PREFACE
ItissomethingmorethanadozenyearssincethefollowingobservationsonAmericanacademiclifewerefirstassembledinwrittenform。Inthemeantimechangesofonekindandanotherhaveoccurred,althoughnotsuchastoalterthecourseofpolicywhichhasguidedAmericanuniversities。Linesofpolicywhichwereonceconsideredtobetentativeandprovisionalhavesincethenpassedintosettledusage。Thisalteredandmorestablestateofthesubjectmatterhaspermittedarevisiontoavoiddetaileddocumentationofmattersthathavebecomecommonplace,withsomeresultingeconomyofspaceandargument。But,unhappily,revisionandabridgmentcarriesitsownpenalties,inthewayofamorefragmentarypresentationandamorerepetitiousconductoftheargument;sothatitbecomesnecessarytobespeakadegreeofindulgenceonthatground。
Unhappily,thisisnotallthatseemsnecessarytopleadinextenuationofrecurrentinfirmities。Circumstances,chieflyofapersonalincidence,haverepeatedlydelayedpublicationbeyondwhattherunofeventsatlargewouldhaveindicatedasapropitiousdate;andthesamecircumstanceshavealsoenjoinedasevererandmorerepressivecurtailmentintheavailabledata。Itmaynotbeoutofplace,therefore,toindicateinthemostsummaryfashionwhathasbeenthenatureofthesefortuitoushindrances。
Initsearlierformulation,theargumentnecessarilydrewlargelyonfirst—handobservationoftheconductofaffairsatChicago,undertheadministrationofitsfirstpresident。Asiswellknown,thefirstpresident’sshareinthemanagementoftheuniversitywasintimate,masterfulandpervasive,inaveryhighdegree;somuchsothatnosecurelineofdemarcationcouldbedrawnbetweentheadministration’spolicyandthepresident’spersonalruling。Itistrue,salientfeaturesofacademicpolicywhichmanyobserversatthattimewereinclinedtocredittotheproclivitiesofChicago’sfirstpresident,haveinthelatercourseofthingsprovedtobelongtotheimpersonalessenceofthecase;havingbeenapprovedbythemembersofthecraft,andsohavingpassedintogeneralusagewithoutabatement。Yet,atthetime,theshareoftheGreatPioneerinreshapingAmericanacademicpolicycouldscarcelyhavebeenhandledinadetachedway,asanimpersonalphenomenonoftheunfoldinghistoricalsequence。Thepersonalnotewas,infact,verygreatlyinevidence。
Andjustthen,presently,thatStrongMan’slifewasbroughttoaclose。Sothatitwouldunavoidablyhaveseemedabreachofdecorumtolettheseobservationsseekahearingatthattime,evenafteranypracticablerevisionandexcisionwhichfilialpietywouldenjoin。UndertheruleofNihilnisibonum,thereseemednothingforitbutalargereticence。
Butswiftly,withthepassageofyears,eventsprovedthatmuchofwhathadappearedtobepersonaltotheGreatPioneerwasinrealityintrinsictothehistoricalmovement;sothattheinnovationspresentlylosttheirpersonalcolour,andsowentimpersonallytoaugmentthegrandtotalofhumanachievementatlarge。Meanwhilegeneralinterestinthetopichadnowiseabated。
Indeed,discussionoftheacademicsituationwasrunninghighandinlargevolume,andmuchofitwastakingsuchaturn——
controversial,reproachful,hortatory,acrimonious——thatanythinginthewayofatemperatesurveyshouldpresumablyhavebeenaltogethertimely。
Butfortuitouscircumstancesagainintervened,suchasmadeitseemthepartofinsightandsobrietyagaintodeferpublication,untilthecolourofanirrelevantpersonalequationshouldagainhavehadtimetofadeintothebackground。Withthefurtherpassageoftime,itishopedthatnofortuitousshadowwillnowcloudtheissueinanysuchdegreeastodetractatallsensiblyfromwhatevervaluethisaccountofeventsandtheircausesmayhave。
