Sartor Resartus, and On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History Part 17

Strangely forgotten that Man is by nature a _naked_ animal.

The English mind all-too practically absorbed for any such inquiry. Not so, deep-thinking Germany. Advantage of Speculation having free course. Editor receives from Professor Teufelsdrockh his new Work on Clothes (p. 1).

CHAP. II. _Editorial Difficulties_

How to make known Teufelsdrockh and his Book to English readers; especially _such_ a book? Editor receives from the Hofrath Heuschrecke a letter promising Biographic Doc.u.ments.

Negotiations with Oliver Yorke. _Sartor Resartus_ conceived.

Editor's a.s.surances and advice to his British reader (p. 5).

CHAP. III. _Reminiscences_

Teufelsdrockh at Weissnichtwo. Professor of Things in General at the University there: Outward aspect and character; memorable coffee-house utterances; domicile and watch-tower: Sights thence of City-life by day and by night; with reflections thereon. Old 'Liza and her ways. Character of Hofrath Heuschrecke, and his relation to Teufelsdrockh (p. 9).

CHAP. IV. _Characteristics_

Teufelsdrockh and his Work on Clothes: Strange freedom of speech: transcendentalism; force of insight and expression; multifarious learning: Style poetic, uncouth: Comprehensiveness of his humour and moral feeling. How the Editor once saw him laugh. Different kinds of Laughter and their significance (p. 20).

CHAP. V. _The World in Clothes_

Futile cause-and-effect Philosophies. Teufelsdrockh's...o...b..s Vest.i.tus. Clothes first invented for the sake of Ornament.

Picture of our progenitor, the Aboriginal Savage. Wonders of growth and progress in mankind's history. Man defined as a Tool-using Animal (p. 25).

CHAP. VI. _Ap.r.o.ns_

Divers Ap.r.o.ns in the world with divers uses. The Military and Police Establishment Society's working Ap.r.o.n. The Episcopal Ap.r.o.n with its corner tucked in. The Laystall. Journalists now our only Kings and Clergy (p. 31).

CHAP. VII. _Miscellaneous-Historical_

How Men and Fas.h.i.+ons come and go. German Costume in the fifteenth century. By what strange chances do we live in History! The costume of Bolivar's Cavalry (p. 34).

CHAP. VIII. _The World out of Clothes_

Teufelsdrockh's Theorem, "Society founded upon Cloth"; his Method, Intuition quickened by Experience.--The mysterious question, Who am I? Philosophic systems, all at fault: A deeper meditation has always taught, here and there an individual, that all visible things are appearances only; but also emblems and revelations of G.o.d. Teufelsdrockh first comes upon the question of Clothes: Baseness to which Clothing may bring us (p. 37).

CHAP. IX. _Adamatism_

The universal utility of Clothes, and their higher mystic virtue, ill.u.s.trated. Conception of Mankind stripped naked; and immediate consequent dissolution of civilised Society (p. 43).

CHAP. X. _Pure Reason_

A Naked World possible, nay actually exists, under the clothed one. Man, in the eye of Pure Reason, a visible G.o.d's Presence.

The beginning of all wisdom, to look fixedly on Clothes till they become transparent. Wonder, the basis of Wors.h.i.+p: Perennial in man. Modern Sciolists who cannot wonder: Teufelsdrockh's contempt for, and advice to them (p. 47).

CHAP. XI. _Prospective_

Nature not an Aggregate, but a Whole. All visible things are emblems, Clothes; and exist for a time only. The grand scope of the Philosophy of Clothes.--Biographic Doc.u.ments arrive.

Letter from Heuschrecke on the importance of Biography.

Heterogeneous character of the doc.u.ments: Editor sorely perplexed; but desperately grapples with his work (p. 52).

BOOK II

CHAP. I. _Genesis_

Old Andreas Futteral and Gretchen his wife: their quiet home.

Advent of a mysterious stranger, who deposits with them a young infant, the future Herr Diogenes Teufelsdrockh.

After-yearnings of the youth for his unknown Father. Sovereign power of Names and Naming. Diogenes a flouris.h.i.+ng Infant (p.

61).

CHAP. II. _Idyllic_

Happy Childhood! Entepfuhl: Sights, hearings and experiences of the boy Teufelsdrockh; their manifold teaching. Education; what it can do, what cannot. Obedience our universal duty and destiny. Gneschen sees the good Gretchen pray (p. 68).

CHAP. III. _Pedagogy_

Teufelsdrockh's School. His Education. How the ever-flowing Kuhbach speaks of Time and Eternity. The Hinterschlag Gymnasium; rude Boys; and pedant Professors. The need of true Teachers, and their due recognition. Father Andreas dies: and Teufelsdrockh learns the secret of his birth: His reflections thereon. The Nameless University. Statistics of Imposture much wanted. Bitter fruits of Rationalism: Teufelsdrockh's religious difficulties. The young Englishman Herr Towgood.

Modern Friends.h.i.+p (p. 76).

CHAP. IV. _Getting under Way_

The grand thaumaturgic Art of Thought. Difficulty in fitting Capability to Opportunity, or of getting underway. The advantage of Hunger and Bread-Studies. Teufelsdrockh has to enact the stern mono-drama of _No object and no rest_.

Sufferings as Auscultator. Given up as a man of genius, Zahdarm House. Intolerable presumption of young men. Irony and its consequences. Teufelsdrockh's Epitaph on Count Zahdarm (p. 90).

CHAP. V. _Romance_

Teufelsdrockh gives up his Profession. The heavenly mystery of Love. Teufelsdrockh's feeling of wors.h.i.+p towards women.

First and only love. Blumine. Happy hearts and free tongues.

The infinite nature of Fantasy. Love's joyful progress; sudden dissolution; and final catastrophe (p. 101).

CHAP. VI. _Sorrows of Teufelsdrockh_

Teufelsdrockh's demeanour thereupon. Turns pilgrim. A last wistful look on native Entepfuhl: Sunset amongst primitive Mountains. Basilisk-glance of the Barouche-and-four. Thoughts on View-hunting. Wanderings and Sorrowings (p. 112).

CHAP. VII. _The Everlasting No_

Loss of Hope, and of Belief. Profit-and-Loss Philosophy, Teufelsdrockh in his darkness and despair still clings to Truth and follows Duty. Inexpressible pains and fears of Unbelief. Fever-crisis: Protest against the Everlasting No: Baphometic Fire-baptism (p. 121).

CHAP. VIII. _Centre of Indifference_

Teufelsdrockh turns now outwardly to the _Not-me_; and finds wholesomer food. Ancient Cities: Mystery of their origin and growth: Invisible inheritances and possessions. Power and virtue of a true Book. Wagram Battlefield: War. Great Scenes beheld by the Pilgrim: Great Events, and Great Men. Napoleon, a divine missionary, preaching _La carriere ouverte aux talens_. Teufelsdrockh at the North Cape: Modern means of self-defence. Gunpowder and duelling. The Pilgrim, despising his miseries, reaches the Centre of Indifference (p. 128).

CHAP. IX. _The Everlasting Yea_

Temptations in the Wilderness: Victory over the Tempter.

Annihilation of Self. Belief in G.o.d, and love to Man. The origin of Evil, a problem ever requiring to be solved anew: Teufelsdrockh's solution. Love of Happiness a vain whim: A Higher in man than Love of Happiness. The Everlasting Yea.

Wors.h.i.+p of Sorrow. Voltaire: his task now finished. Conviction worthless, impossible, without Conduct. The true Ideal, the Actual: Up and work! (p. 138).

CHAP. X. _Pause_

Conversion; a spiritual attainment peculiar to the modern Era.