Nowitisthissimpletruthwhich，likemanyothers，istoosimpleforourscientiststosee。Thisiswheretheygowrong，notonlyabouttruereligion，butaboutfalsereligionstoo；sothattheiraccountofmythologyismoremythicalthanthemythitself。Idonotconfinemyselftosayingthattheyarequiteincorrectwhentheystate(forinstance)
thatChristwasalegendofdyingandrevivingvegetation，likeAdonisorPersephone。IsaythatevenifAdoniswasagodofvegetation，theyhavegotthewholenotionofhimwrong。Nobody，tobeginwith，issufficientlyinterestedindecayingvegetables，assuch，tomakeanyparticularmysteryordisguiseaboutthem；andcertainlynotenoughtodisguisethemundertheimageofaveryhandsomeyoungman，whichisavastlymoreinterestingthing。IfAdoniswasconnectedwiththefallofleavesinautumnandthereturnofflowersinspring，theprocessofthoughtwasquitedifferent。Itisaprocessofthoughtwhichspringsupspontaneouslyinallchildrenandyoungartists；itspringsupspontaneouslyinallhealthysocieties。Itisverydifficulttoexplaininadiseasedsociety。
Thebrainofmanissubjecttoshortandstrangesnatchesofsleep。A
cloudsealsthecityofreasonorrestsupontheseaofimagination；adreamthatdarkensasmuch，whetheritisanightmareofatheismoraday-
dreamofidolatry。Andjustaswehaveallsprungfromsleepwithastartandfoundourselvessayingsomesentencethathasnomeaning，saveinthemadtonguesofthemidnight；sothehumanmindstartsfromitstrancesofstupiditywithsomecompletephraseuponitslips；acompletephrasewhichisacompletefolly。Unfortunatelyitisnotlikethedreamsentence，generallyforgottenintheputtingonofbootsortheputtinginofbreakfast。Thissenselessaphorism，inventedwhenman\'smindwasasleep，stillhangsonhistongueandentanglesallhisrelationstorationalanddaylightthings。Allourcontroversiesareconfusedbycertainkindsofphraseswhicharenotmerelyuntrue，butwerealwaysunmeaning；whicharenotmerelyinapplicable，butwerealwaysintrinsicallyuseless。Werecognisethemwhereveramantalksof\"thesurvivalofthefittest，\"meaningonlythesurvivalofthesurvivors；orwhereveramansaysthattherich\"haveastakeinthecountry，\"asifthepoorcouldnotsufferfrommisgovernmentormilitarydefeat；orwhereamantalksabout\"goingontowardsProgress，\"whichonlymeansgoingontowardsgoingon；orwhenamantalksabout\"governmentbythewisefew，\"
asiftheycouldbepickedoutbytheirpantaloons。\"Thewisefew\"mustmeaneitherthefewwhomthefoolishthinkwiseortheveryfoolishwhothinkthemselveswise。
Thereisonepieceofnonsensethatmodernpeoplestillfindthemselvessaying，evenaftertheyaremoreorlessawake，bywhichIamparticularlyirritated。Itaroseinthepopularisedscienceofthenineteenthcentury，especiallyinconnectionwiththestudyofmythsandreligions。ThefragmentofgibberishtowhichIrefergenerallytakestheformofsaying\"Thisgodorheroreallyrepresentsthesun。”Or\"ApollokillingthePythonMEANSthatthesummerdrivesoutthewinter。”
Or\"TheKingdyinginawesternbattleisaSYMBOLofthesunsettinginthewest。”NowIshouldreallyhavethoughtthateventheskepticalprofessors，whoseskullsareasshallowasfrying-pans，mighthavereflectedthathumanbeingsneverthinkorfeellikethis。Considerwhatisinvolvedinthissupposition。Itpresumesthatprimitivemanwentoutforawalkandsawwithgreatinterestabigburningspotonthesky。Hethensaidtoprimitivewoman，\"Mydear，wehadbetterkeepthisquiet。
Wemustn\'tletitgetabout。Thechildrenandtheslavesaresoverysharp。Theymightdiscoverthesunanyday，unlessweareverycareful。
