
, ,

o nl y way in which moral and human dig n ity can be

defended .

S uccessfully to defend a fortress one h as t o burn all ,

the houses in the suburbs and leave only what is strong ,

and what you intend n o t to surrender o n any accou n t .

O nly from the b asis of this firm stronghold can we

conquer all we require True the rights O f a Member .
,

o f Parliament or even o f a me m ber o f a L ocal B oard

, ,

are greater than the rights o f an ordinary man and it

s eems as thou gh we could do much by using those

r i ghts . B u t the hitch is that to obta in the rights of a

Member o f Parliament o r o f a committee man o n e ,
-
,
’
h as to abandon part o f one s rights as a man And .

’
having abandoned part o f one s rights as a man there ,

is no longer any fixed point o f leverage and o n e can ,

no lon ger either conq u er o r maintain any real right .

’
I n order to lift others o u t of a quagmire one must one s
self stand o n firm ground and if hoping the better to ,

assist others yo u go into the q uagmire yo u w ill not

, ,

pull others o u t but will yourself sink in ,

.

I t m ay be very desirable and u seful to get an ei ght

hours day le galized by Parliament o r to ge t a Liberal
’

program m e for school libr aries sanctioned through

your Committee ; b u t if as a means to this end a
Me m ber o f Parliament m u st publicly lift up his hand
and lie lie when taking an oath by expressing in
, ,

words res ) ect for what he does n o t respect o r (in o u r

o w n ease l
if in order to pass pro g rammes however
,

Liberal it is necessary to take part in p u b l ic worship

, ,

to be sworn to wear a uniform to write mendacious

, ,

and flatterin g petitions and to make speeches o f a

similar character etc etc —
,

then by doin g these things

,
. .
,
 A LETTE R TO R U S S I AN L I B E R AL S 20 1

and foregoing o u r dignity as men we lose much more ,

than we gain and by trying to reach one definite aim

,

( which very often i s not reached ) we deprive ourselves

o f th e possibility o f reaching other aims which are o f

s upreme imp ortance O nly people wh o have something

.

which they will o n no account and under 11 0 circum

stances yiel d can resist a G overnment and curb it .

To have power t o resist you must stand o n firm ,

gro u nd .

And the Government knows this very well and is , ,

above all else concerned to worm out o f men that

Whi ch will not yield —namel y their dignity as men
,

,
.

W hen that i s wormed o u t o f them the G overnment ,

calmly proceeds to do wh at it likes know i n g that it ,

will n o longer meet any real resistance A man wh o .

consents publicly to swear pronouncing th e de grading ,

and m endacious words of t h e oath o r submissively to

wait several h ours dressed up in a uniform at a , ,

Minister s reception o r to inscribe himself as a S pecial

’

C onstable for the Coronation ; o r to fast and receive

’
C ommunion fo r respectability s sake ; o r to a s k the
H ead Censor wh ether he may o r may not express
-

such and such thoughts etc —

, ,

s u ch a man is no lon ger

,
.

feared by Government .

Alexander II said h e did not fear the L iberals

because h e knew they could all be bought —if not with
.
,

money then with honours

, .

People wh o tak e part in Government o r work und e r ,

its direction may deceive th emselves o r their sympa

,

t h iz e r s by makin g a Show o f stru ggling ; but those

against wh om they str u ggle (the G overnment) know .

qui te well by the stre n gth o f the resistance e xpe r i

,

e n c e d that these people are n o t really pulling but are

, ,

o nly pretending to Our G overnment knows this with

.

respect t o th e L iberals and constantly tests the qualit y

,

o f the Opposition and finding that genuine resis t ance

,

is practically non existent it continues its course in

-
,

full assurance that it can do wh at it likes with suc h

O pponents .

Th e Government o f Alexander I I I k new this very .

2 02 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S

wel l an d knowi n g it deliberatel y destroye d all that

, , ,

th e Liberals thou ght th ey had achieved and were so ,

proud o f It altered an d limited Trial by J ury ; it

.

abolished the o fli c e of Judge of the Pea c e it cancelled

th e rights of the Universities ; it perverted the whole
s ystem of instruction in the High S ch ools it r e estab -

l ish e d the Cadet C orps and even the S tate sale of ,

-

intoxicants ; it established the Z c m sky N a tc hdl n i k s ; it ’

le galized flogging it almost abolished the Local

Government it g ave uncontrolled power to th e
Governors o f Provinces it encouraged the quarterin g
of troops on the peasants in punishment ; it increased
the practice o f administrative banishment an d im
‘

prisonment and the capital punishment o f political

,

o ffenders it renewed religious persecutions ; it brought

to a climax the u se o f barbarous superstitions ; it
legal ized murder in duels u nder the name o f a S tate
of S iege it establish ed lawles sness with capital
punishment as a normal condition o f things —and in
all this it met with no protest except from one honour
able woman 1 who boldly told the Government th e
,

truth as Sh e saw it .

Th e L iberals whispered among the m selves that these

thin gs d ispleased th em but they continued to take part ,

S en t e n c e d by A d m i n i s tr a ti ve Or d er m ean s sen t e n c ed
by t h e arbitrary wi ll o f t h e G o v ern m e n t o r by t h e Chi e fo f ,

t h e G en darm e s o f a P ro vi n c e A d m i n i s trativ e s en t e n c e s
.

ar e o ft e n i n fl i c t e d with o ut t h e vi c ti m b e i n g h eard i n h i s
o wn d e f e n c e o r e v e n k n o w i n g w h a t h e i s pu n i s h e d f
,
or .

l Th e S tatut e o f I n c re as e d Pro te c ti o n u su ally tran s

' ‘ ’

l at e d S tat e o f S i e ge w as firs t appli e d t o P e t ersburg an d

’

Mo sc o w o n ly but was sub seq u en tly e xten d ed t o O d essa

, ,

K i e f K h ark o f an d W ars aw
, ,
U n d e r[ th i s l aw pra cti c ally
.
,

a b s o lut e w e r i n c l u di n g th a t o f c a ital pu n i sh m en t was

t o t h e Go v er n o rs G en erapo f t h e Pr o vi n c e s i n
p o , ,

e n tru s t e d -

q u esti o n .

I Mad am e Ts éb rik o f a we ll k n o wn wr it e r an d literary

,
-

c riti c wro t e a p o lit e but h o n es t l e tt er t o Al e x an d e r III

,
.
,

p o i n ti n g o u t w h a t wa s b e i n g d o n e b y t h e G o ver n m en t .

S h e w as bani sh e d t o a di s ta n t pro vi n c e .
 A LETT E R TO R U S S IAN LIBE R A L S 2 03

in legal proceedin gs an d in the Local Govern m en t s

, ,

and in th e Universities and i n Government service and

, ,

o n th e Press . In th e Press they h inted at what they

were allowed to hint at and kept silence o n matters
,

they had to be silent about but they printed whatever ,

th ey were told to print S o that every reader (n o t

.

p r iv y t o th e whispe r ings o f th e editorial rooms ) o n r e ,

c e i v i n g a L iber al paper o r magazin e read the announce ,

me n t of the m ost cruel and 1 1 rational measures u n ac c o m

an i e d by comment o r Sign o f disapproval togethe r
p ,

with sycoph antic and fl attering addresses t o those guil t y

o f enacting these measures and frequently even praise
,

o f the meas u res themselves Thus all t h e dism a l

activity o f the Government of Alexander I I I —
.

destroy .

ing whatever good h a d begun t o tak e root i n the

days o f Alexander II and striving to turn R ussia
.

back t o the barbarity o f the co m mencem ent o f this

century— all this dis m al activity o f gallows rods , ,

persecuti ons and st u pefaction o f th e people h as

, ,

become (even in the L iberal papers and magazines )

t h e basis o f an insane laudation o f Ale xander I I I and .

o f h i s acclamation as a great m an an d a m odel o f

h uman dignity .

This same thing i s bei n g cont in u ed in th e ne w reign .

Th e yo u ng m an wh o succeeded the late Tsar having n o ,

understanding o f life was assured by the m e n in powe r,

,

t o wh om it was pro f i table t o say s o that the best way ,

t o rule a h undred million people i s to do as h is father

did —that is n o t t o ask advice fro m anyon e but to d o
, ,

j ust what comes into his head o r what the first fl at t e r e r

,

about h im advises And fancying that unlimited auto

cracy i s a s acr e d life priii c ipl e o f the R ussian people
.
,
-
,

the young man beg ins t o re i gn ; and instead o f askin g

the representatives o f the R ussian people t o help h im
with their advic e m the ta sk o f ruling (about which he ,

ed u cated in a cavalry regiment knows noth ing and can ,

know nothing) , he ru d ely and i n solently shouts at

those re re s e n t at ive s o f the R ussian people who visi t
h i m wit c o n gratulatio n s and h e calls t h e desir e
, ,
204 E S S AY S AN D L ETT E R S
*
timidly expressed by som e o f them to be allowed ,

to inform the authorities o f their needs insensa te ,

‘

’
d reams .

And what followed ? i Vas R ussian society shocked

Di d enli ghtened and h onest people — the Libe r als
.

express th eir i ndignation and rep u lsion ? Di d they at

least refrain fr om laudation o f this Government an d ,

from particip a ting in it and encouraging it ? Not at al l .

From that time a Special l y i n tense competition i n

ad u lation comm enced both o f the father and o f th e ,

son who imita ted him A n d not a protesting voice was .

heard except in o n e anonymous letter cautiously

, ,
’
expressing d isappro val of the young Tsar s conduct .

From all sides fulsome and flattering addresses were

brought to the Tsar a s w ell as (for some reason or ,

other ) i c On S T wh ich nobody wanted and which serve

m erely as obj ects of idolatry to benighted people A11 .

i nsane expen diture o fm oney : a Coronation amazing in

its absurdity was a r ranged ; the ar r ogance o f the r ule r s
,
'

a n d thei r contempt o f the people caused thousands to

pe r ish in a fearful calamity — w hich was re ga r ded as a

slight eclipse o f the festivities wh ich did not termi
A n exhibition "
,

n ate on that account I . was organ ized ,

wh ich no o n e wanted except those who organized it ,

and which cost millions of roubles I n the Chanceller y .

o f th e Holy S ynod with unparalleled e f ,

fr onter y a new
By t h e r e pr es en tativ es o f t h e Lo c al Go v e rn m en t o f
Tv e r an d o th er s at a re c e pti o n i n t h e W inte r Pal ac e o n t h e
,

a c c e ss i o n o f N i c h o la s I I .

1 Ic é n s ar e co n v e n ti o n al pai n ti n gs o f G o d J esus an gel s

"
, , ,

s ai n t s t h e
,
Mo th er o f G o d e t c u su al l y d o n e o n bits o f
‘
,
’
.
,

wo o d wit h m u c h gil d i n g
, Th e y are hu n g up i n t h e c o rn ers
.

o f t h e r o o m s a s w e ll as i n c hurc h es e t c
,
t o b e pray e d t o ,
.
,
.

I A s p art o f t h e Co ro n ati o n fes tiviti es a P eo pl e s Fe t e

’ ’

w a s arran ge d t o tak e plac e o n t h e H o di n sk o e Fi el d n ear ,

Mo sc o w O wi n g t o bad arran gem en t s s o m e 3 000 p e o pl e

.
, ,

we re kill e d wh en tryi n g t o e nter t h e gro u n ds an d m an y ,

o th ers w e re i n ju re d Th i s o c cu rre d o n S a turday May 1 8

.
, ,

s 1 896 Th at sam e e v e n i n g t h e E m p ero r d an c e d a t t h e

.

graii d b all giv en b y t h e Fr e n c h Am b as sad o r i n Mo s c o w .

Th e u n suc c e s s fu l E x h ibiti o n a t N i z hni N n o ro d i n 1 8 9 6 .

 A LETT E R TO R U S S IAN LIBE R A LS 2 05

and supremely stupi d means o f mystifyin g people was

devised —name l y the enshrinement o f th e incorruptible
,

h
body o f a S aint w om nobody knew anythin g about *
.

Th e stringency o f the Censor was increased R eli g iou s .

persecution was made more severe Th e S tate o f S i ege .

t h e legalization o f lawlessness ) wa s continued ,

and th e state o f things i s still bec o m ing worse and

worse .

And I think that all this would n o t have happen e d if

th ose enlightene d honest people who are now occupied ,

in L iberal activity o n the basis of legality in L ocal ,

G overnments , i n th e C ommittees in Censor ruled ,

-

literature etc had not devoted their energies to the

t ask o f circ u mventi n g the G overnment and —withou t
, .

aban doning the forms it h a s itself arranged —o f finding

ways to mak e it act s o a s to harm and inj ure itself zt
but abstaining from taking any part in G overnm ent
,

o r i n an y business bound up with Government had ,

merely claimed th eir rights as men .

Y o u wish instead o f Ju dges of the Peace to insti

, ,

tute Z é m sky N a tc hri l n ilcs with birch rods : that is your -

business but we will n o t go t o law before your Z e m aky

,
’

N a tc hal n i kc and w ill not ourselves accept appointment

,

to such an o ffi ce You wish to make trial by j ury a .

m ere formality that is your business but we will not ,

serve as j ud ges or as advocates o r as j urymen Y o u

, , .

wish under the n ame of a S tate of S ie ge to estab l ish

, ,

despotism that is y our business but we will not partici ,

pate i n it, an d will pl ai n l v call th e S tate o f S iege ”

Th eincorru ptibl e b o dy o f S t Th eo d o siu s was e xhi

‘ ’
.

bit e d to th e p e o pl e an d t o t h e pil gri m s wh o asse m b l e d

fro m al l p arts o f R u ss i a and was th en e n shri n e d w ith gr ea t
,

p o m p i n t h e Cath e dral o f Tc h ern igo fi n 1 8 9 6 Th es e r elics .

p erfo rm e d m iracl es whi c h were fully re p o rte d i n t h e o ffi cial

,

pa pers an d n o pap ers v en tur e d t o e xpr e ss an y d o ubts as t o

,

t h e gen ui n e natur e o f th e se o ccurr en c es .

"
1 S o m e ti m es it se em s t o m e s i m ply l au gh abl e that p e o pl e
c an o ccupy th e m selv es with su c h a n e vid e n tly h o p e l e ss
busi n ess it is lik e un dertaking to cut o ff an an i m al s l eg ’

w ith o ut l e t ti n g it n o ti c e i t —L T . . .
20 6 E S S AY S A N D LE TT E R S

despotism , and capital u n i shm e n t inflicted without

trial — murder You wis to organi z e Cadet Corps or
.
,
Classical H i gh S chools in which military exercises and
the Orthodox Faith are taught : that i s your a ffai r but ,

we will n o t teach in such schools nor send our children ,

to them but will educate o u r children as seems to us

,

right Y o u decide to reduce the L ocal Governments

.

to impotence : we will not take part in them You .

proh ibit the publication o f literature that displeases

yo u you may seize books and punish the pri nters but ,

yo u cannot prevent o u r Speaking and writi n g and we ,

shall continue to do so Y o u demand an oath o f

.

allegiance t o the Tsar : we will not accede t o what is

so stupid false and de gradin g Y o u order us to serve
, ,
.

in the army : we will not do so because wholesale ,

murder is as opposed to o u r conscien ce as individual

murder and above all because t o promise to murder
, ,
'
,

whomsoever a c ommander may tell us to murder is th e

meanest act a man can commit Y o u profess a reli gion .

which is a th ousand years behind the times wit h an ,

Iberian Moth er o fG o d relics and coronations : that ,

is your a ffair but we do n o t acknowledge idolatry an d

,

superstition to be religion but call them idol a try and ,

’
superstition and we try to free people from them
,
.

And what can the G overnment do against s u ch

activity ? It can banish o r imprison a man fo r prepar
ing a bomb o r even fo r printing a proclamation to
,

working men ; it can transfer your L iterature Co m

m i t t e e from o n e Ministry to another o r close a Parlia ,

ment but wha t can a G overnment do with a man who

is not willing publicly to lie with uplift ed hand o r who ,

i s not willing to send his children to an establishment

which he considers bad o r who i s n o t willin g to learn ,

to kill people or is n o t willing t o tak e part in idolatry

, ,

o r is not Willing to ta ke part in coronations deputa ,

Th e Ib eri an Mo th er o f Go d i n Mo sc o w i s a wo n d er
‘

wo rki n g i c on o f t h e Virgi n Mary wh i c h draws a large ,

re v en u e It is fre q uen tl y tak e n t o vi s it t h e s i ck an d

.
,

tra v el s abo ut wit h si x h o rs es ; t h e att en dan t pri es t sits i n

t h e c arri age bar e h ea d e d .
 A LET TE R TO R US S IAN LIBE R AL S 20 7

tions an d addres ses, o r wh o says an d writes what he

thinks an d feel s ? By prosecuting such a man the
Govern m ent sec u res fo r h i m general sympath y making ,

h im a m ar t yr and i t under mines the foundations o n

,

which it is itself built fo r in so acting instead o f , , ,

protecti n g human rights it itself infringes them .

And it is only necessary for all those g ood enl i ght ,

ened and honest peopl e whose strength i s n o w wasted

,

i n R evolutionary S ocialistic o r Liberal activity (harm

, ,

ful to themselves and t o th eir cause ) to be gi n to act

thus and a nucleus o f honest enlightened and moral
, , ,

people would form aro u nd them united in the same ,

thoughts and the same feelings And to this nucleus .

the ever-wavering crowd o f average people would at

once gravitate an d public opinion — the only power
which subdues G overnments —would become evident
,

demanding freedom o f speech freedom o f conscience , ,

j ustice and humanity A nd as so on as public opinion .

was formulated not only would it be i m o ssi bl e to

,

suppress the L iterature Committee but al those i n ,

‘ ’
human o rgan iz at io n s t h e S tate o f S iege the S ecret fl

Police the Censor S chl ii sselburg the Holy S ynod

,
*
, , ,

a n d th e rest a gainst which

-
th e R evolutionists and
the Liberals are n o w str u ggling would disappear o f ,

th emselve s .

S o that t w o m ethods o f opposing the Government

have been tried both unsuccessfully and it n o w , ,

re m ains t o try a third and last method o n e n o t yet ,

t ried but o n e which I think cannot but be successful

, , ,
.

Briefly it is this : That all enlightened and honest

,

people should try t o be as good a s they can ; and n o t

e ven good in all respects but only in o n e na m ely , in
observing o n e o f the mo s t elementa ry virtues —t o b e
,

honest and n o t t o lie but s o t o act and speak that yo u r,

m otives s hould be intelligible to an a f fectionate s even

yea r -o l d boy ; to act so that your b o y s ho u ld n o t say :
‘
B u t w hy papa did y o u sa y so and s o and now yo u
, ,
- -
,

do an d say something quite di ffere n t Th is m ethod

Th e m o st t e rri bl e o f t h e plac e s o f im pri s o n m e n t in
Pe tersburg .
2 08 E S S AY S A N D LE TTE R S

seems very weak and yet I am convinced that it is

,

this method and th is method alone that has moved

, ,

humanity since the race began O nly because there .

were straight men — truthful and courageous who made ,

no concessions that infringed their di gnity as m e n

have all th ose b e n e fi c e n t revolutions been accomplished
of which mankind now has the advantage —from the
abolition of torture and slavery up to liberty o f speech
and of conscience Nor can this be oth erwise for
.
,

what is demanded by conscience (the highest fore

feeling man possesses of the truth to which h e can
attai n ) is always and in all respects the thing most
fruitful an d most necessary for h umanity at th e given
time O nly a man wh o lives accordin g to h i s c o n
.

science can exert in fl uence o n people and only activity ,

’
that accords with one s conscience can be useful .

B u t I must make m y meaning q uite plain To sa y .

that the most e ffectual means o f achieving the ends

towards which R evolutionists an d Liberals are strivin g
is by activity in accord with their consciences does ,

not mean that people can begin to live conscientiousl y

in order to achieve those ends To begin to live.

conscientiously on purpose t o achieve external ends is

impossible .

’
To live according to one s conscience is possible onl y
as a result of firm and clear religious convictions th e
b e n e fic e n t result of these on our external life will
inevitably follow Therefore the gist of what I wish ed
.

to say to you is this Th at it is unprofitable for good ,

sincere people to spend their powers o f mind an d soul

on gainin g small practical ends — for instance in the ,

various struggles of nationalities or parties o r in , ,

Liberal wire pullin g— while they have not reached a

-

clear and firm religi ous perception that is a conscious , ,

ness of the meanin g and purpose o f life I think that .

all the powers of soul and mi nd o f good men wh o ,

wish to be o f service to humanity should be directed ,

to that end W hen that is accomplished all else will

.

also be accomplished .

Forgive me fo r sending you so l ong a letter which ,

 A LETT E R TO R U S S I AN LI B E R A LS 2 09

perhaps yo u did n o t at all need but I have long wished

,

t o express my views o n this question I even began a .

long article about it but I shall hardly have time t o

,

finish it before death co m es and therefore I wished t o

,

get at least part o f it sai d Forgive me if I am in error

.

about anyth ing .

[ A ugu st 31 , o s
. .
,
 TI MO TH Y B ON DAR E F

How strange and o dd it would have seemed to th e

ed ucated R omans o f the m iddle o f the fi rst century had ,

anyone told them that th e obscure confused and o ften , ,

unintelligible letters addressed by a wandering Jew

to his friends and pupils wo u l d have a hundred a ,

thousand a h u n dre d thousand times more readers more

, ,

circulation and more infl uence over people than all

, ,

the poems odes elegies and elegant epistles of the

, , ,

authors o f that age " And yet that is what has

happened .

E qually strange and o dd must my assertion seem to

people to day that B on dare f s work —at th e nai vet e
-
,
’

of which we condescendin gly smile from the height o f

our mental grandeur—will survive all the other works
described in this Dictionary and have more e ffect o n ,

people than a l l the other books mentioned in it put to

gether And yet I am convinced that such will be the
.

case And th e reason of my conviction is that j u st as

.
,

there are an innumerable quantity of false paths that

lead nowhere and are therefore unnecessary b u t only ,

one true path that leads us to o u r aim and is therefore

necessary so also there are an innumerable q uantity
,

o f false unnecessary thoughts but only o n e true and

, ,

needful thou ght o r rather direction of tho u ght and

, , ,

that true and needful directio n o f thought in our time

has been expressed by B on dar e f in h is book with a ,

force clearness and conviction with which no o n e else

,

has expressed it Th erefore the many works that now

.
,

seem so important and necessary may va nish completely

I 210
 TI MO THY BON DA R E F an .

and be forgotten ; b u t what B on da r e f has said an d ,

t h at to which he has called men will not be forgotte n

—for life itself will bring m e n more and more t o see ,

t h e force o f h is sta tements .

All discoverie s o f truth wh ether i n science (a b strac t

,

o r applied ) in philosophy in morals or i n economics

, , , ,

are reached by people going round the ne w truths i n

ever-narrowing circles drawin g nearer and nearer t o
,

them , and sometim es slightly touching th em until som e ,

bold free and gifted man seizes the very centre o f the
, ,

new tr u th and places it o n a height wh ere it i s visible

,

to all This is j ust w hat B on da re f has done fo r the

.

m oral economic truth w hich was awaiting discovery

-

an d el u cidation in o u r ti m e Many have said , and are .

s aying the sam e thing

,
S ome consider ph ysical labour
.

necessary fo r h ealth others consider it essential fo r a

j ust economi c order a third group show it s necessity
fo r the n o r m a l all round development o f man s capaci
’
-
,

ties ; while a fourth group considers it essential for

man s moral progress Thus for instance R uskin
’

, ,
.

o n e o f t h e greatest E nglish writers and o n e o f the ,

g reatest authors o f o u r age (almost as little esteemed

as o u r o wn B o n da re f by th e cultured crowd of t o day )
'

—notwithsta nding the fact that he is a most highly

educated and refine d man notwithstand ing th e fact
that he stand s at th e opposite pole of society from
B on dar e f) in Lette r 6 7 o f h is Fo r a Ol a viger a sa ys
, ,

I t i s p hys ic a lly i m p o ss i bl e tha t tr u e r el igi o u s k n o wl edge,

o r p u re m ora l i ty, s ho u ld exi s t a m on g a n y c l ass es o f a
n a ti o n who do n o t wo r k wi th thei r ha n ds fo r thei r
’
br ea d .

Many go round this truth and express it (as R uskin

does ) wit h v arious reservations , but no one else has
done what B o n dare f does i n acknowle dging bread
'

l abour t o be th e fundamental religious la w o f life .

And he ha s not done this a s it pleases people to su p

,

pose because h e is an ignorant an d foolish man who

,

does not know all that we kno w ; b u t he has done it

because he is a man o f genius who knows that tr u th ,

is only the n the truth when it is expressed n o t with

, ,

a 2
 21 2 E S S AY S AND LETTE R S

limitations reservations and retrench m ents b u t whe n

, ,

i t is expressed fully As the truth that the s u m o f th e

.

angles in a right angled triangle is equal t o two right

-

an gles loses all meanin g and importance if it is ex

,

pressed thus that the sum of the angles in th e triangle

will be approximately equal to two right an gles—so
also th e truth that a man ought to work with h is hands ,
if expressed in the form of advice o r o f an expression ,

o f its desirability o r o f an assertion that perhaps it

,

may be u seful fr o m c e r t a in points o f view etc loses

_
,
.
,

al l its meaning and i m portance This tr u th has mean .

ing and importance only when it is expressed as an

absolute law the infringement of which involves in
,

evitable ills and su fferings and the observance o f which

is demanded of us by God o r by reason —as B on dar e f
,

expresses it B on dare f does not demand that every

.

’
man should absolutely put o n peasant s shoes and
follow the plou gh though he says that that would be
,

desirable and would liberate people sunk in luxury

from the delusions that torment them (really nothin g ,

but good wo uld come from exact obedience even to that

demand) ; but B on dare f says that every man should
consider the d uty o f physical labour —o f direct partici
patio u i n those labours of wh ich h e enj oys the fruits
as his first chief and indubitably sacre d obligation
, , ,

and that people should be brought u p to recognise that

d ut And I cannot conceive h o w any honest and
thou gh tful person can disagre e with tha t opinion .

Th e ab o v e articl e was co ntribut ed t o Ven gé ro fs B i o gr ap hi

’

ca l Dic t i m wt r y of R u ssi a n Wr i ters Co n ce rn i n g B on dar e f, .

se e fo o t -
no te p
,
. 1, of thi s v o lum e .
 LETTE R S ON HEN R Y GEO R GE

To T . M. B on da r ef ,
w h o ha d w r i t te n f r o m S i ber i a a sk i ng
-Y
fo r i nfo r m a t i o n a bo u t t h e S i ng l e um .

Tm s is Henry George s plan

’

Th e advantage and convenience o f u sing l and i s not

e v e rywhere t h e same there will al ways be many appl i
cants fo r land that is fertile, well situated , o r near a
populous place ; and the better and more profitable
the land the m ore people will w ish to have it All s u ch
, .

land sho u ld th erefore be val ued according t o i t s

advanta ge s : the more p r o fit ab l e —dearer ; t h e less
, ,

r o fi t ab l e —ch eaper Land for wh ich there are few

p .

applicants sh ould n o t be valued at all but allotted ,

gratuito u sly to th ose wh o wish to work it themselves

W ith s u ch a valuation o f the land —here in the
.

To ula Gove rn m ent for instance —good arable land

, ,
*
might be e stimated at about 5 o r 6 roubles the
desyat ina kitchen gardens in th e villages at about
-
,

1 0 roubles the desyati na ; meado w s that are fertili z ed by

spring floods at abo u t 1 5 roubles and so o n In towns,
.

the valuation would be 1 00 to 500 roubles the desyatina ,

and in cro w ded parts o f Moscow o r Petersburg o r at ,

the landing-places o f navigable rivers it would amo u nt ,

t o several tho u sands o r even tens o f tho u sands o f

rouble s the desyat ina .

Th e r o ubl e is a littl e m o re th an 2 5 p en ce
T The d esyat i n a i s n early 2 2 ac res .

21 3
21 4 E S S AY S AND L ETTE R S
“ m en all t h e land in the country has been valued
in this way Henry G eorge proposes that a law should
,

b e made by which after a certain date in a cert ain,

year the land shoul d n o longer belong to any o n e

in di vidual but to the wh ole nation —
,

,
the whole people
and that everyone holding land should therefore pay , ,

to the nation (that is to the whole ) e 0 ple) the yearly

value at which it has been asses se d This payment .

should be used to meet all public o r national expenses ,

and sho ul d replace all other rates ta xes o r c u stoms dues , ,

.

Th e result of this would be that a landed proprietor

who now holds say desyat ina might continue
, , ,

to hold them if he liked but he woul d have to pay

to the treasury—here in the To ula Government for
,

instance (as his holding would include both meadow

land an d h omestead) or roubles a year ;
and as n o large land —
,
owners could sta n d such a pay
ment they would all abandon their land
,
But it .

woul d mean that a To ula peasant, in the same district ,

would pay a couple o f roubles er desyati na less than

he pays now and could have plenty o f ava ilable land
,

near by which he would take up at 5 o r 6 roubles per

,

desyatina Besides he would have no other rates or

.
,

taxes to pay an d would be able to buy all the things

,

he requires foreign or R ussian free o f duty

, In ,
.

towns the owners of h ouses and manufactories might

,

continu e to o wn them but would have to pay to t h e ,

ublic tr e asury th e amount o f t h e assessm ent o n thei r

pand .

Th e advantages of such an arrangement would b e

1 That no one will be unable to get land for u se
. .

2 That there will be no idle people owning land

.

a n d making others work for them in return f o r per

mission to use that land .

3 That the land will be in the possession o f those

.

who use it and not o f those who do not u se it

,
.

4 That as the land will be available for people wh o

.

wish to work o n it they will cease to enslave them ,

selves as hands in factories and works o r as servants in ,

towns and wi l l settle in the country districts

, .
 LETT E RS ON HEN R Y GEO R G E 21 5

5 That there will be

. ore inspectors and c o ll e c
no m

tors o f taxes in mills , factories refineries and w ork ,

shops but there will only be collectors o f the tax o n

,

land which cannot be stolen and from which a tax ,

can be most easily collected .

6 (and chiefly) That the n o n workers will be saved

.
-

fro m the si n o fexploiting other people s labour (in doing ’

W l l Ch they are often n o t the guilty parties fo r they ,

h ave from childhood been educated in idleness an d do ,

n ot know h o w to work
) and from the yet,
greater s i n

of all kinds o f sh u f fl ing and lying t o j u stify themselves

i n c o m m i t in g that sin and the workers will be saved
fro m the temptation and sin o f envying condemning ,

a i d being exasperated with the n o n work e rs , s o that -

o re cause o f separation a m ong men will be destroyed .

’
Tc a Ger m an P r op agan di s t f Hen ry
o Geo rge s Vi ews .

I is with particular plea sure that I hasten t o answer

y o u letter and say that I have known of Henry George
,

sin e the appearance o f his S o ci a l P r o bl em s I read .

that book an d was struck by the j ustice o f his main

tho g ht —b y the exceptional manner (unparalleled in
fi

s c ie i t i fic literature ) clear popular and forcible in

w hich he state d h is cause—an d especially by (what is
, , ,

al s excep t ional in scientific literature

) the Chri stian
sp it that permeates the wh ole work After readin g
r
-
.

it went back t o his earlier P r ogr ess a n d P o ver ty and ,

‘
st i
. more deeply appreciated the importance o f it s
au r o r s activity
’
.

’
o n ask what I think o f Henry George s activity and ,

o f is S in gle Tax system - My O pinion is the following

.

l u m an it y consta ntly advances : o n the o n e hand clear

i n gt s consciousness and conscience and o n the other ,
h ad rearranging i t s modes o f life t o suit this changing
co ncio u sness Thus at each period o f the life of
.
,
b u n n i t y the double process g oes o n
, the clearing up
 E S S AY S A N D L E TT E R S

o fconscience and the incorporation into life of what

,

has been made clear to conscience .

At the end o f the eighteenth century and the com

m e n c e m e n t of the nineteenth a clearing up of con ,

science took place in Christendom with reference to the

labouring classes —who lived under various forms o r
s lavery —and this was followed by a correspondin g r e a i u

j ustment o f the forms o f social life to suit this clear er ,

consciousness namely the abolition o fslavery and t he

, ,

organization o f free wage labour in its place At t he-

.

present time an enlightenment o f men s consciences is ’

going o n in relation to the way land is used and soo n ,

it seems to me a practical application o f this n e v

'

consciousness must follow .

A nd in this process (the enlightenment o fc o n sc ie ir e

as to the u tilization o f land and th e practical appli e ,
s

tion o f that new consci ousness ) which is o n e o f h e ,

chief problems o f o u r time the lead er and o rgan ize ro f

,

the movement was and is Henry George I n this les .

h is im m ense his pre —,

eminent importance He ias , .

’
helped by his excellent books both to clear m el s ,

minds and consciences o n this question and to pla c it ,

o n a practical footing .

B u t in relation to the abolition o f the shameful r g ht .

to own landed estates something i s occurring sim il a to

,

what happened (within o u r o wn recollection ) with r fe r

ence to the abolition o f serfdom Th e G o v e rn m e n tan d .

the governing classes — knowing that their p o sit io n and

'

privileges are bound up with the land question —pre ten d

that they are preoccupied with the welfare o fthe pe e ps ,

organizin g savings banks fo r workmen , factory i n s p

tion income taxes even eight hours working day i
, ,
-
,

and carefully ignore the land question o r even a ie , ,

by com pliant science which will dem onstrate an th i g

they like declare that the expropriation o f the Ian "i s
r
,

useless harmful and impossible

, ,
.

Just t h e same thin g occurs as occurred in c o n n e c b n ,

with slavery .At the end o f the eighteenth and h e t

beginning of the nineteenth centuries m e n had ln g ,

felt that s l avery was a terrible anach ronism r e v o l'n g ,

 LETTE R S ON HEN R Y GEO R GE 217

to th e h u man soul ; but pseudo religion and pseudo -

science demonstrated that slavery was not wrong that ,

it was n ecessary, o r at least that it was premature to

abolish it The same thing i s now being repeated with
.

reference to landed property As before pseudo .

,

religion and pseudo science dem o n strate that t h ere is

-

nothing wron g in the private ownership o f landed

estat es and that there is n o need to abolish the present
,

system .

One would think it would be plain to every ed u cated

man o f o u r time that an exclusive control o f land by
people wh o do not work o n it but wh o prevent ,

h undreds and thousands o f poor families from using

it is a thing as plainly bad and shameful as it was to
,

o w n slaves ; yet we s e e educated refined aristocrats ,

English Austri a n Prussian and R u ssian — making

, , ,

u s e o f this cruel and shameful right an d n o t only not ,

feel in g ashamed but feeling pro u d o f it

, .

R eligion blesses such possessions and the science o f ,

political economy demonstrates that the present state o f

things is the o n e that should exist for the greatest
benefit o fmankind .

Th e service rendered b y Henry George is that h e ,

has not only mastered th e sophistries with whi ch

religion and science try t o j ustify private ownersh ip o f
land and sim pli fied t h e question t o the uttermost so
, ,

that it is impossible not to admit the wrongfu lness o f

- —
land ownership unless o n e simply stops one s ears ’

but he was also th e first t o show how the question can

be practically solved He fi rst gave a clear and direct
.

reply to the excuses used by the enemies o f every

,

reform to t h e e ffect that t h e demands o f progress are

,

u npractical and inapplicable dreams .

’
Henry George s plan destroys that excuse by putting ,

the question i n such a form that a committee might

be assembled t o morrow to discuss the proj ect and to
-

convert it into law I n R ussia fo r instance the d is

.
, ,
'

c u ssi o n o f land purchase o r o f n ationalizing the land

,

without compensation could begin to mo rrow and the -

proj ect m ight—after undergoing vario us vicissitudes

,
218 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

be carried into operation as occurred thirty thre e

,
-

years a go w ith the proj ect fo r the emancipation of

*

the serfs .

Th e need of altering the present sys tem h as been

explained and the possibility O f the chan ge h as been
,

shown (there may be alterations and amendments o f

‘

the S ingle Ta x system but its fundamental idea i s

-
,

practicable ) ; and therefore it will be impossible for

, ,

people not to do what their reason de m ands It is .

only necessary that th is thought should become public

O pinion ; and in order that it may become public
O pini on it must be Spread abroad and explained
which is j ust what you are doin g and is a work with ,

which I s ympath i z e with my whole so u l , and in which ]

wish you success .

Th e E m an c i pati o n o f t h e S erfs i n Ru ssi a wa s d ecr e e d

in 1 8 6 1 , an d wa s ac c o m pli sh e d duri n g t h e fo ll o wi n g few
y ear s .
 XVII
DI O DE R N S CIEN CE *

w
a r/ T i Mim i h é y o g i o o g dl t ICEITa i .
l
' '

I T H I N K this article o f Carpenter s o n Modern S cience ’

should be particularly useful in R ussian society i n ,

which more than i n any other in Europe a s u p e rst i

, ,

tion is prevalent and deeply rooted wh ich considers that

humanity fo r i t s w elfare does n o t need the di ffus ion of
true religious and moral knowled g e but only the study ,

O f experimental science and that such science w ill

,

satisfy all the Spiritual demands o f mankind .

I t i s evident h o w harmful an influence (quite lik e

that of reli gious superstition ) so gross a s u perstition
’
must have o n men s moral life A nd therefore the .
, ,

publication o fthe tho u ghts o f writers who treat e xp e ri

mental science and it s method critically is Specially
desirable in o u r society .

Carpenter sho w s that neither A stronomy n o r ,

Physics n o r Chemistry n or B iology n o r S ociolo gy

, , , ,

supplies u s with true knowledge o f actual facts that

all the law s discovered by those scie n ces are merel y
generalizations h aving but an approximate value as
,

laws and tha t only as long as we do not know o r leave

, ,

Written as preface t o a Ru ssian tran slati o n by Co unt ,

S ergius To l st o y o f E dward Carp en t e r s e s say Mo d er n

’
, ,

S ci en ce a Cri ti ci sm,
whi c h fo rm s part o f t h e v o lum e
Ci vi l i za t i on : i ts Cau se a nd Ca r e publi s h e d by S wan ,

S o n n en sc h e i n an d CO L o n d o n
.
, .

t T o e v e r y argu m e n t an e q u al ar u m en t i s m atch e d
g .

21 9 J
22 0 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S
out of account certain other factors ; and that even
,

these laws seem laws to us only because we discover

them in a re gion so far away from us in time and
Space that we cannot detect their non correspondence -

with actual fact .

Moreover Carpenter points o u t that the method of

,

science which consists in explaining things near and

,

important to us by things more remote and indi fferent ,

is a false method which can never bring us to the

desired result .

H e says that every science tries t o explain th e facts

it is investigating by means o f conceptions o f a lower
order . Each science has been (as far as possible )
‘

reduced to its lowest terms E thics h as been made a .

question O f utility and inherited experience Politi .

cal E conomy has been exhausted o f all c o n c e p

tions O f j ustice between man an d man , o f charity ,

a ffection and the instinct O f solidarity and has been

, ,

foun ded on its lowest discoverable factor namely self , ,

interest B iology has been denuded o f the force of

.

’
personality in plants animals and men ; the Self , ,
‘

here has been se t aside and the attempt made to ,

reduce the science to a question o f chemical and

cellular affinities protoplasm and the laws o f os m ose
, ,
.

Chemical a ffinities again and all the wonderful pheno , ,

mena o f Physics are emptied down into a fligh t o f

atoms and th e fl i g ht o f atoms (and o f astronomic orbs
as well ) is reduced to the laws o f dynamics .
’

It is supposed that the reduction o f questions o f a

h igher order to questions o f a lower order will e xplain
the former B u t an explanation is never obtained in
.

this way and what happens is merely that descending

, ,

in one s investigations ever lower and lo wer from the

’
,

most important questions to less important ones science ,

reaches at last a sphere quite foreign t o man with ,

which he is barely in touch and confines its attention ,

to that Sphere leaving all unsolved the questions most

,

important to him .

W hat ta kes place is a s if a man , w ishing t o u nder

 MO DE R N S CIENCE 221

stan d the use o f an obj ect lying before him —instead o f

coming close to it examinin g it from all sides and
handling it —were to retire further and further from
,

it until he was at such a distance from the O bj ect that

,

all its peculiarities o f colour and inequalities of surface

had disappeared and onl y its outline was still visible
,

against the horizon ; and as if from there he were to , ,

begin w riting a minute description o f the ob ject

,
,

imagining that n o w at last he clearly understood it , , ,

and that this understanding formed at such a dista nce , ,

w ould assist a complete comprehension of it And it .

is this se l f deception that is partly exposed by Carpenter s

-
’

criticism which shows first that the k nowledge a fforded

, , ,

u s by th e natural sciences amounts merely to convenient

generali z ations which certainly do n o t express actual

,

facts ; and secondl y that the method o f science by

, ,

which facts o f a high er order are reduced t o facts o f a

lower order will never furnish us w ith an explanation
,

o f the for m er .

B u t without predetermining the q uestion whether

experimenta l science will or will not by its methods , , ,

e ver bring u s t o the solution o f the most serious problems

O f human life the activity o f experimental science
,

its elf in it s relation t o t h e eternal and most reasonable

,

demands o f man is so anomalous as to amaze o n e

, .

People must live But in order to live they must .

know h o w to live An d all men always obtained t his

k nowledge —well o r ill —and in conformity with it have
.

lived and progressed and this knowledge o fh o w men

,

shoul d live h as from t h e da y s o f Moses S olon and , ,

Confu cius been always consi dered a science— the ver y

essence o f science A n d only in our time has it com e
.

to be consi dered that the science telling u s h o w to live ,

is n o t a science at all but that only experimenta l

science —commencing with Mathematics and en ding in
,

S ociology—i s real science

“

And a strange misun d erstanding results .

A plain reasonable workin g man s u pposes in the O l d

, ,

way whi ch is also the common sense way that if there -

,
222 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S
ar e people who spen d their lives in study whom he
feeds and keeps while they think fo r him —then no
,

doubt these men are engaged in studyin g th ings m e n

need t o know ; and he expects o f science that it will
solve for him the questions o n which h is welfare and ,

that o f all men depends He ex pects science to tell

,
.

him how he ou ght to live how t o treat h is family his ,

neighbours and the men of other tribes h o w to re ,

strain his passions what to believe in and w hat not to

,

believe in and much else And what does o u r science

, .

s a y to him o n these matters P

It triumphantly tells him : h o w many m illion miles
it is from the earth to the su n ; at what rate light
travels through space h o w many m illion vibrations O f
ether per secon d are caused by light and how many ,

vibrations of air by sound ; it tells o f t h e chemi cal

componen t s o f the Milky W a y of a new element
helium —o f micro organisms and their excrements of
,
-
,

the points on the hand at which electricity collects of ,

X rays and similar thing s

,
.

’ ’
B u t I don t want any of those thi n gs says a plain
and reasonable man — I want to know how to live
,
‘ ’
.

W h at does it matter wha t y o u want ? replies science ’

.

I Vhat you are asking about relates to S ociology Be .

fore replying to sociological q uestions we have yet to ,

solve questions of Zoology B ota ny Physiolo g y and in

, , , ,

general of B iolo gy ; but t o solve those questions we

,

have first to solve questions of Physics and then o f ,

Ch emistry and have also to agree as t o the shape of

,

the infinitesimal atoms and h ow it is that imponderable

,
’
and incompressible ether transmits energy
And people —c h i e fl y those who sit o n the backs o f
.

o thers and to whom it is th erefore convenient to wait

,
— are content with such replies , and sit blinking await ,

ing the fulfilment o f these promises ; but a plain and

reasonable working man —such a s those o n whose backs
these others sit while occupying themselves with science
—the whole great mass O f men the whole of humanity, ,

cannot be satisfied by such answers but naturally ask ,

 MODE R N S CIENCE 223

in perpl e xity But when will this be done ? W e can

‘

not wait You say yourselves t hat yo u will discover

.

these things after some generations B u t we are alive

now —alive t o day an d dead t o morrow —
.

- and we want -

t o kno w h o w to live o u r life while we have it SO .

teach u s
W hat a stupid and uneducated m an replies science .

He does not understa nd that science exists not fo r use ,

but for sc ien c e S cience studies whatever presents itself

.

fo r study and cannot select the subj ects t o be studied

,
.

S cience studies every thi ng That is the characteristic .

’
o f science .

And scientists are really convinced that to be o c c u

pied wi t h t r ifl e s while neglecting what is more essential
,

and important is a characteristic not of themselves but

, ,

o f science Th e plai n reasonable man h owever b e

.
, , ,

gins to s u spect that this characteristic perta ins not t o

science but to men who are inclined to occupy them
,

selves with t ri fle s and t o attach great importance t o

those t r ifl es .

’
S cience studies everythi ng say th e scientists But ,
.
,

really every thi ng is t o o much E verything is an infinite

, .

quantity o f obj ects ; it is impossible at o n e an d the

same time t o study a ll A s a lantern cannot light up .

everyt hing but only lights up th e place o n w hich it is

,

turned o r the direction in which th e man carrying it is

walking s o also science cannot study everyt hing but
, ,

inevitably only stu dies that to w hich it s attention is

directed And as a lantern lights up most strongly the
.

place nearest to i t an d less and less strongly obj ects

,

that are more and more remote from it and does not ,

at all light up th ose things it s l ight does not reach so ,

also human science o f whatever k ind has alway s , ,

studied and still studies most carefully what seems

m ost important t o the investigators less carefully what ,

seems to them less important and quite neglects the ,

whole remaining infinite quantity o f obj ects

‘

An d .

what for men h as defined and still defines the subj ec t s

they are t o consider most importa nt less important , ,

22 4 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S

and unimportant is the general un derstanding o f the ,

meaning and purpose of life (that is to say the religion ) ,

possessed by those who occupy themselves with science

B u t men of science to day — n o t acknowledging an y
.

reli gion and having therefore no standard by which to

,

choose the subj ects most important for study or t o ,

discriminate them from less important subj ects and ,

ultimately from that infinite quantity of O bj ects which

,

the limitati ons of the human mind and the infinity o f ,

the number of those obj ects will always cause to remain

uninvestigated —have formed for themselves a theory
,

of science for science s sake according to w hich ’

,
’

science i s to study not what mankind needs but ,

e ve ry thi ng .

