1915-09-18 — Page 8

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

THE MIND OF ENGLAND AT WAR,

BY HENRY JAMES.

[IN THE PUBLIC LEDQER.]

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EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1915.

What of the English Mind?

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All of which may perhaps all submissione, stupolotions and was the collective mind withel traordinary time in what they taste of that article alone for your figare too obscurely the fact that recognition alike, stale per- that (exactly as in the case of the could afford." the social eberacteristics, the plexities and sublime conclusions, other belligerente) was to be elements of race and history, the trooped together into view and, supremely on exbibition; with one's infinite creation, the drama, tract of the recorded history of sease of his power to nourish or This affording became then, to beguile you would find a vast native and acquired values, the claiming in a vague mixed man the fierce light of history beating the picture, and, to repeat the your relation with bim unaccount whole "psychological" mystery ner some of them justice and some on it to the unspeakablo pitob, it term that was the actual essence ed for; you would have yourself marking the people of Great generosity still insisted that osch helped little to call that resource of the exhibition, of their life. to account for the oirenmstance, Britain, were so abruptly thrast ropresented a truth and bad there the English genius oploss one They were at their case (there it au porficially in crutable hat into the critical amelting pot for by its point to make, a citizen of another country, a

could express to one's private was, for their favourite amusement nevertheless eo substantial, that Grost the responsibility, aurely, satisfaction one's resultant mes of putting the cart before the in no general intercourse whatever country up to the present speak-when the British intelligence was sure of the same. What did the horse and the idea ing formally neutral, who had to be on exhibition on that soala article supremely constat of, what sight

out of could you be a final result, be left spent long years of his life on and under such aatrsin; the eyes had one found it in long converse miles behind, everything else. might be left hangry, beyond that is, behind. loss consciously starved. You Prefatory Note. ciation, conviction, faith, as one Paglish soil and in English air, oftheworld having now more atten- to consist more of on the whole They kept the idea in that situs-doubt; yet wasn't this only this The following remarkable con- has held them and as more or less that he at first saw the case in the tion for it, and of a more searching than of anything slee? junction of "matter" has result-comfortably lived by so doing. light in which he has generalized kind than at any moment in the Monument of British intellect.

tion, where one would find it, you were leftcurious,in cther words ed from a series of happy spon-To take a thousand things for

whole course of the appeal it had

with one's mistrust fairly The British intellect-how ex-learnt, if one walked far enough copious though it abould keep on un-nosatisfied, bat because jour meal, taneities. It began with an granted is to live comfortably, but

ever made to them. They had, traordinarily one had passed from round ontside to well, I won't proving, was never all served at attempt by an American journ.

partially as possible, spontanoous shocks is to blight that condition extravagant, none the less, for re-call to their different, their very that prior term i-had done in its better image, its secret garden. might well be, no doubt, that it He to-day feele no image too indeed, those eyes, an immense the facetious to the earnest nes of say its prison, but, by way of acne sitting? The reason of that alist to contrast briefly, and im- the very first effect of great world. attitude of mind fairly typical of by laying bare all our grounds port of the drama that began so own vaat masses of interest; but out-in-the-world two races, each considering itself and our supposed roots. We had sharply, even if all subjectively, wouldn't the effect of that be at splendid things we knew, which that spoke doubtless not so much pared with the ponctuality and. all the Here it grew with a stoutness wasn't ready, hadn't been pre- engaged in a supreme struggle of been believing them very deep to eneet itself on the stage of his the same time to quicken rather were there, piled up behind, and of cultivation as of the happy presentability of those other, those Belf-defence. The journalistio down, but of a sudden they are anxious epirit; a drams in which than restrict for them their aware yet the tradition of which didn't patches of parent earth, and here exotic repasts, thoes from which field seemed the most likely to tossed about on the surface, when the protagonist was to be simply ness of the English affirmation, in familiar interosuras testify so it could be gathered, after the one got up with the wondrous: Field examples serviceable to not tossed high in the air. They the question of the true worth of whether as hostile or as helpful, directly, so intensely, so messur fashion of the savoury seasoning sense of appetite, properly the such an end, and the essay of Mr. are thus exposed to view at least; bis 40 years of observation and and so to make the degree and ably or so showily, one might al- herb, "as required. Clutton, Brock's was (with his permission) chosen as a basis, which, I hasten to add, is a very interest, and the denouement to the mode of our display of gonias most say, as one's previous, and,

