Human, All Too Human Volume Ii Part 54

CLEVERNESS OF THE GREEK.-As the desire for victory and pre-eminence is an ineradicable trait of human nature, older and more primitive than any respect of or joy in equality, the Greek State sanctioned gymnastic and artistic compet.i.tions among equals. In other words, it marked out an arena where this impulse to conquer would find a vent without jeopardising the political order. With the final decline of gymnastic and artistic contests the Greek State fell into a condition of profound unrest and dissolution.

227.

THE "ETERNAL EPICURUS."-Epicurus has lived in all periods, and lives yet, unbeknown to those who called and still call themselves Epicureans, and without repute among philosophers. He has himself even forgotten his own name-that was the heaviest luggage that he ever cast off.

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THE STYLE OF SUPERIORITY.-"University slang," the speech of the German students, has its origin among the students who do not study. The latter know how to acquire a preponderance over their more serious fellows by exposing all the farcical elements of culture, respectability, erudition, order, and moderation, and by having words taken from these realms always on their lips, like the better and more learned students, but with malice in their glance and an accompanying grimace. This language of superiority-the only one that is original in Germany-is nowadays unconsciously used by statesmen and newspaper critics as well. It is a continual process of ironical quotation, a restless, cantankerous squinting of the eye right and left, a language of inverted commas and grimaces.

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THE RECLUSE.-We retire into seclusion, but not from personal misgivings, as if the political and social conditions of the day did not satisfy us; rather because by our retirement we try to save and collect forces which will some day be urgently needed by culture, the more this present is _this present_, and, as such, fulfils its task. We form a capital and try to make it secure, but, as in times of real danger, our method is to bury our h.o.a.rd.

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TYRANTS OF THE INTELLECT.-In our times, any one who expressed a single moral trait so thoroughly as the characters of Theophrastus and Moliere do, would be considered ill, and be spoken of as possessing "a fixed idea." The Athens of the third century, if we could visit it, would appear to us populated by fools. Nowadays the democracy of ideas rules in every brain-there the mult.i.tude collectively is lord. A single idea that tried to be lord is now called, as above stated, "a fixed idea." This is our method of murdering tyrants-we hint at the madhouse.

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A MOST DANGEROUS EMIGRATION.-In Russia there is an emigration of the intelligence. People cross the frontier in order to read and write good books. Thus, however, they are working towards turning their country, abandoned by the intellect, into a gaping Asiatic maw, which would fain swallow our little Europe.

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POLITICAL FOOLS.-The almost religious love of the king was transferred by the Greeks, when the monarchy was abolished, to the _polis_. An idea can be loved more than a person, and does not thwart the lover so often as a beloved human being (for the more men know themselves to be loved, the less considerate they usually become, until they are no longer worthy of love, and a rift really arises). Hence the reverence for State and _polis_ was greater than the reverence for princes had ever been. The Greeks are the political fools of ancient history-today other nations boast that distinction.

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AGAINST NEGLECT OF THE EYES.-Might one not find among the cultured cla.s.ses of England, who read the _Times_, a decline in their powers of sight every ten years?

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GREAT WORKS AND GREAT FAITH.-One man had great works, but his comrade had great faith in these works. They were inseparable, but obviously the former was entirely dependent upon the latter.

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THE SOCIABLE MAN.-"I don't get on well with myself," said some one in explanation of his fondness for society. "Society has a stronger digestion than I have, and can put up with me."

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SHUTTING THE MIND'S EYES.-If we are practised and accustomed to reflect upon our actions, we must nevertheless close the inner eye while performing an action (be this even only writing letters or eating or drinking). Even in conversation with average people we must know how to obscure our own mental vision in order to attain and grasp average thinking. This shutting of the eyes is a conscious act and can be achieved by the will.

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THE MOST TERRIBLE REVENGE.-If we wish to take a thorough revenge upon an opponent, we must wait until we have our hand quite full of truths and equities, and can calmly use the whole lot against him. Hence the exercise of revenge may be identified with the exercise of equity. It is the most terrible kind of revenge, for there is no higher court to which an appeal can be made. Thus did Voltaire revenge himself on Piron, with five lines that sum up Piron's whole life, work, and character: every word is a truth. So too he revenged himself upon Frederick the Great in a letter to him from Ferney.

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TAXES OF LUXURY.-In shops we buy the most necessary and urgent things, and have to pay very dear, because we pay as well for what is also to be had there cheap, but seldom finds a customer-articles of luxury that minister to pleasure. Thus luxury lays a constant tax upon the man of simple life who does without luxuries.