Sowewon\'tcallit\'thesun，\'butIwilldrawapictureofamankillingasnake；andwheneverIdothatyouwillknowwhatImean。Thesundoesn\'tlookatalllikeamankillingasnake；sonobodycanpossiblyknow。Itwillbealittlesecretbetweenus；andwhiletheslavesandthechildrenfancyIamquiteexcitedwithagrandtaleOfawrithingdragonandawrestlingdemigod，IshallreallyMEANthisdeliciouslittlediscovery，thatthereisaroundyellowdiscupintheair。”Onedoesnotneedtoknowmuchmythologytoknowthatthisisamyth。ItiscommonlycalledtheSolarMyth。
Quiteplainly，ofcourse，thecasewasjusttheotherway。Thegodwasneverasymbolorhieroglyphrepresentingthesun。Thesunwasahieroglyphrepresentingthegod。Primitiveman(withwhommyfriendDombeyisnodoubtwellacquainted)wentoutwithhisheadfullofgodsandheroes，becausethatisthechiefuseofhavingahead。Thenhesawthesuninsomegloriouscrisisofthedominanceofnoononthedistressofnightfall，andhe\'said，\"Thatishowthefaceofthegodwouldshinewhenhehadslainthedragon，\"or\"Thatishowthewholeworldwouldbleedtowestward，ifthegodwereslainatlast。”
NohumanbeingwaseverreallysounnaturalastoworshipNature。Noman，howeverindulgent(asIam)tocorpulency，everworshippedamanasroundasthesunorawomanasroundasthemoon。Noman，howeverattractedtoanartisticattenuation，everreallybelievedthattheDryadwasasleanandstiffasthetree。WehumanbeingshaveneverworshippedNature；andindeed，thereasonisverysimple。Itisthatallhumanbeingsaresuperhumanbeings。WehaveprintedourownimageuponNature，asGodhasprintedHisimageuponus。Wehavetoldtheenormoussuntostandstill；wehavefixedhimonourshields，caringnomoreforastarthanforastarfish。AndwhentherewerepowersofNaturewecouldnotforthetimecontrol，wehaveconceivedgreatbeingsinhumanshapecontrollingthem。Jupiterdoesnotmeanthunder。ThundermeansthemarchandvictoryofJupiter。Neptunedoesnotmeanthesea；theseaishis，andhemadeit。Inotherwords，whatthesavagereallysaidabouttheseawas，\"OnlymyfetishMumbocouldraisesuchmountainsoutofmerewater。”Whatthesavagereallysaidaboutthesunwas，\"Onlymygreat-
great-grandfatherJumbocoulddeservesuchablazingcrown。”
Aboutallthesemythsmyownpositionisutterlyandevensadlysimple。
Isayyoucannotreallyunderstandanymythstillyouhavefoundthatoneofthemisnotamyth。Turnipghostsmeannothingiftherearenorealghosts。Forgedbank-notesmeannothingiftherearenorealbank-notes。
Heathengodsmeannothing，andmustalwaysmeannothing，tothoseofusthatdenytheChristianGod。Whenonceagodisadmitted，evenafalsegod，theCosmosbeginstoknowitsplace:whichisthesecondplace。WhenonceitistherealGodtheCosmosfallsdownbeforeHim，offeringflowersinspringasflamesinwinter。\"Myloveislikeared，redrose\"
doesnotmeanthatthepoetispraisingrosesundertheallegoryofayounglady。\"Myloveisanarbutus\"doesnotmeanthattheauthorwasabotanistsopleasedwithaparticulararbutustreethathesaidhelovedit。\"Whoartthemoonandregentofmysky\"doesnotmeanthatJulietinventedRomeotoaccountfortheroundnessofthemoon。\"ChrististheSunofEaster\"doesnotmeanthattheworshipperispraisingthesunundertheemblemofChrist。Goddessorgodcanclothethemselveswiththespringorsummer；butthebodyismorethanraiment。ReligiontakesalmostdisdainfullythedressofNature；andindeedChristianityhasdoneaswellwiththesnowsofChristmasaswiththesnow-dropsofspring。
AndwhenIlookacrossthesun-struckfields，Iknowinmyinmostbonesthatmyjoyisnotsolelyinthespring，forspringalone，beingalwaysreturning，wouldbealwayssad。Thereissomebodyorsomethingwalkingthere，tobecrownedwithflowers:andmypleasureisinsomepromiseyetpossibleandintheresurrectionofthedead。
THEREALJOURNALIST
