Solongasthewoman’splaceisconsistentlythatofadrudge，sheis，intheaverageofcases，fairlycontentedwithherlot。Shenotonlyhassomethingtangibleandpurposefultodo，butshehasalsonotimeorthoughttospareforarebelliousassertionofsuchhumanpropensitytoself-directionasshehasinherited。Andafterthestageofuniversalfemaledrudgeryispassed，andavicariousleisurewithoutstrenuousapplicationbecomestheaccreditedemploymentofthewomenofthewell-to-doclasses，theprescriptiveforceofthecanonofpecuniarydecency，whichrequirestheobservanceofceremonialfutilityontheirpart，willlongpreservehigh-mindedwomenfromanysentimentalleaningtoself-directionanda“sphereofusefulness。“Thisisespeciallytrueduringtheearlierphasesofthepecuniaryculture，whiletheleisureoftheleisureclassisstillingreatmeasureapredatoryactivity，anactiveassertionofmasteryinwhichthereisenoughoftangiblepurposeofaninvidiouskindtoadmitofitsbeingtakenseriouslyasanemploymenttowhichonemaywithoutshameputone’shand。Thisconditionofthingshasobviouslylastedwelldownintothepresentinsomecommunities。Itcontinuestoholdtoadifferentextentfordifferentindividuals，varyingwiththevividnessofthesenseofstatusandwiththefeeblenessoftheimpulsetoworkmanshipwithwhichtheindividualisendowed。Butwheretheeconomicstructureofthecommunityhassofaroutgrowntheschemeoflifebasedonstatusthattherelationofpersonalsubservienceisnolongerfelttobethesole“natural“humanrelation；theretheancienthabitofpurposefulactivitywillbegintoassertitselfinthelessconformableindividualsagainstthemorerecent，relativelysuperficial，relativelyephemeralhabitsandviewswhichthepredatoryandthepecuniaryculturehavecontributedtoourschemeoflife。Thesehabitsandviewsbegintolosetheircoerciveforceforthecommunityortheclassinquestionsosoonasthehabitofmindandtheviewsoflifeduetothepredatoryandthequasi-peaceabledisciplineceasetobeinfairlycloseaccordwiththelater-developedeconomicsituation。Thisisevidentinthecaseoftheindustriousclassesofmoderncommunities；forthemtheleisure-classschemeoflifehaslostmuchofitsbindingforce，especiallyasregardstheelementofstatus。Butitisalsovisiblybeingverifiedinthecaseoftheupperclasses，thoughnotinthesamemanner。
　　Thehabitsderivedfromthepredatoryandquasi-peaceableculturearerelativelyephemeralvariantsofcertainunderlyingpropensitiesandmentalcharacteristicsoftherace；whichitowestotheprotracteddisciplineoftheearlier，proto-anthropoidculturalstageofpeaceable，relativelyundifferentiatedeconomiclifecarriedonincontactwitharelativelysimpleandinvariablematerialenvironment。Whenthehabitssuperinducedbytheemulativemethodoflifehaveceasedtoenjoythesectionofexistingeconomicexigencies，aprocessofdisintegrationsetsinwherebythehabitsofthoughtofmorerecentgrowthandofalessgenericcharactertosomeextentyieldthegroundbeforethemoreancientandmorepervadingspiritualcharacteristicsoftherace。
　　Inasense，then，thenew-womanmovementmarksareversiontoamoregenerictypeofhumancharacter，ortoalessdifferentiatedexpressionofhumannature。Itisatypeofhumannaturewhichistobecharacterizedasproto-anthropoid，and，asregardsthesubstanceifnottheformofitsdominanttraits，itbelongstoaculturalstagethatmaybeclassedaspossiblysub-human。Theparticularmovementorevolutionalfeatureinquestionofcoursesharesthischaracterizationwiththerestofthelatersocialdevelopment，insofarasthissocialdevelopmentshowsevidenceofareversiontothespiritualattitudethatcharacterizestheearlier，undifferentiatedstageofeconomicrevolution。Suchevidenceofageneraltendencytoreversionfromthedominanceoftheinvidiousinterestisnotentirelywanting，althoughitisneitherplentifulnorunquestionablyconvincing。Thegeneraldecayofthesenseofstatusinmodernindustrialcommunitiesgoessomewayasevidenceinthisdirection；andtheperceptiblereturntoadisapprovaloffutilityinhumanlife，andadisapprovalofsuchactivitiesasserveonlytheindividualgainatthecostofthecollectivityoratthecostofothersocialgroups，isevidencetoalikeeffect。
　　Thereisaperceptibletendencytodeprecatetheinflictionofpain，aswellastodiscreditallmaraudingenterprises，evenwheretheseexpressionsoftheinvidiousinterestdonottangiblyworktothematerialdetrimentofthecommunityoroftheindividualwhopassesanopiniononthem。Itmayevenbesaidthatinthemodernindustrialcommunitiestheaverage，dispassionatesenseofmensaysthattheidealcharacterisacharacterwhichmakesforpeace，good-will，andeconomicefficiency，ratherthanforalifeofself-seeking，force，fraud，andmastery。
