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also； an obedience to whatever made us。 And last； and strangest；
there had come into my mind a vague and vast impression that in some
way all good was a remnant to be stored and held sacred out of some
primordial ruin。 Man had saved his good as Crusoe saved his goods：
he had saved them from a wreck。 All this I felt and the age gave me
no encouragement to feel it。 And all this time I had not even thought
of Christian theology。
V THE FLAG OF THE WORLD
When I was a boy there were two curious men running about
who were called the optimist and the pessimist。 I constantly used
the words myself； but I cheerfully confess that I never had any
very special idea of what they meant。 The only thing which might
be considered evident was that they could not mean what they said；
for the ordinary verbal explanation was that the optimist thought
this world as good as it could be； while the pessimist thought
it as bad as it could be。 Both these statements being obviously
raving nonsense； one had to cast about for other explanations。
An optimist could not mean a man who thought everything right and
nothing wrong。 For that is meaningless； it is like calling everything
right and nothing left。 Upon the whole； I came to the conclusion
that the optimist thought everything good except the pessimist；
and that the pessimist thought everything bad； except himself。
It would be unfair to omit altogether from the list the mysterious
but suggestive definition said to have been given by a little girl；
〃An optimist is a man who looks after your eyes； and a pessimist
is a man who looks after your feet。〃 I am not sure that this is not
the best definition of all。 There is even a sort of allegorical truth
in it。 For there might； perhaps； be a profitable distinction drawn
between that more dreary thinker who thinks merely of our contact
with the earth from moment to moment； and that happier thinker
who considers rather our primary power of vision and of choice
of road。
But this is a deep mistake in this alternative of the optimist
and the pessimist。 The assumption of it is that a man criticises
this world as if he were house…hunting； as if he were being shown
over a new suite of apartments。 If a man came to this world from
some other world in full possession of his powers he might discuss
whether the advantage of midsummer woods made up for the disadvantage
of mad dogs； just as a man looking for lodgings might balance
the presence of a telephone against the absence of a sea view。
But no man is in that position。 A man belongs to this world before
he begins to ask if it is nice to belong to it。 He has fought for
the flag； and often won heroic victories for the flag long before he
has ever enlisted。 To put shortly what seems the essential matter；
he has a loyalty long before he has any admiration。
In the last chapter it has been said that the primary feeling
that this world is strange and yet attractive is best expressed
in fairy tales。 The reader may； if he likes； put down the next
stage to that bellicose and even jingo literature which commonly
comes next in the history of a boy。 We all owe much sound morality
to the penny dreadfuls。 Whatever the reason； it seemed and still
seems to me that our attitude towards life can be better expressed
in terms of a kind of military loyalty than in terms of criticism
and approval。 My acceptance of the universe is not optimism；
it is more like patriotism。 It is a matter of primary loyalty。
The world is not a lodging…house at Brighton； which we are to
leave because it is miserable。 It is the fortress of our family；
with the flag flying on the turret； and the more miserable it
is the less we should leave it。 The point is not that this world
is too sad to love or too glad not to love； the point is that
when you do love a thing； its gladness is a reason for loving it；
and its sadness a reason for loving it more。 All optimistic thoughts
about England and all pessimistic thoughts about her are alike
reasons for the English patriot。 Similarly； optimism and pessimism
are alike arguments for the cosmic patriot。
Let us suppose we are confronted with a desperate thing
say Pimlico。 If we think what is really best for Pimlico we shall
find the thread of thought leads to the throne or the mystic and
the arbitrary。 It is not enough for a man to disapprove of Pimlico：
in that case he will merely cut his throat or move to Chelsea。
Nor； certainly； is it enough for a man to approve of Pimlico：
for then it will remain Pimlico； which would be awful。
The only way out of it seems to be for somebody to love Pimlico：
to love it with a transcendental tie and without any earthly reason。
If there arose a man who loved Pimlico； then Pimlico would rise
into ivory towers and golden pinnacles； Pimlico would attire herself
as a woman does when she is loved。 For decoration is not given
to hide horrible things： but to decorate things already adorable。
A mother does not give her child a blue bow because he is so ugly
without it。 A lover does not give a girl a necklace to hide her neck。
If men loved Pimlico as mothers love children； arbitrarily； because it
is THEIRS； Pimlico in a year or two might be fairer than Florence。
Some readers will say that this is a mere fantasy。 I answer that this
is the actual history of mankind。 This； as a fact； is how cities did
grow great。 Go back to the darkest roots of civilization and you
will find them knotted round some sacred stone or encircling some
sacred well。 People first paid honour to a spot and afterwards
gained glory for it。 Men did not love Rome because she was great。
She was great because they had loved her。
The eighteenth…century theories of the social contract have
been exposed to much clumsy criticism in our time； in so far
as they meant that there is at the back of all historic government
an idea of content and co…operation； they were demonstrably right。
But they really were wrong； in so far as they suggested that men
had ever aimed at order or ethics directly by a conscious exchange
of interests。 Morality did not begin by one man saying to another；
〃I will not hit you if you do not hit me〃； there is no trace
of such a transaction。 There IS a trace of both men having said；
〃We must not hit each other in the holy place。〃 They gained their
morality by guarding their religion。 They did not cultivate courage。
They fought for the shrine； and found they had become courageous。
They did not cultivate cleanliness。 They purified themselves for
the altar； and found that they were clean。 The history of the Jews
is the only early document known to most Englishmen； and the facts can
be judged sufficiently from that。 The Ten Commandments which have been
found substantially common to mankind were merely military commands；
a code of regimental orders； issued to protect a certain ark across
a certain desert。 Anarchy was evil because it endangered the sanctity。
And only when they made a holy day for God did they find they had made
a holiday for men。
If it be granted that this primary devotion to a place or thing
is a source of creative energy； we can pass on to a very peculiar fact。
Let us reiterate for an instant that the only right optimism is a sort
of universal patriotism。 What is the matter with the pessimist？
I think it can be stated by saying that he is the cosmic anti…patriot。
And what is the matter with the anti…patriot？ I think it can be stated；
without undue bitterness； by saying that he is the candid friend。
And what is the matter with the candid friend？ There we strike
the rock of real life and immutable human nature。
I venture to say that what is bad in the candid friend
is simply that he is not candid。 He is keeping something back
his own gloomy pleasure in saying unpleasant things。 He has
a secret desire to hurt； not merely to help。 This is certainly；
I think； what makes a certain sort of anti…patriot irritating to
healthy citizens。 I do not speak （of course） of the anti…patriotism
which only irritates feverish stockbrokers and gushing actresses；
that is only patriotism speaking plainly。 A man who says that
no patriot should attack the Boer War until it is over is not
worth answering intelligently； he is saying that no good son
should warn his moth