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Life and Writings LIFE AND WRITINGS OF JOSEPH MAZZINI VOL. IV. CRITICAL AND LITERARY A NEW EDITION LONDON SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE 1891 TRANSLATOR'S NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION, THE article on the Philosophy of Music with which the present volume commences, ought, in order of date, to have found its place in the second volume of this edition of Mr. Mazzini's works. The publi- cation of it was delayed at the author's request, in order to afford him an opportunity of adding to it a lengthened notice of those works of Meyerbeer which have appeared since the article was written. Constant ill-health and the pressure of political duties have, however, compelled him to abandon this intention, and the Translator is at length un- willingly obliged to publish the article with no other addition than the note to page 52. CONTENTS. PARE THE PHILOSOPHY OF Music . (1833) i THE ON THE GENIUS AND TENDENCY OF ) v (1843) 56 WRITINGS OF THOMAS CARLYLE . ; ON THE HISTORY OF THE FRENCH REVOLU- TION, BY THOMAS CARLYLE . } ON THE MINOR WORKS OF DANTE . ('1844) 145 PREFACE TO THE FIRST COMPLETE EDITION \ OF THE DUTIES OF MAN . ) THE DUTIKS OF MAN CHAPTER i. INTRODUCTION . (1844) 209 a. GOD .... ,,231 3. THK LAW ... 245 4. DUTIES TOWARDS HUMANITY 258 5. DUTIES TOWARDS THE > [ (1858)' 273 COUNTRY . J 6. DUTIES TOWARDS THE FAMILY 281 7. DUTIES TOWARDS YoUR-SJiLVES 29! 8. LIBERTY .... 305 9. EDUCATION . , , 315 10. , ASSOCIATION PROGRESS ,, 325 xi. TIIK ECONOMICAL QUESTION ,, 335 12. CONCLUSION ... ,, 366 Critical and Literary. THE PHILOSOPHY OF MUSIC. r HEN the essential element or ruling idea of W an Art has reached its widest development and highest expression, so that every attempt to surpass its previous achievements is unavailing, it is a sure sign that the ruling idea is. exhausted and consumed. Not genius itself can recall a period once concluded, or in course of conclusion. The endeavour to erect a new artistic edifice upon that 1 idea as its sole basis, or to derive from that sole it element the source of new artistic life, is futile ; betrays a misconception of the laws by which all- art is governed. It is a voluntary assumption of shackles the wearer to a reducing sterility ; linger- ing behind among tombs, when life, movement, and power arc ahead of us, beyond. is as it is the Art immortal ; but sympathetic expression of that Thought of God of which our world is the destined interpreter, it is, like it, pro- gressive. It neither describes a circle, nor retraces paths already trod. It advances from epoch to VOL. IV ,B 2 Life & Writings of Massini ; [A. 1833. epoch, continually enlarging its sphere and rising 1 to a higher conception, so soon as the preceding evolved conception has been completely ; rebnp- tized in the name of a new Principle, so soon as the consequences of the former have been reduced to practice. Such, in fact, is the law of destiny in all things : one another commences and it is the epoch extinct, ; office of Genius to penetrate and reveal its secret I believe that Music has reached this point at the present day. The conception which formerly it life is exhausted the which gave ; conception by it is destined to be informed in the future, is as yet unrevealed. so as it remains unrevealed And long ; so long as our young composers persist in the en- deavour still further to develope an exhausted idea, instead of looking for inspiration to a I leaven yet unexplored, so long will Music remain disinherited of all creative power : its various Schools will con- tend in vain for victory, and its artists wander un- certain amid diverse tendencies and systems, without definite and without of purpose, hope progress ; eternal imitators, winning only the wreath reserved for such, which, however various and vivid its colours, is destined to wither in a day* We may have perfection of method, and refinement of exe- but no creative of cution, power ; variety style, but no new ideas of musical ; flashes light, but no musical day; musical enthusiasts, either through A. 1833.] Critical & Literary. 