Ouragewhichhasboastedofrealismwillfailchieflythroughlackofreality。Never，Ifancy，hastherebeensograveandstartlingadivorcebetweentherealwayathingisdoneandthelookofitwhenitisdone。
Itakethenearestandmosttopicalinstancetohandanewspaper。
Nothinglooksmoreneatandregularthananewspaper，withitsparallelcolumns，itsmechanicalprinting，itsdetailedfactsandfigures，itsresponsible，polysyllabicleadingarticles。Nothing，asamatteroffact，goeseverynightthroughmoreagoniesofadventure，morehairbreadthescapes，desperateexpedients，crucialcouncils，randomcompromises，orbarelyavertedcatastrophes。Seenfromtheoutside，itseemstocomeroundasautomaticallyastheclockandassilentlyasthedawn。Seenfromtheinside，itgivesallitsorganisersagaspofreliefeverymorningtoseethatithascomeoutatall；thatithascomeoutwithouttheleadingarticleupsidedownorthePopecongratulatedondiscoveringtheNorthPole。
Iwillgiveaninstance(merelytoillustratemythesisofunreality)
fromthepaperthatIknowbest。Hereisasimplestory，alittleepisodeinthelifeofajournalist，whichmaybeamusingandinstructive:
thetaleofhowImadeagreatmistakeinquotation。Therearereallytwostories:thestoryasseenfromtheoutside，byamanreadingthepaper；andthestoryseenfromtheinside，bythejournalistsshoutingandtelephoningandtakingnotesinshorthandthroughthenight。
Thisistheoutsidestory；anditreadslikeadreadfulquarrel。ThenotoriousG。K。Chesterton，areactionaryTorquemadawhoseonegloomypleasurewasinthedefenceoforthodoxyandthepursuitofheretics，longcalculatedandatlastlaunchedadenunciationofabrilliantleaderoftheNewTheologywhichhehatedwithallthefurnaceofhisfanaticsoul。InthisdocumentChestertondarkly，deliberately，andnothavingthefearofGodbeforehiseyes，assertedthatShakespearewrotetheline\"thatwreathesitsoldfantasticrootssohigh。”ThishesaidbecausehehadbeenkeptinignorancebyPriests；or，perhaps，becausehethoughtcraftilythatnoneofhisdupescoulddiscoveracuriousandforgottenrhymecalled\'ElegyinaCountryChurchyard\'。Anyhow，thatorthodoxgentlemanmadeahowlingerror；andreceivedsometwentyfivelettersandpost-cardsfromkindcorrespondentswhopointedoutthemistake。
Buttheoddthingisthatscarcelyanyofthemcouldconceivethatitwasamistake。Thefirstwroteinthetoneofoneweariedofepigrams，andcried，\"WhatisthejokeNOW？\"Anotherprofessed(andpractised，forallIknow，Godhelphim)thathehadreadthroughallShakespeareandfailedtofindtheline。Athirdwroteinasortofmoraldistress，asking，asinconfidence，ifGraywasreallyaplagiarist。Theywereanoblecollection；buttheyallsubtlyassumedanelementofleisureandexactitudeintherecipient\'sprofessionandcharacterwhichisfarfromthetruth。Letuspassontothenextactoftheexternaltragedy。
InMonday\'sissueofthesamepaperappearedaletterfromthesameculprit。HeingenuouslyconfessedthatthelinedidnotbelongtoShakespeare，buttoapoetwhomhecalledGrey。Whichwasanothercropper——orwhopper。Thisstrangeandilliterateoutbreakwasprintedbytheeditorwiththejustlyscornfultitle，\"Mr。Chesterton\'Explains\'？\"
Anymanreadingthepaperatbreakfastsawatoncethemeaningofthesarcasticquotationmarks。Theymeant，ofcourse，\"Hereisamanwhodoesn\'tknowGrayfromShakespeare；hetriestopatchitupandhecan\'tevenspellGray。AndthatiswhathecallsanExplanation。”Thatistheperfectlynaturalinferenceofthereaderfromtheletter，themistake，andtheheadline——asseenfromtheoutside。Thefalsehoodwasserious；
theeditorialrebukewasserious。Thesterneditorandthesombre，baffledcontributorconfronteachotherasthecurtainfalls。
