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So is the early hope of great achievement。 Life seems so long； and its
capacity so great； to one who knows nothing of all the intervals it needs
must holdintervals between aspirations； between actions； pauses as
inevitable as the pauses of sleep。 And life looks impossible to the young
unfortunate； unaware of the inevitable and unfailing refreshment。 It
would be for their peace to learn that there is a tide in the affairs of men； in
a sense more subtleif it is not too audacious to add a meaning to
Shakespeare than the phrase was meant to contain。 Their joy is flying
away from them on its way home； their life will wax and wane； and if they
would be wise； they must wake and rest in its phases； knowing that they
are ruled by the law that commands all thingsa sun's revolutions and the
rhythmic pangs of maternity。
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DECIVILISED
The difficulty of dealingin the course of any critical dutywith
decivilised man lies in this： when you accuse him of vulgarity sparing
him no doubt the wordhe defends himself against the charge of
barbarism。 Especially from new soiltransatlantic； colonialhe faces
you； bronzed； with a half conviction of savagery； partly persuaded of his
own youthfulness of race。 He writes； and recites； poems about ranches
and canyons； they are designed to betray the recklessness of his nature and
to reveal the good that lurks in the lawless ways of a young society。 He
is there to explain himself； voluble； with a glossary for his own artless
slang。 But his colonialism is only provincialism very articulate。 The
new air does but make old decadences seem more stale； the young soil
does but set into fresh conditions the ready…made； the uncostly； the refuse
feeling of a race decivilising。 American fancy played long this pattering
part of youth。 The New…Englander hastened to assure you with so self…
denying a face he did not wear war…paint and feathers； that it became
doubly difficult to communicate to him that you had suspected him of
nothing wilder than a second…hand dress coat。 And when it was a
question not of rebuke； but of praise； the American was ill…content with the
word of the judicious who lauded him for some delicate successes in
continuing something of the literature of England； something of the art of
France； he was more eager for the applause that stimulated him to write
romances and to paint panoramic landscape； after brief training in
academies of native inspiration。 Even now English voices； with violent
commonplace； are constantly calling upon America to beginto begin； for
the world is expectant。 Whereas there is no beginning for her； but instead
a continuity which only a constant care can guide into sustained
refinement and can save from decivilisation。
But decivilised man is not peculiar to new soil。 The English town；
too； knows him in all his dailiness。 In England； too； he has a literature；
an art； a music； all his ownderived from many and various things of price。
Trash； in the fulness of its in simplicity and cheapness； is impossible
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without a beautiful past。 Its chief characteristicwhich is futility； not
failurecould not be achieved but by the long abuse； the rotatory
reproduction； the quotidian disgrace； of the utterances of Art； especially
the utterance by words。 Gaiety； vigour； vitality； the organic quality；
purity； simplicity； precisionall these are among the antecedents of trash。
It is after them； it is also； alas； because of them。 And nothing can be
much sadder than such a proof of what may possibly be the failure of
derivation。
Evidently we cannot choose our posterity。 Reversing the steps of
time； we may； indeed； choose backwards。 We may give our thoughts
noble forefathers。 Well begotten； well born our fancies must be； they
shall be also well derived。 We have a voice in decreeing our inheritance；
and not our inheritance only； but our heredity。 Our minds may trace
upwards and follow their ways to the best well…heads of the arts。 The
very habit of our thoughts may be persuaded one way unawares by their
antenatal history。 Their companions must be lovely； but need be no
lovelier than their ancestors； and being so fathered and so husbanded； our
thoughts may be intrusted to keep the counsels of literature。
Such is our confidence in a descent we know。 But； of a sequel which
of us is sure？ Which of us is secured against the dangers of subsequent
depreciation？ And； moreover； which of us shall trace the contemporary
tendencies； the one towards honour； the other towards dishonour？ Or
who shall discover why derivation becomes degeneration； and where and
when and how the bastardy befalls？ The decivilised have every grace as
the antecedent of their vulgarities； every distinction as the precedent of
their mediocrities。 No ballad…concert song； feign it sigh； frolic； or laugh；
but has the excuse that the feint was suggested； was made easy； by some
living sweetness once。 Nor are the decivilised to blame as having in their
own persons possessed civilisation and marred it。 They did not possess it；
they were born into some tendency to derogation； into an inclination for
things mentally inexpensive。 And the tendency can hardly do other than
continue。 Nothing can look duller than the future of this second…hand
and multiplying world。 Men need not be common merely because they
are many； but the infection of commonness once begun in the many； what
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dulness in their future！ To the eye that has reluctantly