Das landhaus am Rhein. English
CHAPTER VIII.
HELP YOURSELF.
The gentlemen sat by themselves in the garden, taking coffee after theladies had withdrawn.
The Prince, who wanted to show manifest friendliness towardsSonnenkamp, spoke of his intention to travel in America, and Clodwigencouraged it, regretting that he had not done so in his youth.
"I think that he who has not been in America does not know what man iswhen he gives himself the reins: life there awakens entirely newenergies in the soul, and in the midst of the struggle for worldlypossessions, each one becomes a sort of Robinson Crusoe, who mustdevelop in himself new resources. I should say that America has somepoints of comparison with Greece: in Greece the body was exhibitednaked, and in America the soul. This is by no means the most attractivesight, but a renewal of humanity may yet be the result."
The Musician, who was about to make a professional journey to America,remarked,--
"I don't see how they live in a land whose soil grows no wine, and inwhose air sings no lark."
"Allow me one question, Herr Count," Eric now said. "It is strikingthat they have been able to invent no new names in America, but havetaken from the aboriginal inhabitants, and from the immigrants out ofthe old world, their names for rivers, mountains, towns, and men; and Iwould here like to ask,--has the new world succeeded in adding a newethical principle to those already established?"
"Certainly," interposed Sonnenkamp, "the best that there is going."
"The best! What is it?"
"The two significant words,--'Help yourself.'"
Shaking his head, Clodwig said,--
"Strictly speaking, 'Help yourself' is not a human, but an animalprinciple; for every beast helps himself with all his powers. Thismaxim was only justifiable as a protest against a polished and hollowconventionalism, or against that utter abandonment of individual effortin demanding every thing from the State. 'Help yourself' is a goodmotto for an immigrant, but as soon as he becomes a settler, he standsin relations of rights and duties as regards others. In the far west ofAmerica, 'Help yourself' does not apply, for there the neighbors helpeach other a great deal. 'Help yourself' is of avail, at farthest, forindividuals by themselves, and not for those assembled in a community:the serfs could not help themselves, and the slaves have not been ableto help themselves. The moral law of solidarity is,--'Help thyneighbor, as thy neighbor is to help thee; and when thou helpestthyself, thou helpest also others.'"
Here they came upon the subject so happily turned aside at table, butas no one seemed disposed to resume it, Clodwig continued,--
"It would seem that every people must become adopted as a citizen inthe great realm of history, through some idea. I believe that the grandcalling of America is, to annihilate slavery from the face of theearth. But as I said before, this is the carrying out of an idea thathas been for a long time maturing. I should like to ask if America hasany new moral principle?"
"Perhaps the sewing-machine is a now moral principle," said Pranken, inhis free, joking manner.
They laughed.
"But there _is_ a moral principle involved in 'Help yourself,'"interposed Eric. "Among us Europeans, a man becomes something throughinheritance, or through royal favor, while the American looks fornothing from others, and seeks to become what he can be through his ownefforts, and not through any foreign help. And in respect to thatbelief which regards man as a pack of merchandise, to be forwarded bysome agent to its heavenly destination, this maxim, 'Help yourself,' isvery significant. Thou, man, art no coffer, well corded with legalprescriptions, and sealed by the spiritual officers of customs ashaving paid the duty and passed inspection, but thou art a livingpassenger on this earth, and must look out for thyself. Help yourself!Nobody forwards thee to thy destination; and we Germans have a proverbthat comes near it in meaning: 'Each one must carry his own hide tomarket.'"
"May I ask a question?" said Roland, entering into the conversation.
All were surprised, especially Eric and Sonnenkamp.
"Ask it if you wish," Eric said encouragingly.
"When I heard the Herr Count speaking of the heritage of civilization,I felt as if I must ask: how do we know that we are civilized?"
The youth spoke with timidity, and Eric encouraged him.
"Explain more fully what you mean by that."
"Perhaps the Turks or the Chinese consider _us_ barbarous."
"You would have, then," Eric said, to help him on, "some unmistakabletoken whereby a people, an age, a religion, a man, can perceive whetherthey are in the great current of universal, historical civilization?"
"Yes, that is what I mean."
"Well, then, consider wherein does a cultivated man differ from anuncultivated?"
"He differs from him in having good thoughts and clear views."
"Where does he get these?"
"Out of himself."
"And how does he learn to sharpen them, and to round them off?"
"By comparing them."
"With what?"
"With the thoughts of great men."
"And does he perceive truth in agreement with others, or in oppositionto them?"
"In agreement with them."
"And where do those live with whom he is in agreement?"
"All around him."
"Have not others lived before him?"
"Certainly."
"And can we compare our thoughts and views with those men who havelived before us, or learn directly from the past?"
"Certainly; that is what writings are for."