Thisallusiontoincidentswhichhavenomaterialbearingontheinquirymaytolerantlybeallowed,asgoingtoaccountforasparinguseoflocalinformationand,itishoped,toextenuateadegreeofreserveandreticencetouchingdiversintimatedetailsofexecutivepolicy。
Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthemanybooks,papersandaddressesbroughtoutontheacademicsituationhavehadtheirshareinshapingtheessay。Moreparticularlyhavethesevariousexpressionsofopinionandconcernmadeitpossibletotakemanythingsforgranted,asmatterofcommonnotoriety,thatwouldhaveappearedtorequiredocumentationadozenorfifteenyearsago,aslyingatthattimestillinthefieldofsurmiseandforecast。Much,perhapsthegreaterbulk,oftheprintedmatterissuedonthisheadintheintervalhas,itistrue,beenofahortatoryoreloquentlyoptimisticnature,andmaythereforebeleftononeside。Buttheacademicsituationhasalsobeenreceivingsomeconsiderableattentionwithaviewtogettinganinsightintowhatisgoingforward。Oneandanotherofthesewriterstowhomthepresentessayisindebtwillbefondreferredtobynameinthepageswhichmoreparticularlyleanontheirsupport;andthelikeistrueforvariousutterancesbymeninauthoritythathavebeendrawnonforillustrativeexpressions。Butanarrowscrutinywoulddoubtlessmakeitappearthattheunacknowledgedindebtednessgreatlyexceedswhatsoisaccreditedandaccountedfor。Thatsuchisthecasemustnotbetakenasshowingintentionalneglectoftheduecourtesies。
March1916。
Inthecourseofthepasttwoyears,whilethemanuscripthasbeenlyinginwaitfortheprinter,anewsituationhasbeenforcingitselfontheattentionofmenwhocontinuetotakeaninterestintheuniversities。Onthisprovocationafewparagraphshavebeenadded,attheendoftheintroductorychapter。Otherwisethereappearstobenocallforachangeinthegeneralargument,andithasnotbeendisturbedsincetheearlierdate,whichisaccordinglyleftasitstands。
June1918。
CHAPTERONE
Introductory:ThePlaceoftheUniversityinModernLifeI
Inanyknowncivilizationtherewillbefoundsomethinginthewayofesotericknowledge。Thisbodyofknowledgewillvarycharacteristicallyfromoneculturetoanother,differingbothincontentandinrespectofthecanonsoftruthandrealityreliedonbyitsadepts。Butthereisthiscommontraitrunningthroughallcivilizations,astouchesthisrangeofesotericknowledge,thatitisinallcasesheld,moreorlessclosely,inthekeepingofaselectbodyofadeptsorspecialists——scientists,scholars,savants,clerks,priests,shamans,medicinemen——
whateverdesignationmaybestfitthegivencase。
Intheapprehensionofthegivensocietywithinwhichanysuchbodyofknowledgeisfounditwillalsobefoundthattheknowledgeinquestionisratedasanarticleofgreatintrinsicvalue,insomewayamatterofmoresubstantialconsequencethananyorallofthematerialachievementsorpossessionsofthecommunity。Itmaytakeshapeasasystemofmagicorofreligiousbeliefs,ofmythology,theology,philosophyorscience。Butwhatevershapeitfallsintointhegivencase,itmakesupthesubstantialcoreofthecivilizationinwhichitisfound,anditisfelttogivecharacteranddistinctiontothatcivilization。
Intheapprehensionofthegroupinwhoselifeandesteemitlivesandtakeseffect,thisesotericknowledgeistakentoembodyasystematizationoffundamentalandeternaltruth;
