So,also,allknowledgewhichisusefulasevidenceofleisure,otherthanvicariousleisure,isscarcelyfeminine。
Foranappreciationoftherelationwhichthesehigherseminariesoflearningbeartotheeconomiclifeofthecommunity,thephenomenawhichhavebeenreviewedareofimportanceratherasindicationsofageneralattitudethanasbeinginthemselvesfactsoffirst-rateeconomicconsequence。
Theygotoshowwhatistheinstinctiveattitudeandanimusofthelearnedclasstowardsthelifeprocessofanindustrialcommunity。Theyserveasanexponentofthestageofdevelopment,fortheindustrialpurpose,attainedbythehigherlearningandbythelearnedclass,andsotheyaffordanindicationastowhatmayfairlybelookedforfromthisclassatpointswherethelearningandthelifeoftheclassbearmoreimmediatelyupontheeconomiclifeandefficiencyofthecommunity,andupontheadjustmentofitsschemeoflifetotherequirementsofthetime。
Whattheseritualisticsurvivalsgotoindicateisaprevalenceofconservatism,ifnotofreactionarysentiment,especiallyamongthehigherschoolswheretheconventionallearningiscultivated。
Totheseindicationsofaconservativeattitudeistobeaddedanothercharacteristicwhichgoesinthesamedirection,butwhichisasymptomofgraverconsequencethatthisplayfulinclinationtotrivialitiesofformandritual。ByfarthegreaternumberofAmericancollegesanduniversities,forinstance,areaffiliatedtosomereligiousdenominationandaresomewhatgiventodevoutobservances。Theirputativefamiliaritywithscientificmethodsandthescientificpointofviewshouldpresumablyexemptthefacultiesoftheseschoolsfromanimistichabitsofthought;butthereisstillaconsiderableproportionofthemwhoprofessanattachmenttotheanthropomorphicbeliefsandobservancesofanearlierculture。Theseprofessionsofdevotionalzealare,nodoubt,toagoodextentexpedientandperfunctory,bothonthepartoftheschoolsintheircorporatecapacity,andonthepartoftheindividualmembersofthecorpsofinstructors;butitcannotbedoubtedthatthereisafterallaveryappreciableelementofanthropomorphicsentimentpresentinthehigherschools。Sofarasthisisthecaseitmustbesetdownastheexpressionofanarchaic,animistichabitofmind。
Thishabitofmindmustnecessarilyassertitselftosomeextentintheinstructionoffered,andtothisextentitsinfluenceinshapingthehabitsofthoughtofthestudentmakesforconservatismandreversion;itactstohinderhisdevelopmentinthedirectionofmatter-of-factknowledge,suchasbestservestheendsofindustry。
Thecollegesports,whichhavesogreatavogueinthereputableseminariesoflearningtoday,tendinasimilardirection;and,indeed,sportshavemuchincommonwiththedevoutattitudeofthecolleges,bothasregardstheirpsychologicalbasisandasregardstheirdisciplinaryeffect。Butthisexpressionofthebarbariantemperamentistobecreditedprimarilytothebodyofstudents,ratherthantothetemperoftheschoolsassuch;exceptinsofarasthecollegesorthecollegeofficials——assometimeshappens——activelycountenanceandfosterthegrowthofsports。Thelikeistrueofcollegefraternitiesasofcollegesports,butwithadifference。Thelatterarechieflyanexpressionofthepredatoryimpulsesimply;
theformeraremorespecificallyanexpressionofthatheritageofclannishnesswhichissolargeafeatureinthetemperamentofthepredatorybarbarian。Itisalsonoticeablethatacloserelationsubsistsbetweenthefraternitiesandthesportingactivityoftheschools。Afterwhathasalreadybeensaidinanearlierchapteronthesportingandgamblinghabit,itisscarcelynecessaryfurthertodiscusstheeconomicvalueofthistraininginsportsandinfactionalorganizationandactivity。
Butallthesefeaturesoftheschemeoflifeofthelearnedclass,andoftheestablishmentsdedicatedtotheconservationofthehigherlearning,areinagreatmeasureincidentalonly。Theyarescarcelytobeaccountedorganicelementsoftheprofessedworkofresearchandinstructionfortheostensiblepursuitofwhichtheschoolsexists。Butthesesymptomaticindicationsgotoestablishapresumptionastothecharacteroftheworkperformed——asseenfromtheeconomicpointofview——andastothebentwhichtheseriousworkcarriedonundertheirauspicesgivestotheyouthwhoresorttotheschools。Thepresumptionraisedbytheconsiderationsalreadyofferedisthatintheirworkalso,aswellasintheirceremonial,thehigherschoolsmaybeexpectedtotakeaconservativeposition;butthispresumptionmustbecheckedbyacomparisonoftheeconomiccharacteroftheworkactuallyperformed,andbysomethingofasurveyofthelearningwhoseconservationisintrustedtothehigherschools。Onthishead,itiswellknownthattheaccreditedseminariesoflearninghave,untilarecentdate,heldaconservativeposition。Theyhavetakenanattitudeofdepreciationtowardsallinnovations。