And indeed experimental science stu dies every

, ,

thing not in the sense of the totality of obj ects but i n

the sense o f disorder—chaos in the arrangement of the
, ,

obj ects studied That is to say science does not devote

.
,

most attention to what people most need less t o what ,

they need less and none at all to what is quite useless

, ,

but it studies anythin g that happens to come t o hand .

’
Though Comte s and other classifications of the Sciences
exist these classifications do not govern the selection
,

of subj ects fo r study but that selection is dependent ,

on the human weaknesses common to men of science

as well as to the rest O f mankind S o that in reality .
‘

, ,

scientists study not everything as they imagine and de ,

clare but they study what is more profitable and easier

,

to study And it is more profitable t o study things

.

that conduce to the well being o f the upper classes -

,

with whom the men o f science are connected an d it i s

easier to study things that lack life Accordingly .
,

many men o f science study books monuments and , ,

inanimate bodies .

‘ ’
S uch study is considered the most real science .

S o that in o u r day what is considered to be the most

real science the only o n e (as the Bible was considered
,
’

the only book worthy of the name ) is n o t the c o n , ,

t e m pl at i o n and investi gation of how t o make t h e life o f

 MODE R N S CIENCE 2 25

m an more kin dly and m ore happy b u t th e compilation ,

and copying from many books into o n e o f all that o u r

predecessors wrote o n a certain subj ect the pouring o f ,

liquids o u t o f o n e glass bottle into another the skilful ,

slicing o f microscopic preparations , the c u ltivation o f

bacteria, the cutting up o f frogs an d dogs the investi ,

a t io n o f X ray s t h e theory o f numbers the chemical

g , ,

compo sition o f the stars etc , .

Meanwhile all those science s which aim at making

h uman life kindlier and happier— re l igious moral and
social science—are considered by the dominant scienc e
, ,

to be unscie n ti fi c and are abandoned t o the theologians

, ,

philosophers, j urists historians and political e c o no

, ,

m ists wh o , under the guise o f scientific investigation ,

are chiefly occupied in demonstratin g that the existing

O rder o f society (th e advantages o f which they enj oy )
i s the very o n e which ought t o exist and that there , ,

fore it must n o t only n o t be changed but must be

, ,

maintained by all means .

Not t o mention Theology and J u risprudence ,

Political Economy the most ad vanced o f th e sciences

,

o f this group i s remarkable in this respect

, Th e most .

prevalent Political Economy (that o f Karl

accepting the existing order o f life as t hough it were
what it ought to be n o t only do es not call on men to
alter that ord e r—
,

that i s t o s ay does n o t point o u t to ,

th e m how they ought t o live that their condition may

improve —but o n the contrary , it demands an increas e
,

in the cruelty o f the existing O rder o f things, that it s

more than questionable prediction s may be fulfilled
- -
,

concerning what will hap en if people continue t o li ve

as badly as they are n o w i vi n g .

And as always occurs the lower a human activity

descends —t h e more widely it diverges from what it
, ,

sh oul d be —the more i t s self c o n fi de n c e increas e s Th at

-
.

In R u ss i a t h e ri gi d th eo ri es o f K arl Marx , an d t h e
G erm an typ e o f S o c i al Dem o cr ac y , hav e had , an d still h av e ,
m o re v o gue than in E n gl an d .
 AN D
’
2 26 E S S AY S LE IT E R S
is j ust what h as happened with the s cienc e o f t o -day .

True science is never appreciated by i ts contemporaries ,

b u t o n the contrary i s usually persecuted N o r can .

t his be otherwise Tru e science sh ows men thei r m is

.

takes , and points t o new, unaccustomed ways o f life .

An d both these services are u npleasant t o the r u li n g

section o f society But present— day science not only
.

d oes n o t run counter to the ta stes and demands o f the

ruling section o f society but it quite complies with ,
’
them it satisfies i dle curiosity excites people s wonder,
"
,

a n d promises them increase o f pleasure And so .

,

whereas all that i s truly great is calm modest and ,

u nnoticed the science o f t o day know s n o limits t o i t s

,
-

self laudation
-
.

‘
All former methods were erroneous and all that ,

used to be considered science was an imposture a ,

blun der and o f no account Only o u r method is true

, .
,

and the only true science i s ours Th e success o f o u r .

science is such that thousands o f years have n o t done

what we have accomplished in the last century I n the .

future travelling the same path o u r science will solve

, ,

all questions and make all mankind h appy

,
Our .

science is the most important activity in the world and ,

we men o f science are the most important and n e c e s

, ,
’
sary people in the world .

S o t hink and say the scientists o f to day and the -

,

cultured crowd echo it but really at n o previous time

,

and among no people has science — th e whole o f science

with all its knowledge—stood o n so low a level as at
present One part o f it which should study the thin g s
.
,

that make h uman life kin d and happy is occupied i n ,

j ustifying the existin g evil order o f society ; another

part is en gaged in solving uestions o f idle curiosity
W hat P—I dle curiosity q I hear voices ask i n i n dig
.

’
.

nation at such blasph emy W hat about st e am and.

‘
,

e l ectricity and telephones and all o u r technical

, ,

improvements ? Not to speak of their scientific impor

ta nce se e what practical results they have produced "
,

Man has con q uered Nature and subj ugated it s forces ’

with more t o the same e ffect .

 MO DE R N S CIEN CE 22 7

‘
Bu t all th e practical res u lts o f t h e victories over
Nature have till n o w—fo r a considerable time past
’
gone t o factories that inj ure the workmen s health ;
hav e produced weapons to kill men with and increased
l uxury and corruption —
,

replies a plain reasonable

m an — and therefore the victory o f man over Nature
,
‘
, ,

h a s n o t only failed t o in crease the welfare o f human

beings but h a s o n the contrary made their condition
, , ,
’
worse .

I f the arra n geme n t o f society is bad (as ours is) and ,

a small n u mber o f people have power over the maj ority

and oppress it every victory over Nature will inevitably
,

only serve t o increase that power and that O ppressi on .

That is what is actually happening .

W ith a science which aims not at studying h ow ’

people ought to live but at studying whatever exists

,

and w hich is therefore occupied chiefly in investigating

inanimate things whil e allowing the order o f human
society to remain as it is—no improvements n o victories ,

over Nature can better the state o f humanity

,
.

B u t medical science Y o u are forgetting th e bene

fi c e n t progress made by medicine And bacteriological .

inoculations ? And recent surgical operations ? ex ’

claim th e defenders o f science — adducing as a last ,

resource th e success o f medical science t o prove the

utility o f all science B y inoculations we can prevent
.

illness o r can cure it ; we can perform painless O pera

,

tions : cut O pen a man s inside and clean it out and

’

,
’
can strai ghten hunch ed backs i s what is usually sai d
-
,

by the defenders o f present day science wh o seem t o -

,

think that the curing o f o n e child from diphtheria ,

am ong those R ussian children o f whom 50 per cent .

(an d even 8 0 per cent in the Foundling Hospitals) die

diphtheria—must c o n
.

a s a regular thing apart from

vince anyone o f the b e n e fi c e n c e o f science in general .

Our life i s so arranged that from bad food excessive ,

and harmful work ha d dwellings and clothes o r from

, ,

w ant not children only but a maj ority o f people d ie

, , ,

before they have lived half the years t hat should be

P 2
2 28 E S S AY S AN D L ET TE R S

theirs Th e order of thin gs is such that children s ill

.
’

nesses consumption syphilis and alcoholism seize an

, ,

ever increasin g number o f victims while a great part

-
,

o f men s labour is ta ken from them to prepare for wars

’

and every ten o r twenty years millions o f men are

slaughtered in wars ; and all this because science instead ,

o f supplyin g correct reli g ious moral and social ideas , ,

which wo ul d cause these ills to disappear of themselves ,

is occupied on t h e o n e hand in j ustifying the existin g

o rder ,
and o n the other hand —with toys An d in .
,

proof of the fruitful ness o f science we are told that it ,

c ures one in a thousand o f th e sick who are sick only ,

because science has neglected its proper business .

Yes if science would devote but a small part o fthose

,

e fl o r t s and o f that attention and labour which it now

'

s pends o n t r i fl e s to supplyin g men with correct r e

,

l igi o u s m oral social o r even hy gienic i deas there

wo u ld n o t be a o n e —
, , , ,

hundredth part O f the diphtheria ,

the diseases of the womb o r the deformities the occa

, ,

sio u al cure of which n o w makes science s o proud ,

thou gh th ey are e ffected in clinical hospitals the cost ,

o f whose luxurious appointments is too great for them

to b e at th e service o f all who need them .

It is as though men who had ploughed badly and ,

sown badly with poor seeds were to go over the ground

,

tending some broken ears o f corn and tramplin g on

others th at grew alon gside and should then exhibit ,

their skill in healing the inj ured ears as a proof of ,

their knowledge o f agriculture .

O u r science in order to become science and to be

,

really useful and not harmful to h u m a n it y m u st first ,

.

o f all renounce i t s experimental method whi ch causes ,

it to consider as i t s duty th e study merely o f what

exists and must return to the only reasonable and
,

fruitful conception of science which i s that the obj ect, ,

o f science is to show h o w people ought t o live Therein .

lies the aim and importance o f science and the study

O f thi n gs as they exist can only be a subj ect fo r scienc e

i n S O far as that study c o operates towards the know

-

ledg e o f how men should live .

 MODE R N S CIENC E 22 9

It is j ust t o the ad mission of it s bankruptcy by e xp e r i

mental science and to the need o f adopting another
,

method that Carpenter draws attention in this article .

Ch apt er xx o f Wh a t i s A r t ? fo rm s a c o m p an i o n articl e
.

t o t h e ab o v e e s say
. Th e y w e r e b o t h writt en a t t h e sam e
p e ri o“
d an d d e a l w ith t h e sam e t o p i c
.
 X VIII

LETTE R TO A NON CO MMI S S ION E D

-
O FFIC E R

YO U are surprised that soldiers are taught that it is

right to kill people in certain cases and in war while ,

in the books admitted to be holy by those who so teach ,

there is nothin g like such a permission but on the , ,

contrary not only is all murder forbidden but all in

,

s u l t i n g of others is forbidden also a n d we are told not

,

to do to others what we do not wish done to u s A nd .

you ask Is there not some fraud in all this ? And if

,
‘

so then for whose sake is it committed ?

,

Yes there is a fraud committed for the sake of those

, ,

accustomed to live on the sweat and blood of other ‘

men and wh o therefore have perverted and still per

, ,

vert Christ s teaching given t o man for his good but

,
’

, ,

whi ch has now i n its perverted form , become a chief

,

source of human misery .

Th e thing has come about in this way

Th e Government and all those of the upper classes
’
near the Government who live by other people s work ,

need some means of dominatin g the workers and find ,

this means in the control o f the army Defence .

a gainst foreign enemies is only an excuse Th e .

German G overnment frightens its subj ects about the

R ussians and the French ; the French Government
fri ghtens its people about the G ermans ; th e R ussian
G overnment frightens it s people about th e French and
the Germans and that is the way with all Governments .

B u t neither Germans nor R ussians nor Frenchmen

desire to fight their nei ghbours o r other people ; but ,

living in pea ce , they dread war more than anything

2 30
 TO A NON CO MMI S S I O NED OFFICE R
-
2 31

else in t h e world Th e Government and the upper .

,

g overning classes t o excuse their domination o f the

,

labourers behave like a gi psy w h o whips his horse

,

b e fore he turns a corner and then pretends h e cannot

h ol d it in They stir up thei r o wn people and some
.

foreign Government and then pretend that for the ,

well being o r the defence o f their people t hey must

-
, ,

declare war : which again brings p rofit only t o generals ,

O ffi cers O fficials merchants and in general to the

, , , , ,

rich . I n reality war is an inevitable result O f the

existenc e o f armies ; an d armies are only needed by
G overnments to dominate their o w n working classes .

Th e thing is a crime but the worst o f it is that the ,

G overnment in order to have a plausible basis for its
,

domination o f the people h as to pretend that it holds ,

the hi ghest reli gious teaching known to man (th e

Ch ristian ) and that it brings up its subj ects in this
,

teaching That teaching h owever is i n it s very nature

.
, ,

O pposed n ot only t o murder but t o all violence and ,

therefore the G overnments in order to dominate the ,

people and t o be considered Christian had to pervert ,

Ch ristianity and to hide its true meaning from the

.

people and th us deprive men o f the well being Christ

,
-

o ffered them .

This perversion was accom plish ed long ago in the ,

time O f that sco u ndrel th e E mperor Con stanti ne wh o ,

fo r doing it was enrolled amon g th e saints * A l l s u b .

sequent Governments especially o u r R ussia n G overn ,

ment, d o their utmost t o preserve this perverted

understandin g and t o prevent people from seeing the
,

real meaning o f Christianity ; becaus e havin g once

seen the real meaning o f Christianity the people ,

would perceive that the Governments with their ta xes , ,

soldiers prisons gallows and false priests are n o t

, , , ,

only n o t the pillars o f Christianity they profess t o be ,

but are i t s greatest enem ies .

In consequence o f this perversion th ose frauds which ,

’

Co n s tan ti n e t h e Gre at was d e cr e e d t o b e a go d by t h e

R o m an S en at e an d was m ad e a Chri s tian sain t by t h e
,

E ast ern Churc h .

2 32 E S S AY S AN D L E TTE R S

have surprised you are possible and all those terrible ,

misfortunes occur from which men su ffer .

Th e people are oppressed and robbed and are poor , ,

ignorant dyin g o f hunger W h y ? B ecause the land

,
.

is in the hands of the ri ch ; and th e people are e n

slaved in mills and in factories obliged to earn money
,

because taxes are demanded from them and t h e price ,

of their labour is diminished while the price o f things

they need is increased .

H o w are they to escape ? B y ta king the land from t h e

rich ? But if this is done soldiers will come and will
, ,

kill the rebels o r put them in prison S eize the mills .

and factories ? Th e same will happen Organize and .

maintain a strike ? It i s sure to fail Th e rich will .

h old out longer than the workers and the armies are ,

always o n the side o f th e capi t alists Th e people will .

never extricate themselves from the want in which

th ey are kept as long as th e army i s in the hands of
t h e governin g classes .

B u t who compose these armies that keep the people

in this state o f slavery ? W h o are th ese soldiers that
will fire at peasants w ho take the land o r at strikers ,

who will n o t disperse, o r at s m ugglers wh o bring in

goods without paying taxes ? W h o put in prison and
guard th ere th ose wh o refuse t o pay taxes Th e soldiers
are these same peasants wh o are deprived o f land these ,

same strikers who want better wages these same tax ,

payers wh o want t o be rid o f these taxes .

And why do these people shoot at their brothers ?

B ecause it h a s been instilled into them that t h e oath
they were obli ged to take o n enterin g the service i s
binding and that though it is generally wro n g to kill
,
’
people it i s ri ght to do so at th e command o f one s
,

superiors That is to sa y the same fraud is played

.
,

off upon them which h as struck yo u B u t here we .

meet the question H o w is it that sensible people

,

often people who can read and even educated peopl e

,

believe such an evident lie ? However little e ducation

a man may have h e cannot but know that Christ did
,

not sanction murder but taught kindness, m eekness

, ,
 TO A NON CO MMI S S I ONED
-
O FFICE R 233

’
forgi veness o f inj uries love o f one s enemies ; and ,

therefore he cannot h elp seeing that o n the basis of

Christian teaching he cannot pledge himself in advance
t o kill all whom he may be ordered to kill .

Th e question is How can sensible people believe — a s

,

all n o w serving in the arm y have believed and still

believe — s u ch an evident falsehoo d ? Th e answer is
that it i s n o t this o n e fraud by itself that takes people
in but they have from childhood bee n deprived o f the
,

proper u se o f their reason by a whole series o f d e c e p

tions a whole system o f frauds called the Orthodox
, ,

Faith which i s nothing but th e grossest idolatry In

,
.

this faith people are ta ught : th at God is triple that ,

besides th is triple G o d there i s a Q ueen o Heaven f *

,

and besides this Q ueen there are various saints wh ose

corpses have no t de c aye d t and besides th ese saints ,

th ere are i c o n s i o f the Gods and o f the Q ueen o f

’

Heaven t o which o n e should O ffer candles and pray

,
’
with one s hands ; and that the m ost important and
h oly thing o n earth is the pap which the priest makes
o f wine and white bread o n S undays beh ind a parti
"
,

tion ; and that after the priest has whispered over it ,

Th e H o ly Virgi n t h e Mo th e r o f Go d a n d Qu een o f
‘ ‘
,

H e av en p l ay s a pro m i n e n t par t i n t h e O rth o d o x E ast e rn

’

Church .

t O n e pro o f o f h o li n es s adduced as j us tify i n g adm i ss i o n

"

t o t h e ran k o f sai n th o o d i s t h e n o n d e co m p o s iti o n o f t h e-

h o ly p e rs o n s co rp se Th ese m iracul o usly pres e rv ed bo di es

’
.

are en shri n e d i n ch ap e l s m o n a s t e ri e s an d cath e dral s an d

, ,

are th er e vi s ite d by pil gri m s wh o o f fer up pray ers at t h e

,

s hri n e place can dl es b efo r e it an d usually l ea v e so m e

, ,

c o n tributi o n fo r t h e b en e fit o ft h e establi shm en t .

1 Th e icon s o f t h e E astern Church are n o t grav en

‘

b u t are pictur e s pa i n t e d i n a co n v en ti o n al cada

’
im ages ,

v ero u e m an n er o n wo o d ; th ese are o ft en co v e red with an

e m b o ss e d m e tal c o v er all o wi n g o n ly t h e h an d s an d fa c e t o

b e seen an d m aki n g t h e ic on as m uch lik e an i m age as a

,

pict ure .

Th e m ixtu r e o f bread an d wi n e ad m i n i s t e red by t h e

p ri e s ts o f t h e O rth o d o x E as t e rn Churc h at t h e c e l e br ati o n

o ft h e E uch ari st .
2 34 E S S AY S AN D L E TTE R S
the wine is no lon ger wine and th e white bread is n o t ,

bread , but they are th e blood and flesh o f o n e of the

triple Gods etc All this is so stupid and senseless
,
.

that it is quite impossible to understand what i t all

means And the very people who teach this faith d o
.

not ask you to understand it but only tell you to ,

believe it ; and people trained to believe these things

from childhood can bel i eve any kind of nonsense that
is told them And when men have been so befooled
.

that they believe that G o d hangs in t h e corner * or sits ,

in a morsel o f pap which the priest gives o u t in a

spoon ; that to kiss a board o r some relic and put
candles in front of them is useful for life here and
hereafter —
,

they are next called on to enter the military

service where they are humbu gged to any extent ;
,

b eing first made to swear o n the Gospel (in which

swearing is prohibited ) that they will do j ust what is
forbidden in those Gospels and then taught that to kill ,

people at th e word o f those in command is not a sin ,

but that to refuse to obey those in command is a sin .

S o that the fraud played o f f o n soldiers w hen it is

instilled into them that they may without sin kill , ,

people at the wish o f those in command is not an ,

isolated fraud but is bound up with a whole system of

,

deception without w hich this o n e fraud would n o t

deceive them .

O nly a man quite befooled by the false faith calle d

O rthodoxy palmed o f ,
f upon him for true Christian
faith can believe that it is no s in for a Christian to
,

enter the army promisin g blindly to O bey an y man

,

who ranks above him in the service and at the will of , ,

others learning t o kill and committing that m ost

, ,

terrible crime forbidden by all moral law .

A man free from the pseudo Christian fa ith that is -

called O rthodoxy will not believe that

And that is why t h e so called S ectarians —Christians
,
.

Thi s re fers t o t h e c o m m on practice o f han gin g an i c é n

in t h e c o rn er o fe ac h dw e lli n g r o o m Th e se i c é n s ar e c all e d
-
.

o ds a n d are pray e d t o i n a w ay th at o ft en am o un t s t o
‘ ’

g ,

id o l atry .
 TO A NON CO MMI S S IONE D OFFI CE R
-
2 35

who have repudiated the Orthodox teaching and ac ,

knowledge C h rist s teaching as explained in the Gospels

’

an d especially in the S ermon o n th e Mo u nt — are not

tricked by this deception but have frequently refused , ,

and still do refu se to be soldiers considering such an

, ,

occupation incompatible with Christianity and pre ,

ferring t o bear all kinds o f persecution as hundreds ,

and thousands of people are d oing i n R ussia many o f

the Doukhobo rs and Molok ans ; in A ustria t h e Naza
'

renes and in S weden S witzerland and G er m any some

, , ,

members o f the E vangelical sects Th e Government .

knows this and is therefore ex ceedingly anxious that

,

the general Church deception witho ut which its power ,

could not be maintained should be commenced with ,

every child from early infancy and be continually

main t ained in such a way that none may escape it .

Th e G overnment tolerates anything else drunkenness

and vice (and not only tolerates but even organizes
drunkenness and vice —they help to stupefy people ) ,

b u t by all means in its power it hinders those w h o

have escaped o u t o f its trap from assisting others to
escape .

Th e R ussian Government perpetrates th is fraud with

special craft and cruelty I t orders all its su bj ects to
.

baptize their children during infancy into the false faith

called Orthodoxy and it threatens to p unish them if
,

they disobey And when the children are baptized

that i s are reckoned as Orthodox —then under threats
.

, ,

o f criminal penalties they are forbidden to discuss the

,

faith into which without their wish they were bapti z ed ;

, ,

and fo r such discussion o f that faith as well as for r e ,

n o u n c i n g it and changing to another they are actually ,

punished S o that it cannot be said o f R ussians in

general that they believe the Orthodox Faith —they do
.

n o t know whether they believe it o r n o t They were .

converted to it during infancy and kept in it by violenc e

—that is b y the fear O f punishment All R ussians
,

, .

were entrapped into Orthodoxy by cunning frau d , and

are kept in it by cruel force .

Using the power it wields th e Government per ,

2 36 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S

p e t rat es and maintains this fraud and by m eans o f it ,

retains power .

And therefore the sole way to free people from

‘

, ,

their many miseries lies in freeing th em from the false

fai t h instilled into them b y G overnment and i n th eir ,

imbibin g the true Christian teac hing which this false ,

teaching hides Th e true Christian teaching is very

.

simple clear and obvi ous to all as Christ said B u t

, , , .

it is simple and accessible only when man is freed from

that falsehood in which we were all educated and ,

which is passed o ff upon us as G od s Tr u th ’

.

N othing useful can be poured into a vessel that is

already full o f what is useless ‘Ve must first empty .

out what is useless S o it is with the acq u irement o f

.

true Christian teaching W e have first to understand.

that all the stories tellin g how G o d made the world

years ago ; h ow A dam sinned and the human
race fell and how the S o n o f G o d (a God born o f a
,

vir gin ) came on earth and redeemed man and all the
fables in the O l d Testam ent and i n the Gospels and all ,

the lives of th e saints with their stories of miracles and

r e l ic s
w
ar e all nothi n g but a gross hash o f J ewish super

st it i o n s and priestly frauds Only to a man quite free

.

from th is deception c an the clear and simple teaching

of Chri st wh ich needs no explanation be accessible
, ,

and comprehensible That teaching tells u s nothing of

.

the beginning or o f the end o f the world n o r about

, , ,

G o d and H i s purpose nor in general about thin gs

, , ,

which we cannot and need not know but it speak s only

o f what man m ust do t o save himself—that i s h o w best ,

t o live the life he has come into in this world fro m , ,

birth to death Fo r that purpose it is only necessary

.

t o act towards others as we wish th em to act towards u s .

In tha t is all the law and the proph ets as Christ sai d ,
.

An d t o act in this way we need neither ic ons n o r relics , ,

n o r church services nor pries t s nor catechisms nor

, , ,

Governments but o n the contrary we n e ed perfect

, , ,

freedom from all that for to do to oth ers as we wish

t hem to do t o us is only possible when a man i s fre e
from the fables which the pries ts give o u t as the only
 TO A NON C O MMI S S I ONE D O FFI CE R
- 2 37

truth and when he is n o t bound by prom ises t o act a s

,

other people may order Only such a man will b e

.

capable o f fu l fil l i n g— n o t h is o wn will n o r that o f

other m en but— the will o f G o d
,
.

And the will o f G o d is n o t that we should fight and

O ppress the weak but that we should acknowledge all
,

men to be our broth ers and sh ould serve o n e another .

These are the thoughts your letter h a s aroused in me .

I shall be very glad if they help to clear u p the ques

tions you are thinking about .
 PA TR IOTI S M AN D GO VE R N ME NT
Th e ti m e i s fast appro ac hi n g wh en t o c all a m an a
patri o t will b e t h e d e e pest i n sult y o u c an o ffer h im .

Patr i o ti sm n o w m ean s a dv o c ati n g p lu n d er i n t h e i n t ere s ts

o f t h e privi l e g e d cl a s se s o f t h e parti c ular S ta t e sy st e m i n t o

whi ch we h av e h app en ed t o b e b o rn —E B E L FO R T B A X
’
. . .

I H A V E already several times expressed the thought

that in o u r day the feeling o f p atriotism is an unnatural ,

irrational and harmful feeling and a cause o f a great

, ,

part of the ills from which mankind is su fferin g ; an d

that consequently this feeling should not be cultivated
, , ,

a s is n ow bein g done but should o n the contrary be

‘

, , ,

suppressed and eradicated by all means available to

rational men Yet strange to say—though it is u n de n i
.
,

able that the universal armaments and d estructive wars

which are rui ni n g the peoples result from that one
feeling—all my arguments Showin g the backwardness ,

anach ronism and harm fulness o f patriotism h ave been

,

met and are still met either by silence by intentional

, , ,

misinterpretation o r by a stran ge unvarying reply to

,

the e ffect that only bad patriotism (J i n go ism o r Chau ,

v i n i sm ) is evil but that real good patriotism is a very

,

elevated moral feeling to condemn which i s not only ,

irrational but wicked .

XVh at this real good patriotism consists in we are

, ,

never told ; o r if anything i s said about it instead

, ,

o f explanation we ge t declamatory , in fl ated phrases ,

or , finally, some other conception i s substituted for "

I 2 38 1
 PA TR I O TI S M AN D GO VE R NMENT 239

patriotism —something wh ich h as nothing in common

w ith t h e patriotism we all know and from the results ,

o f which we all su f fer s o severely .

It is generally said that the real good patriotism ,

’
consists in desirin g fo r one s o wn people o r S tate such
real benefits as do n o t infringe the well being o f other -

n ations .

Talking recently t o an Englishman about the present

w ar I sai d t o him that the real cause o f the war was
*
,

n o t ava rice as people generally sa y, but patriotis m

,
a ,

is evident from the temper o f th e whole o f English

society Th e E nglishman did not agree with me and
.
,

said that even were t h e cas e so it resulted from the fact ,

that the patriotism at present inspiring Englishmen is

a bad patriotism but that good patriotism such as h e ,

was i m bued with wo u ld cau se Englishmen his c o m ;

, ,

patriots t o act well ,

.

Then do y o u wish only Englishmen to act w ell ?

‘ ’

I a sked .

‘ ’
I wish all men t o do so sai d he i ndicating clearly ,

by that reply the characteristic o f true b e n e fit s

whether m oral scientific o r even material and practical
—which i s that they spread o u t to all men But e v i
, ,
.

.
,

de n t l y t o wish such benefits t o everyone n o t only is

, ,

n o t patriotic but is the reverse of patriotic

,
.

Neither d o the peculiarities O f each people constitute

patriotism though these th ings are purposely su b st i
,

t u t e d fo r the conception o f patriotism by i t s defenders .

They say that the peculiarities o f each people are

an essential condition o f human progress and that ,

patriotism which seeks to maintain those peculiarities

, ,

i s therefore a good and u seful feeling

, ,
B u t is it not .

quite evident that if once upon a time these peculiari

ties o f each people—these customs creeds lan g uages
, ,

, ,

were conditions necessary fo r the life o f humanity in ,

o u r time these same peculiarities form th e chief obstacle

t o what i s already recognised as an ideal —the brotherly
union o f th e p e O pl e s ? And therefore the maintenance
and defence o f any nationality —R ussian German , ,

Th at i s t h e S o uth A frican War o f 1 8 9 9 -1 9 02

, .
2 40 E S S AY S AN D L E TTE R S

French o r Anglo S axon provoking th e correspond ing

,
-
, '

maintenance and defence n o t only O f H un garian ,

Polish and I rish nationalities but also o f Basque

, , ,

Proven l Mordv a Tc h o u vash and many other

a ,
*
, ,

n a t i o n a ities — serves n o t to harmonize and unite men ,

but to estrange and divide them more an d m ore from

o n e anoth er .

S o that not the imaginary but the real patriotism ,

which we all know by which most people t o day are

,
-

swayed and from which humanity su ffers so severely is ,

’
not the wish for spiritual benefits fo r one s o wn people
’
(it is impossible to desire Spiritual benefits fo r one s
o wn people only ) but is a very definite feeling Of
,
’
preference for one s o wn people o r S tate above all
other peoples and S tates and a consequent wish to ge t ,

for that people or S tate the great e st advantages and

power that can be go t — things which are obtainable
only at the expense o f the advantages and power o f
other p eoples o r S tates .

It wo uld therefore seem obvious that patriotism as

, ,

a feeling is bad and harmful and as a doctrine is stupid , .

For it is clear that if each people and each S tate con

siders itself the best of peoples and S tates , they all
live in a g ross and harmfu l delusion .

O n e would expect the harmful ness and irrationality

o f patriotism to be evident to everybody But t he .

surprising fact is that cultured and learned men n o t

only do not themselves notice the harm and stupidity
o f patriotism but they res ist every exposure o f it
,

with t h e greatest obstinacy and ardour (though without

any rational grounds ) and continue t o belaud it as ,

b e n e fi c e n t and elevating .

W h at does this mean

Th e Mo rdv a (o r Mo rdvi n i an ) an d Tc h o u v ash trib es are
o f Fi n ni s h o ri gi n , an d i n h abit c hi e fl y t h e go v er n m e n ts o f
t h e Middl e Vo l ga .
 PATR IO TI S M AN D GO VE R NME NT 241

Only o n e explanatio n of thi s amazing fact presents

itself t o me .

All human history from the earliest times to our

,

o w n day m ay be c o nsidered a s a movement O f the con

,

s c io u sn e s s both o f individuals and o f homogeneous

,

groups from lower ideas t o higher ones

,
.

Th e whole path travel led both by individ ual s and by

ho m o geneous groups may be represented as a c o n se c u
tive flight o f steps fro m the lowest o n the level o f ,

animal life t o the highest attained by the conscious

,

ness o f man at a gi ven m oment o f history .

E ach m an like each separat e homogeneous group

, ,

nation or S tate, al ways moved and mov es up this

,

ladder o f ideas S om e portion s of h umanity are in

.

front others lag far behind oth ers , again the

maj ori t y—move somewhere between the most advanced
, ,

and the most backward But all whatever sta ge they .

,

may h ave reached are in e vita bly and irresistibly moving

,

from lower to highe r idea s And always at any given .

,

moment both th e individuals and the separate groups

o f people—advanced middle o r backwa rd —stand in
,

, ,

three di fferent relations to the three stages o f ideas

amid which they m ove .

Always both fo r the individ u al and fo r the separate

,

groups o f people, there are the i d eas o fthe past w hich ,

are w orn o u t and have become strange to them and ,

to which they cannot revert : a s fo r instance in o u r , ,

Christian world the i deas O f cannibalism u niversal

, ,

plunder the rape o f wives and other c u stoms o f which

, ,

O nly a record remains .

And t here are th e ideas o f t h e present instilled into ,

’
men s minds by education by example and by the , ,

general activity o f all around them ; ideas under the

power o fwhich they live at a given time for instance ,

in o u r o wn day the ideas o f property S tate organiza

, ,

tion trade utilizatio n o f domestic animals e t c

, , , .

And there are the ideas o f th e future o f which some ,

are already approaching realization and are oblig in g

people t o change their way of life and t o struggle
against the former w ays : s u ch ideas in o u r world a
o
242 E S S AY S A N D L ETT E R S

th ose of freeing the labourers o f giving equality t o ,

women of disusing flesh food etc

,
while oth ers ,
.
,

th ough already recognised have n o t yet come into ,

practical con fl ict with t h e O ld forms o f life : such in

o u r times are the ideas (which we call ideals ) o f the

extermination o f violence the arrangement o f a com ,

m u n al system of property o f a universal religion and , ,

of a g eneral brotherhood o f men .

An d therefore every man and every homogeneous

, ,

group o f men o n whatever level they may stand

, ,

having behind them the worn o u t remem b rances of the -

past and before them the ideals o f the future are

, ,

always in a state o f stru ggle between the moribu n d

ideas O f the present and the ideas o f the future th a t
are comin g t o life It usually happens that when an
.

idea which h as been u seful and even necessary i n th e

past becomes superfluous that idea after a more or l ess , ,

prolonged struggle yields it s place t o a new idea

,

which was till then an ideal but which thus becomes ,

a present idea .

Bu t it does occur that an anti quated idea alread y ,

’
replaced in people s consciousness by a higher o n e i s of ,

such a kind that it s maintenance is profitable t o th ose

people w h o have the greatest influenc e in their society .

And then it happens that thi s antiquated idea though ,

it is in sharp contradiction t o the whole s urrounding

form of life which has been altering in other respects
, ,

continues to in fl uence people and t o sway their actions .

S uc h retention o f anti q uated ideas always h as occurred ,

and still does occur in the region o f religion Th e

,
.

cause is that the priests whose ro fit a b l e positions are

bound up with the a ntiquated religious idea purposely
, ,

u se their power t o hold people to this antiquated idea .

Th e same thing occurs and fo r similar reason s in t h e

, ,

political sphere with reference t o t h e patrioti c idea o n

, ,

which all arbitrary power i s based People t o whom it .

is profitable to do s o m ainta in that idea by a rtificial

,

means thou gh it n o w lacks both s ense and util ity

, .

An d as these people possess the most powerful means O f

influencing others they are able t o achieve their obj ect
, .
 PA TR IO TI S M AND GO VE R N ME NT 24 3

In this it seems t o me lies t h e e xplanation o f the

, ,

stran g e contrast between t h e anti quated patriotic idea ,

and that whole drift o f ideas making in a contrary d ir e c

tio n wh ich have already entered int o t h e co n s ciousnes s
,

o f the Ch ristian world .

Patriotism as a feeling o f exclu s iv e l ove fo r one s

,
’

o w n people and a s a d o ctrine o f the virtue o f sacrifici n g

,
’ ’ ’
one s tranquillity one s property, and even one s life in
, ,

d efence o f one s o wn people fro m slau g hter and outrage

’

by their enem ies was th e hi ghest idea o f the period

,
wh en each nation considered it feasible and j ust fo r it s ,

o wn advanta ge t o subj ect t o slaughter and outrag e the

,

people o f other nation s .

But, already som e years ago hum anity , ,

in t h e person o f th e highest representatives o f i t s

wisdom be gan t o recog nise the higher idea O f a
,

brotherh ood o f m an ; an d that id e a penetrating man s ,

’

consciousness more and m ore h as i n o u r time atta ined ,

most varied forms o f realization Thanks t o improved .

means o f comm unication and t o the u nity o f industry, ,

O f trad e o f the arts and o f sci ence men are t o day so

, , ,
-

bound o n e to another that t h e danger o f conq u est ,

massacre, o r outrage by a neighbouring people has ,

quite disappeared and all peoples (the peoples but n o t

, ,

t h e G overnments ) live togeth er in peaceful mutually ,

advanta geous and frien dly comm ercial industrial

, , ,

artistic and s cientific relations which they have n o

, ,

n eed and n o d esir e t o disturb One would th ink .

,

therefore that t h e a nti quated feeling o f patriotism

,

being super fl uous and incompatible with the conscious

n ess we have reached o f t h e existence O f brotherhood
among m e n o f di fferent n ationalities —should d w indle
more and m ore u ntil it c ompletely disappears Yet .

the very O pposite o f this occurs this harmful and anti

q u at e d feeling not o n ly continues t o e xist , but burns
more and more fiercely .
 E S SA Y S AN D LETT E R S
Th e peoples , without any reas onable ground , and
contrary ali ke to their conception of ri ght and t o their
own advantage not only s ympathize w it h Governments
,

in their attacks o n other nations in their sei z ures o f ,

forei gn possessions and in defending by force what

,

t hey have already stolen but even themselves demand ,

such attacks seizur e s and defences are glad of them

, , ,

and take pride in th em Th e small oppressed nation .

a l it i e s which have fallen under t h e power of the great

S tates — the Poles Irish Bohemians Finns o r Arme

n ian s —resenting the patriotism o f th eir conquerors
, , , ,

which is the cause of their oppres sion , catch from them

t h e infection of this feeling o f patriotism — which has
ceased to be necessa ry and is now obsolete unmean
in g and harmful —and catch it to such a degree that
, ,

all their activity is c o ncentrated upon it and th ey , ,

themselves su ffering from the patriotism of the stronger

nations are ready for the sake o f patriotism t o per
, , ,

e t r at e o n other peoples the very same deeds that their

p
O ppressors have perpe trated and are perpetrating on
them .

This occurs because the ruling clas ses (including not

only th e actual rulers with their o ffi cials but all t h e ,

classes who enj oy an exceptionally advantageo u s posi

tion the capita lists j ournalists and most o f the artists
, ,

and scientists ) c a n retain their position — exceptionally

advantageous in comparison wit h that o f the labouring
m asses — thanks only to the Government or ganization ,

which rests o n patriotism They have in their hands .

all the most powerful means of influencin g the people ,

and always sedulously support patriotic feelings in them

selves and in others more especially as those feelings
,
’
which uphol d the Government s power are those that
a r e always best rewarded by that power .

E very o f fi cial prospers the more in h is career the ,

more patriotic he is s o also th e army man gets promo

tion in time of war —the war is produced by patriotism
Patriotism and its r e s u l t w a rs —give an enormous
.

revenue to the newspaper trade and pro fits to many ,

other trades E very writer teacher and professor is

.
, ,
 PA TR I O TI S M AND GO VE R NME NT 24 5

more secure in h is plac e the mor e he preaches patriot

ism Every Emperor and Ki n g obtains the more fame
.

the m o re he is addicted t o p atriotism .

Th e ru l ing clas s e s hav e in their hands th e army ,

money the s chools the churches and the press I n

, , , .

the schools they k indle patriotis m in t h e children by

means o f histories describing th e ir o wn people as th e
best o f all peoples and al w ay s in t h e right Amon g .

adults they kindle it by spectacles j ubilee s monu , ,

ments, and by a lying patrioti c press Above all they

.
,

inflame patriotism in this way p e rpetrating every kind

o f inj ust ice and harshness again st other nations th ey ,

provoke in th e m enmity towards their o wn people ,

and then in t u rn exploit that enmity t o embitter their

people against the foreigner .

Th e intensification o f this terrible feeling o f patriot

ism h as gone o n among the European peoples in a
rapidly increasing progression and in o u r time has
,

reached the utmost limits, beyond which there is n o

room for it t o extend .

\Vi t h in the memory of people n o t yet o l d an occur ,

rence took place showing most obviously the amaz ing

intoxication ca u sed by patriotism am ong the people of
Christendom .

Th e ruling classes o f Germany e xcited the patriotism

o f t h e mas s es o f their people to such a degree that in ,

the second half o f th e nin e teenth century , a law was

proposed in accordance with which all the men had t o
become soldiers all the s ons husbands fathers learned
, , ,

men, and godly men , had t o lea rn t o murder t o becom e ,

su bm issiv e slave s o f th ose above them in military rank ,

and b e absol u te ly r ea dy t o kill whomsoever they were

ordered t o kill t o kill m e n o f O ppressed nationalities ,

and their o wn working men standin g up for thei r rights

-

and even their o wn fathers and brothers —as was p u b

,

l ic l y proclaimed by t hat most impudent o f potentates ,

l Vil l iam ll .
24 6 E S SA Y S AN D L E TTE R S

’
That horrible measure outraging all man s best feel ,

ings in the grossest manner was u n der the influence , ,

o f patriotism acquiesced in without m urmur by the

,

people o f Germany It resulted i n their victory over

.

the French That victory yet further excited the

.

patriotism o f Germany and by reaction that of France , , , ,

R ussia and the other Powers ; and the men o f the

,

E uropean countries unresistingly submitted to the i n

t r o d u c t i o n o f g eneral mili t ary service —L a to a state ,

o f slavery involvin g a degree o f humiliation and s u b

mission incomparably worse than any slavery o f th e

ancient world After this servile submission o f the
.

masses to the calls of patriotism the audacity cruelty , , ,

and insanity o f the Governments knew no bounds A .

’
competition in the usurpation of other peoples la n ds
in Asia, Africa and America began— evoked partly by
,

whim partl y by vanity and partly by covetousness

, ,

and wa s accompanied by ever greater and greater

distrust and enmity between the Governments .

Th e destruction o f the inhabita nts o n the lands

s eized wa s accepted as a quite natural proceeding Th e .

only q uestion was wh o shoul d be first in seizin g,

o ther peoples land and destroying the in habitants ?

’

All the Governments n o t only most evidently infringed ,

and are infrin ging the elementary demand s o fj ustice

,

in relation to the con quered peoples and in relation to ,

o n e another but they were guilty and continue to be

, ,

g uilty o
,
f every kind o f cheatin g swindling bribin g , , ,

fraud spying robbery and murder ; and t h e peoples

, , ,

n o t only sympath ized and still sym pathize with them, ,

in all this but they rej oice when it i s their o wn G overn

,

ment and not another Government that commits suc h

crimes .

Th e mutual enmity between the di f ferent peoples and

S tates h a s reach ed latterly such amazin g dimensions
that notwithstandin g the fact that there is n o reason
,

why o n e S ta t e should atta ck another everyone knows ,

that all the Governments stand with their claws o u t

and showing their te eth , and only waiting fo r so m e on e
 PA TR IO TI S M AN D GO VE R NMENT 247

to be in trouble o r become weak in order t o tear him

, ,

to ieces with as little risk as possible

pll the peoples o f the so called Christian world
.

hav e been reduced by patriotism to such a state o f

brutality that not only those who are obliged to kill or
,

be killed desire sla u ghter and rej oice in mur der but all ,

th e people o f Europe and America livin g peaceably in ,

t h e ir h o m e s exposed t o n o danger are at each war , ,

thanks t o easy mean s o f communication and to the

press —i n th e position o f the spectators in a R oman
circus and like them deligh t in the slaughter and
, , , ,

raise the b l o ogdt h irst y cry P o lli c e ,

N o t adults only but also children pure wise chil

, , ,

dren rej oice according t o thei r nationality when

, , ,

they hear that the number killed and lacerated by

lyddite o r other shells o n some particular day was n o t
7 00 b ut E nglishme n o r B oers .

And parents (I know s u ch cases ) encourage their

children in such brutality .

But that is n o t all E very increase in the a rmy of .

one n ation (and each nation being in danger seeks to , ,

increase i t s army fo r patriotic reasons ) obliges its neigh

b o u rs t o increase their armies also from patriotism and , ,

this evokes a fresh increas e by the first nation .

A nd the same thing occurs with fortifications and

n avies : o n e S ta te h as built ten ironclads a nei ghbour ,

b u ilds eleven ; the n t h e first builds twelve and so on ,

t o infinity .

’
’
I l l pinch you An d l l l pun ch your head
.
’
And ’
.

’
I ll stab yo u with a dagger
’
And l l l bludgeon yo u .
’ ’
.

And I ll shoot yo u
’
Only bad children drunken
.
’

m en ,
or anim al s quarrel o r fight so but yet it is j ust
, ,

what is goin o n among the highest representatives of

the most en igh t e n e d Governments the very men who ,

undertake t o direct the education and t h e morality of

their s ubj ects .

P o ll i ce ver so ( thum b d o wn ) was t h e s i gn giv en i n

‘ ’

t h e Ro m an am phith eatres by t h e sp e c t at o rs wh o w i s h e d a
d e fea ted gl adi ato r t o b e sl ai n .
248 E SS AY S AN D LE TT E RS

Th e position is becoming worse and worse and th ere ,

is no stopping this descent towards evident perdition .

Th e one way of escape believed in by credulo u s

people h as now been closed by recent events I refer .

to the Ha gue Conference and t o the war between,

E n gland and the Transvaal which immediately fol
lowed it .

If people who think little or but superfi cially were, ,

able to comfort th em selves with the idea that inter

national courts o f arbitration would supersede wars and
ever increasing armaments the Hague Conference and
-
,

the war that followed it demonstrated in the m ost

palpable manner t h e impossibility o f findin g a sol u tion
of the di fli c u l t y in that way After the H ague Confer
.

ence it became obvious that as lon g a s G overnments

,

with armies exist the termination o f armaments and o f

,

wars is impossible That an agreement should become

.

possible it i s necessary that the parties t o it should

,

t r u s t each other. And in order that the Powers sh ould

trust each other th ey must lay down their arms as i s
, ,

done by the bearers o f a flag o f truce when they meet

for a conference .

S o long as G overnments distrusting o n e another not

, ,
f

only do n o t disband o r decr ea se their armies b u t a l way s ,

increase them in corres ponden c e with au gm entations

made by their nei ghbours and by means o f Spies watch
,

every m ovement of tr 0 0 ps knowing that e ach of the

,

Powers will attack its nei ghbour a s soon as it sees its

way to do so no agreement is possible and every c o n
, ,

ference is either a stupidity or a pas time o r a fraud o r

, , ,

an impertinence o r all of these together

, .

It was particularly becoming for the R ussian rather

tha n any other G overnment to be the enfa n t ter r i bl e o f
the H ague Conference No one at home being allowed
.

to reply t o all its evi dently m endacious manifestations

and rescripts the R ussian Government i s so Spoilt that
—having with out the least scruple ruined it s own people
, ,

with armaments stran gle d Poland plundered Tu rk e sta n

, ,
 PA TR I O TI S M AN D GO VE R N ME NT 24 9

and China and b e ing s pecially engaged in su ffocating

Finland —it proposed disarmament to the Governments
,

in full assura nce that it would be trusted "

,

But strange unexpected and in decent as such a pro

posal was —especially at the very time w h en orders w ere
, ,

being given t o increase it s arm y—the words publicly

uttered in the hearing o f th e people were such that for ,

the sak e o f appearances t h e Governments o f the other

Power s could n o t decline the comical and evidently
insincere consultation and so the delegates met—know
ing in advance that nothi n g would come o f it — and for
several weeks (during which they drew good salaries )
thou gh they were laughing in their sleeves they all ,

conscientiously preten ded t o b e much occupi e d in

arranging p ea ce a m ong the nations
Th e Hague Conference followed up as it was by the
,

terrible bloodsh ed of the Transvaal W ar which n o one ,

attemp t ed o r is now attempting

,
to st o was n ever
, ,

t h e l e ss o f some use though n o t at a l in the way

expected o f it —it was useful because it sh owed in t h e
, ,

most obvious manner that the evils from which the

peoples are su ffering cannot be cured by Governments .