althoughitisevidenttoanyoutsiderthatitwilltakeitscharacteranditsscopeandmethodfromthehabitsoflifeofthegroup,fromtheinstitutionswithwhichitisboundinawebofgiveandtake。Suchismanifestlythecaseinallthehistoricphasesofcivilization,aswellasinallthosecontemporaryculturesthataresufficientlyremotefromoureverydayintereststoadmitoftheirbeingseeninadequateperspective。Apassablydispassionateinquiryintotheplacewhichmodernlearningholdsinmoderncivilizationwillshowthatsuchisalsothecaseofthislatest,andinthemindofitskeepersthemostmature,systemofknowledge。Itshouldbynomeansbeaninsuperablydifficultmattertoshowthatthis\"higherlearning\"ofthemodernworld,thecurrentbodyofscienceandscholarship,alsoholdsitsplaceonsuchatenureofuseandwont,thatithasgrownandshiftedinpointofcontent,aimsandmethodsinresponsetothechangesinhabitsoflifethathavepassedovertheWesternpeoplesduringtheperiodofitsgrowthandascendancy。Norshoulditbeembarrassinglydifficulttoreachthepersuasionthatthisprocessofchangeandsupersessioninthescopeandmethodofknowledgeisstilleffectuallyatwork,inalikeresponsetoinstitutionalchangesthatstillareincontinentlygoingforward。(1*)
Totheadeptswhoareoccupiedwiththisesotericknowledge,thescientistsandscholarsonwhomitskeepingdevolves,thematterwillofcoursenotappearinjustthatlight;moreparticularlysofarasregardsthatspecialsegmentofthefieldofknowledgewiththekeepingandcultivationofwhichtheymay,eachandseveral,beoccupied。Theyare,eachandseveral,engagedontheperfectingandconservationofaspeciallineofinquiry,theobjectiveendofwhich,intheviewofitsadepts,willnecessarilybethefinalandirreducibletruthastouchesmatterswithinitsscope。But,seeninperspective,theseadeptsarethemselvestobetakenascreaturesofhabit,creaturesofthatparticularmannerofgrouplifeoutofwhichtheirpreconceptionsinmattersofknowledge,andthemanneroftheirinterestintherunofinquiry,havesprung。Sothatthetermsoffinalitythatwillsatisfytheadeptsarealsoaconsequenceofhabituation,andtheyaretobetakenasconclusiveonlybecauseandinsofarastheyareconsonantwiththedisciplineofhabituationenforcedbythatmannerofgrouplifethathasinducedintheseadeptstheirparticularframeofmind。
Perhapsatafartherremovethanmanyothercurrentphenomena,butnonethelesseffectuallyforthat,thehigherlearningtakesitscharacterfromthemanneroflifeenforcedonthegroupbythecircumstancesinwhichitisplaced。Theseconstrainingcircumstancesthatsoconditionthescopeandmethodoflearningareprimarily,andperhapsmostcogently,theconditionsimposedbythestateoftheindustrialarts,thetechnologicalsituation;butinthesecondplace,andscarcelylessexactingindetail,thereceivedschemeofuseandwontinitsotherbearingshasitseffectinshapingtheschemeofknowledge,bothastoitscontentandastouchesthenormsandmethodsofitsorganization。Distinctiveanddominantamongtheconstituentfactorsofthiscurrentschemeofuseandwontisthepursuitofbusiness,withtheoutlookandpredilectionswhichthatpursuitimplies。Thereforeanyinquiryintotheeffectwhichrecentinstitutionalchangesmayhaveuponthepursuitofthehigherlearningwillnecessarilybetakenupinapeculiardegreewiththeconsequenceswhichanhabitualpursuitofbusinessinmoderntimeshashadfortheideals,aimsandmethodsofthescholarsandschoolsdevotedtothehigherlearning。