Asageneralruleanewpointofvieworanewformulationofknowledgehavebeencountenancedandtakenupwithintheschoolsonlyafterthesenewthingshavemadetheirwayoutsideoftheschools。Asexceptionsfromthisrulearechieflytobementionedinnovationsofaninconspicuouskindanddepartureswhichdonotbearinanytangiblewayupontheconventionalpointofvieworupontheconventionalschemeoflife;as,forinstance,detailsoffactinthemathematico-physicalsciences,andnewreadingsandinterpretationsoftheclassics,especiallysuchashaveaphilologicalorliterarybearingonly。Exceptwithinthedomainofthe“humanities“,inthenarrowsense,andexceptsofarasthetraditionalpointofviewofthehumanitieshasbeenleftintactbytheinnovators,ithasgenerallyheldtruethattheaccreditedlearnedclassandtheseminariesofthehigherlearninghavelookedaskanceatallinnovation。Newviews,newdeparturesinscientifictheory,especiallyinnewdepartureswhichtouchthetheoryofhumanrelationsatanypoint,havefoundaplaceintheschemeoftheuniversitytardilyandbyareluctanttolerance,ratherthanbyacordialwelcome;andthemenwhohaveoccupiedthemselveswithsucheffortstowidenthescopeofhumanknowledgehavenotcommonlybeenwellreceivedbytheirlearnedcontemporaries。Thehigherschoolshavenotcommonlygiventheircountenancetoaseriousadvanceinthemethodsorthecontentofknowledgeuntiltheinnovationshaveoutlivedtheiryouthandmuchoftheirusefulness——aftertheyhavebecomecommonplacesoftheintellectualfurnitureofanewgenerationwhichhasgrownupunder,andhashaditshabitsofthoughtshapedby,thenew,extra-scholasticbodyofknowledgeandthenewstandpoint。Thisistrueoftherecentpast。Howfaritmaybetrueoftheimmediatepresentitwouldbehazardoustosay,foritisimpossibletoseepresent-dayfactsinsuchperspectiveastogetafairconceptionoftheirrelativeproportions。
Sofar,nothinghasbeensaidoftheMaecenasfunctionofthewell-to-do,whichishabituallydweltonatsomelengthbywritersandspeakerswhotreatofthedevelopmentofcultureandofsocialstructure。Thisleisure-classfunctionisnotwithoutanimportantbearingonthehigherandonthespreadofknowledgeandculture。Themannerandthedegreeinwhichtheclassfurtherslearningthroughpatronageofthiskindissufficientlyfamiliar。Ithasbeenfrequentlypresentedinaffectionateandeffectivetermsbyspokesmenwhosefamiliaritywiththetopicfitsthemtobringhometotheirhearerstheprofoundsignificanceofthisculturalfactor。Thesespokesmen,however,havepresentedthematterfromthepointofviewoftheculturalinterest,oroftheinterestofreputability,ratherthanfromthatoftheeconomicinterest。Asapprehendedfromtheeconomicpointofview,andvaluedforthepurposeofindustrialserviceability,thisfunctionofthewell-to-do,aswellastheintellectualattitudeofmembersofthewell-to-doclass,meritssomeattentionandwillbearillustration。
BywayofcharacterizationoftheMaecenasrelation,itistobenotedthat,consideredexternally,asaneconomicorindustrialrelationsimply,itisarelationofstatus。Thescholarunderthepatronageperformsthedutiesofalearnedlifevicariouslyforhispatron,towhomacertainreputeinuresafterthemannerofthegoodreputeimputedtoamasterforwhomanyformofvicariousleisureisperformed。Itisalsotobenotedthat,inpointofhistoricalfact,thefurtheranceoflearningorthemaintenanceofscholarlyactivitythroughtheMaecenasrelationhasmostcommonlybeenafurtheranceofproficiencyinclassicalloreorinthehumanities。Theknowledgetendstolowerratherthantoheightentheindustrialefficiencyofthecommunity。
Further,asregardsthedirectparticipationofthemembersoftheleisureclassinthefurtheranceofknowledge,thecanonsofreputablelivingacttothrowsuchintellectualinterestasseeksexpressionamongtheclassonthesideofclassicalandformalerudition,ratherthanonthesideofthesciencesthatbearsomerelationtothecommunity’sindustriallife。Themostfrequentexcursionsintootherthanclassicalfieldsofknowledgeonthepartofmembersoftheleisureclassaremadeintothedisciplineoflawandthepolitical,andmoreespeciallytheadministrative,sciences。Theseso-calledsciencesaresubstantiallybodiesofmaximsofexpediencyforguidanceintheleisure-classofficeofgovernment,asconductedonaproprietarybasis。Theinterestwithwhichthisdisciplineisapproachedisthereforenotcommonlytheintellectualorcognitiveinterestsimply。