That Governments even if they wished to can ter

, ,

minate neith er armaments nor wars .

Governments t o have a reason for existing must

, ,
’
defend their pe ople from other people s atta ck B u t .

n o t o n e people wishes t o atta ck , o r does attack another ,

.

And therefore Governments far from wishing for peace , ,

carefully excite the anger of other nations against them

’
selves And having excited other people s anger against
.

themselves and stirr ed u p the patriotism o f their o wn

,

people each Government then assures i t s people that it

,

i s in danger and must be defended .

And having the po w er in their hands the G overn ,

ments can both irritate other nations and excite

patriotism at home and they carefully do both t h e
,

o n e and the other ; n o r can they act otherwise for ,

their existence depends o n thus acting .

If in former times Governments were necessary to

, ,

defend their people from other people s atta c ks now ’

, ,
2 50 E S S AY S AND L ETTE R S

on the contrary G overnments artificially disturb th e

,

peace that exists between the nations and provoke ,

enmity among them .

Wh en it was necessary t o plough in order to so w ,

p loughing was wise ; but evidently it i s absurd and

h armful to go o n ploughin g after the seed h as been

sown B u t this is j ust what the Governments are
.

o bli gin g their people to d o : to infringe the unity

which exists and whi ch nothin g would infringe if it
,

were not for the Governments .

In reality w h at are these Gove rnments without which ,

people think they could n o t exist ?

There may have been a time when such Governments
were necessary and when the evil o f supportin g a
,

Government was less than that o f bein g defenceless

against organized nei ghbours ; but n o w such Govern
ments have become unnecessary and are a far greater ,

evil than all the dan gers with which they frighten their
s ubj ects .

Not only military G overnments but Governments in ,

g eneral could
,
be I will not sa y useful
,
but at least ,

harmless only if they consisted o f immaculate holy

, ,

people as is theoretically the case among the Chinese

,
.

But t h en G overnments by the nature o f their activity

, ,

whic h consists i n committing acts o f violence * are ,

always composed o f elements the most contrary to

holiness — o f the most audacious unscrupulous and , ,

perverted people .

A G overnment, therefore and especially a Govern ,

ment entrusted with military power i s the most ,

dangerous organization possible .

Th e wo rd govern m en t i s fre q u e n tl y u se d i n an i n d e fi n ite

s en s e as a l m o s t eq uiv a l en t t o m an age m en t o r dir ec ti o n ;
but i n t h e se n se i n whi c h t h e wo rd i s u se d in t h e presen t
arti c l e , t h e c h ara c t e ri s ti c fea tur e o f a G o v ern m en t i s th a t

it cl ai m s a m o ral right t o i n fl ic t physi c al pen alti es , an d by

i t s d ec r ee t o m ak e m urde r a go o d ac ti o n .
 PATR IO TI S M A ND GO VE R N MENT 251

Th e G overnment, in
the widest sense incl u din g ,

capitalist s and the Press is nothing else than an ,

organization which places the greater part of the

people in the power o f a smaller part who dominate ,

them ; that smaller part is subj ect t o a yet smaller

part and that again t o a yet smaller and so o n reach
, , ,

ing at last a few people o r o n e single man who by , ,

means o f military force h as power over al l the rest S o .

that all this organization resembles a cone o f whi ch all ,

the parts are completely i n the power o f th ose people ,

o r of that one person wh o happen to be at the apex , .

Th e apex o f the cone is seized by those who are more

cunning audaci ous and unscrupulous than the rest or
, , ,

by someone w h o happens t o be the hei r o f those who

w ere audacious and unscrupulous .

To day it may be Bor is G o d u n of * and to morro w

-
,
-

Gregory O t r é pye f+ To day the licentious Catherine

.
-
,

wh o with her paramours h as murdered her husband ;

t o morrow P o u gat c h é f ; 1 then Paul the madman
’

-
,

Nicholas L , or Alexander I l l .

To d ay it may be Napoleon t o -morrow a B ourbon o r ,

an Orle ans a Boulanger o r a Panama Company ; to

’

day it may be Gladstone to morrow S alisbury Cham ,

-
,

b e r l ain o r R hodes
,
.

And t o such Governments is allowe d full pow e r not ,

only over property and lives but even over the Spiritual ,

and moral development t h e education and the religiou s , ,

guidance o fe verybody .

People construct such a terrible machine o f po wer ,

they allow any o n e to seize it who can (and the chances

always are that it will be sei z ed by the most morally
worthless ) — they slavishly submit to him and are the n ,

Bo r i s Go du n o f br o th e r i a l aw o f t h e we ak Tsar Fy od o r
’
- -
,

I van o vi tch succee d e d in b ec o m in g Tsar an d re i gn e d in

, ,

Mo sc o w fro m 1 59 8 to 1 6 05 .

1 Grego ry O tr épy ef wa s a pr e ten d er wh o pass i n g hi m s e lf

“

of f as Dim i try son o f Iv an t h e Te rribl e re i gn e d in Mo s c o w

, ,

i n 1 6 05 an d 1 6 06 .

I P o u gat c h éf was t h e l ead er o f a m o s t fo rm idabl e in s u r

r e c ti o n i n 1 77 3-1 7 7 5, an d wa s e x e cut ed i n Mo sc o w in 1 775 .
2 52 E SS AY S AN D LETT E R S

surprised that evil comes o f it They are a fraid o f .

’
Anarchists bombs and are n o t afraid o f this terribl e
,

or ganization which is always thr e atening them w ith t he

greatest calamities .

People found it useful t o tie themselv es together in

order to resist their enemies as t h e Circassia n s* did ,

when resisting atta cks B u t the danger i s quite p ast, .

and yet people go o n tying themselves to gether .

They carefully tie themselve s u p s o that o n e man

can have them all at h is m ercy th en they throw away
the end o f the rope that ties them and leave it trailing ,

for some rascal o r fool to seize and to do them whatever

harm he likes
R eally what are people doing but j ust that —
.

,
when '

the y set up submit to and maintain an organized and

, ,

military Governm ent ?

To deliver men from the terrible and ever increasing -

evils of armaments an d wars we want neither con ,

gr e ss e s nor conferences, n o r treaties nor courts o f ,

arbitration but the destruction o f those instruments o f

,

violence which are called Governments and fro m which ,

’
humanity s greates t evils flow .

To destroy Governmenta l vi o l en c e only one thin g ,

is needed it i s that people should understand that th e

feeling o f patriotism wh ich alone s u ports that i n st r u
ment o f violence is a rude harm fu l disgraceful and z
,

, , ,

bad feelin g and above all i s immoral It is a rude

, , , .

feeling because it is o n e natural only to peopl e stand

,

i n g o n the lowest level o f morality and expecting from ,

other nati ons such outrages a s they themselves are

ready to inflict ; it is a harmful feeling because it ,

disturbs advanta geous and j oyous , peaceful relations

wi th other peoples and above all produces that Govern
,

m ental organi zation under which po w er may fall , and

Th e Circ ass i an s , wh en s ur ro u n d ed , us e d t o t i e th e m
s e l v e s t o ge th er l e g t o l eg, t h a t n o n e m i ght e sc ap e , but all

di e fi gh ti n g . I n stan c es o f thi s ki n d o cc urr e d wh en th eir

c o u n tr w s b e i n an n e x e d by R u ss i a
y a g .
 PATR IOTI S M AN D GO VE R N MENT 2 53

doe s fall into th e hands o f t h e worst m e n it is a dis

,

graceful feeling because it turns man not merely into

,

a slave but into a fighting cock a bull o r a gladiator

, , , ,

wh o waste s h is strength and h i s life for obj ects which

ar e n o t h i s o wn b u t h is Governments ;
’
and it is an
’
imm oral feeli n g beca u se, instead o f confessin g one s self
,

a so n o f G o d (as Ch ristianity teaches u s ) o r even a free

man g uided by his o wn reason ea ch man under the ,

influenc e o f patriotism confesses himself th e so n o f his

fatherland and the sla v e o f his Gov e rnment and c o m ,

mi ts actions contrary t o h is reason and his conscience .

It is only necessary that people shoul d understand

this and t he terrible bond called Government by
, , ,

which we are chained together, will fall to pieces o f

itself without struggle ; and with it will cease the
terrible and useless evils it produce s .

And people are already be ginning t o understand th is .

This for instance is what a citizen o f the United S tates

, ,

writes
‘
W e are far m ers , mechanics merchants m a n u fa c , ,

t u r e r s teachers and all we as k is the privile g e of

, ,

attending t o o u r own business W e o w n o u r homes .

,

love o u r friends are devoted t o o u r families and do

, ,

not interfere with o u r neigh b ours — we have work to

do and wish to wo rk
,
.

Leave u s alone 1
‘
But they w ill n o t —these politicians They insist .

on governing u s and livi n g o ff o u r labour They tax .

u s eat o u r substance
, conscript u s draft o u r boys into
, ,

their wars All the myriads o f m e n who live o ff the

.

G overnment depend upon the Government to t a x u s ,

and in order to ta x u s successfully standing armies are

, ,

maintained Th e plea that t h e arm y is needed for the

.

protection o f th e country i s pure fraud an d pretence .

Th e French Government afl r igh t s the people by telli n g

them that the Germans are ready and anxious to fall
upon them th e R ussians fear the B ritish the British
fea r everybody ; and n o w in America we are told we
must increase o u r navy and add to our army because
Europe may at any m oment combine agai nst us .
2 54 E S S AY S AN D L E TTE R S

‘
This is fraud and untruth Th e plain people in .

France Germany E ngland and America are opposed

, , ,

to war W e only wish to be let alone Me n with

. .

wives , children sweethearts homes aged parents

, , , ,

do not want to go o ff and fight someone W e a re .

peaceable and we fear war we hate it .

\ Ve would like to obey the Golden R ule .

W ar is the sure result o f the existence o f arm ed

'
‘

men That country which maintains a large sta ndin g

.

army will sooner o r later have a war o n hand Th e .

man who prides h imself o n fi st i c u ffs is goin g some day

to meet a man who considers himself the better man ,

and th ey will fi ght G ermany and France have no

.

issue save a desire to s e e which i s t h e b e t t e r man They .

have fought many times —and they will fi ght again .

N o t that the people want t o fight but th e S uperior ,

Class fan fright into fury and make men think they ,

must figh t to protect their homes .

‘
S o t h e people wh o wish t o follow the t eachings o f
Christ are not allowed to do s o but are ta xed outraged , , ,

deceived by G overnments .

‘
Christ taught humility m eekness the forgiveness , ,

o f one s enemies
’
and that t o kill was wrong The
,
.

B ible teaches m en not t o swear ; but the S uperior

Class swear u s on t h e B ible in which th ey d o not
believe .

Th e q uestion i s H o w are we to relieve ourselves o f

,

these cormorants who toil not but w h o are clothed in ,

broadcloth and blue with bras s buttons and many,

costly accoutrements ; wh o feed upon o u r substance ,

and for whom we delve and dig ?
S hall we fight them ?
No we do not believe in bloodsh ed ; and beside s
,

that they have the guns and the money and th ey c an

, ,

hold out lon ger than we .

B u t who compose s t his army that they would orde r

to fire upon u s ?
W h y o u r n eighbours and brothers —deceived into
'

,
’
the i dea that they are doing God s service by protecting
th eir country from it s enemies W hen t h e fact is, o u r .
 PA TR IO TI S M AN D GO VE R NMENT 255

country h as n o ene m ies save the S uperior Class that ,

pretend s t o look o u t for o u r interests if we will only

obey and consent t o be taxed .

Thu s do they s iphon o u r resources and turn our

‘ ‘

true brothers upon u S t o subdue and humiliate u s You .

cannot send a telegram t o your wife n o r an express ,

package to your friend n o r draw a cheque fo r your ,

grocer u n til yo u first pay the tax t o maintain armed

,

men wh o c an quickly be u sed t o kill y o u and who

,

s urely wi l l imprison y o u if yo u do not pay .

Th e only relief lies in education

‘
Ed ucate men .

that it i s wrong t o ki l l Teach them the Golden R u le .

,

and yet again teach them the Golden R ule S ilently .

defy thi s S uperior Cl a ss by refusing t o b o w down to

their fe t i ch o f bullet s Cease supporting the preachers
.

wh o cry fo r war and Spout patriotis m fo r a considera

tion L e t them go t o work as we do W e believe in ’

C hrist—th ey do n o t Ch rist Spoke wh at he thought ;

. .

they s peak what th ey thi n k will please t h e men in

power —the S uperior Class .

W e will n o t enli s t W e will n o t shoot o n th eir .

ord er W e will not charge bay onet upon a mild and

.
“ ”

g entle peopl e W e will n o t fire upon sheph erds and

.

farm e rs fighting fo r th ei r fi r e sid e s u pon a suggestion

, ,

of Cecil R hodes Your false cry o f W olf "wolf "

.
“ ”

shall n o t alarm u s \ Ve pay your taxes only because

.

we have t o and w e will pay n o lon g er than we have

,

to. W e will pay n o pew rents n o tithes to your Sh am -

,

e h a r i t i e s and w e will Speak o u r minds upon occasion

, .

W e will educate men .

‘
And all the time o u r s ilent influence will be going
o u t and even the men wh o are conscripted will be half
,

h earted and refu s e t o fight W e will educate men into .

the thought that the Christ Life o f P e ace and Good

aillar“
i s better than t h e Life o f S trife B loodshed and , ,

P ea ce o n ea rth - it c an only c ome when men

do a w ay w ith armies and are wi l ling t o do unto other
,
’
m e n as they would be done by .

S o w rit e s a citi z en o f t h e United S tates ; and fro m

256 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE R S
v arious sides in various forms, s uch voices are
,

soundin g .

This is what a German soldier writes

‘
I went through two campaigns with th e Prussian
G uards (in 1 8 6 6 and and I hate war from th e
bottom of my soul for it h as made me inexpressibl y
,

unfortunate W e wounded soldiers generally receive

.

such a miserable recompense that we have indeed to be

ashamed of having once been patriots I for instance .
, ,

get ninepence a day for my ri ght arm which was shot ,

t h rough at the attack o n S t Privat August 1 8 1 8 7 0

.
, , .

S ome huntin g dogs have more allowed for their keep .

And I have su ffered for years from my twice wounded

arm Already in 1 8 6 6 I took part in the war against
.
’

Austria and fought at Trautenau and K oniggr atz an d

, ,

saw horrors enough In 1 8 70 being in the reserve

.
,

I was called o u t again and as I have already said I , ,

was wounded in the atta ck at S t Privat my right arm .

was twice s h ot throu gh len gthwi se I had t o leave a .

good place in a brewery and was unable afterwards to

,

regain it S ince then I have never been able to g et o n my

.

feet again Th e i ntoxication soon passed and there was

.
,

nothin g left for the wounded invalid but t o keep himself

alive on a beggarly pitta nce eked o u t by charity .

‘
In a world in which people run round like tra i ned
animals and are not capable o f any other idea than th at
,
?

o f overreaching one another for the sake o f mammon

in such a world let people think me a crank ; but fo r ,

all that I feel in myself the divine idea o f peace whic h

, ,

is so beautifully expres sed in the S ermon on the Mount .

My deepest conviction is that war is only trade o n a

lar ger scale — t h e ambitious and powerful trade with the
happiness of the peoples .

And what horrors do we not su ffer from it Never

shall I forget the pitiful groans that pierced one to the
marrow
People wh o never did each other any harm begi n to
slaughter one another like wild animals and petty , ,

slavish souls —implicate the good G o d, making H im

their confederat e in s u ch deeds .
 PA TR I O TI S M AN D G O VE R N MENT 2 57

My n eigh bour in the ranks had j a w broken by a h is

bullet Th e poor wretch went wild with pain He ran
. .

like a madman and in the scorching summer heat could

,

n o t even g e t water t o cool h is horrible wound O ur .

commander t h e Crown Prince (wh o was afterwards the

,

n oble E m peror Frederick ) wrote in h is diary W ar “

—is an irony o n the Gospels

,
”
.

People are beginning to u nderstand the fraud o f

patri otism i n which all the Governments take s u ch
,

pains t o keep them involved .

VIII .

’
But, it is u sually asked what will th ere be in stea d ,

o fG overnments ?
’

There will b e nothing S omething that has long

-
.

been useless an d th erefore superfluous and bad will be

, ,

abolished An organ that being unnecessary, h as

.
,

become harmful will be abolished , .

’
‘
B u t people generally say
,
if there i s n o Govern ,
‘

’
ment people will violate and kill each other
,
.

W h y ? W h y Should the abolition o fthe organizati on

which arose in consequence o f violence and which has ,

been handed down from generation to generation t o do

violence —why sho u ld the abolition o f such an organiza
tion , n o w devoid o f u se cause people t o outrage and
,

kill o n e another ? On the contrary the resumption ,

is that t h e abolition o f the organ o f v i o ence would

r esult in peop l e ceasing to violate and kill o n e another .

N o w, s ome men are Specially educated and trained t o

kill and t o do violence to other people —there are men
wh o are supposed t o have a right t o u se v i o l e n c e an d , .

who make use o f an organization wh ich exi sts for that

purpose S uch deeds o f violence and such killing ar e
.

considered good and worthy deeds .

B u t then peop l e will n o t be so brought u p and n o

, ,
o n e will have a right to u se violence to other s and
there will be n o organi z ation t o do violence, and —as is
,

natural to people o f o u r time— violence and m u rder will

al ways be consi dered bad actions, n o matter wh o c o m
mits th em .
2 58 E S S AY S A N D LETT E R S
But Shoul d acts of violence continue to be commi t ted
even after th e abolition of the G overnments such acts ,

will certainly be fewer than are committed now w h en ,

an or ganization exists Specially devise d t o commit acts

of violence and a state o f thin gs exists in which acts of
,

violence and murders are considered good and useful

deeds .

Th e abolition of G overnments will merely rid u s o f

an unnecessary organization which we have inherited
from the past an or ganization for the commission o f
,

violence and for its j ustification .

B u t there will then be no laws no property no , ,

courts of j ustice no police n o pop ul ar education sa y

, , ,
’

people who intention ally confuse the u se o f violence by

Go vernments with various social activities .

Th e abolition of the or ganization of Government

formed to do violence does not at all involve th e ,

abolition of what is reasonable and good and there ,

fore not based on violence in laws o r law courts or , ,

in property o r in police regulations o r in financial

, ,

arrangements or in popular education O n the c o n

, .

t rar y t h e absence of the brutal power o f G overnment

, ,

whi ch is needed only for i t s own support will facili t ate ,

a j uster and more reasonable social or ganization need ,

ing no violence Courts of j ustice and public a ffairs

.
, ,

and popular education will all exist to the extent to

,

which they are really needed by the people but in a ,

shape which will not involve the evils contained in

the present form of G overnment Only that will be .

destroyed which was evil and hindered the free expres

.

sion of the people s will ’

.

B u t even if we assume that w ith the absence o f

G o vernments there would be dist u r bances and civil
strife even then th e position of the people would be
,

better than it is at present Th e position now is such .

that it is difli c u l t to imagine an ythin g worse Th e .

peop l e are ruined and their ruin i s becomin g more and

,

more complete Th e men are all converte d into war

.

slaves and have from day to day to expect orders to go

,

to kill and to be killed W hat more ? Are the ruined

.
 PATR I OTI S M AN D GO VE R N MENT 2 59

peoples t o die o f hunger ? Even that i s already begin

n ing in R ussia in Ita ly an d in I ndia Or are the
, ,
.

women as well as th e men t o go to be soldiers ? I n the

Transvaal even that h as begun .

S o that even if t h e absenc e o f Government really

m eant Anarc h y i n t h e negative disorderly sense o f that
word —which is far from being the cas e —even then n o
,

anarchi ca l disorder could be worse than the position t o

whic h Governments have already led their peoples an d ,

t o which they are leading them .

And therefore emancipation from patriotism and the ,

destruction o f the despotism o f Government that rests

u po n it, cannot but be b eneficial t o mankind .

Me n recollect yourselves " Fo r the sake o f your

,

well being physical and Spiritual fo r th e sake o f your

-
, ,

brothers and sisters pause consider and think o f what

, , ,

yo u a r e doing
R eflect and yo u will understand that your fe e s are
,

n o t the Boers o r the English

, o r t h e French o r the , ,

Germans o r the Finns or t h e R ussians but that your

foes —your only foes —are yo u yourselves w ho by your
, , ,

patriotism maintai n the Governments that oppress yo u

and make yo u unhappy .

Th ey have undertaken to protect yo u from danger ,

and they have brought that pseudo protection to such -

a poin t that yo u h ave all become soldiers— slaves and ,

are all ruined o r are bein g ruined more and more and
, ,

at any moment may and sho ul d expect that the tight

stretched cord will snap an d a horrible slau ghter of ,

yo u an d your children will commence .

And however great that slaughter may be and how ,

e ver that conflict may end the same state o f thin s will
g,

con t inue In t h e same way and with yet greater

.
,

intensity the G overnm ents will arm and ruin and

, , ,

pervert yo u and your children and no o n e w il l help , .

yolu t o st 0 p it o r to prevent it if you do n o t h elp your,

s e ve s .
26 0 E S S AY S AND LE TTE R S
And there is only one k ind o f help possible —it lie s
in the abolition o f that terrible linking up into a con e
o f violence which enables the person o r persons wh o
,

succeed in seizing the apex t o have power over all the

rest and t o hold that power th e mo re firmly the more
,

cruel and inhuman they are a s we se e by th e cases o f ,

the Napoleons Nich olas I Bismarck Chamberlain

,
.
, , ,

R hodes and o u r R ussian Dicta tors wh o rule the people

,
’
in the Tsar s name .

And there is only o n e way to destroy this binding

o
t g ether — it is by Shaking o f f the hypnotism o f "

p atriotism .

U nderstand that all the evils from which you su f fer ,

o u yourselves cause by yielding t o th e suggestion s

y
by which Emperor s Kin gs Members o f Parliament
, , ,

Governors offi cers capitalists priests authors artists

, , , , , ,

and all who need this fraud o f patriotism in order t o

live upon your labour deceive yo u ,

W hoever you may b e — Frenchman R ussian Pole

’

E nglishman Irishman o r B oh emian —

, , ,

, fu n d e r st a n d that
,

all your real h u man interests whatever they may b e ,

a gricultural industrial commercial artistic o r s e ien

t i fic —
, , , ,

as well as your pleasures and j o ys in n o way ,

ru n counter to the interests o f other ) e 0 p l e s o r S tates

and that you are unite d by m u t u afc o — operation by , ,

interchan ge of services by the j oy o f wide brotherly ,

intercourse and by th e interchan ge n o t merely of

,

goods but also o f thoughts and feelin gs with the folk ,

of other lands .

Un d erstand that the question as to wh o manages t o

seize W e i ha i wei Port A rth u r o r Cuba—your G overn
- -
, ,

ment o r another— does not a ffect yo u o r rather that , , ,

every such seizure made by your G overnment inj ure s

y o u, by inevitably bringing in i t s train all sorts o f

pressure on yo u by your G overnment t o force yo u t o

take part in the robbery and violence by which alon e
such seizures are made o r can be retained when made ,
.

Understa nd that your life can in no way be bettered by

Alsace becom ing German o r French and I reland o r
Poland being free o r enslave d—whoever holds t h e m
,

.
 PATR IO TI S M AN D GO VE R N MENT 26 ]

yo u are free t o live where y o u will if even y o u be an ,

Alsatian an I rishman o r a Pole Understand t o o

, ,
.
, ,

that by stirring up p atriotism you will o n ly make the

case worse fo r the subj ection in which yo u r people are
,

kep t h as resulted Simply from the struggle betwee n

patrioti sms , and every manifesta tion o f patriotism in
o n e nation provokes a corresponding reaction i n another .

U nderstand that salvation from your woe s i s only pos ~

sible when you free yourself from the obsolete idea

o f patriotism and from the obedience t o G overnments
that is based upon it and when yo u boldly enter into
,

th e region o f that high er idea th e brotherly union o f ,

the peoples wh i ch h a s long since come t o life and from

, ,

al l Sides i s callin g you to its elf .

If peopl e w ould but understand that they are n o t

the sons o f some fatherland o r other nor of Govern ,

ments but are sons o f G o d and can therefore neith er

be Slaves n o r enemies o n e t o another —th ose insane
, ,

unnecessary worn o u t pernicious or ganizations called

,
-
,

Governments an d all the su fferings violations humilia

, , ,

tions, and crimes which they occas ion would ceas e , .

[ May 1 0, o s . .
,
 ’
‘
TH O U S HALT N O T KI L L

Th o u s h alt n o t kill E x 0 D xx 1 3
.
’
— . . .

Th e di sc ipl e i s n o t ab o v e hi s m as ter : but e v ery o n e

‘

wh en h e i s p erfe cte d shall b e as h i s m ast e r

’
L U K E vi 4 0 .
— . .

Fo r all th e y th a t t ak e t h e sw o rd sh all p e ri sh with t h e

‘

sw o rd —MA TT xxvi
’
. 52
. . .

Th er e fo r e all thi n gs w h at so e v er y e w o uld th at m e n

sh o uld do t y ,
o o u d o y e e v en s o t o th e m
’
-
MA TT vii 1 2 . . . .

W HE N Kings are executed a fter trial as in th e case ,

of Ch arles I L ouis XVI an d Maximilian o f Mexico

. .

o r when they are killed in Court conspiracies like ,

Peter I II Paul , an d v a rious S ulta ns S hahs and

Khans —little i s said about it but when they a re k illed
.
, ,

without a trial and without a Court conspiracy —as in

the cas e o f H enry I V o f France Alexander I I , the.
, .

E mpress o f Austria the late S hah o f Persia, and

, ,

recently Humbert — such murders excite the greatest

,

surprise and indignation among Kings and Emperors

and their adherents , j ust as if they themselves never
took part in murders n o r profited by them , n o r insti
,

g ated them B ut in
. fact , the
, mildest o f the murdered
Kings (Alexander II o r Humbert fo r insta nce) n o t t o
.
, ,

Speak o f executions in their o wn countries were insti ,

gators o f, a n d accomplices and parta kers in , th e murder

of tens o f thousands o f men w ho perished o n the field
o f battle while m ore cruel Kings and E mperors have
been guilty of hundreds o f thousands and even m illio n s , ,

o f m urders .

The teaching o f Ch rist repeals the law , An e ye fo r ‘

’
an eye , an d a tooth for a tooth ; but those wh o have
262 J
 '

’
‘
THOU S HALT N O T K ILL 263

always clung t o that law and still cling to it and wh o

apply it t o a terrible degree —m o t only claiming an eye
, ,

fo r an eye but without provocation decreein g the

’
,

S l au ghter o f thousands as they do when they declare

w ar —
,

. have n o right to be indignant at th e application .

o f that same law t o themselves in so small and i n s ign i fi

cant a degree that hardly one King o r Emperor is
killed fo r each hundred thousand or perhaps even for ,

each m illion w h o are killed by the order and with th e

,
consent o f Kings and Emperors Kings and Emperors .

n o t only should n o t be indignant at such murd ers as

those o f Alexander I I and Humbert but they sh o u ld

.
,

b e surprised that such murders are s o rare consi dering ,

the continual and u niversal exam ple o f murder th at

they give t o mankind .

Th e crowd are s o h ypnotized that th ey s e e what is

g oi n g o n before their eyes but do n o t understand
,

it s meaning They se e w hat constant care Kings

.
,

E m perors and Presidents devote t o their disciplined

,

armies they s e e the reviews parades and manoeuvres , ,

the rulers hold about which they boast t o o n e another ;

,

and th e people crowd t o se e th eir o wn broth ers ,

’
brightly dressed up in fools cloth es turned into ,

machines t o th e sound o f drum and trumpet all at , ,

t h e s h out o f o n e man making o n e and the same move

m ent at o n e and the same moment—but they do not
,

und e rsta nd what it all means Yet th e meaning o f this

.

drilling i s very clear an d simple : it is nothi ng but

a prepara tion fo r killing .

It i s stupefying men in order t o make them fit i n st r u

ments for murder And those wh o d o this w h o chiefl y
.
,

direct this an d are ro u d o f it ar e the Kings Emperors

n d it i s j ust these m e n —
, ,

and Presiden t s . wh o are

Specially occupied in organizing murder an d wh o have
made murd e r their profession , wh o w ear military
u niforms and carry murderous weapons (swords ) at
their sides —that are horrified and indignant wh en
one o f themselves i s murdered
Th e m u rder o f K ings —th e m urder o f H umbert —is
.

terrible , but n o t o n account o f it s cruelty Th e th in gs .

26 4 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

done by com m and o f K ings and Emperors —not only

past events such as the massacre of S t B artholomew .
,

reli gious butcheries th e terrible repressio ns o f peasant

,

re b ellions and Paris c o up s d é tat b u t the present da y ’

G overnment executions , the doing t o —

-
, ,

death o fprisoners -

in solitary confinement the Disciplinary B attalions the

, ,

hangings the beheadin gs the shootings and Slaughter

—
, ,

in wars are incomparably more cruel than the m urders

committed by Anarchists N o r are these murders .

terrible because undeserved If Alexander II and

. .

H umbert did not deserve death still less did th e ,

thousands of R ussians who perished at Plevna o r o f ,

Italians who perished in Abyssinia S uch murders are .

terrible n o t because they are cruel o r unmerited

, ,

b u t because of the unreasonableness o f t h ose w ho

co m mi t them .

I f the regicides act under the influence o f personal

feelings o f indi g nation evoked by the su fferings o f an
o ppressed people for which they hold Alexander o r
,

C arnot o r Humbert responsible ; o r if they act from

p ersonal feelings of reven e
g , then —however immoral
their conduct may b e —i t is at least intelligible ; but
how is it that a body o f men (Anarch ists we are told ) ,

such as those by whom B r e sc i was sent and wh o are

now threa tening another E mperor —how is that th ey
,

cannot devise any better means o f improving the condi

tion o f humanity than by killing people whose de s t r u c
tion can n o more be o f u se than the decapitation o f
that m ythical monster o n whose neck a n e w head
a ppeared as soon as one was cu t o ff ? Kings and
E mperors have lon g ago arranged fo r themselves a
system like that o f a magazine ri fl e : a s soo n as o n e -

bullet h as been discharged another takes it s place .

Le r o t es t m ar t vi ve l e r o i ’ S o what is the u s e o f
, .

killi n g them ?
O nly o n a most superficial view can the killin g o f ,

these men s eem a means o f sa vi ng the nations from

O ppression and from wars destructiv e o f human life .

One only need remember that Similar oppressio n and

similar war went o n n o m atter wh o was at the head o f
,
 ‘
THOU S HALT N O T KILL ’
26 5

the Government—Nicholas o r Alexander Frederick o r ,

W ilhelm N apoleon o r L ouis Palmerston o r Gladstone

—
, , ,

Mc K i n l e y o r anyone else in order to understand that

it is n o t any particular person who causes these O pp r e s
s ions and these wars from which the nations su f fer .

Th e misery o f nations is caused not by particular

persons b u t by th e particular order o f S ociety under
,

which the people are so tied up together that they find

themselves all in the power o f a few men o r more often ,

i n the power o fo n e single man a man s o perverted by

h i s unnatural position as arbiter o f the fate and lives o f
millions that he is always in an unhealth y state and
, ,

always su ffers more o r less from a mania o f self aggra n -

d iz e m e n t which only h is exceptional position conceals

,

from general notice .

A part from the fact that such men are surrounded

from earliest ch ildhood t o the g rave by the most insen
s ate luxury and an atmosphere o f falsehood and flattery
which always accompanies them their w hole educatio n ,

a n d all thei r occupations are c e ntred o n o n e obj ect :

learnin g about former murders the best present day ,

-

ways o f m urdering and the best preparations for future

,

m urder . From childhood they learn about killing in

a ll i t s possible forms They always carry about with
.

them murderou s weapons— swords o r sabres they d ress

the m selves in various uniform s ; they attend parades ,

r e vi e ws and man oeuvres ; they visit o n e another, pre

s e nting o n e another w ith Order s and nominatin g one

a n other t o t h e command o f regiments — an d n o t only

do es n o one tell t hem l ai n l y what they are doin g o r ,

s ay that t o busy one s se f with preparations f

’
o r killing
i s r e volting and criminal but from all Sides they hear,

n othing but appro val and enthusiasm for all this activit y

o f theirs E very time they go o u t and at each parade

.
,

and review crowds o f people flock t o greet them w ith

,

e nthu s ias m and it seems t o the m a s if the whole nation

,

a pprov e s o f their conduct Th e only part o f the Press

. .

that reaches them and that seems t o them the expres

,

s ion o f the f e e lings o f th e whole people o r at least o f ,

it s b est repre s e ntativ e s , mos t s lavishly extol s their every

26 6 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S
word and action however Silly or wicked they may be
,
.

Th ose aro u nd them men and women clergy and laity

—
, ,

all peop l e w h o do not prize h uman dignity— vying

with one another in refined flattery agree with them ,

about anythin g and deceive them about everything ,

making it impossible for them t o s e e life a s it i s S uch .

rulers might live a hundred years with out ever seeing

one Sin gle really independent man or ever hearing the
truth Spoken One is sometimes appalled to hear o f
.

the words and deeds o f these men but o n e need only

consider their position in order to understand that any
one i n thei r place would act as they do If a reasonable .

man found himself in their place there i s only o n e ,

reasonable action he could perform and that would be ,

to ge t away from such a position Any o n e remaining .

in it would beh ave as they do .

W hat indeed must go o n in the h ead o f some

W ilhelm o f G ermany —a narrow —
, ,

minded ill educated -

vain man with the ideals o f a German J u n k e r —whe n

, ,

there is nothing he can say so stupid or so h orrid that

it will not be met by an enth u siastic B ach ” and be .

commented o n by the Press o f the entire world a s

though it were something hi ghly important W h en ’
.

he says that at h is word soldiers should be ready to

, ,

kill their own fathers people shout H urrah W hen,

he says that the Gospel must be introduced with an

iron fi st H urrah W hen he says the army is to take
no prisoners in China but t o slaughter everybody h e , ,

is not put into a lunatic as ylum , but people shout

H urrah "and s et sail fo r China to execute h i s c o m
’
‘

mands . O r Nicholas I I (a m an nat u rally modest ) .

be gins his reign by announcing to venerable o l d men

w h o had expressed a wish to be allowed to discuss their
o wn a f fai rs that such ideas o f s elf g overnment w ere -

insensate dre ms
a — ,
’
and th e organ s o f the Press he
,

sees and the people h e meets praise him fo r it H e

, , .

proposes a childish silly and hypocritical proj ect o f

, ,

universal peace while at the same time o r d ering an

incre as e in the army —and there are n o limits t o the
,

laudations o f h is wi sdom and virtue W ith out any .

 ‘
THOU S HALT N O T KI L L 26 7
'

need he foolishly an d mercilessly insults and oppresses

,

a whole nation the Finn s and again he hears nothing

, ,

but praise Finally he arranges the Chinese sla u ghter

—terrible in its inj ustice, cruelty and incompatibility
,
.

with h is peace proj ects — and , from all sides people ,

applaud him both as a vi ctor and as a continuer of his

,

fathe r s peace policy

’
.

W hat indeed must be going o n in the h ea ds a n d

, ,

hearts o f these men

S o it is n o t th e Alexanders and Humberts n o r the
_
,
VVi l h e l m s N ic h o l a se s an d Chamberlains— tho u gh they
, ,

decree thes e oppressions o f the nations and these wars

“
wh o are really th e most guilty o f these Sins but it is ,

rather those who place and support them in the position

o f arbiters over the lives o f their fellow men And -
.
,

th erefore the thi n g t o do i s not to kill Alexanders

, ,

N i c h o l as e s W ilhelms an d H u mberts but t o cease t o

, , ,

support the arrangement o fs ociety o f which they are a

result And what supports the present order o f society
.

i s the selfishness and stupefaction o f the people w h o ,

sell th eir freed o m an d h onour fo r insignificant material

a dvantage s .

People wh o sta nd o n the lowest run g o f the lad der

partly as a result o f being st u p e fi e d by a patriotic and
pseudo reli gious education , a n d partly fo r t h e sak e o f
-

personal advantag e s—cede their freedom and s ense o f

human dignity at the biddin o f these wh o sta nd abov e
them an d o ffer them materia advanta ges In th e same
way—i n consequence o f stupefaction and chiefly fo r th e
.

sak e o fadvantag e s—tho se wh o are a little higher up t h e

,

ladder cede their freedom and manly di g nity an d ,

the same thing r e peats itself with those standing yet

higher an d so o n t o th e topmost rung—t o those wh o
, ,

o r t o him wh o standing at t h e apex o f the social cone

,

have nothing more t o obtain fo r wh om the only

motives o f action are lov e o f power and vanity and who ,

are general l y so perverted and s t u p e fie d by th e power

of life and death wh ich they hold over their fellow m e n , -

and by the conseq u ent ser v ility and flattery o f thos e

who su rro u nd them , that, without ceasing t o do e vil ,
26 8 E S S AY S AND LE TTE R S
they feel quite assured that they are bene factors t o the
human race .

It is the people wh o sacrifice their dignity as men for

material profit that produce these men who cannot act
o therwise than as they do act and with whom it i s u s e ,

less t o be angry for their stupid and wicked actions .

To k ill such men is like whipping children whom one

has first spoilt .

That nations should not be oppressed and that there ,

s hould be none of thes e useless wars and that men ,

may not be indignant with those wh o seem to cause

these evils and may not kill them —i t seems that only a
,

very small thin g is necessary It i s necessary that men .

Sho u ld understand things as they are Shoul d call them ,

by their right names and should know that an army is

,

an instrument for killing and that the enrolment and

mana gement o f an army—the very things whic h Kings
,

E mperors and Presidents occupy themselves w ith so

self c o n fide n t l y— is a preparation for m urder
,
-
.

I f onl y each Kin g E mperor and President under

, ,

stood that his work o f directing armie s is n o t an

honourable and important duty a s his fl att e r e rs persuade ,

him it is but a bad and shamefu l act o f preparation for

,

murder— and if each private individ u al understood that

th e payment o f taxes wherewith t o hire and equip
s oldiers and above all army service itself, are n o t
, , ,
-

matters o f in difl e re n c e but a r e bad and shameful ,

actions by whic h he not only permits but participates

in murder— th en this power o f E mperors Kings and , ,

Presidents which n o w arouses o u r indignation and

, ,

which ca u ses them t o be murdered would disappear o f ,

itself .

S o that the A l ex anders Car n o t s H umberts and , , ,

others should n o t be murdere d b u t it S h ould be ,

explained t o them t hat they are themselves m urderers ,

an d chiefly they should not be allowed to kill peopl e

, ,

men Should refuse t o murder at their command .

If people do n o t yet act in thi s way it is only ,

because Governments to maintain themselv es, dili ,

gently exercise a hypnotic in fl uence upon the peopl e .

 TH OU S HALT N O T ’
‘
KIL L 26 9

A nd th erefore we m ay help t o prev e nt people killin g

, ,

either Kings o r o n e another n o t by killing— m urder

,

only increase s the hypnotism — but by arousing people

from their hypnotic condition .

And it i s this I have tried t o do by these remarks .

[ A ugus t 8 ,
o s
. .
,

Pro hibit e d i n R ussi a, an attem pt was m ad e t o pri n t thi s

arti c l e i n t h e R u ssian lan gu a e i n G erm an y ; but t h e e diti o n

was sei z e d i n J uly , 1 9 03, an afte r a trial in t h e Pro v i n ci al

Co urt o f Le ipz i g (A ugu s t , 1 9 03) it was pro n o u n c ed t o b e
in sulti n g to t h e Germ an K ai ser, an d al l c o pi es we re o rder ed
t o b e d e stro y e d .
 TO TH E TS A R AN D H I S A SS I S TANTS
A G A I N there are murders again disturbances and ,

slau ghter in the streets agai n we Shall have e xe c u

,

tions terror false accusations threats and anger o n

, , ,

the o n e Side ; and hatred thirst for vengeance and

, ,

readiness for self sa c r ific e o n the other Again all

-
, .

R ussians are divided into t wo hostile camps and ,

are committing and preparing t o commit the greatest

crimes .

Very possibly the disturbances that have n o w broken

o u t may be suppressed though it is also possi ble that
,

the tr 0 0 ps o f soldiers and o f police o n whom the ,

G overnment place such reliance may realize that they ,

are being called o n to commit the terrible crime of

fratricide— and may refuse to obey B u t even if the .

present disturbance is suppressed it will n o t be e x t in ,

g u is h e d but will burn in secret more and more fiercely

,

and will inevitably burst out sooner or later with

increased strength and pro duce yet greater su fferin gs
,

and crimes .

W h y is this ? W h y Should these things occur when ,

they mi ght so easily be avoided ?

W e address all you who are in power from the Tsar , ,

the members o f th e Council o f S tate and Ministers to

the relations —uncles brothers and entourage o f the
, ,

, ,

Tsar and all who can in fl uence him by persuasion

,
.

W e appeal to you not as to enemies but as to brothers , ,

who whether willin gly or not are inseparably bound

, ,

up with u s so that all the su fferings we undergo react

o n yo u a lso — and react muc
,

more pa infu l ly if you feel

I 2 0 hl
 TO TH E TS A R AN D H I S A S S I S TANTS 271

that you could remove these su fferings but have failed

t o do s o —we appeal t o y o u t o act so that the existing
s tate o f things may cease .

It seems to yo u o r t o most o f y o u that it h as all

, ,

happened because amid the regular current o f life

, ,

some troublesome, dissatisfied men have arisen who ,

dist urb the people and interrupt this regular current

and that what is wrong is all the fault o f these people .

S o th at these troublesome dissatisfied people should be

,

subd ued and represse d and then everything will again

,

go all ri ght and nothing will need to be altered

, .

B u t if really it were all due to troublesome and

, ,

wicked men it would be only necessary to catch them

,

and shut them u p in prison and execute them and all ,

disturbances would be at end B u t in fact during .

, ,

more than thirty years th ese people have been cau ght
, ,

imprisoned and executed o r banished by thousands ,

yet their number is ever increasing and discontent with ,

the present conditions o f life not only grows but spreads ,

s o that it h as n o w reached millions of the w orking

classes —the gr eat maj ority o f the whole nation E vi .

de n t l y this dissatisfaction is n o t caused by troublesome

and wicked men but by something else And you o f
,
.

the Government need only turn your attention fo r a

moment from the acute strife in which yo u are now
absorbed and cease to credit na i vely the statement
,

made by the Minister o f th e Interior in a rec ent

circular namely that it is only necessary for the
, ,
‘

police to disper se the crowd promptly and to fire at it ,

if it does n o t disperse fo r all t o be tranquil and q uiet

’
, ,

and you will clearly s e e the cause that produces discon

tent amon g the people and finds expression in disturb
,

a n c e s which are ass uming ever g reater and w ider and

deeper dimensions .

Those causes are that be cause unfortunately a Tsar

, , ,
w h o had freed the ser fs happened to be murdered by a
small group of people wh o mistakenl y imagined that
t hey wo u ld thereby serve the nation the G overnment ,

has n o t o n l y decided not to advance in the direction of

gradually discarding despotic methods (at variance with
2 72 E S S A Y S A N D LE TTE RS

all the present con ditions o f life ) but o n the contrary, , ,

imagining safety to lie in those coarse and obsolet e

methods o f despotism — instead o f advancing in agree
ment with the general development and increasing c o m
p l e x i t y o f modern life — has for twenty yea rs n o t even
, ,

stood still but h as receded and by this retrogr ade

, ,

mo vement has separated itself more and more from

t h e people an d their demands .

S o that it is not some wicked and troublesome people,

but it is you yourselves — the rulers who do not wish t o ,

consider anythin g but your own tran quillity for th e

passin g moment Th e t hi n g needed i s n o t that yo u
.

should defend yourselves from enemies wh o wish t o

inj ure you —no o n e wish es to inj ure yo u — but the thing
needed is that having recognised the cause o f th e social
,

discontent you should remove it Me n as a who l e .

, ,

cannot desire d iscord and enmity but always prefer t o ,

live in agreement and amity with their fellows A nd .

if they now are disq u iet and seem t o wish you ill it i s ,

only because you appear to them as an obstacle deprivin g

not only them but millions of their brothers o f t h e
, ,

best human blessings — freedom and enlightenment .

That they may cease t o be pertur bed and t o atta ck

y o u ,
very little i s re q uired and that little i s so n e c e s
,

sary for you yourselves and would s o evidently giv e ,

you peace that it will be strange indeed if you do n o t

,

grant it .

W h at needs to be done at once i s very little Only .

the following
F i r st To grant the peasants equal rights with all
other citize n s and therefore to
,

(a ) Abolish the stupid , arbitrary institution o f t h e

*
Z ky N a tc ha l n i k s
’ ’

em s .

the special rules framed t o re gulate t h e

(b) R epeal ,

relations between workmen and their employers .

(0 ) Free the pea s ants from the constraint o f needi n g

passports to move from place to place and also from ,

th e compulsion lai d only o n them t o furnish lodgin g ,

and horses for o ffi cials and men for police service , .

S ee fo o tn o t e p 1 9 8 , . .
 TO TH E TS A R AN D H I S A S S I S TA NTS 2 73

(d) Free the m from the u n j u st law which makes th em

’
j ointly responsibl e fo r other peasants debts and from ,

the land redemption paym ents w hich have already

-
,

long ago exceeded th e value o f t h e l a nd r eceived by

,

them at the time o f their emancipation .

(3 ) And chiefly abolish the sensele ss u tterly u m

, , ,

necessary and shameful s ystem o f corporal pu nishment ,

which h as bee n retained only fo r the most industrious ,

moral , and numerous cl ass o f the population .

To equalize the rights o f the peasantry (wh o form the

immense maj ority o f the p eople ) with the rights o f th e
other classes i s particularly importa nt fo r no social ,

system c an b e durable o r st able u nder which the ,

maj ority doe s n o t enj oy equal right s but is k e t in a

serv ile position a n d is boun d by exc e pt io n a laws
, .