　　Theinfluenceoftheleisureclassisnotconsistentlyfororagainsttherehabilitationofthisproto-anthropoidhumannature。Sofarasconcernsthechanceofsurvivalofindividualsendowedwithanexceptionallylargeshareoftheprimitivetraits，theshelteredpositionoftheclassfavorsitsmembersdirectlybywithdrawingthemfromthepecuniarystruggle；butindirectly，throughtheleisure-classcanonsofconspicuouswasteofgoodsandeffort，theinstitutionofaleisureclasslessensthechanceofsurvivalofsuchindividualsintheentirebodyofthepopulation。Thedecentrequirementsofwasteabsorbthesurplusenergyofthepopulationinaninvidiousstruggleandleavenomarginforthenon-invidiousexpressionoflife。Theremoter，lesstangible，spiritualeffectsofthedisciplineofdecencygointhesamedirectionandworkperhapsmoreeffectuallytothesameend。Thecanonsofdecentlifeareanelaborationoftheprincipleofinvidiouscomparison，andtheyaccordinglyactconsistentlytoinhibitallnon-invidiouseffortandtoinculcatetheself-regardingattitude。
　　Chapter14
　　TheHigherLearningasanExpressionofthePecuniaryCultureTotheendthatsuitablehabitsofthoughtoncertainheadsmaybeconservedintheincominggeneration，ascholasticdisciplineissanctionedbythecommonsenseofthecommunityandincorporatedintotheaccreditedschemeoflife。Thehabitsofthoughtwhicharesoformedundertheguidanceofteachersandscholastictraditionshaveaneconomicvalue——avalueasaffectingtheserviceabilityoftheindividual——nolessrealthanthesimilareconomicvalueofthehabitsofthoughtformedwithoutsuchguidanceunderthedisciplineofeverydaylife。
　　Whatevercharacteristicsoftheaccreditedscholasticschemeanddisciplinearetraceabletothepredilectionsoftheleisureclassortotheguidanceofthecanonsofpecuniarymeritaretobesetdowntotheaccountofthatinstitution，andwhatevereconomicvaluethesefeaturesoftheeducationalschemepossessaretheexpressionindetailofthevalueofthatinstitution。Itwillbeinplace，therefore，topointoutanypeculiarfeaturesoftheeducationalsystemwhicharetraceabletotheleisure-classschemeoflife，whetherasregardstheaimandmethodofthediscipline，orasregardsthecompassandcharacterofthebodyofknowledgeinculcated。Itisinlearningproper，andmoreparticularlyinthehigherlearning，thattheinfluenceofleisure-classidealsismostpatent；andsincethepurposehereisnottomakeanexhaustivecollationofdatashowingtheeffectofthepecuniarycultureuponeducation，butrathertoillustratethemethodandtrendoftheleisure-classinfluenceineducation，asurveyofcertainsalientfeaturesofthehigherlearning，suchasmayservethispurpose，isallthatwillbeattempted。
　　Inpointofderivationandearlydevelopment，learningissomewhatcloselyrelatedtothedevotionalfunctionofthecommunity，particularlytothebodyofobservancesinwhichtheservicerenderedthesupernaturalleisureclassexpressesitself。
　　Theservicebywhichitissoughttoconciliatesupernaturalagenciesintheprimitivecultsisnotanindustriallyprofitableemploymentofthecommunity’stimeandeffort。Itis，therefore，ingreatpart，tobeclassedasavicariousleisureperformedforthesupernaturalpowerswithwhomnegotiationsarecarriedonandwhosegood-willtheserviceandtheprofessionsofsubservienceareconceivedtoprocure。Ingreatpart，theearlylearningconsistedinanacquisitionofknowledgeandfacilityintheserviceofasupernaturalagent。Itwasthereforecloselyanalogousincharactertothetrainingrequiredforthedomesticserviceofatemporalmaster。Toagreatextent，theknowledgeacquiredunderthepriestlyteachersoftheprimitivecommunitywasknowledgeofritualandceremonial；thatistosay，aknowledgeofthemostproper，mosteffective，ormostacceptablemannerofapproachingandofservingthepreternaturalagents。
　　Whatwaslearnedwashowtomakeoneselfindispensabletothesepowers，andsotoputoneselfinapositiontoask，oreventorequire，theirintercessioninthecourseofeventsortheirabstentionfrominterferenceinanygivenenterprise。
　　Propitiationwastheend，andthisendwassought，ingreatpart，byacquiringfacilityinsubservience。Itappearstohavebeenonlygraduallythatotherelementsthanthoseofefficientserviceofthemasterfoundtheirwayintothestockofpriestlyorshamanisticinstruction。
　　Thepriestlyservitoroftheinscrutablepowersthatmoveintheexternalworldcametostandinthepositionofamediatorbetweenthesepowersandthecommonrunofunrestrictedhumanity；