TheHigherLearningascurrentlycultivatedbythescholarsandscientistsoftheWesterncivilizationdiffersnotgenericallyfromtheesotericknowledgepurveyedbyspecialistsinothercivilizations,elsewhereandinothertimes。Itengagesthesamegeneralrangeofaptitudesandcapacities,meetsthesamerangeofhumanwants,andgrowsoutofthesameimpulsivepropensitiesofhumannature。Itsscopeandmethodaredifferentfromwhathasseemedgoodinotherculturalsituations,anditstenetsandcanonsaresofarpeculiarastogiveitaspecificcharacterdifferentfromtheseothers;butinthemainthisspecificcharacterisduetoadifferentdistributionofemphasisamongthesamegeneralrangeofnativegiftsthathavealwaysdrivenmentothepursuitofknowledge。Thestressfallsinasomewhatobviouslydifferentwayamongthecanonsofrealitybyrecoursetowhichmensystematizeandverifytheknowledgegained;whichisinitsturnduetothedifferenthabituationtowhichcivilizedmenaresubjected,ascontrastedwiththedisciplineexercisedbyotherandearliercultures。
Inpointofitsgenesisandgrowthanysystemofknowledgemayconfidentlyberunback,inthemain,totheinitiativeandbiasaffordedbytwocertainimpulsivetraitsofhumannature:anIdleCuriosity,andtheInstinctofWorkmanship。(2*)
Inthisgenerictraitthemodernlearningdoesnotdepartfromtherulethatholdsforthecommonrun。Meninstinctivelyseekknowledge,andvalueit。Thefactofthisproclivityiswellsummedupinsayingthatmenarebynativegiftactuatedwithanidlecuriosity,——\"idle\"inthesensethataknowledgeofthingsissought,apartfromanyulterioruseoftheknowledgesogained。(3*)This,ofcourse,doesnotimplythattheknowledgesogainedwillnotbeturnedtopracticalaccount。Inpointoffact,althoughthefactisnotgreatlyrelevanttotheinquiryhereinhand,thenativeproclivityherespokenofastheinstinctofworkmanshipwillunavoidablyinclinementoturntoaccount,inasystemofwaysandmeans,whateverknowledgesobecomesavailable。Buttheinstinctofworkmanshiphasalsoanotherandmorepertinentbearinginthesepremises,inthatitaffordsthenorms,ortheschemeofcriteriaandcanonsofverity,accordingtowhichtheascertainedfactswillbeconstruedandconnectedupinabodyofsystematicknowledge。Yetthesenseofworkmanshiptakeseffectbyrecoursetodiversexpedientsandreachesitsendsbyrecoursetovaryingprinciples,accordingasthehabituationofworkdaylifehasenforcedoneoranotherschemeofinterpretationforthefactswithwhichithastodeal。
Thehabitsofthoughtinducedbyworkdaylifeimposethemselvesasrulingprinciplesthatgovernthequestofknowledge;itwillthereforebethehabitsofthoughtenforcedbythecurrenttechnologicalschemethatwillhavemost(ormostimmediately)tosayinthecurrentsystematizationoffacts。Theworkinglogicofthecurrentstateoftheindustrialartswillnecessarilyinsinuateitselfasthelogicalschemewhichmust,ofcourse,effectuallygoverntheinterpretationandgeneralizationsoffactinalltheircommonplacerelations。Butthecurrentstateoftheindustrialartsisnotallthatconditionsworkmanship。
Underanygiveninstitutionalsituation,——andthemodernschemeofuseandwont,lawandorder,isnoexception,workmanshipisheldtoamoreorlessexactingconformitytoseveraltestsandstandardsthatarenotintrinsictothestateoftheindustrialarts,eveniftheyarenotalientoit;suchastherequirementsimposedbythecurrentsystemofownershipandpecuniaryvalues。
Thesepecuniaryconditionsthatimposethemselvesontheprocessesofindustryandontheconductoflife,togetherwiththepecuniaryaccountancythatgoeswiththem——thepricesystemhavemuchtosayintheguidanceandlimitationsofworkmanship。