AndnowIwilltellyouexactlywhatreallyhappened。Itishonestlyratheramusing；itisastoryofwhatjournalsandjournalistsreallyare。
AmonstrouslylazymanlivesinSouthBuckspartlybywritingacolumnintheSaturdayDailyNews。Atthetimeheusuallywritesit(whichisalwaysatthelastmoment)hishouseisunexpectedlyinvadedbyinfantsofallshapesandsizes。HisSecretaryiscalledaway；andhehastocopewiththeinvadingpigmies。Playingwithchildrenisagloriousthing；butthejournalistinquestionhasneverunderstoodwhyitwasconsideredasoothingoridyllicone。Itremindshim，notofwateringlittlebuddingflowers，butofwrestlingforhourswithgiganticangelsanddevils。Moralproblemsofthemostmonstrouscomplexitybesiegehimincessantly。Hehastodecidebeforetheawfuleyesofinnocence，whether，whenasisterhasknockeddownabrother\'sbricks，inrevengeforthebrotherhavingtakentwosweetsoutofhisturn，itisendurablethatthebrothershouldretaliatebyscribblingonthesister\'spicture-
book，andwhethersuchconductdoesnotjustifythesisterinblowingoutthebrother\'sunlawfullylightedmatch。
Justasheissolvingthisproblemuponprinciplesofthehighestmorality，itoccurstohimsuddenlythathehasnotwrittenhisSaturdayarticle；andthatthereisonlyaboutanhourtodoitin。Hewildlycallstosomebody(probablythegardener)totelephonetosomewhereforamessenger；hebarricadeshimselfinanotherroomandtearshishair，wonderingwhatonearthheshallwriteabout。Adrummingoffistsonthedooroutsideandacheerfulbellowingencourageandclarifyhisthoughts；
andheisabletoobservesomenewspapersandcircularsinwrapperslyingonthetable。Oneisadingybookcatalogue；thesecondisashinypamphletaboutpetrol；thethirdisapapercalledTheChristianCommonwealth。Heopensitanyhow，andseesinthemiddleofapageasentencewithwhichhehonestlydisagrees。ItsaysthatthesenseofbeautyinNatureisanewthing，hardlyfeltbeforeWordsworth。Astreamofimagesandpicturespourthroughhishead，likeskieschasingeachotherorforestsrunningby。\"NotfeltbeforeWordsworth!\"hethinks。
\"Oh，butthiswon\'tdo……bareruinedchoirswherelatethesweetbirdssang……night\'scandlesareburntout……glowedwithlivingsapphires。
leavingtheirmoon-lovedmaze……antiquerootsfantastic……antiquerootswreathedhigh……whatisitinAsYouLikeIt？\"
Hesitsdowndesperately；themessengerringsatthebell；thechildrendrumonthedoor；theservantsrunupfromtimetotimetosaythemessengerisgettingbored；andthepencilstaggersalong，makingtheworldapresentoffifteenhundredunimportantwords，andmakingShakespeareapresentofaportionofGray\'sElegy；putting\"fantasticrootswreathedhigh\"insteadof\"antiquerootspeepout。”Thenthejournalistsendsoffhiscopyandturnshisattentiontotheenigmaofwhetherabrothershouldcommandeerasister\'snecklacebecausethesisterpinchedhimatLittlehampton。Thatisthefirstscene；thatishowanarticleisreallywritten。
Thescenenowchangestothenewspaperoffice。Thewriterofthearticlehasdiscoveredhismistakeandwantstocorrectitbythenextday:butthenextdayisSunday。Hecannotpostaletter，soheringsupthepaperanddictatesaletterbytelephone。Heleavesthetitletohisfriendsattheotherend；heknowsthattheycanspell\"Gray，\"asnodoubttheycan:buttheletterisputdownbyjournalisticcustominapencilscribbleandthevowelmaywellbedoubtful。Thefriendwritesatthetopoftheletter\"\'G。K。C。\'Explains，\"puttingtheinitialsinquotationmarks。Thenextmanpassingitforpressisboredwiththeseinitials(Iamwithhimthere)andcrossesthemout，substitutingwithausterecivility，\"Mr。ChestertonExplains。”