sense of curiosity, gratified or because of his peculiar place in good thing for many of them, or crown it, through whatever ups signify, that is count all round, indeed, one's constant, profit of

gorged. English journalism. Year by may become so, and not a bad and downs, those quito proper to as it bad not in all the ages had the goneral achievemen: would

Character and Condition.

Such, I made out, was my year he turns out what might be thing for any.

the stage, with the happy oritical to?

have lod one to expool. There

evitably figure for that dissipation oalled" human interest editori- The difference made, however, climex. I say "simply because What of the Ancient Light? was I in presence of the curious the background by what art did which I had been feeling as an If such then was the case for of mystery in these connections. als" for "The Times" in gray moan-while, by our having to face the decision in suspense mattered Well, prodigiously to one's fact that while the setual the fore-ground not only hold interest and even as a densation London. Another eminent Eng-them as comparative strangers, to this fond observer himself, help, at a given moment, and demand for display had poured together but form to the extent I the less at the very time of fool. lish journalist has said of him to introduce ourselves to them thrown back upon half his spiri- quite simultaneously, turned up on the nation's understanding, have noted the place of frequentsing it as a happy convenience and. that he preserves peculiarly in afresh and then introduce them taal bistory, so much more than these two ideas of our "genius" English journalism the spirit of fresh to others, dealing with it could possibly matter to persons for it would of course, be im- olamouring for attestations, they even the most edifying, one This pointed with the last sharp had challenged its "mentality," on the most attaching, not to a lively rocil exercise the more. Addison and Stoelo. But that is them on new terms and picking either not agitated at all or agitat possible to doubt that we had one. great note of one's observational could have desired? By the arts, you were at any rate all the not quite enough. Mr. Clutton- Brock's "editoriala" represent, to them over as people are some-ed to more demonstrable andandofour boingun prevedented experience might really be des

ly in evidence and in peril; by cribed as that of the completost worldbily practical se- of your knowing what you bed. readers of pure English-and re- times figured to pick over their more immediate purpose.

elsaithe while conscious that noted moral not anywhere present at highwater mark-visiting lists with a rise in the what is, in fact, one of the strong world, this difference is perhaps thrillingly attended, since where particularly of the uncertainties rent and casual play of the character, personal or, as who the side of your experience of the

Yet complications really and which one mount in peril more incapacity for show, for the our suredly-that of eo mixing up hold of. Bat were you then o ost and most reassuring traits of like nothing so much as the obwould have been the suspense, of appreciation.

imagination to the impressive or should say, moral, yes positively, British, roughly taken together, the English mind: its compotonice ligation, under some strange and which I think I must have posi

These last would inevitably and attractive end that bad perhaps the dear old moral, the instinctivo- simply to resign yourself to the in daily reflection in the midst of violent law, to perform in public tively cultivated in the interest of probably very soon Bever been seen on earth. a world increasingly presenting and the garish light of day those the rapture of final relief, if the solves clear; so far as to oare so itself as full of " things."

ly individual, with every other correspondingly baffled state? rites of the toilet or whatever, those fortune of my exposed and im- much meant to be mack in su-sentation of the mind, of the in- other reward of intercourse, in for the very best of reasons, s Hadn't it been much like a pre-sign of understanding and every Well, yes, verily yes, at last, and ceeded taunton havent to common preparations of peronal perilled, and hence so ideally spense, this clutch of the formule, tellect, from behind, so to speak, fact, with every other condition of reason quite magnificent, as it