O n l when t h e labouring maj ority have the same rights

as a ll other citi ze n s and are freed from shameful dis
,

abilitie s is a firm order o f society possible

,
.

S ec o n d ly Th e S tatute o f I ncreased Protection *

whi ch abolishes all existi n g laws an d hands over the

population into th e power o f o fficials wh o are often
i m moral stupid and cruel —must cease t o be applied
,

, , .

It s disus e is specially importa nt because by stoppin g ,

t h e action o f t h e commo n law it develops the practice

,

of secret denunciations and the spy system it e n ,

courages an d evok es gross violence often employed ,

against working men wh o have di fferences with their

employers o r with the land owners (nowhere are such -

cruelties practised a s in the districts where this sta tute

is in force ) But above all is its disuse important
.
,

because t o this terrible measure and t o it alone do we , ,

o w e t h e introduction an d more and more frequent

inflictio n o f capita l punishment—which most surely
depraves men , is contrary t o the Ch ristian Spirit o f the
R ussian people w as formerly unknown in o u r code o f
,

laws and is itself t h e greatest o f crimes and o n e fo r

, ,

bidden by G o d and by conscience .

Thi r dly All barriers t o education instruction and , ,

S ee fo o tn o te , p . 2 02 .
274 E S SA Y S A N D L ETTE R S

to imparting knowledge should be destroye d , It is .

necessary
( )
a T o make no distinctions debarrin g people o f any
class from education and therefore to abolish all
,

restrictions aimed specially at the peasant class (for

bidding popular readings classes and boo k s for some
, , ,

reason supposed to be bad fo r the common people) .

To all ow people o f any race o r religion (not

excepting the Jews wh o for some reason are now
,

de rived o f that ri ght) to have access to all schools

5
.

0 ) To cease to hinder teachers from using i n school

t h e language spoken by the children who attend the

school .

( )
d And above all
,
t o allow the
,
establishment and
continuan ce o f all sorts of private schools (elementary
and higher) by all wh o wish t o devote themselves to
education .

To se t education and instruction free from the r e

straints now imposed upon them i s important because ,

these restraints alone hinder the working people from

freeing themselves from that very ignorance which now
serves the Government as a chief excuse fo r imposin g
restraints o n the peasants Th e liberation o f the work
.

ing classes from G overnmental interference in matters

o f education would be the easiest and quickest way to
enable the people to gain all t h e knowledge they
need in place o f such knowled ge as i s n o w bein g
,

force d upon them L iberty for private schools to be

.

opened and maintained by private people would en d

the disturbances n o w continually arising among students
dissatisfied with the management o f the establishme n ts
i n which they find themselves W ere there no obstacles.

to opening private schools and colleges both elemen ,

tary and advanced youn g people dissatisfied with the

,

management o f the Government ed u cational i n st it u

tions would enter private esta blishments which suited
their requirements .

Lastly fo u r thly and most important o f all all

, , ,

li m itation o f religious liberty should be abolished It .

is necessary
 TO TH E TS A R AN D H IS A S S I S TA NTS 2 75

(a ) To repeal all the la w s under which any se c e s

s ion from the esta blished Church i s punished as a
crime .

(b) To allow Old Believers *

- B aptists Mo l o k é n sfi
, ,

S tundists 1 an d others to open and mainta in ch u rc h e s

, , ,

chapels and h ouses o f prayer

,
.

(c ) To allow religious m eetings and t h e preach ing o f

a l l faiths .

(d ) N o t t o hinder people o f di fferent faiths from

educating their children in th ose faiths .

It is necessary t o do this because apart from the ,

fact shown by history and science and generally ad ,

m i t t e d that religi ous persecuti ons f

, ail to e ffect their
obj ect and even produce a reverse e ffect by stre n gthen
i n g what peopl e wish t o destroy —and apart fro m the
,

fact that the intervention o f Government in matters o f

faith produces that most harmful and therefore worst
o f vices hypocrisy whi ch Ch rist so strongly denounced
—
, , ,

n o t to speak o f all t hat the interference o f Govern

,

m ent i n m atters o f faith hinders each individual and

the whole people fro m attaining that h ighest blessi n g
union with o n e another For union is attained not by
.
,

the forcible and impossible retention o f all men i n the

b onds o f o n e and the same external once accepted ,
-
,

confession o f a religious teaching t o which infallibility

‘

is attributed but only by the free advance o f the

,

whole o f humanity towards truth , which alone there ,

fore can tr u ly unite men

,
.

S uch are the modest and easily realizable desires we ,

believe o f the immense maj ority o f the R ussian people

,
.

Th e O l d -B eli ev ers i s a ge n e ral n am e fo r t h e s ect s that

s ep ar at e d fr o m t h e Ru ss o -Gre ek Church i n t h e se v en t e en th
an d e arly i n t h e e i ght een t h c en turi e s .

T Th e Mo l o k an s are a m o re m o de rn se c t Th ey rej e c t .

t h e S ac ram en t s an d t h e c er em o n i al o f t h e R usso -Gr e e k

Churc h , an d p ay m uch att en ti o n t o t h e B ibl e .

I S tu n di st i s a gen eral n am e fo r t h e I ro t es t an t an d
’

rati o n ali sti c s ec ts o f m an y sh ad es th at h av e ra pidly spru n g

up a n d i n c reased , c hi e fly i n S o uth Ru ssi a, during t h e last
q uart er o fa c en t u ry .
2 76 E SS A Y S A N D L E TT E RS

Th e adoption o f these measures would undoubtedly

pacify the people and free them from those terrible
,

su fferings and (what is worse than su fferi n gs ) crimes ,

which wi l l inevitably be committe d o n both sides if ,

the Government busies itself only with the suppression

of these disturbances leaving th ei r cause untouched
W e appeal to you all —t o th e Tsar to the Ministers
, .

, ,

to the Members of the Council o f S t ate t o t h e Privy

Councillors and t o those wh o surround the Tsar —to
,

all in general wh o have power t o help to give peace

, ,

to the nation and free it from su ffering and crime

, .

W e appeal t o you not as to men of a hostile camp but

, ,

as to men who must o f necessity agree with u s a s t o ,

fellow workers and brothers

-
.

It cannot be that in a society o f men mutually

,

bo u nd to gether o n e secti on should feel at ease while

,

it is ill with another And e specially is this so if it

.

is th e maj ority that su f fers It can be well for all .

,

only wh en it is well for the stron gest and m ost indus

trio n s maj ority which supports t h e wh ole society
, .

H elp th en to improve the position of that maj ority

, , ,

and help it in that which i s most important : in what

regards it s freedom and enlightenmen t O nly the n .

can your position also be safe and real l y strong .

This is written by L e o Tolstoy, who in w riting it

has tried to express not h is own thoughts only b u t t h e ,

O pinion of m any of t h e best kindest most d isinterested,

most re asonable people —who all d es ire th ese things
, ,

[Marc h 1 5, o s . .
,
 XX II
A R E PL Y TO TH E S Y NO D S E DI CT OF E XCO M
’

MU N I CATIO N , AND TO L ET TE RS R ECEI VE D

BY ME CONCE R NING l T
‘
H e wh o begi n s by lo vin g Chri sti an i ty b e tter tha n truth ,

wil l pro c ee d b y l o vi n g hi s o wn se ct o r c h ur c h b ette r than

Chri s ti an ity a n d e n d i n l o vi n g h i m se lf b e tter th an all ’

, .

CO LE R I DGE .

AT first I did n o t wish t o reply to the S ynod s Edict ’

about me but it has called fort h very many le tters in

which correspondents unknown t o m e write—some o f
them scolding me fo r rej ectin g things I never rej ecte d
others exhorting me t o believe in things I have always
believed i n ; others again expressing an agreement
, ,

wi th me which probably does n o t really exist and a ,

sym pathy to which I am hardl y entitled S o I have

decided t o reply both t o the Edict itself—indicating
.

what i s unj ust in it —and t o the communications o f my

u nknown correspondents .

The Edict o f the S ynod h as in general many defects

, ,
.

It is either illegal o r els e intentionall y equivocal it i s

,

arbitrary u n founded untruthful and is also libellous

, , , ,

and incites t o e vil feelings and deeds .

It is illegal o r intentionally equivocal ; fo r if it is

intended as an Excommunication from the Church ,

i t fails t o conform t o the Church reg u lations subj ect t o

w hich Excommunications can be pronounced while if
it is merely an anno u ncem ent o f th e fact that o n e who
does n o t believ e in the Ch u rch and it s dogmas does
n o t be l ong t o the Church —that i s self evident and t h e-
,

a nn o u ncement can have n o purpose oth er than to pas s

277
 E S SA Y S A N D LE TI E R S
‘
278

for an E xcommunication without really bein g one as

happened in fact for that is h o w the Edict has been
, ,

understood .

It is arbitrary for it accuses only m e o f disbelief in

,

all the points enumerated in the Edict whereas many ,

in fact almost all educated people share that disbelief ,

and have constantly expresse d and sti l l express it both

in conversations in lectures in pamphlets and in books
, , .

It i s unfounded because it gives a s a chief cause o f

i t s publication the great circulation o f the false teach
ing wherewith I pervert the people —whereas I am well
assured that hardly a hundred people can be found
wh o share my views and the circulation o f m y writings ,

o n reli g ion thank s to the Censor is s o insignificant

, ,
’
that the maj ority of those who have read the S ynod s
Edict have not the least notion o f what I may have
written about religion —as is shown by the letters I
have received .

It contains an obvio us falseh ood fo r it says that ,

e fforts have been made by the Church to show me my

errors but that these e fforts have been unsuccessful
,
.

Nothing o fthe k ind ever took place .

It constitutes what in le gal terminolo gy is called a

libel fo r it contains assertions known to be false and
,

tending to my hurt .

It is finally an incentive to evil feelings and deeds

, , ,

for as was to be expected it evoked in unenlightened

, , ,

and unreasoning people anger and hatred against me , ,

culminating in threats o f murder expressed in letters

I received O n e writ es . N o w thou hast been an a t h e ‘

m at iz e d and after death wilt go to everlasting torments

, ,

and wilt perish like a dog anathema upon thee ,

old devil be damned A nother bl ames the .

’

G overnment for not having as yet shut me up in a , ,

m onastery and fills his letter with abuse A third

,
.

writes : If th e Government does n o t get ri d o f you ,

’
we will ourselves make yo u shut your mouth and the ,

letter ends with curses May yo u be destroyed— you .

blackguard writes a fourth I shall find means to do

it and then follows indecent abuse After the .
 R E P L Y TO TH E S Y N O D S ’
EDIC T 27 9

’
publication o f the S ynod s Edict I also no t i ce d i ndica
tions o f anger o f this kind in some of th e people I met .

On t h e very da y (February 2 5) when the Edict was

made public while crossing a public square I h eard
,
’
th e words : S e e there goes the devil in human form ,

and had th e crowd been composed o f other elements

I should very likely have been beaten t o death as ,

happened some years ago t o a man at the P an t e l é ym o n

Chap el .

’
S o that altogether th e S ynod s Edict is very bad ;
, ,

an d the statement at th e end that those wh o sign it

, ,

pray that I may become such a s they are does not ,

mak e it any better .

That relates t o th e E dict as a wh ole ; a s to details ,

it is wrong in th e following particulars It is said i n .

th e E dict A writer well known to the world R ussian

by birth Orthodox by baptism and education —Count
,

Tolstoy— under the seduction o f his intellectual pride

has i nsolently risen against th e Lord and against hi s
Christ and against h is holy heritage an d has pub ,

l i c l y i n th e sight o f all men renounced the Orthodox

, ,

Mother Church which h as reared him and educated

’
him .

That I have renounced th e Church which calls itself

Orthodox is perfectly correct .

But I renounced it not because I had risen against the

L ord but o n the contrary only because with all the
, , ,

strength o f my soul I wished to serve him B efore .

renouncing th e Church and fellowship with the people

which was inexpressibly dear to m e I—h aving seen
,

some reasons t o doubt th e Church s integrity— devoted ’

several years to the investigation o fit s theoretic and pr ac

tical teachings Fo r the theory I read all I could about
.
,

Church doctrine and studied and critically analyzed

,

do gmatic theolo g y while as t o practice fo r more than ,

a year I followed strictly all the inj unctions o f the

Church observing all t h e fasts and all the services An d
, .

I became convinced that Church doctrine i s t h e o r e t i

cally a crafty and harm ful lie and practically a c ollee ,

ti o n o f the grossest superstition s and sorcery which ,

28 0 E S S AY S A N D L ETTE R S

com pl etely conceals the whole meaning o f C h r ist s ’

teachin g .
*

And I really repudiated the Church ceased to observe ,

its ceremonies and wrote a will instructing those near

,

me that w hen I die they should not allow any ser vants
,

of th e Church to have access to me but should p u t away

,

my dead body as quickly as possible — without having

any incantations o r rayers over i t —j ust as o n e puts
away any o bj e c t i o n a b e and useless obj ect that it may ,

n o t be an inconvenience t o the living .

A s to the statements made about me that I devote ,

the literary activity and the talent given to him by God

‘
,

to disseminating among the people teachings contrary

’
to Christ and t o the C h urch and that in his works
, ,

and in letters issued by him and by h is disciples in

great quantities over the whole world but particularly
, ,

with in the limits o f o u r dear fatherland he preach es ,

with the z eal o f a fanatic the overthrow o f all the

dogmas o f the Orthodox Church a n d the very essence
of the Christian faith — this is not true I never .

troubled myse l f about the propagation o f my teaching .

It is true that fo r myself I have expressed in writings

’
my understandin g o f Christ s teach ing and have not ,

hidden these works fro m those wh o wished t o become

acquainted with them , but I never published them
O n e n ee d o n ly r ead t h e Pray er B o o k an d fo ll o w t h e
-
,

ritual wh ich i s c o n ti n u ally perfo rm e d by t h e O rth o d o x

pri ests an d wh i c h i s c o n s id ere d a Chri stian w o rship o f Go d
, ,

t o see th a t al l t h ese ce r e m o n i es are n o thi n g but di f fere n t

ki n d s o f so rc ery adapt e d t o al l t he in c id en ts o f l ife
,
.

Th at a c hild i n case o f dea t h s h o uld go t o P aradi se o n e ,

has t o k n o w h o w t o o il h i m an d h o w t o i m m erse h i m whil e

pro n o un c i n g c ertai n wo rd s ; in o rder th at after c h ild birth -

a m o t h e r m ay ce ase t o b e un c l ean c ertai n i n cant ati o n s

,

h a v e t o b e pr o n o u n ce d ; t o b e s ucc e ssful i n o n e s affairs t o

’
,

liv e c o m fo rtably i n a n ew h o us e tha t co rn m ay gro w we ll

, ,

th at a dro ught m ay c ease t o r e c o ver fro m s ickn es s t o e ase

t h e co n diti o n i n t h e n e xt wo rld o f o n e wh o i s dyi n g —fo r
, ,

al l th e s e a n d a t h o u s a n d o th er i n c id en t s th ere are c er t a i n
i n ca n ta ti o n s whi c h a t a c ertai n plac e fo r a c ert a i n c o n
, ,

s id e ra ti o n are pro n o u n c e d b y t h e pri es t

, . L T -
. .
 REPLY TO TH E S Y N O D S E DI C T
’
28 1

myself Only wh en th ey have asked me about it have

.
,
’
I told people how I understand Christ s teaching To .

th ose that asked I said what I thought and (when I

, ,

had them ) gave them m y books .

Then it i s said t h at he de n ies God worshipped in

the Holy Trinity the C reator and Protector o f the
,

universe ; denies o u r Lord Jesus Christ G o d man ,

-
,

R edeemer and S aviour o f the w orld wh o su f fered for ,

us m en and fo r o u r salvation and was raised from the ,

dead ; denies th e immaculate conception o f the L ord

Ch rist a s man and the virginity before h i s birth and
,

after his bi rth o f the Most Pure Mother o f God .

’

That I deny the incomprehensible Trinity ; the fable ,

which i s altogether meaningless in o u r time o f the fall ,

o f t h e first man the blasphemous story o f a God born

o f a virgin t o redeem the human race —is e rfe c t l y
true B ut G o d a S pirit ; G o d love ; the o n f y G o d
the S ource o f all —
.
, ,

I n o t only d o n o t den y, but I

,

attribute real existence to God alone and I se e the ,

whol e meaning of life only in fulfilling his will which ,

is expressed in the Christian teaching .

It i s also said : H e does n o t acknowledge a life and

’
retributi on beyond the g rave I f o n e is t o understand .
,

by life beyond the grave th e S econd Advent a h ell , ,

with eter nal torments devils and a Paradise o f per

—
, ,

p e t u al h appiness it i s perfectly true that I d o n ot

acknowled g e such a life beyond the grave but eternal
life and retribution here and everywhere n ow and for ,

ever I acknowledge t o such an extent that standin g

, ,
n o w at my ag e o n t h e verg e o f my grave I often have
, , ,

t o make an e f fort to restrain myself from desiring the

death o f this body—that is birth t o a new life ; and I ,

believe every good action increases the true we l fare o f

my eternal life and every evil action decreases it
, .

It i s also stated that I rej ect all the S acraments .

That is quite true I consider all the S acraments t o

.

be coarse degrading sorcery incompatible with the

, ,

idea o f G o d o r with th e Ch ristian teaching and also a s ,

infringeme n ts o f very plain inj uncti ons in th e Gospels .

In the Baptism o f Infants I se e a palpable perversion o f

28 2 E S SA Y S A N D LET TE R S

th e whole meaning wh ich might be attached t o th e

baptism o f adults wh o consciously accepted Christ
ian it y ; in the performance of the S acrament o f Mar
ria e over those who are known to have had other
g
sexual unions in the permission o f divorce and in the
, ,

consecration of the marriages o f divorced people I s e e ,

a direct infringement both o f the meaning an d of th e

words o f th e Gospel teaching .

In the periodical absolution o f sins at Co n fe ssio n l

see a harmful deception which only encourages im ,

morality and causes men not t o fear to sin .

B oth in Extreme Unction and in A nointin g I s e e

m ethods of gross sorcery —a s in the worship o f ic ons

an d relics and as in all the rites prayers and exorcisms

, ,

which fill the Prayer B ook I n the S acrament I see a - .

d e ifi c at i o n o f the flesh and a perversion o f Christian ,

teaching In O rdination I se e (besi de an obvious pre

.

a r at i o n fo r deception ) a direct infringement of t h e

p
words of Jesus which plainly forbid anyone to be called
,
*
teacher father o r master
, , .

It is stated finally a s the l ast a n d greates t of my

, ,

sins that reviling the most sacred obj ects of the faith
, ,

of the O rthodox people he has not shrunk from sub ,

j e c t in g to derision the greatest o f S acraments the H oly ,

That I did n o t shrink from describi n g

simply and obj ectively what th e priest does when pre
parin g this s o called S acra m ent i s perfectly true ; but
-

that this so called S acrament is anythin g holy and

-
,

that to describe it sim ply j ust as it is performed is , ,

blasphemy is quite untrue B lasphemy does not con

,
.

sist in calling a partition a partition and n o t an icono ,

Matt xxiii 8 1 0 : B u t b e n o t ye c all ed Rabbi : fo r

. .
-
‘
‘

o n e i s y o ur t e a c h er an d al l y e ar e br e t hr en
,
A n d c all n o .

m an y o ur fa th er o n t h e earth : fo r o n e is y o ur Fath er ,

whi c h is in h e av en N e ith er b e y e call e d m as t e rs : fo r o n e

.

is y o ur Ma st e r e v e n t h e Chri s t
’
.
,

1 S e e c h a p te r xxxix b o o k i o f R esu r r ecti on ; but see

"
.
,
.
,

a l so as a pr o b abl e pro v o c a tiv e o f To l s t o y s E xc o m m u n i c a

’

ti o n t h e d e sc ri pti o n o f t h e H ea d o f t h e H o l y S yn o d in
,

c h ap t e r xxvii b o o k ii o f that w o rk
.
,
.
, .
 R EPLY TO TH E S YNO D S E DIC T
’
28 3

stasis * and a c u p a cup and n o t a chalice etc

, ,but it ,
.

is a most terrible continual and revolting blasphemy , ,

that men (u s ing all possible m eans o f deception an d

hypnotization ) assure ch ildren and simple minded folk -

that if bits o f bread are c u t up in a particular manner

while certa in words are pronounced over them an d i f ,

they are put into wi n e l G o d will enter into those bits ,

' ‘

o f bread an d any living person named by the priest

,

when he takes o u t o n e o f these sops will be health y ,

and any dea d pers o n named by the priest wh en he

takes o u t one o f these sops will be better o ff i n the
o ther world o n that a ccount and that i nto the man who
eats such a s o p—G o d hi m self will enter .

S urely that i s terrible

Th ey undertake to teach u s t o understand th e per
so n al it y o f Christ but h is teachi n g which destro y s
, ,

evil in t h e world and bless es men so simply easily , , ,

and undoubtedly if only they do n o t pervert it is all , ,

hidden is all transformed into a gross sorcery o f wash

,

ings smearin g with o il gestures exorcisms eating o f

, , , ,

bits o f bread etc so that o f the true teaching nothin g

, .

remains And if at any time some one tries to remind

.
, ,
’
men that Christ s teaching consists not i n this sorcery ,

n o t in public prayer liturgies candles and ic ons but , , , ,

in loving o n e another in n o t returning evil fo r evil

in n o t j ud ging or killing o n e another —the anger o f
, ,

t hose to whom deception i s profitable is aroused and ,

with incomprehensible audacity they publicly declare

in churches and print in books newspapers and
, , ,

catechisms that Jes u s never forbade oaths (swearin g

,
'

allegiance o r swearing in courts o f law ) never forbade

, ,

Th e ic o n o stas i s i n R uss o -Gree k church es c o rre sp o n d s ,

so m ewh at b o t h t o t h e W e st ern altar ra i l s an d t o a m o d

,
-

s cr e en .

1 In t he Gr e ek Ch urch t h e pri e st m ix es t h e sac ram en tal

'

b re ad wi th t h e wi n e b e fo re ad m ini s te ri n g it t o t h e c o m ~

m u n i c an t Th e r ead e r w ill n o te i n t h i s arti c l e all us i o n s t o

.

s e v eral practi c es (b ap ti sm by i m m ers i o n un c ti o n e t c ) , .

,

whi c h do n o t e xi s t o r are di f fer e n tly carri e d o u t i n t h e

, ,

Churc h o fE n gl an d .
28 4 E S S AY S A N D LE TTE R S

murder (executions and wars ) and that the teaching ,

o f non resistance t o evil has with S atanic in enuity been

-
g
invented by t h e enemies o f Christ * .

W hat is most terrible is that people t o whom it is

profitable not only deceive adults but (having power
to do so ) deceive ch ildren also —those very ch il d ren con
,

cerning whom Jesus pronounced woe o n him who de

c e i v e s them It is terrible that these people for such
.

petty advantages do such fearful har m by hiding from ,

men the truth that was revealed by J esus and that gives ,

blessings such as are not counterbalanced even to the

extent o f a o n e thousandth part by the advantages
-

these men secure for themselves They behave like a .

robber w ho killed a whole family o f five or six people

to carry o ff an o l d coat and tenpence in m oney They .

would willingly have given hi m all their cloth es and all

their money n o t t o be killed ; but he co u ld not act
otherwise .

S o it is with the religious deceivers I t would be

.

worth while keeping them ten times better and letting ,

them live in the greatest luxury if only they w ould ,

refrain from ruinin g men with their deceptions B ut .

they cannot act di fferently That i s what is awful

. .

And th ere fore we not only may but should unmask

, , , ,

their deceptions I f there be a sacred thing it is

.
,

surely not what they call S acraments but j ust this ,

very duty of unm as king their religious deceptions when

o n e d etects th em .

“ 7 hen a Tc h o u v ash sm e ars h is idol with sour cream ,

o r beats it I can refrain from insulting h i s faith and

, ,

can pass by with equanimity fo r he does these thin gs

,

in the nam e o fa superstition o f h is o wn foreign to me , ,

and he does not interfere with what t o me is holy But .

when with their barbarous superstitions men (however

, ,

numerous however ancient their superstitions and

, ,

however powerful they may be) in the name o f the God

’
by whom I live and o f that teaching o f Ch rist s which
,

h as given life t o me and is capable o f giving life to all

men preach gross sorcery I cannot endure it pa s
, ,

S p eech b y A m bro s ius B i sh o p o fK h ark o f L T

,
.
-
. .
 R EPLY TO TH E S YNO D S E DI CT
’
28 5

siv e l An d if I call w hat they are doing by it s nam e ,

I o n y d o m y duty and what I cannot refrain from

doing because I believe in G o d and in the Christian
tea ching I f th ey call the exposure of thei r imposture
.

blasphemy that only sh ows the strengt h o f their

,
’

deception and should increase the e ffo rts to destroy this

,
decepti on made by th ose wh o beli eve in G o d and in
,
Christ s te aching and wh o se e that this deception hides
’

,
’
the tr u e G o d from men s si ght .

They should say o f Ch rist —wh o drove bulls an d

sheep and dealers from t h e temple —that he blasphemed .

W ere he t o come n o w and se e what is done in his

’ ‘

name in church he would surel with yet greater and

,

m ost j ust anger throw o u t al thes e horrible altar

,

c l o ths
*
l an c e s crosses an d cups an d candles and ic ons
, ,

a n d all the things wherewith the priests — carrying o n

,

th eir s orcery—hide G o d and hi s truth from man ki nd .

S o that is what is true and what is untrue in th e

’
S ynod s Edict about me I certainly do n o t beli eve .

in what they say they believe in B u t I believe in .

much they wish t o persuade people that I dis

believe in .

I believe in this I believe in G o d whom I u ndersta nd ,

as S pirit as Love a s the S ource of all

,
I believe that
,
.

he is in me and I in him I believe that the will o f .

God is most clearly and intelli gibly expressed in the

teachi n g o f the man Jesus w hom t o consider as G o d , ,

and pray t o I esteem the greatest blasphemy

,
I .

’ ’
believe that man s true welfare lies in fulfilling God s
w ill and h is will is that m en should love o n e another
, '
,

and should consequently do to oth ers as they wish

others o t d o t o them — o f which it is said in the Gospels
that in this i s the la w and the prophets I believe .
,

therefore that th e meaning o f the l ife o f every man i s

,
‘

t o be found only in increasing the love that i s in him

Th e altar -cl o th s re ferre d t o a re th o se c o n tai n i n g frag

m en ts o fh o ly r el i es , o n which al o n e m a ss c an b e c e l e brat e d .

Th e 1an c e s are di m i n utiv e o n e s with w hi c h t h e pri e s t cuts

‘

hi ts o u t o ft h e h o l y bread, i n rem em bran c e o f t h e l a n c e that

pi erc e d Chri st s s id e ’
.
28 6 E S S AY S A N D L E TTE R S

that th is i ncrease o f love leads man even in this life , ,

to ever greater and greater blessedness and after death ,

gives him the more blessedness the more love h e

has an d helps more than anythin g else towards the
,

establishment o f the Kin g dom o f God o n earth : that

is to the establishment of an order o f life in which the
,

discord deception and violence that n e w rule will be

,

replaced by free accord by truth and by the brotherl y , ,

love o f o n e fo r another I believe that t o obta in pr o

—
.

g ress in love there is on l y o n e means : prayer not

public prayer in churches plainly forbidden by J e su s ,
*
,

b ut private prayer like the sample gi ve n u s by Jesus

, ,

c onsistin g of the renewing and strengthen ing in our ,

o w n consciousness o f the meaning of o u r life and of

,

o u r com lete dependence o n the w i ll o fG o d .

W h et er these beliefs of mine o ffend grieve or , ,

prove a stumbling block to anyone or h inder anything

-
, ,

o r give displeasure to anybody o r not, I c an as little ,

change them as I can change my body I must m yself .

live my o w n life and I must myself alone meet death

,

(and that very soon ) and therefore I cannot believe

otherwise than as I —preparing t o go to that God from
,

whom I came —do believe I do not believe my faith .

to be the o n e ind u bita bl e truth fo r all time but I see ,

n o other that is plainer clearer o r answers better to all , ,

the demands of m y reason an d my heart should I find

such a o n e I shall at onc e accept it ; for God requires
,

nothin g but the truth B u t I can no more return to .

A n d w h en y e pray y e sh all n o t b e as t h e hyp o crit es

,

fo r th e y l o v e t o s tan d an d pray i n t h e s y n ago gu es an d i n

t h e c o rn ers o f t h e s tr e et s t h at th e y m ay b e seen o f m en
, .

V e rily I say un t o y o u Th e y h av e rec e iv e d th e ir re ward

,
.

Bu t th o u wh en th o u pra yest e n t er i n t o thi n e i n n e r

, ,

ch am b er an d h avi n g s hut t hy d o o r pray t o t h y Fath er

, ,

w hi c h i s i n se cr e t an d thy Fath er which see th i n s e cr e t

,

sh all r e c o m p e n se th e e An d i n pray i n g u se n o t vai n r e p e

.

t i t i o n s a s t h e G e n til es d o : fo r t h e y think th at th ey sh all

,

b e h eard fo r th e ir m u c h sp eaki n g B e n o t th er efo re lik e .

un t o th em fo r y o ur Fath er kn o we th wh at thi n gs y e h av e
n ee d o f b efo r e y e ask hi m A ft er thi s m an n er th erefo re
pray y e O ur Fath er et a —MA TT v i 5 1 3
, .

’
-
. . .
,
 R EPLY TO TH E S YNOD S
’
E DIC T 28 7

that from whi ch with such su ffering I have escaped

, , ,

than a fl ying bird can r e -enter the eggshell from which

it has emerged .

He who begins by loving Christianity better than

truth will proceed by loving h is o wn sect o r church
,

better than Christianity and end i n loving himself (his

,

o wn peace ) better than all

’
said Coleridge ,
.

I travelled the contrary way I began by loving m y .

Orthodox faith more than my peace then I loved ,

C hristianity m ore than my Church and now I love ,

truth m ore than anyth ing in the world And up to .

n o w truth
,
fo r m e corres o n ds with Christianity as I
, ,

understand it An d I h o d to this Christianity ; and

.

to the degree in which I hold t o it I live peacefully and

happily and peacefully an d happily approach death
,
.

[ A pril 4, o s . .
,
 XX III
W HA T IS R E L IGION, AN D I VHE R EIN LIE S ITS
E S S ENCE P

IN all human societies at certai n periods o f their exist

,

ence a time has come when reli gion has first swerved
,

from it s original purpose then diver ging more and

, ,

more it has lost sight of that purpose and has finally

, ,

etrified into fixed forms so that it s influence o n men s ’

pives has become ever less and less

,

At such times the educated minority cease to believe

in the established religious teachin g and only pretend ,

to hold it because they think it necessar y to do so in

order to keep the mass o f the people to the esta blished
order of life ; but the m ass of th e people though by ,

inertia they keep to the es tablished forms o f religion ,

no lon ger guide their lives by its demands but gui de ,

them only by custom and by the S tate laws .

T hat is what h as repeatedly occurred in various

human societies B u t what i s now happening in our
.

Christian society has never happened before It never .

before happened that the rich ruling and more , ,

educated minority which h as the most influence on

,

th e m asses not only disbelieved the existing religi on

, ,

but was convinced that n o religion at all is any longer

needed and instead o f influencing those wh o are
, ,

doubtful o f th e truth o f the generally professed

religion to accept some religi ous teachin g more
rational and clear than the prevalent o n e influenced ,

them t o regar d religion in general as a thing that h a s

288
 W HA T IS R ELIGION P
28 9

outlived it s day and is n o w not merely a u seless but

, ,

even a harmful s ocial organ, like the vermiform

,

append ix in the hum an body .

R eligion i s rega rd ed by such men n o t as something ,

known to u s by in w ard experience but as an external ,

phenomenon —a disease as it were which overtakes , ,

certain people and w hich we can o nl y investigate by

,

its external symptoms .

R eligion in the O pinio n o f some o f these men arose

, ,

from attrib u ting a Spirit to various aspects of Natur e

( animism ) ; in the O pinion o f others it arose from the ,

supposed possibility o f communicating w ith deceased

ancestors in the opinion o f others again it arose fro m , ,

fear o f the forces o f Nature But say the learned men.

,

o f o u r day since science has now proved that trees and

,

stones cannot be endowe d with a spirit ; that dead

ancestors do not know what is done by the living and
that th e aspects o f Nature are explainable by natural
causes —it follows that the need fo r reli gion ha s passed ,

a s w e ll as the need for all those restrictions wi th which ,

(in consequenc e o f religious beliefs ) people have hitherto

hampered themselves I n the opinion o f these learned
.

men th ere was a period o f ignorance : the religious

perio d That has long been outlived by humanity
.
,

though some occasional atavistic indications o f it still

remain Then came the metaphysical period which is
.
,

now also outli ved But we enlightened people are

.
, ,

living in a scien tifi c period a period of positive science

w hic h replaces religion and will bring humanity to a
height o f development it co ul d never have reached
while subj ect to the superstitious teachin gs of religion .

Ear l y in 1 9 0 1 t h e distinguished French savant

B erthelot delivered a Speech * in w hich he told h is
hearers that the day o f religion h as passed and religion
must no w be replaced by science I refer t o th is .

speech because it i s the first to my hand and because

.
,

it was delivered in the metropolis o f the educated world

by a u niversally recognised savant B u t the same .

S ee t h e R evu e de P a r i s , J an uary , 1 9 01 .
—L . T
.
290 E S S AY S A N D LE TTE R S

thought is continuall y and ubi quitously e xpressed in

every form from ph iIO S O ph i c treatises do w n t o ne w s
,

paper feuilletons .

M B erthelot says in that speech that ther e w ere

.
,

formerly two motors moving h umanity : Force and

R eligion ; but that these motors hav e n o w becom e
superfluous fo r in their place we hav e sc i en c e B y
, .

sc i en c e M B erthelot (like all devotees o f science )

.

evidently means a science embracing the w h ole ran g e

of things man knows harmoniously united c o ordi , ,
-

n a t e d and in command o f such methods that the data

,

it obtains are unq uestionably true B u t as no such

science reall y exists—and what is n o w called science
.

consists o f a collection o f haphaz ard disconnected ,

scraps of knowledge many of them quite u seless and , ,

such as instead of supplying undoubted truth very

, ,

frequentl y supply the grossest delusions exhibited as

truth to day but refuted t o -morro w—it is evident
,
-
,

that the thing M Berthelot thinks must replace .

religion is something non existent Conseq uently t h e -

.

assertion made by M Berthelot and by those who agre e .

with him to the e ffect that science will replace reli g ion
, ,

is quite arbitrary and rests o n a quite unj ustifiable faith

in the infallibility of science —a faith similar to t h e
,

belief in an infallible C hurch .

Yet men who are said t o be and wh o consider them ,

selves to be educated are quite convinced that a

, ,

science already exists which should and can replac e

reli gion and which even has already replaced it
, .

R eli gion is obsolete : belief in anyt hing but science

is i gnorance S cience will arrange all that is needful
.
,
’
and one must be guided in life by science alone This .

is what is thou ght an d said b oth by scientists them

selves and also by those men o f the crowd who though ,

far from scientific believe in the scientists and j oin

,

them in asserting that religion is an obsolete s u pe rst i

tion and that we must be guided in life by scienc e
,

only that is in reality, by nothing at all for science

, ,

b y reason o f it s very aim (which is t o study all that

exists ), can a fford n o g u idance for t he life o f m a n .
 W HAT IS R ELIGION ? 91

The l ear n ed men o f o u r time s h av e decided that

religio n is not wanted , an d that science will replace it,
o r ha s already done so but the fact remain s that, now
a s formerly , n o h uman society and n o ra tional man has

ex isted o r can exist witho u t a religion I u se t he .

term r a ti o n al man because an irrational man may live ,

as the beasts do without a religion B u t a rational

, .

man cannot live without o n e for only religion gives a

rational m an the guidance he needs, telling him what
he should do and what first and what next A rational
,
.

man cannot live witho u t religion precisely becaus e,

reason is characteristic o f his nature Every animal is .

gui ded in its actions (apart from those t o which it is

impelled by the need to satisfy it s immediate desires)
by a consideration o f the direct results of it s actions .

Having considered those resul t s by such means of com

prehension as it possesses an animal makes it s action s
,

conform to those consequences and it always u n h e sit a

,

tingly acts in o n e and the sam e way in accord with ,

those considerations A bee fo r instance , flies for

.
,

honey and stores it in the hive beca u se in winter it

will need food fo r itself and for the young and beyond ,

these considerations it knows and can know nothin g

, ,
.

S o also a bird is infl uenced when it builds it s nest o r ,

migrates from the north t o the south and b ack ag ain .

Every animal acts in a like way when it does anything

n o t resulting from direct immediat e necessity b u t
, ,

prompte d by consi derations o f anticipated results .

W’ ith man however it i s n o t so

, ,
Th e di fferenc e
.

betw een a man and an animal lie s i n the fact that t he

perceptive capacities possessed by an animal are limited
t o w hat we call instinct whereas m an s fu n da m e n t a l
’
,

perceptive capacity is reason A bee collecting honey

.
, ,

can hav e no doubts as t o whether it is good o r bad t o

collect honey but a man gathering in his corn o r fruit
can not but conside r whether he is diminishing the
prospects o f obtaining future harvests and whether he ,

is n o t deprivin g his n e ighbo u r o f food N o r c an h e .

r 2
 E S S AY S AND LETTE R S

help wond ering what the children whom he no w feeds

will become like — and much else Th e most important .

q uestions of conduct in life cannot be solved con

c l u si v e l y by a reasonable man j ust because there is
,

s uch a superabundance of possible consequences which

he can not but be aware of Every rational man knows

.
,

o r at leas t feels that in the most important questions

,

o f life he can g uide himself neither b y personal impulses ,

nor by considerations o f the immediate consequences

o f his activity— for the consequences he foresees are

t o o numerous and too va rious and are o ften c o n t radic

,

tory one to another being as likely to prove harmful

,

as beneficial to himself and to other people There is .

a le gend which tells of an angel who descende d to

e arth and ,
enterin g a devout family slew a child in ,

its cradle ; when asked why he did so he explained ,

that the child would have become the greatest o f male

fa ctors and woul d have destroye d the happiness o f the
,

family B ut it is thus not only with the question

.
,

W hich human lives are useful u seless o r harmful ? , ,

None o f the most important questi ons o f life can

a reasonable man decide by considerations o f their
im m ediate res u lts and conseque n ces A reasonabl e .

man cannot be satisfied with the considerations that

g uide the actions o f an animal A man may regard
himself as an animal among animals —living for the
.

passing day or he may consider himself as a me m ber

o f a family a society or a nation living f
, , o r centuries,

o r he may and e ve n must necessarily (for reas on irre

,

s ist i b l y prompts him to this ) consider himself a s part

o f the whole infinite u niverse existing eternally And .

therefore reasonable men should do and always have ,

done in reference to the infinitely small affairs of life

,

af fectin g their actions what in mathematics is called

,

i n tegr a te that is to say they must set up besides their

, ,

relation to the im m ediate facts o f life a relation to the ,

whole immense I nfinite in time and space conceived as ,

o n e whole And such establishment o f man s relation ’

.

to that w h ole of which he feels himself to be a part ,

from which he draws guida n ce for his action s is what ,

 W HAT IS R ELIGION ? 29 3

h as been c alled and i s called R eligio n A n d th ere

, , .

fore religion always h as been and cannot cease to be , ,

a necessary and an indispensable condition o f the life
of a reasonable m an and o f all reasonable h u manity .

That i s h o w religion h as always been understood b y

m e n wh o were not devoid o f the highest (that i s r e ,

l i gio u s) consciousness which distinguish es man from

,

the beasts Th e word religion its elf co m es either from

.
”

r el eger e r eligen s, revering the Gods ; o r

, a s h as been ,

commonl y supposed fro m r eliga r e, to bind (in obligation

,

to the higher powers ) Th e oldest and m ost com m on .

defini t ion o f religi on i s that r eligi o n is the l i n k between

L es o bliga ti o n s dc l hom m e en ver s Di on :
‘ ’
m an a n d Go d .

(Man s obligations to God : that i s

’ ’
vo i l a l a r el igi o n

r e l i gi o n ) sa s Va u venargues
*
y A similar m
. ea ning is
g iven
to reli gion by S c hl e ie rm a c h e r i and by Feuerbach , 1 '

wh o acknowledge the basi s of r eligi o n to be m an s

’

c ons c i o u sn ess ofhi s dep en den ce o n G o d L a r el igi o n es t .

u n e afi a i r e en t r e c ha qu e ho m m e et Di cu (R eligion i s a
matter between e ach man and God ) Bayle - ‘
La . .
"
r el igi o n es t l o r e s u l ta t d es bes o i n s d e l dm e et d es efi ets de
’ ’

l i n tell igen c e (R el i gion i s the outcome o f the needs o f

’ ’

the soul and o f the e ffects o f intelligence) —B Con

"
. .

stant .
‘
R el igi o n is a p ar t i c u l a r m ea n s by whi c h m an

Lu c dc Clapi ers , Marq ui s de Vauv en argu es (1 7 1 5-1 7

auth o r o fI n tr od u c ti o n a l a Con n a i ssa n ce d e l E sp r i t h u m a i n ,
’

an d o f R ej ieazi o n s a n d Ma xi m s
’
.

T Fri ed rich E D S ch l e i erm ac h er (1 7 6 8

. . auth o r o f
Der Chr i stl i ch e G l a u be an d m any oth er th e o l o gical wo rk s .

I L A Fe u e rbach (1 8 04
. . auth o r o f Das Wesen d es
Chri sten thn/m s (which was t ran sl at e d i n t o E n gli s h b y
’

Ge o rge E li o t ) .

P i err e B a yl e (1 6 4 7 auth o r o f t h e Di ct i o n n a i r e
hi sto r i qu e et cr i ti qu e, which e x e rci s e d a gre at i n fl u en c e ,
esp ecially o n t h e Co n ti n en t , duri n t h e e i ght een th c en t ury .

H en ri B en j am i n Co n s tan t e R e b eq u e (1 7 6 7

o l iticia an d au th o r o f De l a R el i gi on
p n . .
2 94 E S S AY S AND LETTE RS

r ea li z es his r el a ti o n wi t h t he su p er hu m a n a n d m ys ter i ou s
f’
o rc es o n whi c h he c o n s id e r s hi m s elf dep en d en t
’
Goblet .
—
d A l v ie l l a * R el igi o n i s a defin i ti o n of hu m a n l ife,
.

b a sed o n the c o n n ec ti o n betwee n t he hu m a n s o u l a n d tha t

m y s ter i o u s sp i r i t wh os e d o m i n i o n o ve r t he wo r ld a n d o ve r

him self m a n r e cogn i ses, a n d wi th whi c h he feel s hi m self

u n i ted — A R é v il l e T
’
. . .

S o that th e essence o f rel igi on has always been

understood —and is now u nderstood by men not de
r i v e d o f the high est h uman characteristic —to be the
p
e stablishment by man of a relation between himself

and the infinite B eing o r Beings whose power he feels

over him And th is relation —however di fferent it may
,

ferent nations and at different times —

.

b e for di f has
always defined for men their destiny in the world ;
from wh ich guidan ce for their conduct has naturally
flowed A Jew understood his relation to the I nfinite
.

to be that he was a m ember o f a nation chosen by God

,

from among all nations an d that h e had therefore to ,

observe in th e sight o f God the agreement made by

G o d with this people A G reek understood his relation .

to be that being dependent o n the representatives o f

the Gods —h e ought to do what
, ,

eternity on
pleased them A B rahman u ndersta nds himself to be
.

a manifesta tion o f the i nfinite Brahma and consid ers ,

that he ought by renunciation o f life t o strive towards

, ,

u nion with that hi hest being A Bud dhist considered

g .
,

a n d considers his relation t o the I nfinite to be : that

, ,

passing from o n e form of life t o another he inevita bly ,

su ffers and these su fferings proceed from passions and

desires and therefore h is business i s to strive to anni
,

h il at e all passions and all desires and s o pass into ,

Ni rvana Every religion is the setting u p between

.
,

man and the infinite life t o which he feels h imself

a llied o f some relation from which he obta ins guidan ce
,

fo r h is conduct And , therefore , if a reli gion does n o t

.

E ugen e G o bl e t Co m te d Al vi el l a (1 8 4 6 au th or of
’

E vo l u ti on r el igi eu se con tem p o r a i n e an d o th e r work s .

’

A Rév il l e (1 8 2 6
. Pro tes ta n t th eo l o gi an o f t he
a dva n c ed sc h o o l auth o r o fm an y wo rk s o n r eli gi o n
, .
 W HA T I S R ELI G ION ? 29 5

e stablish any relation b etween m an and the Infinite

( as f
,
o r instance is the case with idolatry o r sorcery )
, ,
then it is n o t a real religion but only a degeneration , .

I f even , reli gi on establish es some relation between

,

m an and G o d but does this by means o f asserti ons not

,

accordant w ith reason and present day knowledge s o -

that o n e cannot really believe t h e a ssertions —that also

,

i s not a religion but onl y a counterfeit

,
,
If a reli gi on .

doe s not unite the life o f man with the infinite life ,

a gain it i s n o t a religion N o r does a belief in proposi

.

tions from which n o definite direction fo r human

a ctivity results con stitute a religion .

Tru e r eligi o n i s a r el a ti o n , a c c o r d a n t wi th r ea son

an d k n o wl edge, whi c h m a n es ta bl i s hes wi t h t he i nfi n i te l ife

s u r r o u n d i n g hi m , a n d i t is s u c h a s bi n ds his l ife to tha t

i nfi n i ty, an d gu id es his co n d u c t .

Th o u gh there never was an age wh en o r a place ,

where men lived without a religion , yet the learne d

,

m e n o f t o day s a y like Mo l ié r e s
’
-
I nvoluntary Doctor
,

wh o asserted that the liver i s o n the left side : N o u s

ac on s c ha n ge tou t cel a (W e have changed all that ) and
they think that we can and sh ould live with out any
religi on B u t nevertheless, religion remains what it
.
,

has been in the past : the chief motor and h eart o f

human societies ; and without it as without a heart , ,

human life i s impossible Th ere have been and there

are many di fferent religion s —fo r the expression o f
.
,

,
’
m an s relation t o the Infinite an d t o G o d o r to the ,

Gods di ffer s at di fferent times and in d i fferent places

, ,

a ccording t o t h e stages o f development o f di f ferent

n ations —but never in any society o f men s inc e m e n ,

fir st becam e rational creature s could they live , o r hav e ,

th ey lived wi thout a religion

,
.