Itislargelythepracticalinterestoftheexigenciesofthatrelationofmasteryinwhichthemembersoftheclassareplaced。Inpointofderivation,theofficeofgovernmentisapredatoryfunction,pertainingintegrallytothearchaicleisure-classschemeoflife。Itisanexerciseofcontrolandcoercionoverthepopulationfromwhichtheclassdrawsitssustenance。Thisdiscipline,aswellastheincidentsofpracticewhichgiveititscontent,thereforehassomeattractionfortheclassapartfromallquestionsofcognition。Allthisholdstruewhereverandsolongasthegovernmentalofficecontinues,informorinsubstance,tobeaproprietaryoffice;anditholdstruebeyondthatlimit,insofarasthetraditionofthemorearchaicphaseofgovernmentalevolutionhaslastedonintothelaterlifeofthosemoderncommunitiesforwhomproprietarygovernmentbyaleisureclassisnowbeginningtopassaway。
Forthatfieldoflearningwithinwhichthecognitiveorintellectualinterestisdominant——thesciencesproperlysocalled——thecaseissomewhatdifferent,notonlyasregardstheattitudeoftheleisureclass,butasregardsthewholedriftofthepecuniaryculture。Knowledgeforitsownsake,theexerciseofthefacultyofcomprehensivewithoutulteriorpurpose,should,itmightbeexpected,besoughtbymenwhomnourgentmaterialinterestdivertsfromsuchaquest。Theshelteredindustrialpositionoftheleisureclassshouldgivefreeplaytothecognitiveinterestinmembersofthisclass,andweshouldconsequentlyhave,asmanywritersconfidentlyfindthatwedohave,averylargeproportionofscholars,scientists,savantsderivedfromthisclassandderivingtheirincentivetoscientificinvestigationandspeculationfromthedisciplineofalifeofleisure。Somesuchresultistobelookedfor,buttherearefeaturesoftheleisure-classschemeoflife,alreadysufficientlydweltupon,whichgotodiverttheintellectualinterestofthisclasstoothersubjectsthanthatcausalsequenceinphenomenawhichmakesthecontentofthesciences。
Thehabitsofthoughtwhichcharacterizethelifeoftheclassrunonthepersonalrelationofdominance,andonthederivative,invidiousconceptsofhonor,worth,merit,character,andthelike。Thecasualsequencewhichmakesupthesubjectmatterofscienceisnotvisiblefromthispointofview。Neitherdoesgoodreputeattachtoknowledgeoffactsthatarevulgarlyuseful。
Henceitshouldappearprobablethattheinterestoftheinvidiouscomparisonwithrespecttopecuniaryorotherhonorificmeritshouldoccupytheattentionoftheleisureclass,totheneglectofthecognitiveinterest。Wherethislatterinterestassertsitselfitshouldcommonlybedivertedtofieldsofspeculationorinvestigationwhicharereputableandfutile,ratherthantothequestofscientificknowledge。Suchindeedhasbeenthehistoryofpriestlyandleisure-classlearningsolongasnoconsiderablebodyofsystematizedknowledgehadbeenintrudedintothescholasticdisciplinefromanextra-scholasticsource。Butsincetherelationofmasteryandsubservienceisceasingtobethedominantandformativefactorinthecommunity’slifeprocess,otherfeaturesofthelifeprocessandotherpointsofviewareforcingthemselvesuponthescholars。
Thetrue-bredgentlemanofleisureshould,anddoes,seetheworldfromthepointofviewofthepersonalrelation;andthecognitiveinterest,sofarasitassertsitselfinhim,shouldseektosystematizephenomenaonthisbasis。Suchindeedisthecasewiththegentlemanoftheoldschool,inwhomtheleisure-classidealshavesufferednodisintegration;andsuchistheattitudeofhislatter-daydescendant,insofarashehasfallenheirtothefullcomplementofupper-classvirtues。Butthewaysofheredityaredevious,andnoteverygentleman’ssonistothemanorborn。Especiallyisthetransmissionofthehabitsofthoughtwhichcharacterizethepredatorymastersomewhatprecariousinthecaseofalineofdescentinwhichbutoneortwoofthelateststepshavelainwithintheleisure-classdiscipline。Thechancesofoccurrenceofastrongcongenitaloracquiredbenttowardstheexerciseofthecognitiveaptitudesareapparentlybestinthosemembersoftheleisureclasswhoareoflowerclassormiddleclassantecedents——thatistosay,thosewhohaveinheritedthecomplementofaptitudespropertotheindustriousclasses,andwhoowetheirplaceintheleisureclasstothepossessionofqualitieswhichcountformoretodaythantheydidinthetimeswhentheleisure-classschemeoflifetookshape。Butevenoutsidetherangeoftheselateraccessionstotheleisureclassthereareanappreciablenumberofindividualsinwhomtheinvidiousinterestisnotsufficientlydominanttoshapetheirtheoreticalviews,andinwhomtheproclivitytotheoryissufficientlystrongtoleadthemintothescientificquest。