The conjunction pro- Mr. Henry Cust, Chairman of the state and appearance,

which recoverable, or in other words this idea of a genius only waiting and with its face turned precisely it. What it came to in the last could only appear to me, when Central Committee for National asually go on behind our most positively ponderable, stake didn't to be identified, gave relief to the the other way from the way at fine analysis thus Patriotic Organisations, an ae-closed doors, Thus springe up a seem at moments to sway this tension sad saw me as by a aud-present required? Hada't the to

838msdence I had at least got hold of sociation of eminent gentlemen condition still more perturbed way and that? What did one, den jump ever so much further on impression been as of snorted association with other people you

whereas in that affirmative. whose voluntary efforts have so than that either of not knowing after all, oh what did one; as the the way.

or muffled or even reluctant exer for the most part knew by their succeeded in informing, and what to do or of having to do the upshot of experience, "think of thereby urifying, the mind of the impossible; predicaments these the English mind"? I should these remarks by calling the spirit energy, free fanay, fres curiosity, hold of or whether this were at I recognised that what I began cise of the faculty, exercise of free conversability what you had got

Case Sole and Single. British Empire upon the issuos that may often depead, bat oa in perhaps blush to translate my of experience bad yet left undea-free wit, however one might name

There was the savour, of the present war. M. Custdications from without and be figure of the wavering issue, troyed its main (himself formerly a journalist of relieved by such indications.

acquisition; the bleat thing-the bleat thing or their active, their cerebral or that we have been talking of a a given moment their reflective sideratum, the force and quantity, distinction when editor of the

launched on scenic and heroic ad- which was neither more nor lees had at the same time so tremend their practical part, so in the as "Pall Mall Gazsite)" personally Hugo Break In Experience. ventures, into such a pale and than that our very genius was ously recorded, and that was more sociation I had happened most to in relation to which the muddle savpurimmensesod extraordinary, requested Mr. Henry James to

The recovery of straight cur-lean abstraction; blush, that is, what made us made our intellig- or less continuing to be, in the enjoy there was no such clear and meat that I have called subjective write a few words of introduction tent of feeling has to come of it so to translate it for others. To ence, as I have termed it, our con- documentary evidence of libraries perhaps I should say convenient came directly from the fact that and these came with beautiful golf; scattered abroad and so dia-my own view it at once invested tributive, our exhibitable, virtue, and courts? How could one have distinction, convenient in especial it is not, like the savours to which spontaneity from the author, and lodged from the conduit of ex-itself with every appearance and our capacity in fiue for being on lived in the society of so many for the demonstration of one's with the quaint apology that he perience, it affects us with the attribute of life; to that degree, our heat behaviour so consistent such matters, in the presence grounds. This might certainly served, administered after the I just paid tribate, "dished;" unfortunately had no skill ia possibility and the sharp fear of in fact, as to make dependently worth worrying about. Our verily of all of them, with those represent in regard to the others fashion of precious things in turning out the brief journalistic its cel. Such an accident may upon it my personal conscious best behaviour on every face and consequences of gem, but always bad to have mean losing itself before it re-ness, my own life and reality, all every relation, of course that affection, those visions of illumi bat could it represent that asso gree the result of what passes in interest and that conversability worked better, general, isn't perhaps in any de The Central Committee. enters a chanwaste at the very my care for what might happen to was the impending need; but nation and education, if, in spite ciation did? though they have availed them for forco, but the difficulty is not ly known thus that if the action or at least began to, from the mo-inveterately to walk for satis quickly recognised, was to find it partaken of it crude-with the other societies for preparation, it time when our yearning is most anything. I must have intimate again as I say, vagueness waned, of the fact that one had so almost selves of many utterances by