Andwhenandinsofarasthehabituationsoenforcedinthetrafficofworkdaylifegoesintoeffectasaschemeoflogicgoverningthequestofknowledge,suchprinciplesashavebyhabitfoundacceptanceasbeingconventionallysalutaryandconclusiveinthepecuniaryconductofaffairswillnecessarilyleavetheirmarkontheideals,aims,methodsandstandardsofscienceandthoseprinciplesandscholarship。Moreparticularly,standardsoforganization,controlandachievement,thathavebeenacceptedasanhabitualmatterofcourseintheconductofbusinesswill,byforceofhabit,ingoodpartreassertthemselvesasindispensableandconclusiveintheconductoftheaffairsoflearning。Whileitremainstruethatthebiasofworkmanshipcontinuestoguidethequestofknowledge,undertheconditionsimposedbymoderninstitutionsitwillnotbethenaiveconceptionsofprimitiveworkmanshipthatwillshapetheframeworkofthemodernsystemoflearning;butratherthepreconceptionsofthatdisciplinedworkmanshipthathasbeeninstructedinthelogicofthemoderntechnologyandsophisticatedwithmuchexperienceinacivilizationinwhoseschemeoflifepecuniarycanonsaredefinitive。
Themoderntechnologyisofanimpersonal,matter—of—factcharacterinanunexampleddegree,andtheaccountancyofmodernbusinessmanagementisalsoofanextremelydispassionateandimpartiallyexactingnature。Itresultsthatthemodernlearningisofasimilarlymatter—of—fact,mechanisticcomplexion,andthatitsimilarlyleansonstatisticallydispassionatetestsandformulations。Whereasitmayfairlybesaidthatthepersonalequationonce——inthedaysofscholasticlearning——wasthecentralanddecisivefactorinthesystematizationofknowledge,itisequallyfairtosaythatinlatertimenoeffortissparedtoeliminateallbiasofpersonalityfromthetechniqueortheresultsofscienceorscholarship。Itisthe\"drylightofscience\"thatisalwaysinrequest,andgreatpainsistakentoexcludeallcolorofsentimentality。
Yetthishighlysterilized,germ—proofsystemofknowledge,keptinacool,dryplace,commandstheaffectionofmoderncivilizedmankindnolessunconditionally,withnomoreafterthoughtofanextraneoussanction,thanoncedidthehighlypersonalizedmythologicalandphilosophicalconstructionsandinterpretationsthathadthevogueinthedaysoftheschoolmen。
Throughallthemutationsthathavepassedoverthisquestofknowledge,fromitsbeginningsinpuerilemythandmagictoits(provisional)consummationinthe\"exact\"sciencesofthecurrentfashion,anyattentivescrutinywillfindthatthedrivingforcehasconsistentlybeenofthesamekind,traceabletothesameproclivityofhumannature。Insofarasitmayfairlybeaccountedesotericknowledge,ora\"higherlearning,\"allthisenterpriseisactuatedbyanidlecuriosity,adisinterestedproclivitytogainaknowledgeofthingsandtoreducethisknowledgetoacomprehensiblesystem。Theobjectiveendisatheoreticalorganization。alogicalarticulationofthingsknown,thelinesofwhichmustnotbedeflectedbyanyconsiderationofexpediencyorconvenience,butmustruntruetothecanonsofrealityacceptedatthetime。Thesecanonsofreality,orofverity,havevariedfromtimetotime,haveinfactvariedincontinentlywiththepassageoftimeandthemutationsofexperience。Asthefashionsofmoderntimehavecomeon,particularlythelaterphasesofmodernlife,theexperiencethatsohasshapedandreshapedthecanonsofverityfortheuseofinquiringmindshasfallenmoreandmoreintothelinesofmechanicalarticulationandhasexpresseditselfevermoreunreservedlyintermsofmechanicalstress。Concomitantlythecanonsofrealityhavetakenonamechanisticcomplexion,totheneglectandprogressivedisuseofalltestsandstandardsofamoregenialsort;untilintheoff—handapprehensionofmodernmen,\"reality\"comesnearbeingidentifiedwithmechanicalfact,and\"verification\"istakentomeanaformulationinmechanicalterms。Butthefinaltestofthisrealityaboutwhichtheinquiriesofmodernmensoturnisnotthetestofmechanicalserviceabilityforhumanuse,butonlyofmechanisticallyeffectualmatter—of—fact。
