The Mirrors of Downing Street: Some Political Reflections by a Gentleman with a DusterBegbie, Harold
History
The Mirrors of Downing Street: Some Political Reflections by a Gentleman with a Duster
Begbie, Harold
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1910-1936; Statesmen -- Great Britain
It is time for the best people in aristocracy to set their faces against
this wanton and destructive spirit. It is time a halt was called to
luxury and profligacy; time that the door was shut in the face of
invading vulgarity. Creation has not agonized in bloody sweat through
countless ages of suffering and achievement that those who possess the
highest opportunities for doing good should pervert those opportunities
into a mere platform for the display of a harmful badness. Evolution was
not aiming at Belgravia when it set out on its long journey from the
flaming mist of the nebula. We cannot suppose that Nature is content
with the egoism of the social butterfly. The very blood of dead humanity
cries out for a higher creature.
Aristocracy, one sees, is too apt to regard itself as the spoilt child
of material fortune, instead of humbly and with a sense of deepest
responsibility accepting the heavy duties of moral leadership imposed
upon it by the labours of evolution.
It is to be hoped that the children of the present generation of
aristocracy may grow up with no taste for the betting ring, the card
room, and the night club, or, at any rate, that a certain number of them
may find their highest happiness in knowledge and wisdom rather than in
amateur theatricals and fancy-dress balls. The human mind, after all,
cannot find rest in triviality, and after so long a period of the most
sordid and vulgar self-indulgence it is reasonable to hope that our
aristocracy may experience a reaction.
If men would ask themselves, before they rush out to seek her, What is
Pleasure? and consult the past history of humanity as well as their own
senses and inclinations they could hardly fail, except in the case of
the most degenerate, to discover that the highest happiness is not of
the nursery or the kitchen, but rather of the living spirit.
Observation of nature, love of beautiful things, delight in noble
literature, gratitude for the highest forms of wit and humour, sympathy
with all sorts and conditions of men, reverence for the majesty of the
universe, kindness to all, love of children, and devotion to the home,
these operations of the human spirit bring peace to the heart of man and
continue their ministrations to his happiness with an increasing power
of joy as his personality enlarges itself to receive the highest
revelations of Life.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account