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there shall be one _orangia_； so there will； in a dozen millions of
Malays and Mahometans； be one or two astronomical skulls。 In a large
city； the most casual things； and things whose beauty lies in their
casualty； are produced as punctually and to order as the baker's
muffin for breakfast。 Punch makes exactly one capital joke a week；
and the journals contrive to furnish one good piece of news every
day。
And not less work the laws of repression； the penalties of
violated functions。 Famine； typhus； frost； war； suicide； and effete
races； must be reckoned calculable parts of the system of the world。
These are pebbles from the mountain； hints of the terms by
which our life is walled up； and which show a kind of mechanical
exactness； as of a loom or mill； in what we call casual or fortuitous
events。
The force with which we resist these torrents of tendency looks
so ridiculously inadequate； that it amounts to little more than a
criticism or a protest made by a minority of one； under compulsion of
millions。 I seemed； in the height of a tempest； to see men overboard
struggling in the waves； and driven about here and there。 They
glanced intelligently at each other； but 'twas little they could do
for one another； 'twas much if each could keep afloat alone。 Well；
they had a right to their eye…beams； and all the rest was Fate。
We cannot trifle with this reality； this cropping…out in our
planted gardens of the core of the world。 No picture of life can
have any veracity that does not admit the odious facts。 A man's
power is hooped in by a necessity； which； by many experiments； he
touches on every side； until he learns its arc。
The element running through entire nature； which we popularly
call Fate； is known to us as limitation。 Whatever limits us； we call
Fate。 If we are brute and barbarous； the fate takes a brute and
dreadful shape。 As we refine； our checks become finer。 If we rise
to spiritual culture； the antagonism takes a spiritual form。 In the
Hindoo fables； Vishnu follows Maya through all her ascending changes；
from insect and crawfish up to elephant； whatever form she took； he
took the male form of that kind； until she became at last woman and
goddess； and he a man and a god。 The limitations refine as the soul
purifies； but the ring of necessity is always perched at the top。
When the gods in the Norse heaven were unable to bind the
Fenris Wolf with steel or with weight of mountains； the one he
snapped and the other he spurned with his heel；they put round his
foot a limp band softer than silk or cobweb； and this held him： the
more he spurned it； the stiffer it drew。 So soft and so stanch is
the ring of Fate。 Neither brandy； nor nectar； nor sulphuric ether；
nor hell…fire； nor ichor； nor poetry； nor genius； can get rid of this
limp band。 For if we give it the high sense in which the poets use
it； even thought itself is not above Fate： that too must act
according to eternal laws； and all that is wilful and fantastic in it
is in opposition to its fundamental essence。
And； last of all； high over thought； in the world of morals；
Fate appears as vindicator； levelling the high； lifting the low；
requiring justice in man； and always striking soon or late； when
justice is not done。 What is useful will last； what is hurtful will
sink。 〃The doer must suffer；〃 said the Greeks： 〃you would soothe a
Deity not to be soothed。〃 〃God himself cannot procure good for the
wicked；〃 said the Welsh triad。 〃God may consent； but only for a
time；〃 said the bard of Spain。 The limitation is impassable by any
insight of man。 In its last and loftiest ascensions； insight itself；
and the freedom of the will； is one of its obedient members。 But we
must not run into generalizations too large； but show the natural
bounds or essential distinctions； and seek to do justice to the other
elements as well。
Thus we trace Fate； in matter； mind； and morals； in race； in
retardations of strata； and in thought and character as well。 It is
everywhere bound or limitation。 But Fate has its lord； limitation
its limits； is different seen from above and from below； from within
and from without。 For； though Fate is immense； so is power； which is
the other fact in the dual world； immense。 If Fate follows and
limits power； power attends and antagonizes Fate。 We must respect
Fate as natural history； but there is more than natural history。 For
who and what is this criticism that pries into the matter？ Man is
not order of nature； sack and sack； belly and members； link in a
chain； nor any ignominious baggage； but a stupendous antagonism； a
dragging together of the poles of the Universe。 He betrays his
relation to what is below him； thick…skulled； small…brained；
fishy； quadrumanous； quadruped ill…disguised； hardly escaped into
biped； and has paid for the new powers by loss of some of the old
ones。 But the lightning which explodes and fashions planets； maker
of planets and suns； is in him。 On one side； elemental order；
sandstone and granite； rock…ledges； peat…bog； forest； sea and shore；
and； on the other part； thought； the spirit which composes and
decomposes nature； here they are； side by side； god and devil；
mind and matter； king and conspirator； belt and spasm； riding
peacefully together in the eye and brain of every man。
Nor can he blink the freewill。 To hazard the contradiction；
freedom is necessary。 If you please to plant yourself on the side of
Fate； and say； Fate is all； then we say； a part of Fate is the
freedom of man。 Forever wells up the impulse of choosing and acting
in the soul。 Intellect annuls Fate。 So far as a man thinks； he is
free。 And though nothing is more disgusting than the crowing about
liberty by slaves； as most men are； and the flippant mistaking for
freedom of some paper preamble like a 〃Declaration of Independence；〃
or the statute right to vote； by those who have never dared to think
or to act； yet it is wholesome to man to look not at Fate； but the
other way： the practical view is the other。 His sound relation to
these facts is to use and command； not to cringe to them。 〃Look not
on nature； for her name is fatal；〃 said the oracle。 The too much
contemplation of these limits induces meanness。 They who talk much
of destiny； their birth…star； &c。； are in a lower dangerous plane；
and invite the evils they fear。
I cited the instinctive and heroic races as proud believers in
Destiny。 They conspire with it； a loving resignation is with the
event。 But the dogma makes a different impression； when it is held
by the weak and lazy。 'Tis weak and vicious people who cast the
blame on Fate。 The right use of Fate is to bring up our conduct to
the loftiness of nature。 Rude and invincible except by themselves
are the elements。 So let man be。 Let him empty his breast of his
windy conceits； and show his lordsh