It is true that there hav e been an d sometimes are , ,

e r i o ds in the life o f nations when the e xisting religion

as been so perverted an d h a s la gged so far beh i nd life

a s t o ce ase t o guide it B u t this cessation o fit s action

.

o n men s liv es (occ u rring at times in all religi ons ) has

’
29 6 E S S AY S AN D LETTE R S

been bu t
temporary It is characteristic o f religion
as o f all that is really alive —
.

that it is born develops , ,

grows o l d dies an d again comes to life and comes to

, ,

life ever in forms more perfect than before After a .

period of hi gher development in religion a perio d ,

o f decrepitude and lifele ss ness always follows to he ,

u sually succeeded i n its turn by a period o f regenera .

tion and the establishment o f a religious doctrine

,

wiser and clearer than before S uch periods o f develop .

ment decrepitude and regeneration have o cc u rred in

, ,

all religions In t h e p rofound religion o f Brahmanism

.
,

as soon as it began t o grow o l d and t o petrify into

fixed and coarse for m s not suited to it s fundamenta l
meaning came o n o n e side a renascence o f Brah
,

manism itself and o n the other the lofty teach ings o f

,
’
B uddhism which advanced humanity s comprehension
,

o f i t s relation to the I nfinit e A similar decline .

occurred in the Gree k and R oman religions and then , ,

following th e lowest depths o f that decline appeared ,

C h ristianity Th e same thing occurred again with

.

Church Christianity wh ich in Byz anti um de generated

-
,

into idolatry and polytheism To co u nterbalance this .

perverted Christianity there a rose o n o n e hand the , ,

Paulicians an d o n the other (in opposition to the do c

*
,

trine o f the Trinity and t o Mariolatry ) came strict

Mohammedanism with it s fundamental dogma o f O n e
Go d . Th e sa me thing happened again with Papal
Medi aeval Christianity which evoked the R eforma ,

tion , so that periods when religion weakens in it s

influence o n the maj ority o f men are a necessary con
di tion o f the life and development o f all religious
teachings This occurs because every religi ous teach
.

ing in i t s true meaning however crude it may be , ,

always establishes a relation between man and th e

I nfinite which i s alike for all men Every religion
,
.

regards men as equally insignificant compared t o

Th e Paulician s we re a sec t wh o pl ay e d a great p art i n
t h e hi st o ry o f t h e E as t ern Church (s e v en th t o twe lfth
c en turi es ) Th ey rej ect e d t h e Church Vi ew o f Chri st s
.
’

teachi n g an d were cru elly p ersec ute d

,
.
 W HA T I S R ELIGI ON ? 29 7

Infinity ; and therefore every religion conta ins t h e

conception o f the equality o f all men before that which
it regards a s G o d w hether that be lightning wind a
tree an animal a hero o r a deceased—o r even a
, ,

living—king (as o ccurred in R ome )

, , ,

S o that the .

admission o f the equality o f man i s an inevitable and ,

fundamental characteristic o f every religion B ut as .

equal ity among men never h as existed anyw here in

actu al life and does n o t n o w e xist, it h as happened
,

that as s oon as a new religio u s teaching appeared

(always including a confession of equality among all
m e n )
* then at once those people for whom inequality

was profitable tried t o hi de th is essential feature by

perverting the teaching i tself S o it has happened .

always wherever a new religio u s teaching appeared

, .

And thi s h as been done for the m ost part n o t c o n

sc i o u sl y b u t merely because those to whom inequality
the rulers and the rich —i n order t o
,

was p r o fit ab l e -

feel themselves j ustified by the teaching with out having

to alter their positio n have tried by all means to
,

fasten u po n th e religious teaching an inter retation

sanctioning inequality And naturally a religion s o
.
, ,

perverted that those wh o lorded it over others could

consider themselves j ustified in so doing—whe n passed
o n to the common people instilled into the m also the
,

i dea that submission to those wh o ex erci se authority i s

demanded by t h e reli gi on th ey profess .

V .

A ll hu m an a ctivity is e voked b y th re e motive causes

Feeling R eason and S uggestion the last-named being
, , ,

the sam e thing that doctors call h ypnotism S ome .

times m an acts only under the influence o f feeling

si m ply striving t o get what he desires S ometimes h e .

acts solely under the infl uence o f reas on, which shows
That i s to s ay th at al l are eq u al i n t h e s i ght of Go d
th at hu m an l aws and custom s sh o uld give th em an eq u al
ri ght t o li fe lib erty an d t h e pursuit o f h appin ess ; an d
, ,

that m en should treat o n e an o th er as bro th ers .

298 E S S A YS AND LETTE R S

hi m wh at he ought to do S ometimes and m ost fre .

,

quently man acts because he himself h as o r other

, ,

people have sug gested an activity to him and he u n

, ,

consciously submits to the su ggestion Under normal .

conditions o f life all three influences play their part in

’
promptin g a man s activity Feeling draws him .

towards a certain activity reason j u dges o f this

a ctivity in the li ght o f present circumstances a s well ,

as by past experience and future expecta ti on and

suggestion causes a man apart from feeling and reason , ,

to carry o u t th e actions evoked by feeling and approved

b y reason W ere there no feelin g man would under
.
,

take nothing ; if reason did not exist man would yield ,

at once to many contradictory feelings harmful to h im ,

self and to others ; were there no capacity of yielding

’ ’
to one s o wn or other people s su ggestion man would ,

have unceasingly to exp erience the feeling that pr o m p

te d him to a particular activity and to keep his reason ,

continually intent o n the verification of the e xpediency

o f that feeling And th erefore all these three in
.
, ,

fl u e n c e s are indispensable for even the simplest human

a ctivity . I f a man walks from o n e lace to anoth er ,

this occurs because feeling h as impe led him to move

from o n e place to another reason h as approved o f this
intentio n and dictated means for it s accomplishment
( in this case — stepping along a certain road) and the ,

muscles o f the body obey and the man move s along ,

the road i ndicated W hile h e is going along both h is

.
,

feeling and h is reason are freed for other activity w hich ,

could not be the case but for h is capacity to submit t o

suggestion This i s what happens w ith all hu m an
.

activiti es an d among the rest with the m ost importa nt

,

o f them : religious activity Feeling evokes the need .

’
t o establish a man s relation t o G o d reason defines th at
relation and s u ggestion i m pels man t o th e activity
flowing from that relation But this is so , only as long .

as religion remains unperverted A s soon as perversion .

commences the part played by suggestion grows e ver

,

stronger and s tronger and the activity o f feeling an d

,

of reason weakens Th e m ethods o f s uggestion are

.
 W HA T IS R ELIGI ON ? 29 9

a lways and everywhere the sam e They consist in .

taking advantage o f man at ti m es when he is most su s

c e t ib l e t o sug gestion (durin g childhood and at impor
p ,

tant occurrences o f life deaths births o r m arriages ) , , ,

and then a cting o n him by means o f art architecture ,

s culpture painting music an d dramatic performances

, , , ,

and while he is in a condition o f receptivity (com

,

parable to that prod uced o n indivi duals by semi

hypnotization ) instilling i nto him w hatever the
,

s u g ge st o r s w ish .

This process may be observed in all ancient religi ons

i n the lofty religion o f B rahmanism degenerating into
gross idolatry o f multitudinous images in vario u s
temples accompanied by sin ging and the smoke o f
,

i ncense ; in the ancient Hebrew religion preached by

the proph ets changing into a worship o f God in a
,

g orgeous tem l e with ostentati ous songs and ro ce s

in th e lo ft y religion o f B ud dhism transforming

p
s ions
i ts elf—with i t s m onasteries and images o fBuddha an d i n
,
~

numerable ost e ntatio u s rites — into impenetrable Lama

i sm and in Taoism with it s sorcery an d incantations .

Always i n all religio u s teachings when they began to

,

b e perverted their guardians having brought men into

, ,

a state in which their reason acted but feebly employed ,

every e ffort to suggest and instil into men whatever , ,

th ey wi shed them to believe And i n all religions it .

w as fo und necessary to suggest the same th ree things ,

whi ch serve a s a basis fo r all t h e perversions to which a

degenerating religion is e xposed Fi rst it is suggested .
,

that there are m e n o f a particular kind wh o alone can ,

a c t a s intermediaries between man and God (o r the

Gods) secondly that m iracles have been and are per

, , ,

formed proving and confirming the truth o f what is

,

told by these in t ermediaries betwee n man and G o d ;

an d thirdly that th ere are certain words —repeated
verbally o r written in books —which express the u n
,

alterable will o f God (o r o f the Gods ) an d which are ,

therefore sacred and infallible And as soon as u nder .

,

the i nfl u ence o f hypnotism these pre p o s it io n s a re ,

a ccepted then a lso all that the inter m ediaries b e twee n

,
soo E S SA Y S AND L E TTE R S

man and God say is also accepted as sacred truth an d

, ,

the ch ief aim o f the perversion o f reli g ion is attained ,

namely : the concealment o f the law of human equality ,

an d even the establishment and assertion o f the greatest

inequality ; the separation into castes the separation ,

into chosen people and Gentiles into orthodox and ,

heretics saints and sinners

,
This very thing h as .

occurred and is occurring in Christianity : complete

ine q uality among men has been a dmitt ed and they are ,

divided not only with reference to th eir c o m pr e h e n

, ,

si on o f the teaching into clerics and laity but with

, , ,

reference to social position into th ose who have power

and those who ought to submit to power —which in
,

accord with the teaching of Paul is acknowledged as ,

having been ordained o f God .

I nequality among men not only as clergy an d laity , ,

but also as rich and poor masters and slaves, i s estab ,

l i sh e d by the Church Christian religion as definitely

-

and glaringly as by other religions Yet, j udgin g by .

what we know o f Christian teachin g in it s earliest form

in the G ospels it would seem that the chief m ethods of
,

perversion made u se o f i n other religions had been fore

seen and a clear warning against them had been uttered
,
.

Against a priestly caste it was plainly said that no ,

man may be the teacher o f another Call no m an your

father — neither be ye called masters Against
attributing sanctity to books it was said that t h e spirit ,

i s important but not the letter that man should n o t

, ,

believe in human traditions and that all the law and ,

the p r o hets (that is all the books regarded as sacred

,

writing amount only t o this that we should do to ,

others as we wish them t o do t o u s If n othing is said .

against miracles and if in the Gospels themselves

,

miracles a re described which Jesus is supposed t o have

performed it i s nevertheless evi dent from the who ]
, , ,

Spirit o f the teachin g that Jesus based the proof o f the

,

validity of his doctrine not o n miracles but o n the , ,

 W HA T I S R ELI GI ON ? 30 1

m erits o f the teaching itself I f any man willeth .

to do h is will he shall know o f the teachin g whether

, ,

it be o f God o r whether I speak from

,
And ,

abov e all Christianity proclaims the equality o f men

, ,
’
no longer merely a s a deduction from man s relation to
the infinite but as a basi c doctrine o f the brotherhood
,

o f all men resulting from their being acknowledge d

,

a s so n s o f G o d .

It seems therefore as though it should have been

, ,

impossible t o pervert Christianity so as to destroy t h e

consciousness of e quality among men But the hum an .

mind is subtle and (perhaps unconsciously o r semi

,

consciously) a quite new dodge was devised t o make

t h e warnings contained in the Gospels and this plain ,

pronouncement o f e quality among men inoperative ,

.

This dodge consisted i n attributing infallibili t y not only

to certain writings but also t o a c e r t ain se t o f men ,

called Th e Church wh o have a right to hand o n this ,

infallibility to people they themselves S elect .

A slight addition to the Gospels was invented tellin g

'

h o w Christ when about to go up into th e Sk y handed

, ,

over to certain men the exclusive right —not merely to

teach others divine truth (according to the literal text
o f the Gospel he beq u eathed at the same time the right ,

not generally utiliz ed o f being invulnerable by snakes , ,

or poisons ) *
but also to decide-
which people should be
saved o r t h e reverse and above all to confer this , , ,

power on others And the res ul t was that as soon as.

this i dea o f a Church was firmly established al l the ,

’
Gospel warnings hindering the perversion o f Christ s
teaching became inoperative for the Church was ,

superior both t o reason and t o the writings esteemed

sacred R easo n was acknowledged t o be t h e source of
.

errors and the Gospels were explained not as common

,

sense demanded but as suited those who constituted ,

the Church .

Go y e i n t o al l t h e wo rld an d pre ach t h e G o sp e l , .

An d th ese s i gn s sh all fo ll o w th e m th at b eli e v e ; i n m

n am e th e y sh all tak e up s erpen ts ; an d if th e y drin k
a n y d e adly thi n g i t s hall i n n o wi s e h urt
,
—MA R K
xvi . 1 5-1 8 .
30 2 E SS AY S A N D LE TTE R S

And so all the three former m ethods o f perverting

reli gion —a priesthood miracles and the i nfallibility o f
scriptures —were admitted i n full force into Christianity
, ,

Intermediaries between G o d and man were admitted

because the need and fitness of having such inter
m e diar i e s was recognised by the Church ; the validity

of miracles was ack nowled ged because the infallible

Church testified to them and the sanctity o f the Bible
was ack nowledged because it was acknowledged b y the
Churc h .

And Christianity was perverted as all other religions

had been but with this di fference that j ust because
, ,

Christianity most clearly proclaimed it s fu ndamental

principle —the equality o f all men as sons of G o d — it
was necessary most forcibly to pervert it s whole teach
ing in order to hide this fundamental principle And
, .

by the help o f this conception o f a Church this h as ,

been done to a greater extent than in any other religion .

S o that reall y no religion has ever preached thin g s so

evidentl y incompatible with reason and with contem
p o r a r y knowled ge o r s o immoral as the doctrines
, ,

preached by Ch urch Christianity N o t to speak o f all

-
.

the absurdities o f the Old Testament such as the ,

crea tion of light before the su n the creation o f the ,

world six thousand years ago the housing of all the

,

animals in the Ark or of the many immoral horrors ,

such as inj unctions to massacre children and whole

’
populations at God s com m and ; not t o speak even o f
the absurd S acrament o f whic h Volta ire used to sa y ,

that though there hav e been and are many absurd

r eligious doctrines there never before wa s one in which
,
’
the ch ief act o f reli gion consisted in eating one s o w n
G o d — not to dwell on all that what can b e more
, ,

absurd than that the Mo ther of God wa s both a

m other and a virgin that the sk y O pened and a voice
Spoke from up there that Christ fl ew into the s k y an d
Sits somewhere up there at the right hand of h is father
or that God is both One and T h ree not three Gods like ,

B rahma Vishnu and S hiva but One and yet Three ?

, ,

An d what can be mor e immoral than t he terribl e

 W HA T IS R ELIGION ? 308

doctri ne that an angry and revengeful G o d punishes all

men for A dam s si n and sent h is so n o n earth to save
’
,

them knowing beforehand that men would kill him

,

and would therefor e be damned ; and that salvation

from sin consists in being b a ptized o r in believing that ,

all these things really happened and that the so n o f ,

God was killed by men that men might be saved a n d ,

that G o d will punis h with eternal torments those who

do not believe this ?
S o that leaving asid e things some people consider as
additio ns t o the chief dogm as o f this religion —things
,

such a s various relics i c ons o f various Mothers o f God i " ‘

, ,

prayers asking fo r favours and addresse d to saints each

o f wh om h as h i s o w n speciality— and n o t t o Speak also
o f the Protesta nt doctrine o f predestination —the very
foundations o f this religion admitted by all and fo r m u
,

lated in the Nicene Creed are so abs urd and immoral

, ,

an d r u n s o counter t o right feeling an d to common

s ense,
th at men cannot believe in them Me n may .

repeat any form o f words with their lips but they ,

cannot believe things that have no m eaning It is .

’
‘
possible t o say with one s lips : I believe the world
’
was cre ated s ix thousand years ago ; o r I believe ,

Christ fle w u p into t he sk y and sat down next to his

Father o r G o d is One and at the same time Th ree
—but n o o n e can believe these things fo r the words
, ,

hav e n o s e n se And therefore men o f our modern

.

world wh o profe ss this perverted form o f Christianity

really believe in nothing at all
And that is the peculiar characteristic o f o u r tim e .

Peopl e in o u r tim e do n o t believe in anything yet , ,

using a fals e definition o f faith which they take from

the E p is tle to the Hebrews (wrongly ascribed t o Paul ) ,

Th e wo n d er wo rking l o du s o f t he K azan Ib eri an an d

-
, ,
m a n y o th e r Mo th ers o fGo d are all pai n ti n gs o fMary t h e
,
’

m o th er o f J esu s t o which vari o us m irac ul o u s po wer s

,

a ttribut e d in R u ssia .
304 E SS AY S AND LETTE R S
they imagine they have faith Faith according to tha t .

definition is the su b stance o f things hoped for the

B u t —not
,
’
evidence o f things n o t seen (Heb xi . .

’
to mention the fact that faith cannot be a substance ,

s ince it i s a mental condition and n o t an obj ective

reality — faith is also not the evidence of things not ‘

s een for the evidence referred to in the E pistle as

’ ‘
, ,

the context shows is simply cred u lity and credulity

, ,

a n d faith are two di f

ferent things * .

Faith is neither hope nor credulity b u t a special ,

’
state of the soul Faith is man s consciousness that
.

his position in the worl d is such as obliges him to do

certain things Man acts in accord with his faith not
.

because as is said in o u r R u ssian Catechism he believes

, ,

in the unseen as i n the seen nor because he hopes to ,

a ttain his expectation but only because having de fi ned

, ,

his position in the universe he nat u rally acts according ,

to that position An agriculturist cultivates the la n d

.
,

and a navi gator sets o u t to se a not because as the , ,

Catechism says they believe in the unseen o r hope to

, ,

receive a reward for their activity (such hope exists but ,

it is not what guides them ) but because they consider ,

that activity to be their calling S o also a religiously .

believing man acts in a certa in way not because he ,

believes in the unseen o r expects a reward for his

activity but because having understood h is position in
, ,

the universe he naturall y acts in accord with that

,

position If a man has decided that h is position in

.

society is that of a labourer an artisan an o fficial or a , , ,

merchant then he considers it necessary t o work and

,

W hat i s fund am e n t a l i n t h e ab o v e argu m en t is , that

th e auth o r o ft h e E p i stl e t o the H ebrews d e fin e s fa ith with o ut
i n di c atin g th at it r ela tes m an t o Go d r a ti ona l l y , an d supp li es
g u i da n c e fo r c on d u c t ; w hil e ,
i n To l s t o y s appr e h en s i
’
o n , th e s e

a re j u s t t h e esse n ti a l c h a rac t e ri s t i c s o f f a it h , as o f re l i gi o n .

Th e paragrap h has b een alt e re d fo r t h e pres en t e diti o n

b ecau se , as To ls to y firs t wro te it , it was ai m e d chi efl y agai n st
t h e R u ss i an an d S lav o n i c v er s i o n s o f H ebr ews xi 1 , an d .

was th e re fo r e p erpl e xing t o E n gli sh read ers It h as n o w .

b e en wo rd e d t o fit t h e E n gli sh auth o ri ze d v ers i o n , an d can ,

with eq ual c ase b e wo rd e d t o fit t h e Gree k te xt
. .
 W HA T
.

I S R ELIGION P 305

as a labo u rer an artisan an o fficial o r a m e rc h ant he

, , , ,

does h is work J u st s o do men in general who o n e

.
, ,

wa y o r other have defined their position in th e world

, ,

neces sarily and naturally act in accord with that de fin i

tion (whi ch sometimes i s rather a dim consciousness
tha n a definition ) Th us fo r instance a man having
.
, ,

define d h i s position in the worl d as that o f a member o f

a nation chosen by G o d w h ich in order to enj oy God s
,
’

protect i on must fulfil H is demands will live in such a ,

way as t o fulfil those demands another man having ,

defined his position o n th e supposition that he has

pas sed and is passing through various forms o f existence ,

and tha t o n h i s actions more o r less depends h i s better

or w orse future , will be gui ded in life by that de fin i
tion and the conduct o f a third m an wh o h as defined ,

his position as that o f a chance combination o f atoms ,

in which a consciousness h as been temporar ily kindled

which must be e xtinguished fo r ever, w ill di ffer from
that o f the t wo first .

Th e con d uct o f these men will b e quite di f ferent ,

becau se they have defined their positions di fferently

that is to say they have di fferent faiths Faith is t h e
,
.

same thin g as religion , only with this di fference that

by the word r eligio n we imply something observed o u t
side u s w hile what we call fa i th i s t h e sam e thing only
, ,

e xperienced by man within hi m s el f Faith is a relation .

man is conscious o f towards th e infinite universe and ,

from this relation the direction of h is activity results .

And therefore true faith i s never irrational or i n c o m

, ,

patible with present day knowledge an d it cannot be

-
,

i t s characteristic to be supernatural o r absurd as ,

people suppose and as was expressed by a Father o f

,

the Church wh o said Cr edo qu i a a bs u r du m (I believe

because it is absurd ) On the contrary the assertions
.
,

o f true faith though they cannot be proved never con

, ,

tain anything contrary to reason o r incompatible with ,

"

human knowledge but always explai n that in life

,

which , without the conception supplied by faith , would

appear irrational an d contradictory “

Th u s fo r instance an ancient Hebrew believing in

, , ,

U
306 E SS AY S AND LETTE R S
‘

3. S upreme, Eternal All powerful B eing wh o created

,
-

the universe the world the animals man etc and

, , , , .

wh o h as promised to patronize H is people if they wi l l

keep H is l aw —did not believe i n anything i rrational o r
‘

incompatible with h is knowledge b u t o n the contrary , , ,

this faith explained to him many thin gs in life whi ch

with out such a faith would have been i n e x l ic ab l e to him
I n the same way a H indu wh o be lieves that o u r
.

souls have lived in animals and that acco r ding to the , ,

good o r evil life led they pass into highe r o r lower

,

animals — b y the help o f this faith explains t o himself

many things that w ithout it would b e inexplicable
t o him .

It is the same with a man wh o considers life an evil ,

an d t h e aim o f life to be peace attainable by th e

annihilation o f desire He believes in nothing n u
.

reasonable, but o n t h e contrary in someth ing that

, ,

makes his outlook o n life more reas onable than it was

with out that faith .

It i s the same wi th a true Christian wh o believe s

that God is the spiritual Father o f all m e n and that ,

the highest h uman blessedness i s atta inable by m an .

when he acknowledges h is s on ship t o G o d and th e

brotherhood of all man kind .

All these faiths ; if th ey cannot be demonstrated are ,

in th emselves not irrational but o n the contrary, give , ,

a more rational meaning t o occurrences in life which

without them seem irrational and contradictory More .

’
over all these beliefs by defining m an s position i n the
, ,

universe inevitably demand conduct i n accord with

,

that position An d therefore if a religio u s teaching

.
,

asserts irrational propositions which explain nothing ,

but onl y help t o confuse man s understanding o f life ’

then it i s not a faith but only a perversion o f faith

, ,

which has already lost the chief characteristi c o f true

faith and instead of de m anding an ything from men h as
,

be come their pliant tool One o f the chief distin o

.

tions between true faith and it s perversion i s that in a ,

perverted faith man demands that G o d i n return fo r ,

sacrifices and prayers, sh ould fulfil h is wishes and serv e

 W HA T IS RE L I G I O N ? 30 7

m an .B u t , in a true faith , man feels that G o d demands

from h im the fulfilment o f H is will demands that man
sho u ld serve G o d .

And j ust this faith is lacking among th e m e n o f o u r

time —they do n o t even understa n d what it i s like , and
by faith they m e an , either repeating with their lip s
what i s given t o them a s the essence o f faith , o r t h e
performance o f ceremonies which , as Church - Ch rist
ian it y te ache s, help the m t o at ta in their desires .

VI 11 .

Peop l e in o u r world live with o u t an y faith One .

part t h e educate d wealth y minority having freed

, , ,

th emselves from t h e Ch u rch h ypnotism believe in ,

n othing at all an d look 11 ) o n every faith as an

abs u rdity o r as merely a usefu l means o f keeping the
,

masses in subj e ction Th e im m ense poor uneducated

.
, ,

maj ority consisting o f peopl e wh o with few e xc e p

-

tions, are re ally sincere —bei n g still under the h yp n o

,

t ism o f the Church think they believe in what is

,

su ggested t o th em as a faith alth ough it is n o t really a

,

faith for inste a d o f elucidating t o man h is p osition in

,

the w orld it only darkens it .

This situation an d t h e r e lations o f the n o n believing

,
-
,

insincere minority t o the h ypnotized maj ority are t h e ,

conditi ons w hich shape t h e life of o u r s o called Ch r i s -

tian world And this life —both o ft h e minority whi ch

.

h olds i n it s hands the means o f h ypn oti z ation and o f

t h e h ypnotized m aj ority —is terrible bo th o n acco u n t o f
,

th e cruelty and imm orality o f the ruling classes and ,

o f t h e crushed an d st u e fi e d condition o f the great

p
worki n g masses Never at any period o f religi ous
.

decline h as t h e neglect and forgetfulness o f the c hie f

characteristic o f all religion and o f Christianity in
particular —t he principl e o f human equality—fallen t o
,

so l ow a level as it h a s descended to in o u r time .

A chief cause, in o u r time o f the terrible cruelty ,

o f man t o man — besi des the complete absence of

religi o n —is the refined complexity o f life which hi des ,

U 2
30 8 E S S AY S AND LE TTE R S

from men the consequences o f their actio ns However .

cruel the Attilas and Genghis Khans and their followers

-

may have been the process o f personally killing people

,

face to face m ust have been un pleasant to them and the ,

consequences of the slaughter m ust have been still more

unpleasant : the lamentations of the kindred o fthe slain ,

and the presence o f the corpses S o that the co u se

u t to —
.

q u e n c e s of their cruelty tended to diminish it B day .

we kill people by so complex a transmission and the con ,

se q uences o f o u r cruelty are so carefully removed and

hidden from us that there are no e ffects tending to
,

restrain cruelty ; and the cruelty o f o n e se t o f men

towards another i s ever increasing and increasing till ,

it has reached dimensions it never attained before

I thin k that nowadays if—I do not say some promi
.

nent villain such as Nero but—some most ordin ary

,

man of business wished to make a pond of human blood

for diseased rich people to bathe in when ordere d to do
s o by their learned medical advisers he would not be ,

prevented from arranging it if only he observed the,

accepted and respecta ble forms : that is did not use ,

violence to make people shed their bloo d but go t them ,

into such a position that they co ul d n o t live without

s hedding it ; a n d if,
also he engaged priests and
,

scientists : the former to consecrate the new pond as

they consecrate cannons ironclads prisons and gallows
, ,

and the latter to find proofs o f the necessi t y and

j u st ifiab il it y of such an institution as they have found ,

proofs of the necessity for wars and brothels *

Th e fundamenta l principle o f all religion — the
.

e quality of men —is so forgotten neglected and , ,

buried under all sorts o f absurd dogmas in the

.

religion now professed and in science this same

inequality (in the theory of the struggle for existence
a n d survival of the fittest
) i s s o acknowledged to be
a necessary condition o f life —that the destruction o f

m illions o f human lives for the convenience of a ruling

La ws s i m ilar t o o u r Co n tagi o u s Di sea s es Pr e v en ti o n
‘

’
A c t o f 1 8 6 4 (supp o rt e d by t h e R o y al Co ll ege o f P h y s i c ian s
a n d S ur eo n s i n 1 8 6 6
g ) s till exi s t i n R uss i a as well as a ,

regul ar s s t e m o fli c en s i n
y g h o u ses o f ill fam e
-
.
 W HA T I S R ELI GION ? 309

m inority i s considered a most usu al and necessary

event and i s continually going on
, .

Me n o f t o day do n o t know how t o express su ffi cient

-

deligh t over the splen did unprecedented colossal pr o , ,

gress achieved by techni cal s cience durin g the nine

t e e n t h century .

There i s no doubt that never in history was s u ch

m aterial progress made in mastering the powers o f

Nature as duri n g the ninetee n th century But also .

, ,

ther e is n o doubt that never in history was there such

an example o f immoral life freed from an y force ,

restraini ng man s animal inclination s as that given

’

by our ever increasingly bestialized Ch ristian hu m anity

-
, .

Th e material progress achieved in th e nineteenth cen

tury has really been great but that progress h as been
bou ght and is being bought by such neglect o f the most
, ,

elem entary demands of morality as h umanity never ,

before wa s guil t y o f even in the days of Genghis -Khan ,

,

Attila o r Nero
, .

Th ere is n o doubt that the ironclads railroads , ,

printing presses tunnels phonographs, R ontgen rays

-
, ,
-
,

and s o forth are very good They are all very good
, .
,

but what are also good good as R uskin says beyond -

, ,

comparison with anything else— are human lives such ,

a s those o f which millions are n o w mercilessly ruined

for the acquisition o f ironclads rail ways a n d tunnels , , ,

which instead o f beautifying life di sfigu r e it To this

, ,
.

the usual reply is that appliances are already being

,

invented and will with time be invented to check such

destruction o f h uman life a s is now going o n —but this
, ,

i s untrue A s long as men do not consider all men

.

their broth ers an d do n o t consider human lives the

m ost sacred o fall things—o u no account t o be sacrificed ;
,

since t o support them is the very first and most imm e

diate o f duties—that is as lon g as men do n o t treat ,

each other reli giously they will always fo r the sake , ,

’
o f personal advantage ruin o n e another s lives No
,
.

o n e will be s o silly a s to agree to spend thousa nds o f

pounds if he can atta in the same end by spending a

hundred pounds—with a few human lives that are at
,
31 0 E S S A YS A N D L E T TE R S
h is disposal thrown in On the railroad in Chicago.
,

about the same number of people a r e crushed each

year A n d the owners of the railroads quite naturally
.
, ,

do not adopt appliances which wo u ld pre vent these

people from being crushed for they have calculated ,

that the ann u al payments to the inj u red and to their

families come to less than the interes t o n the cost of
such appliances .

Very possibly these men wh o ruin h uman lives for

their o wn profi t may be shamed by public opinion o r ,

otherwise compelled to provide the appliances But as

, .

long as men are not religio u s an d do their deeds to be ,

seen of men and not as in the sight o f God they will , ,

after providing appliances in o n e place t o s ecure people s ’

lives in other matters again treat human lives as the

,

best material o u t o f which to make a profit .

It is easy to conquer Nature and t o build railways , ,

steamers museums and so forth if o n e does not spare

, , ,

human lives Th e Egyptian Pharaohs were proud o f

.

thei r pyramids and we are delighted with them for

, ,

g ettin g the millions o f slaves lives that were s acrifice d ’

for their erection And in t h e same way w e are de

.

lighted with o u r exhibition palaces ironclads and

t ransoceanic cables —for ett ing with what we
, ,

for
these things W e sho u d n o t feel proud o f all this
a
y
.
,

till it is all done b y free men and n o t by slaves , .

Christian nations have con quered and s u bd u ed t he

American I ndians Hindus and Africans and are
, , ,

now conquering and subduing the Chinese and are ,

proud o f doing so B u t really these con quests and

.
, ,

subj ugations do n o t result from the Christian nations

b eing spiritually superior t o those conquered b u t , ,

c ontrariwise from their being spiritually far inferior to

,

them L eaving the Hind u s and Chinese o u t o f account

.
,

even amon g the Zulus there were and still are som e , ,

s ort o f obli g atory reli g ious rules prescribing certa i n ,

actions and forbidding others but among o u r Christian

nations there are none at all R ome conquered the .

world j ust when R ome had freed itself fro m every

reli gion Th e same only i n a greater degree is t he
.
, ,
 W H AT IS R E L IGI ON 31 1

case wi th t he Christian nations They are all in

now .

o n e and the same condition o f having rej ected religion ;

and therefor e notwithstanding di ssensions among
, ,

themselves they are all united and form o n e c o n

,

fe derate ban d o f robber s, amon g whom theft plunder , ,

depravity an d m urder individually o r collectively

, ,

goes o n w ithout causing the least compunction o f c o

scienc e and eve n with the greatest self—
,
complacency ,

a s occurred the o ther day i n China S ome believe in

.

nothing and are proud o f it others pretend t o believe

,

in what they for their o wn ad van tage hypnoti z e the

common folk in to accepting as a faith wh il e others
a gai n —the gr eat m aj o rity
,

the common people as a

wh ole —accept as a faith the h y notic s u ggestions to
,

w hich they are s ubj ected and sp avi sh l y submit t o all

,

that is demanded o f them by the dominant and n u

believin g hypnotizers .

And what these hypnoti z e rs demand is what Nero ,

a n d a ll li ke him w ho have tried in s ome way to fill

,

the emptiness of their lives have alway s demanded : the

,

satisfaction o f their insane and superabounding luxury .

Lux u ry i s obtained in n o other way than by enslaving

m en ,
an d a s soon as there is enslavement l u xury
increases ; an d t h e increase o f l u xury inevitab ly drags
after it an incr e a se o f slavery fo r only people wh o are
col d and hungry and bound down by want will c o n
, ,

t i n u e all their lives long doing n o t what they want b u t ,

w h at i s wanted only fo r the pleas u re o f t hei r masters .

In chapter vi o f the Boo k o f Genesis there is a

.

profoun d passage in which the author says that G o d ,

before t h e Flood, having seen that the Spirit He had

gi v e n t o m e n that they might serve H im was u sed by
the m o n ly t o serve their o wn desires becam e s o angry ,

with men that H e repented o f having created them ,

and before e ntirely destroying them decided to sh orten

, ,

the life o f man to 1 2 0 years And t h e very thing that

.
,
’
a ccording to the Bible the n s o provoked God s ange r
,
’
that it caused Him t o s horte n m an s life is again going ,

o n amo n g the people o f o u r Ch ristian worl d .

31 2 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S

R eason is the power which enable s m e n t o defi n e

their relation to the universe and as all men s tan d in
,

o n e and the same relation t o the universe it foll ows

that religion —which is the elucidation o f that r elation

,

— u nites men An d union among men affords them t h e

.

h ighest attainable welfare both physical and Spiritual

,
.

Complete union with the highes t and most perfect

reason and therefore complete welfare i s the ideal
, ,

towards which humanity strives and all religions unite

people by supplying identical answers to all men o f
,

any given society when they ask what the u niverse i s ,

and what i t s inhabitants are ; and by uniting them it

brings them nearer to the attainment o f welfare But .

when reason diver ging from it s natural function (that

,

o f determining man s relation to G o d

’
and what h i s ,

activity should be conformably t o that relation ) is used

, ,

in the service o f the fl esh and for angry strife with

,

other men and other fellow creatures and when it is

-
,
’
even used to j ustify this evil life so contrary to man s ,

nature and to th e purpose for which he i s intended

then those terrible calamities result under which ,

the maj ority o f men are now s u fferi n g an d a state is ,

reached that makes any ret u rn to a reasonable an d

good life seem almost impossible .

Pagans united by the crudest religious teaching are

far nearer the recognition o f truth than the pseudo
Christian nations of o u r day wh o live without any ,

religion and amon g whom th e most advanced people

are themselves convinced—an d su ggest to others — that
,

religion is unnecessary, and that it i s much better to

live without any .

A mon g the pagans m en m ay be found wh o recog ,

n i sin
g the inconsistency of their faith with their
increasing know led ge and w ith the demands o f their
,

reason produce o r adopt a new religion more i n accord

,

with the spiritual condition o f their nation and accept ,

able to their compatriots and c o believers B u t m e n o f

-

o u r world —some o f whom regard reli g ion as an i n st r u

.

ment wherewith to keep common folk i n subj ection ,

while others consider all religion absurd, and yet other s

 W HAT I S R ELIGION ? 31 3

(t h e great m aj ority o f the nation ) wh ile living u nde r ,

th e h y n o t ism o f a gros s deception think they possess

tru e re igi o n —become impervious to any forward move
,

ment and incapable o f any approach towards truth

, .

Proud o f their im r o v e m e n t s in things that regard

the bodily life a s we ] as o f their refined idle reason
, ,

ings (in which they aim n o t only at j ustifying them

selves b u t also at proving their superiority to any other
,

people o f any age o f history) they petrify in ignorance ,

and immorality while feeling fully assured that they

,

s tand o n an elevation never before reached by h u

manity and that every step forward along the path of
,

ignorance an d immorality raises them t o yet greater

h eights o f e nlightenment and progress .

X .

Man naturally wishes to bring his bo dily (physical )

and his rational (Spiritual ) activity into conformity .

He cannot be at peace until in o n e way o r other he , ,

h as reache d that conformity B u t it i s attainable in .

two di fferent ways One way i s for a man to deci de by

.

the use o f his re ason o n the necessity o r desirability o f

a certain action o r actions and then to behave accord
,

i n gl y ; the other way i s fo r a man to commit actions

u nder th e influence o f h is feelings and then to invent ,

i ntellectual explanatio ns o r j ustifications for what he

has done .

’
Th e first method o f conforming one s actions with
’
one s reason is charact eristi c o f men w h o have some
reli gion , and o n the basis o f i t s precepts decide what
they ought and what they ought not to do Th e .

secon d method i s generally ch aracteristic o f men wh o

are not religious and have n o general standard by
,

wh ich to j udge the quality o f actions and wh o there ,

fore always s e t u p a conformity between their reason

and their actions n o t by subjecting the latter to their
,

reason but (after acting under the sway o f feeling) by

,

using reason t o j ustify what they have done

A religious man —knowing what is good and what is
.
31 4 ES S A Y S A N D LETT E R S

b ad in his o wn activity and in that o f others and ,

knowing also why o n e thing is good and another is

bad — when he sees a contradiction between the de
m ands o f reason and h is o w n or other men s actions
’
,

will employ the wh ole force o f his reason to find means

to destroy these contradictions by learnin g how best t o
b ring his actions into agreement wit h the demands o f
his reason But a man without reli gion —who h as no
.

standard whereby to j udge the quality o f actions apart

from the pleas u re they a fford him — yieldi ng to the
sway of his feelings (which are most various and often
contradictory ) invol u ntarily fa lls into contradictions ;
,

and havin g fallen into contradictions tries to solve or

, ,

h ide them by arguments more o r less elaborate and

clever but always u ntruthful
,
An d therefore while .
,

t h e reasonin g o f truly religious men is always simple ,

direct and truthful the mental activity o f men who

, ,

l ack religion becomes particularly s u btle comple x, and ,

insincere .

I will take the most common example : that of a

man who is addicted to vice — that i s is n o t chaste n o t , ,

faithful to h is w ife or being unmarried indulges in

, , ,

vice If he is a religious man he knows that this is

.
,

wron g an d all the e fforts o f his reason are directed t o

,

findin g means to free himself from his vi ce : avoiding

intercourse with adulterers and ad u lteresses increasing ,

the amount o f his work arranging a strict life for him ,

self not allo wing himself to look o n a woman as o n an

,

o bj ect o f desire and s o forth And al l this i s very

,
.

simple and everyone can understand it But if the

,
.

incontinent man is not religious he at once be g ins to ,

devise all sorts o f explanations t o prove that falling in

love with women is very good And then we get all .

sorts of most complex c u nning and subtle considera, ,

tions about the a ffi nity of souls about bea u ty about the , ,

freedom of love etc and th e more these spread the

,
.
,

more they darken the question an d hi de the essential

truth .

Amon g those who lack religion t h e same thing ,

happens in all spheres o f activity and of tho u ght To .

 W HAT I S R ELI GION ? 31 5

h ide under l ying contradictions, complex , subtle d is

q u i s i t i o n s are piled up ,
w hich ,
by filling the mind with
’
all sorts o f unnecessary rubbish , divert men s attention
from what is important and essential and make it p o s ,

sible for them to petrify in the deceit i n which without ,

noticing it the peopl e o f o u r world are living

,
.

Me n loved the darkness rather than the light for

’ ‘
their w orks were evil says the Gosp e l ,
For every .

o n e that doeth ill ha t eth th e light and cometh n o t to ,

’
the light lest his works sho u ld be reproved
,
.

And therefore the men o f o u r world, having in ,

consequence o f their lack o f religion arranged a m ost ,

cruel animal and i m moral life have also brought

, , ,

their complex s ubtle u nprofitable activity o f mind

hiding the evil o f this kind of life —t o s uch a degree o f
, ,

unnecessary intricacy and confusion that the maj ori t y ,

o f them have q u ite lost the capacity t o distinguish

good from evil o r what is false from what is true
, .

Th ere is n o t a single q uestion the men o f o u r world

can approach directly and simply al l questions
econom ic national political (whether home o r foreign )
, , ,

diplomatic o r scientifi c n o t to mention questions o f

philosophy and religion —are presented so artificially
,

and incorrectl y and are s w athed in such thick shrouds

,

o f co m plex unnecessary diS p u t a t i o n s

, such subtl e per -

version s o f meani n gs and words such sophistries and

disp u tes — that all argu ments about such questions
,

revolve o n o n e spot connected with nothing and

, , ,

like driving wheels without a connectin g strap e ffec t

-
,

nothing except the o n e obj ec t fo r which they were pro

’
d u c e d t o hide from one s self and from others the evil
in whi ch men live an d the evil th e y commit .

I n e very domai n o f what is now called science , o n e

an d the same feature i s encountered , ba f fling t h e mental
e fforts men direct t o the investigation o fvario us do mains
o f knowledge Th is feature is, that all these scientific
.

in vestigation s e vade the essential question calling fo r

31 6 E S S AY S AND LE T TE R S

an answer and examine side issues the investigation o f

,
-

which brings o n e to n o definite result but becomes ,

m ore intricate the further o n e advances Nor can this .

be otherwise in a science which selec t s the obj ects of

its investi gation h aphazard and not according to the ,

demands o f a religious conception o f life defining what ,

should be stu died and why ; w hat first and what after
wards Fo r ins tance in the n o w fashionable subj ects
.
,

of S ociology and Political Economy it would seem ,

that there is really only o n e question How is it and ,

why is it that some p e o l e do nothing whi l e others are

(If there i s another question
, ,

working for them

W h y do people work separatel y hindering o n e ,

another and not together in common as would be

, ,

more profitable ? that question i s included in the

’

first For were there no inequality there woul d be no

.
,

strife ) It would seem that there ought to be only that

.

o n e question but science does not even think of pro

,

pounding and replying to it but commences its discus ,

sions from afar o ff and conducts them s o that its

,

conclusions can never either solve o r assist the solution

o f the fundamental problem Discussions are sta rted .

concerning what used to be and what n o w is and the

past and the present are re garded as something as
unalterable as the course o f th e stars in the heavens
and abstrac t conceptions are devised— value capital , ,

profit and interest— and a complex play o f wits results

,

(which has now already continued for a hun dred years )

among the disputants I n reality the question can be .

settled very easily and simply .

Its solution lies in the fact that as all men are ,

brothers and equals each should act towards others as

,

he wishes them to act towards him ; and therefore the , ,

wh ole matter depends o n t h e destruction of a false

religious law and the restoration o f the true religious
,

law Th e advanced people o f Christendom however

.
, ,

n o t only refuse to accept th at solution but o n the c o n , ,

t r ar y try to hide from men t h e possibility of such a

,

solution and therefore devote themselves t o the idl e

,

play of inte lligence which they call science .

 W HA T I S R ELIGI O N ? 31 7

Th e s am e thing take s place m the domain of J u r1 s

prudence There would seem to be onl y o n e essential
.

question : H o w i s it that there are men who a llow

‘

t h emselves t o perpetrate v iolence o n others to fleece ,

them confine them execute them send them to the

, , ,

w ars and so o n ? Th e solution o f that ques t ion is

,
’

very simple if it be examined from the only point o f

,

v i ew suitable to the subj ect— the religious From a .

r eligious poi n t o f view man must not and should not ,

subj ect his neighbour to violence an d therefore only ,

o n e thi ng i s needful fo r the solu t ion o f the qu e stion

namely t o destroy all superstitions and s ophistries
'

which all ow o f violence an d t o instil i nto men religious ,

principles clearly excluding the possibility of violence .

B u t the advanced men instead o f doing this devote , ,

al l their wits t o the task o f hiding from others the

possibility and necessity o f such a solution They w rite .

m ountains o f books abo u t all sorts o f laws civil ,

criminal police Church commercial etc and ex

‘

pound an d dispute about these —fully assured that they

, , , ,
.

are doing something not only useful but very impor

tant To the question , W h y among men who are
.
‘
,

naturally equal may some j udge coerce fleece and

, , , ,

execute others P— they give no reply and do not even

’

acknowledge the existence of such a question Accord .

ing to th eir doc trine this violence i s n o t comm itted by

,

men b ut b y some abstr action cal led Th e S tate And

,
-
.

similarly in all realms of knowledge the learned men

, ,

o f to day evade and are silent about th e essential ques

-

tions and hide the underlying contradic tions

,
.

I n the realm o f history the only essential question ,

1s
‘
How the workers (who form TQ% 96 t h s o f the whole
9

o f humanity ) live d ?
’
T0 this quest i on we get nothing
like an answer ; the question i s ignored while whole ,

mountains o f books are written by historians o f one

‘

school to tell o f the stomach aches of Louis X I the -

.

horrors committed by E lizabeth o f E n gland or Iv an the

Terrible o f R ussia o f wh o were their Ministers and of
, ,

what verses and com edies were written by literar y men

t o amuse these Kings and their mistresses and Mini s ters .
31 8 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S
Meanwhile the historians
,
another school t e ll u s of
in what sort o f country a people lived what they at e
what they sold what clothes they wore —and in general
, ,

about things that could have n o i nfluence o n th e

’
e
p p O l e s true life but were results
, o f their religion ,

which the historians o f this class ima gine to be its elf

a result o f the food the people ate and the clothes they
wore .

Yet an answer to the question : H o w did th e ‘

"
workers live E cannot be given till we acknowle dge
’
reli gion to be t h e essential con dition o f a people s life .

And the repl y is therefore to be foun d in the study

, ,

o f the r e l igi o u s believed in by the nations : f o r these

brou ght them to the position in which they lived .

