Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 162.djvu/22

 dred and fifty-eight saints, but all their | acts, and all the acts of all others who ' have lived in the past, — except the worth- less, whose acts are, he considers, swal- lowed up in the general progress towards good — contribute to the sum of human- ity, we can hardly be surprised at the cli- max of his remarks. He said that " words failed him to give an adequate idea "of the vastness of this thought. "The dull monotony of prose did no sort of justice to their feelings ... on the present oc- casion even poetry could not adequately express their feelings, and they must re- sort to music, because the very indefinite- ness of that art could clothe an almost infinite idea." Infinite, one is inclined to add, much as a square inch of ground may be considered infinite if it is measured by the infinite number of infinitesimals of which it is composed. Mr. Harrison's language reminds me of that of a Parisian shopwoman, who once charged the pres- ent writer a very high price for a note- book, and said in self-defence, by way of showing the infinite value of the book, dinaire. Vous pouvez ecrire la-dedans tout ce que vous voulezP This was an almost infinite idea. But to return to our " plain man." His purpose being practical, he endeavors to gain from the contemplation of these he- roes some guidance as to how he is to obtain the same good success as they did, and to walk in their footsteps. He looks to their example as a guide for conduct, as that of men who have accomplished the aini which Positivism holds up for each of us. And here he is at once puz- zled. The progress aimed at and achieved by the saints seems to be not only het- erogeneous, but even opposed. Which contributed really to human progress — Augustine, whose one aim was to extend the influence of Christianity, or Vespa- sian, who tried to exterminate it? Which should he imitate — the chaste St. Ber- nard, or the unchaste Mahomet? All these names are in the calendar, and the whole five hundred and fifty-eight form a most imposing array, well fitted to arouse the "glow"* which, as it may be remem- bered, Mr. Harrison commends; but as models of conduct they at once puzzle the straightforward enquirer, as embodying with the view of understanding better, and of adding some breadth and depth and glow to the old sentiment and practice," with regard to the grateful remembrance and commemoration of the heroes of the past. — See the Times' report of Mr. Harrison's Address last New Year's Eve. directly opposite ideals. Still, the Posi- tivist teacher insists that each was a " ho- ly spirit," according to his lights and in his own way, and the student will perhaps let this pass, and proceed to fix upon one or two as embodying the type of excel- lence which most appeals to him, dismiss- ing the "infinite idea "as well fitted for "glow," but little suited for action. His primary object being moral conduct, as that is what was associated with the by- gone religion, and the motive for which is now lacking, he fixes, perhaps, on St. Bernard or St. Paul. And here, again, rises a fresh diflSculty. Directly his med- itation on St. Bernard becomes vivid he comes to realize the fact that the saint's consistent rectitude and self-devotioa leaned for support on 2i faith which sup- plied both a trust in present assistance and a belief in an aim to be achieved. "How am I," he asks, "to have the strength and consistency of St. Bernard when the whole source whence he derived them is gone? The sight of the goal — of the future life — and the consciousness of God's presence and assistance nerved his arm. How can I fight as he fought without them ? " But the Positivist priest, nothing daunted, will tell us of the new faith and the new aim which supply the place of the old; and forthwith will ex- plain that humanity supplies the faith and human progress the aim. But here I am afraid that Positivism will begin to un- clothe itself very rapidly so far as its ef- fect on moral conduct goes. We are very near those strings of which I have spoken which so quickly unloose its manifold robes. And the issue will be most clearly shown by a practical instance, not of ex- alted virtue but of ordinary right conduct. That a man should refrain from beating his wife because he believes in a God whose claims on him are paramount, and who will reward him or punish him ac- cording as he refrains or does not refrain, is reasonable and natural. But that love for the human race should make him re- frain when love for his wife was an insuffi- cient motive, is hardly to be expected. " Keep yourself up for my sake," said Winkle to Mr. Pickwick, who was in the water. The author remarks that he was probably yet more effectively moved to do so for his own sake. And to tell a man to be good to his wife for the sake of the human race has in it a considerable element of similar bathos. It is exactly parallel to the v/ell-knovvn method of catch- ing a bird. No doubt if you can put salt on his tail you can catch him. And so
 * ' Mais^ monsieur^ c'est un livre extraor-
 * "Those who were assembled in that hall had met