To pat this last question, I grows wild, and I had doubtless eminent Americans about the that we ourselves are wasteful: exhibited, the entanglement of my ment one saw, or at any rate res. faction of coriosity, for extraction answered, and with other attend marvellons effect of its not dis- war, by circulating these in other that may come much rather while question in its dangers, with the coned, that with genius there of value, round from the presentant ones disposed of really by the agreeing with me. Orude things, neutral countries, have never-presumption remains unchecked retarded issue, was not as we say could not be a light. theless paid American national and may in foot often have oc at the play, to end happily, I

So what when it came to this, ed, the total result of acquaintance the drawback of the usual coa the mystery that kept imagina ed face to the quarter of the avert same stroke; not least that one of we know, mostly do disagree: intelligence the still higher com-curred through the absence of an should feel that I myself had de- had been the former, the ancient hadn't been a peculiar faith,

there accordingly and exactly was pliment of refraining from any-account to be rendered. thing that might have

clined into misery.

light? that of the time, too pro-

fusion. Not knowing what one the What has perhaps at the very

The Sublime Solution, appearance of British propagan first stage come upon us in such not to let that apprehension inter-tached and familiarized individa-saw, would meanwhile be no aue.

The great thing however, was longed parbape, when for the at

bad got hold of might certainly tion on the stretob. Why badn't The answer to all of which, I appear at the best and in no mat it disagreed, why didn't it, why da in the United States. The publication, however, is so not- the sense of the huge break in and would have been ashamed to refinements of ponderation almost for that trath of the genius appearance was doubtless direct ment of any shade of impatienos, shaken world as the present is fere; I was no deus ex machina, al mind to which I impute these war if it didn's properly provide dled form of appreciation which it not only at last purge bewilder ter what connection bat a mud- doesn't it? Why above all does ably of interest to Americane at this time that the "Public Ledger" experience, our most intimate and be one; the question was just of any behavior had seemed good the genius that had somehow kept ly signified by your comfort in but make it a condition, not to say has sought and obtained permiss-as who should say our most ecoret; the impassioned critic, impassion-enough on the part of so good-acting and impressing just in the fact that when a Frenchman adventure, romantic and agree ion to present it adequately to which accordingly loaves us to ed because surmounting of a sud-natured, so incorrigibly good-proportion as no few pains were or an Italian talked he really told able? If the reply to this just the American public..

stare at the separating chasm be den old habit of detachment and natured, a people?.. One thought taken about it. What was lup-you so much about his mind that at first bangs fire it floods the By way of postscript it may be fore we somehow get over to that springing to his freshly wiped of tests, the sudden ewarming, the pening, accordingly, that the there seemed little left to tell you the clearest light in the world. said that added intorest is given other side on which we may, or fieldgines much as the summoned unparalleled, those with which critic could wonder about the about anything else.

subject when it does come with to the essay by Mr. James' ac- possibly, alas, may not, again soldier might spring to his rifle, the air fairly darkened, till it" displey "by which he meant quirement of British naturaliza- and life. The dreadful thingyot of the critio incorruptible struck one that after all one bad about the absence of it-and yet far as it went, and was, so far se

Only, if that was satisfactory, so undressed and uneconomized, state The wildness, the crudity, the tion last week. In his petition seems that experience of so fine withal and prepared to bow to done little else during the long not wonder in the least about the Frenchman and the Italian force, or the fores to the identi "Because of having lived and an order, the heart's and the soul's fale even if fate should demolish year that represented experience the apparently all so suficing were concerned, exhaustive, therefication of which we come nesrest are themselves the unidentified

