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Time of their day； they are wont to assemble in great numbers for those
winged sports in the air which I have already 83described。 They have
also public halls for music； and even theatres； at which are performed
pieces that appeared to me somewhat to resemble the plays of the Chinese…
dramas that are thrown back into distant times for their events and
personages； in which all classic unities are outrageously violated； and the
hero； in once scene a child； in the next is an old man； and so forth。 These
plays are of very ancient composition； and their stories cast in remote
times。 They appeared to me very dull； on the whole； but were relieved
by startling mechanical contrivances； and a kind of farcical broad humour；
and detached passages of great vigour and power expressed in language
highly poetical； but somewhat overcharged with metaphor and trope。 In
fine； they seemed to me very much what the plays of Shakespeare seemed
to a Parisian in the time of Louis XV。； or perhaps to an Englishman in the
reign of Charles II。
The audience； of which the Gy…ei constituted the chief portion；
appeared to enjoy greatly the representation of these dramas； which； for so
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sedate and majestic a race of females； surprised me； till I observed that all
the performers were under the age of adolescence； and conjectured truly
that the mothers and sisters came to please their children and brothers。
I have said that these dramas are of great antiquity。 No new plays；
indeed no imaginative works sufficiently important to survive their
immediate day； appear to have been composed for several generations。
In fact； though there is no lack of new publications； and they have even
what may be called newspapers； these are chiefly devoted to mechanical
science； reports of new inventions； announcements respecting various
details of business… in short； to practical matters。 Sometimes a child
writes a little tale of adventure； or a young Gy vents her amorous hopes or
fears in a poem； but these effusions are of very little merit； and are seldom
read except by children and maiden Gy…ei。 The most interesting works
of a purely literary character are those of explorations and travels into
other regions of this nether world； which are generally written by 84young
emigrants； and are read with great avidity by the relations and friends they
have left behind。
I could not help expressing to Aph…Lin my surprise that a community
in which mechanical science had made so marvellous a progress； and in
which intellectual civilisation had exhibited itself in realising those objects
for the happiness of the people； which the political philosophers above
ground had； after ages of struggle； pretty generally agreed to consider
unattainable visions； should； nevertheless； be so wholly without a
contemporaneous literature； despite the excellence to which culture had
brought a language at once so rich and simple； vigourous and musical。
My host replied… 〃Do you not percieve that a literature such as you
mean would be wholly incompatible with that perfection of social or
political felicity at which you do us the honour to think we have arrived？
We have at last； after centuries of struggle； settled into a form of
government with which we are content； and in which； as we allow no
differences of rank； and no honours are paid to administrators
distinguishing them from others； there is no stimulus given to individual
ambition。 No one would read works advocating theories that involved
any political or social change； and therefore no one writes them。 If now
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and then an An feels himself dissatisfied with our tranquil mode of life； he
does not attack it； he goes away。 Thus all that part of literature （and to
judge by the ancient books in our public libraries； it was once a very large
part）； which relates to speculative theories on society is become utterly
extinct。 Again； formerly there was a vast deal written respecting the
attributes and essence of the All…Good； and the arguments for and against
a future state； but now we all recognise two facts； that there IS a Divine
Being； and there IS a future state； and we all equally agree that if we wrote
our fingers to the bone； we could not throw any light upon the nature and
conditions of that future state； or quicken our apprehensions of the
attributes and essence of that Divine 85Being。 Thus another part of
literature has become also extinct； happily for our race； for in the time
when so much was written on subjects which no one could determine；
people seemed to live in a perpetual state of quarrel and contention。 So；
too； a vast part of our ancient literature consists of historical records of
wars an revolutions during the times when the Ana lived in large and
turbulent societies； each seeking aggrandisement at the expense of the
other。 You see our serene mode of life now； such it has been for ages。
We have no events to chronicle。 What more of us can be said than that；
'they were born； they were happy； they died？' Coming next to that part of
literature which is more under the control of the imagination； such as what
we call Glaubsila； or colloquially 'Glaubs；' and you call poetry； the reasons
for its decline amongst us are abundantly obvious。
〃We find； by referring to the great masterpieces in that department of
literature which we all still read with pleasure； but of which none would
tolerate imitations； that they consist in the portraiture of passions which
we no longer experience… ambition； vengeance； unhallowed love； the thirst
for warlike renown； and suchlike。 The old poets lived in an atmosphere
impregnated with these passions； and felt vividly what they expressed
glowingly。 No one can express such passions now； for no one can feel
them； or meet with any sympathy in his readers if he did。 Again； the old
poetry has a main element in its dissection of those complex mysteries of
human character which conduce to abnormal vices and crimes； or lead to
signal and extraordinary virtues。 But our society； having got rid of
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temptations to any prominent vices and crimes； has necessarily rendered
the moral average so equal； that there are no very salient virtues。
Without its ancient food of strong passions； vast crimes； heroic
excellences； poetry therefore is； if not actually starved to death； reduced to
a very meagre diet。 There is still the poetry of description… description of
rocks； and trees； and waters； and common household life； and our young
Gy…ei weave much of this insipid kind of composition into their love
verses。〃 86 〃Such poetry；〃 said I； 〃might surely be made very charming；
and we have critics amongst us who consider it a higher kind than that
which depicts the crimes； or analyses the passions； of man。 At all events；
poetry of the inspired kind you mention is a poetry that nowadays
commands more readers than any other among the people I have left
above ground。〃
〃Possibly； but then I suppose the writers take great pains with the
language they employ； and devote themselves to the culture and polish of
words and rhythms of an art？〃
〃Certainly they do： all great poets do that。 Though the gift of poetry
may be inborn； the gift requires as much care to make it available as a
block of metal does to be made into one of your engines。〃