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benefit in ages past。 All the labour and the toil of so many millions
continued through such vistas of time； down to those millions who at this
hour are rushing to and fro in London； has
accumulated nothing for us。 Nothing for our good。 The only things that have
been stored up have been for our evil and destruction； diseases and
weaknesses crossed and cultivated and rendered almost part and parcel of our
very bones。 Now let us begin to roll back the tide of death； and to set our
faces
steadily to a future of life。 It should be the sacred and sworn duty of
every one； once at least during lifetime； to do something in person towards
this end。 It would be a delight and pleasure to me to do something every
day； were it ever so minute。 To reflect that another human being； if at a
distance of ten thousand years from the year 1883； would enjoy one hour's
more life； in the sense of fulness of life； in consequence of anything I had
done in my little span； would be to me a peace of soul。
CHAPTER X
UNITED effort through geological time in front is but the beginning of an
idea。 I am convinced that much more can be done； and that the length of time
may be almost immeasurably shortened。 The general principles that are now in
operation are of the simplest and most elementary character； yet they have
already made considerable difference。 I am not content with these。 There
must be much morethere must be things which are at present unknown by
whose aid advance may be made。 Research proceeds upon the same old lines and
runs in the ancient grooves。 Further； it is restricted by the
ultra…practical views which are alone deemed reasonable。 But there should be
no limit placed on the mind。 The purely ideal is as worthy of pursuit as the
practical； and the mind is not to be pinned to dogmas of science any more
than to dogmas of superstition。 Most injurious
of all is the continuous circling on the same path； and it is
from this that I wish to free my mind。
The pursuit of theorythe organon of pure thoughthas led
incidentally to great discoveries； and for myself I am convinced
it is of the highest value。 The process of experiment has produced much； and
has applied what was previously found。
Empiricism is worthy of careful re…working out； for it is a fact
that most things are more or less empirical； especially in
medicine。 Denial may be given to this statement； nevertheless
it is true； and I have had practical exemplification of it in my
own experience。 Observation is perhaps more powerful an organon
than either experiment or empiricism。 If the eye is always watching； and
the mind on the alert； ultimately chance supplies the solution。
The difficulties I have encountered have generally been solved
by chance in this way。 When I took an interest in
archaeological mattersan interest long since extinctI
considered that a part of an army known to have marched in a
certain direction during the Civil War must have visited a town
in which I was interested。 But I exhausted every mode of
research in vain； there was no evidence of it。 If the knowledge
had ever existed it had dropped again。 Some years afterwards；
when my interest had ceased； and I had put such inquiries for
ever aside （being useless； like the Egyptian papyri）； I was
reading in the British Museum。 Presently I returned my book to
the shelf； and then slowly walked along the curving wall lined with volumes；
looking to see if I could light on anything to amuse me。 I took out a volume
for a glance； it opened of itself at a certain page； and there was the
information I had so long soughta reprint of an old pamphlet describing
the visit of the army to the town in the Civil War。 So chance answered the
question in the course of time。
And I think that； seeing how great a part chance plays in human affairs； it
is essential that study should be made of chance； it seems to me that an
organon from experiment。 Then there is the inner consciousnessthe
psychethat has never yet been brought to bear upon life and its questions。
Besides which there is a super…sensuous reason。 Often I have argued with
myself that such and such a course was the right one to follow； while in the
intervals of thinking about it an undercurrent of unconscious impulse has
desired me to do the reverse or to remain inactive。
Sometimes it has happened that the supersensuous reasoning has been correct；
and the most faultless argument wrong。 I presume this supersensuous
reasoning； preceeding independently in the mind； arises from preceptions too
delicate for analysis。 From these considerations alone I am convinced that；
by the aid of ideas yet to be discovered； the geological time in front may
be immeasurably shortened。 These modes of research are not all。 The
psychethe soul in metells me that there is much more； that these are
merely beginnings of the crudest kind。
I fully recognise the practical difficulty arising from the ingrained；
hereditary； and unconscious selfishness which began before history； and has
been crossed and cultivated for twelve thousand years since。 This renders me
less sanguine of united effort through geological time ahead； unless some
idea can be formed to give a stronger impulse even than selfishness； or
unless the selfishness can be utilised。 The complacency with which the mass
of people go about their daily task； absolutely
indifferent to all other considerations； is appalling in its
concentrated stolidity。 They do not intend wrongthey intend rightly： in
truth； they work against the entire human race。
So wedded and so confirmed is the world in its narrow groove of self； so
stolid and so complacent under the immense weight of misery； so callous to
its own possibilities； and so grown to its chains； that I almost despair to
see it awakened。 Cemeteries are often placed on hillsides； and the white
stones are visible far off。 If the whole of the dead in a hillside cemetery
were called up alive from their tombs； and walked forth down into the
valley； it would not rouse the mass of people from the dense pyramid of
stolidity which presses on them。
There would be gaping and marvelling and rushing about； and what then？ In a
week or two the ploughman would settle down to his plough； the carpenter to
his bench； the smith to his anvil； the
merchant to his money； and the dead come to life would be
utterly forgotten。 No matter in what manner the possibilities
of human life are put before the world； the crowd continues as stolid as
before。 Therefore nothing hitherto done； or suggested； or thought of；is of
much avail； but this fact in no degree
stays me from the search。 On the contrary；the less there has been
accomplished the more anxious I am； the truth it teaches is
that the mind must be lifted out of its old grooves before anything will be
certainly begun。 Erase the past from the mindstand face to face with the
real nowand work out all anew。 Call the soul to our assistance； the soul
tells me that outside all the ideas that have yet occurred there are others；
whole circles of others。
I remember a cameo of Augustus Caesarthe head of the emperor is graven in
delicate lines； and shows the most exquisite proportions。 It is a balanced
head； a head adjusted to the calmest intellect。 That head when it was living
contained a circle of ideas； the largest； the widest； the most profound
current in his time。 All that philosophy had taught； all that practice；
experiment； and empiricism had discovered； was familiar to him。 There was no
knowledge in the ancient world but what was accessible to the Emperor of
Rome。 Now at this day there are amongst us heads as finely proportioned as
that cut out in the cameo。 Though these living men do not possess arbitrary
power； the advantages of arbitrary poweras far as knowledge is
concernedare secured to them by education； by the printing…press； and the
facilities of our era。 It is reasonable to imagine a head of our time filled
with the largest； the widest； the most profound ideas current in the age。
Augustus Caesar； however great his intellect； could not in that balanced
head have possessed the ideas familiar enough to the living head of this
day。 As we have a circle of ideas unknown to Augustus Caesar； so I argue
there are whole circles of ideas unknown to us。 It is these that I am so
earnestly desirous of discovering。
For nothing has as yet been of any value； however good its intent。 There is
no virtue； or reputed virtue； which has not
been rigidly pursued； and things have remained as before。 Men
and women have practised self…denial； and to what end？ They
have compelled themselves to suffer hunger and thirst； in
vain。 They have clothed themselves in sack cloth and lacerated the flesh。
They have mutilated themselves。 Some have been scrupulous to bathe； and some
have been scrupulous to cake their bodies with the foulness of years。 Many
have devoted their lives to assist others in sickness or poverty。 Chastity
has been faithfully observed； chastity both of body and mind。
Self…examination has been pursued till it ended in a species of sacred
insanity； and all these have been of no more value than the tortures
undergone by the Indian mendicant who hangs himself up by a hook thr