"Good! And if now a man, or a people, has a system or a culture whichhas no connection with the past, with no man and no people who havegone before, what is he?"
"No inheritor."
"I did not expect that answer, but I accept it; good! Then is a people,that invents no culture, in connection with humanity, or in a conditionof isolation?"
"Of isolation."
"This is the way it stands, then. We know that we are in the centre, orrather in the advancing front, of a progressive civilization, becausewe have received an inheritance from the Past, from Persians, Jews,Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and we transmit it. The Turks andChinese, who are not able to do this, stand by themselves and sodecline. It is not pride which causes us Germans to consider ourselvesin the front rank of civilization, for there is no nation that takes upmore fully into itself, and carries on farther, the work of humanitythan the German, or, we will say, the Germanic, for your father-land isalso included."
"Bravo! bravo!" cried Clodwig, as they all rose. Clodwig went toSonnenkamp and said,--
"Never was a recommendation better justified than mine of the Captainto you; and you are in the right, Herr Sonnenkamp. I have learnedsomething,--'Help yourself' _is_ a grand new principle: it is not amoral principle, but a preceptive formula. See how our friend teachesyour son pre-eminently to help himself: this is the new Socraticmethod."
Eric and Roland had become now the central objects of the company; andthe Prince, coming up to Eric and shaking hands with him, said,--
"You are really a teacher!"
A messenger came from the ladies to say that they would repair to thesaloon, and the gentlemen went there in cheerful mood. The jovialAustrian officer, who had elevated to the nobility the daughter of amerchant in the neighboring commercial city, sang some comic songs;Pranken was prevailed upon to exhibit some sleight-of-hand tricks whichhe had learned from a juggler, and he did it in capital style; andfinally, the musician played some tunes upon Clodwig's old violin.
Sonnenkamp embraced the favorable opportunity of speaking to Clodwig,as they were sitting together in a retired nook of the large saloon; hebegan with speaking of the interest which Roland was so fortunate as toexcite in Clodwig, and he very readily acknowledged how great hisinterest was. Sonnenkamp felt his way along very cautiously, and therewas an affecting, paternal tone in the manner in which he said that hehad nothing more to desire in life for him
self, and that his only wishwas to have Roland established securely in an honorable position.Clodwig said he had no doubt that he had gained, and would continue togain still further, by intercourse with Eric and by his instruction, aknowledge of life, and an introduction into it which would make himstrong in himself, and insure at some time admittance into the societyof the nobility.
Sonnenkamp fastened upon this expression, "the society of thenobility;" he had not studied in vain the natural history of bribery,and Clodwig must be won over by being made one of the nominatingcommittee, and be bribed by the payment of shares in the newfancy-stock; but Clodwig conducted himself as if he had no idea whatSonnenkamp was aiming at. Sonnenkamp was so confused by this, thatinstead of requesting directly Clodwig's aid in accomplishing hispurpose, he asked his advice; Clodwig discouraged him very decidedly,even saying plainly that it was not expedient to unite one's self witha dying institution, in which one would not feel at home. Sonnenkampexpressed gratefully his sense of obligation. Clodwig seized afavorable opportunity to mingle among the guests, and Sonnenkamp couldnot again get possession of him.
They drove home in the bright daylight, the host and hostessaccompanying them a part of the way. Sonnenkamp let Roland take a seatwith his mother and Fraeulein Perini, for he did not want to encounterthe displeasure of his wife, who had stared frequently at Bella'ssplendid pearl necklace; he took Eric and the Major with him into thecarriage.
"This, then, is German society! In our worthy host there is a good dealof the professor," said Sonnenkamp. No one made any reply.
He then said in English to Eric, that he deserved great praise for histact, that in the presence of Roland, who was still so young, he put soreserved a face on his friendship for Clodwig and his beautiful wife.And he said, placing his hand on Eric's shoulder,--
"Young man, I could envy you; I know very well that you will deny all,but I congratulate you. The old gentleman is right; 'Help yourself' isno moral principle."
Eric could not positively assert the groundlessness of thisinsinuation, and he felt himself severely punished, by this inwardcondemnation, for having been guilty even in the slightest passingthought; and it was consolatory to him to be able to say: I can applyit to myself, I have tested the worth of 'Help yourself.'
Sonnenkamp also had his reflections upon the words, 'Help yourself,'and he was vexed at them. He was now seeking to attain something, andself-help could avail nothing in his efforts, but he must accept thehelp of others. He wished now to acquire an elevated position, and thisis a very different thing from the acquisition of money, land,property, and goods; honor proceeds only from persons united by asocial bond, and therefore others must help; and the noblest and mostinfluential one, whose aid was essential, was reserved, and disinclinedto render him assistance. It did not seem as if Clodwig could be wonover to take his part.