ButandnowhehearstheironlaughteroftheFates，fortheblindboltisabouttofall——butheneglectstocrossoutthesecond\"quote\"(aswecallit)anditgoesuptopresswitha\"quote\"betweenthelastwords。Anotherquotationmarkattheendof\"explains\"wastheworkofonemerrymomentfortheprintersupstairs。Sotheinvertedcommaswereliftedentirelyoffonewordontotheotherandatotallyinnocenttitlesuddenlyturnedintoablastingsneer。Butthatwouldhavematterednothingsofar，fortherewasnothingtosneerat。Inthesamedarkhour，however，therewasaprinterwhowas(Isuppose)sodevotedtothisGovernmentthathecouldthinkofnoGraybutSirEdwardGrey。Hespeltit\"Grey\"byameremisprint，andthewholetalewascomplete:firstblunder，secondblunder，andfinalcondemnation。
Thatisalittletaleofjournalismasitis；ifyoucallitegotisticandaskwhatistheuseofitIthinkIcouldtellyou。Youmightrememberitwhennextsomeordinaryyoungworkmanisgoingtobehangedbytheneckoncircumstantialevidence。
THESENTIMENTALSCOT
OfallthegreatnationsofChristendom，theScotcharebyfarthemostromantic。IhavejustenoughScotchexperienceandjustenoughScotchbloodtoknowthisintheonlywayinwhichathingcanreallybeknown；
thatis，whentheouterworldandtheinnerworldareatone。IknowitisalwayssaidthattheScotcharepractical，prosaic，andpuritan；thattheyhaveaneyetobusiness。Ilikethatphrase\"aneye\"tobusiness。
Polyphemushadaneyeforbusiness；itwasinthemiddleofhisforehead。
Itservedhimadmirablyfortheonlytwodutieswhicharedemandedinamodernfinancierandcaptainofindustry:thetwodutiesofcountingsheepandofeatingmen。Butwhenthatoneeyewasputouthewasdonefor。ButtheScotcharenotone-eyedpracticalmen，thoughtheirbestfriendsmustadmitthattheyareoccasionallybusiness-like。Theyare，quitefundamentally，romanticandsentimental，andthisisprovedbytheveryeconomicargumentthatisusedtoprovetheirharshnessandhungerforthematerial。ThemassofScotshaveacceptedtheindustrialcivilisation，withitsfactorychimneysanditsfamineprices，withitssteamandsmokeandsteel——andstrikes。ThemassoftheIrishhavenotacceptedit。ThemassoftheIrishhaveclungtoagriculturewithclawsofiron；andhavesucceededinkeepingit。ThatisbecausetheIrish，thoughfarinferiortotheScotchinartandliterature，arehugelysuperiortotheminpracticalpolitics。Youdoneedtobeveryromantictoaccepttheindustrialcivilisation。ItdoesreallyrequirealltheoldGaelicglamourtomakementhinkthatGlasgowisagrandplace。Yetthemiracleisachieved；andwhileIwasinGlasgowIsharedtheillusion。
IhaveneverhadthefaintestillusionaboutLeedsorBirmingham。TheindustrialdreamsuitedtheScots。Herewasareallyromanticvista，suitedtoaromanticpeople；avisionofhigherandhigherchimneystakingholdupontheheavens，offiercerandfiercerfiresinwhichadamantcouldevaporatelikedew。Hereweretallerandtallerenginesthatbeganalreadytoshriekandgesticulatelikegiants。Herewerethunderboltsofcommunicationwhichalreadyflashedtoandfrolikethoughts。Itwasunreasonabletoexpecttherapt，dreamy，romanticScottostandstillinsuchawhirlofwizardrytoaskwhetherhe，theordinaryScot，wouldbeanythericher。
He，theordinaryScot，isverymuchthepoorer。Glasgowisnotarichcity。Itisaparticularlypoorcityruledbyafewparticularlyrichmen。Itisnot，perhaps，quitesopooracityasLiverpool，London，Manchester，Birmingham，orBolton。ItisvastlypoorerthanRome，Rouen，Munich，orCologne。AcertaincivicvitalitynotableinGlasgowmay，perhaps，beduetothefactthatthehighpoeticpatriotismoftheScotshastherebeenreinforcedbythecuttingcommonsenseandindependenceoftheIrish。Inanycase，Ithinktherecanbenodoubtofthemainhistoricalfact。TheScotchweretemptedbytheenormousbutunequalopportunitiesofindustrialism，becausetheScotchareromantic。TheIrishrefusedthoseenormousandunequalopportunities，becausetheIrishareclear-sighted。TheywouldnotneedveryclearsightbythistimetoseethatinEnglandandScotlandthetemptationhasbeenabetrayal。Theindustrialsystemhasfailed。
