Page:Poet Lore, volume 4, 1892.djvu/604

 “But why, too, that still more absurd worship of men without any talent who have become famous only through the genius of others, hired and paid?”

There was heard a suppressed murmur of disapproval from the table of the noblemen and officials; but my friend wentonwent on [sic],—

“Why worship one’s own genius, one’s own deeds, one’s own age? Why those eternal eulogies on the age of enlightenment and progress when we are still so far from the true universal enlightenment, when we know that all that the human mind has achieved in the course of ages may be abused? Is not a modern working-man, attending a machine, still the same slave as ever? Is his life any more pleasant, safer, or happier than it used to be? Do we not know that all the sciences, from mathematics (the queen) down to the last, often charlatanical, pseudo-science,—do we not know that all achievements, old and new, are alike employed in the mutual killing of men? The progress of modern strategy and military tactics shows that all newly discovered means of communication are used to convey large armies in the shortest time to places where they may engage in reciprocal slaughter. Mathematics, chemistry, optics, mechanics, and a series of other sciences furnish their latest and best productions to subserve that purpose. Ay, even history, dealing with mere facts, and pedagogy, pointing to models, have oftentimes the same object. What is the model heroism of which the historian speaks, what this modern drill,—these army orders,—but the refined means which stimulate human souls to a passionate, furious, and often useless battle?”

The military men fell in line with, “Don’t insult your own vocation!” and from the rear a deep voice asked,—

“How is all this connected with the experiment?”

“Very simply,” my friend replied. “My experiment is based on a scientific hypothesis.”

“Well, why don’t you take up your experiment?” the same unknown voice suggested.

“Go on with the lecture!” came from the tables to the right.

“No, no! The experiment! We want the experiment!” came from the left.

“Speak! speak!” urged the centre.