part of 40 years; because of at-we ore capable of, should suddenly the exclusion of every other, since to of tests, There was the genius, lasted goodness knows how long more, nothing of the unexploredact of good nature. What a worked in England for the best experience, the deepest atziking his subject. My state became, to bot apply one's own most intima- force? The puzzle might have wes then nevertheless no mystery when we catch it to ima nesrest tachment to the country, and split after such a fashion and none was of comparable porte, in dust read the infurr (the hadn't it been for that conscious-and, as you could put it, more blessing to work round again to sympathy with it and its people: make us feel that we must, by the state of sought certitude, a good nature, and the incorrigibleness of the good nature; incor- eventually and shyly call it even the consciousness of that glut because of the long friendships, some art never yet practised, oertitude difficult but not impos again of the people and if one rigibility and all, felt as funds rather proadly, producible. associations and interests formed tinker it up, patch it together, sible, and carrying everything wasn't possessed of it, if one didn's mental from far back, which one

these last including the so-bridge it over, in order to go on with it if it should come. quisition of some property; all of

the clue of the incorrigibility, in- know what to think of it, after had been looking to right and left you comparatively incurions the hand! For the good nature

The part you had got hold of which things have brought to a

To Learn Was to Study. living with it on snok terme, left of, and to top and bottom of about the other part. This ex-was the light the light, ever en hoad a desire to throw my moral descend into the abyss, imple that what you bad supposed cr one's own infirmity of wit?

Happy then, if we have not to The situation was, of course, where could the fault be but in without discovering that in the hibited, most exhibited part in vividly, on the character; just as weight and personal allegiance,

very centre of it est one's sublime formed you about itself entirely, so richly and blurringly, but none for whatever they may be worth, ente in hand, and climb out presumed you thought was not

the character was the light ever Vaguely recurred in this consolation. into the scale of the contending again to nation's present and future for ground will bear us, happy if to sleep at night, to hold up your member of the comite de lecture delayed a manner the perception sweetest savour; so that it was then I stood with my feet on the

where the opposite now of the smallest consequence:nection the old anecdote of the

and tasted of itself, yielding by the less ever no extensively and To grasp even in so absurdly this reason whatever sharpest or tune."

some flight of the imagination, head, or otherwise expressed, of the Theatro Francsis and his that there was one's golden key upon that luxury one throw one's

perspectively, on the mind. So Great public convulsions are an some boldly applied hypothesis, your heart, to go and come save reply to the author of a disap-made the whole certitude come on self and fed to the full appease ground: the case was sole sud upheaval of many thingo, and are some bleet ovan if casual refresh-as one of tho merely proved play who bad remarked to with a rash. It was incrediblement of one's critical impulse. - only too apt to destroy more trea- ment of 68086, carries as across in- mechanic and bewildered, you him that as he was asleep while and impossible that a people

single, and quite as splendid, yes, sure than they collect, to agitate, to air once more breathalile; for had to know, and to know the thing was read. he had no should be so incorrigible unless

as one could have wished it to be, even fatally to deform, more ques that does mean experience again; with that competence which right to an opinion. "My dear they were strong no people with

The mind was so drenched with tions then they settle, so that end if the new flows into the ves would test on your having again | sir, what was my aleap Batan out a great margin could for any by the information the Englian acter, was drenched with themind If on the other hand you went the examples in which the cher the character, in opposition to among the elemente let loose andel that has long contained and and more thoroughly learnt. It opinion?" were

the classic period at all afford to be, and man gave you about his mind that all one could at the verbet fusion overtakes inward valuesy that after all we shall not and that the pitch of the public saked what a relation so establish was clear. It didn't matter if information about his remeine, it quite unifloed was that"1] no less than outward, matters of recognise the savour and the agitation left no spacious sir for ed ould be hub asflection, and they were strong because good. I confess a matter apart you value finally fonto

feel (though goodnem know indeed knowledge and experience. appre *tang?

that every impression one had what an affection soranpoessfully natured, or good-natured because didn't by any means go sob value which would do ever suffered, all impatiences and tried but an estimate. And yet it strang: the point was to that ex lengths; if you depended on the

room to turn round in."

he set forth as reasons:

al-

at all.

-ciel medmatqsa

A Lively Social Exercise

thing.