IwascomingtheotherdayalongagreatvalleyroadthatstrikesoutofthewestlandcountiesaboutGlasgow，moreorlesstowardstheeastandthewideningoftheForth。Itmay，forallIknow(Iamusedmyselfwiththefancy)，bethewayalongwhichWallacecamewithhiscrudearmy，whenhegavebattlebeforeStirlingBrig；and，inthemidstofmediaevaldiplomacies，madeanewnationpossible。Anyhow，theromanticqualityofScotlandrolledallaboutme，asmuchinthelastreekofGlasgowasinthefirstrainuponthehills。Thetallfactorychimneysseemedtryingtobetallerthanthemountainpeaks；asifthislandscapewerefull(asitshistoryhasbeenfull)oftheverymadnessofambition。Thewage-
slaveryweliveinisawickedthing。Butthereisnothing-inwhichtheScotcharemorepiercingandpoetical，Imightsaymoreperfect，thanintheirScotchwickedness。ItiswhatmakestheMasterofBallantraethemostthrillingofallfictitiousvillains。ItiswhatmakestheMasterofLovatthemostthrillingofallhistoricalvillains。Itispoetry。
Itisanintensitywhichisontheedgeofmadnessor(whatisworse)
magic。Well，theScotchhavemanagedtoapplysomethingofthisfierceromanticismeventothelowestofalllordshipsandserfdoms；theproletarianinequalityoftoday。Youdomeetnowandthen，inScotland，themanyounevermeetanywhereelsebutinnovels；Imeantheself-mademan；thehard，insatiableman，mercilesstohimselfaswellastoothers。
Itisnot\"enterprise\"；itiskleptomania。Heisquitemad，andamuchmoreobviouspublicpestthananyotherkindofkleptomaniac；butthoughheisacheat，heisnotanillusion。Hedoesexist；Ihavemetquitetwoofhim。Himaloneamongmodernmerchantswedonotweaklyflatterwhenwecallhimabandit。Somethingoftheirresponsibilityofthetruedarkagesreallyclingsabouthim。Ourscientificcivilisationisnotacivilisation；itisasmokenuisance。Likesmokeitischokingus；likesmokeitwillpassaway。OnlyofoneortwoScotsmen，inmyexperience，wasittruethatwherethereissmokethereisfire。
Butthereareotherkindsoffire；andbetter。Theonegreatadvantageofthisstrangenationaltemperisthat，fromthebeginningofallchronicles，ithasprovidedresistanceaswellascruelty。InScotlandnearlyeverythinghasalwaysbeeninrevolt——especiallyloyalty。IfthesepeoplearecapableofmakingGlasgow，theyarealsocapableofwreckingit；andthethoughtofmymanygoodfriendsinthatcitymakesmereallydoubtfulaboutwhichwouldfigureinhumanmemoriesasthemorehugecalamityofthetwo。InScotlandtherearemanyrichmensoweakastocallthemselvesstrong。Buttherearenotsomanypoormenweakenoughtobelievethem。
AsIcameoutofGlasgowIsawmenstandingabouttheroad。Theyhadlittlelanternstiedtothefrontsoftheircaps，likethefairieswhousedtodanceintheoldfairypantomimes]Theywerenot，however，strictlyspeaking，fairies。Theymighthavebeencalledgnomes，sincetheyworkedinthechasmsofthosepurpleandchaotichills。Theyworkedintheminesfromwhencecomesthefuelofourfires。JustatthemomentwhenIsawthem，moreover，theywerenotdancing；norweretheyworking。
Theyweredoingnothing。Which，inmyopinion(andItrustyours)，wasthefinestthingtheycoulddo。
THESECTARIANOFSOCIETY