In the study o fNatural History o n e woul d think th er e

’
was little need to darken men s common sense ; but -

even h ere following the bent o f mind which contem

,

p o rar
y science h as adopted instead o f giving the most
,

natural replies t o the q uestions : W hat is th e world ‘

o f living things (plants and animals ) an d how is it ,

subdivided P an idle confused and perfectly useless

’

, ,

chatter is started (directed chiefly against the Biblical

account o f the creation o f the world) as t o how
organisms came into ex istence —which , really o n e ,

neither nee ds to know nor can know fo r this origin , ,

however we may explain it always remains hidden ,

from u s in endless time and space But o n this them e .

,

theories and refuta tions and supplementary theories

are invented filling millions o f books the unexpecte d
, ,

result arrived at being That th e law o f life which man

should obey i s—th e struggle fo r existence
More than that the applied scien ces —su ch as
.

Technology and Medicine —in conse q uenc e o f the

,

absence o f any guidance from reli gious principle ,

inevi t abl y diverge from their reasonable purpose a n d

ta ke a false direction Thus Technology is directed .
,

not to lightening t h e toil o f the people but t o ,

achieving improvements needed only by th e rich and ,

which therefore will yet more widely separate the rich

from t h e p oor t h e masters from their slaves If som e
, .
 W HA T IS R E L IGI ON ? 31 9

a dvantage from the se inventions and improvements

some crumb s do reach the worki n g classes this i s n o t ,

at al l becau se they were intended fo r the people but ,

only because by their n ature they could n o t be kept

from t h e people .

It is the same with medical science which has a d ,

v an c e d i n it s false direction till it has reached a stage

at whi ch only th e ri ch can command it ; while from

thei r m ann e r o f life an d their poverty (and as a
.

result o f t h e fact that th e questions relating t o the

amelioration o fthe li fe o f the poor have been neglected )
the m ass o f the people can only avail th emselves o f it
under condi tions that m ost clearly sh ow h o w m edical
scienc e ha s diverged from it s true purpose .

But thi s avoi d ance and perversion o f essential q u es

tions i s most strikingly seen in what is now called
Philosophy There would seem t o be o n e essential
.

q uestion for philosoph y t o answer W hat must I do P

’

And in t he philosophy o f the C hristian nations answers

to this question —th o u gh combined with very much
that is u nnecessary and confused as in the case o f
.
,

S pino z a, Kant (in h is Cr i ti que of P r ac ti c a l R ea s o n )

S ch openha u er and particularly R ousseau —h ave at any
,

rate bee n given B u t latterly since Hegel (wh o

.
,

tau ght that whatever exi sts is reasonable) the question

W hat m u st we do ? h as been pushed into the back
’

ground and ph ilosoph y directs it s whole attention to

,

the investi g ation o f thi n gs as th ey are and to making ,

them fit i nto a prearranged theory That w as the first .

downward step Th e next step leading h um an th ought

.
,

t o a yet lower level w as t h e acknowledgm ent o f t h e

,

law o f th e stru ggle fo r existence as fundamental ,

merely because that struggl e can be observed amo n g

plants an d animals Under th e in fl uence o f that
.

theory it i s assu med that th e destructi on o f the

,

weakest is a law which sh ould not be ch ecked Final ] .

came the third step when t h e semi sane Nietzsch e s

,
-
’

p u erile e fforts at originality which do n o t even present

,

anything complete o r coherent b u t are as i t w e re ,

\

im moral o f fhand j otting s o f u tterly basele s s th o u gh ts

, ,
32 0 E S S AY S AN D LE TT E R S
were accepted by advanced people as the last word o f
philosophic science I n reply to the question : W hat
.
‘

must we do P the advice is now plainly o ffered : L ive

’ ‘

as you please payin g no att ention t o the lives o f

,
’
others .

If anyone doubted the terrible state o f stupefaction

and bestiality to which o u r Christian humanity has
descended —without speaking o f the crimes recently
committed in S outh Africa and China and w hich w ere ,

defended by priests and accepted as achievements by

all the great ones o f the earth —the extraordinary
success of the writings o f Nietzsche would alone su ffice
to supply an unanswerable proof S ome disj ointed
writings —
.

aimin g most obtrusively at e ffect— appear ,

written by a man su ffering from megalomania a bold ,

but limited and abnormal G erman Neither in talent .

nor by their validity have these writings any claim o n

public attention In the days o f Kant Leibnitz o r
.
, ,

Hume o r even fifty years ago such writings far from

, , ,

attractin g attention could not even have a p e are d

,
.

But in our days all the s e calle d educated c asses o f -

humanity are delighted with the ravings o f Mr .

Nietzsche ; they dispute about him an d explain him ,

and innumerable copies o f his works are printed in all

lan g uages .

To u rgé n e f humorously says that there are such

’
thi n gs as reversed platitudes and that they are ofte n ,

used by people lacking in talent but desirous o f ,

attractin g attention E veryone knows fo r insta nce

.
, ,

that water is wet : but suddenly someone seriously

asserts that water is dry—not i ce but water i s dr y ,

and su c h an O pinion if confidently expressed attracts

, ,

attention .

In the same way the wh ole world knows that virtue

consists in sub duing one s passions and in self—
,
’
renun ,

c i at i o n
. This is known n o t by Christians only (wi th
whom Nietz sche imagines he i s fi hting) but it is an ,

eternal and supreme law which a l humanity has r e

co gnised —i n B rahmanism B uddhism , Confu cianism , ,

and in the ancient Persian religion And su dde n l y a .

 W HA T IS R ELIGI ON P 32 1

m an appe ars who announce s h i s di scovery that self ~

renunciation mildness meekness l o ve t h at all these

, , ,
~

are vices which are ruining humanity (h e refers t o

,

Christianity forgetting all the other reli gions) I t i s

,
.

comprehensible that such an assertion should at first , ,

perplex people But after thinkin g a little and failing

.
,

to find in h is writings any proo fs supporting this vague

assertion every rational m an ought t o rej ect such
,

books an d only be surprised that nowadays there is n o

,

nonsense t o o arrant to fi n d a p u blisher W ith t h e .

works o f Nietz sche that cou r se has not been adopted .

Th e maj ority o f pseudo -enlightened people seriously

’
discuss the theory o f S uperhumanity and acclaim its ,

author a s a great philosopher a su cce ssor t o Descartes ,

Le i bnitz and Kant .

And all this h as happened because the maj ority of

pseu d o -e nl ightened men o f t o -day di slike an yt hing r e
mindin g th em o f virtue o r o f its chief basis : self
renunciation and love —things that restrain and c o n
,

dem u the animal life they lead ; an d they gladly wel

come a doctrine o f egotis m an d cruelty — however
p oorly u nintelligibly and disj ointedly expressed
,
’
which j ustifies the syste m of founding one s o wn happi
n ess and greatness upon t h e lives o f others the system
in which they live .

Christ reproached the scribes and Pharisees because ,

they took the keys o f the Kingdom of Heaven but ,

neither themselves entered in nor let others ente r .

Th e learned scribes of to day do the same they have -

now ta ken the keys n o t o f the Ki ngdom o f Heaven

,

but of enlightenment and neithe r enter in n o r let ,

ot h ers enter .

Th e hierophants the priests by all sorts o f d e c e p

, ,

ti on and hypnotism have instilled into people an idea

,

that Christianity is not a teaching proclaiming t h e

equality of all men and therefore destr u ctive o f the
,

whole present system of life but that o n the contrary , ,

322 E S S AY S A N D LE TT E R S

it supports the existing order o f things and bi ds u s

di fferentiate people like the sta rs and regard them as
belonging to di fferent orders —acknowledgi ng any
, ,

existing authority as ordained o f G o d and obeyi ng it ,

absolutely ; in fact suggesting to the O ppresse d that

,

their position i s what G o d wishes i t to be and that they ,

ought to put up with it meekly an d humbl y submi tting ,

t o their O ppress o rs who need n o t be meek o r humble

, ,

but should — as Emperors K i ngs Popes B ishops and

secular o r spiritual ma nate s o f various kinds —correct
, , , ,
g

others by teaching an d punishing them wh ile them ,

selves living in splendour and lux u ry whi ch it i s the

duty o f those in subj ection to supply And the ruling .

classes thanks to this false teaching which they strongly

,

support rule over the people obliging them t o furnish

, ,
’
means o f support fo r their rulers idleness luxury and ,

vices And the onl y men wh o have freed themselves

from this h ypnotism —the scientific people zt h o se there
.

fore who alone ar e able to free the people from their

oppression —do not do it though they say they wi sh to
,

but instead of doing what might attain that end they

, ,

do j ust the O pposite imagining that they thereby serve

,

the people
One would think these men —even from casually o b
.

serving what it is that those wh o hold the masses in

subj ection are most afraid o f—might s e e what really
m oves men and what really keeps them down in the
,

places they now occupy and would direct their wh ole

force to that source o f power They not only do not .

do this h owever but they consider such action qui t e

, ,

useless .

It is as if these men di d n o t wish to see the facts .

T h ey assiduously and sincerely do all sorts o f di fferent

, ,

things for t h e people but they do not do the o n e thing

,

primarily needful and their activity is like th e acti vity

o f a man trying to m ove a train by exerting his muscles ,

when he need only get upon the engine an d do what he

constantly sees the engine driver do : move a lever t o -

’
let steam into the cylinders That steam i s men s r e .

l i gi o u s conception o f life And they need o nl y notice .

 W H AT I S R ELIGI ON ? 323

the eag ern e s s wi th which thos e in au thority reta in con

trol of tha t m otive power b y means o f which the
-

r ul ers lord it over the masses —and the advanced men

will understand t o what they must dir e ct their e fforts
in order to free the e 0 ple from it s slavery .

W hat does the S n tan o f Turkey guard, a n d t o w hat

does he cling fo r support ? And wh y does t h e R u ssian
E mperor o n arriving at a town go first thing to kiss
, ,

an ic on o r the relic s o f some saint ? And why in spite ,

o f all t h e varnish o f culture h e s o prides hims e lf o n

does t he Ge rman Emperor in all h i s speeches —seas on
,

ably o r u nseasonably — speak o f G o d o f Christ o f t he , ,

sanctity o f religion o f oaths e t c ? S imply because

, , .

t hey all know th at their power rests o n the army and

t hat the a rmy—
,

t h e very possibil ity o f such a thing as

an a rm y existing—rests o n reli gion And if wealthy .

people are generally particularly devout making a

s how o f believing g oing t o Church an d observing the
S abbath —it i s all done chiefly beca use an instinct o f
, ,

self-preservation warns them that their exceptionally

a dvanta geous position in t h e community i s bound up

with the r eligion they profess .

Th e s e people o ften do not know in wh a t way their

privileges rest o n religio u s deception but their instinct ,

o f s e lf-preservatio n warns them o f the weak spot in

that o n which their pow e r rests and they first o f all ,

defend th at place W ithin cert a in limits these people

.

a lways allow and have allowed soci a listic and even r e

, ,

v o l u t i o n ar propaganda ; but the foundations o f religion

y
they never allow t o be touched .

'

And therefor e if history and psychology d o n o t

su ffi ce t o enable the advanced men o f to day —the
,
-

learned the L iberals the S ocialists the R evolutionists

and Anarchists—to discover what it is t hat moves the
, , ,

people this visible indication should su ffi ce t o co nvince

,

them that t he motive power lies n o t in m ateria l c o n ,

d it i o n s but on l y in religion
,
.

Yet strange t o say the learned advance d pe O pl e o f

, , ,

to day who understand and discuss the conditions o f

-
,

li fe o f various nations very ac u tely do n o t see wha t is ,

x 2
32 4 E S S AY S AN D LETT E R S
’
so obvious that it strikes one s eye If these men i n t e n .

t i o n a ll y leave the people in their religious ignorance fo r

the sake o f retaining their o wn profitable position
among the minority — this is a te rrible a revolting
, ,

fraud Me n who act so are the very h y o c rit e s Christ

especially denounced the only p e e pl c Ile did in fact
—
.

denounce —and H e denounced them because n o monsters

o r malefactors ever b r o u gh t s o much evil i n t o human

life as is brought by these men .

B u t if they are sincere the only e xplanation o f s o

,

stran ge an eclipse o f re ason i s that j ust as the mass e s ,

are hypnoti z e d by a false rel igion , so also ar e the pseudo

enlightened men o f t o day h ypnoti z ed by a false science
-

which has deci ded that t h e chief motor -nerve that n o w ,

as heretofore actuates humanity, has become altogethe r

useless and can be replaced by something else
,
.

XIII .

This delusion o r deceit of the s crib e s —the educated

men of o u r world —i s the peculiarity o f o u r times and ,

in this lies the cause o f the miserable condition in which

Christian humanity n o w lives as well as o f the bruta li z a ,

tion into which it is sinking deeper an d deeper .

I t i s usual for the advanced e ducat ed classes o f o u r ,

world to assert that the false religious beliefs held by

the masses are o f no special importance and that it i s ,

not worth while and is unnecessary to struggle agai nst

, ,

them directly as was done by Hum e , Volta ire R ousseau

and others S cience they think —that is to say the
, ,

.
, ,

dis c onnected casual information they disseminate

among the people —will o f itself atta in that end and
,

man havin g learned how many mi l lion miles it is

,

from the e a rth to the s u n , and what meta ls exist in the

s u n and the stars , will ceas e t o b elieve i n Ch u rch
doctrines .

This sincere o r insin cere , assertion o r assumption

,

covers either a great delusion o r a terrible de ception

From the very earliest year s o f childhood —t h e years
.

most susceptible t o suggestion whe n those wh o trai n ,

 W HAT IS R ELIGION ? 32 5

children cannot b e s u ffi ciently careful what they trans :

mit to them — a child i s b y n o t iz e d with the absurd

immoral dogmas o f so called C
,

hristi a n reli gion i rr e c o n

-
,

c il ab l e with o u r r e a son and k n o w l e d e He is ta ught

the dogma o f the Trinity which health y reason cann o t
.

hol d ; the coming o f o n e o f the three G ods to earth

for the salvation o fthe human race and his r es urrection ,

an d ascent into heaven ; i s taught to expect a second

coming and punishment in eternal torments fo r dis
,

belief i n thes e dogmas ; also he i s ta ught t o pray for

what he wants an d many other things And when all .

(
this incompatible as it is wi th reason, contemporary
’
know edge and man s conscience ) is indelibly stamped
,
’
o n the child s impr e ssionable mind h e i s left to himself ,

t o fin d h i s way as h e can amid the contradictions which

flow from these do gmas h e h as accepted and assimilated
a
s
unquestionable truths N o o n e tells him h o w he
.

may or shoul d reconcile these contradiction s o r if the

theologians do try t o r e concile them their attempts ,

onl confuse t h e matt er m ore than before S o little

by li t tle the man becomes accustomed to suppose (and
.
,

the theol ogians strongly support this notion ) that reason

canno t be trusted and therefore anythi n g is possible
, ,

and that there i s no capacity in man by means o f which

he can himself distinguish good from evil o r falsehood ,

from truth and that in what is most important for him

—his actions —h e shoul d be guided n o t by h is reason ,

bu t b what others t e l l him It is evident what a

.

’
t e r r i b e perversion o f man s spiritual world such an
e ducation must prod uce reinfor ce d as it i s in adult life
,

by al l the means o f hypnotization wh ich by the ai d o f ,

the priests is continually exercised upon the people

,
.

If a m an o f strong Spirit with great labour and ,

su ffering does succeed in freeing himself from the

,

hypnotism in which he h as been educated in childhood

and held in m atur e life t h e perversion o f h is mind
, ,

produced by the persuasion tha t he must distrust h is o wn

re ason c an st ill n o t pass without leaving traces —j ust
,

as in the physical world the poisoning o f an organism

wi th some po w erful virus cannot pass without leavi n g
32 6 E S S AY S AND LE TT E R S

it s trace It . is natural for s u ch a man having freed ,

h imself from the hypnotism o f this deceit and hatin g ,

the falsehood from which he has j ust escaped to a de pt ,

the view advocated by advanced men and t o regard ,

every religion as an obstacle in the path alon g which ,

humanity i s pro gressing A n d having adopte d that .

O pinion such a man becomes like his teachers devoi d

o f principle —that is devoid o fconscience and gu i ded in
, , ,

, ,

life merely by h is desires N o r does he condemn h im

.

self for this but he considers that it places h im o n t h e

,

highest plane o f mental development atta inable by man .

Th at is what may happen with men o f strong minds .

Th e less strong though they may be roused to do u bts

, ,

wil l never completely free themselves from the de c e p

tion in which they wer e brou ght up but adoptin g o r
i n v e nting various cunningly devised cloudy theories to -
,

j ustify the absurd dogmas they have accepted and ,

living in a Sphere O f doubts mist sophistries and self , ,

deception they will c o operate in the m y st ifi c at i o n o f

,
-

the masses and O ppose their enlightenment .

But the maj ority o f men having neither the strength ,

n o r the O pportunity to struggle against the h ypnotism

exercised over them wi ll live and di e generation after

generation as they n o w do — deprived o f man s high est
,
’

welfare whi ch is a truly reli g ious understa n din g O f life

,
-
and will remain docile tools o f t h e cl as ses tha t rule
O ver them and deceive them .

And it i s this terrible deception that advanced an d

learned men consider unimporta nt and not worth ,

directly attacking Th e only explanation o f such an

.

assertion if those w ho make it are sincere i s that they

, , ,

are themselves under the hypnotism o f a false science

but if they are n o t sincere then their conduct is ex ,

plained by the fact that an atta ck o n esta blished beliefs

is unprofitable and often dan g erous I n any case one .
,

way or another the assertion that the profession o f a

false reli gion does no harm —o r th ough harmful i s n u
,

important—and that o n e can therefore disseminate

enlightenment without destroying religiou s deception ,
is q uite untru e .
 W HA T I S R ELIGION ? 32 7

Mankind can be
saved from it s ills onl y by being
freed both from the hypnotism i n which the priests
are h olding it and from that into which the learned
,

are leading it To po u r anyt hing int o a full bottle o n e

.

must first empty o u t what it contains A nd similarly .

it i s necessary t o free men from the deception O f thei r

false faith in order that they m a y b e able t o adopt a
,

true religion that is a correct relation (in accord with

,

the development h umanity h as attained ) towards the

S ource o f all — towards God ; and that from this rela
tion , th ey may obtain guidanc e fo r their actions .

X I V.

But i s there any true religio n ? R eligi ons are

endlessly various and w e have n o right to call o n e o f
,

them true j ust because it m ost nearly suits o u r own

taste —
,
’
,
i s w hat people say who look at the extern al
forms of reli gi on as at som e di sease from which they
feel themselves free but from which other people st ill
,

su ffer B u t this i s a mistake ; religions di ffer in their

.

external forms b u t th ey are all alike in their funda

,

mental principles And it i s these principles that are

.
,

fu ndamenta l to all religions that form the true religio n ,

which alone at the present time i s suitable fo r u s all ,

an d the adoption o f which alon e can sav e men from .

their ill s .

Mankind h as lived long and j u st as it has produ ced

,

an d im proved its practical i n ventions thro ugh su c

cessiv a generations so also it could not fail t o produce
,

and improve those Spiritual princi l e s which have

formed the bases o f it s life as we ll as the rules o f ,

conduc t that res u lted from those pri nciples If blind .

men d o n o t see these that does n o t prove that they d o

,

n o t e xist .

This religi on o f o u r times common t o a ll men exists

—n o t as some sect with all its pec u l iarities and perver, ,

sions but as a religion consisting o f th ose principles

,

which are alike in al l the widespread religi ons known t o

u s and professed by mor e than nine-tenths O f the
,
32 8 E S S AY S AN D LET TE R S

huma n race ; and that men are not yet complete ]

brutalized is due to the fact that the best men O f af l
nations hol d to this reli gi on and profess it even if ,

unconsciously and only the h ypnotic deception prae

,

t i se d Io n men by the ai d o f the priests and scientist s

now hinders men from consciously adopting it .

The principles o f this true reli gion are so natural to

men that as soon as they are put before them they
,

are accepted as something u ite familiar and self

evident For us the true re igi o n is Christianity
.

those o f its principles in whi ch it agrees not wi th the ,

external forms but with the basic principles o f Brah

,

manism Confucianism Taoism Hebraism Buddhism

, , , , ,

and even Mohammedanism And j ust in the same .

way for those who profess Brahmanism Confucianism

, , ,

etc true religion is that o f which the basic principles

.
-

agree with th ose o f all other reli i ons And these g

principles are very simple intelligib le and clear

.

.
,

These principles are that there is a G o d the ori gi n ,

of all things ; that in man dwells a spark that

Divine Origin which man by h i s way o f living can, , ,

increase or decrease in himself ; that t o increase thi s

divine s ark m an must suppress h is passions and
increa s e love in himself and that the practical means
to a t tain this res ul t is to do to others as you would they
should do to you All these principles are common to .

Brahmanism Hebraism Confucianism and Moham , , ,

m e d an ism (I f Buddhism
. supplies n o definition o f
G o d it nevertheless acknowled ges Th at with which
,

man commingles and into W hich he is absorbed when ,

he at ta ins to Nirvana S o That with which man c o m .

,

mingles or into W h ich he is absorbed in Nirvana is

, ,

the sam e O rigin that i s called G o d in Hebraism Christ ,

ia n it y and Mohammedanism )
, .

But that is not religion 1 s what men o f to-day will ,

say wh o are acc u stomed to consider that the super

,

natural i e the unmeaning is the chief Sign o f

,
.
.
, ,

religion That i s anything you like : philosophy

‘

ethics ratiocination —but not religion

.
,
’
,
R eligion .
,

accordin g to the m m u st be absurd and un intelligible ,

 W H AT I S R ELI GION ? 329

(Cr edo gw a ) it w a s only fr om Yet

thes e
‘

a bs u r du m .

very principles o r rather in consequence O f their being

preached as religiou s doctrines that—b y a long process
,

o f perversion —al l those absurd miracl es and super

,

nat u ral occurrences were elaborated w hich are no w ,

considered to be the fu ndamenta l signs O f every religion .

To assert that the supernatural and irrational form the

essential characteristic o f r e li gion is like observing
only rotten apples and then assert ing that a flabby
,

bitterness and a harmful e ffect o n the stomach are the

prime characteristics o f the fruit called Apple .

’
R eli gi on i s the definition o f man s relation to the
’
S ource o f al l things and o f man s purpose in life
,

which res u lts from that relati on and it supplies rule s

o f con duct resulting from that purpose And t h e .

universal reli gion w h ose first principles are alike in all

t h e faiths fully meets the demands o f this understand
,

ing o f religion It defines the relation of man to God

.
,

as being tha t of a part to the w hole from this relation

it dedu ces man s purpose w hich is t o increase the
’
,

divine element in himself ; an d this purpose involves

pr a ctical demands o n man in accord with the r u l e : ,

DO t o others as yo u w ish them to do to y o u .

People often doubt and I myself at o n e time do u bted

, ,

whether such an abstract rule as Do t o others as yo u ,

wi sh them t o do to yo u can be as obligatory a rule and

,

g u i de fo r action as the simpler rules to fast pray and , ,

ta ke communion etc But an irrefuta ble reply to that

,
.

doubt is supplied fo r instance by the spiritual condi

, ,

tion o f a R ussian peasant who would rather die than

spit o u t the S acrament o n to a manure heap but -
,

wh o yet at the comm an d O f men is ready t o kill his

, ,

brothers .

W h y sho ul d de m ands fl owing from the rule of doing

t o others as you wish them t o do to you — such for ,

instance as : n o t killing one s brother man n o t reviling

,
’

, ,
’
n o t com m itt ing adultery n o t reven ing one s self not
g , ,

ta king advantage O f the need O f one s brethren t o ’

s atisfy one s o wn caprice an d many others —

’
why , ,

should n o t they b e instilled as forcibly and become as ,

330 E S S AY S AND LE TT E R S

bin din g and inviolable a s the belief in t h e sanctity O f ,

th e S acraments or O f images e tc now i s to men

, ,
.

wh ose faith is founded more o n cred ul ity than o n an y

clear inward consciousness .

Th e truths o f the religion co m m on to all men o f o u r

time are so simple so intelli gible and so near t h e , ,

heart O f each man that it would see m only necessary ,

for parents rulers and teachers to instil into ch i ldren

and adults —instead o f the obsolete and abs u rd d o c
,

trines in which they themselves O ften do n o t believe

,

about Trinities virgin mothers redemptions l n dr as

,
-
, , ,

Trimurti and about B uddh as and Mohammeds wh o fl y

—
,

away into the sky those clear and simple truths the ,

metaphysical essence o f which i s that the spirit o f G o d ,

dwells in man and the practical rule o f which i s that ,

man should do to others as he wishes the m t o do t o

him —for the whole life o f humanity t o change I f
onl y —in the same way that the belief i s n o w instilled
.

i nto children and confirmed in ad u lts that G o d sent ,

H i s son t o redeem Adam s si n and that He established

’
,

H i s Church which must be obeyed ; as w e ll as rules

deduced from these be l iefs tell i ng when and where t o
pray and make o fferings when t o refrain fro m such and
such food and o n what days to abstai n from w ork —if
,

only it were instilled and co n firmed that G o d is a spirit

wh ose manifestation i s present in u s the strength o f ,

which we can increase by o u r lives if onl y this and al l

that naturall y flows from this were i nstilled in the ,

sam e way that quite useless stories o f impossible occur

renees and rules o f meaningless ceremonies deduced
from those stories are now instilled —then instea d o f
,

, ,

purposeless strife and discord we Sho u ld very soon ,

(without the aid o f diplomatis t s international law , ,

peace c o n gresses political economist s and S ocialists

-
, ,

in all their various subdivisions ) se e humanity living

a peaceful united and happy life gu i de d b y the o n e
, ,
‘

reli gion .
 W H AT I S R ELIGI ON ? 331

But nothing o f the kind i s don e : n o t only is th e

deception o f false religion not destroyed an d the true ,

one not preached but o n the contrary men depart , , ,

further and further away from the possibility o f accept

i n g the truth .

Th e chief cause o f people n o t doi n g w hat is s o

natural necessary and possible is that men to day
, , ,
-
,

i n consequence o f having lived long wi th ou t religion ,

are s o accustomed to establish and defend their exist

ence b y violence by bayonets bullets prisons and
_
, , , ,

gal lows that it seems t o them a s i f such an arrange

,

ment o f life were n o t only normal b ut were the only ,

one possible N o t only do those who profit by th e

.

existing order think so but those even wh o su ffer from ,

it are so st u pe fie d by the hyp notism exercised upon

them that they also consider violence t o be the only
,

means o f securing good order i n human society Yet .

it i s j ust this arrangement and maintenance O f the

commonweal by violence that d oes most t o hinder ,

people from comprehending the causes O f their s u fl e r

i n gs and co nsequently fro m being able t o estab l ish a
,

true order .

Th e results o f it are such as mi g ht be produced by a

bad o r malicious doctor w h o shoul d drive a malignant
eruption inwards thereby ch eating the sick man and
, ,

making the disease worse and its cure impossible .

To people o f the ruling classes who enslave t h e ,

masses and think and say : A p r es n o u s l c it ‘

seems very convenient by m eans o f th e army the ,

priesth ood the soldiers and the police as w e ll as by

, , ,

threats o f bayonets bullets prisons workhouses and , , , ,

g all ows to compel the enslaved people to remain in

,

stupefaction and enslavement an d n o t to hinder the ,

rulers from exploiti n g them And the ruling men do .

this calling it the mainten a nce o f good order but there

, ,

nothing that s o h i n ders the establishment O f a good

social order as this does I n reality, far from bein g .

Madam e de P om p ad o ur
’
s rem ark ,
"
Aft er m e (u s ) t h e
d e l u ge
’
.
332 E S S A YS AN D LE TT E R S

the establishment o f good order it is the establishme nt

,

of evil
.

If men O f o u r Christian nations still possessing some ,

remnants of those religi ous principles which in spite of

everything yet live in the people had not before them ,

the continual example o f cri m e committed by those who

have assumed the duty o f guar di ng order an d morality
among men —t h e wars executions prisons ta xa t io n
, , , ,

sale O f intoxicants and of O pium — they wo u ld never have

thought of commit t ing one o n e hundredth of the evil
-

deeds —the frauds vi olence and murders —which they

,

now commit in full con fi dence that such deeds are

good an d natural for men to commit .

Th e law O f h uman life is such that the only way to ,

improve it whether fo r the individual or for a society

,

o f men i s by means of inward moral growt h towards

, ,

perfection All attempts of men to better their lives

by external action — b y violence —serve as the most
.

e ffi cacious propaganda and example of evil and there ,

fore not only do not improve life but o n the contrary , , ,

increase the evil which like a snowball gro w s larger

, ,

an d larger and removes men more an d more from the

,

only possible way of truly bettering their lives .

In proportion as the practice O f violence a n d crime ,

committed in the name o f the law by the guardians O f

order and morality becomes more and more frequent
,

an d cruel and is more and more j ustified by the h ypn o

,

t is m O f falsehood presented as reli g ion men will be ,

more and more confirmed in the belief that the law of

their life is not o n e of love and service to their fellows
but is o n e demanding that they Sho u ld s t rive with an d ,

de vour one another

,
.

An d the more they are confirmed in that th ought ,

which de grades them to the plane o f the beasts the ,

harder will it be to shake o ff the hypnoti c trance in

which they are living and to accept as the basis of
,

their life the true religion o f o u r time common t o all ,

humanity .

A vicious circle has been established the absence of

reli g ion makes possible an animal life based o n violence
 W H AT IS R E L I G I ON 333

an ani m al life based o n violence makes emancipation

from h yp n otism and an adoption o f true re l igi on m ore
and more impossible And , therefore men do n o t do
.
,

what i s natural possible and necessary in o u r times :

,

do not de s troy the deception and simulacrum o f

religi o n , and do n o t assimilate an d preach the true
religion .

Is any issue from this enchanted circle possible and ,

if so what i s it ?
,

At first it seems as if the G overnments which have ,

ta ken o n themselves the d u ty o f guiding the life of the

peo ple fo r their benefit sh ould lead us out o f this
,

circ l e That i s what m e n wh o have tried to alter the

.

arrangements o f life foun ded on v iolence and to replace ,

them by a reasonable arrangement based o n mutual

service and love have always supposed S o thought
,
.

the Christian reformers and the founders o f various

,

theories of E uropean Com m unis m and s o also thought ,

M
the celebrated Chinese reformer o T w h o fo r the i *
,

w elfare o f the people proposed t o the Government not

to teach school -chil dren military sciences and exercises ,

and not t o give rewards to adults for military achieve

ments but to teach children and adults the rules of
,

esteem and love and give rewards and encouragement

,

for feats o f love S o also thought and think many

.
, ,

religious peasant reformers o f whom I have known and

-
,

now know several beginning with S o u t aye f and ending

,

with an o l d man who has now five times presented a

petition t o the E mperor asking him to decree the ,

abrogation o f false religion and to order that true ,

Chr i stianity be preached

It seems to men natural that the Government —which
.

j u stifies i ts existence o n the score o f it s care for the

welfare of the people m ust t o secure th at welfare
-
, ,

wish to u se the only means which can never do people

Mo Ti (o r Mi h Te ih ) liv e d a littl e b efo re Men ciu s (ab o ut
37 2 2 8 9 wh o wr o t e agai n st t h e fo rm er s d o ctri n e o f
’
-

u n iv ersal l o v e .
334 E S S AY S AN D L ETT E RS

an y harm an d can onl y produce the most fruitful

,

results Government however has n o t only never

.
, ,

take n upon itself t his duty but o n the contrary has , , ,

always and everywhere maintained with the greatest

jealousy any false c fl e t e religion prevalent at the period
, ,

and has in every way persecuted those wh o have tried

to inform the people o f the prin ciples o f true reli gi on .

I n reality this cannot be otherwise ; fo r G o v e r n m e n t s ~

to expose the falsity o f the present reli gions and to ,

preach the true o n e would be as if a man were to cut

,

down the branch o n which he is sitting .

B u t if Government will not do this work it woul d

seem certain that those learned m en —wh o having
,

freed themselves from the deception o f false religion ,

sa y they wish to serve the common people wh ose labour

has provided for their education and support—are
bound to do i t B u t these men like the G overnment
.
, ,

do not do it first because they consider it inexpedient

,

to risk unpleasantness and to su ffe r the danger o f per m

se c u t i o n at the hands o f the ruling classes for exposing

a fraud which Government protects and which i n , ,

their O pinion will disappear o f itself ; secondly b e

, ,

cause considering all religi on t o be an e ffete error

, ,

they have noth ing to o ffer the people in place o f the

deception they are expecte d to destroy .

T here remain those great masses of u nlearned men

who are under the hypnotic influence o f Church and
Government deception and who therefore believe that ,

the simulacrum of religion whi ch has been instilled i nto

the m is the one true religion and that there is and can be ,

no other T hese masses are under a consta nt and intense

.

hyp notic influence Generation after generation they

.

are born and live and die in the st u p e fie d condition in

which they are kept by the clergy an d the Govern
ment and if they free themselves from that i n fl uence ,

they are sure t o fall into the school o f the scie n tists
.

who deny religion — when their in fl uence becomes as

useless and harmful as the influence o f their teachers .

S o that for some men the work is unprofitable while ,

for others it is impossible .

 W H AT IS RE L IG I O N ? 335

VI I ‘

X .

It looks as if n o issue were possibl e .

And i ndeed fo r irreligious men there is n o t and can ,

n o t be any i ssu e from this position

, those w h o belong
t o t h e higher gov e rning classes , e v e n if they pretend
,

t o b e concerned fo r the welfar e o f the masses will ,

never serio u sly attempt (guided by worldly aims they

,

cannot do it) t o de stroy the stupefaction an d servitude

in which thes e m a sses live and which make it possible
,

fo r t h e u pper classes t o rule over them I n th e same .

way men belon ging t o the enslaved masses cannot

, ,

while gu ided by w orl dl y motives wish t o mak e their ,

o w n hard positio n harder by entering o n a stru ggle

against the upper classes t o expose a false teach ing
,

and to preach a tr ue o n e Neither o fthese sets o fm en

.

have any motive t o do this and if they are intelligent

,

they will n e ver attempt it .

But it is otherwise for religio u s people m e n such as

thos e wh o —however perverted a society may b e —are
al ways to b e foun d guarding wi th their lives the sacred

fire of religion without which human life co u ld n o t exist

,
.

Th ere are tim es (and o u r time i s such ) when these men

are unnoticed wh en —as among u s in R ussia —despised
and deri ded by all
,

their lives pass unrecorded i n —

exile in prisons and in penal battalions —yet they live
,

, , ,

and o n them depends the rational life o f humanity

A nd it is j ust these religious men —h owever few t hey
.

may b e wh o alone can and wi ll rend asunder that

-

e n chanted circle which keeps men bound They can .

do it because all the disadvantages an d dangers whic h

,

hinder a worldly man from opposing the existing order

o f society n o t only do n o t impede a religious man but
, ,

rather increase h is zeal in the struggle against false

h ood an d impel him t o confess b y word and deed what
,

h e h olds to be divine truth If he belongs to the ruling

.

classe s he will n o t only n o t wish t o hide the truth o u t

o f regard for his own advantageous position but o n , ,

t h e contrary having come to hate such advantages he

, ,

will exert his wh ole strength to free himself from them ,

336 E S S A Y S A N D LE TTE R S

and to preach the truth for he will n o longer have any ,

other a im in life than to serve God If he belongs to .

the enslaved then in the same way unbiassed by the

, ,

wish common among those o fh is position to improve

, ,

the conditions o f his physical life such a man will have ,

no aim but to fulfil the will o f G o d b y exposing false

hood and confessing truth and no su fferin gs o r threats
will make h im cease to live in accord with that purpose
which he h a s reco gnised in his life They will both .

a c t thus as naturally as a worldl y man e xerts h imself

’

and puts up with privations t o obta in riches o r to ,

please a ruler from whom he expects to receive a dvan

tages Every religious man act s thus because a hum a n
.
,

soul enlightened by religion n o longer lives merel y b y

the life of this world a s irreligious people do but l ives, ,

an eternal infinite li fe for which su ffering and death

, ,

in this life are as insignificant as are blisters o n his

hands o r weariness of limbs , t o a ploughman when he
,

is plough ing a field .

These are the men wh o will rend as u nder the

enchanted circle in which people are n o w confined .

However few such men there may be however humble ,

their social position however poor in ed u cation o r ,

ability as surely as fire lights the dry steppe so surely

, ,

wi l l these people se t the whole world afl a m e an d ,

ki ndle all the hearts o f men withered by long lack o f ,

reli gion and now thirsting fo r a renewal o f life

,
.

R eligion is not a belief settled once fo r all in certain , ,

supernatural occurrences supposed to have ta ken place

once upon a time n o r in the necessity for certain ,

prayers and ceremonies nor is it as the scientists ,

suppose a survival o f the superstitions o f ancient

,

i gnorance which in o u r time h as no meaning o r

,

application to life ; but religi on is a certain relation

of man to eternal life and to G o d a relation accordant ,

wit h reason and contemporary knowledge and it is the ,

o n e thin g that alone moves h u manity forward towards

i ts destined aim .

A wise H ebrew proverb says Th e soul o f m an i s the ,

lamp of G o d Ma n is a weak and mi serable animal

.
’
 W HA T I S R ELIGI O N ? 337

un til t h e light o f G o d burns i n his so u l B u t when .

that light burns (and it burns only in so u ls enl ightened

by religion ) man becomes the most powerful being in
the world N o r can this be otherwi se fo r what then
.
,

a cts in him i s no longe r his strength but is the stren th

, g
o f Go d .

So this is what religion is, and in wh a t it s essence

con s is t s .

[ Feb ru ary ,
1 9 02 ]
 XXI V

LE TTE R ON E DUCA TION

DE A R S .

I very glad t o have a serious conversation

w as
with X about the education o f chi ldren W hat he
. .

and I quite agree about but what is only nega tive i s , ,

*
that children should be taught a s i ttl e as p oss e l i bl .

That children should grow up witho u t having lea rnt

certain subj e cts i s n o t nearly so bad as what happens t o
nearly all children especiall y those whose education i s
,

directed by mothers wh o do not know the sub jects their

children learn —v iz they get e ducational i n diges ti o n
.
,

and come to detest education A child o r a man can .

,

learn when he h as an appetite fo r what he studies

W ithout appetite instruction is an evil —a terrible evil
.

causing people t o become mentally crippled Fo r .

Heaven s sake dear S if yo u do n o t quite agree with

’

,
.

me take my word for it that were it n o t a matter o f

, ,

such enormous importance I would not write to yo u

about it Above all believe yo u r husband, who sees
.
,

t h e thing quite reasonably .

B u t then comes the customary reply : If children

are n o t taught h o w are th ey to be occupied ? A r e
,

they to play knuckle bones with the village children -

,

and learn all sorts o f stupidities and nastin ess ? W ith

our squirely way o f life this reply h as some reasonable ,

ground But i s it really necessary to acc u stom child

.

ren to a squirely way o f li fe and to make them feel ,

that all their requirements are satisfied by someone ,

somehow, without their having t o take any part in t h e

Thi s is m e an t t o b e tak en c o m parativ e ly an d n o t
ab so lut e l y E l se w h ere To l s to y h as e xpr e sse d t h e o pin i o n
.

that a c hild m ay reaso n a bly do l esso n s fo r e i ght h o u rs a

day ; th o ugh h e sh o ul d n o t b e co m p ell ed t o l earn what he
.

d o es n o t wi sh t o l earn .

338
 LE TT E R ON EDUCA TION 339

w o rk ? I think t he firs t condition o f a good ed u cation

is th at t h e ch ild sho u ld know that all he uses does not
fall from heaven r e a dy-made but is produced by o ther ,
’
p e ople s labo u r To understan d th at all he lives o n
.

comes from the l a bo u r o f other people wh o neither

know n o r lov e h im i s t o o much for a ch ild (G o d grant
,

h e may u ndersta n d it w hen h e i s grown up ) ; but to

understand th at t h e chamber po t he u ses is emptied -

an d wiped w ithout any pleasure by a nurse o r a house

, ,

m aid and that the boots and goloshes h e always puts

me way—n o t o u t o f love
,

o n clean are cleaned in the s a

fo r him but fo r some oth e r reason quite unintelligible to
h im —is something h e can an d should understand a n d
,

o f which he should be ashamed If he is n o t asham ed .

an d i f he continues t o use them that is the very worst ,

c o m m e ncement o f a n education and leaves the deepest ,

traces fo r h is whole life To avoid that however is .

, ,

very si m ple and i s j ust what (to use poeti c language )

, ,

st andi n g o n the thresh ol d o f t h e grav e I beseech yo u ,

t o do for your children Let them do all they can for

.

th e mselves : carry o u t their o wn slops fill their o w n ,

j ugs wash up arrange their ro oms clean their boots

, , ,

an d clothes lay the table ,

etc Believe me that u n ,
.
,

i m port ant as these thi ngs m ay see m they are a hundred ,

’
ti m es m ore important fo r your children s happiness
tha n a knowledge o f French o r o f history etc It is , ,
.

t r u e that here the ch i ef di f fi culty crops up : childre n

do wi l lingly onl y what their parents do and therefore ,

I beg o f y o u do these things ,

This will e f fect t wo .

obj e cts at once : it makes it possible t o learn less by ,

filling the time in t h e m ost useful and natural way ,

and it trains the children to simplicity to work an d to , ,

self dependence Please do this Y o u will be gratified

-
. .

from the first m onth an d the chil dren yet m ore so If

, .

t o this y o u c a n add work o n the land if it be but a ,

kitchen garden that will b e well ; though it t o o often

-
,

becomes a mere pastime Th e necessity o f atten ding .

’
to one s o wn needs an d carryin g o u t one s o w n s10 p s is ’

admitted by all the best sch oo l s such as B e dal e s where , ,

the director o f th e school h imself takes a share in such

Y 2
34 0 E S S AY S A N D LE TTE R S

work Believe me that without that condition there is

.
,

n o possibility of a moral education a Christian educa ,

ti on or a consciousness of the fact that all men are

,

brothers and eq u als A child may yet understand that

a gr own u p man his father —a banker o r turner an
.

-
, ,

artist o r an overseer who by h is work fee ds the whole

family—may free himself from occupations which pre
,

vent his givin g all his time to h is profitable work But .

how can a child — as yet untried and unable to do any

thin g — explain to himself that others do fo r him what
he naturally shoul d do for hi m self ?
Th e only explanation fo r him i s tha t people are
divided into two classes —masters and slaves and
h owever much we may talk to him in words abo u t
equality and the brotherhood o f man all the condi ,

tions of his life from his getting up t o h is evening

, ,

meal show him the contrary

,
.

Not only does he cease t o believe what h is elders tell

him about morality he sees in the depth o f his soul
,

that all these teachings are mendacious and he ceases ,

to believe his parents and teachers and ceases even to ,

believe in the need for any kind o f morality whatever .

Yet one more consideration If it i s not possible to .

do all that I have mentioned at least one must se t ,

chil dren to do things the disadvantage o f n o t doing

’
which woul d be at once felt by the m if one s
clothes and boots for going o u t in are not cleaned o n e ,

must not go o u t ; if water h as n o t been fetch e d and

the crockery washed up there is nothing t o drink
,
.

Above all in this matter do not be afraid o f r i di cu l e

,
.

Nine tenths of all the bad things in th e world are done

-

be ca use not to do them would be hel d ridiculous .

Thi s l e tte r was written t o a n ear re l ati o n b el o n gi n g t o ,

t h e upp er c l ass o f R u s s i an s o ci e ty i n whi c h t h e childr e n

,

are gen e rally s e n t t o t h e hi gh s ch o o l s ( ym n a s i a ) w h e re

g ,

th e y are c ram m e d wi th m u c h k n o wl e dge ch i e fl y i n o rd er t o

,

pas s e x am i n a ti o n s an d t o o bt ai n c erta i n privil e ges

d i m i n ut i o n o f m ilit ary se rvic e ) Th e X m en ti o n e d i s t h e
’
. .

h u sban d o f t h e l ady addr esse d .

 XXV

AN APPEAL TO TH E C LE R GY

W H O E V E R you may b e : p ope s cardinals bishop s , , ,

s uperintendents r ie st s o r pastors o fwhatever Church

forego for a wh e your assurance that yo u —you in

, , , ,
'

particular —ar e the only t rue disciples o f the G o d

Christ appointed to preach his only true teaching a n d
,

r emember that before being popes cardinals bishops , , ,

o r s uperi ntendents etc you are first o f all men th at

,
.

is according t o your o w n teaching beings sent into

, ,

this w orld by God t o fulfil H is will ; remember this ,

and ask yourselves what yo u are doing Your whole .

li fe is devoted to preaching maintaining an d sprea d , ,

.

ing among men a teaching which you say was reveale d

to y o u by G o d Himself and is therefore the only o n e
, , ,

that i s true and br ings redemption .

In what then does this one true and redeeming

, ,

doctrine that yo u preach consist ? To whichever o n e

o f the s o called Christian Churches —R oman Cath olic
,

R usso Greek L utheran o r Anglican —yo u m ay belong

-
,
-
, , ,

y o u acknowledge that your t each ing is q u ite accurately

exp ressed in the articles o f belief formulated at t he
Co u nc il o f Nic ae a s ixteen h u ndred years ago Th e se .

a rti cles of belief ar e a s follows

Fi r s t There i s a G o d the father (the fi rst person of

a Trinity ) wh o has created the s k y an d the earth and
, ,

all the angels wh o live in the sk y .

S ec on d Th e re i s an only s o n o f G o d t h e father not ,

[ 34 1 ]
34 2 E S S A Y S A N D LE TTE R S

created but born (the second perso n o f the Trinity)

, .

Thro u gh this son the world was made .

Thi r d This son to save people fro m s in an d death

, ,

( y
b w hich they were all p u nished for the disobedi ence

of their forefather A dam ) cam e do wn t o the earth was

, ,

made flesh by the H oly Ghost an d the virgi n Mary and ,

became a man .

Fo u r th : This son was crucified fo r the sins o f men .

Fifth He su ffered and was buried and rose o n t h e ,

third day as had been foretold in Hebrew books

,

S i x th Having gone up into the sk y this so n seated ,

’
himself at his fathe r s right side .

S e ven th This s o n o f G o d w ill i n due ti m e co m e

, ,
again to the earth to j udge the living and the d e ad .

E ighth There i s a H ol y Ghost (the third person o f

the Trinity) wh o is e qual to the father, an d wh o spoke
,

through the r 0 ph e t s
N i n th (hel dby some o ft h e largest C h u rches ) There
.

is o n e holy infallible Churc h (o r mor e exactl y t h e

, , ,

Ch u rch to which he wh o makes the co n fessio n belon gs

is held to be unique holy and in fal libl e ) This Ch u rch
, , .

consists of all wh o believe in it li ving o r d ea d , .

