第11部分(第2/7 頁)

　the　business　is　a　fluent　irresponsibility；　which　casts　scorn　on　all　who　reluct　at　the　〃inevitable。〃　Persistent　prophecy　is　a　familiar　way　of　assuring　the　event。

But　I　will　read　no　more　such　writing。　This　resolution　I　make　and　will　keep。　Why　set　my　nerves　quivering　with　rage；　and　spoil　the　calm　of　a　whole　day；　when　no　good　of　any　sort　can　e　of　it？　What　is　it　to　me　if　nations　fall　a…slaughtering　each　other？　Let　the　fools　go　to　it！　Why　should　they　not　please　themselves？　Peace；　after　all；　is　the　aspiration　of　the　few；　so　it　always；　was；　and　ever　will　be。　But　have　done　with　the　nauseous　cant　about　〃dire　calamity。〃　The　leaders　and　the　multitude　hold　no　such　view；　either　they　see　in　war　a　direct　and　tangible　profit；　or　they　are　driven　to　it；　with　heads　down；　by　the　brute　that　is　in　them。　Let　them　rend　and　be　rent；　let　them　paddle　in　blood　and　viscera　till……if　that　would　ever　happen……their　stomachs　turn。　Let　them　blast　the　cornfield　and　the　orchard；　fire　the　home。　For　all　that；　there　will　yet　be　found　some　silent　few；　who　go　their　way　amid　the　still　meadows；　who　bend　to　the　flower　and　watch　the　sunset；　and　these　alone　are　worth　a　thought。

VIII

In　this　hot　weather　I　like　to　walk　at　times　amid　the　full　glow　of　the　sun。　Our　island　sun　is　never　hot　beyond　endurance；　and　there　is　a　magnificence　in　the　triumph　of　high　summer　which　exalts　one's　mind。　Among　streets　it　is　hard　to　bear；　yet　even　there；　for　those　who　have　eyes　to　see　it；　the　splendour　of　the　sky　lends　beauty　to　things　in　themselves　mean　or　hideous。　I　remember　an　August　bank…　holiday；　when；　having　for　some　reason　to　walk　all　across　London；　I　unexpectedly　found　myself　enjoying　the　strange　desertion　of　great　streets；　and　from　that　passed　to　surprise　in　the　sense　of　something　beautiful；　a　charm　in　the　vu