Soithascomeaboutthatmoderncivilizationisinaveryspecialdegreeacultureoftheintellectualpowers,inthenarrowersenseoftheterm,ascontrastedwiththeemotionaltraitsofhumannature。Itsachievementsandchiefmeritsarefoundinthisfieldoflearning,anditschiefdefectselsewhere。
Anditisonitsachievementsinthisdomainofdetachedanddispassionateknowledgethatmoderncivilizedmankindmostingenuouslyplumesitselfandconfidentlyrestsitshopes。Themoreemotionalandspiritualvirtuesthatonceheldthefirstplacehavebeenovershadowedbytheincreasingconsiderationgiventoproficiencyinmatter—of—factknowledge。Asprimemoversinthetideofcivilizedlife,thesesentimentalmovementsofthehumanspiritbelonginthepast,—atleastsuchistheself—complacentavowalofthemodernspokesmenofculture。Themoderntechnology,andthemechanisticconceptionofthingsthatgoeswiththattechnology,arealientothespiritofthe\"OldOrder。\"TheChurch,thecourt,thecamp,thedrawing—room,wheretheseelderandperhapsnoblervirtueshadtheirlaboratoryandplayground,havegrownweedyandgonetoseed。Muchoftheapparatusoftheoldorder,withthegoodoldway,stillstandsoverinastateofdecentrepair,andthesentimentallyreminiscentendeavorsofcertainspiritual\"hold—overs\"stilllendthisapparatusofarchaismsomethingofagalvaniclife。Butthatpowerofaspirationthatoncesurgedfullandhotinthecultsoffaith,fashion,sentiment,exploit,andhonor,nowatitsbestcomestosuchaheadasitmayintheconcertedadulationofmatter—of—fact。
Thisesotericknowledgeofmatter—of—facthascometobeacceptedassomethingworthwhileinitsownright,aself—legitimatingendofendeavorinitself,apartfromanybearingitmayhaveonthegloryofGodorthegoodofman。Menhave,nodoubt,alwaysbeenpossessedofamoreorlessurgentpropensitytoinquireintothenatureofthings,beyondtheserviceabilityofanyknowledgesogained,andhavealwaysbeengiventoseekingcuriousexplanationsofthingsatlarge。Theidlecuriosityisanativetraitoftherace。Butinpasttimessuchadisinterestedpursuitofunprofitableknowledgehas,byandlarge,notbeenfreelyavowedasalegitimateendofendeavour;orsuchhasatanyratebeenthestateofthecasethroughthatlatersegmentofhistorywhichstudentscommonlytakeaccountof。Aquestofknowledgehasovertlybeenratedasmeritorious,orevenblameless,onlyinsofarasithasappearedtoservetheendsofoneoranotherofthepracticalintereststhathavefromtimetotimeoccupiedmen’sattention。Butlatterly,duringthepastfewgenerations,thislearninghassofarbecomeanavowed\"endinitself\"that\"theincreaseanddiffusionofknowledgeamongmen\"isnowfreelyratedasthemosthumaneandmeritoriousworktobetakencareofbyanyenlightenedcommunityoranypublic—spiritedfriendofcivilization。
Theexpediencyofsuch\"increaseanddiffusion\"isnolongerheldindoubt,becauseithasceasedtobeaquestionofexpediencyamongtheenlightenednations,beingitselftheconsummationuponwhich,intheapprehensionofcivilizedmen,theadvanceofculturemustconverge。Suchhascometobethelong—termcommonsensejudgmentofenlightenedpublicopinion。A