　　forhewaspossessedofaknowledgeofthesupernaturaletiquettewhichwouldadmithimintothepresence。Andascommonlyhappenswithmediatorsbetweenthevulgarandtheirmasters，whetherthemastersbenaturalorpreternatural，hefounditexpedienttohavethemeansathandtangiblytoimpressuponthevulgarthefactthattheseinscrutablepowerswoulddowhathemightaskofthem。Hence，presently，aknowledgeofcertainnaturalprocesseswhichcouldbeturnedtoaccountforspectaculareffect，togetherwithsomesleightofhand，cametobeanintegralpartofpriestlylore。Knowledgeofthiskindpassesforknowledgeofthe“unknowable“，anditowesitsserviceabilityforthesacerdotalpurposetoitsreconditecharacter。Itappearstohavebeenfromthissourcethatlearning，asaninstitution，arose，anditsdifferentiationfromthisitsparentstockofmagicritualandshamanisticfraudhasbeenslowandtedious，andisscarcelyyetcompleteeveninthemostadvancedofthehigherseminariesoflearning。
　　Thereconditeelementinlearningisstill，asithasbeeninallages，averyattractiveandeffectiveelementforthepurposeofimpressing，orevenimposingupon，theunlearned；andthestandingofthesavantinthemindofthealtogetherunletteredisingreatmeasureratedintermsofintimacywiththeoccultforces。So，forinstance，asatypicalcase，evensolateasthemiddleofthiscentury，theNorwegianpeasantshaveinstinctivelyformulatedtheirsenseofthesuperioreruditionofsuchdoctorsofdivinityasLuther，Malanchthon，PederDass，andevensolateascholarindivinityasGrundtvig，intermsoftheBlackArt。These，togetherwithaverycomprehensivelistofminorcelebrities，bothlivinganddead，havebeenreputedmastersinallmagicalarts；andahighpositionintheecclesiasticalpersonnelhascarriedwithit，intheapprehensionofthesegoodpeople，animplicationofprofoundfamiliaritywithmagicalpracticeandtheoccultsciences。Thereisaparallelfactnearerhome，similarlygoingtoshowthecloserelationship，inpopularapprehension，betweeneruditionandtheunknowable；
　　anditwillatthesametimeservetoillustrate，insomewhatcoarseoutline，thebentwhichleisure-classlifegivestothecognitiveinterest。Whilethebeliefisbynomeansconfinedtotheleisureclass，thatclasstodaycomprisesadisproportionatelylargenumberofbelieversinoccultsciencesofallkindsandshades。Bythosewhosehabitsofthoughtarenotshapedbycontactwithmodernindustry，theknowledgeoftheunknowableisstillfelttotheultimateifnottheonlytrueknowledge。
　　Learning，then，setoutbybeinginsomesenseaby-productofthepriestlyvicariousleisureclass；and，atleastuntilarecentdate，thehigherlearninghassinceremainedinsomesenseaby-productorby-occupationofthepriestlyclasses。Asthebodyofsystematizedknowledgeincreased，therepresentlyaroseadistinction，traceableveryfarbackinthehistoryofeducation，betweenesotericandexotericknowledge，theformer——sofarasthereisasubstantialdifferencebetweenthetwo——comprisingsuchknowledgeasisprimarilyofnoeconomicorindustrialeffect，andthelattercomprisingchieflyknowledgeofindustrialprocessesandofnaturalphenomenawhichwerehabituallyturnedtoaccountforthematerialpurposesoflife。Thislineofdemarcationhasintimebecome，atleastinpopularapprehension，thenormallinebetweenthehigherlearningandthelower。
　　Itissignificant，notonlyasanevidenceoftheircloseaffiliationwiththepriestlycraft，butalsoasindicatingthattheiractivitytoagoodextentfallsunderthatcategoryofconspicuousleisureknownasmannersandbreeding，thatthelearnedclassinallprimitivecommunitiesaregreatsticklersforform，precedent，gradationsofrank，ritual，ceremonialvestments，andlearnedparaphernaliagenerally。Thisisofcoursetobeexpected，anditgoestosaythatthehigherlearning，initsincipientphase，isaleisure-classoccupation——morespecificallyanoccupationofthevicariousleisureclassemployedintheserviceofthesupernaturalleisureclass。Butthispredilectionfortheparaphernaliaoflearninggoesalsotoindicateafurtherpointofcontactorofcontinuitybetweenthepriestlyofficeandtheofficeofthesavant。Inpointofderivation，learning，aswellasthepriestlyoffice，islargelyanoutgrowthofsympatheticmagic；andthismagicalapparatusofformandritualthereforefindsitsplacewiththelearnedclassoftheprimitivecommunityasamatterofcourse。Theritualandparaphernaliahaveanoccultefficacyforthemagicalpurpose；sothattheirpresenceasanintegralfactorintheearlierphasesofthedevelopmentofmagicandscienceisamatterofexpediency，quiteasmuchasofaffectionateregardforsymbolismsimply。