The Blithedale Romance - Page 35/170

"Why did not the Frenchman make punch of it at once?" asked

Hollingsworth. "The jack-tars would be delighted to go down in ships

and do business in such an element."

I further proceeded to explain, as well as I modestly could, several

points of Fourier's system, illustrating them with here and there a

page or two, and asking Hollingsworth's opinion as to the expediency of

introducing these beautiful peculiarities into our own practice.

"Let me hear no more of it!" cried he, in utter disgust. "I never will

forgive this fellow! He has committed the unpardonable sin; for what

more monstrous iniquity could the Devil himself contrive than to choose

the selfish principle,--the principle of all human wrong, the very

blackness of man's heart, the portion of ourselves which we shudder at,

and which it is the whole aim of spiritual discipline to eradicate,--to

choose it as the master workman of his system? To seize upon and

foster whatever vile, petty, sordid, filthy, bestial, and abominable

corruptions have cankered into our nature, to be the efficient

instruments of his infernal regeneration! And his consummated

Paradise, as he pictures it, would be worthy of the agency which he

counts upon for establishing it. The nauseous villain!"

"Nevertheless," remarked I, "in consideration of the promised delights

of his system,--so very proper, as they certainly are, to be

appreciated by Fourier's countrymen,--I cannot but wonder that

universal France did not adopt his theory at a moment's warning. But

is there not something very characteristic of his nation in Fourier's

manner of putting forth his views? He makes no claim to inspiration.

He has not persuaded himself--as Swedenborg did, and as any other than

a Frenchman would, with a mission of like importance to

communicate--that he speaks with authority from above. He promulgates

his system, so far as I can perceive, entirely on his own

responsibility. He has searched out and discovered the whole counsel

of the Almighty in respect to mankind, past, present, and for exactly

seventy thousand years to come, by the mere force and cunning of his

individual intellect!"

"Take the book out of my sight," said Hollingsworth with great

virulence of expression, "or, I tell you fairly, I shall fling it in

the fire! And as for Fourier, let him make a Paradise, if he can, of

Gehenna, where, as I conscientiously believe, he is floundering at this

moment!"

"And bellowing, I suppose," said I,--not that I felt any ill-will

towards Fourier, but merely wanted to give the finishing touch to

Hollingsworth's image, "bellowing for the least drop of his beloved

limonade a cedre!"