settledpresumptiontosomesucheffecthasfoundlodgmentasacommonplaceconvictioninthepopularmind,inmuchthesamemeasureandinmuchthesameperiodoftimeasthecurrentbodyofsystematicknowledgehastakenonthecharacterofmatteroffact。Forgoodorill,civilizedmenhavecometoholdthatthismatter—of—factknowledgeofthingsistheonlyendinlifethatindubitablyjustifiesitself。Sothatnothingmoreirretrievablyshamefulcouldovertakemoderncivilizationthanthemiscarriageofthismodernlearning,whichisthemostvaluedspiritualassetofcivilizedmankind。
ThetruthofthisviewisborneoutbytheprofessionsevenofthoselieutenantsofthepowersofdarknesswhoarestrainingtolaywasteanddebauchthepeoplesofChristendom。Inhigh—pitchedconcerttheyallswearbythenameofa\"culture\"
whosesoleinalienableassetisthissameintellectualmasteryofmattersoffact。Atthesametimeitisonlybydrawingontheresourcesofthismatter—of—factknowledgethattheprotagonistsofreactionareabletocarryontheircampaignofdebaucheryanddesolation。
Otherintereststhathaveoncebeenheldinhigheresteemappearbycomparisontohavefallenintoabeyance,——religiousdevotion,politicalprestige,fightingcapacity,gentility,pecuniarydistinction,profuseconsumptionofgoods。Butitisonlybycomparisonwiththehighervaluegiventothisenterpriseoftheintellectthatsuchotherinterestsappeartohavelostground。Theseandthelikehavefallenintorelativedisesteem,asbeingsordidandinsubstantialbycomparison。Notthatthese\"lower\"humaninterests,answeringtothe\"lower\"rangesofhumanintellect,havefallenintoneglect;itisonlythattheyhavecometobeaccounted\"lower,\"ascontrastedwiththequestofknowledge;anditisonlyonsobersecondthought,andperhapsonlyfortheephemeralpresent,thattheyaresoaccountedbythecommonrunofcivilizedmankind。Menstillareinsufficientlyhotpursuitofallthesetime—wornamenities,andeachforhimselfis,inpointoffact,morethanlikelytomakethepursuitofsuchself—seekingendstheburdenofhislife;butonadispassionaterating,andunderthecorrectiveofdeliberateavowal,itwillappearthatnoneofthesecommendthemselvesasintrinsicallyworthwhileatlarge。Atthebesttheyareratedasexpedientconcessionstohumaninfirmityorasmeasuresofdefenseagainsthumanperversityandtheoutragesoffortune。Thelastresortoftheapologistsforthesemoresordidendeavoursisthepleathatonlybythismeanscantheulteriorendsofacivilizationofintelligencebeserved。TheargumentmayfairlybeparaphrasedtotheeffectthatinordertoserveGodintheend,wemustallbereadytoservetheDevilinthemeantime。
Itisalwayspossible,ofcourse,thatthispre—eminenceofintellectualenterpriseinthecivilizationoftheWesternpeoplesisatransientepisode;thatitmayeventually——perhapsevenprecipitately,withthenextimpendingturninthefortunesofthiscivilization——againberelegatedtoasecondaryplaceintheschemeofthingsandbecomeonlyaninstrumentalityintheserviceofsomedominantaimorimpulse,suchasavaingloriouspatriotism,ordynasticpolitics,orthebreedingofacommercialaristocracy。MorethanoneofthenationsofEuropehavemovedsofarinthismatteralreadyastoplacetheprimacyofscienceandscholarshipindoubtasagainstwarlikeambitions;andtheaspirationsoftheAmericancommunityappeartobedivided——
betweenpatriotismintheserviceofthecaptainsofwar,andcommerceintheserviceofthecaptainsoffinance。Buthithertothespokesmenofanysuchculturalreversionarecarefultodeclareaperfunctoryfaithinthatcivilizationofdisinterestedintellectualachievementwhichtheyareendeavouringtosuborntotheirseveralends。Thatsuchproformadeclarationsarefoundnecessaryarguesthatthefaithinacivilizationofintelligenceisstillsofarintactastorequireallreactionariestomaketheirpeacewithit。
