large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_20_belloc_64kb_1
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_20_belloc_64kb
English
7264
They with their enormous modern audiences are the hacks doomed to oblivion. We, under the modern silence, are the inheritors of those who built up the political greatness of England upon a foundation of free speech, and of the prose which it begets. THEY WITH THEIR ENORMOUS MODERN AUDIENCES ARE THE HACKS DOOMED TO OBLIVION WE UNDER THE MODERN SILENCE ARE THE INHERITORS OF THOSE WHO BUILT UP THE POLITICAL GREATNESS OF ENGLAND UPON A FOUNDATION OF FREE SPEECH AND OF THE PROSE WHICH IT BEGETS
n "The New Age" or the "New Witness" I have but one reader, where in the "Weekly Dispatch" or the "Times" I should have a thousand. I shall do so, and the others who continue in like service will do so, _first_, because, though the work is so far negative only, there is (and we all instinctively feel it), a _Vis Medicatrix Naturæ_: merely in weakening an evil you may soon be, you ultimately will surely be, creating a good: _secondly_, because self-respect and honour demand it. No man who has the truth to tell and the power to tell it can long remain hiding it from fear or even from despair without ignominy. To release the truth against whatever odds, even if so doing can no longer help the Commonwealth, is a necessity for the soul. We have also this last consolation, that those who leave us and attach themselves from fear or greed to the stronger party of dissemblers gradually lose thereby their chance of fame in letters. Sound writing cannot survive in the air of mechanical hypocrisy. INUE TO DO SO ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT IN THE NEW AGE OR THE NEW WITNESS I HAVE BUT ONE READER WHERE IN THE WEEKLY DISPATCH OR THE TIMES I SHOULD HAVE A THOUSAND I SHALL DO SO AND THE OTHERS WHO CONTINUE IN LIKE SERVICE WILL DO SO FIRST BECAUSE THOUGH THE WORK IS SO FAR NEGATIVE ONLY THERE IS AND WE ALL INSTINCTIVELY FEEL IT A FIST MITENDRIX NATUREE MERELY IN WEAKENING AN EVIL YOU MAY SOON BE YOU ULTIMATELY WILL SURELY BE CREATING A GOOD SECONDLY BECAUSE SELF RESPECT AND HONOUR DEMAND IT NO MAN WHO HAS THE TRUTH TO TELL AND THE POWER TO TELL IT CAN LONG REMAIN HIDING IT FROM FEAR OR EVEN FROM DESPAIR WITHOUT IGNOMINY TO RELEASE THE TRUTH AGAINST WHATEVER ODDS EVEN IF SO DOING CAN NO LONGER HELP THE COMMONWEALTH IS A NECESSITY FOR THE SOUL WE HAVE ALSO THIS LAST CONSOLATION THAT THOSE WHO LEAVE US AND ATTACH THEMSELVES FROM FEAR OR GREED TO THE STRONGER PARTY OF DISSEMBLERS GRADUALLY LOSE THEREBY THEIR CHANCE OF FAME IN LETTERS SOUND WRITING CANNOT SURVIVE IN THE AIR OF MECHANICAL HYPOCRISY
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