Algernon Blackwood

“ For even and especially⁠—the Saint, worthy of the name, still does his daily duties, but does them unto an ideal larger, higher than himself, an ideal he styles variously, perhaps, but usually styles God.
It is passing strange and exquisite, this new beauty that has crept into our darkened streets and into our careless hearts as well. The instant alteration is properly miraculous. The individual life has become ascetic in the true sense, automatically. Luxuries are seen in a flash to be not merely unnecessary, but degrading, hindering clear effort of mind and body. ”

“ And what has taken place as a whole is taking place in every smaller portion of that whole. The object, moreover, is not to kill, but to keep alive⁠—truth, justice, mercy, liberty. Awkward squads are visible on every hand, impersonal service the word of command. Next to you stands a scholar, beyond him an artist famous in two hemispheres, behind you a singer whose voice brings joy to thousands. ”

“ Beauty has crept into our darkened streets again, and the soul of London is aware of it. The phenomenon is strictly wonderful. London herself, in the blue gloom of the Parks, along the shadowy streets, and at the upper windows of a million houses⁠—London, as an entity, is aware. ”

“ The man who fights⁠—there are many ways of fighting⁠—is the man who counts just now. True. But the strength of that man depends upon the corporate Whole in which he is an item, and that corporate Whole is determined by what its myriad component items think⁠—and will. They think justice and liberty just now, they will the right. God, in this beautiful aspect, is indeed a god of battles. It is all too deep and magical for shouting: our extraordinary, unemotional silence which deceives the foreigner, is spiritual. ”

“ A new beauty which has crept back into our darkened streets has stolen upon the daily lives of millions too. The common, artificial brilliance that hid the stars has disappeared. We see the heavens again. ”

“ Unnoticed during easy and luxurious days, too obvious in hours of sunshine to be detected, it now steals forth, claims recognition, draws attention to itself. It is a marvellous and delicate thing, yet of incalculable potentiality. It is that which scientists are supposed to ignore and biologists to deny. It is the soul. ”

“ The answers, though various, seem to echo a greater hope to many of us. There are some, at least, who will remember how Beauty stole back into our darkened streets, and, remembering, will have gained a hint of what is wisdom. ”

“ It is proof that out of evil good must come. What but a cynical, ugly national expression of the exact opposite, prating of culture, while holding women of small account and killing little children, could have taught us this new, tender beauty? ”

“ The spectacle of an entire nation drilling, of countless thousands going out to fight, calmly, without personal hatred, is uplifting and superb; it is a spiritual affirmation. Yet the sight of such numbers marching with the lust and violence of anger and individual hate, though splendid in a barbaric sense, would be degrading only. ”

“ We have become as an ant-heap, a hive of bees, a flock of birds, whose immense, coherent and effective activities are the result of being animated by a single purpose: the individual counts enormously, because his purpose is the purpose of the entire mass. ”

“ They have lost themselves and found themselves; they are part of a Whole, their Company. Proud, willing, happy, they just let themselves be drilled, and have no questions to ask, even of themselves. They are scolded, shouted at, rebuked and praised alternately, by a lad who happens to have learned the words of command and technique they are ignorant of. ”

“ We are witnessing a religious and mystical phenomenon of ultimate significance, that which the Churches insist must happen in a regenerated heart, that which religions of all climes and ages affirm as of paramount importance⁠—sign and proof of spiritual awakening. ”

“ We dislike the word. But the fact remains. Material war has become a superb manifestation of the spiritual. And it is something we have to thank the savage, unmoral Prussian for⁠—this marvellous affirmation. ”

“ Men, to whom such an event had never once appeared as even a possible eventuality, are drilling by the thousand; are being drilled as naturally as they formerly ate their breakfast or went to golf and tennis. ”

“ And those who cannot drill in an Earl’s-court or Post Office quadrangle, who for the best reasons continue the daily round, the common task as usual, these none the less are equally involved in the loss of the personal which is due to absorption in the thing that is greater than themselves. ”