Macmillan

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL 129
inherited as it were differentstandards and valuations in its
blood,everythingis disquiet, derangement,doubt,and tentative;
the best powers operate restrictively, the very virtues
prevent each other growingand becomingstrong,equilibrium,
ballast,and perpendicularstability are lackingin body and
soul. That,however,which is most diseased and degenerated
in such nondescripts is the will;they are no longerfamiliar
with independenceof decision, or the courageous feelingof
"
pleasurein willingtheyare doubtful of the "freedom of the
will" even in their dreams. Our present-dayEurope,the
scene of a senseless, precipitate attempt at a radical blending
of classes, and consequentlyof races, is therefore sceptical
in all itsheightsand depths șometimes exhibiting the mobile
scepticismwhich springsimpatientlyand wantonly from
branch to branch,sometimes with gloomy aspect,like a
and cloud overchargedwith "
interrogative signs
often sick
xmto death of its will! Paralysisof will;where do we not
find this cripplesittingnowadays! And yet
how bedecked
oftentimes! How seductivelyornamented! There are the
finestgala dresses and disguisesfor this disease;and that,
for instance,most of what placesitselfnowadays in the
show-cases as "objectiveness," "the
pour I'art," and
scientificspirit," "I'art
"purevoluntaryknowledge,"is onlydeckedout
scepticismand paralysisof will" I am ready to answer
for this diagnosisof the European disease." The
disease of
the will is diffused unequallyover Europe; it is worst and
most varied where civilisationhas longestprevailed;it
or decreases accordingas "the barbarian" still
"
asserts
again"
his claims under the loose draperyof Western culture.
It is therefore in the France of to-day,as can be readilydisclosed
and comprehended țhat the will is most infirm;and
France,which has alwayshad a masterlyaptitudefor con
vertingeven
the portentouscrisesof itsspiritinto something