"Beware of first- hand ideas!" exclaimed
one of the most advanced of them. "First-hand ideas do not really exist.
They are but the physical impressions produced by live and fear, and on this
gross foundation who could erect a philosophy? Let your ideas be second-hand,
and if possible tenth-hand, for then they will be far removed from that
disturbing element - direct observation. Do not learn anything about this
subject of mine - the French Revolution. Learn instead what I think that
Enicharmon thought Urizen thought Gutch thought Ho-Yung thought Chi-Bo-Sing
thought LafcadioHearn thought Carlyle thought Mirabeau said about the French
Revolution. Through the medium of these ten great minds, the blood that was
shed at Paris and the windows that were broken at Versailles will be clarified
to an idea which you may employ most profitably in your daily lives. But be
sure that the intermediates are many and varied, for in history one authority
exists to counteract another. Urizen must counteract the scepticism of Ho-Yung
and Enicharmon, I must myself counteract the impetuosity of Gutch. You who
listen to me are in a better position to judge about the French Revolution than
I am. Your descendants will be even in a better position than you, for they
will learn what you think I think, and yet another intermediate will be added
to the chain. And in time" - his voice rose - "there will come a generation
that had got beyond facts, beyond impressions, a generation absolutely
colourless, a generation
seraphically free
From taint of
personality,
which will see the French Revolution not as it
happened, nor as they would like it to have happened, but as it would have
happened, had it taken place in the days of the Machine."