Ten th (also for some o f the lar gest Ch u r ches ) There

e xists a S acrament o f B aptism by means o f which the
,

power o f the Holy Ghost i s communi ca ted t o those

wh o are baptized .

E l even th A t the second coming o f Ch rist t h e so ul s ,

o f the dead will r e enter their bo dies and these bodi e s

-
,

will be immor tal and

Twelfth : After the second coming the j ust will hav e ,

eternal l ife in paradise o n a new earth u nder a new sk y ,

and sinners will have etern al life in t h e torments o f

hell .

N ot to speak o f things ta ught by s o m e o f your

l a rgest Churches (the R oman Catholic and R usso Greek -

Orthodox ) — such as the belief in saints an d in the go o d ,

e ffects o f bowi ng t o their bodily remains an d t o r e p r e ,

s c utations o f the m as well as o f Jesus an d the moth e r

o f Go d — th e above twelve poin t s embrace t h e fun da
 A N A PPEAL TO TH E C LE R GY 343

mental positions o f that truth which yo u say has been

revealed t o yo u by God Himself fo r the redemption o f
m an . S ome o f y o u preach these doctrines simply as
they ar e expressed ; others try t o give them an alle
go r i c a l meaning more o r less in accord with present
day knowledge and common sense ; but yo u all alike -

are bou n d t o confes s and do confess these statements

, ,

to be the exact expression o f that uni que truth which

God Himself has revealed t o yo u and which yo u preach ,

t o m e n fo r their salvati on .

II .

Very well Y o u h ave h a d the o n e truth ca i ab l e o f

.

saving mankind revealed to yo u by G o d H im s e f It is .

n atural f o r men to strive tow a rds truth and when it ,

i s clearly presented t o them they are always glad to

accept it and t o be gu ided by it
,
.

And therefore to impart this saving truth revealed

, ,

t o y o u b y G o d Himself it would seem su f fi cient plainly

, ,

an d simply v erbally and through the Press

,
to com ,

m u n i c at e it with reasonable pers u as ion t o those cap able

o f receiving it .

B u t h ow hav e y o u preached this truth

From the time a society calling itself t h e Church
was formed your predecessors ta ught this truth ch iefl y
,

by violence They laid down t h e truth and punished

.
,

th ose w h o did n o t accept it (Millions and millions .

o f e o pl e have been tortured killed and burnt fo r n o t , ,

w i s ing t o accept it ) This method o f persecution

.
,

which wa s ev i dentl y n o t suited t o it s purpose came ,

i n course o f time to be less and less employed and is ,

n o w o f all the Christian Churches u sed I think

,
only , , ,

i n R ussia .

Another means was thro u gh external action o n

people s feelings —b y solemnity o f setting : with pic
’

tures statues sin gi n g music even dr amatic perform

, , , ,

an c e s and oratorical art

,
I n time this method also .
, ,

began t o be less and less use d I n Protesta nt countries

—
.

e xcept the orator s art it i s n o w but little used

’
-
34 4 E S S A Y S A N D LE TTE R S

though the S alvation Army which h as devised n e w

( ,

m ethods of external action o n the feelings supplie s an ,

exceptio n ) .

B u t all the stren gth o f the clergy i s n o w directed to

a third and most powerful method whi ch has always ,

been used and is now with special j ealousy reta ined by

,

the cler gy in their o w n hands This method is that o f .

instillin g Church doctrine into people who are n o t in a

position to j ud ge of what is given them fo r insta nce ,

into q uite uneducated workin g people w h o have n o ti m e

for thought and chiefly into childr en who accept i n
, ,

discriminately what is im parte d t o them an d o n whose

minds it remains permanently im pressed .

So that in o u r day your chief metho d o f im parting to

men the truth God has revealed t o you consists in ,

teaching this truth to uneducated adults and t o children ,

who do not reason but accept everything ,

.

This teaching generally be gi ns with what i s called

S cripture History that is to say with selected passa ges ,

from the B ible : the H ebrew books o f the O l d Testa

ment which according to your teaching are the work
o f the Holy G host and are therefore n o t only u n q u e s
,

t i o n ab l y true but also holy

,
From this history your .

pupil draws his first notions o f the world o f the li fe of ,

man o f good an d evil and of G o d

, ,
.

This S cripture H istory begins with a description o f

h o w G o d the ever —
,
livin g created the sk y and the earth,

years ago out of nothing ; h o w H e afterward s

created beasts fishes plants an d finally man : A dam
, , , ,
’
a n d A dam s wife w h o w as made o f o n e o f Adam s ribs
’
.
,

Then it describes how fearing lest the man and hi ,

wife shou l d eat an apple which ha d the magi c quality o f

g ivin g knowledge He forbade them t o eat that ap ple
,

how notwithsta nding this prohibition the first people

, ,

ate the apple and were therefore expelled from Para

,

dise ; and how all their descen da nts were therefore

cursed and the earth was cursed als o so that since then
, ,
 AN AP PEA L TO TH E C LE R GY 34 5

’
it h as g rown weeds Th e n
the li fe o f A dam s de.

s c e n dan t s i s describ e d they becam e so perverte d

ho w
that God n o t only drowned them all but drowned all
’
,

t h e an im a l s with them and left alive onl y Noah an d his ,

fa m ily an d the animals he took into the a rk Then it .

desc r ibes h o w G o d ch ose A braham alone o f all people ,

and made an agreement with him ; which agreement

was that Abraham was t o co n si der God to be God and , ,

Sign o f this was t o be circumcised On H is side

,
.

G o d undertook t o give Abraham a numerous progeny ,

an d t o pat roni z e him and all his o f

fspring Then it tells .

h o w God patroni z i n g Abraham and his descendants

, ,

p erformed o n their behalf most unnatural actions calle d

miracle s an d m ost terrible cruelties S o that the whole
,

o f this history — e xcepting certain stories

.

which are ,

sometimes nai ve (as the visit o f G o d with two a n gels t o

A braha m the marriage o f Isaac and oth ers ) and are
, , ,

s ometimes innocent but are often immoral (as t h e

,

swi n dl es o f God s favourite Jacob the cruelties o f

’

S amson and the cunning o f J o se ph ) —the whole of this

, ,

history from the plagues Moses called down upon t h e

,

Egyptians and t h e murder by an angel o f all their

,

firstborn to the fire that destroyed 2 50 conspirators

, ,

the tumbling into the gro und o f K orah Dathan an d , ,

Abiram and the destruction o f

,
men in a few
m inutes and o n to the sawing o f enem ies with s a ws
*
, ,

an d the execution o f the priests w h o di d n o t agree with

him by Elij ah (wh o rode up into the sk y) and to the ,

story o f Elisha wh o cursed the boys that laughed at

,

him so that they were torn in pieces and eaten by two

,

bears al l this history is a series o f miraculous occur

-

renees and o f te rrible crimes committed by the Hebre w ,

people by their leaders and b y God Himself

, ,
.

Fath er Jo h n o f K ro n s tadt h avi n g publ i sh e d an articl e

i n whi c h h e sa y s th at t h i s p assage s h o ws To l sto y s i gn o ran c e
’

of t he B ibl e , it m ay b e w e ll h ere t o q u o te 1 Chro n xx 3 : . .

A n d h e bro u ght fo rth t h e p e o pl e that wer e t h ere i n , an d

‘

cu t t he m wit h saw s , an d with h arro ws o f iro n , an d wit h

ax e s .A n d thu s did Da vid un t o al l t h e c iti es o f t h e
c hildren o f Am m o n
’
.
34 6 E S S AY S AND LE TT E R S

But your teaching o f the history yo u call sacred is

not limited to that Besides the history o f the Old
.

Testament you also impar t the New Testament t o

,

children and to i gnorant people in a way that mak e s ,

the importance o f the New Testament consist not in it s

moral teaching n o t in the S ermon o n the Mount b u t
, ,

in the conformity of the Gospels with th e stories o ft h e

Old Testament in the ful filment o f prophecies and i n
, ,

miracles the movement o f a sta r songs from the sk y

, , ,

talks with the devil the turning o f water in t o w ine

, ,

walking o n the water healings calling people back t o

, ,

life and finally the resurrection o f Jes u s hi m self, an d

, , ,

his flying up into the sky .

If all these stories both from the Old and N e w ,

Testaments were ta ught as a series o f fairy-tales eve n

, ,

then hardly any teacher would decide to tell them t o

children and adults he desired to e nl ighten But these .

tales are imparted to people unable t o rea son as though ,

they were the most trustworthy description o f the worl d

and its laws as if they gave the truest information
,

about the li v e s o f those w h o lived in former times o f

'

what should be considered good an d evil o f the exist ,

ence and nature o f God and o f the d uties o f man , .

People talk of harmful book s B u t i s there i n

Christendom a book that h as done more harm to man
kind than this terrible book , called S cripture History
from the Old and New Testaments A n d al l t h e men
and women o f Christendom hav e t o pass through a
course o f this S cripture History during their childhood ,

and this same history i s also taught to ignorant adults

as the first and most essential foundation o f kn o wl e dge
as the o n e , eternal tru th of God ,
.

You cannot introduce a foreign s u bsta nc e into a

living org anism without the organism su ffering and ,

Th e re feren c e h ere i s n o t t o t h e O l d an d N e w Tes ta

m e n t s i n th e ir en tire ty (t h e e xtrem e v a lu e o f m an y part s o f
which To l st o y d o e s n o t q u e s ti o n ) , but t o a c o m pil ati o n fo r
s c h o o l u se w hi c h i s l arge ly u se d i n pl ac e o f t h e B ibl e
,
.
 AN A PPEAL T0 TH E CLE R GY 34 7

someti m es perishing from it s e fforts t o rid itself o f this

,

foreign substance W hat terrible evil t o a man s mind

.
’

m ust then resu l t from t his rendering o f the teaching

o ft h e Old and New Testaments —
, ,

for e ign al ike t o present

day k n owledge an d to common -sense and to moral
feeling—an d instilled into him at a tim e when h e i s
, ,

unable to j udge but accepts all that i s giv e n him

Fo r a man —into whose mind h as been introduced as
,

sacred truths a belief i n the creatio n o f t h e world o u t

’
o f nothing years ago ; in the flood and No ah s ,

ark which accommodated all t h e animals ; in a Trinity ;

in A dam s fall in a n immaculate conception
’
in
’
Christ s miracles and in salvation fo r men by the
s acrifice o f h is death —for such a man the demands o f
,

reas o n ar e n o longer obligatory an d such a m an cannot ,

be s u r e o f an y tr u th I f the Trinity and an im m ac u

.
,

late conception and the salvation o f mankind by the

blood o f Jes u s ar e possible —then anything is possible
,

, ,

and the demands o f reason are n o t obligatory .

Drive a w edge betw e en the fl o o r boards o f a gran ary -

,

an d n o matter h o w much grain y o u may pour into the

granary it w ill n o t sta y there Just s o a head into
, .

which the wedge h as been driven o f a Trin ity o r o f a ,

G o d wh o b e came m an and redeemed the h u man race

by h i s s u ffe r ings and then flew u p into the sk y can n o ,

longer grasp any reasonable o r fir m understan ding o f

life.

H owever m uch y o u may pu t int o t he gra nary which

h as cracks in its floor all wi ll r u n o u t W hatever you
,
.

m ay put i nt o a mind which h as a ccepted nonsense as a

m att e r o f f a ith n othing wil l remai n in it
,
.

S uch a man if h e val u es h is b eliefs w ill inevitably

, , ,

al l h i s life long either be o n his guard (a s against

,

so m ething harmful ) against al l that might enlighten

h im an d destroy h i s superstitions o r —having onc e

fo r al l ass u med (and the pre a chers o f Church doctrine

wi ll a lway s encourage him in this) that re a so n is t h e
source o f e rror—h e will repudiate the only light gi ven
t o man t o enable him t o find h i s path o f life or most ,

te rrible o f al l he will b y cunni n g arg u m e n ta tion try

, , ,
348 ES SA YS A N D L E TTE R S

to demonstrate the reasonableness o f what is unreaso n

able and worst of all will di scard together with the
, , , ,

superstitions that were instilled into him all conscious ,

ness of the necessity for any faith whatever .

In either of these th ree cases a man into whom , ,

during childhood meaningless an d contradictory asser

,

tions have been instilled as religious truth — unless

with much e fl o rt and su ffering b e free himself from
’

them —is a man menta lly diseased S uch a man se e .

,

ing around him the constantly m ovi ng and changing

facts of life cannot with out a feeling o f desperatio n
,

watch this movement destroying h is conception o f life ,

and cannot but experience (openly o r secretly ) an u n

kindly feelin g towards those who c c O perate in this -

reas onable progr ess Nor can he help being a con .

scious partisan o f obscurity and lies against light and

truth .

And such the maj ority o f people in Christendom —b y

the inculcation o f nonsensi cal beliefs deprived fro m
childh ood o f the capacity to think clearly and fi rmly
actually are .

’
S uc h i s t h e evil done to man s mind by havin g it
im pre g nated with Church doctrines But much worse .

than th is is t he moral pe rversi on whic h th at impre gna

tion produces in man s so u l Every man comes into ’
.

the world with a consci ousness o f his dependence o n a

m ysterious al l power fu l S ource which has gi ven him
,
-

life and consciousness o f his equality with all men the

, ,

e q uality o f all men with one a nother a desire to love ,

and be loved a n d a cons ciousness o f the need o f

,

striving towar ds perfection B ut what do you instil .

into him P
I nstead o f the m ysterious S ource o f which he thinks
with reverence you tell him o f an an gry unj ust G o d
, , ,

w h o executes and torments p e o l e .

I n stead of the equality o f a men which the ch il d ,

and t h e simple man recognise with all their being you ,

te l l th em th at n o t only people but nations are unequal ; , ,

 AN A PPEAL TO TH E CLE R GY 34 9
-

that some o f them are loved and others are not loved
, ,

by G o d ; and that some people are called by G o d to

rule others t o subm it
,
.

I nstead o f that wish to love and to be loved which ,

forms the strongest desire in the soul o f every u n p e r ~

v e rted man you teach him tha t the relations between

,

men can only be based o n violence o n th reats o n , ,

executions and yo u tell h im that j udicial an d m ilitary

m urders are committed n o t only with the sanction but
at the co m mand o f G o d .

I n place o f the need o f self improvement you tell -

,
’
him that man s salvation lies in belief in the R e de m p
ti on and that by improvin g himself by h is o wn powers
, ,

without the aid o f prayers sacraments and belief in the

,

R edemption man i s guilty o f sinful pride and that

, . ,

fo r h i s salvati on man must trust n o t t o his own reason

'

but t o the comm a nds of the Church and must do what ,

sh e decrees .

It i s terrible to think o f the perversion o f th o u ght

and feeling produced in the soul o f a child o r an
ignorant adult by such teaching .

O nl y t o think o f the things I know o f that have ,

b een done in R ussia durin g the sixty years o f my con

s cious life and that are still being done
,

I n the theological colleges and among the bishops

, ,

l ea rned monks and missi o n aries hair splitti n g discus ,

-

sions o f i ntricate theological problems are carried o n

they talk o f reconciling moral an d do gmatic teachi ng ,

they dispute about the devel o p ment or immuta bility of

dogmas and discuss similar religious subtleties B u t
,
.

t o the hundred milli on populace all that is preached is

a belief in Iberian or Kazan ic ons o f the Mother o f
God a belief in relics in devils in the redemptive
, , ,

e ffi cacy o f having bread blessed and placing candles ,

and having prayers for the dead etc ; and not onl y is ,
.

this all preache d and practised but the i nviolability of

,

these popul ar superstitions i s guarded with particular

350 E S S AY S AND LETTE R S

j ealousy from any infringement A peasant has but t o .

’
omit to observe the name s day o f the local saint o r ,

to omit to invite to his house a wonder working ic on -

when it makes the round o f his village o r he has only

to work o n the Friday before S t E l ias s day—and he
,
’
.

will be d enounced and prosecuted and exile d Not

, , .

to speak o f sectarians being punished for n o t observing

the ceremonies o f the Ch urch they are tried for even ,

meeting together t o read the Gospels an d are punishe d ,

for that And the result o f all this activity is that

.

tens o f millions o f people including nearl y all the ,

pea sant women are n o t only ignorant o f Jesus but

, ,

have never even heard who he was o r that he existe d ,

.

This is hard to believe but it i s a fact which anyone,

can easily verify for himself .

L isten to what is said by the bishops and academicians

at their conferences read their magazines and you
, ,

would thi nk that the R ussian p riesthood pr ea ches a

faith which even if it be backward is still a Ch ristian
, ,

faith in which the G ospel truths find a place and are

,

taught to the people B u t watch the activity of the

.

clergy among the people and yo u wi l l se e that what ,

is reached and energetically inc u lcated is simply

ido latry : the elevation o f ic ons blessing of water the
, ,

, ,

carrying from house to house of miracle working ic ons -

,

the glorification of relics the wearing o f crosses and , ,

so forth ; whil e every at tempt t o understand th e real

m eaning o f Christianity is energetically persecuted .

W ithin m y recollection the R ussian labouring

classes have in a great measure lost the traits of true
, ,

Chri stianity which they formerly posse ss ed but wh i ch ,

are now carefully banished by the clergy .

Among the people there formerly existed (but n o w

only in o u t o f the way districts ) Christian le gends and
- - -

p roverbs verball y handed down from g eneration to

generation and these legends—such as the legend of
,

Christ wandering i n the guise o f a beggar o f the angel ,

’
who doubted God s mercy o f the craz y man who ,

dan ced at a drum sh 0 p and such sayings as

-
W ith
’ ’
o u t God o n e can t reach the threshold God is not in ,
 AN APPEAL TO TH E C LER GY 351

’ ’
mi ght but in right L ive till e v e live for ever etc
‘

— , .
, , ,

these legends and proverbs formed the spiritual food

o f the people .

Besides these there were C hristian customs

,
to
h ave pity o n a criminal o r a wanderer to give o f one s ,
’

last resources to a beggar a n d t o ask forgiveness o f a

,

m an o n e has o f fended .

A l l t h is is n o w forgotten and discarded It i s n o w

'

all r eplaced by learnin g by rote the Catechism the ,

triune compositio n o f the Trinity prayers before ,

lessons and prayers fo r teachers and for the Tsar etc

, , .

S o w ithi n m y recoll e ction the people have grown ever

, ,

r e ligiously coarser and more coarse

One part —most o f the women — remain as super
.

s t it i o u s as they were 6 00 years ago but without ,

that Christian s pirit which formerly permeated their

lives ; the other part which knows the Catechism by
,

heart are absolute at heists And all this i s consciously

, .

brought about by the clergy .

‘
B ut t hat applies t o R ussia i s what W estern
’

Europeans —Catholics and Protestants —will say B u t

,

I think th at t he same if not worse is happenin g in

, ,

Catholicism , with it s prohibition o f the Gospels and its

Notre Dames an d in Protestantism wit h its holy
-

idleness o n the S abbath day and its bibliolatry—that

,

i s i t s blind belief in the letter o f the B ible

, I thi nk .
,

in o n e form o r another it is the same through out the

,

u a s i -Christ i an w orld
q .

In proof o f this it is su ffi cient to remember the age

,

o l d fraud of the flame that kindles in Jer u salem o n t h e

day o f the R esurrection an d which no one o f the
Church people e xposes o r the faith in the R edemption ,

w hich is preached with peculiar energy in the very

l atest phases o f C hristian Protestan t ism .

But n o t only is the Church teaching harmful b yits

i rrationality and immorality it is specially harmful ,

b e cause people pro fessi n g this teach i n g while livi n g ,

 36 2 E S S AY S AN D LE TTE RS
without any moral demands t o r e strain them fe e l ,

u ite convi nced they are living a reall y Christia n

pife .

People live in insensate l u xury obtaining their ,

wealth by the labour of the humble poor and defend ,

ing themselves and their riches by policemen law ,

courts and executions— and the clergy in the name o f ,

Christ approve sanctify and bless this way o f life

, , , ,

merely advisin g the rich to allot a small part of wha t

they have s t olen to the service of those from whom they
continue t o steal (W hen slavery existed the clergy
.
,

a l w ays an d everywhere j ustified it and did not consi der ,

it inconsistent with Christianity ) .

People strive by force of arms b murder t o attain , ,

t heir covetous aims personal or p u ic and the cler g y

, ,

a pprove and in Christ s name bless preparations for

’

war and war itself and not onl y approve but often
, , ,

encourage these things holding war— that is murder ,

not to be contrary to Christianity

-
.

People wh o believe in s u ch teaching are n o t merel y

led by it i nto an evil way of life b u t are fully persuaded
,

t hat their evil life is a good one which there is n o n e ed

,

for them to a lter .

Nor is that all : the chief evil o f t his t eaching is that ,

i t is so skilfu lly interwoven with the exte rnal forms o f

Christianity that while professing it people think
, , ,

y o u r doctr ine is the one true Christianity and tha t ,

there is no o t her " It is not only that yo u have

diverted from men the spri n g of living water—wer e
that al l people might still find it —but yo u hav e
,

p oisoned i t with your teachings s o that people cannot ,

find any Christianity b u t this o n e poisoned by you r

inter pretations .

Th e Christianity preached by yo u i s a n inoc u lation of

false Christianity resemblin g the inoculation for small
(

pox or diphtheria and has the e ffect o f making thos e

,

w h o are inoculated imm u ne t o true Christianity .

People having for many genera tions b u ilt their live s

o n foundations irreconcilable with true Chris tianity ,

feel fu lly persuaded that they are living Christia n

 AN APPEAL TO TH E CLE R G Y 353

lives and th u s th ey are

, u nable to return to tru e
Christianity .

vm .

Thus it i s with those who profess your doctrines ;

but t here are oth ers w h o have emancipated them ,

selves from those doctrines the so ca ll ed unbelievers -

.

They (t hou gh in most cases m ore moral in their lives

than the maj ority o f th ose wh o profess Church do c
trines ) a s a result o f the spiritual ta int t o w hich th ey
,

w ere exposed in their childhood have an influence ,

o n their neighbours which is worse even than that o f

those wh o profess your te achi ngs They are specially .

harmful because having in childhood shared t h e mis

,

fort u n e o f the rest o f the inhabita nts o f Christe ndom

and been trained in the Church frauds they have so ,

identified Church teachings with Ch ristianity in their

own perception that they n o w cannot disti n guish t h e
,

o n e from t h e other and in rej ecti n g the false C h urch

,

teachin g th row away with it that true C h ristian teach

ing whi ch it has hi dden .

These people detesting the fraud that has caused

,

them s o much su ffering preach n o t only the useless ,

n ess but the harm fulness o f Ch ristianity and n o t o f ,

Ch ristianity only but o f any religion w h atever

,
.

R eligion in their percep t ion i s a remnant o f super

, ,

st i t i o n w hich may have been o f use t o people on ce but

, ,

n o w is simpl y h armful And so thei r doctrine is that

.
,

the q uicke r a n d more completely people free themselves

from every trace o f reli gious consciousness the better ,

it wi ll b e .

And preaching this e mancipation from all religion

they—including among them most educated and learned
,

men w h o therefore have the g reatest authority with

people sea rching fo r t he truth —conscio u sl y o r u n
, , ,

c onsciously b ecome most har m fu l preachers o f m oral

laxity .

By suggesting t o people that the m ost importa nt

mental characteristic o f ra tional creatures —that o f
ascertaining their relation to the S o u rce o f all things ,

2
354 E S S AY S A N D LE TTE R S

from which al one any firm moral laws can b e deduced

- is something man has outlived the deniers o f ,

religion involuntarily postulate as the basis of human

activity simpl y self love and t h e bodily appetites that
-
,

flow therefrom .

And among these people sprang up that teaching of

egotism evil an d hatred which (though it was always
, ,

present in hidden latent form in the life conceptio n o f

,
-

the materialists ) at first sh owed itself timidly but has ,

la tterly been s o vividly and deliberately expressed in

the doctrines o f Nietzsche and is now s ) reading s o
rapidly evoking the most coarsely animal and cruel
,

instincts in mankind .

S o that o n the o n e hand t h e so called believers find

, ,
-

complete approval o f their evil way o f life in your

teachin g which recognises as compatible with Christ
,

ian i t y those actions and conditions which are most

contrary to it ; while o n the other hand unbelievers , ,

arriving at the de n ial o f all religion as a consequence

o f your teaching —
,

wipe o u t all distinc tion between good

and evil preach a doctrine of inequality among men o f
, ,

egotism o f strife and o f the oppression of the weak by

the strong —and preach this as the highest tr u th attain
, ,

able by man .

IX

Y o u , and none but you by your teaching forcibly ,

insti l led into people are the cause o f this dreadful evil
,

from which they su ffer s o cruelly .

Most terrible o f all is the fact that wh ile cau sing ,

this evil you do n o t believe the teaching yo u preach

,

not only do n o t believe all the assertions o f which it is

composed but ofte n do n o t believe a single o n e o f
,

them .

I know that repeating the celebrated c r edo qu i a

,

a bs u r d u m many of you think that in spite o f every

, ,

thing yo u d o believe all that you preach But the

,
.

fact that you s ay yo u believe that God i s a Trinity o r ,

that the heavens opened and the voice o f G o d spoke

fro m up there or that J esus rose up into the heavens
,
 AN A PPEAL TO TH E CLE R GY 355

an d w i l l come fro m there j udg e all m ankind in their

to
bodies does n o t prove that you really believe that the
,

t hi ngs mentioned have occurred o r will occur Yo u , .

believ e yo u ought t o say that yo u believe these things

happened But y o u d o n o t believe them ; for the
.

assertions that G o d i s One an d Three that Jesus flew

up into the sk y and will come back from there t o '

j udge those wh o will rise i n their bodies — have for ,

y o,u n o meaning One

. may utter words that have no
sense but o n e cannot bel i eve what has n o sense It is
,
.

possibl e to believe th at the souls of the dead will pass

into other forms o f life pass into animals o r that the
, ,

a nnihilation o f the passions o r the attainment o f love , ,

i s the des tiny o f man o r it i s possible to believe simply

that G o d has forbidden u s t o kill men o r even that H e ,

forbids u s t o eat— and many other things may be

believed that do n o t involve self contradiction : but -

o n e cannot believe that G o d i s at the same time both , ,

One an d al so Three or that the sk y— which fo r u s is

,

no longer a thing that exists — O pened etc ,

.

Th e people o f former ages wh o framed these dogmas , ,

could bel ieve in them but yo u can n o longer do s o

, .

If you s a y you have faith in them yo u say so only ,

‘ ’
because y o u u se the word faith in o n e sense while ,

y o u apply t o it another One meaning . o f th e word

‘
faith refers t o a relation adopted by man towards
God which enables him t o define the meaning o f his
,

wh ole li fe and guides all his conscious actions Another

, .

’
m eaning o f th e word faith is the credul ous accept
‘

anc e o f assertions made by a certain person o r persons

I n the first sense the obj ects o f faith —though t he
.

,
’
definition o f man s relation to G o d and to the world is
generally accepted as framed by those who lived pre
v i o u s l y— are verified and accepted by reason .

But in the s econd sense the obj ects o f faith are n o t

,

only accepted independently o f reason but are accepted ,

o n the absolute condition that reason is not to be

a llowed t o question what i s asserted .

’
On this double meanin g o f the wo r d faith is ‘

fo u n ded that m isundersta ndin g which enables people t o

z 2
356 E S S AY S AN D L E TTE R S
’
say they believe or have faith i n propositions d evoid
,
‘
,

o f sense or involvin g a contradiction in terms And .

the fact tha t y o u are bl indly cr e dulo u s towards your

teachers is no proof that you have faith in what
bein g senseless a n d therefore supplying no meaning
, ,

either to your imagination o r your reaso n — cannot be

an obj ect o f faith .

Th e well known preacher P ere Didon in the intro

-
, ,

d u ction to his Vi e d e J es u s Chr ist announces that he -

,

b elieves not in some allegori cal sense but plainly

, ,

with out explana t ions that Ch rist havin g risen was

, , ,

c arried up i nto the s k y and si t s there at the right hand

,

of his father .

An illiterate S am ara peasan t o f my acquainta nce in ,

reply to the q uestion wh eth er h e believed i n G o d ,

simply and fi rmly replied as h is priest told me No,

‘
,
'

’
sinner that I am I don t believe ,
His disbe l ief in G o d
’
.

the peasant explained b y saying that o n e could n o t live

a s he was livin g i f one believed in God O n e scolds,
and grudges h elp to a beggar and envies and over eats , ,
-
,

and drinks stro n g drinks Could o n e do such things if .

one believed in God P ’

P é r e Di don a ffi rms that he has faith both in God and

in the ascension o f Jesus while the S am ara peasant ,

says h e does not believe in G o d since he does not obey ,

H i s commandments .

Evidently P é r e Di don does not even kno w w hat faith

is and only says he believes while th e S am ara peasant
,

knows what faith is an d though he says he does n o t

, ,

believe in God really believes in H im in the very way

,

t h at is true faith .

But
I know that arguments addressed to th e intellect
do not persuade —only feeling persuades and th e re for e
leaving arguments aside I appeal to y o u —whoever y o u
, ,

may be : pop e s bishops archdeacons priests o r what

not —
, , , ,

I appeal to your feeling s and to your conscience .

For you know that what you teach about the crea tio n
of the world, abo u t the inspiration o f the Bible by God ,
 AN APPEAL TO TH E C LE R G Y 357

and m u ch else is n o t true h o w then can yo u teach it

,

to l ittle children and to ignorant ad u lts w h o l ook to ,

yo u for tr u e enlightenment ?
Ask yourse lf with your hand o n your heart do yo u
, ,

believe what yo u preach ? If yo u reall y ask yourself

tha t q uestion not before men but before God remem
, ,

bering th e approach ing hour o f death yo u cannot but ,

Y o u d o n o t believe
’
answer N o I do not believe i t
,
f
,
.

in th e inspiration by G o d o f the w h ole of those writings

which yo u call sacred you do not believe all the
horrors and wonders o f the Old Testame n t y o u do n o t ,

believe in hell yo u do n o t believe i n an immaculate

,

conception in the resurrection an d ascension o f Christ

, ,

you do n o t believe in t h e ph ysical resurrection o f the

dead and in the triune p ersonality o f God—not only
,

do yo u not believe all t h e articles o f th e creed which

expresses the essence o f your fa i th but many o f yo u do ,

not even believe a si n gle o n e o f them .

Disbelief if but in a single do gm a involves disbelief

, ,

in t h e infallibility o f the C h u rch whi ch has se t u p the

do gm a y o u do n o t believ e But if yo u have n o t faith .

in the Church you will not believe in the dogmas sh e

,

set up .

I f yo u do n o t believe i f even you have any doubts

, ,

think what y o u are doing in preaching as divine u n

questionable truth —wh at you do n o t yourselves believe
n

,
L

and in preaching it by methods wh ich are exceptional

and unfai r methods such as y o u employ And do not .

say y o u ca nnot take o n yourselves th e responsibility o f

d epriv in g people o f inti m ate union with the great o r
small number o f your c o religioni sts That is not fair - . .

By instilling into them your special faith you are doing ,

j ust what yo u say y o u do n o t wish to d o yo u are de

p r i v in g people o f their n atural union with all mankind ,

a n d are c onfining them within the narrow limits o f your

single sect thereby involuntarily and inevitably placing

,

them if n o t in a hostile at least i n an alien attitude

, ,

towards everyone else .

I know that y o u do n o t conscio usly do th is terrible

t hing . I know that yo u you rs elves fo r t h e most part , ,
358 E S S AY S AND LET TE R S

are entangled hypnotized and o ften so situated that

, ,

for you to confess the truth would mean t o condem n

all your former activity t h e a c t ivit sometim e s o f
,

several decades I k now h o w di ifi c u t j u st fo r yo u

.
, ,

with the trainin g you have had and especially with th e ,

assurance common among yo u that yo u are the i n fal

l ib l e successors o f the G o d Christ —I know how di ffi cult
,
-

it will be for yo u to face sober realities and t o confess

yourselves wandering sinners engaged in o n e o f th e ,

worst activities a man can possibly pursue .

I know all the di fficulties o f your position ; b u t r e

m e m b e rin the words o f the Gospels yo u acknowledge
g
as divine — that G o d rej oices more over o n e sinner that
repenteth than over a hundred righteous persons—I
th ink that for each o n e o f yo u , whatever his position
may be it should be easier t o repent and to cease t o
, ,

ta ke part in what y o u are do in g, than n o t believing t o , ,

continue to do it .

W hoever you may be : popes car di nals metropoli , ,

tans archbishops bishops, sup e rintendents priests , o r

, , ,

pastors— think o f this

If you belong to those o f t h e clergy—o f whom there
.

are unfortunately in o u r days very many (and continu

ally more and more ) — who see clearly h o w obsolete ,

irrational and immoral is the Chu r c h te aching but

, ,

who without believing in it still from per s onal motiv e s

, ,

(for their salaries as priests o r bishops ) continue t o

preach it do not console your self with the supposition
,

that your activity is j ustified by any util ity it h as for

the masses o f the people who do n o t yet understand,

what you understand .

Falsehood cannot b e useful to anyone W hat y o u

know—that falsehoods are falsehoods—could b e k nown
.

e qually by the common man w hom y o u have i n do c t r i

n a t e d and are indoctrinating with the m
,
and h e might , ,

be free from them N o t onl y might he but fo r y o u

.
, ,

free himself from these falsehoods h e might find the -

truth which Ch rist h as sho wn and which by yo u r

doctrines y o u —standing between the common man and
,

his God—have h idden away W hat yo u are doing yo u .

,
 AN APPEAL TO TH E CLER G Y 359

are doing n o t t o serve man b u t only from ambition o r ,

covetousness .

Therefore h owever m agnificent m ay be the palaces

,

in whi ch yo u live the churches in which yo u o ffi c i a t e

,

and preach an d the vestments in which yo u adorn

,

yourselves your occupation i s not made better by these

,

things .That wh ich is highly esteemed among men

‘

’
is an abomination in the sight o f G o d .

S o it is with those who n o t believing continue t o , ,

preach what i s false and t o strengthen men in it , .

But there are amo n g y o u those also — and thei r

n umber is continually increasing—wh o though they ,

s e e the bankrupt position o f the Church creeds in o u r

day cannot make up their minds t o examine the m

,

critically B elief ha s been s o instilled into them in

.

childho o d and i s so strongly su p ) o r t e d by their

environm e nt and by the influence o fthe crowd that
,

they (without even trying t o free themselves from it)

devote all the strength o f thei r minds and education t o
j u stify by c u nning allegories and false and confused
,

reasonings t h e incompatibilities and contradictions o f

,

the creed they profess .

If y o u belong t o this class o f clergy which thou gh ,

less guilty is even more harm ful than the class pre
v i o u sl mentioned d o n o t imagine that your reasonings
y ,

will quiet your conscienc e o r j ustify you before G o d .

In th e depth o f your so u l yo u cannot but k now that all

can devise and invent will t make the immoral
stories o f S criptu re history —whi ch are nowadays i n
y o u n o

opposition t o man s knowledge and understa nding— o r

’

the archaic a ffi rmations o f the Nicene Creed either ,

m oral reasonable clear o r accordant with contempo

rary knowledge and common —
, , ,

sense .

Y o u know that you cannot by your arguments c o n

vince anyone o f the truth of your faith and that n o ,

fresh grown u p educated man not trained from child

,
-
, ,

h ood t o yo u r belief can believe y o u ; but that such a

,

man will either laugh o r will suppose yo u t o be m e n ,

tally a ffl icted when he hears your account o f the c o m

,
’
m e n c e m e n t o f the world o f the first man o f Ada m s , ,
36 0 E S S AY S A N D LE TT E R S

sin and of the redemp t ion o f man by the death o f t he

,

son of G o d .

A l l you can e f fect by your false pseudo s c ie n t ifi c ,

-

argumentations and (what counts for more ) by yo u r

,

authority will be temporarily to retain in h ypnotic

,

submission to a false faith those who are awakening ,

from its influence and preparing to free themselves

from it .

That is what you are doing ; a n d it is a very e vi l

work Instead o f employing your mental powers to
.

free yourselves and others from the fraud you and they
are involved in and which causes you and them to ,

s u ffer you use your powers yet further to entangle

,

yourselves and them .

Y o u the clergy o f this class shoul d not enta ngle

, ,

yourselves and others by obscure arg umentation sho ul d ,

not try to demonstrate that truth is what you call truth ;

but o n the contrary making an e ffort you should try
y the beli efs yo u have accepted as truth —b y
, , ,

to veri f
compar i ng them wi th what you and everyone else accept
as sure knowledge and al so by the simple demands o f
,

common sense Y o u need onl y sincerely se t your

-
.

selves that ta sk a n d you will at once awake from the

h ypnotic sleep in which yo u now are —and the terri ble
,

delusion i n whi ch yo u have lived will become clear

to you .

S o it is with this second class the philosophi z ing ,

clergy who in o u r day are very n u merous and most

,

harmful .

B u t there i s also a th ird m ost numerous class o f

simple —
, ,

minded clergy who have n ever doubted t h e

truth o f the faith they profess and preach These men .

have either never thought about the sense and meaning

o f the a f fi rmations taught them in their childhood as
s acred divine truth o r if they have thought were s o , ,

unaccustomed to independent thinkin g that they did ,

not se e the incompatibilities and contradictions i n

volved in th ose a ffi rm ations o r seeing them were yet , , ,

s o overpowered by the authority of the Church tradi

tion that they h ave n o t dare d to think other w ise than
 AN APP E A L TO TH E CLE R G Y

as former an d present ecclesiastics h ave thought .

These men generally console themselves with the

thought that Church doctrine probably has som e satis ~

factory explanati on o f the incompatibilities whi ch (as

th e y suppose ) only a ppear i n compatibilities t o them
owing to their o wn defi ciency in theologi cal erud i tion .

If y o u belong t o t hat class o f m en — sincerely and

nai vely believing o r who thou gh the y d o n o t believe
, ,

are yet willing t o believe and are oblivio u s of the

obstacle s to s o doing —whether yo u are an a lready
,

ordained o r a young man only preparin g for t h e

ri e st h o o (p
,

p riest
pa u se for a wh ile in your acti vity o r in your

preparations for th at activity and consi d er what yo u ,

are doing o r are a bout to do .

Y o u are preachi n g or are prep a ring t o preach a

, ,

teachin g which will define fo r men t h e m eaning o f th eir

life will define i t s a im will indicate the features of
, ,

good and evil an d will give direction to all their

,

activity A n d this t e achin g you preach n o t as any

.

oth er human d octri ne — imperfect and ope n t o question

— but a s a t eaching revealed by G o d H imself and
‘

therefore n o t to b e q u estioned and yo u preach it n o t

in a book o r ordinary c o nversati o n but eith er to ch il ,

dren — at an a ge w h en th ey can n ot u n derstan d the

meanin g o f what is conveyed to them but wh en it all ,

stamps itself in del ibly o n their consciousness — o r you

preach it to ignorant adults u nable to weigh the i n str u c
tion y o u give them .

S uch i s your activity o r fo r such activity yo u are

,

preparing .

B u t what if this that yo u teach o r are preparing to ,

te ach b e untr u e ?
,

I s it possible that this cannot be or must n o t be con , ,

s ide re d P If you consider it and compare this teaching

with other teach ings clai m ing to be e q ually uni que and
i nfallible an d compare it with what you yourselves
,

know a n d wi th common sense ; if, i n a wor d you

,
-
,

consider it n o t in a spirit o f blind c ed u l i t y but freely

,
r

—
,

you cannot fail t o s e e that what h a s b e e n given to

y o u as sacred truth i s n o t only n o t sacre d truth but i s
,
.

,
36 2 E S S A YS AN D LE TTE R S

simply an obsolete and superstitious belief which like , ,

other similar beliefs is mainta ined and preached by ,

men not for the benefit o f their brother men b u t for -

some other obj ect And as soon as yo u have under

.

stood that all those o f you who look o n life seriousl y

,

and attend to the voice o f conscience will be unable t o ,

continue t o preach this doctrine o r to prepare t o ,

preach it .

But I hear the usual reply : W hat w ill become o f ‘

men if they cease to believe the Church doctrines ?

‘N n ’
t things be worse than they now are ?
’
o
W hat will happen if the people o f Christendom cease
to believe in Church doctrine ? Th e result will b e
that n o t the H ebrew le gends alone but the religious ,

wisdom of th e whole world will b ecome accessible and ,

intelli gible to them People will gr ow up and develop

.

with unperverted understandings and feelings Having .

discarded a teaching accepted credulously e 0 ple will ,

order their relation towards God r e a so n ab y in con ,

formity with their knowledge ; and will recognise the

moral obligations flo wing from that relation .

But will not the results be worse ? ’

If the C hurch doctrine is not true —h o w c an it be

worse for men not to have falsehood preached to them
as truth especially in a way s o unfair as i s n o w adopt ed
,

for the purpose ?

B u t some people say the common folk are coarse

’

, ,

and uneducated ; and what we educated people do not , ,

require may yet be usefu l and even indispensable fo r

,
’
the masses .

I f all men are made alike then all must travel o n e ,

and the same path from darkness to light from ign o r ,

ance to knowledge from falsehood t o truth ,

Yo u .

have travelled that road and have attained conscio u s

ness of the unreliability o f the belief i n which yo u
were trained By what right then will y o u check
.
, ,

others from making the same advance ?

You say that though y o u do not need such food, it
,
 AN APPEAL TO TH E CLE R GY 36 3

is needed by t he m ass e s B ut no w ise man undertakes .

to deci de the ph ysical food another must eat ; h ow

then can it be decided— and wh o can decide —what
,

Spi r itu al food the m as ses o f th e people must have

Th e fact th at yo u notice among the people a demand
fo r thi s doctrine in no way proves that the demand
,

o u ght t o b e supplied There exists a deman d fo r

i ntoxicants and tobacco —and other yet worse demands
.

A n d t h e fact i s that y o u yourselves by complex methods ,

o f h ypnotization evok e this very demand by the exist

, ,

ence o f which yo u try t o j ustify your own occupation .

Only ceas e t o evok e the deman d and it wil l n o t exist ; ,

fo r as in your o wn case s o with everyone else there

, ,

ca n be n o demand f o r lies but all men have moved an d ,

still m ove fro m darkness t o light and y o u who stand ,

nearer to t h e light should try to make it accessible t o

,

others and n o t to hide it from them

,
.

B u t I hear a last obj ection w i ll the result n o t b e

’

worse if we —educated moral men wh o desire to do

, ,

—
, ,

g ood to the people abandon o u r posts because o f the

doubts that h ave ar i sen i n o u r souls , and let o u r places
be t ak e n b y coars e immoral m e n , indi fferent to the
,

l ’
?
’
e
p p O e s goo d
Un doubtedly the ab andonment o f the clerical pr o fe s
s ion by the best men w ill have the e ffect that the
,

ecclesiastical business passin g into coarse imm oral ,

h ands w i ll more and more disintegrate and expose it s

, ,

o wn falseness and harmful ness But the result will .

n o t be worse fo r the disintegratio n o f ecclesiastical

,

e sta blishments i s n o w going o n and is o n e o f the ,

m e an s by wh ich people are being liberated from the

fraud in wh ich they have been held And therefore .
, ,

the quicker this e mancipation is accomplished by ,

enlightened and good men abandoning the clerical

profession the better it will be And so the greater
, .
,

the number o f e n l ightened and good men wh o leave

the clerical profession the better ,
.

S o from wh i ch e ver side y o u look at your a c tivity ,

that activity remains harm ful and th erefore all those ,

a m on g you wh o still fear G o d and hav e n o t uite stifled

q
36 4 E S S A Y S) A N D L E T TE R S

the voice o f conscience cannot do other w ise than exert ,

all your stre n gth to release yo u rselves from the false

positi on in which you are placed .

1 know that many o f yo u are e n cumbered with

fa m ilies o r are depe n dent on parents who require you
,

to follow the course yo u have be gun ; I k n ow h o w

difli c u l t it is to abandon a post that brings honour o r
we a l th or even g ives a competence a n d enables you
,

and your families to continue a life to which yo u are

accustomed and 1 know how painful it is to go against
,

relations o n e loves B u t anything is better th an to do

.

w h at destroys your o w n soul and inj ures yo u r fellow

men .

Therefore the sooner and more definitely y o u re p en t

,

o f your s i n and cease your activity the better it will be ,

n o t only for others but for y ourselves

That is what I —standin g now on the brink o f m y
,
.

g rave and
,
clearly seein g the chief sour ce o f h uman ill s

wished to s a y to you ; and to say not i n order t o ,

expose o r condemn you (I know how imperceptibly yo u

were y ourselves led i nto t h e snare which has made yo u
what yo u are) but I wished to say it in order t o
,

c o operate in th e emancipation o f men from the terrible

-

evil which the preach ing o f your doctrine produces by

obsc u rin g the truth : and at the same time I wished to
help you to rouse yourselves from th e hypnoti c sleep
in which now yo u often fail to understand all t h e
wickedness of your o w n actions .

Ma y God wh o sees yo u r hearts help yo u i n t he

, ,

e ffort .

[N o vem b er 1, o s
. .
,
1 9 02 ]
 XXVI

TH O U G H TS S E LE CTE D FR O M P R I VA TE
L E TTE RS

Tw o VI E W S on L I FE .

TH E R E are onl y two stri ctly l o gical views o f life o n e ,

a false o n e w hich understa nds li fe t o mean th ose

,

visib l e phenomena that occur in o u r bodi es from t h e

“

time of birth t o th e time o f death t h e other a tr u e ,

o ne,
wh ich understands li fe t o b e the invisible con
s c i o u sn e s s which dwells with in u s One View i s false .
,

the other true but both are lo gi cal

,
.

Th e first o f these views the false o n e which under

, ,

stands life to mean the phenomena visible in o u r bodie s

from birth till death i s a s o l d as t h e world It is n o t
,
.
,

as many people suppose a view of life produced by the

,

materialisti c science an d philosoph y o f our day ; o u r

science and philosophy have only carried that c o n c e p
tion to it s furthest limits making more obvious than
,

ever the incompatibility o f that view o f life wi th t h e .

fundamental de m ands o f human nature but it i s a very

o l d and primitive view hel d by men o n the lowest
,

l evel o f development It w as expressed by Chinese

.
,

by B uddhists an d by Jews and in th e B ook o fJ o b

, ,
.

