LITERATURE.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 7, 1 May 1906, Page 175

LITERATURE.

By Henry T. Buckle.

Literature, when it is in a healthy and unforced state, is simply the form in which the knowledge of a country is registered — the mould m which it is cast. In this, individual men may of course take great steps, and rise to a great height above the level of their age. But if they rise beyond a certain point, their present usefulness is impaired ; if they rise still higher, it is destroyed. When the interval between the intellectual classes and the practical classes is too great, the former will possess no influence, the latter will reap no benefit. This is what occurred in the ancient world, when the distance between the ignorant idolatry of the people and the refined systems of philosophers was altogether impassable ; and this is the principal reason why the Greeks and Romans were unable to retain the civilisation which they for a short time possessed. Precisely the same process is at the present moment going on in Germany, where the most valuable part of literature forms an esoteric system, which, having nothing in common with the nation itself, produces no effect on the national civilisation. The truth is, that although Europe has received great benefit from its literature, this is owing, not to what the literature has originated, but to what it has preserved. Knowledge must be acquired before it can be written ; and the only use of books is to serve as a storehouse m which the treasures of the intellect are safely kept, and where they may be conveniently found. Literature in itself is but a trifling matter ; and is merely valuable as being the armoury in which the weapons of the human mind are laid up, and from which, when required, they can be quickly drawn. But he would be a sorry reason er who, on that account, should propose to sacrifice the end that he might obtain the means ; who should hope to defend the armoury by giving up the weapons, and who should destroy the treasure, in order to improve the magazine in which the treasure is kept. Yet this is what many persons are apt to do. From literary men, in particular, we hear too much of the necessity of protecting and rewarding literature, and we hear too little of the necessity of that freedom and boldness, in the absence of which the most splendid literature is altogether worthless. Indeed, there is a general tendency, not to exaggerate the advantages of knowledge, — for that is impossible, — but to misunderstand what that is m which knowledge really consists. Real knowledge, the knowledge on which all civilisation is based, solely consists in an acquaintance with the relations which things and ideas bear to each other and to themselves ; in other words, in an acquaintance with physical and mental laws. If the time should ever come when all these laws are known, the circle of human knowledge will then be complete ; and, in the interim, the value of literature depends upon the extent to which it communicates either a knowledge of the laws, or the materials by which the laws may be discovered. The business of education is to accelerate this great movement, and thus increase the fitness and aptitude of men, by increasing the resources which they possess. Towards this purpose, literature, so far as it is auxiliary, is highly useful. But to look upon an acquaintance with literature as one of the objects of education! is" to mistake the order of events, and to make the end subservient to the means. It is because this is done that we often find what are called highly educated men, the progress of whose knowledge has been actually retarded by the activity of their education. We often find them burdened by prejudices, which < their reading, instead of dissipating, has rendered more inveterate For literature, being the depository of the thoughts of mankind, is full not only of wisdom but also of absurdities The benefit, therefore, which is derived from literature itself, depends upon the skill with which it is studied, and the judgment with which it is selected. These are the preliminary conditions of success ; and if they are not obeyed, the number and the value of the books in a country become a matter quite unimportant. Even man advanced stage of civilisation there is always a tendency to prefer those parts of literature which favour ancient prejudices, rather than those which oppose them ; and in cases where this tendency is very strong, the only effect of great learning will be, to supply the materials which may corroborate old errors, and confirm old superstitions. In our time such instances are not uncommon ; and we frequently meet with men whose erudition ministers to their ignorance, and who, the more they read, the less they know.

He is always a poor man who knows no more in life than making money.

The first step toward curing a crooked world will be to straighten your own glasses.