3 fashion or feeling, but no musical believers, no Religion of Music Human intellect at the present day is, as it \vere, standing between two worlds : between the and the future between a past ; synthesis consumed, and a synthesis yet to be evolved. This is a truth to which every branch of human knowledge bears witness. Our Literature, Poetry, History, and Philosophy, are all various manifestations of one sole phenomenon, and proclaim to those who understand their language, that ours is a period of transition that we stand between the last of ; rays the setting sun and the first uncertain glimmer of the dawn of a new day. Such poetry as we have is all of or tears or memory presentiment ; prayer. Our Literature either wanders dubiously in search of a lost Word, or whispers a hope of new destinies to come. oscillates between two History systems ; between the mere barren analysis of facts, and their synthetic exposition. Philosophy, chained to the earth and absorbed in the anatomy of individual man, pither persists in the footsteps of the eighteenth century, or, utterly neglecting the real, and unmind- ful of the possibility of the gradual realisation of theory in practice, loses itself in the contempla- tion of an absolute ideal never yet achieved, and, it may be, incapable of achievement Bold attempts are initiated, but only to be abandoned in or sola- impotence discouragement ; 4 Life & Writings of Mazdni: [A. 1833. tions arc suggested, only to be lost si^ht of, A restlessness a sense of general prevails ; powers and capacities which men are eager but ignorant how to apply; a yearning after the unknown which troubles the spirit, but urges it to no positive con- quest or achievement The human intellect thirsts for in all but either unity things ; knows not the which to reach or paths by it, lacks the courage to pursue them. Romanticism, as I have elsewhere said, though to was to build essen- potent destroy, impotent up ; tially a theory of transition, it was impossible it should contain any organic conception or idea, But before the human mind could enter upon the new path, the path of Social Art, Romanticism was required to liberate it from the tyranny of schools' and precisionists. The present dangers to artistic development, however, do not arise from its adversaries they are irrevocably defeated but rather from incapable or and timid partisans, inexpert innovators ; from writers who proclaim the present anarchical con- dition of literature to be the ultimate achievement of innovation, or who blindly worship the prophet instead of the God When Romanticism flung the apple of discord into the midst of their banquet, the assembled literati were not Europeans of the nineteenth cen- tury; they were bastard Greeks- and Romans, A. 1833.] Critical & Literary. 5 Antiquity reigned alone. The modern element was cancelled, and all free, Christian, human Art was buried beneath the rubbish of the pagan world, Romanticism, like the northern invaders at the decay of the Roman Empire, scattered the dusty relics to the winds, and laid bare the individuality crushed and overwhelmed beneath the ; then, by utterance of a word forgotten in the sphere of art for nearly five centuries, it bade the human intellect Onward! reconsecrating it to freedom by declaring Jo it The Universe is thine own. It did no more. The human spirit then began to wander at ran- dom amid the various paths thus suddenly disclosed to it now the heavens to itself in ; scaling enwrap the clouds of to Mysticism ; now descending hell, to learn the endless discouragement, the satanic so in the literature of sneer, prevalent France ; now prostrating itself before the relics of the middle ages, and asking inspiration of the ruins of monas- tery and cloister. From all these wandering attempts uncertain; exclusive, or even retrogres- sive as they frequently were there did, however, come forth one presage of the future, one sign of re-awakened conscience and power, one ruling idea the restoration of the human Ego to its proper mission. To those who demanded of them, In whom do you believe 1 men were at least able to answer, /;/ ourselves. A . 6 Life & Writings of Mazzini: [ 1833. So soon, however, as men perceived that the themselves gulf yet remained open, and found to close it so soon as discovered impotent ; they that all these attempts were utterly insufficient to appease the demands of the growing generation, a sense of dismay and discouragement came upon them, which has never been dispelled. Science, the arts, and every form of human know- ledge await the coming of one who shall link and unfte them all in a single idea of civilisation, and concentrate them all in one sole aim. They await his coming, and he is destined to appear. With him the anarchy that now torments intelligence will cease and the its and ; arts, proper place rank assigned to each, the vital power of each sanctified fortified by the vital power of all, and by the exercise of a mission, will once more flourish in harmonious union, immortal and revered. In the meantime, it is well to prepare the way, and to indicate to all who have not despaired of the future, the path of salvation. So far as literature is concerned, these truths, and many others derived from them, may more truly be said to be forgotten than unknown. They have been stated, and received with applause in Italy; for the Italian intellect, powerful by nature, seizes truth to it but readily upon any presented ; they have been again forgotten, for in Italy the A.
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