large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_19_belloc_64kb_8
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_19_belloc_64kb
English
7264
We are all witnesses to this phenomenon in the realm of literature. I believe that the same thing goes on with even more force in the realm of political ideas. Can any one conceive the men who were just leaving the University five or six years ago returning from the war and still taking the House of Commons seriously? WE ARE ALL WITNESSES TO THIS PHENOMENON IN THE REALM OF LITERATURE I BELIEVE THAT THE SAME THING GOES ON WITH EVEN MORE FORCE IN THE REALM OF POLITICAL IDEAS CAN ANYONE CONCEIVE THE MEN WHO WERE JUST LEAVING THE UNIVERSITY FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO RETURNING FROM THE WAR AND STILL TAKING THE HOUSE OF COMMONS SERIOUSLY
by the authority of their elders. You see the thing in the reputation of poets. For instance, when A is 20, B 40, and C 60, a new poet appears, and is, perhaps, thought an eccentric. "A" cannot help recognizing the new note and admiring it, but he is a little ashamed of what may turn out to be an immature opinion, and he holds his tongue, "B" is too busy in middle life and already too hardened to feel the force of the new note and the authority he has over "A" renders "A" still more doubtful of his own judgment. "C" is frankly contemptuous of the new note. He has sunk into the groove of old age. Now let twenty years pass, and things will have changed in this fashion. "C" is dead. "B" has grown old, and is of less effect as an authority. "A" is himself in middle age, and is sure of his own taste and not prepared to take that of elders. He has already long expressed his admiration for the new poet, who is, indeed, not a "new poet" any longer, but, perhaps, already an established classic. NESS OF THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE AND NEXT BY THE AUTHORITY OF THEIR ELDERS YOU SEE THE THING IN THE REPUTATION OF POETS FOR INSTANCE WHEN A IS TWENTY B FORTY AND C SIXTY A NEW POET APPEARS AND IS PERHAPS THOUGHT AN ECCENTRIC A CANNOT HELP RECOGNIZING THE NEW NOTE AND ADMIRING IT BUT HE IS A LITTLE ASHAMED OF WHAT MAY TURN OUT TO BE AN IMMATURE OPINION AND HE HOLDS HIS TONGUE B IS TOO BUSY IN MIDDLE LIFE AND ALREADY TOO HARDENED TO FEEL THE FORCE OF THE NEW NOTE AND THE AUTHORITY HE HAS OVER A RENDERS A STILL MORE DOUBTFUL OF HIS OWN JUDGMENT C IS FRANKLY CONTEMPTUOUS OF THE NEW NOTE HE HAS SUNK INTO THE GROOVE OF OLD AGE NOW LET TWENTY YEARS PASS AND THINGS WILL HAVE CHANGED IN THIS FASHION C IS DEAD B HAS GROWN OLD AND IS OF LESS EFFECT AS AN AUTHORITY A IS HIMSELF IN MIDDLE AGE AND IS SURE OF HIS OWN TASTE AND NOT PREPARED TO TAKE THAT OF ELDERS HE HAS ALREADY LONG EXPRESSED HIS ADMIRATION FOR THE NEW POET WHO IS INDEED NOT A NEW POET ANY LONGER BUT PERHAPS ALREADY AN ESTABLISHED CLASSIC
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