Afixedcreedisabsolutelyindispensabletofreedom。Forwhilemenareandshouldbevarious，theremustbesomecommunicationbetweenthemiftheyaretogetanypleasureoutoftheirvariety。Andanintellectualformulaistheonlythingthatcancreateacommunicationthatdoesnotdependonmereblood，class，orcapricioussympathy。Ifweallstarkwiththeagreementthatthesunandmoonexist，wecantalkaboutourdifferentvisionsofthem。Thestrong-eyedmancanboastthatheseesthesunasaperfectcircle。Theshortsightedmanmaysay(orifheisanimpressionist，boast)thatheseesthemoonasasilverblur。Thecolour-blindmanmayrejoiceinthefairy-trickwhichenableshimtoliveunderagreensunandabluemoon。Butifonceitbeheldthatthereisnothingbutasilverblurinoneman\'seyeorabrightcircle(likeamonocle)intheotherman\'s，thenneitherisfree，foreachisshutupinthecellofaseparateuniverse。
But，indeed，anevenworsefate，practicallyconsidered，followsfromthedenimoftheoriginalintellectualformula。Notonlydoestheindividualbecomenarrow，buthespreadsnarrownessacrosstheworldlikeacloud；
hecausesnarrownesstoincreaseandmultiplylikeaweed。Forwhathappensisthis:thatalltheshortsightedpeoplecometogetherandbuildacitycalledMyopia，wheretheytakeshort-sightednessforgrantedandpaintshort-sightedpicturesandpursueveryshort-sightedpolicies。
MeanwhileallthemenwhocanstareatthesungettogetheronSalisburyPlainanddonothingbutstareatthesun；andallthemenwhoseeabluemoonbandthemselvestogetherandassertthebluemoon，notonceinabluemoon，butincessantly。Sothatinsteadofasmallandvariedgroup，youhaveenormousmonotonousgroups。Insteadofthelibertyofdogma，youhavethetyrannyoftaste。
Allegoryapart，instancesofwhatImeanwilloccurtoeveryone；perhapsthemostobviousisSocialism。Socialismmeanstheownershipbytheorganofgovernment(whateveritis)ofallthingsnecessarytoproduction。IfamanclaimstobeaSocialistinthatsensehecanbeanykindofmanhelikesinanyothersense——abookie，aMahatma，amanabouttown，anarchbishop，aMargatenigger。Withoutrecallingatthemomentclear-headedSocialistsinallofthesecapacities，itisobviousthataclear-headedSocialist(thatis，aSocialistwithacreed)canbeasoldier，likeMr。Blatchford，oraDon，likeMr。Ball，oraBath-
chairmanlikeMr。Meeke，oraclergymanlikeMr。ConradNoel，oranartistictradesmanlikethelateMr。WilliamMorris。
ButsomepeoplecallthemselvesSocialists，andwillnotbeboundbywhattheycallanarrowdogma；theysaythatSocialismmeansfar，farmorethanthis；allthatishigh，allthatisfree，allthatis:etc。，etc。
Nowmarktheirdreadfulfate；fortheybecometotallyunfittobetradesmen，orsoldiers，orclergymen，oranyotherstrickenhumanthing，butbecomeaparticularsortofpersonwhoisalwaysthesame。WhenonceithasbeendiscoveredthatSocialismdoesnotmeananarroweconomicformula，itisalsodiscoveredthatSocialismdoesmeanwearingoneparticularkindofclothes，readingoneparticularkindofbooks，hanginguponeparticularkindofpictures，andinthemajorityofcaseseveneatingoneparticularkindoffood。Formenmustrecogniseeachothersomehow。Thesemenwillnotknoweachotherbyaprinciple，likefellowcitizens。Theycannotknoweachotherbyasmell，likedogs。Sotheyhavetofallbackongeneralcolouring；onthefactthatamanoftheirsortwillhaveawifeinpalegreenandWalterCrane\'s\"TriumphofLabour\"hanginginthehall。
Thereare，ofcourse，manyotherinstances；formodernsocietyisalmostmadeupoftheselargemonochromepatches。ThusI，forone，regretthesupersessionoftheoldPuritanunity，foundedontheology，butembracingalltypesfromMiltontothegrocer，bythatnewerPuritanunitywhichisfoundedratheroncertainsocialhabits，certaincommonnotions，bothpermissiveandprohibitive，inconnectionwithParticularsocialpleasures。
