The World’s Tragedy

PREFACE. XXXI or rather to a Tetragrammaton which is a Temurah of T. H. I. S. — they are atheists and in favour of Free Love — whatever that may mean. I have talked with many Socialists, but never with one who understood his subject. Empty babblers they are, muddle-headed philanthropists. They read a shilling abridgement of John Stuart Mill, and settle all economic problems over a « sirloin of turnips » in some filthy crank food dive. Ask them any simple question about detail, and the bubble is pricked. Well, as I was saying, they are all in favour of « Free Love ». Some paper mentioned the fact. What a stam- pede ! Oh no ! not me, please sir, it was the other boy. It would never do to shock the British public. If I exclude Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wells from these strictures, it is because Shaw is simply a masturbating monkey, and Wells a satirist playing at castles on his Sandgate sands. So, then, it is Christianity considered as slavishness, as fear of all sorts, as altruism — that exquisite refinement of fear which we call sympathy — that I condemn. It is be- cause we are afraid of death that the death of others affects us, except of course in the case of bereavement. Just look at your Christian when he gets his modicum of manhood. He will not take the manly way, because (a) he is afraid of hurting the modesty of the poor girl (who is simply aching for him) ; (b) he is afraid of catching some disease : (c) he might get her into trouble ; (d) what will the neighbours say ? ; (e) suppose she said no, what a fool