V a l u e1 7 7would ring a set of minor variations on what had gone before.
Change was to be treated sceptically. It was more likely to represent
degeneration than progress. It was, of course, inevitable, but the
mutability of human affairs was a sign of our fallen condition.
There was no alteration in Eden.
If this neo- classical view of the world seems light years from our
own, it is partly because romanticism intervened between the
two. For the Romantics, men and women are creative spirits
with an inexhaustible power to transform their world. Reality is
thus dynamic rather than static, and change is mostly to be
celebrated rather than feared. Human beings are makers of their
own history, and potentially infinite progress lies within their
grasp. To embark on this brave new world, they need simply to
throw off the forces which shackle them. The creative imagination
is a visionary power which can remake the world in the image
of our deepest desires. It inspires political revolutions as well as
poems. There is a fresh emphasis on individual genius. Human
beings are no longer to be seen as frail, flawed creatures, always
likely to fall into error and perpetually in need of the smack of firm
government. Instead, their roots run down to infinity. Freedom is
of their very essence. Yearning and striving are of their nature, and
their true home lies in eternity. We should cultivate a generous
trust in human capabilities. The passions and affections are mostly
benign. Unlike cold- hearted reason, they bind us to Nature and to
each other. They should be allowed to flourish free of artificial
constraint. The truly just society, as well as the finest work of art, is
the one which would allow this to happen. The most cherished
artworks are those which transcend tradition and convention.
Instead of slavishly imitating the past, they bring to birth some-
thing rich and strange.