This view i s n o w e xpressed as follows : L ife i s an

a ccidental play o f t h e forces in matter showing i ts elf ,

in time an d spac e W h at we call o u r co n sciousness is

.

n o t li f e, b u t i s a delusion o f the senses which makes it ,

seem as if life lay in that conscio u sness Consci o usness .

i s a spark whi ch under certain conditions i s ignited in

, ,

m atter burns up to a flame dies d own and at last goes

, , ,

[ 36 5 ]
36 6 E S S AY S A N D L ETTE RS

out altogether Th is flame consciousn e ss) atte n

.

dant upon matter for a certa in time between t w o i n fi n i

ties of time is— nothing And tho ugh c o n s ci ou sn ess
, .

p er c ei ves i tself a n d t he who l e u n i verse, a n d si ts i n j u dg

m en t o n i ts elf a n d o n t he u n i ve r s e, an d s ees t he
p lay of
c ha n ce i n thi s u n i ver se, a n d , a bo ve a ll , ca l l s i t a p l ay of

c ha n c e, i n c o n t r a d i s t i n c ti o n to s o m ethi ng whi c h i s n o t
c ha n c e t h is consciousness itself i s only an outc ome of
lifeless matter —
fi

a phantom appearing and vanishin g ,

without meaning or result Everythi n g i s the outcome .

of ever changing matter ; and What we call life is b u t

-

a condition o f dead matter .

Th a t i s one view o f life

, It i s a perfectl y logical .

View According to this view man s re aso n able con

.
,
’

s c i o u s n e ss is but an accident incidental t o a certain

state of matter and therefore what we in o u r con , , ,

sc io u s n e ss call life is but a phantom Only dead

,
.

matter exists Wh at we call life i s the play o f death

.
,
.

Th e other view o f life is this Life is only what I .

am conscious o f in myself And I am always conscious .

o f my life not as something that has been o r will be

,

(that is h o w I r efl ec t on m y life) but when I am c o n ,

i
sc o u s o f it I feel that — I,
u m — never beginning any
w here never en ding anywhere
,
W ith the conscious .

ness of my life conceptions o f time and space do n o t

,

blend My life manifests itself in time and Space but

.
,

that is only its m a n ifes ta ti o n Life itself as I am c o n .

,

scious o f it is something I perceive apart from time

,
and space S o that i n this view o f life we get j ust
.
, ,

the contrary result not that consciousness o f life i s a

phantom but that everything relating t o ti m e and
,

space is o f the nature o f a phantom .

Th erefore in this view the cessation o f m y physical

, ,

existence i n time and space has no reality and cannot ,

end o r even hinder my true life And , according to

, ,
.

this view death does not exist

,
.

MA TT E R IS THE LI M IT OF SP I R IT .

Th e material form i n w hich the a wa k e n i n of our

consciousness o f true life finds us in this wo r d ,
is, so
 THOUGH TS F R O M P R I VA TE LETTE R S 36 7

to speak the bo u ndary limiting the free development

,
.

o f o u r spirit .

Matter is the limit o f spirit But tr u e life is the .

destruction o f this limitation .

I n this understanding of life lies the very essence o f

the understanding o f truth —that essence which gives
man the consciousness o f eternal life .

Materialists mistake that which limits life for life ,

itself .

TH E S CA FFO L D I N G .

W e m u st remind ourselves as often as possible that

o u r true life is n o t this external material life that ,

p asses b efore o u r eyes here o n earth but that it i s the ,

i nner life o f o u r spirit fo r which t h e visible life serves

,

only as a sca ffolding a necessary aid to o u r spiritual

-

growth Th e sca ffolding itself is onl y o f temporary

.

importance and after it has served its purpose is no

, , ,

longer wanted but even becomes a hindrance

,
.

S eeing before him an enormously high an d elabo ~

r at e l constructe d sca f
folding wh ile the building itse l f
y ,

onl y j ust shows above it s foundations man i s apt to ,

make t h e mistake o f attaching more importa nce to the

scaffol ding than t o the buil ding fo r the sake of which ,

alone this temporary scaffoldi n g has been put up

,
.

“ 7 e must remind ourselves an d o n e anoth er that the ,

sca ffolding has no meaning o r importa nce except t o ,

mak e po s sible th e erection o f th e building itself .

TH E L I FE on THE SP IR IT .

There are moments whe n o n e ceases to believe in

spiritual life .

This i s not unbelief but rather periods o f belief in

,

physical life .

A m an sudden l y begi ns t o be afraid o f death This .

always happens when something h as befogged him and ,

he once more begins t o believe that bodily life is real ‘

l ife j ust as i n a theatre y o u may forget yourself and

, ,

thi n k that w h at you se e o n the stage i s actually

36 8 E S S AY S A N D LETTE R S

hap penin g and so m ay be frighte ned by what is

,

done there .

That is what hap pens in life .

After a m a n has understood that his life is n o t o n the

a —
st ge u t in the stalls that is n o t in hi s personality
b , ,

but outside it — it sometimes happens that from ol d

,

habit he suddenly succum bs a gain t o the seduction of

,

illusion and feels fri ghtened

,
.

B u t these moments of illusion are n o t enough to con

vince me that what goes o n before me (in my physical
life ) is really happeni n g .

At times when one s spirit sinks o n e must treat one s

’
’

self as o n e treats an invalid —and keep quiet

,

F E A R O F DE A TH
TH E .

It i s g enerally supposed that there is something

m ystical in o u r view o f life and death B u t there is .

nothin g of the kind .

I like my garden I like rea ding a book I like

, ,

caressing a child By dying I lose all this and

.
,

therefore I do not wish to die and I fear death , .

It may be that my wh ole li fe consists o f such tempo

rary worldly desires and their gratification If s o I .
,

cannot help being afraid o f what will end these desires .

B u t i f these d esires and their gratification have g iven

way and been replaced in me by another desire —the
desire to do the will o f G o d to give myself to Him in
m y present state and in any possible future sta te —then
,

the more m y desires have changed the less I fear ,

d eath and the less does death exist for me

,
And if m y .

d esires be completel y transformed then nothing but ,

life remains and there i s no deat h To replace what

, .

is earthly and temporary by what is eternal is the

way o f life and along it we m u st travel B u t i n w h at
state h is o w n soul is—e ach o n e knows fo r him self
.
,

TH E VVA Y TO K N O W G 0 1) AND T HE SOU L .

God an d t h e S oul are k nown by me in the same way

that I k now infinity : not by means o f definitions but ,
 THOUGH TS F R O M P R I VA TE L ETTE R S 36 9

in quite ano ther way Defi n itions o n ly destroy for me

.

th at k nowledge Just as I k now assuredly that there

.

an infinity o f numbers, so do I know that there is a

God and that I have a soul For m e t h is k nowledge
,
.

i s i ndubitable simply because I am led to i t n u

,

avoidably .

To th e certainty of the infinity of numbers I am led ,

by addition .

To the cer ta in knowledge o f God I am led by the

question W hence come I P
,
’

the knowledge o f the soul I am led by the ques

tion W h at am I
,

And I know s u rely o f the infinity o f numbers and o f ,

the existence o f God and of my so ul when I am led , ,

to t he knowledge o f them by these most simple

q uestions .

To o n e I add o n e and o n e more and another o n e

, , ,

an d another one or I break a stick in two and again

in t wo and a gain and again —and I cannot help know
,

, ,

ing that number is infinite .

I was born o f my mother and sh e o f my grand ,

mother and she o f my great grandmother b ut the -

very fir st —o f W hom
, ,

An d I inevitabl y arri ve at God .

My legs are not I my arms are n o t I m y head is not

, ,

I m y feelings are n o t I even m y th oughts are not I

, ,

then W hat am I ? I am I I am my soul ,

.

From whatever side I approach G o d it will always be ,

the same Th e origin o f my thoughts m y reason is

.
, ,

God Th e origin o f m y love is also He Th e origi n

.
,
.

o f matter i s He t o o
,
.

It i s the same w ith the conception o f the soul I f I .

consider m y striving after truth I know — that t h is ,

s t r i v i n
g a fM i m m at e r fi b a S I S —m y soul
If I turn t o my feelin gs of love fo r go odness l k n o w ,

that it is my soul which loves .

 I N DE X

A B S O LU TI O N 28 2 , C o n t agi o u s Di s e as e s Pr e v e n ti o n
A d m i n i s t r ati v e o r d er 202 , A c t , 36 , 308
A l e x an d e r II 1 9 5 201 203 .
, , , ,
26 2 Co p p é e , Fr an co i s , 1 8 5
A l e x a n d e r I I I 201 203 .
, , C o r o n a t i o n Fet e , 204
A m b r o s i u s , B i sh o p of K h ark o f, p p
C o r o r al u n i sh m e n t , 1 6 0, 1 66
28 4 2 73
A n ar c h i s t s , 2 6 4 q
Cr i t i ue ofP r a c t i ca l R ea so n , 31 8
A q u i n as S a i n t T h o m as
, ,
59
A u g u s t in e Sa i n t 1 35
, ,
De at h , t h e fe ar o f, 36 8
De c e m b r i s t s , 1 6 0
B al l o u , A d i n , 1 77 De s y at i n a , 2 1 3
B ax , E B e l fo r t , 2 38
. Di d o n , P é r e , 356
B ay l e , P i e rr e , 2 9 3 Di et a n d Fo o d , 90
B e k é t o f, P r o fe s s o r , 1 4 9 Do u k h o b or s , 1 36 2 35 ,

B e l i e f, T o l s t o y s , 28 5, 2 8 6
’
Du m a s , A (fi l s) , 9 4 -1 22
.

B e rth el o t , P E M , 28 9 , 29 0
. . .

B on d ar e f, T M , 1 -1 5, 2 1 0 e t seq
. . . E d u c at i o n , 2 7 3, 27 4
B r ah m an i s m , 1 38 , 2 9 4 , 2 96 , 2 9 9 E i ffe l T o w er , t h e , 34
B r e a d -l ab o u r , 5, e t seq . E p i s t l e t o t h e H ebr ews 303, 304 ,

B r u l l of, K P , 28. . E t hi cs o fDi e t , t h e, 8 3, 9 2 , 9 3

B u dd h i s m , 1 34 , 1 38 , 1 4 3, 29 4 , 2 96 , E u c h ar i s t , t h e 2 8 2 , 2 8 3, 302 ,

E vo l u t i o n a n d E t h i c s , 1 4 9

C ap i t al p u n i s h m e n t ,
202 , 2 7 3 ai t h 1 30 , 304 3 07 , 352, 354
,

C ar p e n t e r E d w ar d
, ,
2 1 9 et seq . Fas t i n g , 7 7 -8 2
C a t h e r i n e t h e G r e at , 2 51 Fe u e r b a c h L A , 29 3 , . .

C h as t i t y 4 1 4 2 31 4
, , ,
Fe u i l l e t , O c t av e , 6 2 , 6 3
Ch r is t i a n N o n -R es i s t a n c e, 1 7 7 Fl o ggi n g , 1 6 0-1 6 6
C h r i s t s Fi v e C o m m a n d m e n t s , 9
’
Fo r s Cl a vi g er a , 2 1 1
C h ri s t s t e ac h i n g , 4 3, 4 4 , 56 57 ,
’

, Fr e d e ri c k (G e r m an E m e ro r ) , 2 57 p
1 8 0, 235
C h r i s t s u s e o f s c o u r ge , 177
’
G ar ri s o n W L l o y d 1 7 7
, .
,

C h u r c h C h r i s t i a n i t y , 1 43, 29 6 G e o r ge H e n r y 2 1 3 c t seq
, ,
.

Ch u r c h d o c t ri n e , 27 9 G o b l e t d A l v i el l a 29 4
’

C h u rc h s o r c er i e s , 28 0-2 8 2 G o d u n of, B er i s , 251

Ci vi l i z a t i o n : It s Ca u se a n d Cu r e, p
G o s e l s , 1 8 9 et seq , 300 .

21 9 G o v e rn m e n t , 2 4 9 et seq , 333, 334 .

C o l e r i d ge , S T , 27 7 , 28 7
. . G r a d u al i s t s , 1 9 5
C o m t e , A u g u s t e , 1 30, 1 38 , 2 2 4 G re e k r e l i g i o n , t h e , 29 4 , 29 6
C o n s c i o u s n e s s , 36 5
C o n s t a n t , B , d e R e b e q u c , 29 3
. H agu e C o n fe r en c e th e , ,
24 8
C o n s t an t i n e t h e G r eat , 231 H ai g Dr A 9 0 9 1
,
. .
, ,
 INDE X 871

H art m an n K R E 1 38 , . . .
,
N i e t z sc h e , F W . .
, 1 47, 31 9 -32
H e b r e w b e l i e fs 1 06 2 9 4 , ,
354
H e g e l G W F 1 38 31 9
, . . .
, ,
N o n -R e s i s t an c e , 1 77 et seq .

H e rr o n G D 1 7 7 1 78
, . .
, ,

H e r z en A 6 6 6 7 , .
, ,
Of t he Wa y o f Vi r tu e ,
1 03
H i ggi n s o n T W 1 78 ,
. .
,
O g ar y of, N P , 6 6 , 6 7 . .

H u m b e rt 26 1 ,
Old Be l i e v e rs , 2 7 5
H u m e D 320 324
,
.
, ,
O t r é p y e f G r e g o r y , 2 51
H u x l e y , P r o fe s s o r , 1 4 9 , 1 51
P ara d i s e , t h e s t o r y o f, 3
I c on s 204 , 2 06 , 2 33, 2 34 , 303 P a t r i o ti s m , 2 38 c i seq .
,

I d e al s , 1 1 8 P a u l i c i an s , 2 9 6
P a u l , S ai n t , 300

J e w i s h m o ral i t y , 1 4 4 , 2 9 4
p
P h i l o s o h y 1 4 6 -1 4 8 , 31 9
,

P l at o , 55, 56 , 1 37
J i n g o i s m , 2 38 P o li t i c al e c o n o m y , 2 25, 31 6
J o h n , Fa th e r , o f C r o n s t a d t , 34 5 P o u gat c h e f, 1 9 5, 1 9 6 , 2 51
’

J u d g e s o f t h e P e ac e , 1 9 8 , 202
’

P r i e st h o o d , 300
J u l i e n , S t a n i s l au s , 1 03 P r i n t i n g , 1 6 8 et s e q
p
J u r i s r u d e n c e , 31 7 P r o g r ess a n d P o o er ty , 2 1 5
.

P r o t e st an t i s m , 351
K an t , I .
,
33, 1 4 7 , 31 9
Q u ak e rs ,
1 36

L ab o u r , t h e d u t y o f h y s i c al , p R a d i s t c h e f, A N 1 95
2 1 1 , 21 2
.

R a sk ol n i k o f, 2 8 , 2 9
L am ai s m , 29 9
R az i n , S t en k a , 1 9 5
L ao Ts z e , 1 03
L e o XI I I , P o e , 59 p p
R e d e m t i o n , t h e , 34 9
L e as i n g G E , 31
.

, p
R e l i gi o n r i n c i l e s o f, 32 8 p
d e fi n i t i o n o f 1 54 ,
, . .

Li fe , t h e m e an i n g o f, 1 79 ,

2 9 4 , 306 , 336 , 337

t w o Vi e w s o f, 36 5
Li v er m o r e , Mr s , 1 7 8
R en ai s s an c e , 1 38 , 1 41
.

p
R e e n t an c e , 1 1 7 , 1 2 6
R esu r r ec t i on , 28 2
M an e t Ed o u a r d , 9 6
, R é v il l e , A , 2 9 4
M arr i ag e 4 4 -4 7
.

M art y n C arl o s 1 78
,
p
R o b e s i e r r e , M M I , 1 30 . . .

M ar x K ar l 225
, , R o m an E m i r e , 31 0 p
, ,
Ro u b l e, 21 3
Mau p as s a n t G u y d e , ,
62 R o u s s ea u , J J , 31 9
M e di c al s c i e n c e 31 9
. .

, R u s k i n , J o h n , 21 1 , 309
Mo d er n S c i en ce A Cr i t i c i sm , 2 1 9
M o h am m e d an i s m , 1 34 , 1 43, 2 9 6 S ab b at ari an s , l
M o l i er e , 29 5 S a c r am e n t s , t h e , 2 8 1 , 2 8 2
M o l o k an s , 235, 2 7 5 ’
S a i n t s d ay s , 5
M o r al i t y d e fi n i t i o n o f, 1 4 2 , 1 54
.
S a l v a t i o n Ar m y , t h e , 34 4
Mo Ti , 333 p
S c h o e n h au e r , A , 1 37 , 1 38 , 1 4 0,
Mo u ra vy of, S I , 1 60 , 1 6 1
.

. .

Mo u r av y of, M I , 1 6 1 . .

Sci en ce, 95 1 04 , 1 05 1 4 2 ,
et s e q
M ul l e r , Max , 1 30
. . .

2 1 9 e t seq , 2 8 9 , 29 0 .

S c h l e i e r m ac h e r , F E D 2 9 3 . . .

N az ar en e s 2 35 A u s t ri an , S c r ip t u r e H i s t o r y 34 6 ,

S e r v i a n , 1 36 S e l f-c o n t r o l , 60 , 6 1 , 7 6 , 7 7
N e w t o n , H e b e r, 1 7 7, 1 7 8 S e m é n o f Re gi m e n t , 1 6 0
S i r I s aa c , 4 , 1 31 S e r fs , e m an c i a t i o n o f, 2 1 8 p
N i c e n e C r e e d , t h e 303, 34 1 S eva st o p o l , 2 1
N i c h o l as I L , 204 , 2 6 6 S k é b e l e f, M 2 1
9
AA 7
5
 M? IN DE X
S i n g l e - Ta x , t h e , 2 1 3 ci seq . T r i n i t y t h e 2 8 1 302
, ,
S l a u g h t e r -h o u s e , a , 8 5-9 0 Tr o l l o p e A 6 2
,
S m o k i n g , 2 3-2 7 , 33 Ts é b r i k o f M a d am e 2 02
, ,
S o c i al i s m , E n c y c l i c al o n , 59
S o c i o l o gy 31 6
.
U n i t a r i an s 1 36 ,
S o ci a l P r o b l em s , 2 1 5 U n i v e rs al i s t s 1 36 ,
S o u l , L i fe o f t h e , 36 7
U r ic A ci d Fa c t o r i n the Ca u s a
as a
S o u t h A fri c an W ar , t h e , 2 39 , 24 8 ,
‘

t ion of Di s ease, 9 1
249
p
S i n o za , B , .

Vau v en arg u e s , L u c d e C , 2 9 3
S p i r i t , 36 7 .

Ve r i gl n , P e t e r , 1 6 7 et seq
p
S i r i t u al i s m , 1 34
Vi e d e J esu s-Chr i s t , 356
.

S t a t e o f S l e g o , 2 02 , 2 05
“ ’

Vo l t air e , F M A , 1 30, 302 , 324

S t u n d i st s , 2 7 5 . . .

S u p e r -m e n (U e b e r m e n s c h ) , 1 4 8
32 1 W ar , 2 39 , 24 8 , 24 9 , 254
Wi l h e l m IL , K ai s e r , 2 4 5, 26 6 ,
Ta l m u d , t he, 1 39 32 2
Tao , th e , 1 03 W i l l i am s , H o w ard , 9 3
T ao i s m , 1 34 , 1 36 , 1 4 4 , 2 99 Wo rk , 1 03 et seq .

Ta t i an 2, Du m as (fi l s ) o n , 1 1 1 , 1 1 2
Te c h n o l o g y , 31 8 Z o l a o n , 1 01
T e rro r i st s , t h e , 1 9 5
T h e o d o s i u s , S ai n t , 205 Z é m s k y N at c h al n ik s , 198, 20 5,
T o l s t o y , C o u n t S e r gi u s , 2 1 9 27 2
To u r g é n e f, I 32 0 Z o l a , E m i l e , 9 4 -1 22

TH E END

B IL L I N G AN D S ON S , L TD .
, P R I N TE R S , G U I L DFO R D .
W O R LD S
’

C L A S S IC S
(S IZ E 6 x 4 I N C H E S )

O R DI N A R Y E DI T I O N
P u b l i sh e d in N I N E d i ffe r e n t S t y l e s
C l o th B o a rd s , gi l t b ac k
Su l ta n -
r e d L e at h e r, l i m p , gi l t t o p

B u c k ra m , p ap e r l ab e l , gi l t t o p
Q u ar t e 1 P a r c h m e n t , g i l t t o p
L a m b s k i n , l i m p , gi l t t o p
r Ve l l u m , h a n d t o o l e d , p a n e l l e d
Q u a r t e
l e t te i i n g p i e c e , gi l t t o p
. S u p e ri o r
l i b r ar y s t y l e
H alf Cal f, m arb l e d e d ge s
W h o l e Cal f, m arb l e d e d ge s
“

Tr e e Calf, m arb l e d e d ge s

P O CK E T E DI T I O N
f TH E WO R L D S CL AS S ICS (ea c h w i th a po rtra i t) 1 3
'
o
bei ng pi i n fed o n YH IN P A P E R b y m ea n s of wh i c h the
,

bu l k of the s l o u l er vo l u m es i s red u ced by on e ha lf .

Cl o t h , l i m p , gi l t b ac k , gi l t to p
S u l tan -
L e at h e r , l i m p , g i l t t o p
re d

V l l m , h an d- t o o l e d an e l l e d
Q u ar t e r e u , p

l e tte ri n g- p i e c e , gi l t t o p

O F A L L 8 O OK S E L L E R S

H E N R Y FR O W DE
O XFO R D U N IV E R S IT Y PRE SS
L O N DO N , N E W Y O R K , T O R O N TO AN D
ME L B O U R N E
 W o rl d s Cl assic s
’

Th e

H E b e st r e c o m m e n d ati o n o f T h e W o rl d s
’

C l as s i c s is th e b o o k s th e m s e l ve s , w h i c h h ave
ear n e d u n s ti n t e d p ra i s e fro m c ri ti c s a n d a l l
c l as s e s o ft h e p u b l i c S o m e tw o m i l l i o n c o p i e s h ave
.

b e e n s o l d , an d o ft h e 1 6 2 v o l u m e s p u b l i sh e d n e arl y
o n e h al f h a v e go n e i n t o a s e c o n d , t h i r d , f
-
o u r th ,

fi ft h , s i xth , s e v e n t h , o r e i g ht h i m p re s s i o n It i s o n l y
.

p o ss ib le t o gi v e so m uch
fo r th e m o n e y w h e n l ar ge
s al e s ar e Th e ab so l u te u n i fo r m i ty th r o u gh
c e rt a i n .

o u t t h e se ri e s , t h e c l e ar n e s s o f t h e t y p e , t h e q u al i t y

o f t h e p ap e r, t h e s i z e o f t h e p ag e , t h e p ri n t i n g, an d
—
th e b i n d i n g fro m t h e c h e ap e s t t o t h e b e s t c an n o t —
fai l t o c o m m e n d th e m se l v e s t o a l l w h o l o v e go o d
l i t e rat u r e p re s e n t e d i n w o rth y fo r m T h at a h i gh
.

s t an d a r d i s i n s i s t e d u p o n i s p r o v e d b y t h e l i s t o f

b o o k s a l r e ad y p u b l i s h e d a n d o f t h o s e o n t h e e v e
'

o f p u b l i c at i o n A gr e a t fe a t u re i s t h e b r i e f c ri t i c al
.

i n tro d u c t i o n s w r i t te n b y l e adi ng au th o ri ti e s o f th e
T h e v o l u m e s o f T h e W o rl d s C l ass i c s a re
’
d ay .

o b t a i n ab l e i n a n u m b er o f dif fe re n t s t y l e s , th e
d e sc ri p t i o n an d p ri c e s o f w h i c h are gi v e n o n
p g a e I ; b u t s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n m a
y b e c a l l e d t o

th e su l t a n r e d , l i m p l e a th e r s ty l e , w h i c h i s n u
-

s u rp assab l e i n l e at h e r b i n d i n gs at t h e p r i c e o f

n et .

T h e P o c k e t E d i t i o n i s p ri n t e d O n t h i n o p a q u e
a e r b m e an s o f w h i c h t h e b u lk i s gr e a t l y
p p , y
r e d u c e d , an d t h e v o l u m e s m a r k e d w i t h a n as t e ri s k

a re n o w r e a d y i n t h i s f o rm .

O c to ber , 1 9 1 1 .
 TH E W O R LD S ’
C LA S S IC S 3

L IS T O F TITL E S
IN T H EIR O R DE R I N T H E S E R I E S

Tho se m a rked by a n as teri sk ca n be o bta i n ed i n the th i n pa per , or po c ket ,

ed i ti o n .

C h a r l o t t e B r o n t e s Ja n e E y r e Fourth I m p
’
. .

L a m b s E s s a y s O fE l i a Fi fth Im p r e ssion
’
. .

Te n n y s o n s P o e m s , 1 8 30 - 1 8 65 W ith an Intro
’
.

d uction b y T H W A RR E N S i xth Im p r e ssion

. . . .

G o l d s m ith s V ic a r o fW a k e fi e l d T h ir d Im p
’
. .

H a z l i t t s T a b l e -T a l k Fourth Im p r e ssion
’
. .

E m e r s o n s E s s a y s I st an d 2 n d S e ri e s Fi fth Im p
’
. . .

K e a ts s P o e m s Th ir d Im p r e ssi on
’
. .

D i c k e n s s O l i v e r T w i s t W it h 2 4 Il lustrations b y
’
.

G E O R GE CR U I K S H AN K Thir d Im p re ssion . .

B a r h a m s I n go l d s b y L e ge n d s Fourth I m p
’
. .

E m i l y B r o n te s W u t h e r m g H e i g h t s
’

3r d Im p . .

D a rw i n s O r i gi n o fS p e c i e s
’
Fou r t h Im p r e s s ion . .

B u n a n s P i l gr i m s P r o r e s s S e c on d I m p
’ ’

y
. .

E n g ish S o n gs a n d allad s C om p il e d b y .

T W H C RO S LA N D
. . Th ir d Im p r e s sion
. . .

C h a rl o t te B ro n t e s S h i r l e y Th ir d Im p re s s ion
’
. .

H a z l i t t s S k e tc h e s a n d E s s a y s
’
Th ir d I m p . .

H e rr i c k s P o e m s S e c on d Im p r e ssi o n
’
. .

D e fo e s R o b i n s o n C r u s o e
’
S e con d Im p r e ssion . .

P o p e s I l ia d o fH o m e r T h ir d Im p re ssion
’
. .

T hir d Im p r e ssion
’
C a rl l e s S a rto r R e s a rtu s . .

S w i i s G u l l iv e r s T r a v e l s
’
S e con d Im p r e ssion
’
. .

P o e s T a l e s o f M y st e ry a n d I m a gi n a t i o n
’
.

Th i r d Im p r e ssion .

W h ite
’
s N a tu ral H i s to r y o fS e l b o rn e . zu d Im p .

De Q i n c e y s O p i u m - E a te r
u T hir’
d I m p r e ss io n . .

Thir d Im p r e s sion
’
B ac o n s E ssa y s . .

H a z l i tt s W i n te rs l o w S e con d Im p r e ssion
’
. .

H a w th o rn e s S c a r l e t L e t t e r S e c on d Im p
’
. .

M a c a u l a y s L a y s o f A n c i e n t R o m e an d Im p
’
. .

T h a c k e ra y s H e n ry E s m o n d
’
T h ir d I m p . .

S c o tt s I v a n h o e S e c on d Im p r e s s ion
’
. .

E m e r s o n s E n g l i s h T r a i t s , an d R e p r e s e n t a
’

tiv e M e n S e c on d Im p r e s s ion. .

G e o r ge E l i o t s M i l l o n t h e F l o ss Th i rd Im p
’
. .

S e l e c t e d E n gl i s h E s s a y s C h o s e n an d A rran ge d .

b y W P E ACO C K. E i gh th Im p r e s si on . .
4 TH E W O R LD S
’
C L A S S IC S

L ist o f —
T i t l e s c o n ti n u e d
Hu E ssay s S e c on d Im p r e ssion
’
m e s . .

o n d Im p r e s s ion
‘ ’

3 4 B. u r n e s P o e m s S e c . .

35 44 , 51 , 55, 64 , 69 , 7 4 G i b b o n s R o m a n E m
* * * * * * * ’
. .

i e S v n V ol s W ith Map s V ols I , II , Third

—
p r e e . . . .

Im p r e s s i o n III V , S e c on d Im p r e s s ion
. .

P o p e s 0 d sse y o f H o m e r S e c on d Im p re s s ion
’
. .

32 D r y d e n s S e c o n d I m p r e s si o n
’
‘
. i rgi l . .

D i c k e n s s T a l e o fT w o C i ti e s Thir d Im p r e s s i o n
’
. .

P o em s Vo l 1 S e con d I m p l C S S Io n ‘

. . . .

40 S t e r n e s T r i s t r a’ m S h a n d y S e con d Im p re s si o n
‘ ’
. . .

4 1 , 48 , 53 B u c k l e s H i s t o r y o f C i v i l i z a t i o n i n
‘ * *
.

E n gl a n d T h r e e V ols .S e c on d Im p r e s sion . .

‘
42 ,
*
56 ,
”
7 6 C h a u c e r.
’
s W o r k s F rom t h e T e xt o fP ro f . .

S K EA I Th r e e V ols
’ ‘
. V o l I , S e con d Im p re ssion V o l
. . . .

I I I contai n s T h e C anter b ur y Tale s

‘ ’
.

43 M a c h i a v e l l i s T h e P r i n c e
’
*
. Transl at e d b y L U I G I .

R I CC I . S e con d Im p r e ssion .

*
45 E . n g l i s h P r o s e fr o t o R u sk i n m Ma n d e v i l l e .

C h os e n an d arran ge d Thir d I m p b y W P E A C O CK . . .

46 E s s a y s a n d L e t t e r s b y L e o T o l s t o y Tran s
*
. .

l ate d b y A Y LM E R MA U D E Thir d Im p r e s sion . .

C h a rl o tte B ro n te s V i l l e tte S e c on d Im p r e s s ion

’
. .

49 A K e m p i s s’ I m i t a t i o n o f C h r i s t S e con d I m p
* ’
. . .

*
50 T . h a c k e r a y s B o o k o f S n o b s , a n d S k e tc h e s
a n d Tra v e ls i n L o n d o n S e c on d Im p r e s s ion . .

‘
5 2 W . a t t s -D u n t o n s A
’

y lw in Thir d Im p r e s sion . .

54, 59 A d a m S m i t h s W e a l t h o f N a t i o n s
’
‘ ‘
. T wo .

V ols S e con d Im p r e ssion

. .

s H a z l i t t s S p i r i t o ft h S e con d Im p r e s s ion
’
e A ge
”
i
;
. .

5 R o b e rt B ro w n i n g s P o e m s Vo l I (P au lin e ,
‘ ’
. .

P a rac e lsus , S traffor d , S or d e llo , P i p p a P as s e s , K in g

V ictor an d K in g Ch arl e s ) S e con d Im p r e ss ion . .

‘
60 T h e T h o u g h t s o f M a r c u s A u r e l i u s
. A ne w .

tr an slation b y JO H N J A C K S O N S e con d Im p r e s s ion . .

’
‘
6 1 H o l m e s s A u t o c r a t o f t h e B r e a k fa s t - T a b l e
. .

S e c on d Im p r e s sion .

62 C a r l y l e O H e ro e s d H e r o -W o rsh ip
’
‘
. s n an .

S e con d Im p r e s s ion .

63 G e o r g e E l i o t s A d a m B e d e S e con d Im p r e s sio n
’
‘
. . .

6 5, 7o , 77 M o n t a i g n e s E s s a y s , P L o m o s tran sl a
* ’ ’
* *
.

ti o n Thre e vo l um e s
. .

65 B o rr o w s L a v e n gr o
’
‘
. S e c o nd I m p re s si o n . .
 TH E W O R LD S ’
C L A S S IC S 5

L ist o f Title S ~ —c o n l zn u ea ’
’

A n n e B r o n t e s T e n a n t o f W i l d fe l l H a l l
’
3
fi
“g
.

T h o re a u s W a l d e n Intr o b y T W ATT S -DU N T O N

’
. . . .

81 , I I I n 4 B u rk e s W o rk s
*
S i x v ols W it h
3
5 * * ’
-
71 , . . .

P r e fac e s b y J u d ge W I L L I S , F W R A FFE T Y , a n d F H . . . .

W I LLIS .

*
72 . T w e n t y -t h r e e T a l e s b y T o l s t o y Tr an slate d .

b y L an d A MA U D E
. . S e c on d Im p re s sion . .

B o rro w s R o m a n y R y e
’

73
B o rr o w s B i b l e i n S p a i n
‘ ’

75 . .

C h a r l o tt e B r o n t e s T h e P r o fe s s o r , an d th e
Q ’

78 ‘

P o e m s O f C E , a n d A B ro n te .Intro du c tio n . .

b y T H E O DO RE W ATT S -DU NT O N .

9 . S h e rid a n s P lay s
’
Intro b y JO S E P H K N I G H T. . .

G e o r ge E l i o t s S i l a s M a r n e r , T h e L i f t e d V e i l ,
’

B r o t h e r Ja c o b Intro b y T W ATT S -DU NT O N

. . . .

‘
82 . D e fo e s C a p t a i n S i n g l e t o n
’
W ith an In tro d u c .

ti on b y T H E O D O R E W A I T S -DU NT O N ' ‘
.

‘
8 3.
*
8 4 Jo h n s o n s L i v e s o f t h e P o e t s
.
’
W ith an In .

tro d u c tio n b y A R T H U R W A U G H T w o V ol s . .

*
85 . M a t t h e w A r n o l d s P o e m s W ith an Intro d uc tio n
’
.

b y S i r A T Q U I L LE R -C O U C H
. . .

s o . M r s G a s k e l l s M a r y B a r t o n W ith an Intro
.
’
.

du c ti o n b y C L E M E N T S H O R T E R .

H o o d s P o e m s W ith a n Intro b y W A LT E R J E R R O L D
’
. . .

M r s G a s k e l l s R u t h W ith an Intro d u c tion b y

.
’
.

C L E M E N T S H O RT E R .

H o l m e s s P ro fe s s o r a t t h e B r e a k fa s t - T a b l e
’
.

W it h an Intro d u c t i o n b y S ir W R O B E R T S O N N I C O L L . .

S m O l l e t t S T ra v e l s t h ro u gh an d
’
. Fra n c e
I ta l W ith an Intr o du c tion b y T H O M A S S E C C O M B E .

‘
g z . h a c k e r a y
’
s P e n d e n n i s In tro d uction b y .

E D M U N D G o ssE Tw o V ols . .

B a c o n s A d v a n c e m e n t O f L e a r n i n g, an d T h e
’

N e w A tl a n t i s W i th a n Intr o b y P ro fe s s or C A S E
. . .

S c o t t s L i v e s o f t h e N o v e l i s ts
’
W it h a n Intro .

d u c tion b y A U S TI N DO B S O N .

"
A
95 H o l m e s s P o e t a t t h e B r e a k fa s t - T a b l e
’
W ith .

an Intro d u c tion b y S ir VJ R O B E R T S O N N I C O L L . .

g7, g8 M o t l e y s R i s e o f t h e D u t c h R e p u b l i c
* * ’

95,
‘ .
.

W ith an Intro b y C L E M E N T S IIO RT E R Th re e V ol s

. . .

99 . C o l e r i d ge s P o e m s
’
In tr o d u c tion b y S ir A T . . .

Q U I LL E R -CO U C
H .
 TH E W O R LD S C L A S SI C S
’

L i st O f i —
T t l e s co n tzn u e a
’

‘
I oo S h a k e s p e a re
’
s P lay s an d Po em s . W ith a
P re fac e b y A C S W I N B U R N E , Intr o d u c tions to th e
. .

s e v e ral p lay s b y E DO W D E N , an d a N ote b y T VVA I T S

. .
’ ‘

DU N T O N o n t h e s p e c i al ty p o grap hi c al fe atur e s O f thi s

e d ition N i n e V o l um e s Vo l s 1 6 n o w r e a d y V ol s —
—
. . . . .

7 9 r e ad y shortly .

*
I og . G e o r ge H e r b e r t s P o e m s
’
W ith an Intro d uction .

b y AR T H U R W A U G H .

*
I IO . M r s G a s k e l l s C r a n fo r d , T h e M o o r l a n d C o t
.
’

t a g e , e t c W ith a n In tro b y C L E M E N T S H O R T E R
. . .

*
115 . E s s a y s a n d S k e tc h e s b y L e i gh H u n t W ith .

an Intro d uction b y R B R I M L E Y JO H N S O N . .

‘
1 16 .
S o p h o c le s T h e S e ve n P l ay s
. T ranslate d into .

E n gl i s h V e r s e b y P ro fe ssor L E W I S C A M P B E L L .

‘
I I7 . A e sc h y l u s Th e S e v e n P l ay s
. Tran sl at e d into .

E n gli s h V e r s e b y P ro fe ssor L E W I S C A M P B E L L .

‘
1 18 . H o ra e S u b se c iv a e B y Dr JO H N B R O W N . W ith . .

an Intr o du c tion b y A U S TI N DO B S O N .

C o b b o l d s M a rga re t C a tc h p o l e W ith an In
‘ ’
1 19 . .

tr o d u c t i o n b y C L E M E N T S H O R T E R .

‘
1 20,
*
121 . D i c k e n s s P i c k w i c k P a p e r s W ith 4 3 Illu s
’
.

tr a ti o n s b y S E Y M O U R a n d P H IZ T w o V ol s
”
. .

'
1 22 . M r s C a u d l e s C u r t a i n L e c t u r e s , a n d o th e r
.
’

S t o r i e s a n d E s s a y s , b y DO U G L A S J E R R O L D W ith .

a n Intro b y W A L T E R J E R R O L D , an d 9 0 I l lustrations
. .

E d it e d b y A U S T I N DO B S O N
* ’
1 23 . G o l d sm i th s P o e m s . .

H a z l i t t s L e c t u re s o n t h e E n gl i s h C o m ic
* ’
1 24 .

W r i t e r s W ith an Intro b y R B R I M L E Y JO H N S O N
. . . .

‘
1 2 5.
*
1 2 6 C a rl y l e s Fre n c h
.
’
R e vo l u tio n W ith an .

Intro d u c’ tion b y C R L FL E T C H E R Tw o V ols

. . . . .

‘
I a7 . H o r n e s A N e w S p i r i t o f t h e A ge W ith an .

Int ro d uction b y W A L T E R J E RR O L D .

D i c k e n s s G r e a t E x p e c t a t i o n s W ith 6 Illu str a

‘ ’
I28 . .

tions b y W A R W I C K G O B L E .

J a n e A u s t e n s E m m a Intro b y E V L U C A S
’
. . . . .

*
I 3I. D o n Q u i xo t e Je rvas s trans l ation W ith an .
’
.

In t ro d uction an d N ot e s b y J FI T Z M A U R I C E -K E L LY . .

Tw o V o l s .

L e i gh H u n t s T h e T o w n
’
W ith an Intro ductio n .

an d N ote s b y A U ST I N DO B S O N a n d a Frontis p i e c e .
,

P a l g r a v e s G o l d e n T r e a s u r y , w ith a d d itio n al
’

P oe m s . Fi fth I m p re ssi o n .
 TH E W O R LD ’
S C L A S S IC S 7

L ist O f Tit l e s — c o n ti n u e d

A risto p h a n e s
‘ ’
I 34 . F re r e s . t ra n s l a t i o n o f th e .

A c h a r n i a n s , K n i gh t s , B i rd s, a n d F r o gs .

W ith an Intro d ucti o n by W W ME R R Y

. . .

*
I 3S . M a rl o w e ’
s D r F a u stu . s , an d G o e th e
’
s Fa u s t ,
P a rt I (An s te r s Translation ) Intro b y A W N A RD ’
. . . .
‘
.

*
I 36 B u t l e r s A n a l o g y E d ite d b y W E G L AD S T O N E
’
. . . . .

*
1 37; B r o w n i n g s P o e m s V o l II (Dramati c L y r i cs an d
’

. .

R oman c e s , Me n a n d W omen , a n d Dramatis P e rs on ae ) .

1 38 C o w p e r s L e tt e r s S e l e c te d , w ith an Intro d u c tion ,

* ’
. .

b y E V L U CA S .S e c o n d Im p r e ssio n
. . .

*
I 39 G i b b o n s A u t o b i o g r a p h y
’
W ith an Intro duction .

b y J B B U RY. . .

*
d
I o T r o l l o p e s T h e T h re e C l e rk s
. W ith an Intro
’
.

d uction b y W T E I G N MO U T H S H O R E . .

*
A n n e B ro n te s A gn e s G re y
’
I 4r . .

*
F i e l d i n g s J o u r n a l o f a V o y a ge t o L i s b o n
’
I 42 . .

W ith Intr o d ucti o n an d N ote s b y A U S TI N DO B S O N , an d

TW O Illustr ati on s .

*
I 43 . W e l l s s J o s e p h a n d h i s B r e t h r e n In tro d u c
’
.

ti on b y A C S W I N B U R N E an d a N ote on R o ss etti an d
. .
,

C h a rl e s W e ll s b y T H E O D O R E V V
A TTS DU N T O N - .

*
I 44 . C a r l y l e s L i fe o f J o h n S t e r l i n g
’
W ith an In .

tro d u c ti o n b y W H A L E W H IT E . .

*
R u s k i n s S e s a m e a n d L i l i e s an d T h e E t h i c s
’
I 45 .
,

o fth e D u s t R uskin H ous e e d ition . .

*
I 46 R u s k i n s T i m e a n d T i d e an d T h e C r o w n O f
’
.
,

W i l d O l i v e R uskin H ous e e d ition . .

*
R u s k i n s A J o y fo r E v e r a n d T h e T w o
’
I 47 .
,
P a th s R us k i n H ou s e e d ition
. .

*
I 4S R u s k i n s U n t o t h i s L a s t an d M u n e r a P u l
’
.
,
v e ri s R uskin H ous e e d ition
. .

*
R e y n o l d s s D i sc o u r s e s a n d h i s L e t te rs t o
’
I 4g .
,

th e I d le r W ith an Int ro b y A U ST I N DO B S O N
.
’
. .

*
1 50 . W a s h i n gt o n I r v i n g s C o n q u e s t o f G r a n a d a ’
.

* *
1 51 , 1 52 L e s a g e s G i l B i a s
.
(S m o l l e tt s tr a nslation )
’
.
’
.

Intro a n d N ote s by J FI T Z M A U R I C E K E LL Y 2 V ols

. .
- . .

*
C a rl y l e s P a s t a n d P re s e n t Intro du c tion b y
’
1 53 . .

G K C H E S T E RT O N
. . .

*
1 54 . M r s G a s k e l l s N o r t h a n d S o u t h Intro d uc tio n
.
’
.

b y C LEM E NT S H O R T E R .

‘
G e o r g e E l i o t s S c e n e s o f C l e r i c a l L i fe In ’
I 55 . .

tro d u c t io n b y A N N I E MAT H E S O N .
 TH E W O R LD S
'
C L A S S ICS

L i st o f Ti t l e s — c o n ti n u e d
‘
1 56 . Mr s .
’
G a s k e l l s S y l v i a s L o v e rs Intro duc tio n ’
.

b y C L E M E NT S H O R T E R .

‘
1 57 . M r s G a s k e l l s W i v e s a n d D a u gh t e r s In
.
’
.

tr o d u c ti o n b y C LE M E NT S H O R T E R .

L o r d D u ffe r i n s L e tt e r s fr o m H i gh L a t i
‘ ’
1 58 .

t u d e s Illu s trate d Intro duction b y R W MA CA N

. . . . .

G ra n t s C a ta i n o fth e G u a r d
’
1 59 . .

M a rry a t s I r M i d sh i p m a n E a sy
’
. .

1 61 Ja n e P o r t e’r s T h e S c o t t i s h C h i e fs
’
. .

1 62 . A i n s w o r th s T h e T o w e r O f L o n d o n .

C o o p e r s T h e L a s t o f t h e Mo h i c a n s
’
.

I 64 . M a r r y a t s T h e K i n g s O w n W ith 6 Illustra
’ ’
.

tions b y W A R W I CK G O B L E .

*
1 65 . L y t to n s H a ro l d
’
W ith 6 Illustrations b y C H AR LE S
.

B U RT O N .

1 66 . M a y n e R e i d s T h e R i fl e R a n ge r s W ith 6
’
.

I llu strations b y J E S U T C L I FFE . . .

1 67 . M a y n e R e i d s T h e S c a l p H u n t e r s W ith 6
'

Il l u s t rations b y A H C O L L I N S . . .

‘
1 68 . M rs G a s k e l l s C o u s i n P h i l l i s, a n d o t h e r
.
’

T a l e s , e tc W ith an Intro duction b y C LE M E N T

.

S H O RT E R .

‘ ’
1 69 . S o u t h e y s L e tt e r s S el e c t e d , w ith an Intro d u c tio n
.

a n d N ot e s b y MA U R I C E H FI T Z G E RA L D
[ p p
I n re a ra ti on
. . .

O th er Vo l u m es i n prepa ra ti on

B O O K CA S E S
i . To h o l d 50 V o l u m e s o r d i n a r y p a p e r , o r 1 00
V o l u m e s t h i n p a p e r , ‘N o rl d s Cla s si c s s iz e
’

In Fum e d O a k , w ith t w o fi xe d s h e lv e s S iz e 2 2 b y 2 1 } .

b y 4 % in c h e s P ri c e 53 n e t
. . .

ii . T o h o l d 1 0 0 V o l u m e s o r d i n a r y p a p e r , o r 2 00
V o l u m e s t h i n p a p e r , W orl d s Classi c s Siz e
’
.

In P olis h e d Ma h o gan y o r Ma h o gan y Fre nc h S tain e d

an d E b oniz e d , w ith fancy O rnam e ntal to p , an d th r e e
ad j usta b l e sh e l v e s , b e st ca b in et ma k e S iz e 4 4 b y 36 .

b y 6 inc h e s P ri c e 2 8 3 n e t
. . .

O F ALL B OOK S E LLERS.

H E N R Y FRO W DE
L O N DO N , N E W Y O R K T O R O N TO AN D ,

ME LB O U RNE