Meantimetheeasymatter—of—coursepresumptionthatsuchacivilizationofintelligencejustifiesitselfgoestoarguethatthecurrentbiaswhichsocomestoexpressionwillbetheoutcomeofasecureandprotractedexperience。Whatunderliesandhasbroughtonthisbentinthetemperofthecivilizedpeoplesisasomewhatintricatequestionofinstitutionalgrowth,andcannotbegoneintohere;butthegradualshiftingofthismatter—of—factoutlookintotheprimacyamongtheidealsofmodern。Christendomissufficientlyevidentinpointoffact,toanyattentivestudentofmoderntimes。Conceivably,theremaycomeanabrupttermtoitsparamountvogue,throughsomeprecipitatesweepofcircumstances;butitdidnotcomeinbyanythinglikethesuddenintrusionofanewinventioninideals——afterthefashionofareligiousconversionnorbytheincursionofahithertoalienelementintothecurrentschemeoflife,butratherbyforceofagradualandunintended,scarcelyperceptible,shiftingofemphasisbetweentheseveralculturalfactorsthatconjointlygotomakeuptheworkingschemeofthings。
Alongwiththisshiftingofmatter—of—factknowledgeintotheforegroundamongtheidealsofcivilizedlife,therehasalsogoneonasimilarlyunpremeditatedchangeintheattitudeofthosepersonsandestablishmentsthathavetodowiththislearning,aswellasintheratingaccordedthembythecommunityatlarge。Againitisamatterofinstitutionalgrowth,ofself—wroughtchangesintheschemeofuseandwont;andhereasinothercasesofinstitutionalgrowthanddisplacement,thechangeshavegoneforwardforthemostpartblindly,byimpulse,withoutmuchforeknowledgeofanyulteriorconsequencestowhichsuchasequenceofchangemightbesaidtotend。Itisonlyafterthenewgrowthofuseandwonthastakeneffectinanalteredrangeofprinciplesandstandards,thatitsdirectionandulteriorconsequencescanbeappreciatedwithanydegreeofconfidence。Butthisdevelopmentthathasthrownupmatter—of—factknowledgeintoitsplaceofparamountvalueformodernculturehasinapeculiardegreebeenunintendedandunforeseen;thelikeappliestothecaseoftheschoolsandthepersonnelinvolved;andinapeculiardegreethedriftandbearingofthesechangeshavealsonotbeenappreciatedwhiletheyhavebeengoingforward,doubtlessbecauseithasallbeenapeculiarlyunprecedentedphenomenonandawhollyundesigneddriftofhabituation。Historyrecordsnothingthatisfairlycomparable。Noerainthehistoricpasthassetapatternforguidanceinthismatter,andtheexperienceofnoneofthepeoplesofhistoryaffordsacluebywhichtohavejudgedbeforehandoftheprobablecourseandoutcomeofthisspecificallymodernandoccidentalphaseofculture。
Someslightbeginningsandexcursionsinthewayofacultivationofmatter—of—factlearningtheremayhavebeen,nowandagain,amongthemanyshiftingsystemsofesotericlorethathaveclaimedattentionhereandthere,earlyandlate;andtheseneedbynomeansbeaccountednegligible。Buttheyhaveonthewholecometonothingmuchbetterthanbrokenexcursions,asseenfromthepointofviewofthelatterdayhigherlearning,andtheyhavebroughtintobearingnothingappreciableinthewayofestablishmentsdesignedwithoutafterthoughttofurthertheadvanceofdisinterestedknowledge。Anythinglikeaculturalerathatavowedlytakessuchaquestofknowledgeasitschiefanddistinctivecharacteristicisnotknowntohistory。Fromthisisolatedstateofthecaseitfollows,unfortunately,thatthismodernphaseistobestudiedonlyinitsownlight;andsincethesequenceofdevelopmenthashithertoreachednosecureconsummationorconclusion,thereisalsomuchroomforconflictingopinionsastoitspresumptiveorlegitimateoutcome,orevenastoitspresentdrift。